guysmith said:
Hello Andrew,
You stated: Obviously non of us know when "our number comes up", so being alive at the start depends on whether you are still alive when it begins, but yes, I do believe we will be alive during the GT and that most of us will die during it because we maintain the testimony of Jesus.
My response: Agreed.
You stated: God reveals His plans to His servants the prophets
My response: Agreed. Heres a few:
Joel 2:32 And everyone who calls
on the name of the LORD will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the LORD has said,
among the survivors
whom the LORD calls.
Isaiah 31: 4 This is what the LORD says to me:
"As a lion growls,
a great lion over his prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds
is called together against him,
he is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the LORD Almighty will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 Like birds hovering overhead,
the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver it,
he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it."
Isaiah 4: 2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
What do these verses mean to you?
You stated: The greatest testimony will be those who can say what it was like to be STANDING here on this planet as it is and actually watched the heavens roll back like a scroll and there He is.
My response: Agreed.
Revelation 14: 1Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, STANDING on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
In Yehoshua,
Guy Smith
Hello Guy,
You asked what those verses mean to me:
Zechariah 3:8,9 " 'Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. See the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
" 'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the Lord Almighty."
Isaiah 4:4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.
I'm afraid I can't say much more than that which has already been said. Further explanation is what everyone wants and God knows this, but He has secrets that must remain secret for the sake of the elect. Satan is out to change the set times and laws and thereby try to make God out to be a liar, he will fail because he does not know these secrets. Curiosity is perfectly understandable, but I would say that we must trust God, He knows what He's doing, He knows we want to understand but He also knows that our salvation is far more important to Him than our understanding BEFORE it all comes to pass.
You might say He has an Ace up His sleeve, a trump card that will throw everyone for a loop.
We are like little children when it comes to our curiosity; so when I say I'm not permitted to talk about the details it creates questions, my answer remains you'll have to wait and see. Sorry.
Just trust that Jesus Christ is Lord and do what the Word says, "Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved." I do not believe that God will allow any harm to come upon those whom He loves, but that doesn't mean witnessing the tribulation will be easy for any believer, "this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints".
The Great Tribulation is actually God's last act of mercy to get people to repent, which is why great signs and wonders accompany it. I think the church needs to prepare for a great influx of new believers as this all comes to pass (more than 2 billion) 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Andrew