RISE OF THE ANTI PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP
BOUGHT AND PAID FOR
It starts with Dodd-Frank.
Friday, February 3, 2017
BIBLICAL PROPHECY TODAY / The End of the World is Come / Prepare YourSelf to Meet Your God. "Media" 1:43
America's Fifth Column Main Stream Media
In light of an ever charging turbulent world and America, many today are pondering who is America's greatest threat? Is it the Democratic Party? Republican Party? Socialism? Marxism? ISIS? Obama? Hillary? Trump? The ACLU? Pro Lifers? Pro Choicers? Christians? Immigration? Our 19 TRILLION national debt? Obama Care? Hollywood? The music industry? College institutions? The clueless mobs of 99 percent-ers? The Tea Party, Al-Qaeda? Islam? China? Terrorism? Peanut Butter? Well... indeed some of these are looming threats while some are very beneficial for a healthy society, but there is one demonic organization who exceeds all and is the engine behind one of Satan's lawless workings and has the EXPONENTIAL power to alter reality, change perception, mass market deception, slander and use half truths, execute euphemisms and use demonic euphemisms, scare, frighten, slander and destroy at will globally and nationally 24/7/365 (Eph. 2:1-2). Do you know who I'm talking about? It is none other than the American Main Stream Secular Media!
They are a highly organized complex dedicated, sold out to and passionate about promoting a lawless, secular world utopia (oxymoron) that despises REALITY, TRUTH, MORAL ABSOLUTES and ALMIGHTY GOD.
The American Mainstream Media and Washington D.C. are dominated today by a Leftist, secular and godless mindset. That isn't any secret. Not even the unregenerate (unbelievers) will disagree with that. As Lucifer (Satan) controls more and more of the Media today - with these godless surrogates and talking heads - his agenda is moving along quite rapidly and increasing exponentially. Never in the history of this nation has the Main Stream Liberal Media pushed and supported a President’s leftist lawless agenda as this one we have today. These have used all of their efforts and countless media outlets to protected and defended Obama and his lawless secular agenda tooth and nail for the last four years unto our nation's near collapse and ruin. They are a highly organized complex dedicated, sold out to and passionate about promoting a lawless, secular world utopia (oxymoron) that despises REALITY, TRUTH, MORAL ABSOLUTES and ALMIGHTY GOD (John 3:19-21, Rom 1:18-32, Jude 1:10). They are America and American's public enemy #1 and our nation's GREATEST EVIL and THREAT (John 8:44, Rom. 1:18-32, Eph. 2:1-2, Jude 1:10).
Lucifer's Minions abound everywhere today in the American Mainstream Media. They unknowingly do his will. He knows how to maneuver and appeal to our carnal (fleshly) fallen nature which is governed by the five physical senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing).
Today Lucifer’s American Leftist Media is ram-rodding, bulldozing, redefining and cultivating the U.S. ground for the future grand reception of his ultimate agenda presided over by his Ultimate Minion, the Anti-Christ, who will head a godless and secular world government in the near future. At that time he will totally possess ALL the World’s remaining media and will vigorously push his global godless agenda to all the world's doom (Isa. 24: 4-6, Dan. 2:34-35,44-45, Matt 24:22, Rev. 14:10-11, 19: 11-21).Lucifer (Satan) is The Master "Puppet Master", The Master Politician and The Prince of the Power of the Air. His Masterful tactics of deceit, cunning craftiness, calculation, manipulation, politics, flattery, pawn-playing and prideful ways are truly unrivaled in light of all God's created beings (Luke 4:5-6, John 8:44, 2 Cor. 2:11, 11:14, Eph. 6:11-12, Heb. 2:14-15, 1 Peter 5:8). He uses his God-given brilliance for one purpose and one alone: a mad attempt to discredit his Creator and exalt himself above Him (Isa. 14:12-14). Lucifer's minions abound everywhere today in the American Mainstream Media. They unknowingly do his will. He knows how to maneuver and appeal to our carnal (fleshly) fallen nature which is governed by the five physical senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing).
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12)."
The secular liberal mindset is the most open to Satan's suggestions for a godless trend-setting agenda. They do his will quite readily because they are the most susceptible to it. Just by watching their actions you can see their puppet master at work.Jesus stated to the scoffers in his day: "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44-45).
The Bible also states: "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Lucifer), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).
The American Leftist Media's Ideology
The ideology and philosophy of the American Leftist Media is based in the basest (lowest) form of thought and rationale. They use partial truths and follow their unbridled passions (lusts) and emotions (Psalm 14:1,3, Roms 1:18-32, Phil. 3:19, 2 Peter 2:12, Jude 1:10). They are narcissistic in their heart and subjective to the core. Their moral compass is all out-of-whack because of their complete and total rejection of absolutes (i.e., right and wrong). Since they also reject absolutes they hold themselves to no standard. They have no regard at all for morality, laws (natural/spiritual), personal accountability and responsibility (Gal. 5:19-12; 2 Peter 2:10, 18-19, Jude 10-13). In every way they are Machiavellian (i.e., believing that the end justifies the means), just like their father the Devil (John 8:44). Because of their base condition, those on the Left are the most susceptible to Lucifer’s suggestions and will.They (the Left) are narcissistic in their heart and subjective to the core. Their moral compass is all out-of-whack because of their complete and total rejection of natural law and absolutes.
This godless, base behavior is encouraged by the Father of Lies – Lucifer, or the Devil (John 8:44). His goal is to make humanity as base as possible in their thinking, and as callous (hardened) in their morality, so to despise what is right and wrong. His goal is to brainwash and dupe the masses into doing his bidding
What is Truth?
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It is imperative today that we see things from God’s point of view – from an "outside of the box" objective analysis - and with a biblical perspective. Only Almighty God and His Word can expose the current trends and ever moving agenda of Lucifer. Only Almighty God can reveal to fallen humanity the realities at hand (Matt. 16:17, John 3:3-12, 14:26, 16:13, Col. 2:15).They (conservatives) also rejected this revelation and are subject to the god of this world’s dominion.
Sadly, that multitudes on the Right today – including the leaders of the New Media - reject ALSO Almighty God's revelation found only in Almighty God’s Word. These look at the Bible – Almighty God’s revelation to mankind - as relative and powerless. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of it (2 Tim 3:5). They are “religious” not real. They (conservatives) also rejected this revelation and are subject to the god of this world’s dominion (Gal. 1:4, Eph. 2:1-2). As they fight tooth and nail to "save" America, they are oblivious that they are being taken away in the current flood of the devastating consequences and fall out of today's political and EXPONENTIAL social changes. Conservatism is at last minutes the Alamo.
Sadly, that multitudes on the Right today – including the leaders of the New Media - reject ALSO Almighty God's revelation found only in Almighty God’s Word. These look at the Bible – Almighty God’s revelation to mankind - as relative and powerless!
What the Conservatism and all other political ideologies need to do is to place their faith alone in Almighty God’s redemptive plan and program for this fallen world. He is the only hope.
May the hour in which we live in today drive you to the Savior of all mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ. May you place your trust and hope in Him alone. True hope and security are only found in Him. He will strengthen your heart and give you a sure foundation to stand on (Matt 7:24-27). You will never be the same… NEVER!
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!
DJP I.F.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
BIBLICAL PROPHECY TODAY / The End of the World is Come / Prepare YourSelf to Meet Your God. "RAPTURE Scripts" 1:42
2Th 2:3 and other teachings of Paul indicate pretrib Rapture
Those crusading against the pretribulation Rapture really need to get a life because their arguments do not have a biblical leg to stand on. Every week I get emails or comments from some crusader wanting to inform me that the Bible does not teach a pretrib Rapture. They tell me that my pretrib Rapture teaching will send people to hell, so I need to repent of my teaching or I will be going to hell myself.
They make the unfounded claim that those teaching a pretrib Rapture are leading Christian people to hell because they think that many Christians that were expecting to be taken in the pretrib Rapture will then lose their faith when they find themselves under persecution in the tribulation.
First, let’s start with the essentials. Christians losing their faith under tribulation is an oxymoron. True Christians do not lose their faith. They never have and they never will. The claim that Jesus cannot keep those the Father gave Him through the power of the Holy Spirit is an insult to the triune God that many of these kind also deny.
Those making this claim obviously have other theological problems than just the timing of the Rapture. They do not believe that all given to Christ will be saved. In other words, their point of view comes from a theology that one’s own actions determine salvation. They do not believe in sovereign election. Many of these think that believers only remained saved if they have no unconfessed sin in their lives or what they will define as grave sins that disqualifies you.
These same people claim that the Bride needs to go through the tribulation to make herself spotless and acceptable to Jesus. They do not understand that Jesus already paid the blood price for all sin past, present, and future as God’s Lamb sacrifice for sin. Only immersion in Christ, the one that sacrificed Himself for sin and rose again, makes His Bride spotless and justified before God.
These wrong-headed people think that salvation is something you earn by staying sinless, and tribulation is used by God to help you pay for your sins, so that you can be saved. They have much in common with the Catholics that teach unconfessed mortal sin will send you to hell. However, none of this is taught in the New Testament for those born into the Body of Christ. Many of these even will say that salvation comes by grace through faith, but then they dogmatically say that you need to keep their list of commandments to keep it.
If Jesus is waiting for the Church to make herself spotless, I am afraid that He will have to wait until Hell freezes over. It simply is not going to happen as long as we live in these temporary bodies of flesh. It is the blood that Jesus shed for us that covers the sins of those alive in Him. If you say that in your human flesh you have become sinless, you are lying and lying makes you a sinner. Yet, many holiness churches believe this heresy. They give salvation with one hand but love to take it away with the other.
There is no amount of tribulation that Christians go through that will ever make us any more justified before God than what Jesus did to save us. The bride is washed and made clean of sin by the blood of Christ, she is not made spotless by going through tribulation. Therefore, the first argument that the blessed hope robbers use against pretrib Rapture believers is simply heretical.
They also will claim that the Church never taught the pretrib Rapture until recently. That is not true, Paul taught it. The Rapture and the second coming became the same event through the teaching of men that made the prophetic scriptures allegory and spiritualized them. Even so, what the churches taught through the centuries does not determine what is sound doctrine. All the reformers knew that or they would have remained under the Roman Catholic Church.
What the Bible teaches is the only infallible guide to use. We have better access to the scriptures today then they had in the dark age and have better understanding of the manuscripts then the prejudiced clerics that only interpreted prophetic scripture through their own errant theology.
So what does the Bible say about the Lord’s coming for His Church? Paul and the New Testament taught a pretrib Rapture of the faithful Church. We are told to be looking for and awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. The faithful doing that are told that they will be spared from the great trial that will try all on earth (Rev 3:10). We are told that the Church is not appointed to wrath (1Th 5:9). We are not told to look for the Day of the Lord (Am 5:18) or the Antichrist. We are told to be looking for Jesus who can come for the Church at any time.
The teaching of the NT makes it clear that Jesus will come unexpectedly. You cannot come unexpectedly when people are counting down the last seven years. For example, in the beginning of those last seven years the two witnesses will show up for 1260 days of testimony. They will give signs and be able to call down judgments upon the nations as often as they wish to prove that the last seven years have begun.
So, Jesus will not come unaware to those on earth in those days. Those that enter the last days for Israel, just before her spiritual restoration, will be quite aware of the timing of when Jesus will come with His Saints. That however, will not stop the Antichrist from deceiving people to war against Jesus at His coming. It is not that the world will not know the timing of the Lord’s coming after the two witnesses give their testimony, they will want to prevent Jesus from coming to set up His kingdom at all.
The Antichrist and the False Prophet deceive the kings of the earth and gather the armies of the world to war against Jesus at His coming. Obviously then, people will know when and where Jesus will return. That fact however, does not explain all the passages that say people will not know the timing of the Lord’s coming. Only the pretrib Rapture of the Church explains all the passages that indicate that people will not be aware of the timing of His coming or be ready when He comes.
The timing of the snatching away of the Bride to Heaven is set by the Father alone. The Bride must be taken and the marriage in Heaven must take place before the King can return in Glory with His Bride. The taking of the Bride and the coming of Jesus in glory with His Saints is not the same event. There are at least seven years between those two events.
Some of the reason that people do not understand these two phases to the second coming is because they take passages meant for Israel and apply them to the Church. All signs are to Israel, there are none to the Church because the taking of the Church has always been imminent. The Church is grafted into the new covenant promise by grace. Once the fulness of the Gentiles comes in, God will deal with Israel again (Ro 11:25). There remains seven years that have not been fulfilled yet for Israel. All the prophets speak of these times.
Anyone that does an honest study of what Paul said, should come to the conclusion that early in Paul’s ministry that even Paul thought the Lord could come at any time. It was only after He was given special revelation that he would die in Rome, that Paul realized that it would not happen in His lifetime.
A long time ago I wrote an article on the proofs for the pretribulation Rapture. You might want to read it for many additional arguments on the pretrib Rapture. One passage in the article that I did not give justice to was 2Th 2:3. I think we really need to take a good look at what Paul is really saying here.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Let’s examine what verse 3 and this passage is saying. Some in Thessalonians were teaching they were already in the time that Jesus would come for the Church. Maybe certain people just wanted to con the Thessalonians, or more likely, some believed what they were pushing came from special revelation. Who knows, perhaps they wanted others to follow them and wait on some mountain top for Jesus (there is nothing new under the sun).
Paul warns them and reminds them that he already taught them that the Day of Christ will not come until there is a “falling away” (apostasy) first and the Son of Perdition be revealed. Some apparently forgot what Paul taught or did not understand what Paul taught them earlier, as some still do not understand today. Some of what Paul taught them is written in 1st Thessalonians.
In this second epistle, Paul corrects the false teaching that was going around. Many people today still do not understand what is spoken about here because they do not understand that Paul was expounding upon his previous teaching. Paul is explaining to them why they should not be believing anyone telling them that the Day of Christ is at hand because two main events have to happen first before they even arrive to the Day of Christ (when Jesus comes in power and glory).
The word translated as “falling away” is the word “apostasy”. Some like to translate it “falling away” but the word really means to depart from something or someone. Dr Thomas Ice in this link will explain all that and also tell you in very scholarly terms why he believes Paul is talking here about the departure of the Church in the Rapture.
I will continue to tell you why it is talking about the departure of the Church through my more common sense approach.
Paul had to make it clear that whatever was in the letter or prophecy is false and not what he taught them before. Paul says, the second coming when the Lord comes in power and judgment will not come until two things first happen. First, the departure or falling away (apostasy) and second, the “man of sin is revealed”. That really is saying the Rapture will occur first and then the Antichrist has to be revealed before the Day of Christ can even come. In other words, the Rapture, the first part of the tribulation, and the great and terrible Day of the Lord have to happen in sequence before the Day of Christ.
Some think the “apostasy” is talking about the “falling away” from the Christian faith. That does not make common sense. There were false converts falling away from Christendom even back in those days, so how would they even recognize this supposedly greater apostasy? They did not have IPAD’s to communicate. If they could not know the time that this supposed “great” apostasy from Christendom began, why would Paul even mention it to them as some proof that they were not there yet?
Most Bible believers in Christendom today think that Paul is saying here that there will be a falling away from Christianity or Christendom. We have had departure from Christendom since the beginning. Teaching that true believers would fall away from the faith is really teaching a different gospel than the one that Paul taught. False converts can depart from Christian identify, but I do not see how the Thessalonians or even the Church through history could measure just when the “great” apostasy had arrived?
How will the Church know what degree of apostasy from Christendom is the one that Paul spoke of? The Catholic Church so departed from Christian doctrine that the Protestants called them antichrist and departed from them. Does apostasy from the faith once delivered to the saints get greater than what it was in the dark and middle ages? Perhaps. But, how would you know what degree of apostasy is to take place to fulfill 2Th 2:3? And if you cannot know what degree of apostasy to look for, why should it even be mentioned as one of the two things that need to take place first before the Day of Christ? Why would Paul pair what cannot be ascertained, with the revealing of the one person (Antichrist) that can be ascertained? It just ain’t logical.
Don’t take me wrong, I think Apostasy has been increasing ever since Christianity started and it will continue to grow worse and worse until it is identified as a great world harlot. However, on the other hand, true Christianity has also been growing through the Church age. The Holy Spirit does not become a slacker as we approach the end of the age. The Holy Spirit is still drawing those that belong to Christ. A lot of salvation is still going on in China, the America’s, and Africa and I personally do not think the Holy Spirit will leave the 10 x 40 window without the gospel, before the Church is complete. So along with the counterfeit Harlot of these last days we also have a very healthy true Bride of Christ on earth. There is no great apostasy from the faith for those within the Bride of Christ.
Logically then, Paul was not talking about departure from Christendom or the faith. Paul was talking about the departure of the Church in the Rapture. 2Th 2:3 is really supporting what Paul already taught the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians. This follow-up epistle was needed to make some things clearer, but most still get it wrong.
Paul says nothing about a great apostasy from Christendom in 1 Thessalonians or elsewhere. So if we are going to error on the meaning of a word, let’s error on the side of logic and common sense. Paul was saying that the departure (apostasy – Rapture) of the Church had to happen before the man of sin would be revealed.
We also know the Son of Perdition cannot come until the hinderer is taken out-of-the-way. And we know the Son of Perdition is the Antichrist. So again, Paul is talking about an occurrence that happens some years before the Day of Christ. The Day of Christ is the day He returns in glory and defeats the Antichrist, it is not the Rapture.
In 2:2 Thessalonians Paul was giving the Thessalonians instruction about what they obviously asked him about. It is common sense then to believe that Paul was correcting what they were being told wrong through some false letter or prophecy. Paul told them, don’t be deceived by anyone, that day will not come until first, the apostasy (Rapture) happens, then the Antichrist has to have his 42 months on earth to deceive those that did not believe the truth. Only after these two major events could the Day of Christ be at hand.
In the remaining verses in this passage, Paul tells them why what he said has to happen first. At that time the wicked on earth that reject the love of the truth have to be revealed, judged, and removed before the Kingdom of Heaven is established on the earth. Paul told them to hold fast to the doctrine that they were taught. Apparently, even back then, some were distorting the doctrine Paul and others taught them by teaching something different. The fact that some with legalistic theology are also doing it today, should be no big surprise, but don’t buy into it. The pretrib Rapture is the blessed hope for the Church that is watching and waiting for the Lord to say… come up hither.
Friday, January 27, 2017
BIBLICAL PROPHECY TODAY / The End of the World is Come / Prepare YourSelf to Meet Your God. "Women" 1:41
Satan's War on Women
My dear friend, Satan is no dope or buffoon. He is a diabolical genius who fully comprehends the inner workings of Adam’s fallen race and knows how to perfectly play humanity like a fiddle to fulfill all of his demonic anti-God agenda (Isa. 14:12-15, Matt. 4:9, Eph. 2:2-3, Rev. 13:4). He is a human hunter and a destroyer and knows exactly what bait to use to bring down a culture and society which has had the Bible and Almighty God in its beginnings and founding (John 8:44). As one reads through the biblical account of Adam’s fallen race one satanic tactic is always used and tragically is 95% effective. That demonic tactic is to corrupt the woman's moral bearings and use her sexual appeal to seduce, corrupt and bring down a godly or even a godless social order and to render that society useless for Almighty God’s plan and out working for it (Rom. 1:18-32). The woman was used in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3). She was used to corrupt the holy seed of Seth in the pre-flood world (Gen. 6), She was used to derail Sampson (Judges 16), David (2 Sam. 11, 12:1-13), Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-11) and the nation of Israel (Numb 25, Ezra 9:1-2) and the Church (Rev. 2:20-22). Almighty God’s Word gives ample warning for the man to guard ones heart and fallen nature from the ways and traps of the godless women (Proverbs 6) while instructing the man to find a godly and virtuous women for the health and betterment of a society (Prov. 31:10-31). We have seen – in the last 50 years - with our own eyes the horrific ramifications and social fallout that has taken place here in America when the woman has abandoned and forsaken her Divine calling (Prov. 31:10-31). One of these horrific results has been the murder and barbaric infanticide of 55 million unborn children since 1973 under the euphemistic title of "choice". Satan's war on women and motherhood has been horrific and very successful. all that he has planned and plotted against her has come to pass.
That demonic tactic is to corrupt the woman and use her sexual appeal to seduce, corrupt and bring down a godly or even a godless social order and to render that society useless for Almighty God’s plan and out working for it.
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Satan's delusional and lawless ambitions for godless liberation have only shackled these women with iron battleship chains and have self imposed a lawless tyranny upon themselves.
Almighty God created the woman to be finer than the man. She was created to balance the dominate nature of man, to hold him accountable, to be his help meet, to be loving, motherly, caring, compassionate and the anchor of the Divine design of the family unit (Almighty God being the bedrock) - Prov. 31: 10-31, Matt. 7:24-26). One can always tell the temperature of a culture and society by the state and condition of its women. When women are in a right relationship with Almighty God Satan is limited in his corrupting powers. When she adheres to the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God there is a healthy restraint, order and harmony in a fallen society, to preserve it and to keep it from corruption. Since 1962 - when prayer and Almighty God was removed from our nation’s schools - the lawless dam here in America has broken wide open and the American woman has been swept away and has been its greatest victim. Satan's delusional and lawless ambitions for godless liberation have only shackled these women with iron battleship chains and have self imposed a lawless tyranny upon themselves (Gal. 6:7-8).
One can always tell the temperature of a culture and society by the state and condition of its women. When women are in a right relationship with Almighty God Satan is limited in his corrupting powers.
As we come to the end expect evil men and women to get worse and worse as the day continues (2 Tim 3:1-7). The Day of the Lord is at hand and His time for global judgment on all those who hold the TRUTH, physical and spiritual ABSOLUTES and RIGHTEOUSNESS of Almighty God in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18-32, Rev. 6-16). When the women of a society have sold themselves to lawlessness and have given themselves over to Satan's lawless and tyrannical designs as we have seen for these last 50 years, we are indeed at the end of our nation’s journey.
.The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!!
DJP I.F.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
BIBLICAL PROPHECY TODAY / The End of the World is Come / Prepare YourSelf to Meet Your God. "Satan" 1:40
BIBLICAL PROPHECY TODAY / The End of the World is Come / Prepare YourSelf to Meet Your God. "FIGS" 1:39
Is the Parable of the Fig Tree about the generation that saw the rebirth of Israel?
About every other week I get a email telling me in one way or another that the parable of the fig tree means that all will be fulfilled by 2019 AD. Thus they believe the start of the tribulation or rapture has to be by 2012. There are well known Bible prophecy teachers teaching this today. I am tired of answering questions on this over and over so I am writing my own position on the “Parable of the Fig Tree”. In the future if anyone asks me about it or suggests that the Rapture has to occur within two or three years they will get a link to this post.
I will put the discourse from Jesus about the parable of the fig tree in proper context below so we can also see and consider what Jesus said before and after His parable of the fig tree statement.
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 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:
30 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.
31 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.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 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:
30 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.
31 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.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The whole discourse here is a reply to what the disciples asked Jesus. They asked when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age? Jesus then gave them a sequence of events. Scholars differ as to if part of it was already fulfilled in Jesus time, or if it is all yet to be fulfilled, or even if part of the prophecy might have a past and future fulfillment. I take the position that there could be a partial fulfillment in the past but this whole discourse is now about the future.
Let’s look at what the passage implies and also look at what the passage does not imply. That part of the discourse is in bold print in the scripture passage above.
The parable of the fig tree implies:
When the branch of the fig tree puts forth leaves you should know that summer is near and when you see the signs Jesus talked about you know His coming is near. The other part of the discourse following the parable passage confirms that it is talking about the Lord’s coming for the elect.
The passage also implies the generation that saw what Jesus talked about in the discourse would still be around when the Lord returned, implying that all things would take place in a short period of time of less than one generation.
When the branch of the fig tree puts forth leaves you should know that summer is near and when you see the signs Jesus talked about you know His coming is near. The other part of the discourse following the parable passage confirms that it is talking about the Lord’s coming for the elect.
The passage also implies the generation that saw what Jesus talked about in the discourse would still be around when the Lord returned, implying that all things would take place in a short period of time of less than one generation.
The parable of the fig tree does not imply:
That the fig tree is Israel, although some believe it is.
That this last generation started when the UN allowed the rebirth of the State of Israel.
That a generation is 40 50 or 70 years.
That the fig tree is Israel, although some believe it is.
That this last generation started when the UN allowed the rebirth of the State of Israel.
That a generation is 40 50 or 70 years.
More likely all Jesus said takes place in less than a twenty or thirty year period since the generation seeing the signs would also have had to reach the full age of reason to comprehend them. Also, the generation that saw the Lord return most likely would not also be so old that aged brains would forget the data. The discourse does imply that some will actually give up waiting so this period spans more than just a few years.
We seem to have false birth pains called the beginning of sorrows, persecution, birth pains and the second coming in this passage. This all could take much longer than just the seven years that most assign to end time things and that also may be why the discourse says that some people will give up waiting.
The big clue for me that this is more than seven years is that in the first series of events Jesus makes it perfectly clear that the end is not yet. These are just the beginning of sorrows of this last time generation.
Was Jesus telling his disciples to learn that the fig tree represented Israel’s rebirth? I kind of doubt that. They would not have a clue unless He was referring to the fig tree that He cursed. The cursed fig tree did represent Israel. If that is true, His using the fig tree here with the sprouting of leaves would have to refer to Israel returning to God not the rebirth of a nation that still rejects Him.
“Fig tree” is used 32 times in the King James. Most of the time it is used with other trees and is just describing abundance of food or the lack of it. A few are describing the spiritual condition of Israel but calling Israel the fig tree from those few passages is a stretch. Actually, Israel could more easily be identified with the olive tree in scriptures.
“Fig tree” is used 32 times in the King James. Most of the time it is used with other trees and is just describing abundance of food or the lack of it. A few are describing the spiritual condition of Israel but calling Israel the fig tree from those few passages is a stretch. Actually, Israel could more easily be identified with the olive tree in scriptures.
Luke adds a little more than Matthew on this passage and says when the fig tree and all the trees are putting forth shoots you know summer is near. So If Israel is the fig tree who are the other trees that are also putting forth shoots? Perhaps this parable is more straight forward than some like to think. Perhaps Jesus was just saying when you see the things He was talking about taking place on earth this will be the generation that would see His return if they do not give up waiting.
Just as when a fig tree puts forth shoots you know that summer is near you can know that the Lord’s coming is near when you see the events Jesus talked about. Perhaps there is no hidden reference to Israel in this passage at all? I do not think we can be dogmatic about it one way or the other.
If the parable of the fig tree is all about the rebirth of Israel like many teach. I would like to know why a still dead tree at the time of these events is putting forth shoots and putting forth leaves? What are the leaves anyway? Ask those who teach this and you will get different answers.
In any case, this passage does not imply the generation that saw the rebirth of the state of Israel is the generation that would not pass away before the Lord returns. It seems to me that Jesus is really talking about the generation seeing all the things that He was talking about in prior versus.
Why do I bring this up? Because some are saying that Jesus has to come before 2019 and the Rapture is before 2012 and they get hostile toward Christians who do not believe the time is as soon as the dates they set.
There was a time when people said that Jesus would have to come in 1988 because it all had to happened within a generation of forty years from the rebirth of Israel. Then when that date came and gone they said that a generation was about 50 years. When that date came and gone they said a generation is a life span of 70 years and that is where some stand now. All of this latest date setting by some new prophecy teachers probably has more to do with their interpretation of pagan Mayan calenders then it does with sound exegesis of biblical prophecy.
Never mind that the latest interpretation of a generation being 70 years logically makes no sense because during the first decade or two of their life people of that generation would have been been too young to observe the events and properly process it.
Some others extend the date by saying we should count the generation from when Israel took Jerusalem because taking new territory represented the leaves on the tree. That again is subjective speculation at best. Meanwhile, the whole concept has opened up Bible prophecy teachers to just criticism because some Bible prophecy teachers seem to be straining at gnats and swallowing camels in order to be dogmatic about their own subjective interpretations with date setting.
I do not know when the rapture of the Church will be because that date is always imminent but just looking at the signs on earth that are necessary to fulfill prophecy tells me that the coming of the Lord to set up His kingdom on earth is still twenty or thirty years down the line. If you do not want to wait that long tell it to God because the time is set by the Father. Meanwhile, lets not be so dogmatic about our prophecy speculations.
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