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Yes, I do in regards to this "end of times" belief as a fairy tale, because we have credible scientific evidence to the contrary. We know how the world will end. And barring some great disaster before then, which is plausible, there may be no life left on this earth, as in no nations or kingdoms, when this does happen.
What you are suggesting is based on the ideas of magic and superstition, which do not and never have existed in reality, but were used by tribes some thousands of years ago to try to control and explain things that they could not understand.
If it works for you, then go with it. But when it controls and them limits and destroys the quality of your life, then you have a problem.
When you live your life by magical beliefs, you create for yourself and the world around you a socially irresponsible lifestyle which can negatively impact yourself and those around you. I do not participate or encourage such activity, but I realize that it is a free country. I would hope that somewhere, you have the insight to see this.
While it is true that if left to die a slow death, the Universe would eventually cease to exist as all the gas in the Universe is used up so that no new stars could be formed, the fact of the matter is that the Universe will not be left to die a slow death. And it is also true that long before the Universe came to an end, if our sun were left to die of old age, in the process of dying it would swell in size thus causing the destruction of the Earth, that will not be allowed to happen. God has something else in mind.
First of all however, the rapture of the church is not even remotely related to the 'end of the world'. It will be the end of the Church Age, but then shortly thereafter the seven year Tribulational period will begin, to be followed by the thousand year Millennial kingdom. After the Millennium ends, then the present heavens and Earth will be destroyed and then a new heavens and Earth will be created.
Here is how the Bible says that the present heavens and Earth will be destroyed.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
The Day of the Lord which is a period of direct judgment by God will begin with the Tribulation, include the Millennium in which Jesus Christ who is God will be directly ruling and judging the earth, and also include the destruction of the present heavens and Earth as stated in 2 Peter 3:10.
I know you don't believe that. I am simply telling you what the Bible says, and which I DO believe.
Yes, I do in regards to this "end of times" belief as a fairy tale, because we have credible scientific evidence to the contrary. We know how the world will end. And barring some great disaster before then, which is plausible, there may be no life left on this earth, as in no nations or kingdoms, when this does happen.
What you are suggesting is based on the ideas of magic and superstition, which do not and never have existed in reality, but were used by tribes some thousands of years ago to try to control and explain things that they could not understand.
If it works for you, then go with it. But when it controls and them limits and destroys the quality of your life, then you have a problem.
When you live your life by magical beliefs, you create for yourself and the world around you a socially irresponsible lifestyle which can negatively impact yourself and those around you. I do not participate or encourage such activity, but I realize that it is a free country. I would hope that somewhere, you have the insight to see this.
Well, that is a great fairy tale. Some of you clearly wish this myth so true that you hope it does happen.
Well, I hate to say it, but Jesus is not coming back.
There is a common belief that some day Jesus will return, vanquish the great devil, and establish and eternal kingdom on earth. That the dead will rise up, follow Jesus and he will rule some peaceful kingdom, some paradise here on earth.
Well, not gonna happen. Would be nice but it is fantasy.
Some 5 q/2 billion or so years in the future, long after Homo sapiens is extinct and several other races have evolved to inhabit what is left of this planet, The Sun will begin to undergo a process of cooling and expanding. The corona will expand until it vaporizes the earth. No more earth, no more life on earth and no more "kingdoms" .....Our sun will evolve into a Red Giant, encompassing all the terrestrial planets (or rather what few charred cinders remain of them) This is not ancient myth or religious prophecy, this is scientific fact. This is the laws of physics at work. Later when it begins to run out of fuel (stellar nucleosynthesis) the Red Giant will form a planetary nebula, with a small dense white dwarf at it's enter. By this time, no remnants of the earth, not even some supposed "magical kingdom" will exist.
Now before you go calling your pastor asking him what to thing and how much money to donate to stop all this, consider that immortality is, in a way, one relative constant in this universe. The very chemicals that make up our bodies formed with the rise and death of the stars. Every molecule of oxygen we breath already existed, and will exist long after we are dead and gone. When our planet vaporizes, so will all the atoms and molecules on it, being absorbed by the sun then expelled outward into space. Who is to say that new stars will not form from the molecules in the paper you are printing right now? THAT is much more interesting and much more realistic than the return of some dead guy.
Just my perspective, something to help you in life. Here is another idea. Since Jesus is not coming back, how about going out now and working to make your world and the world of those around you a better place? Scary idea, it means getting off your duff and doing some work to help your fellow man. Now if you do that already, good job, if not, then remember: Two hands at work are more productive than a thousand joined in prayer. Do your part to make the world a better place. Jesus is not doing it for you. You will have to do it yourself.
Me thinks you are in the wrong place if you wish to sway anyone's thinking here. YOU go ahead and trust science; we will trust God's Word. "Who's report will you believe?"
Science says bumble bee's can't fly because their body mass is too heavy for their delicate, thin wings. Didn't stop one from flying up as stinging me as a lad!
Me thinks you are in the wrong place if you wish to sway anyone's thinking here. YOU go ahead and trust science; we will trust God's Word. "Who's report will you believe?"
Science says bumble bee's can't fly because their body mass is too heavy for their delicate, thin wings. Didn't stop one from flying up as stinging me as a lad!
Bumble bees DO fly, and science shows how. Where exactly did you study biology and cybernetics and hear that bees do not fly?
Oh and there is no such thing as "god's word"
I will believe the latest scientific data. Unlike other sources, it will remain true to what is known and measurable.
While it is true that if left to die a slow death, the Universe would eventually cease to exist as all the gas in the Universe is used up so that no new stars could be formed, the fact of the matter is that the Universe will not be left to die a slow death. And it is also true that long before the Universe came to an end, if our sun were left to die of old age, in the process of dying it would swell in size thus causing the destruction of the Earth, that will not be allowed to happen. God has something else in mind.
First of all however, the rapture of the church is not even remotely related to the 'end of the world'. It will be the end of the Church Age, but then shortly thereafter the seven year Tribulational period will begin, to be followed by the thousand year Millennial kingdom. After the Millennium ends, then the present heavens and Earth will be destroyed and then a new heavens and Earth will be created.
Here is how the Bible says that the present heavens and Earth will be destroyed.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
The Day of the Lord which is a period of direct judgment by God will begin with the Tribulation, include the Millennium in which Jesus Christ who is God will be directly ruling and judging the earth, and also include the destruction of the present heavens and Earth as stated in 2 Peter 3:10.
I know you don't believe that. I am simply telling you what the Bible says, and which I DO believe.
'heavens' in Scripture [ besides being God's home - 1st Kings chapter 8 ] at times refers to the ruling authorities because they rule ' over ' mankind.
The 'elements' are Not of the periodic table elements but the rudimentary elementary things of earth.- Colossians 2 v 8
Please note there are three [3 ] heavens and earths mentioned in chapter 3 of 2nd Peter.
The heavens and earth of OLD in verse 5
In Noah's day the heavens and earth were Not destroyed, but the wickedness on earth was destroyed.
The heavens and earth of NOW in verse 7
From Noah's day to our now present day notice the 'fire' is against the ungodly, the perdition or destruction of the ungodly.
That ' figurative fire ' is Not against the earth but the ungodly on earth.
That is why Psalm 92 v 7 can mentions the wicked [ Not the earth ] will be destroyed forever.
Just as 2nd Peter 3 v 9 mentions perish [ destruction ] or repent.
Since our 'earth abides forever' - Ecclesiastes 1 v 4 B; Psalm 104 v 5; 96 v 10; 93 v 1 B; 78 v 69 B; 1st Chron. 16 v 30
then it is Not the planet earth and God's heavenly home 'burnt up', but the evil works gone as if consumed by fire.
Isaiah 13 v 9 mentions destruction of [unrepentant] sinners out of the land and not the land itself.
Notice who becomes as stubble at Malachi 4 v 1 because it's all the proud and wicked Not the planet earth.
The words from Jesus' mouth [ Isaiah 11 vs 3,4 ] do Not destroy earth but the wicked on earth.- Proverbs 2 vs 21,22.
So, the NEW righteous heavens and earth of 2nd Peter 3 v 13 is Jesus NEW coming 1000-year heavenly reign or rule over earth, or over righteous earthly society.- Rev. 20 v 6; 5 vs 9,10.
'heavens' in Scripture [ besides being God's home - 1st Kings chapter 8 ] at times refers to the ruling authorities because they rule ' over ' mankind.
The 'elements' are Not of the periodic table elements but the rudimentary elementary things of earth.- Colossians 2 v 8
Please note there are three [3 ] heavens and earths mentioned in chapter 3 of 2nd Peter.
The heavens and earth of OLD in verse 5
In Noah's day the heavens and earth were Not destroyed, but the wickedness on earth was destroyed.
The heavens and earth of NOW in verse 7
From Noah's day to our now present day notice the 'fire' is against the ungodly, the perdition or destruction of the ungodly.
That ' figurative fire ' is Not against the earth but the ungodly on earth.
That is why Psalm 92 v 7 can mentions the wicked [ Not the earth ] will be destroyed forever.
Just as 2nd Peter 3 v 9 mentions perish [ destruction ] or repent.
Since our 'earth abides forever' - Ecclesiastes 1 v 4 B; Psalm 104 v 5; 96 v 10; 93 v 1 B; 78 v 69 B; 1st Chron. 16 v 30
then it is Not the planet earth and God's heavenly home 'burnt up', but the evil works gone as if consumed by fire.
Isaiah 13 v 9 mentions destruction of [unrepentant] sinners out of the land and not the land itself.
Notice who becomes as stubble at Malachi 4 v 1 because it's all the proud and wicked Not the planet earth.
The words from Jesus' mouth [ Isaiah 11 vs 3,4 ] do Not destroy earth but the wicked on earth.- Proverbs 2 vs 21,22.
So, the NEW righteous heavens and earth of 2nd Peter 3 v 13 is Jesus NEW coming 1000-year heavenly reign or rule over earth, or over righteous earthly society.- Rev. 20 v 6; 5 vs 9,10.
Needless to say, I strongly disagree that the heavens in 2 Peter 3:5 are being referred to. That world is gone. It is the present heavens and earth which will be destroyed and then recreated.
The three heavens are:
1.) the atmosphere which surrounds the Earth. (The first heaven). 1 Kings 14:11.
2.) the stellar Universe. (The second heaven). Deuteronomy 4:19
3.) the throne room of God. (The third heaven). 2 Cor. 12:2-4
The third heaven is not in view in 2 Peter 3:10. The reference is to the first and second heavens. There will be a totally new heavens and earth for nothing of this present Universe which was corrupted by sin, both angelic and human, will remain.
The Bible knowledge Commentary states the following.
So, the past 2,000 years are like two days in God's eyes.
So, in God's eyes Jesus' messianic thousand year reign over earth will be as if just one day.
Or as little as a "watch in the night" which was approx 3 hours.
Psalm 90:4A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Millennialism is once again showing itself by denying the church's hope of Christ's only return to judgement and transport it into the stratosphere of their own esoteric speculations. And because of this attempt, people are foolishly reading something into what Jesus specifically does not say.
God stated of such false teachers that when they come, they are: scoffing and following their own evil desires ' (2 Peter 3:3).
Psalm 90:4A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Millennialism is once again showing itself by denying the church's hope of Christ's only return to judgement and transport it into the stratosphere of their own esoteric speculations. And because of this attempt, people are foolishly reading something into what Jesus specifically does not say.
God stated of such false teachers that when they come, they are: scoffing and following their own evil desires ' (2 Peter 3:3).
Jesus doesn't have a disclaimer to "My kingdom is not of this world"
There is no 1000 year physical reign on earth of Jesus
The gathering "rapture" of believers will happen at the "loud trumpet call"
There is no double "second comings" of Jesus with a 1000 year gap for a second chance
The Rapture theory is an anti-intellectual escapist view, predicated on the fundamental-dogmatism of a literal understanding according to the doctrines of men; and follows the mindset of easy believe-ism. Much in lines with the Penal Substitution theory that necessitates the doctrine of a Trinity, as the Tower of Babel attempts to rebuild itself with mass confusion.
The Rapture theory is an anti-intellectual escapist view, predicated on the fundamental-dogmatism of a literal understanding according to the doctrines of men; and follows the mindset of easy believe-ism. Much in lines with the Penal Substitution theory that necessitates the doctrine of a Trinity, as the Tower of Babel attempts to rebuild itself with mass confusion.
psycho- babble
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