Monday, December 11, 2017

Daily Bible Journal Time: End Times Talk - 2 Thessalonians

Prophecy About What Is To Come; The Day Of The LORD
Bible prophecy Is one of My favourite Subjects. Especially Scripture That talks about The return of our Lord Jesus Christ, About God's judgment And about What will happen to those who believe, is quite detailed. Of course many Christians have different opinions, Interpreting Scripture How they see fit. Which often Causes great debates and divisions Between brothers and sisters in Christ. Even in the New Testament We read about Divisions, Arguments And such amongst fellow believers. There were times even when they have to part ways. Of course ideally we don't want to be parting ways Over differences in interpretation of Scripture. But it does happen.
What matters most is that we Must be humble, acknowledging that ultimately we won't know the exact meaning of everything in God's Word until we stand before Him. We must not hold grudges or believe we know more than someone else, and always forgive. Encourage young believers and consider the teaching from trusted, Godly mentors that God sends into your life.
 Walking in unity and love among fellow believers Is important.

How Do We Know What God's Word Means?
So how do we figure out what the Bible means? Since the Bible tells us that God Doesn't lie and His word is unchanging, we read the Bible of course. But that is where people get their different interpretations from, so how can I know For sure how the prophecies will unfold, what exactly does God's Word mean? Well not being a Bible scholar or anything, but based on my twenty five years of experience living as a Christian, I take the Bible literally. Gods Word, is pretty clear when something is a parable or illustration meant to convey a specific point or meaning or lesson. Parables are not meant to be taken literally. And then it is also clear in Scripture when something is prophetic, a future event that is yet to happen. The amazing thing is, Because the Old and New Testament covers thousands of years, Much  prophecy  has already come to pass just as God said It would. For skeptics, there is tonnes of historical and even archaeological evidence backing up Bible prophecy.

The number one way To understand scripture, aside from reading it, Is by asking God to show you what it means. We are given His Holy Spirit for that purpose. Just like Jesus told us when he was talking to his disciples:
 [Jhn 16:13-14 NLT] 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

[Jhn 16:13-14 KJV] 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come

[1Co 2:13-16 NLT] 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?"But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

Now Some Verses About The Lord's Coming, End Times
I have preset verses from two different translations. Feel free to click the links to take an even closer look of all the bazillion other translations.

[2Th 2:1-3 NLT] 1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed--the one who brings destruction.  

[2Th 2:1-3 KJV] 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;

[2Th 2:2, 4-6 NLT] 2 Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. ... 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 5 Don't you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.

[2Th 2:2, 4-6 NLT] 2 Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. ... 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 5 Don't you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.

[2Th 2:7-12 NLT] 7 For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8 Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. 9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

[2Th 2:7-12 KJV] 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.

[2Th 2:13-17 NLT] 13 As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation--a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

[2Th 2:13-17 KJV] 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. 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

A Scripture with some end times talk as well. [Isa 13:5-14 NLT] 5 They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons. They are the LORD's weapons to carry out his anger. With them he will destroy the whole land. 6 Scream in terror, for the day of the LORD has arrived--the time for the Almighty to destroy. 7 Every arm is paralyzed with fear. Every heart melts, 8 and people are terrified. Pangs of anguish grip them, like those of a woman in labor. They look helplessly at one another, their faces aflame with fear. 9 For see, the day of the LORD is coming--the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The land will be made desolate, and all the sinners destroyed with it. 10 The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will provide no light. 11 "I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty. 12 I will make people scarcer than gold--more rare than the fine gold of Ophir. 13 For I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place when the LORD of Heaven's Armies displays his wrath in the day of his fierce anger." 14 Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land.

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