I am teaching Revelation in an adult Sunday school class. I am confounded by the different opinions on the 144000. Some say they are the same as chapter 7 and some say they are from the church ( your articles on rev support the latter ). My question is why would the church be mentioned at this point in the book of revelation. Being at the mid point of the tribulation, the two witnesses have been killed and raised from the dead and taken into heaven….why not the 144000 Jews of ch.7 also? It seems more consistent with the other events. They are singing a song before the throne and the “elders”- who are suppose to represent the church anyway. The only problem with this view that I can think of is that it requires another “RAPTURE” to get the 144000 in heaven.

There has been a lot of hoop-la lately about the anti-christ and the Muslim religion, that their messiah is the same description as the anti-christ in the Bible. Religious leaders are saying that the one world religion will come out of Iran.

How can that be? The Bible says that the anti-christ will come from the west. I think the west is in reference to west of Israel. I do not think that the anti-christ will be a terrorist. As I understand it he will be smooth as silk, and very cunning.

I do not think that Iran will be around too much longer, Or have much power. Iran is not useful to China politically and will not tolerate the Muslim religion, and Russia will soon drop Iran once they get the money they want from them for incomplete war equipment. Russia is no fool. You don’t give a madman a loaded gun so he can shot you one day. Can you respond to these issues?

Would you care to comment on the following? I was reading a chapter of one of my favourite books by (a well known author) on Lot’s wife. Are we to assume that Lot and his wife and 2 daughters would represent the Church leaving this earth before the 7 year Tribulations? If so, what are we to make of the fact that Lot’s wife didn’t make it to their destination, wherever that was? Wouldn’t this support the partial rapture theory that quite a few sound theologians seem to believe in and teach? Personnally, I do not believe in a partial rapture but your comments on Lot’s wife would be most appreciated. God bless you and your fabulous ministry.

Do you think that the parable of the fig tree in in Matt 24:32 is talking about the sprouting forth of the nation of Israel in these days, since Matt. 24 is Jewish and the fig tree is many times used as a symbol for Israel. I believe Matt 21 is also an example.

Can you explain what the Palestinian state issue is all about? What is the history of it and significance of the political/spiritual struggle now?

I have read comment about our presidents support of that as backing away from support of Israel.

Thank you so much!

My pastor and I were discussing the issue of OSAS. He doesn’t ever want to push this to find out, but he wonders if one could walk away from what God has done for them. The Bible does say that no one can snatch us out of God’s hand, but what does it say in relation to us throwing away God’s gift? Can we willingly walk away from God’s grace and lose our salvation? Just curious to your thoughts.

On another site, I first heard about planet X and NASA supposedly having knowledge of this planet. There is so much error on that site that I did not pay much attention. My question is that if we are as close to the end as you think and I hope, does it say in scripture if the collision of this planet with earth is destined to happen before or after the rapture of the church or is it not known?

I accepted the Lord as my savior only 9 months ago. My thoughts constantly revisit the salvation He has given me for accepting Him, giving my life to him and for seeking his forgiveness of my sins.

My soul is troubled by sin that I committed a number of years ago before being saved. Through my exaggeration of the impact an incident had on my mental health, I was given a Government disability pension for life. Almost immediately, upon being ‘born again’ I felt convicted of this sin and went to the Government Office issuing the pension and told them that I didn’t deserve the pension and wanted it ceased. Departmental officers saw my attitude as an outcome of rehabilitative psychological and psychiatric treatment and said that their was no provision for its cessation unless I officially admitted that I lied to receive a benefit. By so doing this, I would be subject to criminal prosecution.

I have prayed to the Lord and asked him to take this burden from me and I had a period of peace in my heart but I am again being tormented by this and worry about my salvation and the inroad this provides to Satan and his minions. I have also prayed that the Lord will give my wife understanding of my turmoil. Although she is a Christian, she believes that I have an entitlement to the pension. I feel that other great sin in my life has been forgiven by the Lord but it is almost like I have to seek his forgiveness on this one sin, each fortnight I receive the pension. I would be grateful for your thoughts and advice on this. Needless-to-say, this sin made no impact on me when I committed it – I felt sincerely that the Government owed it to me.

Maybe you can answer a question that has bugged me for quite awhile. II thes 2 speaks of when the antichrist will be revealed. A few verses after it speaks of him being revealed AFTER the “one” who restrains is out of the way. My thinking on this is that the Holy Spirit is the restrainer and His being removed also refers to the Church being Raptured. Am I on the right track here? So when is he revealed? Before or after the rapture?

Am I correct in saying that there are two scriptures that mention the time of the gentiles and they are. a) That Israel is blinded until their full number is complete b) Jerusalem will be trodden underfoot by the gentiles until their time is completed. Is it not possible that the full number of gentiles to occur at the same time as the Jewish feast of trumpets??

He is Almighty and all things are in his hand so could the Lord not have these events occur at the same time?