2012 and Second Coming of Christ -- hoopla

[BobRyan]

Do a Google search on "2012 Second Coming of Christ" -

Notice what comes up?

What is going on out there with the blogusphere and 2012???

In the NT we read about those "blown about by every wind of doctrine".

Does anybody else find this creepy that sooo many sources are converging on this bogus idea?

in Christ,

Bob

[John317]

Jack Van Impe, a TV evangelist is predicting that Christ will return in 2012, but so are others of the so-called New Agers, such as in this statement:

"In 2012, the Ascended Masters will send down a concentrated beam of the Christ Energy above the Great Pyramid of Giza. This will enter the body of all remaining people on Earth, changing their DNA cell structure to vibrate at the higher rate of the consciousness of the new age."

There's also the Mayan Calendar that ends on December 21 or December 23 2012.

[Blessumore]

The Bible is clear that we don't know the "day nor the hour" of Christ's second coming. But that doesn't mean we won't know the season or year. Is it in Isaiah or another O.T. prophetic book where God is quoted as saying that He does nothing without telling His prophets.....and in the last days there should be plenty of His followers who hear His voice and follow it...who, having dreams and visions, prophecy accurately.

I think you should ask God to reveal to you whether or not this is a bogus date.

At some point in history, people living will be down to 4 years left until He returns! I believe I hear His heart "I can hardly wait! I am so EAGER to return and receive YOU to MYSELF so that where I AM, you will also be!" I think He is basically sitting on the edge of His throne...ready to come the moment it is time! He LOVES us!

[John317]

Yes, you are right it is a bogus date. I know that Jesus' coming is near but we do not know the time. Jesus' coming does not depend on time. It depends on the spiritual condition of the church. When the church is ready for Him to come, the very last-day events will occur and Jesus will come for His own.

[BobRyan]

Jack Van Impe, a TV evangelist is predicting that Christ will return in 2012, but so are others of the so-called New Agers, such as in this statement:

"In 2012, the Ascended Masters will send down a concentrated beam of the Christ Energy above the Great Pyramid of Giza. This will enter the body of all remaining people on Earth, changing their DNA cell structure to vibrate at the higher rate of the consciousness of the new age."

There's also the Mayan Calendar that ends on December 21 or December 23 2012.

That is what I mean -- it is not just that "There exists" a false date out there -- it is that some Christians, spiritists with their sumarian and mayan focus, the saintbrigitta cult etc -- many different groups all clammoring about this one date. It is as if the false Christs are all getting on the same page for some odd reason.

[John317]

That's exactly it, Bob. I had the same thought. I believe it is what Ellen White said would happen. The Spirit of prophecy refers to it under the name of spiritualism. It will grow stronger and more and more influential, until it will be instrumental in the making of the Sunday laws.

These are all people who believe in the immortality of the soul, and it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of false teachings.

[Woody]

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I think you should ask God to reveal to you whether or not this is a bogus date.

Why should one pray?

Even if it is the correct date ... Why care?

WE are to be ready NOW. The date of His return should not matter to the Christian. The time is SHORT. That is ALL we need to know.

Dates come and go. The preacher of the biggest church in the area where I used to live ... and where my son and friends attended ... gave a month and year around the 2000 time ... but of course it came and is gone. But his popularity did not diminish. Go Figure.

[Nan]

To all this could be added the prediction by an Irish monk called Malachy who said there would be 112 Popes from his day till doomsday. That leaves one after the current incumbent, if I am reading it correctly.

[aldona]

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The Bible is clear that we don't know the "day nor the hour" of Christ's second coming. But that doesn't mean we won't know the season or year.

I've heard that before, word for word. It was doing the rounds of the local churches around here back when I was in high school (early 1980's).

Someone had done a careful study of Daniel and Revelation and printed a flyer outlining in great detail (complete with Bible texts and timelines) that Jesus was going to come in 1986.

I know this really good story about a boy who cried "Wolf"...

aldona

[jasd]

>>These are all people who believe in the immortality of the soul, and it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of false teachings.<<

The connotation above is self-indicting. I’ve seen no shortage of “false teachings” originating from those who adamantly withstand NT epistemology re the ‘doctrine’ of soul sleep.

Example: the assertion that ‘vegetarianism’ was ‘peculiarly’ revealed to benefit a small ‘latter-day remnant’ – when in fact, modern ‘vegetarianism’ celebrated its 150th year since inception (1847-1997) in Europe, that is, primarily, in England.

1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

1 Tim 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

1 Tim4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.

[John317]

Quote:

I think you should ask God to reveal to you whether or not this is a bogus date.

Why should one pray?

Even if it is the correct date ... Why care?

WE are to be ready NOW. The date of His return should not matter to the Christian. The time is SHORT. That is ALL we need to know.

He waits because there is more involved than merely accepting Jesus.

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God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: "God will bring His work closer and closer to test and prove every one of His people." Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the True Witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have the charge: "They are joined to their idols, let them alone," and they pass on to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued, to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.Testimonies For The Church Volume One (1855-1868), page 187, paragraph 1

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REDWOOD-- Dates come and go. The preacher of the biggest church in the area where I used to live ... and where my son and friends attended ... gave a month and year around the 2000 time ... but of course it came and is gone. But his popularity did not diminish. Go Figure.

Yes, the old trick of crying wolf to lull the people to sleep.

[John317]

>>These are all people who believe in the immortality of the soul, and it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of false teachings.<<

The connotation above is self-indicting. I’ve seen no shortage of “false teachings” originating from those who adamantly withstand NT epistemology re the ‘doctrine’ of soul sleep.

If you take the context, it has to do with the vulnerability of people who believe in the immortality of the soul for deceptions related to spiritualism. It was never implied that others can't be deceived.

It is simply a fact that if a person believes that the dead can communicate with the living, they will be more apt to be deceived on this point than someone who knows that the dead are dead and do not communicate their messages to the living.

This is the very reason the Lord wants people to know the truth about this issue. It will be even more important for people to know this truth as we draw closer to the time of Christ's appearing because the evil spirits will be even more active than they are now. They will encourage people to call for Sunday laws.

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Example: the assertion that ‘vegetarianism’ was ‘peculiarly’ revealed to benefit a small ‘latter-day remnant’ – when in fact, modern ‘vegetarianism’ celebrated its 150th year since inception (1847-1997) in Europe, that is, primarily, in England.

There is truth in the statement as long as it is understood in its context. What it is saying is that vegetarianism is of importance to the proclamation of the Third Angels Messages, which the SDA church was raised up by God to give to the world before the Second Coming of Christ. It doesn't mean that other people won't see the advantages of being vegetarians. It was revealed to Ellen White in her health vision of 1863 and others. It was given in the context of the preparation for the Second Coming. This is what's being referred to in the quote.

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1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

1 Tim 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

1 Tim4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.

The "meats" in v. 3 are solid foods of all kinds, not necessarily flesh. The Greek word is bromata. See RSV, NIV or NASB. Compare Col. 2: 20-23.

These have nothing to do with health practices but with asceticism, the practice of self-discipline for the purpose of earning merit.

If food is harmful to you, it doesn't do any good to pray for God to bless it so you can eat bad food. So Paul is obviously talking about things that God created for us to eat. What did God create for us to eat? See Gen. 1 and 2. God did not create animals for us to eat.

[skyblue888]

"You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years." Selected Messages, Vol.1, p.189.

You are right John the last message is not based on time.

"The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that it must no be hung on time; for time will never be a test again. I saw that some were getting a false excitement, arising from preaching time, that the third angel's message can stand on its own foundation, and that it needs not time to strengthen it, and that it will go with mighty power, and do its work, and will be cut short in righteousness." Ibid, p.188.

sky

[BobRyan]

That's exactly it, Bob. I had the same thought. I believe it is what Ellen White said would happen. The Spirit of prophecy refers to it under the name of spiritualism. It will grow stronger and more and more influential, until it will be instrumental in the making of the Sunday laws.

These are all people who believe in the immortality of the soul, and it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of false teachings.

Indeed. Rev 16 talks about unclean spirits in the mouth of the beast, the false prophet and the dragon. That to means indicates a coordinated message will one day come from all three sources.

Kinda funny when you look at the "sources" now proclaiming 2012 -- when doing that GOOGLE search! And the "instructive" element there is that it tells us that the enemy is gearing up for his gameplan's final countdown.

One wonders if maybe God is not doing the same thing with His own people - with His own agenda -- winding down to the final moments. Both good and evil racing to the finish line and Satan having already picked out his target without actually knowing God's. As Christians it is our responsibility to make sure that we enter into a walk with the Spirit that allows us to receive the Latter Rain at the end of time. If we miss that -- nothing else matters.

in Christ,

Bob

[BobRyan]

Quote:

I think you should ask God to reveal to you whether or not this is a bogus date.

Why should one pray?

Even if it is the correct date ... Why care?

WE are to be ready NOW. The date of His return should not matter to the Christian. The time is SHORT. That is ALL we need to know.

Dates come and go. The preacher of the biggest church in the area where I used to live ... and where my son and friends attended ... gave a month and year around the 2000 time ... but of course it came and is gone. But his popularity did not diminish. Go Figure.

500 years before the flood - - you could talk about being a follower of God -- and live where you pleased -- but in Noah's day -- it would be a good Idea to "move closer to the boat" and when it got down to the week before the flood -- no matter how devoted you were in Bible study and prayer -- if you did not enter the Ark -- if that is where you drew the line with God -- the end was going to be "unpleasant". In fact one has to assume that being the victim of the days of terror and chaos pertaining to a world wide flood would be an emotionally scarring terminal event.

I know we all agree - and that is the issue with the end of time. The Holy Spirit leads God's people in very specific areas as the end-of-world events come up. We need less talk and more walk because God Himself argues "To obey is better than to sacrifice".

One hears much more today about the sacrifice of praise -- than walking in the Spirit.

in Christ,

Bob

[jasd]

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Quote:John317

These are all people who believe in the immortality of the soul, and it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of false teachings.

Quote:jasd

The connotation above is self-indicting. I’ve seen no shortage of “false teachings” originating from those who adamantly withstand NT epistemology re the ‘doctrine’ of soul sleep.

>>If you take the context, it has to do with the vulnerability of people who believe in the immortality of the soul for deceptions related to spiritualism.<<

Am I to understand that ‘context’ is to be found in the following?

Quote:

Quote:BobRyan

That is what I mean -- it is not just that "There exists" a false date out there -- it is that some Christians, spiritists with their sumarian and mayan focus, the saintbrigitta cult etc -- many different groups all clammoring about this one date. It is as if the false Christs are all getting on the same page for some odd reason.

Other than the saintbirgitta cult, the closest correlation to “spiritualism” I note is “spiritists” – not necessarily denoting spiritualism per se.

>>It was never implied that others can't be deceived.<<

“These are all people who...” read as gratuitous.

>>It is simply a fact that if a person believes that the dead can communicate with the living, they will be more apt to be deceived on this point than someone who knows that the dead are dead and do not communicate their messages to the living.<<

I didn’t read “context” as containing a suggestion of “communication” between the dead and the living.

>>This is the very reason the Lord wants people to know the truth about this issue.<<

I agree. That is why He, Jesus Christ, stated that, “whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never never die.” That is “shall never never DIE”, as in not being clothed upon with either the earthly tabernacle of flesh or the heavenly tabernacle prepared by Gd to clothe the believer’s sentience – his animate vitality, his constituent self, his spirit.

>>It will be even more important for people to know this truth as we draw closer to the time of Christ's appearing because the evil spirits will be even more active than they are now.<<

Well, you know I believe Writ indicates more than “evil spirits” will be active; that is, those who rebelled together with Satan and are cast down to earth with him – will mingle with man... per the most obvious reading of Daniel 2:43.

>>They will encourage people to call for Sunday laws.<<

I agree with you that one should not be coerced re religious belief – whether it is to force Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday observance for religious purposes. Other than the numinous and questionable exposition give the clause “he shall think to change times and laws” – does Writ substantiate an enforced Sunday law observance?

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Quote:jasd

Example: the assertion that ‘vegetarianism’ was ‘peculiarly’ revealed to benefit a small ‘latter-day remnant’ – when in fact, modern ‘vegetarianism’ celebrated its 150th year since inception (1847-1997) in Europe, that is, primarily, in England.

>>There is truth in the statement as long as it is understood in its context. What it is saying is that vegetarianism is of importance to the proclamation of the Third Angels Messages, which the SDA church was raised up by God to give to the world before the Second Coming of Christ.<<

Umm, how is vegetarianism important to the proclamation of the Third Angel’s Message? (text declares that it is an angel flying in the midst of heaven who 'cries' with a loud voice - not you, not I, not a satellite, not any .org - but an angel) Then, one assumes that line of reasoning would lend credence to an argument that meat consumption was part of OT priestly liturgy to better point to the epiphanous Jesus Christ?

>>It doesn't mean that other people won't see the advantages of being vegetarians. It was revealed to Ellen White in her health vision of 1863 and others.<<

Doesn’t it give pause, given that the modern vegetarian movement began in Europe and traveled across the pond some time prior, in seeming anticipation, to a purported “health vision” ‘given’ to the pastoral messenger?

>>It was given in the context of the preparation for the Second Coming.<<

Again, you purport a link between vegetarianism and the Third Angel’s Message/nearness of the Second Coming – how is that constructed?

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Quote:John317

This is what's being referred to in the quote.

Quote:jasd

1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

1 Tim 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

1 Tim4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.

>>The "meats" in v. 3 are solid foods of all kinds, not necessarily flesh. The Greek word is bromata. See RSV, NIV or NASB. Compare Col. 2: 20-23.<<

bromata aside, and given that it indeed may mean “solid foods of all kinds” – in this passage of the pastoral to St Timothy – St Paul is here speaking of animal flesh. Moreover, St Paul seems to be speaking of not only such as rib roasts, leg of lamb, etc... but of,

pork chops!

(note, the above bolded in 1 Timothy 4: “every creature” does not speak of plant life. – and, “nothing to be refused” can mean only nothing, moreso, should it have been “sanctified by ... prayer)

>>These have nothing to do with health practices but with asceticism, the practice of self-discipline for the purpose of earning merit.<<

“health practices” versus “asceticism” – how has that been arrived-at?

>>If food is harmful to you, it doesn't do any good to pray for God to bless it so you can eat bad food.<<

You mean, like, genetically modified soya beans?

You see, I don’t believe that St Paul was admonishing against asceticism. Take a look at St Paul’s summation re the texts of 1 Timothy 4:4,5:

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished ... of good doctrine,...” (1 Timothy 4:6)

>>So Paul is obviously talking about things that God created for us to eat.<<

Indeed. Obvious. ...created and given permission; then, additionally, commanded - to eat animal flesh.

>>What did God create for us to eat? See Gen. 1 and 2. God did not create animals for us to eat.<<

That does not compute. Genesis 1 & 2 speaks to times entirely different from ours. Moreover, Gd, Himself, was the inheritance of the Levites and He commanded that they should eat – Meat.

Did Gd err in commanding the consumption of meats; that is, animal flesh?

[jasd]

>>Kinda funny when you look at the "sources" now proclaiming 2012<<

Any chance that Jesus Christ visited the Yucatan Peninsula during His 17 ‘lost’ years. Given the sophistication of the Mayan calendar – might it not have been possible that it was Jesus Christ, Himself, who gave the Mayans their calendar – and any significance derived from its suspension on 12.21.12 may, indeed, be Jesus Christ generated? That said,

it is anyone’s guess what the significance of 12.21.12 is – if any.

>>...but in Noah's day -- it would be a good Idea to "move closer to the boat" and when it got down to the week before the flood -- no matter how devoted you were in Bible study and prayer -- if you did not enter the Ark...<<

I know that the above is accepted gospel; however, a careful reading of Genesis 6 reveals that Gd had no intention of saving anyone other than the immediate family of Noah. That said,

were another than an immediate family member of Noah to have attempted to enter the Ark – he, she, or it would probably have drawn the immediate attention of a destroying angel... :-o

[John317]

BobRyan-->>...but in Noah's day -- it would be a good Idea to "move closer to the boat" and when it got down to the week before the flood -- no matter how devoted you were in Bible study and prayer -- if you did not enter the Ark...<<

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I know that the above is accepted gospel; however, a careful reading of Genesis 6 reveals that Gd had no intention of saving anyone other than the immediate family of Noah. That said,

were another than an immediate family member of Noah to have attempted to enter the Ark – he, she, or it would probably have drawn the immediate attention of a destroying angel... :-o

The Bible makes it plain that Noah appealed to the people to accept God's offer of salvation and to save themselves by getting into the ark. But they laughed at him.

Jude 14, 15 says Enoch had warned the people of that day. Gen. 6: 3 says God's Spirit had been striving with the people those people, but they rejected Him. 2 Peter 2: 5 also makes it clear that Noah was a preacher of righteousness.

If anyone had heard Noah and been convinced of the truth he was preaching, God would certainly have not pushed him out of the ark. He would have been saved just as Noah was. Noah's family were not saved in the ark because of their righteousness or holiness, but because they had enough faith to get into the ark.

God loved all those people who were destroyed in the flood. He will love all the people who are lost.

[John317]

>>What did God create for us to eat? See Gen. 1 and 2. God did not create animals for us to eat.<<

That does not compute. Genesis 1 & 2 speaks to times entirely different from ours. Moreover, Gd, Himself, was the inheritance of the Levites and He commanded that they should eat – Meat.

Did Gd err in commanding the consumption of meats; that is, animal flesh?

God also commanded the sacrifice of animals. But He obviously did not mean for people to continue sacrificing them forever.

Remember that God merely gave mankind permission for mankind to eat animals. Notice by the way that God told us that we should not eat flesh with the blood in it; yet most people would not want to eat bloodless meat. And of course God did not say that people had to eat flesh from then on. Surely you do not believe that people are sinning if they eat no meat, do you?

[John317]

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>>The "meats" in v. 3 are solid foods of all kinds, not necessarily flesh. The Greek word is bromata. See RSV, NIV or NASB. Compare Col. 2: 20-23.<<

bromata aside, and given that it indeed may mean “solid foods of all kinds” – in this passage of the pastoral to St Timothy – St Paul is here speaking of animal flesh. Moreover, St Paul seems to be speaking of not only such as rib roasts, leg of lamb, etc... but of,

pork chops!

The clean animals are mentioned in Gen. 7, long before the time of the first Jew. These clean animals are listed in Lev. 11, and include the pig. God did not tell people not to eat pig and then turn around and say it was OK to eat it.

How many of those other animals which are listed in Lev. 11 would you like to place on your dining table? Probably not many, I suspect. Notice that virtually all of the unclean animals are scavengers. In other words, they eat dead animals which include those which have died of cancer and other illnesses.

God had something better for His people to eat, and He gave it to them. He doesn't want us to have to eat scavengers. He loves us too much. If you read the medical journals, you will find that many people have died early and painful deaths because of eating pigs. They usually don't know why they died until they perform an autopsy.

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(note, the above bolded in 1 Timothy 4: “every creature” does not speak of plant life.

The original language says, literally, "every created thing," obviously referring to things that God made for people to eat. He did not mean that we are to eat everything God created, because that would mean we may eat rocks. So he means things edible. TNIV says, "everything God created." That would certainly include Gen. 1: 12, 29. I would not deny that under the NT circumstances, it also included the clean animals, although in the truest sense God did not make the animals to be food for us. Of course in heaven and on the new earth, there won't be slaughter-houses. We'll go back to God's original diet for humans. Yummm.

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– and, “nothing to be refused” can mean only nothing, moreso, should it have been “sanctified by ... prayer)

>>These have nothing to do with health practices but with asceticism, the practice of self-discipline for the purpose of earning merit.<<

“health practices” versus “asceticism” – how has that been arrived-at?

Read various introductions to the book of First Timothy and also read notes in the study Bibles at these verses. It had to do with asceticism and gnosticism. Gnostics saw the material world as evil. Colossians is another book dealing with the same heresy.

[BobRyan]

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Bob said -- regarding the frogs coming from the Beast, false prophet and Dragon >>Kinda funny when you look at the "sources" now proclaiming 2012<<

Any chance that Jesus Christ visited the Yucatan Peninsula during His 17 ‘lost’ years.

[Tallmark]

I got that book as well, and you never know. It may well be. I consider all things, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. Gregory XVI is in his early 80's. What if the next one is in his 50's. Then in may be awhile. Just thinking......

[Tallmark]

To all this could be added the prediction by an Irish monk called Malachy who said there would be 112 Popes from his day till doomsday. That leaves one after the current incumbent, if I am reading it correctly.

I have that book as well. Gregory XVI is in his early 80's. If his successor is in his early 50's, we have awhile to wait.

I have also read that the 3 and 1/2 years (1260 days) will be literal at the end. Could be. We'll know at the time.

"If a man could know the end of this day's business 'ere it come, but suffice it to say that the day will end, and the end be known. If we meet again, then we'll smile, and if not, then this parting was well made."

Julius Caesar

[jasd]

>>The Bible makes it plain that Noah appealed to the people to accept God's offer of salvation and to save themselves by getting into the ark.<<

IMHO, that is Biblically unsustainable.

>>But they laughed at him.<<

Perhaps, you will post the texts attesting to that fact – I can’t recall the Bible stating that.

>>Jude 14, 15 says Enoch had warned the people of that day.<<

I just finished reading Jude and cannot see how the above has been constructed. Please elucidate.

>>Gen. 6: 3 says God's Spirit had been striving with the people those people, but they rejected Him.<<

Am I wrong to perceive that you are proffering a sense of Gd “striving” – as in, earnestly pleading – rather, than His being in contention with man, his great wickedness, and depravity?

I think the subsequent texts in Genesis 6 clarifies that Gd was not so much ‘pleading’ with man – but was, rather, contending with him.

>>2 Peter 2: 5 also makes it clear that Noah was a preacher of righteousness.<<

Indeed, however, it may have been that his righteous preaching had occurred during the first five-hundred years of his life – and not to any aside of St Peter’s, which might be taken to indicate that Noah preached during any time immediate to his entering the ark with his family.

>>If anyone had heard Noah and been convinced of the truth he was preaching, God would certainly have not pushed him out of the ark. He would have been saved just as Noah was.<<

Note the specificity of the phraseology Gd utilized in Genesis 6:6-13. There is no declared intent or provision – for anyone’s salvation other than for Noah and his family.

>>Noah's family were not saved in the ark because of their righteousness or holiness, but because they had enough faith to get into the ark.<<

Gd saved Noah and his family because their bloodline had not been corrupted – that same Gd-created bloodline through which the promised Redeemer of mankind was to descend. Mankind had become so corrupted in blood and flesh that should Gd not have destroyed everyone at that time -- Jesus Christ could not have been born of a woman who was not corrupted both in bloodline and flesh.

Gd was forced to act that His word re the seed of the woman would not have been uttered for naught.

>>God loved all those people who were destroyed in the flood. He will love all the people who are lost.<<

I agree to an extent. That is why St Peter apprises us that Jesus Christ visited them whilst His body rested in the tomb.

[BobRyan]

Hint: "40 Days and Ninevah WILL BE destroyed" in the context of the "conditional nature of God's warnings" as given to Jeremiah for example.

When God relents -- Jonah says "See I knew you were going to do that" -- hmm how interesting that Jonah knew God so well!!

in Christ,

Bob