Prophecy Days 4-5: I use the words 'aforementioned' and 'illustrious' in the same paragraph; how friggin' cool is that?

Day 4 or 5 has yet to be as poop filled as the previous three, but nonetheless I am pooped. Here are some more thoughts and highlights.

Day 4 asked the question “How Near is the End?” Dan came with me this night and we asked the same question about the evening: How near is the end? I asked the question: If there is an end of time and time is moving forward, as we generally agree it does, then isn’t the end, thus by definition of being the end, always getting closer? Why do we then insist on always stating matter-of-factly, like we have information no one has yet to hear about that the end is getting closer?

The intention of the session was to give the audience 15 signs that we are living in the end time. I was surprised I was able to write down 12 of them. At the speed we were being hit with images of starving children, Nostradamus, and covers of Time magazine from 1977, I'm suprised I kept my shorts clean. At about sign number nine, I stopped writing down counter arguments as to why that particular sign may not be a sign of the end times; they started coming out all the same. Those events have always happend; for example, famines. Famines are going to occur before our time is up and I believe this to be true. Why you ask? Since famines have happened from the time of Joseph up until the very present. But you say famines are more intense now that we live in the end times? Well, the famine that Jacob and his family had to move to Egypt to endure lasted 7 years and disrupted most of the known world. Sure famines affect higher numbers of people now, but there are higher numbers of people to be affected.

I would like to point out, however, that the specific issue of hunger seemed to get the speaker up on a soap box of sorts. I was glad for this. Four nights into it and I get my first insight into another fellow Christian’s desire for social change. I only hope there are more where that came from. A question I asked myself at the end of the night: Is this seminar this church’s best effort for Jesus, or is there more they are doing? I hope to be able to answer that question at some point; I hope it’s the answer of ‘much more.’

Day 5 I was with Jeremy and the mathematically inclined in the audience were supposed to thrive this night. Now, that’s not to say the evening was without skepticism for me; for really, that’s what math is. The climax of the presentation was centered on a prophecy found in Daniel 9:24-27. It’s believed that this prophecy foretold the very day Christ would begin ministry, the very day Christ would be crucified, and the very day the church would be open to all people. I did some research and this interpretation is valid in that it is upheld by the theological community. However, I found other possible interpretations, one that doesn’t even mention Christ at all. So, with almost everything in the Bible, it’s not so straight forward. It’s interesting to think that such a prophecy exists, but, for me, whether or not it does exist, does not move my faith in any one direction.

I’d also like to note that the awesome power of 0 was on display that night as well. The prophecy aforementioned gave a certain period of time in which events were going to take place. If one accepts the interpretation that was presented, 483 years is that time period. According to the prophecy, at the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the party starts and . . . stuff happens. The date given for this is 457 BC. The period culminates at the beginning of Christ’s ministry on earth, 27 AD. Now, this is only possible if one does not use a year 0. You go from 1 BC to 1 AD. I of course checked into this and it is widely accepted that there is no year 0. Of course, if we did use a year 0, then we would just label the beginning of Christ’s ministry as 26 AD. Nonetheless, if you’d like to learn more about our illustrious hero, Mr. 0, check out the book Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea.

Back to the seminar. I think God has a strange marketing campaign for getting the word out about His plan. I think I was duped to put it bluntly. This night was advertised as about math, that wasn’t the case. This night was the closest I’d been to completely agreeing with the people and I think it’s the closest I will be. Day 5 was focused on the prophecies about the Messiah. I’m not sure why I feel inclined to be less argumentative about these, but I find myself wrapped up in them like they’re some 50 cent novel you pick up at a thrift store just for the intention of reading a book all the way through in a day. You don’t want to be distracted by anything; especially pesky thoughts that might lead down a road of skepticism. Perhaps it is because these prophecies have largely already been fulfilled that I find my skepticism going to the wayside. I had a feeling I needed to be in attendance at this session and I was right on the money. I was almost ready to hoot and holler and the mere mention of the name Jesus with the rest of the crowd.

There seems to be a lot of potential energy built up in this church; be they older, or out of touch with culture. One can only imagine the plans God has for them. One can only imagine the smile on Jesus’ face when He hears their hooting and their hollering. One can only imagine what sort of web the Holy Spirit is weaving inside the hearts of those people to keep that community together.

I’ll be going back Friday if anyone would like to join me. More thoughts to come.