Thanks Steph. I hear what you are saying dear sister. And believe there are ecumenical themes to be concerned. There has been a trend over the past decade of Catholicism merging with Protestants. And even interfaith connections being made. So yeah, I would say your concerns are spot on. There is something though in general I have come to notice about the approach to NAR and how, in that sphere, we may tend to line up biblical prophecy mapping.
I'd like to take this opportunity to perhaps make what my observations have been over the past several years. I don't believe I have articulated them as clearly as I might here. In so doing though dear sister, I would ask it be please understood that these are just my convictions. But the views and convictions of others have helped me to better understand my own to some degree. And in that way, even where we may see differently, I believe it is I believe that you do sharpen my iron. Both in having me consider some of the ways things are going on (like your comprehesive and very involved concerns with Eastern Othordoxy), as well as challenging me to consider about my own convictions and why I should or should not hold them too. So it is out of this having been the case with you dear sister and so many others that I would articulate my view as such. But for the most, this articulation here is more concerned with the overarching umbrella concepts that are concerned with NAR. And not so much the varying other associations you have been faithful in your diligence to understand yourself and weigh out. Amen.
THE OUTTER MOST CONCERN
My main notice in concerns with NAR tends to be an overarching thematic problem. At least in how I might see it. The approach in contrast to NAR has seemed to be most about not focusing on the temporal. Not seeing temporal conditions as something to hold much onto. And I believe that is a very admirable concern. But in ways to contrast NAR, some of my concerns have been that perhaps in some ways we have allowed NAR to frame a temporal arguement for us. One that might be more temporally minded than inteneded. For I know concerns with NAR are of good faith and genuine concern. But to what degree is a focus on NAR potentially its own temporal paradigmatic theme too perhaps.
Now this may sound strange stated that way. But what I mean is that NAR represents one version of the temporal that in contrast as challenged seem to do so with another sense of the temporal. Now I know there are passions against NAR that desire for us to look up at Christ and not government or men or nation to be that in which we trust. And to that I say, "Amen," heartily. However, the counter theme against NAR seems to be the tribulation, AC, beast system, and of course the harlot Church. But these also, in my view, are temporal. So to me it is using one sense of temporal to dispurse another sense of temporal. And to what extent evangelicalism does that, to me, is still playing into the "temporal" game. Even though we may lift many eyes to Jesus instead. Its just the species of salve used to offset NAR, that to me seems to contrast NAR perhaps using the same medicine or ingredients unawares. Please let me explain.
THE SURVIVALIST
So hopeful this caption brings us right into the realm where we might understand where I am going with this...lol. But there is also a huge camp today that is not pretrib rapture. And you no what? They love the pretrib anti-NAR view a bunch. Because it serves their exact concerns as well. Those that view the church going into the tribulation is a growing tribe. And they are very concerned with the beast system, the mark of the beast, the AC, and the harlot Church issues. Because they believe they will face all of it. Now I realize it is not in good faith to just leave it there. Because I know there is some convenient overlap between the survivalist groups and the Luciferian Light concerns. And although I don't know where the midtrib or post trib rapture folks land on how long they understand the AC rule to be (3.5 years or 7), but they sure act like it will be 7. Starting the very day of the tribulation.
But I believe that the Bible tells us his reign is only 3.5 years. Of course that is not to say that there won't be some significant ramp up during the first half of the tribulation. For in my view there will be. But those first 3.5 years would seem to be his prime time of rise to power. And although I do believe there is value in warning against what appears to be a rising harlot Church of sorts, I would guestimate that borrowing the harlot from Revelation to be an operation of temporality though. What I mean by that is she is pegged for the tribulation. And when she comes I don't think it will look very Christian at all (just my view). But the fact is we don't know what she will look like exactly. We have some ideas from the sciprutres. But in all honesty we have no idea if NAR is a precusor to the age of the tribulation or just merely a really big circus mirror by which the Laodician church can see themselves perhaps too in them. Maybe NAR is just the fringe Laodicean affect. And nothing like the harlot Church in the tribulation. We simply don't know. But a lot of concern against NAR assumes often, from what I have seen, that we do know. And that right there is kind of like, for me, a symptom of temporal thinking. Evidence that what is not the clearest for us to know, operates as if it were.
I realize your focus is more inline with the ecumenical aspects of NAR more than whether or not they might be the harlot Church in Revelaition. But that kind of thing and theme has been floated around quite a bit. And it sounds good. And regardless of whether it is correct or incorrect, has attributes about it of course that can well edify the body dynamic today, amen. Its just that, to me, it seems the concern with NAR has been approached at least in some ways in general from our own temporal thinking is kind of my basic point.
IMMEDIACY
The other concern with NAR and Christian Nationalism, for me, in how we might as evangelicals come against it, is what quality of dispensation might the church understand these last days of grace be of? In other words, do we see the ending points of the age of grace as the end of that age or more like the beginning of the next? Because on this one point here, I believe is where the most profound sense, again...for me, of if we might be fighting temporality with more temporality. Please allow me to explain.
What I mean by immediacy is the tendency I have seen in evangelicalism in regards to the very nature and quality of the end of the age of grace and how it "immediately" is the tribulation lite...or so much steeping into the tribuluaton it for all intense and purpose is literally like no longer the age of grace much at all. But so overshadowed by the tribulation that it is no longer "in practicality" a age belonging to the age of grace as it is one belonging to the tribulation proper age. And although we might see plenty of reasons for that, makind does not have the ability of dispensation making. But as some have interpreted Matt 24:4-5 to mean (all things deception), this age must somehow belong to the tribulation age in some way we seem to think. And it makes sense in what we are looking at. And I myself have noted that we are no longer in Kansas. And that what used to apply organically seems to not be so much how things work now. So in that sense I would agree that whatever dispensation we are in, it seems different than the commons of the age of grace. And this condition would provide reasonable overtures to "all things deceptive" thinking.
How deceptive or not the end period of the age of grace gets can be an interest point of discussion. And I think has great merit. But what has seemed to come with that is the "immediacy" of the AC rule. And it is at that point that I would think this is far more a survivalist view than a pretrib view. Whether it is or not is not exactly my point. What would be my point though is how willing are we to transplant the last 3.5 year rule of AC and superimpose it onto the not just the beginning of the tribulation but actually the still yet not completed age of grace dispensation? And it is in that that in our temporal moment, it would seem some measure of exploitation of Revelation for our temporal sense of meaning. And to the degree that sort of thinking is going on, it would be borrowing from the future as a means of sensing relevance today. Which in theory is organically of temporality to do. Dear sister I am not saying you are doing that. Nor am I even saying the bulk of evageliicalism is doing that actually. But what does seem to be the tendency of concern does appear on several levels to bring midpoint issues, immediately to the end point of the age of grace. Marketing as more heavenly minded perhaps by some. But it would be, I believe, more of temporality to superimpose what is yet future onto a day that it is not almost as if it were...or will be soon enough. But where we can agree is yes it will be soon enough. Amen. But is the immediacy factor in considering that focused perhaps on things and tending to see some things in such a way that if may in some ways detour away from perhaps more heavenly intended considerations too along the way? Please let me explain.
CHEIF FACING BOTH WAYS
I borrow this JD Faragism because I really love its metaphoric utility. So the reason I asked about the Ezekiel 38 thing is because what seems to have been occuring in Evangelicalism is that we have, as a church, tended to view how society leans into the tribulation. And there is that going on. For sure. But such low hanging fruit as Trump, America, and the high water mark of insanity Paula White granted status in America, almost seem like soft ball pitches to the church to make the tribulation orientation connection. And I get that. It most certainly does look something very much like that. But for me, the warning in Matt 24:4-5 is related to false messiahs and false prophets specific. Not how deceptive government will get. Or media will get. And you mentioned something well though Stephanie. That we certainly are witnessing a huge wave of the spirit of the AC. Amen. I mean in some ways Paula White and NAR seem to qualify.
This is just me, but the way I read that Matt 24 passage is like this = "Above everything else, don't be deceived AGAIN by the AC and take the mark. Because this time the unbelieving Jews would be not just capture for 70 years in Babyon. Nor diasporaed for 2k years. But eternally lost. The whole of Matt 24 seems to lean into the age Israel returns and faces the tribulation. And being that a prime element to the biblical story is Israel losing their mantle with God, the deception of concern as noted also regarding in vs. 11 and verse 24 have to do with literal false messiahs. Yes false prophets too. And that is not to say we don't have those today. We do. But being as Matt 24 is answering the end of the age with its centerpiece the Abomination of Desolation, it would seem most natural this language belong and reference their plite and concern. At least that is more or less how that reads.
So I just lay that sort of thing out because if the above paragraph is the more potential warning, then it was not about COVID. Nor 911. Nor even Trump or America. Even though it seems that Trump and America fit the bill for NAR exploits of false prophecy. Amen. So it is totally understandable where we get different things and themes from all of this. But I would just suggest a consideration along the way. To the extent the Genius Act (at some point) becomes a beast system proper, understood. But the most important takeaway I believe in all of this is what the word would want to inform us about our here and now and how that relates to Israel perhaps more than the beast system.
Well, that is kind of the sense I guess I would stress in concern as well. I mean I suppose we could be looking both ways and perhaps we might or even should. And in that sense JD's metaphor actually be the preferred end time perspective, amen. But I guess in what I see less of today is how important and for what import and reason is Ez 38 a potential greater end time template than perhaps our potential somewhat subjective takes on Matt 24 as it relates to the age of grace? I mention that for the reason of what might American empowerment mean "temporaly" today? Would it mean our focus and concern over Christian Nationalism (which by nature is a temporal concern to have). Is that the greatest takeaway in what is happening with America and MAGA? That we should not have Christian Nationalism and preach against NARS views on that? I think there certainly is a place for that. But just from my own notice of the general watcher movement, it would seem the greater concern is Chrsiian Natioanalism and maybe the Naohide Laws. But maybe it is just me, but to be concerned mostly with that perspective to me just seems temporally focused.
I say that with an agreement that we should fight against CN and NAR on that. Amen. But if the main distance we have with America is it = We should not be a Christian Nation, that to me is answering temporal thinking with temporal thinging though. And that in contrast perhaps the heavenly thinking is that perhaps America is getting more powerful to protect Israel. Which might be staging for Ez 38. But that possibility in what is out there seems to be non-existent. Personally I don't think America will become a Chrsitan Nation. I really don't think it will. But if we use heavenly thinking, might you possibly accept that just in how a Cheif Might Face Both Ways to potentially also be a good thing perhaps (that we keep our eye on a forming beast/harlot system & a potential making of Ez 38 conditions too), that so might in some way America as a Chrstian Nation serve to this extent as well?
This probably sound either shocking or I'll informed or perhaps both. I understand. But what I mean by that is this: What if God is ok with America becoming a Christian Nation as a metaphor for the gentile Chruch age. While being used to boost Israel to her Ez 38 status? If that is the way things are going though, would that not be sort of an archetypical metaphor for the Church age climax as it hands the baton over to Israel (a very much propted up nation like never seen before and dwelling in peace and safety?)? In that scenario it almost does not matter whether or not America becomes a Chrsitan Nation. Because even if it might, God could still use it for His own purposes. If true we would have to long sudffer the false church hope in the 7 mountain mandate bringing Christ in. But ironically, instead the 7 mountian mandate rather brings the church out (rapture)? Not that the 7 mountain mandate does anything. But if God gives them this ability to help protect and rise further to power Israel for her prophesied moment...would not the great take away (per how it is all shown in scripture) be more about Ez 38 and Israel's introduction than it would be about CN? Even if CN is realized though in a scenario like that, might it not demonstrate a louder prophetic significance as it is attached to Ez 38, and God's use of the Jews in the tribulation and also very likely a rapture bang zone to boot? In comparing which is a greater prophetic concern: CN or Ez 38? I think most of us would say Ez 38, because we don't exactly seen CN mentioned in scripture. The harlot may be nothing Christian. And since we don't know it would best be note to assume it is something like that though
So in just hoping to establish perhaps a base point of concern, if the prophesy model we are following along the trajectory of = beast system harlot Church, and AC, is it possible we would be thrown by a rapture at the feet of Israeli super empowerment? Of the two narratives though, the prophecy proper would be Ez 38 I would imagine. Granting the church 70 to 80 years of her now being here again to considering her arriving at that point in our midst might be a much longer standing clue than whatever NAR has been cooking up for us. We have heard it said we should not be distracted by politics and that all the world is a stage and possibly a distraction. And in part I agreem, amen. But it could aslo be a distraction to monitor how distracting it could be be. Especially that even though it...BUT GOD!
Well in any case doing my best to articulate why to me it might seem to be discussion worthy. Not for the sake of downplaying concerns of NAR. Or of ecumicalism which you have upon your heart. God has wired us each uniquely. But I just thought I hopefully better articulate it here, if helpful for any to weight out or consider. Or having good reason to dismiss it too. But in honor of hour heritage Stephanie, just thought to share I imagine hopefully the more sharpened perspective, weigh-in, differences, and even similarities amen.

Blessings.