Q. Does the Bible state a specific time when the seals of Revelation chapter 6 have to be opened?  I always assumed that the events of chapter 6 followed chapter 5 and began  after the rapture and consequently were opened during the first half of the 7 year tribulation period.  A friend of mine and a well studied Bible student says he has recently raised this question himself and finds that nowhere in the word of God does it say specifically when the seals have to begin or that they are limited to be during the seven years of the tribulation.  He has asked, “Why do we assume they are judgments’ of God?”

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Q. I have been listening to some teaching by a messianic Jewish bible scholar who was talking about the identify of the antichrist. Though he agrees no one knows the antichrist’s identity, he believes the little horn mentioned in Daniel suggests the antichrist will be (a)-syrian.. or from Syria. He traces Syria history back from the Hittites, to the Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Persian Empire, Alexander, Ottoman and so forth. What are your thoughts?

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Perspective by Jack Kelley

The Ottoman Empire existed from 1299 until 1922. It was in many respects the Islamic successor to the Eastern leg of the Roman Empire and like the Romans had its headquarters in Constantinople (Istanbul). At the peak of its power, the Ottoman Empire extended from the Adriatic Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east and from Austro-Hungary in the north to the southern tip of the Red Sea. It was at the center of interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for 6 centuries. The Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War 1 after aligning with Germany. Its dissolution at the end of the war led to the formation of 40 new nations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, many of them on land once claimed by the Romans.

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Q. Thanks again for the time you put into this ministry. I know it is a huge benefit to so many.  My question is regarding the “last generation” mentioned in Matthew and Luke, at Olivet. You have said that 1948 and the re-birth of Israel ’start the clock’ – meaning the generation alive/being born during that time will be around to see the return of messiah.

After several readings of the Matthew and Luke Passages, It seems to me that the generation referred to is the generation that sees the beginning of the tribulation – THAT generation will live to see the return of messiah.  Would you mind explaining why my reasoning might be incorrect?

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Q. As for whether Jerusalem is still being trampled by gentiles, am I right in saying that the truth of that hinges on the definition of the word ‘trampled’? No doubt the Jews still don’t have full control over all Jerusalem, but it may be that the sense of the word is actual ownership of the city and not necessarily full control of it. If that’s the case then the times of gentiles have been fulfilled. So which is it?

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A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

This is the final installment of our three part series on rapture references in the Bible. We concluded part two with Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. Written about 20 years after the cross, they were the first definitive teaching on the rapture given on Earth, and as we saw Paul placed it before the End Times judgments, saying the Church was not appointed to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thes. 5:9).

About three years after the Thessalonian letters Paul wrote 1 Corinthians and in chapter 15 added more detail to his rapture teaching. We’ll begin the final installment there.

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Q. Please help me to perhaps understand what Paul is trying to tell us here. In the early verses I seem to understand him that he is telling us about Israel that is eventually going to be saved after the full number of Gentiles has been saved. verse 23 confuses me a lot because Paul speaks as if Israel will have to show some belief in Jesus in order to be saved, although in the early chapters he speaks as if God intentionally made Israel not to understand Jesus. Then in verse 26 he speaks as if Israel is eventually going to be saved without any effort, which is what I believe on. But Paul confuses me when I read verse 23 and 25 as they seen to be contradicting.

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Q. I know you must have answered this question before, but I cannot find the exact answer I am looking for  on your website.  When I talk to family, they always ask “why did God let this happen?” referring to tragedies and natural disasters.  With the horrible earthquake in Haiti, they will probably ask again, and I would like to have an answer ready.  Could you address this?  Thanks a lot.

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Q. I have a roommate who was born and raised in Poland.  The Polish people still talk about WWII and relive it as if it were still ongoing.  My roommate believes the German’s are in a position to try and take over Europe and eventually the world.  I try and point out to him that the Bible doesn’t seem to give Germany that role.  From your expert opinion, what is the future of Germany?  Are they the ruling power over the European Union or are they just another country that makes up the whole?

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Q. In a recent article a Christian author and activist made this appeal on the internet to God’s remnant  “If you want to be a part of something to stop the free fall we’re in as a nation, I need to hear from you soon” (regarding her prayer to beseech God to rescue our nation).  This person said “I believe it will touch the heart of God and maybe, just maybe, cause Him to take note of our distress, hear our cry, remember His covenant with our nation and, out of His great love, relent from the judgment we deserve.”  What covenant could this person be referring to?  Do you know of a covenant God made with our nation?

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