[tonybones2112]

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Nehemiah, all of the men in this thread have approched your questions from the different directions of our individual personalities, however our common foundation is the Scriptures, and where you will find any answer God wishes you to know. He has not yet revealed to me the significance and similitudes of John 5 and the angel, He will if it serves His glory through me. I would ask that you read every reply to you, we are not working against each other here, but compliment each other.

We KJV "Only"s are accused of "double inspiration". Actually, Scripture teaches that God gave the original contant of the Scriptures by inspiration, He preserves His words via copies and translations when the writing material wears out and the languages die, and then His Spirit gives our spirits understanding by His inspiration; That's triple inspiration:

Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

Why is it, as The Original Manuscript Frauds like to bleat and call us, why is it we KJV "Onlys" are such "jack-booted Nazis" about changing one word in the Scriptures? You lose the references if you do:

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Mr 10:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

We see above that there are precepts given by God, and precepts given by men in Matthew 10.

Ho 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
De 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Ro 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Jas 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Ge 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
e 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Ge 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The Scriptures interpret themselves and answer your questions for you. We look for types, for similitudes, for images and figures. How do I know that we, the Church, the Body of Christ will not have to endure the Tribulation?

Mt 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Lu 3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Jesus Christ identifies the Tribulation as "the wrath to come", Paul assures us that we will not have to endure this.

Who is the future Anti-Christ, the Beast?

Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

One apostle was "lost", Judas Iscariot, and Paul identifies him as the Anti-Christ. Jesus and Paul make a pretty good team, don't they?

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Your statement that "common sense" is unScriptural is in itself unScriptural. None of the men in this thread are exactly alike, we are "common" in that we all have "common" sense, a sound mind.

Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Mt 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Mt 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Mt 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Mt 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Re 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Re 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Re 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Re 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

So we see that from the Scriptures above, the "star" of Bethlehem that Paul Crouch has wasted so much electricity on speculating and selling books on saying that the "star" was a "comet" or "Saturn" is in actuality an angel.

What are the "seven spirits" of Revelation 3:1? I'm very glad you asked yourself that question:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

How did the apostle Paul die? "Tradition' tells us he was executed. "Tradition" tells us Mary was a perpetual virgin too.

Paul was imprisoned in Mamertine Prison, in a pit with a grate for a roof where the guards could walk back and forth and defacate and urinate on the prisoners if they felt like it.

2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I am ready for another abdominal surgery, it is needed, the time is here for it, but perhaps the physical therapy will make surgery redundant:

2Ti 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul died of an infection such as pneumonia or other from the unsanitary conditions present in his incarceration. He suffered from the cold, and myself having had pneumonia 21 times in my life can attest to being cold and wanting a "cloke".

I hope you'll carefully study each and every Scripture passge given to you and wish you the best a Christian a can wish for another: That you bear much fruit that He may increase, we may decrease.

Grace and peace to you Nehemiah, this day, and all days.

Tony