unless all of a sudden there will be a major manufacture of swords.

2. "Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God's hatred of sin and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty." The punishment inflicted on the Jews involved humans killing humans. Are you suggesting God will punish the wicked at the end of time by permitting them to kill each other? Don't you believe sin is what will kill sinners at the end of time?

We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the peace and protection which we enjoy. It is the restraining power of God that prevents mankind from passing fully under the control of Satan. The disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy. Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God's hatred of sin and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty. (GC 36)

But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown.

Bob, it's dawning on me that you think he created the earth at creation week. I accept the Bible for what it says. However, the point I am making is you are trying to get it to say something it doesn't say.

The Catholics say the Bible say they are the only true church. However, the Bible doesn't say that.

Sings of the Times: Feb 27, 1879

As far as human wisdom could see, the event predicted by Noah was not likely to occur. Rain had never fallen; a mist or dew had watered the earth. …

The Lord had given the warning, and that was enough for Noah. The arguments of the philosophers were nothing to him, when the message of God was sounding in his ears, "The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." {ST, February 27, 1879 par. 14}

Noah, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house. He had that fear which should characterize the life of every Christian. The perfect faith of Noah intensified his fear. The threatened wrath of God, which was to fall upon man and beast, and upon the earth, led him to prepare the ark. His faith, and his fear of God's anger, produced obedience. Noah did not hesitate to obey God. He urged no excuse, that the labor of building that ark was great and expensive. He believed God, and invested in the ark all that he possessed, while the wicked world scoffed and made themselves merry at the deluded old man. {ST, February 27, 1879 par. 15}

They had more opportunity for their unbelief and mockery, because God did not at once carry out his purpose. But the lapse of time did not cause the faith of Noah to waver;

I'm more interested in the swords. Obviously the straw isn't literal, but how about the swords?

It seems that each time you want to spin away from the actual content of GC 672-673 and EW294 - you do so with the kind of argument as listed above.

Surely you have noticed that.

in Christ,

Bob

1. Again - you are simply ignoring details trying to spin a case for eisegeting your ideas INTO the text -- when in fact the text (such as GC672-673 so diligently NOT being quoted in this statement of yours) is very clearly NOT using apocalyptic symbols NOR is it written in a foreign language.

2. In the case above you ignore the fact that it was not until 1902 that Ellen White commented that "Many more years" would be invovled before the second coming. Hence no reference to "Unmanned Arial Vehicles" in her predictions of the time of the end some number of DECADES prior to 1902.

It seems that each time you want to spin away from the actual content of GC 672-673 and EW294 - you do so with the kind of argument as listed above.

Surely you have noticed that.

Bob, you didn't answer the question. It's a simple one.

1. Again - you are simply ignoring details trying to spin a case for eisegeting your ideas INTO the text -- when in fact the text (such as GC672-673 so diligently NOT being quoted in this statement of yours) is very clearly NOT using apocalyptic symbols NOR is it written in a foreign language.

2. In the case above you ignore the fact that it was not until 1902 that Ellen White commented that "Many more years" would be invovled before the second coming. Hence no reference to "Unmanned Arial Vehicles" in her predictions of the time of the end some number of DECADES prior to 1902.

It seems that each time you want to spin away from the actual content of GC 672-673 and EW294 - you do so with the kind of argument as listed above.

T:Bob, you didn't answer the question. It's a simple one.

B:The funny thing is - I was about to say the same thing to you about the answer above.