Sunday, April 6, 2014

Mary K. Baxter's Frightening Endtime Vision: America in Tatters, Men Mind-Altered to Become Hard Labour Slaves; Women Made to Become Depersonalised Breeders

Mary Katherine Baxter was an ordinary housewife until Jesus Christ appeared to her on 40 consecutive nights and took Mary on a tour of Hell and Heaven. She walked, with Jesus, through the horrors of hell and talked with many people. Besides seeing hell and heaven, Mary also received an endtime vision. Here are excerpts from Mary Baxter’s book ‘A Divine Revelation of Hell’:
The Lord said, "This vision is for the future, and it will come to pass. But I shall return to redeem My bride, My church, and they shall not see it. Awaken, o My people I Sound the alarm to the comers of the earth, for I shall return as My Word has spoken."

I beheld the fiery serpent that was in the right arm of Hell.

Jesus said, "Come, see what the Spirit is saying to the world."

I saw the horns of the fiery serpent as they entered the bodies of people on earth. Many were completely possessed by the serpent. As I watched, I saw a huge beast arise in a large place and turn into a man. The inhabitants of the earth ran from him, some into the wilderness, some into caves, and some into subway stations and bomb shelters. They sought any shelter to hide from the eyes of the beast. No one was praising God or talking about Jesus.

A voice said to me, "Where are My people?"

I looked closer and saw people like dead men walking. There was a desperate sadness in the air, and no one turned to the right or left. I saw that the people were being led about by some unseen force. Now and then a voice spoke to them out of the air, and they obeyed the voice. They did not talk to one another. I saw too that the number "666" was written on each one's forehead and on his hands. I saw soldiers on horses herding the people about as though they were cattle.

The American flag, tattered and torn, lay forlornly on the ground. There was no joy, no laughter, no happiness. I saw death and evil everywhere.

The people walked one behind another into a large department store. They kept in step like discouraged soldiers and were dressed identically in a type of prison garb. A fence surrounded the store, and guards were stationed here and there. Everywhere I looked, I saw soldiers in battle-dress uniforms.

I saw these zombie-like people herded into the store, where they were able to buy only the barest necessities. As each completed his purchases, he was placed aboard a large green army truck. The truck, well-guarded, was then driven to another area.

Here, in a type of clinic, these people were examined for communicable diseases or crippling handicaps. A small number of them were shuffled to the side as rejects.

Soon, those who failed the examination were taken to another room. In that room, an impressive array of switches, buttons and gages lined an entire wall. A door opened, and several technicians came in. One of them began to call the names of the people in the room. Without a struggle, they arose when their names were called and marched into a large box. When they were inside, another technician closed the door and pulled a switch in a panel on the wall.

A few minutes later he opened the door, took down a broom and dust pan, and swept what remained of them off the floor. Nothing but a bit of dust was left of what had once been a roomful of people!

I saw those people who passed the medical exam being put back into the same truck and driven, to a train. No one spoke or even turned to look at anyone else. At another building each person was assigned a job. They all went to work without a single dispute. I watched as they worked very hard at their assigned tasks, and then at the end of the day, they were taken to an apartment building with a high fence around it. Each undressed and went to bed. Tomorrow they would work hard again.

I heard a loud voice fill the night air. I saw a huge beast, and he sat on a large, I throne. All the people obeyed the beast. I saw spiritual horns growing from his head. They reached, into and out of every place on earth. The beast took upon himself many positions of authority and many offices, and he became great in power.

The beast pushed himself into many places and deceived many people. The rich and the famous were deceived as well as the poor and disfranchised. Small and great paid homage to the beast.

A large machine was brought into an office. The beast put his mark on it, and his voice came out of it. There was also a "big brother" machine that could see into homes and businesses. Only a single machine of this type existed, and it belonged to the beast. The part of the machine that was located in the homes of the people was invisible to the naked eye, but it could and did report to the beast every move the people made. I watched as the beast turned his throne around and faced toward me. On his forehead was the number 666.

As I watched, I saw another man in another office become very angry at the beast. He demanded to talk with him. He was yelling at the top of his voice. The beast appeared and seemed very courteous as he said, "Come, I can help you take care of all your problems."

The beast took the angry man into a large room and motioned for him to lie down on a table. The room and the table reminded me of a hospital emergency room. The man was given an anesthesia and wheeled beneath a vast machine. The beast attached wires to the man's head and turned on the machine. On the top of the machine were the words, "This mind eraser belongs to the beast, 666."

When the man was removed from the table, his eyes had a vacant stare, and his movements reminded one of a zombie in a movie. I saw a large blank spot on the top of his head, and I knew his mind had been surgically altered so he could be controlled by the beast.

The beast said, "Now, sir, don't you feel better? Didn't I say I could take care of all your problems? I have given you a new mind. You will have no worries or troubles now."

The man did not speak.

"You will obey my every command," said the beast as he picked up a small object and attached it to the man's shirt. He spoke again to the man, and he answered without moving his lips. He moved like a living dead man. "You will work and not get angry or frustrated, nor will you cry or be sad. You will work for me until you die. I have many like you that I control. Some lie, some kill, some steal, some make war, some have children, some run machinery, and some do other things. Yes, I control everything." An evil laugh came from him.

The man was handed papers to sign. He gladly gave all his belongings to the beast.

In my vision I saw the man leave the office of the beast, get in a car and drive home. When he approached his wife, she tried to kiss him, but he made no attempt to respond. He had no feeling for his wife or anyone else. The beast had made him incapable of feeling any emotion.

The wife became very angry and screamed at her husband, but to no avail. At last she said, "OK, I'll call the beast. He will know what to do." After a quick phone call, she left the house and drove to the same building her husband had just left.

The beast welcomed her in and said, "Tell me all your troubles. I am sure I can help you."

A very handsome man took her by the arm and led her to the same table her husband had been on earlier. After the same operation, she also became a depersonalized slave of the beast.

I heard the beast ask her, "How do you feel?" She did not answer until after he had attached a small object to her blouse. Then she acknowledged that he was master and lord and began to worship him.

"You will be a breeder," he said. "You will have perfect babies, and they will worship and serve me."

The woman replied in a robotic voice, "Yes, master, I will obey."

I saw the woman again. This time she was in another building. There were many pregnant women there. The women lay lifelessly on their beds and in chanted monotones praised the beast. All had 666 on their foreheads.

When their babies were born, they were taken to another building where mind-altered nurses had the task of raising them. The nurses also had 666 on their foreheads.

The beast grew in power until his empire stretched across the earth. The babies also grew, and at a certain time, they also went beneath the mind-destroying machine. They worshiped the beast and his image. But the machine had no power over the children of God.

I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Those that worship the beast and his image shall perish. Many shall be deceived and will fall, but I will save my children from the beast. These things will take place in the end times. Do not take the mark of the beast. Repent now before it is too late.

"The beast will call himself a man of peace. And he will bring peace to many nations out of a very chaotic time. He will be able to supply the world with many inexpensive goods, and he will assure that everyone's pay is sufficient. He will make an alliance with many nations, and the great men of the world will follow him into a false sense of security.

"Before these times I will raise up an army of believers that will stand for truth and righteousness. The mighty army that Joel spoke about will hear My voice from the rising to the going down of the sun.

"In the night hours also they will hear My voice, and they will answer Me. They will work for Me, and they will run like mighty men of war. They shall do great works for Me, for I will be with them."

All these things were revealed to me by the Lord Jesus Christ in an open vision. They are the words of His mouth, and they concern the times of the end.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Choo Thomas: Any Christian Who Has Not Totally Died from Every Worldly Thing Will Not Hear the Trumpet Sound

Choo Thomas, author of Heaven is So Real, passed away on April 2013 after a brief illness. However, about two years before she passed away, she received a vision of the rapture from the Lord:
Praise the Lord for showing me the rapture vision today, December 27, 2011. This morning after my prayer suddenly my body had a stronger anointing than usual. I began to sing holy songs during the same time the anointing was stronger than the vision voice and the songs were mixed together. Also it got louder and louder and I could see the sky and then I saw grown people were popping out of their graves and flying into the air. At the same time so many people with robes were floating up into the air toward the clouds. This scene happened for a while. Then I saw the top of the clouds and the Lord was standing in the middle of the clouds and the angels were surrounding the Lord with trumpets. Those who were raptured were standing around the angles and the Lord. It was the end of the vision and the Lord said to post it on our website. This means whoever is ready for the rapture should focus on the trumpet sound at any time. The Lord already told me the Devil is after those chosen ones to be raptured so they can't be raptured. He also told me that so many Christians even after the rapture will go into the Valley. Any Christian who has not totally died from every worldly thing will not hear the trumpet sound. I pray that whoever reads this message focuses on the rapture very seriously. The Lord began talking about the trumpet sound in the twinkling of an eye since 2011 after every one of my prayers until now. This happens four times a day. Anytime the Lord wants to do something He always talks for a long time before He does it. I believe the rapture is the final thing He is talking about. Remember “Heaven is so Real” is His end time book. Every reader of this message please take it very seriously. Remember anyone left behind will have to go through severe suffering. Only pure hearted people will see the Lord. Read Matthew 5:8.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Endtime Vision of a Young Girl from India

This is the endtime vision of a young girl from India named Unity (and it occurred during the Shillong Revival):
The day I had a vision of Jesus was on the Youth Sunday, March 9th, 2006.

Jesus told me of three things:

1. The Rapture of the Saints.
2. The Rule of the beast.
3. The Judgments of God.

All the Saints who have done His will were taken up into the Rapture, where Jesus appeared midway in the heavens. He took up all those on the Earth who did His will. The faithful ones who were in the graves were also taken up into the sky during the rapture.

After the rapture, I saw angels fight against a dragon who is the 666. He was defeated, and there was no room for him in heaven, so he fell to earth. The dragon said that he would rule over the earth for a number of years.

He went away and then another beast came which had 10 heads and 7 horns. He wore crowns on his head which had blasphemous names written on.

Announcer: Did he look him a human being?

He looked like a human being, but very, very fearful. I saw that during his reign, even the rice had his mark sealed on it. Even money had his mark sealed on it. People who believed in him had his mark sealed on them, which was 666.

Announcer: He put the seal of 666 on all commerce? So what happened to those who believed in Jesus?

Those who believed in Jesus, at that time, were severely persecuted. Their flesh was cut while they were alive, their eyes were gouged out. Their throats were slit and they were fried in huge containers.

When Jesus comes to earth again He ascended right down onto the surface of the Earth. When the dragon, who was the 666, saw the glory of Jesus, the dragon could not bear it and fled. When Jesus came down again, those who were dead, those who were left behind during the rapture awoke from their grave.

The Angels blew their trumpets and all the dead rose from their graves to go for the judgment day of God.

Announcer: Wonderful, wonderful, OK what else Unity?

Then Jesus put the goats to the left and the sheep to the right. These goats were those who did not do His will and those who had the mark of the 666.

Those who were on the right were the lambs. They had the mark of the cross and they are the ones who did the will of Jesus.

God then judged each and every person who Jesus divided into groups, the goats and the sheep. And each and every one was judged before God. And every person’s sins were viewed on a TV Screen.

God asked, “When a person witnessed to you about Jesus Christ, did you believe and repent or not?” If they replied “NO” then they were damned to Hell. I saw that those who were cast into hell, fell into a bottomless pit. They fell into the pit and where tossed about without reaching anywhere. There was a hot raging fire. They shouted and screamed begging Jesus for mercy.

I also saw a place full of worms, large snakes and hell fire. I saw people there too. The worms would go in through one nostril and out the other. I saw a big stringing caterpillar stuck to the cheek of one man. I saw a snake curl around the body and caterpillars crawling over peoples bodies.

REPENTANCE IS ONLY ON EARTH AND NOT IN THE AFTERLIFE

Announcer: What happened after that?

Jesus said that now is the time for you to repent. In this revival you will be saved. Jesus gave us this revival because He loves us.

Announcer: What else Unity?

That’s all. [End of this Vision]




Sunday, March 27, 2011

What Will Happen During the Endtimes?

Based on Jesus’ teaching on the end times found in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 13th chapter of Mark, and in the 21st chapter of Luke (see below), the events that will take place during the endtimes are as follows:
  • Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies: Luke 21:20
  • Setting up of the abomination within the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem: Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14
  • Desolation of Jerusalem: Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20
  • Great distress in Jerusalem, unequalled in the history of mankind: Mark 13:19, Luke 21:23
  • Appearance of false Christs and false prophets, who will perform great signs and miracles, deceiving many: Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22
  • The sun will be darkened; the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky; the heavenly bodies will be shaken: Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-25, Luke 21:25
  • Nations will be anguished and perplexed over unusual tidal movements: Luke 13:25

Then, after all this has taken place, Jesus will appear! (Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26, Luke 21:27)

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Matthew 24:1-51 (New International Version, 1984)
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.ee, I have told you ahead of time.

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

“Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Mark 13:1-35 (New International Version, 1984)

  As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

“But in those days, following that distress,

“the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
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Luke 21:5-37 (New International Version, 1984) 
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.

 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

“I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

What will be the Signs that the World is Coming to an End?

Based on Jesus’ teaching on the end times in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 13th chapter of Mark, and in the 21st chapter of Luke (see below), the signs of the end times are as follows:
  • Appearance of numerous false messiahs (who will deceive many):  Matthew 24:5, Mark 13:6, Luke 21:8
  • Wars and rumours of wars:  Matthew 24:5, Mark 13:7, Luke 21:9
  • Revolutions:  Luke 21:9
  • Nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms:  Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:10
  • Famines:  Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11
  • Earthquakes in various places:  Matthew 24:8, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11
  • Pestilences:  Luke 24:11
  • Persecution against Christianity (leading to martyrdom):  Matthew 24:9, Mark 13:9, Luke 21:12
  • Worldwide hatred against Christians:  Matthew 24:9, Luke 21:17
  • Many Christians turning away from their faith (Matthew 24:10), to the extent that the love of most Christians will grow cold (Matthew 24:12)
  • Christians betraying and hating each other (Matthew 24:10); even within  family members, relatives, and friends (Mark 13:12, Luke 21:16)
  • The gospel of Jesus Christ being preached throughout the whole world:  Matthew 24:9, Mark 13:10, Luke 21:13
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Matthew 24:1-51 (New International Version, 1984)
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.ee, I have told you ahead of time.

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

“Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
--------------------------------
Mark 13:1-35 (New International Version, 1984)

  As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

“But in those days, following that distress,

“the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
--------------------------------

Luke 21:5-37 (New International Version, 1984) 
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.

 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

“I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Where in the Bible Did Jesus Talk About the End Times?

The account of Jesus’ teaching on the end times is found in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 13th chapter of Mark, and in the 21st chapter of Luke (see below).

The accounts by Matthew, Mark, and Luke are similar (which is why the gospels written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the ‘Synoptic Gospels’). Nonetheless, it is good to read all three accounts, as the subtle differences provide us with added information.

--------------------------------

The account by Matthew:

Matthew 24:1-51 (New International Version, 1984)
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.ee, I have told you ahead of time.

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

“Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
--------------------------------

The account by Mark:

Mark 13:1-35 (New International Version, 1984)

 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

“But in those days, following that distress,

“the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
--------------------------------

The account by Luke:

Luke 21:5-37 (New International Version, 1984) 
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.

 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

“I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
--------------------------------
Note: In different versions of the bible, the end times is referred by different names

  •  New International Version (NIV): end of the age
  • King James Version (KJV): end of the world
  • Amplified Bible: the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age
  • English Standard Version (ESV): close of the age
  • Young's Literal Translation: the full end of the age
  • Darby Translation: [the] completion of the age
  • Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition: the consummation of the world

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

What are the Signs of the Last Days?

Now, in the NIV Bible, there are 7 instances where the phrase "last days" is specifically mentioned, and in these passages of scripture, we infer that in the last days:
  • the Israelites will return and seek the LORD (Hosea 3:4-5)
  • the temple in Jerusalem will be re-established (Micah 4:1-3)
  • there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-18)
  • people will be self-centred, materialistic, and hedonistic, yet at the same time, religious  (2 Timothy 3:1-5); indeed, there will be rich people who will continue to hoard their wealth, to live in luxury and self-indulgence, and to abuse their labourers (James 5:1-5, NIV)
  • there will be people who mock the return of Christ (2 Peter 3:3)
Interestingly, Hebrews 1:1-2 suggests that the 'last days' clock has already started ticking -- we gather this from the text "he has spoken to us by his Son", which is in the past tense.

------------------------------------------------------------
  • For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days. (Hosea 3:4-5, NIV)

  • In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (Micah 4:1-3, NIV)

  • In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18, NIV)

  • But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV)

  • In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2, NIV)

  • Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. (James 5:1-5, NIV)

  • First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. (2 Peter 3:3, NIV)