IAUA End Time Ministry
Preparing for the End of Time
The Lord is Coming! Are you ready?
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IAUA End Time Ministry |
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Preparing for the End of Time | |
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The Lord is Coming! Are you ready? | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
IAUA
(ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,
Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord. This is the 13th day of the 4th month of God's Sacred Calendar. It is ten weeks and five days until the beginning of the Fall Sacred Holydays starting with the evening of the 1st day of the 7th month which is Trumpets Sabbath (Thursday, September 13 on the 2007 Gregorian calendar). This newsletter will share some feedback from one of the newsletter readers. _____ In studying the Time of Trouble, I must always do much prayer...it is hard to still not "feel" what I got out of preaching/evangelism growing up: i.e. that the time of trouble was coming and no matter what I did, I would never be good enough and would be lost anyway. So, I have to pray much to hear what God is saying on this subject. Here are some texts I ponder from what you wrote: Rev 14: 12-13; "This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Yes' says the Spirit, 'they will rest from their labor for their deeds will follow them.'" From this text I am encouraged to trust (and let go of past resentments about those who taught these things without the love of Jesus, or why hiding secret sins), for many before us taught the truth they were given about Bible prophesy and salvation, and taught these truths in the right way. These are asleep now, or soon to be asleep. Their works will follow them, are following them, we are gifted even now by the things they have born witness to (at least since the 1844 movement). This text calls me to be respectful to the elderly who have done this and most of whom God will lay to rest before the time of trouble. As to the "time" allotted to the "time of trouble", I am open to it being a 3-1/2 year period of time, have read some things on webb sites promoted by those who beleive this. However, I also read somewhere (was unable to find the text today, but beleive it is in Daniel or Revelation) that the powers that make up the mark of the best rule together for one day. Here are texts I could find today: Rev 18:8 says the plagues will last for one day (one year); Rev 18:17 says that the wealth, etc of the beast power and nations represented by her will be destroyed in "one hour", which I take to be about 2 1/2 weeks. Thanks for providing information on your study and understanding of this subject, _____ I responded: Unfortunately, it is so easy to present the wonderful message of love from God in a spirit of criticism and condemnation. I often remind myself of a well known verse which is often improperly separated from the following verse.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
You present some good thoughts about the length of the time of trouble. You may notice the subtle wording in my newsletter that I accept the 3.5 year time of trouble as possible and reasonable. You might notice I didn't say I believe it. Was that too subtle? _____ I found this week the other text that mentions (what sounds to me like) a year in Bible prophesy having to do with the Time of Trouble. "The ten horns you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdon, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast." Rev. 17:12. If a time prophesy can be repeated, and the second fulfilling does not have to literally respond to the day-for-a-year concept: Is there a Biblical basis for this. Don't get me wrong, if a human theory on this, makes sence, I will take it as that: something that is possible, although perhaps not proven (100%) in the Bible. But, if it is found in the Bible, I would prefer to know where. Thanks for things shared in the newsletter that are food for thought and soul to ponder and pray about. _____ I responded: Yes, I know the text well. Actually one hour is closer to 2 weeks. While I am now willing to acknowledge that there is valid justification that the time of trouble may be 3.5 years, I am still strongly impressed by other things that the Bible says which lead me to suspect a much shorter time period for the great tribulation. Another example. Why would Jesus instruct us to pray that our flight not be in winter if we have a period of 3+ years to worry about? There is no specific Biblical teaching on multiple fulfillments but there are certainly many examples where prophecies have been interpreted even by Bible writers to apply to multiple things. Example:
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mar 9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
I believe it is clear that Jesus spoke of the prophetic coming of Elijah as both a future event and a past event. Clearly John the Baptist was a fulfillment of the Elijah according to Jesus but yet Malachi 4 clearly speaks of Elijah coming at the end of time.
Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
_____ I have wondered if perhaps 3 1/2 yrs might be broken up into several phases. For example, in Revelation 18 it seems to indicate that the destruction of Babylon takes place in "a day", whcih could mean a year; and the other nations are mourning over the loss of their financial wealth, etc. The text I sent you from Rev 17 seems to indicate these nations are ruling with Babylon for "one hour" (yes, thanks for the correction on that--more like 2 or 2 1/2 weeks). Than again, Jesus says "no man knows the day or hour", which also speaks of a "day" or a "hour", even though we don't know the exact time frame. More later, still studying and praying these things out. _____ I responded: You have just touched on the subject of my next newsletter which will be examining the issue of what actually occurs during the "Time of Trouble". _____ It occurs to me that I addressed the idea of multiple fulfilment but I did not address the concept of time prophecies with literal instead of prophetic day-year interpretations. I do not know of any Biblical basis for this concept. It is intended as an idea to consider, not a teaching. I suggest it only because if there are multiple fulfillments there cannot always be prophetic time spans repeated. Especially, I am sure we will never see another 1260 year period but Ellen White suggests that there is yet another fulfilment of Rev 13:5 as quoted in the last newsletter. I need to state that I believe the ideas about the length of the "Time of Trouble" are not important teachings to be emphasized. They are valid ideas to study and consider. The issue is also clouded by the question of what events are considered a part of the "Time of Trouble" and how long they will last during the "Time of Trouble". I pray that we may all continue to strive for love, peace and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-uh-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God. Shabbat Shalom,
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2007-07-06 The Time of Trouble III |
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Revised 2007-07-06 |