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No, Jesus Is Not Waiting For Jordan's King Abdullah To Attack ISIS, Fulfill The 'Psalm 83 War Prophecy,' And Start World War 3 So The Antichrist Can Rise To Power Before He Returns!

Ok, so I know that's an I-N-S-A-N-E-L-Y long title for a blog entry.

It's probably the longest one I've ever used in my life and I've been blogging since late 2008.

However, I'm trying to play the SEO game a bit and wanted to use search terms that are likely on every eschatologist's radar at the moment in the hopes that it might draw them here.

Let me start by reiterating what I've said all along: My fellow Christians who subscribe to the "Blood Red Moons" brand of "Left Behind" Bible Prophecy studies are generally some of the most sincere people I know...but they're also sincerely wrong too.

I hope you'll hear me out for a few minutes and you'll allow me the opportunity to explain where I'm coming from, because I plan to make my case Biblically, which, in that case, really isn't "my case" at all so much as it is "God's case" about such earthly matters.

I think the best place for us to start is for you to read my previous posts explaining why I no longer believe the things I used to when it comes to studying End Times Theology.

Yep, that's right! Yours Truly used to be a BIG BELIEVER is Post-Millennialism, but the kind that was influenced by guys like Hal Lindsey, Jon Hagee, Tim LaHaye, and Tom Horn instead of being influenced by guys like the the Apostle John, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah not to mention the greatest Prophet Himself, Jesus Christ (John 7:16; John 8:28; John 17:8; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 21:46 ).




Why I Left Behind The 'Left Behind' Mindset (Amillennialism: The Lutheran Perspective On Bible Prophecy)


The End Times In Revelation


Great Reversal: Starting Over By Starting At The End


Why I No Longer Believe In A 'Rapture' (As It's Commonly Taught)


Keep in mind, I was the guy who wrote multiple blogs a day trying to "prove" to the world how current events from around the globe were "Clear Signs of The Times" and how people reading about them needed to take their spiritual pulse right away and commit to my own version of "Decision Theology" (and we all know how un-Biblical that is!) before they left the website..."or else!"

Of course, my assertion was always the same: "Now that I've appealed to your conscience and certainly convinced you of the 'prophetic nature' of the 'undeniable proof' that was just presented to you, it should be a 'no brainer' for you to 'make a decision for Christ' and, if it wasn't, then you have no one to blame for 'rejecting the truth' but yourself! Besides, while I'm certainly no 'prophet' per se, I obviously have this 'spiritual gift of discernment' where I can read the news headlines and tell you exactly how they are a fulfillment (or are pointing to the near future fulfillment) of end times Bible prophecy."

 #Facepalm #SMH #LordHaveMercy #PleaseForgiveMe

So, in other words, "Rejecting The Truth" in that sense really meant "Rejecting Jeff's Own Personal And Subjective Take On Current Events And News Headlines" as opposed to actually "Rejecting Jesus Christ And His Word" like I tried to suggest.

James 3:1 has haunted me ever since, which is why I now want to try to do my part to share my experience and then explain all the Biblical reasons why I now no longer believe what I was once so passionate about.

The best part? I'm still a Christian, folks!

Look, I realize better than anyone that there's this weird tendency to think that a person can't be a "real" Christian unless they also believe in the Rapture (but only as it's commonly taught); a 3.5 year Tribulation and 3.5 year Great Tribulation; an Antichrist who will hunt, torture, and kill Christians on a worldwide scale all at once; a Mark of the Beast technology; a rebuilt Third Temple in Israel; and another means of salvation for the Jewish people during the latter part of the last days that will be offered to them when it takes place in the future.

It's strange because I never realized what I was saying particularly when it came to that very last statement about another means of salvation that has yet to occur! That's about as "un-Biblical" as it gets if we say we believe, teach, and confess that Christ was crucified for the sins of ALL MANKIND, isn't it? Sorry, I'm going off on a tangent.


That brings us to the "breaking news" that every student of Bible prophecy is talking about right now.



Jordan's King Vows 'Relentless' War Against ISIS


Here's a brief snapshot of all the things that those who study end times Bible prophecy have written about this lately (many of these statements are things I probably would've written myself if I still subscribed to this faulty way of thinking)...



 
Jordan’s pro-West orientation and commitment to peace with Israel is reminiscent of pre-Mavi Marmara (flotilla) Turkey in 2010. The risk of domestic instability is greater today than at any time since the country’s bloody 1970–71 period. King Abdullah II is facing internal challenges from the spread of Salafist radicalization and external risk of ISIS who see Jordan as a key part of the caliphate. Jordan is represented 3 times in the prophetic Arab invasion of Israel in Psalm 83: 1-8 Edom – southern Jordan/Judea (600 BC) Moab – central Jordan Ammon – northern Jordan 
[Via]


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Jordan has a very interesting and important role to play in end times prophecy. We often focus on Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, etc because of they're always in the secular news and because their prophetic ends are easier to determine, being for the most part contained in one book of the bible. The prophecies about Jordan are scattered between the Old Testament and the New, and piecing together what is in store for them is takes more study. But it is worth it. Now, I know I will not do it justice here, there is a lot and I've only scratched the surface. But isn't that the great thing about the bible? There are always more pieces to study! New revelations the Spirit will deliver and more wisdom of the word He will supply. And as always, be sure to study these things yourself, to see if they are true. 
[Via]


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Jordanian King Abdullah's warning of a Middle East war, if the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks fail, is in essence a page out of Bible prophecy for the last days. Jordan's King Abdullah on the John Stewart talk show, The Daily Show, was almost prophetic as he warned of a war in the Middle East if the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks fail. The king said that Jordan was between Iraq and a hard place, with a hint of humor, however the king is speaking truth about a region of the world that he knows very well. Jordan's population is made up of Palestinians who have moved into Jordan over the last 60 years and number almost 3.5 million, 70% of Jordan's total population. King Abdullah is eagerly watching as the peace talks move ahead with many bumps on the road to success. The king may not realize that his warning of a Middle East war happening in the next year is a page right out of Bible prophecy. The ancient Jewish prophets did not name the exact time but they did prewrite history pertaining to the Middle East war in the future (Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 11). Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Malachi, and Obadiah were more specific in their prophecies as it relates to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Malachi 1 reveals that the Edomites, modern-day Palestinians, that the Edomites will return to power and build borders that the Lord calls borders of wickedness. Ezekiel 35 predicts the Palestinians will kill Jews and take their land. Both Obadiah and Jeremiah say that when the Messiah comes back to the Earth, the Edomites, today's Palestinians will be destroyed. King Abdullah's warning of a Middle East war is correct. Bible prophecy will be fulfilled. 
[Via]


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This is one of those amazing, unconfirmed stories that you dearly wish to be true. The Internet is burning up tonight with reports coming in that King Abdullah of Jordan, former pilot with the Jordanian Air Force, is so incensed about ISIS burning alive one of their captured fighters yesterday, has personally suited up and is flying combat missions against ISIS right now. 


See what I mean though?

Yet, how is this any different from the thousands of terrorist attacks and national responses to them going all the way back to 2001? Actually, why not go all the way back to the 1970s instead?

Do you see my point though? Just so you know I'm not trying to attack anyone who is really into this sort of thing now that I'm not, I want to reiterate that I was the type of guy who lived for this sort of news. Looking back, I didn't see it at the time, but I know now that I was more interested in prophecy-related things than I was about Jesus and what He did and continues to do for me.

I went back to take a quick look at some of the things I wrote pertaining to Jordan from 2008-2012. It turns out that back in October 2011 I wrote some of my most popular and widely read piece involving Jordan when I highlighted Jordanian man named Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and his growing influence in the global political realm, especially when he was being billed as a "Muslim Man of Peace" and had visited both Pope Benedict and Jerusalem.

Not surprisingly, his efforts and success at fostering Christian-Muslim dialogue in the pursuit of peace made many (including myself at the time) think that we no longer needed to play "Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Antichrist" because we have found our guy.

Tragically, and even though I would've denied it, I spent more time reveling in the search for the Antichrist when I should've spent more time reveling in the fact that I had Christ Himself, and that He could already be found in His Word and Sacraments.

Again, that was late 2011. It's now early 2015. Things I was so "sure" were "imminent" didn't quite pan out that way, did they? Perhaps you do see the point I'm trying to make here today, but you're afraid to distance yourself from what you've believed for so long.

I get it. I completely understand and I think that's a natural response. After all, that was my initial response. I was worried that I was somehow losing my commitment to being doctrinally sound (because I thought my views about the end times were already doctrinally sound!) so, naturally, it rocked me to my core when I started going through this transition at first.


I'll try to quickly illustrate my point again without using Jordan as an example.

Of course, if Jordan isn't sexy enough for you, or you're not inclined to believe they even have a key role to play in the fulfillment of last days Bible prophecy like many of your family and friends do, then there's always Mother Russia and Putin.

Proving my point, Ezekiel 38-39 is often cited as the "proof texts" for the supposedly near future "Attempted-Attack-And-Invasion-of-Israel-By-Russia-Only-To-Have-Her-Supernaturally-Destroyed-By-God" prophecy, and it's also on everyone's spiritual radar right now after a reference to "total war" in one popular news headline from yesterday, but we're talking about Russia's conflict with Ukraine, not a conflict with Israel!

Furthermore, the fighting, posturing, and tension in that region has been going on for quite awhile now. Where is the "fulfillment of Bible prophecy" that we were told was so "imminent" by so many leading so-called "Pastors" who preach about prophecy?

My dear friends, I'm not trying to start a fight here, but I am trying to get you to see that perhaps -- just maybe -- your entrenched understanding of Bible prophecy is wrong just like mine was wrong for so many years.


If you would've told me a mere 2-3 years ago that I would one day change my beliefs about Bible prophecy as significantly as I have, then I would've told you that you're absolutely nuts and were probably a heretic for even thinking that was a possibility since end times theology isn't the one area of the Scriptures that's left open for our own subjective interpretation, because it's the Word of God and there is only one truth, and we either accept and believe it or we don't.

Yet, here we are. Here I am after having repented of believing and teaching false doctrine. It's why I took that website and weekly podcast of mine off the Internet and then spent months trying to get other blogs and websites to remove content I wrote that I no longer believed in myself.

I'll try to spend more time in future posts, God willing, explaining why I no longer believe many of the end times related things I once did in the hopes that it will help those of you who are where I was 2-3 years ago. 


In a Lutheran layman's terms, no, Jesus is not waiting for Jordan's King Abdullah to attack ISIS, fulfill the "Psalm 83 War Prophecy," and start World War 3 so the Antichrist can rise to power before He returns for us!

To paraphrase what I've heard Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller say, "Jesus can come back at any time! He's not waiting for a Nuclear Power Plant to melt down! The thing that's holding Him back is His patience and love. There are no events that need to occur before Jesus comes back. So, seeing all the events around us and saying, 'Hey! Hey! That means Jesus is coming back!' the answer is 'No! No! That's a wrong way of looking at it!' Jesus can come at any moment."


NOTE: Please understand that I'm not a called and ordained minister of God's Word and Sacraments. I'm a layman or just a regular Christian, Corporate Recruiter, Husband, Father, Friend who lives in the "City of Good Neighbors" here on the East Coast. As another Christian Blogger once wrote, "Please do not see this blog as me attempting to 'publicly teach' the faith, but view it as an informal Public Journal of sorts about my own experiences and journey, and if any of my notes here help you in any way at all, then I say, 'Praise the Lord!' but please do double check them against the Word of God and with your own Pastor." To be more specific, and relevant to the point I want to make with this disclaimer/note, please understand that I'm a relatively new convert to Confessional Lutheran who recently escaped American Evangelicalism a little more than 3 years ago now. That being said, please contact me ASAP if you believe that any of my "old beliefs" seem to have crept their way into any of the material you see published here, and especially if any of the content is inconsistent with our Confessions and Lutheran doctrine (in other words, if it's not consistent with God's Word, which our Confessions merely summarize and repeatedly point us back to over and over again) so that I can correct those errors immediately and not lead any of His little ones astray (James 3:1). Also, please be aware that you might also discover that some of the earlier/older pieces I wrote for this blog back in 2013 definitely fall into that "Old Evangelical Adam" category (and they don't have a disclaimer like this) since I was a "Lutheran-In-Name-Only" at the time and was completely oblivious to the fact that a Christian "Book of Concord" even existed (Small/Large Catechism? What's that!?!). This knowledge of the Lutheran basics was completely foreign to me even though I was baptized, confirmed, and married in an LCMS church! So, there are some entries that are a little "out there" so-to-speak since the subject matter was also heavy influenced by those old beliefs of mine. I know that now and I'm still learning. Anyway, I decided to leave those published posts up on this website and in cyberspace only because they are not blasphemous/heretical, because I now have this disclaimer, and only to demonstrate the continuing work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in my life (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 1:6). Most importantly, please know that any time I engage in commenting on and/or interpreting a specific portion of the holy Scriptures, it will always closely follow the verse-by-verse footnotes from my Lutheran Study Bible and/or include references to the Book of Concord unless otherwise noted. Typically, I defer to what other Lutheran Pastors both past and present have already preached and taught about such passages since they are the called and ordained under-shepherds of our souls here on earth. Finally, I'm going to apologize ahead of time for the length of most entries (this disclaimer/note is a perfect example of what I mean! haha). I'm well aware that blogs should be short, sweet, and to the point, but I've never been one to follow the rules when it comes to writing. Besides, this website is more like a "Christian Dude's Diary" in the sense that everything I write about and share publicly isn't always what's "popular" or "#trending" at the time, but is instead all the things that I'm studying myself at the moment. For better or for worse, these posts tend to be much longer than most blog entries you'll find elsewhere only because I try to pack as much info as possible into a single piece so that I can refer to it again and again over time if I need to (and so that it can be a valuable resource for others -- if possible, a "One-Stop-Shop" of sorts). Thank you for stopping by and thank you in advance for your time, help, and understanding. Feel free to comment/email me at any time. Grace and peace to you and yours!

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About JKR

Christian. Husband. Father. Friend.

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Thank you for visiting A Lutheran Layman! Please feel free to leave a comment or a question since we do not exercise censorship. We've seen a similar policy with other blogs and it's worth repeating: Please act as if you're a guest in my home, and we'll get along just fine. I think anyone would agree that the kind of back-and-forth that is characteristic of blogs/chat forums and social media is becoming tiresome for all of us. Still, we should confess, edify, and love (and contend and defend when needed). Bottom line? Search the Scriptures! Apply Acts 17:11 to anything and everything you find here and, if you do happen to disagree with something you find here (which is certainly ok), or think I'm "irresponsible" and "wrong" for writing it, then please refute my position by supporting yours with Scripture and/or the Confessions. I don't think that's an unreasonable request, especially for those who identify themselves as "Christians" here, right? Besides, Proverbs 27:17 tells us "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" and 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." If you have an opinion that's great, I welcome it, but try to support it using God's Word. I mean, if the goal here is to help us all arrive at the truth of God's Word (myself included), then it should be easy to follow through on this one simple request (I'm talking to all you "Anonymous" visitors out there). Grace and peace to you and yours!

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