George Offerman
Since there seems to be more urgency in getting this material out quicker, I am planning on skipping some of the material I initially planned on including. I may even work on the rest of the Revelation series, as I noticed I left off at the 6th trumpet over a year ago. I hope this series has been instructional for people reading it, and it has been a joy to write. We are in great need now of prayer and action from the faithful and it needs to begin now.
The topic of prophecy, in some matters is the most straight forward of all. To simply put it, prophecy is the future revealed to a particular people in a particular place with a particular message from God explaining CLEARLY what is going to happen and why it is going to happen. In the case of Revelation, prophecy includes all of mankind and will affect the whole world, and will mark the end of time. However, there are many facets of prophecy that concerns smaller ‘units’ such as countries, regions, communities, families and the individual.
The most straight forward prophecy is that contained in the Bible. Biblical prophecy is an exact accounting of future events written in advance for the specific reason of notifying humanity of God’s will and actions and allowing those who believe in the word to know what is happening and why it is happening. As we will be covering soon, the prophecies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled exactly as written and could have been fulfilled by only one man that has ever come into existence. The reason this is so is because many of the prophecies revolved around the conception and birth of the Christ, and as such, could not be counterfeited. When one studies the prophecies concerning the Christ, it will become self evident that NO ONE OTHER THAN JESUS would have qualified in fulfilling all of the messianic prophecies.
There is not much written concerning the future times other than Revelation, and it is the cause of much speculation concerning about modern times, as well as times since the Resurrection of Christ. However, history ahs demonstrated that many of the saints and other holy men and women of God have been raised up and given warnings to wayward peoples and nations, and have accurately predicted outcomes and judgments. What is covered in the Bible pertaining to prophecy is clear in that God does not judge arbitrarily and is longsuffering, but does send warnings to people and nations. God only acts suddenly whenever we ignore the warnings and continued existence only results in needless suffering.
Warnings come from those who are in the will of God and can take two forms: 1) direct revelation and 2) Biblical principles and conviction. A person who is a prophet must have impeccable character, daily communication with God and have a clear understanding of the message to be conveyed. The message also must be consistent with the Bible and Character of God and accurately point to a condition that needs to be changed. The message or prophecy can also come from the most unexpected sources and it is entirely plausible for God to warn all people in all situations about their future path if repentance is not made.
There are those who hold that judgments can occur without warning. If this claim is true, then there must be Biblical evidence to demonstrate this claim. The actual implementation of judgment can come with out warnings, but the general conditions of sin are accompanied by warnings. When warnings go unheeded, judgment then is sudden and unmerciful, and to the sinner, it looks as if it came without warning. Just because one does not listen or want to know what their sin is does not mean someone or some event did not occur to communicate God’s displeasure with them.
Too many people have testified that they have been warned by others or have had dreams concerning events in their lives, in which were prophetic, yet most don’t give them heed until events manifest themselves. We are warned constantly about matters, most likely by sources unexpected, and therefore, rejected. This occurs at every level: personal, communal, regional, national and world. Unfortunately, so many now are making claims of being prophets or seers, and are clouding the airwaves with so much drivel that the real message is being masked. Those who stay within the parameters of Biblical principles stand a much better chance of discerning the truth. But one must be clear: the increase in prophecy is demonstrating an increase in spiritual instability, and definitely points to challenging times ahead.
We need to be in constant prayer, and asking the Lord to reveal His will to us. In this manner, we know we will have the most accurate picture for ourselves and those closest to us. The prophetic winds tell us change is on its way. Whether or not it is the end will be revealed soon enough. When we take our last breath, we will be at our own end, and it is that moment that must take precedent over all of our other matters.
Showing posts with label end times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label end times. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
HERMENEUTICS 101: TELEOLOGY
George Offerman
Teleology is one of those weird terms one will hear if they study enough philosophy and/or Theology. Teleology refers to what would be considered a ‘final cause’ or an end result. Teleology is utilized in explaining why we act versus not acting, and it presupposes for the most part that we act for our own good, or the good of others. Since the vast majority of actions are not done in a vacuum, they have some purpose or meaning to the actor, which then motivates him to do what he does, with the idea that the action will cultivate in a predetermined outcome of his liking. Teleology presupposes an order in nature and natural law that can be manipulated and predicted so that an outcome occurs given the right amount of effort and direction of activity.
Teleology can be broken down into two final causes, that of intrinsic finality and extrinsic finality. Extrinsic finality refers to the end result of actions that lies outside of the individual. For instance, a farmer will go through a great deal of hardship to plow, plant and cultivate a crop for the end purpose of eating, and thus, sustaining his life. Without a perceived reward for the effort instilled, the farmer would not bother himself to begin such an endeavor, thus determining for himself the effort is not worth the outcome, or end of the process. Understanding the need to eat is essential for continued existence; the farmer will put in the efforts, regardless of the real or perceived level of resistance, which is seen to be less than the cost of staying alive. In this, there is a cost/benefit ratio worth the effort, and despite the work being of great output, is done without much deliberation.
Intrinsic finality refers to the end result of action that lies within the individual. This would be evident in many parents wanting their children to ‘be happy’, and thus, giving themselves satisfaction, or happiness. Intrinsic finality can also relate to a cause, such as honesty, integrity, truth telling, ect. It is in the pursuit of these matters of ‘higher good’ that motivates the individual to action, regardless of the negative consequences or outcomes. It is more important for that individual to keep the integrity of his internal well being intact than for whatever outcome may occur and it is highly motivational for him to follow through on this.
It is in this, that one most likely finds or has a ‘God experience’. In order for the individual to act on such strong conviction, this person must have a certain level of knowledge through experience that he is able to act on ‘faith’ and not sight that his actions will ultimately culminate in his obtaining his goal. In simple terms, it is similar to an individual getting into their car and fully expecting to reach their destiny without mishap. There is absolutely no guarantee a positive outcome, but it is in the action of doing that ultimately results in a completion of the action. If there was significant doubt about the outcome of the action being anything other than the intended outcome, one would not act, and nothing would become of the intention.
It is in this, that many lack ‘faith’ in acting on their beliefs, due to the fact they are not sure there will be a positive outcome. So there is hesitation, procrastination, or simply no effort put into an activity that may result in a negative outcome. This is why many Christians make statements such as: “I know what I should do, but it seems to never work out, or it will not work out for me”. Since the end result is in question, or the individual attempting to do the action is too unsure, it will result in inertia, and the status quo will remain intact. This is why Jesus is so emphatic that we “Walk by faith, and not by sight”. We cannot possibly know the outcome of events, given we are finite human beings, and we do not know the beginning from the end.
In this world of science and empiricism, if we cannot measure or predict with accuracy any event, we no longer want to engage in an activity. God requires faith, which is the opposite of science and empiricism, and it goes totally against what our modern society practices and preaches. This is why many that claim to be of great faith, do not demonstrate their faith, as they are too busy anticipating the outcome, which is truly unknowable to the mortal man. This is the arrogance of doing the opposite of what God instructs us to do, by ‘walking by sight and not by faith”.
Teleology requires we do the opposite of what the world is telling us to do. When we live by faith, we truly are in the realm of discovery and possibility, as the outcome cannot be predicted, but God does assure us that if we are in his will, that the efforts put forth will not be in vain. Simply look around at many of modern man’s efforts, and see for yourself whether most are in vain or not. Given how poorly we are doing, the answer seems self-evident.
Teleology is one of those weird terms one will hear if they study enough philosophy and/or Theology. Teleology refers to what would be considered a ‘final cause’ or an end result. Teleology is utilized in explaining why we act versus not acting, and it presupposes for the most part that we act for our own good, or the good of others. Since the vast majority of actions are not done in a vacuum, they have some purpose or meaning to the actor, which then motivates him to do what he does, with the idea that the action will cultivate in a predetermined outcome of his liking. Teleology presupposes an order in nature and natural law that can be manipulated and predicted so that an outcome occurs given the right amount of effort and direction of activity.
Teleology can be broken down into two final causes, that of intrinsic finality and extrinsic finality. Extrinsic finality refers to the end result of actions that lies outside of the individual. For instance, a farmer will go through a great deal of hardship to plow, plant and cultivate a crop for the end purpose of eating, and thus, sustaining his life. Without a perceived reward for the effort instilled, the farmer would not bother himself to begin such an endeavor, thus determining for himself the effort is not worth the outcome, or end of the process. Understanding the need to eat is essential for continued existence; the farmer will put in the efforts, regardless of the real or perceived level of resistance, which is seen to be less than the cost of staying alive. In this, there is a cost/benefit ratio worth the effort, and despite the work being of great output, is done without much deliberation.
Intrinsic finality refers to the end result of action that lies within the individual. This would be evident in many parents wanting their children to ‘be happy’, and thus, giving themselves satisfaction, or happiness. Intrinsic finality can also relate to a cause, such as honesty, integrity, truth telling, ect. It is in the pursuit of these matters of ‘higher good’ that motivates the individual to action, regardless of the negative consequences or outcomes. It is more important for that individual to keep the integrity of his internal well being intact than for whatever outcome may occur and it is highly motivational for him to follow through on this.
It is in this, that one most likely finds or has a ‘God experience’. In order for the individual to act on such strong conviction, this person must have a certain level of knowledge through experience that he is able to act on ‘faith’ and not sight that his actions will ultimately culminate in his obtaining his goal. In simple terms, it is similar to an individual getting into their car and fully expecting to reach their destiny without mishap. There is absolutely no guarantee a positive outcome, but it is in the action of doing that ultimately results in a completion of the action. If there was significant doubt about the outcome of the action being anything other than the intended outcome, one would not act, and nothing would become of the intention.
It is in this, that many lack ‘faith’ in acting on their beliefs, due to the fact they are not sure there will be a positive outcome. So there is hesitation, procrastination, or simply no effort put into an activity that may result in a negative outcome. This is why many Christians make statements such as: “I know what I should do, but it seems to never work out, or it will not work out for me”. Since the end result is in question, or the individual attempting to do the action is too unsure, it will result in inertia, and the status quo will remain intact. This is why Jesus is so emphatic that we “Walk by faith, and not by sight”. We cannot possibly know the outcome of events, given we are finite human beings, and we do not know the beginning from the end.
In this world of science and empiricism, if we cannot measure or predict with accuracy any event, we no longer want to engage in an activity. God requires faith, which is the opposite of science and empiricism, and it goes totally against what our modern society practices and preaches. This is why many that claim to be of great faith, do not demonstrate their faith, as they are too busy anticipating the outcome, which is truly unknowable to the mortal man. This is the arrogance of doing the opposite of what God instructs us to do, by ‘walking by sight and not by faith”.
Teleology requires we do the opposite of what the world is telling us to do. When we live by faith, we truly are in the realm of discovery and possibility, as the outcome cannot be predicted, but God does assure us that if we are in his will, that the efforts put forth will not be in vain. Simply look around at many of modern man’s efforts, and see for yourself whether most are in vain or not. Given how poorly we are doing, the answer seems self-evident.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
HERMENEUTICS 101: ESCHATOLOGY AND PROPHECY
George Offerman
Over the course of the last several postings, we have looked at many of the formative people and events that have set the stage for where we are in the current scheme of things. We are beginning to get a larger perspective of the global aspects of eschatology and prophecy, but if it is not ultimately applied to the individual in real time, this knowledge is as useless as a migraine headache. The REAL story of the Bible is the PERSONAL relationship with the revealed God that is mandatory in order for one to attain paradise. There will not be a ‘collective’ salvation offered, but an individual, which means the individual is responsible for his own decisions, and ultimately will stand alone in front of the judgment seat of God.
Since we all know there will be an end point to this form of existence, eschatology holds great importance to all of us. Ascertaining where we are concerning the prophetic time line is very important, but of even greater importance is the personal preparation that must go along with this. In our current times, we have been too indoctrinated into the collectivist mentality: someone else will take care of me; someone else will do the heavy lifting for me. Likewise, with the church, there are many who ‘defer’ their responsibilities to the pastor, committees, prayer groups, letter writers or donating to various causes. Personal involvement in many facets of our faith is becoming scarce to non-existent, yet we are being taught we ‘are making a difference’. This is not what the Bible teaches, and we are required to be active participants in this real war.
Without knowledge of eschatology, there is not much purpose in standing out, or taking a strong stance on any issue. If one does not understand or grasp the end results of this life, and that judgment will follow death, and there will be a possibility of eternal damnation, mediocrity will be the order of the day. If one takes a look at the current times, mediocrity rules, or if we want to use the modern colloquialism “politically correct’. Either term used demonstrates a lack of concern over what God has commanded and what Jesus preached. The fact there is perfect accountability for every thought and deed and that this will determine the eternal destiny of the individual is lost in today’s world. Without proper understanding of eschatology, the ides of prophecy will be doubly lost.
Prophecy is history written in advance for the benefit of those alive, in order to know the will and actions of God. If one already believes he will be going to heaven no matter how he lives his life, most, if not all of prophecy will not make sense to him, nor will it affect the way he lives his life. This individual will not be able to grasp, yet believe a God of ‘love’ could possibly send judgments and kill people. So, the lessons of the Bible are constantly in question and generally minimized. Those attempting to teach what the Bible says about man and his condition are ostracized, persecuted, mocked and distained by the ‘sophisticated, enlightened modern man’. When this is done, those believing in the ‘new ways’ are truly lost, and living in a very dangerous delusion. Once captured in this strong delusion, it will only take an ‘act of God’ to wake one out of this stupor. That is why the 14 events of Revelation are so harsh and overwhelming. It takes that much suffering and destruction to overcome these delusions, and it is God’s will to save the most as possible.
The Bible is all about our condition, and the consistency of prophecy proves this aspect of reality. Prophecy is always accurate and exact, when originating from God, and the most accurate and sure prophecies are found in scripture. Yes, there are those who have visions and locutions, but these are considered ‘private’ revelations, and this refers to the fact these prophecies have occurred outside of the cannon of Scripture. Private revelations do not have to be believed, and must be consistent with Scripture, not contradict Scripture to even have a shot at being from God. Many people unfortunately believe private revelation over the Cannon of Scripture, and this is truly a dangerous condition. It generally embraces sensationalism over the purity of the Word, and is contingent upon the ‘seer’ and not what is scripturally sound.
On top of that is the moral relativism embraced in society as a whole, and within the church in part. It is rare for anyone in the church to preach a straight up ’Thus says the Lord’ and be straight up with what God expects. In this way, an individual with the courage to preach the truth really could be considered a prophet in the sense they have a very accurate picture of the future if behaviors don’t change, and true seers and locutionists will verify this. So it is the private revelations that will be supplemental to Scriptural prophecies.
If one considers the above-mentioned criteria, it will soon be clear that both eschatology and prophecy are fairly dead in our time. Not many want to know the real score; they want to believe the way they do their lives is acceptable to God, and don’t want to know or hear they are in error and need to repent. Without a good sense of God and what he wants, all the eschatology and prophecy will not help those already closed off due to their pride in believing they ‘know how things really are”. Eschatology and Prophecy exist for our benefit, but we must know that we are sinful creatures who need instruction by a being that knows the beginning from the end, unlike us.
Over the course of the last several postings, we have looked at many of the formative people and events that have set the stage for where we are in the current scheme of things. We are beginning to get a larger perspective of the global aspects of eschatology and prophecy, but if it is not ultimately applied to the individual in real time, this knowledge is as useless as a migraine headache. The REAL story of the Bible is the PERSONAL relationship with the revealed God that is mandatory in order for one to attain paradise. There will not be a ‘collective’ salvation offered, but an individual, which means the individual is responsible for his own decisions, and ultimately will stand alone in front of the judgment seat of God.
Since we all know there will be an end point to this form of existence, eschatology holds great importance to all of us. Ascertaining where we are concerning the prophetic time line is very important, but of even greater importance is the personal preparation that must go along with this. In our current times, we have been too indoctrinated into the collectivist mentality: someone else will take care of me; someone else will do the heavy lifting for me. Likewise, with the church, there are many who ‘defer’ their responsibilities to the pastor, committees, prayer groups, letter writers or donating to various causes. Personal involvement in many facets of our faith is becoming scarce to non-existent, yet we are being taught we ‘are making a difference’. This is not what the Bible teaches, and we are required to be active participants in this real war.
Without knowledge of eschatology, there is not much purpose in standing out, or taking a strong stance on any issue. If one does not understand or grasp the end results of this life, and that judgment will follow death, and there will be a possibility of eternal damnation, mediocrity will be the order of the day. If one takes a look at the current times, mediocrity rules, or if we want to use the modern colloquialism “politically correct’. Either term used demonstrates a lack of concern over what God has commanded and what Jesus preached. The fact there is perfect accountability for every thought and deed and that this will determine the eternal destiny of the individual is lost in today’s world. Without proper understanding of eschatology, the ides of prophecy will be doubly lost.
Prophecy is history written in advance for the benefit of those alive, in order to know the will and actions of God. If one already believes he will be going to heaven no matter how he lives his life, most, if not all of prophecy will not make sense to him, nor will it affect the way he lives his life. This individual will not be able to grasp, yet believe a God of ‘love’ could possibly send judgments and kill people. So, the lessons of the Bible are constantly in question and generally minimized. Those attempting to teach what the Bible says about man and his condition are ostracized, persecuted, mocked and distained by the ‘sophisticated, enlightened modern man’. When this is done, those believing in the ‘new ways’ are truly lost, and living in a very dangerous delusion. Once captured in this strong delusion, it will only take an ‘act of God’ to wake one out of this stupor. That is why the 14 events of Revelation are so harsh and overwhelming. It takes that much suffering and destruction to overcome these delusions, and it is God’s will to save the most as possible.
The Bible is all about our condition, and the consistency of prophecy proves this aspect of reality. Prophecy is always accurate and exact, when originating from God, and the most accurate and sure prophecies are found in scripture. Yes, there are those who have visions and locutions, but these are considered ‘private’ revelations, and this refers to the fact these prophecies have occurred outside of the cannon of Scripture. Private revelations do not have to be believed, and must be consistent with Scripture, not contradict Scripture to even have a shot at being from God. Many people unfortunately believe private revelation over the Cannon of Scripture, and this is truly a dangerous condition. It generally embraces sensationalism over the purity of the Word, and is contingent upon the ‘seer’ and not what is scripturally sound.
On top of that is the moral relativism embraced in society as a whole, and within the church in part. It is rare for anyone in the church to preach a straight up ’Thus says the Lord’ and be straight up with what God expects. In this way, an individual with the courage to preach the truth really could be considered a prophet in the sense they have a very accurate picture of the future if behaviors don’t change, and true seers and locutionists will verify this. So it is the private revelations that will be supplemental to Scriptural prophecies.
If one considers the above-mentioned criteria, it will soon be clear that both eschatology and prophecy are fairly dead in our time. Not many want to know the real score; they want to believe the way they do their lives is acceptable to God, and don’t want to know or hear they are in error and need to repent. Without a good sense of God and what he wants, all the eschatology and prophecy will not help those already closed off due to their pride in believing they ‘know how things really are”. Eschatology and Prophecy exist for our benefit, but we must know that we are sinful creatures who need instruction by a being that knows the beginning from the end, unlike us.
Monday, October 4, 2010
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
George Offerman
Now that we know the BP oil spill did not usher in the end of the world, and we now know that it also did not qualify as the second trumpet (big surprise there), where are all the ‘prophets and seers’ that so confidently alluded to this event being ‘prophetic’ in nature? (None of them PREDICTED this event) it is this disingenuousness (and in some cases outright fraud) that is harming the name of Christianity and God, and to speak as a prophet when one is not is one of the gravest sins one can commit. There are a boat load of people out there that have to make it right with God and with their fellow man, with whom they may have lead astray. I stated earlier I was not going to let them get away with this, but I will not use names (at least at this time). This does nothing but harm our faith, and leads many astray.
I want to make it perfectly clear that I have not, nor do I now, claim to be a prophet. I have never had visions, locutions, dreams, heard voices telling me things or even allusions to the manifestations of any spirit being that has told me anything about the future. I am a former Seminarian who was trained in the proper method of hermeneutics and have been a diligent student of the Bible for some decades. What I know is what ANYONE can know, but they must be diligent and persevere in their studies to learn and apply these methods. Unfortunately, for many of these ‘sensationalist prognosticators’, they are intellectually lazy and let pride get in the way of seeking the truth. Then when they are proven wrong, they make up any excuse, and often attack those pointing out their errors. Yes, the sign of GREAT INTEGRITY.
These prognosticators have resubmerged, and will reappear at the next media reported event. They will use ‘fractured scriptures’ to make some peripheral allusion and attempt to fit current events into the Biblical schematic of the end times. These events will not meet the criteria necessary to qualify, yet they don’t have enough intellectual integrity to see they are using relativistic thought processes and applying them to absolute truth. They think they have the intellectual firepower and ‘God given’ knowledge to ‘over ride’ some of the prophetic features, and leave out those pieces of prophecy that do not fit into the event, all at their discretion. They are very keen at self promotion, and very quick to judge and condemn those who ‘dare’ to question them. They do not want to be held accountable for their ‘misses’ and continue to claim “God is talking’ to them despite the errors.
As stated previously, prophecy is in the Bible, and is a written record of the future before it happens. This written record is not ‘partially true’ or ‘mostly true’, it is TOTALLY true. God doesn’t reveal in some sort of code, and leave it up to us to determine what is gong to happen. In terms of Revelation, there are 14 very distinct events, and they are numbered by trumpets and bowls. Since God knows how to count, it is not He who is confused about the times we live in, it is us. These 14 events are cosmic in nature, and thus, cannot be man made. (Yes, there are plenty of man made events, but the events of Revelation are not such events). This is so basic, that a chimpanzee taught to read would come to this conclusion. Yet there are those who want to distort very clear prophecies into something they are not, and then brag about how much they think they know.
Yes, there has been a great increase in spiritual manifestations and many have claimed to receiving messages from this realm. However, these messages cannot contradict Biblical principles and prophecies, and be God given. Much discernment must be done in matters of eschatological significance, and this cannot be taken lightly. This is where discipline has broken down, and there are those who make outrageous claims without contemplating the ramifications of their actions. One has to rely on Biblical principles to be the defining judge of most of the messages forwarded now a days. But this requires some solid education on how to read the Bible, and then apply it successfully, even if it means disqualifying the event as non prophetic.
I keep going back to gravity as an example, but gravity is a clear metaphor in making this point. Everyone understands gravity, so if someone made a point to step off a tall building, everyone would be aware of the outcome, the person hitting the ground at a high rate of speed. This is not prophecy, but principle. Prophecy would be predicting who would jump, when they would do it, where this would take place, and the outcome of the event (death or surviving). Applying Biblical principles is very distinct from prophesying and one ought to stay in this realm if one is clear they are not a prophet (which the vast majority is not). This leads to anti sensationalism, but also leads to clearer and predictable outcomes, which is what God wants for us anyway.
So for those who insist they ‘know better’: you would be way better off keeping your mouth shut, and spend more time listening, praying, reading and learning than starting trouble you are not up to dealing with. And at least have the integrity to go to those whom you fed this tainted information, and ask for their forgiveness, and learn from your behavior. Life is difficult enough and people don’t need to be unnecessarily burdened by drivel that has no chance in hell of ever being accurate and happening. It will only lead to disenchantment and distain for Biblical knowledge, something that God definitely does not want to happen.
Now that we know the BP oil spill did not usher in the end of the world, and we now know that it also did not qualify as the second trumpet (big surprise there), where are all the ‘prophets and seers’ that so confidently alluded to this event being ‘prophetic’ in nature? (None of them PREDICTED this event) it is this disingenuousness (and in some cases outright fraud) that is harming the name of Christianity and God, and to speak as a prophet when one is not is one of the gravest sins one can commit. There are a boat load of people out there that have to make it right with God and with their fellow man, with whom they may have lead astray. I stated earlier I was not going to let them get away with this, but I will not use names (at least at this time). This does nothing but harm our faith, and leads many astray.
I want to make it perfectly clear that I have not, nor do I now, claim to be a prophet. I have never had visions, locutions, dreams, heard voices telling me things or even allusions to the manifestations of any spirit being that has told me anything about the future. I am a former Seminarian who was trained in the proper method of hermeneutics and have been a diligent student of the Bible for some decades. What I know is what ANYONE can know, but they must be diligent and persevere in their studies to learn and apply these methods. Unfortunately, for many of these ‘sensationalist prognosticators’, they are intellectually lazy and let pride get in the way of seeking the truth. Then when they are proven wrong, they make up any excuse, and often attack those pointing out their errors. Yes, the sign of GREAT INTEGRITY.
These prognosticators have resubmerged, and will reappear at the next media reported event. They will use ‘fractured scriptures’ to make some peripheral allusion and attempt to fit current events into the Biblical schematic of the end times. These events will not meet the criteria necessary to qualify, yet they don’t have enough intellectual integrity to see they are using relativistic thought processes and applying them to absolute truth. They think they have the intellectual firepower and ‘God given’ knowledge to ‘over ride’ some of the prophetic features, and leave out those pieces of prophecy that do not fit into the event, all at their discretion. They are very keen at self promotion, and very quick to judge and condemn those who ‘dare’ to question them. They do not want to be held accountable for their ‘misses’ and continue to claim “God is talking’ to them despite the errors.
As stated previously, prophecy is in the Bible, and is a written record of the future before it happens. This written record is not ‘partially true’ or ‘mostly true’, it is TOTALLY true. God doesn’t reveal in some sort of code, and leave it up to us to determine what is gong to happen. In terms of Revelation, there are 14 very distinct events, and they are numbered by trumpets and bowls. Since God knows how to count, it is not He who is confused about the times we live in, it is us. These 14 events are cosmic in nature, and thus, cannot be man made. (Yes, there are plenty of man made events, but the events of Revelation are not such events). This is so basic, that a chimpanzee taught to read would come to this conclusion. Yet there are those who want to distort very clear prophecies into something they are not, and then brag about how much they think they know.
Yes, there has been a great increase in spiritual manifestations and many have claimed to receiving messages from this realm. However, these messages cannot contradict Biblical principles and prophecies, and be God given. Much discernment must be done in matters of eschatological significance, and this cannot be taken lightly. This is where discipline has broken down, and there are those who make outrageous claims without contemplating the ramifications of their actions. One has to rely on Biblical principles to be the defining judge of most of the messages forwarded now a days. But this requires some solid education on how to read the Bible, and then apply it successfully, even if it means disqualifying the event as non prophetic.
I keep going back to gravity as an example, but gravity is a clear metaphor in making this point. Everyone understands gravity, so if someone made a point to step off a tall building, everyone would be aware of the outcome, the person hitting the ground at a high rate of speed. This is not prophecy, but principle. Prophecy would be predicting who would jump, when they would do it, where this would take place, and the outcome of the event (death or surviving). Applying Biblical principles is very distinct from prophesying and one ought to stay in this realm if one is clear they are not a prophet (which the vast majority is not). This leads to anti sensationalism, but also leads to clearer and predictable outcomes, which is what God wants for us anyway.
So for those who insist they ‘know better’: you would be way better off keeping your mouth shut, and spend more time listening, praying, reading and learning than starting trouble you are not up to dealing with. And at least have the integrity to go to those whom you fed this tainted information, and ask for their forgiveness, and learn from your behavior. Life is difficult enough and people don’t need to be unnecessarily burdened by drivel that has no chance in hell of ever being accurate and happening. It will only lead to disenchantment and distain for Biblical knowledge, something that God definitely does not want to happen.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
HERMENEUTICS 101: NATURAL RELIGION VERSUS REVEALED RELIGION
George Offerman
This is the last of the group of postings that investigates the background information pertaining to hermeneutics and the proper study and interpretation of the Bible. All of the subjects covered thus far are very complex and detailed, and part of the goal is to impress upon the reader that there exists many differing facets of viewing scripture which need to be considered or at least taken into account for when applying the lessons from the Bible. It is hoped that by having an expanded awareness of the hermeneutical process, one will begin to appreciate the nuances and logic behind most of the teachings and authority of the Church, and the need to follow them as a pathway to a fulfilled life.
Natural Religion
Natural religion is primarily based upon the empirical world, that which can be observed. Anthropologists have proven beyond a doubt that it is in the nature of man to worship a ‘higher power’, and the nature of this religion has to do with times, places and on going myths of what could be considered a tribe. An example of this would be groups near the North Pole viewing a glacier as sacred, as those in a rain forest may view the tallest tree as sacred. There are usually accompanying myths and rituals that correspond with the belief systems, and significant to severe punishment to anyone who violates or desecrates the ‘sacred’ object and/or rituals associated with it.
Natural religions tend to (but not all) view their gods as rather distant, and marginally involved in human affairs. These gods usually have mixture of good and evil, and most often are attributed with human characteristics, also known as anthropomorphism. These gods are generally designed around events, such as the Egyptian god of the flood, represented by blessings every spring when the Nile would flood and leave fertile soil behind. Generally, if revealed religion is introduced to a society that has very strong beliefs in their natural religion, the natural religion tends to win out. It is very difficult for man to change belief systems once he internalizes his beliefs, and it has been the cause of much distress and wars throughout history.
Revealed Religion
Revealed Religion is based upon God (gods) directly intervening into history and communicating directly with mankind through use of human representatives usually known as prophets. Through these individuals, God communicates his will, his character, moral order, issues pertaining to salvation and the future. Unlike natural religions, the prophet or priest may forward messages and teachings that are contrary to the empirical world, and this relies on faith more than substance. This often is the cause of conflicts and social tensions, when it is contrary to the contemporary movement of society.
Revealed religions also emphasize a personal relationship with God in the sense that certain behaviors and rituals are personally pleasing to God while other behaviors and rituals can create problems, up to the point of eternal condemnation. Revealed religions also tend to go more into the mystical and metaphysical aspects of reality, thus giving clear instructions as to what is ‘approved and not approved’. Although there are some anthropomorphic attributes given to God, God is seen as divine, and having ultimate control over the cosmos, and transcends any tribal or regional system of beliefs and rituals. Also, the tenets of revealed religions do not change with time, and thus reflect the constancy of God, whereas in natural religion, the view of god changes with increase in knowledge.
Natural Religion versus Revealed Religion
Despite what many would like to believe, natural religion is alive and well in our modern times, and in fact is thriving. We have to look no further than the sciences to see this. We have the world of science that is promoting and ‘predicting’ the future by promoting such things as global warming, over population, energy scarcity and other ‘sacred teachings’. The scientist is viewed as the modern day priest and prophet, and gives dire warnings of gloom and doom if their words are not taken seriously. We have the modern colloquialism of ‘mother earth and mother nature’, thus anthropomorphizing this planet. We have the punishment from the gods (mother earth) if we do not follow the teachings and precepts of the prophets, and most of the worlds governments promote these teachings (views) as gospel truth with significant punishment meted out to violators of the laws and teachings.
Modern technology and scientific advances have moved us as a species from the realm of revealed religion, back to the natural religions. Most of society mocks any individual who dares to question such matters as evolution, global warming, over population and energy scarcity. Society also mocks, and is beginning to persecute those willing to stand up for the ‘dead God” and challenge these ‘sacred cows’ of modern times, and is intolerant of any teachings that are contrary to modern myths and folklores. Thus in our modern world, science has supplanted revealed religion and the Christian God, and has taken on its own characteristics of a deity.
That science has taken on a religious stature is not really debatable among intelligent people. One only has to consider the exposure of the e-mails by hackers a year ago that exposed global warming as fraudulent, and watched the reaction of the ‘establishment’ to this revelation. There is no question that the ‘powers that be’ saw their ‘sacred cow’ slaughtered, and responded initially with a very unreasonable defense and with a force that is unequalled by any contemporary churches concerning their beliefs. The penalty is large for not believing in the new religion and our society is requiring that we fund and bow to this new god and to its prophets.
The conflict between the revealed Living God of the Bible and the natural religion and its god (distorted science) will continue until the time that God breaks into history once again. In the mean time, it is becoming more and more difficult to fight against the resurgence of this new and very nature based religion, as they have the means to promote it, while the representatives of the revealed religion do little to nothing in standing in their way, or challenging their false perceptions. As modern meets ancient, it will be truth that wins over the lie. We need to present the truth as it is, unvarnished and unchangeable.
The next posting will start with an overview of the bible in light of their hermeneutical process discussed in the previous postings. After the overview, we will investigate prophecies, starting with those fulfilled and then move into the story of Revelation, utilizing the hermeneutical processes covered, and then work on an understanding of what the Bible really has to say concerning the end times.
This is the last of the group of postings that investigates the background information pertaining to hermeneutics and the proper study and interpretation of the Bible. All of the subjects covered thus far are very complex and detailed, and part of the goal is to impress upon the reader that there exists many differing facets of viewing scripture which need to be considered or at least taken into account for when applying the lessons from the Bible. It is hoped that by having an expanded awareness of the hermeneutical process, one will begin to appreciate the nuances and logic behind most of the teachings and authority of the Church, and the need to follow them as a pathway to a fulfilled life.
Natural Religion
Natural religion is primarily based upon the empirical world, that which can be observed. Anthropologists have proven beyond a doubt that it is in the nature of man to worship a ‘higher power’, and the nature of this religion has to do with times, places and on going myths of what could be considered a tribe. An example of this would be groups near the North Pole viewing a glacier as sacred, as those in a rain forest may view the tallest tree as sacred. There are usually accompanying myths and rituals that correspond with the belief systems, and significant to severe punishment to anyone who violates or desecrates the ‘sacred’ object and/or rituals associated with it.
Natural religions tend to (but not all) view their gods as rather distant, and marginally involved in human affairs. These gods usually have mixture of good and evil, and most often are attributed with human characteristics, also known as anthropomorphism. These gods are generally designed around events, such as the Egyptian god of the flood, represented by blessings every spring when the Nile would flood and leave fertile soil behind. Generally, if revealed religion is introduced to a society that has very strong beliefs in their natural religion, the natural religion tends to win out. It is very difficult for man to change belief systems once he internalizes his beliefs, and it has been the cause of much distress and wars throughout history.
Revealed Religion
Revealed Religion is based upon God (gods) directly intervening into history and communicating directly with mankind through use of human representatives usually known as prophets. Through these individuals, God communicates his will, his character, moral order, issues pertaining to salvation and the future. Unlike natural religions, the prophet or priest may forward messages and teachings that are contrary to the empirical world, and this relies on faith more than substance. This often is the cause of conflicts and social tensions, when it is contrary to the contemporary movement of society.
Revealed religions also emphasize a personal relationship with God in the sense that certain behaviors and rituals are personally pleasing to God while other behaviors and rituals can create problems, up to the point of eternal condemnation. Revealed religions also tend to go more into the mystical and metaphysical aspects of reality, thus giving clear instructions as to what is ‘approved and not approved’. Although there are some anthropomorphic attributes given to God, God is seen as divine, and having ultimate control over the cosmos, and transcends any tribal or regional system of beliefs and rituals. Also, the tenets of revealed religions do not change with time, and thus reflect the constancy of God, whereas in natural religion, the view of god changes with increase in knowledge.
Natural Religion versus Revealed Religion
Despite what many would like to believe, natural religion is alive and well in our modern times, and in fact is thriving. We have to look no further than the sciences to see this. We have the world of science that is promoting and ‘predicting’ the future by promoting such things as global warming, over population, energy scarcity and other ‘sacred teachings’. The scientist is viewed as the modern day priest and prophet, and gives dire warnings of gloom and doom if their words are not taken seriously. We have the modern colloquialism of ‘mother earth and mother nature’, thus anthropomorphizing this planet. We have the punishment from the gods (mother earth) if we do not follow the teachings and precepts of the prophets, and most of the worlds governments promote these teachings (views) as gospel truth with significant punishment meted out to violators of the laws and teachings.
Modern technology and scientific advances have moved us as a species from the realm of revealed religion, back to the natural religions. Most of society mocks any individual who dares to question such matters as evolution, global warming, over population and energy scarcity. Society also mocks, and is beginning to persecute those willing to stand up for the ‘dead God” and challenge these ‘sacred cows’ of modern times, and is intolerant of any teachings that are contrary to modern myths and folklores. Thus in our modern world, science has supplanted revealed religion and the Christian God, and has taken on its own characteristics of a deity.
That science has taken on a religious stature is not really debatable among intelligent people. One only has to consider the exposure of the e-mails by hackers a year ago that exposed global warming as fraudulent, and watched the reaction of the ‘establishment’ to this revelation. There is no question that the ‘powers that be’ saw their ‘sacred cow’ slaughtered, and responded initially with a very unreasonable defense and with a force that is unequalled by any contemporary churches concerning their beliefs. The penalty is large for not believing in the new religion and our society is requiring that we fund and bow to this new god and to its prophets.
The conflict between the revealed Living God of the Bible and the natural religion and its god (distorted science) will continue until the time that God breaks into history once again. In the mean time, it is becoming more and more difficult to fight against the resurgence of this new and very nature based religion, as they have the means to promote it, while the representatives of the revealed religion do little to nothing in standing in their way, or challenging their false perceptions. As modern meets ancient, it will be truth that wins over the lie. We need to present the truth as it is, unvarnished and unchangeable.
The next posting will start with an overview of the bible in light of their hermeneutical process discussed in the previous postings. After the overview, we will investigate prophecies, starting with those fulfilled and then move into the story of Revelation, utilizing the hermeneutical processes covered, and then work on an understanding of what the Bible really has to say concerning the end times.
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