The end of the world

edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Hey everyone

So last year around this time my brother was like fixing his car or something and i was helping him...and you know those like preachers i guess they're called that go door to door, well 2 of them came up to us that day and were saying like how there isn't really like the end of the world where we will be judged and they said that like Jesus already came i don't remember exactly what they said because it happened awhile ago but thats kind of the overview of what they were saying so im asking when people like them come up to you and start saying that how do you think i should respond because when they came up to me and started talking like i said No thats wrong and they used the verse that says like in the sky you will see the sign of the son of man which is the cross but how should i give a SOLID answer

Thanks Pray for me
Copticdeacon

Comments

  • DeaR Coptic deacon,
    Have u ever heard of Daniel Chapter 7 when daniel's vision of the four beasts, signifying four kingdoms: of God sitting on his throne: and of the opposite kingdoms of Christ and Antichrist.  Anyways, the Antichrist will teach for 7 years and then the last judgement is when there will be lots of horrible things like earthquakes and tsunami's.
    Anyways, here is Daniel Chapter 7:
    In the first year of Baltasar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream: and the vision of his head was upon his bed: and writing the dream, he comprehended it in a few words: and relating the sum of it in short, he said: 2 I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the heavens strove upon the great sea. 3 And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of the sea. Four great beasts... Viz., the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. But some rather choose to understand the fourth beast of the successors of Alexander the Great, more especially of them that reigned in Asia and Syria. 4 The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to her. 5 And behold another beast, like a bear, stood up on one side: and there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. 6 After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had upon it four wings, as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and power was given to it. 7 After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with his feet: and it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before it, and had ten horns. Ten horns... That is, ten kingdoms, (as Apocalypse 17:12), among which the empire of the fourth beast shall be parcelled. Or ten kings of the number of the successors of Alexander; as figures of such as shall be about the time of Antichrist. 8 I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out of the midst of them: and three of the first horns were plucked up at the presence thereof: and behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things. Another little horn... This is commonly understood of Antichrist. It may also be applied to that great persecutor Antiochus Epiphanes, as a figure of Antichrist. 9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and the ancient of days sat: his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire. 10 A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld, because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke: and I saw that the beast was slain, and the body thereof was destroyed, and given to the fire to be burnt: 12 And that the power of the other beasts was taken away: and that times of life were appointed them for a time, and a time. 13 I beheld, therefore, in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the ancient of days: and they presented him before him. 14 And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes, and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed.

    15 My spirit trembled; I, Daniel, was affrighted at these things, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of the words, and instructed me: 17 These four great beasts, are four kingdoms, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most high God shall take the kingdom: and they shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever. 19 After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he stamped upon with his feet: 20 And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head: and concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell: and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was greater than the rest. 21 I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and prevailed over them, 22 Till the ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the most High, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom. 23 And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns of the same kingdom, shall be ten kings: and another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the former, and he shall bring down three kings. 25 And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the saints of the most High: and he shall think himself able to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time. A time, and times, and half a time... That is, three years and a half; which is supposed to be the length of the duration of the persecution of Antichrist. 26 And a judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be broken in pieces, and perish even to the end. 27 And that the kingdom, and power, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, may be given to the people of the saints of the most High: whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings shall serve him, and shall obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the word. I, Daniel, was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart

    Please pray for my weakness and for my family
         

     
  • [quote author=Copticdeacon link=topic=7451.msg98432#msg98432 date=1229458766]
    Hey everyone

    So last year around this time my brother was like fixing his car or something and i was helping him...and you know those like preachers i guess they're called that go door to door, well 2 of them came up to us that day and were saying like how there isn't really like the end of the world where we will be judged and they said that like Jesus already came i don't remember exactly what they said because it happened awhile ago but thats kind of the overview of what they were saying so im asking when people like them come up to you and start saying that how do you think i should respond because when they came up to me and started talking like i said No thats wrong and they used the verse that says like in the sky you will see the sign of the son of man which is the cross but how should i give a SOLID answer

    Thanks Pray for me
    Copticdeacon
    I believe that they are Jahovah's witnesses. They're the only group i know that go door to door. They do not believe in judgemnet because they do not belive in hell.
  • Yes Copmorous that is true, they always come door to door
    In addition, there is a book by Pope Shenouda about them and they also do not believe in easter, christmas, or birthdays
  • [quote author=coptmorous link=topic=7451.msg98437#msg98437 date=1229461545]
    [quote author=Copticdeacon link=topic=7451.msg98432#msg98432 date=1229458766]
    Hey everyone

    So last year around this time my brother was like fixing his car or something and i was helping him...and you know those like preachers i guess they're called that go door to door, well 2 of them came up to us that day and were saying like how there isn't really like the end of the world where we will be judged and they said that like Jesus already came i don't remember exactly what they said because it happened awhile ago but thats kind of the overview of what they were saying so im asking when people like them come up to you and start saying that how do you think i should respond because when they came up to me and started talking like i said No thats wrong and they used the verse that says like in the sky you will see the sign of the son of man which is the cross but how should i give a SOLID answer

    Thanks Pray for me
    Copticdeacon
    I believe that they are Jahovah's witnesses. They're the only group i know that go door to door. They do not believe in judgemnet because they do not belive in hell.


    Then where do the "bad" people go?
  • [quote author=coptmorous link=topic=7451.msg98437#msg98437 date=1229461545]
    I believe that they are Jahovah's witnesses. They're the only group i know that go door to door. They do not believe in judgemnet because they do not belive in hell.


    I think you hit the nail on the head there. And they think that Jesus came to Earth already as well. Apparently, they've predicted the end of the world about 4 times using mathematical calculations, and obviously they got it wrong four times, but it was getting embarrassing by the fourth time (1975 I think) so they decided that the Second coming actually did occur, and that Jesus came to Earth! That's right! Where was the first place Jesus went? The Jehovah's Witness' Head Office in New York of course! Where else would Jesus go! So yeah, apparently He's been there for about 30 years preparing lol.

    Pray for me
  • Beware of Antichrist Deceivers
     
    7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we[b] do not lose those things we worked for, but that we[c] may receive a full reward.
    9 Whoever transgresses[d] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

    http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 john 1;&version=50;

  • I have a friend who is a Jehoviah's Witness, and she believes that the people who are bad die off. She even used a verse in Ecc.!! I forget whwere it is though
  • die off and go where?
  • They just merely die and their soul disappears forever... Thereason she says that hell doesnt exist is because God is love. I tried telling her the God is also Just, and that even Jesus tells us that hell exists but she wont listen to me.
  • I don't get it.. it gives them no reason to live a good life if there is no consequence. We do good deeds and follow God's commandments because we know that if we don't, there will be eternal punishment. If they don't get punished then why are they true to their faith... it just doesn't make sense to me.
  • [quote author=Tεκcoνι μέσα Πεχριcτoc link=topic=7451.msg98498#msg98498 date=1229559577]
    I don't get it.. it gives them no reason to live a good life if there is no consequence. We do good deeds and follow God's commandments because we know that if we don't, there will be eternal punishment. If they don't get punished then why are they true to their faith... it just doesn't make sense to me.


    Forgive me, but I think our church agrees that we should do good deeds and follow God's commandments out of love for God and not out ouf fear for eternal punishment...
  • Godislove is right, however, God will not punish you if you follow all of His commandments just because you fear eternal punishment, but i think your reward will not be as high as someone who followed them out of love for God

    God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
  • I agree, but thats not my point.. I'm talking about the Jehovah's witnesses.. they will fear nothing if they don't follow Gods commandment (I'm not talking about how WE should live our lives.. even though you did bring up a good point).
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