I know I'll be attacked but,

Hello, I’m new here but I’ve been visiting your site for about a year now. I enjoy it very much. I never post anything on public forums but for the first time in my life I feel compelled to do so.

First a bit about myself: Middle aged, female, Big time Paulaholic. I love RP, maxed out my donation, converted at least 20 people, tell everyone I know about RP. Dr. Paul used to be my congressman before I bought my house and I ended up about 5 miles outside of his district :-( To add insult to injury the district that I moved into was represented by Tom Delay. I voted for RP in ’88 for President and I just voted for him again in the primary. I don’t think I’ve ever admired anyone more than Dr. Paul so I would not want to do anything to make him look bad.

I have been troubled all weekend about whether or not to post this and I must admit that I am afraid to but I must. This is the first in a 4 part 9 hour Christian educational video series. My pastor told me about them and I would just like you to be aware that they are available. Yes, I have read the comments on Google from all of the people that think this guy is a “crackpot” or a "Bible Thumper", so I know what to expect. Isn't it strange how most people who reject the Bible have never actually sat down and read it? At least once everyone should read it cover to cover.

Before I go, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you people for everything I have learned from you on this forum. You are some of the most intelligent people on any forum that I have ever seen. I apologize if this information has been posted here before:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1667738301360497195&...

I'm at work right now so I will sign out and check back later to see how badly I've been slammed.

God Bless.

Those who believe they know exactly what is in store for our world from the Biblical prophecies should take a little time to study the prophecies that were given for the Messiah in the Old Testament. At the time of Jesus, much like today, there were those who studied these prophecies exclusively with great attention to detail. You can see this when Herod met the wise men from the east who had come to see the Messiah. When he consulted the "experts", they rightly told him that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.

If there were people who studied and understood these prophesies, then why did they not embrace Jesus as the culmination of those prophesies? Because he did not fulfill them in the way that they thought he would. For one, the prophesies spoke of a political kingdom that would be established through the Messiah that would overthrow all wickedness. They expected Jesus to destroy the Roman empire and establish his own government in Jerusalem. When that did not happen, they were disillusioned and abandoned him.

There are important lessons to learn here. When you study the prophesies (such as those in Isaiah), you see massive jumps in time from one verse to the next. It is easy to see how someone at the time of Jesus' first coming would confuse the events and believe them to occur within close proximity to each other. It is only in retrospect that we understand the original purpose and intent of the prophesies, and even there we are not certain about the final culmination of many of them (related to the Second Coming).

There has been discussion that the beast in Revelation refers to Nero, the Roman emperor of the first century, and the evidence is certainly compelling. However, it is also possible that the same passage refers to two beasts -- Nero and the coming of the true Anti-Christ in the future. In fact, we know that there have been many anti-Christs throughout history that are in a sense imperfect images of the final Anti-Christ of the end times. There is a precedent in the Old Testament when you consider Isaiah 14:12-15.

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
(Isa 14:12-15)

The context is giving judgment on the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4), but most Biblical scholars also see the references to Satan himself. Isaiah is, in fact, referring to two people at the same time. The king of Babylon was a kind of human copy of Satan... acting in his image, so to speak. Could not the same thing be true for the Beast and Nero in Revelation?

An old pastor once told me that prophecy is not so much designed so that we can predict the future but so that when it occurs, we can see that God knew what was to come. We need to be careful when we try to determine what exactly the future will bring based on prophecy. Just as the scholars were wrong in the time of Christ with Messianic prophecies, we can be just as wrong today. While it is an interesting study and is certainly worthwhile (Jesus encouraged it), we need to understand that our understanding is far from perfect.

Back on topic, could we be coming to the end times? Quite possibly. The end of times may very well be imminent, but I take heart from another Biblical example in the Old Testament. Israel often faced imminent destruction as God called for judgment for their sins. However, when a righteous man arose and led his people back to God, God would give them a reprieve -- the man's lifetime, or a generation, etc. While the New World Order may very well be the oppressive Roman empire (the government of the beast), God is ultimately in control, and the timing is entirely up to him. Despite their strongest efforts and machinations, God could use a man like Ron Paul to push back the actual culmination for a period of time.

...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
(2Ch 7:14)

It is important to support Ron Paul in his efforts, but for those of us who believe in God, it is even more important that we humble ourselves and pray. We need a revival in this land to return the paths of righteousness and justice. We must return to God if we are to have the hope of redeeming our nation.

You need to go back and read Revelation...the prophecies you're talking about were very near to the writer, and he intended to show that they were already happening.

The antichrist in question in Revelation is Nero Caesar, the beast being Rome. It was a message that the Romans were corrupting the virtue of the gospels and were trying to supplant Jesus.

The war between good and evil already happened, and evil won.

there are no gods

please stop this nonsense - it will not help elect Ron Paul and makes you look foolish

we have to remember that there is a distinction between the "ethnic Israel" and
the "new Israel" as it is called in the New Testament. We, christians are the
"new Israel" whether youa re ehnic Jewish, Arabic, WHite, Black, Asian etc.
So the words of Revelation means symbolitcally, the new Jerusalem, it does not mean the current political Jerusalem and Israel. This is very important, as some Christian groups, or those who profess to be Christians like Hagee (but does not recognise that Christ came to earth to be the Messiah, which means to me Hagee is not a Christian) do not seem to understand this distinction. Ethnic Jews were already dipersed many hundereds of years ago around the world and many of them have also "intermarried", so they also cannot be the "real Israel", if you go forth from the "political Israel" "argument". it is true that we are living in the end times, already in the New Testament.

You cannot "demonize" the European Union" as such also, it is based on economic and political co-operation, where the countries still have their sovereignty. Some in the EU are working towards giving up that right to sovereignty, but not all. Tow countries have rejected an agenda in referendums. One can see it as a sign of the times.

It boils down to - you believe in God or you don't. Some believe in God but not in the Scriptures sense. I learned not to argue with people - just present the Scriptures - they will believe them or they will not. Regardless, I've done my job - share God's word.

The problems come when people try to play God and judge others. I'm inclined to agree with many things BeaReady posted in this thread. I will take one more step though:

Scripture clearly teaches there will be a Great Tribulation - a time like never was before on earth - a time of devastating troubles. Scripture also teaches Christ came and presented himself to the Jews as their Messiah and they rejected him and had him crucified. So God saves a Jew named Saul and changes his name to Paul and sends him to Gentiles and those who receive Christ are part of the Bride of Christ. These are also those who Paul writes his letters/epistles to - Romans through Philemon. After Philemon, Paul talks to the Jews again and then we get into tribulation times.

Scripture has a literal application for that specific time and a spiritual application plus a prophetic. For the Bride of Christ (those "born-again" ) Paul clearly mentions a "catching up" what is commonly called the Rapture in I Corinthians chapter 15 and in I Thessalonians chapter 4.

We prepare today because we know tough times are coming and as Joseph prepared during Pharaoh's time, we prepare. But when it really hits the fan, I'm outta here.