mindlight

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I don't know how "desperate" things will be.

In the days of Noah, people are going about their business as usual, then the flood came. Return of Jesus is supposed to be like that - where did the ideas come from of Gog and Magog comin' round the mountain, a revived Roman Empire, a one world government...

It's either like the days of Noah - or it's not.

And Jesus said it would be - He didn't say all this Gogging and Magogging stuff, New World order, Revived Roman Empire.
So people are trying to observe what cometh not with observation.

Yes I think that sense of surprise is important. The Left Behind series mapped out a path to the second coming that maybe makes us a little too complacent about the event. Jesus literally could come back tommorrow and we may have interpreted all the tribulation, reign of antiChrist stuff all wrong.
 
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mindlight

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The Holy Spirit has already been revealed to believers and is improving their lives. Miracles have happened in my lifetime. According to Matthew 24 the second coming of the son of God will be fast like lightening flashing from one end of the sky to the other. First the Gospel must be preached to all nations. God has been hidden from some and revealed to others. Why do people complain Jesus has not returned in 2000 years? It is difficult to do what God wants anyway. They want God to do for them what they want. Some who are obese crave more food. Others are malnourished and can not have a slice of bread. Some live in homes full of empty bedrooms, others slept on city sidewalks or heating grates. Many can not perceive God. The world has been millions of years in the making. This creation has taken more than six days. God is working seven days a week to make the world a better place. Are you?

Do you have a sense that God is improving the world or that there is a kind of count down to the end. Yes inequality between rich and poor is a sign of the end. There are delusions that may succeed in blinding even the elect to Gods will in the world. Yes we have a responsibility to be Christ to those he puts across our path which is definitely easier to say than to do.

I think things are getting both better and worse all the time. The climate is going haywire but we have smartphones and can debate theology online. A global dictator may command frightening technological resources to monitor and oppress our lives but at the moment a culture of freedom still allows us space to breathe.
 
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mindlight

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we don't know. That is why focus and think of where you are today.

We do not know when but we know he will come back. The here and now is shaped by that conviction as when he comes back he will hold us to account for what we did with our talents.
 
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SteveIndy

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Pre 1973 there was definitely a sense of a Divine hand protecting Israel and fulfilling prophecy. An Ottoman backwater saw Orange groves blooming in the desert and a prosperity to the place lacking since the last days of the Byzantine Empire. But the majority of Jews still do not know God. The Palestinians also do not know God and pose a dilemma to the future of the state.

In history the Christianised Byzantine province of Palestine , the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem and now the Jewish state of Israel all had a claim on prophecy fulfilment but the first two came to nothing. Whose to say God does not have a future plan for a bunch of Messianic Jews to build a Christian Jewish state in Israel

You are correct, Israel is not Christian and is far from truth and salvation. But, it can not be denied that the hand of God has fulfilled his promise to bring them back to their homeland and to bless them. Without a doubt, many will succumb to deception and turn away from God but nevertheless they are God's prophetic people.
 
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parousia70

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Your reference to 2 Peter 1:16-21 says nothing about Jesus' return being soon. In fact, Peter says just the opposite later in the same epistle.

Then what did Peter Mean when he Said:
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (I Peter 4:7)

Peter Instructed His flocks to be ready for the Judgment "about to be revealed" for "the end of all things was at hand"

Was He wrong to exhort them this way? Was He mistaken?
Was He applying a double standard in your view?
 
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mindlight

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Your reference to 2 Peter 1:16-21 says nothing about Jesus' return being soon. In fact, Peter says just the opposite later in the same epistle. Because the Lord's coming would not be immediate, Peter warns in 2 Peter 3:3-4 "that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation'" (NKJV). Peter then explains--and this also answers your question--"that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (vv. 8-9).

For the Lord, 2,000 years is no different than two days, and giving people time to repent is worth the wait in His view.

Thanks for addressing that passage as I have to preach on it on Sunday. In the context of the Roman Empire Christians preached their hope in the Returning King who would free them from slavery, poverty and oppression. From the fear of being rounded up and fed to lions, burnt at the stake, crucified or sent to the mines. Peter affirms that this hope is no lie. Because it rests on a person whose Majesty fits the bill of the returning King. He knows this cause he saw the glorified Christ at the Transfiguration. Jesus was more than an angel , indeed received the worship of the angels, he is and always will be the King we wait for. But you are right that even though the expectation of that time was of an imminent return Peter himself gave no date.

Also you are right we are still waiting for the full list of the marked believers to walk through that proverbial church door. The church is not yet gathered, there are some who have yet to repent. Last chance folks he is coming soon!
 
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LightLoveHope

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After 2000 years why are we still waiting for the return of the King of Kings?

It was a clear expectation of the early church that Jesus would return soon. Peter even made a special effort to debunk the intellectual pagans and false teachers of his time who suggested that this was a lie and that there would be no return. In 2 Peter 1:16-21 Peter used, as the basis of his refutation of this false accusation, the experience of James, John and Peter of the Transfiguration on the Holy Mountain (where the Messiah is expected to return). Because they had seen the glorified Christ they knew that He would one day return in that same glory as the King of Kings. No one on this earth had a comparable majesty , so only Jesus could be the King we waited for. The martyrs went to their deaths in the various persecutions of the Roman empire under Nero, Domitian and later Trajan and Marcus Aurelius singing the praises of this King and in the expectation that their King, the Returning King Jesus, would soon hold corrupt demonically inspired authorities to account and that the Emperor would get his comeuppance. But 2000 years later we are still waiting. It is the strongest prophecy of the Christian church, it is the overwhelming expectation of the church, ensuring that we live lives in expectation of our final review by the returning King. It is written into our creeds.

"He will return in glory to judge the Living and the Dead and his Kingdom will have no end"

But where is he, what possible reason could there be for keeping his bride waiting so long?

Until everyone is accounted for in the Kingdom, the end will not come.
It could be tomorrow, or another 2,000 years, but I know for me personally probably in the next 20 years I will meet the Lord one way or another. God bless you
 
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parousia70

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Last chance folks he is coming soon!

When you say He is coming "soon" do you mean he same thing the Apostles meant when they said He is coming "soon", or are you using a different definition of "Soon" than they used?

Can you help us understand why we should take your claims of a soon coming as carrying more weight, more immediacy, and more accuracy than the holy inspired apostles' exhortation of the same thing?
 
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mindlight

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Got a chapter and verse for that prophesy?

Romans 11:25-32

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”


28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
 
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mindlight

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When you say He is coming "soon" do you mean he same thing the Apostles meant when they said He is coming "soon", or are you using a different definition of "Soon" than they used?

Can you help us understand why we should take your claims of a soon coming as carrying more weight, more immediacy, and more accuracy than the holy inspired apostles' exhortation of the same thing?

No I am just trying to echo the Apostles and do not think it is smart to stray from their teaching. We do not know when but we live in expectation of the main event.
 
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parousia70

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No I am just trying to echo the Apostles and do not think it is smart to stray from their teaching. We do not know when but we live in expectation of the main event.

So did the apostles intentionally mislead their flocks to live in an expectation of an event that was never ordained to take place in their lifetimes? or was it unintentional?
 
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parousia70

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Romans 11:25-32

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
what Bible translation are you using here?
"Full number" is an extremely erroneous translation of the word "fulness"

The term "Fullness of the Gentiles" is oft equated with the notion of quantity, amount, or number count of Gentile believers, but does scripture support such a notion?

By comparing scripture with scripture we clearly see that "fullness" does not equate with "full number", but rather the fullness of Gods grace:

John 1:16
And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Romans 11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

(This is especially instructive for us in that "fullness" is considered here to the the opposite of "fall", and in no way can be construed as a numeric value.)

Romans 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Ephesians 1:23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

The list goes on........

The notion of fullness in the NT carries the idea of "totality of Gods blessings and grace", and not a certain number of people.

Gentile believers are not waiting to become "full partakers" of the Grace of God, rather The Gentiles are already FULL PARTAKERS of the grace of God.

The "Fulness of the gentiles" came in 2000 years ago.


28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

I don't see any support in either of these verses for the claim:
"One of the prophecies about Jesus return refers to a mass turning of the Jews to Christ."

Which prophesy makes this claim?
 
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After 2000 years why are we still waiting for the return of the King of Kings?

It was a clear expectation of the early church that Jesus would return soon. Peter even made a special effort to debunk the intellectual pagans and false teachers of his time who suggested that this was a lie and that there would be no return. In 2 Peter 1:16-21 Peter used, as the basis of his refutation of this false accusation, the experience of James, John and Peter of the Transfiguration on the Holy Mountain (where the Messiah is expected to return). Because they had seen the glorified Christ they knew that He would one day return in that same glory as the King of Kings. No one on this earth had a comparable majesty , so only Jesus could be the King we waited for. The martyrs went to their deaths in the various persecutions of the Roman empire under Nero, Domitian and later Trajan and Marcus Aurelius singing the praises of this King and in the expectation that their King, the Returning King Jesus, would soon hold corrupt demonically inspired authorities to account and that the Emperor would get his comeuppance. But 2000 years later we are still waiting. It is the strongest prophecy of the Christian church, it is the overwhelming expectation of the church, ensuring that we live lives in expectation of our final review by the returning King. It is written into our creeds.

"He will return in glory to judge the Living and the Dead and his Kingdom will have no end"

But where is he, what possible reason could there be for keeping his bride waiting so long?
There were not waiting for the bodily return of Jesus and said so. Paul wrote that the man of sin needed to be revealed. The Revelation of John speaks of a judgement, not a bodily return which will not happen until the enemies of Christ become a footstool for his feet, that is friends. They wrote constantly that this needs to happen in the world first.

So Jesus is not coming back anytime soon. He came in judgment at the end of the age of the Mosaic covenant. Those who pierced him saw this as he said they would. The events in Matthew 24 were fulfilled. Not the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdom of our Lord, step by step. That is my view.
 
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Marumorose

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After 2000 years why are we still waiting for the return of the King of Kings?

It was a clear expectation of the early church that Jesus would return soon. Peter even made a special effort to debunk the intellectual pagans and false teachers of his time who suggested that this was a lie and that there would be no return. In 2 Peter 1:16-21 Peter used, as the basis of his refutation of this false accusation, the experience of James, John and Peter of the Transfiguration on the Holy Mountain (where the Messiah is expected to return). Because they had seen the glorified Christ they knew that He would one day return in that same glory as the King of Kings. No one on this earth had a comparable majesty , so only Jesus could be the King we waited for. The martyrs went to their deaths in the various persecutions of the Roman empire under Nero, Domitian and later Trajan and Marcus Aurelius singing the praises of this King and in the expectation that their King, the Returning King Jesus, would soon hold corrupt demonically inspired authorities to account and that the Emperor would get his comeuppance. But 2000 years later we are still waiting. It is the strongest prophecy of the Christian church, it is the overwhelming expectation of the church, ensuring that we live lives in expectation of our final review by the returning King. It is written into our creeds.

"He will return in glory to judge the Living and the Dead and his Kingdom will have no end"

But where is he, what possible reason could there be for keeping his bride waiting so long?
Jesus Christ came back. unfortunately we did not recognise it. We are making a mistake on taking the bible literally. The bible is written in codes and hidden symbols. Only the wisdom seekers finally get to learn the truth about the bible. Remember that God or Jesus Christ are spiritual. Meaning everything will happen in the mind or the spiritual world. The spiritual world is the real world! The physical world is the manifestation of the spiritual world. If you are more spiritual than physical, then you will see Jesus Christ.
 
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dqhall

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Do you have a sense that God is improving the world or that there is a kind of count down to the end. Yes inequality between rich and poor is a sign of the end. There are delusions that may succeed in blinding even the elect to Gods will in the world. Yes we have a responsibility to be Christ to those he puts across our path which is definitely easier to say than to do.

I think things are getting both better and worse all the time. The climate is going haywire but we have smartphones and can debate theology online. A global dictator may command frightening technological resources to monitor and oppress our lives but at the moment a culture of freedom still allows us space to breathe.
In Daniel 12 there is a prediction of more travel and increased knowledge. We have technology. Persecution continues from Muslims, Communist atheists, corrupt governments, criminal neighbors and mad family members. More people in the world have access to rapid transportation. Having the Internet is like having a library at one’s fingertips. People used their iPhones to make documentary videos.

In the 60’s people worried about nuclear war because of the Cuban missile crisis. In the 70’s they worried pollution would spoil nature. In the 2000’s they worried about terminal depletion of oil and natural gas reserves. Now they worry about an overheating globe.

In the US more people die early from obesity than from starvation. Cuts to Social Security and Medicare worry the elderly. There is a lack of affordable housing and zoning laws against smaller high density dwellings. Lust had more children than diligence could adequately provide for.
 
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mindlight

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So did the apostles intentionally mislead their flocks to live in an expectation of an event that was never ordained to take place in their lifetimes? or was it unintentional?

I am pretty sure they did not know when so they did not deliberately mislead. They like us had been told to live in this expectation.
 
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sovereigngrace

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Then what did Peter Mean when he Said:
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (I Peter 4:7)

Peter Instructed His flocks to be ready for the Judgment "about to be revealed" for "the end of all things was at hand"

Was He wrong to exhort them this way? Was He mistaken?
Was He applying a double standard in your view?

The phrase “at hand” is taken from the single Greek word eggizō, and simply means “approaches.” It is not time specific. It can mean immediate or distant future, like our English word.
 
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