Hi, could somebody let me know if a declaration of peace and safety needs to be made, ie. an agreed peace plan established and signed, or if sudden destruction will come on them just because they are saying 'peace & safety'? if they do not make a declaration today or anytime this week, do we still believe that sudden destruction will come upon them? I have been confused by this, thanks for the help.

Trevor

Trevor IMHO it will be when the peace covenant is confirmed by the anti-christ,one of the reason's I say this is because almost every year for the last ten years they bring up the peace treaty while saying peace and safety multiple times... please see the thread titled "veto or no veto it doesn't matter".

or just google "resolution 377 unity for peace" this resolution overrides any veto and the document was made in order to secure "Peace and security" and once it is signed it is put into effect within 24hrs without a vote and without consent of the other members, plus the body of the document uses the words "peace and security" muliple times.

Thanks Linda, so you do not think that the sudden destruction that comes upon them has anything to do with the destruction that we think precipitates the rapture this week? forgive my ignorance, I know very little about prophecy, I just know that I want Jesus to take me out of this place, haha!

Join the club, Trevor! I'm with you on that. =) Whether we'll be Raptured this week or a little later this year, of course, remains to be seen.

Not really sure of what the sudden destruction is either, but in Luke we not only read that the day of the rapture will take place before sudden destruction since the picture that is painted shows life as normal , but Luke also tells us that it will be as in the days of Lot wherein as soon as Lot left Sodom sudden destruction came to them in Sodom.

I have not looked up the original Greek for destruction , but it could also pertain to the fact that at that time; suddenly they will be in the hands of the anti-christ, who is destruction himself; ie , kill steal and destroy.

Plus physical destruction will set in shortly after the abomination of desolation, when war breaks out. That's when the pseudo-peace which the Antichrist will have kept going until then will be destroyed.

wonder if we will have a speech by the president like in the movies,

telling us how they tried to x y & z but alas

say your prayers,

and thanks for the memories, Selah.

Selah means weighed in the balances, and found wanting (Daniel 5:27), thus their judgement is required. So again we see the word is illustrating the act of measuring.

http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/selah.html

I believe the "sudden destruction" is the rapture/tribulation beginning.

thank you for all of the replies, I'm on break at work so I can chime in real quick. I always thought it was what Shelby said, but how can we expect sudden destruction through the rapture if we haven't seen a declaration for peace and security yet? but that was the reason for my question, because if this destruction refers to falling into the hands of the anti christ and the destruction that comes afterwards, then the rapture really has nothing to do with declaring this false peace and security. I always assumed that we would see them say this and then shortly after we would be taken out, and the destruction would fall on them. It sounds like that is not necessarily the case. right?

No. We won't see them say that, because the pseudo-peace won't begin until the Tribulation is officially in progress. The world will think it's enjoying peace and safety once the Antichrist confirms the peace covenant with Israel, but not until then, nor will it only be wishing for peace and safety--it'll actually be enjoying it for a time. As the Book of Revelation states, People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” (Revelation 13:4, NIV) That is a clear inference that the Antichrist will be successful in stopping all war and bringing peace, especially to the Middle East. People will think they're living in peace and safety, at last. But, as events will turn out, it'll be a false, temporary peace, because shortly after the abomination of desolation at the Tribulation's midpoint, the Antichrist's pseudo-peace will be broken and war will break out. That will be the breaking of the second seal. That is when sudden destruction will hit, and there'll be no escape. God's physical judgments will be poured out on the world from that point on, until Jesus returns, becoming progressively more severe as they continue. And when He does return, all life on earth will be in imminent danger of becoming extinct, and would become extinct if Jesus didn't return right at that point to prevent that from happening.

Hi: I agree with Shelby & Linda in that the sudden destruction IS the tribulation that the world will be left here for

I have not looked up the original Greek for destruction , but it could also pertain to the fact that at that time; suddenly they will be in the hands of the anti-christ, who is destruction himself; ie , kill steal and destroy.[/quote]

AGREE w/this quote!

Luke says that ALL those who dwell on the earth at that time (opposite from those raptured, who *then* will be dwelling in heaven) but the billions left here will be caught in a "snare" (or TRAP)..... and what is that trap? That they will be living during the reign of the AC.... and they'll have to make some hard and fast decisions: to either come to repentance & follow Jesus, or to deny Him, & take the mark.

I guess everyone knows the rest of the story. Take the mark & be doomed in the Lake of Fire forever ~ no turning back!!

Or be martyred, but raised to new (and eternal) life in paradise in heaven with the Lord!