Mike Bickle – 2014 Revelation Studies – The Varying Importance of End-Time Beliefs – Session 2

PDF PDF: The Varying Importance of End Time Beliefs

external_link Link: http://mikebickle.org/resources/resource/3529

Background

It may be beneficial, first of all, to review our analysis of Matthew 24’s Olivet Discourse, as this response relies heavily upon it.  It lays a clear, Biblical case for a partially-fulfilled Olivet Discourse, clearly placing the “Great Tribulation” in 70 AD, while delineating the Second Coming as a secondary, yet-future event.

The Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24)

Also of interest is our view of “The Kingdom of God” (see here for further treatment).  Psalm 145:13, the Kingdom was not ‘inaugurated’ at Christ’s first coming, but is an everlasting Kingdom that has been since before the World was formed (Matthew 24:31).  As such, Jesus’ announcement of it being “at hand” was not its “beginning”, but rather the announcement of it’s “proximity”.  When He future “comes” in His Kingdom, it likewise is not its starting point, but merely its ‘coming’, with full inheritence, and the full adoption of us as sons through the redemption of our mortal bodies.

Session 2 The Varying Importance of End-Time Beliefs

  1. INTRODUCTION
    1. This is a working document that we will add to from time to time.Before we look at the particular events in the book of Revelation, I want to give a grid, a context, for understanding that not all end time beliefs have the same value. Some teachings are far weightier and far more important than other teachings. The reason this is important to know that is because there are 150 chapters in the Bible, 150 of which the primacy subject is the end times. When I say that to people and that is the first time they have heard that, it blows their mind. I have said this to many people, leaders who visit. They say, “One hundred and fifty.”I say, “Yeah.” Actually it is more. There is tremendous amount of detail. Some of the details are of primary importance. Some of them are not that important, but still important, and on and on.While we are not attempting to establish an atmosphere of argument, we contest this number.  In our own analysis of the presented “150 chapters”, really 169, or around 12%, we found 52 of them to be pertaining to yet future End Times events, or around 5%.  See our analysis of these 150 chapters here.
    2. We recognize varying degrees of importance regarding biblical, end-time beliefs and themes. We use four categories of ideas related to the end times–those of primary importance (essential doctrines), those held as our core convictions, those helpful for clarity, and personal opinions.  We have likewise categorized our discussion in a similar fashion.  While we appreciate the sentiment of the division, it does not always follow, even in our own study, that this is clearly delineated, except in documents such as this.  This is unfortunate, and, although we have attempted to make effort to keep this distinction apparent throughout, we certainly acknowledge that we, like many others, do not always clearly separate opinion from primary and core beliefs.

      We recognize the varying measure of importance to end time beliefs and themes. Not all the themes are official       doctrine, but they are clear themes, and they are scenarios. We want to recognize the varying measures. The reason is because some things we can speak about boldly, very strongly. Other things we have to speak as a suggestion or put nuance on it, or say, “Well, maybe perhaps or maybe not.” There is a varying level of weightiness to Biblical beliefs. We reference four categories of ideas as related to the end times. We are talking right now about the end times, although this could be said of other doctrines as well. We recognize five truths are of primary importance. I will give you those five really briefly. We will not spend much time on them. Everybody knows them.  We agree with the distinction, but because of certain beliefs, we hold that some of this positions presented herein as primary and core are, in fact, faulted.  This is in no wise to implicate the scholarly work of the constituents involved, but, merely based on incorrect interpretation of key portions of the text.  Most notably, of course, is Matthew 24:29, “immediately after” should read “next but after”, changing the grid for understanding the End Times.  The issue was simply hidden in the translation issues.

      Then we are going to identify–and this is not comprehensive by the way. We will add more to it–those our leadership team holds as core beliefs. You do not have to believe these core beliefs to be a part of our spiritual family, to go to our Bible School or be an intern, but you do have to believe them if you are going to teach in our missions base. Core beliefs are different than doctrines of primary importance.  We believe, however, that because of the interpretational issues of the Olivet Discourse, most notably, “eutheos de meta” in Matthew 24:29, that the core and primary portions are skewed.  Having built upon a wrong foundation, and out-of-plumb structure has resulted.  Again, this is not due to poor scholarship, but merely to a few concerns at the base level, that seemed so well established in the traditional reading of the texts.  The differences, however, are profound.  We are confident in our presentation of the Matthew 24 interpretational concerns, showing that, indeed, the Great Tribulation appears to be past.  Further, the Second Coming, not “immediately after” the tribulation,  but “next but after”, is our Blessed Hope.  Yet, this, at a fundamental level affects the whole of our understanding, and demonstrates our key point, that the Kingdom is Here.  It is not that the Olivet Discourse merely could be interpreted the other way, but rather, that it’s plain intent is that, from the get go, once you resolve “eutheos” in Matthew 24:29.Then we have themes or ideas that are helpful. They are not essential at all, but they are helpful. What I mean by helpful is if you understand them, then you get the story line, the picture the 150 chapters are trying to paint. It takes all 150 chapters to get the whole picture. Some of these ideas are helpful to grasp the larger story line, but they are not essential, and you do not need to believe them. Again, this is not a comprehensive document. This is just giving you the idea so you can process truth through this grid.Some teachings or themes we believe are Biblical, but they are opinions. Meaning we draw them as an implication from the Scripture. They are opinions, and we believe they are informed opinions, but they are of a whole lesser level of weightiness. It is really important that you understand this as students, but it is more important that you understand it as teachers, because many of you will be leaders and teachers in the body of Christ in the near future and in the distant future as well. You will be leaders and teachers. I am wanting you to frame out your own communication through this grid.  While our nomeclature is different we, too, have divided the body of our work into four divisions as well.  With some differences of objectives in the naming, we agree that this is a right approach to the study of the book.  Further, we understand and believe that what God has desired to reveal in the Book He has revealed, and certain things remain mysteries.  Unfortunately, we differ with the commentator on some of the basics that Jesus chose to reveal.
    3. Jesus spoke of some truths as being weightier than others (Mt. 23:23), and He considered the commandment to love God to be “greater” than other commandments (Mt. 22:37-38).23″You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” (Mt. 23:23)
    4. It is important to present the biblical message of the end times with humility and in a way that promotes unity, yet without compromising important truths. This is captured in the well-known saying “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; and in all things, love.”  Contrary to this position, we believe that all of what the Bible has revealed is important.  Concerning the core issues of the Kingdom and the Great Tribulation, albeit the interpretational considerations were not widely known concerning Matthew 24:29, the real identity of the Kingdom has been thwarted by End Times studies, as a deliberate work of the enemy against the Kingdom.  Thus, one of the major outset intents of this study was simply to prove what seemed so clearly obvious to us, that the Kingdom is Here.  Passages such as Mark 1:15 and Luke 13:18 seem to make the case eternally, crystal clear to all who want to study.  But, due note is mentioned that, had it not been for the insight into Matthew 24:29, we would, more than likely, have been eventually forced to conclude, like this commentator, with a futurist interpretation.  But, all things considered, our main intent is simply to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, and cast out demons.  We desire to demonstrate that it is the power of the Kingdom today, in the invisible spirit realm, which is in view in both Daniel and the Gospels.  Further, we hold and contend that any other view robs the Christian of the First Century language of the “Gospel of the Kingdom”, Acts 28:31.  While many still function in the power of the Kingdom, it is often at the expense of the language that we thus interpret the End Times.  Further complicating this, of course, have been people who have done the “Kingdom” with an ill-intent.  While we may reach many similar theological positions as a Dominionist or a “Kingdom-Now” proponent, we are decidedly not that.  Rather, the Eternal Kingdom was brought into proximity with “all flesh”, and, it is that Kingdom into which we are born again through belief in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross.

      It is important to seek to present end-time truth with humility and restraint. It is not enough just to present it       with boldness. Boldness is important, but humility with the boldness, with restraint. What I mean by restraint is that ideas that you are personally excited about and personally convinced of, but are secondary ideas–we need to show restraint in how we share them. We have to qualify them and say, “Perhaps…maybe…it is an idea. Other people do not see this, and maybe I will understand it differently later.” That takes restraint. We do not want to compromise the important truths.  Added to this, of course, is the wider body of belief of concepts such as a rapture and an antichrist.  These positions will not be easily let go, even if they cannot be substantiated by the Scripture.  In the end, “Some Will, Some Wont, So What”, as one leader puts it.  It is not necessary to convince everyone of our own Eschatalogical position, even if you are absolutely right.  Some are simply convinced, and, from their position, they derive hope.  Some are engrossed deeply in other aspects of the refinement of their own heart, and it is not the season to attempt to plow the field afresh and convince them of a past-fulfillment of Daniel’s 70 weeks.  In all things, we must be bold, diligent, and walk in love.  Not a love that promotes itself, but one that promotes the truth.  And, the thing of most importance is Christ and Him crucified.  We must balance boldness with compassion, realizing not everyone needs to hear our latest thing.

      This idea is captured in the well-known saying that you may have heard before, “In essentials, unity. In       nonessentials, diversity. In all things, love.” That is a phrase you will hear over the years. Maybe it is new to you, but it is one you hear over and over if you stay with it long enough. In essentials, unity. We want to be unified in the essentials. In the nonessentials we want to give liberty and honor in our diversity. We want to love people who have different views and really enjoy fellowshipping with them. In all things, particularly in our communication with one another, love and honor.Rather, we say, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of the Lord.  Too many reduce the faith to next to nothing.  Others want to take the fullness of everything they have learned and lay it wholly upon the shoulders of the younger.  But, rather, Jesus Himself said He had many things He wanted to share with the disciples, even, which they could not then bear.  But, the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth.  The whole of the book, from cover to cover, is important, and it is through the teaching of the Word that faith comes to believe it.  Line upon Line, precept upon precept.  This is why we must teach systematically, the whole book, if we are to recover true apostolic faith.  Yes, it starts out as the smallest of mustard seeds, but grows to be the largest of all plants.  There is only one definition of the word “diversity”, and that is what God hates, “mixture”.  There is no grayscale in God’s Kingdom, only absolutes.  On the one hand, when it is revealed, we must study to show ourselves approved, not laboring in vain, but through faith and the unction of the Spirit.  On the other, when the Bible does not specify, or it is not clear, we must not go Beyond what is written, we must rightly divide the Word, and we must not be overly dogmatic where the Scripture is not.  While End Times may not need to be preached at every conference, we believe that the position of scripture is clear, and that, by and large, the commentator is wrong.  As the commentator has himself pointed out on other occasions, that creates a certain social dilemma, which must eventually be addressed.  While we in no wise wish to bring disunity to the body, we feel, the vast body of evidence is in our position, and that the commentator, by the clear witness of Scripture, is in error at the foundation of his presentation.  Yet, at the same time, the larger focus of the body is unity.  So, as we ourselves posit, let faith come by hearing.  Thus, we make our case as bold and as clear as we can, in similar stature.  
    5. The Lord wants His people to be bold, with strong convictions about what the Bible makes clear, yet with humility and proper nuance. We acknowledge the value of people whose views differ from our own, and we must always posture ourselves to continue to learn and listen to others.Having said that, the Lord wants His people to be bold with strong convictions, but only what about the Bible makes clear. Crystal clear. Not what the Bible infers or implies. Out of 150 chapters, the Bible implies many things that might be inferred. We are only bold and strong about what the Bible makes very, very clear.We acknowledge the value of other people who have totally different views. I have friends who have very different views. We have a great friendship. Our different views do not hinder our fellowship at all. We do not fellowship around those views. Sometimes we talk about them. Sometimes we have fun with them, but we honor each other. We always want to posture ourselves to learn and listen. We always want to be learners until the day we meet the Lord, and then after that we are still learners. Actually in the resurrection you will be learners. We disagree with this.  1 Corinthians 13 says knowledge will cease when the perfect comes.  We want to listen well to people. Even who have completely different views. You might not accept their particular view, but you will find insights about their view that are helpful for you to understand them and to honor them.  Overall, we wholeheartedly agree.  We do not think ourselves or the commentator, of course, lives up to this 100% of the time, but it is duly noted that the general sentiment is correct.  We continue to maintain, however, that the positions we presented are in the clear line of Scripture, and it was only a wrong interpretation and misunderstanding in a few key areas that has led to the largely futurist view.
    6. In our zeal to be faithful to the Scriptures, we acknowledge that some end-time themes are best stated as opinions and suggestions, instead of as statements that are unnecessarily dogmatic. Scripture allows for interpretative diversity concerning the specific details and timing of events.
    7. Any presentation of a detailed narrative of future events from a biblical perspective must be tempered, knowing that church history is littered with self-confident teachers who proudly overstated their position or were dogmatic where the Scriptures were not. It is best to delineate between primary truths and our personal opinions when presenting details of end-time themes.
    8. No group has more than part of the full truth of Scripture about the end times. Only as the whole Body of Christ receives understanding will we know the full biblical storyline.  Unfortunately, this is probably a true yet empty statement.  It can just as well be used as a dismissal of the whole subject.  We do all know in part, true, but we do know.  And, those who have will be given more.  The issue is that the major tenets of our view, ultimately, stand in direct opposition to the core and principle values of the commentator.  The crux is, plainly, both cannot be right.  So far as you are all talking about various futurist positions, this is fine and well, but once you have determined that, say, Revelation 13’s beast is past and fulfilled, there can be no future ‘beast’ according to the book of Revelation.  The force of the argument, then, must come to a head with the other, where there is no middle ground.  That is why we present our case.  We feel the considerations of the futurist have been taken into counsel, they proved to be faulted or insufficient, and we have seen no possibility of the workaround of several of our central points.  In this, we must consider that the case of the commentator is not a ‘partial truth’, but is simply wrong.  In that, of course, they are very clearly perceiving things of the Spirit that the Lord wishes to say and release now.  We contend, however, that these are wrongly fit into the context of a fulfilled prophecy of Revelation, and while the details and inklings of the Spirit that they are getting are very accurate, they should not be applied to the chronology of a fulfilled word.No group, no ministry, no church, no small group, no Bible School has more than a small part of the full truth. Nobody has more than a part of the whole truth. Only in context to the whole body of Christ will we know the full story line. Meaning there are groups all over the earth that the Lord has highlighted, with even some of the implications and nuances, but they have captured a part of the story line that you are not going to get if you do not have a learning heart and receive from them. The Lord has ordered the body in just that way where He on purpose gives some to other groups that He does not give to your group so that you need them. You go there because you need them, but what happens, you love them. You say, “Wow, I really like you now that we have had this talk. You are amazing.”

      The Lord goes, “Ah, got you again. I knew you would like each other if I got you receiving from each other.”  We do respect the scholarship of the commentator, we simply feel it is misplaced in its foundation, and hence wrong in much of its construction.  However much energy has been endued into the system, if it is wrong at its foundation, it can never produce the fullness it was designed to carry.  In fact, if we are correct in our core doctrines, much of the edifice of the commentator must be torn down, whether that seems ‘compasionate’ or not.
    9. We are to respect others with differing views on the end times, as long as biblical eschatological essentials are upheld and sound, contextual Bible interpretation is implemented. Teachers must be careful not to imply that their view on the end times is the only correct one.  Agreed.  All discussion should be in an attitude of respect of individuals.  The rest is merely a repeat of the above.  Where the scripture is not clear, we must endeavor to make that point clear as well.
    10. The purpose of this message is to emphasize that there are varying levels of importance of endtime doctrines and themes, and that our staff, students, interns, and other members of this spiritual family do not need to embrace all that we say about the end times. I do not ask anyone to accept my views; rather, I urge you to think for yourself (Acts 17:10-11), to boldly challenge all ideas that you hear, and refuse any teaching that you do not see with your eyes in your Bible.

      The purpose of this message is to emphasize to those of you–not just students–who are future teachers that       there are varying levels of importance to end-time beliefs. Because if all truths are taught as though they have the same weightiness, you are going to be picking fights with people constantly, fighting for things. The Lord would say, “I do not want you to fight for that. You can hold that opinion with a teachable spirit. You do not need to fight for that.” Do not cause every encounter to be a battle you have to fight.  True.  Even in the wider body of eschatology, it is our belief that certain positions, while wrong, have been allowed prominence because they were allowable to bring forth something else.  The futurist, as opposed to most preterist interpretations, has led to a right attitude of watchfulness.  While wrong, in our opinion, it nevertheless did what the Triumphalism was working against.  In the end, what was more important?  It seems, perhaps, that watchfulness, even without full understanding, we more important than right eschatology.  There are many things that must be considered.  You can be absolutely right, but bring about such error, simply because it is presented in a wrong way.  However, at the same time, many futurists have denied the present  reality of the Kingdom, especially as a realm of power.  While George E Ladd helped to clarify this with the idea of an ‘inaugurated eschatology’, which we do not hold to, the coming things of God must be in the reality and understanding of God’s Kingdom.  Hence, the prominent stream of Kingdom-minded eschatology is again on the rise, in counterpoint to much of the futurist view.  Because the Kingdom is in focus, much of Triumphalism is rising.  Yet, this appears to be a pendulum swing.  We must adopt a view of the Kingdom that does not minimize our watchfulness, nor take our focus off from the blood atonement and work of the cross.  We must find the place that adopts the position of the heart that God is seeking in this hour, which will, of course, always be in line with the truth.  The closer we have a right understanding of the End Times things, the better container we will have to be in the right heart attitude about the things on His heart.  We believe we are right, on the core tenets, which, of course, disagrees with the commentator.  We believe, rightly interpreted, many of the revelations of the commentator are indeed right as well, but wrongly fit into the incorrect pattern.  Futher, the general command and attitude of scripture must not be disregarded, simply because we wish to have an ‘optimistic’ view of life.  God is optimistic, because He is always on the throne.  No matter what comes, we should be trusting, relying, and living in obedience.  And, for the most part, we do not find the interpretation of the commentator to be the best vessel in which to contain what the Spirit is saying to the churches.I want you to catch this. Our staff, students, interns, every member of our spiritual family does not need to embrace what I or the other Bible teachers in our spiritual family here think about all the different levels of the end times. You do not have to embrace it all. You do need to embrace those things of primary importance. If you are going to be a teacher here, you have to embrace the core convictions. After that, you do not need to agree with them, even to be a teacher in our midst.The reason I am saying this is to take pressure off some of your hearts. Some of you think, “Mike says this, Allen says that, Wes says that, and Dave came and said another. It does not make sense to me to be honest. I do not know why they believe what they believe, but I want to be a part. Guess what, I will just believe it.” That is not a good way to go forward. We do not want you to do that. “I want to be teachable.” Yes, we want you teachable. We want you humble, but we want you convinced about what you say, not just echoing what somebody else said or feeling pressure that you better say that. We want none of that in our midst. Just because humans are humans, that pressure creeps in. We want to expose it and have it out of our midst so there is a very healthy learning environment continually.  Agreed.  Although, finding answers to tough questions is always difficult, in my opinion, when dealing with leaders and their time schedules.I cannot say this too much. One of my reasons I want to say this is because I really want you to do it, and I want you to say this in the years to come when you are involved in your discipling and teaching ministries, as some of you are already. A teaching ministry does not require a thousand people in a room and a microphone. You can have a teaching ministry with four people in a small group. Beloved, you have a teaching ministry. I want you to say these things as well, these things I am saying right here. I do not ask anyone to accept my views. That is the sort of thing you should say when you are teaching young people and when you are not young any longer. I know you think that will never happen, but it is coming, sooner than you think. Just having fun. Think for yourself. Boldly challenge.When we say boldly challenge–I always say this, and even you say this too–boldly challenge in the right place with the right spirit. Challenging with an arrogant spirit with the wrong context where it is not appropriate is NOT good. You need to know that as well. There are appropriate and inappropriate times to challenge. Somebody says, “What is an inappropriate time?” When you are the only person who has talked ten times in a row, that is an inappropriate time to keep talking. That is what I mean by inappropriate. I am not even talking about in another context.

      If you are dominant, and you have them at the full measure of exercising grace to have you in there, then shhhh, be quiet and listen. You think I am talking about somebody, and I am. I am talking about the guy you are looking at. I was not born at fifty-eight. I was twenty-one, and I dominated. Anyway. Let’s move on. So I am talking about somebody. I know that guy really well. That is why when I see that guy, I think, “You know what, I got your number, but I really like you. I got your number.” I am he. I get it. I get you are trying to win the girl on row eight, and you want her excited to see you at the coffee shop. Anyway, go ahead. The girl I was aiming at was on row ten, just so you know.

  2. PRIMARY IMPORTANCE: ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES – These are truths that have been upheld historically by the Church as essential doctrines of salvation. They define what is essential orthodoxy as related to end-time themes. The truths below do not include all the important doctrines in our statement of faith, but only those pertaining to the end times. We agree with the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.
    1. Authority of Scripture: We fully agree with the reformers who used the phrase Sola Scriptura. Our one source for understanding God’s plan for the end times is Scripture alone. We do not base our views on prophetic experiences or “personal revelations.” The only sure commentary on the Word is the Word itself.  Fully Agreed.There are truths of primary importance. We have five of them, not that there will not be six or seven some day. These are truths that are upheld by the church historically. When I list these five truths, this is not our entire doctrinal statement of all of our values or doctrines in the Bible. Our doctrinal statement is far more developed. These are five truths we believe are of primary importance as pertaining to the end times specifically. There are many, many truths that are of primary importance. They are in the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Westminster Confession, etc. We support and believe wholeheartedly the truths in those historic creeds.  Also, agreed.Pertaining to the end times, number one, we hold to the authority of Scripture. Our one source of understanding God’s plan for the end times is Scripture alone. The reason I am saying that, we do not base our views on prophetic experiences. I have had young people say to me with excitement, “Man, you have had five or ten very exciting prophetic experiences in the last thirty years.” I have had some number like that. I do not know the exact number. I have never counted the number. They think, “Man, that is exciting.” I have had people say, “Boy, that is foundational to what we believe.”I say, “No, it is not. Actually it is not.” I do not count prophetic experiences as a source of truth. I do not derive my doctrine from a prophetic experience. I derive my doctrine from one place and one place only–the Bible. The prophetic experience lets me know God does not want me to quit when I am discouraged in pursuit of that truth. A prophetic experience is about you not giving up when it gets hard. Prophetic experience is not telling you the truth. It is telling you not to give up when that truth has difficulty related to it.

      I have had people say this meaning well, but really wrong, “Boy, our prophetic history, that is foundational to us.”I say, “

      No, it is not. It really is not.” It is important in the sense that it motivates us to persevere. If it is not in the Bible really clearly, it is not important to us. That is not a small thing. If an angel appears to you and tells you some truth, and it is not in the Bible, do not take it. If it is in the Bible, quote the Bible. The angelic experience is only so you do not quit because it is a difficult truth to stay with.  Agreed.  Scripture fully supports the angelic/messenger ministry of the Kingdom of Heaven, both in the life of Jesus and in Paul.  We must, though, test everything.

    2. Second coming: The literal, bodily, second coming of Jesus to reign forever as King of kings.  By and large, agreed.  There is a second coming, but He is King of Kings now, today.  When He comes back, we contend, He will be on His Great White Throne, and will judge the world, and will hand the Kingdom back over to His Father, as per Hebrews 10:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 15:23-26.
    3. Resurrection of the saints: The physical or bodily resurrection of the saints  Yes, clearly.
    4. Heaven: Living with Jesus in the New Jerusalem on the new earth for all eternity  We see a fulfilled, literal Millennium in the Middle Ages.  This is the age to come.
    5. Eternal judgment: the punishment of the lost. We stand strongly against the heresy of universalism that teaches that there is no hell and that all people will be saved.We believe in a literal Second Coming of Christ, a literal resurrection of the saints, literal heaven with the New Jerusalem coming down to the earth, and a literal eternal judgment. We believe in that. Those are five things, the authority of Scripture and these other four things that are essential to every believer when it comes to the end times. If you believe in those five things, we can work together, and we can fellowship together in full confidence, even if you have totally different views about the Millennium. I know believers that do not believe this, that, or the other, but they believe these five things. I have total confidence in their spirituality and their discernment in the Lord as a Bible teacher or a person who loves the Bible.  We agree.  Hebrews 6:1-2 lists eternal punishment as on the foundations of the faith, without which, we cannot progress forward on in maturity.
  3. CORE CONVICTIONS
    1. Below are core convictions that our leadership holds related to the end times. We do not require our staff, students, interns, or other members of this spiritual family to embrace these truths, yet it is necessary for all who teach at IHOPU to uphold our core convictions. Part of our calling is to be a “messaging ministry,” committed to being faithful witnesses of Jesus, His plan of salvation, His commitment to build the Church and disciple nations, and of His end-time plans.I am not going to look at all of our core convictions, and we do not have them all here. A few of us got together the other day, and I said, “Let’s give a grid so our people can kind of get a feeling for the different levels of ideas and truths. So they can have a grid so they can interpret them.” Our core beliefs. Below are our core convictions that our leadership team believes, and you have to buy into these to be a teacher here.The reason that is important is because you do not need to feel pressure to buy in if you do not see them, but neither should you be here for years and find out years later, “Oh, I have not believed those for years. I was thinking I was going to be really plugged in here for years as a Bible teacher. Now I understand that is not going to work.” We do not change our core convictions. We only have a small number of them related to the end times. They are things we are convinced are true and that the Lord does not want us to back down on. Every ministry has a set of core convictions that, if they compromise them, they are compromising all together. Everything they believe is not a core conviction. Many things are a secondary level.

      We do not require–that is a very important word–our staff, student, etc. to embrace our core convictions, but       we do require that our leaders do. Particularly I am talking about our teachers, so we are not teaching differently on very major points. So we are not creating confusion in the students and interns whom we are teaching. We are a messaging ministry. There are certain truths that are germane to our mandate as a messaging ministry.Unfortunately, we believe the core convictions are in contradiction to written intent of the Word at this point.  This makes things difficult.  Suffice to say we will not likely teach at IHOPU any time soon, but, on what we feel is the clear testimony of scripture, when proper interpretational considerations are addressed, futurism is wrong.
    2. Our leadership team has worked through our core convictions for many years, even decades. We have based them on the Scriptures, with the confirmation of many teachers in the Church.*For those of you who are young, I am saying this so you think, “Oh okay, that makes sense.” You may not have thought this through. Our leadership team has worked through our core convictions for years, some of us–guys my age–for decades. We have searched it out in the Word, and we have received through many Bible teachers throughout history and around the world. It is not like we ourselves get it. We receive the teaching ministry through history and around the body of Christ.  Be that as it may, the interpretational issues concerning Matthew 24:29, 34 & 36 have not been sufficiently addressed in the wider body of Eschatalogical inquiry.  For whatever reason of oversight, this stands as an example of an oversight, yet the question is from where it arises.  Certainly others must have seen the discrepancy, yet the debate between futurists and preterists, by-and-large, circumvents the whole subject.  Yet, the clarity of the statement cannot be denied.  Further, noting that v36 specifically excludes the second coming from the v34 ‘genea’ generation, the case is strongly presented that this is the right interpretation of this passage.  While you may attempt to still hold a futurist position, the case from Matthew 24 and parallel accounts shows, clearly, beyond our reasonable doubt, that the Great Tribulation is past.  Despite any and all academia that would try to prove differently, the Scripture must stand where it must.  If the Scripture proves the core conviction wrong, it must change, as per the primary importance elements.Futurism, and indeed, much Partial Preterism (full preterism is heretical, denying the Second Coming), both fall in opposite ditches, as it were, but for different reasons.  It is not that any one is purposefully trying to miss the mark, but the interpretive cues were simply hidden by misdirection.  It is not a matter of whether Matthew 24, in light of these (see our larger paper here) considerations, can be interpreted as partially fulfilled, but whether it can be interpreted any other way.  While it may seem unnerving, when the body of the work is built upon a faulty premise or foundation, the structure must re-built from there.Our leadership team has settled on core convictions that we have concluded from the searching of the Scripture and are confirmed by other Bible teachers through history and across the nations today. If we were the only ones who believe a core conviction, then I would be troubled. Again, I can have an opinion of that level, but that is way down there. There is a big story line with lots of secondary details in the 150 chapters, and I believe a lot of those are not clear right now. In the next decades to come, we–I do not mean “we” as in our group, but I am talking about the people in this hour of history–we need to interact and tease out the dimensions of the larger story line that is found in the 150 chapters focused on the end times.

      Again, coming from Scripture, we saw this reduced to around 50 chapters.  Daniel, and most of Revelation, are fully fulfilled.  We await the Second Coming, not the Great Tribulation.

    3. Our leadership team has been thoroughly exposed to different views held by others in the Body of Christ. We are aware of these differing views and are firmly settled on our core convictions.
    4. We welcome any to challenge our views as they seek to establish their own core convictions. We value this process for them. We are committed to our core convictions, but remain open to change our views related to biblical end-time themes that are of lesser importance (see page 4).We welcome any challenge to our views. Particularly the young people. The reason I am saying this is because some young people are confused by this. We want them to challenge their views as they seek to establish their own core convictions. In other words, we want them to challenge the thoughts we present. One of the reasons is that we value the process of them challenging it and getting their own core convictions.The fact that we allow them to challenge does not mean we are changing our core convictions. We want people to challenge those. Our secondary ideas we are open to change. Our core convictions are confirmed, and we are established in them for many, many years. When people challenge them, sometimes they are confused. We say, “No, we are not moving those.” Any ministry that I know of, that values not compromising, has core convictions they will not back away from. You have to. That is part of your assignment in the Lord. The lesser opinions and the doctrines or themes that are helpful, we are open to changing all of those in dialogue over the years as the Lord makes things more clear.Agreed, but, in this case, it appears it is wrong, nevertheless.  With all deference, and sincerity.  Sola Scriptura.  Whether widely or narrowly supported.
    5. We seek to be clear about our core convictions, so that people do not join us thinking that they might change them. We love and honor believers who disagree with our core convictions and encourage them to find a spiritual family where they can enjoy unity related to their convictions.  We believe our challenge to be apt, and adequate.  We do not wish to ‘challenge’, of course, but merely to “Seek first the Kingdom” (Matthew 6:33), the everlasting Kingdom, the present one, that is.
    6. Our primary end-time theology is historic premillennialism with a victorious church. After many years of searching the Word and studying the writings of other ministries, our leadership team is firmly convinced that this is the end-time position that is most faithful to what we believe the Scriptures teach. Our core convictions express this theological perspective.Our primary end-time theology is historic premillennialism with a victorious church. That is our primary theology. Some folks ask us–I have been asked this every now and then–“Who else has your view?”I say, “That is our primary view. There are multitudes of teachers who have that view of historic premillennialism and/or the victorious church.” Some take one, some the other, and some both. We take both of them. I have a beginning list of them on the website. It was new to some folks that multitudes of teachers through church history have had this position, this view. Our convictions express this theological perspective.
    7. Historic premillennialism and the victorious Church–this represents our core beliefs related to the end times. Many teachers throughout church history, and today, have held to historic premillennialism and/or a victorious Church.* This theological view includes the following:
      1. The victorious Church walking in unity, intimacy, and maturity (purity, power, wisdom). Unity includes the whole Church working together in love and honor (Jn. 17:21-23). Jesus loves the whole Church and is returning for a large, unified, international Church.13…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God [intimacy], to a perfect man [maturity]…to the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:13) Agreed.
      2. The theme of a victorious church includes a global harvest and a prayer and worship movement from every nation preceding Jesus’ return (Mt. 24:14; Rev. 5:9; 7:9, 14).  We hold a mostly-fullfilled interpretation.  As such, little is said about the future state of the church, other than the Gog Magog war.I mention here–and I have a little asterisk indicating there is more information on the website–that there are many teachers currently and throughout history who have held this position. This view includes–I am only going to mentions a few of these because some of them are just so obvious–It includes, number one, the victorious church. Some premillennial teachers do not see the victorious church view. They see the church as phasing out to a little remnant that is holding on to the end, and most everybody has fallen away. There is a little bit of hold-on remnant just barely making it.We do not see that view. Our position, our premillennial position, is with the victorious church. Look at this verse, Ephesians 4:13. There is so much in one verse, “Until we all come to the unity of the faith.” We are talking about a billion believers in the earth. I look at that verse and I ask, “Paul, do you mean that?””Until we all come to the knowledge of the Son of God.” That does not mean until everybody is born again. He is talking to born-again believers, the church. That is talking about intimacy with God. Until the whole church is growing in intimacy with God, and there is maturity in the church worldwide.

        The Great Tribulation, a whole lot of other things, and the outpouring of the Spirit are going to play into this dynamic. It is going to be a tremendous shift of the landscape through the body of Christ. When it is over, the church will be unified and deep in God. Jesus loves the whole church. He does not just love our group, your group, or that group. He loves the whole church. That does not mean He does not correct the church. Loving the church is not the same thing as agreeing with everything the church is doing. Jesus corrects the church He loves. As a matter of fact, He corrects the church because He loves the church. As a ministry in our end-time perspective, we want to constantly understand He loves the whole church and posture ourselves to love the whole church.

      3. The Millennium, a 1,000-year reign of Jesus on the earth with the saints (Rev. 20:1-6). We believe that the Church is to impact society with the kingdom, but we do not embrace the postmillennial view that society will be fully Christianized before Jesus returns.  We see a historica, literal millennium in the Middle Ages.  Much of what is attributed to a ‘future millennium’, in our view, will most likely occur between Revelation 20:10-11.The Millennium or the 1000-year reign of Jesus is one of our core convictions. Many really good Bible teachers, I mean really godly men and women who love Jesus and are excellent Bible teachers, believe the Millennium is figurative. It does not exist. That point does not matter in our fellowship.  We see it as literal, but fulfilled.  An allegorical interpretation does not seem to hold since events are listed after it.It does matter if we are training forerunners. Because, if you take the Millennium literally, then you take many other passages literally. If the Millennium is interpreted as being spiritual, then what happens is many, many of the other 150 chapters are relegated to symbolism. When they are symbolic, then who knows for sure what they symbolize. You end up with a posture that is so familiar today, so popular, “Well, nobody really knows.” Well, if nobody really knows anything, then why study it? How can we be prepared spiritually if no one even really knows?As a Bible teacher I am very, very unsettled with the view that it is mostly symbolic. I am not unsettled with the men or women that hold it. But if most of those chapters are symbolic, and you cannot know exactly what they mean as related to the events of the coming of the Lord, then you do not have urgency to study them. We are  very committed–our whole team is–to this: these passages are meant to be taken at face value. They mean what they say. They say what they mean. They are not relegated to symbolism. They are real. They give us real information. That is a very important belief.
      4. The Antichrist is a man who will be the most powerful demonic leader in history.  We find no Biblical support for a specific, future antichrist.  See our wider study.
        We believe in a literal Antichrist. A real man. We believe in the spirit of the antichrist as well that has been operating throughout history, but we are talking here about a literal man. When you believe in a literal Antichrist, there are a whole lot of folks who say, “Absolutely,” and a whole bunch of folks who say, “Whatever. That seems a little intense.”My answer is, “It is really intense.” The Antichrist is a serious problem for the planet, but God is going to use the Antichrist in order to create the environment to bring the church to maturity and to bring the harvest in fullness.
      5. A post-tribulation rapture at the end of the Great Tribulation, which lasts 3½ yearsWe believe in the post-tribulation rapture. That means the rapture at the end of the Tribulation, not at the beginning. I have many dear friends that believe in the rapture in the beginning. I get it. I believed that for several years. I believed it was at the beginning. That is what my leaders taught me.  We see no future Great Tribulation, but that referred to the 70 AD destruction.  The events of 70 AD do not fulfill all of End Times prophecy, but 60AD – 350AD fulfill most of them, with the Millennium trailing after.  Further, the doctrine of the rapture, as popularly understood, finds next to no Biblical support.Again, thousands of Bible teachers believe it is at the end. Thousands believe it is at the beginning. It is one or the other. The reason it matters is because if it is at the end, then you are prepared. The way we are prepared is spiritually, not physically. Some people emphasize preparing physically. They get guns, water, and food on a mountain and get ready to go. I do not even talk about having any opinions about that. If God told some guy to get some water and go to the mountains, I do not even go there. I want to prepare people spiritually so that they do not yield to fear and they do not yield to deception. The reason this really matters is because, if we are going through the most difficult time of human history in the power of God and victory, we want to be prepared in our understanding and our life for it. If God surprises us, and we do not go through it, there is no loss.  Again, watchfulness is key.  We are told to be ready.  Yet, we do not feel any of this discussion finds Biblical grounding.If you have the wrong view, and we do go through it, well, there are stories of the church in China. I do not have firsthand encounter with the people who tell the stories, but I have heard the stories of the church in China many times. They thought they were going to go up in the rapture. When the cultural revolution took place in 1966, and Communist China persecuted the underground church, many believers went into prison and there were multitudes of martyrs, they said, “Many people fell away because they were thinking they were going to be raptured any minute. They had no grid for trouble, and they got offended at God, saying, ‘The Bible must not be real or this would not be happening.'”

        Though I love and have confidence in the spiritual life of men and women who teach we are going up any         minute, it is a serious error for the generation that experiences the Great Tribulation. The generations before, it is not such a serious error. If you happen to be in that generation, and you are not aware of what is happening, that is an error of a huge consequence.It is my opinion that we are in the early days of that. I do not have a prophecy or revelation that we are in the early days of that. It is just an opinion. It is not anything I ask anybody to believe or promote. It is just my opinion from looking at the signs of the times. I have had people say, “Did you get a prophecy? Oh, come on. Did Bob Jones tell you something?”I reply, “No, no. Nothing like that.” I just see the signs of the times from Jesus and the apostles and the prophets. So many are escalating, I think we could be in that season. We might not be. It might be the next generation. It may be the one after that. I do not know. Things are escalating so rapidly.If we are in that generation, or it is the next one, or the one after that, whatever generation it is, for them to know that there is coming a time of trouble is of huge significance. For the generations that people have taught this over the last 150 years–the pre-tribulation rapture, the any-minute rapture–it has not overly mattered because the Tribulation did not happened. It was like, “Well, you know, okay. It was just a theory.” If you happen to be in the generation of the Tribulation, it is not a theory. I do not know if I will see that in my lifetime.  We believe the wrong timeline is being applied.  Revelation is mostly concluded, and we are already post-millennium, and certainly post-great tribulation.  WWII did not fulfill the Great Tribulation, clearly, yet it still happened.  So, however you interpret events, we must be ready, watching, and alert.

        Some guy says, “Do you hope?”

        I say, “I do not have an opinion. I just want to be faithful. I do not hope it is or is not. I just want to be with Jesus forever in a resurrected body and for all the trouble to be over.”

      6. A futurist view of most of the prophecies found in the books of Revelation and Daniel.  We believe the interpretation of “Kingdom” must be in line with Mark 1:15 and Luke 13:18.  As such, we wholeheartedly disagree with this statement.  Daniel, and most of Revelation, are fulfilled historically.We have a futurist view of prophecies. We view the prophecies of Revelation and Daniel as having a future fulfillment. People who take these prophecies symbolically see the prophecies as already having been fulfilled in history in a symbolic way. We have a futurist view of the prophecies of Daniel, Revelation, Isaiah, other books as well.  We disagree strongly, however, with the idea that the only way to take these things as fulfilled is to do so symbolically.  Some are taken ‘spiritually’, and others are prophetic titling or figures of speech, but we see a direct, historical fulfillment of these events, historically.
      7. Global temporal judgments preceding the return of the Lord  We do not see them as ‘global’, but of the known world at that time.
      8. The abomination of desolation is the primary sign that Jesus gave for recognizing the beginning of the Great Tribulation. It includes the image and mark of the beast (Rev. 13).  See our other studies on dual-fulfillment, the abomination of desolation, and Revelation 13.  Whatever the abomination was, whether it was the specifically or a reference to something else, must be fulfilled, based on a study of Matthew 24.  Since Luke’s account in Luke 21 uses the phrase, instead, of Jerusalem surrounded by armies, a reference to Caligula’s army which surrounded Jerusalem and then unexpectedly withdrew, they may be inter-changeable.
      9. A falling away from the faith (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5; 2 Pet. 2:1-3)We see a literal falling away. A massive falling away. Here is why I say massive. It will be so big that it will be a sign of the times beyond any other time in history. It will stand out as a sign. It will be that graphic. The falling away is not a small point. It is very real and important for the people who fall away, and as a sign it will be such a large number that the body of Christ will see it.That is why somebody with the view of the church getting more difficult will think it just dwindles down to a small number. The falling away is real, but I believe the great ingathering–the great harvest–is happening at the same time. I believe the church will grow in numbers, while multitudes will fall away. I do not know the number, if it is tens of millions or hundreds of millions. I do not know. It is big enough to where Paul the apostle made it a sign of the end times. That falling away has not happened yet. It will be very distinct and measurable. Measurable meaning we will know it is something that has never happened at that magnitude before in history.  We believe this was historical, but probably also could speak of conditions of our day as well.
      10. Eternal rewards and reigning on the earth with Jesus (Rev. 2:26; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4-6; 22:5)

        We believe in eternal rewards and reigning on the earth with Jesus. Some people think, “That is kind of neat.”         That is not neat. It is germane to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. It is not just neat. It is neat, but it is core. It is not small. It is not a secondary point that does not really matter.  This we agree with, although it is not necessarily an eschatalogical position.  The Doctrine of Rewards is plain enough in Scripture, even if it is not widely taught.
    8. Jesus as Bridegroom, King, and Judge: Jesus is a Bridegroom with desire, a King with power, and a Judge who is zealous to remove all that hinders love.
    9. The salvation of Israel, the battle for Jerusalem, and supporting the messianic remnant now; the persecution of Israel and widespread anti-Semitism, even including prison campsThe salvation of Israel and the many important subjects related to that. I am not trying to convey all the importance here in this little sentence, but supporting the Messianic remnant is critical–Jewish believers who are now in the land and those in the nations. It is a very, very important part of God’s end-time purpose that the church would do that. Anti-Semitism or hatred of the Jewish people–that is what that means in essence–is exploding. It is growing rapidly in the earth in just the last few years. It is going to explode biblically speaking. We can see it so clearly.We agree with the salvation of Israel.  We believe it to fall in between Revelation 20:10-11.  In conclusion of the Gog Magog conflict, as per Ezekiel 39:29, and before the Second Coming and the Great White Throne, the Throne of His Glory, as we understand it.
    10. The eternal, conscious torment of the damned in the lake of fire (Rev. 14:10-11)
    11. In light of our core convictions, we are committed to raising up forerunners who prepare themselves and others spiritually by understanding the unique dynamics seen in the 150 chapters of the Bible whose primary theme is the end times.* Forerunners proclaim Jesus as Bridegroom, King, and Judge and declare what the Scriptures say about the unique dynamics of His end-time plan. They are to equip people so that they are not offended by Jesus’ leadership, deceived by the enemy, seduced by the culture, or fearful of and confused by what will occur in the end times.  The culture of preparation is correct, while we see that the particular ‘end-times plan’ is skewed by the particular need to fit the current revelations of the Spirit into a fulfilled prophecy.  Again, search out our documents on the subject, and find flaw with them, particularly the Olivet Discourse, which, in our opinion, shows very little variance for a future Great Tribulation.These are most of our core convictions. There are probably several we missed. I actually did this pretty quickly just to give you a grid. It was not meant to be a comprehensive document. Right now it is to help you feel “Okay, I get what is what now. I get the grid of where the weightiness of the truths are in our spiritual family.” In light of our core convictions, we are committed to raise up forerunners who help prepare others spiritually. We care about the unique dynamics in that generation. Whether we see that generation or not, we want to hand the baton to our children so at least they understand the 150 chapters.When I was twenty years old, the leaders in the body of Christ in the generation before me handed the baton to me and my generation with very little information on the end times for most of those chapters. I do not want to hand the baton to your generation or to your children or grandchildren without clarity on those 150 chapters.  We owe it to our children to hand it well to them. If it is all, “Well, we do not really know what it means anyway. Who cares?” then they are never going to study it.Some generation has to go deep on those chapters to prepare the next generation. Whether I see it in my time or my grandchildren or their children, I want to hand them the baton with clarity, far differently from what was handed to my generation. In my generation it was, “The rapture is coming any minute, and most of the stuff you cannot understand anyway, so do not worry about it. You will be gone anyway.” That was it and a few more points.It was like, “Wow, thanks. That’s it for the 150 chapters?” I am just saying that tongue-in-cheek, of course.There are unique dynamics, very positive and very negative in the same generation. Those unique dynamics will cause people to be offended. Offended at Jesus, “How did You let this happen, Jesus? If You are God, and Your Bible is true, why did this happen?” They will be offended at Jesus if they do not understand it ahead of time. They will be deceived by the enemy. They will be celebrating the harlot Babylon, thinking it is world unity and world peace. Thinking, “Praise God, we have prayed for justice. Finally, it is happening. Let’s be a part of harlot Babylon.” No, no. They will be seduced by the culture. “Well, I mean it is just the grace of God anyway. God is so loving that nothing really matters; there is no sanctity of sex, life, or marriage or anything. Everything is the same anyway.” They can be seduced by the culture.

      Many believers are being seduced right now. They do not even know there is a war going on, a cultural war that was prophesied, that the Bible has made clear. We are in the escalation of it. They are not even aware it is in the script. They love Jesus, but they are so ignorant–ignorant meaning unlearned about these passages. They are not even aware of them. They are just completely unaware, and the cultural war has just swept in and taken them unawares.

      The current context of cultural war is evident.  Perhaps, even, the commentator’s own view of the End Times, while understood to be wrong factually, may be deemed of more importance than the ‘right’ answer, in terms of preparation, sanctification, and awareness.  People are woefully ignorant on Biblical truths.  A strong voice of preparation is indicated for the times, but it does not change the fact that the interpretive foundational elements are still wrong, according to the plain word of the Text.  Had it not been for the word study of Matthew 24:29, ‘eutheos’, I would be forced, probably, to agree.  But, that, with a further study of the text does prove the futurist wrong.

      God will be the judge over His church.  We are convinced of our findings, yet our desire is for the body of Christ to find a relationship with God.  The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, and a church that is not alive, not listening to His voice, and not actively responding may only be willing to listen to ‘end times’ things as discussed in the book of Revelation.  That being said, it may be that God will favor what we believe to be this more accurate study, or, perhaps, He will allow people to understand things, perhaps in a slightly wrong framework, simply because what God needs is preparation, movement, and not as important, doctrinal correctness.

      It doesn’t change our boldness, or our position.  A city on a hill cannot be hid.  So, we let our light shine before men.

  4. HELPFUL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL – These themes are helpful for those seeking to understand the broader storyline in the Scripture related to the end times. Understanding these themes helps us to grasp many end-time passages that are commonly neglected based on their being difficult to comprehend outside the context of the broader biblical story line. These are not core convictions that we require our teachers, staff, or students to embrace.There are themes and doctrines that are helpful. They are not essential, but they are helpful. What I mean by helpful: if you want to understand the whole story line–and no one will understand the whole story line–if you want to understand the bigger story line that is captured in the 150 chapters, some of these themes or doctrines of secondary importance, these are helpful. Because when you see a few of these other dimensions, then it sheds light on some of those obscure chapters that do not make any sense. For example, the very fact of a literal Millennium. People say, “A lion and a lamb and a kid, a little three-year-old is playing by a cobra, petting a lion? Come on. What does it really mean?”I say, “It means a kid is playing by a cobra, petting a lion.”“Well, how can that be?”It does not make sense to them because they do not understand some of the secondary themes that are highlighted in little cameo shots in these 150 chapters where different insights into the diamond of the bigger picture has shed light into it. These helpful themes and doctrines are not critical. You do not need to believe them to be a teacher in our midst. You do not need to understand them or believe them. There are many of those little ones. We need to carry them in humility, and we need to say “it is possible,” or “this is a suggestion and it might be very different than that.” We need to carry and present these beliefs with nuance and qualifiers. We need to keep moving forward. The whole body of Christ. Because God is going to give a little bit of insight to that group and this group and that group. They are going to have different views of the diamond, of this many faceted, larger story line.I want to know the main points. I think we have a little bit of clarity on most of the main points. I want to know the secondary points too because they are in the Bible. We do not have to preach them like they are primary, but I do want to know them. If they are in the Bible, I want some group somewhere to figure them out and teach them to me. If thousands of groups do that, collectively we will all grow in wisdom.
    1. Seeing the structure of the book of Revelation as sequential (instead of recapitulation) and the three numbered-judgments series (the seals, trumpets, and bowls) as literal (instead of symbolic)  We see them as sequential, literal, and historical.One thing that is helpful is the structure of the book of Revelation. We see it as sequential. In the structure, one event happens after another. There are other views to the structure. None of that is a core conviction. Our Bible teachers in our midst can have different views of the structure. That does not affect their role in teaching.
    2. The 2-fold definition of the Day of the Lord–the narrow day (24 hours) and the broad day
    3. Identification of the Harlot Babylon  For us, Rome, as per Daniel 2
    4. The descent of the New Jerusalem in proximity to the earth at the beginning of the Millennium, and resting on the earth at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10) with regard to the heavenly and earthly realms being joined together at the time of Jesus’ return (Eph. 1:10)The descent of the New Jerusalem to the earth. The premillennial position, which I received it from others, is that the New Jerusalem descends at the beginning of the Millennium and at the end. The amillennialist who thinks it is mostly symbolic thinks, “That does not make any sense.” There are quite a few passages that give insight into this, but no matter what, it is of secondary importance. Those are not the things that you want to get dogmatic about, argue about, or break fellowship over.  We see an already fulfilled, literal Millennium.
    5. Signs of the times: identifying what they are and how they are fulfilled in today’s society 
    6. Daniel’s 30 days (Rev. 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5; cf. Dan. 7:25; 12:7, 11)
      Daniel’s thirty days. You ask, “What is ‘Daniel’s thirty days?'” The Bible talks a number of times about 1260 days. Forty-two months, 1260 days–that is three-and-a-half years. There are different ways it says this time frame. It is clear in the Bible that there are 1260 days or three-and-a-half years. That is what “three-and-a-half years” is. Then one angel said 1290 days. He added thirty more days. Like, “What? Daniel, where did you get that in the Bible?”

      “Well, I got it from the angel and I put it in the Bible.” What is that about? The extra thirty days. That is not a       really important point, but it is in the Bible, said by an angel to the prophet Daniel. I want to try to understand it. I do not know we will understand it fully, but I want to tease that out a little bit. I want to learn from other people–What does that mean? I have studied all kinds of books on that and different writers on it. My point is it is helpful because you see a different facet of the diamond of the story line if you see it. That is not germane to our core values.These are historical dates, referring to the desecration and purification of the temple in the days of Antiochus.  The difference between 1,260 days and the 1,290 days can easily be accounted for by understanding the Hebrew calendar.  It had 12 30-day months, except occasionally, it had an extra 30-day month.  So, 1,260 days is 42 months, but 1,290 days is 3 1/2 years where one of those years had the extra month in it.
    7. Jesus marching up from Edom to Jerusalem (Isa. 63), and His royal procession being seen by “every eye” in every part of the earth (Mt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7; cf. Zech. 9:14; 12:10; Mt. 26:64)Jesus marching up from Edom to Jerusalem. Edom is modern day Jordan. In Isaiah 63, Jesus marches into Jerusalem from there. He touches base–we do not know where He touches down when He turns up in the sky–but He lands, and He marches into Jerusalem via the Mount of Olives. It matters because there are a number of verses that to me only make sense if that piece of the puzzle is in place. I have guys that do not believe that at all, but when I ask them about those other verses, they reply, “I do not know. Nobody really knows that those mean.”  We disagree with the needs imposed here.  As lightning in the west is seen in the east, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.  However it happens, it will be global.  God is not limited by physicality, nor do we know the limitations of a glorified body.  As such, imposing such restrictions on Jesus’ return seems to fall short.

      I think, “Maybe we could know what they mean.” It seems not so confusing. Again, things like that we learn,       and maybe I am wrong on it.

      I just had a funny thought. It is about David Pawson who is one of my favorite Bible teachers. We were talking, and he was saying, “You know, I think that “marching into Jerusalem from Edom thing” is a little strange.”

      Now, I really take him very seriously as a Bible teacher. Then one of our guys took Pawson’s commentary on Isaiah that he wrote like twenty years ago or something. He turned to Isa. 63 and read, “And He marches from Edom into Jerusalem.”

      Pawson says, “Huh, I guess I did believe that.” Anyway. We had a lot of fun. We laughed about it. He added, “Yeah, you know, now that I step back and think about it, I guess it really is in there. Isn’t it?”

  5. OPINIONS THAT ARE NOT CENTRAL  – Opinions based on implications drawn from Scripture–these are not central to our core convictions.
    1. My personal opinion (not prophecy) that we may be in the early days of the generation that the Lord returns is not a conviction held by all in our leadership team. I share this opinion because of my sense of urgency as to the importance of people studying the 150 key end-time chapters.*For the most part, the following are speculatory, based upon foundations already discussed.  As such, we do not hold to any of the further positions, but our case would rebut them.Next are opinions that are not central, but are based on implications. There are Bible verses that you base them on. You need to be soft on the opinions. You cannot be sure, and you cannot speak them dogmatically. It is important that we identify opinions when we give them. You won’t every time, but I am just saying it is a good discipline to be in.Opinions are not central to our core convictions. Like, for instance, my personal opinion of the coming of the Lord in this generation. This might be a new point to you. I might not be actually accurate what I am saying, but there is only one time in the Bible that I know of, and I could be missing some verses, where God defined the length of a generation. There are a lot of Bible verses where you can see it is forty years, sixty years, eighty years. Something like that. But one time in Genesis 15, God talked to Abraham about 400 years, and God called it four generations. The one time God audibly defined a generation–at least the only time I know of, I could be missing one. I am kind of doing this off-the-cuff. I would have to do my research to say it boldly–God talked about a generation as 100 years.Some folks talk about “that generation will not pass away when these things happen.” They ask, “How long is a generation?”Others reply, “It is forty. But some say eighty or 100, or shorter.” Nobody knows. I know when God defined a generation to Abraham, He actually gave the time frame of 100 years. That does not mean every generation is. I have an opinion. I do not know. It is not a prophecy at all.Some folks are surprised. They ask, “It’s not a prophecy?”

      I reply, “No, it is just an opinion. Look at all the signs that are happening.” Because I have studied the signs of the times and they are escalating on a global level. Most believers do not know the signs of the times from the Old Testament prophecies and the apostles. They know a few of Jesus–wars and rumors of wars. They know that one. They know something about earthquakes and a little bit about people not liking each other and stuff. After that they do not really think about it much. There is quite a bit of information in the Bible about signs of the times. Not all of them, but many of them are escalating at the same time on a global level.

    2. The identification and timing of the 144,000 people sealed during the Tribulation  As these are ‘firstfruits’, we believe this referred to the first church.
    3. The hastening of the Day of the Lord involves a combination of significant issues, such as the sovereign timing of the Father and the maturity of the Church worldwide (2 Pet. 3:11-14). The end-time global prayer movement is an important part of this, but it is not the only vital issue.The hastening of the day of the Lord. There is one verse that talks about hastening. Hastening is speeding up the day of the Lord. The hastening the day of the Lord actually involves a number of different truths. Meaning, as I have talked to some, some think that the prayer movement is the number one thing. I would not go there.I think the number one thing on the hastening of the day of the Lord, to speeding it up, is the sovereignty of the Father. Another thing is the maturity of the church. I could list four to five other issues, of which prayer is one of them. Some people talk about the prayer movement, and they think that alone is the entire doctrine of the hastening.The hastening of the day of the Lord from where I am at is such a big concept that is out of our league. Meaning most of the inner workings of the Godhead on that concept are beyond what we are grasping. We know if we obey more, and people pray, a billion people do, things are going to get better. There are other dimensions in the hastening. I encourage folks to go really soft on that concept. That is way bigger than our pay grade right now, to understand what all that means.
    4. The Church is not to pray for Jesus’ return until after the abomination of desolation occurs. We pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!”–come near us (in intimacy), to us (in revival and justice), and for us (at the second coming). The whole Body of Christ will be involved in “singing back” the King.The church is not to pray–this was shocking to some of you last week–to pray for Jesus’ return until after the abomination of desolation. Until the last three-and-a-half years, until the Antichrist takes His place in the temple, we still have three-and-a-half years after that. As for praying for Jesus to come, I do not see a Biblical precedent until that time. It is like taking the woman who is three months pregnant and urging her to try to go into labor right now, like, “Just push.”Like, “What?”“Push.”“I am only three months.”“Just push.”“Don’t I need to be a little bit farther along?”“Do not worry about it. Just grit your teeth and go for it.”

      Someone would say, “Well, what does that verse mean, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’?”

      I think we can pray, “Come, Lord Jesus” in three ways. Come near us. I can pray right now, “Come, Lord 

      Jesus, to me. Touch my heart.” Come near your heart. I believe the primary way we pray it collectively.“Come to us.” That is revival or the release of justice, Luke 18. “Release the spirit of power, revival, and 

      justice.”“Come for us in the sky.” Jesus would violate the Word of God if He did that before the abomination of 

      desolation. Jesus with His own mouth said in Matthew 24 that that has to happen first. He cannot come or He would violate His own Bible.I urge people and say, “If you mean His presence to touch your heart, His presence to touch our city, yeah, but 

      you mean appear in the sky?”“Yes. Maybe if we pray, He will appear in the sky quicker.”

      I think, “Hmmm.” I reply, “Let’s pray for revival. Between the sovereignty of God, the worldwide revival, the harvest, the hardening process of the reprobate, and the Antichrist and the kings of the nations, all those work together.”That is a wholly different story. The reason I am saying that, because some people, in my opinion,

      get into strange ideas.I was talking to some of our students and some of our teachers as well, about hastening His return. Kind of a 

      very cool phrase. I like the phrase. I like it. I like it, but I want to change it a little bit. I have heard different ones say, “We are going to sing back the King.” I say, “That is cool. That is biblical.” I say, “Let’s say it differently than ‘we.’ Let’s say ‘the body of Christ is.'” Because some people, when they say “we are going to sing back the King,” they mean their prayer meeting is going to sing back the King, not the whole body of Christ.I say, “No, it is the whole body of Christ that is going to be involved in the prayer movement. Not one little 

      group that sings back the King themselves.” All of our folks get that, certainly all our leaders do, but I want to encourage us that “singing back the King” is going to have a billion people involved in that from every tribe and tongue in the earth. It may not happen in your generation. You actually might not see it, but some generation will, and it might be you. It is my opinion; I think some of you might see it, or your children or grandchildren will. We will see. We will see when we get there. Amen. I am just giving you that as a gird before we even start breaking the book down. Let’s stand.