Prophecy Versus Positive Thinking

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? –Matthew 26:53, 54.

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. –Luke 21:22. 

Jesus spoke these words from the book of Matthew while He was on His way to the cross, when His disciples saw what was coming upon Him. They didn’t want it to happen; it was a bad thing, of unspeakable evil. Yet God’s Word stood firm, even though this was hardly a “positive” event in the ministry of Jesus! Nor was it the first time Jesus had spoken to the disciples of this, and they didn’t like it then, either…

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. –Matthew 16:21-23.

The Bible tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun” in Ecclesiastes 1:9. People don’t like bad news today any more than they ever have, but many of the Lord’s dealings with us are quite harsh in the short term; yet they still have a glorious purpose, eternally. In our time especially, all is geared toward “positive thinking,” and this has also infected the professing church greatly.

What we need to pursue is a change in our priorities; to bring them into alignment with the values that a Christian should have, which are very different from those of the temporal world around us. Jesus came to save our immortal souls from eternal damnation, not to give us “health, wealth, and success” in this present world. The Christians of this last day have forgotten this- the preaching of the cross has become foolish. We need to humbly submit ourselves to God’s wisdom, which is infinitely beyond us, even if it means chastening and tribulation.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. –Isaiah 55:8, 9.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! –Romans 11:33.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. –Hebrews 12:5-8.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. –Revelation 3:19.

Beware of False Prophets!

And so now we have come to the time of the end, a time of great spiritual darkness, and distress for the remaining remnant of God. It is a time that many will not accept. Many even seek to turn away God’s righteous judgments of this time, somehow thinking that it is more fitting for God to let us prosper in our normal earthly existence indefinitely. The result of this is that there is a rejection of the warnings from watchmen, and a seeking out of more “positive” alternative prophecies. But God wants us to walk in truth (III John 4)! We have been given warnings about these times for our benefit, so that we may prepare. And the terrible times ahead will have a glorious outcome for the followers of Christ! Brethren, where are our values at? To be warned ahead of time about these last, tribulation filled days gives us time to prepare spiritually- to “set our houses in order.”

God’s judgments at the time of Jeremiah the prophet offer a great template for us in the present day. The children of Israel didn’t care for Jeremiah’s “negative” prophecies any more than we do today, even though they were brought forth for their benefit…

18) Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.19) (Jeremiah speaks) Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. 20) Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. –Jeremiah 18:18-20.

And Jeremiah didn’t want the harsh judgments to come any more than those that received it! We read of this in Jeremiah 28, which records a favorable false prophecy forwarded by Hananiah;

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. ¶ Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him. ¶ Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it. And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. –verses 2-11.

With this verbal exchange, you can see the favorable “alternative” prophecy being given, and that Jeremiah received it well. He was only speaking as God had directed him, not because he wanted bad things to happen! But Jeremiah’s word was from God, and Hananiah’s wasn’t;

Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also. ¶ Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. –verses 12-17.

So what is it with false prophecies, anyway? My opinion is that false prophets don’t realize that they are false, any more than hypocrites think that they are hypocritical: they are fully convinced of the validity of their viewpoint. With false prophets, they usually receive a few accurate prophecies early on, which convince people that they are of God. God warned of this;

IF there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. –Deuteronomy 13:1-4.

The Word of God is that standard by which we can readily discern false prophets. Even though they may claim to be of God, you will find them veering sharply from the scriptures sooner or later. One such false prophet that has arisen today is MARK TAYLOR. He apparently made several accurate prophecies years ago regarding President Trump. Now, however, it’s clear that his prophecies are straying outside of scriptural guidelines. Mark Taylor is the Hananiah of today, refuting the more “negative” predictions, and prophesying a bright future; long before the Bible calls for it, that is. His prophecies are of a private interpretation, such as we are warned of in II Peter 1:20. One possible response from God can be found in Jeremiah 23:16-20;

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. (Bold type added).

I doubt Mark Taylor is aware that he is being deceived. His prophetic predictions clearly reflect the erroneous pre-tribulation rapture teaching founded by Darby, and advanced by Scofield. He has ended up “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9). The key part in all this is having discernment: Mark Taylor is now drifting from the truth of God’s Word. Like Jeremiah, I have no wish for bad things to happen here on earth, but God said that they would. He has helped my wife and I to focus our affections not on this sin-infested world, but upon escaping to the perfect realm of God.

It is understandable when church leaders try to put a “positive spin” on God’s teachings, but they often abandon the truth in attempting to achieve this goal. It really comes down to getting our priorities straight, doesn’t it? The “End of the World” prophecies may seem difficult, but their fulfillment will not affect a believer’s eternal status with God.

Let me go over things, briefly, so you won’t be caught completely off guard. 1) Watch for the 3rd World War. I have seen this correlation between Revelation 9:9-13 and the plans revealed through Albert Pike. This war is planned to bring the world under one government, with one currency, and one religion. 2) The Antichrist shall be revealed, posing as the real Christ for every religion, to seemingly save mankind from destroying itself. Expect “lying signs and wonders” to accompany this phony, which may include a false 2nd coming of Jesus. 3) After the “beast” takes charge, there will follow a brief period of world peace. Undiscerning Christians will think Christ’s millennial reign has come. 4) The Antichrist will reign for about 31/2 years, but this reign will begin falling apart at the end. The real Jesus will then return to take the few remaining believers home to the “Marriage supper of the Lamb.” That same day, likely within the same hour, Jesus leads the armies of Heaven back in the battle of Armageddon: the forces of the Antichrist are defeated, and Jesus sets up His millennial reign.

As for America, our destruction is certain; whether or not we are the actual Mystery Babylon spoken of in the Bible. There is an incredible amount of innocent blood on our hands, both here and abroad. God always brings nations such as ours into judgment; there is no escape. The only questions that remain are exactly how will this come about, and when? The how of this event could be through a number of things either individually, or in combination. We could be invaded, or we could be bombed. There could be an epic natural catastrophe, or a cyber attack. It could also come from the economy, or our unspoken civil war could escalate into widespread violence. It is almost certain to come very quickly, within a day.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. –Matthew 24:32-35. Underlining and bold type added for emphasis.

By scriptures such as these, I really do not pray for the continuance of the earth; God’s Word is sure, and it will not be changed, even as verse 35 indicates. Even so, there are “positives” for a Christian to lay hold of; 1) God has shown us these things well in advance so that we can be prepared, rather than blindsided. 2) The long awaited return of Jesus Christ, our “blessed hope,” is nigh at hand! This means we will no longer be subjected to the evils which surround us daily. 3) No matter what happens to us physically, it can never steal our souls from our Savior!

It is time for us to prepare to meet our God, and to aid others in their preparation. We need to PRAY-PRAY-PRAY that the Lord will straighten out our values, before it’s too late. This may be profound for some, and may totally alter their understanding of Christianity. God has given us this time, Brethren- it will be worth it!

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. –Matthew 10:28.

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. –John 12:25.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. –Revelation 12:10, 11.

An Urgent Plea to Pre-Tribulation Rapture Believers

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. –Mark 7:16.

Nobody likes bad news: no one likes to be wrong, either. Still, one of the basic tenets of Christian faith is to accept that apart from salvation, we are wrong, and headed for judgment. When we preach this to the unsaved, they will hate us, even as they hated Jesus (John 7:7). Yet even after we have been regenerated in Christ, we stumble, and our understanding is limited. We need to hunger and thirst after righteousness, endure chastening, and grow toward perfection.

The Bible tells us to, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” in Proverbs 22:6. Yet this proverb doesn’t only apply to believers, does it? We see it all the time in the unsaved. It is also true for other religions; Muslims raise their children to be Muslims, Catholics raise Catholics, and Jews raise Jews. When one has been deeply indoctrinated over many years, it is nearly impossible that they will be able to change, and turn away from their upbringing. Indeed, Jesus informed us that salvation with men is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Mark 10:26, 27).

Even the Apostle Paul had been subject to a bad religious upbringing (Acts 22:3). Although he had been trained up in the scriptures as a Pharisee, the training he received led him into misunderstanding about Jesus, and the subsequent persecution of Christians. And so it was that after the Lord’s initial direct confrontation with Paul (Acts 9:1-18), we find that he was led away into Arabia for three years; that the Holy Spirit (I John 2:27) might teach him directly from God’s Word (Galatians 1:11-18). He needed to unlearn what men had taught him, even though they were religious and well-meaning.

It is therefore no great surprise to me when I find that most “pre-trib” rapture believers are unwilling to change from their point of view. Many of them have been subjected to this view all of their lives, and with many sincere Christians promoting it. In more recent years, the media has also greatly promoted it through the Left Behind books and movies, which only cements the pre-trib teaching more firmly into those already indoctrinated.

As you can tell by now, or if you have followed this blog at all, you know that I stand firm in my belief of a post-tribulation rapture. I am not here to condemn fellow believers that favor the pre-trib view, because a person’s view on the timing of the rapture isn’t the basis for what makes a genuine Christian. It is, however, a point of great concern. Please read this article carefully, and commit it in prayer. Let God lead you, and prepare you as He desires. Jesus said that, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” in John 10:27. I am by this promise counting on Jesus to lead His sheep into the truth.

For those that have been indoctrinated into the pre-tribulation rapture view, it may be all but impossible to change. My first hope is that God would do this “impossible” work in you, anyway. But if that immediate change cannot be, it is my hope that you will remember what you have read here at that key point in the near future, and retain your foundation in Christ.

One of the great, undeserved blessings God has given me is that I was NOT subjected to any particular “rapture” view as a young Christian. God’s call to me, and my subsequent salvation came at the transition of age into my teen years. Therefore all of my teen years were very involved with the organized church, but I really do not remember any particular emphasis on Jesus’ return, or the end times, and other related points. The matter of Christ’s 2nd coming was generally treated as unknowable, and not one of crucial importance. Yet over the years it became apparent that the church at large was favoring a pre-tribulation view of the rapture. When I reflect back on this now, it really is no surprise.

Without any particular organized church affiliation, I began to study God’s Word on my own, the Holy Ghost directing. I came to see that God had faithfully preserved His Word in the King James Bible, and in no other. This was a great source of faith-strengthening, as it provided a sure foundation to build upon. Although I might research a topic once in a while, my main goal was to read the Bible over and over, embedding God’s Word into my soul. It’s simply amazing what you can learn from God directly!

So when it came to the subject of “the rapture,” I really had no interest. I think this came from my background. I rationalized that this topic had been over-killed, that there was nothing for me to add, and that I could never hold a candle to the knowledge of the many great Christian scholars that knew so much. I had also unwittingly slipped into the pre-trib rapture belief, simply because of its publicity. Along the way, however, my wife disappeared- twice!

There were two times that my wife seemed to vanish, with the rapture being the only viable explanation. The first time was the worst. I had come back to the house after a short time away, and Jamie was nowhere to be seen! The cars were still there, and with no sign that she had otherwise gone anywhere (she would leave a note). A significant fear came over me. I even turned on the radio to hear if there was any emergency broadcast that might verify the rapture! I was scared at the thought of being “left behind.” In the end, there were no emergency broadcasts, and Jamie eventually emerged from the bedroom. She had been napping, sunk down into the water bed, with the cover pulled all the way over her! Still, even this didn’t spur me into any more Biblical research on the topic- but it was a lesson from God.

God really doesn’t want His children to be scared (I John 4:18). The nature of the pre-trib rapture teaching is that it could come at any time, and is almost completely unknowable. This is not at all what the Bible teaches us. After reading God’s Word dozens of times over, I saw the simplicity and clarity of what will happen at the end, and leading up to the rapture. I have already gone over this well in other blogs (such as Rapture Readiness), so here I will only mention some scriptures; Luke 17:26-37, and I Thessalonians 4:15-5:9, and II Thessalonians 2:1-6. It is very, very simple, and forthright. Yet in all of my studies throughout the Bible, so many times over, where did I come across the inferences of a pre-trib rapture? There aren’t any. I can only assume that this teaching originated by someone’s private interpretation of scripture, such as we were warned about here in II Peter 1:20;

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

A good example of private interpretation can be shown through the “parable of the fig tree,” which is often said to be a prophecy of Israel’s return as a political nation;

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. –Matthew 24:29-33.

Why would anyone claim that these verses are a prophecy regarding Israel’s return? Jesus plainly explains the meaning right away, as He did with many parables. It would also be a point to say that once you have given yourself over to the concept of a pre-trib rapture, many other distortions will naturally follow, being based on a faulty premise.

What really bothers me is some of the spiritual fruit (Matthew 7:16-20) I am noticing from many pre-trib rapture believers; they have become fierce for promoting or defending their “doctrine,” and often shun fellow Christians who believe otherwise. Why should this be? As much as the “pre-trib” people may argue for their view, and try to claim that scripture supports it, their underlying premise is flawed; and they cannot overcome logical, post-trib reasoning…

If the pre-tribulation rapture is correct, then the post-tribulation believers are still SAFE. To believe one way or another about the timing of the rapture won’t change a person’s eternal destiny. But if the post-tribulation view is the right one, then pre-tribulation endorsers will be facing trouble! They will not be prepared for what lies ahead, and will be far more vulnerable to deception; even to the point of possibly mistaking the Antichrist for the real Christ. The pre-trib rapture people have “hung their hats” on what is the strategically weaker position, but the one with the greater appeal. Deep inside, these people know it, and so become fierce when the other possibility is mentioned: it is a fear-based response.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. –II Timothy1:7.

Many of those who espouse the pre-trib rapture theory absolutely contradict the characteristics of this previous verse: 1) Their position isn’t one of power, but is held to from fear. 2) Where is the love for their brethren who don’t hold to their view? 3) The reasoning of a “sound mind” would be on the side of the post-trib believers, who will be prepared no matter what.

Brethren in Christ, be prepared for the worst. This issue of pre-trib or post-trib rapture ought not to be causing division between us. I KNOW that there are pre-trib adherents who will be saved in the end: they still will have the Holy Spirit within to guide them, even when they are coming to grips with harsh reality. But I also know that Satan has fathered the false notion of a pre-trib rapture in order to deceive and destroy many. The point is that we need to be preparing now for the dark days lying just ahead. My desire isn’t to prove pre-trib is wrong, and my post-trib view is right: my goal is to warn these, my fellow believers, so that they will be spiritually safe in the end. I pray that you will be.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. –Luke 21:25-28.