Thursday, April 26, 2012

ASK: 3 Questions Daily (The Restrainer Weakening, God Change Mind, 1260 Days)

ASK: 3 Questions Daily (The Restrainer Weakening, God Change Mind, 1260 Days)


>#1

Is The Restrainer Weakening?

Q.  Do you think it is possible that the restraining power is already weakening as a lead up to the rapture? I ask this because of the overwhelming and ever growing sense of evil in the world.
 
A.  Typically scholars see the restrainer as being the Holy Spirit, residing in the Church.  According to John 14:16-17 and John 15:26-27 His role is that of a counselor or adviser, rather than being a direct force.  This means His effectiveness is governed by the Church’s willingness to listen to His voice and act on His advice.
2 Thes. 2:7 simply says the restrainer will keep restraining until He’s taken out of the way.  There’s no indication of a gradual withdrawal.  However, in past generations the Church was a much more powerful influence for traditional morality than it is today.  Therefore I think the rise in evil is more due to the church’s increasing inability to stand against it than to any weakening of the Holy Spirit’s power.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Ask a Bible Teacher.


>#2

Did God Change His Mind?

Q.  Re: Lessons from Jonah.  I do not believe from what scripture says in various places that God changes his mind, but in Jonah 3:10 it almost seems as if he does.  When asked by others why this is not an example of God changing his mind, I have had difficulty explaining it.  Can you please help me?
 
A.  Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.” 
God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  He doesn’t have to change his mind when He sees man’s reaction because He already knows what man’s reaction will be.
Jonah 3:10 says God threatened the Ninevites with judgment. It doesn’t say He had already decided to judge them and then had to change His mind based on their reaction. He knew before He sent Jonah to Nineveh that they would repent and that He wouldn’t have to follow through with His threat.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Ask a Bible Teacher.


>#3

1260 Days, 1290 Days, And 1335 Days

Q.  I have a few questions about Daniel 12. The one prophecy that seems to create more confusion than clarity among our group is the 75 day period between the end of the great tribulation to the 1335th day.   As you know 1260 days equals 42 months or 3-1/2 years, the last time period on the great tribulation. From Daniel 12:11-12 there seems to be 30 days missing. 1290-1260 = 30 days. Then there’s a 45 day period between the end of the 1290 days to the 1335 days.  Can you help us understand this?
 
A.  Daniel 12:11-12 says,
“From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.  Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.”
Since the Great Tribulation is clearly 1260 days long (Rev. 12:6), some scholars speculate that some of the “missing”  days between 1260 and 1290 will be consumed with waiting for the Lord to appear.  Matt. 24:42-44, 50, Matt. 25:13 all say they won’t know the day or hour of His return after the Great Tribulation ends.  After He does appear He’ll conduct the 2nd Coming judgments for Israel and the surviving Gentiles.  They’re mentioned in Joel 3:1-3 and described in  Matt. 24:45-51 (Faithful Servant)Matt. 25:14-30 (Talents) and Matt. 25:31-46 (Sheep and goats). These judgments will consume the rest of the days between 1260 and 1290.
I believe the remaining 45 days will be necessary to cleanse the Temple for use in the Millennium and set up the administrative workings of the Kingdom.  Those who make it through these two periods to see the arrival of the Kingdom Age will be truly blessed asDaniel 12:12 promised.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Ask a Bible Teacher.
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