<![CDATA[PROPHECY UPDATE - Prophecy Update Blog]]>Sun, 01 Aug 2021 11:56:23 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Great Harvest]]>Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:29:52 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/the-great-harvestThe Great Harvest - By Randy Nettles - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/17/the-great-harvest-by-randy-nettles/
In giving the laws for His people, God set several appointed “Feasts of the Lord” for Israel to observe at specific times during the Year (Leviticus 23). These Feasts were holy convocations or assembly meetings for the Hebrew people. They were to be celebrated from that time in the wilderness when God first gave the Law, and would carry on into the future to commemorate what God did for them when He delivered them from centuries of slavery in Egypt. They were first observed when Joshua and the Israelites entered the Promised Land in 1406 B.C. (Joshua 5:10-12).
The seven seasonal Feasts of the Lord are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. The reason God wanted Moses and the children of Israel to observe the mostly lunar calendar was for these seasonal Feast days. The New Year starts with the first new moon of spring when barley is mostly ripe. Passover is always to occur on the first full moon of spring. The Feast of Tabernacles is also observed on a full moon, during the full moon of autumn.
Most Bible scholars believe these Feasts have a dual fulfillment. One was fulfilled historically by Israel in the past, and the other has and will be fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the first four Feasts during his First Coming and will fulfill the last three at His Second Coming. His is the ultimate fulfillment… that is why they are called the Feasts of the Lord and not the Feasts of Israel.
In this article we will look at three of the major Feasts of the Lord, where all adult male Jews were required to attend at the Temple in Jerusalem. They include the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatztot), Pentecost (Pesach), and Tabernacles (Sukkot). Passover is included in the convocation of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. All three of these major Feasts occurred during the Jews three harvest times: barley in the spring, wheat in the early summer, and fruit and olives in the fall season. Both the Feasts and harvests have prophetic implications regarding the Lord Jesus. Some of this material (Feasts and calendars) is taken from an earlier article I wrote on this subject. For more information, with more detail please see: Ancient Calendar, Feast Days, & Daniel 12:11, Part 1 :: By Randy Nettles (raptureready.com)
Passover took place when the last and most terrible of the ten plagues against Egypt occurred. God sent a plague (probably an angel of death) to kill every firstborn human and cattle in Egypt. The firstborn children and cattle of Israel were not targeted as long as the Jewish people applied the blood of a lamb without blemish to the doorposts of their houses. When the angel saw the blood, he passed over that home to continue his execution of the firstborn of the Egyptians. This last plague resulted in the release and freedom of Moses’ people during the evening hours of Passover on Nisan 14 in the year 1446 B.C.
Passover was ultimately fulfilled by Jesus when He died on the cross for the sins of mankind. This occurred on Thursday, Nisan 14 (April 2 on Julian calendar or March 31 on Gregorian calendar) in the year A.D. 33. Four days earlier, on Nisan 10, Jesus had fulfilled prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey as the king of Israel.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Unfortunately, the ruling Jewish elite and the majority of the people did not recognize him as such. He was “cut off” from his immediate kingship of Israel on that day.
On the original Passover for Moses and the children of Israel, the blood of the lamb foreshadowed the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God. When we accept His sacrifice, we are no longer judged and sentenced to eternal death because of our sins. Passover is always observed on Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar. It occurs on different days of the week.
During the night of the Passover exodus, the Jews prepared to leave Egypt in great haste. The food they carried with them was unleavened bread – matzo, since they didn’t have time for leavened bread to rise. The feast of Unleavened Bread is the second feast of the Lord and lasts for seven days, from Nisan 15 to 21, whereas no bread is to be eaten with leaven. Leaven or yeast represents sin in the Bible.
The prophetic fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is understood in the fact that for 7 days the Jews could not eat yeast, nor even have it in their houses. It had to be taken completely away. 7 is the number that represents Divine completion, so having no leaven for 7 days symbolizes completely taking away our sins.
When Jesus died on the cross, He took away all of our sins and cancelled the Law’s indictments against us. Jesus Christ, the “Bread of Life,” was buried in a tomb on the day of his crucifixion and was in the earth for 3 days and 3 nights. He purged out our sins and ultimately fulfilled the second Feast of the Lord known as Unleavened Bread.
The third Feast of the Lord is celebrated on the first day after the Sabbath/Saturday that follows Passover, and is known as the Feast of Firstfruits. This Feast is not a date-specific one like Passover and Unleavened Bread but is a day-of-the-week specific one, as it always occurs on a Sunday. The Feast of Firstfruits was the time for the harvesting of the early barley crops of spring.
Concerning this Feast, the Lord told Moses, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it” (Leviticus 23:9-11).
Throughout the 40 years that Israel wandered in the desert, God provided supernatural food, manna (angel food/bread), to feed the growing nation.
The Bible records that after 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua and the Hebrew people crossed over the Jordan River and ate the Passover Supper on the 14th of Nisan. The next day, on the 15th of Nisan, the Jews ate of the old corn of the land. The next day, the 16th day of Nisan, was the last day in which God provided the supernatural manna as food. The day following was the 17th day of Nisan, the Feast of Firstfruits, and with no more manna available, the people began to eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year – the firstfruits of the Promised Land. The Feast celebrated Israel’s acknowledgement that not only the firstfruits were owed to God, but that all they had was from God, a daily gift from His gracious hand.
Jesus was resurrected on the third day after Passover, on Sunday, the 17th day of Nisan, in the year A.D. 33. This monumental event is referred to as Resurrection Sunday. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Jesus also resurrected others from death during this time. “The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27: 52-53). Although there have been several resurrections of dead people before Jesus, they all died again. Jesus is the only one that has been raised from the dead and is living now in heaven with a resurrected body that is made for eternity. He is the first of his kind in this regard with many more to follow Him in the near future.
By resurrecting many of the Old Testament saints on this Feast of Firstfruits, Christ proved that His power over death was not limited to Himself alone. Many ancient Christian writers refer to this miraculous resurrection of the dead. This event, together with more than five hundred eyewitnesses to the risen Christ, assisted in the rapid spread of the Christian faith… as per 1 Corinthians 15:4-6. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits.
The fourth Feast of the Lord, Pentecost (Feast of Weeks/Feast of Harvest), is celebrated 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits in late spring/early summer. Pentecost, or Shavuot to the Jews, celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. The name Pentecost comes from the word “penta” meaning 50.
“And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete. Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord” (Leviticus 23:15-16).
Since the Feast of Firstfruits always occurs on a Sunday, so must Pentecost. It is another day-specific Feast and can occur on different dates of the Hebrew calendar.
Originally, Pentecost was celebrated because it was the beginning of the summer harvest. But in A.D. 135, after the final defeat of the Jewish nation (under the leadership of Simon ben Kosiba, popularly known as Bar Kokhba) by Roman legions, the Sanhedrin changed the focus of Shavuot from the summer harvest to the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses. They did this because Shavuot was one of the 3 Feasts in which all male Jews were required to observe and gather together, and the defeated and dispersed nation of Israel would no longer have any national harvests to celebrate.
From that time on, the Jewish leaders decided that Pentecost would occur 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread instead of the Feast of Firstfruits. So now, in their eyes, Shavuot can come any day of the week and always takes place on the 6th day of the 3rd Hebrew month of Sivan. This dating method for Pentecost is not biblically correct. For more information on the date of Pentecost and the date of the Ten Commandments, see: Ancient Calendars, Feast Days, & Daniel 12:11 – Part 2 :: By Randy Nettles (raptureready.com)
Pentecost should always fall on Sunday and can come on different dates other than Sivan 6. Pentecost should always come 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits. God’s special number 7 is in focus as 7 Sabbaths must transpire between these two Feasts of the Lord. The starting point is the 1st Sabbath (Saturday) after Passover. The next day, Sunday, is the 1st day. The 7th Saturday is the 49th day. The next day, Sunday, is the 50th day… from Sunday to Sunday.
The Feast of Pentecost is very significant to Christians as well as to Jews. Pentecost celebrated the beginning of the wheat grain harvest, during the early summer months. But of course, what Pentecost is most remembered for is the giving of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ disciples. Precisely 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits, 120 of His disciples gathered together in one place to await the promise of Christ.
“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). On the 7th day of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar, in A.D.33, the Holy Spirit manifested Himself, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
‘Those ordinary people, His disciples, were transformed on that day into men of extraordinary spiritual power who would challenge their world of abject paganism with a dynamic Christian movement that not even the might of Rome could stop.
Within a few days, over three thousand Jews became believers. Reliable reports suggest that despite horrible persecutions, tortures, and massive executions, within 70 years over 10 million believers had joined the underground Christian Church throughout the Roman Empire. Jesus fulfilled his prophecy to his disciples, and God baptized them with his Holy Spirit. The feast of Pentecost began the Dispensation of Grace, and the Church was born. It consisted of Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.’ {1}
The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Feast of Ingathering, is the last of the 7 Feasts of the Lord and the most joyous. It occurs on the 15th day of Tishri and lasts for 7 days. The purpose of this Feast is recorded in Leviticus 23, verses 33-34 and verses 42-43: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord… You shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
Not only did the children of Israel dwell in tents during the 40 years in the wilderness, but God did as well. God’s Shekinah glory dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moses during the wilderness years of the nation of Israel. “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35).
The dedication of King Solomon’s Temple occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles in the year 959 BC. “Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim (Tishri), which is the seventh month” (1 Kings 8:1-2).
“And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:62-63). “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:10-11).
During this celebration of Tabernacles, which occurs during the fall harvest season, the people were to live in booths for 7 days that were made of sticks or branches in remembrance of when their ancestors lived in the wilderness for 40 years. The day after the 7th day (the 8th day) is designated as a “solemn assembly” for the children of Israel.
The Feast of Tabernacles will ultimately be fulfilled by the Lord Jesus when He establishes His Millennial Kingdom of peace on the earth. “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one… And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:9, 16).
As mentioned before, the three major Feasts of the Lord that all adult Jewish males were required to attend were the Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover), Pentecost, and Tabernacles. They were commanded to make the pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem so they could participate in the festivities and worship of their God and to make sacrifices (grain and animals) to Him.
These three Feasts of the Lord were centered around their agricultural harvest times. The children of Israel were mostly an agricultural society, so harvest time was very important to them. It was something that they could definitely relate to; that is why Jesus told many of his parables in reference to crops and food.
Barley was the main food crop that was harvested during the Feast of Firstfruits in the spring. Wheat was the grain crop that was harvested during Pentecost and occurred in the late spring/early summer. Fruit and olives were the main foods that were harvested during Tabernacles in the fall season.
During the two grain crop harvests, the first task was to bring a small sample or “firstfruits” into the house of the Lord. The priest was to wave a sheaf of the grain unto the Lord during Firstfruits and two loafs of baked bread during Pentecost, in effect thanking the Lord for his bounty and asking for the Lord’s blessing upon them. The very name “firstfruits” implies that there is more to come after the first is given. This tradition of the waving of the firstfruit sheafs were incorporated into these Feasts of the Lord to be a statute forever throughout the Israelites generations in all their dwellings.
During the fall harvest of Tabernacles, the priests were to make a wave offering to the Lord that was much different than the other two grain wave offerings. They were to take a fruit of the citrus trees, a branch of the palm trees, a bough of a leafy tree, and a branch of the willow tree/bush and tie them together, and then wave them before the Lord. This was to be done on all of the days of the Tabernacle Feast except the Sabbath. These were all trees that were native to the land of Judea.
One of the definitions of the word “firstfruits” is: the first agricultural produce of a season, especially when given as an offering to God. Firstfruits is mentioned 33 times in the Bible. 33 is a number that is associated with Jesus as I wrote about in several of my articles. See: https://www.raptureready.com/2018/10/19/gods-perfect-number-part-1-randy-nettles/. Firstfruits is first mentioned in Exodus. Moses, under God’s directive, commanded the people to bring the firstfruits of the crops of the land (when they came into the Promised Land) into the house of the Lord.
Jesus was resurrected on Nisan 17, AD 33 on the 3rd day after Passover, on the Feast of Firstfruits. If that is not prophetic, I don’t know what is! Jesus was the firstfruits of the first harvest (of the dead) that was brought into the house of the Lord. Symbolically he was the sheaf that was waved by the high priest signaling that the crop was ripe and ready to be harvested.
While the sheaf was being waved by the priest in the Temple at Jerusalem, God was “waving” the resurrected Jesus in heaven, signifying the bountiful harvest to come at the Rapture. On earth, in the Promised Land of Israel, the harvest that follows the barley crop of Firstfruits is the wheat crop of Pentecost. In heaven (our true Promised Land), will the harvest of Jesus, as the firstfruits of the dead, be followed by the more abundant harvest/rapture of the Church saints at Pentecost? I don’t know for sure; nobody does. However, I do agree with the late Bible teacher and scholar, Jack Kelley, who believed that the Rapture doesn’t have to occur on a Feast of the Lord day, but if it does, Pentecost is the most likely candidate. There is no conclusive evidence of this, only circumstantial evidence (clues) in the way of typology.
At Pentecost two loaves of baked bread with yeast were waved. The two loaves could represent the dead and living Church-age saints to be resurrected and translated at the Rapture. As mentioned before, yeast represents sin. The Church is comprised entirely of sinners (yet repentant).
Another typology is the comparison of the feast of weeks to the Jubilee of Israel. The 7 weekly Sabbaths needed for Pentecost (50th day) to come after Firstfruits is reminiscent of the 7 yearly Sabbaths of rest for the Jubilee to occur. The Jubilee (50th year) was supposed to be a year of rest for the people, work animals, and land of the Promised Land. “And you shall hallow the 50th year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to the inhabitants there, it shall be a jubilee unto you; and you shall return every man unto his possession (home), and you shall return every man unto his family” (Leviticus 25:10).
There is no proof that the Jews ever let the land rest for a year or celebrated the Jubilee. If the Rapture does happen on Pentecost (after 7 Sabbaths from Firstfruits), it will definitely be a year of jubilee with the slaves of sin being set free and returning to their home in the Promised Land of heaven, where they will rest from their labor.
Another typology of the Rapture occurring on Pentecost is the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. The story occurs around Pentecost during the final summer harvest of the grain fields owned by Boaz of the tribe of Judah. The story takes place in Bethlehem, which means “house of bread.” Jesus, the “Bread of Life,” was born in Bethlehem, the house of bread. During Jesus’ birth, the angels announced the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds in the fields that Boaz had owned around Bethlehem.
Boaz was the son of Rahab, the Jericho harlot (turned hero) from the Book of Joshua. He was the great grandfather of King David. As “kinsmen redeemer” Boaz redeemed his Jewish relative Naomi, and took Ruth (a Moabite) as his Gentile bride. This is just exactly what our kinsman redeemer, Jesus Christ, will do when He returns at the Rapture. He will come to redeem Israel, and in the process, the Lord will take a Gentile bride, the Church, and thus He will save the inheritance of both.
Another interesting fact is the timing of Pentecost, which occurs in early summer. Pentecost is in between the three early spring feasts and the three fall feasts. Likewise, the Rapture will take place between the First Coming of Jesus and the Second Coming of Jesus to the Earth. Some believe since the Church started on the day of Pentecost (where 3,000 souls were saved) that it will also end on a near future day of Pentecost.
40 days after Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits, he ascended up to heaven. 10 days later, God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to 120 of Jesus’ disciples, and the Church was born. Jesus had prophesied about the Holy Spirit to his disciples before his death. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). If Jesus did not fulfill the Feast of Pentecost by sending the Holy Spirit (for the Father sent Him), then it still remains to be fulfilled. By the Rapture, perhaps?
The two cornerstones of Rapture prophecies were given by the apostle Paul nearly two decades after the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). The Greek word for “caught up” is “harpazō” and means “to seize, or carry off by force” or “to snatch away.”
There are two firstfruits that have preceded and prefigured the harvest of souls known as the Rapture. Enoch and Elijah were the firstfruits of living believers to be caught up in a type of Rapture. In 2 Kings 2:11 Elijah is said to be taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. The Hebrew word “heaven” is the same word used in Genesis 1:6-8 to describe the sky (or 1st heaven). I believe he was taken up into the sky, and then his soul went to Paradise where all Old Testament believers went before Jesus came. Something similar happened to Enoch. Neither one experienced death in the sense of “passing away.” These firstfruits of the harvest will be followed in the near future by all those believers who are still alive when Jesus returns for them at the Rapture.
Of course, Jesus was the firstfruits of dead believers to be translated with a new body and taken into heaven. This supernatural event will be duplicated when Jesus returns with the dead in Christ at the Rapture. Both the dead and living saints will receive their new spiritual bodies and will be taken into the 3rd heaven, where they will be with the Lord Jesus forevermore.
Jesus will return to the earth (Second Coming) on a future Feast of Trumpets day during the end days of the Tribulation, thus fulfilling this fifth Feast of the Lord. He will return as the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords. He will save a remnant of his Jewish saints as well as a remnant of the Gentile saints that survive the Tribulation (see Isaiah 60). The surviving believers will atone for their former transgression (unbelief) against Him on the Day of Atonement, thus fulfilling this sixth Feast of the Lord.
‘The Lord will summon the tribulation survivors from all over the world to the Kidron Valley for a series of judgments (Joel 3:1-2). Using their actions as evidence of their faith, He will separate the believers from the unbelievers. He’ll welcome the believers into His Kingdom while consigning unbelievers to the outer darkness (Matt. 24:45-25:46). The believing survivors who enter Jesus’ Kingdom will eventually re-populate the nations. Jesus and the believing survivors will tabernacle together on the Feast of Tabernacles and will prepare for the soon-coming Millennium Kingdom to arrive, thus fulfilling the last of the 7 Feasts of the Lord.
One of the Lord’s first official acts after assuming His role as King of the whole Earth will be to have Satan bound in chains for the duration of His 1,000-year reign (Rev. 20:1-30). At that time, the martyrs from Daniel’s 70th week will join Old Testament believers in receiving their resurrection bodies” (Daniel 12:1-2, Rev. 20:4).’ {2}
This will be like a reverse rapture where, instead of being caught up into heaven, these saints (with their new immortal bodies), along with the Church saints who were resurrected and translated at the Rapture, will be brought down to the earth where they will spend the Millennium with the Lord ruling the nations. Instead of grapes and olives being gathered during the time of Tabernacles, it will be one of human souls being “ingathered” into the newly upgraded earth. See: The End Of The Age, And Beyond :: by Jack Kelley – Rapture Ready
Near the end of the Millennium, Satan and his evil followers will be defeated by God who will rain down fire from heaven upon them after one last coup attempt against King Jesus. Satan will be cast down into the Lake of Fire where the Anti-Christ and false prophet are. At this point, the Great White Throne Judgment will begin with God judging the unbelieving dead of all the ages. The Book of Deeds and the Book of Life will be opened, and the dead will be judged, each one according to his works.
“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15). At the end of the Millennium Kingdom, there will be one more harvest before eternity begins (and never ends). The living and deceased saints of the Millennium age will be translated with a heavenly body to enter into the New Jerusalem and the New Earth.
Brothers and sisters, it’s time to go to work, for the harvest is nearly upon us. Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves (Luke 10:2-3).
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Randy Nettles
{1} “Appointment with Destiny – Armageddon” by Grant R. Jeffrey, pg. 65
{2} The End Of The Age, And Beyond :: by Jack Kelley – Rapture Ready
<![CDATA[Bible Prophecy Leaps into Open Display]]>Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:48:03 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/bible-prophecy-leaps-into-open-displayBible Prophecy Leaps into Open Display - By Gene Lawley - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/02/01/bible-prophecy-leaps-into-open-display-by-gene-lawley/
It’s done! The New World Order is finally on the agenda for open action. America will now have what essentially will be a dictatorship of leftist ideology that points to a one-world government. That is the dream of many in our United States and around the world.
In the results of Congressional decisions on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, we can see that more likely than not, the “falling away” from lawfulness which 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 speaks of will follow in a short time. The appointments Biden has named for cabinet posts and administration positions tell us much of what to expect, along with his own declaration of actions to come.
A close look at the lack of moral integrity in the Democrat Party’s inner core can be found in the actions of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during the 2012 election campaign. One day he reported that a “friend” had told him that Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for president, “had not filed his income taxes for ten years!” He was asked to reveal the name of “his friend,” but he exclaimed, “Why ask him? Ask Mitt Romney; he is the one who did not file his tax returns!” When the truth came out that Romney, indeed, had filed his tax returns, Reid replied, with a straight face, “He didn’t win, did he?”
That old saying of dishonest achievement—“the end results justify the means”—worked without any recompense to the senator, except for the resulting blight on his own character. That “safe spot” where the senator stood to make his charge has worked well for subsequent leftist majority leaders as well for their equally untrue charges.
The position of the Democrats, as they have identified themselves in their actions during the past five years, is to reverse all of the changes the Trump administration has put in place. Those who voted for the principles of law and order, sexual morality, elimination of abortion on demand, justice for all, and obedience to the Constitution as it was written, will see the benefits of all those things reversed and lost in the Biden administration. It will be as it was, and worse, during Trump’s campaign and term of office when constant protesting and every crooked scheme imaginable was employed. Even to a second impeachment by the House, at the time of this writing, and further action expected in the Senate after Biden’s move into the oval office on January 20.
There is a loud clamor among some of the new leftist Democratic majority dictatorship to eradicate all who voted for Donald Trump. It appears that all of this will be fully accepted by the collective “deep state” who have infested the nation’s government in untold numbers.
Now, none of those deep investigations and findings of guilt in need of prosecution and punishment will be continued. Justice will not be served, even though every day when Congress and all of the various committees start their business, they all pledge allegiance to the flag and the Republic for which it stands, and they end it, in unison, “with liberty and justice for all!” I am confident that many of them—based on their word and action—have no intention of living that pledge.
Sounds like quite an indictment, doesn’t it? A pledge of allegiance to the nation and justice for all, just what must not happen if a New World Order is to be accomplished.
It would be very hard to get any law or ruling established that would require any elected or appointed person to submit to a hearing of how well they performed their oath of office after each two years is served, when the results would indicate their right to continue in office.
What does God say about these things?
I have thought much about these proverbs of Solomon and their revelation of the character of God. Think with me for a moment on these:
Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of God is to hate evil.”
Proverbs 9:10 – “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Romans 3:18 – “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Psalm 53:1 – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Why am I calling this election result such a leap forward in prophecy fulfillment? It is because it embraces all that the leftists have promoted in their love for evil. Is not Lot’s Sodom a picture of what Jesus said it would be like when the Son of Man is revealed? (Genesis 18 and Luke 17:28-30).
Now that their philosophy is in place, with a dictatorial majority, evil will increase dramatically. It is disappointing, yet as a furtherance of God’s plan to come to the end of this age, it is positive. That plan includes the allowance of increasing evil—the “falling away”—so that the Antichrist will be fully accepted when he, then, can arrive. The introduction of the Antichrist will be by the taking away of “He who restrains” or holds back evil until it is God’s Appointed Time for that to happen. The Antichrist cannot come while the “restrainer” is still in the world, and He, who lives in His believers, will take them out of the way of that sudden judgment that will occur. If the Spirit-indwelt believers in Christ are still here, the Rapture has not come, and the Antichrist has not arrived. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 tells it plainly:
“And now you know what is restraining, that he [Antichrist] may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”
What is that “mystery of lawlessness” mentioned there? It is that incessant, driving activity of evil that takes over society with even the slightest opportunity, even by constantly working to create those opportunities. The news media is notable at that task by not reporting the news at all or by twisting it to produce a contrary result. But note what the Restrainer is also constantly doing—holding back that expression of evil with godly forces of righteousness by the Spirit-indwelt believers in Christ. Satan and his servants can only come as “thieves who only steal, kill and destroy,” according to John 10:10a. And he can do nothing else. There is no righteousness in him—none!
(Some have claimed that this “Restrainer” cannot be the Holy Spirit who goes away, for He is of the Trinity and fills all things. But remember also that Jesus fills the hearts of all true believers, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), but this is because they do not “rightly divide the Word of Truth.”)
This “snatching away,” as is the Greek meaning, is the removing of the body of born-again believers from the destruction of judgment that is to come suddenly. Revelation 3:10 is an everlasting promise to the righteous:
Throughout the centuries, God has held back the encroaching evil with His own intervention and with the presence of Spirit-filled believers in churches where He is obeyed and served with godliness. The historical church, as seen in the world, is not the church that is the body of Christ.
When that One who restrains, that body of believers is removed, it will be as sudden as the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of a trumpet, then Jesus will come quickly to meet those believers in the clouds – first, those who have died, then, those who are alive, and receive them to Himself for all eternity.
Therefore, as these thoughts have indicated, the events happening in our time move us forward in the prophetic timeline very much closer to the end of this age. The very nature of the overall reasoning that allowed the Biden presidency to take place is glaring proof, in my opinion, that it lacks moral integrity and justice.
Primarily, it was the refusal to openly consider, at every level, the validity of any of the mountains of evidence that a massive, fraudulent effort has prevailed, for which 75 million legal voters will not likely forgive nor forget.
Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com
<![CDATA[Here It Comes]]>Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:54:49 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/here-it-comesHere It Comes - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/30/here-it-comes-by-daymond-duck/
It is my desire to stop writing about the election and direct more of my time to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, but the election has major prophetic implications, and the two issues cannot be separated.
Pres. Trump promised a peaceful transition of power, and he and Melania left the White House with grace and humility.
Here are some quotes that may interest you:
·      “The purpose of the New World Order is to bring the world into a world government” (Winston Churchill).
·      “Out of these troubled times [out of the Persian Gulf War], our [America’s] fifth objective—a new world order—can emerge” (Geo. H. W. Bush, 1990).
·      “I learned to love the New World Order” (Joe Biden, Apr. 23, 1992).
·      “The hierarchy [of the U.N.], among other things, had called for world government to be achieved in STAGES through the forming of world administrative REGIONS. This was in accordance with the U.N. charter, which encourages the implementation and administration of world government on a REGIONAL basis” (Edmund J. Osmanneczyk, 1995).
·      “What I am trying to do [to build a global system] is to promote a process of reorganization of the world” (Bill Clinton, 1997).
·      “Within four years, we will see the beginning of a new international order” (Henry Kissinger 2008).
·      “The burdens of global citizenship bind us together” (Barack Obama, July 24, 2008).
·      “To bring about the New World Order, we have to have a new consciousness” [a new spiritual ethic, or new world religion] (Henry Kissinger, Jan. 12, 2009).
·      Concerning who will head up the New World Order, “We’re trusting that he will be President Obama” (Henry Kissinger, 2009).
·      “The affirmative task we have now is to actually create a new world order” (Then Vice-Pres. Joe Biden, Apr. 5, 2013).
·      “I believe we and mainly you [the U.S. Air Force Academy graduating class] have an incredible opportunity to lead in shaping a new world order for the 21st century…” (Joe Biden, May 28, 2014).
·      “You are about to graduate into a complex and borderless world” (Biden’s new Climate Change Czar, John Kerry, May 6, 2016).
Globalists have big plans, but they are not in control; they just think they are.
The more they reject God; and the more they turn against His people; and the closer they move toward world government; the more they stir His wrath, and the closer God’s people are to the Rapture.
Here are some of my thoughts on current events:
·      On Jan. 20, 2021, the “America First” president was replaced with a “Fundamentally Transform America” president.
·      This “fundamental transformation” of America involves the submission of America to a godless world government (the New World Order, The Great Reset, the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development goals, etc.).
·      Biden has already announced his intent to undo Trump’s America First policies, rejoin the Paris Climate Accords, rejoin the World Health Organization, halt America’s departure from the World Trade Organization, halt construction on the Keystone Pipeline and border wall, review and reverse more than 100 Trump policies on the environment, stop immigration enforcement in the U.S., and more.
·      Biden announced support for things (other than world government) that go against the Scriptures: taxpayer-funded abortions for everyone up to the moment of birth (murder of babies), nominate judges that support abortion, allow gays to serve openly in the military, reinstate Title IX that lets transgenders use bathrooms according to their gender identity (men use women’s bathrooms, etc.), etc. Think about this. Through a Political Action Committee (PAC), Planned Parenthood gave more than 27 million dollars to Biden’s election, and now Biden is going to give Planned Parenthood millions and millions of taxpayer dollars to kill babies.
·      Biden has already cut America’s defense budget, cut the Space Force budget, transformed money budgeted for America’s nuclear arsenal to FEMA, and threatened to fire at least two Generals (one in the Army and another in the Air Force) that questioned these cuts. There is speculation that a military purge is coming to replace patriot-minded officers with officers that will pledge allegiance to the U.N. Here is a link to an article about this: https://beforeitsnews.com/blogging-citizen-journalism/2021/01/generals-tell-trump-we-got-your-back-2649650.html
·      Biden dissolved the 1776 Commission designed to teach patriotism in public schools and replaced it with a group “to assist agencies in assessing equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability.”
·      Simply put, “Here It Comes” means that I believe the Biden administration intends to support policies that will lead to the rise of the Ten Kings, world government, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, tracking everyone, godlessness, the Tribulation Period, etc.
·      The shadow government controls every branch of the U.S. government, and, as I see it, there will be a surge forward with no going back. In his first six days in office, Biden signed more executive orders than the last four presidents combined (and one of his officials said there are more to come).
·      How long it will take to bring in the world government is unknown, but I expect the shadow government to push Biden to accomplish as much as he can before the next election two years from now.
·      No one knows the day or hour of the Rapture, but whenever it happens, the Restrainer will be removed, and godless world government will go into overdrive.
Here are several stories that made the news:
One, Biden asked a “Christian” preacher friend to offer the benediction at his inauguration, and the preacher closed his prayer, not in the name of Jesus, but “in the strong name of our collective faith.”
Praying in “the strong name of our collective faith” is the kind of reprobate thinking that left God out of the Democrat Party Platform.
Their total one-party control of the U.S. government will cause them to fully support a godless one-world religion and government.
The Bible clearly teaches that God will put up with this godless world government nonsense for 7 years, but if He did not bring it to an end, no flesh would be saved.
The pastor’s prayer is also evidence of a sick, lukewarm Church that tickles people’s ears instead of proclaiming the truth.
Two, on Jan. 23, 2021, a bomb exploded at First Works Baptist Church in El Monte, Cal.
Hate messages were painted on the inside walls of the church.
Several news organizations ignored the bombing and blamed the church for preaching against same-sex marriage.
These people appear to believe it is okay to blow up a church if the preacher preaches the Scriptures.
Three, on Jan. 20, 2021, an unidentified person in the U.S. State Dept. decided that the U.S. Ambassador to Israel will now be called the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
The person that made that decision posted it on the State Dept. website, and it appears that whoever did it does not believe that the West Bank and Gaza should be part of Israel.
Some say the Biden administration also plans to change the U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Two weeks ago, I wrote that God had a reason for putting Trump in office, He has a reason for removing Trump, and He has a reason for putting Biden in office.
I tend to believe God is ready to let world government advance, and He removed Trump because Trump would have been in the way.
I also tend to believe that God put Biden in office because He wants Israel to trust Him, not Trump or the U.S., for protection.
Unfortunately, most Christians do not know enough Bible prophecy to recognize the danger that dividing Israel poses to America.
According to the Bible, those that try to cut Israel into pieces at the end of the age will be cut into pieces.
(Note: Before this article was sent to the editor, the State Dept. reversed itself on the issue and went back to calling the U.S. Ambassador the Ambassador to Israel.)
Four, concerning pestilences, my last week’s article noted that a group of U.S. doctors believe Ivermectin is safe and effective for preventing Covid in most people.
The article also noted that India has developed an inexpensive, effective, and safe Covid Ivermectin treatment kit.
On Jan. 19, 2021, it was reported that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has upgraded Ivermectin from “against the drug” to “not for or against the drug.”
According to the article, this opens the door for doctors to feel safe in prescribing it and for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve it for emergency use if they choose to do so.
I found Ivermectin searching “Ivermectin for humans” at amazon.com.
There is also an apple-flavored paste, and a reader told me about a nurse that puts it in peanut butter.
I am just passing this information on for people to make their own decision.
Five, concerning persecution, much of the hatred that has been dumped on Trump over the last 4 years is now being directed toward those that voted for him.
·      Since Jan. 15, 2021, more than 22,000 people have signed a petition to have Franklin Graham fired from Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc. for supporting Pres. Trump.
·      On Jan. 20, 2021, the Daily Beast published an article calling for a new “secret police” force to spy on Trump supporters because the FBI and NSA will not sufficiently punish these Americans.
·      Many Christians and conservatives are expressing concern that Biden’s support for the LGBTQ agenda (biological males in women’s bathrooms, etc.), and Pelosi’s rule that people in Congress are not allowed to say man, woman, etc., will lead to people being denounced as homophobes, etc. One reader e-mailed me to say there will be a tremendous effort to pervert the children that are not killed by abortion.
·      It has been reported that Katie Couric is calling for Trump supporters to be deprogrammed in re-education camps and for members of Congress that question the accuracy of the election to be punished. This could pit brother against brother just like Jesus said because the left wants to silence and shame those that disagree with them.
·      On Jan. 20, 2021, it was reported that former FBI Director James Comey said the Republican Party “needs to be burned down or changed.” He asked, “Who would want to be part of an organization that at its core is built on lies and racism and know-nothingism?” Comey is a proven liar, and there is evidence that he used false evidence to protect Hillary Clinton when she destroyed thousands of e-mails.
·      On Jan. 21, 2021, it was reported that a columnist for the Washington Post is calling for Fox News to be kicked off the air for “radicalizing people and setting them on the path of violence and sedition.”
I pray that Jesus will Rapture the Church off the earth before the persecution gets too bad, but judgment must begin at the house of God (I Pet. 4:17).
It falls on believers first, and it falls harder on unbelievers second (persecution of the Church signifies a greater persecution is coming on the lost).
Six, after constantly condemning Trump’s handling of Covid and claiming that he (Biden) will vaccinate a million people a day, concerning Covid, on Jan. 23, 2021, Biden said there is “nothing we can do about the trajectory.”
He added, “In the next few months, masks, not vaccinations, are the single best defense against Covid.”
Seven, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog in the latter years and latter days, on Jan. 20 it was reported that a senior Israeli official said if Biden returns to the same terms of Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, Israel will have nothing to discuss with him.
Biden is clearly interested in returning to the deal but said Iran must start complying first.
To summarize this article, concerning world government, I am not like Chicken Little, who claimed the sky is falling (world government indicates many good things such as the approaching rapture; reign of Jesus; peace, justice, and righteousness on earth; etc.), but I am saying get prepared because here it comes.
Some are saying a police state and persecution are coming.
U.S. Josh Hawley recently said, “You can go to church now, but you may not be allowed to go to the church of your choice in two years.”
As far as many of you are concerned, your pastor will never tell you about these things, so I suggest that a good place to get started is hischannel.com.
Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond Duck
<![CDATA[Rightly Dividing God’s Word Keeps us Focused on Jesus’ Appearing]]>Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:46:01 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/rightly-dividing-gods-word-keeps-us-focused-on-jesus-appearingRightly Dividing God’s Word Keeps us Focused on Jesus’ Appearing – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2021/1/26/rightly-dividing-gods-word-keeps-us-focused-on-jesus-appearing
As a child, I loved AWANA and grew up with its motto verse hanging on the wall of my bedroom. It read, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15, KJV).
The Greek word for “rightly dividing” literally means to “cut straight” with the implication of interpreting Scripture accurately. The English Standard Version translates the phrase as “rightly handling the word of truth.”
Over the many years, I have observed that much doctrinal error has arisen because of a failure to heed the instruction Paul gives us in 2 Timothy 2:15. Many fail to handle Scripture accurately because they do not make proper distinctions in their interpretation of it. They do this by either ignoring the overall context of a passage, failing to recognize the audience to whom the author is addressing, ignoring the dispensation to which the text refers, or by way of all of the above. As a result, they fall short of accurately handling God’s Word; they do not cut a straight path through it as prescribed by 2 Timothy 2:15.
Here are some examples of how teachers combine biblical teachings that Scripture separates.
If you attend a Bible-believing church, you will likely hear at least one sermon each year on the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). There’s nothing wrong in emphasizing our task as believers to proclaim the Gospel and then bring the saints to maturity through the teaching of God’s Word. The problem is that so many churches emphasize the Great Commission while remaining silent on biblical texts pertaining to our “blessed hope.”
This silence leads to another dilemma in the church; it happens when teachers and pastors confuse or even combine the mission of the church with its hope. The prime example of this is C. Porter Wagner. During his life he authored eighty books and served as the Professor of Church Growth at the Fuller Theological Seminary's School of World Missions until his retirement in 2001. Sadly, he promoted the false teaching of Dominion Theology, which teaches that the church will succeed in bringing the entire world to faith in Christ and by itself bring in the millennium before Jesus returns to earth. I wrote about this doctrinal error in an earlier post, The Five Dangerous Errors of the New Apostolic Reformation.
Wagner impacted a great many churches during his lifetime, even those that reject his end times theology. In many cases, they have unwittingly combined the mission of the church with its hope. We see this when teachers take verses that refer to the millennium and apply them to the future success of missionary efforts. A prime example of this is Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, / as the water cover the sea.” This total covering of the planet with the Lord’s glory happens during Jesus’ reign over the nations, not during the church age. The same is true of Psalm 46:10, which also refers to the millennium rather than missionary efforts in our current day,
Some also error by making Daniel 2:44 a reference to the church age instead of the beginning of the millennium where it belongs. This confusion carries with it the errant implication that the church is God’s future kingdom that strikes down the kingdoms of the world with the spread of the Gospel. They wrongly see the fulfillment of Daniel 2:44 as taking place on the Day of Pentecost. 
Please know that I strongly support home and foreign missions and have done so all my life. Missionaries have had a profound and lasting impact on me. Furthermore, in this late hour, it’s imperative that we share the Gospel with as many people as possible. I am not at all suggesting that we ignore the calling of the church to preach the Gospel and teach people the word of God.
However, when the mission of the church becomes its ultimate hope as we see happening today, much doctrinal error ensues and a Gospel devoid of its “blessed hope” tragically becomes the norm rather than the exception.
Does the Bible assign identical responsibilities to New Testament saints and those in government authority?
Most evangelicals today would answer “yes” to that question. Many politicians, despite their limited knowledge of Scripture and rejection of its overall message, often quote Bible verses in a manner that assumes God has identical expectations of governments as He does of individual Christians.
God’s Word tells us that the primary role of government during the church age is to punish those who break the law and in so doing protect its citizens (Rom. 13:1-7). God entrusts human governments with the responsibility of keeping its people safe from those who break the law or would cause them harm. Government leaders do so by enforcing laws so that those guilty of breaking its law receive just punishment while those who obey its statutes enjoy their protection (13:4).
National borders do not represent the evil invention of wayward humanity; both sovereign nations and secure borders originate in God’s sovereign purposes plan for humanity (see Acts 17:26). The Lord instituted human governments as well as national borders and He holds those in authority over the various nations responsible for keeping their citizens safe within those borders.
As followers of Christ, we have a much different role than that of the government. Jesus summarized our responsibility in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus did not give this command to human government; He gave it to His followers. The same is true of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan.
The instruction for New Testament saints “to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13:1) does not suggest that governments should welcome those who come into their nation illegally. The leaders of nations have a much, much different responsibility than believers, one that involves protecting it citizens and punishing those who break its laws.
For more information on this confusion of roles between the government and individual saints, click here.
Replacement theology falsely claims that God rejected the people of Israel when they spurned their Messiah and replaced the nation with the church. Thus, the promises and covenants the Lord made with Israel now find their fulfillment in the church, albeit in a spiritual rather than physical sense.
This highly popular, yet erroneous teaching, fails to distinguish between Israel and the church as does Paul in Romans 11. In the first two verses, the apostle negates the idea that God has rejected Israel. In the rest of the chapter, he explains why the Lord set aside Israel for the time being although many Jews have come to faith and joined the church.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul prophesies of a time when Israel will return to the Lord, which is also what Zechariah wrote about in 12:10 to 13:1. The key verse is 11:29, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” In Ezekiel 36:22-38, the Lord tells us that Israel’s future restoration vindicates His holiness. For more on this topic, click here.
This is so much more than just a matter of meaningless semantics. Those who miss the distinction between the church and Israel miss all the signs of that we live in the last days of human history and do not understand a key purpose of the tribulation, which is to bring Israel to repentance and salvation. Instead, they interpret the book of Revelation as allegory, which leads to many other errors as well as false hopes for the day in which we live.
During the past two or three decades especially, pastors and teachers have failed to “rightly” divide Scripture by claiming that the Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event. They are not.
The biblical descriptions of the Rapture and Second Coming contain many significant differences that make it impossible to reconcile them into one event. They cannot happen at the same time.
The resurrection of those who have died in Christ confirms that they cannot be the same event. The resurrection of the saints happens first in the event Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. With the Second Coming, however, the resurrection of tribulation saints does not occur until after a lengthy sequence of events (Rev. 19:11-20:4), perhaps not until several days later.
This is just one of many distinguishing and significant differences that exist in passages describing the Rapture versus those of the Second Coming.
“What’s the big deal?” you might be asking at this point, “Are these distinctions really that critical?” I would argue that they are extremely important. Here’s why:
The combining of the church’s mission with its hope has led to the current prominence of the New Apostolic Reformation doctrinal error that falsely teaches that the church will bring the entire world to Jesus and bring in the millennium without Him. The Bible does not teach this; it’s a serious false teaching based on new revelation that contradicts the words of Scripture.
The combining of the government’s responsibility with that of individual believers often arises from the previous error. Once believers regard the mission of the church as its ultimate goal, they soon adopt the posture that those in authority must behave in a manner befitting New Testament saints in order not to hamper the spreading of the Gospel. Those with this posture all too often elevate the perceived behavior of a politician above that of his or her agenda even if it goes against the moral teachings of God’s Word.
The combining of the church with Israel has caused many today to discard biblical prophecies regarding Jesus’ thousand-year reign on the earth, which in turn furthers the placing of the church’s mission over its ultimate hope. Through the use of allegory, amillennialists retrofit interpretations of prophetic passages that are foreign to the intent of the authors. This sadly causes believers to miss the many signs of the last days that abound in our world. They fail to see that the seven-year tribulation is approaching this world at warp speed.
The combining of the Rapture with the Second Coming takes the eyes of believers off the “blessed hope” of the Gospel at a time when the saints sorely needed this focus. This error facilitates hope in earthly outcomes rather than in eternal matters. Beyond that, such confusion does not provide relief from the anxieties created by the perilous times in which we find ourselves.
So yes, these distinctions absolutely matter. The failure to “rightly” divide Scripture in these areas results in an earthbound perspective that tragically divorces our ultimate hope in Jesus’ appearing from the proclamation of the Gospel. These shortcomings lead to a misguided focus on the temporal things of this life versus eternal realities (see 2 Cor. 4:16-18). If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that placing our hope in people or expected outcomes brings much disappointment and even despair.
You see, rightly dividing God’s Word in these key areas not only keeps us from doctrinal error, but it keeps us focused on our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing, which is absolutely essential in an increasingly hostile world running headlong toward the seven-year tribulation.
<![CDATA[Unscripted]]>Thu, 28 Jan 2021 17:06:01 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/unscriptedUnscripted - Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.com/2021/01/unscripted
Although Scripture has foretold of the times we live in, you could say that the time from the Rapture until the start of the 70th-Week is intentionally unscripted. In other words, the outline is there, but the details are still somewhat a mystery to us. Keep in mind they might be a mystery to us, but they are not a mystery to God. Nevertheless, I thought I should ask the question as to why are they a mystery at all.
After these things is a three-word phrase that is just jam-packed with underlying meaning. Comparatively, it is just as pregnant with context as is the passage in Galatians 4:4 is which states…But when the fullness of the time had come. The passage Paul wrote to the Galatians is referring to all the geopolitical and prophetic events, which had to have taken place for Christ to come the first time as a man to the earth through the virgin Mary.
It meant all of what was given to the Prophet Daniel had to have taken place. Included but not limited: the rise and fall of three kingdoms (Babylon, Persia, and Greece), the rise of the fourth (Rome), the regathering of the Jews back in their homeland, and the rebuilding of the second Jewish Temple since the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple. However, to have a rebuilt Jewish temple meant the Jews would have had to be securely back in their land. Thus we see the first repatriation under the Medo-Persian King Cyrus, and later, under the Persian King Artaxerxes II. From a military, economic, and political standpoint, that was a considerable list of things to occur in just five-short centuries.
However, back to the passage at hand. So what is this after these things referring to you might be asking. Revelation chapters 1-3 is all about John’s vision, i.e., the glorified Christ’s revelation to him, and Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches. Jesus tells John that he was chosen to be the messenger to all he was about to witness and that he would be tasked with ensuring its distribution to all the churches (i.e., the chain of custody).
Now we get back to the crux of the issue. The last letter of the seven Jesus spoke to was to the Church at Laodicea. Jesus stated they were lukewarm and offensive to Him, even though they believed they were wealthy and in need of nothing. Jesus offers nothing positive to say to this church; only condemnation. He concludes with His cursory remarks about “he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Then immediately (remember there weren’t chapter or verse breaks in the original text) we jump to the scene where John sees a door standing open in heaven, and then hears a voice like a trumpet, saying “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
Since there were hundreds to thousands of churches existing in 95AD as well as larger and more predominant congregations, the seven churches were chosen to convey the totality of churches for all time. The number seven represents the concept of completeness throughout Scripture. Furthermore, the order these seven churches are arranged also speaks to the sequential nature of how the church would progress through time.
Paul also wrote to seven churches (Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Romans) and Jesus had the seven kingdom parables in Matthew 13. Interestingly, all three (Seven Letters, Paul’s Letters, and Kingdom Parables) perfectly overlay each other in a complementary fashion. Thus, let us conclude with confidence that the “after these things,” is referring to what John saw (resurrected and glorified Christ) and to the totality of the church age.
Although there is not a perceived gap of time in the text between Jesus’ scathing letter to the Laodiceans and the time John is caught up into Heaven, there are two things to consider. First, when John is raptured into heaven, he went from existing in the temporal, physical realm, which is bound by time, to the eternal realm (not bound by time).
Secondly, the next two chapters (4-5) are devoted entirely to the throne room scene in Heaven. However, by referring back to the passage in Galatians (and many other places), a passage of time not explicitly laid out, is not a denial or negation that one has occurred. The passing of time could then be either implied or at least, assumed. Therefore, let us categorize the major highlights for this seemingly unscripted time we live in, into four sections. The things, which must take place between the Rapture, and the start of the 70th Week (i.e. the Tribulation).
The Rise of Antichrist
The end of Revelation chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6 directs John’s attention (and ours) back to earth to see what the ramifications are, for Jesus opening the First Seal, the unleashing of the Antichrist. According to the 70 Weeks Prophecy given to Daniel by the Angel Gabriel, the 70th Week (the Tribulation) would begin with a treaty that is enforced between Israel and the many. The one, who enforces the Treaty, is none other than the Antichrist.
Something to consider is that the Apostle John had penned the Gospel of John, as well as three Epistles before being given the book of Revelation. In his first epistle, John already discusses something intriguing.
How did John know about the Antichrist (he is the only one who calls him this) before he was given the Revelation? First, because John understood and took literally, the Old Testament prophets speaking to about this man. He had Jesus’ own words in the Olivet Discourse. He also had the writings by Paul. Lastly, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is how he knew there was one final man of sin coming. He also understood that the spirit of antichrist was already at work in the world. This spirit of antichrist would spawn numerous others who would precede the final one coming. What the missing piece was how he would come. The final Antichrist cannot come to the earth until Jesus opens the First Seal Judgment.
This is called a pre-condition, which requires something to happen before the Tribulation officially begins. The Man of Sin, the Lawless One, the Son of Perdition, and the Antichrist (all the same man) must first be allowed to come by Jesus. Even though this man wreaks great havoc upon the earth on those saints living on the earth at that time, he cannot come to the earth to do Satan’s bidding, until Jesus allows it. This point, while not directly connected to the issue at hand, soundly refutes Pre-Wrath and other erroneous eschatological positions which somehow try to conflagrate and confuse the concept of wrath and when it begins. (See 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9)
The Restrainer
Paul also confirms and provides a different perspective to this ‘coming of the lawless one’ by adding, he cannot come UNTIL the restrainer is removed. So who is the Restrainer? Who is a that restrains evil across the world for the past two thousand years? Well, we know who it cannot be. It cannot be the Archangel Michael, because Michael is a singular being (not omnipresent), thus, could not physically constrain evil all over the world at the same time.
The restrainer is also not Satan, because he would not restrain evil, being the very embodiment of it. The restrainer is not the government, although governments were designed to curb man’s lawless intentions, however, there are plenty of examples of evil governments. The only Being it could be, who is both omnipresent and capable of restraining evil, is the Holy Spirit.
During the Last Supper, Jesus tells His disciples that it is beneficial that He leave because another would come and be with them. He referred to God the Holy Spirit as both the Helper and the Comforter, thus, descriptive names as to the nature of the role of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, He states,
Jesus, while in His physical, earthly body, was not omnipresent. He was confined (as a man) to the geographical locations of where He was at any given moment. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, can be everywhere, at the same time, with the same omnipotence as the other two members of the Triune Godhead. Paul reveals later that the Holy Spirit seals the believer at the very moment of salvation, and that they are sealed until the day of redemption. (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30Foreknowledge
Although this brief is titled “Unscripted,” concerning where we are in time, the truth is (as Amos 3:7 plainly states) God has foretold us what will happen before it happens, so that we can have confidence in God’s sovereignty. We may not know all the details, but at the least, we have the outline. The world writ large refuses to accept the divine outline. The divine outline (at least as far as we here in the 21st-century are concerned) is this,
Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. Revelation 1:19
Because the book of Revelation deals with everything post-Calvary, understanding the basic outline in Revelation will prevent a lot of confusion before it even begins. Still, if Johns’ catching up is a foreshadowing of the Rapture, which dissects the world before (the Church Age), with what comes after (the Tribulation, the Millennial Kingdom, and Eternity Future), what has to happen between the two?
My theory is the two chapters (heavenly throne-room scene) are given precious and exclusive real estate in this final book of the Bible to show (without showing) a gap in time between the Rapture and the official start of the 70th Week. Remember, the Rapture does not begin the Tribulation, but it does lay the necessary foundation for it to begin.
Likely events that take place: the collapse of the world’s former superpower, the United States; the divinely spectacular defeat of Gog and Magog; the arrival of the Two Witnesses, the rebuilding of the Third Jewish Temple, and the rise of a new, but different last day’s empire.
Now, given what we know about the world today (roughly 192 countries), is that they are highly segregated into sovereign nations. Each nation (more or less) always acts on its own behalf. Also true is that if the Rapture occurred today, some nations would be impacted more than others would. For example, the Rapture would have a far greater impact on the United States, than say Uzbekistan or Saudi Arabia.
However, for the sake of global reorganization, let us focus on the United States.
The collapse of the United States (for any reason) would seriously upend the global pecking order. Aside from the obvious disturbances (vehicular crashes, riots, and general lawlessness), the US economy would collapse, thus bringing the entire world down with it. If that happens, it would take some time to both strip the United States resources from her and reallocate them back to the Old World.
While Satan is not omnipotent, he has (presumably) read the book of Revelation. He understands that a third of the earth will be burnt up, as well as a third of the oceans and freshwaters in the Trumpet Judgments alone. The Americas (North, Central, and South) make up a third of the world’s trees, fresh waters, and oceans (those territorial to our coastlines). It does not take a rocket surgeon to see that Satan’s footprint is being reduced and channelized so that he (and his forces) are being increasingly confined to those lands near Israel.
This may also speak to why Satan is so intently bent on destroying the United States. It is not simply to corrupt us just for the sake of it, he has a much more pragmatic need to do so (i.e., he needs our military aircraft, weapons, technology, gold, soldiers, etc.) back over to Europe to outfit and finance his final world empire. He also needs to destroy our currency so that the global economy does collapse, and he can introduce (through his human agents) the digital currency necessary for the implementation of the mark of the beast system.
Therefore, while things appear to be “unscripted” and “unknowable,” we should take comfort in the reality that God has this all under control. As Jan Markell is fond of saying, things are not falling apart, but are falling into place. What we are witnessing today is not merely random acts of violence and chaos, but an orchestrated maneuvering by Satan to ready his beast-government with an imminent rapture hanging overhead. Satan (like us) knows it is going to happen, he (we) just does not know when. For us, the Rapture will happen and we will forever be with God in eternal glory.
<![CDATA[Watchman on the Wall…Tribulation on the Horizon]]>Wed, 27 Jan 2021 18:10:38 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/watchman-on-the-walltribulation-on-the-horizonWatchman on the Wall…Tribulation on the Horizon - by Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/01/watchman-on-walltribulation-on-horizon.html
The prophecy given to Daniel has caused many people to strain to understand what this prophecy begins and ends. Many believe that it was all settled in 70 AD when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and there is no more prophecy to be completed. That would be a Preterist view, but they can't explain why it is that 483 years (leaving 7 years to the prophecy) was completed to the day, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a colt.
In the New Testament, this was repeated in Matthew chapter 21:
6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.” (Matthew 21:5-8)
In a few days, Jesus would be condemned to death in an illegal Sanhedrin Court and crucified on a Roman cross...the Time clock of this prophecy stopped leaving the prophecy incomplete.
There is still one year week that must be completed that would complete the prophecy given to Daniel by Gabriel. The Bible calls this the time of Jacob's trouble and it is in the future...possibly, the near future.
The Bible talks of this time, also called the Tribulation for 3.5 years, followed by the Great Tribulation for the same time frame. During this time, a man we have read about in the Bible called the Anti-Christ, the son of peridition...The Beast. He will arise and reveal himself with a signed confirmed treaty with Israel for 7 years.
I had a member of my online “congregation” ask me why the Jews would accept this man as their “savior” when he may not be even Jewish. That's a good question. Why would they? Answer is the nation of Israel has been looking for a “political” savior, much as they did in the time of Jesus...The ruling authorities would not accept Jesus, the Son of God, who was standing right in front of them, because He didn't fulfill the pre-conceived notion of who the Messiah would be. They were looking for a warrior king, much like King David to rid themselves of Roman domination and restore their golden days as a nation. They didn't believe in a lowly, poor Rabbi, even if He did miracles. It was not who they wanted, so they rejected Him...Jesus said to the ruling authorities:
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?.” (John 5:43-47
The Romans occupied Israel and they didn't think they needed a “Savior”...they had Moses and the Law that could justify them in God's eyes...little did they know the real purpose and mission of the only Begotten Son of God, and they helped complete the plan of salvation, unwittingly. But it was God's plan all along.
Flash forward to our time, and the nation of Israel is again in great threat of extinction, at least in their own minds. They are again, looking for a political savior and they have the same attitude the world has when the secretary general of NATO said:
I believe the nation of Israel will accept a “peace maker” who will give them a sense of security, even if it's a false security, and he doesn't have to be Jewish, just a powerful political presence. It's a political savior they seek, not a spiritual one. Unfortunately for them, they will realize they made a deal with the devil when he stands in the temple saying he is God.
Unlike, but in some points, similar to their forefathers, Israel today is not concerned about their spiritual condition. They are more concerned about their safety and their national identity before the world. They long for peace, and that Israel to be recognized the homeland of the Jews. Stage right, the Anti-Christ, a political “savior” that gives them what they want...although it's that false sense of security.
According to the Bible, before this man of sin can rise to power and perform a peace treaty with Israel that kicks off the Tribulation, there must exist three things for this to happen.
1.   There must be an operational global government in place that he takes control of.
2.   There must be an existing, operational global economy
3.   And there must be an operational global religion to bind them all together.
Why do they have to be all in place before the Anti-Christ seizes control of complete dictatorship of the whole world? His agenda is a pretty ambitious schedule for this man of sin when he arrives on the scene and reveals himself to the world. He has only seven years to complete his plans according to Bible prophecy, which is barely enough time to accomplish these tasks assigned to him by God who is really in control of this part of the final rule of mankind on earth.
How long would it take to get this all in place for the “man of sin” to take complete control. That goes back to the theory of a “Gap period” between the rapture of the church and the revealing of the Anti-Christ.
We see evidence of it starting right now with this last election. The only thing that stood in the way of a global government was POTUS Trump and now he has been removed...are we heading fast forward to that time when this world being ripe for a dictator to take over?
The stage is being set, but the only Person that is holding back rampant evil on this planet is God's Holy Spirit...It is the HE that will be drawn back to allow the Anti-Christ to be revealed and complete evil to rule for 7 years.
But before this man arises, there must be a “glue” that binds the nations together to complete the other two. He must have a global religion to demand worship, the global economy to enforce compliance, and the global government to punish transgressors.
So to accomplish all this in so short a time, these things must already be in place. After all, remember, he only has seven years. It is enough time to seize power of the reins of the government, but not enough time to build the system. Looking to the United Nations, there is already a weak global governance system in place, but there in no centralized global government......YET!!
Reason being, the United Nations is a paper tiger when it is put under political pressure. The idea is sound, the infrastructure is there..the plan and resources are there, but there is no real leadership to bring it all together. While the U.N. has the authority and the power necessary, the debate over the use of force to back up its own resolutions continues to rage on. They make resolutions, but no resolve to complete them.
To have this come to pass in rapid fashion, something major would have to happen...a major revolution to convert the current national systems of the world over to a centralized authority...OR besides a revolution, a loss of several million people all in a flash, without a logical explanation would hasten that development as noted in 2nd Thessalonians above.
Everyday, I see fascinating developments that is bringing the plan all together, one piece at a time...but in rapid succession, then slowing down and speeding up again. Here we find different prophecies from different parts of the Bible, made in different eras, overlapping and becoming interdependent upon one another to bring about their fulfillment.
The global religion is continuing to develop. It is unclear what its final form will be. It is possible that it could be Islam in some form, or maybe a hybrid combination of all the two major religions. I've written in the past about a hybrid form of the merging of Christianity and Islam called Chrislam....it is being pushed for the unity of all the major religions, even as I type this message.
Presidents have pandered to the Islamic religion, as noted by former president Bush that called Islam a religion of peace, or the past “idiot in chief” that took every chance he could get to call Islam a religion of peace and push for recognition of this “religion” in this country. Or that God is just another name for “allah”...Plus there is all the other suspects that push for unity of main religion that is saying, come to the “mother Church” ....by none other than the Vatican and the Pope. Many have believed, including yours truly, that the Pope in Rome is a prime candidate to fulfill the prophecy of the false prophet. The Bible says he will have two horns like a Lamb (symbolic of Christianity) but will speak like a dragon (Satan). -
All that remains is to get rid of all that 'fundamentalist extremism' within each system that claims exclusivity. It's no coincidence that all major systems in their current form are beginning to convulse and shudder.
Jesus warned that signs in the sun, moon and stars, together with the fear of sweeping climate changes would overwhelm the planet.
We are already have seen natural wonders on earth and in the heavens...animals dying all over the world...fish dying by the millions...earthquakes that cause tsunamis that have killed 1/4 of a million people in one horrific event...Volcanoes that have suddenly come awake all over the planet..California with raging fires destroying every thing in it's path....People are getting alarmed, but this is just the birth pangs...Wait when it really gets fearsome to live on this planet and even survive the natural environmental disasters, let alone what can only be labeled plagues that kill millions of mankind.
Men have been trying to convince the world with science that can only be labeled as “suspect”, but they demand that we embrace the concept as settled scientific facts.
Consider Robert F. Kennedy's contemptuous comments at the Live Earth event at Giants Stadium in NJ on July 4, 2009.
"The next time you see John Stossel, or Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity – these flat earthers, these corporate toadies, lying to you, lying to the American public and telling you that global warming doesn't exist – you send an e-mail to their advertisers and tell them you're not going to buy their products anymore."
The guy sounds more like a fundamentalist railing against the sin of mankind, instead of a politician. And this is the left's definition of tolerance?? Then there is the “prophet” Al Gore who is still spewing this same idea forever since he lost the election back in 2000.
Personally, I have always believed in a climate change pattern, but it's natural...it's been going on since time began. It's called “weather”. I don't believe in a man-made climate problem that we must throw tons of cash at. All that is about is global control and re-distribution of wealth. During the last century, the earth's weather has cooled, then got warmer, then cooled again to where they were predicting unusual cold patterns...it got so ridiculous, that the “global warming” fanatics had to change tactics and call it “Climate Change' to encompass everything.
That brings me to the U.N.'s Climate Change initiatives called in the 1990s as Agenda 21...that didnt' go anywhere for awhile, until they got a spokesman for their NEW and IMPROVED Agenda 2030 as a mascot who advocated that we must all fight climate change and spoke at the U.N. in favor of this debacle...who was that “man”....wait for it....the Pope in Rome. It all falls under the mantra of “Sustainable Development” that all nations must sign onto by the year 2030. I wrote about this Pope being the leader of the new religion surrounding “Climate Change” here:
It all surrounds the notion of “fear” that our planet won't survive unless we battle this “catastrophe” called climate change that is driving global alarmist and the global government proponents to act.
Remember the three points that must be in place, before the Anti-Christ can seize power?...a global religion to bind the nations together. That is the third pillar that the coming Anti-Christ government will rest. The New World Order will push the notion of save the planet, and as a Pagan belief about “Mother Earth” it will become the new world religion surrounding this mantra promoted by the Pope and the U.N. But first the coming lawless one must have control of the world's economy. The global economy exist right now, but what is missing is some centralized authority. Right now, a shaky economic authority is the central banking system found in the Federal Reserve. I say shaky, because the the U.S. Dollar has hit many bumpy roads and in the near past, thanks to the flooding the market with trillions of counterfeit dollars and was devalued in favor of the Chinese currency, or a New World Currency called the SDR (Special Drawing Rights). Because of the fraudulent manipulation of the global economy, the world's nations are not fooled, as fraudulent, means imitation because the Fed has the authority to print them, but NOT the money to back them. Now we see the use of the “Bit-coin” and the push for a digital currency and outlawing cash, which will bring about complete monitoring of everything a person does, where they go, where they shop, and even what they buy. It is about total control of the masses.
The prophet Daniel says the Anti-Christ is a “prince' of the empire that would destroy the Temple and Jerusalem and that happened in 70AD by General Titus, who also became Emperor of Rome.
But the Apostle John saw the Anti-Christ as a political leader who would rise up out of the sea of nation.
But before this global “emperor” can arise, there must be an empire in need of one. But it is apparent that the Western World would only be too happy to submit to one, at least in the last dozen or so years. The push for a New World Order took a huge leap under the past reign of Obama. Even now this man is part of a shadow government in opposition to our democracy and way of life.
The election of POTUS Trump gave the religious right the hope that this push for a global government will have met a stall, as the man was President elect has been rabidly a nationalist, who made “Populist” promises of “America First” and made “America Great Again”..But at that point, that was only a promise which I believe was fulfilled, even in direct opposition from the opposing “party”.
That issue, 'religion' –as mentioned, is the third pillar upon which the antichrist's infrastructure rests. John prophesied of a second 'beast' -- the false prophet -- who will elevate the antichrist to the position of deity.
The Bible says that in the last days, God will send a 'strong delusion' but that delusion will only affect those "who received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." The need for a global religion that is globally accepted is palpable. The Roman Catholic Church is front and center to draw all denomination together, under the banner of Climate Change and save the planet. No other leader of the so-called religious community demands the attention that the Pope in Rome garners. His words are on the lips of over a billion people who actually, if truth be told, worship this man as “God on earth” or the vicar of Christ.
In the last days, the Bible says the whole world will be conditioned to accept a savior, a messiah of sorts, who will seem to have all the answers to the religious, economic and political problems facing the world.
The Bible demands the existence of a global government (in need of leadership) a global economy (in need of leadership) and a global religion (in need of leadership.) The world demands global leadership, period. Any leader will do, provided those who love unrighteousness like what he promises.
It's not even a problem to them that they know he can't deliver it. It is the promise that is important. The past “idiot in chief” of Obama promised change for a platform that “we can believe in” without even outlining what that change would be or how he would get from point A to point B. Many thought the man was the coming Anti-Christ, and he sure had some of the marking of him, but I believe he was just setting the stage for the real-deal.
Never in history of mankind has it been possible to impose a global government, a global economy, or a global religion. Not politically, not administratively, and surely not technological, not until the time we live in...the end of this age, we call the Age of Grace.
IN the past 100 years, or even the last 70 years, the efforts to unite the world under a single government was a recipe for disaster and for World War...it did cause WW2...Hitler was a precursor to the rise of the Anti-Christ, but it was not time. What he did cause was the birth of a new nation...the birth of Israel...Not before that time, was the last days clock even wound, until Israel again became a nation against all odds. Then that clock that heralds the last generation began to TICK.....so now 72 years later, a One World Government is seen by many in the public and government arena as the only option.
But make no mistake, the current economic condition and it's system will probably not survive. Don't be fooled with the rally on Wall Street sending the market over the 30K mark...it's a fluff, smoke and mirrors. By all reports, the stock market crash of 1929 looks a lot like the economy we are seeing today and could very well be a repeat of the Great Depression.
I have explored many possible scenarios of what the Beast power will look like and where it MIGHT come from...such as Rome, the USA, or even a Middle Eastern Country, such as Saudi Arabia, or Turkey. But we just don't know for sure...the picture is a little hazy and we see the picture growing a little more clear as time passes, but I am a firm believer that we will never know the man himself, as he takes control.
Here is what I do know. (repeating) I know that the Bible says that three things would have to come into existence, more or less simultaneously, as part of the overall blueprint of Bible prophecy for the last days. Those three things, are what we have been talking about ,the global government, global religion, and global economy.
At no time in all of recorded history were all three systems "on the table" so to speak. But they are today.
Even the most ardent and determined skeptic can't deny the trends -- at best they can only quibble over the details. But all the signs are there -- and the signs are what Jesus told His disciples to watch out for.
Let's back up a bit and flesh out a comment I made earlier that was highlighted in bold...what would happen if this were true in the near future?
Let me hypothesize for a moment and ask you what would happen to the world's economy if upwards of nearly a billion (give or take a million) people suddenly vanished? In the USA, the world's center for Christian values, (I use that tongue in cheek, as it is fast going south) were to have officials, CEO's, military officers, maybe even the past POTUS and his Vice President suddenly vanish? See the world has been teetering for a long time, and you got to wonder, what is holding this planet, the civilizations of the free world together? Many have forecast doom and gloom for a long time, but still we stand. Many grow skeptical at the prophecy of a coming Beast Power, or an Anti-Christ, or the “catching away” of the church, the Bride of Christ...They scoff.
What would be the impact if this prophecy were fulfilled in the 'twinkling of an eye”? You would see chaos, pandemonium, lawlessness, looting, and all forms of murder and mayhem. The world would be in upheaval. The stock market would crash, if it hasn't already done so. Men would be desperate. Men would resort to “survival of the fittest”. The world would cry out for a savior, some one to deliver them from themselves.
The Word of God tells us that when this all begins to happen, then, men's heart will fail them for fear, but to look up:
28And when these things BEGIN to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:25-28)
The world we live in has been rocking to and fro from peace, to war, from economic upheaval to depression, but the timing has just not been right for the completion of the rule of mankind on this earth. The rise of the Anti-Christ, is close at hand...everything is in place...every resource needed in this modern world is crying for a leader to bring it all together. That leader will arise unexpectantly when God's timing is right.
That day is fast approaching. Make no mistake about it...When the timing is right in God's plan for mankind, then the Anti-Christ will be revealed...But first, one other thing must take place..
57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)
How do you escape what I have been talking about that could come even this year? Do you want to live what is prophesied to happen very soon....only the insane or the unbeliever that takes pride in himself would choose to reject the following:
and again, believe the following:
When what I have described above comes to pass and millions have been removed, THEN the timing will be right and the Tribulation and the revealing of the Anti-Christ will be on warp speed. Tribulation is straight ahead.
This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying for you in spirit and in truth of God's Word...if you need any counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or visit me online for more biblical lessons that speak of what is coming upon the earth and how those saved by the blood of Jesus Christ will avoid it all.. God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET
<![CDATA[How Long, Oh Lord?]]>Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:15:00 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/how-long-oh-lordHow Long, Oh Lord? - Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2021/01/25/how-long-oh-lord/?blogsub=flooded#blog_subscription-6
<![CDATA[No Telling What We Will Face]]>Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:07:34 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/no-telling-what-we-will-faceNo Telling What We Will Face - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/24/no-telling-what-we-will-face-by-daymond-duck/

As I have gone from place to place speaking and teaching on Bible prophecy, I have often said, if the Rapture does not happen soon, there is no telling what our nation and God’s people will face.

No ordinary person could have imagined the things that people are seeing and doing now. Some of it is demonic, to say the very least, and if these are birth pains, things will get worse and there is no telling what our nation and God’s people will face in the near future.

The globalists have big plans, but they are not in control; they just think they are.

The more they reject God’s influence over the U.S. and turn against His people, the more they fulfill Bible prophecy and stir His wrath.

Make no mistake about it; fake news, fake elections, fake climate change science, fake Coronavirus science, fake documents in the Dept. of Justice, fake values, and integrity in Washington DC and America’s courts, etc., are not of God.

He is truth, we are living in prophetic times, and here are several more reasons for believing that:

One, the Bible says God created man in His own image; male and female created He them (Gen. 1:26-27).

Biden promised to remove America’s recognition of just 2 sexes on day one of his administration.

Pelosi has already tried to do this by rejecting the use of father, mother, son and daughter in the House.

This is more serious than catering to the LGBTQ agenda.

It is a clear rejection of the Word of God and a mistake to think that America can deliberately cast aside the Scriptures without consequences.

Two, on Jan. 13, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached Pres. Trump for a second time.

This time, Democrats accused him of “incitement of insurrection” over the protests at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

They said he “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were fraudulent and should not be accepted.”

It is now up to the U.S. Senate to approve or reject this impeachment.

Trump said his impeachment is “a continuation of the greatest and most vicious witch hunt in the history of our country and is causing tremendous anger, and division and pain . . . which is very dangerous for the USA, especially at this very tender time.”

If the rioting, looting and arson of Antifa and BLM was constitutionally protected free speech, why wasn’t the attack at the Capitol constitutionally protected free speech?

The answer is neither one is constitutionally protected free speech, and the problem is the character and motives of the people that are making the decisions.

According to the Bible, the Antichrist will ignore truth and opt for deceit (Dan. 8:12).

This spirit of antichrist (lying, half-truth, misinformation, and political spin) is very active in Washington DC today.

It is easy to see why the lost will believe lies and rejoice in unrighteousness during the Tribulation Period (II Thess. 2:11-12).

Three, it has been reported that 80 municipal and criminal charges, including fines of more than $15,000 a day, have been filed against the co-owners of Atilis Gym in New Jersey (N.J.) while they are fighting the state in court over the lockdown of their business under the guise of stopping the spread of Covid.

Sometime during the night of Jan. 13-14, 2021, without warning or permission, N.J. officials seized the funds that Atilis had in its bank account.

There have been reports that the seizure of funds by government officials (and by banks in financial trouble) is going to become more common as the urge to redistribute wealth grows and America’s financial situation worsens.

Four, concerning persecution: on Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that Bishop Joseph Strickland said on his T.V. program that Christians “need to be ready for a new age of martyrdom. . . in order to be faithful to Jesus Christ.”

The Bishop added that if it comes to that, Christians “can’t deny the truth, and we should resist.”

Five, also, concerning persecution: on Jan. 12, 2021, Project Veritas released a video of a PBS attorney suggesting that the children of Trump Voters should be put in re-education camps.

PBS fired the attorney and disavowed what he said.

Six, on Jan. 11, 2021, GoDaddy shut down the website of AR15.com, the largest gun website in the world, without giving a reason.

AR15.com has found another host and expects to be back online in a matter of days.

It is important to understand that globalists want to disarm America, to control those that might fight against the surrender of U.S. sovereignty.

Seven, Biden’s support for world government, to open the U.S. border with Mexico, to provide a pathway to citizenship for more than 11 million immigrants, to declare a moratorium on immigrant deportations, to provide free healthcare to immigrants, etc. has already led to a caravan of thousands of immigrants (many with Covid) with plans to enter the U.S. and predictions that there will be waves of caravans in the future.

Biden officials say it will take a few months to put some of these policies into effect, but he plans to go through with them.

Eight, the Bible teaches that Israel will be a prosperous nation with silver and gold, cattle and goods in the latter years and latter days (Ezek. 38).

On Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that 3 international credit rating agencies (Fitch, S&P, and Moody’s) have given Israel an “A+” credit rating despite the problems caused by Covid.

Nine, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38-39) in the latter years and latter days:

·        On Jan. 13, 2021, it was reported that 18 Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in Syria killed 57 people (14 Syrian fighters, 16 Iraqi fighters, 11 Afghan fighters and 16 fighters of unknown nationality). Israel has been striking enemy targets in Syria for years, but this is the largest death toll in one series of strikes.
·        On Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that the Israeli Defense Forces Homefront Command has released a video urging citizens to keep a radio in their personal bomb shelters in case there is a power outage or the Internet goes down in Israel.
·        In early Jan. 2021, Iran announced that it had restarted its program of enriching uranium to 20%, bringing the nation just a step away from 90% enrichment and the possibility of producing nuclear weapons.
·        On Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that the IDF is working on 3 ways to stop Iran’s nuclear program, and one is a military attack. One Israeli official suggested that Israel might launch a military strike if the Biden administration rejoins the deal the Obama-Biden administration made with Iran.
·        If there is a full-fledged attack on Israel by the nations mentioned in Ezek. 38-39, people should know that the Bible clearly says this prophecy will be fulfilled in the latter years and latter days.

Ten, Big Tech’s suppression of free speech in the U.S. has drawn the criticism of leaders in several nations.

If Big Tech gets away with silencing the Pres. of the U.S., they can probably silence any other leader on earth and get away with it.

If Big Tech can influence the results of the U.S. election, they can influence the results of any election.

The purpose of the Mark of the Beast is to shut down opposition to the government of Antichrist.

Big Tech has:

·        Designated itself as the free speech police of the world.
·        Given itself the power to decide who should rule nations.
·        Tried to squash the publication of Hunter Biden’s crimes against the U.S. and Joe Biden’s involvement in Hunter’s crimes.
·        Tried to take away the free speech of almost 75 million U.S. citizens.
·        Threatened to de-platform companies that allow almost 75 million U.S. citizens to speak freely.
·        Twitter’s Jack Dorsey (perhaps under the influence of the shadow government) has been videoed saying the censorship of millions of U.S. citizens has just begun.
·        During the Tribulation Period, people will be forced to support the government of Antichrist or they will be killed (a satanic silencing of opposition).

FYI: Officials at parler.com believe their website will be fully operational by the end of this month.

One way that readers can express their dislike of censorship is to switch from Apple, Amazon, Google, etc., to Parler as soon as the site gets back up.

Christians, conservatives, and others need to use and support websites that won’t censor them and try to control our elections.

Eleven, concerning deceit, false accusations and lying at the end of the age: on Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that James Earle Sullivan, founder of a group called Insurgence USA, has been arrested and will appear in court on that day.

Sullivan has admitted that he entered the Capitol building through a smashed window and incited violence.

He videoed his activities, posted the video and recorded himself saying he is a supporter of Black Lives Matter.

Despite this recorded evidence, some politicians and media say only Trump supporters were involved in the protests at the Capitol building.

Twelve, on Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that the 34-year-old son of a New York judge has been arrested for being in the Capitol protests.

He is a registered Democrat, was wearing fir, a stolen police vest, and carrying a large stick in pictures that were taken at the Capitol.

Thirteen, concerning a global economic collapse that will happen after the Rapture of the Church: Biden has announced plans for a 1.9 trillion-dollar Coronavirus stimulus package and a $15 per hour minimum wage.

If I am not mistaken, the U.S. has spent about 6 trillion dollars on stimulus packages, and many of America’s enemies are counting on this spending to trigger the collapse of the U.S. economy.

More than 100,000 small businesses have permanently closed due to Covid, thousands more are near bankruptcy, and some pundits are saying Biden’s minimum wage increase will up the cost of doing business, cause more businesses to fail, and increase unemployment.

Some say as America goes, so goes the world.

Fourteen, concerning the decline of America and the rise of Israel at the end of the age: on Jan. 14, 2021, it was reported that an influential rabbi in Israel is warning that America is more divided than most people realize.

The rabbi said the Democrats are replacing the values of justice with the values of political correctness, it is causing division, and it will trigger the fall of America.

He said, “This is a sad moment, but it will happen.”

He added that this is part of God’s plan for Israel, and he urged Israel’s leaders to prepare for its role of leadership in the world.

Fifteen, on Jan. 18, 2021, it was reported that Israel still intends to name the soon to be built train station at the Temple Mount the “Donald J. Trump Station.”

A group of rabbis said the new train station will serve the Third Temple, and the connection of Trump to a rebuilt Temple is not in doubt.

Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

He is the only president to keep his promise to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and the only president to visit the Western Wall.

Sixteen, on Jan. 18, 2021, it was reported that the outgoing Capitol Police Chief said Trump began his Jan. 6, 2021, speech at the Ellipse (a 35 min. walk to the Capitol) at 12:00 pm and ended it at 1:11 pm.

At 1:10 pm, Trump closed his speech by telling the crowd to “fight like hell.”

According to the police chief (and this is the official timeline), the first group of protesters arrived at the Capitol at about 12:40 pm (while Trump was still speaking about 35 min. away and about 30 min. before Trump told the crowd to fight like hell).

Others had time to get there by the time the Capitol was broken into (at 1:59 pm), but the House impeached Trump for inciting the protesters even though many were at the Capitol before Trump allegedly “incited anyone.”

Seventeen, on Jan. 15, 2021, Bill Koenig said, “Big Pharma is also putting pressure on the FDA to stop or heavily restrict access to Hydroxychloroquine or Ivermectin.”

Prophecy Plus is not advising anyone to use these meds, and everyone must be responsible for their own decision, but since Dr. Kory told the U.S. Senate that a group of highly respected doctors think that Ivermectin is safe and effective for preventing Covid in most people, some have been buying Ivermectin (blue liquid, 250 ml bottle, with 2 pour spouts) at farm supply stores and amazon.com.

FYI, on Jan. 18, 2021, lifesitenews reported that India has developed an effective and safe Covid treatment kit that uses Ivermectin and sells for $2.65 per person.

The report says this inexpensive kit has been used to cause a steep decline in the number of Covid cases and fatality rate in India.

If Ivermectin is lowering the number of cases and fatality rate in a densely populated nation like India, why is Big Pharma opposing it in the U.S., and why do we have the crippling lockdowns, social distancing, etc.?

Since Ivermectin is inexpensive, why do we need Big Pharma’s costly vaccine, to track people etc.?

If the House of Rep. can impeach the U.S. President in 2 days, why haven’t they distributed inexpensive Covid kits to U.S. citizens?

Here is a link to the article:




Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.

Daymond Duck

<![CDATA[Different]]>Fri, 22 Jan 2021 17:14:27 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/differentDifferent - By Pete Garcia - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/20/different-by-pete-garcia/
When reading the book of Daniel, we realize very quickly that he was given a lot of prophetic symbolism that we, the reader, have to parse through. Thankfully, the book also provides the interpretation of what those symbols mean. For example, when reading chapter two (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar’s dream), we are told what the multi-metallic statue is meant to represent – actual, literal, kingdoms.
·      Babylon – head of gold
·      Medo-Persia – shoulders and arms of silver
·      Greece – abdomen and waist of bronze
·      Rome – legs of iron
·      Future kingdom – feet of iron mixed with clay
Likewise, in chapter’s seven & eight, we are shown what Daniel saw in his vision, as well as the angel coming after explaining what these visions meant. Again, these were the same kingdoms, just from a different vantage point. From man’s perspective, these kingdoms were an imposing and even majestic- looking statue. From God’s perspective, they were simply wild, ferocious beasts.
From www.gotquestions.org :
The first of Daniel’s four beasts is “like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle” (Daniel 7:4). As Daniel watches, the wings are torn off the beast, and the creature stands erect like a man, and a human mind is given to it. Later, the angel who interprets the dream tells Daniel, “The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth” (verse 17). This first beast is representative of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Its rise to human-like status reflects Nebuchadnezzar’s deliverance from a beastly existence and his insight into the true nature of God (Daniel 4:34–35).
The second beast in Daniel’s vision is “like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth” (Daniel 7:5). A voice tells the second beast to devour flesh until it is satisfied. This beast represents the Medo-Persian Empire; the raising up of one side of the creature indicates that one of the kingdom’s parts (Persia) would be dominant. The three ribs in the creature’s mouth symbolize nations that were “devoured” by the Medes and the Persians. These three conquered nations are known to be Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt.
The third of the four beasts is “like a leopard,” except it has four bird-like wings on its back and four heads (Daniel 7:6). This beast is given authority to rule. The third beast represents Greece, an empire known for the swiftness of its conquests. The four heads are predictive of the four-way division of the empire following Alexander the Great’s death. Daniel’s vision of the ram and the goat gives further details of the second and third kingdoms (see Daniel 8).
The final beast that Daniel sees rising from the sea is the most dreadful—”terrifying and frightening and very powerful” (Daniel 7:7). This fourth beast has “bronze claws” (verse 19) and “large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left,” totally annihilating its prey (verse 7). The fourth beast has ten horns. This creature represents the Roman Empire, a mighty kingdom that indeed crushed all its foes.
However, since the final kingdom has yet to appear, its keywords and clues alluding to its exact background and/or nature can be somewhat confusing still. However, I think one of the key aspects of being a good observer of the times is the ability to recognize when a teachable moment arrives to reinforce something already taught in Scripture. I believe we are in one of those moments.
Most prophecy students and scholars would conclude (based off Daniel 9:26-27) that this final kingdom is some version of a revived Roman Empire. Since the Roman Empire was vast, determining what the nature of this final Gentile kingdom will be exactly can be challenging. All we know is that it comes out of the boundaries of the old Roman Empire and has some corresponding nature to both Rome and Greece (Dan.7:19).
There is also the passage above (7:7) that speaks to the ‘different’ or ‘diverse’ nature of this beast. Given the previous descriptions of these hybrid-beasts (mixing of different animal species), it is hard to imagine how much more “different” this final one could be. So let us set aside its physical (and fantastical) symbolic attributes for a moment and focus in on what makes this one so different from the others.
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings…” (Acts 17:26).
All the kingdoms before this final one were military and political powerhouses in their own right. Each ruled their respective geographic areas with absolute authority. Still, before the advent of the Internet and digital currency, it would have been impossible for any of them to control their subjects any other way other than through political subterfuge and military might. They certainly had economic might but not total control over all buying and selling. At the height of Nazi power in Europe during the late 1930s, even they could not control ALL the buying and selling in the lands they controlled.
Another aspect to this is information. From the Egyptians through the Romans, all of them had great military might but were still limited to the speed of horses and sailboats. If a king or governor died in a land, it could be days before word of his/her death reached areas outside of their immediate surroundings. In 68AD, Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide, thus sparking what has been coined the year of the four emperors. Even being the most powerful empire on earth at the time, it still took days and sometimes weeks for news to reach the forces in the outer reaches of their empire.
What we can conclude from both is that pure military power (such as Babylonians or the Persians) is one-dimensional. Military power mixed with political prowess, such as the Greeks and Romans, is two-dimensional. Military power mixed with political prowess and economic might is three-dimensional. Military power mixed with political prowess, economic might, and information control is four-dimensional. Interestingly, Satanists proclaim the fourth dimension as the ‘astral plane,’ by which they communicate telepathically with the spirit world when they are in an altered state. More on this in a bit.
However, this final kingdom will be a technological and economic superpower. While many prophecy scholars rightly note the final kingdom will be a three-fold government, encompassing military might, economic power, and global religion, it does not fully encapsulate its true nature.
The final kingdom, and its ruler, does not start out as a powerful militaristic force. It starts out small, and in fact, comes up through the ten regions (presumably) growing like cancer. It is not until he (the Antichrist) arises does he subdue three to consume the rest with an iron fist. Consider these verses when put together:
[Mixing weak and strong causes confusion]
[Out of the confusion arises someone no one saw coming]
[He uses the confusion and satanically charged deception to seize control]
[Once he has that power, he uses it to control the whole world through deception and technology]
That is how it is different from the others before it. Before this final empire, no singular world power could control all buying and selling. No singular empire could censor entire populations with the stroke of a key. No other empire in history could control the flow of information the world has become hopelessly dependent upon. Yet, this final kingdom does, and we are seeing it begin to blossom right before our very eyes.
We just got a glimpse, a brief example, of this kind of power through the monstrous abuse of power by the ruling technocracy, which has been arising silently over the past few years. As we have come to find out during the Cold War, information is power. The power to censor (or silence) people(s), even the President of the most powerful nation in history, is power indeed.
The power to de-platform a rising conservative, pro-1st Amendment app like Parler by way of Amazon and Twitter, likewise, is power. Whether its social media apps like Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok, and Facebook, or its gatekeepers of information flow like YouTube, Amazon, and Google, information is not only power but also a multi-trillion-dollar industry. You and I must come to grips that we are no longer living under the antiquated constraints of the 20th century. We are no longer lounging gracefully in the shallow end of the pool; we are fully submerged into the deep end of the Age of Information.
Klaus Schwab and his World Economic Forum elitist club have dubbed this arrival as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. One look at their website, in which they openly promote this Orwellian takeover as a positive thing, and you can see they have their tentacles into EVERYTHING. Even war is moving online. At least half of all defense industry jobs today are cyber in nature.
(screenshot: https://intelligence.weforum.org/topics/a1Gb0000000pTDREA2?tab=publications )
However, the power to control information, much like electricity, could not be harnessed until the proper technology was in place. Not only do you need the technology to exist, but also you need people to believe they cannot live without it. For example, let us say the Internet was magically transported back in time to the year 1980. Let us also say every website and online service we have at our disposal today was also available for those ancient peoples.
Let us further pretend some megalomaniacal terrorist group was threatening to shut down the Internet; would anyone back then care? Would whole industries shut down or riots break out in cities when no one could access their bank accounts or favorite social media apps? Hardly. I think 99.9% of the people back then (outside of a handful of military personnel, academics, and scientists) would even know or care.
Now imagine someone doing that in the year 2020; all hell would break loose.
Without the technology and platforms being in place, and more importantly, the demand for the Internet to exist, the loss of it would not be much of a threat. Now we live in a world hopelessly at the mercy of the Internet for pretty much everything. The COVID-19(84) plandemic, if anything, only expedited our necessity for everything being accessible online by some 4-6 years. I believe this will continue to trend in this direction (everything moving online) for the near future.
Furthermore, we see fiat currencies around the globe in varying stages of either failing or on their deathbeds due to the massive national debts governments around the world have accrued. Again, COVID-19(84), having shut down the global economy for nearly a year, has only expedited the amount of debt nations are going into just to keep their people safe. Having just witnessed the largest and last beacon of freedom in the world willingly fold in on itself over a very survivable strain of influenza, we should rightly conclude that our currency is the next and final straw that breaks the back of America.
Most of you already know this, but for those who are new to this topic, the United States was the last roadblock against global government. Having successfully stolen this last election through a complex and staggering effort, the globalists (who are backing the Democrats), as well as the technocracy (who are enabling and financing it), were finally able to push the U.S. over the edge. If our dollar collapses, our Constitution collapses. The minute we hand over the production and/or validation of our currency to some transnational or international organization, we are no longer sovereign. We have to play by their rules because they control the purse strings. The U.S. will have to fall in line under this new (presumably) regionalized global system.
Even assuming we don’t collapse first (economically), all it takes is one medium-sized industrial nation to fall, and it will trigger a domino effect. However, we could very well collapse first, and if we go, the world economy goes down with us. What is frightening is that we can see our collapse on the horizon. It no longer stretches the imagination to see how any number of scenarios could do it. With breakthrough technologies like bitcoin or other digital blockchain technologies already in play (i.e., the technology and platforms now exist), dumping the old fiat system is becoming a matter of when not if.
Jesus, in His seminal treatise on the last days, mentions deception no less than four times as being the first and key indicator (or marker) of the last days. As mentioned earlier, it is difficult, nigh impossible, to commit widespread deception without a way to transmit it. Let us take a quick trip back to 1938.
If Orson Welles could prompt a nationwide hysteria over a fictionalized radio broadcast, how much more could it be done today? Especially with how widespread our smart devices are and the technology capable of creating deep fakes, CGI, and other forms of mind-altering manipulation. Deception on a global scale, like digital currency, requires technology with a global reach. In fact, deception requires information, albeit false information (or fake news) in order to convey a message. We are now in the Age of Information.
My theory on how all this shakes out is that we will continue on the path of global crises for the foreseeable future. Satan needs all of these crises to expedite the emplacement of his demonic chess pieces for these final ten kings to arise. These crises will most likely not be real crises but manufactured for the sole purpose of putting everyone under this web of control. However, the Rapture of the Church is (in my opinion) the real crisis that will upturn the global applecart and be the true cause for all the geopolitical re-shuffling of power structures in the world. This is why no one can know the day or hour. God is playing this one close to the vest.
After the Rapture, the world will, for a brief period, break apart into these ten regions, each with a leader of some sort. It is here that the Gog-Magog coalition (all the nations listed will be outliers to newly forming regional powers) comes against Israel in the chaos and confusion and is soundly destroyed by God. In the aftermath of this war, we see the strengthening of the Ten and the political, economic, and military neutering of Russia and Islam. Here is where we see the Antichrist begin his ascent to power by toppling three other leaders somehow.
Once in control of the majority, the Antichrist and the False Prophet begin fast-tracking some new digital-ID/Passport (biometric) for all the citizens of their member states. This new system, which will include access to a digital currency, will be operated through a super-powerful, 5G, quantum-based Internet system.
It is at some point that this system is thought to become “self-aware” and/or sentient but, in reality, is possessed by either some high-ranking demon or Satan himself (hey, if a demon can possess a person, it can possess a system). When the Antichrist is “assassinated,” we will see this false resurrection by them putting this AI system into his slain body, supposedly giving him immortality. He will then have the devil incarnate inside him and demands everyone takes the Mark, or if they refuse, they lose their heads.
This mark will be a direct, cyber-physical connection from Satan (i.e., fourth dimension/astral plane) to those who bear his mark and will be relentlessly controlling them until they die. They will be under this compulsory delusion and unable to come to the truth so as to be saved because Satan will alter their ability to reason and understand. This is presumably why those who take the mark are doomed forever.
As much as we want to think we are in the Tribulation now – especially under a Biden/Harris administration – we aren’t. The bad news is, we are seeing the finishing touches on the beast’s final kingdom happening in real-time. The good news is, if you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you won’t be here for any of it.
<![CDATA[The End of the Age Seen By Zechariah]]>Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:01:30 GMThttps://www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy-update-blog/the-end-of-the-age-seen-by-zechariahThe End of the Age Seen By Zechariah - by Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-end-of-age.html
The earth groans for the coming day when the LORD of creation, will come again to earth and make this sinned filled planet to return to the time that it lost because of the sin of Adam and Eve. It will be a most glorious time that the Church of the Living God patiently waits for.
If you begin reading in the book of Zechariah, God basically gives a time line, when Israel was in captivity in Babylon and as Daniel was before the Lord at this time, so was Zechariah having visions and prophetic words spoken to him by the Messenger of the Lord telling him the events that will transpire in the coming generations that would span more than 2500 years.
Zechariah sees the judgment that has come to Israel and her suffering in her captivity in Babylon, but he also sees the restoration of Israel to her own land, and beyond to the end of days. Note that Israel was scattered as the four winds by God.
Historically, one can read about what happened to Israel because of their idolatry and not following the commands of the LORD our God. And in the Bible, you can read the words of their exile into Babylon of the nation of Judah, and the previous exile of Israel to the north, by Assyria, which some called the “Ten lost tribes of Israel”...only thing is, before this happened to Israel, a remnant of the northern tribes returned to Jerusalem to be near the Holy City, and they too became exiled along with the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and the Levitical priest who ministered in the temple of God. So all of the twelve tribes were represented when God exiled even the nation of Judah to the land of Babylon. So there has always been a representation of a remnant of all the tribes of Israel found even in this latter exile.
Never has any nation that has been so completely scattered as was the two kingdoms that comprised the Hebrew people, we call today “Jews” been able to come together and become that nation again with all its customs, traditions, and language as has the modern nation of Israel we see today.
A person reading this one book of the Bible which confirms other passages in the the Holy pages of what the nation of Israel went through because of her disobedience to the laws of God and His commandments, judgments and decrees can see her ultimate judgment. Prophets like Daniel, agree with Zechariah that after 70 years, Israel would be brought back into her land and rebuild the Temple of God, but would be under pagan rule for all of the time of her being again, reborn in the Holy Land of her fathers. History provides what happened to her once again for her inability to see the “signs of the times” or the visitation of the prophesied Messiah who they rejected and ultimately had crucified by the Romans on a wooden cross.
Zechariah is only 14 chapters long, and it chronicles the passage of time of the diaspora of the Jewish nation, once again when her temple and the city were destroyed in 70 AD. Prophecy concerning the coming of our Lord is spoken of here and speaks of Jesus riding into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
All of this happened many years in the future and the prophet spoke of that day when Jesus would ride into the Holy City and allow the people to proclaim Him their King,
Not long after this, Jesus would be tried in a kangaroo Sanhedrin court and condemned to death and die upon the cross, buried and raised from the dead.
And afterwards, 40 days would pass to give Israel a chance to recognize their Messiah, but nobody investigated the miracle of God, by sending anybody from the Jewish Authorities to confirm and witness to the people of Israel that indeed, Jesus was raised from the dead. They did everything in their power to hide the fact.
Note that near 40 years passed from the time of Jesus, which is the number of years of withholding judgment until punishment is passed when those accused are found to be guilty and Israel was destroyed and again scattered to the four winds for the next 2000 years.
It is reported that Mark Twain passed through the land of Israel at the turn of the 20th century...the central motif that weaves through Twain’s writings is the polarization between American progress and the enslavement of the Holy Land to its own past. In his opinion, it was precisely the reverence of the three religions towards the Land of Israel that was responsible for the miserable state he perceived it to be in. In one of the sharpest and most beautiful passages in the book, Twain states that “Palestine is desolate and unlovely. And why should it be otherwise? Can the curse of the Deity beautify a land? Palestine is no more of this work-day world. It is sacred to poetry and tradition – it is dream-land.”
But I have said all that to come to this. Jesus will come to the modern day of Israel and rescue her from the Tribulation that will come upon her, as the above opening scripture speaks of when our Lord and Savior will come and fight for Israel.
But before that happens, Israel will be tried by fire and she will come to know her Messiah..our Messiah, who they rejected 2000 years ago, through much persecution.
As you read this Old Testament prophetical book, you sense a time noted when God will fight for Israel, which reminds me of the coming Ezekiel war of Gog-Magog and the previous war of Psalms 83, not to mention all the wars fought prior. In 1948 War of Independence, Sinai War of 1954, Six Day War in 1967, and many wars from 1973 of Yom Kippur War to the modern times of Lebanon wars with Hezbollah. God has truly been overseeing the continued habitation of the Jewish people in their ancient homeland of Israel.
This will all come to a climax, I believe in the near future, when Jerusalem will be besieged by the coming Anti-Christ and the Beast Power of the One World Government he controls. God has promised that Israel would NEVER be uprooted again and God will come and fight for them, as in the day of Battle. I believe we are seeing the stage set for the USA to be taken down as the only thing standing in the way of 10 kingdoms formed and the coming Anti-Christ being made the leader of all.
7 The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.” (Zechariah 12:1-7)
Is this speaking of the coming Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39 that God will put a hook into the jaws of those who wish to invade Israel and destroys 5/6 of their invading forces with rain, hail, fire and brimstone that sends them all into a panic and they destroy even themselves even as God brings judgment upon them.
At the end of the coming Great Tribulation, when the Anti-Christ seeks to destroy the nation of Israel, God will not hold Israel without blame, as she will be tried as silver is refined in the fire.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:2-4)
This is a time of intense suffering and persecution that will make the holocaust seem like a picnic in the part, in comparison. It breaks my heart, that the people of Israel will be sorely tested and 2/3 of the people will meet an untimely end.
There is a story that I have told before about a women's bible study that read Malachi 3 and wondered what and how silver is refined. So they decided to attend a local silversmith that would demonstrate how it was done....as they watched the silversmith do his work, they thought upon the verses and asked “how do you know when the silver is refined?” The silversmith smiled and said, “when I can see my image in it”. That is how Israel will be refined as well.
Note only a third part of the whole nation of Israel will survive and be refined. It is a remnant that our Savior will come and fight for them. Why? Because our Lord said He would when they cry out and state the words He prophesied they would say.
Israel will be purged and many will die who have not believed the Lord's Words that He spoke of for the end times.
17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids” (Zechariah 9:14-17)
This passage seems to be referring to the return of the King of kings at the Battle of Armageddon when God will destroy all rebellion on this earth at the valley of Jezreel and saves Israel and those who believes in their Messiah and begins His 1000 year reign upon this earth.
..Israel will cry out what Jesus said they would and He will hear them and come to rescue them.
This battle is prophesied in the end chapter of Zechariah and the opening verses will be fulfilled and Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives and conquer this sinful world by the “sword” proceeding out of His mouth, which can only mean, He but speaks the Word and they are destroyed.
This is confirmed in Revelation chapter 19, but I want you to see something that I have been leading up to that many miss and I have preached it many times. Jesus will come, but note what is happening in this Apocalyptic book.
I want you to focus on verse 8 of the above passage. Here the Apostle John writes what was revealed to him, concerning the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Notice that she is arrayed in “fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints”. Now let us skip forward when Jesus comes back to rescue Israel from the persecution of the Anti-Christ.
What has the Bride of Christ have in common with those who come back with Jesus riding upon white horse? And it is the same thought professed by Zechariah in the opening verses of this message. Yes, their apparel. What they are clothed with is both a sign of saints redeemed. Both are the same group of people, which are the Bride of Christ, the truly Born Again people of God who leave for a destination. What destination? They have been taken to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards done for Him in this life, and to be joined with our “HUSBAND” the Lord Jesus Christ and become the adopted sons and daughters of Almighty God, the ABBA Father in heaven.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."(John 14:1-4)
Note that the saints are going to where Christ is, not Him coming to us...it is a clue that Jesus comes in the rapture and then at the end of the Tribulation, comes to reign and rule on earth for 1000 years.
Concerning being adopted into the family of, it is the same as on earth, when my son married his wife, she became my daughter in law. Jesus the Only Begotten Son of God has married us in a ceremony that makes us “in-laws” or children of the Most High God. Note that on earth, as it is in heaven, the property of the husband becomes also the property of the wife.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:16-19)
Can you even imagine being a “joint heir with Jesus Christ”? And heirs of God which is what Jesus is...I ask you, what has God and Jesus possess? Everything that is found in this universe. What will we share together with our Abba Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ? The exact same thing as they possess, we will be given access to the same glorious future..It is almost too much to ponder or try to wrap your mind around.
Several places around scripture, prophets speak of the righteous saints of God, returning with Jesus when He sets up His kingdom on earth.
Even where we have been in the book of Zechariah, but many read right over this passage. Let us look at it again:
Our future is intermingled with Israel, as she holds the key to end time prophecy. Israel will be refined, but before the Tribulation starts, the church is removed, to return with Jesus as accounted in Revelation, Jude, and Zechariah.
WE are destined by God's will and design to not receive the wrath that is coming upon this earth, as He will remove us out of the way, because Jesus has saved us from the wrath to come.
The life of Jesus who is the ETERNAL Son of God, is now our High Priest who has sent His Holy Spirit to bring the knowledge of our sins, and the remedy for forgiveness of those sins.
Looking off into the horizon, we see the storms clouds brewing...the events of these last days are growing more clear as time passes. Israel is being nearly surrounded from all sides and their Arab “cousins” desire nothing but to destroy them. President Trump made headway to create peace between Israel and “some” of their Arab neighbors, but with a Biden presidency looming large, will it last? It will continue in this pattern for an undetermined amount of time passing. Then war will lead to another war, will lead to the near ultimate war of Ezekiel 38-39, which will bring about the revealing of the Anti-Christ, which will trigger beforehand, the removal, the HARPAZO of forcefully snatching away His Bride before the “hell of the Tribulation” breaks forth in all its human destruction.
I've quoted that above scripture numerous times, as it points to the HE, the Holy Spirit removing the bride of Christ beforehand, as God will not leave His bride comfortless during this awful coming time, as He has promised it to be so, that when she needs Him the most, He will be right beside her. Knowing that God cannot lie, we know that the Anti-Christ will overcome the saints, but since we have God's Holy Spirit, the devil and his demon forces cannot overcome us, because “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world”. So scripture points to the removal of God's people before this time overtakes the world
I have given you a brief, for space and time, a quick run-down of what is in store for Israel..Where she has been and what will happen to her in the coming time that the Bible calls “Jacob's Trouble” and what both Zechariah and Revelation speak of. We also see what will become of God's church and those who are left behind is almost too graphic to speak of in a short paragraph. I have chronicled these events in numerous messages and sermons on my blog. What you have to decide, where will you be when Israel is being refined, and the world is being destroyed and billions of people are slain? Will you be singing praises to God, or be screaming in anguish when it is your turn to be slain by environmental disasters or of the rampage of the Beast power found in the Anti-Christ, because you refuse to take his mark of loyalty to your right hand or forehead? And if you do, then you are doomed for all eternity and tormented in an everlasting fire.
Do not be deceived, that time could overtake you and you are thrown headlong into the worst nightmare that humanity has ever had to endure.
Jesus could come at any moment, as we are not given a date, or a time when Jesus will come for the Church, or when the Tribulation will begin in earnest. We are in the birth pains right now, and the signs of the birth of the church, and the beginning of the Tribulation are growing even stronger as time passes. Will you make that decision for Jesus Christ before it is past time to escape what is coming, or be forced into survival mode to escape what is going to come upon the earth? How can you be ready? Simply by believing in two passages in the Bible and making them part of you.
And belief comes with confessing your trust and faith in Jesus Christ.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:8-11) Christ .
If you have needs, for counseling, prayer, or just listen ear, then email at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com. God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET