💥 Since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Christians have been waiting for the return of Jesus and the end of this present heaven and earth which God will destroy by fire.

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

By reading the Bible, each generation of Christians can see things that must happen before Jesus returns to gather the elect and the great tribulation from God comes upon this earth.

Peter explains:

💥 2 Peter 3

1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

(God destroyed this present world by water in the days of Noah, saving only Noah and his family of 8 persons.  The reason for the destruction was the iniquity of men.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of God and God  made a way of escape for Noah.)

God does not view time as man views time.  Peter explains:

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  

Therefore in God's view it has only been a little over 2 days since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  In man's view of time it has been more than 2,000 years.

Genesis 6  (The first destruction of men of this earth.)

5 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.

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 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.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

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After the world was destroyed by water in the days of Noah, God promised HE would never again destroy the world by water and HE gave man a token of this promise.

Genesis 7:12  And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

21-22  And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

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Genesis 8

14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

15And 

15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

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God says:  

Genesis 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

(Because of this promise of God, I feel secure about the climate on this earth until the Great Tribulate comes with it's 14 plagues and at the end God destroys this heaven and earth by fire.)

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Genesis 9  God says:

11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

From this point, all flesh on this earth came from Noah and his sons.  But all were born in the flesh and did the works of the flesh.  And the works of the flesh are evil.

Galatians 5  

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

God made a covenant with Abraham and from him came the nation of Israel, the chosen of God, the people of God.  And God gave them the Law of Moses whereby sacrifices of animals were given for temporary appeasement of sins of man.

Hebrews 9

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

So God brought a new covenant to replace the old covenant and through the shed blood of Jesus Christ man was perfected and man was given a new heart and a new spirit which could control the flesh of the old man and overcome sin.

Through believing in Jesus and faith in God we now overcome our flesh and the works of the flesh.

Romans 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

And God gave us HIS Word by the New Testament and by this we have "rules" for the church created by Jesus' blood, the New Testament Church.  

I Timothy 6

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

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Jesus returns and sends HIS angels to gather HIS elect to take them to the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteous.  We will never be able to make this present earth righteous.  Paul tells us it will grow worse and worse until Jesus comes for us.  (2 Timothy 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.)

Jesus come to gather HIS elect from this earth.  They and the dead in Christ who are then raised are taken to the new heaven and earth created by God for them.  God destroys this present heaven and earth by fire.

I Peter 3:10-15

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

The Longsuffering of our Lord is salvation for as we wait others are born again so they, too, can live in Jesus.

But the end comes at the time appointed by God.  Jesus returns.  God brings the Great Tribulation upon the people to judge them for the evil they do on this earth.  

The Bible shows us several things must happen before Jesus returns and the end of this world.

These two sets of scripture help us understand as we wait.

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Luke 21

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

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.

(WWI and WW II and such.)

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for MY name's sake.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.  (We saw this in the days of Hitler)

17And ye shall be hated of all men for MY name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

(We see this now.  And as of April 13, 2024, we saw Iran attack Jerusalem.  One CNN newsman said this really caught his attention for they don't usually attack Jerusalem because Muslim's live there and have a temple there.  They attack other cities in Israel but not Jerusalem.  But this time, they attacked Jerusalem. We must focus on that which Jesus said in verses 20-22.)

I believe we are much nearer the end of this heaven and earth and the coming of Jesus and God's Great Tribulation.

There is great pressure on Iran to stop the attacks on Jerusalem.  But even if Iran does back down, the Word of Jesus concerning Jerusalem is the same: 

Luke 21

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 

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Luke 21

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

This attack on Jerusalem was significant even if Iran backs down.  I believe we should view this as a sign that the coming of Jesus is near.  The Great Tribulation is near.  The removal of the elect from this earth is near. And the destruction of this present heaven and earth by God by fire is near.

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When will the elect of God be removed from this earth?

I don't know.  But we do know that some of the elect will still be on the earth during the great tribulation because Jesus says, in Matthew 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Peter tells us how us should live as we wait:

2 Peter 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.

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