Fact Check - Mark 13:32
September 4, 2022
quick fact check on what we’ve covered so far… last days is real thing… been in them for 2000 years… every generation since cross is last days generation… all looking for same thing… coming of Christ… correct focus is always Jesus…
Isa 7:14… “give a sign… virgin will give birth to a Son… call Him Immanuel…”
Matt 24:44… “be ready… Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect…”
2Tim 3:1… “hard times will come in the last days…”
2Pet 3:3… “above all, be aware… scoffers will come in the last days…”
eschatos… last, referring to time; the end of the earth…
rapture and 2nd coming are two separate events… rapture is meeting Jesus in air, before tribulation, virtually invisible, take place any moment… 2nd coming we’ll come back, God’s wrath on unbelievers, all will see, certain things must happen…
1Thess 4:17… “we who are still alive… caught up in clouds… meet Jesus in air…”
Rev 3:10… “I will keep you from this hour of testing that will come on the earth…”
1Cor 15:50-54… “happen in a blink of an eye…”
2Pet 3:10… “day of the Lord will come unexpectedly… like a thief in the night…”
Rev 19:14… “armies in heaven follow Him on white horses… release wrath of God…”
Rev 6-19… “hide us from the One seated on throne and wrath of the Lamb…”
Matt 24:29-30… “all the people of the earth will see the Son of Man coming…”
Matt 24:15-35… “this age shall not pass away until all these things take place…”
not something to be afraid of, but rather to rejoice in…
Luke 21:28… “when these things take place… look up… redemption is near…”
apolytrosis… ransom of slaves; freedom from misery and penalty of sins; separation…
John 3:16-36… “there is no judgment against anyone who believes in Jesus…”
1Thess 5:1-11… “God did not appoint us to wrath… so encourage each other…”
1Pet 1:3-25… “guarded by God’s power thru faith in last days… be holy, rejoice…”
2Pet 3:9-15… “while you wait for these things… be at peace, pure and blameless…”
lots of signs pointing to Jesus’s return… false messiahs, wars, famine, disease, earthquakes… behavior and character of people is one of biggest signs…
Matt 24:5… “many will come claiming, I am the Messiah… will deceive many…”
Luke 21:11… “earthquakes, famine, plagues… terrifying sights…”
2Tim 3:1-9… “lovers of self… lovers of money… boastful, proud… scoffers… disobedient to parents… ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving… slander others… hate what is good… betray their friends… reckless… act religious…”
1Tim 4:1-3… “HS clearly says in the last times some will turn away from the true faith… they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons…”
2Pet 2… “destructive heresies… deny Jesus… evil teaching… shameful immorality… truth slandered… greed… twisted sexual desire… proud… arrogant… scoffers…”
remember our goal in studying this… Holy Spirit transformation… pray…
2Pet 3:11-13 MSG… “since everything might be gone tomorrow… do you see how essential it is to live a holy life… expect the Day of God… galaxies will burn and elements will melt… we’ll hardly notice… ready for new heaven and earth…”
someone told me this week Rapture would be yesterday… almost 200 predictions of The End since 66AD… already 16 future in 2026, 2028, 2129, 2239, 2280…
365 – French Bishop Hilary of Poitiers
500 – Hippolytus, Sextus Julius, Irenaeus all edicted end based on Noah’s Ark dimensions
1284 – Pope Innocent III predicted world would end 666 years after rise of Islam in 618
1524 / 1528 – Johannes Stoffler predicted second date after first one was incorrect
1600 – Martin Luther said end of the world would occur no later than 1600
1656 / 1658 – Christopher Columbus claimed both dates would signal the end
1792 / 1794 – Shakers, a Christian Sect founded in England suggested these two dates
1836 – John Wesley said this was the year when Christ should come
1914 – Charles Taze Russell… battle of the Lord Almighty is definitely marked as Oct 1914
1936 / 1943 / 1972 / 1975 – Herbert W Armstrong predicted four end times dates
1969 – Charles Manson… predicted Helter Skelter, an apocalyptic race war
1994 / 1995 / May 2011 / Sept 2011 / Oct 2011 – Harold Camping tried five times
2020 – Jeane Dixon predicted end of the world in Feb 1962… then Armageddon in 2020
2021 – Kenton Beshore said the rapture would occur in 2021 at the latest
2026 – Messiah Foundation says asteroid will hit earth in 2026 and world will end
what’s the point… don’t know date… so don’t waste time on foolish myths…
Matt 24:36… “concerning that day and hour… no one knows… not even the Son…”
1Tim 1:3-11… “don’t pay attention to myths that promote empty speculation… some have departed from faith and turned aside to fruitless discussion…”
1Tim 4:7… “have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths… train to be godly…”
2Tim 4:3-4… “time is coming when people will… reject truth, chase after myths…”
The goal of studying eschatology is not mere head knowledge or disputes over specific details. The goal is edification that promotes godly living. The goal is allowing the risen Lamb to live His victorious life thru you. The goal is Gospel-centered, Holy Spirit-empowered transformation. And if you are living like that… you will always be ready for the Lord’s return. —Pastor Randy Smith
where do these come from… personal visions or revelations… current events (Y2K, Israel/Arab peace treaties, global finances, Brexit, Covid)… signs in nature (solar flares, meteor showers, comets, eclipses)… mystical numbers (666, 1998, 2000, 2017 Israel)…
Luke 21:8… “watch out that you are not deceived… many will come in My name, saying, I am He, and the time is near… don’t follow them…”
been in last days since Jesus went to the cross… what’s main key to last days…God will speak to us thru His Son… not Prophets… doing that for 2000 years…
Isa 2:2… “in last days… the Lord’s house will be established… most important place on earth… people from all over the world will stream there to worship…”
John 1:1-17… “we received grace after grace… grace and truth came thru Jesus…”
Acts 2:16-17… “in the last days… I will pour out My Spirit on all people…”
Heb 1:1-2… “long ago God spoke by prophets… in last days, spoken by His Son…”
first half of history ended with Christ coming in humility… second half will end with Him returning in glory… last days are last because they refer to last half of history… so far, they’ve lasted 2000 years… ultimately, last day of the last days is when Jesus will return to judge living and dead… are you ready… pray…
Matt 1:21-25… “give birth to a Son… and you are to name Him Jesus…”
Matt 24:30… “all will see Son of Man coming with power and great glory…”
John 5:26-29… “given Son of Man authority to judge… My judgment is just…”
2Tim 4:1… “Jesus is going to judge the living and the dead…”
2Pet 3:9-15… “God doesn’t want any destroyed… while you wait, be at peace, pure and blameless… remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved…”