Are We Living in the Last Days?
Any time American Vision posts an article dealing with Bible prophecy, we get emails from Bible prophecy “experts” chastising us for our “ignorance.” One fellow wrote that since Revelation talks about earthquakes and we see earthquakes today that earthquakes must be a modern-day sign that the end is near. Here’s what he wrote:
“I don’t know who this guy [Gary DeMar] is and I don’t want to know but I am going to say this he does not know the bible cause it says in the Book of Revelation That Earth Quakes is one of the many signs of the end times.”
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I would add that it is the intensity and frequency of earthquakes and other natural disasters which lead us to believe the Last Days are upon us.
-Betty HarrisonI appreciate this article as being well researched and well intentioned, yet I still have to find some fault in some of the conclusions made.
While 1/3 of the stars being thrown down to earth, the moon not giving light, and the sun being as clothed in sackcloth (giving it a reddish tinge, and dampening it's light) can certainly be viewed as symbolic, we also have to admit that we do not fully understand the powers of God.
God could cause 1/3 of the stars to fall and kill only 1/3 of the people upon this planet in his judgment. He could make sure that the moon is darkened, after all, is anything impossible for God?
We who are dispensationalists do take a literalistic view of much of scripture. Yet we are not literalists through and through. We are able to discern and understand through the Holy Spirit, just as you are, that some is symbolic and some are literal.
To address Betty Harrison's remark above, yes, it is the intensity and frequency. "Earthquakes in divers places" is a prophecy that Christ made about the road to the end times. Also he spoke about one being taken and one remaining. Tied in with 2 Thessalonians, we come to the conclusion that there will be wither a pre- or mid-tribulation taking up of the saints, which we have come to call the rapture. We can't say "This is symbolic and this isn't" throughout the New Testament. We have to be aware that Christ was not only speaking to those in his day, but to all those to come in the future as well. After all, taking a symbolic view, we could say "Jesus didn't really die on the cross and rise again."
We must be very careful when interpreting New Testament Scripture, and be aware of how it fulfills and ties into Old Testament Scripture.
-Martin R. OakleyThe earthquakes are only a very small part of things. I don't believe they come until after the fall of some of the countries and Israel will be in a war first. Could be with Iran but aren't sure as to who. I do know that the US is supposed to be a friend of Israel and with the present adminstration I can't say we are at the moment. However the next president may put us back on good footing with Isreal again. Then I'd be watching more closely.
-Judythe bible says no man knows the day,or hour or year, when the end will come,but you will know by the signs of the times,
to the lord one day is like thousand years and thousand years is like a day, he made it very clear, but he said when you see
all these things come together at one time know that the end is near.a lot more things have to happen frist,
one other thing very clear many will be deceived believing lies in the last days even the elect says the lord
YOU BETTER BE READY BECAUSE NO MAN KNOWS THE HOUR, GOTTA BE SOON ALL THE LIES COMING FROM THE ELECT IN WASHINGTON.
-ED FOUTSwhen we lean upon our own understanding we will fail. and nothing is impossible for God, so just be ready and don't worry about the when and the how, just be ready
-Purdinjudgement day; may,21,2011. 7000 thousand years from the flood.read 2peter ch.3. go to family radio .com for great info.
-markno one knows the day or the hour, but according to our Lord, we can know the season. I believe that we are in the "latter days" because of the frquencies of these things. I really don't know much about Gary Demar, but I did order one of his books and he seems to be a preterist (meaning the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the 1st century) I really cannot see how any good bible student can hold this view.
-SoldieroftheLordAs for Family Radio. I used to work there. I ran the KECR studio in El Cajon, Ca. in 1969 from 6pm until midnight. At that time it had conservative Christian messages like Thru the Bible Radio, and Keswick Conference speakers. Since then station manager has been ruining the network. He hogs all the radio time with his bad doctine. The station asks for donations to spread the Gospel, but the manager does not even know what the Gospel is! When people call up on Open Forum and ask him how they can have assurance of Salvation, this is how he answers: " Oh that is very hard to know. You must study the Bible for many years and hope and pray that you are one of the elect." He does not even mention faith in the death, burrial, and ressurrection of Christ our Savior. I'm not kidding! Even a Sunday School child can tell you the basics of the Gospel. Paul defines the Gospel in 1Cor 15:1-4.
The manager does not distinguish between Israel and the Church, he thinks God is through with Israel, he doesn't believe in the 1000yr Millenuum. He thinks we are now toward the end of a 23 year Tribulation (It's not 23 years and we're certainly not in it!) He thinks everthing Christ taught was in parables (which leaves the station manager room to let his imagination do the teaching!), he thinks the Locusts that come out of the darkened pit in Rev 9:2-3 are Christians. Remember that this manager taught that Christ would come in 1994. Now when any caller starts to mention that, he hogs the microphone and then says, "Thank you for calling and sharing, now let's go to our next caller".
-Steve ChaikinAccording to Acts 2.16-17, the last days started on the day of Pentecost. So de facto, we are in the last days.
In Matthew 24, there are many times Jesus uses the word "then" – it's a timeline. Note that the gathering of the elect (v31) comes AFTER v30 the coming of the Son of Man with power and great glory, which comes after v29 the sun darkened, etc – which comes AFTER the great tribulation.
Sorry guys, but we're in it to the bitter end.
Jesus said one will be taken & another left – NOT left BEHIND! As it was in the days of Noah – all the inhabitants of the world were taken & only Noah & his family were left.
In the explaniation of the parable of the wheat & tares (Matt 13), Jesus makes it very clear that the tares are taken first (v30 & 40)
For modern western Christians to think that we are somehow imune from tribulation is an insult to our Lord, and to our countless brethren suffering persecution throughout the world today. If you investigate the history of pre-tribulation rapture theology (as well as Scripture) , it holds no weight whatsoever
-The Burning IssueValuable info. Lucky me I found your site by accident, I bookmarked it.
-Respiratory Therapis