Jim's Eschatological Info

It’s likely that because of this late date the individual who will transform into the antichrist is already in limited power in the geographical area he will arise from. We know for certain we will be able to positively identify him at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. It’s then he will declare himself to be worshipped as God in the holy place on Jerusalem’s temple mount. We can’t and won’t mistake that. But the question is, will we be able to determine his identity before that? This may be important in our preparation for the “great tribulation” Jesus warned us about. The answer is maybe; here are some biblical clues.

One important clue is to watch those who rise to power in the area the bible indicates the antichrist will come from. That area is the old Assyrian empire to the north of Israel of which a major part is modern day Turkey. This is strongly indicated by verses such as Micah 5:5-6 (Assyrian), Ezekiel 38:15 (Gog-from the north quarter), Daniel 8 (Little horn-from Greece, that is ‘Yavan’ or western Turkey). Another clue is that he is likely to survive a major wound that should have killed him but from which he miraculously recovers. This could come from an assassination attempt, or a military battle. A third clue is the ‘number of his name'(666) which might be determined using Greek alpha-numerics. A fourth clue that should help will be his personal attributes as described in Daniel and Revelation. He is a charismatic leader of ‘fierce countenance’, a schemer and deceiver who is largely successful in battle. His influence and reputation will earn him high regard among the nations. A fifth clue is that he rises out of obscurity as opposed to royal inheritance. A sixth clue is his organization of a loyal 10 nation confederacy that will fully align with his nefarious goals. A seventh clue is that he will be the primary driver behind a “covenant with the many” that will kick off the final 7 years of this age till Jesus returns.

These seven clues taken together should give us a heads up as to his identity even before the middle of Daniel’s 70th week. I’ve provided much more detail about the antichrist in chapter 7 of my book “Last Days Events”. You can access it here: Last Days Events Sequence and Synchrony – Kindle edition by Weinert, James. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

It’s imperative that the Church watch for these clues so we can prepare and do all we can to resist this individual.

Maranatha, Jim

Back in August I penned a post entitled “US Election and Bible Prophecy”. I’m sharing a link to it here: US Election and Bible Prophecy – Jim’s Eschatological Info. I ask you to read it and look at what I felt were the scriptural reasons this election would be so important and vital for the eschatological future of the United States. Things are looking a little brighter for the US as viewed from a biblical standpoint.

Maranatha, Jim

I’ve often heard that it’s only symbolic that Jesus is returning to set up a real temporal kingdom on this earth. Those who hold this view usually quote this verse from Luke’s gospel where Jesus said: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; ‘nor will they say, “see here or see there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’ “ (Luke 17:21). They interpret that to mean that when a person becomes a believing baptized Christian, he or she is indwelt by God the Father and the Son via the Holy Spirit. This is certainly true; “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23). But does this mean, as they imply, that this indwelling is the fulfillment of kingdom prophecy? Let’s take a closer look at this verse.

First, note that Jesus, when He said this, is addressing the Pharisees who had asked Him when the kingdom of God would come. As these were unbelieving Jews, Jesus was definitely not saying the kingdom was within them. So, what was He telling them? Jesus continued His response with a detailed description of what it would be like at His second coming. He did this to elaborate on what He meant by saying “the kingdom does not come with observation.” In other words, don’t believe it if someone tells you come see, the Messiah is over here or over there with his kingdom. It’s not observable in that manner but will instead be a glorious world-shaking event. Then He said, “The kingdom is within you.” A better translation for within is ‘among you’, or ‘in your midst’. When Jesus said this, He was in the midst of them. What He clearly meant was that the kingdom was present in the form of the King in their midst. He was the Messiah and coming King of the kingdom standing right there among them. Jesus also said this clearly while addressing the Pharisees who were claiming that He was casting out demons by Beelzebub; “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28). The King and the kingdom were there present with them.

If you’re a Christian, you worship King Jesus who abides in you and are therefore part of His kingdom. However, the rest of the world that does not acknowledge His kingship (the vast majority) is aloof to His reign over His church. The time is drawing near when His full kingdom reign will commence. “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” (Hebrews 10:12-13). When He comes the second time, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11). Only then will His full kingdom be established.

That there will be a literal physical kingdom established on this earth with Jesus as King ruling the world from the capital city of Jerusalem, Israel, is the clear message taught thru ought scripture. No, it’s not mere symbolism. The message of the coming kingdom is what Jesus instructed His disciples and us to preach. Don’t be misled by an errant translation of Luke 17:21.

Maranatha, Jim

When Jesus was teaching His disciples and us what signs to watch for that would indicate His coming was near, He followed up with an illustration about faithful and evil servants. First the wise servant. “Who is that faithful and wise steward whom his Master will make ruler over His household to give them their portion of food in due season? “ (Luke 12: 42). “Blessed are those servants whom the Master, when He comes will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them.” (Luke 12: 37). It’s clear from Jesus’s words that He expects His stewards (those responsible for his household) to be awake, determine what watch of the night his Lord is coming so that his house is not broken into unexpectedly, and giving those under his supervision their “food” at the proper time. The word “food” here implies eschatological teaching applied to events happening in his time. The proper time (season) is when he sees and senses that Jesus’s second coming is near based on his knowledge of scripture, the occurrence of signs foretold by Jesus and elsewhere in the bible, and the witness of the Holy Spirit. If that steward is not actively engaged as such, Jesus calls him an evil servant.

I would not want to be determined an evil servant by Jesus. “The Master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for Him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” (Luke:12: 46). “But know this, if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.” (Luke 12:39).

It will not go well for pastors or teachers who are avoiding or ignoring eschatological scriptures if we are truly entering the season of His return. It is indeed their responsibility to watch and prepare their flock for the traumatic events that I believe are beginning to unfold. If you’re in a teaching position and need some help unraveling end-time scriptures, I recommend the book “Last Days Events-Sequence and Synchrony”. You can find it here: Last Days Events: Sequence and Synchrony: Weinert, J D: 9798858723684: Amazon.com: Books

Maranatha, Jim

I need to wrap up this series of posts concerning the verse most taken out of context in the entire bible. That verse is Matthew 24:36 where Jesus said this about His second coming, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, but My Father only.“ The context, of course, is Jesus’s Olivet discourse where He is prepping the disciples and us about everything to watch for ahead of time so that we are ready and able to determine when His coming is near. So, this verse, at first glance, seems to contradict everything Jesus was saying. While I could provide many more examples like the four previous posts taken from this discourse attesting to the fact that it was only in that day (2000 years ago) no one knew, let’s take a deeper look at the word knows (Greek- eido). Eido is a primary verb used only in certain past tenses (Strongs Dictionary). It means, simply, has seen, has perceived, or has understood. Even though Jesus was relating all He knew at that time, no one, not even He in His humanity, understood the timing. At that time-2000 years ago- there was no New Testament- no gospels, no Pauline epistles, and no book of Revelation to help them out. The Holy Spirit had yet to be poured out on the church who will “tell us of things to come.”(John 16:13).

Looking at other places in the context of the Olivet discourse where iedo is used will help to bring clarity. Jesus used that verb 5 times during this teaching. One of these was His quote from Daniel; “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation….” (Matthew 24:15). The word “see” used here is iedo. So, when you see it (the AOD), you will know the timing. Another very enlightening use of this verb in context is Mathew 24:33, “So you also when you see all these things, know that it is near-at the doors.” Again, the word “see” used here is iedo. What Jesus is clearly stating here is that when you see (iedo) all these things I’ve been teaching you about then KNOW that My coming is at hand. There’s no question Jesus was giving this detailed teaching so that we would be ready and able to determine the time of His coming.

Matthew 24:36 is not a verse to be pulled out of context and quoted as proof that those who study end-times and are watching as biblical signs are being fulfilled are simple chasing their tails because they can’t know anyway. This is just the opposite of what Jesus was teaching us. Jesus commanded us to watch so that we are ready. In fact, later in Revelation, He told the church at Sardis, “…. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3:3). I think we’d better watch, study, and prepare to the best of our ability. Again, don’t let anyone deter you from watching, preparing, and, yes, even attempting to determine the hour of His coming, by quoting to you a verse taken completely out of context.

Maranatha, Jim

This will be my fourth post concerning what I called the verse most taken out of context in the entire bible. In that verse, Matthew 24:36, Jesus stated that no one knows the day or hour of His return. It is used and quoted from pulpits across the globe to minimize or avoid the importance of last-days eschatological teaching. However, the context is Jesus’s Olivet discourse where He teaches the apostles and us everything we need to know so that we can watch, make ourselves ready, and know when His coming is about to happen. One of the clearest signs He gave us with a time stamp during this discourse is recorded by Matthew. “Therefore, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation ‘ spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place…. then there will be great tribulation such has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:15, 21). If we follow Jesus’ advice and go back and read Daniels commentary along with the corresponding scriptures in Revelation, we can come to an obvious conclusion. Jesus is referring to the second half of Daniels 70th week, the “great tribulation”, a period described as “times, time, and 1/2 a time”, or 3 1/2 years, or 1260 days, or 42 months. This is the time the antichrist declares in Jerusalem that he is the one to be worshipped until Jesus destroys him with His coming precisely 42 months later. This is not an event the church will miss. All true believers who endure to the end will know exactly when their Lord is returning to set up His kingdom. Jesus’s statement that no one knows the day or hour was certainly true 2000 years ago but is not applicable as His coming nears. When Jesus told us to read Daniel, He said “let the reader understand” (Matthew 24:15). After Daniel relates this prophecy, he states: “the wise will understand” (Daniel 12:10).

Make no mistake, the closer we get to Jesus’ second coming, the more certainty we’ll have about a specific date. Jesus said: “But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.” (Mark 13:23). In addition, we have a terrific teacher sent by Jesus Himself. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…. and He will tell you things to come.“ (John 16:13). Don’t be dissuaded from your study of eschatology by those who take their proof texts out of context.

Maranatha, Jim

Jesus gave us another strong indication of the timing of His return In His Olivet discourse as recorded in Matthew. This again will support the conclusion that Matthew 24:36 (no one knows the day or hour) is usually quoted out of context. Jesus told us this: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14). In other words, if we can determine when this verse is fulfilled, we can then know that the end of the age and Jesus’ second coming is at hand. Notice He does not say that the gospel must be preached to every individual, but as a witness to all nations. Nations here means “ethnicities” or non-Jewish people groups. Of course, this began with Jesus’ disciples going to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth as He commanded them. The gospel continued to spread through local churches, missionaries, evangelists, and individual Christian witness. As time went on these were aided by literary sources, radio & TV, and now the internet.

So, the question we now must ask is, has the gospel of the kingdom been preached to all people groups? While there are probably small groups scattered across the globe that may not have yet heard the gospel, the speed of information dissemination is unprecedented in our day. We are likely near but not quite there yet. We do know that this will be wrapped up by the angelic proclamation of the gospel from heaven (sky) to the whole world guaranteeing the fulfillment of Jesus’s prophecy. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth-to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” (Revelation 14:6). I can’t help but think of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in orbit above the earth. Might this be what the angel uses to preach the gospel to all the earth? Just saying.

At any rate, Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew gives us a timing clue to watch for so that we are ready for what’s soon to come. More proof that Matthew 24:14 needs to be read and interpreted in context. I’ll give more proofs on following posts.

Maranatha, Jim

Building on my last post that concerned taking Matthew 24:36 out of context, let’s look at one important sign Jesus gave us to help us recognize the time of His coming. Jesus’s second coming will be accompanied by Armageddon and world-wide destruction of evil. Jesus prophesied this in His Olivet discourse. Right after He uttered the verse stating that no one knows the day or hour, He said this: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37). Though all of mankind was evil and therefore subject to destruction by the flood, God spared Noah; “because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1). God told Noah of His plans 100 years before the flood. After the ark was completed, God told Noah: “After seven more days, I will destroy all living things that I have made.” (Genesis 7:4). So, Noah, the only righteous man on the earth knew precisely when God’s judgment was coming.

In the same discourse Luke records Jesus adding this: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot….Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:28-30). Abraham, righteous in God’s eyes because of his belief, was told ahead of time concerning Gods plan to destroy the cities of the plain due to their utter and complete depravity. The Lord asked this rhetorical question; “Shall I hide from Abrahm what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17). Lot, Abraham’s nephew who lived in Sodom was also given adequate time to prepare for the coming destruction. “….and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.” (2 Peter 2:7). The righteous knew ahead of time of the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and when it was to occur.

While there are several reasons Jesus used the examples of Noah and Lot to describe conditions just prior to His coming, many miss one of the most important ones: God always lets the righteous know what’s coming. Ever since Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross righteousness is a characteristic of believers. “For He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). If you are a real Christian, you’re righteous in Gods eyes because of Christ. And, if you’re righteous, God’s M.O. is to give you all you need to know to determine what’s coming next on His timetable and when.

Remember God’s promise in Amos 3:7. “Surely, the Lord does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Again, don’t be swayed by teachers who take verses out of context to prove their point. We can and will know all the events surrounding Jesus’ return as and even before they happen. More on this topic in my next post.

Maranatha, Jim

Most Christians who read and study the bible know that to be properly understood a verse must not be interpreted out of context, or error can result. There is one verse concerning the end-times and Jesus’s return that I hear at least once per week pulled entirely out of context. It’s Matthew 24:36:“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” This verse is typically quoted to counter any attempt to scripturally discern the timing or season of Jesus’s second coming. The context of this verse is the entirety of Jesus’ Olivet discourse. This discourse is Jesus teaching His apostles all the eschatological events surrounding His return detailed in Chapter 24, followed by parabolic teaching in chapter 25. In the above verse, Jesus is simply stating that at that time, 2000 years ago in 30 AD, no one had yet determined the season of His return. But in context, He is giving us virtually everything we need to know so that we will be ready, prepared, and fully conscious of these conditions 2000 years into the future when He is about to return. Jesus said, in other words, no one other than the Father currently knows the time, but here are all the things to look for so that you will be able to know the timing before I return to set up My kingdom. It simply wouldn’t make any sense for Jesus to give us all these eschatological signs, and then imply that you should ignore them because no one can know the day or hour anyway. The word “knows” in the quoted verse is a past tense Greek verb eido which means “see” or perceive. You might use it to say, oh, I see. Its usage implies that no one had yet perceived or discerned the time of the coming kingdom when Jesus taught this. In no way does that indicate that 2000 years later no one would be able to determine the time. Even Jesus in His humanity didn’t know the timing of His coming when He taught the disciples. Do you think for a minute that He doesn’t know now 2000 years later sitting at the right hand of His Father in His glorified body? Of course He does, and He expects us, His followers, to discern the time as well especially as we see the signs He told us to watch for unfold. Don’t be swayed by those who use “proof texts” taken out of context.

Please, when considering this verse in Matthew also consider the context. In subsequent posts, I’m going to give you some concrete reasons why we need to get ready by discerning the time of Jesus’s second coming. And they are all evident in Jesus’ Olivet discourse. Context is of great importance.

Maranatha, Jim

The apostle Paul says this about the day when Jesus returns and the revealing of the antichrist. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” (2 Thessalonians 2: 3). The Greek word for falling away is apostasia, or apostasy in English, meaning a defection from the truth. Paul was echoing Jesus’s warnings about deceptions in the last days. Paul is clearly associating this final great apostasy with the unmasking of the antichrist that will occur at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. But you may be wondering, is this a singular event? Aren’t we seeing world- wide defection from traditional Christianity now, in our day? While there are a few bright spots, I would agree that Christianity seems to be in decline. I really think what Paul is saying is that this falling away that we’re currently experiencing will be crowned by the revealing of the antichrist. After all, his appearance at this time will coincide with our choice to take his mark and join in his economic system or face his death sentence. Apparently, there will be massive numbers of believers who will fall for his deception and apostatize from the truth. Jesus Himself said as much while teaching about the last days: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.“ (Matthew 24:12). The word translated “many” in Jesus’ statement is in Greek polus which actually means largely or most. And the word “love” is agape which is the Godkind of love used primarily to describe Spirit-filled Christians. So, what Jesus is actually saying is that most Christians will fall away from their faith when faced with deception in the last days. This fact should be as startling to you as it is to me. Jesus followed up with this in the next verse: “But He who endures to the end will be saved.” Make no mistake Christians, some “enduring” is involved.

Each one of us must resolve in our own hearts and minds that if we are here to face those kinds of deceptions, we will follow Jesus no matter what consequences may follow. Eternity with Christ is important above all else.

Maranatha, Jim