… and I feel fine. I just got a rather histrionic email about the end of the world. I subscribed to it because I know several people who – aren’t completely bought into the concept, but… let’s just say they’ve spent money on this organization in the past and give it all very careful consideration. Here’s an excerpt of the email from this group – I refuse to promote it in any shape, form or fashion. If you’ve got any kind of decent Google-fu you will find it, but caveat emptor. A headline that attributes the statement “Final 7 years will begin this year” to President Bush is just dishonest. Sure, they follow it up with “he didn’t say it in exactly those words” but there’s no evidence he was thinking it or that he meant that, or anything of the sort. What kind of “ministry” engages in this sort of dishonest marketing? A phrase like “He didn’t say it in exactly those words” smacks of junior high students trying to convince the disciplinarian that they’re innocent! Really!
And as for all the hype about the mark of the beast – the implication here is you’d better get cracking on stopping Real ID or people might inadvertently take the mark and doom themselves to eternal hellfire and damnation!!!1!eleventy!!!1! Except, you know, it’s impossible to accidentally go to hell, mark or no mark. And really, there are better things we could occupy our time with worrying about or better yet, doing.
I read this garbage and wonder how anyone can fall for it and give this guy money. But then, I wonder that about Jesse Duplantis, Joel Osteen, and a whole bunch of other prominent preachers. It’s a strange world.
President Bush:
Final 7 years will begin this year!
President Bush has said that he believes the final seven years to the Battle of Armageddon will begin yet this year!
He didn’t say it in exactly those words. What he said was that he believed a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians would be concluded before the end of this year.
The Bible says, when this happens, the final seven years to Armageddon and to the Second Coming of Jesus will begin.
2008—Greatest year of prophetic fulfillment in 2,000 years
Major prophetic fulfillments normally happen once in a century. There are presently FOUR MAJOR prophetic fulfillments converging in one year! That’s the reason I believe 2008 will probably be the greatest year of prophetic fulfillment since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The 4 prophecies that are converging right now?
Two Billion to Die
The Bible specifically prophesies a war for the near future that will kill one-third of mankind—two billion human beings. This war will start from the area of the Euphrates River (the area of Iraq and Iran), and will escalate into the worst war the world has ever known. This will happen at about the same time as the signing of the Middle East peace treaty.
Mark of the Beast
Three and one-half years after the Middle East peace treaty, the mark of the beast will be implemented on earth. All who take the number of the Antichrist (666) will be eternally lost! The UN has asked all nations to implement a number system for all of their citizens by 2010, and almost every nation is doing it right now! In America, it’s called the Real ID.
I think the thing that many believers forget about “the mark” is that the Bible tells us you will have to deny Christ and take the mark. It will not be a “whoops” kind of thing. For goodness sake, we’ve heard so many things cited as “the mark” that I’m definitely going to hell multiple times over. I mean, I’ve heard of people who wouldn’t get Social Security numbers because they thought is was “the mark.”
My Bible tells me that I “have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I’d say that if these “preachers” (and I use that term loosely) would crack open a Bible they might actually make an impact for Christ instead of inciting panic or petting people’s egos.