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Answering the Scoffers
By Ray Gano 11-20-05

Being students of Bible Prophecy, Tracye and I stay abreast of what is going on in the world. To do this we use a program that scans the news wires with key words we input. Anytime an article hits the wires that have one or more of our keywords, we get it placed in our news window.

With all the events going on in the world I have for some of my keywords �last days� and �end times.� Recently I have been getting a good amount of news articles from all over addressing the question �Are we living in the last days?�

On October 29, 2005 I got an article that caught my attention. I have seen this type of article before. It was from a pastor here in Texas stating that we are NOT living in the last days.

Idom: Are the end times upon us? No, but let's learn from trouble
By The Rev. Matt Idom

The end of time is at hand. Repent! At least, that's what a lot of people are saying and thinking. Heck, I even read in The Eagle this month that many folks look at world events and are suggesting the last days are upon us.

I researched the end of time. Go ahead, Google-up "end times." I got 318 million hits. Obviously, someone thinks the end of time is now! But what struck me as strange in the search is that many of these end time sites are offering products for sale. What's the use?

WAR! HURRICANES! EARTHQUAKES! PLAGUES! Well, at least the threat of a plague, with all this discussion about catching the flu from chickens. The doomsday prophets and watchers of end times predict the imminent return of Jesus and the advent of a final battle between good and evil. I don't know what odds Vegas offers, but my money is on God sweeping the series.

There is one catch for me, however. I really don't think we know "the hour," as Jesus called it. And I just don't think that hour has arrived.

You can read the rest of the article at http://www.theeagle.com/stories/102905/faith_20051029026.php

Here is another article titled �End Times Fever May Be High, But Not Everybody's Buying It� by By Marney Rich Keenan / The Detroit News. She writes�

I don't know about you, but I feel totally out of the loop on this one. Apparently, the signs have been so evident, a growing number of people have concluded that the world is coming to an end.

First it was the tsunami last Dec. 26, with waves up to a staggering 100 feet, killing 275,000 people and devastating the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, south India and Thailand. Eight months later, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, eventually claiming 1,256 lives. It was followed by Rita, and then, Wilma. Then in October, a cataclysmic earthquake swallowed whole villages in South Asia claiming 79,000 lives, 15,000 of them children, mostly from Pakistan and India.

Now the deadly bird flu alarms keep sounding. The World Health Organization says the lethal strain of avian influenza is in 15 countries, and that it's only a matter of time before the virus acquires the ability to be spread from human to human.

And, pardon me for ruining your breakfast, but in Niger right now, a modern day famine has left 3.5 million people with little or no food. A deadly combination of rains and locust invasions devastated last year's crops. Without aid, the UN Emergency Relief says 150,000 children will die soon.

Wrap your head around all of that, and then set it against the enormous backdrop of terrorism, and well, right about now, the bearded man on the street corner with the sign portending the end is near doesn't look like such a lunatic.

I don't know what rock I've been hiding under, but evidently this apocalyptic anxiety has been germinating for quite some time. According to Newsday, many Pentecostals and charisma tics believe the seven years of calamities leading to Armageddon -- the battle in which Jesus defeats the antichrist -- is already upon us.

She ends her article with this telling statement�

Oh, and one other thing: I don't mind it being the end of the world, so long as everybody I love gets to come with me 'cause I'm not buying any part of this "Left Behind" stuff.

You can read her entire article at http://www.detnews.com/2005/lifestyle/0511/12/F04-378520.htm

Again, these articles are nothing new to me and in fact in an earlier commentary I even mentioned Rush Limbaugh stating that we are not living in the last days. A lot of people as well as �bible experts� have been stating �We have had earthquakes & plagues and wars before�. It is normal. There is no apocalypse nor is it the end of the world. It is just mother nature and man repeating history.� Now this is a Ray paraphrase, but you get the general idea.

Why The Study Of Bible Prophecy Is So Important

Let me give you a short analogy here.

US Treasury agents are the ones who are in charge of protecting our nation�s currency from counterfeit. Their primary tool is our own currency. The agents spend hours upon hours studying, learning every detail in regards to our currency. They know the feel, smell; every intricate detail of our currency. They probably even know the taste. When they come across a false dollar bill, they know it almost immediately. The reason is that they have studied the original so much that is has become a part of them. It has become second nature.

It is that way as well when one knows God�s Word. If you know God�s Word & constantly study and learn, when you come up against a falsehood regarding scripture, we know it is wrong because His word is a part of us.

The study of Bible Prophecy is so important in these days. One third of the bible deals with Bible prophecy. In most cases it is one of 3 main topics, Israel, Jesus the (our) Messiah, and the last days / the Lord�s return / Day of the Lord.

I can understand a person who does not know the Lord stating something like shown above, such as in Ms. Keenan�s instance, but to have a person who is a pastor stating that these are not the last days is troublesome indeed.

An interesting point in all of this is that they themselves are fulfilling Bible prophecy when they make statement like the ones shown above. In 2 Peter 3:3-4 he says that there will be scoffers in the last days and to be ready for it.

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

It seems that no matter where you turn we are seeing more and more scoffers coming out saying that these are not the last days.

You see there has always been earthquakes, wars, plagues etc in our past. One of the periods that seem to be a main focal point is the early 20^th century. Here are some examples�

April 18, 1906 - San Francisco Earthquake
San Francisco was wrecked by a Great Earthquake at 5:13 a.m., and then destroyed by the seventh Great Fire that burned for four days. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of trapped persons died when South-of-Market tenements collapsed as the ground liquefied beneath them. Most of those buildings immediately caught fire, and trapped victims could not be rescued. Reevaluation of the 1906 data, during the 1980s, placed the total earthquake death toll at more than 3,000 from all causes. Damage was estimated at $500,000,000 in 1906 dollars. (1)

January 31, 1906 - Off the Coast of Ecuador � 8.8 Earthquake
A catastrophic magnitude 8.2 earthquake off the coast of Ecuador and Colombia generated a strong tsunami that killed 500 to 1500 there. It was observed all along the coast of Central America and as far north as San Francisco and west to Japan.....The wave arrived in Hilo at about 12.5 hours after the earthquake. It covered the floor of the old wharf at the end of Waianuenue Street and the railroad tracks between there and Waiakea. The range of oscillations in water level was 3.6 m and the period 30 minutes. The channels of the Wailuku and Wailoa Rivers alternately dried up, then disappeared under the tidal wave. (2)

April 1906 - Mt. Vesuvius � Volcano Eruption

Mt. Vesuvius violently erupted. It lasted ten days and causing great destruction and killed 2000 people. (3)

June 28, 1914 - World War 1 1914 � 1918

The First World War spanned four years and involved many nation states. The ignition point was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austro-Hungarian Empire, in Sarajevo, Bosnia (4)

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 AKA The Spanish Flu

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than the Great War, known today as World War I (WWI), at somewhere between 20 and 40 million people. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history. More people died of influenza in a single year than in four-years of the Black Death Bubonic Plague from 1347 to 1351. Known as "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" the influenza of 1918-1919 was a global disaster. (5)

With examples like I have shown here, the scoffers �prove� their cases that these days are not the last days spoken about in the Bible. But these scoffers are missing one important item. In fact we often do not even hear of this event when these so called experts, news reporters, journalists and yes even pastors speak. That important fact is that in many of the instances they often give, Israel was not a nation. In fact Israel was not a sovereign nation for almost 2000 years. That is until May 14, 1948 where in one day, the nation of Israel was created. This in itself was spoken about by Isaiah 66:8. This in it self is ALSO Bible Prophecy coming to pass.

Isa 66:8  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

May 14^th 1948 a day that will live in infamy

On May 14^th 1948 God took his giant hourglass and turned it over. The countdown has started.  Well I do not think that God has a �literal� hourglass and the grains of time are dropping through, but you get the picture. It is this benchmark in time where from that time forward we see Bible Prophecy coming to pass and in fact it is moving at a very fast pace.

In Ezekiel it is prophesied when Israel would be re-established. This is found in Ezekiel 4:3-6. Grant Jeffrey demonstrates that the Bible prophesied Israel's rebirth in the spring of 1948. His theory was first published in his book Armageddon - Appointment With Destiny first published in 1988 which has now been revised in1997. This is a book I highly recommend and you can order it from Grant�s site at http://www.grantjeffrey.com/

Israel's Rebirth In 1948 Foretold By Ezekiel
By Grant Jeffrey
 
Israel's First Captivity and Return
 
On the 14th day of Nisan, Passover, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham for the Promised Land. God also prophesied that Abraham's descendants would be in affliction and bondage for precisely 430 years. "And he said unto Abraham, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Genesis 15:13).

This "affliction" began 30 years later with the hatred expressed to Isaac by Ishmael's mocking attitude (Genesis 21:8-10). This affliction of Abraham's seed in Canaan eventually ended in the bondage in Egypt. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And I came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:40-41). On Passover, 430 years later, the captivity ended. The Apostle Paul confirmed that the captivity lasted precisely 430 years (Galatians 3:17).
 
Israel's Second Captivity and Return
 
When many of the kings of Judah began to rebel against God, numerous people turned to idol worship and pagan gods despite God's warnings through His prophets. The 10 northern tribes of Israel were conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B.C.E. (2 Kings 17:6). Then, Jeremiah prophesied that the Kingdom of Judah would also be removed for precisely 70 years from the Promised Land beginning in 606 B.C.E. because of their sins. "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years" (Jeremiah 25:11). Precisely 70 years later on the first day of Nisan, 536 B.C.E. King Cyrus of Persia released the Jews, just as Jeremiah had prophesied. Despite the royal permission, only a small remnant of the Jews left Babylon and returned to Israel. The vast majority never returned, choosing rather to reside in the nation of their captivity.
 
The Third and Worldwide Captivity
 
The Bible contains numerous prophecies of a final return of the exiles to the Promised Land in the "last days." In light of  the precision of the prophecies about the duration of the earlier captivities, it seemed probable to me that the prophets must have revealed when the Jews would return from their final captivity to establish their nation. The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision concerning the final return of his people. "This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year" (Ezekiel 4:3-6).

Ezekiel declared that each day represents one biblical year. Israel would be punished for 430 years (390 years and 40 years). At the end of the 70 years of prophesied captivity in Babylon, in Nisan 536 B.C.E., only a small remnant of the house of Judah returned to Jerusalem to fulfill the prophecy. The vast majority of the Jews remained in the Persian Empire as colonists. Therefore, when we deduct the 70 years in Babylon that ended in Nisan 536 B.C.E. from Ezekiel's 430 years of punishment, Israel still had 360 years of further captivity due following the end of the Babylonian Captivity.

Despite the precision of Ezekiel's prophecy there was no return to the land, either 430 years or 360 years after 536 B.C.E. The solution to this mystery is found in Leviticus 26. The Lord established promises and punishments for Israel based on her obedience and her disobedience. God told Israel four times in this passage that if, after being punished for her sins, they still would not repent, the punishments previously specified would be multiplied by seven (the number of completion). "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins" (Leviticus 26:18; also Leviticus 26:21, 23-24, 27-28). In other words, if the Israelites did not repent, the punishment previously promised (360 years) would be multiplied seven times (360 years x 7 = 2,520 biblical years) to reach a total of 2,520 years. Therefore, as of 536 B.C.E., the final restoration to the Holy Land would occur only after 2,520 biblical years.
 
The Biblical Year of 360 Days
 
When we refer to biblical/prophetic years we refer to the ancient Jewish year of 360 days. While our modern calendar year contains 365.25 days and the modern Hebrew calendar has 354 days, the biblical year of ancient Israel was lunar-solar and contained only 360 days. The solar calendar year of 365.25 days was not used by Israel. According to articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica and Smith's Bible Dictionary on chronology, Abraham used a year of 360 days consisting of 12 months of 30 days each. The Bible's account of the flood confirms the ancient biblical year of 360 days describing a five-month period as consisting of precisely 150 days between the 17th day of the second month to the 17th day of the seventh month (5 x 30 days = 150 days). Sir Isaac Newton declared that "all nations, before the just length of the solar year was known, reckoned months by the course of the moon, and years by the return of winter and summer, spring and autumn; and in making calendars for their festivals, they reckoned thirty days to a lunar month, and twelve lunar months to a year taking the nearest round numbers, whence came the division of the ecliptic into 360 degrees." The book of Esther (1:4) reveals this 360-day year in its description of a six-month-long feast that lasts precisely 180 days. The prophet Daniel also confirms this fact by describing one-half of the 70th week (Daniel 9:24-27) as containing exactly 1,260 days (3.5 x 360 days). Sir Robert Anderson, the brilliant head of Scotland Yard in 1895, described the 360-day year in his book The Coming Prince.
 
The Calculation

The Babylonian captivity ended in the spring of 536 B.C.E., 1^st Nisan. This date is the starting point for our calculations. The period of worldwide captivity would last 2,520 biblical years x 360 days = 907,200 days. Converting this figure into our calendar year we divide the 907,200 days by 365.25 to reach a total of 2,483.8 calendar years. (Remember that there is only one year between 1 B.C.E. and 1 C.E.; there was no Year Zero). The end of Israel's worldwide captivity would occur after a total of 2,483.8 years had elapsed from the end of the Babylonian Captivity in the spring of 536 B.C.E.

End of Babylonian Captivity: Spring 536 B.C.E. + the duration of Worldwide Captivity: 2,483.8 Calendar Years = When the Worldwide Captivity would end: Spring 1948.

The Rebirth of Israel: May 14th 1948
 
On May 14, 1948, the Jewish people proclaimed the independence of Israel and the end of their worldwide captivity at the precise time prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel. On this very day a united Israel took its place as a sovereign, independent state among the nations. (6)

Just quickly, here are some other Prophecies that have come to pass regarding Israel.

God will bring the people of Israel back and also create in them one nation

Eze 37:21  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

Eze 37:22  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

In Ezekiel 34:13 that God will bring them back to THEIR OWN LAND�

Eze 34:13  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

Please note that you do not read PLO, Palestinians, etc. But the Israelis in their own land that is given to them through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by covenant of God.

In Ezekiel 36:22-24 we read�

Eze 36:22  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

Eze 36:23  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

These prophesies that Ezekiel gives us basically states that God will bring His people home from all the lands. This prophecy also precedes the coming of the Messiah.

When Israel became a nation, the countdown began.

In the Mt. of Olives discourse, Christ tells us what to look for. You see the scoffers always quote from Luke 21:7-11. That is the wars, earthquakes and plagues part. In fact this is a portion of the Mt. of Olives discourse that many people quote from and remember. Those items are also covered in Mark 13 and Matthew 24. What bothers me is that they never seem to get to Luke 21:29-32. Which is also conveyed in Mar 13:28-32 and in Mat 24:32-35.

Luk 21:29  And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Luk 21:30  When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Luk 21:31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Luk 21:32  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

As we know, Christ told his disciples that Jerusalem would be destroyed. This happened in 70 AD, but He also told us what to look for and gave the parable of the fig tree for what many believe Israel being reborn. This was also prophesied in Ezekiel as I stated above.  Now, the fig tree portion is often argued over. Some see it as the rebirth of Israel and some do not. It is almost split 50/50. I personally see this as the birth of Israel for a several reasons.

1. It appears that Jesus is using the fig tree to represents Israel in this instance. If he didn�t He could have stuck with just saying �all the trees.� So why does He mention the Fig Tree? Again it my belief that He intended the Fig Tree to represent Israel. The Fig Tree is also mentioned in Jeremiah 24 and Hosea 9:10.
   
   
2. Christ in this passage was using an analogy of the seasons. I say this because it was common knowledge knowing the times of the seasons. In essence, we should recognize the last days by the events around us as well as Israel becoming a nation. Just like the early farmers would know the time spring is coming by the budding of the fig tree and the other trees, people should recognize that we are living in the last days by the events taking place around us that is mentioned in the bible.
   
   
3. The fig tree is common in Israel. It is also the first tree to start producing shoots and leaves in the late winter. So those who lived in Israel knew that when they saw the fig tree shoot forth new branches and leaves they knew that spring was on her way. Again pretty basic knowledge.
   
   
4. In verse 31 Christ says that when you see these things come to pass, know that �THE KINGDOM OF GOD� is at hand. This is a very clear reference to the last days. As stated also in Ezekiel that in the last days Israel will become a nation. Again this precedes the coming of the one true messiah, Christ Jesus in Ezekiel.
   
   
5.  A final point, in researching the book Tracye and I are writing, I have been studying the early church father�s writings. One writing called �The Apocalypse of Peter� which was written around 140 A.D., is a commentary on the Mount of Olives Discourse. In it the unknown author states that the Fig Tree is �the House of Israel.� The following is some text from �The Apocalypse of Peter.�

�And ye, take ye the likeness thereof (learn a parable) from the fig-tree: so soon as the shoot thereof is come forth and the twigs grown, the end of the world shall come.

And I, Peter, answered and said unto him: Interpret unto me concerning the fig-tree, whereby we shall perceive it; for throughout all its days doth the fig-tree send forth shoots, and every year it bringeth forth its fruit for its master. What then meaneth the parable of the fig-tree? We know it not.

And the Master (Lord) answered and said unto me: Understandest thou not that the fig-tree is the house of Israel? �Verily I say unto thee, when the twigs thereof have sprouted forth in the last days, then shall feigned Christs come and awake expectation saying: I am the Christ, that am now come into the world...� (9)

Just as a side note, it is clear to me that the early church fathers did believe and preached an imminent pre-trib rapture, seven year tribulation, a full understanding of Daniel�s 70^th week and were pre-millennialists, meaning that they believed in the 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth. This has excited me because I am working on research to refute the heretical teaching of preterism., kingdom now, dominion theology.

This generation shall not pass away

I strongly believe that Christ will return in our lifetime. Since 1948 we have seen Bible Prophecy come to pass. We have not just seen an instance here or there, but many instances all in concert with the rebirth of Israel. Here is a short list. (7)

Rebirth of Israel � Mat 24:32-34

Exiles returning to Israel � Ezekiel 37:21

Israel becomes fertile and blossoms � Isaiah 27:6

Ethiopian Jews return to Israel � Zeph 3:10

Israel surrounded by Arab nations / enemies Psalms 83:4-8

The revival of the Roman Empire � Daniel 2:40-44

Russia is a military power (Gog / Magog) Ezekiel 38:1-12

The City of Babylon is rebuilt � Isaiah 13:1,6,19

Groundwork for a One World Government Daniel 7:14, Revelation 13:7

Increase in false messiahs � Mat 24:4-5

Increase in false prophets and heresies Mat 24:24, 2 Tim 4:3-4

I can go on, but I think that you get the general idea here. Since 1948 these things have come to pass along with many other prophecies spoken of in the Bible. So it astounds me when these scoffers say that we are not living in the Last Days. Israel is now a nation, the labor pains are increasing, so much so that almost an hour does not go by where something of prophetic interest takes place in the news. In fact just taking earthquakes as an example, of the twelve largest earthquakes, 3 of them were pre-1948 while the remaining nine were after 1948. (8)

It is our intent to point out that this is the generation spoken about by Christ and no this is not just mother nature either or just another day on the 3^rd rock from the sun. Folks, these are the Last Days spoken about by the prophets and by Christ Himself.

My earnest hope is that many of you who took the time to read this information won't just let all this fall by the wayside. Right now you have two options. You have an opportunity to freely receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and meet Him in the air, or someday face a global tyrannical dictator who will demand the entire world to worship him and show allegiance to him by receiving his mark. This mark is spoken about in Revelation 13:16-18,

"And he causeth all, both small and great. rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, of the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six, 666." (KJV)

This mark will reveal that you are owned by him; failure to comply will result in execution by beheading-Rev 20;4. I believe the first option is by far a better decision, don't you?

Here is what God�s Word says�

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

I would encourage you to not delay in receiving Christ as you Savior today if you have not already done so. He died for your sins, and rose from the dead. He offers you eternal life, but that's your choice to make. I hope you will consider doing that today.

Sinners Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I know that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I need your forgiveness through Jesus Christ who died on the cross just for me to cover the sins that I have committed against you. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. I want to live for you Lord Jesus and from this day forward be known as a Child of God. Thank you for forgiving my sins and coming into my life, in Jesus� wonderful name. Amen

If you are a Christian, but have fallen away from the Lord, come back to Him. Our Heavenly Father is a good and loving Father. Just ask and commune with Him. You see, He never left your side, we just left Him. Reach out and renew your relationship with Jesus Christ our Savior today.

I also ask that if you know someone who would benefit from this article, please freely share it with them. You can download a copy of this article in PDF format at http://www.prophezine.com/. The PDF is located in the PZ Members Download area. If you are an owner of a website, please feel free to post this article to your site. I also ask that you do not edit this document in anyway by adding to or taking away from.

If you have any questions, comments or I can be of any help, please feel free to contact me at ray.gano@prophezine.com.