Who can believe this?

[Keraz]

Habakkuk 1:5 Look around you among the nations, see there a sight that will utterly astound you, you will not believe it when you are told of what is being done in your days.

Habakkuk 1:6-11 goes on to say how the Babylonians were appointed to execute judgement against the House of Judah, but the preceding verses in Habakkuk 1:1-4 are a general indictment onto peoples and nations whose ‘laws are ineffective and where justice is overruled’. Therefore this threat of action by the Lord applies to our times, as well.

Acts 13:40-41 Beware, then lest you bring down upon yourselves the doom proclaimed by the prophets. Look, you who fail to grasp the truth, be surprised and perish. I am doing a work in your days, something that you will not believe, even though it has been pointed out to you.

Pauls quote of Habakkuk 1:8, in the parallel passage from the New Testament, has nothing to do with Jesus, His message of Salvation is not ‘doom’.
It applies to the end times: ‘your days’, not his days, but our days.

The ‘Doom proclaimed by the prophets’, will be the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath. All the prophets and Jesus make it clear that this ‘Day of doom’, is the next prophesied event that we can expect to happen. Jesus quoted the first and half of the second verse of Isaiah 61:1-2, at the commencement of His ministry. The worldwide Day of vengeance of our God’, is the next prophesied event, still not yet happened. It will be the Sixth Seal; a worldwide disaster of similar magnitude as what happened in the days of Noah, which commences all the prophesied end times events, leading up to the glorious Return of Jesus.


More than 100 prophecies throughout the Bible describe in vivid detail this forthcoming punishment onto the whole world by devastating fire, earthquakes, storms and tsunamis. This sudden and shocking event will take most people unawares and we are told by Paul, that those who are ‘surprised’; that is unaware and unprepared, then: they may perish.. Ezekiel 21:3-4

Isaiah 30:26 tells us what it is that causes this worldwide devastation and also that it will be ‘the Day the Lord saves His people’. who are all faithful Christians, who truly believe in Jesus and a few Messianic Jews who are protected in Jerusalem. Isaiah 6:13

Therefore it is up to us to take heed of the warnings, Isaiah 24:1, Isaiah 26:20-21 and to be prepared for all the effects of a massive explosion on the suns surface, that will kill about 1/3 of the world’s population and will destroy all of our modern infrastructure. Jeremiah 9:22, Ezekiel 30:1-8, Isaiah 13:12

Then; for all who love the Lord and keep His Commandments, the Lord is ‘waiting to show His favour’, Isaiah 30:18-20

 

[Keraz]

Isaiah 56:9-12 All you beasts of the open country and the forest, come and eat your fill. For all of Israel’s watchmen are blind, perceiving nothing, they are all as dumb dogs that cannot bark, dreaming and sleeping. They are like greedy dogs that can never be satisfied, they are shepherds unable to understand the truth, as they go their own way. They say: Come let us fetch wine, strong drink and we will swill it down. The future will be the same as today or better still!

Isaiah 29:9-12 If you confuse yourself, you will stay confused, if you blind yourself, you will stay blinded. Be drunk, but not with wine, for the Lord has poured upon you a spirit of deep stupor. He has closed the prophetic vision and sealed the means of discerning the future to you.

Jeremiah 14:11-13 The Lord said to me: Do not pray for the wellbeing of this people. Though they fast and worship Me, [but not in spirit and in truth] I shall not listen to their cry on the Day of My punishment. But Lord – their leaders and pastors say to them: you will not face the terrible sword of judgement and they preach prosperity and escape from tribulation.

Jeremiah 14:14-16 The Lord answered me: These are lies that your leaders are misleading the people with. I have not sent them, I have not given them My commission, or spoken to them. They are giving out false teachings, useless advice and their own foolish daydreams.

Therefore, I say about those teachers and pastors who speak falsely in My Name, they will meet their end in My Day of wrath, I shall pour down upon them the disaster they deserve.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 The time will come when people will not stand sound teaching, but each will go after their own desires and will only listen to teachers who give pleasant and easy outcomes. People will refuse to listen to true scriptural teaching. They will only believe fables and fanciful notions. 1 Timothy 1:7 Ref: REBible.

‘Beasts of the field’, foreigners, non Israelites. Those who have ‘encroached onto the holy Land’. Jeremiah 12:14

‘Israel’s watchmen perceive nothing’, the veil that hides the true knowledge of God’s Word is upon them and todays teachers, because of false beliefs. 2 Peter 2:1-3

‘If you confuse yourself, you will stay confused’, Even when the truth is presented to people who think they have it all sorted, they just cannot see it. Jeremiah 6:10

‘They preach prosperity, the prosperity theology that gives a sense of false security and escape from tribulation’, The very wrong and pretentious idea of a mythical pre tribulation rapture, that lulls people into thinking they need do nothing.

Be sure: that terrible Day will come upon everyone. Luke 21:35, 1 Peter 4:12

‘People will refuse to listen to true scriptural teaching’, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Matthew 24:4

My Day of wrath: The great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath. Rev 6:12-17, Zephaniah i:14-18, 2 Peter 3:7 The next prophesied event to happen.

But for those who make the effort to overcome the false teachings, the fictional books that proliferate on the book stalls and all the rubbish on the internet, there is hope: Psalms 78:1-8, Isaiah 55:1-3, Psalms 25:8-9, Psalms 27:11-12, Psalms 32:8, 2 Peter 1:19
Have nothing to do with superstitious myths, mere old wives tales. 1 Timothy 4:7

 

[Keraz]

It isn’t very pleasant to think that the Lord can control our thinking. It brings free will into question, but who are we? He is the Creator.
Someone made the comment that it seems as though God is playing something like a video game; setting up situations and watching the outcomes.

But of course, God cannot give the game away, all the non-Christian peoples must not know His plans and even with the so called Christians, it is estimated that there may be only 2% who are honestly faithful. The other 98% follow false doctrines and cults or just simply warm a pew for an hour or so per week, the rest of the time they lie about anything, steal if the opportunity offers, commit adultery, etc, etc.

So what can we do?
At least, if you belong to this forum you are making an effort to gain understanding of the end times. However, everywhere around us, ideas and theories are put forward that have no sound scriptural basis. Outdated and biased translations are a serious handicap. One example is in Luke 21:36; ‘escape all these things’, more correctly translated is; ‘to pass safely through all that is to come’, so as not to be a contradiction of verse 35.

Of course belief in God and the Lord Jesus, true repentance of sins and fervent prayers are essential to become right with God.

From my studies of prophecy, I firmly believe that very soon there will be an event of a similar magnitude to the great flood of Noah’s time. This time, many of the world’s population will survive. To be among the survivors we must heed the warnings, be aware of what will happen and be prepared for it. But our main hope is to have absolute trust in the Lord’s salvation and His promises of protection. Isaiah 30:15, Isaiah 41:15, Zechariah 9:15-16, 1 Peter 1:21, +

 

[Ronald Nolette]

But of course, God cannot give the game away, all the non-Christian peoples must not know His plans and even with the so called Christians, it is estimated that there may be only 2% who are honestly faithful. The other 98% follow false doctrines and cults or just simply warm a pew for an hour or so per week, the rest of the time they lie about anything, steal if the opportunity offers, commit adultery, etc, etc.

So what can we do?
At least, if you belong to this forum you are making an effort to gain understanding of the end times. However, everywhere around us, ideas and theories are put forward that have no sound scriptural basis. Outdated and biased translations are a serious handicap. One example is in Luke 21:36; ‘escape all these things’, more correctly translated is; ‘to pass safely through all that is to come’, so as not to be a contradiction of verse 35.

Of course belief in God and the Lord Jesus, true repentance of sins and fervent prayers are essential to become right with God.

Sorry Keraz. We all have false doctrines we believe for the simple fact we are human and not perfected yet! We are all growing an d learning.

I have belonged to 3 churches in my 50 years of walking with the Lord and I can say with the fellowshipping I have done globally, your percentages are way off! I have fellowshipped with literally 100,000's of believers. though they diffe and disagree, the vast super majority of them have a fervent love of god and desire to serve Him.

And sorry your last line I quoted is another gospel. the only thing necessary to be right with god is to trust in teh death and physical resurrection of Jesus for your sins. this and only this makes one right with god. All you listed come from te result of being right with god and not becoming right with god.

 

[Timtofly]

Sorry Keraz. We all have false doctrines we believe for the simple fact we are human and not perfected yet! We are all growing an d learning.

I have belonged to 3 churches in my 50 years of walking with the Lord and I can say with the fellowshipping I have done globally, your percentages are way off! I have fellowshipped with literally 100,000's of believers. though they diffe and disagree, the vast super majority of them have a fervent love of god and desire to serve Him.

And sorry your last line I quoted is another gospel. the only thing necessary to be right with god is to trust in teh death and physical resurrection of Jesus for your sins. this and only this makes one right with god. All you listed come from te result of being right with god and not becoming right with god.

You think there are currently 2.6 billion redeemed souls of the Second Birth on the earth? 2% is still 52 million.

 

[Illuminator]

It isn’t very pleasant to think that the Lord can control our thinking. It brings free will into question, but who are we? He is the Creator.
Someone made the comment that it seems as though God is playing something like a video game; setting up situations and watching the outcomes.

But of course, God cannot give the game away, all the non-Christian peoples must not know His plans and even with the so called Christians, it is estimated that there may be only 2% who are honestly faithful. The other 98% follow false doctrines and cults or just simply warm a pew for an hour or so per week, the rest of the time they lie about anything, steal if the opportunity offers, commit adultery, etc, etc.

So what can we do?
At least, if you belong to this forum you are making an effort to gain understanding of the end times. However, everywhere around us, ideas and theories are put forward that have no sound scriptural basis. Outdated and biased translations are a serious handicap. One example is in Luke 21:36; ‘escape all these things’, more correctly translated is; ‘to pass safely through all that is to come’, so as not to be a contradiction of verse 35.

Of course belief in God and the Lord Jesus, true repentance of sins and fervent prayers are essential to become right with God.

From my studies of prophecy, I firmly believe that very soon there will be an event of a similar magnitude to the great flood of Noah’s time. This time, many of the world’s population will survive. To be among the survivors we must heed the warnings, be aware of what will happen and be prepared for it. But our main hope is to have absolute trust in the Lord’s salvation and His promises of protection. Isaiah 30:15, Isaiah 41:15, Zechariah 9:15-16, 1 Peter 1:21, +

 

[Ronald Nolette]

You think there are currently 2.6 billion redeemed souls of the Second Birth on the earth? 2% is still 52 million.

Well I never thought that 2.6 billion number, it is not of me. there are an untold number. I would guess in the tens of millions but how many that really is is known only to God.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

I believe there are about 1/3 of the world's population to be Christians. This is the Body of Christ. Are we to think God is weak, unable to call His sheep, sanctify and justify them, whom He chose, written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the Earth?
I think there are additional tares among the wheat who claim to be Christians and are not. But the qualifier is basic and straight forward. We believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures. We put our faith in Jesus, His promise of eternal life and billions profess this faith. Jesus is the Author of our faith. He wrote the story. Who can deny the numbers or refute His plan?

 

[Keraz]

I believe there are about 1/3 of the world's population to be Christians. This is the Body of Christ

Maybe professing Christians, but true faithful believers in Jesus and keeping His commandments? No.
At the forthcoming Sixth Seal worldwide disaster, millions will die around the world. Jeremiah 25L32-33

The Lord will protect those who; Call upon His Name, and they will be motivated to emigrate into all of the holy Land. Isaiah 66:18b-21, Psalms 107, Romans 9:24-27

That most Christians cannot see this outcome. is because they have accepted false teachings, therefore God hides His plans from them.
This is evident from the many and varied theories and speculations about the Prophesied end times events.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Maybe professing Christians, but true faithful believers in Jesus and keeping His commandments? No.
At the forthcoming Sixth Seal worldwide disaster, millions will die around the world. Jeremiah 25L32-33

The Lord will protect those who; Call upon His Name, and they will be motivated to emigrate into all of the holy Land. Isaiah 66:18b-21, Psalms 107, Romans 9:24-27

That most Christians cannot see this outcome. is because they have accepted false teachings, therefore God hides His plans from them.
This is evident from the many and varied theories and speculations about the Prophesied end times events.

We can't know an unknown person's heart. That is like claimly you hired a private investigator to examine 2.69 billion people's lives: their work, family life, actions, interviewing friends and themselves, questioning their thoughts and beliefs, an in depth evaluation of their fruit of the Spirit, for the last few years. So that is an absurd notion.
The 6th Seal? What about the first 4 that kill 25% of the population = 2 billion.
The end time prophetic picture is uncertain and has been blurly for a long time ( until recently with the war in the Middle East) which is why there are a dozen views. 1 is true, the rest false or all of them are false. I have been thinking the end was near for the last 25 years. And now I still do. Basing it on the last generation, when all these these prophecies would unfold, beginning
in 1948, is running out of time. The Second Coming within a 80 year time limit is almost up.
I think this war will escalate into ten surrounding nations, mostly Islamic, attacking Israel. It's currently Iran's proxy war, but Israel will soon confront them, directly. But I could be wrong. ?

 

[Keraz]

We can't know an unknown person's heart.

But God does.

The 6th Seal? What about the first 4 that kill 25% of the population = 2 billion.

Seals 1 to 5, were opened by Jesus at His Ascension. They have killed maybe 2 billion people, by the wars, famines, plagues, etc, and the Christian martyrs, that have happened.

The Second Coming within a 80 year time limit is almost up.

The glorious Return of Jesus is about 20 years away yet. The time gap of the Seventh Seal.
The next Prophesied event will be the world changer of the Sixth Seal. That blast from the sun, will clear and cleanse the entire Middle East region. The ungodly peoples, including 99% of the Jews, will be gone; Zephaniah 1:14-18, Jeremiah 12:14, Ezekiel 21:1-7, 2 Peter 3:7

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

But God does.

Seals 1 to 5, were opened by Jesus at His Ascension. They have killed maybe 2 billion people, by the wars, famines, plagues, etc, and the Christian martyrs, that have happened.

The glorious Return of Jesus is about 20 years away yet. The time gap of the Seventh Seal.
The next Prophesied event will be the world changer of the Sixth Seal. That blast from the sun, will clear and cleanse the entire Middle East region. The ungodly peoples, including 99% of the Jews, will be gone; Zephaniah 1:14-18, Jeremiah 12:14, Ezekiel 21:1-7, 2 Peter 3:7

So the Great Tribulation is 2000 years long, not 1260 days ... yet another view. Got it.

 

[ewq1938]

So the Great Tribulation is 2000 years long, not 1260 days ... yet another view. Got it.

Which also goes against what Christ said regarding the GT being shortened down not lengthened to a very long period. It will be shorter than originally intended. 42 months is the most recent reveal of the length of the full trib, start to finish.

 

[ScottA]

Habakkuk 1:5 Look around you among the nations, see there a sight that will utterly astound you, you will not believe it when you are told of what is being done in your days.

Habakkuk 1:6-11 goes on to say how the Babylonians were appointed to execute judgement against the House of Judah, but the preceding verses in Habakkuk 1:1-4 are a general indictment onto peoples and nations whose ‘laws are ineffective and where justice is overruled’. Therefore this threat of action by the Lord applies to our times, as well.

Acts 13:40-41 Beware, then lest you bring down upon yourselves the doom proclaimed by the prophets. Look, you who fail to grasp the truth, be surprised and perish. I am doing a work in your days, something that you will not believe, even though it has been pointed out to you.

Pauls quote of Habakkuk 1:8, in the parallel passage from the New Testament, has nothing to do with Jesus, His message of Salvation is not ‘doom’.
It applies to the end times: ‘your days’, not his days, but our days.

The ‘Doom proclaimed by the prophets’, will be the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath. All the prophets and Jesus make it clear that this ‘Day of doom’, is the next prophesied event that we can expect to happen. Jesus quoted the first and half of the second verse of Isaiah 61:1-2, at the commencement of His ministry. The worldwide Day of vengeance of our God’, is the next prophesied event, still not yet happened. It will be the Sixth Seal; a worldwide disaster of similar magnitude as what happened in the days of Noah, which commences all the prophesied end times events, leading up to the glorious Return of Jesus.


More than 100 prophecies throughout the Bible describe in vivid detail this forthcoming punishment onto the whole world by devastating fire, earthquakes, storms and tsunamis. This sudden and shocking event will take most people unawares and we are told by Paul, that those who are ‘surprised’; that is unaware and unprepared, then: they may perish.. Ezekiel 21:3-4

Isaiah 30:26 tells us what it is that causes this worldwide devastation and also that it will be ‘the Day the Lord saves His people’. who are all faithful Christians, who truly believe in Jesus and a few Messianic Jews who are protected in Jerusalem. Isaiah 6:13

Therefore it is up to us to take heed of the warnings, Isaiah 24:1, Isaiah 26:20-21 and to be prepared for all the effects of a massive explosion on the suns surface, that will kill about 1/3 of the world’s population and will destroy all of our modern infrastructure. Jeremiah 9:22, Ezekiel 30:1-8, Isaiah 13:12

Then; for all who love the Lord and keep His Commandments, the Lord is ‘waiting to show His favour’, Isaiah 30:18-20

That's good, and it is certainly good to consider applicable for our own present time. But, if you can receive it the context can now be refined, even though it was not made available to many past generations. But now it is. Not because the time of fulfilment has come at long last...but because the end is that much closer, and there is no further need to kick the full translation down the road ahead.

So, I say again, if you can receive it--I will ask anyone who is willing: What should actually be considered, although it has not yet been fully considered, to be the actual context of Acts 13:40-41?

Beware, then lest you bring down upon yourselves the doom proclaimed by the prophets. Look, you who fail to grasp the truth, be surprised and perish. I am doing a work in your days, something that you will not believe, even though it has been pointed out to you.​

​

Did not every generation prior to this one "perish?" Is that not a defining point of the passage? It is. Meaning, every generation was "this generation" from then even until now. And were those many generations not to be "surprised" "to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord?" They were.

So, yes, certainly we too should consider it and take it serious. But if they all were blind to the full context of such passages...should we be also...or rather as it is written "knowledge shall increase" and "but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets."

This is that time.

 

[Keraz]

The Wisdom of the Wise will Vanish. Isaiah 29:14, 1 Cor. 1:19-21
That this prophecy is true today, is proved by the almost total lack of understanding of God’s plans for our future by Christians and by the proliferation of theories, ideas and pure fiction about end times events. Also, as is prophesied in Isaiah 29:9, those who believe false teachings will become locked into them and be unable to discern or comprehend the truth of what will happen. 2 Thess. 2:11
The Lord says: I frustrate false prophets and make fools of diviners. I reverse what wise men say and make nonsense of their wisdom. Isaiah 44:25, Romans 1:22
Jesus says: I thank You Father for hiding these truths from the learned and wise and revealing them to the simple. Matthew 11:25-26, 1 John 4:4-5
Daniel 12:10: Keep these words secret and seal them up until the time of the end, then only a few wise leaders will understand. Jeremiah 23:20
From the above Bible quotes, we see that there are two types of ‘wise’ people. Those who promote theories, ideas and doctrines that are not fully supported by scripture and those few who ignore mans theories and doctrines, searching all the prophesies to discern the truth of the end time events.

Here are some of the theories, ideas and fanciful notions that abound today:
1/ The Return of Jesus is the next event. This is totally refuted by 2 Thess. 2:1-4

2/ The wrath of God all happens at the Return. To move the Sixth Seal – stated to be the wrath of God and the Lamb, means shuffling the given sequence of Revelation. The Wrath of God, the Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath, His coming IN the clouds, Psalm 18:7-15, Hab. 3:4 is described quite differently and happens years before the Return ON the clouds. Matthew 24:30, Rev 19:11

3/ The ‘rapture’. A removal of Christians to heaven before the Day of Wrath. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that at any time, alive or dead, will any humans go to live in heaven. John 3:13 We are earth creatures and as believers in God and Jesus, we have work to do on earth, our destiny is to be ‘a light to the nations’. Isaiah 42:6

4/ The Jews are Gods chosen people. To say this not only abrogates the redemptive work of Jesus for all mankind, but also ignores God’s promises to the Patriarchs and His plan for all the Israelites, whom He watches and cares for. Jer. 16:17, Amos 9:9

5/ There will be a World War 3. Or an economic meltdown, or some other man caused problem will trigger the end time events. It is prophesied over 70 times that the Lord will send a judgement/punishment of fire to destroy His enemies. Matthew 3:12

6/ Preterism. The belief that all the prophesies are fulfilled or abrogated by Christ. They deny the historical facts, refute Nahum 1:2 and all the yet to be fulfilled prophesies. Psalm 110:5-6, Matthew 3:12, Revelation 1:1

7/ Revival must come first. Actually this is correct, but that revival will be instigated by the 144,000, Rev 14:1-7. They will go out from New Israel in pairs, as per the precedent in Luke 10:1-10
.
8/ The lack of teaching on the Prophetic Word. Preachers shy away from any mention of prophecy and judgement, so the people have no real knowledge of end time events.

9/ The need to avoid the ‘mark of the beast’. Rev 13:16-17 But Rev. 7 tells us God’s servants are marked with ‘the seal of God’. God’s people, ‘from every tribe, nation and language’ are gathered in the holy Land, the new nation of Beulah. Isaiah 62:1-5

10/ Apathy. The sheer carelessness and laziness of not attempting or trying to understand what a large proportion of the Bible is informing us. Deut. 32:28-29, 2 Peter 1:19

For now, as we are in the Church age, Ezekiel 14:1-10 applies. This passage says if the Israelites, that is: the Lord’s people, ‘set their hearts on sinful things’, then the Lord will allow them to believe falsehoods, as they desire.

So anyone who wishes to avoid God’s wrath by the incredible and extremely pretentious idea ‘going to heaven’, or want to think nothing much is yet to happen, then the Lord will lock them into those false theories and fables. It will make an understanding of the truth difficult for them. Jeremiah 6:10

Only after things happen, will full understanding come to all. Isaiah 35:4-5

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

The Wisdom of the Wise will Vanish. Isaiah 29:14, 1 Cor. 1:19-21
That this prophecy is true today, is proved by the almost total lack of understanding of God’s plans for our future by Christians and by the proliferation of theories, ideas and pure fiction about end times events

Applicable to non-Christians.

those who believe false teachings will become locked into them and be unable to discern or comprehend the truth of what will happen. 2 Thess. 2:11

Non- Christians, all false religions, atheists. God sends a strong delusion to people who are not His sheep.

: I frustrate false prophets and make fools of diviners. I reverse what wise men say and make nonsense of their wisdom. Isaiah 44:25, Romans 1:22

Non- Christians

I thank You Father for hiding these truths from the learned and wise and revealing them to the simple. Matthew 11:25-26, 1 John 4:4-5

God reveals the truth to His sheep. Everyone else is blind.

The Return of Jesus is the next event. This is totally refuted by 2 Thess. 2:1-4

I agree, this is not true. The Middle East is already warring and will escalate into ten Islamic nations attacking Israel, with Iran in the forefront, who has also been assisted by Russia.

The wrath of God all happens at the Return. To move the Sixth Seal – stated to be the wrath of God and the Lamb, means shuffling the given sequence of Revelation. The Wrath of God, the Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath, His coming IN the clouds, Psalm 18:7-15, Hab. 3:4 is described quite differently and happens years before the Return ON the clouds. Matthew 24:30, Rev 19:11

I lean towards the wrath of God happening when the 7 Bowls of Wrath are released at the 7th Tumpet (which I believe to be the last trumpet).

The ‘rapture’. A removal of Christians to heaven before the Day of Wrath. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that at any time, alive or dead, will any humans go to live in heaven. John 3:13

Rev. 7:9 and Rev. 11:15 are two vantage points of the same event. Events aren't all chronological ; they overlap. God shows us a view of what is going on at different angles. As we read in a linear fashion we see one event at a time; but many events are overlapping. All the trumpets could be blown within minutes but events develop and grow.

There will be a World War 3. Or an economic meltdown, or some other man caused problem will trigger the end time events

On the horizon.

Preterism

That's wrong. But then that is my opinion.
It doesn't mean these believers of Christ are damned. There salvation is sealed. They believe in Christ and put their faith in Him.

Revival must come first. Actually this is correct, but that revival will be instigated by the 144,000, Rev 14:1-7.

Well, we know what happens when catastrophe comes, people turn to God, flood the churches. The 144k are a unique group of Jews from all tribes whom God throughout the ages has sustained - unbeknownst to everyone. They will remain in Israel and are not part of tje rapture.
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
Rom. 11:25-27

So anyone who wishes to avoid God’s wrath by the incredible and extremely pretentious idea ‘going to heaven’, or want to think nothing much is yet to happen, then the Lord will lock them into those false theories and fables.

So condemning to Christians. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, those who believe that "He died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures."
>>That is our qualifier, belief in Jesus belief in His promises. This guides us along our peaks and valleys as we grow, follow and obey what He says! <<
Being confused and wrong about prophecy does not invalidate your salvation.

 

[Keraz]

God reveals the truth to His sheep. Everyone else is blind.

I'm a Christian, you are a Christian, why do we have hugely different beliefs about what God has planned for the end times?
Isaiah 42:18-20 says; His servants are blind.

The fact is that God has deliberately allowed His people to accept false teachings, to misread the scriptures and to believe fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Jesus said: Take care that you be not deceived...... which implies that Christians CAN be deceived.

It seems to me that this confusion of beliefs and theories, is on the Church, in order to test people when things really do start to happen. It will be so much harder to keep the faith, when the unexpected happens.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Isaiah 42:18-20 says; His servants are blind.

The context is about Israel who is
blind.

2 Tim. 4:4 "They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

Jesus said I am the truth. So in this context, people will listen to false teachings who turn them away from Christ towards myths, outside the Christian faith. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, false religions and modern philosophies lead people away from Christ. Astrology, occultism practices TOE, self help books leading people to look within (the power is within) are other examples. We have been plagued by every which way/ path but Christ, that leads to destruction. The US used to be a Christian nation and has gone astray. We have been infiltrated with lots of junk, all the junk that really came from Babylon.
Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Narrow is the gate that leads to Life. Wide is the gate that leads to destruction.

Both my parents were brought up in Christian homes , but as young adults, abandoned those beliefs. My Mom got into reincarnation, Astrology, crystal power, the Universal Energy Force. Her ears were tickled by gurus like Maharish Mehesh Yogi for time. She mainly glorified herself so whatever belief she had, supported that idolatry. My Dad just went off into atheism, held to the TOE. They were given sound doctrine as kids but went off the path for most of their lives, then shorty before death came back around. To Christ. I chipped away at their beliefs for some thirty years and it it looked grim, but God finally got their attention.

 

[Keraz]

The context is about Israel who is
blind.

Did you read Isaiah 42:1-20? It seems you have just made a supposition based on your wrong beliefs. 'Verse 1 plainly refers to Jesus, the rest is about the followers of Jesus. Verse 12 talks to the Christian peoples scattered and living in the coastlands and islands. We are 2 examples.

We are also an example of blinded and deceived people, because one of us is!
Actually both, because I do not claim to have the entire truth about what God has planned for our future. I do reject any notions of a 'rapture to heaven' and I believe that we Christians will go to live in all of the holy Land.
As Paul says in Romans 9:24-26, we will see Jesus in the very place.....where ancient Israel was exiled from. Isaiah 62:1-5

 

[Keraz]

Isaiah 42:9 The earlier prophecies have come to pass, now I declare new things:

Isaiah 42:10-12 Sing a new song to the Lord, sing His praises throughout the world, you that sail the seas and you that inhabit the coasts and islands. Let the wilderness settlements rejoice in Kedar and Sela.

Isaiah 42:13-15 Long have I restrained Myself and kept silence, but now I cry out like a woman in labour. Now I shall lay waste to the hills and dry up the watercourses. The Lord will go forth as a warrior, He will raise the battle cry and triumph over His enemies.



Isaiah 42:16-24 You that are deaf, hear now, look you blind and see! Who is as blind as the one who has My trust, so deaf as the servant of the Lord? You have seen much but perceived little, your ears are open, but you hear nothing. I shall lead the blind along paths they do not know, making smooth the way, but those who trust in idols will be turned back in shame. It pleased the Lord to further His justice, to make His Law great. Yet, here is a people taken as spoil and plundered, all hidden away with no hope of rescue. Who will pay heed to this? Who was it that handed Israel over? Who gave up Israel for spoil? It was the Lord, against whom they sinned for they refused obedience to His Laws.

Isaiah 42 :25 So, onto Jacob He poured His wrath. The flames of God’s wrath burned him, yet still they did not take it to heart.
Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, Jacob, this is the word of the Lord, of Him who created you: When you pass through waters, I will be with you. When you walk through fire, you will not be scorched.

Isaiah 43:3-4 I am the Holy One of Israel, your Deliverer. Because I love you, I will give other peoples as ransom for your life.

Isaiah 43:5-7 Have no fear, for I am with you. I shall bring your descendants from the East and West. From the North and South and the ends of the earth, everyone who bears My name, all who I have made for My glory. Christian peoples!

Isaiah 43:8 Lead out those who are blind – a people who have eyes, but cannot see, who have ears, but cannot hear.

Isaiah 43:9 The nations are gathered. Which of them foretold former things? Or can interpret this for us? Let them prove their case, so we can see if it is true.

Isaiah 43:10-13 You are My witnesses, says the Lord. You are My servants, chosen by Me, so that you may understand that I am God alone. I am the Lord and I alone am your Deliverer. What I do, no one can undo. Reference: Revised English Bible, some verses abridged



42:10-12 All those who love the Lord, throughout the world – get ready to praise Him for their deliverance.

42:13-15 The Lord has restrained Himself, but soon He will act in the world. Psalms 50:1-6

42:16-17 His People, righteous Christians, the Israelites of God, will be led into the Promised Land. Anyone who revolts and rebels cannot enter. Ezekiel 20:37-38

42:18-20 & 43:8 The Lord’s servants are unable to understand prophecy or foresee His plans for them. Jeremiah 4:22, Jeremiah 6:10 That is how God wants it.

42:22-25 His people, the faithful Christians, are scattered among the nations by the Lord, as punishment for the sins of their spiritual forefathers 2 Kings 23:27, Galatians 3:26-29

43:1-7 But now, when the Lord sends His vengeance and fiery wrath, the Lord will protect His faithful people. . They will be gathered into the Promised Land. Zechariah 10:8-10, Isaiah 35,, Ezekiel 34:11-16, Romans 9:24-26 The unbelievers of Israel, will not. Ezekiel 20:34-38

43:9-13 The other nations are ignorant of the Lord’s plans. The faithful Christians are His witnesses and servants chosen by Him, so they will know God and spread the Gospel of the soon to come, Kingdom of Jesus. Isaiah 66:19, 1 Peter 2:9-10

​