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the time that Jesus Christ was crucified the apostles have called the time of
grace "the last days," why?
One reason is that time
is not the same for God as it is for us. Let's see what Peter says about time
as it relates to God:
2 Peter 3:8
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant
of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.
KJV
Luke 4:18-21
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To
preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (see
Isaiah 61:2 below)
20 And he closed the book, and he
gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were
in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them,
This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
KJV
Isaiah 61:2
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the
day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
KJV
Luke 4:19 then tells
us that Jesus has identified that very day as "the acceptable year of the
Lord" and we can see from Isaiah 61:2 (the book that Jesus was reading from)
that next is "the day of vengeance of our God".
OK, so we know that the clock of the end times started ticking
when Jesus walked on the earth as a flesh man, but how long is the period of grace
("the acceptable year of the Lord"?)
To answer this, we have the parable of the Fig Tree:
Matthew 24:32-35
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When
his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise
ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the
doors.
34 Verily I
say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
KJV
Mark 13:28-31
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When
her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29 So ye in
like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh,
even at the doors.
30 Verily I
say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
31 Heaven and
earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
KJV
About 80 years after the crucifixion
Israel as a nation ceased to be, destroyed by a Roman general (Titus). For 2000
years there has not been a nation of Israel to be found on the earth. Then, in
1948 the events of World War II triggered the formation of the homeland of the
Jewish people (the tribes of Judah and Benjamin).
This was the planting of the Fig
Tree (Israel) and she has been shooting forth her tender branch from that day.
The next question would be: "Why
does this earth age ever have to end? Why would God come back at all?"
The simple answer to this question
can be found in Revelation 10:5-6, a longer answer will be found in another
document which is under construction at this time.
Revelation 10:5-6
5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his
hand to heaven,
6 And sware by him that liveth for
ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth,
and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein,
that there should be time no longer:
KJV
OK, now we have an idea that we are
now in the end times, in fact we are in the last of the end times as indicated
by the parable of the Fig Tree. But we will not know of that day and that hour
as stated in Mark 13:31-31 below.
Mark 13:31-32
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall
not pass away.
32 But of that
day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither
the Son, but the Father.
KJV
I have talked to fellow Christians that expect God to return and take out his
wrath upon us all. And we are not even going to know when this is going to happen!
This is a scary thought, in fact it is the fear of this that has made the false
RAPTURE doctrin so popular. But think about it, not only think about it, but read
the words of Paul in 1 Thessalonians below. We brethern (fellow Christians) "God
hath not appointed US to wrath!" In verse 4 you can see that (being children
of light.) And in Matthew 24:33 and
Mark 13:29 (below) we are told by Jesus
himself that we will know that the time is near (so we will not be entirely surprised.)
And check 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (below) are we suppose to put on the armour of
God to be "taken up?" or does God want us to stand in His name before
Satan (Anti-Christ) and using the Pentecostal tong prophicy, saying His words?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-10
5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto
you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh
upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not
of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken
in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith
and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but
to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together
with him.
KJV
Matthew 24:33
33 So likewise
ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the
doors.
Mark 13:29
29 So
ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it
is nigh, even at the doors.
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