Saturday, March 30, 2013

Signs Pt 15- Beginning of Sorrows


Signs Comparisons continued-

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mar 13:7  And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mar 13:8  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

Luk 21:9  But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10  Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Two of the books have - all these are the BEGINNING of SORROWS.
One book has along with nations rising against nation, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines, earthquakes, pestilences (2 books) - FEARFUL SIGHTS and GREAT SIGNS SHALL THERE BE FROM HEAVEN.

Why should we note the differences? Why not just gloss over them. Sure, two words might mean the same thing such as 'troubled' and 'terrified' as written here so we can mostly understand they are saying the same thing, but when there is something in one that just isn't in the other, we need to note that this too is to be looked for as a sign.  We can't just take Matthew 24 and learn the signs, learn where they've come into play in history and such while ignoring the other 2 gospels simply because we want to assume they are saying the exact same thing. We need all the signs from all the gospels only then can we be sure we are following ALL the signs, noting all the signs.  Sometime missing a single sign can make for disastrous consequences.

I watch a show on television called The Amazing Race which pits various couples against each other on a journey with adventures around the world, and they are given clues. Sometimes a clue might tell them to follow the signs to such an such a destination and there have been times where a couple has missed a sign causing them to miss where they needed to go, having to backtrack and pick up the missed signs.  When we miss signs it's not always a non-consequential action.  The one sign we are missing could send us down an entirely wrong path, we just don't know.

Here in these few verses of the three gospels holding this similar occasion we are told by two that these signs are just the BEGINNING of sorrows.  Sorrows perhaps because of the destruction each sign portrays for humans. Wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences- all of these can mean a great loss of life.  Not all wars take millions of lives, just as earthquakes, famines, and pestilences don't all take millions of lives, but they can and have taken great numbers of lives. I just watch a move recently on a Tsunami that happened a few years back taking hundreds of thousands of lives that day- the tsunami was caused by an earthquake in the ocean. Tragedies such as these cause GREAT sorrow! And to think that these sorrows are just the beginning. We can only in our wildest imagination even minutely comprehend the sorrow that the seven last plagues will bring, a time of trouble such as never was.  At the time of the plagues though, we won't be looking to them as signs for us to get ready, all will be decided at that point, but rather realizing the wrath of God is being poured out and soon Jesus will appear to take His people with Him.  Right now we have plenty of signs to look at, to study, to watch for, to pray about all these signs warning us to take heed to what is coming so we may get ready, be prepared, to know we are going in the right direction, that the Bible is taking us where we need to go.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Written for our LEARNING.
That we...might have HOPE.

This is way we have the Scriptures, this is why we must study the Scriptures.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.


All scripture is INSPIRED by GOD.
All scripture is profitable for DOCTRINE.
All scripture is profitable for REPROOF.
All scripture is profitable for CORRECTION.
All scripture is profitable for INSTRUCTION in RIGHTEOUSNESS.

We can't forget this!

Prophecy-

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

PROPHECY comes not by the WILL of man!
PROPHECY comes by HOLY MEN of GOD, speaking as they were MOVED by the HOLY GHOST!

TRUTH-

Isa 42:9  Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them

BEFORE they spring forth I tell you of them.  PREDICTION, PROPHECY!

Isa 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure

Declaring ...from ancient times the things that are NOT YET DONE.  PROPHECY!

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

We are NOT left in the dark! NONE will be able to say they had no way of knowing, not a single person!  No, we are not prophets, we are not personally given the secrets but the PROPHETS were given the secrets and they were given to them to give to US.

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Those things which are revealed! And they are revealed by the PROPHETS!

TRUTH

2Pe 1:16  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.
2Pe 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

TRUTH!

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you


Prophecy all given to us to allow us the realization of the reality of our SAVIOR'S GRACE.

God's plan- SALVATION.

By the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR more tomorrow!

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