“…BE ON YOUR GUARD (blep’-o: to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to something); I have told you everything ahead of time.” (Mark 13:23) “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ DO NOT BELIEVE IT. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and PERFORM SIGNS and WONDERS TO DECEIVE, IF POSSIBLE, EVEN THE ELECT.” (Mark 13:21-22)
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree (the fig tree is Israel): As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation WILL CERTAINLY NOT PASS AWAY until ALL THESE THINGS have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Mark 13:28-31) What are “ALL THESE THINGS”? “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you BECAUSE OF ME, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. “When you see ‘the ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION‘ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.” (Mark 13:12-16) “The woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days (31\2 years). (Revelation 12:6)
I think I discussed this a few days ago but now it comes up again! The “Abomination that causes desolation” cannot happen until the “RESTRAINING FORCE” is removed. “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNTIL THE REBELLION OCCURS AND THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED (the beast or anti-christ), the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he SETS HIMSELF UP IN GOD’S TEMPLE, PROCLAIMING HIMSELF TO BE GOD. Don’t you remember that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things? And now YOU KNOW WHAT IS HOLDING HIM BACK, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but THE ONE WHO NOW HOLDS IT BACK WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TILL HE IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. And THEN THE LAWLESS ONE WILL BE REVEALED…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) The beast cannot be revealed until the Holy Spirit in the Church is Caught Up, “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, WE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND ARE LEFT WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER (harpazō: to snatch away, rapturo in Latin) with them in the clouds TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. AND SO, WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham