The BIG Picture (Q&A)

QUESTION: “Christ was the end of the first program and has become the only way to the Father. But I'm not sure about your telling about the going back to prophecy/law. Please can you explain and provide some scriptures.” MY REPLY: The Seventy Weeks (of Years) Prophecy The most thorough way to prove that the prophecy/law program reactivates is to look at prophecy itself, using one of the most powerful prophecies in the Bible: Daniel’s 70-weeks prophecy, found in Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy outlines a timeline of God’s plan for Israel. The prophecy is divided into three parts: 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week, totaling 70 weeks of years (490 years). Interruption by Paul’s Mystery and Grace Dispensation The prophetic program for Israel was interrupted after the 69th week (7+62 sevens = 483 years) with the arrival of Jesus Christ, who was “cut off” (crucified) as prophesied in Dan.9:26. This interruption is often referred to as the “gap” or “parenthesis” in the prophecy. During this gap...

It's always interesting to line up end times events that we see prophesied in the Bible with current events. It triggers hope and excitement of faith for us as believers today. This is good and keeps us motivated and expectant for our Lord, but we must also not become too excited and pull things out of context based on the truth in the Word. Remember that none of these prophetic signs and their fulfillment in Revelation is going to happen while we are still here on earth. In the scripture reference below, Paul says we are not to be concerned or shaken in mind by news or rumours or what people say. 2Th.2:2-3  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; Notice Paul says the day of Christ (the tribulation and...

  In order to understand this statement, one must first understand that the Bible deals with two programs throughout its pages. The first is prophecy by means of Israel in order to restore earth, and the second is mystery by means of Paul, and the Body of Christ, in order to restore the heavens. Now, keep this in mind as we now tackle the question. In Matthew 6, Jesus had just finished teaching the Olivet sermon. The whole sermon has its context in the Millennial Kingdom. In actual fact, it can be seen as the constitution of the Kingdom and how Jesus will eventually execute His rule, according to these precepts and principles revealed in His sermon. After this teaching the disciples ask Him how they should pray. The content of the prayer concerns the period of time known as the Tribulation. If you recite the prayer in the context of a Jew living through the Tribulation, it will make a lot of sense; asking for ‘daily’ bread, for strength to forgive, for protection from evil and for ...

The church at Galatia was severely affected by the false teachings of the Judaizers who wanted the believers in Galatia to follow the Law of Moses and be circumcised. Paul deals with their false doctrines and their attacks with instructions in his letter that speak boldly and with authority against these teachings, laying out sever consequences to those who skew the grace only message of the gospel. He writes, Gal.1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. The gospel message that Paul taught is clearly identified as a message of grace alone, believing that the death of Christ was the payment for the forgiveness of our sins and that his resurrection was for our justification before G...

Answer Request: What is your take on Rapture: The Second Coming of Christ? The rapture and the second coming of Christ are two separate events that make up the WHOLE 7-year return of Jesus Christ in the end times. The Rapture This is the catching away of the people who make up the ‘Body of Christ’, that is, the people who have responded in faith to the grace gospel; trusting in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the atoning work for their right standing before God. This event happens before the signing of the peace treaty by the antichrist with Israel, which initiates the 7-year period of prophesied Tribulation. This event is ‘silent’. There is no fanfare attached to it! No trumpet sound, no graves opening and people being resurrected, no visible meeting the Lord in the clouds. All these visible events happen at the mid-point of the tribulation when Jesus actually appears in the clouds and another resurrection and rapture occurs. Remember, the body of...

Does Matthew 10:20-21 speak of the saints who come to Christ during the tribulation? Matt.10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child : and the children shall rise up against their parents , and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:16-23 is in reference to Jesus sending out the 12 to preach the Kingdom gospel. He gives very specific instructions for this task, but verse 21 and 22 is of particular interest, based on the change of topic, or the prophetic tone, that Jesus switches between whilst giving His instructions to the 12. The answer to the question is 'Yes'. Verse 21 is in reference to the persecutions that the tribulation saints will face.  Let's take a closer look, Verses 16 to 20 are general instructions for the 12 as to what the...

By using the content of the New Testament, we can trace where Jesus has been since His resurrection, and how He will return at the end of the ages. After Resurrection Jesus was in a glorified body for 40 days in Jerusalem, appearing to His inner group of friends, disciples and eventually to many people, Mary Magdalene, John 20:14-16 Mary The Mother Of James, Salome, And Joanna, Matthew 28:9 Peter, Luke 24:34 Two Disciples On The Emmaus Road, Luke 24:13-16 The Disciples, John 20:26-28 Over Five Hundred People, 1 Corinthians 15:6 James, 1 Corinthians 15:7 After He Ascended After Jesus ascended, He remained in a position “in the clouds”. Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. This position is in a spiritual context. A cloud of glory hid Jesus from the sight of the disciples, but Jesus remained in this ‘invisible’ position in the clouds of glory due to two reasons, (1) If Israel were to believe the test...

The Bible speaks of two types of resurrections:  (1) The Resurrections of the Righteous and (2) the resurrection of the Unrighteous. Jesus and Paul plainly declared two basic resurrections: John 5:28 "for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out— those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. " Acts 24:15 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, that there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous; (Also see: Daniel 12:2) As you can see, there will be resurrections of both the righteous and unrighteous. This doesn't mean, however, that there will only be two resurrections in number, just that there are two TYPES of resurrections :  The resurrection of the righteous (called "first resurrection", Revelation 20:5-6) ...

Answer Request: Will God be a just Judge in the future if He punishes unbelievers and sinners with a quick second death on the day of judgment that will last only a few seconds and minutes depending on how serious the sin is? Each believer has a different interpretation of what happens after death and what it means to be cast into the lake of fire at the second death. Although I have my own interpretation on these issues I will not diverge into those details as they are irrelevant, irrespective of what interpretation one holds. The bottom line to this question is not how quickly or not a person will last in the second judgement, or if it is an eternal hell of suffering or an instant destruction of the soul and lifeforce of that person. The bottom line is that God is not just ABSOLUTELY just, but that He is JUSTICE personified. Every person throughout history will have had many "moments" occur in their life where they became aware of God and His existence, (Rom.1)...

Answer Request: One thing I'm having trouble with is understanding how the Lord Jesus is FAR ABOVE ALL THINGS, yet we with Him? I'm not sure if I understand the context of this question, but when Jesus ascended into heaven he ascended in stages (as you probably know). He ascended into the clouds, then into that place above the brightness of the sun, then into that place FAR ABOVE ALL. This is in my view, the place at the right hand of God the Father in the 3rd heaven. We are joined to Him when He comes back down into that place above the brightness of the sun, that place from which the "Shout" will go out for us to meet with Him in the rapture. So, in the context of how the Lord Jesus is FAR ABOVE ALL THINGS, it is the place He occupies right now, at the right hand of God. Answer Request: And then seeing Him AS THE LAMB in Rev.5 and trying to see how the transition happens. Will we see that scene in Rev.5? Why or why not? N...

Answer Request: If only the saints hear the trumpet at the time of the rapture, will they witness the angel blowing it as well? To answer your question in short, I believe in the rapture of the Body of Christ, and that it is imminent, BUT I will not be on earth to hear the trumpet. Why? Because, according to my interpretation of the rapture event, I will be in heaven at least 7-years before the trumpet is sounded. My interpretation of the rapture event is based on the two scriptures below, but I see the WHOLE rapture sequence taking place in stages and over at least a 7-year period of time. If you are interested in a more detailed answer, I'll explain a bit more below. The general understanding of the rapture for most Christians is that Jesus will appear in the clouds with a shout, at the voice of an archangel and at the trump of God. Then the dead in Christ will rise first and after that, those who are alive will be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the a...

Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Answer Request: All Old Testament believers, when they died, their bodies were left in the grave, but their souls went to hell, to Abraham's bosom. When Christ led captivity captive , He cleared all out from Abraham's bosom taking them to Paradise, the third heaven. That's where the souls of David and Abraham are now. From this passage above, can we assume that although David's body is corrupted in the grave, and his soul was l...

Does Matthew 24:37-47 possibly give a person examples of the rapture even if the passage doesn't call it by name? Matt.24:37 But as the days of Noah 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...

Answer Request: What is it about the mark of the beast that connects it to loss of salvation? Salvation is anything pertaining to what can enable or PREVENT people from receiving God's gift of salvation. So how is it a mark on the hand or the forehead as mentioned in Revelation can undo or show a decision that has been made against the good news of Jesus' work of redemption for us? What are the elements of that mark which must be present and intrinsic in order that it comes true as predicted that none who have the mark will have eternal life? One must remember that although sin separates man from God, it is their faith in a 'gospel' that saves them. Salvation has ALWAYS been by having faith in God; by trusting God's word above anything else. The word 'Gospel' is translated as "good news". This good news is ANY message that God chose to reveal to man at that point in time when they lived. If that person heard the good news that God com...