How close are we?

[RedPlums]

(IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER! This thread is based on the belief of pre-millennialism, the belief that we will be raptured before the tribulation. This is NOT an argument on that belief, do not make it one. Note, this is also posted under the belief that the Church HAS NOT replaced Israel in all of the Bible promises and blessings and curses. This is not about replacement theology.)

How close would you say we are to the rapture?

I personally am under the belief that during my lifetime I will be raptured. The Bible mentions that before that time the nations surrounding Israel will all turn against it and so will it's allies. (remind you of a certain nation of 50 states?)
Also, the Bible says that an army of 200 million will rise from the east and march to Israel, well, guess what communist country just hit 200 million troops in their army in 2015? (Clue- It's not Cuba.)

There are many other evidences that point towards a soon coming rapture, but I want to hear other peoples parts first.

[Sstavix]

"Our Earth is degenerate in these later days; there are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer obey their parents; every man wants to write a book and the end of the world is evidently approaching." -- Ancient Assyrian tablet, approx. 2800 B.C.

Strong evidence that people have been predicting the end of the world for centuries, and this is hardly a new fad. The Bible even tells us that no man will know the time or day of the "end of times." Sure, there are a lot of indicators that the world will end soon... but these signs have been happening for a long time, yet life goes on.

In other words, you should always be prepared for the end of the world. It might be today, it might be hundreds of years from now, but we will truly never know until Jesus comes again.

[ccgr]

Everyday is another day closer

[TheAlexTDB]

Personally, I think its better to picture life, as we know it, ending tomorrow. I don't mean literally Thursday the 14th, January 2016, I just mean picturing every day as your last. If today was my last day to be alive and I knew it, after thinking about it for a minute I would want to do something that would be remembered by people as for Christ.



Picture every day as your last, and I'm sure you'd treat yourself and others differently. My personal opinion

[RedPlums]

I like that Alex! Very wise.

Please understand I am not trying to 'prophesy' about the end times. This is just interesting to me, many prophecies that Bible makes concerning the end times are coming true, it is very interesting. And a thing to look forward too.

The Bible mentions the lands of Gog and Magog (Iran & Russia) uniting together to fight Israel, now, if you know your Iranian or Russian history, you know that they have been bitter enemies throughout history. Yet in 2014 the Russians began selling their missiles to the Iranians and since that time have slowly opened up trade. Interesting, no?

This is just a fun and interesting topic to me.

[TheAlexTDB]

I like that Alex! Very wise.

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

Please understand I am not trying to 'prophesy' about the end times. This is just interesting to me, many prophecies that Bible makes concerning the end times are coming true, it is very interesting. And a thing to look forward too.

The Bible mentions the lands of Gog and Magog (Iran & Russia) uniting together to fight Israel, now, if you know your Iranian or Russian history, you know that they have been bitter enemies throughout history. Yet in 2014 the Russians began selling their missiles to the Iranians and since that time have slowly opened up trade. Interesting, no?

This is just a fun and interesting topic to me.

Oh don't get me wrong, I love trying to speculate on things like this. It's a curious topic for the curious

The missiles deal Russia is having with Iran is really interesting, yet another unfolding prophecy it seems... Thanks for sharing!

[RoosterOnAStick]

Well even putting aside differing views on the end times my concern is sort of the overall sentiment in this.

It is good to try to have an understanding of the end times but in my mind asking how close we are to the end times (regardless of how we view it) is the wrong question to ask.

The only real defense against being spiritually deceived, whether that results not being taken up in a rapture or having a difficult time resisting the Antichrist, is having Christ in our hearts. Going too far off on the end times speculation and searching for signs really misses the entire point of Christian living thus making us vulnerable.

In seeking signs of things like the exact dates of the second coming or of the start of the end, we may wind up missing Christ altogether.

Besides, there have been more than enough antichrists with a lowercase a throughout history and I am sure there will be others before THE Antichrist appears. Our energies would better be spent on discerning and resisting the antichrists of our time rather than speculating on the start of an end time we may or may not live to see.

After all, if we get swept away by the antichrists of today, how are we going to fare if the end times do happen within our lifetime?

[RoosterOnAStick]

One little note I should add so that my previous post is read in the right context...

Antichrist (whether an antichrist with a lowercase or capital a) is not to be interpreted strictly or perhaps even primarily in a political sense. An Antichrist can easily be a spiritual leader or revolutionary just as easily as a political one.

The way I am using the term is Antichrist not being only against Christ but also an imitation Christ (in a similar way to how anti matter is in various ways like matter but is its opposite). This is also why discernment and faith in our own hearts is crucial, because just as men's hearts were prepared to receive the truth of Christ when He came, so too can men's hearts be prepared to receive the lies of the false christs. So it is not only discerning who they may be but the primary focus should be to focus on making sure our hearts do not contain fertile soil for accepting the beliefs of false christs. Without the latter, it will be far more difficult to discern the former and far more difficult to resist even if discernment is successful.

[RedPlums]

Yes Rooster, I agree.
Thank you.

[BlockHeadLewie]

Eschatology, or the study of end times, as I understand what I've seen regarding it has one major flaw: We almost always (in the end) settle for our own understanding of what we value as evidence of end times. Somehow communication within this discussion (in general around the world) has evolved into statement of fact, disregard for potential growth of said fact, and an irrational attitude for our beliefs being right. No one else understands.
Having said all that, I firmly have the belief the "end times" referred to in the scriptures refers to the end of things in the flesh. Since the Spirit always continues it has no end times. If a garden isn't tended weeds grow. If society isn't keeping itself in check, it outgrows itself.
We are so close I can hear the angels warming up their trumpets!