June 2020
Coming Rapture
26/06/20 16:44
Many believers do not believe in the rapture or ignore the rapture because they see it as the same thing as the second coming of Christ
I am a pre-tribulation rapture believer - but I am OK for you to disagree with me
Let me briefly state that pre-tribulation rapture happened before. I say this is the sense of godly people being rescued before disaster happen to all the other people.
Historical anecdotes
Examples are:
Noah and his family - told to build a prepare for a coming flood (about 120 years in advance).
At the time when GOD decided that the flood was going to happen, He also said that mankind has only 120 years left. (Genesis 6:3) and Noah was commissioned to build the ark because he and his family were found to be righteous before GOD. Exact time of flood was not told, just that he had to build and be ready
Abraham and Lot and family - all rescued and gotten away from Sodom and Gommorah before God rained fire and sulphur to destroy the cities
Snatching away was not a new thing - Enoch walked with God and then he was gone (snatched away) (Gen 5:24)
Conceptual perspectives
Christ would not let his bride be tortured/"tribulated" during the specific tribulation when GOD was going to punish the peoples of the earth. 'Peoples of the earth' is also a rather cold phrase to call humans on earth if this bunch included the body of Christ, isn't it?
Jesus alluded that actual time is not known to him and gave also the story of the 10 bridesmaids (together with the bride, which is of course the church) to be prepared for the arrival of the groom (Christ) yet that time is not known till it is about to happen.
Elsewhere, Jesus also said that there will be signs that are very obvious to indicate His imminent return. (Matthew 24:7-9)
So is His coming again a sudden unexpected one or one that is preceded by many signs?
I can only say that it is logical for Christ to snatch away (harpazo) the church (rescue His bride) first, then hammer the people of the earth, among which some will become Christians, called tribulation saints in the book of Revelation (to differentiate their physical location and time from the church which is already snatched up with Christ). The time of hammering is called the tribulation and will last 7 years. At this end of this, Christ comes down from heaven with his full army and imprison satan, antichrist and the false prophet for a 1000 years. (Rev 19:11 - 20:6)
Biblical clues that the church is absent during the tribulation 7 years
1. Angel told John, "come up here and I will show you what must happen after this"(Rev 4:1); John represents the church anecdotally and he is also known as the beloved of Christ (besides John, only the church is Christ's beloved)
The tribulation period was therefore observed by the church looking down toward the earth from above, a clue that the church has been raptured before the tribulation to be above with Christ. Note also that when John was up there observing, he saw twenty-four elders in white garments and crowns ('elders' are terms only associated with church leaders in the New Testament, not found anywhere else in the Bible; white garments and crowns are rewards for Christians) (Rev 4:1-11)
2. During the events of the tribulation, the church as an entity was never mentioned again. Try to find the word 'Church' after chapter 4 in the book of Revelation. And believers who became Christians during the revelation were referred to as tribulation saints and we also know that a lot of them were executed during this time. Calling the believers as tribulation saints was deliberate as it differentiates them from the raptured church.
God is a God of order and logic. We humans possess some of that logic. And logic says that based on all the clues pieced together, pre-tribulation rapture can only be the possible logical outcome.
Some say that a sudden rapture will cause lots of accidents and planes crashing and all manner of adverse accidents as Christians disappeared suddenly in the midst of what they do. But consider this - the covid-19 lock down could happen again due to a severe 2nd or even 3rd wave will cause the whole world to shut down - the rapture occurring at this time will be result in minimal danger to lives not raptured. God is merciful and kind and will want these unbelievers not get into a bad start of the tribulation. The Christians would have quietly disappeared from the physical surface of earth.
I am a pre-tribulation rapture believer - but I am OK for you to disagree with me
Let me briefly state that pre-tribulation rapture happened before. I say this is the sense of godly people being rescued before disaster happen to all the other people.
Historical anecdotes
Examples are:
Noah and his family - told to build a prepare for a coming flood (about 120 years in advance).
At the time when GOD decided that the flood was going to happen, He also said that mankind has only 120 years left. (Genesis 6:3) and Noah was commissioned to build the ark because he and his family were found to be righteous before GOD. Exact time of flood was not told, just that he had to build and be ready
Abraham and Lot and family - all rescued and gotten away from Sodom and Gommorah before God rained fire and sulphur to destroy the cities
Snatching away was not a new thing - Enoch walked with God and then he was gone (snatched away) (Gen 5:24)
Conceptual perspectives
Christ would not let his bride be tortured/"tribulated" during the specific tribulation when GOD was going to punish the peoples of the earth. 'Peoples of the earth' is also a rather cold phrase to call humans on earth if this bunch included the body of Christ, isn't it?
Jesus alluded that actual time is not known to him and gave also the story of the 10 bridesmaids (together with the bride, which is of course the church) to be prepared for the arrival of the groom (Christ) yet that time is not known till it is about to happen.
Elsewhere, Jesus also said that there will be signs that are very obvious to indicate His imminent return. (Matthew 24:7-9)
So is His coming again a sudden unexpected one or one that is preceded by many signs?
I can only say that it is logical for Christ to snatch away (harpazo) the church (rescue His bride) first, then hammer the people of the earth, among which some will become Christians, called tribulation saints in the book of Revelation (to differentiate their physical location and time from the church which is already snatched up with Christ). The time of hammering is called the tribulation and will last 7 years. At this end of this, Christ comes down from heaven with his full army and imprison satan, antichrist and the false prophet for a 1000 years. (Rev 19:11 - 20:6)
Biblical clues that the church is absent during the tribulation 7 years
1. Angel told John, "come up here and I will show you what must happen after this"(Rev 4:1); John represents the church anecdotally and he is also known as the beloved of Christ (besides John, only the church is Christ's beloved)
The tribulation period was therefore observed by the church looking down toward the earth from above, a clue that the church has been raptured before the tribulation to be above with Christ. Note also that when John was up there observing, he saw twenty-four elders in white garments and crowns ('elders' are terms only associated with church leaders in the New Testament, not found anywhere else in the Bible; white garments and crowns are rewards for Christians) (Rev 4:1-11)
2. During the events of the tribulation, the church as an entity was never mentioned again. Try to find the word 'Church' after chapter 4 in the book of Revelation. And believers who became Christians during the revelation were referred to as tribulation saints and we also know that a lot of them were executed during this time. Calling the believers as tribulation saints was deliberate as it differentiates them from the raptured church.
God is a God of order and logic. We humans possess some of that logic. And logic says that based on all the clues pieced together, pre-tribulation rapture can only be the possible logical outcome.
Some say that a sudden rapture will cause lots of accidents and planes crashing and all manner of adverse accidents as Christians disappeared suddenly in the midst of what they do. But consider this - the covid-19 lock down could happen again due to a severe 2nd or even 3rd wave will cause the whole world to shut down - the rapture occurring at this time will be result in minimal danger to lives not raptured. God is merciful and kind and will want these unbelievers not get into a bad start of the tribulation. The Christians would have quietly disappeared from the physical surface of earth.
Daniel 11
24/06/20 09:55
Lots of End Time Details
Most of it involved the battles and disputes between the King of the South (Ptolemy and sons) and King of the North (Seleucid and descendants) which were prophesied by Daniel way before it happened.
Then jump to verse 40 to read about what happens in the near future of our time. If everything that Daniel prophesied earlier about the descendants of Alexander the Great came true, I am very confident that what he prophesied in verse 40 onwards will also happen.
Daniel 11:40-45 English Standard Version (ESV)
40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack[a] him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
Most of it involved the battles and disputes between the King of the South (Ptolemy and sons) and King of the North (Seleucid and descendants) which were prophesied by Daniel way before it happened.
Then jump to verse 40 to read about what happens in the near future of our time. If everything that Daniel prophesied earlier about the descendants of Alexander the Great came true, I am very confident that what he prophesied in verse 40 onwards will also happen.
Daniel 11:40-45 English Standard Version (ESV)
40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack[a] him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
Act of Love and Silent Appreciation
17/06/20 12:14
Sometimes an act of love is a simple thing done out of one's own initiative.
And the recipient of that initiative need only to appreciate by graciously accepting that act of love by positive body language. Words of thanks are not needed. However the opposite is true. A negative body language is ungracious and a negative word (perceived by the giver) is also uncalled for even if that act of love is not seen as such.
The recipient should only recognise that the drive of initiative is quenched if a negative response is received. It may be so that the act resulted in something that was not necessary not even needed. But if the intent was pure and due to goodwill, then no matter, a positive response should be the appropriate response.
And the recipient of that initiative need only to appreciate by graciously accepting that act of love by positive body language. Words of thanks are not needed. However the opposite is true. A negative body language is ungracious and a negative word (perceived by the giver) is also uncalled for even if that act of love is not seen as such.
The recipient should only recognise that the drive of initiative is quenched if a negative response is received. It may be so that the act resulted in something that was not necessary not even needed. But if the intent was pure and due to goodwill, then no matter, a positive response should be the appropriate response.
Breaking the Habit of Shopping
16/06/20 11:02
- Know the difference between NEED and WANT
- Does what you have already do what you think the new thing can do?
- Think of what else you could spend that money on
- Will your life be enriched by the new purchase or just add to the 'already have list'
- Defer from spending on it for another day
- Don't even browse - out of sight out of mind
- Tell yourself money is hard to earn (this is a constant truth)
- You are the master of your senses, the temptation to buy is weaker than you
- What you buy now will just be 'another of your many others' tomorrow!
First run
13/06/20 12:13
Today is the first time I am attempting to create a 'nicer' website using Rapidweaver 8
It has been rather fun so far. What it struck me is how easy it is to create a simple and easy to navigate site. Nothing fancy.
It has been rather fun so far. What it struck me is how easy it is to create a simple and easy to navigate site. Nothing fancy.