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The Late
Great Planet Earth
Let us examine a few of these statements in the light of the
plain teaching of the Word of God. First of all there is the
name of the book. When we speak of the "late" John
Doe, we indicate that we are speaking of one who has passed
away. As far as planet earth is concerned, it is very much
alive. What will happen to it in the future is yet to be
revealed when it becomes history, therefore the name of the book
is based on a hypothetical surmise of conjecture and assumption.
On the cover of the book we find it says, "A penetrating
look at "incredible" prophecies involving THIS
generation. The word "incredible" means
"unbelievable; seeming too unusual or improbable to be
possible." Webster. Prophecy is not incredible,
unbelievable or impossible. As far as his references to the Jews
are concerned, the information came predominantly from the
newspapers rather then the Bible. The last place in the Bible
where the Jewish nation is mentioned is in Acts 1:6 to which
Jesus replied with the promise of the Holy Spirit. After the
giving of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Israelitish
Kingdom is never mentioned again. "This 1973"
generation is appropriately inserted into the narrative to suit
the interpretation of events similar to the manner that other
writers have done in years past, and whose glowing forecasts
failed to materialize. Somehow this does not prevent others from
falling into the same pitfall of confusing Bible prophecy with
human predictions. Let us investigate some of the assertions
made in "The late great planet earth" and verify them
with Bible facts.
On page 32 he says, "Sometime in the future there will
be a seven year period climaxed by the visible return of Jesus
Christ." Is that so? No Scripture is given for this
prediction for the simple reason there is no such Scripture in
the Bible. Try to find it! If he is referring to the so-called
Seventieth Week of Daniel as future, the Bible says: "When
a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow
not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not
spoken..." Deut. 18:22. Everyone agrees that the
Sixty-ninth week of Daniel came to pass many centuries ago
during the ministry of Christ. Now if the seventieth failed to
follow it consecutively, which is the only way time can be
measured, then the Lord did not utter it at all. The writer
seems to think he can lightly charge the inspiration given by
the Holy Ghost with an obvious error by suggesting this
postponement of the seventieth week to the indefinite future.
Furthermore, if Christ is to come during a mythical future
"Seven year period" then we shall know when He is
coming. Christ very definitely said that no man will know when
His coming will be. Thus there are two flagrant contradictions
in that phrase.
The errors at this point are too numerous to mention them all
so we shall pass on to: "Third, each one of these spheres
of power will be judged and destroyed for invading the new state
of Israel, but the personal return of the JEWISH MESSIAH, JESUS
CHRIST." Again no Scripture is given and none can be given.
It is most nauseating to imply that the Saviour of the world
shows racial discrimination. Where in the Bible is Jesus Christ
referred to as the JEWISH MESSIAH any more than He is everyone's
Messiah. What Scripture anywhere indicates that Jesus Christ as
a Jewish Messiah will destroy nations because of hostilities
against the new State of Israel? None whatsoever.
If we focus attention a moment on the State of Israel, she
does not call herself a "nation" and vastly more Jews
live in other parts of the world than those who have returned to
Palestine. There are some estimates that more Jews live in New
York City alone than the aggregate of those that have returned
to Palestine. This would be irrelevant except for Mr. Lindsay's
oft repeated statement that Christ will not come until the Jews
return to Palestine. Which Jews? How many Jews? If "the
Jews" mean all the Jews, then prophecy will be a long time
off. If it just means the handful of Jews now resident in
Palestine, then they have been there since 1948 as a State. This
is several seven-year periods. When does it begin IF the
conditions are already long past fulfilled? This kind of
treatment of prophecy makes a mockery out of real Bible
prophecy.
Perhaps there is no better place to define just what is meant
by the term Jews than here. Webster has this to say: "One
belonging to the tribe or kingdom of Judah after the return from
the Babylonian captivity; any member of the new Hebrew state,
hence any one of the Hebrew race or people, or anyone whose
RELIGION is Judaism. The Jews of today do not uniformly reveal a
pure Semitic type but show evidence of intermixtures in various
countries where they dwell. As a rule they are shorter than the
native populations and in northern Europe, more brunette."
Observe then that the term Jew includes primarily the religion
of Judaism rather than the State of Israel. Citizens of that
State are called Israeli. There is a difference between a RACE
and a RELIGION. If Dispensationalists really believed what they
prophecy, namely that God was going to deal preferentially with
the Jews, why do they not become Jews? It is easy according to
Gen. 17:12. "And he that is eight days old shall be
circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he
that is born in thy house, or bought with money of any stranger
WHICH IS NOT THY SEED." Thus in the very beginning those
who were NOT THE SEED of Abraham came under the covenant by
simply complying with the faith of Abraham. The same route is
open for anyone even to this day. If Dispensationalists really
believed what they predict they are surely missing out on the
blessings themselves for they are open to them. The fact that
they do not avail themselves shows how lightly they REALLY
believe it themselves. They can still be proselytes even as in
Bible times. In the last analysis they evidently believe more in
salvation by God's GRACE then in salvation by belonging to any
RACE. Far better to heed Paul's penetrating insight: "They
please not God and are contrary to all men...for the WRATH OF
GOD IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST." 1 Thess.
2:15b,16b. "Uttermost" does not permit a future
reversal of Divine dealings.
Let us pursue another statement. Quote p 33: "This seven
year period we have called the 'count-down,' is a period of
unique events. There is more prophecy concerning this period
than any other era the Bible describes." It is not
difficult to challenge this statement. In the first place the
prophecies concerning the birth of Christ and His ministry and
death far out number any mythical future seven year period.
Second, it is possible to state exactly what the Bible
prophecies are concerning the period under discussion. There are
exactly six things and they are clearly enunciated in Daniel
9:24 as follows: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people and upon thy holy city, (1) to finish the transgression;
(2) and to make an end of sins; (3) and to make reconciliation
for iniquity; (4) and to bring in everlasting righteousness; (5)
and to seal up the vision and prophecy; (6) and to anoint the
most Holy." The reader will observe that no reference to a
restored Israel is mentioned whatsoever. It is also clear that
each one of these prophecies were fulfilled in the death and
resurrection of Christ. Prophecy never fails. Man's predictions
invariably fail. Thus another of Lindsay's statements is merely
a vagrant opinion having no means of Scriptural support.
We call attention to p 41, "The phrase 'latter days'
ALWAYS refers in the Old Testament to the time of Israel's final
and complete national restoration and spiritual
redemption." No example is given for such proof is absent
in the Bible. We quote now from Deut. 31:29..."Evil will
befall you in the latter days..."
In Jer. 23:20 we read, "The anger of the Lord shall not
return until H have executed, and till He have performed the
thoughts of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it
perfectly. V.21, I have not sent these prophets, yet they
ran..." Not much reference in these O.T. quotations related
to Israel's restoration as a nation or spiritual redemption is
there? Jer. 30:24 is almost a repetition of Jer. 23:20. In Dan.
2:28, we read, "But... What shall be in the latter
days..." What follows relates to the captivity of Israel in
Babylon and has no reference to the statement given about
Israel's restoration as a nation in the last days not her
redemption. Out of ten references in the Old Testament, seven of
them have no reference that can possibly be construed to have
anything to do with a restored nation of Israel or her
redemption, yet we are told unabashed that the phrase
"latter days" ALWAYS refers to the final and complete
restoration of Israel as a nation and her redemption. This can
in no way be reconciled with the facts of the matter. It is only
by twisting the phrase to mean what they have interpreted it to
mean, that it could be applied to any future of Israel. Seven
out of ten references definitely refute the writer's claim.
Let us now call attention to page 44. The writer makes the
following assertions based on Zech. 12:14. Item 3: "The
personal revelation of Jesus Christ to the remnant of Jews in
Jerusalem." Item 4: "The repentance and faith which
occurs at this personal revelation." It is strange indeed
how Dispensationalists can be so blind to present facts, and yet
so gullible about future "phantasies." Peter declared
the answer on the day of Pentecost as follows: "Repent and
be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ
(personal) for the remission of sins..." Acts 2:38.
"Unto you FIRST God, having raised His Son Jesus, sent Him
to bless you, in turning everyone of you from his
iniquities." Acts 3:26 Thus the "remnant" was
SAVED by the personal revelation of the Christ, that is the
Messiah. When He comes again, it will not be a revelation to a
few Jews around Jerusalem, for EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM. Item 5:
"The opening of the fountain of forgiveness to repentant
Israel." The Scripture reference given is Zech. 13:1 which
reads: "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the
house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and
for uncleanness." It would be a mistake to equate "The
House of David" with the State of Israel or to limit
repentance to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. For one thing there
are about as many Arab inhabitants in Jerusalem as there are
Jews - if this offer is to inhabitants it must include them. We
do not have to guess for the Bible is explicit in telling what
is meant in Luke 1:69, "And hath raised up an horn of
SALVATION FOR US in the house of His servant David." We are
told that Joseph was of the house of David in Luke 1:27. Under
the New Covenant we are told, "Their is neither Jew nor
Greek..." God is not a tribal deity.. Salvation is for all,
but it was opened at Calvary through Christ who according to the
flesh was of the lineage of David. Paul said, "Remember
that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the dead
ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL." 2 Tim. 2:8. It is a travesty
indeed, to reverse God's universal plan of Salvation and limit
it to a small group of unbelievers. Salvation is by GRACE not by
any RACE.
We will pass on to page 45 and read the following:
"There remains but ONE more event to completely set the
stage for Israel's part in the last great act in her historical
drama. This is to build the ancient temple of worship on its old
site. Obstacle or no obstacle, it is certain that the Temple
will be rebuilt. Prophecy demands it." Help! Only ONE thing
remains! The rebuilding of the Temple! But then the author
includes more other things than can be enumerated. He says the
ancient Roman Empire will have to be revived in its Ten Kingdom
form. This he links with the Common Market, as if the
amalgamation of an economic group of Europeans could be
identified with the long defunct Romans! The writer concludes
that this entente will eventually have the Antichrist as its
head. He goes on to portray wars involving Russia and China and
Africa. It would be easier to name the ones left out of
catastrophic bloodshed than to delineate those involved. Yet he
says, "There remains but ONE thing..." Then why are
all the other things mentioned if but one thing remains? Another
thing, although he declares that prophecy demands the rebuilding
of the Temple, no Scripture is supplied to support the
statement. Why? Because there is none.
Next we quote from page 46, "...Paul speaks of this
person as one "Who opposes and exalts himself as being
God...who is called the "Antichrist." 2 Thess. 1:4.
Suffice to say that Paul makes no mention whatever of the
abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, nor does he refer
to the Antichrist in the passage quoted. Read it and see. It is
easy to discern how wrong this interpretation is by turning to 1
John 2:22, "Who is a LIAR but he that DENIETH that Jesus is
the Christ? HE IS ANTICHRIST THAT DENIETH THE FATHER AND THE
SON." Of the four references in the Bible to Antichrist,
all emphasize his denial of God and of Jesus as the Christ. How
could Paul be talking of the "Antichrist" when he is
described as showing himself that he IS GOD? Such a
contradiction is too obvious to merit attention. Yet this kind
of handling God's Word is very typical of all Dispensational
writers. If you look up their references you can discover this
for yourself.
We pass over the weary guess-work of Russia and China; plus
all the postulations of their future activity as utter nonsense.
On page 79 however, we read, "The seventh chapter of
Daniel, written before the coming of Jesus of Nazareth, was
known by the Scribes as the greatest chapter in the Old
Testament. Jesus and His apostles referred to it directly or
indirectly many times." Typically no Scripture is given and
no example is cited. There are many references to Jesus'
encounters with the Scribes, and considering what He said of
them, they would not be much of a recommendation to assess the
greatest chapter in anything. Jesus said they "Make the
Word of God of none effect." Mark 7:13. Just where Jesus
and the disciples referred to Daniel 7 is not revealed by the
writer, probably for the same reason an example is omitted in
other statements given.
While sufficient has been said about the mythical
"Antichrist" to satisfy most seekers after truth, we
submit this further misinterpretation given by the author on
pp86 and 98, "At the time that this Roman Empire will
begin... Heading the revived Roman Empire will be a man of such
magnetism, such power, and such influence, that he will for a
time be the greatest dictator the world has ever known. He will
be the completely GODLESS, diabolical future fuehrer. ... p. 98,
"The Antichrist will deify himself -- just like the Caesars
did. He will proclaim himself to be God." Observe first of
all the impossibility of a "completely GODLESS man,
proclaiming himself to be GOD!" This is an absolute
contradiction and utterly absurd.
History records the downfall of the Roman Empire and its
disintegration into ten kingdoms. Italy is not Rome. Rome cannot
be revived because it doesn't exist to be revived. It can only
be recreated, and since the ten kingdoms form of Rome was
historically merged into the Holy Roman Empire under
Charlemagne, it is useless to delve into this further. Suffice
to point out that the stone that struck the image on its feet in
Daniel 2, struck an image that was then standing. It did not
strike a reconstructed or revived image. There is no way any
future amalgamation of any existing nations can fulfill prophecy
such as would require the recrudescence of the Roman Empire, for
it was not a REVIVED Roman Empire the prophecy applied to.
Dispensationalists ought to read history more carefully before
they misapply the Word of God in such careless manner.
We shall make but two further observations. On page 131 we
quote: "During the tribulation the spotlight is on the Jew
- in the Book of Revelation the Jew is responsible for
evangelizing the world AGAIN." Rev. 7:1-4. The Jews are
only mentioned twice in the book of Revelation. It is the last
time they are mentioned in the Bible so the verdict must be very
final. In Rev. 2:9 we read, "I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagog of
Satan." In Rev. 3:9, "Behold I will make them of the
synagog of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not..."
One cannot expect much world evangelism to stem from the synagog
of Satan. Moreover, it is interesting that the writer observed
that the Jews referred to are to evangelize the world AGAIN.
This infers it has already been done once. Did Christ authorize
a future proclamation OF THE GOSPEL after this age? Where?
Silence! Heb. 1:1, 2 has the answer. God spoke through the
prophets and now speaks through the Son. There is no other
gospel possible for THIS is the LAST TIME NOW. Rev. 7 says
nothing about the Jews evangelizing the world. It does say that
144,000 were sealed of ALL the tribes of Israel - but two
tribes, namely Dan and Manasseh are omitted. Why are these two
tribes missing? A full explanation of this is given in my book
called THERE'S A GREAT DAY COMING. I hasten to say that there is
no contradiction when rightly understood.
Our last observation is taken from page 164. This reads,
"A frightening picture, isn't it? Has it occurred to you
that this is exactly what happens to those who are in a
thermonuclear blast? It appears that this will be the case at
the return of Christ...Most ministers and religious leaders
today reject even the possibility that Christ will establish an
actual physical kingdom of God on earth...from the throne of
David out of Jerusalem." The writer fails, as usual, to
give any Scriptural support for this statement. Can any pre-millennialist
show one Scripture in the entire Bible that clearly states that
Christ will reign over a physical kingdom from Jerusalem for
1,000 years? There is absolutely no Scriptural support for such
a claim. Try to find it. Is it too much to ask for this proof
when so much is assumed?
But the issue is more serious. The writer says a
thermonuclear blast APPEARS to coincide with the return of
Christ. Any Scripture?... Of course not. This diabolical act
rests only on the slender thread of "it appears." What
an admission of vacuity and what a surrender to conjecture!
After all has been said about the certainty of prophecy, in the
last analysis it just "appears to be the case." The
reader only has to choose whether he wants to rely on
Dispensational guesstimates or on Bible certainties.
We confidently direct you to 2 Pet. 1:19 which says: "We
have a MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY; where-unto ye do well to take
heed...knowing this first, that NO PROPHECY OF THE SCRIPTURE IS
OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION." Dispensational
interpretation is private interpretation from start to finish.
It is contradictory to itself and to the Word of God. When
Christ stood before Pilate He said, "My kingdom IS NOT OF
THIS WORLD; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight..." Dispensationalists disregard this plain
statement of Christ and portray Him in a role of slaughtering on
a scale unequaled by any previous despot in history. They arrive
at this conclusion only by private interpretation. They cannot
command any plain Scriptural support.
I believe the Bible. I accept it. I believe prophecy. I
disagree with the Dispensational interpretation of the Second
Coming because in the interests of "rightly dividing the
Word of truth." (their way) they have to resort to
wriggling themselves through a Rapture, an appearing, a Second
Coming, several resurrections, numerous judgments, at least four
gospels, hair splitting differences between the Kingdom of God
and the Kingdom of Heaven, and finally end up with a battle
weary Christ whose victory is gained in war instead of on the
Cross. They proclaim an Everlasting Kingdom but they tell us it
will only last 1,000 years and it will end in further
declension, rebellions and catastrophic wars. Dispensationalism
does not honor Christ nor the Cross. It portrays Christ as a
warmonger opposing Russia, and then all other nations who oppose
Israel. It minimizes the Cross by suggesting that the Jews who
are listed in the Book of Revelation as belonging to the synagog
of Satan, will evangelize the world AGAIN after Christ comes.
This is another gospel, which Paul pronounced to be under the
curse. Gal. 1:8.
It would be impossible as well as needless to submit all the
errors of interpretation given in "The Late Great Planet
Earth." We believe sufficient evidence is given to brand it
as a false attempt to mislead God's people. All that is
necessary in order to prove this statement is to resort to the
Bible and demand what Scriptural evidence there is for such
sensational assertions. History reveals prophecy. The book Late
Planet Earth will go into oblivion like all its predecessors
when history is written. "We have a more sure word of
prophecy... no prophecy of the Scripture is of ANY PRIVATE
INTERPRETATION."
Someone has said, "There are no BAD ways in coming to
God..." People make their peace with God in innumerable
ways. Conviction for sin and desire to be right with God depends
more upon the attitude of the heart -- "With the heart man
believeth unto righteousness..." Rom. 10:10a. As Paul has
testified, "I know WHOM I have believed..." We are not
saved by WHAT we believe but on WHOM we believe. While we do not
subscribe to Hal Lindsay's conclusions nor his prophetic
speculations delving into the future, w do concur that his book
has cause many people to be convicted of sin and to turn to
Christ as Saviour and find acceptance with God. We are,
naturally, gratified with such results. We regret, however, that
so much emphasis is placed on speculative elements forecasting
political events and uncertainties which time will refute, while
dwelling so little on Divine realities that are eternal. Where
the emphasis in the book we are examining is placed on getting
right with God, we heartily approve, support and earnestly urge
everyone to repent and come to Christ as Saviour and Lord.
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