New Page 0

Ron Rhodes spoke today about a future choice between food

or receiving the mark of the beast (Re 13:17).

He believes we are headed in that direction (Crosswalk, Gino Geraci, 20 Sept 11).

[Cyber Meltdown: Rhodes]

"Warning— Read this before you open that e-mail attachment...

Computers and the Internet continue to revolutionize the way we live.

But is our increasing dependence on these technologies stealing our privacy and setting us up for a devastating fall?

[Issues covered in his new book]

What do computer viruses do, and how do they spread?

How are terrorists and opposing nations using cyberspace as a weapon?

Is America vulnerable to cyberterrorism? If so, how?

What current events indicate that we may be living in the last days?

What new technologies seem to be paving the way for the fulfillment of end-times prophecies in the Bible?..." Full text: Cyber Meltdown Ron Rhodes

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "...An attack on America does not equate with the coming of the end times."

"Naturally, but your first post implies that an attack on America and the end times are related..."

No, this will be a worldwide situation. We are headed toward a one world government,

religion,

currency, etc.

"The power of the internets to organize massive events is not to be denied, but somehow picturing this as what was meant in scripture is a little comical..."

“Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” This is one of the most remarkable statements you could possibly have coming from a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. I don’t imagine that Peter figured out how the water, that sea where he fished, would burn. He didn’t know how all this could be dissolved and melted. But the elements, that which we call atoms, the building blocks of the universe, are to be absolutely melted. However, this time Peter uses a different Greek word for “melt” than he used in verse 10. It is tēkomai, a word that means actually “wasting away, the wasting away of nature.” This could possibly suggest the effects of radioactivity when an atomic bomb goes off."

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:750

"...Now one can say the means matters less than the idea that the end times will come, but to place the two together is just odd."

"...[B]ut as I understand it there is a lot of numbers and symbolism involved, is that what the supposed connection to the internet is?"

"...[T]here are places in this book where God uses symbols. Do you know why He uses symbols? He doesn’t do it in order to evaporate the facts so that we can dismiss them, but because the reality which the symbol represents is lots worse than the symbol. Many of the things which John tries to describe to us beggar description. Even God cannot communicate some of them to us—not because He is not able, but because we are dull of hearing, as He has told us. We don’t always understand. I am afraid that a great many folk just do not realize that the Great Tribulation is a terrible thing, and it is miraculous that the 144,000 will come through it. He won’t lose one of them. Why? Because they will be big, strong, robust fellows? No. They will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. That’s how they will do it."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:1013-1015

"So the end times will be more of an event of our own making, then a choice of God's?"

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "Then what's the problem? That would lead me to conclude that the US has no scriptural part to play; it's all about the various barbarian tribes in the Middle East."

No, trouble for Israel means trouble for the world, dippy.

The reason we are not mentioned is likely because we merge into Europe and become irrelevant. You can't see that situation forming now?

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "One culture under Christianity? I guess everyone else will be in hell."

[Revelation] "It's cryptic but as an atheist I don't really attribute much meaning to it."

You may want to read it in case you get saved (1 Ti 2:4). You will receive an extra blessing (Re 1:3

"...[H]e used symbols. And keep in mind that the symbols are symbolic of reality...Any time John uses a symbol, he will make it clear to us that he is using a symbol. And we can be sure that he is using a symbol because the reality is far greater than the symbol. In fact, the symbol is a poor representation of the reality..."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:887

"What actually comes to mind is the stock market."

Nothing new under the sun. "Under the sun" refers to man's wisdom in the world, FYI (Eccl. 1:8 vs. 2–8.; Eccl. 4:7, 8; Eccl. 5:10, 11). Live above the sun.

[Revelation] "I know very little of it."

In the first division of this book we see the person of Christ. We see Christ in His glory and position as the Great High Priest who is in charge of His church. We see Him in absolute control. In the Gospels we find Him meek, lowly, humble, and dying upon a cross. He made Himself subject to His enemies on earth. He is not like that in the Book of Revelation. He is in control. He is still the Lamb of God, but we see the wrath of the Lamb that terrifies the earth.

The major theme of the entire Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are both theocentric and Christocentric. Since Christ is God, He is the One who fills the horizon of the total Word of God. This needs to be kept in mind in the Book of Revelation more than in any other book of the Bible, even more than in the Gospels. The Bible tells what He has done, is doing, and will do. Revelation emphasizes what He is doing and what He will do. We need to keep that in mind." McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:887

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "Israel has nukes. They're invincible as far as the other barbarian tribes are concerned. Wake me when the Temple gets rebuilt on the ruins of the Dome of the Rock, and that perfect red heifer they're trying to breed in Texas gets shipped over there to become a burnt offering or whatever."

Jesus could return at any time. The temple does not need to be rebuilt first.

See:

Revelation Outline J. Vernon McGee

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” ~ C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Why should I take you more seriously than you take yourself, G'bug?

2 Ti 3:1-5, Mt 7:6

"Do you have any conceivable reason for even getting up in the morning?" ~ Kramer, Seinfeld Job 8:13; Job 11:20; Job 27:8; Job 31:24, 28; Prov. 10:28; Zech. 9:5; Eph. 2:12

Not exactly.

[The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ: Zechariah 7-14 Grace to You] "...Many of the details of that coming Kingdom and of Christ's return are given in Scripture. In fact, a major element of Old Testament prophecy is of the coming Kingdom. The prophets frequently foretold the ending of history, the judgment of the nations, and the reign of Messiah, thus fulfilling promises made to David (2 Sam. 7:12) and to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). The Messiah will come not only to conquer the nations who oppose God, but also to redeem Israel and establish the Kingdom into which all believing saints of all the ages will be ushered. Similarly the New Testament is full of statements like the coming of "the Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:5) and "It is the last time" (1 John 2:18)..." Full text: The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ: Zechariah 7-14 Grace to You

Response to comment [from a Christian]: " I couldn't help it, Gerald. I just attended one of our famous Bible Belt revival meetings..."

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "There are barbarians and then there are Barbarians..."

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "There are many kinds of cyber-terrorists, some of them, like Dr. Rhodes, trying to scare the money out of you."

Michael Scott: “Why do you keep a journal?”
Dwight Schrute: “To hide things from my computer” ~ The Office

Response to comment [from an atheist]: "The words of Alexander Pope sum thimgs up for me: "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."

You can call me many things, SD, but "hypocrite" ain't one of 'em.

Your purpose is to abide in the Lord Jesus like a branch abides in the vine (Jn 15:5). If you fail to do this, you can see that it would be reasonable for you to be bundled up with others like yourself to be tossed into the fire (Isa 14:19).

Where did you get that idea, The Eagles?

No hotel. No fellowship. You'll have only the sounds of weeping and grinding of teeth (Mt 24:51). That's bad for a social guy like yourself.

"You are aware that the Pollyanna-ish notion that most of humanity will get to heaven except for a small minority of the truly vile and hard-hearted is an extreme minority view, yes?"

"The general Christian view is that the goats vastly outnumber the sheep, the tares vastly outnumber the wheat."

The Christian view is correct. The masses are evil (Ex 23:2). Did you not do well in math class?