No Man Knoweth the Day

I was just thinking that if the LDS are to build the New Jerusalem in response to the Tribulation and for protection against the coming Wrath of God; I was thinking it makes sense that there is no dates given in the Bible for the Second Coming. I mean, scripture suggest that Christ will hasten his appearing. Or in other words, the Saints may hasten the appearing of Christ to New Jerusalem by prayer, purifying themselves, and working hard to build and complete the city of New Jerusalem here in North America. (If you build it, He will come). So, it makes sense that scripture does not give a date, because Christ's coming may depend on us. But other dates may possible be known with regard to Daniel's 70 weeks, the 1/2 hour silence, and the 7 year tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 (NIV) Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

Ezekiel 7:25 (NIV) When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none.

Jeremiah 6:14 (NIV) They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace.

Dan 8:25 (KJV) And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Dan 9:25-26 (KJV) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:27 (NIV) He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven’ but in the middle of that ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

In the the 70-week prophecy of Daniel, each week is equal to a year. Daniel's 70 weeks also refers to 70, 50-year periods called Jubilees. In the time of Christ, the 70 weeks started with the the birth of Christ and ended with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. The significant event that occurred in the 62nd week or 62-63 AD according to Dan 9:26 is the martyrdom of Peter, Paul, and James of Jerusalem. By the way, Rome tried to kill John the Beloved but he survived being thrown into the fiery furnace and was exiled to Patmos instead. Not long after, Rome came against Jerusalem beginning in Sept 66 AD. First Gallus was repulsed, Vespasian abandoned the war in 68 AD to be crowed Emperor, and then General Titus completed the invasion in 70 AD. Massad was taken in 73 AD.

If the same 70-week prophecy is to be re-fulfilled in the Last Days, then what would be date 0? Some say the beginning of the 70 weeks is the creation of the State of Israel on May 16th 1948. If that is the zero date, then could 2010-11 could be the start of tribulation? Has anything happened this year that could signify the sounding of the trumpets spoken of in Revelation?

This year we are seeing countries like Iceland, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal declare bankruptcy resulting in civil unrest and rioting stemming from the banking failures in 2008. Also, we have economic sanctions and a covert (black ops) war being waged against Iran approved by Congress on June 24, 2010. We also saw the water turn to blood this year following the Gulf Oil Spill on April 20th, 2o1o. We also have a quiet war in Mexico raging between government and drug cartels that has been spilling over onto US soil.

On a spiritual down note, we had an agreement on Sept 1, 2010 by the LDS Church to prohibit and remove proxy baptism records for Jewish holocaust victims. But on a positive note, the Chinese government gave their approval that Chinese LDS who are baptized while living abroad may may attend LDS services in China.

At some point, very soon, will Israel and Turkey reach an agreement about rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem? The temple institute has already completed work on the actual (not copies) kosher temple vessels, furniture, priestly robes, and priestly training that will be used in the 3rd Temple. they claim that if permission were given, that they could have the temple built in 1 year. The 70 Jubilees may come into play. According to my understanding of it, there were 50 Jubilee years from Adam to the Exodus. Israel entered into the land of Cannan about 1416-1406 BC. If this date is correct, 70 Jubilee years later will be 2015-2024. It is believed that during the 69th Jubilee year in 1967, Israel fought the 6-day War and regained possession of the City of Jerusalem. That would put the 70th Jubilee at about 2017. The problem is that no one is sure the exact start date of Daniel's 70 weeks, and rabbi's debate whether the 50th Jubilee year is 49 or 50 years long.

As far as the temple location goes, we know the Dome on the Rock was built over Herod's Temple. But could it be that Herod's temple was built next to Zerubbabel's Temple in 19BC and not on top of it? It is said that Zerubbabel's temple was torn down and Herod's built in it's place, but in Josephus "Wars of the Jews", Herod is critical of the temple of Zerubbabel's temple built by Darius and Ceres, and says his temple is built to a higher elevation (20 cubits) like Solomons. Could this commentary mean that Herod believed Zerubbabel's temple was not built in the correct spot? Herod was of the assumption that the location of the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite was not at the pinnacle of Mount Moriah but maybe a flat slope of exposed bedrock off to the side. Accordingly, this it may be possible to rebuild the 3rd Temple next to the Dome on the Rock in the original place of Solomon's and Zerubbalel's temple while the Dome on the Rock occupies the location of Herod's temple in the court of the Gentiles.

In current events, will a more open, formal war escalate between America and Iran bringing the armies of many nations to Jerusalem? If the first 2 trumpets have sounded (financial crisis, oil spill), is the 3rd trumpet ready to sound (wormwood)? There has been a lot of talk about missing Cobalt-60 in the media as well as Adnan Al Shukrijumah who with several other al-Qaeda co-conspirators were trained in nuclear engineering at McMaster University in Canada. A Cobalt-60 dirty bomb anywhere in the Mississippi-Missouri watershed area could cause big problems for downstream water users.

The important point in all of this, is not trying to figure out the exact dates, but when we see these events happen, we should feel inspired to prepare ourselves and our families spiritually and temporally for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. For the wicked the day will be terrible, but for the righteous, the day is promised to be truly wonderful. What are you doing to prepare?

Grace and Sanctification

ITS ALL GRACE
The whole gospel is grace. Everything is by grace. But here here is where we differ with the Evangelicals. There is the lesser law and the higher law. The lesser law deals with Justification by grace and not by works. This initial salvation or "rescue" is God condescending and snatching us from the jaws of death and hell. The "saved" by grace and not by works "lest we boast" is talking about our initial justification or rescue. I like to replace the word "saved" with "rescue" to clarify what Paul is taking about.

FREE FALL RESCUE
In another sense, all of us when we leave our eternal home and step into this fallen world; take a step off the cliff into spiritual free fall headed straight to hell. Whether we realize we are falling from a cliff or not, the ground is approaching. God is like an Eagle and dive bomb us and in his condescension match our position and speed, and tap us on the shoulder and inform us of our dreadful condition. We are promised that Christ will even bare us up on Eagles wings so that we can stop our free fall. But even though we are no longer falling, we are still a long way from where we started.

JUSTIFICATION (NO WORKS NECESSARY)
After Justification, Christ's righteousness is "imputed" to us and we are "called" clean such that we are enable to receive the holy ghost through the merits of Christ. But just because we are justified and "called" clean doesn't really mean we are clear and ready to return into the presence of the Father. Sure, Christ condescends and hangs out with sinners and publicans and accepts us how we are. But not the Father. The Father is the Man of Holiness, and he permits no unclean thing into his presence. This is why it is imperative to understand the distinctness between the Father and the Son.

HIGHER LAW, COVENANT, PRIESTHOOD
But now that the believer in Christ, can enjoy the presence of "a portion" of the Holy Ghost, if he allows it, the Holy Ghost will work within that person to purify them, and perfect them. This is the higher covenant and higher law and higher gospel. Remember that Paul said in Hebrews that the Levitical Priesthood didn't have the power to make one perfect. (sanctified).

Heb. 7: 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

SANCTIFICATION (LIFETIME OF WORKS REQUIRED)
And remember the words of Christ to the rich young man who asked what he needed to do to gain eternal life. After reviewing the law and confessing that he had kept the law since he was a boy. The young man asked "what lack I yet" Christ responded, "If thou wilt be perfect" (sanctified) then accept the law of Consecration. (Matt 19;21). So, here the young man had to make a choice, enter into a covenant, and keep that covenant in exchange for the promise of sanctification. Yes, its the power and grace of Christ that empowers the keeping of the covenant and blesses the keeper with the promised sanctification or eventual disposition never to do evil but to do good continually. However, there are a whole lot of consecrating works between here and there which may not end until the end of the Millennium when Christ presents the Sanctified Earth and His sanctified people on it, to His Father.

THE LDS MESSAGE
Unless a person understands the difference between Justification (called clean) and Sanctification (made clean), then I can see why the LDS message may seem peculiar. All LDS who have been baptized have already been rescued. LDS members have already been justified and enjoy the reception of the Holy Ghost. We are already "called clean" through the merits, and mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. That is water under the bridge. Now the whole LDS message is focused on Sanctification and preparing to receive and keeping the Law of Consecration. The whole focus of the New Testament, Higher Covenant is about "trying a little harder to be a little better." The focus is not trying to save ourselves, or even meet God half way. The focus is on receiving and exercising the grace, spirit, and power that God has already extended to us, and then asking to be added upon--- Grace upon grace and not a fullness at first (John 1).

AFTER ALL WE CAN DO
Again, "Being saved by grace after all we can do" is not talking about meeting God half way or even taking one step toward God by our own power. Nephi is talking about why they bother to keep the Law of Moses knowing salvation is in Christ. But Christ gave the Law, so therefore, Nephi's conclusion is that they will receive what Christ has already given them (1sts) until the time that he gives more (2nds).

GAINING ALTITUDE
After we are Justified and Christ breaks our free fall descent and bares us up on eagles wings. We still have much work to do to get back to our heavenly home. We have lost a lot of altitude. Christ gives us wings to bare us home. Christ teaches us how to fly. Some will look up at the cliff from which we fell, and fix our gaze on a lower perch and settle for a lesser reward. Although, others who put our faith in Christ's flying lessons and the wings we have been given will diligently, persistently, patiently use those wings to return us home again into the presence of the Father from whence we came.

Thanksgiving Story

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to link to a previous post that talks about the the real story of Thanksgiving. Despite what Rush Limbaugh would have us believe. The story of Thanksgiving is not about Capitalism. Capitalism is all about the supposed need for inequality; that we desire certain people to become more wealthy than everyone else. Capitalism establishes a system where a certain minority of society is able to amass huge amounts of capital more than others. This capital pool thus empowers these ultra-elites with the political and economic power to choose what to invest in and to become the architects of our society. The real story of Thanksgiving explains the reasons behind the initial failure and suffering of William Bradford and the Puritans at Plymouth Colony and their eventual later success in attempting to institute a communal economic system and then recognizing property rights and switching to the law of tithing.

SAVE OUR NATION, FIX THE ECONOMY, UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION

This is a link to my other blog at Brain Bender which discusses how to take our country back, fix our economy, defend the US Constitution, and end corruption.

http://brainbender.blogspot.com/2010/11/save-our-nation-fix-economy-uphold.html

Why Missionary Service?

Why should we participate in missionary service?

We are commanded by God.
Matt 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Evil men are out there purposefully deceiving.
Many are looking but don't know where to find it.
D&C 123: 12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—

It is only fair and just.
D&C 88: 81 (D&C 38:41) Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.

So, few laborers for such a big job.
Luke 10: 2 (Jacob 5:70)Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

No more sorrow upon the Earth.
Alma 29: 1-2 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

Helps us Remember the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alma 29:10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

Brings salvation to our soul.
D&C 4 and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;