The Bible Explained, part 33/40: Preparing for the Future
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-----<front cover text>
THE BIBLE EXPLAINED
A Guide to the Holy Bible
for Parents and Teenagers
-----<back cover text>
Where did you come from?
What is your purpose?
What happens when you die?
These questions--and more--are answered in 'The
Bible Explained', which is based on the teachings
of the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is a collection
of ancient books which claim to be the word of the
one and only God. This one and only God claims to
be the sole creator, owner, and sustainer of all
things; he further claims to hold the one and only
key to eternal life. Are these claims true? Get
the facts and then decide for yourself.
This document is meant to be understood by everyone,
and is therefore written in plain, simple language,
avoiding complex religious jargon.
Understand the Bible like never before.
-----<table of contents>
Introduction
Quest for Truth
The Holy Bible
Origin and Destiny
The Big Picture: Good and Evil
The Story of Man
The Purpose of the Earth
The Standard and the Test
Work: The Key to Success and Life
Pyramid Society
Failure of Man
Male and Female
Family Relationships
Marriage and Family
Sexual Immorality
The Value of Life
Multiplication and Overpopulation
Racism
Creation and Evolution
Government
Politics
Justice
Words, Speech, and Censorship
Church Matters
Monotheism, Jews, and Christians
Temptation
The Nature of Evil
Life and Death of Satan
Reincarnation
The Rapture
The End Times
The Near Future
Preparing for the Future
Groups and Labels
Understanding Judgement
Preparing for Death
Conclusion
Appendix A: Questions and Answers
Appendix B: The Ten Commandments
Appendix C: Marriage
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TITLE: "The Bible Explained"
AUTHOR: "Arrant Knave"
ISBN-10: "1468197061"
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-----<excerpt from book>
Preparing for the Future
"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but
the simple pass on and are punished." [Proverbs
22:3]
Since biblical prophecies warn us that the earth
will be devastated by natural and man-made
disasters, we ought to make preparations for the
future by following the example of Joseph. In
ancient Egypt, God revealed the future to Joseph:
seven years of great abundance, followed by seven
years of famine. During the seven years of
abundance, Joseph stored up food for the seven
years of famine, thereby preventing starvation and
elevating Egypt to the top of the world, since the
other nations were forced to give their treasures
to Egypt in exchange for food. Thus, with a bit of
foresight, one nation can easily dominate the world
-- but where will you find a nation which takes the
Bible seriously?
What to Expect: Biblical prophecies tell us to
expect wars, famines, poisoned waters, diseases,
severe weather, and great natural disasters, such
as hail, meteors, and massive earthquakes. If these
disasters are imminent, how should we prepare for
the future?
Wars: As long as Satan is free to deceive men, wars
will be fought, since Satan's desire is to destroy
mankind in order to preserve his own life. Thus,
wars will continue until Satan is bound --
immediately prior to the upcoming Millennium. Until
then, we should prepare the best we can, knowing
that wars are inevitable while Satan is free to
convince humans to destroy each other.
Atomic Warfare: "And the stars of heaven (missiles)
fell to the earth ... Then the sky receded as a
scroll when it is rolled up (mushroom clouds
produced by atomic blasts) ... And the kings of the
earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders,
the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid
themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the
mountains." [Revelation 6:13-15] If the quoted
prophecy refers to atomic warfare, then we ought to
prepare for it by, perhaps, devising ways to live
within the mountains of the earth for a time. Since
atomic weapons tend to target cities, and since
cities tend to be built on low-lying plains, you
can avoid the worst effects of atomic blasts by
choosing to live outside of cities and on higher
ground. Since an atomic blast in your area is
likely to affect normal day-to-day living, it is
probably wise to develop a contingency plan for
self-reliance in such a scenario.
Droughts and Plagues: "These (two prophets) have
power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the
(1260) days of their prophecy; and they have power
over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike
the earth with all plagues, as often as they
desire." [Revelation 11:6] Since there will be
droughts, we ought to devise ways to carry on
without normal rainfall. As for plagues, a
quarantine program should be in place and people
should avoid travelling and densely populated
areas, perhaps choosing to live in the countryside
rather than in the city. Becoming self-sufficient
may prove beneficial to one's survival.
Famine: "And power was given to them (the four
horsemen) over a fourth of the earth, to kill with
sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts
of the earth." [Revelation 6:8] Since there will be
a shortage of food, we ought to devise ways to
grow, store, and distribute food in the face of
natural and man-made disasters. In my opinion, it
would be prudent to follow the example of Joseph,
who foresaw seven years of famine and, therefore,
made preparations for it in the preceding seven
years (see Genesis 41).
National Emergency Network: Since there will be
scarcity of food and water, a national warehousing
and distribution system should be put in place to
shuttle supplies from one location to another. Said
system ought to be able to withstand various
disasters, including floods and earthquakes. I
suggest a simple elevated (above-ground) monorail
system supported by non-brittle piles which can
sway back and forth without breaking should an
earthquake occur. If such a system is not feasible,
I suggest the building of small, self-sustaining
community cells (neighbourhoods) -- equipped with
their own power generation, food production, and
water distribution systems.
Forest Fires: "The first angel sounded: And hail
and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they
were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees
were burned up, and all green grass was burned up."
[Revelation 8:7] If trees are to be burned up, it
is probably wise to lessen the severity of the
fires through the thinning out of forests by
harvesting non-essential trees and reserving them
for fuel for heat and cooking in the event that
modern heating and cooking technologies should
fail.
Tidal Waves: "Then the second angel sounded: And
something like a great mountain burning with fire
was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea
became blood. And a third of the living creatures
in the sea died, and a third of the ships were
destroyed." [Revelation 8:8-9] A meteor -- the size
of a large mountain -- falling from heaven into the
sea will no doubt produce large tidal waves which
will probably overwhelm small islands and coastal
areas. Therefore, contingency plans should be put
in place to evacuate residents of vulnerable
locales if such an event were to occur.
Poisoned Sea: "Then the second angel poured out his
bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead
man; and every living creature in the sea died."
[Revelation 16:3] Since the sea creatures will die,
those who depend on food from the sea should make
contingency plans.
Poisoned Water: "Then the third angel poured out
his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and
they became blood." [Revelation 16:4] If ground-
based water will become poisoned and there will be
droughts, we will need new sources of fresh water.
Frozen water is contained in the polar ice caps and
on mountaintops. Therefore, we ought to devise ways
to extract this water and distribute it in much the
way petroleum is handled. A similar system of oil
tankers, pipelines, and gas stations can be used to
distribute fresh water; however, the system must be
built to withstand various natural disasters,
particularly earthquakes.
Fire and Heat: "Then the fourth angel poured out
his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to
scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with
great heat." [Revelation 16:8-9] Since the energy
output of the sun will increase, we ought to devise
ways to live underground in simple, naturally
cooled chambers, since complex technology may not
be feasible due to various potential disasters. The
heating of the earth by the sun may cause the polar
ice caps to melt, however, the earth will not be
flooded, as promised by God after the global flood
of Noah's day: "Thus I establish My covenant with
you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the
waters of the flood; never again shall there be a
flood to destroy the earth." [Genesis 9:11] The
waters from the melted polar ice caps will return
to the deserts as they were before the flood, and
the deserts will once again blossom as the rose. As
the caps melt, chunks of ice will break off and
float towards the equator; these chunks of ice can
then be mined for fresh water by specially designed
ships, which can then deliver the water to those in
need. Personally, I would like to see what
mysteries are hidden under the ice of Antarctica.
Why would God hide an entire continent under ice?
Perhaps he has reserved Antarctica for some future
function. It remains to be seen.
Great Hail: "And great hail from heaven fell upon
men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent.
Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the
hail, since that plague was exceedingly great."
[Revelation 16:21] Underground bunkers may prove
useful in surviving this hailstorm. Also, the hail
may be useful as a source of water.
The End of Tribulation: You will know the end of
the tribulation period is near when the armies of
the world are gathered for battle over the city of
Jerusalem: "For I will gather all the nations to
battle against Jerusalem." [Zechariah 14:2] Why
fight over Jerusalem? Because the Messiah will come
to the earth and establish His kingdom in the city
of Jerusalem: "Thus says the LORD: 'I will return
to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the
Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain.'"
[Zechariah 8:3] Since the Messiah will come to
Jerusalem, vain men will seek to capture it; some
will even claim to be the Messiah: "For many will
come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and
will deceive many." [Matthew 24:5] If this battle
for Jerusalem were to take place, all flesh on the
earth would be destroyed. Therefore, the Messiah
will break through the clouds to prevent it: "Then
the LORD will go forth and fight against those
nations, as He fights in the day of battle."
[Zechariah 14:3] After destroying the armies of
man, the Messiah will enter into Jerusalem and
establish his kingdom for 1000 years: "And the LORD
shall be King over all the earth." [Zechariah 14:9]
Your Best Defence: Since the world is about to be
judged for its sins, and since God does not condemn
the righteous with the wicked, you can avoid God's
judgement by keeping his Ten Commandments: "Seek
the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have
upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek
humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the
day of the LORD's anger." [Zephaniah 2:3]
Survival of the Righteous: If you believe in God,
your objective is to enter into the Messiah's
kingdom (the Millennium) -- either as a ruler
(saint) or as a subject under the Messiah. The best
way to ensure your passage through God's judgement
(the tribulation period) is to keep the Ten
Commandments, so that God himself will protect you,
since he is a shield to the righteous: "For You, O
LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You
will surround him as with a shield." [Psalm 5:12]
Nevertheless, if you suffer persecution or death,
trust in God's wisdom: "Do not fear any of those
things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the
devil is about to throw some of you into prison,
that you may be tested, and you will have
tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and
I will give you the crown of life." [Revelation
2:10]
Into the Millennium: After God's judgement is
complete, the meek will inherit the earth: "But the
meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace." [Psalm
37:11] Only the meek will pass through God's
judgement and into the Millennium. The meek are
those who keep God's commandments: "Seek the LORD,
all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His
justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may
be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's
anger." [Zephaniah 2:3]
Christians and the Law: If you are a Christian, you
ought to carefully consider the fourth of the Ten
Commandments, noting that the weekly Sabbath begins
at Friday sunset and ends at Saturday sunset: you
must work on Sunday, since it is the first day of
the week; you must rest on Saturday, since it is
the seventh day of the week. If you desire to live
in the Millennium, prepare yourself by keeping
God's Ten Commandments.
Millennial Rule: The only perfect system of
government was given by the LORD God and is
recorded in the Torah. During the Millennium, the
earth will be ruled by the Messiah and his saints
in accordance with the Torah. If you count yourself
among the saints, ask yourself this question: 'Do I
know how to rule the earth in accordance with the
Torah?' Apart from the Torah, there is no other law
given by God to man: "For out of Zion the law shall
go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."
[Micah 4:2]
-----<availability>
The above book is available for purchase at:
http://www.amazon.com
Search for:
TITLE: "The Bible Explained"
AUTHOR: "Arrant Knave"
ISBN-10: "1468197061"
ISBN-13: "9781468197068"
Or try this direct link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Explained-Parents-Teenagers/dp/1468197061
-----<copyright notice>
The above excerpt from 'The Bible Explained' is copyright
2010 by Arrant Knave. All rights reserved. No part of this
document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means without the
prior written permission of the publisher, except by a
reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be
printed in a newspaper, magazine, or journal.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are
taken from the New King James Version (R). Copyright (C)
1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights
reserved.
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