Fellow Christians................Do you know where our doctrine concerning the end times comes from?

Question

Have you ever heard of John Darby? John Darby is actually a theologian who wrote the end times theology as we know it about the rapture, tribulation and the new millenium. This theology is only 700 years old. It was actually rejected at first by the church, and actually became known in smaller groups that were gathering out of the 'church' before it became so widespread as it is today. To educated theologians, christians that believe in this end times theology about the rapture and so forth, are known as "Darbyists."

I think you are all missing the point. I am not rejecting anything. I love God more than anything in the world. But, I think that it is important that we know where our ideas come from. Yes, our bible is the ultimate authority. But, our doctrine comes from people before us who have studied the bible extensively and have passed that doctrine on through the generations.

Answer 1

The bible prophicied 1000's years ago the "last days". Jesus gave us signs of the "last days".

The bible describes events and conditions that would mark this significant time period. "The sign" is a composit one made up of many eveidences; thus its fulfillment requires that all aspects of the sign be clearly in evidence during one generation. The various aspects of the sign are recorded at Matthew chapters 24, 25; Mark 13 and Luke 21; there are further details at 2 Tim. 3: 1-5, 2 Peter 3: 3 & 4 and Rev. 6: 1-8

A few outstanding portions of the sign of the "last days":

1. "Nation will rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom"
Matt 24: 7 Since 1914, first World War, first time all major
powers at war. Rev. 6:4 "Peace was taken away from the
world." World has continued in a state of upheaval ever since
1914. World War II 1939 - 1945. From 1945 - 1982 there
have been 270 wars, 100 million killed.

2. "Food Shortages..in one place after another" Matt. 24:7
World War lead to widespread starvation in Europe & Asia.
Africa was stricken with draught, resulting in extensive food
shortage. Late 1980's Food and Agriculture Organization
estimated that 450 million people were hungry to the point
of starvation, and up to a billion did not have enough to eat.
Of these, some 40 million a year die.

3. "There will be great earthquakes" Luke 21:11
Has there actually been a significant number of earthquakes
since 1914? The National Geophysical Data Center in
Boulder, Co, supplemented by a number of standard
referrencd works, a tabulation was made in 1984 that
included only earthquakes that measured 7.5 or more on
the Richter scale, or resulted in five million dollars damage,
or caused 100 or more deaths. It was calculated that there
have been 856 of these earthquakes during the 2000 years
before 1914. In 1983, there had been 605 such quakes.
So the average per year has increased 20% since 1914.

4. "In one place after another pestilences" Luke 21:11
At the close of World War I, the Spanish flu swept around
the globe, claiming upwards of 20 million lives. Despite
advances in medical science, a heavy toll is exacted every
year by cancer, heart disease, numerous sexually
transmitted disease such as AIDS, multiple sclerosis,
malaria, river blindness, and Chagas disease.

5. "Increased lawlessness accompanied by a cooling off of love
on the part of the greater number." Matt 24: 11 & 12
There is the highest crime rate ever. This lawlessness
also includes contempt for God's laws. As a result of
this attitude, the rate of divorce has increased to 50%, sex
outside marriage is the norm, homosexuality is widespread
and tens of million abortions are performed each year.

6. "Men become faint out of fear and expectation of things
coming upon the inhabited earth." Luke 21: 25, 26
In 1965 U.S. News reported that "The fact is that
today the biggest single emotion which dominates our
lives is fear." How much more so today in 2007.
"Never before has mankind been as fearful as at present."
German Mag. Horzu 06/20/80 p.22
Many factors contribute to this global atmosphere of fear:
violent crime, unemployment, economic instability,
worldwide pollution of the environment, lack of strong family
ties, overwhelming feeling of danger from terrorist, or
nuclear annihilation.

7. "Christ's true followers to be objects of hatred because of
his name." Matt 24:9
This persecution is not because of political meddling, but
on account of the name of Jesus Christ, because his
followers adhere to him as Jehovah's Messianic King,
because of their obeying Christ ahead of any earthly
ruler, because of their loyally adhering to his Kingdom
and not getting involved in worlds affairs.

8. "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all
the earth for a witness, and then the end will come"
Matt 24: 14
The message that would be preached is that God's
Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ has begun to
rule in the heavens, that soon it will put an end to the
entire wicked system of things, that under its rule
mankind will be brought to perfection and the earth will
become a paradise. Jehovah's Witness are preaching
this message in 236 lands.

Luke 21:28 states "But as these things start to occur, raise
yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near."

Answer 2

Yes, it has shifted quite a bit, and that is where the factual answer for you sort of ends. Others might be able to list official church doctrine and modern teachings on why the olden day doctrine espoused certain views, but for me, I will give you a "man on the street" sort of answer since this seems to be a question that is not easily addressed for many. I have seen lots of different ways to reconcile it. Some people say God knew that if the church embraced people with black skin that it would have crushed the church's ability to exist back in the 1800s when it began. Some people say changes were necessary to allow the church to continue (be it polygamy, black people, or blood atonement), and that it is more important to adapt so as not to alarm or alienate potential members. Some people (especially in far southern UT) adhere to older beliefs and reject the changes, saying that no one on Earth today has it right anymore and they do not believe that church leaders are really in tune anymore - basically that leadership tries hard and are nice people, but they are incorrect despite the good intentions. Some people do not think about it, or let it hang as an unanswered uncertainty because they see the modern teachings to be changes dictated by a prophet who speaks for God. Some people just cruise along cause it's easier that way and only follow the church teachings loosely to make it easier to live with their families and in Mormon-majority areas, but their faith is not very sincere anyway and they don't care enough to ask. And others cannot reconcile it and their belief in LDS doctrine ends regardless of whether they are technically still on the listings of the church or not. I have known very good people with every view listed above. Good luck to you in your personal search regardless what you believe. Faith is a highly personalized thing even within a given ward or even family. You are thinking and questioning, and that is good. Blind faith is not really faith. No matter what you end up believing you are not alone.

Answer 3

He may have wrote "about" the end times, but this is merely his opinion. The key word here is THEOLOGY. Whether or not it's accepted or rejected does not change this fact. The true scriptures are meant to be vague and confusing so each person is forced to think about and process their own opinion regarding the end of days, rather than spelling it out in black and white. We are being tested on this planet. Do you actually think the Teacher is going to explain the final exam in detail, so all we have to do is memorize the answers and not learn a thing? No. We have to learn the lessons, study His word, and be ready for the Pop Quiz at any time.

Blessings

Answer 4

God appointed pastors to teach- and He appointed bible study leaders in churches, and He wants us to fellowship with other believers studying the Bible, verse by verse so that He can speak through us, and He speaks through pastors as well, and many such as Billy Graham--You can see they are being led by the Spirit when they are not speaking against what the Bible says and when the Lord is drawing many to Himself through speaking through these people. BUT yes many can go astray from the truth--that is why it is crucial to be in a bible teaching church. However the rapture is proven in the Bible, just because the word "rapture" is not in the bible it is the definition of what it says in 2 Thessalonians 4--when it says we will meet Him in the clouds--
I don't know if you were agreeing with this doctrine, for it is biblical, or are against it- That is why I wrote all of that.

Answer 5

Actually the end of this system of things comes from the Bible and was inspired by God, so that we would have fore-warning...for just like in the days of Noah, when the flood came and no one was paying attention to the warnings, so we find the same situation today. The warning is being sounded, but who is really listening? However, the rapture is very mistakenly taught, and many who believe that teaching will be very surprised to find that it is a false teaching...search the Scripures yourselves, so that you will know what is true...

1 John 4:1: "Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world."

John 17:3: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 4: 1-6: "That is why, since we have this ministry according to the mercy that was shown us, we do not give up; 2 but we have renounced the underhanded things of which to be ashamed, not walking with cunning, neither adulterating the word of God, but by making the truth manifest recommending ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God. 3 If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. 5 For we are preaching, not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as YOUR slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God is he who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate [them] with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ."

Answer 6

Unbeknownst to most Christians, almost all of the doctrine of the church is relatively new. This is especially true in America. There is so much folklore engrained into people, they whouldn't believe ORIGINAL Christian concepts if you pointed right to it in the Bible.

That's why the term FUNDAMENTALIST is so deceptive. By definition, it's supposed to mean "back to basics." Most of these so called "basics" originated in the United States.

See Joan H's comments right above mine. Now that hits the nail on the head. Right on, Joan.

Answer 7

Matthew 24

Answer 8

I suggest you go through a complete study of the book of Daniel and Revelations and then get back to us on this one. Comentaries are not what my belief in the end times is based on at all.

Answer 9

Doctrine comes from the Word of God alone. Commentary and opinion come from men.

Answer 10

The end times are written about in Daniel and revelation and spoken about through Jesus. Thedrefore the end times were authored by GOD and penned by man.