Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7
Yet, the apostles didn’t know how it would all play out exactly. But they knew the Scripture! So St. Peter declared “this is that” at Pentecost.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; Acts 2:16 KJ
Did the apostles think that something akin to a flame of fire would rest upon them? Did they think they would be speaking in tongues? Probably not. Yet they knew something would happen:
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5
FYI: The Holy Spirit was given on the anniversary of the giving of the Law to Moses: Pentecost or Feast of Weeks/Shavuot in Hebrew. Judaism & Christianity share the same birthday! Now isn’t that a God-incidence! God has His own calendar!
The upper room disciples of Christ were now transformed to go out and preach the gospel for they had waited for the “Promise of the Father”. This Promise of the Father is for everyone who believes:
38Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2
ENDTIME EVENTS
“This is that” again. I suppose we might say this at the endtime events. We don’t know exactly how it will all play out. But we have the Scriptures and they do give us an indication of the timeline and certain things!
However, we have all these scenarios about the endtime events. Since Israel became a state in 1948 (Deut 30:3-6) (Jer 16:14-15), it signaled we were relatively near the end of the world system. And then the Millennium will set in from 6000-7000 years, a total of 7000 years from Adam (or his fall?) till the New Heavens & New Earth.
Many evangelical Christians believe it to be near the end, not of this world, but of this world system. The government of the King of Kings will be implemented on the earth.
However, sincerely devout Christians believe in various thoughts about the Millennium: Amillennialism, Post-millennialism, and Pre-millennialism. My position is from a pre-millennialist, post-tribulation point of view as I believe that this is the best interpretation of Scripture. This should not be a source of breaking fellowship!
Sincerely devout Christians postulate that the tribulation could be 3.5 years or seven years. There’s the pre-, post-, mid- tribulation theories. This should not be a source of breaking fellowship!
These various arguments may have some valid points, but one should absolutely know the Scriptures, so one can say “this is that”! I suspect that every Christian will be surprised, some more than others, how the endtime events do take place – just as the disciples were at Pentecost!
For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1Cor 13:9
But when we see them happening, we will say “this is that”! If we know the Scriptures! And I don’t presume to think that I’m totally correct on everything that I write, especially on REVELATION, but it is based on Scripture. Please tell me if you think I’m wrong in an area BUT PLEASE BASE IT ON SCRIPTURE!
BERESHIT
I am ever grateful to the Messianic believers in Christ because they are getting us back to the roots of our faith. This Judeo-Christian faith goes back to the days of Adam. It is a continuation of one faith in the Messiah! Hebrew, the original language of the Torah and Prophets, adds some depth to the Old Testament Scriptures. But everything points to Yeshua, the Messiah.
YHVH has a timeline:
“DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’” Isaiah 46:10
This is a perspective of the first line of Genesis:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
There are 7 words in the Hebrew of the first verse of the Genesis and it shows an outline for 7000 years from a Hebrew perspective.
- 0 (creation or fall of Adam) – 1000 years
- 1000-2000 years
- 2000-3000 years
- 3000 (King David1000BC)- 4000 (Christ as Emmanuel)
- 4000-5000 years
- 5000-6000 Now – but near the end of this world system!
- 6000-7000 (Wedding Feast Rev 19:7; right at the beginning of the Millennial Reign)
For more detail on this go to this YouTube re Bereshit.
So I do see we are near to where Christ will return. Myself, I’ve had dreams of the Millennium!
CHANGING ONE’S MIND
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
I’ve been following the LORD for over thirty years. The LORD has led me to change my mind about some things that were not wholly consistent with Scripture. I used to consider that the rapture and the “resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14) were two separate events. That’s because most people in my Christian circles believed that. However, one day when I was studying the Scripture and came to 2 Thessalonians 2, I realized that opinion may be in error. I now think they are one and the same event! See my chart of the various Scriptures showing are one and the same.
However, if someone can show me Scriptures that disproves this, I would reconsider. Until then…
The Old Testament Prophet Daniel was given information about the endtime by God that is similar to St. John’s Book of Revelation. Daniel was told that certain things would be “closed and sealed” till it was necessary for the people of God to know it. I believe that time is now. So how could even old Bible commentaries know for sure, if it is sealed till the time is near at hand? These commentaries may be right on certain basics of Scripture, but not necessarily the endtime!
9And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12
May we be wise! But maybe it would be helpful to reconsider some things!
RECONSIDER
Do you listen in on God’s council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
Job 15:8 (Eliphaz speaking to Job)
Many things that we have been taught by “religion” in the mainstream are in error! Do you feel that you are right all of the time? Or do you feel your particular church is right all of the time? The churches may have missed it because many churches don’t follow the Holy Spirit. Some church leadership roles have been infiltrated by unbelievers or “false prophets”. Or they may miss it because the church is too set in her ways, not considering that they may be wrong on certain issues.
Or they may miss the truth because they have “religious spirits”. It is necessary for the Holy Spirit to guide the Church! Five of the churches in the Book of Revelation had rebukes from the LORD! Some of these had “religious spirits”, or a spirit of error, a spirit of harlotry, or a spirit of perversion.
Just consider these things:
Do you think that Jesus Christ was born on December 25? Reconsider!
Were the wise men at Christ’s birth? No.
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem….11 And when they had come into the house…” Matthew 2:1,11
Do you think that Constantine the Great was the original person who stopped the persecution of the saints of God? Reconsider! The Edict of Toleration by Emperor Galerius made Christianity a legal religion. There are myths about Constantine including maybe his supposed Christianity!
Do you think the gifts of the Spirit have faded away? Reconsider!
We should consider everything in the light of Scripture in context and by the Holy Spirit! If one is not sure, one should have an open mind to the Spirit of God and other Christians who have a sincere walk with Christ! But everything should be based on Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The reformation began when Martin Luther reconsidered through reading the Scripture that the ruling church was in error! And they were! Yet Martin Luther wasn’t right about everything. Thinking one is right all the time would be arrogant. Everybody makes mistakes. Even Job was wrong! But we should be like the Bereans!
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. Acts 17:11 BSB
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. John 17:17
Reconsider your opinions to see if they agree with Scripture!
Keep your lamps lit! (Matthew 25)
“The wise shall understand.”
PLEASE SEE this PROLOGUE to REVELATION for more on this fascinating book!
His Inheritance Ministries 