Apostles and Elders Organizing the Church

John wrote, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; ). That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (John 1.1-3).

John, placing himself at the cross when Jesus died, said, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" (John 19.25-28,30). What was finished? The atoning sacrifice.

Peter wrote, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Pet. 1.16).

Paul wrote, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15.1-8).

Paul also wrote, "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother (Gal. 1.17-19).

After more than a decade setting up the churches, Paul wrote, "Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Gal. 2.1,9,11,12-14,16).

People need to see the Tribulation is very near! I am about to fearfully share something with you. If I don't explain this just right you will lose the feeling for it.

A Total Lunar Tetrad is when there are 4 Total Lunar Eclipses in a row over 2 years. Sometimes several centuries can go by in which there are none. They are even more rare when they fall on Passover, Tabernacles and again, on Passover and Tabernacles. In 1949/50 and 1967/68 was when just such lunar eclipses occurred. Israel became a nation May 14, 1948 and the armistice treatise was signed 1949. Israel entered Jerusalem on June 7, 1967. The next Total Lunar Tetrad on feast days is 2014/15 (8th since Christ). There won't be another till 2582/83. If the Tetrad is associated with the return of Christ because it is associated with the return of Israel, would it take over 600 years from 1948 for Jesus to return? I don't think so. Out of the 5 feast Tetrads since Christ before the 20th century, there was only one century which had two Tetrads so that is about a 5% (1/19) chance the 20th century could have two Tetrads. The probability one of the Tetrads would fall on either 1949/50 or 1967/68 is a 2% (2/100) chance and the other Tetrad on the remaining date is a 1% (1/99) chance. So the probability the Tetrad could fall on these two necessary dates in the 20th century was 5% x 2% x 1% = 1 in 100,000 chance.

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates" (Matt. 24.32-33). The fig tree always represents Israel which began putting forth its leaves in 1948 even earlier. When this occurs Jesus' return is very near! God is placing these Lunar Tetrads right on top of Israel's most important events to tell us He is thinking of them and letting the Church know His return is right at the door. By 2015 it will be 67 years since 1948. Some consider verse 34 to be the return of Jesus within a generation after Israel becomes a nation: "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place." My view is 'this generation' refers to the ongoing morally wicked generation these past two thousand years but consummated in this final generation. Would Jesus return 100 years or more after Israel becomes a nation? It would not seem to make sense given what Matt. 24 says and Rev. 6: "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood" (v.12). I'll explain.

Three things happen in order (Rev. 6.12): 1) earthquake (Haiti earthquake in 2010 was the 5th worst natural disaster in history; or another disaster could could occur 2011-2013, possibly in United States, because none of the top ten disasters have touched North America), 2) a very unique solar eclipse, and 3) a very unique lunar eclipse. It is difficult to get people to understand that Revelation 6 is the past 20 centuries and is general in nature, but try to suspend your judgment for the moment and treat the 1/4 that are killed (v.8) as being a different time than the 1/3 that are killed (9.18) so that the sixth Seal which contains these three events will occur shortly before the Tribulation starts. The sixth Seal precedes the First Rapture to "the throne" (Rev. 7.9) that is according to readiness (Matt. 24.40-42, Luke 21.36, Rev. 3.10) and is before the 7th Seal (8.1) which opens up the blowing of the 7 Trumpets of the Tribulation - Daniel's last "unit of seven" (Dan. 9.27). The first Trumpet is blown first (8.7ff) and the first 4 Trumpets are completed in the first 1260 days of the 2,520 days of the Tribulation. The Tribulation is loud like trumpets. Much is going on. The past 20 centuries are the mystery age of the Church (7 church periods in Rev 2 & 3) where the Seals are opened secretly. Have you not had the feeling you are a sojourner in the world, and those who are not saved seem to not understand us at all no matter how much we explain God's redemptive design to them? They are more interested in the world so they carry on in the world.

The first Seal recounts the cross as though Jesus were newly slain in Rev. 5: "As though it had been slain" (v.6) is, in the original, rendered "as though it had been newlyslain"—This clearly proves that this is the scene of the ascension of the Lord. Although the death of the Lord is forever fresh, the word here designates it as being newly slain. In the first Seal the work of the cross is revealed as shown by the image of a bow but the arrow has been shot giving Satan a deadly wound by the cross when Jesus died not only your sins, but the sins of the whole world for forgiveness of sins. A bow strikes from afar as the Conqueror goes forth to conquer from this point of authority (v.5). He is the same Rider in chapter 19. He also brings us to sure death (co-death) with Him on the cross to our old man for power over sin and self. If our old man has died what does Satan have to work with through our flesh? Thus, we are able to put to nought the deeds of the flesh because we accept God's pronouncement we have died with Jesus on that eternal cross, are resurrected in our spirits now (touching the heavenly), and will be resurrected bodily and soulically in a resurrection like His. Nothing can separate us from the love of the One True God.

We have accounted for the earthquake and the lunar eclipse but what about the solar eclipse in between? There are 4 kinds of solar eclipses. The rarest is the Hybrid eclipse which occurs about 5% of the time. There are 3 kinds of Hybrids, the rarest which is the H3 at about 4% of the time. And there are two kinds of eclipses - short and long-dated. On Nov. 3, 2013 we will witness a long-dated H3 Solar Eclipse (4th since Christ). The probability of this type of eclipse occurring in the 21st century right next to and in front of the 2014/15 Tetrad is approximately 1 in 700 (3/20 centuries x 1/100 years in a century). Combine this with the Total Lunar Tetrad, the odds decrease substantially for these two events to be connected and come together in the precise order required by verse 12 of chapter 6. 1/700 x 1/100,000 = 1 in 70,000,000. Could we ask for a better sign for the beginning of the Tribulation to occur? I can't think of one.

Daniel's seventy sets of seven (Dan. 9.24-27) are 7 years x 360 days per year = 2,520 days each. 2,520 is the smallest divisible number by all numbers from 2 to 10, so it is a basic working unit in Daniel's vision. I believe the last 3 feasts pertain to the return of Jesus while the first 4 feasts were about His first coming. The Feast of Trumpets is associated to the First Rapture according to readiness (Luke 21.36, Rev. 3.10). There are 2,520 days from Sept. 14, 2015 (Feast of Trumpets) to Tisha B'Av, Aug. 7, 2022. Tisha B'Av is the day the Jews commemorate the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples. This is significant because Jesus returns to reign in the 3rd Temple. What's even more interesting is that normally Tisha B'Av takes place on Av 9, but when Av 9 falls on a Sabbath the Jews commemorate it the day after. It so happens than in the year 2022, Av 9 occurs on a Sabbath (Aug. 6) so Tisha B'Av is held on Sunday instead (Av 10) which amazingly is the 2,520 day from Sept. 14, 2015 (Feast of Trumpets). Aug. 6, 2022 was the 2519th day. It is also nice to see Jesus returns on a Sunday since that is the day He resurrected.

As an interesting aside, there are 17,640 days from June 7, 1967 when Israel took over Jerusalem to Sept. 23, 2015, the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement is when Israel ushers in the Jubilee year. 17,640 / 360 days per year = 49 years. The 50th year is a Jubilee year. For those who want to study further, they will soon discover 3986 BC to 2015 AD is exactly 6000 years or 120 Jubilees. 3986 is the 18th year of Adam from 4004 BC - for him it was his age of accountability. And Ezekiel's prophecy on one side for 390 days and the other side for 40 days takes us exactly to May, 1948 to the month for when Israel would become a nation again.

The 30 days from the 1260th to the 1290th day are for Jesus to judge the nations. From the 1290th to the 1335th day is 45 days more to set up Israel as the center of all nations from where Christ will reign in the 3rd Temple. Israel will not reign as kings and priests, for this reward is given to overcomer believers in Christ. Only a fraction of believers "overcometh" to return (Jude 14,15; Rev. 20.4) to reign during the 1000 years. Non-overcomer believers lose this reward in "outer darkness," outside the light of reward of reigning with Christ for the 1000 years. From the 1260th day (Aug. 7, 2022) to the 1335 day takes us to Oct. 21, 2022 after the 3 feasts are completed. Feast of Tabernacles begins on Oct. 10, 2022. It goes for 7 days to Oct. 16, 2022. There are two holidays that follow - Oct. 17 and 18. The second holiday is called Simchat Torah when the Jews take out the three items in the Ark (Old Testament practice) or the Torah Scrolls to read them. If we treat the 4 days as an inspection of the Lamb for Jesus to begin His reign in the millennium then Oct. 18-21 are the 4 days which conclude on the 1335th day, Oct. 21, 2022. October 22, 2022 begins the millennial reign with a "rod of iron." Talk about coincidences: I was born in 1967 on Oct. 21, and my mother was born in 1948. Then again so was Prince Charles, so what. I am aware of the difference between coincidences and impossible odds. 1 in 70,000,000 is too much for me to accept as mere coincidence in addition to all these other findings and dates that fit so well.

The H3-Tetrad combo is the first since Christ. Even with such an amazing data point, it is natural to have doubts that this could really be it. You might be thinking at this point, maybe 2014/15 refers not to the start of the Tribulation, but the beginning of the construction of the 3rd Temple (Israel-->Jerusalem-->Temple). So the Temple would begin construction 2014 (at the latest) and completed early on in the Tribulation.

To assure us further with more precise detail from 2014 to 2021 and 2016 to 2023, the 2,520th day from Feast of Trumpets do not fall on Tisha B'Av because an extra 30 days was not added. Every 2 or 3 years an extra thirty days are added to the Jewish calendar. Since the Tetrad in 1949/50 and 1967/68 occurred on the key events pertaining to Israel's reclamation, then the Tribulation-Daniel's final seven years-should begin on the Tetrad in 2015 since 2014 as we have seen doesn't fit. 2017 is too far out and 2013 is too soon because the Temple won't be completed by then. The meaning of the 2300 days (Dan. 8.14) refers to the last 2300 days in the Tribulation after the Temple is completed so that the Temple would need to be completed by the 220th from the starting date of the Tribulation. The Third Temple needs to begin construction by 2013 so there is three and a half years to build it (I suppose it could start in 2014 if they can get it done in two and a half years).

The 220th day from Feb. 14, 2015 is April 20, 2016. The 4 days inspection of the lamb and red heifer for the New Temple are April 18 (Monday, Nisan 10), 19, 20, 21. The 2300 days then start April 21, 2016. Passover is April 22, 2016. When do the Two Witnesses, Enoch and Elijah, begin preaching for 1260 days? Interestingly, there are 1260 days from April 18, 2016 (first day of inspection) to Sept. 30, 2019 (Feast of Trumpets). Their preaching overlaps part of the first half of the Tribulation and part of the 2nd half. After the first 42 thirty day months from Feb. 14, 2015, the Great Tribulation begins on Feb. 25, 2019 (Rev. 9.1). In Revelation 9, the 5th trumpet (1st woe) takes 5 months. The 6th trumpet (2nd woe) begins on July 25, 2019 which lasts for 13 months (time, times, and half a time). The 7th trumpet (3rd woe) begins on Aug. 18, 2020 and lasts for 24 months to Aug. 7, 2022 (Tisha B'Av) when Jesus steps down.

Matthew 24.33 says "when ye see all these things, know ye that He is nigh, right at the door" not "when ye see all these things, know ye that the Temple is nigh, right at the door." After verse 32 establishes when Israel becomes a nation again, verse 33 emphasizes the return of Jesus. Though 2014 could be the starting date for the beginning of construction of the Temple, the 8th Tetrad would be referring to the beginning of the parousia of Christ in the 120th Jubilee in 2015 followed by 7 years before He steps down on the mount of olives.

Antichrist's False Prophet can't set up an idol in the Temple in the middle of the 7 year Tribulation if the Temple is not completed. Could the Temple be ompleted years years before the Tribulation commences? I don't think so because then it would render Dan. 8.14 meaningless regarding the 2300 days.

It's is all quite spectacular how it all fits so well like a glove. I am unable to disprove this proof, just as I am unable to find a naturalistic explanation for the origin of the disciples' beliefs. This gives me confidence. If Dec. 31, 2014 rolls around and the Temple hasn't begun construction visibly on the Mount that's the only point where I will concede that I was wrong.

Leading up to these moments and dates, many will be kicking against the goads, fighting these very words delivered unto the saints.

Troy Brooks

This is how I think - how I prove the revelation I received that Jesus is God and salvation is only through Him. What I received and know in my spirit (innerman) when I was born-again can be understood in my soul (outerman) and made sense of.

I think to myself there are trillions and trillions of causes in nature and no hard evidence something comes from nothing, so this is an overwhelming preponderance of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the universe can't come from nothing, that which does not exist that has no energy or existence, for the 1st law of thermodynamics would be violated. Something can't come from nothing!

There also cannot be an infinite regress of the universe or universes of cause and effects, because you would have happened already having had an eternity to do so. Infinite regress contradicts itself. If there was an eternity of the past of cause and effects this point in time would never have been reached because eternity would still be going on.

So if there can't be an infinite regress and there can't be something from nothing, there needs to be a cause outside of nature, outside of time and space, and this is whom we call the uncreated Creator or God. So there is grounds for One Uncreated Creator, no more, since if there were others, you would have to ask where they came from.

Is it better the Creator is an absentee landlord like all other gods of the world which are really just idols, or does He reveal Himself personally by entering His creation? Why create if you want no interaction with your creation? Makes no sense. Just as we are relational so is God relational in His 3 Persons of the Trinity and towards His creation. Atheists are cold-hearted, impersonal and worship their idol of claiming God does not exist that reflects their insincerity, lack of genuine empathy for fellow man, feeding their selfish gene and decrepit, morally bankrupt ideational world of natural selection only. When they realize this is futile they even start defending other gods.

Even if you don't know anything about God's word (66 books of the Bible) you know God entered His creation personally. Jesus is the only One who said He is God, that He created all things and actually proved it. If you want to prove the resurrection, it's really quite simple. Just realize the original disciples testified to having seen Jesus alive from the dead in various group settings. No other belief system has God Himself entering His creation to walk among us. Almost all scholars concede at the very least the disciples believed in their heart of hearts they had seen Jesus alive from the dead in various group settings even talked with, touched and ate with Him. They knew Jesus well after spending three years with Him. Since there is no naturalistic explanation to account for their eyewitness testimony they willingly died for and all possibilities have been exhausted from group hallucinations to swoon theory, we realize it is a perfect proof for God.

Now if you don't want to receive what Jesus did for you on the cross, God is not going to force you. He will send you where you want to go to be eternally separated from Him and the Lamb, and without the Holy Spirit, in that place called Hell devoid of His presence. If you want to be separated from His presence don't complain about it. It's what you want. People who go to the Lake of Fire (Hell) do so because deep down inside that's what they want. There they will live out their conscious existence for eternity knowing they made the wrong choice. What a horrible way to exist. I can see why it's called Hell, having to live with eternal regret, not even wanting God's forgiveness.

How sad for the atheists. They are dullards of the universe and truly bad people. I suspect the Hell that atheists will endure will be far greater than someone who at least believes in an uncreated creator even though he may submit himself to the wrong one.

I enjoy sci-fi movies like Battlestar Galactica, the infinite regress they portray, just as much as the next person, but it's not reality and never will be. It's just entertainment. The universe really is 13.7 billion years old. Our bodies really were formed from dust over that time (Gen. 2.7). When the body was fully formed about 6000 years ago, God really did breath in the breath of life directly creating man's spirit and when it made contact with the body the soul life was formed so man became a living soul with a spirit and a body (Heb. 4.12, 1 Thess. 5.23). Ever since about 6000 years ago man was made in God's image with a fully developed spirit of God-consciousness. Once a person has God-consciousness they will never cease to exist even if they want to in their suicidal and selfish belief system such as in Atheism or 7th Day Adventism, because God would be evil to create you with awareness of Him only to then annihilate you. God is love, and He is righteous and holy. You are free to be delusional though in thinking you will cease to exist, but you will awaken from soul sleep in bad side of Hades, resurrected to the Great White Throne (Rev. 20.10-15), judged and sentenced to eternity with the Devil, the fallen angels and demons.

It's important that when we confront an atheist today that we realize exactly what kind of person we are really dealing with. They are hellbound. After you give them the gospel if they remain obstinate, obnoxious and obtuse, it's clear the choice they have made for themselves.

Premillennialism Futurism (Christian eschatology) affirms that the 2300 days of Daniel 8.14 have not yet occurred and refer to the future unsanctioned sacerdotal rites (the Temple is approved by God but not the rites) of a yet future Third Temple to be completed during early portion of the 70th week of Daniel's Prophecy - which also is yet future. The "reign of the Beast" (Abomination of Desolation) commences at the mid-point of Daniel's Prophecy of the Seventieth Week and thus ensues in "days" (as in the "evening and morning" Daniel 8.14) the 1290 days of "desolations" or "abominations" (Daniel 12.12). These "desolations" or "the host to be trampled underfoot" (Daniel 8.13) must be calculated by adding the days of the "daily sacrifices" in a restored Third Temple, yet future, to the "days of desolation" or 1010 (days of sacrifice) + 1290 (days of desolations) = 2300 days: "'How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?' and he said to me, 'For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.'" Eschatologists conclude that the Prophecy of the Seventieth Week is directed to partly to the Jews in a regathered Israel in the "latter days" ("Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city" - Daniel 9:24) as well as to the Church in terms of the parousia of Christ. Is this entirely correct? No! Please read...

From the 1260th day to the 1290th day is 30 days more after Jesus returns. Jesus casts His judgment over the nations for those 30 days. After which time 45 days more are needed to the 1335th day set up Israel as the center of all nations. If the 2300 days is to the 1260th day (not to the 1290th), then the Temple would be completed 1040 rather than 1010 days before the Great Tribulation starts. There would needs be an adjustment to common thinking as given here:
It is true 2300 days is from the completion of the Temple to the last day of the Tribulation, but 2300 - 1260 = 1040 days before the Great Tribulation commences after the Temple is completed. 1260 - 1040 = 220 the number of days the Temple needs to be completed after the Tribulation starts. From the start of the Tribulation to the end is a total of 2595 days. The only difference in this viewpoint is that Jesus' very presence is cleansing rather than Jesus while on earth having to wait 30 days more, so the 250 calculation is wrong and should only be 220 days before the sacrifices can commence.

G. H. Lang agrees with me about the 220 days. It's clear that the 19th century in which Lang lived was the most spiritual under the Brethren movement (1828) who wanted to just be called Christians, but close on the heels Satan usurped lots of cults that tried to counter God's truths (e.g. JW's, Mormons, 7th Day Adventists, Christian Science, Pentecostalism "gibberish babble", more non-OSAS and Calvinism). G. H. Lang said,
It is so wonderful these words by G. H. Lang, agreeable with G. H. Pember, who agrees with me precisely here.

Therefore, we can be confident the 2300 days refers to the last 2300 days within the 7 year Tribulation. The 2300 days is 6.3 years. It is the time when the 3rd Temple is completed, sacrifices begin again (against God's will), 1040 days later the sacrifices are stopped, and after the 5th Trumpet the Antichrist invades Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple.

"Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed" (Dan. 8.13-14). Why? Because Jesus steps down on the mount of olives (Zech. 14.4) on Aug. 7, 2022.

The sanctuary will finally be cleansed because Jesus returns at that time (the 1260th day of the Great Trib.) at the end of those 2300 days. A peace treat is signed at the start of the 7 years. 220 days into the Tribulation the Temple is completed and the sacrifices start. The Antichrist however does not cease those sacrifices at that time. He waits till three and a half years into the Tribulation to do so. Dan. 8.13-14 doesn't say the sacrifices will cease at the start of the 2300 days (220 days into the Tribulation) but it is at that point only "concerning the daily sacrifice". The "transgression and desolation" commences with the Antichrist in his relationship to the Temple which immediately takes effect once it is built because he is integral to the 7 year peace treat as well as the construction of the Temple. His very involvement is a transgression. The fact that animal sacrifices are not supposed to be performed anyway because Jesus is our once-for-all sacrifice also lends weight to "transgression and desolation."

Compare the two main views:
http://www.conservapedia.com/2300_Da...cy_of_Daniel_8

No less than 7 sources in the first century testify the disciples were willing to die for their convinctions and did so. Liars make poor martyrs. They did not die for a known lie. They really believed they saw Jesus alive from the dead. Three sources, one which is non-Christian, testify that James, the brother of Jesus, willingly died for his belief he saw Jesus raised from the dead.