David, I would agree with your frustrations. It’s like those who read Revelation or even much of scripture, and try to interpret it according to an American view, a modern view, or personal opinion. Geri - you might find his study on mystery Babylon very interesting and enlightening. Much of this is really mute points, we are certainly in the last days, we are the terminal generation, the season is upon us, per what we understand of Gods prophetic timeline, the taking of the Bride is next on the check off list, Then judging the earth and reconciliation of the Jewish nation, check. Millennium with beast in pit, check. The call of God anyone! Practice those rapture exercises, up on toes - 1,2,3; arms raised, 1,2,3 great job everyone, give yourself a hand. Keep it up! :yahoo: :yahoo: :prayer-hands: :prayer-hands: :flyup: :flyup: Don't forget the jump up, could be used as a springboard for the Rapture! Or, the tried and true method. One knee down, two knees down, head bowed down, arms raised up! Or if you wanna mess with someone's head simply arch your head back and look intently into the sky. When people ask what your looking at say: Is that Jesus I see coming! That will definitely start some sort of conversation! TR I have personally been of the opinion for several years that the word (apostasia) in 2 Thessalonians 2 that has traditionally been translated falling away (as in falling away from the faith) has a very compelling argument to be made for physical departure, as in the rapture. Just the fact that there is a definite article (the) in front of the word has always been problematic to me, because I never quite understood had you could tell when "the" falling away, somehow distinguished from all other "fallings away", was actually occurring. But there is much more evidence to take into consideration in the case for physical departure. Andy Woods does a very thought provoking teaching on this, which I will include below. JD wiavered on this several years ago. At first, he was in the physical departure camp. Then I think some "theological scholars" got to him and made him question that translation. Now, I'm not sure, but I think he may have returned to the physical departure camp again. Obviously not a salvaiton issue, but if physical departure is the correct meaning, it pretty much ends the debate about pre-trib. instead of falling down, a falling up :mdrmdr: or falling away (into heaven) :flyup:
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very patriotic, but the scriptures where written predominantly by Jewish men, who would speak to what they new of the customs of the day.. Jay McCarl always says, “What did they think...”. This is so true with looking at the text. Joel typically builds a great case and does not hold any punches when disputing the misconceptions.
Time of beast testing those born during millennium, check.
Eternal fire, pit - eternal reign of the King of Kings, huge check!
