[SCROLL DOWN FOR ADDENDA.]
2nd Peter 3:1b …I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Note Wikipedia’s entry on the history of Hurricane Sandy:
A tropical wave was moving westward through the eastern Caribbean Sea on October 19, 2012. It had an extended low pressure area, and conditions were expected to gradually become more favorable for development. On October 20, the system became better organized, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) assessed a high potential for it to become a tropical cyclone within 48 hours… At 1500 UTC on October 22, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Eighteen about 320 mi (515 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica. This was based on surface observations and satellite imagery, which indicated the system had developed enough organized convection to be classified.
Here’s the original report from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA — sounds like ‘Noah’):
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
200 PM EDT SAT OCT 20 2012
FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC…CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO…
SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BECOME
BETTER ORGANIZED IN ASSOCIATION WITH A TROPICAL WAVE LOCATED OVER
THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA. SURFACE PRESSURES ARE FALLING IN THE
AREA…AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME
CONDUCIVE FOR A TROPICAL DEPRESSION TO FORM DURING THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS. THIS SYSTEM HAS A HIGH CHANCE…60 PERCENT…OF BECOMING
A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS THE WAVE MOVES
SLOWLY WESTWARD.
Recall what President Obama said, on May 9th, 2009, at the White House Correspondents dinner in Washington, DC (original video). As the Washington Post reported it the next morning:
When President Obama made his debut as the nation’s Stand-Up-in-Chief last night — the star attraction at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner — no one in his administration was safe from his one-liners… Not even, it turned out, himself:
“During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days. My next 100 days will be so successful, I will complete them in 72 days. And on the 73rd day, I will rest.”
The routine brought mostly guffaws from the 2,500 journalists, politicians and celebrities jammed into the Washington Hilton ballroom for the press corps’ annual celebration of itself. The president acknowledged perceptions that he’s a media darling:
“Most of you covered me; all of you voted for me. Apologies to the Fox table.”
The WaPo got it wrong. His jibe was not directed at himself, but at the Almighty Creator God, YHWH.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
As reported previously, his seemingly arbitrary specificity about the 72nd & 73rd days was no accident either.
[ADDENDUM: Correspondent 'DT' sent an e-mail clarifying the significance of the 72/73 comment as being code for Islam's (alleged) supremacy over Judaism and Christianity. I.e., BHO's comment was anything but random. Instead, it seems calculated as a deliberate sleight towards Christians, signaling to Muslims that he's on their side, and that the grand deception is proceeding as planned. See for example, this much more recent, related story, 'Obama's ring: There is no god but Allah'. Here's the text of 'DT's e-mail:
"[72 is] the number of houri each Muslim martyr (or every Muslim male, according to some ahadith) shall receive as companions in Paradise. http://wikiislam.net/wiki/72_Virgins [and]… the degrees of the Jacob’s ladder were to the number of 72, according to the Zohar.
http://www.alislam.org/library/73divisions/73-04.html: It was reported from ‘Awf ibn Maalik who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one sects, one of which is in Paradise and seventy are in the Fire. The Christians were divided into seventy-two sects, seventy-one of which are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects, one of which will be in Paradise and seventy-two will be in the Fire.” It was said, O Messenger of Allaah, who are they? He said, “Al-Jamaa’ah.”
Sunan Ibn Maajah, no. 3982.
What’s startling, as we await Hurricane Sandy’s severe and likely protracted impact on the U.S., specifically on Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York in particular (America’s three capitals, over time) is that Sandy’s formation came precisely 1,260 days after the President’s blasphemous remarks. A.k.a., the “time, times and half a time” referenced in Daniel 12:6-7and Revelation 12:14. The gist of both prophecies is that 1,260 days would mark a period during which those who revere and worship YHWH and Messiah (Christ) Y’Shuah (Jesus) will be gradually pushed further into persecution and hiding. Without dwelling on any particular edict or event, it’s not too hard to figure in relation to both believers worldwide and to national Israel since Obama’s election. May 9th seems like a kind of debutante (coming out) party for a God-denying tenor that’s been a hallmark his administration.
What’s even more remarkable is where the Greek word for ‘sand’ shows up in scripture. Strong’s G285, ἄμμος, pronounced ä’m-mos, is also translated as ‘sandy’ or ‘sandy ground’. Its the word that the Holy Spirit and the Apostle John use in writing Revelation 13:1, the text which follows the time-times-and-half-a-time prophecy. Note how central blasphemy is in these verses and how the beast rises up from the sea (idiom of the roiling, deadly, God-denying world system and its adherents). Note also how closely blasphemy is connected to power and to the duration of that power, granted by our sovereign God for His perfect purposes (42 Hebrew months, or 1,260 days — the span from 5/9/09 to 10/20/12 and Hurricane Sandy):
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying , Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Re. making war on the saints, see this article regarding the recent Gospel Coalition Conference in Boston:
I heard an interesting argument while returning to the airport on Sunday morning… On the radio in my cab, a gay host explained how any religion that does not tolerate homosexuality must be crushed. There is no room in democracy, he explained, for such intolerance: gay rights and biblical Christianity cannot co-exist in America, let alone liberal New England. He told believers something we already know: Christians will continue to face a stark choice. We can capitulate on biblical teaching or incur the wrath of society’s self-appointed arbiters of tolerance. Many have already chosen the path of least resistance.
…These are the best of times in New England because we wrongly suppose that Christianity depends on the comfort of a moral majority who live out biblical values even if they don’t quite grasp the biblical gospel. We give thanks for such common grace, but we dare not invest outward appearance with salvific significance. A book like Revelation comes alive in New England, where Christians often feel the palpable hostility toward God and brazen disregard for his Word. Christians in New England must be prepared that their reputation with family, neighbors, and co-workers may not survive revelation of their faith.
During the New England Regional Conference, TGC president Don Carson spoke with passion about genuine faith that can endure any hardship for the glory of God. He observed that there have been more conversions in the last 150 years than the combined 1,800 years prior. The same goes for the number of martyrs. Both figures will grow till the end. Christians in New England know better than many others in the United States this blessing of laying down their pride and picking up their crosses to follow Jesus wherever he leads…
Related to Rev 13:8, I just happened upon this chart (below), from NPR, showing how much the world worships this man. (Nothing in this post should be construed as a plug for his scripture-adding, plague-destined opponent, btw. The second beast in Revelation 13 is all about economic efficiency. Think about that. It’s a conjecture, but even within this audience here, I wonder how many imagine that it their duty to pick between antichrists… how many think the choice comes down to the simple one presented in this chart… how many think that the warnings of 1st Samuel 8 don’t apply to us today. Short take: don’t put your trust in princes… any princes other than the Prince of Peace Himself — see Psalm 146. My intent is to vote Jesus Christ as a write-in and no I don’t think that’s impractical. It is, rather, an act of faith and hopeful expectation. I’d rather answer to that at the judgment seat than having to explain why I wasn’t more pragmatic and conciliatory towards American values vs. Biblical truth.)
Where else does Strong’s G285, ἄμμος, (ä’m-mos) turn up in scripture?
Well, first off, it’s used 5X in the New Testament (five being a number, in scripture, associated with grace) and 25X or five squared, in the Septuagint (‘LXX’) version of the Old Testament, aka the Apostolic Bible (for it was the one the Apostles had access to as they wrote the New Testament, in Greek). As such, when tempted to fear as this storm breaks on the heads of everyone on the East Coast, we ought not to fear. YHWH is Sovereign. His Christ, Jesus, is returning to rule. Grace abounds.
Most interesting is the word’s first use in the New Testament. You may have guessed already:
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.“
The rest of the words study is too long to relate here, but it boils down to a few points about sand/Sandy:
- God’s promise to Abraham (e.g., Genesis 13:16, 22:17, 28:14, 32:12 and elsewhere re. his offspring being like the sand of the sea’. Consider John standing on that sand, that promise, in Rev 13:1, or else, as some translations have it, the beast, i.e., standing on Abraham’s seed, oppressing them.)
- The precious thoughts of God and His wisdom (e.g., Psalm 139:18 or in opposition to a ‘fool’s provocation’ in Psalm 27:3 or vs. vexation in Job 6:3; also 1st Kings 4:20 & 29.)
- As an idiom for military forces, sometimes enemy, sometimes friendly, sometimes physical, sometimes spiritual (e.g., see Revelation 20:8, Joshua 11:4, Judges 7:12, 1st Sam 13:5, 2nd Sam 17:11, etc.)
In light of the last point, I find it fascinating that the name ‘Sandy’, a diminutive of the name ‘Alexander’ is a,
Latinized form of the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant “defending men” from Greek αλεξω (alexo) “to defend, help” and ανηρ (aner) “man” (genitive ανδρος).
As John writes:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26) But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (John 15:26) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
Take heart, brothers and sisters! If you’re on the East Coast, as I am here in Boston, where it’s blowing harder and harder with each passing hour, the physical clouds overhead, and this mighty wind are but pointers to a much larger spiritual reality we cannot see. It is no accident that this storm has come in this way at this time, scuttling much of the revelry around an occult holiday which should make us all blush with shame, on the eve of one of the most momentous elections in our nation’s history.
The battle is won, the victory made sure at the cross. Jesus is coming with the clouds of heaven. Every eye will see him. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that He and He alone is Lord. (See: Matthew 24:30 & 26:64, Mark 13:26 & 14:62, Revelation 1:7 and Acts 1:9-11.)
The Lord… is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come…
ADDENDUM #1 (Monday evening): A few minutes after posting this, I went into our basement to work out, continuing a series by Wayne Grudem on Systematic Theology that I picked up several weeks ago. The portion of the lesson queued up when I flipped on my iPod was about Jesus asleep in the boat with the disciples during the storm. Go figure. I was reminded again that: 1) He’s in charge (we MUST not fear), 2) We need to trust Him completely (His plan is GOOD), and 3) The boat arrived at its destination right AFTER the storm. Same pattern applied in the Acts 28 storm.
ADDENDUM #2 (Tuesday midday): The AP’s headline and lede are telling:
Much of New York was plunged into darkness Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city’s historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to hundreds of thousands of people.
The city had shut its mass transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway and ordered hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to leave home to get out of the way of the superstorm Sandy as it zeroed in on the nation’s largest city… By evening, a record 13-foot storm surge was threatening Manhattan’s southern tip… “It’s really a complete ghost town now,” said Stephen Weisbrot, from a powerless 10th-floor apartment in lower Manhattan.
‘Zeroed-in’ on NYC? That would be the second time in fourteen months. See ‘Irene Hits NYC’ and note the line of that storm’s eye, directly North, through Manhattan. Sandy was moving West. Think about that for a moment…
One can’t help thinking of Exodus 10:21-29, and of its end-times parallel in Revelation 16… an event which comes after a time of scorching heat… like the historic drought the U.S. heartland experienced this past summer –
9b They [the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image, v2] did not repent and give him [YHWH] glory. 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
Note the the plague of darkness is poured out on the throne of the beast world system. New York City, the capital of fashion, finance and fornication. Not hard to figure that one…
ADDENDUM #3 (Wednesday morning): These pictures (from the Daily Mail) are absolutely staggering. William Koenig notes the continuing tight connection between official U.S. statements and policy actions on the land of Israel and catastrophes state-side, e.g., the pronouncement US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, on Monday, October 15th, two weeks before Sandy hit, that the US “does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli settlement activity, and will continue to oppose any efforts to legalize outposts.”
On Saturday, unconnected to this (so I thought) I just happened to jot down 2nd Chronicles 12:5c in my scripture notebook (under the heading ‘Egypt Plunders Jerusalem’. In that passage, YHWH says: “You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you…” Sobering. And entirely congruent with the 3X refrain of Romans 1 (“…God gave them up…”) One can imagine God saying to the U.S., in effect (and I must emphasize that this is my own conjecture, not a prophetic pronouncement), “So long as you do not accept Me, I not accept the legitimacy of your ‘settlement activity’. I will ‘continue to oppose’ your vain human efforts to ‘legalize outposts’… such as NYC.” Related: ‘Afflicted For Four Hundred Years’ — NYC and the Apocalypse’ (June 19, 2009)
No idea what this means, but since you like numbers:
9.45: in feet, Sandy’s maximum storm surge at Bergen Point, NJ
945: in millibars, Sandy’s minimum pressure at Atlantic City, NJ
945: in miles, Sandy’s diameter of tropical storm-force winds at landfall
By: gl on November 1, 2012
at 3:36 pm
Yesterday I heard on Christian radio an ad for a church and its pastor was making the connection of the bride and groom, husband and wife. They sound as though they are the same but there are are some differences. The husbands relationship to the wife is different in that it involves the ongoing application of the promise made and for the wife the ongoing commitment to following and being under the husbands authority. The bride of Christ is called to follow Him, not men.
Again and again the problem is that those who are called have to remain faithful to Christ, while still having sinful tendencies. When we look to the world or it’s system as a solution or being something that we should pour energy time and resources into how is that different than the wife or husband spends time flirting with others when the spouse is not around? Is that faithfulness? Should I as a follower of Christ seek to find clever ways to compartmentalize my relationship with Him?
I hear from people here and there speaking of agreement. What is that? Should it not be based on understanding? An understanding of the truth of Gods Word, His Son? Is there a difference in being the church and going to church? So who has built these organizations in our land that call themselves “the church”?
America is getting what it deserves in that it wants to pick and choose from the principle of law that it wants to follow. Without truth and integrity in and under the law of our land we see what we have lawlessness. God called a nation from amongst all the other nations to be the one of His choosing. Israel, not America.
It’s America [that's] kicking to the curb the apple of His eye (Israel). He has used a mighty wind to blow the “big apple” from it’s lofty place. It is just the beginning. Five nuclear power plants [are] in trouble because of this storm. May it please the Father to cause the blind to see. I am choosing Jesus.
By: jeff on November 1, 2012
at 4:02 am
Art, I had heard it on a Christian radio station and knowing how God loves numbers, it sounded reasonable, but I didn’t pursue it further. Looks like some others did and there are not that many specific “Fear not” or “Do not be afraid” in the Bible. I have always found it comforting to remember that He does not give us a spirit of fear and reminds us that we are not to fear when we see Him working in our lives.
By: gibby62 on October 31, 2012
at 12:31 pm
Although I don’t agree entirely with all the points expressed here, I will share the following FWIW. Re: Sandy being another name for Alexander. Last night we were discussing all of the similarities between Babylon/Egypt/Roman Empire and Tyre and someone added, “did you know Tyre was conquered by Alexander the Great?”
By: Andrea on October 31, 2012
at 11:44 am
The amount of “sand” residue left in Jersey streets (Atlantic City – hopes built on sand) – needs plows (heavy equipment) to clear it away, plus plows needed for snow removal in Snowshoe, WV. [Much needed cleaning and clearing away.]
Caskets being raised out of the ground – resurrected “containers” not bodies, Ocean City. Right before Halloween, the dead rising … still dead.
Chris Christie, cancelling Halloween in certain areas – safety for the kid.
His priories changed (the election not as important as what he’s seeing, now!) and made a turn about, looking to BHO (who he just last week was making fun-of) and Fed assistance for help. {May he instead look to real help in the LORD God, rather than man or a system, realizing the real Source – a good time for the opening up to Truth.} If Christie thinks this “unthinkable” what will he think about what-else is to come!
Note: In 1997 a ‘simulated’ hurricane named ‘Sandy’ – as if predicting or warning of this storm 15 years ago?
[There seems to be a 'gleam' in BHO, like this is his time to shine - '"Don't let a good crisis go to waste" - whatever it takes to win.]
Glad you and yours are safe Art. His GRACE of sufficiency keep you.
By: Dianne on October 31, 2012
at 11:05 am
While I don’t view Romney as the righteous one I would imagine to lead my country, I view this as a time to reject Obama, There has never been a more evil person raised up to lead the US. If the people of the United States embrace Obama for a second term, his second half will be much worse than the first. Much like the reign of the Antichrist, of whom he is at least a type, he will go “off the rails”.
If we had to choose between a candidate that was a blending of Hitler and Caligula, and one whose sin was to gossip, should we throw up our hands because neither is perfect and write in Jesus, even if it means the Hitler/Caligula might win? We are to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render to God what is God’s. I am going to reject Obama and pray for more and more righteous people to be lifted up as out leaders, and pray for our nation to act as Ninevah. Hope must not be abandoned. Lets assume we have enough time yet to do some repair as a nation.
Dave
By: Dave on October 31, 2012
at 8:19 am
I am writing in Jesus Christ, too! The question might have been different in times past, wherein most of us considered it a question of who we wanted to manage the country for us under God. Now, though, especially since Bush and Obama and all of the freedom-stealing bills they have passed, the questions is definitely and recognizably, “Who do you want to rule over you?” A believer can only give one answer to that question:
Jesus.
A believer knows that Jesus is a living God who can rule over us in real time. I am not going to let it stop me that they won’t put His name on the ballot.
By: C on October 30, 2012
at 7:40 pm
I am glad I am reading this. I have been so caught up in who will be or who will not be president. I have neglected my time with Jesus. I have been thinking in the lines of the LESSER OF TWO EVILS. I am going to repent right now. It’s funny… someone else said to put your ballot out for Jesus. I believe it was Ken Dewey.
By: peggy rickard on October 30, 2012
at 12:38 pm
The edict “do not fear” is in the Bible 365 times….once for each day of the year!!
By: gibby62 on October 30, 2012
at 11:48 am
This is an amazing and insightful essay! The five Revolutionary War cities, where the Bill of Rights and Constitution were conceived – on rock solid Biblical principles – have been assaulted and ground into unstable sand. Sandy is indeed a perfect name for this stage of our sadly and swiftly declining republic.
Thank you art for the wonderful correlation, Art.
By: sue bradley, Inklings on October 30, 2012
at 8:28 am
Art, this storm has so much significance in it’s name and behavior and how fallen America and the church has become. I am praying for lives to be spared during this terrible event.
By: JD on October 29, 2012
at 5:41 pm
Even so, Lord, Jesus, come. I, too, am going to place my write in vote for the true King to be enthroned. I’m so sad to have missed my trip to your neck of the woods. We will meet, though, here, there or in the air.
God bless you and keep you and yours safe in the storm.
Kim
By: Kim on October 29, 2012
at 4:27 pm
Well…He actually told me the Abomination is April 10th. and that the rapture is 75 days before that. Daniel 12 …that talks about the 1290 days and the 1335 days. I can say that the Lord told me that the woman flees AT the abomination at 1260 days…the 1290 is when the abomination is “set up”..which is 30 days before the 1260 and the 1335 days is when the rapture of Revelation of 12:5 happens. I know all will say no one knows the day or the hour…the Lord also affirmed with me He means the day or hour when Jesus returns at the end of the 7 years is when “no one knows the day or hour”…as he “cuts that time short” for the “elects” sake..those that do not deny His name during the final 3.5 years. I cannot say why He has allowed me to know and told me these things …other than I have eaten, slept, prayed, drank, dreamed his word now like I have never in the last 1 1/2…He has told me things I needed to know personally with sexual abuse done to my son, revealed who did it and all…He has chosen to reveal many things to me. I can tell you that Jesus is my Lord. Test the spirit. He will tell you that I am not of the evil spirits. I say all this in only Jesus Christ and His Father’s name. So..actually if you count back 75 days from 4/10/2013….Up Up and Away…to the throne of God some will go.
By: debvaughn on October 29, 2012
at 4:19 pm
Glad to see your word studies, Art. This storm is indeed daunting for the people on the East Coast, much like the drought that we have been through here in the Midwest this past summer. It was terrible to see all the corn dry up like dead leaves, the only recourse for the farmer to bale the dry stalks up for future feed. I believe we as Christians are being tested to encourage our brothers and sisters to stand firm on the Word. It doesn’t matter what date the Rapture comes, but to know and look forward to that time.
MV
By: Mary Virginia on October 29, 2012
at 2:00 pm
Isa 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
Isa 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
So now if I understand this; some of us are going to be airlifted out of here for a first class position and the rest of us lower class will be left behind to enter our rooms as Isaiah has written?
This does not coincide with Mathew 13:
Mat 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
Mat 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Are the wicked removed or the righteous?
Pro 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
I’m not sure about a rapture, but I know there is a meeting in the clouds. Many renowned people preach of a rapture. How will this test us and purify us? Does not fire purify?
Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
So I am confused as to the date of sealing being 2/2/13. How does this date become relevant?
Would not GOD reveal this to more than just one man?
Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
That sounds to me like more than one person.
By two or more witnesses is a matter established.
Deu 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Don’ get me wrong, I would love a first class ticket to heaven before the terrible things come to pass, or even before the hurricane hits. But I am not holding my breath.
Instead I am keeping my heart fixed on the ONE I know will care for me. Whether I am here or with him in heaven is of no matter as HE is always with me.
Besides, what can we do to be sealed as it is HE that calls us and we do not chose HIM first. So besides instill fear or panic in the hearts of some, I would rather encourage everyone to trust the LORD with all of their hearts and it is HE that will keep their paths straight.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Blessing on all and of course you too my brother Art. You and your precious loved ones are always in my prayers. ….. Steve Hollander
By: stevehollander on October 29, 2012
at 1:41 pm
Interesting that Matthew 7 should show up again so soon. The crescendo in the events that occurring are calling to UN-regenerate man. It is a sign that the world is in a state flux and to which that one would be conjoined to the Christ or to the world. I am watching on a personal level with family as Christ again gives a chance to choose Him. Grace. Some have turned away from sin and some have yet to.
Jeremiah 5
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
22 Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
By: jeff on October 29, 2012
at 1:14 pm
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand
May God keep you and your family safe.
By: Barbara on October 29, 2012
at 12:52 pm
The Lord has given me some prophetic insight… Revelation 12:5 …there will be a rapture of the overcomers mentioned to most of the 7 churches. “the child” is the overcomers of this world and worldly things. The rest of the woman/church will have to flee. It will happen soon. I used to be a non-believer in a rapture and thought I was here until the last day. The Lord showed me differently and opened up the true meaning of scripture to me. Everyone needs to be praying Luke 21:36 ['But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.] Time is very short. Come the 1st of February… it will be too late to be considered “worthy to escape all these things”. I know most will scoff at these words but I pray seek Him and He will lead you to all truths. Test my spirit as you read this with the Lord. I am saying this loudly in the name of Jesus Christ and His Father!
By: ddebvaughn on October 29, 2012
at 11:23 am