end time prophecy – Shoals Insider

The One riding upon that horse was called Faithful and True

Staff — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 14:16:23 +0000

Remember that John was viewing these events as though they were occurring in his days, but that they were prophecies of sure-to-come end-time events that are not yet upon us. However, many current world events strongly suggest that the fulfilment of all those end-time prophecies must be just around the corner. For instance, Christians are already being beheaded in those Middle-Eastern countries that are hostile to Biblical Christianity.

Moreover, the very hostility of some of those countries against other Middle-Eastern countries is setting the stage for Christ’s prophecy of the rising up of nations against other nations and kingdoms against other kingdoms as Jesus Christ prophesied in Matthew 24:7. There, Christ also mentioned earthquakes, famines, and pestilences as signs of end-time woes, and the beginning of sorrows (verse 8); and who has not noticed such traumatic events occurring around the globe today? So, it is almost here! Remember also that although John was viewing these events in the spiritual realm, the book of Revelation (plus Christ’s definite prophecies) assures us that they will definitely take place in the natural realm at the end of this age. John’s visions were not mere symbols that can be easily explained away by theological arguments but prophesies of definite judgments of the Almighty God upon this evil generation. God will put an end to both the devil’s and man’s rebellion. Babylon being both a literal rebellious city and a worldwide satanic religious network, both of which have deceived the world throughout history by sorceries (Isaiah 47: 9, 12 and Revelation 18:23), and both being guilty of shedding the blood of saints, then heaven will naturally rejoice over the destruction of both. And so says Revelation 19:1-6. Blood-shedders will pay an exorbitant price in the end. Verses 7-8 speak of the marriage of the Lamb (Christ) and His wife, who has made herself ready. Chapter 21 identifies the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, and it might just surprise you as to her identification—that coming in a later lesson. Revelation presents the battle of Armageddon more than one time, and from more than one angle. However, all presentations reveal that both Satan and the Antichrist will be defeated and Jesus will be victorious. Revelation 19:11—John saw a white horse, and the One riding upon that horse was called Faithful and True. Revelation 6:2 also showed the Antichrist riding a white horse and going out to conquer with a bow. But, Christ has a two-edged sword and has already conquered—what qualified Him to open those 7 seals (5:5). So, be sure to study the Scriptures, instead of making quick judgments based on surface scanning of the Scriptures. If we do not study, we will eventually be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). Revelation 19:11 again: He being Faithful and True, in righteousness the resurrected and glorified Jesus judges and makes war. On His head were many crowns (19:12), for He had taken over all of the kingdoms of this world (11:15). I can hardly wait to get into the rest of chapter 19. The best is yet to come.
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

GOD HAS AN AGENDA IN THE LAST DAYS

Staff — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 18:09:48 +0000

Those ten kings under the Antichrist will hate the whore, and will destroy her (Revelation 17:16). Why would they do such? Revelation 17:17 tells us that God will put it in their hearts to fulfill His will concerning His judgments in the last days. Well, God has an agenda, and the devil has an agenda, and man has an agenda.

Whatever reason fallen man has for doing what he does, Satan uses what fallen man does to accomplish his evil agenda. And God is wise enough to use it all to fulfill His ultimate eternal plan. Many of the things people do make no sense. But, to the devil that makes no difference as long as he can use what people do to accomplish what he wants—to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).His ultimate purpose being to steal, kill and destroy, not only will he attempt to destroy Israel in the great battle of Armageddon, he will also try to defeat Christ and His heavenly army (the saints who will be caught up in the Rapture before the Tribulation begins), Jesus and all those saints riding upon white horses. But, what will be the reasoning of the devil, the Antichrist and the ten kings under him in destroying the religious system? Some might call this speculation on my part, but throughout all of history, after man’s fall, kings of every nation have used the religious system of their day as a tool to both put and keep them in power. During the first half of that Seven Year Tribulation (3 and 1/2 years), the Antichrist will be gaining both political and military power over the nations. He will obviously need that false religious system to help him accomplish that goal. The very fact that the Antichrist will make a 7 year covenant of peace with Israel (Daniel 9:27) actually proves my point. But, after he gains full power over the nations, so that he may do pretty well whatever he pleases (Daniel 8:12, 24, 25), he will no longer need the religious system; so he gets rid of it. Yet another scriptural fact proving my claim about the Antichrist using the first 3 and 1/2 years of that Seven Year Tribulation Time to get himself fully established is that the two witnesses of Revelation chapter eleven will minister only during the last 3 and 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Their services will not be needed during the first 3 and 1/2 years of the Tribulation, for the Antichrist will be occupied with other pursuits, and obviously will not invade Israel until Tribulation half-time. Neither the Antichrist nor Satan will get anywhere in their attempt to defeat Christ, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Both the devil and man will be totally defeated in the battle of Armageddon, and Jesus will set up His kingdom Rod-Of-Iron Rule over the whole planet for a thousand years; and then the final spiritual battle after Satan is released from the Abyss; and then God will create the New Heaven and New Earth—actually the renovation of this one. Revelation chapter eighteen tells about another Babylon, and in the coming lesson I will point out the comparisons and contrasts of the two Babylons. They are both called a city and have similarities and differences. Be sure to tune in.
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

Some clarity concerning end-time prophecy

Staff — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 19:17:53 +0000

In this article, I want to expose one example of the wild interpretations of the supposed last-days teaching experts. A well-respected teacher on the radio just recently repeated a grossly erroneous speculation on that woman and the beast John saw in chapter seventeen.

In Revelation 17:9, the angel explained to John that the seven heads on the beast were seven mountains on which the woman sits. In biblical prophecy, mountains represent kingdoms. Daniel 2:35 says the stone—Jesus Christ—destroyed the iron and clay of the ten toes on that image Nebuchadnezzar saw, and then destroyed the rest of the metal image, and then became a mountain—kingdom—that filled the whole earth.

That expert taught that those seven heads (mountains) were representative of the seven hills of the city of Rome. Many others hold the same error. That man also asserted that the word mystery in “Mystery Babylon” refers not to any historical religious system, but to a new religious doctrine that will come out of Rome—the Roman Catholic Church—in the last days. Neither does the word Babylon refer to an actual city, but is instead a code word for the new doctrine that will deceive many during the Great Tribulation. Well, enough of the speculative details of that Revelation passage by the so-called last-days experts.

Now for the actual biblical truth: Verses nine and ten: The angel told John the seven heads were seven kings—kingdoms. Five (kingdoms) had fallen; one was in John’s day; and the other had not yet come (did not exist in John’s day). This is the very same Scripture passage that highly-respected Bible teacher said referred to those seven hills of Rome. Well, had five of those literal rock and dirt hills of Rome fallen? Did they exist no more? And the angel said one was—was still in existence. And one had not yet come. So according to the angel Rome had only one hill—if that teacher is right. How could the angel have been talking about the seven hills of Rome?

The kingdom that is to come will continue only a short time—the last seven years of this age. Verse eleven: “The beast that was but is not is also the eighth, and is of the seven [heads on the beast that John saw], and will go to perdition [hell].” This beast refers to the fallen angel that ruled over a Gentile kingdom of the past—most likely Greece. In John’s day, that kingdom had been long gone, and the angel which had been over that kingdom was obviously confined in the underworld. Also note that the ten horns were upon only one of the heads, not on all seven.

Those ten horns pictured ten kings or rulers that will be over ten smaller kingdoms that the Antichrist will take over in the last days. See Daniel 7:8, 20, 24. The Antichrist will defeat three of the ten, and the rest will yield to him and rule under him in the final form of the Gentile domination of mankind in this evil age. They will yield the authority they already have to the beast—the Antichrist—the human ruler that will be ruled by the red dragon—the devil.
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

No one is authorized to make the Bible say whatever they want it to say

Staff — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:15:15 +0000

Christian Author and Pastor Ron Craig

Thus from last week…2000 years ago there was no man-child which was caught up to heaven. Jesus (Who was not that man-child) was instead crucified, then raised from the dead, then remained on the earth, further instructing His disciples for a total of 40 days before ascending back to heaven (John chapter 21 and Acts 1:3). Moreover, Israel did not flee into the wilderness and stay there for three and a half years, but rather, in A. D. 70, was scattered all over the planet for about 1900 years, until in the late 1940s it became a legal nation again. Chapter 12 in Revelation pictures the modern nation of Israel, the first 144,000 Jewish converts during the Tribulation, the plan of the devil to obliterate the seed of Abraham once for all, plus God’s own plans to protect Israel from the devil, the Antichrist and his gullible angelic and human followers. (We will discuss in a later article the devil’s final assault on God and His people after his thousand-year confinement in the abyss, and observe his instant defeat, and his eternal fiery future.)

That one-third of the angels that will accompany the red dragon, Satan, in his final invasion of heaven, and will be cast out of heaven for the final time, obviously fell with Lucifer in the dateless past. They will surely not be fresh angelic recruits. Most honest theologians agree that is the case. The devil will become enraged at all of God’s people, knowing that he will then have only a short time left before he is confined to the abyss for a thousand years—with no contact with human beings—unable to tempt anyone. Chapter 13 pictures the Antichrist kingdom as a beast rising up out of the sea—the sea here being multitudes of people living upon the planet. The waters upon which the Great Whore sits will be peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues (different languages) according to Revelation 17:15. So it must be the same in chapter 13—consistency. John’s description of the beast can also be just a little bit confusing. But that beast is a combination of three entities—a man, a kingdom and an angelic being which rules over the Antichrist kingdom under the great red dragon—the devil himself. Sometimes, the angelic being is emphasized in a passage, sometimes the kingdom, and sometimes the man—the Antichrist. The sea, in prophetic passages, always represents multitudes of people. The second beast—the Antichrist’s false prophet—comes out of the land, one more symbol in Revelation of multitudes of people. So both the Antichrist and his false prophet will be actual human beings, born in the last days, who will be totally sold out to Satan; and not some alien creatures from outer space, or two men who have lived in the past, who will be resurrected in the end-time, and have to die again. And, there are some who believe such nonsense. No one is authorized to make the Bible say whatever they want it to say. Read and heed Revelation 22:18-19. You might shudder over that. The beast being pictured with the features of a leopard, a bear, and a lion obviously refers to the angelic being ruling under Satan and over the Antichrist and his kingdom subjects. That is the angelic part of the beast system. He will obviously rule under the devil, because Revelation 13:2 says the dragon will give him his power, his throne and great authority. Many believe it is God Who gives Antichrist authority over this world’s population, and enables him to make war on God’s own people, but Revelation chapter thirteen makes it clear that Satan is the culprit who endows Antichrist with power and authority to come against creation and believers. Why would God do such a thing?
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

Making Sense of End Time Events

Staff — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 17:07:33 +0000

These weekly articles are putting together appropriate Scriptures that make sense of the seemingly non–understandable end–time events. However, just studying the facts about end-time events will not mean much to believers, unless the facts are connected to the overall Scripture picture of God’s overall plan for creation. Thus, these articles contain vital Bible principles to live by, to go along with the facts of end–time events.

The following Scriptures prove that God is definitely in ultimate control of history. The devil and Antichrist will think it is their idea to gather all nations around Israel, to destroy it, but God will use their folly to fulfil His own prophecies of the end-times. Isaiah 66:18-19—I know their works and their thoughts: And it will come to pass that, I will gather all nations and tongues [to come against Jerusalem to battle], and they will come and see My glory. And, I will set a sign among them. And, I will send those who escape [death at Armageddon] of them unto the nations; to Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, Javan, and the isles afar off that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they will declare My glory among the Gentiles. (During the Millennium.) Ezekiel 39:2-4—I will turn you [Antichrist] back, and I will leave but the sixth part of you, and I will cause you to come up from the north parts and will bring you upon the mountains of Israel: And I will smite your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand. And you will FALL upon the mountains of Israel; you and your troops, and those who are with you: And, I will give you to the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Joel 3:2—I will gather ALL nations, and bring them to the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among all nations; and parted My land. (Still dividing it today!)Joel 3:12-15—Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put you in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: Come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes down in the valley of decision: For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon will be darkened, and the stars will withdraw their shining. (Said in many passages.)Zephaniah 3:8—Therefore wait upon Me, says the LORD; until the day that I rise up to the prey: My determination is to gather the nationsthat I may ASSEMBLE the kingdoms; to pour upon them My indignation, even all My fierce anger: For all of the earth will be devoured with the fire of My jealousy [for Israel and God’s glory]. Zechariah 14:2—I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women raped, and half of the city will go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people will not be cut off from the city. Zechariah 14:16-17—And it will come to pass that, everyone who is left of all of the nations which came against Jerusalem will even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And, it will be that, whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them will be no rain. (During the Millennium.)
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

Tribulation passages to help us see the Bible truth about tribulation

Staff — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 17:14:37 +0000

These things I spoke to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation: But be of good cheer; I overcame the world (John 16:33).

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must THROUGH much tribulation enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). This refers not to entering heaven when we die, but to Satan using tribulation (hardship) to discourage us from being born again in this life.

We glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation works patience [it either kicks our patience into gear, or it works to destroy our patience] (Romans 5:3).

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation [coming from Satan] (Romans 12:12).

I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation [Joyful in spite of tribulation coming from the devil, not because of it] (2 Corinthians 7:4).

I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you, which is [actually] your glory (Ephesians 3:13). The devil, not God, wants us to faint and abandon faith!

When we were with you, we told you before that we would suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and you know [by experience] (1 Thessalonians 3:4.)

We glory in you in the churches of God because of your patience and faith in ALL of your persecutions and tribulations that you endure(2 Thessalonians 1:4). They endured by clinging to the Christian faith and not abandoning it.

I John, who also am your brother, and your companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle called Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:9). (Satan’s work)

These are they who [in the last days] came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). During the last 7 years of this age, many will be saved, but they will pay the price of being beheaded for their faith. See Revelation 6:9-11 and 20:4-6.

[In the last 7 years,] there will be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever will be [again] (Matthew 24:21).

(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher, and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com.)

Who is the end-time Restrainer?

Staff — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 20:02:11 +0000

Christian Author and Pastor Ron Craig

One of the hang-ups of end-time speculators is the argument about who or what will be removed from this planet before the Tribulation begins. Of course, that issue is fervently discussed only among those believers who believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church. Other end-time speculators adamantly argue that the church (Christian believers) will not be caught away seven years before the end of this age, but will remain on earth and suffer under Antichrist during the entire Tribulation Period. They obviously believe the Tribulation is the time of the church’s troubles (which the Bible does not teach) instead of the Jew’s troubles (which the Bible does teach—Jeremiah 30:7). Makes no sense!

However, a Scripture passage that troubles them is 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7, which plainly says that some entity must be removed from the earth before the Antichrist can arrive on the end-time scene. The Bible reason being, that entity is now restraining (holding back) the Antichrist. And Paul said the restrainer was restraining (holding back) the Antichrist in his day, and he prophesied that it will continue to restrain the Antichrist until whatever the restrainer is will be removed from the earth by Jesus Christ catching away that restrainer in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). To be removed does mean to be removed—totally, not partially. Whatever the restrainer is will be completely removed from earth before the Antichrist can come on the scene. What or who is the Restrainer?

It cannot be the Gentile nations, for multitudes of Gentiles will descend upon Israel under the Antichrist for the purpose of wiping the Jews off the face of the earth. (By the way, have you heard that threat before? And if so, by whom?) So, the Gentile nations cannot be the restrainer. They are Antichrist’s helpers!

Can it be the Jews? The Jewish nation (Israel) will be the central character in the Great Tribulation. Remember, that seven years will be a time of Jacob’s trouble. Deity will be simultaneously dealing with both Jews and Gentiles, for the prophets repeatedly prophesied that He will purify the Jews in the last days so that they will finally acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and will at the same time punish the Gentile nations for their mistreatment of the Jews throughout history. (The church did not replace Israel—another foul doctrine we will have to deal with in future lessons. Thus, the church is not the central player in the Tribulation. It is about Israel. Foul heresies never seem to end.)

The prime guess of the end-time speculators about the entity to be removed from earth before the Antichrist arrives is the Holy Spirit. First of all, the Holy Spirit cannot be removed from any place. If He could be removed from just one place, then God would not be omnipresent. Read Psalms 139:7-9 for starters. Besides, would God actually take away the Holy Spirit and leave His church in the Tribulation to survive on its own? Besides once again, how would anybody get saved without Holy Spirit conviction? And many will be saved in those days.

Tribulation cannot begin until some human entity is removed from the earth

Staff — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 18:44:44 +0000

Christian Author and Pastor Ron Craig

More biblical light regarding end-time events and the catching away of the church. One more Scripture passage those experts seem to have overlooked is Luke 17:26-30. Teaching on last-days events, the Lord said plainly that, just as it was in the days of both Noah and Lot, so would it be “in the days of the Son of man.” Noah had been warning the people that a flood was coming upon the earth, but they apparently thought he was off mentally. After all, one building a boat nowhere near a body of water capable of floating it was obviously unstable in his mind, so his prophecy of an event never seen before seemed more like a fantasy than something to be worried about.

And so, they kept living the way they had been living until the day Noah and his family and a bunch of animals boarded the ark, which had been about a hundred years in building. The flood occurred not until Noah was safe in the ark (God shut him in—Genesis 7:16.) Noah was lifted above the earth where those flood-waters were. He was not in the judgment flood, which destroyed everyone outside the ark—a type of Christ.

And Jesus said that foreshadowed conditions that would exist in the last days. God’s people, Noah, and his family, were removed from the earth, the dry land, before God’s judgment was poured out on the earth. The Tribulation is about God’s judgment on the rebels in the last days. God’s people will be removed from the earth before that judgment is poured out on that end-time generation.

Lot’s experience was basically the same, which is why Christ used both Lot and Noah to illustrate the same truth. That Judgment Fire descended not upon Sodom (which was representative of the depraved condition of this world in the last days of this age) until Lot had been removed from that judgment scene. On the day Lot left Sodom, the judgment fire fell. Lot did not go through the Judgment of God on Sodom. And Jesus compared that event with something which will happen in the last days of this evil age. Some group will be removed from earth before the judgment of that time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) trouble.

Also notice that the angels sent to Sodom with the message of destruction told Lot that they could not begin that destruction until Lot was safely out of Sodom, the target of that judgment. That ancient event illustrated last-days happenings, according to Jesus Himself, which means the Tribulation cannot begin until some human entity is removed from the earth.

What entity could possibly be removed from the earth before the Tribulation begins? The Gentile nations will not be the removed-entity, for the Gentiles will be one of the reasons for the Tribulation. Nor will it be governments, the Jews, or the Holy Spirit (as some speculate). It has to be the church! Stay tuned.

The Church is divided over Tribulation

Staff — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 18:39:31 +0000

The church is actually divided over the second major end-time teaching error, regarding whether or not the church will go through the Tribulation time spoken of in Jeremiah, Daniel, Matthew, Mark and Luke, and in some of Paul’s letters, and finally in the book of Revelation. The prime supposed evidence the experts use to convince themselves and others that the church will definitely go through the Tribulation is the coincidental use of the word trumpet. At the last trumpet, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:52, the dead will be raised, and we the still-living will be changed (get our glorified bodies).

Those end-time experts paste that passage onto Revelation 11:15, and claim that both passages refer to the same trumpet blast; they supposedly occurring at the very same time. (The seventh trumpet that is blown by the seventh judgment angel in Revelation 11:15 is the same trumpet that is blown at the time of Christ’s Second Coming and the resurrection of the righteous dead.) If so, such would necessarily prove that the church will still be on the planet, at least until that seventh trumpet is blown. But think! The trumpet accompanying Jesus Christ’s return announces deliverance, not judgment.

The other six trumpets in Revelation release some form of judgment, not deliverance. Why would the seventh be different? But the point I want to make in this lesson and following ones is that both sides of that argument miss the whole point the Bible makes on that subject. Why not make all mentions of trumpet blasts in the Bible refer to the same event just like they do those two? Why pick out those two in order to establish end-time doctrine?

Once again, studying instead of speculating is the key to gaining the biblical answer to that supposed mystery. And once again, that mystery is solved by Scripture—in Jeremiah, Daniel and elsewhere. Referring to the same end-time events, Jeremiah 30:7 states plainly that will be thetime of Jacob’s trouble, not the church’s trouble. Such obviously refers to Israel, not the body of Christ. And even more convincing is the Bible fact that the angel Gabriel told Daniel in 10:14 that those end-time events will concern your (Daniel’s) people—Israel.

Moreover, in Daniel 9:24, Gabriel said plainly that seventy weeks (sevens) are determined for your people (Israel) and your holy city(Jerusalem). Nothing is said about the church. Those end-time events will all be about God’s dealings with the nation of Israel, and His punishment of Gentile nations that have mistreated Israel over the centuries. Check out Jeremiah 25:31-33, Joel 3:2, Zephaniah 3:8 and Zechariah 14:1-5. And these are just a few of the Scriptures that reveal that God has a controversy with those nations which have harassed and ruled over Israel in the past. He has vowed many times that He will punish the heathen nations that have been and will be Israel’s enemies. And, one more Bible Truth: All seventy sevens of years have to do with the Jews. If those first seven and sixty two concern Israel, then that seventieth seven does as well!

(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com.)

There are major flaws in most end time prophecies

Staff — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 16:51:36 +0000

Before exposing the next major end-time teaching error, let me mention one more Scripture passage that may just provide more light on the exposure of this first of the major errors. Revelation 16:12 states that in those last days the Euphrates River will be dried up to make way for the kings from the East. The Antichrist will obviously not only go out to annihilate many (Daniel 11:44), but will also compel those Eastern survivors to come to his aid against Israel.

And in this week’s article let me sandwich in another grossly overlooked Bible fact. Some of the end-time expert teachers get hung up on the modern nuclear weapons proliferation and thus envision the Antichrist armies nuking Israel, but God turning the nuclear fallout back upon the Antichrist and his invaders. Indeed, Zechariah 14:12 sounds like just such a nuclear event. Their tongues will dissolve in their mouths and their eyeballs in their sockets. But remember, that plague will be from the Lord, not from man’s arsenal. Israel will gather the wealth of all the fallen enemy soldiers, and none of it will be contaminated with radioactivity. Then verse sixteen says there will be survivors from those armies, who will enter the Millennial stage of God’s Kingdom. No hint of contamination in the soldiers either. Again let me emphasize that that plague will be from the Lord, not from man (verse twelve). Beware of tampering with God’s Word!

However, I must point out the possibility of a previous war using weapons of mass destruction, because the weapons used in the last end-time battle will be of simple construction, not complicated machinery. So, all of those complicated weapons must have already disappeared. If those end-time experts want to use Ezekiel 38 and 39 for supposed proof of their end-time teachings, then let them consider 39:9-10, which speaks only of shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, Javelins and spears. While they would claim that those descriptions were mere symbols for tanks and helicopters, bullets and bombs, for people in those days knew nothing of such modern weaponry, Ezekiel states that Israel will not have to go to the forest to cut wood for seven years, for those weapons will provide all the wood they will need for seven years. They will burn all those weapons of war, which Bible truth tends to rule out metal machinery. And Revelation 6:2 puts a bow in the Antichrist’s hand, not a tank or helicopter. Revelation 6:2 refers not to Christ, but to the Antichrist! Moreover, Ezekiel 39:3 says God will knock the bow out of Antichrist’s left hand, and the arrows out of his right hand. In addition, horses are spoken of repeatedly in the Bible as the means of transportation for the Antichrist and his armies. Blood will flow horse-bridle deep for 180 miles (Revelation 14:20). Besides that, birds cannot eat tanks and helicopters, but they can eat men and horses (Revelation 19:17-18).) THINK!