end times – Shoals Insider

No trial for Satan in the end

Staff — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 17:27:00 +0000

A millennium is a 1000-year period of time. Between the Second Coming of Jesus which will end this evil age and the creation of the New Heaven and New Earth, that time of universal peace on earth will be sandwiched in. It will be the same terrestrial globe we are now living on before it is renovated, but it will not be in the same condition as now; for the curse will be lifted. Which means there will be no sickness, poverty, pain or untimely death during that time—for those who do not rebel. But, the fact that we resurrected saints under Christ will rule with a “rod of iron” those survivors of the Battle of Armageddon implies that some during that thousand-year slice of eternity will not right-up-front willingly fit in with the absolute rule of that Total Theocracy—God rule.

There will be no appeals courts for offenders. Instant justice! Obviously, many will not like that, although that will be a time of universal peace. No one will have to fear walking in the dark at night, for no theft, rape or murder will be allowed. Yet, obviously forgetting all the many blessings provided during that time period, when given the opportunity, multitudes will join that newly-released devil (who will himself be enraged over his 1000 year confinement, being unable during that dark time to tempt angels or human beings), enlisting in his rebel army to help him make one final attempt to overthrow the very Creator of the universe. (Not smart!)

There will be no swords brandished in that final battle, for fire coming down from the very God they will be rebelling against will devour them all (Revelation 20:9). This verse implies that that great battle will not last very long. How long it will take Satan to gather the multitudes around Jerusalem is not mentioned. But, it will not take long for God to defeat Satan’s purpose, and to demonstrate to those rebels the utter stupidity of their decision to follow God’s enemy. Their freedom from God-rule will be very short-lived. (Again, not smart on their part.) The multitudes of Millennial residents who participate in that final rebellion will obviously make some most unwise decisions. For a little while, through the devil’s deceptions, it will seem like they are finally going to be in control of their own destiny. But a point I want to make here is that human nature is the same today. Many in the modern world continue to make choices that make no sense in light of Bible Truth. And we will all have to face that truth sooner or later! A final Bible Truth I want to get across in today’s end-time lesson is that, in chapter 20 of Revelation, there is no trial for the devil. In verses eleven through 15, we read about the Great White Throne judgment of the resurrected sinners. Yes, the wicked will have resurrected bodies too, which will be tormented in the Lake of Fire, but will not be consumed. Suffering eternally! But, we find no trial or tribunal for the devil. John 12:31 and 16:11 tell us plainly that, the ruler of this age WAS judged and cast out. That happened through the cross-event.

(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’S WRATH WILL BE POURED OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS

Staff — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 19:49:20 +0000

The third of the last seven judgment bowls full of God’s wrath will be poured out on rivers and springs, turning them into blood, just as that second bowl was emptied into the oceans, turning them into blood. But this time the angel communicated the reason for the blood-plagues. Ever since the fall of man, evil people have shed the blood of the saints and prophets of God, so God will be just in giving the last evil generation of men blood to drink. Heaven proclaims that the judgments of God are true and righteous!

From the earth to outer space, yet painfully affecting Antichrist’s kingdom upon the earth, the fourth judgment bowl will be poured out on the sun; after which men will be scorched with extreme heat. So, if you think it has been hot these last few summers, you ain’t felt nothing yet. And especially then will they blaspheme God Who has power over those plagues. So it seems that those under the Antichrist’s reign will know those events will not be happenstance, but divine retribution for their rebellion. Yet, they will still not repent. Good sense has been a rare commodity throughout history. Revelation 16:10-11—the fifth angel will pour out his judgment bowl directly on the throne of the beast—the Antichrist—and his kingdom will become full of darkness; the result once again being extreme pain. Now think how strange that will be. The sun will strike men with extreme heat—the sun being very bright—yet they will be in darkness! Although the Antichrist’s bunch will obviously be in spiritual darkness, that darkness will be literal as well. So, the Antichrist’s deceived, dedicated followers will have blood to drink; the burning sun will scorch them with heat; and yet they will be enveloped in darkness. And still, while they gnaw their tongues because of the divinely distributed scores and other pains, they will somehow manage to use their tongues to blaspheme God. And repentance will certainly be out of the question! Not too smart on their part! The sixth judgment bowl will be poured out on the Euphrates River, to make it dry up. That may result partly from the extreme heat of the sun. But, the why of that bowl judgement reveals something about world conditions during that Tribulation time. It is to make a pathway for the kings of the East. If the military has planes, helicopters and rockets, why would they need to use the Euphrates River bed as a roadway to get their armies into the Middle East? Such conditions suggest that modern war weaponry may be a thing of the past at the end of the present age. Put that together with the fact that for seven years after that battle of Armageddon, Israel will use the wooden weapons of the dead warriors for fuel (Ezekiel 39:9-10). They will not have to go to the forest to get wood for fire. Ezekiel even said those weapons will be bows, arrows, and spears. One cannot burn tanks, planes, and helicopters. So, those weapons will have to be made of wood. And add to that Ezekiel 39:3, where Ezekiel prophesied that God will knock the bow out of the Antichrist’s left hand and the arrows out of his right hand. Too literal a description to not be literal! That means the near future may hold some major changes in overall world conditions as we know them today—both militarily and geographically. For instance, national borders will have to be redrawn to reduce the more than twenty nations in the old Roman Empire territory to ten—over which the ten horns will rule in the Antichrist’s kingdom in those last days. Ten nations, not twenty-something as they are now. The ten nations will be the ten toes on the image in Daniel 2:31-32, 40-44.
(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)

Satan wants everyone to be lost and go to hell

Staff — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 17:18:30 +0000

The word tribulation itself seems to be shrouded in mystery. So, let us take a little side journey to demystify that subject. Many obviously think that, if the church does not go through the last-days Tribulation, it will not go through any tribulation. We Christians will miss out on that wonderful blessing. Huh? First of all, those believers who have already gone on to heaven would not be able to get in on that supposed blessing, for they will obviously not be here. Second of all, and just as important, tribulation is not a blessing anyway. Jesus said that some hear the Gospel preached and joyfully receive it, “yet they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a little while: For when either tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, by and by they are offended (Matthew 13:21).” That means they change their minds about the Gospel, and turn away from it. So, tribulation is certainly not a blessing to those offended ones.

That also means tribulation against Christians is not from God anyway. The Bible is clear that the tribulation God sends is against unbelievers. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first, and also of Gentiles (Romans 2:9).” “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them who trouble you [believers] (2 Thessalonians 1:6).” “Behold, I will cast her [Jezebel that prophetess] into a [sick] bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their [evil] deeds (Revelation 2:22).” These are just a few passages which prove that God does not tribulate the saints. Such tribulation comes from the devil. “Fear none of those things which you will suffer: Behold, the devil will cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you will have tribulation ten days: Be faithful unto death, and I [Jesus] will give you a crown of life (Revelation 2:10).”

Thus, the devil sends tribulation our way to turn us away from God. Satan uses tribulation (hardships) to separate from God those who are already saved. But Paul asked, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword (Romans 8:35)?” The devil hits us with such hardships as are mentioned above, in order to pressure us to come to the point where we think the Christian life is just not worth what we have to go through, so we will abandon the faith, and therefore, our own salvation. Satan wants everyone to be lost and go to hell.

Rather than our Heavenly Father tribulating His very own family members, He actually “comforts us in all of our tribulation, so that we also may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God (2 Corinthians 1:4).” Our Redeemer is our Comforter!

The word comfort appears many times in the Bible, revealing that comfort, not tribulation, for the saints comes from God. Tribulation is an enemy.

(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!

The Bible identifies where the Anti-Christ will come from

Staff — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:41:53 +0000

Let me expose first the erroneous teaching that the Antichrist will originate in Russia. The idea obviously is derived from a misunderstanding of Ezekiel 38 and 39. Those two chapters indeed reveal that the Antichrist will descend from the north of Israel. So he will come down from Russia. However, neither those chapters nor any other Scripture passage teaches that Russia will be the birthplace of the Antichrist, or that he will be of Russian nationality. So never take a passage out of context and start speculating (either adding to it or taking away from it), thereby building a doctrine founded on speculation rather than on the Word of God. The Bible actually identifies what part of the planet the Antichrist will come from. It will be one of the Middle-Eastern nations. How do I know so? By studying Scripture rather than speculating from newspaper clippings! Look at Daniel 2:31-45. Is that too many verses to read to gain Bible end-time truth? Learning Bible truth requires study.

The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream a giant humanlike statue made of various metals; and in the end-times, clay mixed with iron. That metal statue represented human history from Daniel’s day to the end of this evil age, when God will set up the eternal form of His Kingdom.

Those various metals represented four great empires that would rule the earth from Daniel’s day to the end of this age: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The iron legs pictured the Roman Empire and its influence in man’s history to the end. The legs represented the splitting of the Roman Empire into its Eastern and Western divisions, whose influence will reach beyond our days. Now think! Two legs. Two feet. Five toes on each foot. History reveals that Rome was divided into two conflicting regions. Five toes will be on the foot of one leg, and five toes on the foot of the other. And by the way: Russia was never part of the Roman Empire. The Antichrist will come from either the Western division of the Old Roman Empire, or the Eastern division. Not Russia. And Daniel tells us which division the Antichrist comes from. More Scripture. Whew! More reading! Daniel chapter eight narrows down the vision to two of those beast-kingdoms, which are identified as Persia and Greece.

The first Grecian king would have to be Alexander the Great, who history tells us died in his 30s. He was the horn of the he-goat in Daniel chapter eight. At his death, his kingdom was divided into four smaller ones, and Daniel tells us that out of one of those four divisions will come a little horn—the Antichrist. Daniel 8:20-26 tells us that Daniel’s vision refers to the time of the end, when a man from one of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire will fulfill those Antichrist prophecies. Chapter eleven narrows it down even more to the king of the North (the Antichrist) and the king of the South, which must be Egypt—the southernmost of those four empire divisions. From the northern division of Alexander’s empire will come the Antichrist.

There’s a lot of speculation on end time events

Staff — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 17:15:24 +0000

Christian Author and Pastor Ron Craig

Before getting deeper into the end-time-events subject, I want to make a few comments and ask a few questions. I have learned that different people have different motivations for their interest in end-time events. Although many are sincere, some are obviously motivated by mere curiosity. While curiosity will carry one a little ways on a journey, when the truth gets to be too much for the curious one, the search usually ends right there. Only those who genuinely want to learn the truth and are willing to adjust to it will continue their journey until they reach the end—real biblical end-time truth. What is your motivation?

While there are a number of preachers who seem to be experts on end-time events, I have found only one whose exegesis on that subject is truly scriptural. I will let you know who that is eventually, but first I want to clear away some of the utter nonsensical teachings regarding those not-too-distant future events.

One of the most unbiblical concepts is that the Antichrist will originate from Moscow, claiming that he will be Russian. That concept is mere speculation on the part of preachers and theologians who theologize rather than seriously study the Holy Scriptures. I have learned that sometimes (actually often) just reading a little further in the Scriptures the reader will come to a completely different conclusion than if he or she only reads until they find what they think supports their pre-study conclusions. How some preachers come up with really weird speculations is a mystery to me. Especially when the Bible actually, not only does not support their conclusions but clearly refutes them. Some of the more well-known ideas are that the Antichrist will be a Russian and that the church will have to go through The Tribulation; or at least the last part of it. Less well-known is that the United States of America will be the beast spoken of in Revelation, that Russia will nuke the USA (the wounded head of the beast) then the USA will revive and become that beast (the Antichrist). Of course, that speculation refutes the claim that the Antichrist himself will hale from Moscow. One of the points I want to make here is that the teachings of some supposed experts often outright contradictthe insane ideas of other end-time experts. So, which one is correct? Or does it even matter which one is right? Does Deity allow us to believe and teach any doctrine we like? Remember those lessons on the Bible prohibiting any interpretation of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21). That means anything that contradicts the Bible is outlawed by God Himself.

One more weird, unbiblical teaching is that those demons coming out of the Abyss are not really demons, but tanks and helicopters. But, I understand that machines come out of factories, not the center of the earth. So, my question is: “Do you want to believe human speculations, or know actual Bible Truth?”