Endgame Part 3

I didn't really intend for there to be a part 3 to Endgame but I receive a message from a reader asking when I thought Jesus was coming back. My answer to that question will be the shortest that I have ever given because it is simply "I Don't Know". However the question itself sparked considerable other issues that I can and perhaps should write for whatever value they may provide. First let me say that no one should be taken by surprise when the Lord returns. He promised that He would and I have walked with Him long enough that I believe Him. When He ascended into heaven there were a number of people watching as He rose into the air and disappeared into the clouds and as they were staring up two angels appeared and asked why they were staring upward in amazement. They said rest assured that in the same manner that He went up that He will return. The clouds that He disappeared into were not mist clouds that we normally see but an angelic host and He will come back in the same way, first seemingly surrounded by clouds but as He gets closer you will be able to see all the millions of angels as well as all those that have gone before because it says that He will return with the saints who have been with Him.

By the way, you can always tell who was there when He went up by the sunburn on the roof of their mouth. I think there will be similar astonishment at His return.

As for the timing of this event even Jesus does not know it. He said only the Father knew and He wasn't telling. But then Jesus said you have been given signs so be on the lookout. He said you can look at the sky and tell a lot about what the weather can do so if you would apply the same diligence to observe the signs I have given then you will stand just about as much chance of being ready for my return.

How very interesting and telling of the times we live in. Weather observation has become a very fine art. It amazes me that they can tell a good many hours in advance of a violent storm. They can tell you just about how strong the wind will blow and how many hundredths of inches of rain will fall. They can tell days in advance the temperature variations and upper and lower limits. When I was in the U.S. Air Force I trained as an air traffic controller and part of the training was weather observation. A controller had to be able to make a visual observation and general short term forecast for any pilot that would ask and this occurred frequently. However this type of observation was of the level that Jesus was talking about. What we have today is something of a much different nature and accuracy. How very telling of the times the weather observation is a science and spiritual observation is at an all time low. First of all much of the so called scriptural science or observation surrounding the second coming is dreadfully flawed. It is based on traditions of men and doctrines of demons.

1 Timothy 4:1



New King James Version (NKJV)
4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

Actually there are many but right now I am only going to talk about one and it is the Big One. The Rapture. There is no such word to be found in the Bible. The word was invented by man to describe being caught up to meet Jesus in the air upon His return to earth as described in the scripture below;

1 Thessalonians 4:17



New King James Version (NKJV)
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Here is a brief description of where the whole idea came from. I will include a link below it for a more indepth explanation for those who want to investigate further. Actually a google search will provide a vast array of articles on the issue.

Here is an excerpt from an article by Brian Schwertley.


The teaching of a secret pretribulation rapture is a doctrine that never existed before 1830. Did the pretribulation rapture come into existence by a careful exegesis of Scripture? No. The first person to teach the doctrine was a young woman named Margaret Macdonald. Margaret was not a theologian or Bible expositor but was a prophetess in the Irvingite sect (the Catholic Apostolic Church). Christian journalist Dave MacPherson has written a book on the subject of the origin of the pre-tribulation rapture. He writes: “We have seen that a young Scottish lassie named Margaret Macdonald had a private revelation in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in the early part of 1830 that a select group of Christians would be caught up to meet Christ in the air before the days of Antichrist. An eye-and-ear witness, Robert Norton M.D., preserved her handwritten account of her pre-trib rapture revelation in two of his books, and said it was the first time anyone ever split the second coming into two distinct parts or stages. His writings, along with much other Catholic Apostolic Church literature, have been hidden many decades from the mainstream of Evangelical thought and only recently surfaced. Margaret’s views were well-known to those who visited her home, among them John Darby of the Brethren. Within a few months her distinctive prophetic outlook was mirrored in the September, 1830 issue of The Morning Watch and the early Brethren assembly at Plymouth, England. Early disciples of the pre-trib interpretation often called it a new doctrine.”

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who was the leader of the Brethren movement and the “father of modern Dispensationalism,” took Margaret Macdonald’s new teaching on the rapture, made some changes (she taught a partial rapture of believers while he taught that all believers would be raptured) and incorporated it into his Dispensational understanding of Scripture and prophecy. Darby would spend the rest of his life speaking, writing and traveling, spreading the new rapture theory. The Plymouth Brethren openly admitted and were even proud of the fact that among their teachings were totally new ones which had never been taught by the church fathers, medieval scholastics, Protestant Reformers or the many commentators.

The person most responsible for the rather widespread acceptance of Pretribulationalism and Dispensationalism among Evangelicals is Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921). C. I. Scofield published his Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. This Bible, which espoused the doctrines of Darby in its notes, became very popular in Fundamentalist circles. In the minds of many a Bible teacher, fundamentalist pastor and multitudes of professing Christians, Scofield’s notes were practically equated with the word of God itself. If a person did not adhere to the Dispensational, Pretribulational scheme he or she would almost automatically be labeled a modernist.


http://reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/rapture.htm

As a side note; Just because a seemingly spiritual person has a vision or prophesy does not necessarily mean that they received it via the Spirit of God. As in the scripture I quoted above, demons are often bringing deceptive doctrines into the Church through various means to further corrupt our path. They have more power than you think and that is why the scripture warns us to "test the spirits".

Long before I ever even heard the doctrine of an imminent rapture there was just something in me that I can only refer to as instinct, that that God's people would be here till the end of all things. That the 7 year tribulation period was a time of sifting of sorts that would determine who had it and who didn't. Now just so that you don't start looking at yourself let me explain. This is not so much about who makes it and who doesn't but about relationship that I've talked about so much in past articles. None of us have what it takes to make the grade and that's the truth. Only Jesus Himself could ever stand in God's presence and say I have finished the course without failure. It will always come down to your relationship of trust with the Master. He will finish the course for you but will you let Him? Will you die to self? Will you lay down your arms and trust His strength even though you cannot see it?
 Will you spend enough hours with Him to erase the doubts you have about His love for you?

Right now you cannot perceive the horrors that are coming on planet earth. Most people just don't read their bibles enough to know what is coming nor do they believe that the loving God they hear so much about would allow such things to happen. Friend it will happen and is much closer than anyone thinks and it says that if God did not shorten those days that not a single person would survive but for elects sake He will shorten those days.

I believe that God has not revealed the time of His return for this reason. If I could say that it would happen in 6 months then some people would say, "good, I have 6 months to party and then repent". Others would stop doing anything because whats the use, it will all be over soon anyway. We are to occupy and be about the masters business as though He's coming any moment and that we must give answer for what we did in the last 30 seconds because we are His ambassadors.  Jesus told parables about someone buying a vineyard and leaving others in charge and then making a surprise return to see how they were doing with His property. He told of giving money to 3 different people and going away, expecting that they would invest it and make profit for Him on His return. These things I will leave for the reader to search out for themselves and here's why. I have found over the years that if someone finds a lot of information in contemporary writing that gives them to spiritual guidance that they will read that instead of going to scripture for themselves. I would be doing a disservice if I caused people to read my stuff instead of searching bible and praying for themselves. I may be able to convince some to my way of thinking but that is not the goal here. Jesus said go forth and make disciples. He did not mean "go forth and make followers of yourselves" but make them followers of Me". There is only one way to follow Jesus and that is to spend time with Him, not reading my blog. If I thought that is all that was happening here I would stop writing today. I believe I have always tried to direct everyone to Jesus, not to my teaching. There are many out there who's motives are indeed to attract followers to themselves for personal gain and it doesn't take long in their presence to figure that out if your eyes are open. Avoid them like the plague because they will not tell you the truth because the truth is almost always distasteful to the carnal Christian.

No one need fear the time that we are already entering if they are grounded in Christ. I mean GROUNDED. I cannot emphasis that word enough. That is accomplished through what I have previously termed "Passionate Pursuit". Nothing else will do. While we live in the time of Grace if you will look at the old Testament you can learn much about what God expects of us in this present age.
At the time of the laying down of the Mosaic Law the people were instructed to write these laws on their garments and on their foreheads and engrave them on their doorposts and when they are walking on a path with their children to talk continually about them. Today we would call that "brainwashing". Well if you ask me we could all use some washing of our brains from all the filth that we swim in daily. The point is that the focus was to be on the spiritual and that God would take care of the natural. Few people that I know of have discovered the truth of that. I can honestly say that I have and it has completely changed my outlook on life. I do not worry about a single financial matter. I simply don't have to. Do I have an abundance of money? No, but I always have enough for everything I need and at times someone comes to me in need and I always have the ability to help them with either a loan or a gift. Finance is simply not something I need to worry about for He takes care of it all. Yes I still work to earn money but I never have to advertise and I never run out of work and I know lots of other businesses that struggle with both.

I do not have to struggle with desires for earthly possessions because I get such satisfaction out of the life that He gives me that such things as a new car or the latest electronic gadget holds no attraction for me. Therefore I have no debt and so I'm not paying for a bunch of dead horses so to speak. I'm getting off track here a little but these matters could make a huge difference in your life as we go forth into this time ahead of us that is referred to as "Jacobs Trouble" or the "Great Tribulation". We will all have enough on our minds without having the additional worries about food, clothing or shelter.

One of the things that is scarcely if ever talked about is what is really going to happen after Christ comes back. Most people that I know think that we are going off to heaven, sit on a cloud and play a harp or something silly like that. Now I might enjoy doing that occasionally but I cannot imagine that being my occupation for eternity. There simply has to be something more because I can think of a thousand things that I could do here on earth that I haven't gotten to do yet and the scripture I referred to earlier says that He can do (provide) above what we can ask or think. So I'm convinced that I have no ability to imagine the vastness of variety that is going to be available to me and everyone else there and there will be no shortage so there will be no occasion for envy. But heaven is not the place you think it is or at least not where you will be spending the next 1000 years after Christ's return to earth because He is coming to earth to remain for at least 1000 years. Earth is going to be in a state of utter chaos as well as a condition of utter destruction and I'm not so sure that He is going to wave His magic wand and just make it all new. There may be the largest and most enormous reconstruction project in human history begin to take place and it will be fun. Instead of being hard work, causing us to break out in a sweat it will be extremely enjoyable because you will never hit your thumb with a hammer or get a sliver but whatever it is that you have done in your life on earth and often been disappointed because you couldn't do it perfectly or did not have time or finance to explore your creativity to the fullest, now you will have time eternal and unlimited resources. Yes there will be plenty of the supernatural but it will be the norm and will open our eyes to the amazing attributes of our God and King. During these 1000 years Satan is bound in the pit and I really don't know why that is so but I'm just telling it like it is. after the 1000 yrs then he is released for a brief time in which he will attempt to once again rally forces to destroy God but will himself be destroyed in the lake of fire. It is then that God will create a new heaven and a new earth.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17



King James Version (KJV)
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Most bible teachers use this scripture among others to try to prove a pre tribulation rapture or return of Jesus and I'm not going to go into that right now but I want to show you a secret that is hidden there because it bears out my contention that we are not being taken to heaven but rather are joining Jesus in His return to earth. It will be our first hand experience of anti gravity. Here are two other new testament scriptures that are also key to my hypothesis.

Matthew 25:1-10

King James Version (KJV)
25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Acts 28:13-15



King James Version (KJV)
13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

The verse from 1 Thessalonians tells of being caught up to meet the Lord in the air. If taken by itself one would naturally assume that it means what is seems to mean when is says "so shall we ever be with the Lord" as though we will always be in the air or above planet earth with Him. Unfortunately that is the very manner in which the most interpreters view it because they choose to ignore all the other scriptures that are contradicted by such an interpretation. I am not even going to bring out the scriptures that speak of Jesus coming to set up His earthly kingdom. I really don't like dealing with this topic at all because it is more of a distraction than a help. I have seen over the years how people get so focused in on one thing that they neglect everything else that is so much more important. However I will give you this one very important fact and then leave the rest to the interested reader to pursue for themselves.

The key word in all three scriptures above is "Meet". And you need the meaning of the word quoted in the second and third to understand the meaning of the word in verse one. Here is why. The original is translated from Greek and  I have taken the scriptures for the original King James translation because the James Strong Concordance is keyed to the King James Bible. There are many places in the King James scriptures where the word "Meet" is used but only four places where it is used in this particular context. It is reference #529 in the Greek dictionary and means "a friendly encounter". There is only a minor inflection indicated in this usage as compared to all other usages of the word but that minor inflection is vital because of what was occurring when it was used.

In the parable of the 10 virgins, they were waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. When the call came it was "He is coming, go out to meet Him". He was coming to the meeting hall where a wedding and a feast was to take place. The 5 who were ready went out to meet Him and then turned around and retraced their steps to enter the meeting hall. When they went out to meet Him He did not turn around and go the other direction and return to the place He came from. No, it was His greeting committee who did the turning.

Now in the story for the book of Acts the Apostle Paul was on his way to Rome, when news of his pending arrival reached the believers at Rome they went out as far as the Appii Forum to meet him.
Here again the believers were the ones who did the meeting and the turning. His destination was Rome, disciples came to meet him and accompany him to his destination, simple as that. Here you have these examples of the usage of meet as described in #529 of the Greek dictionary and now in 1 Thessalonians 4 again the only other place where #529 is used to describe "Meet". In my mind it can mean only one thing and that is; Yes the saints are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, a huge welcoming committee but once we reach Him then we turn around and descend with Him because His destination is planet earth. That is the end and the beginning of it. I will not touch this topic again unless the Lord orders me too for the reasons I have described above.
I can promise you the following statement and it has always been my contention,
If you will be diligent and ask God these questions instead of some fallible fleshly human being like me, He would give you the answer and it would build your faith so much more than reading my opinion and that is why my focus will always be to try to persuade all my readers to get with God and pursue Him and His knowledge with passion, it's your only security against deception.

John 6:44-46



New King James Version (NKJV)
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

Be blessed and be a blessing my friends
john

email: justjohn@eoni.com