Kitchener, Ontario,
Canada N2G 3A4
(519) 623-7000
(888) 835-7007
Principal Executive Director
Last update January 26 2000
URL: http://home.golden.net/~stefanm
Opening the Bible to study prophecy is like opening a jig-saw puzzle box and seeing scrambled pieces in unattached fashion.
Piecing together the events of prophecy in proper order is very similar to assembling the pieces of a jig-saw puzzle.
Most jig-saw puzzle boxes have a picture on the box that tells the puzzler what the finished product is supposed to look like. Unfortunately for the prophecy student, there is no picture on the cover to guide us.
Yet those who are experienced at jig-saw puzzles often ignore the cover picture anyway, preferring to "start from scratch".
They sort out the "edge pieces", assembling the straight-edged pieces in logical sequence (grass on the lower edge, sky and tree leaves at the top, etc.). Then they sort out pieces that are obviously to be connected -- like identical colours, horizontal lines (horizon, sidewalks, etc.), and pieces with part of a word needing more letters of similar size and style to complete the word.
Expert puzzlers then notice the adjacent clues; a piece with part of a sidewalk and part of a flower bed containing red roses causes the red-rose pieces to be brought to this area adjacent to the sidewalk; likewise, the pieces that complete the roses will give a clue to what is next to the flowerbed.
Without this adjacent feature, completing a jig-saw puzzle would be most difficult.
As we will see in a few moments, prophetic Scriptures also contain these "adjacent features" that are extremely helpful in assembling the complete picture.
God has given us such a delightful task; we are to assemble the pieces of prophecy in such a way that the pieces form a sequence of events. We can then see the "big picture"; we can then identify our location in the plan.
There are no "game rules" printed on a jig-saw puzzle box. It just takes common sense. Let me illustrate.
One Christmas, our family was doing the traditional jig-saw puzzle; my grandmother was trying to fit a piece where she thought it ought to go, and it just wouldn't fit. She asked me to fetch a hammer so she could make it fit where it obvious-ly belonged ! It was a great source of humour in our family for many years after. Common sense tells us a hammer is not an appropriate tool for a jig-saw puzzler.
It is not so humourous, however, when prophecy teachers do violence to the Scripture in order to produce a system they have pre-determined ought to be. Some have invented pieces that are not in the Scripture in order to harmonize their plan of events; others have ignored Scriptures or selected parts of sentences while conveniently omitting the rest; others have declared the pieces that don't fit their plan to be nonliteral. Some exaggerate a piece into such major proportions as to distort the entire picture. And many prophetic teachers twist the Scriptures in order to fit in events from today's newspaper.
We set out to study prophetic Scriptures with an open mind and without forcing verses into a pre-set mould. Further, we wanted to arrive at an understanding of prophecy that included ALL the prophetic Scriptures.
Let's go back to our illustration of the jig-saw puzzle for a moment.
Suppose that a puzzle has in it several tree trunks, each one a different type of tree. There is a tall birch tree with its distinctive bark; there is an oak tree, whose bark would never be confused with birch. And, for the sake of illustra-tion, there is a stately palm tree in the picture as well -- also distinct from the other two trees.
Now, suppose that you gather those pieces that belong to each tree trunk and assemble each from top to bottom. Many of the pieces will be "edge" pieces -- that is, part of the piece will be the edge of the tree trunk, and will contain a clue to what is adjacent to the tree -- like a part of a bright green bush or a segment of a sidewalk slab. This would lead one to look for the pieces that form the rest of the bright green bush, and the rest of the sidewalk. This can be done on both sides of each tree. In this way the vertical columns of the tree trunks become a solid fixture and a reference point for many other features.
Suddenly one finds that the objects to the right of one of the trunks matches the objects to the left of another trunk. Excitedly the puzzler carefully maneuvers blocks of con-nected pieces into place to find the interlocking of multiple features. He has established the positions of the two trees relative to each other, and has filled in the gap between them.
Finally, the puzzler can confirm his accuracy by fitting the picture with the border he has assembled from the straight-edge pieces.
Properly assembled sections will fit perfectly with the "outline" of the four borders.
AND SUPPOSE that each of these TimePosts lists adjacent events, before and after. And suppose that, when we have assembled these TimePosts along with the adjacent events, we recognize that these adjacent events interlock with those of another TimePost. Then, with mounting excitement, we discover those portions of Scripture that show major orders of events (like Daniel's kingdoms and Revelation's seals, trumpets and vials), confirm the assembling of blocks of prophecy we have pieced together like the borders of a puzzle confirm the location of items in the puzzle. Suppose there is multiple confirmation from one Scripture portion to another, and that all of the pieces fit ! Without a hammer ! What a glorious reward this is for those who take the time and who labour in prophetic study with the Spirit's help !
This has been our experience...with the discovery of the TimePosts principle.
Repeatable events cannot be TimePosts. For instance, if the Bible had mentioned an earthquake as one of these TimePost events, we would be at a loss to know which earthquake; even if the Bible described it as the biggest earthquake ever, we would be asking each other after the biggest earthquake on record occurred, "Is THIS the really big one, or is there another one coming that will be even bigger ?" Such a TimePost would not be helpful; it would actually be confusing. None of the TimePosts we have found are repeated events, nor are they uncertain signs. Each one is distinct, unmistakable, and either a "once-in-history" event or a "first-time ever" event.
TimePost events are identified clearly, and inspired writers often say, "When you see this happen..." and "When this occurs..." In so identifying these events, the Bible is offering a "once-only" event AS A SIGNAL to those who watch in the last days.
We invite you to share our excitement...as we identify the TimePosts, catalogue the adjacent events, find them dove-tailing and interlocking, with borders confirming. Come with us now to the first TimePost of the end days.
Following Jesus' prediction that Israel would be led away captive into all nations (which has happened), and the occupation of Jerusalem by the Gentiles, Jesus identifies the event that will signal the fulfilment (or completion) of the "times of the Gentiles".
Gentiles have controlled Jerusalem ever since Jesus spoke those words...for centuries; He made it clear that WHEN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM RETURNS TO THE JEWS... the era of which he speaks will come to a close. The word "until" makes it clear that the FIRST time Israel controls Jerusalem, this time period is closed. Christians of the centuries, therefore, can keep an eye on Jerusalem, looking for an unmistakable event that is a TimePost in God's prophecy schedule.
In fact, the context allows us to conclude that this condition (Gentile control of Jerusalem) must come to an end so that the rest of the schedule can proceed. The transfer of the control of Jerusalem back to the Jews becomes, therefore, a signal to all watchers that we are entering the new era in which prophetic events can proceed.
In passing, let us make a brief comment on the phrase "the times of the Gentiles". No where else does this phrase appear in sacred Scripture. We should not try to make it identical to some other phrase. It is enough at this point to acknowledge that Jesus had some time span in mind which He called "the times of the Gentiles"...and it would end when the Jews once again controlled Jerusalem.
In 1967...over 1,900 years later...an Israeli tank commander announced over his military radio to his command post: "Jerusalem is ours ! Repeat: Jerusalem is ours !".
There it is...an event that Jesus said would be a signal...a TimePost. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, says Jesus, there is a signal to the church. And what a clear signal that is !
Both Luke 17 and Luke 21 contain excerpts from the same prophetic lecture by Jesus (along with Matthew 24 and Mark 13). In Luke 21:28, Jesus states, "when these things BEGIN to come to pass...your re-demption draweth nigh".
He follows that with the statement that, as surely as you know summer is coming when the trees begin to bear leaves, so when these things begin to happen, you will know that "the kingdom of God is near -- even at the door".
And, in all three gospels (Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32) Jesus then states, "this generation shall not pass" until all things are fulfilled !
What generation ?
The event that BEGINS this last days sequence is the Jewish re-possession of the city of Jerusalem...an unmis-tak-able event that will not happen until "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". The people alive on the earth at THIS time will not all die until all the end time events that Jesus has listed in this chapter are fulfilled !
Some students of prophecy make a major mistake here, debating how long a generation is -- whether 20 years till this generation begets another generation, or 40 years, or whatever. This verse says nothing at all about how long a generation is. It says the generation that sees this event WILL NOT DIE until all the events happen that Jesus has listed in His lecture.
When the Israeli tank commander broadcast those historic, prophetic words -- "Jerusalem is ours !" -- there was an entire generation of human beings alive upon the earth. One of them was born the day before; that person is counted in "this generation". One person was born the day after the re-taking of Jerusalem -- he doesn't count in the definition of the phrase "this generation".
On the day after Jerusalem was re-taken, someone of that generation died. Since 1967 a good many of those people have died. BUT SOME OF THEM WILL STILL BE LIVING when all things are fulfilled !
So this first TimePost signals the BEGINNING OF THE END, and sets the time frame in which all will be fulfilled. Actually, it sets the maximum time in which all will be fulfilled. If all had been fulfilled by the year 1980, this verse would be true (there still being on earth many who were alive in 1967). Likewise, if all is fulfilled by the year 2000, this verse will still be true, and for the same reason. However, if all has not been fulfilled by the year 2,500, then this verse would not be true, for all those alive in 1967 would by then be "long gone".
Now do you see the significance of this first TimePost ?
Never before in the history of the church has this event happened...but WE have seen it. A clock is now ticking...and before the alarm rings, Jesus will be back !
All the Scriptures directed to the church of the last days belong to US ! The prophecy has been given...it has been fulfilled... and we understand.
Now let's look at the events that Jesus connected to this TimePost...events that will occur before this generation passes:
To every Christian who was alive in 1967, and to every person born since and converted to Christ, without hesita-tion we declare that YOU are born to fulfil the end game of the church ! To YOU belongs that host of Scriptures directed to the church of the last days.
Pastor, Christian leader...upon YOU has come the responsi-bility to shape the church's program to conform to the end time strategy commanded by Scripture.
Father, Mother, Christian adult...NOW is the time to heed the directives of Scripture and to apply your "sound mind" to the planning of your family and personal affairs.
NOW is the time to be, like the men of Issachar, those who understand the times in which they live, to know what the church and Christian families should do !
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Rev. Harvey G. Lainson, B.B.R. Principal Executive Director Last update January 26 2000 URL: http://home.golden.net/~stefanm |