1. BEWARE THE "RAPTURE" DATE-SETTERS!

Moses told Old Testament Israel, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God ... " (Deut. 29:29). That the date of Christ's coming again is one of God's "secrets" is made perfectly clear in Scripture, principally in Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7 (see "THE GOD-BREATHED BOOK" below). Yet it seems that there have always been some who dare to lay claim to what is God's only.

This depraved human tendency is simply another manifestation of Satan's original lie (Genesis 3:5), whereby finite creatures seek to ascend to the heights of our infinite Creator. Part of the king of Tyrus' sin in "setting his heart as the heart of God" was his pretended wisdom in knowing all "secrets" (Ezekiel 28:1-3). Depraved man cannot stand the fact of God's providential sovereignty; our tendancy is to rebel against the fact that there are "times and seasons" that He has put in His Own power only (Acts 1:7).

Of course the fact that such "date-setters" do not know the date of the Second Coming is always made obvious in due time. Such was the case with William Miller in 1844. It was also the case with the Watchtower organization (Jehovah's Witnesses) in 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975. In more recent history we have witnessed the same "dissapointments" in the failed predictions of Edgar C. Whisenant (1988, and again in 1989) and an obscure group of Korean believers (Oct. 28, 1992).

According to Marilyn Agee, a "prophecy" author in California, Christ should have "raptured the Church" on May 31, 1998. Marilyn is obviously sincere, and backed up her date with an enormous amount of "research." BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. Furthermore, judging from the "Pro & Con" section of her website, "Bible Prophecy Corner," this failure was no different from those mentioned above. It was truly a "disappointment" to many who no doubt truly long for their Saviour.

But never fear! Like all those before her, Marilyn has recalculated her date and now looks for the rapture on June 7! Many of you are reading this newsletter on that very date! And guess what! THIS DATE WILL FAIL ALSO. (How can I be so sure? Read my Scripture commentary in "THE GOD-BREATHED BOOK" below for a full treatment).

Let us all remember Marilyn in prayer, that God will grant her repentance. So far she has justified her playing with God's secrets by appealing to the "good" it has done, by searching for that one minor error that threw her date off, and by openly questioning "why" Christ didn't come for His Church (as if she were right, but God pulled some kind of "fast one" on her!).

My fellow believers, be certain of these three things:

• Our Lord Jesus Christ will come again (Matt. 16:27; John 14:3; Acts 1:11).
• He tarries for a Divine reason (Romans 9:22-24; 2 Peter 3:3-10).
• We should live our lives ever-aware & ever-ready for His coming (Luke 19:13; 21:34; 2 Peter 3:11-14).

But know the date? No way - can't happen - SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH - it's a secret that only our Father knows.

How then should we view our Lord's delay? Let the Apostle Peter answer: " ... account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation (i.e., for those who will believe) ..." (2 Peter 3:15). Simply put, it's all part of the plan!

2. MARS ROCK UPDATE --

NASA jumped the gun, it seems. There is no "fossil life" to be found in the now-famous "Mars rock" after all. Scientists now say that the "fossil" is actually a product of non-biological chemical processes (as reported by CNN on June 5, 1998; 5 am broadcast). This is nothing new; certain scientists have been saying the same since January.

3. WILL A "GAY DOLL" SOLVE A GAY-CAUSED EPIDEMIC? :

I remember hearing a sermon by David Wilkerson years ago and he gave a vivid description of the shocking reality of AIDS-infected homosexuals in New York City who, in intense pain, were nevertheless still trying to "score" a "partner" for the night. The "Billy doll benefit" is just as ironically twisted.

The "Billy doll" is a "Ken" type doll that is "gay." Complete with a large sex organ and body piercings, "Billy" sells in both homosexual and doll-collecting circles for $49.95. Recently (CNN, June 4, 1998), an AIDS benefit was held and "Billy dolls" were auctioned off, each doll sporting a unique outfit designed by a name designer. The benefit raised thousands of dollars!

In spite of what the media and others would have us believe, there is little doubt that the AIDS epidemic would never have reached the shocking proportions that it has apart from the homosexual "community." That is not to say that AIDS is strictly a "gay problem." The facts today of course refute that. However, homosexuality is a principal cause for the epidemic, and homosexuals are still the largest group of AIDS sufferers.

With this in mind, I find it insane that a doll promoting and perpetuating the very lifestyle that originally circulated the virus would be sold to raise money in order to stop the virus! Only human depravity could originate such a scheme! ECCLESIASTES 7:29 still rings true:

"Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."

As many of you know from previous issues, I always attempt to be fair by providing the web addresses of anyone or anything that is spoken about in THINKMAIL. I do this because if I am asking and expecting you to think then I should certainly provide every opportunity for that to happen. In this case, however, both of the two main websites describing and devoted to the "Billy doll" are pornographic. Therefore, I provide no addresses or links here.

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* Chronology of the Old Testament by Floyd Nolen Jones (Houston: Floyd Jones Ministries, 1996) -

This is easily the most comprehensive Bible chronology I have seen this side of Archbishop Ussher's. I have had the pleasure of hearing Floyd speak and of corresponding with him from time to time by letter. He is a careful researcher and, as a Phd in mathematics, is imminently qualified for chronological research. Floyd is a young earth creationist, as I am, and ends up with the 4004 BC date of Ussher, though arrived at independantly. Every detail and calculation is explained. WARNING: Not a "quick read."

"But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, BUT MY FATHER ONLY." MATTHEW 24:36

There are many things in the word of God that are not at all clear in every detail; things that can certainly be disagreed upon around the same table of fellowship. The fact stated above is not one of these things.

No, the above words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ are very clear. No one knows when "that day" - the day of His coming (v. 37) - will be; that information belongs to the Father only. Even Jesus Himself, in His Humanity (Divine + Human = a mystery per 1 Tim. 3:16-17), does not know (MARK 13:32)! Now that is pretty clear! Those who would predict His coming dishonor the scriptures and the simplicity of the knowledge revealed in these words of Jesus.

Jesus further warns us to stay ready (i.e., aware and expectant) because He will come again "at an hour when you think not" (MATT. 24:42-44/LUKE 12:40). This verse alone rules out all dates predicted, as such dates and times would certainly not fit this description. Jesus Christ will come unexpectedly, and we should stay aware of this at all times.

But surely there is some way to know? NO! To those who would let their hope and zeal get the better of their knowledge Jesus says, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in His Own power" (ACTS 1:7) -- such "times" are "His times" (1 TIMOTHY 6:15). Rather, again our attention is turned toward the mission set before us while we wait -- "you shall be witnesses to Me" (ACTS 1:8).

We have enough to do without engaging in assaults of carnal espionage on God's "secrets" ... something that cannot succeed. Our Lord will return not with prewarning, but as "a thief" (1 THES. 5:1-2; REV. 16:15).

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes." MATTHEW 25:13