Part #2, The Tribulation

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants' things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:" (Revelation 1:1)

Revelation is a book written using signs and symbology to present a message.  Jesus sent and signified it by his angel unto John. The purpose of using signs and symbology was to ensure that the message maintains it clarity down through the ages.   Often the intent of signification is not sustainable; as many will reject reality and common sense in favor of a delusional or denominational narrative.  To understand the book we must take the time to study the signs and symbology with the same patience researchers study the hieroglyphics of ancient civilizations.   Rather than rushing to interpret the book to fit our sometimes ancient denominational indoctrination, we should study the book to discover the fruit of new knowledge that is waiting for us to uncover.

To validate the above thesis, in the 1800's, the theory and application of nuclear fission were undeveloped, yet the knowledge of nuclear fission was waiting discovery.  

The basic problem with the interpretation of this Bible is the desire to incorporate too much into a verse through the substitution of a word and without regards to the order of the events.   This process is supportive of a false narrative.  False narratives regardless how small tend to shape our interpretation and lead us down a darkened path.  For instance, 1^st and 2^nd John used the word antichrist to describe those that seek to deceive the Children of God.  To promote an ideology that is acceptable to the mass we substituted, "the antichrist" for "antichrist", made him a person and sought to set a time for his arrival.    This does not seem to be the intent of the writer.  John is the only Bible writer to use the word "antichrist", but he never mentions "the antichrist". John's definition of antichrist was as follows: "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1^st John 4:3)  

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3)  "That man of sin, not the devil but a spawn of the Devil, the son of perdition."  Now, substitute the words, "the antichrist" for "the son of perdition", and we become at ease, deceived and distracted as we await the coming of, "The Antichrist".  

Here again substitution plays and part in the understanding of this verse.  "And shall go out to deceive the 'nations' which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." (Revelation 20:8)  In this verse, if we substitute the "churches" for the word "nations", the prophecy is changed.  We now become guilty of changing the meaning of the verse.  The word "Church" is used seven times in the book of Revelation, after the third chapter, it is no longer used, in Revelation 18:23 the church has become the bride of Christ.  It is unthinkable that the devil would be able to deceive the church once transformed into the bride of Christ.

The conscious of many is the church will not go through the tribulation.  If we use today's church as a marker then we are yet to see the beginning of the tribulation. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

This promise was true for the historic church at Philadelphia because they had the hope of the Lord’s return before the tribulation. If this church prefigures the true church as a whole, as many believe, it points to a further conclusion that all true believers in this age will have the same hope. This seems to follow a pattern found even in the Old Testament. Noah was saved from the flood. He was borne safely above it. Lot was led out of Sodom before its destruction. Rahab was saved before Jericho fell. Enoch was translated before the flood. While analogies are not conclusive, the translation of the church before the tribulation would be in keeping with these precedents.  This can pose a very thorny question as to the status of the church we will exploit this later.

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." (Revelation 21:9)

In this study, I will not use scriptures to try to prove a point, because if you are reading this you have basic scripture knowledge and you have a basic interpretation of the scripture.  Understanding the Word of God taught to look at how we interpret the scripture.   I intend to challenge you to look at how you interpret the knowledge that you have attained.  It is simple as the question of the earth, is it flat or is it round.  The pollution of God's Word is in full effect with shaped scriptures.

The most common structured belief is, first the millennial, then the tribulation, followed by the battle of Armageddon, then the Rapture.  The common belief is The Millennium described in Revelation describes an important interval lasting for 1000 years when Christ rules here on Earth.  The rulership of Christ on Earth is supposed to coincide with the binding of Satan.  This is often looked upon as a golden era; a time of universal peace. The ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism was the first to propose this concept.   However, this is not entirely scripture.

When we read Revelation 20, there are questions that should form the bases of our quest for knowledge.  Is Revelation 20 about judgment as a whole or is it leading up to a particular judgment?  Where is the church and who is the Holy Angles?   Remember what we have learned so far, "The saints shall judge the world."  During the millennial is Christ ruling in Heaven or is it Heaven and Earth?

 Let us consider that for a moment.  Now I know it is hard for a Christian of faith to admit that the rulership of Christ is not in effect in the world today.  Taught that God is in control and while we are sleep, he is solving our problem have become the mainstay of our Christian faith.   A noble approach to a supernatural God, and when we look around many are tempted to ask, "Is this How Christ rule?"   The event that was confusing to me was, after Christ had established his rulership here on Earth, a time of universal peace and happiness why would he interrupt his rulership and unleash the Devil.   The way the pious prelate explained it to me seems to take some of the events out of sequence and presented Christ rulership in a discombobulated manner to justify the status quo.

Thought by some, the darkest part of the prophecies of Revelation is contained in chapter 20.  Revelation 20 is not a separate prophecy; it is a recap of the events leading up to the conclusion of things.  The conscious is, to justify the belief structure and to maintain the relevance of the organized denominational church it would be wise to content ourselves with general observations, rather than to be positive and particular in our explications of it as future events.  The conscious seems to be flawed.  What if we rearranged the events and show that one or more has already taken place or are in process. The question of why are we taught such things emerge and the answer can only be to justify a false and profitable narrative.

The Tribulation is a time of distress, misery, affliction, and persecution that the followers of Jesus Christ were instructed to expect, also referred to as the time of the Gentiles.  The New Testament sometimes uses this word to denote a period of trial, trouble, and testing that will come to all humanity before the arrival of Christ to rule the world.   (Jesus prayed for the Kingdom to come, on earth as it is in Heaven.  Different views within the Christian community place the time of the tribulation and the arrival of the Kingdom at different points in relation to the Millennium.  

In John's vision, the millennium begins Chapter 4, verse 1;   he caught up, thus symbolizing the church.  "After this, I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Revelation 4:1)

Paul described the event as such; "For the Lord, himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1^st  Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Since the church is considered, an integral part of salvation it is unthinkable to most that a millennial would begin with the church missing.  Based on referenced scriptures (Hebrew 11:7; 1^st Peter 3:20; 2^nd Peter 2:5), it is also unthinkable that Jesus would allow his bride to go through the tribulation.   The problem with the acceptance of this statement is what happens to those who are left to go through the tribulation if the church is missing.

In the book of Revelation, the apostle John describes the vast multitude of people who come out of this time of testing and trial.  "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:13-14) 

To some teachers of prophecy, the above verses are referring to a specific period called Tribulation. Based on a comparison of relevant prophetic scriptures, many people feel this time of trial will last seven years. While some reference the entire seven-year period by this designation, others refer only to the last half or three and one-half years of being Tribulation. This is done because it is believed the last half of the seven-year period will bring far worse suffering and trial than the first half.

Many try to figure out when this time of global tribulation, suffering and trials will begin. Jesus' Olivet prophecies, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, can be used to help determine when the end will come and the Second Coming occurs.  Remember it is not for us to know the day or the hour, but it is for us to know the time and season.  When his disciples asked Jesus what would be the signs of his coming to earth during the end time he stated several events. He first warned them to watch so that they would not be fooled. 

 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:4-12)

Part #1, The Millennium

Revelation 20 

Millennium is just one of those big words that often come up when there is a discussion of Bible prophecies.  Just as quickly as it comes up it is glossed over in a confusing manner and cast aside as one of those events that we are not to be concerned with as long as we are still here, go to church regularly and pay our Tithes.  If pursued it can be one of the most confusing subjects of Bible study.  This should not be the case because the word seems to be simple to understand and Revelation seems to tell what is to take place.  The confusion began when we attempt to place a beginning on the event.

One's interpretation of the thousand years from Revelation 20 depends on more upon certain factors related to a Christian's hermeneutic than the strict text of the ten much-debated verses. There are several ways in which orthodox Christians choose to interpret the Scripture and depending on which of these methods is used, one's understanding of eschatological issues — and a host of others as well — will experience changes both significant and trivial. In addition, since one interprets Scripture primarily through the filter of his understanding of other passages in the Word of God, one's millennial view have issues when the Bible speaks of a millennium; the problem arises as we said before when we attempt to establish a starting point. 

Eschatology is a Christian term that means the study of the end of history or the "end of the world" from a religious perspective. Probably, more obscure theological text, made up sermons and ludicrous statements have been written on this topic than on any other belief in Christendom and yet there is no conscious within the household of faith. 

For the sake of clarification according to Wikipedia, "a millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period equal to 1000 years, also called kiloyears. It derives from the Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year. It is often, but not always, related to a particular dating system.

If we were to begin with the birth of Christ using the Julian Calendar then the 1^st millennium would begin January 1^st 0001 and end December 3,1 1000.  From an eschatological perspective, the 1^st millennium could have begun at the birth of Christ, the death of Christ, at that point before the church became a corrupted and divided body, or any other point referenced in the Holy scripture.

From my perspective, it seems easy to select a starting point, if I use the Bible and the book of Revelation as a guide.  Using the Bible I must ascribe to the belief that the events portrayed in the Bible are in chronological order.  Jumping back and forward, here and there trying to prove a point merely present the Word of God in a polluted and confusing manner.  Common sense is the bases of the knowledge of God and not the knowledge of good and evil, or science.  The common sense approach tells me that Jesus spoke of the events that were to take place in the end time and Revelation gives us a timeline to follow.   We cannot know the day or the hour, but we can learn the time and the season.

Because of our vast knowledge and the devil's desire to sow seeds of confusion, eschatological belief systems emerge when we attempt to discuss or study the prophecies of the end time millennium.  We shall treat them as follows: Dispensational Premillennialism, historic Premillennialism, postmillennialism, and Amillennialism.  The attempt to study the different belief systems rendered the study of the millennium as referenced in the scripture more confusing that it should.  The confusion is centered around when do it began and what is the order of the event that occurs at the beginning and during this period.  

Some see the millennium as the time of a future earthly theocracy by which Christ will rule over the nations for a thousand years. Others see it as a time during which Christ will rule the earth from heaven through the life-changing power of the Gospel. Still, others look at it in another way, and the multitude of others holds a multitude of other interpretations.  Thus, the confusion of Christianity reigns supreme.

The Bible contains many prophecies about the future. The New Testament talks extensively about the return of Jesus Christ to this earth.  This return is usually called his "second coming," or "parousia." The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 24, is devoted to this topic, as is much of the book of Revelation, and 1^st Thessalonians 4:16-18. A literal interpretation of the Bible shows that four important events are predicted:

	The Millennium: Revelation describes an important interval lasting for 1000 years when Christ rules.  This is a golden era; a time of universal peace. The concept was first proposed by the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.
	The Tribulation: This is a 7-year interval when a world religious-political leader called the Antichrist takes power.  This is not entirely scripture because the scripture does not refer to Antichrist as "The Antichrist."
	Armageddon is a terrible war provoked by the Antichrist. Most people on earth will die. God's anger, hatred, and wrath are poured out over mankind and the earth at this time. A series of violent events are predicted in Daniel 9, Matthew 24, and Revelation 4-19.
	The Rapture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 describes a miraculous event when Christ will descend from the heavens towards the Earth. Many conservative Protestants believe that faithful "born again" Christians who have previously died will be resurrected, rise from their graves, and ascend to meet Jesus in the sky. Immediately afterward, "born again" Christians who had not died will also ascend into the air. They will abandon cars, airplanes, factory jobs, homes, families, friends etc. Since the vast majority of humans are not "born again," most people will remain behind on earth.

We will discuss each of these events in a separate segment, hopefully, we can shed some light on what has the making of a confusing subject. Unfortunately, this and various other Biblical passages predicting the future are ambiguous. The events themselves are open to many interpretations. There is no clear indication of either their timing or sequence. Some Christians believe that "millennium" does not mean a time interval of exactly 1,000 years. Rather it refers to a long interval of time. Some Christians interpret events mentioned in the Christian Scriptures as descriptions of real happenings in our future; others interpret them symbolically and/or as events that have already occurred millennia ago. 

This leaves the passages open to many conflicting beliefs about the end times. A lot of intra-denominational and inter-denominational strife has resulted from disagreements about end time prophecy. For example, the Roman Catholic Church and most mainline and liberal denominations do not have an expectation that the Rapture will occur in the way anticipated by many fundamentalists and other evangelical faith groups.

Because of the conflicting beliefs about the millennium, the Kingdom of God and other religious practices, the church has splintered into many different groups and organizations.  Speaking to Peter, Jesus had high hopes and expectations for the church.  Speaking to John, Jesus condemns the church.  When did the church become a divided body? Is there a message here that we are missing? The answer to these and other questions might help us realize the time and season that is at hand.  Join me in a six-part study of the millennium and the event that follows.

To be continued 

The Beast of Revelation 13

History bears witness that there are two elements present when a nation decline and its people fade into oblivion.    The worshiping of false gods is always a factor.  The confusion of languages and the dispersion of the people at the Tower of Babel caused a cloud of darkness to overshadow and follow many civilizations. (Genesis 11:1-9) Wheather we accept this as the truth, a myth or a big lie, the evidence speaks for themselves.  Today we refer to them as "Lost Civilization." When a nation divides or merges its spiritual base destruction follows.  The Roman Emperor Constantine did not save Rome by merging Christianity with Pagan values, he hastens the downfall of Rome.  The treatment of the Jews has always been a factor in the survival of a nation or empire.   In modern History, the British Empire can attest to this fact.  Once a thriving Empire, after siding with the enemies of Israel she lost her status to America, her arrogant stepchild.  Did not Jesus say Nations would be judged based on how they treated his brethren (Jews)? 

The Bible is a history of God's interaction with his creation down through the ages and not a hodgepodge of related and unrelated clichés.  The fact that the Bible exists is a Testament to its sacredness and resilience.  The Old Testament gives us an insight how God interacted with his chosen people and we can learn from that.  Many messages of inspiration and exaltation are achievable from studying the books of the Old Testament, but The Old Testament is not to be mistaken as a message to the church.  To do so is to take the Word of God out of context.

Once minister learned from their counterparts the ease of taking words out of context this became a common occurrence.  New age interpretations of the Bible have emerged that allows for all infractions, even to the point of quoting scriptures to justify sin. A classic example of a scripture out of context is Jeremiah 29:11.  We often approach this scripture as a security blanket: "God has a plan for me that is good, so clearly this suffering I’m going through will end soon and then my flourishing will begin!" That is not at all what God was promising to the Israelites, and it is not what he is promising us, either.  Many shysters and late night televangelists have used this scripture to fleece the sheep of God pasture.  If we read the entire chapter, we most definitely would get a deeper understanding.  The heart and context of the verse is “not that we would escape our lot, but that we would learn to thrive” in the midst of it.

We can learn much about God from the book of Genesis.  The book is crammed full of information that should give us a clear picture of God, his plan, and his intent, but to contrive a scenario and present it as a message to the church is in error.  In the simplest terms, if we believe in the "Trinity" which many do not, then God never spoke to the church.   Remember, there are three entities referenced in the Holy Scripture.  "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God." (1^st Corinthians 10:32)  If Paul referenced them as separate entities then they must remain separate. 

In my book, "The Evolution of a Failed Church", I am critical of the church, because it has taken on a mission that was not ordained by Christ.  Pastors are becoming politician and politicians are becoming pastors, this is not for the edification of the Kingdom, it is to amass a fortune, fame, and glory.   The indictment issued by Jesus reads as such, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelation 3:15-17) 

Understanding that much of what we believe will count for nothing when it comes to salvation.    ²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:212-23 ESV)  That should be enough to make you think.

When we take words out context and present them as truths, we are guilty of a number of insidious acts.  Namely, we bear false witness, a task that many Christians now a day are comfortable with, we are using false words to create a separate entity, one that fits our ideology of what that person or even God should be.  Once we have created that false entity we tend to devote our time energy converting other to bolster our ego or our quest for fame and glory. 

Maybe we should stop asking God to do so many things and just let God be God.  Nothing can be more destructive to oneself and the faith of the struggling believer than to find God on the social media waiting for someone to "Type Amen and Share" so he can deliver a trunk load of money to their doorstep.  Somebody needs to tell somebody that this is not what God is about nor is this how God works.  The 'Genie in the Bottle', the 'Slot machine God' is not in accord with the Word of God, neither is he the God of prosperity.  Maybe we should let God be God rather than repeating what Moses told the Children of Israel about standing still and seeing the salvation of God, maybe we should reflect on what Jesus said.  "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." (Revelation 2:26) That verse tells us a lot about what God's plan for us.

It is my belief that the events presented in the Bible are in a chronological order.  Revelation gives us a concise overview of the past, the present and the future as relevant to the time of John's existence. "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;" (Revelation 1:19)    Much of the confusion of Christianity and the lack of believability would dissipate if we were to accept the foregoing statement as being true. The study Biblical history the same as we study human history would cause too many inconvenient truths to emerge.  Many of these truths have lain hidden since the early days of the reformation of Christianity. 

The problem with Bible interpretation has been just that, the desire to interpret the Bible.   Reading with a desire to understand, asking for spiritual guidance is more appropriate than searching the scripture trying to prove a point.   Understanding the ancient language and the signification of the Bible is a major key to Understanding the Word of God.   

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." (Revelation 13:1) 

When I was a child, lacking in knowledge I would envision grotesque beasts emerging from the ground.  Many parents who would read the Bible to their children would refrain from reading Revelation.  As I grew older, a study of Bible symbology allowed me to grasp the understanding the meaning of the terminology "Beast, Sea, head, and horns."  A complete listing of Bible symbology can be found in my Book, "Understanding The Word of God."

Prophecy and Revelation acknowledge the concept that the book of Revelation written in chronological order depicts world events, past, present, and future.  The events of Revelation 1, 2, 3, took place before the events portrayed in Revelation 4.  In Revelation, 3:1 Jesus is speaking to a dead church.  This dead church existed in John's day.  That statement is not acceptable by the majority because it places the church of today in an untenable position.

Revelation 13 began with the destruction of a nation and a new nation emerging.  This new nation is an ungodly nation ruled by a person who possesses the spirit of the Devil (Antichrist).  

Revelation chapter 13 begins with a beast (the Antichrist) rising up out of the sea which represents the nations of the world. The beast is the Antichrist or the false messiah. He will be the final world ruler, also known as the little horn in the book of Daniel, chapter 7, v.8. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things."

America and other European nations are being brought to their knees as America is being judged harshly by the sin of it pass.  Law and order are being systematical destroyed.   We seem to be standing on the pinnacle of disaster overlooking the abyss, but it is my belief that the hand of God has halted our descent until the time of the Gentiles is complete and the Temple has been restored.    

Things during the end times will be chaotic. A time of confusion and uncertainty will cause the people to desperately look for a strong leader that could bring hope and security in a time of fear and apprehension. People will desperately seek a strong, charismatic, authoritative leader who can pull the world back from the very brink of disaster. This leader will have already discarded the Bible as being the authoritative word of God and have overseen the enactment of laws that are contrary to God laws. 

Those people will get their wish as a powerful, charismatic leader spouting peace and unity comes on the scene from the Union of Nations. However, he will turn out to be much more than they bargained for. He will be a dictator whose cruelty will be more than any other the world has ever known. This man will possess the spirit of Antichrist, he will rule the entire world and receive its worship.

End of Age Prophecies

End of Age Prophecies Study Guide

Learned Bible scholars tend to agree that there are at least six primary "End of Age Prophecies, and they are all mention in the New Testament.   The Old Testament writers validated a number of these prophecies. The signs of the fulfillment of these prophecies are evident, but not to the detractors, their Heart has been hardened, they are like the ancient Pharaoh, they see the signs yet they refused to believe.   

In today's age, it is easy to explain away the signs of impending doom because of our science, history, ethnic background and the failure of our religious indoctrination.  The setting that humanity has created does not allow us to believe in the wrath of God.  That what is known as common sense or the Knowledge of God has been cast aside in favor of the vast Knowledge of the world, therefore we are comfortable with our ideology of why things are happening. 

The unbelieving state of humanity is an intricate part of the prophecies.  It seems as if false science and false teachings have distracted the masses,  religious leaders and the church of God.  In an age when we should be concerned about the coming of the Kingdom, we are more concerned about wealth, favor and sowing seeds to receive a financial blessing.  Paul's admonition to Timothy was, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:" (1^st Timothy 6:20)

Paul in his writing to Timothy advised him that false science is a distraction. Religion has nothing to fear from history or true science, and the minister of the gospel should not dread the truth. Real science, in all its advances, contributes to the support of religion; and just in proportion as that is promoted will it be found to sustain the Bible, and to confirm the claims of religion to the faith of mankind.

The meaning here is, that Timothy was to avoid everything which falsely laid claim to being "knowledge" or "science." There was much of this in the world at the time the apostle wrote this letter, and more perhaps than anything else has tended to corrupt true religion since.

When Jesus spoke of wars and rumors of wars, the devil and his minions quickly pointed out that this was nothing new.   Relying upon false science and history, they inject doubt into the Word of God.  Mention wars and rumors of wars today as an End of Age prophecy and if not fully grounded in faith, we would find ourselves doubting the meaning of Jesus words. 

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." (Matthew 24:7)

Each one of the above mention events standing alone might not raise an alarm, but when they accrue within the same time-frame maybe, we should take notice.  The acceleration of natural disasters and climate shifts around the world could easily signal a warning to the world that the Wrath of God is or it is about to be poured out on earth.  Yet, science and humanity have contrived numerous scenarios to explain what is happening.  Rather than accept the conclusion that time is winding up, we use a term such as global warming to indicate that man in charge of his destiny while reveling charismatic leaders who cast aside the teaching of the Bible.

"Which sometime were disobedient when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (1^st Peter 3:20)

Jesus told His disciples that just before the “end of the age,” as we have known it all our lives, it would be as it was in the days of Noah.  People going about their daily lives as usual, they were oblivious to the “signs of the times” and the warnings of Noah that they were headed for sudden destruction. Then, the great flood came and killed them all, except those safe in the ark. (Matthew 24:3; 38-39; 2^nd Peter 2:5). 

These segments of scripture provide the fuel for a number of questions and it also provides the answer.  Often overlooked are the implications that when the destruction came upon the earth, those who were saved were safe within the Ark.   When the destruction befell Sodom Lot and his wife was safe outside of the city.   According to the book of Revelation, it seems that the church will be spared the tribulation that is to befall the world.  If there is any truth to these statements then maybe we should question the status of the church. 

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3) 

The degeneration of the Christian Church into a worldly-minded, pleasure/prosperity-seeking, apostate church of the Laodicean type has come of age.

"Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." (1^st Timothy 6:21)  

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy from Laodicea.  Laodicea is the city where the church in John's day had lost it way.  Timothy was advised to voiding profane and vain babblings. "Profane is empty empty words." The reference is to such controversies and doctrines as tended only to produce strife, and was not adapted to promote the edification of the church.

The rise of a beastly "whore" nation - modern, prophetic, Babylon the Great  who both seduces and "swallows up" the other nations of the world in her attempt to establish a global empire (Jeremiah 50:23; 51:25, 44; Revelation 17:1-2, 18)

 The collapse of the world's economies, resulting in revolutions, wars, rule of the wealthy elite through martial law, and the impoverishment and servitude of the masses (Revelation 6:2-6; 13:16-17)

 The amalgamation of nations of the Middle East and North Africa against Israel (Psalm 83:2-8; Ezekiel 38:2-16)

 Now Revelation 13 comes into play, first, the takeover by Islamists then annihilation by "fire" (a comet or nuclear explosion?) of the last great superpower nation - modern, prophetic Babylon - opening the door to the invasion of Israel by nations of the Middle East and North Africa.  (Jeremiah 51:1-4, 14, 27-28, 37, 43; Revelation 17:16; 18:2, 8)  Then Christ returns with his Holy Angels (The church who has already been sequestered) to fight for his brothers.   I challenge you to think about these things.

 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:7-13) 

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." ( 1^st Thessalonians 4:17)   The church is caught up.  

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Revelation 4:1)  This is the beginning of the tribulation

 However, current events that are rapidly fulfilling Bible prophecy Revelation 13:3, 4, 7, 8; 17:11-17) are making it crystal clear that the kingdom of the "beast" (anti-Messiah) will be a global kingdom - an unstable, brittle merger of Eastern and Western cultures, religions and politics (hence, the mixture of iron and clay).

 Some of the events that occurred not long ago were Pope Francis embracing Islam - pronouncing that anti-Messianic religion just as valid as “Christianity” (the Roman Catholic version). Then, when the Pope arrived in Washington D.C., President Barack Hussein Obama, who had declared that America was no longer a Christian nation, greeted him very warmly.  After which the U.S. Congress and massive throngs of people with wildly enthusiastic accolades greeted the Pope, as though he is the leader of all the world’s religions, and indeed, that seems to be how he is perceived. There is even a term for the new, unified religion – Chrislam. The Pope is also advocating global cooperation in affecting climate change and humanitarian treatment of "oppressed" people (especially the Palestinians).

Fulfilling Of The Prophecies

Revelation means "the veil roll aside."

The visions recorded in the book of Revelation seen by John the beloved disciple while marooned on the Isle of Patmos written about the year of our Lord 96.  We can do the math and learn how long after the crucifixion of Christ that it was before John wrote the book.  That time span is important when we began to study the history of the Church.

The book of Revelation has three divisions. This threefold division is found in chapter one.  "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." (Revelation 1:19) This verse is the key that unlocks the interpretation and the understanding of Revelation.  Verse 19 speaks of the past, the present and the future.   Overlooking this date stamp allows us to shape the prophecies and turning them into a polluted and unbelievable mess. If we view the prophecies from the writers perspective dating the prophecies of Revelation should be an easy task, we are not living in John's past nor are we living in his present.  Therefore, the prophecies future should concern us. 

Every book in the bible has a key verse that establishes perspective and context.  Sometimes the key is hanging at the very entrance of the book and this is true with the book of Revelation.   There are times when the key is in other books of the bible.  Keys are important to Understanding the Word of Good, without them, we can become guilty of promoting the Word of God as a confusing and polluted mess.

In verse 19, John is instructed to "write the things which thou hast seen."  What John had just seen was recorded in verse 10 through 18.  Christ was seen in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.  These are the central objects of these verses, and the time is past tense. Was Christ actively involved in the Church during John's past?  Yes, He was seen in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, signifying his presence in and attendance to the church.

The second part of verse 19 John is instructed to write the things, "which are." These things that are recorded in chapter two and three.  In these chapters, the professing church is traced through it stay upon earth.  Seven representative churches that document the condition of the church in John's day and had been in progress since the day of Pentecost and it will continue.  This part of the prophecy attests to the condition of the church in John's day.  The church now suffers the condemnation of Christ.  This poses a thorny dilemma that we shall explore later. 

The third part of the Key was that John was instructed to write the things, "which shall be hereafter." The literal translation reads, "After these things," or the things that shall happen after the church age.  The third division of Revelation begins with chapter 4 and continues through chapter twenty-two, verse 5.  It is essentially the prophetic part of the book of Revelation.  The third division is John's future, our present.

Two questions need studying.   We know the event that signals the end of the church age, and that much of Revelation deals with the tribulation.  The questions are when do the church age end and the tribulation began?  The answers to these questions has far-reaching implications, such as will the church go through the tribulation or are we are going through the tribulation now? 

The book of Revelation encapsulates the entire focus of the Bible, as to the purpose of the creation, the love of God, the outpouring of his wrath and the final dispensation of things. Revelation reveals the place and purpose of the church, The Jews and the nations in the kingdom of God. The book of Revelation does not support the thesis that Heaven is a place where we all will assemble and have nothing to do but fly around all day long shouting Holy, Holy, Holy.  Revelation is also a book that is filled with woes, warning and prophecies, so that those who are seeking to reign with him will not be caught off guard during the oncoming tribulation.   "Reign with him" is another word or phrase that has been casted aside in favor of "Going to Heaven"

The validation of the book is set forth in Revelation 1:1.  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants' things, which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.   The importance of the book is confirmed in Revelation 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are sounding now or yet to sound!  The Book of Revelation encapsulates the whole plan of God.  

The book of Revelation narrates or depicts a series of visions, which have been almost universally accepted to prefigure a series of events, which were to take place in the present and future history of the church, the world and humanity. Thus, it begins with seven letters to seven representative churches.  He not only counsels the churches, he threatens his church and demand that they repent. It is for this reason that many religious and world leaders seek to impugn or discredit the status of the book.  Revelation does not fit the narrative of a modern-day pessimistic society nor the church as an apostate an organized body.  The statement of John in verse 3, "...for the time is at hand" has allowed many to conclude that the book of Revelation is a dated book and most of the events if not all, have already been fulfilled.

Over the course of man's history, he has orchestrated many prophecies changing events.  There are events that had been initiated within the world and the church that if they had been allowed to proceed would have been destructive to the prophecies of God. Hitler's attempt to destroy the Jews,  or even the church laying claim to the blessings of Abraham, both are an attempt to destroy or change the prophecies of God. It is the consensus of the righteous that the prophecies of God are unchanging, unfolding and the evidence of their fulfillment can be seen. 

There is, perhaps, no book in the New Testament which is more clear and intelligible, and on which commentators are better agreed, in respect to its direct and immediate meaning.  But the attempts which have been made to determine the historical events, which are to be considered as represented by its various symbols, have resulted in a vast variety of conflicting opinions.   Many of the conflicting opinions are based upon a failure to understand the symbolic language of the book.  Another reason for a variety of conflicting opinions is the attempt to interpret the book in a manner that fits our personal, denominational or worldviews. The bible should be allowed to speak and interpret itself.  

The world is moved closer to World War 3.  The nations are gathering in the Middle East.  Nations that once stood with Israel once again are now turning their back on her.  The lessons of Rome, Germany, and Great Britain are lost on a modern day America as we dance on the newly created precipice of hate.  The judgment of nations has always been and always be based upon how these nation treated "the brethren", not the church as some suppose but the Jews.

(Many World leaders and groups have attempted to destroy the Jews as a nation and a people, claiming their birthright for themselves.  If this was allowed to happen, the written Bible prophecies would fail and it is the thinking of the Devil (Antichrist) that Jesus Christ would not have a reason to return to this earth.  Even religious organizations have unwittingly participated in this Unholy scheme.  Many still wonder, what was Hitler’s real reason for trying to destroy the Jews.  Understanding the Bible prophecies will help us understand what has been and still is going on in the Middle East.)

 The Greek word "ethnos" here translated "Nations" occurs 158 times in the New Testament. It is translated "Gentiles" 92 times, "Nation" or "Nations" 61 times, and "The Heathen" 5 times, but it is never in any instance (unless it is this) applied either to the "dead" or the "resurrected."

As this is a judgment of nations only, the Jews cannot be in it, for they are not reckoned among the nations. Numbers 23:9. And as the Church will be associated with Christ in this judgment, for the "Saints" (the Church) shall judge the "World" (the Nations) (1^st Corinthians 6:2), the Church cannot be in this judgment either. As we have seen the Church and the Jews have been already judged, so the "Judgment of the Nations" cannot be a general judgment. Who then, is asked, are meant by the Sheep? Do they not represent the Righteous, and all the Righteous from the beginning of the world to the end of Time? And do not the Goats in like manner represent all the Wicked?

 If the Sheep are the Righteous, and the Goats the Wicked, then who are the Brethren? If they are the "followers of Christ," as some claim, they should be classed with the Sheep. The Scriptures teach that the Righteous are saved by "faith," and the Wicked are lost because they "reject Christ," but in this judgment scene the Sheep inherit a "Kingdom" and the Goats are commanded to "depart," because of their treatment of the Brethren.

 All the confusion is caused by trying to make a judgment of "nations" mean a judgment of "individuals." The Sheep represent one class of Nations, and the Goats another class, while the Brethren represent the Jews (Christ's brethren). We must bear in mind the time and place of this judgment. The time is the "Revelation of Christ" when He comes to set up His "Millennial Kingdom" on the earth. The place is the "Valley of Jehoshaphat" in the vicinity of Jerusalem.

"For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather ALL NATIONS, and will bring them down into the `Valley of Jehoshaphat,' and will plead with them there for MY PEOPLE and for my heritage Israel,  whom they have scattered among the Nations, and parted my land." Joel 3:1-2.

 This prophecy clearly states that there is to be a "Judgment of Nations" on the earth in the "Valley of Jehoshaphat" at the time of the restoration of the Jews to their own land and that the basis of judgment is the treatment by the nations of Christ's brethren-- The Jews.

During the "Tribulation Period" the Nations that treat the Jewish People kindly, feeding and clothing them, and visiting them in prison, will be the "Sheep Nations," while those who neglect to do so will be the "Goat Nations." At the "Judgment of Nations" the King (Christ) will say to the "Sheep Nations," inasmuch as ye have been kind to My brethren (the Jews), "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." This Kingdom is the "Millennial Kingdom" that the "Sheep Nations" as Nations will "inherit" and possess during the Millennium. And as they are to be among the "saved nations" of the New Earth (Revelation 21:24) it can be said of them that they, or at least the righteous individuals of them, shall enter into life eternal. Matthew 25:46.

Christ's sentence upon the "Goat Nations" will be-- "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels," and "these shall go away into everlasting punishment." The "Goat Nations" will at once be destroyed as Nations, not one of them shall get into the Millennium, and the wicked individuals that compose them will perish and be eternally lost.

 Before we began another in-depth study of the book of Revelation, I extend to you an invitation to take the blinders off and see reality, which is increasingly hidden from us by the government and mainstream media, for what it is and what God Word has to say about it.  The trends point us towards the fulfillment of six primary "End of the Age" Bible prophecies:

Jerusalem, The Temple and The Jews

In a church Bible study a few years ago, I was hastily chastened for making reference to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple before the time of the end.  A scripture out of context was read stating we are no longer Jews or Gentiles and since the coming of Christ, there has been no need for a temple to be built.  

In a recent Bible study, the recognition of Jerusalem and the building of the Temple was revisited.  It is common knowledge that since returning to the Holy Lands, the Jews have drawn up plans for the rebuilding of the third Temple.  The only thing standing in their way was the United Nation recognizing Jerusalem, the city ordained by God as the capital of Israel.  The one thing that prevents our religious leaders from rejoicing in the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies is, it denies the church the right to claim the blessings of Abraham.  Religious and world leaders protested and condemned the President of the United States for advancing the prophecies of God. 

We prefer to read and interpret the Bible in a hopscotch fashion, the same as the media deals with news today.  Following that scenario, we can make the Bible say exactly what we want it to say.   This type of interpretation has allowed the pacification of Christian values as we use the word of God to justify our sins.  It is no wonder that the believability of the real God has suffered because we have turned his word into a polluted mess.

Jesus also foretold the building of the Third Temple, after the destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70.  In Matthew 24:2, Jesus told the disciples after they commented about the beauty of the Temple, that not one stone would be left upon another. This was fulfilled in A.D. 70, by the Romans under Titus. Later Jesus refers to the time of the end, when the Third Temple would be defiled, causing the abomination of desolation.   

14“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),

Matthew 24:14-15 The abomination of desolation is referred to three times in the book of Daniel, (Daniel 9:27,11;31, 12:11). Each mention refers to the Temple being defiled.

Paul also notes the need for a Third Temple and the role the Temple will play.  The anti-Christ will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be God. This is consistent with the words of Jesus and Daniel about the role this Temple will play.  

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3-4) 

The long absence of a Temple and Israel’s gathering are also foretold by Hosea. The many days refers to our own day.  The only other time, since Hosea day there was no Temple was for the 70-year period, between 586 B.C. and 516 B.C. Seventy years does not qualify as a long absence when the only other time is over 1900 years.

"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 14:2)    

God’s relationship to Israel, is based on his word, to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The special relationship between Israel and God is holy, Israel has a specific purpose on the Earth. They are unique amongst the nations.  From these verses in Deuteronomy, we can conclude the following points about God’s relationship with Israel.

•         God chose Israel

•         Israel as a nation is distinct from all the other nations.

•         The Lord loves Israel

•         God will keep his word he made to the fathers

A point to remember the church and the Jews are two different groups and the promises made to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were promises made to the Jews, not the church.  

"Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:" (1st Corinthians 10:32)  

While the Church is being judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ in the air, the Jews will be judged under Antichrist on the earth. The Jews are an "earthly" people, and as all the promises to them are "earthly," it follows that their judgment must be of an "earthly" character. The basis of their judgment is their "rejection of the Godhead."

In the days of Samuel, they rejected God the Father. "And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (1^st Samuel 8:7)

 In the days of Christ, they rejected God the Son.  "And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas." (Luke 23:18)

In the days of Stephen, they rejected God the Holy Spirit. "For their sin, they have been scattered among the nations until the "Times of the Gentiles" are fulfilled." (Acts 7:51,54-60)

When the "Times of the Gentiles" are about to end the Jews will be gathered back to the Holy Land "unconverted," and caused to "pass under the rod." Ezekiel 20:34-38. They will be cast into God's "Melting Pot" (Ezekiel 22:19-22), and pass through an experience spoken of by Jeremiah and Daniel as the "TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE." Jeremiah 30:4-7; Daniel 12:1. Christ calls it "The Great Tribulation," and He and Zechariah the Prophet associate it with the "Return of the Lord." Matthew 24:21-31; Zechariah 14:1-11. The human agent the Lord will use will be the Antichrist, the awfulness of whose rule will be supplemented by the pouring out of the "Vials of God's wrath" upon the earth. Revelation 15:1,5-8; 16:1-21.

The result of these terrible judgments will be that the Jews will call in their misery upon the Lord. Zechariah 12:10. Then Christ will come back to the Mt. of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and the Jews will look upon Him whom they "pierced" (Zechariah 12:10), and a nation, the Jewish Nation, shall be "born (converted) in a day." Isaiah 66:8. This will complete the judgment of the Jews.

The Error Of Man

In our utopia society labels are created and applied to the things that offend us.  The definition of these labels are often fluid and for that reason alone they pose far-reaching implications that are often destructive to society itself.  It is akin to clearing the forest of unwanted trees, a noble undertaking but destructive to the home of the creature that lives there.  This action usually causes the animals to invade our personal space.  These created labels are often fueled by an emotion of the heart called hatred and their purpose is to destroy rather than correct. Labels act as a virus once they are injected into an environment, destruction of that environment occurs.  To validate this assessment look no farther than our school systems.   Parents are being forced to rely on Law enforcement and the judicial society to protect their children from other children, this is an impossible scenario. 

 The desire to eliminate hate is a noble concept and has always been at the top of God's agenda but, God in his infinite wisdom realized that to do so he would have to destroy what he had created.  Throughout the Old Testament, God's destructive plan was often thwarted by one person who found Grace in the Eyes of God.  After numerous attempt to allow mankind to self-correct, he initiated a plan and he set a time to act on that plan. 

Mankind dereliction of duty began soon after the creation, and it has continued.  "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:4)

This verse seems to imply that there was a massive population swell in the land consisting of two types of people, the sons of God and the daughters of men.   Who were the sons of God, and who were the daughters of men?  We shall establish a foundation and explore the probabilities.  This question has caused much speculation as men of skill and knowledge learned to preface their often-flawed interpretation with, "the Bible says." We will attempt to shed light on what some refer to as an anomaly in the scripture, but first, let's establish our foundation and examine the true reason why the detractors continue to point out certain things and label them anomalies. 

There are numerous verses in the scripture that offers a key to the knowledge of the Word of God; this is one of those verses.   This key is often overlooked because of an error in our original interpretation that is based on an indoctrinate view of the scripture.  There are two types of knowledge mention in the Holy Scripture, one is the Knowledge of God and the other is the knowledge of good and evil.   Too often, we assume and teach, the knowledge of good and evil is the knowledge to know the difference between good and evil, and this is not true.   The Knowledge of Good and Evil is a Hebrew phrase that references all of the knowledge of the world.   The use of such phrases is called merisms. 

The use of Merisms found in the Old and New Testaments was a part of the Hebrew language, a figure of speech. Merisms are a convention of poetry and prose. Merism is an example of synecdoche in which the expression of a totality is by referencing it contrasting parts, (e.g. high and low, young and old). In this figure of speech a pair of opposites refers to something greater than the constituents, as in the phrase, "they searched high and low," meaning that they searched everywhere."

It is the knowledge of good and evil that has increased expeditiously, while the true Knowledge of God has become stagnant.   The Knowledge of Good and Evil or all of the knowledge of the world has created a new model for a sympathetic God whose concern is blessing his wayward children.   This model for a new and sellable God does not always agree with the ancient scripture, such as the return of Christ to rule over the world.  This does not fit the narrative of the nations, and to the churches, it is merely an afterthought.

From the days of the Garden of Eden, the Knowledge of Good and Evil have engaged in a continuous battle to suppress the knowledge of God.  This was the reason God placed restrictions on its access.  The Devil used this great knowledge to impress upon humanity that they possessed the innate ability to become as God.  This was the same trick the Devil had tried before being cast out upon the earth.  Throughout the Old Testament, God and his prophets proclaimed that lack of the Knowledge of God was causing his people to error.

Consider this, it wasn't long ago we were led to believe that if man traveled into outer space he would crash into the gates of Heaven.   This was hard for many to accept in the sixties as not being true.  Why was this?  It was because of our ancient interpretation of Genesis 1:4, which was a validation of the lack of the Knowledge of God to keep pace with the knowledge of man.  Centuries ago, indoctrinated into a denominational belief by certain church leaders, our view of God was what they told us and not from a New Testament experience.

Now, if we read Genesis 6:4 and if we interpret this verse based upon our belief that all human life derived from Adam and Eve we create numerous impossible scenarios.  I have long held the belief that our views of Adam and Eve were not scriptural.  A careful reading of Genesis 1:26-28 can easily be accepted as "male and female created he them." If we allow ourselves to stray from our indoctrinated belief it would seem as if God created a host of males and females.  Genesis 2 is not a narrative of the creative works of God, but rather that what God did after he had restored the Earth. Thus God formed, not created a special man to tend his garden. Adam and his offspring were styled as "The Sons of God"   If we accept this narrative we will not have to rely on conjectures and superposition's  to answer the questions that the emerging generation is asking such as, Where did Cain get his wife or when did God create the races".  

Some hold that the "Sons of God" were the "angels which kept not their first estate" Jude 1:6. It is asserted that the title is in the Old Testament exclusively used of angels. However, this is an error Isaiah 43:6. Angels are spoken of in a sexless way. There is no mention of female angels in Scripture, and marriage is unknown among angels. Matthew 22:30.  Thus if we are transformed into Holy Angels there will be no marriages.  Old things including our memory of our previous existence will be done away with.

The uniform Hebrew and Christian interpretation have been that verse Genesis 6:2 marks the breaking down of the separation between the godly line of Seth and the godless line of Cain, and so the failure of the testimony to God committed to the line of Seth Genesis 4:26. For apostasy, there is no remedy but judgment Isaiah 1:2-7, 24-25; Hebrew 6:4-8; 10:26-31. Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," is given 120 years, but he won no convert, and the judgment predicted by his great-grandfather felled, Jude 1:14-15; Genesis 7:11.

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:5-8) 

Genesis 6:5-8 serves as a prelude to worldwide destruction ordain by God.  Once the man had given the Devil access to God's creative works, man's heart became corrupt.   The scripture says that the imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.   Herein we find God declaring his disgust with his once prized creation and in doing so he is exposing certain attributes that we have been condition not to accept.  In God repentance state, did he just declare the creation of man to be a mistake?   Humanity with its infinite wisdom can easily explain this away. 

One person thwarted God's plan of total destruction, Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord.  Because of the few that found grace in the eyes of the Lord, he began to work on individual bases.  He saved Lot and destroyed the city because of Abraham's insistence.   He later made a covenant with Abraham to raise up unto him a Holy nation.  This nation would be separate from all of the other nations and he would rule over them.  It wasn't long after they set out on their journey to the promise land the evilness of man began to manifest itself.