TO BE WITH CHRIST, IS FAR BETTER

by Pastor Mike Taylor

1 “ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

Have you ever been to a funeral of a loved one and felt so sad, almost to the point of total depression because of the cold, unnatural looking person who you loved lies in a perpetual state of unawareness?
Most people have, and I really don't like going to them, as I would rather remember them in life, than have that last image of them in their casket burned into my memory. But you can understand that many people believe that death is the end of our existence, that your loved one is completely gone and never coming back. TheGodless world believes that death is the end of our thoughts, our memories and the end of our consciousness.
Think about your loved one for a moment that has passed on. When they were with you, they were warm, animated and engaged with life. Now they are cold and still and totally disconnected from this life. Have you ever reached out and maybe just touched their hand or finger, how it feels like a piece of a stick? All that you knew them to be if gone, and your loss and pain of the unbeliever is overwhelming. One, you have to face your own mortality, as that will be you in the future, should the Lord tarry longer than your date of death, which only He knows.
MAN IS DESTINED TO DIE
I read where man is the only creature that knows he is going to die. Even though everything on this planet at some point dies, man knows that it also includes him. So why do we fear it so much?
What you're looking at, in that casket, is the mortal remains full of embalming fluid to preserve the flesh till you get it in the ground. It knows nothing, feels nothing and the life force has left its shell. But what of the consciousness? What happens to it? Do you have a body, or is the body you? Is your body your possession, or as the song goes “is this all there is?”


Someone who is not a believer in Jesus Christ and has no relationship with God, called an Atheist would argue that the body and the consciousness are one and the same. When the body dies, so does the consciousness of the person. They reduce mankind to some kind of roadkill that was runover in the road and doesn't go to heaven.
In this viewpoint, you ARE your body. There is no “ghost in the machine” ..no spirit, nothing that goes on and continues to live. Your brain produces your mind and your mind is what makes you think that you are YOU. An Atheist credits reason for reaching this “enlightened” perspective.
But to qualify as an atheist, that person must know EXACTLY what happens to the mind, their will and their emotions. And if they entertain the possibility that death is the great UNKNOWN, then they are not atheist, but now are agnostics...They just don't know for sure.
For the worldview that claims “reason” as it's father, it's not very reasonable.



WHAT DID THE ANCIENTS BELIEVE ABOUT DEATH?
As early as Job's time, God had revealed the existence of the Redeemer Christ, and the PHYSICAL resurrection of the dead.  Job not only expected to see Christ with his PHYSICAL eyes, but he expected his physical body to be changed.

25 “ For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27)

The prophet Daniel also wrote of what we would be, those who have the Hope of the resurrection to a new life.

2 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:2-3)

Job awaited the call of a Trumpet that would raise the departed souls from their sleep and raised in a new body. This change was believed a thousand years before it was generally known as the resurrection of the saints, some call the rapture.

12  “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?” (Job 14:12-16)

Our Lord Jesus expressed this same concept when He spoke in John:

28 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29, and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:28-29)

Many point to the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes where Solomon referred to the PHYSICAL boy which is “asleep” and not the spirit. Soloman addressed the eventual end of both body AND sprit.

7 “ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

But note what Paul the Apostle said concerning the body that dies. It is not the end of all consciousness. Yes, the body dies, but the consciousness lives on.

8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2nd Corinthians 5:8-10)

May we point to the parable that Jesus gave when He spoke of Lazarus and the rich man? Some say this is just an analogy, but did Jesus lie when He gave parables? No, He spoke them of truth, but many couldn not hear them, or understand them, as it was not meant for them to understand. Because if they remained ignorant of the point, they would not be guilty of sin of unbelief.

19 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31)

Jesus spoke truth and never lied when He spoke of such a case that makes the reader heart sick for one so unable to change his destiny. And maybe those who read that identify with that man. It brings a sense of dread to the unbeliever. If you or your loved ones were in such a condiiton, would you not pray for another chance as this rich man did in the story Jesus told? Jesus told us in plain truth what the person experiences upon physical death.

Lazarus died physically, but the angels carried him into Abraham's bosom which is another word for Paradise. The rich also died and was totally conscious of his fate while looking up from the flames of hell.
Let us look at the facts that I believe Jesus was relaying to His listening audience:

1.  Lazarus, Abraham and the rich man were all there, and they were all conscious of their surroundings.

2. the rich man was conscious of his torment and was able to speak with Abraham and was aware of Lazarus whom he knew also. Abraham was also conscious of his surroundings as well and able to give reply to the rich man's questions.

3. note that the rich man was in Hell, not in the Lake of Fire, which establishes the story playing out in real time at some point before the resurrection of Jesus. It was not a scene of the penalty imposed on those at the Great White Throne Judgment. The rich man had memories not only of his life on earth, but the memories of his family as well.
   
4. The rich man cared for his family, his father and five brothers, so all of his earthly memories remained intact. And also his emotions which are entirely human.
   

His physical body was dead in the grave, or asleep as Solomon puts it, but his soul, what made him who he was, was very much alive in the sense of his consciousness and his mind.
So taking this parable and knowing it was an actual event Jesus was telling the people around Him, the question remains, what happens when we die? Answer: We are absent from the body, but there is no cessation of our consciousness until the resurrection of the dead. Our dead bodies will be changed and we will rejoin them and be united and stand before the God of the Universe and give an account of our lives..Some will receive rewards and eternal life at the 1^st resurrection, and those raised in the 2^nd Resurrection will be raised to judgment and condemnation.
The Apostle John wrote of this judgment of the unrighteous in Revelation:

5 “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:5-6)

Note that John speaks of those raised in the 1^st Resurrection, but the rest lived not until the end of the 1000 years. He separates the two resurrections. Those who are raised before the Millennium with those Tribulation saints are of the 1^st resurrection, beginning with Jesus, the first fruits of those born of the dead. And the second resurrection is not where anyone wants to be, as it will be condemnation, judgment and the penalty of separation from God for all eternity.

John addresses the PHYSICAL resurrection of the dead whose consciousness remain awake and very much alive in hell with the rich man until final judgment after the 2^nd resurrection of the lost.

11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

As to the 'dead in Christ' -- they are also conscious, but in Heaven in the presence of the Lord from the moment of physical death until the Rapture.
Furthering Job's theme of 'the change' Paul writes,

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”. (1st Corinthians 15:51-52)

At the coming of Jesus for His church, some believer will not have experienced physical death. They will be instantly changed in to their incorruptible bodies, and those who have experience physical death will be raised prior to those found alive, and they will receive their resurrection bodies first. And then we will all be united in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

THE GREAT DEBATE, WHAT OF THE SPIRIT?

The is a great debate on what the spirit of those who have died experience when their spirit returns to the Lord. Does the Bible give us a description of what we will be? No, it does not...but I am of the mind, we are not some disembodied spirits floating on clouds playing harps, as the imagery fostered by a major world religion. The Bible doesn't come right and say what we will be between here and the coming of the Lord for those departed, but Paul makes this statement in his epistle

20 “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” (Philippians 1:20-23)

Did you catch that? “I desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better” If Paul was desiring to be with Christ, is it in his grave, or his spirit with the glorified Savior whom he saw with his own eyes? The God who blinded him, and was taught by Him in the wilderness for threee years prior to coming to see the other Apostles, and the man who was translated (raptured) into the third heaven and heard words that are not lawful for a man to hear? Paul knew our Savior almost as intimately as the other Apostles, but He knew Him as the glorified Savior in His power and glory. That is who Paul wanted to leave this life and join and he has been with Him, in whatever form of spiritual expression that God has deemed fit, for now over 2000 years.

So we await what is promised those who have died and those who are alive that are found in faith and belief in our Lord Jesus Christ

At the return of our Lord for His church, the Bible says that;

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise (physically incorruptible) first: Then we which are (physically) alive and remain (in our natural bodies) shall be caught up together with them (changed and incorruptible) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Our loved ones who have gone home to the Lord are ALREADY in His Presence, enjoying Heaven and its unimaginable joy and riches in wha form, we are not told. .  They are NOT mouldering in the grave, unconsciously awaiting the call of the Trumpet.
They are alive and aware and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to meet with us in the air and embrace us once more.  



LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION?



Where do you see yourself on this great debate. Are you the rich man waiting for his demise in an eternal hell? Or are you the beggar who is not rich, but rich in the power of the Holy Spirit? Do you see yourself in the arms of your Savior, or destined to be cast out? It is a question that everyone of us must make a decision over, and it is why everyone that has ever been born has to decide. “what will you do with the God/man, Jesus Christ? Will you accept His free offer of mercy and grace, or will you enjoy your sin and unrighteousness, being deceived but for a short while?
This world is coming to an end. Maybe quicker than you even imagine. But the bible says we all die. Are you ready to die?

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:.” (Hebrews 9:27)

In this life, you only get one chance to get it right. No second chances. No passing GO and collect $200...when you die, you have two places to end up...with Christ, or in hell....or the Lake of Fire. Don't wait, as we are not promised even tomorrow. Tonight might be the beckoning call of death that awaits us all. Look to Jesus, as He will save you only if you ask Him.

“For God so loved the Word, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosover believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved”

(John 3:16-17)
Make that decision right now...Your eternal destiny depends on it..



This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying for your salvation. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,  God bless you all,

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET.

Understanding the Times

In 1 Corinthians 10:6, Paul says that the sins of the Israelites in the wilderness happened as an "example" that we might not follow in their footsteps. On the other hand, we find many positive models of faith in the Old Testament we can follow such as some men from the tribe of Issachar.

In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we read this about them: "Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command." What did they understand? They knew it was time to make David king over all of Israel, not just Judah. They understood the times in which they lived.

The Pharisees, during the time of Jesus, lacked such insight. In Matthew 16:1-4, Jesus scolded them for not recognizing Him as their long-awaited Messiah. They correctly predicted the weather based on signs in the sky, but they missed all the signs identifying Jesus as the promised One of Israel. They failed to understand the times in which they lived.

What about us today? Do we understand the times in which we live?

There are eight times more references regarding Jesus' return to earth than for His first appearance. In Matthew 24, Jesus repeatedly instructs us to be watching and ready for His return. He said this after providing many signs of His return so we would know when that time was drawing near.

In spite of this, many believers remain asleep today. They hear no urgency regarding Jesus' return in their churches. Instead, many pastors downplay any imminence regarding Jesus' appearing. They tell us that Jesus will someday bring heaven to us, but not any time soon.            Jesus' return is a far distant event, they tell us, without any relevance for our current lives.

This is NOT how the early church regarded Jesus' appearing.

Early Believers Eagerly Awaited Jesus' Appearing

If there is one thing that the Lord has impressed upon me during the past year, it's that the Apostles instilled an eager anticipation of Jesus' return in the hearts of early believers.

In 1 Corinthians 1:7 Paul said this, ". . . as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ." The apostle repeated this same thought in Philippians 3:20, "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." The sense in both verses is not just that of simply waiting, but of an eager anticipation of Jesus' return for them. The believers in Corinth and Philippi deeply longed for Jesus' appearing. They watched for it with great desire as well as fervent expectation.

We also see this same sentiment among the Thessalonian believers. Turning to Jesus, away from their idolatry, led to their eager awaiting of His return (see 1 Thess. 8-10). In Titus 2:13, Paul said that the result of  turning to Christ signified, among other things, "waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." For these early followers of Christ, believing the gospel was synonymous with waiting and watching for Jesus' appearance.

A GEICO commercial portrays a spy fleeing from both armed men and a black helicopter. His phone rings as his adversaries appear ready to capture him. Thinking the call is from those coming to rescue him he answers the phone shouting, "Where are you?" We then see and hear his mom calmly talking about squirrels in the attic after which the narrator says, "If you're a mom, you call at the worst time. It's what you do."

Reflecting on what Paul said in the verses quoted above, we might expect him to say something similar: "If you believe the Gospel, you live in expectancy of Jesus' return. It's what you do." Passage after passage in the New Testament points to Jesus' appearing as our immediate expectation.

New Testament believers watched for and anticipated the appearing of Jesus as something that could happen at any moment.

The Early Church Also Watched for Jesus' Return

Many object to the idea of such imminency reasoning that if this was the expectation of New Testament believers, why did no one in the early church, after the time of the apostles, believe this?

Church history tells us a much different story than what many might expect.

The Didache, which means "teaching" in the Greek, is a brief document from the early decades of the Church that provides insight into its beliefs regarding Jesus' return or the Rapture, as we call it today. Scholars believe the Didache originates from as early as AD 70, although it likely was not formally compiled until around AD 300.

Chapter 16 of this short document contains instructions regard watching for the coming of the Lord, "Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come."

Reflecting on Jesus' command in Matthew 24, the Didache reflects the same imminency regarding the Lord's appearing that we see in throughout the New Testament.

The church, well into the fourth century AD, remained almost uniformly premillennial. The early church looked for Jesus to return, setup His kingdom, and reign for 1,000 years. Prominent early church fathers such as Papias, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian strongly advocated the literal interpretation of Revelation 19-20. They uniformly proclaimed their belief in Jesus' return to reign upon the earth!

Irenaeus, a prominent early church father of the second century AD, believed Jesus would return for His church before a period of tribulation upon the earth. In his famous book Against Heresies, Book 5, Chapter 29, he said this, "And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, 'There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.'"

Using the same terminology as Paul did in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Irenaeus said Jesus would take believers out of this world before a time of great tribulation upon the earth. Irenaeus, writing late in the second century AD envisioned the Lord coming for His church just as Paul promised in 1 Thessalonians 4. This would happen, according to Irenaeus, before a time of tribulation on the earth.

Another reference to the imminency of Jesus' return comes from a most interesting person in church history known as Ephraem the Syrian (also known as Saint Ephraim of Edessa). Born in AD 306, he became a monk, a poet, a writer of hymns, and a preacher. Some believe he attended the Council of Nicea in AD 325.

In his sermon entitled On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World, Ephraim clearly referred to the Lord coming for believers before the day of the Lord, before the tribulation. As such, he strongly encouraged believers to be ready for the soon appearing of Jesus to take His church out of this world after which the world would be engulfed in a time of great turmoil and suffering.

The belief in the imminency of Jesus' return for His church did not end with the apostles. It carried over into the early centuries of the church. As late as the fourth century AD, we find an example of someone warning believers to be ready for Jesus' return ahead of a period of tribulation upon the earth.

What Are the Signs Today?

Fine, you may be saying, but how does that relate to us today? Is there any evidence Jesus is coming soon? After two thousand years of waiting, should we still be expecting Him to appear at any moment?

YES! (I'm so glad you asked!) There are many, many signs we are living in the days leading up to the Great Tribulation and hence to Jesus' return for us just prior to that, known as the Rapture.

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus repeated Daniel's prophecy that a coming world leader, the antichrist, would defile the temple in Jerusalem during a time of tribulation upon the earth. Irenaeus, 150 years later, also wrote about how the antichrist would someday perform such an abomination in the temple.

Although the Jews currently have no temple, a group known as the Temple Institute is busily preparing for its construction. The architectural designs are complete as are many of the furnishings for the Third Temple. The altar is ready for sacrifices and if you are a Levite, you can attend a special school to train for serving as a priest in the new temple.

The signs Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:4-14 are coming true today as never before in human history. Indicators of Jesus' return to earth at the end of the tribulation abound today. Earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, famines, and persecution of believers already occur with increasing frequency and intensity and will continue to do so all through the tribulation. Just like birth pangs, these signs are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity.

Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of a great war against Israel in the later days. Remarkably, we see the nations lining up exactly and precisely as predicted in these chapters. The nations prophesied to come against Israel have now joined forces as never before in history. The countries that remain on the sidelines during this conflict, including Saudi Arabia, are now aligning with Israel, at least to some degree.

Each day, we see increased tensions between Israel and the leaders of this coalition: Russian, Iran, and Turkey. The discoveries of rich deposits of natural gas and oil in Israel add to the intrigue and provide much motivation for these countries to someday attack Israel.

As Amir Tsarfati recently stated, today we see the history being written that will lead up to the great conflict of Ezekiel 38-39.

The Bible also predicts that a one world government and one world religion will engulf the world during the Tribulation. The foundations for both these realities are carefully being laid so that once the Church is gone, they can quickly be put in place. Not since the time of the Roman Empire has there been such an emphasis on unifying the planet under one world order.

With so many indicators of the approaching tribulation abounding today, why do so many preachers push Jesus' appearing to the far distant future?

Why do so few believers recognize the signs of Jesus' soon imminent return? Why do so few really understand the times in which we live?

I am often perplexed myself by these questions.

Why do so many pastors as well as believers do not understand the day in which we live and hence do not watch for Jesus' return?

The king of the world; Out of the Shadows comes the Antichrist

“Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase”(12:4), “for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end”(12:9). Daniel was told 2700 years ago when this prophecy would be understood. John is told for this future generation: “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). Referring back to chapter 1:19 where John saw the things that are and will come to pass. We are in the time of the end, what Daniel sealed will be revealed. At this time in the end when knowledge increases throughout the earth. This has a dual meaning, knowledge in our technology age has increased (doubling nearly every year) But it is also meant for those who seek God’s Word. They will begin to understand what was unable to be known centuries before. We will begin to get a clearer understanding of what was written as the end of the age escalates. Daniel was told about this knowledge, “none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (12:10). Prior to Christ’s coming a falling away from the faith (inside the visible church) will occur. It will be noticed by those who are practicing the faith. Paul in 2 Thess.2 warns us living at the time, “Let no one deceive you by any means.” Repeating the same warning Jesus did in the beginning of his discourse in Matthew twenty-four about the succession of events at the end of the age. The Laodicean church becomes the dominant type; it is the only church Jesus has absolutely nothing good to say about, it had no commendation, only rebuke. But those inside it have much good to say about themselves. Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers about what must occur in order for the Antichrist to be revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 says: “For the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) is already at work: only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” The mystery of lawlessness, in Greek mystery is musterion meaning to hide or conceal. In the ordinary sense a “mystery” implies knowledge withheld, not easily detected or understood. What is hidden will one day be revealed and brought to a conclusion. Just as in Jesus dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, so the counterfeit, Antichrist will be the full and final embodiment of the devil. He will be the “mystery of iniquity,” manifested. In v.6 of 2 Thessalonians the Apostle Paul writes “and you know what is restraining, that he may be revealedin his own time.” The normal word for time is chronos, but here the word for time here is kairos, which is translated to mean the “time of opportunity.” The man of sin who has been is withheld from appearing in the world for a particular time will come to its fruition. This restraining force opposes evil and holds back its growth, preventing the man of sin (v.3) from coming into his time of power. Human government is part of God’s plan to restrain evil (Romans 13) but it cannot be powerful enough to restrain or hold back the antichrist, for at this time it falls under his control. Once the restraint is removed evil will no longer be in check and will increase dramatically and spread to all. For a time the development of the world preparation would be hindered or restrained until it no longer needs to be restrained 2 Thess. 2:1-70. At the time Paul wrote this epistle, (He) was being prevented from being revealed. Over 1900 years later: the lawless one is closer to being revealed. The mystery of iniquity that is already in the world is growing, but is restrained by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that is present on earth [who is also in individual believers, and the Church] continues to be restraining (hinders, prevents) the antichrist from revealing himself. At a certain time He, the restrainer will no longer prevent him, the mystery of iniquity. It will be revealed in a man, the lawless one. Eventually this will bring the world under one head, an individual leader. What has withheld him is slowly being removed; as we see lawlessness is increasing. Like the flood waters rising with Noah, the world will at a certain point enter the tribulation, that day the restraining will completely be removed. What he has waited millennia for will finally take place. He comes when everything is in its right place; the timing is based on the nations and with God. The mystery that was operating throughout the world in Paul’s day increases. Jesus says in the end “lawlessness will abound.” John writes, “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4-5). In other words it will overtake any good in the world. The final conflict between the mystery of lawlessness and the mystery of Godliness will take place. It is the revealing of sin, the one who brought sin to mankind, will be in the man of sin, the son of perdition, the lawless one. Dictators assert themselves to power because the people are not vigilant for freedom, they become lazy, asleep. If one looks at all the scriptural descriptions by Jesus, Paul, John etc and how they describe the end of the age; the term that most encapsulates it is deception (Jesus used this 4 times in Mt.24). 2 Tim 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: Perilous in Greek –chalepos, means through the idea of reducing the strength; difficult, i.e. dangerous, or (by implication) furious: Thayer’s describes it as 1) hard to do, to take, to approach 2) hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage. Now lets read the descriptions, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” Morals will run amok in the culture because of churches with no Holy Spirit. We are told there are many antichrists that have already come, but there is still the last and most important one of all. He will culminate all of the dictators into one. He will be the shrewdest most conniving murderer, liar, destroyer of them all. "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. "Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity” (Dan. 8:23-25) this verse is filled with descriptions that will match a certain individual at that certain time. All is prepared for the man of sin at the end of the age, when rebellion reaches its culmination. Many antichrists, many false prophets, those who operate as false teachers in the church are corrupters of the truth have the spirit of this one who is to come. It will increase apostasy by a succession of individuals, who would operate by the spirit of antichrist. Unknowingly, many people have become involved in a co-operation with what the Bible calls the spirit of antichrist. As the spirit of antichrist increases in the world it is also brought into the church by the corrupted teachers, you know who they are, they are the ones that mention hell only because Christ went there to be tortured by the demons. They divide the body with their own lies because they are anointed by the one who is to come, the false Christ. We are in that age of fruition. There is a real disconnect on what is important, what affects us. Commercial prophecy conferences state the obvious but avoid the real issue, the apostasy, which sets the door open for the fallen anointed one’s entrance. He comes within the framework of the increasing apostasy, as the church will no longer hold to Bible doctrine, few will recognize him for who he is, but there will be those who will – and they will speak. Few will listen. In our day most people cannot recognize evil, even when it is staring them in the face. Maybe it is because of the pervasiveness of moral relativism that has intruded the culture and the church. They insist that it’s best to think good of everyone, be positive, not negative. Our new viewpoint insists on the majority being liberal, non-judgmental, having no discretion, avoiding scrutiny. Will the church recognize the one who is the counterfeit the Bible warned of? How, when they are surrounded by counterfeits and have nothing to say. Antichrist is revealed to the world in the middle of the tribulation, Christians should be able to identify him at the beginning. There are a number of qualifications he will fill that connect the dots. That is what we will look at as we understand what is taking place. But we are living in some very evil days and its NOT going away, but only going to get worse, far worse. Outlook: we are ripening for the picking. So many people have amassed a large amount of influence, money, power, controlling the world banks, commerce and food (seeds) etc. The majority want to see some kind of global governance over the nations. Some think it is the most beneficial, compassionate and logical thing to take place at this stage. They are unknowingly being influenced– being moved into position by the very one who wants to rule the world. So preparation is already underway for his acceptance in the various facets of life. His “lawless” spirit working in prominent people is already in place, when he comes, his rise to power will be quick. The spirit of antichrist will spread like a net over the world and become the norm. The world stage must be prepared for this leader. His rise and acceptance will be seamless, many will see it as destiny. In real life terms he offers himself to the people as the ultimate problem solver. He will be liked, and loved by all. He will pass legislation that will appear to help everyone. He will be seen as the greatest humanitarian, a stature that is liken to Jesus. And he will accept this. They will claim that he is a man of light that can remove the darkness. They will recognize his intelligence and his charisma will win them over. The anti-Christ will have a worldly appeal for mankind to accept him. Besides having a supernatural attraction, he will quite possibly be young and handsome as the world looks to the outward and is impressed more with looks and charisma than with the substance. Much the way Israel did with their first king Saul. Look at the changing landscape. Fraudulent is the one word that describes this whole period and execution of this man’s leadership. As the song goes everybody wants to rule the world but only one person will get the chance, temporarily. He will positionally be set up as the King of the world, we call them presidents. But he does not publicly become known, famous by his religious view. Beginning in politics, he can be the president of one nation and will consistently rise to prominence. He comes as a politician to unify the nations; Watch politics carefully. For people to allow this particular man to be president over all the countries, he would have to convince them of his worth. That he can lead the world into prosperity and peace and a new era (a golden age) that all will share in and none be excluded. Some thoughts on his overall demeanor. He will be the quintessential narcissist, everything will be about him. He will love to be spoken of and be on people minds everyday, it will like devotion (worship). It is unlikely he would rise in a 3rd world country that would have no resources and is struggling with poverty. It would be a country of influence. Take for example, if this man rose in America, what would he have to do? He would have to lead it down a path he has decided. Maybe by taking it hostage or destroying it’s foundation of law and religion and rebuild it in his own image. Any influence of that countries traditions for good and God will first be diminished to come under his control. This is why we read the finance and commerce system will directly be linked with his name if he is to have control of everything. Once you make the culture secular you can begin again and introduce whatever religious system, or non religious system you want. After success, he can easily convince others to follow his system. We have heard for so many years by preachers that he is alive and biding his time for his revealing. Of course we have heard the same from the new age movement and their hope for Maitreya to be revealed. If he is to be a ruler of some country, logically it would be strong and influential. If you have the strongest country controlled all the others will fall in line. So he will either control the country, or take it out by some means. For centuries people wondered how this would be competed. Many think a single man will be picked and groomed. I don’t see this as strategic. We can learn from history and the many dictators that have already come on the scene. The old saying of not putting all your eggs in one basket applies. Satan will have his hand on a number of people, developing them to be the one. He may not know which one it will be until that certain time. But God will, and will allow only one of them to go all the way, prophecy will be fulfilled. Certainly one cannot know ahead of time, absolutes on this matter are hardly possible. There are those who have already come that have openly claimed to be the Christ, the Messiah, (Matt 24:5, 24). False messiahs copy what they can of Jesus to have people accept them. Paul had the future in mind, when the spirit of antichrist will be embodied when wrote I Jn. 2:18 “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” All these “antichrists” are precursors of The Antichrist, in whom they will find their climax. We know it is nearing the time by how many came before. We may see many men acting in the same nature of the Antichrist before he appears. It may be that many men will be chosen to be the Devil’s surrogate and fail until God allows one of them to be him. None before him will compare to the power and ability this last one will display. It will find completion during the ultimate rebellion against the true God, bringing those who reject the truth under one head, an individual leader known as the Antichrist. One needs to first study the nature of Christ (holiness) to identify the one that will oppose him and replace him temporarily, convincing the world he is Christ (not Jesus). All his characteristics will be understood by his nature, as one who replaces Christ and opposes him. All the opposite qualities and characteristics of Jesus will be working in him but he will still be admired, because he comes when the world is lawless. After studying the activities and functions of the true messiah we should be equipped to recognize the false one. Those who know the Lord Jesus will be repulsed by everything this person does, because he will be against Christ and all that is holy. Others who think He is Christ will be against those who speak out about him. It’s not just recognizing evil but will you identify it, and him; will you resist him if you are here. Let’s look at some general comparisons of antichrist to Jesus Christ to illustrate the nature and the context of the counterfeit. The “Lamb” is the Savior of sinners; The “Lamb” speaks of sacrifice and the gentleness of Christ; the “Beast” persecutes and kills the saints (Revelation 13:7). The “Beast” describes the fierceness and cruelty of the Devil’s nature through the man who is Antichrist. While Jesus was humble and meek, this man will exhibit incredible charisma that will be manifested to manipulate the masses to accept his words as if they are the only right choice. He will be boastful, insolent, and aggressive. The false messiah will copy everything he can of Jesus, but he will cause division, but not for what is right; though the people will be convinced it is for their good. When the Savior entered this world, He came saying, “Lo I come to do Thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9); but of the Antichrist it is written “And the king shall do according to his will” (Daniel 11:36). The Antichrist will set himself up in direct opposition to all authority, both Divine and human. He comes in his own name to do his own will, which is the opposite of Jesus. He will promise freedom but bring bondage. He will act meek but exercise strength. Jesus is the way; the false messiah will have his way. Jesus is the truth incarnate - The false messiah will be the lie incarnate. He will act in the nature of Satan, a liar. He will be the best liar anyone has ever seen. Where someone may tell the truth, he will twist it into a lie. He will lie and will convince people he is telling the truth. The son of perdition is the false shepherd. He leads the people to destruction. He will kill, steal and destroy but it will look like he has a benevolent reason. Hitler killed 1/3 of the Jews; by the end of his rule Antichrist will have killed 2/3 of the Jews (Zech. 13:8 though he will try to eliminate every one). It is this nation that becomes his special target because he knows the scripture where Jesus required the Jews to call upon him for his return (Mt.23). He will promise prosperity while at the same time bankrupt people and their lives. We are told he loves money. It says this “the king will do as he pleases.” He will rule as king and convince the people he has the answers to everything. And implement his policies to solve it all. One of them will be the economic problems (Rev.13). Satan's man will pose as God's man, offering an alternate plan of rescue, but not from sin, but from war. Peace will be his platform. He will also promise peace and prosperity, the good life here and now. Christ is the Son of God, having the same nature as his Father (Luke 1:35). He cannot eliminate Jesus out of history so he may refer to Jesus Christ as “a son of God,” not the only begotten son of God. We see this in embryo today. The Antichrist is called the son of Perdition, by having the same nature as Satan (2 Thess. 2:3) Many parallels could be cited to show that he copies what Christ did in the very opposite manner. But this will not be so obvious at first because he will be deceptive in his works and words as he substitutes himself as the Messiah of the world.

DEUS EX MACHINA (GOD IN A MACHINE)

by  Pete Garcia

Here in the spring of 2017, we often have difficulty reconciling the prophetic pages of Holy Scripture with the reality of what we see daily in the news. We wonder what exactly that final world government, final world religion, and final world leader will look like. Much speculation has been put forth recommending this person or that religion, with supposed proof texts both from secular and scriptural sources, but the truth is, we will not know until it happens. But two instances will absolutely force an immediate change in the world. The first is the Rapture of the Church. The second is the final world system.

 

The Rapture of the Church

 

As most Christian watchers are already aware, we cannot know the day or hour of Christ's return. But we also know that we should be cognizant of the season of His return. The Apostle Paul writes but of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:1-2 NKJV). That word 'perfectly' in the Greek is "akribōs," and it means exactly, accurately, and diligently. The Prophet Jeremiah uses that same form of the word perfectly in Hebrew when writing chapter 23 verse 20 saying: The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.

 

So Paul was saying that we would know exactly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. That might appear somewhat paradoxical at first, but then Paul gives some additional clues that shed light on the context.

 

For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. (1 Thess. 5:3-4)

 

I believe that the Apostle Paul here is delineating between the time before the Tribulation (70th Week) and the time just shortly after. This cannot be speaking of the 2nd Coming of Christ (Rev. 19), because that entire period preceding it, is wracked with massive turmoil, upheaval, and supernaturally violent judgments. In other words, 1st Thessalonians 5:1-4 can't be speaking of the 2nd Coming because Paul states here that it would be like a thief in the night, which parallels what Christ had previously declared that no man could know the day or hour. How can it be like a thief in the night, when the Tribulation is marked out exactly to equal seven prophetic years of 360 day years, marked each by 12, 30 day months? (Daniel 7:25, 9:24, 12:11-12; Matt. 24:15; Rev. 11:2-3, 13:5)

 

Aside from the obvious benefits believers will experience at the moment of the Rapture, is the momentous transition the world will be thrust into in a matter of seconds just after the fact. The Rapture will be the ultimate black swan event, because most of the world's population either does not think it will happen, does not think it can happen, or does not care. What we as watchers don't know, is how long that transition point will be, between the moment after the Rapture occurs, and the beginning of Daniel's 70th Week (aka...the Tribulation). Everything at this time is speculation. It seems unlikely that the Tribulation will begin immediately after the moment of the Rapture. The reason for this is that the Rapture will by necessity, trigger a series of crisis points in just about every sector of human life; these need to be drawn into the final world system.

 

The Beast System

 

The New Latin term deus ex machina is a translation of a Greek phrase and means literally "a god from a machine." "Machine," in this case, refers to the crane that held a god over the stage in ancient Greek and Roman drama. The practice of introducing a god at the end of a play to unravel and resolve the plot dates from at least the 5th century B.C.; Euripides (circa 484-406 B.C.) was one playwright who made frequent use of the device. Since the late 1600s, "deus ex machina" has been applied in English to unlikely saviors and improbable events that bring order out of chaos in sudden and surprising ways. (Merriam-Webster)

 

The current rate of technological advancements is that computing power is doubling every 24 months. Computer efficiency is doubling every 18 months. Because of this, men like Elon Musk (businessman/futurist) fears that artificial intelligence (AI) will gain self-awareness and take over the world soon. In his view, the only way to counter this threat is to enhance humans to the point at which we equal with AI.

 

"If you assume any rate of advancement in [artificial intelligence], we will be left behind by a lot," he said at a conference last June. The solution he proposed was a "direct cortical interface"-essentially a layer of artificial intelligence inside the brain-that could enable humans to reach higher levels of function. (Winkler, 2017)

 

Essentially, we have to bioengineer technology into the human body if we are going to be able to compete with a fully autonomous AI system. So if you think back thirty years ago, the idea of embedding computers into the human brain seemed ludicrous. If we think back twenty years ago, this still seemed impossible. If you think back ten years ago, this seemed improbable, but potentially becoming feasible. Today it not only seems feasible and probable, now it seems inevitable given our dependency on cyber networks, digital currency, and the rapid integration of the internet of things. Still, Mr. Musk recognizes that-

 

The technology faces several barriers. Scientists must find a safe, minimally invasive way to implant the electrodes, and a way to keep them stable in the brain. It also isn't yet possible to record the activity of millions of the brain's neurons to decode complex decisions, or distinguish when someone wants to eat a bowl of spaghetti or go to the bathroom. Then there is persuading people to get elective brain surgery. In comments published by Vanity Fair on Sunday, Mr. Musk said "for a meaningful partial-brain interface, I think we're roughly four or five years away." (Winkler, 2017)

 

But it is not just Mr. Musk who is diligently seeking this new endeavor of modifying the human brain. Facebook, Google, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are amongst the American entities pouring hundreds of millions of dollars along with harnessing some of the greatest researchers into doing just that.

 

The program, Neural Engineering System Design (NESD), stands to dramatically enhance research capabilities in neurotechnology and provide a foundation for new therapies. "Today's best brain-computer interface systems are like two supercomputers trying to talk to each other using an old 300-baud modem," said Phillip Alvelda, the NESD program manager. "Imagine what will become possible when we upgrade our tools to really open the channel between the human brain and modern electronics." (DARPA, 2016)

 

Even still, DARPA was not doing this in a vacuum. It would seem that this endeavor was given the full 'two thumbs up' by the former administration known as the BRAIN initiative, which began back in 2013.

 

"If we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas... Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy... Today, our scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to Alzheimer's... Now is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race." - President Barack Obama, 2013 State of the Union (Office of the Press Secretary, 2013)

 

Assessment

 

What the nuclear arms race did for us in the 20th century, the race for and against artificial intelligence will do for us in the 21st. All the aforementioned quotes were simply to point out one inescapable fact-that while we go to work, pay our bills, live our lives, and watch and wait for the Lord to return, the world is pressing full steam ahead to make artificial intelligence a reality. Simultaneously, there are those who recognize the potential threat AI could present and are racing with equal fervor to get that technology into the human brain so as to enhance man into the next phase of our "evolution." Mankind will not experience that AI "breakthrough" moment until man cracks the code on quantum computing, which will fundamentally revolutionize the way information is processed. Although we are close, there is still that almost supernatural barrier preventing mankind from fully capitalizing on it. In fact, we are very close:

 

Google announced a breakthrough in the field of quantum computing Wednesday. The company thinks it's found a quantum algorithm that solves problems 100 million times faster than conventional processes. If confirmed, this discovery could not only lead to iRobot-style artificial intelligence but also advance the US space program by light years. (Tarantola, 2015)

 

If there is any correlation between the nuclear arms race and the artificial intelligence race, it is that time between breakthroughs rapidly increases. Nine years before the Manhattan Project, a Jewish-Hungarian scientist named Leó Szilárd discovers the nuclear chain reaction. By 1939, the Nazi's began their German Nuclear Energy Project. From there, if you look at the natural progression and timing of events for the production of the first atomic bomb, the only constant is the frequency and intensity of the sequence of events. These are just the highlights!

 

1942: Manhattan Project begins

1945: First test of the nuclear (Atom) bomb near Alamogordo, New Mexico

1945: (August 6th and 9th)-Little Boy and Fat Man dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan

1949: Russians conduct first atomic test "First Lightning"

1952: US test first fusion bomb Ivy Mike

1952: British test first nuclear bomb

1953: Russians test first hydrogen bomb

1954: US test first deliverable thermonuclear weapon at Bikini Atoll, code named Castle Bravo

 

In just 12 years, we went from the concept phase to three nations have nuclear weapon capabilities. The next decade, an additional three nations develop nuclear weapons as well as the US and Russia creating increasingly more devastating forms of nuclear weaponry. The difference between the nuclear arms race and the current artificial intelligence race is that whoever successfully and operationally develops AI first (which is predicated on successfully integrating quantum computing into it) is the winner. When I mean winner, I mean that AI, either out of self-preservation or at the behest of its governmental representation, will by default take every other system offline so as not to be challenged by any other form of AI. Where a nuclear exchange between the US and USSR was viewed as a zero-sum game, the AI race will become a winner-takes-all scenario.

 

The first nation to bring AI online is the winner because that system can take over every other system out there. Anything connected to the World Wide Web, or is connected to a cyber interface, is fair game. For the purpose of this article, I'll just refer to this final system as The Beast. The Beast could take over other nations power grids (if they are connected online) and shut them all down in a matter of seconds. It could launch a nation's missiles against itself, or blow them in place. The Beast could take over ships, planes, defense systems, and economic systems offline in minutes. As connected to the internet as this world currently is, there really isn't anywhere or anything anyone can do in the industrialized nations but submit to its authority. That is why this race has so much riding on it. Hence, why nations are spending insane amounts of time, energy, and money trying to be the first.

 

Conclusion

 

While the ancient Greeks may have had a rudimentary understanding of "a god from a machine" (Deus ex machina), Satan most likely didn't. I believe he recognized the potential early on in its ability to solve, unsolvable problems. What he lacked was omniscience and that God's agenda was to send forth His Son (Jesus) to become God in the Flesh, die for mankind's sins, and then be raised from the dead on the third day. By doing this, Jesus was now able to build a universal body of believers known as the Church. He keeps them entirely by the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, who acts both as a teacher/mentor as well as a Guarantee, sealing us as a purchase of His until the Day of our Redemption-the Rapture. (2 Cor. 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13-15, 4:5).

 

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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, or 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. Revelation 13:15-18

 

The irony of this Greek tragedy is that the supposed mechanism of man's deliverance becomes the ultimate instrument of his enslavement. While mankind races recklessly forward trying to correct a perceived disadvantage humans have against artificial intelligence, they are doing this by introducing the very same technology into the human body that the Beast will one day use to extend his dynamic control over every person who has it installed. This is what believers know to be "the mark of the beast." Given what Scripture says about this final man (the Antichrist), it is unlikely the United States wins this race (Dan. 9:26-27). This, along with the supernatural backing by the ruler of this planet (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19), is how the final system comes to control over the entire world.

 

Even So, Maranatha!

 

References

 

DARPA. (2016, January 19). Bridging the Bio-Electronic Divide. Retrieved fromhttp://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2015-01-19

Office of the Press Secretary. (2013, April 2). Fact Sheet: BRAIN Initiative. Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/02/fact-sheet-brain-initiative

Tarantola, A. (2015, September 12). Google: We have proof that our quantum computer really works. Retrieved fromhttps://www.engadget.com/2015/12/09/google-we-have-proof-that-our-quantum-computer-really-works/

Winkler, R. (2017, March 27). Elon Musk Launches Neuralink to Connect Brains With Computers. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-launches-neuralink-to-connect-brains-with-computers-1490642652