BIBLE PROPHECY-AUGUST 2000 WRAP AROUNDS #2: Biblical Prophecy studied by Don Love Ministries DOWEKNOW. Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy are compared to the understanding of prophecy in the church. DoWeKnow looks at the prophecy of Daniel as well as the prophecy of Peter, the prophecy of John, and the prophecy of Paul as they relate to the latter days, the last days, the Rapture, the tribulation, the beast, the Millenium, the end of the world, etc.

______ lee Wrote:

Do you think those who live through the rapture will get a second chance at tribulation?

Don Wrote:

Thanks for your response. Your question demonstrates one of the reasons for this web site. The prophetic "experts" of the 70's and 80's have made popular a term that is unscriptural and that makes no sense when viewed in the light of the prophetic portions of the Word: i.e., the seven years of tribulation. We have dealt with the problems created by this term in our free, on-line book THE CLOCK OF THE AGES. To critique our book, simply return to our home page and click on the "CLOCK OF THE AGES" button.

Since the Rapture of the Church will be the event that finishes the period of tribulation, what you are probably asking is, will those who are left on the earth after the Rapture who will have to experience the pouring out of the wrath of God, have opportunity to be saved from a devil's hell?

If this is your question, then the answer is "yes," but they will not be able to respond to the Gospel, accept Christ by faith, and be born again into the Kingdom of God as they now have opportunity to do in the Age of Grace. However, God has said that His Word will not return unto Him void; and all of those left behind after the Rapture who have heard the "good news" of the atoning death of Jesus will have that Word in their memory banks. During the awful time when judgment for sin is being poured out on the earth, these Bible truths will still be accepted or rejected by men and women. In addition, there will probably be those who will have looked on at the church from a distance, and seen nothing to make them believe in the Gospel it was to deliver--these will see the happenings associated with the Rapture and believe in Jesus. Whatever their reason for believing, the Scriptures do seem to say that those left behind after the Rapture who are willing to die for their belief that Jesus died for them, who will refuse the mark of the beast even though though may lose their life in the doing, these will be accepted by God. (Apparently, those of this time who are determined to cling to their faith in Christ will have to go through a time not unlike the persecution of the early church, although the persecution may be even more intense.)

In the light of all of this, doesn't it makes sense that the Church get serious about sharing their faith with their family and neighbors?

JOSIE WROTE:

I do not attend church on a regular basis and never have, therefore I am unable to answer my 8 year old sons questions. He wants to know what happens on judgement day. I have told him all I know which isn't much. Can you help me explain this to my 8-year old son?

Don Wrote:

You say that you do not attend church on a regular basis and never have. Somehow, I read into this that although you haven’t been attending church, you know that you should have been. If that is the case, on the surface, that would seem simple to amend—just begin going to church! However, if you were not raised in a church, then choosing a church may not be that simple. To this, I can relate, for when I surrendered my life to Christ, I came to Him out of the nightclub scene and had no idea what church to attend. If fact, as a newcomer to the church world, I found myself in total bewilderment when I started searching for a church to attend and discovered the distrust and confusion among the differing fragments of the Body of Christ.

A WORD OF TESTIMONY:

In my own personal sojourning, had I not just had a tremendous conversion experience in the Holy Spirit, I would have probably given up in dismay. However, I wanted to go to church; so I joined a church/denomination that was popular in the area where I was raised, only to find that that the people could not relate to my experience with the Lord, and that the church was dying on the vine—struggling just to pay the light bill. Then, to continue my college education, I moved to another location where I joined another church of another denomination and eventually became a pastor. I loved the people that we served and fellowshipped; and we would be content to still be there today. However, I got the left-foot of fellowship when I spoke up against the liberal element that had crept in at the top of the denomination and had managed to change its position and direction. Under the guise of a "social gospel," this new element gave sin new names and taught that it was alright to embrace it; in fact they taught that the people should even be proud to do so. But I still loved to go to church and to fellowship with God’s people. So, I gave the matter to the Lord; and He moved my family and I into the ministry of evangelism where we are today. Out of all this, I feel that I have learned several things about going to church that I would like to share.

For beginners, I learned that going to church does not make me any more or less righteous in God’s eyes; for the only righteousness that He will accept of anyone is the righteousness of His Only Begotten Son. And as I read the Scriptures, I see this righteousness to be a gift bestowed upon any and all who will believe and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is not of works (any conditions) lest any man should boast.

Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I also learned that going to church strengthened my faith and commitment; and that meeting with others of like-precious faith can be enjoyable and encouraging. I especially enjoyed going to church when the church was into soul winning and when I got to rejoice with the angels in heaven over sinners receiving Christ as Lord and Savior.
I learned that when the church promotes John 3:16 and tries to demonstrate that love, that taking others to church is an ideal way to bring people to Christ and to win souls for the kingdom.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s good to be able to tell your children about the things of the Scriptures, but it is better to be able to tell them about your relationship with Christ and what he means to you, personally. I can’t think of a better gift to give your children than a Christian atmosphere in which to grow—unless it would be to have a part in bringing them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

AS TO THE JUDGMENT DAY, this will vary depending upon if a person believes in Jesus, or if he has rejected the Son of God as his Savior. There will be more than one time set aside for judgment for those who belong to Jesus, but the same criteria will apply for all of them: i.e., it will not be a time to see if they are saved or lost, but a time of rewards for what they have done in this life. However, for those who wanted nothing to do with God or His Savior in this life, there will be only one day of judgment. This judgment will take place at the end of the Kingdom Age (at the end of time as we know it), and it is called the Great White Throne Judgment. Those at this judgment will not be judged as "saved or lost" for they will not be there except they are lost. This will be the day that they hear the final decree concerning their eternal separation from God. As to the torment that awaits them, well, let's let the Scriptures speak for themselves.

2Th 1:7-10
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe (because our testimony
among you was believed) in that day.

However, we should not only think about the rewards or judgments in the next life, but we should consider the rewards and judgments that will be actually given while still in this life. With this in mind, let's reflect upon some of the following Scriptures.

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 15:
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

These and countless other promises for the believers have been experienced by those who count it a privilege to live their lives for Christ. Sadly, though, not all believers live their lives for Christ and they must reap what they sow.

Gal 6:8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

But the saddest of all is the state of those who will not receive Christ as Lord and Savior. These suffer within their bodies and their minds the recompense for their deeds. They demonstrate the truth of the Scripture: "Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors [is] hard" (Prov. 13:15).

B’Ann Wrote:

As to the Judgment Day, the Scriptures do say that if we have the "Blood of Jesus" on our hearts, we need have no dread or fear. This Blood can never be destroyed by any force in heaven or earth. It is eternal. So, if we have, by faith, applied it to our hearts, we cannot be destroyed. And, we are promised a new body. May the Lord deliver us from thinking that we have to do anything other than to receive his gift of eternal life to escape the awful day of judgment of the lost. However, I find that I am concerned about the quality of life that children lead while on earth. Judgment doesn’t just start when we get to heaven. It starts here on earth with unwise choices whether it be food, entertainment, education, employment, friends, church, community…the list is long. The "judgments" we see everyday are because people break the fundamental "laws of nature" built into creation by God. We cannot deny that they are very costly in terms of health, emotions, finances…Do we not see people all around us in bondage to disease, child support, broken marriages, career failures, hopelessness, mental confusion, strife, envy?… The Ten Commandments were written so that people could live a good, social life with neighbors. The cleanliness and dietary laws of the Old Testament were written so that man could live a relative good physical life. (Some of them changed as man learned to care for food properly but still remain if food isn’t handled properly). The marriage laws were written so that man could live a good emotional life. The admonitions from God were so that mankind could live a good well-rounded and spiritual life.

I always tried to tell my children about "good choices" that would cause them less pain or anguish. Then I prefaced this by telling them to be sure they can live with the choices they make. Will they be perfect? There are many more choices now for our children to choose from…We must give them Scriptures while they are young because they will most assuredly grow up and make some choices! We did and so will they!

-Our friend Marc has been at it again. He's searched the web and found this report.-

---- Original Message -----

From: Chuck Baldwin

July 25, 2000

The Washington Times tells the story of 10-year-old Jeffrey Curley of East Cambridge, Massachusetts. The little fellow was kidnapped by a couple of pedophiles that killed the boy after he rejected their sexual advances. Little Jeffrey was suffocated with a gasoline-soaked rag and raped. Like so many other stories, this report conveniently slipped by the national press corps.

In the Times report, an attorney for the boy’s family claims that members of a pedophile group are responsible for the rapes of thousands of small boys annually. In a wrongful-death lawsuit that is soon to be expanded into a class-action suit, Lawrence Frisoli says "...thousands of children ... are raped each year by NAMBLA members."

NAMBLA stands for North American Man Boy Love Association and has organizational headquarters in New York and San Francisco. Their motto is, "Sex before eight or it’s too late." The group says it "speaks out against societal repression and celebrates the joys of men and boys in love."

For just a moment, imagine the reaction of the mainstream media if members of the Christian Coalition or National Rifle Association were accused of committing these horrible crimes. Without a doubt, the story would be front-page news in every paper in America as well as the lead story on every television and radio newscast for weeks! Investigative journalists from every national magazine in the country would be looking into the accusations. Attorney General Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton would be holding press conferences. Congressmen would immediately begin drafting federal legislation designed to curtail the problem.

As it is, the report suggests that a group of homosexuals may be responsible for the rapes; however, hardly anyone in the media or government even notices. The reason for this is obvious: homosexuals are part of a privileged, politically protected class in America today.

This same kind of political protection also extends to homosexuals in the military. Just recently, the Pentagon issued orders expanding Clinton’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy that allows homosexuals to serve in the armed forces. The new guidelines strictly forbid anyone from inquiring about a soldier’s sexual preference "no matter what the circumstances."

Even when the crime is murder, media moguls spin their web of politically correct bias. When a couple of heterosexuals murdered a young homosexual in Wyoming, it became a national scandal. Yet, when a couple of homosexuals murdered a small boy in Arkansas it didn’t even rate a mention from America’s newspapers or television newscasts. Once again, homosexuals (even predatory ones) are granted politically correct status that exempts them from any unfavorable attention.

I said earlier that if America continues on its current path, pedophilia will soon enjoy the same social acceptance and political correctness that homosexuality currently enjoys. It appears that with many of our nation’s political and media elite, this is already the case.

B’Ann Wrote:

They have certainly hit upon a truth when they took the slogan "after eight, too late" They have taken a precept from the Bible because it does say:

Pro 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The pedophiles realize that it is easy to entice children before the age of eight. On the other hand, the church community seems to believe that it can wait until the children are teenagers and then "rehabilitate" them.

The church's indignation is just hypocritical rhetoric unless they take this Scripture to heart and canvass our neighborhoods for little children to take to Sunday School, or drive a church bus, or teach a Sunday School class, or witness to parents, or give their tithe to a church with a good outreach program, or have a "safe house" sign on their porch for children to come for a refuge while walking the streets of our towns, etc.

There is another admonition another body of "called-out" ones who were supposed to know the Truth but did not accept it. The following Scripture was written to the spiritually blinded Jewish nation that would not accept Christ as the Son of God. However, the precept could also apply to anyone that chooses to ignore the writings of wisdom contained in the Bible:

Luke 16:8
And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Again, the pedophiles at least have sense enough to realize that children can be easily "shaped" before the age of eight. The church seems to believe that it can wait until the child is a teenager and then "rehabilitate" them. The Scriptures do say that if a child is brought up in the correct way, that it will not depart that way when it is grown.

To sum this up, please refer to the WRAPs for July #2 and read my comments to an Email that came from a concerned citizen. It is not enough to be concerned and point out a flaw. If I were walking around with an obvious disease, it would not be enough to keep pointing it out to me. Someone with compassion and mercy would need to "try" to point me toward the cure. Sometimes there is no cure but still mankind must react with empathy and sympathy. Even the lower animals have empathy. We humans have the addition of sympathy. We as Christians, however, are supposed to go one step further-- we are to be moved with compassion.

Mat 14:14
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and
was moved with compassion toward them, and he
healed their sick.

Mat 9:36-38
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with
compassion on them, because they fainted, and were
scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is]
plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will
send forth labourers into his harvest.

Tony Wrote:

Question-Comment: I have just stumbled upon your sight by accident, no way, God led me here. I enjoyed this site greatly. your teachings seem to be very well grounded. I liked one of your responses to a question on end time prophecy. It is great to ponder on these things as long as we don't ignore the command of Jesus to go make disciples of all people. How great is God’s love. I pray that God continues to grant you wisdom and illumination in all things. May the grace and love of Jesus be overly abundant in all areas of your ministry and lives.

In Jesus name

Tony L_____

B’Ann Wrote:

Thanks for the good word.