Thursday, December 27, 2007

Polls, Visitors, Statistics and Search Words

Within the last few weeks I decided to watch my web site statistics a little closer to try and figure out who was coming here, where you were coming from and why. I took a poll that many of you overlooked, but I still think that it portrayed accurately that most that visit here are pre-wrath believers, or are at least leaning in that direction. Some of you are pre-tribbers, while only one lonely preterist accidentally wandered in to vote.

I’ve been checking my stat counter on a daily basis, and if you don’t have one for your web site I suggest you get one. It helps. In doing so, search words have become my favorite thing to check. It’s been fun to see words typed into people’s search bars that bring them to this site to find exactly what they’re looking for such as “Matthew 24 and Luke 21 compared,” “Revelation 3:10 pre-wrath,” “pre-wrath Revelation chart,” “preterist are wrong” or “is fig tree Israel.” There’s even been ten people that, I'm assuming, have come here by accident in their search for a photo of little Opie from the Andy Griffith Show!

It’s been downright funny to see some of you enter entire sentences into your search bar as if your computer can hear and reason like a human being. Sorry for making fun of you, but I’m not financially supported by your giving, so I can do as I please! One example would be “how does revelation take place?” The two longest search word winners are both related to the Beast Empire study I'm previously working on, and the winners are:

“What does the individual pieces of Daniel's statue represent?”

And:

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is.”

I’ve gotten a plethora of visitors due to their searches for John Hagee, and most of these searches don’t bode well for Mr. Sensational. The top three that entertained me the most were “John Hagee shot in his church,” John Hagee is an idiot” and John Hagee the idiot!” Poor John.

And I don't want to leave out the fact that there’s been noticeable visitors coming from the following places the last few weeks. I wanted to thank those of you that have placed my blog on your blog or web site.

http://davidjbutterfield.blogspot.com/


http://www.watchmanbiblestudy.com/about.htm

http://www.strongtowerpublishing.com/prewrath.htm

http://dyspraxicfundamentalist.blogspot.com/

http://www.evangelicalsanonymous.blogspot.com/

http://youarenotindarkness.blogspot.com/

http://www.prewrathrapture.com/

http://www.prophecy.iblog.co.za/

And a big thanks to all of you that keep telling others about the Tribune as you post on other blogs and forums. Don’t think I haven't noticed. It’s fun to see and it’s what keeps this place active, so keep up the good work.

Dave

31 comments:

Matthew Celestine said...

Interesting to see where people are coming from.

Unknown said...

I think this is a great site. Keep up the good work. I found you thru unsealed prophecy.

Wickus said...

Found you by accident and I will keep on visiting.

Keep it up brother!

Unsealed Prophecy

PWTribune said...

Thanks Rachel and Wickus, and glad you dropped by. I will spend some time on your site one of these days, Wickus. There's a lot of snow to shovel and pheasants to hunt right now!

Dave

David J. Butterfield said...

hey, I just linked to you on my blog. Finally had time to look through your posts, good stuff. I started reading your book, too, and what I read was excellent.

PWTribune said...

Thanks David! I really appreciate it when people add me to their blog. Please don't take it personally if I don't add you to my blog. It really has nothing to do with your content, but I'm really trying to keep this a focused blog where the only topic is biblical study. I don't want to branch out into news. There are plenty of sites that do that and I don't want to be one of them. BUT I will add you as a thanks on this post. There's still people reading it. I'll put you on top.

I finished writing my book six or seven years ago, and there are a few things I wish were different, but overall it's good. Just make sure you read my Revelation 3:10 piece here on the blog. It's a TOTAL revision.

One of the things I'm not a fan of with my book is the NIV translation used. I used it because I was trying to speak to the typical pre-trib evangelical that has never studied the subject, and from what I've seen in my life, they usually read NIV. BUT now I wish I would have just used the NASB. It would have added to by book.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement.

Dave

Kathy Hall said...

Hi Dave,

I downloaded your book and am reading it as I have time. I was wondering why you'd used the NIV when I've noticed other comments where you preferred the NASB. Now I know. I also am reading Don Montgomery's book. I was wondering what you think of his timelines. I find your book a much easier read.

BTW, I hope to be up blogging again when I return from shooting my niece's wedding. Thanks for the encouragement at my blog.

Happy New Year.

Kathy

Anonymous said...

Dave,
It's me "Cheech", I just wanted to wish you and everyone here a blessed, prosperous, and safe New Year. God Bless, Raul, a.k.a. "Cheech"

PWTribune said...

Kathy,

I've read Don's book and have had some email conversations with him. He's a VERY humble guy. I've seen him get a lot of flack for his beliefs (on a message board) and he always responds with nothing but niceness.

BUT his timing is very messed up. He applies the 2300 evenings and mornings of Daniel 8 to the future "man" rather than to Antiochus Epiphanes. This doesn't work and has created the pre-wrath/post-trib position that is still correct about the fact that we will not avoid the Great Trib, but brings in many other issues that are jumbled.


AND happy new year to you, too, Cheech! ;)

Dave

Matthew Celestine said...

PWT, I did read Don Montgomery's book.

Would it not be more correct to describe him as Post-Trib rather than Pre-Wrath?

PWTribune said...

Dispy Fundy,

He's certainly post-trib, but not even a normal post-trib. Unfortunately he calls himself pre-wrath which only leads to more confusion for others and the pre-wrath position.

Dave

Matthew Celestine said...

I disagreed with quite a lot in his book.

Anonymous said...

Dave and Matthew,
I'm not familiar with that individual and his particular brand of "pre-wrath". But, in all fairness, there are variations in all eschatological camps, right? I mean, for instance, if you were to question any 10 pre-wrathers and ask them several eschatological questions. They would more than likely give different answers. But, the same would go for Pre-tribbers or Post-tribbers, etc... We've all seen supposed like-minded believers quabble and split hairs on various issues. It can be quite exhausting and frustrating.

Just my thoughts, Raul

PWTribune said...

Raul,

If you knew his position you would be glad to "split hairs." I'm looking at a chart in his book as I write this. Here's what he says:

The tribulation lasts about 9 years.

Jacob's Trouble lasts about 7 years.

The sacrifices are stopped at day 1260.

The great trib begins 2550 days after the covenant is confirmed.

Armageddon is over 9 years after the covenant is made.

The great trib lasts 45 days.

The sanctuary is cleansed 3560 days after the covenant is made. That's TEN years.

And so on and so forth. It's MESSED up. And the name pre-wrath IS somewhat valuable. We can't have everyone that says that we are raptured before God's wrath be calling their position pre-wrath. If so, even pre-tribbers can call themselves pre-wrath. After all, their rapture IS pre the wrath of God.

Dave

PWTribune said...

Raul,

PS Montgomery's abomination of desolation takes place after the 6th trumpet, and 2550 days after the covenant is confirmed. That over 7 years after the beginning of the 70th week.

Dave

Anonymous said...

Dave,
I SAY WE TAR AND FEATHER THE GUY! No, I'm joking of course. I see what you mean. I was just thinking in more general terms. Like I said, I didn't know the guy and his particular view. But, I should have been more clear and should have followed this thread. My bad. Oh, by the way, I meant to say "squabble", not "quabble", oops. You think that after 35 years, I would have mastered the English language by now. I make the same mistakes in Spanish. And, my Spanish friends are quick to correct me. It can be hard being bilingual [sigh]. Maybe in 10 or 20 more years, I can finally be completely fluent in both.:-)

Raul

Katherine Hall said...

It was a Christmas present. When my daughter asked what I would like for Christmas I told her any book on Prewrath and gave her a list of the ones I already had. She bought me DMs book. The subtitle does have Prewrath in it. It does make some excellent points in places but it was very confusing in other places. The timelines were definitely bothersome to me.

Matthew Celestine said...

He puts the rapture at the seventh trumpet which is quite a departure from classic Pre-Wrath.

Anonymous said...

Dave,
I have an idea. Perhaps, we should invite Don Montgomery to join us? Maybe he might be interested in explaining his reasoning? Of course, its just a suggestion on my part. It's your call Dave.

Raul

PWTribune said...

If he accidentally shows up he can certainly present his case, but most of it hinges on the fact that he applies the 2300 evenings and mornings of Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8) to the antichrist, and I don't see a need to TRY to get someone to do that.

I recently posted (in very short form) why I don't think this is possible on David Butterfield's blog. I may write a bit about it and include it in this "Beast Empire" study I'm working on one of these days.

Here's where I posted. I hope the whole link shows up.

http://davidjbutterfield.blogspot.com/2007/09/objectivity-disclaimer.html

Dave

PWTribune said...

It didn't. So copy and paste both sections below into your browser to find it.

http://davidjbutterfield.blogspot.com
/2007/09/objectivity-disclaimer.html

Dave

Anonymous said...

Dave,
Ah, I see, well forget that about inviting Mr. Montgomery. Anyway, I followed that link and read your post. You certainly make a good point about the 2300 evenings and mornings. As a side note, this Antiochus Epiphanes was quite a character wasn't he? Who knows, maybe his great-great-great...grandson will be the Anti-Christ? Now, wouldn't that be interesting if the bloodline ran from Antiochus Epiphanes through Adolph Hitler and others and then eventually to the Anti-Christ. Or, at least, possessed by the same demon(s)?

Raul

Matthew Celestine said...

Raul, I am sure that there are countless websites advocating similar ideas about bloodlines.

Some conspiracy-minded people seem to obsess over bloodlines.

Of course the problem with trying to prove that George W Bush is descended from the Sumerian kings is that it is always more certain who a person's mother is than who their father is!

God Bless

Matthew

PWTribune said...

Dyspi Fundi,

Are you saying that Antiocus' dad might have have been one of those that said, "I don't have any children...at least none that I KNOW OF?" :)

Anonymous said...

Matthew,
Oh, I know there are many conspiracy theories regarding the bloodline of the A/C. And, personally, I dismiss most of it. But, I seriously think that there might be some type of connection between Antiochus Epiphanes, Adolph Hitler and the coming A/C. It may or may not be hereditary (bloodline), but I seriously think that there is some type of "spiritual connection and influence" by the SAME evil entity, "...the angel of the abyss; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek has the name Apollyon".

Just my thoughts, Raul

Matthew Celestine said...

Raul, I dont think I agree with that idea for reasons I won't go into here.

Matthew Celestine said...

PWT, I was more thinking of the expression "Moma's, yes. Papa's maybe."

Or something like that.

Anonymous said...

Matthew,
Now, you're scarying me. Write me at rauldelgado777@yahoo.com pronto and tell me. Seriously, if I goofed or am missing something, I really want to know. I'm not beyond correction. I'll be checking my e-mail...

Anonymous said...

Matthew,
By the way, I got that "idea" from the following article, by Dr. Gavin Finley. He certainly says it better that I do. Maybe the jist of it got lost in translation? Please, check it out...

http://endtimepilgrim.org/restrainer.htm

Matthew Celestine said...

Raul, I am sure I have read that article before.

Like most modern expositors it assumes the antichrist is the Beast, rather than the false prophet. I prefer J.N. Darby;s view that the antichrist is the false prophet.

My mind is not made up as to the restrainer. Like Robert Gundry, I think the restrainer could be the Holy Spirit and I do not believe this would prove Pre-Tribulationalism.

God Bless

Matthew

Anonymous said...

Matthew,
I see, ok, thanks.

Raul