RSSProphecy is Critical
David L Lamon | March 6, 2009
Prophecy is Critical
David L Lamon
Prophecy is necessary to teach from a ministerial and understand from a saint’s point of view for the purpose of attracting would-be converts into the church and strengthening those that have been in the church for years. There are many false prophets or preachers today that are literally desecrating the word of God making it of non-effect to the unlearned and forcing so-called believers to call into question vital salvation scripture. I am talking about both new saints and those sheep that have sit in the pews their whole lives but don’t have a clue about such things. The deception currently taking place is unprecedented since time began. People are being bombarded with various ideologies that only serve to confuse and demean the truth of God’s word. These false teachings are being confirmed by the fiery darts of Satan by affecting the way one looks at an issue. This is easily accomplished by the devil because let’s face it people don’t pray and study God’s word they way they are commanded to do and the scripture warns us Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. So as a result many of us have taken the same carnal mindset position as the prophet warned would happen for both shepherd and saint since the sheep follow the shepherd and both fall in the ditch. Matthew 15:14 let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Isaiah 56:11 yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isaiah 56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. These people rely only on the “foolishness of preaching to save man” meaning all they get is what’s presented on Wednesday and Sunday.
When one considers the number of preachers and churches in America and the world and the number of them that preach the foundational salvation message of Acts 2:38 as it was intended I think it is fair to say a very low percentage of people are receiving this soul saving message. I am aware some of you are not much on stats and such so I won’t inject any but I believe the above statement still if taken in a rational way would suggest a very few are getting the truth. I said that to say the word of God is under attack like never before and if one is knowledgeable of prophecy he/she can use it to prove the validity of the bible especially beginning as in Daniel where the angel told him about events of the end time he couldn’t understand and was told don’t worry it is not for you to understand. Many today say there are no new prophetical events happening that hasn’t been happening for centuries but if an astute student of prophecy can began with the prophecies beginning with “birth pangs” forward, which means an increase in frequency it is getting easier to see prophecy unfold just by picking up the newspaper. Earthquakes and natural disasters, wars and rumors of wars are just a couple that have been unfolding on a scale not witnessed since the beginning and now the total collapse of the world’s economy all of which is causing such desperation that a man (anti-Christ) will come on the scene with seemingly all the answers that plague man. In other words, it is useful to briefly point out prophecy that has already been fulfilled and then distinguish the difference in the past to the present prophecy focusing on prophecy as it concerns “birth pangs”. This is the only way to convince even the naysayers of things similar in the past and things in the present. I think it would be difficult for anyone half paying attention to the events unfolding before our eyes to doubt how fast things are closing in on us.
Just take these examples for consideration; The Nation of Israel — Revelation 12 focuses on the nation of Israel. It makes clear that in the middle of the Tribulation Satan will motivate and empower the Antichrist to annihilate the Jewish state and its people. A remnant of the Jews will flee into the “wilderness” where they will be supernaturally protected by the Lord (Revelation 12:14). At the time the book of Revelation was written, Jerusalem had already been destroyed by the Romans and the worldwide distribution of the Jews had begun. Until the 20th Century, there was never any prospect that the nation of Israel would ever exist again. There were, of course, prophetic scholars who pointed to the many promises in Scripture that say the Jews will be re-gathered in the end times and the nation of Israel will be reestablished once more. But people laughed at these scholars and wrote them off as “dreamers” who were out of touch with reality. It is from this line of thinking that the false teaching of “Replacement Theology” or the teaching that the church replaced Israel has come forth. Then, on May 14, 1948 the “dream” came true. The independence of the nation of Israel was proclaimed, and the Jewish state came back into existence for the first time in almost 2,000 years.
All the end time prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures make it clear that the Lord will return when the Jews are back in the land (Ezekiel 37) and back in their capital city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12). Jesus emphasized these two events in His teaching. He pointed to the reestablishment of the state in his fig tree parable (Matthew 24:32-35), and He stressed the importance of the reoccupation of Jerusalem in His Olivet Discourse (Luke 21:24). He stated point blank that when Jerusalem is no longer under Gentile control, all the end time events would take place. Jerusalem ceased to be under Gentile control on June 7, 1967. The central piece of the end time world political puzzle is now in place for the first time.
The Tribulation Slaughter: Revelation 6 says that the Tribulation will begin with a series of judgments that will result in the death of one-fourth of Mankind. The world’s population is approaching six billion. That means one and a half billion people will die in the initial judgments, reducing the world’s population to 4 1/2 billion. The next series of judgments, recorded in Revelation 8 and 9 will kill another third of Mankind. One-third of 4 1/2 billion is another one and a half billion. Thus, in the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, a total of 3 billion people will die. That’s half the population of the world! Is this possible apart from the use of nuclear weapons? Only if it is a supernatural intervention of God. But God normally works through natural processes.
The unparalleled carnage of the Tribulation seems to me to point to nuclear weapons. Revelation 8 speaks of one-third of the earth being burned and one-third of the seas being polluted (Revelation 8:7-8). Later in the Tribulation, near the end, we are told that people will suffer from “loathsome and malignant sores” (Revelation 16:2). That sounds like one of the effects of radiation poisoning. The advent of nuclear weapons makes possible for the first time the overwhelming tribulation carnage or bloodbath portrayed in Revelation. I think nuclear power was what Jesus referred to in His Olivet Discourse when He said that the end times will be characterized by “men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26).
The prophecies concerning the Tribulation carnage have clearly depended upon a major technological breakthrough for their understanding. That breakthrough occurred on July 16, 1945 when the first atomic bomb was exploded in New Mexico. When the first hydrogen bomb was exploded in 1952, we entered the era when, for the first time in human history, we could inflict upon ourselves the kind of carnage described in the book of Revelation. The Army of 200 Million — Chapters 9 and 16 of Revelation state that an army of 200 million soldiers will march “from the east” toward Israel. Daniel 11 indicates that this will be an army representing nations in revolt against the Antichrist (Daniel 11:44). Demographers estimate that the total population of the world at the time the Apostle John wrote Revelation (95 A.D.) was only 200 million. How could an army that size march out of the east? It made no sense. In fact, it took 1,650 years for the world’s population to double to 400 million! At the beginning of the 20th Century the total world population was only 1.6 billion, still too small for an army of 200 million to march from the east.
When we hear the words we are today about everyone worshipping the same God which as you know is a lie and other such lies on the bible it will call into question the validity of the word of God even to the elect because of the massive global attempt to discredit God’s word we are currently witnessing. Jesus said, Matthew 24:22 and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Remember they are still sheep no matter how you slice it, regardless of whether they have followed Acts 2:38 or not. I encourage all who read this to avoid being sheep led to the slaughter by 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth and James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. So it is my contention that prophecy must be taught and understood because it is critical for the reaffirmation of the validity of the word of God. How much of the scripture is devoted to prophecy and once one sees this it becomes more important to realize there was a purpose for this much attention to it?
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I read with interest your news American Conservative Daily since i study and keep watch regarding end time happennings.
I share with church the end time events hence would appreciate information concerning same
Blessings
Nihal
from
Sri Lanka