If there was to be a major event , would God make it know?

[Theofilus]

I wonder if you would take anything as a sign, or if you think the signs of the end times are made up.

I absolutely believe that there are signs that we should be watching for, but we have to be careful what we are watching for. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters happen all the time. Just because we see a few disasters on the news doesn't mean it's the end of the world. In fact, a careful reading of Matthew 24 will reveal that Jesus actually stated that these natural events were not a sign of his return.

And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." (Matt. 24:4-8 NASB)

These "birth pangs" have been happening for thousands of years. Christ specifically tells us that they are not a cause for alarm. There are signs we should be looking for but 2012 prophecies, planet X, binary stars, global warming, Y2K and a whole host of other things that Christians have gotten all worked up about aren't among them. Here are just a few signs we should be looking for:

The abomination that causes desolation. Now, stop reading for a moment and think about what the words "abomination" and "desolation" mean and what it means to "cause desolation"....




Ok... Have you thought about it? Remember that Jesus was a Jew and he was speaking to Jews. Now, what is the most holy place to all Jews, both in Jesus' day and now?... The Temple Mount. And what's standing there right now? See any connection to the words "abomination" and "desolation"?

All nations gathering against Israel. Before all nations can gather against Israel, they have to turn against Israel. Over the past couple of decades, country after country has been turning against Israel. Fourty years ago, practically the whole world, except for the Arab nations, supported Isreal, but today she has very few allies. Here in Iceland, as well as some other European countries, there had been talk about severing diplomatic ties with Israel.

An increase in knowledge. Technology and research has advanced more over the last century than throughout all of human history before that.

An increase in false teaching, especiall teaching suited to "itching ears". Although false doctrines have allways been with us (some are even addressed in the Bible), there has, over the last few decades, been an increase in a certain type of false doctines, sometimes called "feel-good Christianity". The prosperity gospel, "seeker-friendly" churches and a number of other things are all designed to keep people from feeling condemned or convicted of sin and to make sure people feel good and are taught what they want to hear.

There are many signs of of Christ's coming that are being fulfilled all around us, but they aren't the ones the world is getting all worked up about. A true sign of the times will only be discerned by those that have the Holy Spirit to help them discern it. The rest of the world won't notice.

 

[Sinthesis]

[
I've actually heard teachings that there was a comet b4 the flood, maybe haleys, that was a sign in the sky of something to watch for.... thats what some religious rabbis teach. They also say that a major war happens in Israel w/i 4 years of a passing comet. I don't recall any sources, so I can't prove that. I do learn from the Jewish ways and teachings to an extent; they do understand our roots.

Take that, for what it's worth, and apply to it the fact that Haley's Comet appeared in 66AD.

 

[Andrew]

I wonder if you would take anything as a sign, or if you think the signs of the end times are made up.

I absolutely believe that there are signs that we should be watching for, but we have to be careful what we are watching for. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters happen all the time. Just because we see a few disasters on the news doesn't mean it's the end of the world. In fact, a careful reading of Matthew 24 will reveal that Jesus actually stated that these natural events were not a sign of his return.

And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." (Matt. 24:4-8 NASB)

These "birth pangs" have been happening for thousands of years. Christ specifically tells us that they are not a cause for alarm. There are signs we should be looking for but 2012 prophecies, planet X, binary stars, global warming, Y2K and a whole host of other things that Christians have gotten all worked up about aren't among them. Here are just a few signs we should be looking for:

The abomination that causes desolation. Now, stop reading for a moment and think about what the words "abomination" and "desolation" mean and what it means to "cause desolation"....




Ok... Have you thought about it? Remember that Jesus was a Jew and he was speaking to Jews. Now, what is the most holy place to all Jews, both in Jesus' day and now?... The Temple Mount. And what's standing there right now? See any connection to the words "abomination" and "desolation"?

All nations gathering against Israel. Before all nations can gather against Israel, they have to turn against Israel. Over the past couple of decades, country after country has been turning against Israel. Fourty years ago, practically the whole world, except for the Arab nations, supported Isreal, but today she has very few allies. Here in Iceland, as well as some other European countries, there had been talk about severing diplomatic ties with Israel.

An increase in knowledge. Technology and research has advanced more over the last century than throughout all of human history before that.

An increase in false teaching, especiall teaching suited to "itching ears". Although false doctrines have allways been with us (some are even addressed in the Bible), there has, over the last few decades, been an increase in a certain type of false doctines, sometimes called "feel-good Christianity". The prosperity gospel, "seeker-friendly" churches and a number of other things are all designed to keep people from feeling condemned or convicted of sin and to make sure people feel good and are taught what they want to hear.

There are many signs of of Christ's coming that are being fulfilled all around us, but they aren't the ones the world is getting all worked up about. A true sign of the times will only be discerned by those that have the Holy Spirit to help them discern it. The rest of the world won't notice.

Quality statements, Quality discernment, I thank and praise God for you Theofilus.
I am finding every time I try to see where the minds of Christians are at, that all too often their minds are every where. Lack of discernment is rampant, and I personally believe that it is due to so many teachings being believed on by people who can't fathom just how deep the deception goes.
I see it as a sub-conscience fear that justifies it's existence in a denial of believing anything other than what they have chosen to accept as truth; simply put, "They are afraid to be wrong", because it shakes our faith when we face the possibility we are wrong about what we know.

I understand that understanding is what we seek the most of. We can handle our circumstances better when we 'understand' why. We are greatly challenged when we aren't certain of why, or what, or when, etc. I think Rick Warren may have said the most important any of us could hear in the day and age in The Purpose Driven Life,
"It's NOT ABOUT YOU!

Arrogance believes IT is important.
Pride believes IT is always right.
The two together have EVERYTHING figured out and KNOW the truth; they need not listen, they're here to TELL you.

100 pound hail stones will be simply called "weather" by the unbeliever, even as they fall, the fact they have been prophesied will be "religious fanaticism", in their minds.
God knows EXACTLY what He is doing and how to do it. We get caught up in this salvation issue to the point we flatter ourselves that it's "All about us" and indeed, it has a great deal to do with us, but it's really about dealing with the theft of the children of God and it's a rescue mission from the one who stole us. It seems pretty clear to me that the Great Tribulation is going to separate the chaff from the grain, the wicked from the elect, and it's all going to happen with the coming of an anti-Christ who the elect will see clearly and the secular world will love him to pieces blinded by their ignorance.

If there is anything to be looked for right now, in my opinion, we are awaiting a war which will surround Israel, then the pieces will fall into place really fast and it will obvious to us what's truly happening and why the Lord said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come."

We have work to do and some flatter themselves into believing what their itched ears wanted to hear, or they want to be the first to sound the trumpet so they vainly believe they knew, God bless them anyway. Some are just over zealous, God love them anyway.

A lot will continue to be said and debated and the clock will continue to click. As believers we all need to understand it's a count down, a timer that expires. We've been told critical details about what must take place as this clock ticks down. Speculation is just speculation, quality criteria is in "it's happening" and defined to perfection by the Word of God.

 

[jasoncran]

rick warren holds little weight to me, though i have read that purpose driven book.

 

[Theofilus]

Quality statements, Quality discernment, I thank and praise God for you Theofilus.
I am finding every time I try to see where the minds of Christians are at, that all too often their minds are every where. Lack of discernment is rampant, and I personally believe that it is due to so many teachings being believed on by people who can't fathom just how deep the deception goes.
I see it as a sub-conscience fear that justifies it's existence in a denial of believing anything other than what they have chosen to accept as truth; simply put, "They are afraid to be wrong", because it shakes our faith when we face the possibility we are wrong about what we know.

I understand that understanding is what we seek the most of. We can handle our circumstances better when we 'understand' why. We are greatly challenged when we aren't certain of why, or what, or when, etc. I think Rick Warren may have said the most important any of us could hear in the day and age in The Purpose Driven Life,
"It's NOT ABOUT YOU!

Arrogance believes IT is important.
Pride believes IT is always right.
The two together have EVERYTHING figured out and KNOW the truth; they need not listen, they're here to TELL you.

100 pound hail stones will be simply called "weather" by the unbeliever, even as they fall, the fact they have been prophesied will be "religious fanaticism", in their minds.
God knows EXACTLY what He is doing and how to do it. We get caught up in this salvation issue to the point we flatter ourselves that it's "All about us" and indeed, it has a great deal to do with us, but it's really about dealing with the theft of the children of God and it's a rescue mission from the one who stole us. It seems pretty clear to me that the Great Tribulation is going to separate the chaff from the grain, the wicked from the elect, and it's all going to happen with the coming of an anti-Christ who the elect will see clearly and the secular world will love him to pieces blinded by their ignorance.

If there is anything to be looked for right now, in my opinion, we are awaiting a war which will surround Israel, then the pieces will fall into place really fast and it will obvious to us what's truly happening and why the Lord said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come."

We have work to do and some flatter themselves into believing what their itched ears wanted to hear, or they want to be the first to sound the trumpet so they vainly believe they knew, God bless them anyway. Some are just over zealous, God love them anyway.

A lot will continue to be said and debated and the clock will continue to click. As believers we all need to understand it's a count down, a timer that expires. We've been told critical details about what must take place as this clock ticks down. Speculation is just speculation, quality criteria is in "it's happening" and defined to perfection by the Word of God.

Thank you for your comments, Andrew. Some people I've heard from believe that the war you mention will come before the year is out. It won't be the Gog-Magog war or Armagedon, but a war could definitly start soon. The clock is ticking as you say, but unlike other clocks, this one runs faster as the end draws near. We will be seeing more prophecies being fulfilled in more rapid succession as His coming draws closer. We definitely need to keep eyes open.

 

[johnny botwright]

At the moment the whole world some countrys more than others are being effected by economics, that many predicted, some go as far as saying its a controled economic collapse, to bring in a new fianacial systen, a new world order the mark of the beast.

this process did not happen over night,

you speak about Israel nations turning agaisnt Israel, again this has not happed over night,
and nations going up agaisnt Israel, its part of an on going process, things are lining up. taking shape,
moving into place, like pieces on a chess board, the wheels turning in a clock, which all keep turning, the big ones and the little ones, until the clock stikes midnight,

much of what we see taking place are the wheels turning,

As for the sun and moon becoming seven times brighter, and the earth being scorched by the sun, the break down of the ozone layer,
A massive earth quake mentioned in revelations, a comet hitting the sea, chain reaction, war in the middle east chain reaction.

9/11 then two wars, one event triggering another, some think America is the king of the North, who came, left and returned with a greater force.

again this does not happen over night.

famines , does global warmimg play a part. drought and floods destroy crops.

calamity going from nation to nation, judgements,

God shakin the earth, they have sown the wind, they will reap the whirl winds,

The storm clouds gather, the wind gets stronger, the storm arrives with full force.

with most events that has been written about, concerning the last days,
will not happen at a flick of a switch,
but Gods plans will unfold.

Like the christain walk, its not completed in a moment , but we grow and learn, some changes take place quiet quickly, some are more graduaul, as God moulds and shapes us, he is the potter we are the clay.
many things in our lives, in events that are now unfolding in the have their part to play.

God is at work.His word is faithfull and true, what has been spoken will come to pass, is coming to pass, the wheels are turning.

most signs , warnings or other wise, are about an action we should take, preparation, choices,ect
for example if you lived on the gulf coast, and some one came to the door saying we are going to have to evacuate you, because of say toxins or methane, would you say, Ill go and see if its in the bible, or is an end time prophecy, any other event i ignore, and if thats the case i will be staying put.

or put another way, you wake up in the night, you cannot explain why but you feel to leave the house, the area, you follow the prompting from Gods spirit and leave, moments after leaving your home becomes a fire ball.
hence the post if there was to be a major event would God make it known, present day, to when Jesus returns. johnny