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St. Victorinus

February 6, 2017 By Trumpeter Leave a Comment

Victorinus (died A.D. 304), Bishop of Petau, who wrote an early commentary on the book of Revelation, gives an explanation of Revelation 6:14 which includes his belief that "the Church shall be taken away" sometime in the future when the passage is fulfilled. Again, regarding Revelation 15:1, he says, "these shall be in the last time, when the Church shall have gone out of the midst." Here he speaks of something that will have happened previously, apparently looking back to his statement in Revelation 6:14. This could reflect elements of pretribulationism. It seems even more likely in light of the fact that Victorinus was said by the anti-Chiliast Jerome to have been a known premillennialist; yet his commentary was clearly amended in the passage regarding Revelation 20 to read as if he were Augustinian (i.e., amillennial). An American editor of Victorinus has concluded:

This confirms the corruption of the manuscripts. Indeed, if the Victorinus mentioned by Jerome be the same as our author, the mention of Genseric proves the subsequent interpolation of his works … It is evident that the fragment which is here preserved … is full of the corrections of some pious disciple of St. Augustine who lived much later.'

Millennialist or so-called Premillennialist writers were Apollinaris, Commodianus, Hippolytus, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Lactantius, Methodius (who saw the millennium as a day of judgment), Montanus, Nepos, pseudo-Barnabas, Tertullian and Victorinus. The theory of the delayed 70th week relating Daniel 9:25 to Christ was first introduced by Hippolytus.

Victorinus
Commentary On The Apocalypse Of The Blessed John
From the Twentieth Chapter.

1-3 Those years wherein Satan is bound are in the first advent of Christ, even to the end of the age; and they are called a thousand, according to that mode of speaking, wherein a part is signified by the whole, just as is that passage, "the word which He commanded for a thousand generations," although they are not a thousand. Moreover that he says, "and he cast him into the abyss," he says this, because the devil, excluded from the hearts of believers, began to take possession of the wicked, in whose hearts, blinded day by day, he is shut up as if in a profound abyss. And he shut him up, says he, and put a seal upon him, that he should not deceive the nations until the thousand years should be finished. "He shut the door upon him," it is said, that is, he forbade and restrained his seducing those who belong to Christ. Moreover, he put a seal upon him, because it is hidden who belong to the side of the devil, and who to that of Christ. For we know not of those who seem to stand whether they shall not fall, and of those who are down it is uncertain whether they may rise. Moreover, that he says that he is bound and shut up, that he may not seduce the nations, the nations signify the Church, seeing that of them it itself is formed, and which being seduced, he previously held until, he says, the thousand years should be completed, that is, what is left of the sixth day, to wit, of the sixth age, which subsists for a thousand years; after this he must be loosed for a little season. The little season signifies three years and six months, in which with all his power the devil will avenge himself trader Anti-christ against the Church. Finally, he says, after that the devil shall be loosed, and will seduce the nations in the whole world, and will entice war against the Church, the number of whose foes shall be as the sand of the sea.

4, 5 There are two resurrections. But the first resurrection is now of the souls that are by the faith, which does not permit men to pass over to the second death. Of this resurrection the apostle says: "If ye have risen with Christ, seek those things which are above."

6 I do not think the reign of a thousand years is eternal; or if it is thus to be thought of, they cease to reign when the thousand years are finished. But I will put forward what my capacity enables me to judge. The tenfold number signifies the decalogue, and the hundredfold sets forth the crown of virginity: for he who shall have kept the undertaking of virginity completely, and shall have faithfully fulfilled the precepts of the decalogue, and shall have destroyed the untrained nature or impure thoughts within the retirement of the heart, that they may not rule over him, this is the true priest of Christ, and accomplishing the millenary number thoroughly, is thought to reign with Christ; and truly in his case the devil is bound. But he who is entangled in the vices and the dogmas of heretics, in his case the devil is loosed. But that it says that when the thousand years are finished he is loosed, so the number of the perfect saints being completed, in whom there is the glory of virginity in body and mind, by the approaching advent of the kingdom of the hateful one, many, seduced by that love of earthly things, shall be overthrown, and together with him shall enter the lake of fire.

8-10 This belongs to the last judgment. And after a little time the earth was made holy, as being at least that wherein lately had reposed the bodies of the virgins, when they shall enter upon an eternal kingdom with an immortal King, as they who are not only virgins in body, but, moreover, with equal inviolability have protected themselves, both in tongue and thought, from wickedness; and these, it shows, shall dwell in rejoicing for ever with the Lamb.

St. Victorinus, the bishop of Petah, wrote a commentary on the book of Revelation in 270 AD. He said he saw another great and wonderful sign – "Seven angels having the last seven plagues, for in them is completed the indignation of God. And these shall be in the last time when the church shall have gone out of the midst." In other words, St. Victorinus was talking about the Rapture! This teaching is not a present day innovation but a doctrinal statement dating back 17 centuries to St. Victorinus and 20 centuries to Jesus and Paul.
– Jack Van Impe

Prophetic Witness Pioneers : Victorinus (240-304 A.D)

The earliest consecutive commentary on the Book of Revelation.

The seven plagues of Revelation 15:1, Victorinus explains, ‘shall be in the last time.’ then he adds, most significantly, ‘when the Church shall have gone out of the midst,’ indicating that he knows about the rapture and that it is to precede the Great Tribulation.

The original text of Victorinus’s commentary on the Apocalypse was not published until 1916. Before that date scholars and translators had to rely on an earlier edition in which the crucial section covering Revelation 20:1-10, with its description of the Millennium, as well as the remainder of Chapter Twenty and Chapters Twenty One and Two, has been replaced by a spurious interpolation. In it a post-millennial interpretation is advanced which runs counter to all that we know of Victorinus’s views. The authentic version, however, is now available and reveals Victorinus as a convinced pre-millennialist.

Terror Stricken Parents Search for Missing Children

January 9, 2017 By Trumpeter Leave a Comment

Dear Reader:

One evening while lying on the couch and watching the evening news. I experienced once again that feeling that had virtually paralyzed me all day long.

It seemed to creep over me like the clouds creep in from the west towards the East on a hot summers afternoon and all of a sudden the thunder and lightening over take you before you know it.

That feeling was a very uncomfortable one, as if something or someone was trying to tell me something or warn me. So like all “Christians” do, I picked up my Bible and began to read. As I read I would pray a little but then go back to reading, in the process I was getting a little drowsy I shook it off and continued to read. Just as I was nodding again, for the umpteenth time, something on TV caught my eye. I had had the volume muted, so as not to disturb me while reading the Bible, I laid down the Bible and picked up the remote and un-muted the volume.

“Terror stricken parents search for missing children.” Came the reporters voice, while pictures of two young people in their mid 20’s frantically searched for their children. I wondered what has happened to these two children. The parents must be feeling horrible over loosing their children! Has to be more than anyone could bear, I thought.

“At precisely 1:59 CST these two children along with thousands maybe hundreds of thousands of people have completely disappeared.” I was sitting holding my tea glass after just taking a drink when I jumped to my feet in unbelief. My tea glass shattered as it hit the floor. My first initial thoughts were “This can’t be, what does this mean? The Rapture? NO. NO!! NO!!!” I yelled “This is impossible I am a Christian this can’t be the rapture.”

I immediately picked up the Bible and it fell open to the words 1 Cor 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” It hit me like a ton of bricks, the rapture had taken place and I had been LEFT BEHIND. I made a mad dash to phone dialed but received the message, “all circuits are busy,”.

I could not call my wife she had been at her parents house. She had all the children with her. I tried to make sense of the things that were happening, but could not. I tried to comfort myself but could not. Trying the phone every few minutes was driving me crazy. I felt as if I was going to explode from the inside. Had my wife and kids been taken too? “NO, I screamed as loud as I could.”

All of a sudden I started to remember what I had been taught all my life. Hearing my father preach from behind a pulpit of wood. I started to recall statements such as “It will be a glorious day.” “It will be a day like no other.” I started to think about these statements that were running through my head. I began to think this is a day like no other for sure, but it definitely was not glorious at least not from where I was standing. The days drug by like years, I never did find anything out about my family. I finally accepted the idea that they were gone also.

The prophecy in the Bible started to unfold like a early addition newspaper. Everything fell into place there was a man that arose from the Middle East that seemed to have an answer for every problem that came up. He quickly rose to a high status in the world’s eyes. I knew then that this was the “anti-Christ” that was spoken about in the book of Revelation.

Chaos prevailed in every country of the world. Brother against brother husbands against wives. Looting, murders, rape, all forms of evil. It was as if someone or something had pulled the very presence of good from the world. Nothing was the same as before the rapture. Everything had changed. The antichrist had put in place his system to control the world’s buying and selling.

“Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” I knew better than to take this mark. I read in the word of God where it said that

“Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb”

There were times that it seemed I could not go on any longer. I thought this is unbearable. If I could only do it over I would change the things I did wrong. If only, If only. Just as I was sitting down to eat the meal, which had been rationed to me before the mark of the beast was set in order, I heard the phone ring. “Phone, I thought? Who would be calling me? Everyone I knew that would be calling me had been taken in the rapture.

I tried to get up but could not move, what had frozen me in my chair? Why could I not get the phone. It just kept ringing and ringing… Startled out of a deep sleep by the sound of a phone ringing, I screamed. Jumped to my feet looked around unbeknownst to where I was at the present time. I answered the phone. “Honey, are you coming to mom and dad’s? They want us all to go to church with them.” Came my wife’s voice. “Wha…” I answered. “Yes, I yelled, Yes, I will go with you.” “But…” “No, butts this time honey.” She said. “No, buts honey I am on the way.” “I love you, Honey.” I hung up the phone looked around still not sure what was going on but then it hit me, I had had a dream. It was all a dream I yelled, at the top of my lungs.

Needless to say I changed my ways. I went to church more and I did drop being religious but I did not drop being a Christian. After my dream that I had, I thought I wonder how many Christians are out there are living the same as I have been living thinking they are safe when in reality they are far from it. I realize there will be those who read this letter before and after the Rapture. So I fashion it to both parties.

To those who read before the Rapture: Please don’t rely on the same “old religion” Move into God Get to know Him. He would love to visit with you, He sits and awaits a personal relationship with you and you and you and you. Don’t be one of those left behind. Don’t be a statistic. GOD LOVES YOU…

To those who would read this after the Rapture: I feel sorry for you, you have been dealt a hand that is the worst one you could ever imagine. There will be things that happen that will be hard to imagine but you have to realize this the Holiness of God has been withdrawn and you are left to a world that is overrun by evil. There will surely be a person who will arise to power, at first he will appear to have it all. DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN HE IS THE ANTICHRIST prophesied about in the Bible.

Unfortunately you don’t have many options right now, but you do have this one. Before it is to late you need to get you a Bible and get as many as you possibly can. Store them up for yourself or others that might need them. Get ready for the worst possible 7 years of your life. I am not trying to scare you I am simply telling you the facts. Facts:

1. You are left behind the rapture has happened

2. There will be an Antichrist that will rise from most likely the Middle East

3. Trouble will come it will only get worse and worse

4. There will be others like yourself that believe like you do find them if you can

5. There will be a mark known as the mark of the beast that will be offered at first then forced upon people or death DO NOT TAKE THIS MARK

WHATEVER YOU DO DON’T TAKE IT.

I so sorry that I can not do more for you but please above all if you read this before it is to late get a bible and read. Remember you have chosen not to accept the free gift that God gave don’t blame Him don’t curse Him. The question “Do I have another chance?” is probably going over in your mind even now. The answer is yes, but only if you DO NOT TAKE THE MARK. I cannot stress this enough. If you’re starving you are better off dead than living with the mark. Remember God Loves you MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOU!

Yours in Christ,

Randy

Where did Everyone Go?

January 9, 2017 By Trumpeter Leave a Comment

Dear Left,

You are wondering what is going on. Where did everyone go? No, no one was abducted by aliens, no atomic bomb caused everyone to disappear. Think back to who it was that disappeared. Are the children gone? Are the ones who seemed to try to be really good people gone?

Those were the ones who had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They loved Him so much that they lived by His Word and tried to be the best people they could. I’m sure you remember times when they weren’t necessarily good people. They tried, and though they made plenty of mistakes and were by no means perfect, they looked to the only One who was and is perfect. Jesus.

He was the one that wiped away their sins. He was the One who still loved them after they did wrong. They made the choice to push back their carnal desires and their human frailties and stand up against the world. When the world told them they were freaks, narrow-minded, and hypocritical, they did their best to put their faith in Jesus, and they waited for their reward.

It has come, and unfortunately you missed it. But, it is not too late! You can still trust Him. It will be so much harder now, but you too can have eternity in Heaven.

Go find a Bible as quickly as you can. Read Daniel and Revelation. Begin praying and pray harder and longer than you ever have. He will give you hope and will guide you. You must put your trust and faith completely in Him. Take that little step. You will receive blessings beyond your belief.

What is the Rapture Anyhow?

January 7, 2017 By Trumpeter Leave a Comment

The Rapture is an event where the groom comes to take his bride away, to be married to her forever. Seriously, that’s what it is.

Only the groom is the Messiah, the Son of God, better known as Jesus or Yeshua, and the bride is not a single person, but all people who corporately believe in Jesus and trust him, male and female alike, living and dead. The bride is better known as ‘the church’.

This supernatural event is not to be confused with the Second Coming, which happens after the Rapture, when Christ returns to defeat his enemies in Israel; namely the anti-Christ, the False Prophet, and everyone else who foolishly believes that they can fight and defeat God himself.

The Rapture is a rescue story, known as the Blessed Hope…which is the hope that all believers have, or should have, that their Savior is coming to rescue them from hell that people who remain on Earth will experience for a 7 year period of time known as The Tribulation, if they even survive it, for 2/3 of all mankind will perish, either at the hand of the anti-Christ who will tirelessly persecute and work to exterminate both Jews and new converts to Christianity, or as a result of God’s wrath that is unleashed upon earth in biblical proportions; earthquakes, tsunamis, hail storms, fire, a meteor impact,war, even nuclear war, violence, disease, famine, wild animals and more. The Bible says if these days were not cut short all mankind would perish.

The idea of the Rapture is often ridiculed and said to be something that it is not. Some people insist that the concept of the Rapture is not biblical as the word can not be found in the Bible. Others even get angry and defensive about which view on the timing of the Rapture is correct.

Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 3:4

While the word ‘Rapture’ itself is not in the Bible, it’s Greek equivalent is. You see, the New Testament was written entirely in Greek and later translated into Latin and English. The Greek word is ‘harpazo’ and means to be plucked out, taken up or snatched away quickly. Harpazo translated into Latin is ‘rapio’ from where we get our English word ‘Rapture’, however, in the Bible it is usually translated as ‘caught up‘.

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)

Most all Bible translations use the phase ‘caught up’, but a few say ‘carried away’, ‘caught away together’, ‘taken in the clouds’, or ‘taken up together’.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?

So there you have it, when the trumpet sounds, those who belong to Christ will be given their new immortal bodies and caught up, or taken away to the Father’s house in Heaven for a royal wedding.

Do you think such a thing is difficult for God? The Creator of the Universe…

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Victorinus Commentary On The Apocalypse Of The Blessed John From the Twentieth Chapter.

Victorinus
Commentary On The Apocalypse Of The Blessed John
From the Twentieth Chapter.