The Day of the Lord?

@peavey (16936)
United States
February 22, 2013 5:14pm CST
Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end [is] it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light. - Amos 5:18 The "end of the world" hand wringing seems to have calmed somewhat over the past couple of months, but there is still an unrest that many of us can't seem to shake. The United States is changing rapidly. I believe (and not just I) that a day of judgement is quickly coming upon us. I won't go into detail. I'm not going to argue the point. The fact is, that the Day of the Lord is approaching - whether within the near future or sometime later, we don't know. There are so many signs that it seems to many that it will come sooner rather than later. And... we (as in Christians) have all certainly yearned for the return of the Lord. Do we know what we are yearning for? If we're waiting for the Day of the Lord, we are waiting for a horrible time on this earth. Look at the search results here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=day+of+the+Lord&t=KJV. Then remember the awful things that John saw in the Revelation of our Lord. The last words of that book? "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Even so, with all the tumult, with all the wars and earthquakes and panic and tortures and hatred for God's people. Even so, come Lord Jesus. I know there are a lot of different views on this. This is my view and one that's shared by many. Do you think it will be this way? Or do you believe that a rapture will occur before any of us suffer?
6 people like this
13 responses
• Canada
16 Nov 15
Agreed, and the pasuk from Amos needs to be read in context; that it is day of woe for those not justified and right with God, but who *thought* they were right. And in this on the other side of the coin, it is also the time of saving for those who trust in Him. Regarding the Day itself, we look toward it as the Hope, because then God rules in power and justice-that is one of the reasons why the Goodnews was Goodnews, because in Jesus "the Kingdom of God has come near".
2 people like this
• United States
25 Nov 15
@HebrewGreekStudies Thank you so much for the encouraging words. You'll be glad to hear that this morning I was able to be in His presence for quite a while as I sang a song to Him then just sat silently. I didn't get on my knees though, but I sensed His presence. Thanks again God bless you in Jesus' name
1 person likes this
• Canada
17 Nov 15
@peavey "we have eternity with Christ to look forward to, no matter how or when it comes"-yes, and I think that is important to keep in mind. Sometimes the aruging which happens by some is not helpful, because we are talking about a change of opinion regarding chronology. Rather we who are of the same confession, that our Lord will return, must care for one another and pray for one another, support each other. In Matthew 25, Jesus did speak of this in context of the Return.
1 person likes this
• Canada
25 Nov 15
@Butchcass4 if you can't spend an hour or half an hour, then spend 5 mins of silence with even one verse of His words:). And remember at different times of the day, set yourself a reminder that He is with you, near you, and sustaining you. As per your request, I will pray for you right now-the Love of God the Father, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you, and remain with you always.
2 people like this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
23 Feb 13
All I can say is I am thankful that not knowing how or when the rapture takes place isn't a requirement in His Kingdom. I don't have a set, "this is what I believe" because I don't know what to believe. I have heard various teachings from pre-trib, to mid-trib, to post-trib and they all make sense. so I don't worry about it.Though there is a book I recently read I found very interesting called "The Harbinger"by Jonathan Cahn. He explains a verse in Isaiah that parallels 9/11 and the fall of Wall Street. He also says there will be another Holocaust, but I don't know if it will be against the Jews or Christians or both..That I do believe, as I am seeing antisemitism on the rise.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Feb 13
I heard about that book and really want to read it but haven't found it yet at a price I can afford right now. I believe that Christians will be persecuted more than ever before, but I don't know if it will be as bad as the Holocaust. It could very well be. I doubt that Jews will escape the same persecution. It seems unreal, some of the sentiments we're seeing against Israel as well as Christianity.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Feb 13
I'll do that, thanks. I've been thinking of going to the library anyway.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Feb 13
Check your local library, that is where I got mine as well as the DVD I haven't had a chance to watch yet...
@bunnybon7 (50975)
• Holiday, Florida
23 Feb 13
i have no idea. it also says we wont know the hour. he will come like a theif in the night. anyway, my aunt thinks she will go in a rapture and just be taken to heaven as all christians have been promised. but i also dont know how truely pure , good, and christian you must be for that. myself.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Feb 13
There are so many who believe in a rapture happening before anyone will have to suffer. I personally can't see any basis for that in the Bible, but it would be great if it happened that way. I can't help but wonder what Christians in Egypt are thinking about that right now, though.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Yes, diseases do and that could be part of it, I suppose. I'm reminded of a scripture that says something like the righteous perish and no one takes it to heart. I don't remember where it is.
• United States
23 Feb 13
I don't believe that the people living at that time will be raptured into heaven but I have read that the old and the very young may die and I can see that because there are to be diseases as one of the last day plagues and diseases always seem to get the old and the very young.
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
5 Mar 13
I believe that we will see most of it....I believe we will see the unveiling of the anti-christ. I also believe that we will have to make the choice to take the mark of the beast or be beheaded.....but i also believe that the rapture will happen before the worst of God's wrath is poured onto the earth. I also believe that what ever happens is that we hold fast, and keep the faith, because what ever happens here on earth is worth going through to spend a entirety with God when it is all over.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Mar 13
I agree with you about seeing the unveiling of the AntiChrist and having to make the choice. I don't know when the rapture will occur. I do think that we will know in our time. And I absolutely believe your last statement. It will be worth it all, no matter what. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." God help us all.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
26 Feb 13
I was raised a Catholic, converted to protestantism as a young teen. I attended a Baptist church at the time, and was excited to learn things from the Bible, which as a Catholic I'd been encouraged to not read. I won't tell you that I still believe in a rapture. My mind wants to. My soul looks around at the world, at the suffering of God's people. And I don't know what to believe. How do I handle this? I have taken the attitude that God will do what God is going to do. I do know for certain that the Tribulation is described as a time of JACOB'S TROUBLE. I do know for certain that God will allow the nations of the earth to come against Israel, and HE does this to purify and cleanse Israel. To separate the wheat from the chaff. But Revelation also describes horrible suffering in the entire world as a result of their apostasy and evil. Would any sane person want to escape this? Of course they would. But I also read of in Revelation of souls under the alter of God in heaven who have been beheaded for believing in Jesus. So, I guess my point is this; God does not ask that I approve of His plans. He tells us to be ready to serve Him. To put on the armour of spiritual warfare. To fill our minds and hearts with His Word so as to be ready to give account in the day of testing. If God wants to take me a a 'rapture' I'm ready to go. BUT, if HE asks me to stay and witness to the world my faith by dying for HIM, I would hope I was ready to do that too.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
27 Feb 13
Your viewpoint comes very close to mine. Not that our viewpoints matter, because, as you said, God does not ask that anyone approves of His plans. I happen to approve them, though, because He knows what He's doing and we don't. It's human to want to believe in a pretribulation rapture. Even knowing, as I am coming closer all the time to doing, I would prefer to skip the tribulation altogether. However, God calls us to be witnesses for Him(did you know the Greek word they used means "martyrs"?) the way that Christ was for us. Being a Christian has seldom been easy. I believe the US is turning away from Israel and when we do, "all the world" will sway that direction. Jacob's trouble is just beginning and if we are in direct opposition to Israel, we will bear the brunt of the tribulation, not just because we used to be a great nation, but because we were founded on the principles of Christian faith and religious freedom.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
28 Feb 13
Maybe. I'm sure that some American Christians will be able to, but until that day come, who can tell? Not even you nor I will know for sure until the time comes. It doesn't have to do with us and our strength, but Him and the strength of His presence. I wonder if those Christians who are being persecuted and killed for their faith ever thought they would be?
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Mar 13
Yes, it is. Reality. And it possibly (probably) will be more real to us in the US than we ever thought. It's all a "holy war." Islam against Christianity. We might as well call a spade a spade.
@Fatcat44 (1141)
• United States
28 Feb 13
I have trouble with all of this. To me, Revelations is one of the most least understood part of the scriptures. John saw everything from the beginning to the end. He condensed these into seven periods of time, of basically 1000 years each, 1 seal - 1000 years. The seven seal is the 1000 years which Christ will reign on earth and finish up the glory of God of raising all of our Father's children and then resurrecting them. And all mankind who ever lived on Earth will be resurrected and given his just reward. When the work is done at the end of the 1000 year period, the book of life, with everyone's names, and religious ordinances will be handed to the Father and He will say the work is finished. We will continue living in a resurrected form with our Heaven Father. Other earths will be created, and the cycle will be done again, where the righteous from this Earth will be able to participate in the work. The work and the glory of God is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Yes, there will be wars and the foes will be destroyed. Yet the missionary work will continue until every knee will kneel and every lips will claim Jesus as The Christ.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
28 Feb 13
That's very interesting. I have heard something like this, but I am going to go back and read Revelations with this in mind and see how it looks. I'm not sure about other earths, but it's not an impossible thing. The cycle of life is unending in our eyes, but I don't know about in God's eyes. We have to remember that we are finite and blind in many ways and cannot see the fullness of God or understand Him. Won't it be glorious, though, when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord? I want to be there! He deserves it all.
• United States
24 Nov 15
@peavey Yes it will be glorious and I believe we will see it. Jesus does deserve it all. He is the KING OF KING'S & LORD OF LORD'S.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36449)
• United States
15 Apr 13
Personally it is true with everything going on now everywhere us a Christians it should be a sign to be ready and keep watch. There are things that are really lining up to the book of revelations if people would only read and take notice. It is time for more people to wake up and realize that time is getting short and turning their life to god in every situation might not always be so bad.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Nov 15
@KrauseHome I agree with you. We need to take responsibility to study the Word not have opinions about it if we haven't taken the time to pray and study the Bible we will be mislead easily.
• United States
23 Feb 13
Scripture lets us know that no one knows the time of the end of this world, it will come as a thief in the night. That means we should be always ready. And not to start a firestorm, rapture is not a biblical doctrine.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I agree that rapture is not in the Bible, but it has some (to me) vague support and it's been taught for over a century. People have to deal with that and study the scripture carefully to see.
• United States
25 Nov 15
@Butchcass4 that is interesting, Kimberly, but 1 Thessalonians was written in Greek. Those caught up will be with Him forever, but there will not be a physical kingdom on the earth. When he comes back is will be as judge Hebrews 9. Jeremiah 22 tells us that no descendant of Jeconiah will ever sit on the throne in Jerusalem again, and in the geneology in Matthew we see that Jesus is a descendant of Jeconiah.
• United States
24 Nov 15
@ErrollLeVant and @peavey. The word rapture is not in the Bible It's the caught up that means Rapture in the Hebrew.1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Thats the Rapture or being caught up. Either way those who are His will be caught up.
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
5 Mar 13
peavey here is a link for the Harbinger with Jonathan Cahn Part 1 http://youtu.be/_Nl74s4OwQ0 I also try to listen to Darrell Myatt when i can.... He takes things from world news and matches it to the Bible....and he does a lot of scripture. and makes a lot of good points...His page is: http://www.youtube.com/user/DarrellMyatt1963?feature=watch
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
26 Feb 13
I believe that the rapture will happen just before God starts to pour out his wrath on the earth. I believe that when the great Tribulation starts off the last 7 years until the end of the age is not Gods wrath,,but Satin trying to completely take over, their will be much horror, and it will be a bad time on earth and their will be much suffering. and we are all going to have to keep our faith that God will get us through what is going to be happening.But i also believe when God starts opening the bowls of wrath all of us that have been saved will be raptured before this happens. Praying for the end of the age and the return of Christ is something that i do everyday. It is not what will happen on this earth but what will be when we get to be with the lord is what really matters.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
27 Feb 13
Yours is what is now a classic example of Christian belief. A pre tribulation rapture is what most of us hope for, anyway, whether we can actually believe it or not. And you're right: It's not what will happen or is happening on this earth, but it's what it will be like when it's all said and done and we are with the Lord that really matters!
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
22 Feb 13
I don't believe in mass-raptures. Of course it is possible, but it won't happen. I also do not believe there will be an "end of the world" as portrayed by the Church. They have always done this ridiculous beat-up of Revelation (which is supposed to have been written for an allegorical interpretation, not a literal one), in the hopes that more people will attend their Church "to be saved". I think reasonable people would be absolutely sick of that sort of rubbish being shoved down our throats for centuries. Jesus did not incite any of this sort of nonsense in his teachings nor by his example. Once again, the Church is acting contrary to that which Jesus taught & practiced. So I say with you, "even so, come, Lord Jesus". Come into the hearts & minds of the people & give them the peace & the calm that exemplifies all that Jesus stood for. As of this moment, this earth & its people will survive for tens of thousands of years more. I can say that with absolute surety as of this moment. So calm yourselves & be not afraid.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Feb 13
Interesting take on it! I personally don't think that the earth and its people will survive another hundred years, much less tens of thousands, but we don't know with certainty either way. Thanks for responding and for the food for thought.
• Adelaide, Australia
23 Feb 13
I'm here to reassure you that she will. At ease, soldier! Peace Be With You. In either case, it won't add one cubit to your stature worrying about it. But if you think it helps, you can try preparing yourself for it. There was actually a time not so long ago (many times prior as well) that this world was going to end (non-armagedon-style), but there's no need to worry now. So there has in the past been some truth in the matter. Complacency then, was never a good path to travel down. Our thoughts, desires & wishes at every moment are important & contribute in no small measure. So please stop stressing over this & just get on back to growing corn & blessing the world with your wonderful technology!
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Oh, believe me, I'm not stressing! I am more curious as to how others view it.
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
5 Mar 13
No rapture. But here is the good part, if God exists none of the things that will happen to you will count too much.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Mar 13
I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Everything that happens to me and around me counts. How I react to them and deal with them makes me who I am and who I am is important to God. Or did you mean something else?
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
5 Mar 13
Yes i meant that even before the book of Revelation was written Christians were beaten and killed for their faith. Being beaten, tortured or killed is not the worst thing that can happen to a christian, in fact sometimes it is a huge chance because if you suffer for Christ many of your sins are forgiven. So if you believe in Jesus think this way : Your life starts when you are baptized and it will continue as long as you follow Jesus. Don`t go away from Jesus because you will die even if you think you live. See Revelation 3:1
1 person likes this
@pcunix (210)
• Middleboro, Massachusetts
19 Oct 15
Oh, yeah, people like you have been thinking this nonsense for a long, long time. It never happens. Never will.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
19 Oct 15
You know what, Tony? You were prophesied about in the Bible: "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2Peter 3:3-4 You're just another proof that we are living in the last days. :)
@peavey (16936)
• United States
19 Oct 15
@pcunix I will keep on believing because it's true. I pray for you and everyone who will not see.
1 person likes this
@pcunix (210)
• Middleboro, Massachusetts
19 Oct 15
@peavey Keep on believing, but no matter how long you live, it isn't going to happen. Just curious, when will you give up? Ten years? Twenty? Sixty?