I just finished reading The Mystery and The Reality Of Rapture, a book written by Baeta Mawuli Asafoh. Baeta is a vibrant instrumentalist who plays for many churches including Assemblies of God, Redemption Valley, Sogakope. At his book launch, he recounts all the stories leading to the success of the book, one of which was the fact that the devil tried to stand against the writing process. I couldn’t help but write a few things I took note of while reading the book.
1. The Powerful statements in the book
I must give it to him; the book contains a lot of powerful statements. When you look into the copy I had, you’ll notice I underlined many statements he made in the book (I’d be quoting them on Facebook soon). He has given me a lot to think about. Nearly every page of the book gives you something to think about.
2. The way he draws meaning from world events
This is also another thing he did brilliantly. He referenced many past world events, and how they’re linked to prophecies in the Bible. Stories from CNN, ABC NEWS, and others made much sense the way he linked them to the bible. This was something he drew our attention to at the book launch, and when you read the book you’ll see what he was trying to say.
3. His use of italics
Personally, I think the use of italics to write the Bible verses was a good choice. Such a font style is simply inescapable.
I also think the book is flawed in many other areas, like:
1. Subheading
I noticed the author put very little effort into the readability of the book. I want to believe he just wanted the book published, and didn’t pay attention to his readers. The first two chapters were packed, and a few more subheadings would have made the reader feel ‘accomplished’ by coming across them.
2. Better expression
The book is bad at wording. There could have been a better way of turning some sentences.
3. Grammatical errors
There are so many of them. It makes reading very boring. The author could have taken note of them or done some grammar check before printing the book.
4. Binding
I don’t know how many will encounter this problem but some pages of my book have removed. Page 65 to 108 are all out. It doesn’t look good at all.
Lastly, there was a philosophical problem in the book which I think is worth addressing. It’s between these words: real, temporal and permanent. If this world and everything in it is not real, as the author suggests, then his book is also not real. How would he feel about that? I think he was trying to say this world and everything in it is temporal, looking at how he describes the world to come.
Considering all the things I’ve observed about this book, I think whenever God burdens us with something, we need the necessary skill to bring it out well. God doesn’t always give the needed skill to perfect his work; sometimes, he expects us to learn those skills.
EITHER JESUS LIED or we are running away from the truth!
Kindly Pick your Bible for a small test as we analyse some statements of Jesus and how we assume to interpret it.
#1. Jesus says:
So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you with certainty that you WILL NOT have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
“A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master.
(Matthew 10:23-24)
2019 Christians : Jesus is coming in our future.
#2. Jesus says:
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had taken place, because they didn’t repent.
“How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Indeed I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than for you!
“And you, Capernaum! You won’t be lifted up to heaven, will you? You’ll go down to Hell! Because if the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Indeed I tell you, it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day than for you!” (Matthew 11:20-24:)
2019 Christians : Jesus is talking to us. The pronoun “You” is referring to us in the 21st century.
#3. Jesus says :
The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.
I tell all of you with certainty, some people standing here will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
(Matthew 16:27-28)
2019 Christians: Jesus said we are going to die before he comes. Let us believe and wait.
#4. Jesus says :
But he didn’t answer her at all. Then his disciples came up and kept urging him, “Send her away, because she keeps on screaming as she follows us.”
But he replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
(Matthew 15:23-24)
2019 Christians : We are the Israel by Faith. So Jesus is talking to us. We are lost sheep of Israel.
#5. Jesus says:
Remember, I’ve told you this beforehand.
So if they say to you, ‘Look! He’s in the wilderness,’ don’t go out looking for him. And if they say, ‘Look! He’s in the storeroom,’ don’t believe it, because just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Wherever there’s a corpse, there the vultures will gather.
“Immediately after the troubles of those days, ‘The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken loose.’
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all ‘the tribes of the land will mourn’ when they see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory.
He’ll send out his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they’ll gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another.”
“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it produces leaves, you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see all these things, you’ll know that the Son of Man is near, right at the door.
I tell all of you with certainty, THIS GENERATION won’t disappear until ALL THESE things happen.
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
“No one knows when that day or hour will come—not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,
because just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 24:25-37)
2019 Christians : We are the chosen Generation. Jesus is speaking to us. Look theses things has not yet happen. So Jesus is talking to us.
…
.
.
Me:
Either the Jesus was lying to those listening to him?
or
the audience (including the apostles) were complete idiots who thought “Jesus was joking”)?
or
We in the 21st century are just fooled?
Either Jesus was a Liar or our pastors are lying.
What does your intelligence tell you? The very fact that we believe our pastors cannot lie, or the church cannot lie just proves our gullibility.
It is all about the Money 💰 💰 💰. To the writing of many books, there is no end!
Cc: Jonathan A. Fagoor