God has done many omnipotent acts. one was causing time to go backwards (not even stand still) - as an example of an old testament story - believed by many to be a fable - that a sundial actually was witnessed to go backwards. the parting of the red sea for moses and the israelites. the dreams that joseph was able to interpret for the pharoah (before). the noatian flood. belteshazzar's feast and subsequent seeing the hand of God - tell him exactly the historical things that would happen - and having them come true. the prophecies of the bible that are occuring as we speak. individual miracles in many Christians lives. they are all divine acts and not under a 'natural law' and yet they happen within our gravitational and normally 'natural law' abiding situations.
when Christ died, there was a 'great' earthquake. another is prophecied to happen before his return. some might say - well, there are earthquakes all over the place. but, not of the magnitude we're talking here. it is enough for the entire earth to know that something, someONE, is saying 'attention please.'
But how do you, or can you, "know" these things - any of them? You weren't there at the time. Your sources for all of them are simply twofold - firstly, the English translation of certain Bible stories that you have read and, secondly, your implacable and unequivocal belief in those stories. Now I am not saying that this did happen and that didn't happen; what I do say is that, as I was not present at any of the events you mention, the best that I am in any position to come up with is, "according to [xyz]'s translation of certain chronicles by author [abc] dated [defg], the author wrote that [hij] event/s occurred in the location of [klm - no, not the head office of the Dutch airline!]" and, for me, that's simply nowhere near sufficient or scientifically satisfactory evidence to support these things without leaving great chasms of doubt. Never mind the sundial; is there any archælogical evidence to support, for example, either the earthquake theory or the meterological freak event affecting the Red Sea at the time?
that is after the other plagues that are signalling the return of our Lord and Savior.
OK - sorry to sound as though I'm repeating the question, but from what source do you derive your contention that there are, or will be, other plagues and that these will specifically signal - and be designed for the sole purpose of signalling - the return of anyone at all? I'm not challenging you because I necessarily think that you are wrong; I'm just asking you from what evidence you arrived as this very particularised conclusion.
armageddon is not a totally unrational thought considering the weapons of destruction that we now have.
Hey, wait abit; I thought that "Armageddon" was supposedly a phenomenon that would be visited upon mankind from a source outside mankind's control, whereas the havoc that can be wreaked with the weapons of destruction that mankind now possesses (as distinct from those mythical ones that may well be located in the murky recesses of what passes for the politically late Donald Rumsfeld's imagination but which no one's ever managed to find in Iraq) is within mankind's control and will be wreaked (if ever) by mankind upon mankind.
BUT, what will be completely unrational is that the weapons suddenly are of no use except to destroy those who made them and who are making war with them.
If only!
do you realize that those who fight God at his return will have their eyes 'melt in their sockets?'
No, I did not realise that at all, so I am indebted to you for alerting me to this. Where did you learn that? If it's true, I'll presumably be exonerated from this particular variety of optical torture, if for no better reason than that I have never had any intention of "fighting God".
they will be receiving the plagues of their own creation.
Well, it is undoubtedly true that many humans are indeed visiting tragedies upon themselves and their fellow humans (you can call these "plagues", if you wish, although I don't think that you or I seek to limit our terms of reference here to the kinds of medical demics usually conjured up by the term "plague"); I do not, however, share your evident belief that this is entirely beause of Bible prophecy, but at the same time I am not seeking to deny that the Bible might include such prophecy.
but, it is said in revelations that God will protect and defend and return to 'his flock.'
Well, whilst we have heard (albeit not from St. John the Divine") that "God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform", He's surely going to have an phenomenally tough assignment on His hands, is he not? - protecting and defending "His" flock while all that "Armageddon" rages around everywhere, including in all those many so many locations still populated by surviving members of that flock...
king david said 'though a thousand fall at my right hand...' i believe this. when the final days of this current earth are seen - i don't think anyone will doubt there is a God.
This is open to argument, but it concerns me in any case that "when the final days of this current earth are" actually available to be "seen" and witnessed, those who may still be left after all that "Armageddon" to see and bear witness to it aren't going to be around there for a whole lot longer to worry overmuch about whether they believe - or in some cases still believe - in God...
and, btw, the exact location of armageddon is in the bible and preparation for it is occurring now. all the nations will meet at the valley of meggido which is a valley very near israel and iraq. how interesting the turn of WORLD events to follow the bible?!
Even were we to take at face value the proposed location for "Armageddon" that you cite here, there is no doubting that the original Biblical statement on it was its author's own prophecy - no more, no less. It's easy to make and publish such a prophecy, of course (most of us would be capable of doing that), but not perhaps so smart to go farther and put a precise date upon it; after all, whilst if that date turned out to be correct, the prophet concerned would be vindicated, if it didn't, the prophecy would be invalidated.
Who, in any case, is "preparing" for it now? How are they doing so? Is the Meggido valley being turned into a no-go-area by the military as part of these preparations? If so, by which government? Israel? Iraq (to the extent that it even has anything remotely recognisable as a government at all these days)? Not both in mutual agreement and co-operation, surely? We'd all have heard about that on BBC, CNN and the rest if a military pact between Israel and Iraq had been made! You state "all the nations"; is there even a pan-Middle-Eastern pact, then? This really doesn't seem to be getting any more credible as we go along, does it?
World events are not at all following the Bible slavishly in the Middle East; there have been major conflicts across that entire area on many occasions since Christian times, so it is implausible to single out any or all of the present ones as "following" Biblical prophecy to the letter, just as it is to seek to be selective about which Middle Eastern conflits in which era are the signal for "Armageddon".
Best,
Alistair
Topic: Christianity - Plague of the MIND