Did anyone reading here see that latest poll about Congress? The questions asks people to rate how Congress is doing, but the first two choices are:
1. Excellent (Recent results said 5%)
2. Fair (Recent results said 23%)
So does that mean that the approval rating is only 5% or is it really 28%? Depends on how you read the poll, doesn't it?
The media reporting the results claim that Congress has a positive approval rating of only 5%. Is that a correct reading or is it deliberately deceptive?
The majority of unredeemed men obviously do not have the honest capability to present a silly poll correctly, no less predict an election outcome!
But this post really isn't about polls, elections, or the lamestream media. Though, the election will be a very important one regarding the direction that our country will go in after the Obamination is out of office, it all pales in comparison to what the Bible tells us about the ultimate future in the book of Revelation.
One of the very first books about Revelation that I bought at a weekend seminar several years back was Ed Hindson's The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future
Book Description
Series: 21st Century Biblical Commentary Series | Publication Date: May 1, 2002
WILL THE HUMAN RACE SURVIVE IN THE FUTURE?
EVERYONE IS CURIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE. There is something in human nature that wants to know what is going to happen next. God speaks to the need in our lives by revealing the future before it happens. That process is called a prophecy of future events. This book is a study of the prophecies in the book of Revelation.
The book of Revelation is the grand and noble conclusion to the Bible. It captivates our attention, stirs our imagination, and points us to our glorious future destiny. It shows the living relationship between the risen Christ and His Bride, the Church. It also records the final days of this world and reveals the glorious new world yet to come. The book of Revelation gives us hope for the future when God will make "all things new" (Rev.21:5).
Dr.Hindson simplifies the message of the Revelation so that you can easily understand it for yourself. He surveys the general content of this captivating book of prophecy with a view to keeping the big picture in mind, rather than getting lost in all the details. His approach is to keep the study focused on the key issues in each chapter.
The Book of Revelation has been called the epilogue of the unfolding drama of redemption. It's God's road map to help us understand where human history is going. In the biblical record, human history begins in a garden and ends in the eternal city. It begins with tragedy and ends with triumph. It begins with man's failure and ends with his exaltation. In between, there stands a cross! And on that cross, Jesus Christ changed the course of human history forever.
The message of the Bible represents the timeless truth of God. As each generation seeks to apply that truth to its specific context it becomes necessary for an up-to-date commentary to be created just for them. The editors and authors of the Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary" have endeavored to do just that. They represent conservative, evangelical, and dispensational scholarship at its best.
In the introduction pages of the book, Dr. Hindson describes "the big picture" by comparing the contents of the Revelation with other biblical prophecies and we find that basic patterns emerge:1
1. The Church will coninue to grow. But it will have varying degrees of success and difficulty. Jesus promised to continue to build His Church and empower it to attack the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18). But He also warned of persecution and rejection (Matt. 25:9-12).
The dual nature of this phenomenon becomes more and more evident with each passing year. The conversion of Muslims to Christianity in Iraq, for example, is quite a change from when Saddam Hussein was in power. Yet, the persecution of new believers from radical Islam severely tests the new believers because they could lose their lives as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Here in the United States, the liberal, leftist, secular, progressive, atheistic, (which includes socialist/communist/Islamist sympathizers) haters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ continue their attacks against Christianity at an alarming rate.
I am grateful to God that Jesus warned us of such things; but the fact that Jesus has "overcome the world" and we know how it all ends is truly the kind of peace that one can have in one's heart that surpasses all understanding!
Jhn 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
2. Satanic opposition will intensify. Things will get worse as we get closer to the time of the end. "Difficult times" will come (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Scoffers will mock the idea of Christ's second coming (2 Pet. 3:3-4; Jude 17-18). False prophets will increase and apostate religion will rival the true Church (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:13-14).
Over the past three years (ironically, during pResident Obama's corrupt administration) the uptick in satanic activity cannot be denied. You name the "ism" (socialism, communism, Islamism, secular humanism - the list is endless) and you will see how sin and evil have permeated our culture at an alarming rate. What used to be unthinkable (i.e. abortion, approval and celebration of homosexual behavior, fornication, assisted suicide etc.) is either being ignored or even promoted as "good" in many apostate "churches"! This is very damaging to our culture.
3. Israel will return to the Promised Land. The great end-times regathering has already begun (since 1948). Israel is once again a nation in her own land (Exek. 20:34; 37:12-21; Is. 43:5-6). But her return will touch off a storm of protest and conflict in the Middle East (Joel 3:2-14; Ezek. 38:1-6).
Imagine the scoffers before 1948 who were saying that such a prophecy would NEVER happen and Israel would never be re-born as a nation state! They had centuries to argue against it, but when Israel became a nation once again in 1948, another prophecy of the Bible had come true.
We can see all the wars and rumors of wars as many of the Arab nations surrounding Israel puff themselves up and declare that they will "wipe Israel off the map." Boy, are THEY going to be surprised by God's protection over His Nation and people (and the utter destruction of Her enemies) at the battle of Armageddon!
4. The Church will be raptured to heaven. When our Lord departed to heaven, He promised His disciples He would return to take them home with Him (John 14;3). The apostle Paul predicted that the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we that are alive and remain shall be caught up into heaven (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-52).
This could happen at any moment! There is nothing that still needs to be fulfilled before Christ comes for His own and we meet Him in the air and are taken up into heaven with Him! We will escape the coming judgment.
5. Judgments of the tribulation period will follow. The great judgments of the End Times vividly described in the book of Revelation are called "the hour of testing" (3:10), "the great day of their wrath" (6:17) or "great tribulation" 7:14). These judgments relate to the seals, trumpets, and bowls of the Apocalypse.
Chapters 6 - 19 reveal a series of catastrophic judgments on the earth. However, these judgments result in the final triumph and return of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom on earth for one thousand years (see 19:11-20:6).
6. Marriage of Christ and the Church. The Church's absence from chapter 4 through chapter 18 is best explained by the fact that she has already been raptured to heaven to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:7-9). Here she receives her rewards, crowns, and robes of righteousness prior to her procession back to earth with the Savior.
On another page in this book, Dr. Hindson reminds us of all of the names and titles of Christ. There are 33 of them! However, Christ is called "The Lamb" 28 times! Why? Because Christ REDEEMED man from sin, evil and death at His first coming. All of those who call upon His name, confess and repent of their sin and believe that Christ has risen from the dead will be saved! The Apocalypse is the epilogue of the unfolding drama of redemption!
7. Triumphal return of Christ. The climax of the Apocalypse comes in 19:11-21, when the glorified Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords with His Bride, the Church, at His side. He returns to conquer all opposition to His reign and to establish his Millennial Kingdom on earth (19:19 - 20:4).
The Bible proclaims that "every eye will see Him" when Christ returns. In biblical times, this might seem impossible. But with today's technology (iPhones, computers, iPads etc.) each person will have a device in hand or in front of him/her to see His return as the conqueror King!
8. Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Christ will reign upon the earth for one thousand years (a millennium) while Satan is bound in the "abyss." During this time, God's promises to Israel will be fulfilled. The Messiah shall reign from Jerusalem over all the earth in peace, blessing, and prosperity (Rev. 20:1-6; Is. 2:2-4; 9:6-7).
The Jews long-awaited Messiah will come - but it will be His Second Coming to this earth - where they will THEN recognize Jesus Christ as Messiah! This is why Christians and Jews can be said to worship the same God. No other religion can claim the same.
9. Final triumph. Even after one thousand years of earthly blessing, Satan will once again attempt to destroy the kingedom of God by one final act of rebellion. This time his defeat is final, and he is cast into the lake of fire (20:7-10). The Great White Throne Judgment follows, when even death and hell are cast into the lake of fire (20:11-15).
Wouldn't want to be in that!!!!
10. Eternal state. The Revelation describes eternity as "a new heaven and a new earth" (21:1). It also emphasizes the significance of the New Jerusalem in the celestial state (21:2). God is pictured dwelling with His people in an eternity of peace and blessing. Suffering and death are no more and every tear is wiped away. Paradise is truly restored, and the saved have access to the tree of life (21:3- 22:5).
There is a LOT of detail that can be shared about these points, and I highly recommend purchasing Hindson's book! But suffice it to say that thisw brief synopsis can be viewed as a road map provided by God to help us understand where human history is going.
Dr. Hindson concludes the introduction section:
The fact that it points to the time of the end is clear throughout the entire book. It serves as the final consummation of biblical revelation. It takes us from the first century to the last century, from persecution to triumph, from the struggling Church to the Bride of Christ, from Patmos to paradise.
Paradise restored!
In the biblical record, human history begins in a garden and ends in the eternal city. It begins with tragedy and ends in triumph. It begins with man's failure and ends with his exaltation. In between, there stands a cross! And on that cross, Jesus Christ changed the course of human history forever. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Endnotes:
1 For a detailed list of "25 Major Prophecies of the End Times," see Ed Hindson, Final Signs (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1996), appendix. 197-214.
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1 comment:
CJW: ”The media of mass deception has been trying to predict the future Republican election results ad nauseam. They think that hundreds of polls taken over the last few months will give us an indication of who the nominee eventually will be.”
That's because it's news, and everyone is wondering anyway. We know who the Democratic nominee is already, right? Besides, it's been quite a while since the Republican field was so crowded.
There's a High Mormon, a Weathervane Serial Adulterer, a People's Christian Nationalist, a Radical Patriot, a High Christian Nationalist, and a Low Mormon. What a circus! The Sloganeer and the pseudo-Birther have left the ring, although the latter is thinking of returning.
”The majority of unredeemed men obviously do not have the honest capability to present a silly poll correctly, no less predict an election outcome!”
As you say, everyone is curious about the future, but forecasting that future has always been a tricky business. One prominent Christian forecaster, in the late '70s, confidently predicted war with the USSR over Israel in 1982. Of the three players mentioned, one no longer exists...and it wasn't due to a war. More recently, another Christian forecaster predicted the end of the world last October 21st...but in fact it was the end of the world only for Moammar Khadafy. Those failed predictions say much about the level of their redemption and honest capability, doesn't it?
People have a way of upsetting carefully-planned schedules, even God's.
”The conversion of Muslims to Christianity in Iraq, for example, is quite a change from when Saddam Hussein was in power. Yet, the persecution of new believers from radical Islam severely tests the new believers because they could lose their lives as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ.”
There have always been Christians in Iraq. Saddam left them alone, mainly because they were no threat to his power. He persecuted the Kurds because they were, and because they occupied one of the more productive regions of the country.
The war changed everything; it has become “all against all”, and while Sunni and Shia neighborhoods have clearly marked themselves as such, Iraqi Christians are now seen as symbols of an alien religion whose other followers have brought war and strife to their land. There used to be about 4 million Christians in Iraq. Now there's less than half that many. Most are among the 3 million refugees who have streamed into Iraq's neighbors since 2003, and the rest are lying low, for obvious reasons.
The “Prince of Peace” meets the “Religion of Peace”. A pox on both your houses!
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