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J. P. Kerber's avatar

Thank you for another thoughtful post.

A quick technical matter - I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "discrepancies in Abrahamic Eschatology." If you mean differences between the Hebrew Bible and the Koran, then, yes, and the objective is to determine which is a valid witness. If you mean discrepancies within the Hebrew Bible, I can say that I am a serious student of that document, and although there might be apparent discrepancies, I know of no actual discrepancies, except with surface readings.

I don't know if I am reading your post correctly, but it seems you envision going from where we are now to a global rule, based in Jerusalem. According to biblical prophecy, which has proved itself to be stunningly accurate up to this point, that isn't where we are headed - at least not in a straight line from A to B. Instead, we are headed for (1) war, (2) famine, (3) what is called pestilence, and words I interpret as a sword of death for its own sake against the world population. A global corporate dictatorship will be formed that is unlike anything we have seen, in its ferocity. This will co-exist with "the power of the people" who find their coherence in a false spirituality. The text, written thousands of years ago, suggests genetic modification of "the seed of man" at the hands of the elite power structure.

Israel will be brought to the apparent brink of destruction, when the antichrist appears on the political stage and rescues her. This is necessary because the Jews know there will be a great tribulation before their Messiah appears. This will be a false imitation of that tribulation. The Jews will turn to their false Messiah, but after a specified period of time he will declare himself to be God and initiate what truly is the great slaughter of the Jews, who will be killed or exiled as slaves to the nations. At this time, remaining Christians will also, for the most part, have to forfeit their lives for their faith. As stated in the book of Daniel, they will be overcome by the Man of Sin. I expect they will be overcome, in great numbers, well before that.

Wars will continue until the final act of enslavement - what so many refer to as the mark of the beast. It is only at this time that the population of the world believe they have found "peace and safely." But shortly after that, Jesus Christ will appear, which makes it too late to find saving faith. The world will experience the wrath of God, and there will be a final battle, called Armageddon, which seems to be both physical and spiritual in nature. At that time the Jews will be rescued.

At the present time, the Jews are attempting to create what has been promised to them through their own power. I believe that is why the Bible describes a situation that undoes what they are now trying to accomplish. God will not build His kingdom on work done in the flesh. At that time, the Jews, having gone through the worst tribulation in history, will be a "humble and contrite" people, who mourn for having failed to recognize their Messiah.

There is no "rapture" before this all begins. There is no rapture until Jesus Christ is revealed as the Son of God, and as I mentioned, it is too late for saving faith. I personally believe, but would not be dogmatic about it, that the temple will not be rebuilt until the antichrist appears. It is a matter of equities - it will be built under his auspices, so that he has the equitable entitlement to sit in it as God.

The standard evangelical interpretation of end-times events is incorrect. They are waiting for a seven-year period that ushers in the wars, famines, and "pestilence" that has been foretold. There is nothing in the text that calls for this interpretation. The wars that are "determined" begin like birth pangs. They are not timed. They are not part of the antichrist going out to conquer anything. He steps into the global dictatorship that has been established before his appearance.

I know you want peace. We all want peace. However, it seems to me that after decades of false proclamations by evangelicals that the end times are just around the corner, this time, they really are. We pray for peace, but if the Word of God says "wars are determined," as it does, then perhaps it is time to look for protection in the shadow of His wings, on an individual basis. The only thing that can bring peace, in my opinion, is for a nation to confess its sins, turn from those sins, and trust in the hand of the One who says that the hearts of kings are like water in His hands.

Those who have children want them to be blessed. We find our blessing in the certainty of eternal life, which is free to children who don't yet know what sin is, and can be understood by those who do. The ultimate objective is to secure the life of our body and spirit, in the resurrection, and to avoid the judgment of God.

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