Presents
Pamphlet 6119 Isaiah KC 31-3 xxxx
Now, let us understand what Jesus
Christ said in Matthew 24:6-8 and Mark 13:7-8
that would "be the beginning of
sorrows (labor pangs)."
Presents
Pamphlet 6119 Isaiah KC 31-3 xxxx
Now, let us understand what Jesus
Christ said in Matthew 24:6-8 and Mark 13:7-8
that would "be the beginning of
sorrows (labor pangs)."
Matthew 24:7-8
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows.Mark 13:8
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
However, the "For"
that begins this verse and "the end that is
not yet" that concludes the previous verse
(Mark 13:7)
clearly indicate a contrast to
the given condition, i.e. to the hearing of the wars and the rumors of
wars.
To that end, students of God's Word already know that
the
final battle is spiritual warfare,
a fight for the souls of men,
not a physical fleshly blood and guts battle at all!
That is why we are instructed to put on the gospel armor,
the "whole armor of God" found in Ephesians chapter 6,
and be prepared to stand against the "fiery darts" of
Satan and his locust army!
So what does this verse mean, "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom?"
It is really quite simple and is made clear in the Greek from which it is translated.
First, the word translated "against"
is the Greek word "epi"
which can mean "outer", "over", "upon", or "up against"
as in "along side of" or "beside".
The proper definition and usage of "epi" is important, so here is the Strong's definition in its entirety:
Next, the word "rise" in Greek is "egeiro" which means to "rouse" and "stand up", i.e. to "rear up", even to "rise again".against, epi, ep-ee', Greek 1909; a primary preposition properly meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive], i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative) towards, upon, etc. :- about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside,× have charge of, (be-, [where-]) fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literal or figurative).
But the key to really understanding this "rising" as used in Mark 13:8 and Matthew 24:7 comes from its base word "agora".rise, egeiro,eg-i'-ro, Greek 1453; probably akin to the base of Greek 58 (agora) (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitive or intransitive), i.e. rouse (literal from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figurative from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence) :- awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-) rise (again, up), stand, take up.
This word "agora" is translated either "market" or "marketplace(s)" in every instance in the New Testament except one where it is translated "street", as in market street.agora, ag-or-ah', Greek 58; from ageiro (to gather; probably akin to Greek 1453 (egeiro)); properly the town-square (as a place of public resort); by implication a market or thoroughfare :- market (-place), street.
Because this verse is so important to our understanding it seems appropriate that we should study it more in depth. So let's complete all the words and see what "nations" and "kingdoms" mean.
nations = ethnos, eth'-nos, Greek 1484; probably from Greek 1486 (etho); a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan) :- Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
kingdom = basileia, bas-il-i'-ah, Greek 932; from Greek 935 (basileus); properly royalty, i.e. (abstract) rule, or (concrete) a realm (literal or figurative) :- kingdom, + reign.
Here is the incredible picture of those nations and kingdoms standing up (rising) alongside (against) each other:
The United Nations Millennium
Summit, the largest gathering in history of world leaders,
brought together 149 Heads
of State and Government and high-ranking officials from over 40 other countries.
(Sept. 6, 2000)
"United Nations Photo by Terry Deglau/Eastman Kodak" (UN Photo 204184C)
Mark 13:8
For nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
The fact that this "little horn" player
was from
Little Rock and that he committed fornication with the harlot, etc., etc.,
certainly draws the watchful eye of those who are able to discern the times
in which we live and the things that are taking place. Matthew
24:33 "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,
know that it is near, even at the doors."
You "see", Tyre, that little rock island off the coast
of Zidon, is symbolic of the globalization of these last days which began
to take place right after the Cold War ended... when the Berlin Wall was
torn down and the USSR fell apart as God so declared it would (read the
book of Obadiah
for the details). It is important as background for today's study that
we understand that it is neither opinion nor speculation
that the 1990's was the decade of globalization! It is indeed a FACT!
Here is a direct quote from the
International
Monetary Fund at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2002/03/bought.htm.
"For anyone who cares about international economic policy, the 1990s were the decade of globalization, when international trade in goods, services, and financial capital became more widespread than ever before."
Of course He did and the history of Tyre, the World Trading
Center of the ancient world
and merchandising "mart of nations (Isa. 23:3)" is the
type and "ensample for us
upon whom the ends of the world (age) are come (1 Cor.
10:11)!"
Dear Christian, this standing up
together in the marketplace of all the nations of the world
IS the rising up out of the sea
(people) of the one-world politico-economic beast of Revelation 13:1,
that multi-headed global system
now called the New World Order.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
is
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