Who believes we are in the latter days and that the Rapture will happen in our lifetime?

[Jehovah Tsaba University]

Brother Tutorman, one's belief in it is secondary, or even tertiary or more, to accepting and believing in Jesus as Savior.
Peace to you, always!!

 

[DennisTate]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

I do believe that we are in the decades previous to the fulfillment of
Zechariah 14
but........
I admit that my understanding of those verses may have been terribly immature back in the 1970's and '80's.

I do believe that by roughly the year 2185..... G-d willing.. .the earth will look rather like this:


Howard Storm's Near-Death Experience

The image of the future that they gave me then, and it was their image, not one that I created, surprised me. My image had previously been sort of like Star Wars, where everything was space age, plastics, and technology.



The future that they showed me was almost no technology at all. What everybody, absolutely everybody, in this euphoric future spent most of their time doing was raising children. The chief concern of people was children, and everybody considered children to be the most precious commodity in the world.



And when a person became an adult, there was no sense of anxiety, nor hatred, nor competition.



There was this enormous sense of trust and mutual respect. If a person, in this view of the future, became disturbed, then the community of people all cared about the disturbed person falling away from the harmony of the group. Spiritually, through prayer and love, the others would elevate the afflicted person.



What people did with the rest of their time was that they gardened, with almost no physical effort. They showed me that plants, with prayer, would produce huge fruits and vegetables.



People, in unison, could control the climate of the planet through prayer. Everybody would work with mutual trust and the people would call the rain, when needed, and the sun to shine.



Animals lived with people, in harmony.

 

[Tutorman]

Brother Tutorman, one's belief in it is secondary, or even tertiary or more, to accepting and believing in Jesus as Savior.
Peace to you, always!!

Okay...

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

The speed that the world is turning away from faith to sin makes me think that it is possible with in our life time that Jesus will return. In Daniel, it seems likely that the anti Christ will be a homosexual (not having the desire of woman), the speed that the homosexual movement is gaining momentum in the earth makes me think this.

However as for a rapture, I do not believe that the rapture is a biblical way to describe what happens in the end times. As the beast, or anti Christ persecutes the church, and if there is no church (because they are raptured) how could he persecute them. It is my strong opinion that there will be no rapture. The rapture described in the bible is Jesus return after the tribulation.

Rev 12:17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Rev 13:7 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.

Dan 11:33-35 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.

Mar 13:9-13 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Mat 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

 

[Revealing Times]

Been so called 'Last Days' since Christianity began.

Revelation is grossly misinterpreted. As is a lot of scripture.

Not so, Israel had to be REBORN according to scriptures before the end could come, the only way there can be another BEAST is that a MAN {Anti-Christ} has to Conquer Jerusalem/Israel, and thus Israel being reborn was a must needs be, so we couldn't have been in the last days or end times, until Ezekiel's prophecy came to pass via the Dead Men's Bones.

We are indeed in the very last days, the Anti Christ is alive and in the world today, I was shown that in a Vision in 30 years ago.

 

[Tone]

where the wicked had consolidated the real wealth of the world for what they believe to be their purpose, but for which God has used them to consolidate it for his purpose of a vengeance to comfort and to facilitate the ability of the Body of Christ to fulfill the great desire of the Father to increase his family.

More on this please.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

In general yes.

1) The founding of Israel being probably the best reason

2) Their are certain prophecies like that of the Red Heffer that have been fulfilled in recent times

3) Jesus saying of coming quickly is suppose to have a connotation that can be interpreted "when things are speeding up". IF you look at the various signs that he mentions it seems like there is more unrest and upheaval in the world than in the past and it happens quicker. The most interesting of these are problems in the Earth like weather changes, Earth quakes, giant storms etc.

4) The Jews in Israel are looking at building the temple again which is of course another major sign/ fulfilled prophesy especially concerning the antichrist.

5) Knowledge has indeed greatly increased as prophesied of the last days, and travel around the world is now pretty common.

6) Nuclear weapons naturally have had apocalyptic connotations since they were invented. It seems like Divine mercy that their use has been mostly restrained, but that might not always be the case....

 

[Douggg]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

We are living in the last days based on the parable of the fig tree in Matthew 24.

The fig tree represents Jerusalem. As Jesus and the disciples were about to enter Jerusalem, Jesus knowing that he would be rejected by his own people, cursed a fig beside the road.

Which wilted up and quickly died, to the disciples surprise leaving out of the city.

In the parable of the fig tree, when the fig tree is tender, it's leaves beginning to sprout, then summer is near. It was a way of saying that the events to take place at Jesus's return are about to take place. The generation who witnesses Jerusalem returned to the Jews, will not pass away until all of the prophecies are complete.

Jerusalem returned to the Jews in 1967. So by taking 70 years for a generation and adding it to 1967 to get 2037, then the prophecies of the latter days should take place before then.

 

[PaulCyp1]

There is no point in speculating, since Jesus Christ Himself told us that NO-ONE would know the time, that He would come when we least expect it, "like a thief in the night".

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

Well, no seals have been broken in Revelation, but I believe we are in the “last days” described in 2 Timothy 3:1-9.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” (2 Timothy 3:1-9).​

In other words, there are many who have a form of godliness, and they deny the power thereof. Many today think they can sin and still be saved. That they can do evil and say they are God's people or servants. Up is down and down is up. However, God is holy, and righteous. He cannot agree with a believer's thinking that they can sin and still be saved. It doesn't work like that. But the sad state of Christianity has reached to this kind of thinking. The 2 Timothy 3:1-9 thinking. They are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. They are without natural affection. Jesus said that when He returns, will He find faith on the Earth? This means that many do not truly have the faith like they should. So we all need to double check our Soteriology (i.e. the Study of Salvation), and make sure it is in true accordance with Scripture and not by what some Pastor says. We all need to check if we are living truly holy or righteous; For without holiness, no man will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

 

[gideon123]

I think that passage ftom 2 Timothy really nails it. We are there right now.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I apologize if this question has already been asked.

I am wondering if anyone believes that we are in last days based on prophecies and why. If you do not think so, I would also like to know why you think this.

Thanks in advance!

We've been living in the last days for two thousand years now. From Christ's first coming to His second we have been living, as it were, on the edge of the Eschaton. But our Lord is clear that no one can know the day or hour, and that the times and seasons are not ours to know; so whether the Lord's return in glory comes tomorrow or in ten thousand years, it is all in His timing.

As for the rapture, the doctrine of "the rapture" is a 19th century invention. Specifically it was invented by a John Nelson Darby, an ex-Anglican priest from Ireland, in the early 1800's. Prior to Darby nobody taught that Christians would be taken directly from earth and into heaven. Rapturism requires a great deal of twisting certain biblical passages and eisegesis.

For example, look at one of the major "rapture" proof texts, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, this is the passage where the term "rapture" is ultimately taken; the Latin of the Vulgate uses the word rapiemur, from rapio "to seize", rapiemur is the future passive "will be seized". However a couple things to notice in this text:

1) The major event happening is Jesus' return, in other words, Jesus is coming down. The "seizing" is of the resurrected and transfigured saints who go up to meet the returning Jesus.

2) At no point does anyone go to heaven in this passage. Jesus isn't taking people up into heaven, but again people are caught up to meet Jesus as He is coming down to earth.

3) In every instance Scripture talks about Jesus' Parousia, His return and appearing on the Last Day, Jesus is coming down to earth. Christ's Parousia and the resurrection of the dead are, likewise, connected together; especially in 1 Corinthians 15 where we read that at Christ's coming the dead are raised. Christ's coming is not to take people away, but is instead in glory as judge of the living and the dead, to defeat the last enemy which is death, and deliver all things over to the Father.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Lost4words]

Not so, Israel had to be REBORN according to scriptures before the end could come, the only way there can be another BEAST is that a MAN {Anti-Christ} has to Conquer Jerusalem/Israel, and thus Israel being reborn was a must needs be, so we couldn't have been in the last days or end times, until Ezekiel's prophecy came to pass via the Dead Men's Bones.

We are indeed in the very last days, the Anti Christ is alive and in the world today, I was shown that in a Vision in 30 years ago.

Many millions of people believe they have been shown 'visions'. Every day someone new has a 'vision'.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

To me, studying prophecy is a way of living a Christian life. And as it is said in the bible those who hear the words of prophecy are blessed.

I do not believe we can make the world a better place. I believe God has a plan for the world and what we do does not affect this.

Thanks for your reply!

I think we need to A) understand what prophecy is and B) understand what St. John was talking about in the Revelation.

We are blessed by the words written in the Revelation because the Revelation was written as a comfort for the Church suffering oppression at the hands of an evil and oppressive state (the Roman Empire), and continues to be a comfort for God's people in every generation as we understand the victory which belongs to Jesus Christ over and against the powers, authorities, dominions, and kingdoms of this fallen world.

The Revelation isn't a prediction of events that will happen "in the end times", it is instead an unveiling, a revelation, of Jesus Christ given to John for the comfort of the seven churches which are in Asia (the original audience of the text) and, more broadly, to the whole Church. The revelation given is that Christ is the victor over sin, death, hell, and the devil; and that all the tyrannical, fallen, and oppressive systems and powers of this world--fueled as they are by the devil--ultimately don't amount to anything. For Christ died, and is risen, and He is coming again. So the Beast for all his rage is still nothing more than a meager emperor of a now long and gone empire. Rome once ruled the world (well, the western civilized world anyway), but no longer. Nations come and nations go; empires rise and empires fall. But the word of the Lord endures forever.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[KyleSpringer]

In the very first century, it was written in Scripture already "we are in the last hour".

So , then, believing all Scripture is truth, as revealed by Yahuweh (God),
we must be much closer to the very last day of this life,
than they were then when Yahuweh inspired His Word to be written down, right ?

As for any 'rapture', there are so many false stories going around, I think it best not to read them nor listen to them.

Stick with Scripture instead - Scripture is Truth, is simple, and is not confusing like all the many stories are.

I like it but I don’t agree that we should retreat to not addressing the unbiblical proposition, which requires us to be more stable in dividing his word from the world philosophies and naturalistic mentality/carnality, so we lean on Jesus, praise the Father!

 

[Cis.jd]

One interesting prophesy is the "dead will rise from their graves". Which doesn't exactly sound as crazy in our modern times just based on articles about what Science is trying to accomplish in the near future.

For example, Science is trying to accomplish immortality through digital technology in where the persons mind can be stored digitally. Other Scientific theories suggest the use of dna cloning.

I recall reading a scifi book about this in where some scientists predict that we would be able to clone the deceased which includes historical figures as long as the dna is available.

This book goes on about cloning historical figures such as Nero which would make sense of Revelation 13; and the biggest historical figure of them all: Jesus (remaining blood in the Shroud of Turin) however.. that clone of Jesus is the anti-christ. So before some fanatics go "ahh!! yes.. you are right it makes sense".. this is all sci-fi and realistically it will either never happen or happen way way after we are all dead.

 

[Hank77]

Thank you for your reply.

I have to say that I do believe there will be rapture based on 1 Thessalonians 4:17 "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."

I am curious what this means to you?

This is the Second Coming/Advent.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

There is no point in speculating, since Jesus Christ Himself told us that NO-ONE would know the time, that He would come when we least expect it, "like a thief in the night".

'Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. 2For you are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape" (2 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

If we look at the Scripture in context we see that it will come like a thief in the night for those who are not Christian believers. We see this in verse 3. Christian believers who know the Word of God, will be able to view the prophecies about how the end times are developing and are able to see things shaping up to the second coming of Christ, so that it will not be an unexpected event for them. But for those outside of Christ, it will be totally unexpected and a rude shock for them.

But, in saying that, there are no advance signs of the coming Rapture. No one 100 years ago would have imagined that the Jews would have returned to Israel in this century. That was a very significant prophesied event and it has brought the Rapture very much closer and now it could happen at any time. Once the Rapture has taken place, prophesied world events as set out in the book of Revelation will speed up in their development to lead to the physical 2nd coming of Christ.

This is why Christian believers need to be always ready for the Rapture to happen.

 

[Douggg]

There is no point in speculating, since Jesus Christ Himself told us that NO-ONE would know the time, that He would come when we least expect it, "like a thief in the night".

That sentiment, based on misconstruing what Jesus said, is 100% against the blessed hope.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

We've been living in the last days for two thousand years now. From Christ's first coming to His second we have been living, as it were, on the edge of the Eschaton. But our Lord is clear that no one can know the day or hour, and that the times and seasons are not ours to know; so whether the Lord's return in glory comes tomorrow or in ten thousand years, it is all in His timing.

As for the rapture, the doctrine of "the rapture" is a 19th century invention. Specifically it was invented by a John Nelson Darby, an ex-Anglican priest from Ireland, in the early 1800's. Prior to Darby nobody taught that Christians would be taken directly from earth and into heaven. Rapturism requires a great deal of twisting certain biblical passages and eisegesis.

For example, look at one of the major "rapture" proof texts, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, this is the passage where the term "rapture" is ultimately taken; the Latin of the Vulgate uses the word rapiemur, from rapio "to seize", rapiemur is the future passive "will be seized". However a couple things to notice in this text:

1) The major event happening is Jesus' return, in other words, Jesus is coming down. The "seizing" is of the resurrected and transfigured saints who go up to meet the returning Jesus.

2) At no point does anyone go to heaven in this passage. Jesus isn't taking people up into heaven, but again people are caught up to meet Jesus as He is coming down to earth.

3) In every instance Scripture talks about Jesus' Parousia, His return and appearing on the Last Day, Jesus is coming down to earth. Christ's Parousia and the resurrection of the dead are, likewise, connected together; especially in 1 Corinthians 15 where we read that at Christ's coming the dead are raised. Christ's coming is not to take people away, but is instead in glory as judge of the living and the dead, to defeat the last enemy which is death, and deliver all things over to the Father.

-CryptoLutheran

Right, I agree that we have been living in the last days since the early church. For Peter believed he was in the "last days" at Pentecost. But I think we are in a different time of the "last days," which is described to us in 2 Timothy 3:1-9. I believe we are nearing the end of the "last days" (as a time described to us in 2nd Timothy) that did not exist during Paul or Peter's time. For the early church body of believers are a class all of their own. They were truly godly men of which we do not see in such number today. Today, many have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof. They are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.