What About the Mark?/THE COMING OF THE MARK OF THE BEAST

What About the Mark? - by Greg Laurie www.harvest.org He required everyone �small and great, rich and poor, free and slave�to be given mark on the right hand or on the forehead.� Revelation 13:16 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/what-about-the-mark/- Listen Alarming trends in tech today have caused some people to ask, “Is this going to be the mark of the Beast? With all of our tracking�and�trace technology, online commerce, and the rise of globalism, we can see the foreshocks of it. The Bible tells us the Antichrist will establishglobal control through a cashless society. Revelation 13:17–18 says, “And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name...Let theone with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666” (NLT). Just about everyone knows of this number, which is the mark of the Beast. Here’s what the Bible is saying: The Antichrist will introduce a cashless society, which will require people to take a mark. No one will be able to buy or sell without thismark. It will be a visible, literal mark that people will have on their right hands or foreheads, and they will have to declare their allegiance to the Antichrist to receive it. People won't get this mark accidentally. In fact, Revelation tells us that an angel will warn people not to take the mark of the Beast (see Revelation 14:9-11). Let me emphasize, however, that these are future events. They're not in our past, and they’re not yet in our present. Everything will build up during the time of the GreatTribulation (which lasts for seven years) to the Battle of Armageddon. So don't waste your time looking for the Antichrist. And if you've figured out who the Antichrist is, then that is bad news for you,because he won't be revealed until afterGod removes the church through the Rapture. So lets not waste our time pursuing these things. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Coming Mark of the Beast- By Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-coming-mark-of-beast.html 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth,that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of thebeast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.� (Revelation13:12-18) Many people see the signs of the times and wonder when will the Tribulation be beginning in earnest. Many see the economic problems of this age, and the lawlessness unfoldingat greater depths of sinfulness than in any previous years. Many of them are old timers like me, who remembers a more peaceful time, but note that the peace is slowly being taken away. Young people who have not been taught by their parents who were, in return,not taught by their parents, have come to see what is happening with blindfolds on their eyes. They haven't got their eyes open to what is actually happening and will be prime candidates for the coming One World religion and the �mark of the beast�. Folks see the cashless society that is being pushed in foreign countries like Sweden, and worry about having to take an implant or a tattoo on their bodies, especially withRFID chip that some businesses are offering their employees. With this going on even in the USA, some wonder can the mark be taken without repercussions to their spiritual lives. They ask, �so what do we do?� We know that this world we live in, is one step away from this NWO and the Anti-Christ is standing just off stage right waiting for the right crisis to reveal himself. Manypeople email me with questions that only show that they are frightened with what is coming at them at near �warp speed� and their anxiety grows even more prevalent in their everyday lives. CAN I TAKE THE MARK UNWITTINGLY? I had a person ask me, as I have explored the possibility that we are in the Tribulation already (which we are not) but she asked me, which I expand this to all who mayhave the same question �Can a person take the Mark of the Beast without meaning to?� The short answer is �NO� you cannot. Reason being that the coming Mark of the Beast is not only designed as an economic mode of exchange like we see with chips on credit anddebit cards and this �new� vaccine passport used on the world market that will soon be under control of one central authority, but it is also a �worship system� that you have agreed to be a member of the Church of the Anti-Christ/Satan. If it were just aneconomic mode of being a part of the buy/sell of this coming end time world, then it wouldn't be as dangerous to one's spiritual health, but you have embraced the Anti-Christ as a god on earth. The penalty of refusing the coming Mark of the Beast is a refusal to worship the abomination of a beast called the Anti-Christ, and no one will escape the attention of thefalse prophet who will be able to monitor every person on the planet for compliance or their refusal which will lead to the ultimate penalty of death by whatever means available, but the the bible speaks of being �beheaded� as the most severe form of thispunishment. 14 �And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth,that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of thebeast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name� (Revelation 13:14-17) WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW? But the bible makes it perfectly clear that you cannot serve two masters: 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.� (Matthew 6:24) You can't serve in the Church of the Anti-Christ and be under its rule to life, liberty and the right to pursue some form of economic happiness, because it is a lie of Satanand the ruling authorities. It will end in eternal doom to join Satan and the false prophet in the Lake of fire. But in order to accept this Mark, there must be a false prophet that demands worship of the Beast. The demand to worship rewards the person with this Mark that they haveagreed to worship at the altar of a false god on earth who elevates himself, proclaiming himself to be God. Those who refuse to accept this mark will be rounded up like so much cattle and marked for extermination. This was unheard of 50 years ago, but with the advancement in computertechnology, everyone in this planet claims to love God or serve Him. Being a symbol of membership in the �beast� end time one world religion, it gives the person a few short years of privileges and is being monitored even now, even if you don't know it. Sono one can take the mark �by accident�. It will be a conscious decision that will be imposed on everyone, and even if they take the mark under duress or fear for their family, the Mark will be their doom to destruction in the Lake of Fire. It will be the sameas it was in ancient Rome, when everyone who was a Roman subject came and bowed down to the image of Caesar, burned incense, and proclaimed him as god on earth. WHAT HOLDS THIS EVIL BACK? But to Christians in this Age of Grace, the revealing of the Anti-Christ cannot be revealed as long as the Holy Spirit is upon the earth as a restraining force against evil. 6 �And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.� (2nd Thessalonians 2:6-10) The He is a personal pronoun in verse 7. It is not a thing, or something on earth in the physical realm, but can only be God's Holy Spirit that is withholding evil at bay,until He allows Satan to have full sway over all the inhabitants that are still living on this planet, or as the bible calls, the nations, or �earth dwellers�. It is designed by God to bring judgment by using Satan to do his dead level best to pervert mankindand bring them to destruction. And Satan will be very successful in deceiving those who only want to continue in the evil lifestyle and continue to enjoy their unrighteous acts of lawlessness. But concerning the coming Mark of the Beast, the bible is very specific of what the penalty will be for taking this mark, for whatever reason: 9 �And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstonein the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the markof his name.� (Revelation 14:9-11) Some Christians find it difficult to reconcile the grace of God with such a harsh penalty - something I've always found baffling, since those same Christians have no problemwith the concept of eternal damnation. But what about salvation by grace through faith? Who are the Tribulation Saints? And if the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn, how did they get saved? People will still be getting saved, but the Age of Grace with the sealing of those who accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior will be withdrawn,and it will be much as itwas in Old Testament times. This Age of Grace ends with the rapture of the Church to proceed with Daniel's 70th week, or the final week of the Age of the Law which was cut off when Jesus was crucified. Many come to repentance, but are not sealed save the 144,000 Jewish Evangelist from the 12 tribes of Israel. It is so important that Jesus devotes an entire chapter thatJohn writes down to make clear this special sealing of the �servants of God in their foreheads� 2 �And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt theearth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.� (Revelation7:2-4) BEING SEALED IN THE TRIBULATION The Greek word translated in Revelation 7:3 as "sealed" is sphragizo meaning, "to stamp for security or preservation." This is the same seal that is given those of us who believe in the Church Age and are sealed, but this seal is given to them only (the 144,ooo Jewish Evangelist), and noone else received this �deposit� of God's Holy Spirit, so each man and woman must guard their repentance and accepting Jesus as Savior to the very end. It is why it is written: 21 �And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.� (Matthew 10:21-23) That enduring to the end, are those who guard their salvation and DO NOT give into the deception of the Anti-Christ, his false prophets, or end time goons that work forthem, even under duress and fear for their lives, or loved ones lives. Note that the message of Matthew 24 is directed to the nation of Israel, or the Jews at the time of Jesus? The Church had not been formed yet, and the focus of the ministryof Jesus was the Lost Sheep of Israel. Not until the day of Pentecost, did the ministry of the apostles, especially Paul focus on the Gentiles. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NEVER LEAVE US. God told us that He would send us a Comforter that would abide with us forever, and would NEVER leave us alone. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:16-18) So the obvious interpretation in the verses I have quoted in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 and the one just above, if the Holy Spirit is withdrawn, so will those who He indwells,as He will never leave us. A clear sign of the rapture of the Church. TWO PURPOSES OF THE TRIBULATION There is a prevailing conceit without warrant, that God loves the Gentiles more than He loves Israel and therefore His attention will be focused on the Gentiles after theChurch is gone from this earth which concludes at the rapture of the Bride of Christ. But the Bible paints an entirely different portrait. The purpose for the Tribulation is two-fold. As I have spoken of many times in the past, the coming Tribulation is designedfor two objectives in God's plan. First, God will try Israel proper as silver is refined in the fire through much persecution that will remove the �dross� from their hearts. 2 �But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offeringin righteousness. 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) Second, the tribulation and the Great Tribulation is designed to destroy all rebellion upon this earth, as God sets out to nearly wipe this planet clean of all human life.Jesus told us that unless those days were shortened: 21 �For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.� (Matthew 24:21-22) Again, this is from Matthew 24, the chapter that speaks directly to the nation of Israel and God will shorten the days of total destruction of all mankind, save for theirsurvival of the Jewish people into the coming Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. The time of the Tribulation is for JUDGMENT on all mankind. I had a lady that was emailing a brother in Christ of mine on the internet, that proclaims a Post-Tribulationrapture of the church and is adamant that the Church will endure the same persecution as everyone else. But I had to point out to her, these two reasons. I will call her name �Mary�. She could not see that the Church is being judged now. We have been washedin the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and clothed with His righteousness and that not of our own. The bible clearly tells us: 17� For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.� (1st Peter 4:17-19) If the two reasons I have given are for the refinement of Israel and destroy all rebellion, then what purpose does the church have in this horrific time? To purge thosewho have already been forgiven, and subject the Bride of Christ to the same persecution of the rest of the Gentiles on earth, to me, smacks of Catholic purgatory, which I categorically deny. We have been washed and made white by the blood of Jesus from thetime of Calvary. There is no purpose for the Church to endure the two reasons I have given. Especially, my reader, when there is amble proof that God's wrath is reserved for the unrighteous, not those who have been forgiven. Paul makes it pretty plain in his epistles that we are not the focus of the wrath of God during this seven years of Age of the Law, but it is reserved for the two groupsmentioned "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, untilthe fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25) Is not that pretty clear to you who just read that verse. That speaks of the Gentile Church who have come into a relationship with Jesus Christ...which also covers believingMessianic Jews and anyone else that believes, Jew or Gentile. The musterion that Paul spoke of in his epistles (a mystery; previously unrevealed truth) is that God allowed the Jews to reject the Messiah in order to provide a limitedopportunity for the Gentiles to be saved. It is limited to that period UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. So after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in..(that would be me, and maybe that would be you), then God turns His full attention back to Israel....it is clear in blackand white when Paul wrote in Romans "26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. (Romans 11:26-28) REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY A LIE The Church does not replace Israel, even as Israel has been set aside for the last 2000 years until the Lord takes � a people who were not His people�... 9 �But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknessinto his marvellous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.� (1st Peter 2:9-10) A person can be blinded by the Satanic doctrine of Replacement Theology, either one believes it or not. The New Covenant is with the Church of the Living God during theAge of Grace, or called also, the Church Age. But this is not directed at all Gentiles of all ages, but for a specific group since Calvary who believe by faith in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, and come to repentance and follow Him, much as a docilelamb follows a Shepherd out of love and obedience and knowing that Shepherd has his best interest at heart. The New Covenant will be completed at the Rapture of God's Church and we join Jesus our Lord at the Marriage supper of the Lamb, after we are adoptedinto the family of God by being spiritually betrothed to our Husband, Jesus the Christ. Romans chp. 8 tells us we become part of the family of God, and our inheritance: 16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:16-18) ONE WEEK OF DANIEL'S PROPHECY LEFT God has yet to fulfill the prophecy of Daniel's 70 weeks of restoring Israel in righteousness. God fulfills His promises, and the last week that was set aside, and the propheticclocked being stopped when the Messiah was cut off, but not for Himself, but to save the whole world, that clock will begin again at the rapture. To those who trust in Him by faith and accept the mercy and grace afforded by a selfless love that can only bedeemed amazing. Amazing that God would love us so much that He would even die for us, though we deserved none of it. The coming Tribulation is God's plan to do just that. To save Israel as a remnant people unto Himself. As was said, the Tribulation and especially the Great Tribulation is designed to refine Israel and remove the scales from their eyes and they realize that Jesus was theirlong sought for Messiah, not some dictator of the end time world who promised them peace and safety. They will cry from their persecutions when they seek Jesus with their whole hearts...Zechariah prophesied they will call out to their Messiah, much as Jesussaid they would... 8 �And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I willhear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.� (Zechariah 13:8-9) Jesus proclaimed. 34 �O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gatherher brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in thename of the Lord.� (Luke 13:34-35) The persecution will bring all of Israel to their senses and they cry out to God for deliverance. Jesus comes to save the remnant of His people and they are the ones whowill enter the Millennial Kingdom alive and mortal. The rest of mankind who have been in rebellion will either be destroyed, or judged at the sheep and goat judgment or the Great White Throne of God and cast into the lake of fire. This is not dual-Covenant theology. There is only one Covenant by which men are saved. They are saved by faith that the shed Blood of Christ is sufficient to cleanse themof all sin. That does not change during the Tribulation Period. But the focus of God's attention after the conclusion of the Age of Grace turns back to the Jews. During the final Week of the Age of the Law, the universal ministry ofthe Holy Spirit is withdrawn. (2nd Thessalonians 2:7) Going back to how I opened this message, there will be believers in the Tribulation who will succumb to the Antichrist's coercion and accept his mark to save their families. AndScripture is clear that those who do are forever lost. Tribulation believers will be saved by faith in Christ and enduring until the end, as in the Church Age, but without the guarantee of eternal security or the automatic indwellingof the Holy Spirit. Jesus described the tribulation as, "such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." It is the job of a watchman who sees the sword coming to provide a warning. I cry the warning to all who will see the light of Truth found in God's Word. 3 �If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken awayin his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.� (Ezekiel 33:3-6) Our blessed hope is found in the Scripture's promise that Jesus comes for His Church first. But after that, there is no guarantee of a second chance. Better a blessed hope than a false one. THE DECISION IS YOURS. So what about you? Do you have hope in the Savior of this world? Does the Lord Jesus live in your heart, or are you playing Russian Roulette with your immortal soul? Willyou be found ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus, as what Paul called the HARPAZO in 1st Thessalonians and 1st Corinthians, or the removal of His Church by force, without warning, popular called the rapture? If you are not ready for His soon appearing,now is the time to make that decision for the salvation of your immortal soul, that will spend eternity in blessed peace and glory, or spend in eternal torment and separation from God and all that is good, joyful, or Holy. Let me assure those that scoff atsuch a destination, thinking Hell is one big party. I even had some deceived individual say that �hell is where all the cool people go�...and one big party. Let me set you straight, the Lake of fire will be no party. It will take all your time for all eternityto just endure the suffering that Jesus said, the flame is not extinguished, or the worm dieth not, and there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Seek the Lord Jesus in belief and embrace these two passages that are the microcosm of what the whole of the LoveLetter to the world from our Savior.... 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.� (John 3:15-18) Seek His face and He will be right there for you when you fall on your knees and proclaim that you repent of your sins and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.� (Romans 10:8-11) Know that you may only get one chance this side of the coming Rapture of the Church, as you may or may not get another chance, especially this side of your own death, whichin the Tribulation is almost a guaranteed of either subjected to martyrdom, or doomed in the lake of Fire for taking the dreaded Mark of the Beast. Don't take that chance that you will survive either. Make that confession of faith and cry out to Jesus. Heis as close as a prayer... This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying your salvation through the only Way back to God found in my Lord Jesus Christ...If you need prayer, counseling, or just a friendly listeningear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com, God bless you all with His love and salvation. ------------------------------------------------------- Anti-Christ VS. New World Leader � Bill Perkins � www.compass.org What's the difference? Immediately after the world-astonishing Rapture of the Church, with the Holy Spirit no longer present restraining wholesale evil, Russia, Iran and several other nationswill invade Israel seeking to capture her gold and silver riches. (1) This massive invasion using nuclear weapons (2) will rock the world. With the entire planet watching, God will use this occasion to show things have hugely changed, a newdispensation has begun, and now Israel will once again be His primary world-focus. �You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; andyou will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.� Ezek. 38:15-16 God Himself will repel the multi-nation onslaught against Israel. He's been relatively quiet for some 2000 years, no huge visible miracles have occurred like the "partingof the Red Sea." But now the world will be dumbfounded, seeing first-hand that He's again actively protecting Israel. �I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD.�� Ezek. 38:23 Since becoming a nation again in 1948, Israel has always been somewhat militarily restrained by the United States, who promised she'd be protected. But with the Rapture having decimated both the political and military forces in the U.S. due to the massive humanity exodus, Israel will be left standing alone. On the heels of this momentous victory and figuring this was her opportunity to take out the rest of her surrounding enemies for a very long time, Israel will begin to systematicallydestroy them, one by one. �In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the leftall the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. Zech. 12:6 The powerless Arab nations will scream bloody murder for any kind of help as they are no match for Israel's military might. Israel will be on a military roll. A New World Leader Emerges It's at this point in time, seemingly out of nowhere, a man who is brilliant and a military genius will burst onto the world scene. Seizing the moment, this man will somehow be able to coax Israel into making a 7-year peace treaty(3) with 10 nations�five European and five Middle East (see inset imagefrom Daniel 2). This fast-talking man will give Israel whatever she wants to stop the carnage. Israel, being re-energized by God Himself repelling the multi-nation invasion, will negotiate the right to rebuild her beloved Temple so she can return to blood sacrificeson Mount Moriah. Then Israel will get another ego boost as Elijah shows up as prophesied in Malachi 4:5. 2900 years earlier Elijah had been whisked away in basically a UFO (unidentifiedflying object). John also will show up with Elijah (4), and they will measure out where the Temple is to be built on the Temple Mount�which was due west of the ancient location of the EasternGate. Then there was given me [John] a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, �Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave outthe court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months." Rev. 11:1-2 The Jewish Temple building location laid out by Elijah and John will leave the Dome of the Rock and the two mosques in place to the south and room for the Pope to builda Christian church to the north. The three top religions in the world could then be located on the top of Mount Moriah. Plus, Israel making a treaty with her pagan enemies was not what the Lord had in mind either. He prefers conquering God-less nations, not throwing them a lifeline. �You shall make no covenant with [your enemies] Ex. 23:32 But Israel was not framing this situation Biblically and the decision will come back to haunt her. Not being able to offer sacrifices for their sins for almost 2000 years, the Jews will immediately begin planning to make their sacrifices even before the Temple itselfis completed. Blood sacrifices will horrify the rest of the world, but that will all have been agreed to in the 7-year peace treaty. The agreement put in place by the New World Leader will be a masterpiece. His true intentions will be hidden and quite evil�he will actually be just acquiescing to buy time. But Israel will buy the lie and the world will wildly celebrate the peace treaty because certainly World War III will have been avoided. This is where Revelation 6 picks up...the first of the four horsemen�our New World Leader will come riding in like a knight in shining armor.(5) While they are saying, �Peace and safety!� then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 1Th. 5:3 This will be the beginning of birth pangs, getting worse and worse for Israel and the world. Over the next 3 1/2 years, 50% of the earth will die to famine and disease. I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth,to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence ... Rev. 6:8 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. Rev. 9:15 Needless to say, by the middle of the Tribulation, it's a miserable time to be alive. The New World Leader has to blame someone and, true to form, Israel will be the scapegoat. With more and more of the UN blue-helmeted troops stationed in Israel, purportedly for Israel's 7-year treaty protection, he will secretly and deceptively organize his armyfor a surprise strike. After he has arrived in Jerusalem to watch first-hand his plan unfold, he will die of a head wound. The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how he's killed, but he will be leftwith one eye and a withered right arm. I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, Rev. 13:3a �Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! A sword will be on his arm and on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered and his right eye will be blind.� Zech. 11:17 The Anti-Christ The world is shocked at the death of their leader. It's at this time that Satan's thrown from heaven to earth with the other fallen angels and join the worst of the demonsthat had been released from the bottomless pit. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angelswere thrown down with him. Rev. 12:9 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Rev. 9:2 Since Satan is an angel, a spirit, he needs a body to indwell. So on the third day after the death of the New World Leader, Satan takes over the body, bringing it back tolife. ...and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; Rev. 13:3b Now that Satan has a body in which to live, He boldly claims/lies that Jesus was not the Messiah. He claims he alone is God's Messiah/Redeemer. His proof is the fact herose from the dead on the third day. From this time onward he is no longer the New World Leader, rather, he is the Anti-Christ, or false-Christ. The first thing he does is kill the two Jewish witnesses, John and Elijah. They had been causing a lot of the pain and suffering by stopping the world's rain and callingfire down from heaven on the people of earth. So the people of earth celebrate their death! When they [The 2 witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast [Satan] that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. Andtheir dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city...where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to belaid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Rev. 11:7-10 But the world's celebration was premature. By not burying the two men, the world sees them come alive, stand on their feet and slowly rise into the clouds above. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. Andthey heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, �Come up here.� Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. Rev. 11:11-12 Undeterred, the Anti-Christ (Satan in human form) marches down to the new Jewish Temple. The Jews watch closely, knowing if he blasphemes in the Temple, God will strikehim dead. He immediately stops the sacrifices. Then he not only goes into the Temple, he also marches behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies where no one but the Jewish HighPriest is allowed to go once a year on the Day of Atonement. Once there, with the cameras rolling, he raises his fist and proclaims, "I am God!" This fulfills these verses written to the Jews: �Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then thosewho are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursingbabies in those days! But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Matt. 24:15-21 �Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. Dan. 11:31 So begins the last half of the Tribulation when Satan gets 3 1/2 years as the self-proclaimed Messiah. It doesn't go well. In 30 AD, Jesus spent 3 1/2 years on earth healing people. Satan will also get 3 1/2 years on earth, but he'll be killing people. Satan's reign ends with Jesus' 2nd Coming, but the entire world will have been mostly destroyed. Most people will have died. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. Is. 24:6 Quite a contrast between the work of Jesus and Satan on earth. So there you have the difference between the New World Leader and the Anti-Christ. In the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, it's the all-human New World Leader. In thesecond 3 1/2 years, it's the Anti-Christ�Satan in a human body. And by the grace of God, we'll miss all of it! References 1) https://compass.org/israels-coming-mind-blowing-gold-riches/ 2) Zech 14:12 3) Dan. 9:27 4) https://compass.org/the-identity-of-the-two-witnesses/ 5) https://compass.org/a-bow-without-arrows/ ---------------------------------------------------------- The Highway of Holiness - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org �And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for thosewho walk in God�s ways; fools will never walk there� �Isaiah 35:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-highway-of-holiness/- Listen In Charlotte, North Carolina, you�ll find the Billy Graham Parkway, dedicated to the greatest evangelist in history, in my opinion. It�s a great thing to be able to driveon a freeway bearing his name. But the Bible tells us there will be something even better than the Billy Graham Parkway. It�s the Highway of Holiness: �And a great road will go through that once desertedland. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God�s ways; fools will never walk there� (Isaiah 35:8 NLT). During the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, holiness will prevail. Today, the opposite of holiness prevails. Or society celebrates evil and makes fun of goodness. But aday is coming when there will be holiness. And then, at the end of the Millennium, Heaven and Earth will become one. John wrote, �Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth haddisappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, �Look, God�s home is now among his people!He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them�� (Revelation 21:1�3 NLT). Have you ever heard someone describe something as �Heaven on Earth�? Well, one day it literally will be Heaven on Earth when the two merge together. Heaven will come down to Earth one day. In fact, the Bible tells us that God�s plan is to bring all things in Heaven and Earth together under one head: Jesus Christ (seeEphesians 1:10). Jesus will make Earth into Heaven and Heaven into Earth. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

The Plan ------------- A MUST READ !!!!

The Plan - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/09/12/the-plan-by-daymond-duck/ On Aug. 31, 2021, LifeSiteNews posted the text of a speech delivered by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano three days earlier. The speech was titled “Vigano: considerations onthe Great Reset and the New World Order.” This writer believes Vigano’s speech is the greatest speech he has read about the current situation. It is too long for this article, so here are some of Vigano’s “considerations” (his words and mine) as this writerunderstands them, also a link to the full text. https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/vigano-considerations-on-the-great-reset-and-the-new-world-order/ •This world is facing great deception based on lies that have been planned to the smallest detail. •The Great Reset is part of a planned global dictatorship that the globalist elite have been putting together since the 1950s. •Some of the details of the plan to enslave and subjugate the world have been published in books and newspapers, commented on, and considered by carefullyselected international groups and individuals for decades. •The issues that are in the news today (the surrender of national sovereignty, open borders, using a pandemic to acquire global control of citizens,a global currency, a global population reduction, etc.) are part of a plan. It is one plan, it is coming from a single source, and it has one goal (or the same goal) for the entire world. •A small minority of people are doing incalculable harm to the vast majority, and it takes a criminal mind to try to deliberately defraud the wholeworld. •This small minority of people has rejected the Lordship of God and the best interests of most of the world’s citizens because they want to servethe very rich and powerful financiers, bankers, multinational corporations, pharmaceutical companies, etc. •The media has prostituted itself to this small minority of people by treating their deception as truth and suppressing those that seek to exposethis global enslavement of people. •It is important to understand that this small minority of people is only doing what they have been saying they would do for decades: create a falsecrisis; impose population control to deal with it; destroy small and medium businesses with lockdowns so the multinational corporations can get the business; control education and dumb down the citizens with school lockdowns and distance learning; controlpublic health and give business to big pharma; declare a state of emergency to get around the laws; mandate vaccinations to make citizens traceable; and classify those that disagree as non-persons so their human rights (freedom of speech, religion, etc.) canbe denied. •This small minority of people has corrupted two groups that need to be held accountable because the two groups are equally guilty: (1) some of thecivil authority (called the Deep State; government heads, cabinet members, elected officials, virologists, doctors, members of the military that won’t oppose violation of the Constitution, some judges and unions), and (2) some of the ecclesiastical authority(called the Deep Church; Pope Francis and several Bishops that cater to him). •It must be understood that this is a spiritual war that has been going on since the fall of Adam and Eve, and it is approaching its conclusion. •The fact that the conclusion of this spiritual war is near explains why the deception and corruption have intensified, why the Deep State and DeepChurch are so desperate to remove Jesus from government and religion, why the Deep State and Deep Church are so desperate to rewrite history and cancel the Christian culture. •Understand that the Deep State has been infiltrating the true Church for many years with the intent of creating what it believes is essential religioussupport for the New World Order (godless world government and religion). •The Trilateral Commission, the World Economic Forum, and Pope Francis have joined hands to establish the New World Order, and it is a well-knownplan that has been in the works since the 1950s. •Pope Francis has been replacing some of the most faithful members of the Roman Catholic Church with people that support depopulation, contraception,and abortion. •The real purpose of vaccination passports is to get people accustomed to being tracked, and it is part of the spiritual war that Satan is wagingagainst Christ’s true Church. •Humanly speaking, there is no way to win this war because “all the powers of the State, all of the means of information, all the international publicand private institutions, all of the economic and financial potentates are complicit in this crime.” •But “hoping to build a world government in which the Divine Kingship of Jesus Christ is outlawed is insane and blasphemous, and no one who has sucha plan will ever succeed…. Let us turn to Christ.” Know also that God has a Great Reset called the Rapture of the Church; it will come upon the world like a snare, throw a monkey wrench into this planned godless global dictatorship,and everything on earth will go downhill from there. Jesus was talking about the Tribulation Period when He said, “when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption drawethnigh” (Luke 21:28). We have excellent reason to believe that we are seeing Tribulation Period events beginning to come to pass. If this is true (and this writer believes it is), the Christian’s redemption is drawing near, and the globalist plan will soon go into full effect. Here are more signs of His coming: One, concerning deceit: Satan will empower the Antichrist todeceive people all over the world with signs and lying wonders (II Thess. 2:9). In his Bible Prophecy Update on Sept. 5, 2021, J.D. Farag pointed out that globalists are using Covid and mandatory vaccinations to deceive people all over the world rightnow, this global deception is unlike anything the world has ever experienced, and the unprecedented nature of this global deception is a strong indication that the world is getting close to the Tribulation Period. Two, also concerning deceit: on Sept. 6, 2021, about 900 pagesof documents were released through a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) lawsuit that prove Dr. Anthony Fauci lied to Congress while under oath when he said the agency he heads (the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIAID) did not providemoney that went to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund high-risk research in China. One report said the documents show that the Coronavirus pandemic is part of a plan. It appears that Fauci is a key player in this treasonous plan, and the release of theCoronavirus may have been deliberate. Fauci should be prosecuted for lying under oath to Congress (and perhaps more, treason, murder, etc.). Three, concerning natural disasters like birth pains (the teachingthat natural disasters will increase in frequency and intensity at the end of the age): on Sept. 1, 2021, officials at the UN World Meteorological Org. released a report that says extreme weather events have increased fivefold over the last 50 years. Accordingto the report, over the last 50 years, the world has averaged one weather-related disaster per day, killing 115 people per day and causing $202 million dollars in losses per day. This current increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters is just a faint reminder of more horrible disasters during the Tribulation Period. Four, on Aug. 31, 2021, Hurricane Ida came ashore near New Orleans,LA, with maximum sustained winds at about 150 mph (gusts up to 172 mph). More than 400,000 people had no water; more than 300,000 people were advised to boil their water; multitudes were without food and fuel; about 22,000 utility poles weredamaged; almost 900,000 people were without electricity in the state of Louisiana alone; overall damage was estimated at 70-80 billion dollars; and there were more than 65 deaths nationwide. Extreme drought and wildfires are also ravaging the U.S. West Coast. Five, concerning the division of Israel and the Battle of Armageddon(Joel 3:2): on Aug. 27, 2021, Israeli Prime Min. Naftali Bennett met with Pres. Biden at the White House, and it is becoming clearer by the day that the Biden administration wants to divide Israel and Jerusalem. This is more evidence that we are in the latter years and latter days and that we are seeing Tribulation Period events beginning to come to pass. Six, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: Iran is now likelyless than two months from having enough enriched uranium to produce a nuclear bomb. Pres. Biden says the U.S. won’t allow Iran to produce a nuclear bomb, but he is showing no indication that he has the will to act. Israel appears to be running out of time, will have to go it alone or depend upon God, and this is a perfect fit with Bible prophecy. Seven, concerning world government: on Aug. 27, 2021, the WorldHealth Organization (WHO) released a lengthy document called the “Digital Documentation of Covid-19 Certificates: Vaccination Status.” It suggests specifications and guidance for many things, but one of the most important is the creation of a digital ID foreveryone on earth. A link to what J.D. Farag said about this document is below. Now, because of what I intend to write next, I ask the readersfor understanding (I am in my 80s; I remember when our family didn’t have electricity, a telephone, indoor plumbing, etc.; I don’t text, tweet, Facebook, have a smartphone, etc.; My understanding of technology is close to zero, and I don’t plan to change). Anyway, this is my technically unqualified understanding of some things that society is encountering right now (based not on opinion but what researchers are saying theyare reading in government documents). •Bill Gates and some like him view the human body as a computer. •They have a plan to turn everyone on earth into a walking, talking computer that they can control. •The world’s misnamed “vaccine” is like computer software. •Highly respected prophecy teacher, J.D. Farag, said Moderna calls their product “the software of life” on their website because their vaccine islike computer software that can be empowered by the human body (See link below.). •Globalists have influenced big pharma to put this computer-like software in a person’s body/computer when they vaccinate people (this is the firststage in the process of making a person’s body act like a computer). •This is why some people, not all, are having adverse reactions, getting sick, being magnetized, dying, etc. •God didn’t create the human body to be turned into a computer or a computer-like machine. •God created the human body to reproduce its own kind. •But Gates, big pharma, etc., are trying to restructure or recreate the human body. •Booster shots, future shots for variants, etc., will be like software upgrades to alter, add too, or enhance what the body (computer) is doing (tochange or increase the body’s computer-like functions). •A person’s body/computer must be connected to other computers to form a network (This is the second stage in the process, and it will be accomplishedby connecting a person’s body/computer to a computer in the cloud. •A person’s body/computer must have an ID number (password or whatever) so specific information can be uploaded, downloaded, etc., between the personand the cloud (a vaccination will be required in the future to include the person’s ID number, password or whatever). •Soon, paper money and coins will be replaced with a one-world cryptocurrency. •All buying and selling will be done with this cryptocurrency. •The amount of cryptocurrency a person has will be stored in their body/computer and the cloud. •The government will have the ability to credit or deduct cryptocurrency from a person’s body/computer through the cloud. •Businesses (Amazon, etc.) will be connected to the government through the cloud and can have the government credit or deduct cryptocurrency froma person’s body/computer when they buy or sell. •At some point, people’s body/computer will be upgraded so they can buy or sell with a scan of their hand or forehead. •The last step appears to be to mark people with a quantum dot tattoo (developed at MIT and funded by Bill Gates) containing an enzyme called Luciferase(patented by Microsoft under number WO/2020/060606 on March 26, 2020; the number 060606 equals 666; Satan’s name is Lucifer). Note: For more information on this, readers may want to watchJ.D. Farag’s Prophecy Update for Sept. 5, 2021. Viewers that want to save time can start at 28 min. and watch to 50 min. https://www.jdfarag.org/bible-prophecy?sapurl=LytkNmtjL2xiL21pLys2OXJqNDg2P2F1dG9wbGF5PXRydWUmZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZT1hcHAud2ViLWFwcC5saWJyYXJ5Lm1lZGlhLXNlcmllcyZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZVNsdWc9JTJCODJ5eHA4Zg== Why would Satan reveal this plan before he started implementing it? A Rapture Ready reader and friend of this writer suggested it is because Satan copies God, and the Bible says, “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, but he revealeth his secretunto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). What is so bad about being part human and part computer? Some think it is bad because Jesus became a man to redeem man, not someone that is part man and part machine. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus revealed the highlights of things to come during the terminal generation of Israel at the end of the age. Since the 1950s, Satan’s men have been commenting on the plan that Archbishop Vigano spoke about, and it confirms the things to come that Jesus revealed. When God’s Great Reset (the Rapture) takes place, Satan’s unrestrained men will accelerate the plan to warp speed, and every jot and tittle of Tribulation Period prophecywill be fulfilled in the next seven years. Finally, are you Rapture Ready? If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believethat Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. duck_daymond@yahoo.com VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

The Ultimate Safe Room

TheUltimate Safe Room By Hal Lindsey If there�s anything worse than seeing evil in the world, it�s seeing evil rewarded or glamorized. Some people see this happening and become angry withGod. �How is it,� they ask Him, �that You keep letting the bad guys win?� Some of the richest, most powerful people in history were among the most evil, and it�s still happening today. Why do such people live in ease? Why does their wealth increase while othersstruggle? Psalms 73:2-3 expresses the danger in such thinking. It says, �As for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was enviousof the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.� In verses 16-17, the Psalmist says he tried to figure out why the wicked prosper, but he couldn�t find the answer until he took the matter to God. Then, he had an �ah-ha moment.� He said, �I perceivedtheir end.� Psalm 72 says the riches of wicked men do not last. They will be cast down to destruction, �swept away by sudden terrors.� Verse 20 in the New LivingTranslation says, �When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas.� The Psalmist then realizes the dangerous place his thoughts had taken him before he gave them to the Lord. And he stands amazed at God�s continuinggrace. Verses 21-25 say, �Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant � I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel,leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You?� The Psalm ends at verse 28 with an astounding thought, expressed especially well in the New American Standard Version. �But as for me, the nearnessof God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.� The nearness of God is a treasure no amount of wealth or influence can buy. As evil men and women wax worse and worse during these troubled times, howmarvelous to know that you have made God your refuge. Today�s super rich are investing billions in schemes to attain some perverted form of eternal life. The scary state of the world scares them, too. So,they build safe rooms in their mansions. They spend enormous sums designing and building luxury bunkers in the wilderness. They hope to ride out the apocalypse in style. But the safe room may not withstand a devastating blast. And if they are not in the bunkerwhen the nuclear bomb goes off, it does them no good. God is not like that. He remains our refuge no matter what happens and no matter where we are. So, don�t envy evil men. Proverbs 24:19-20 says, �Donot fret because of evildoers, Or be envious of the wicked; For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.� Those who are in Christ have a glorious future. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, �Eye has not seen, nor ear heard� the things which God has prepared for thosewho love Him.� The joy of the Lord is not reserved for heaven. Jesus said in John 15:11 and 16:24 that He wants our joy to be full. 1 Peter 1:8 speaks of �joy unspeakable.� It begins now. You may be in the midst of a struggle � perhaps fighting pain or dealing with loss. But even in your most difficult hour, you are infinitely richerthan the man who gains the whole world, but does not know Jesus. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Believe It…or Not

Believe It…or Not - By Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/09/11/believe-itor-not-by-terry-james/ “Believe It or Not” was a syndicated newspaper series of brief facts about strange things in the world that ran for decades during the twentieth century. As I recall, eachexplanation of the strange goings-on was accompanied by an artist’s rendering that more or less encapsulated the weird story being told. Later, actor Jack Palance snarled out in his usual villainous voice a TV series telling Ripley’s Believe It or Not stories. The viewers could make up their own minds aboutthe truth of the stories. However, most had enough evidence to back up their veracity. These were, of course, for entertainment purposes. The things told were mostly about events that had happened in the distant past, so, more often than not, they had no relevanceto the well-being of or potential harm to the reader. You could believe it…or not. No further action was required. There is one particular profound fact, however, that—as strange as it might be to some—requires a decision that involves total commitment to belief. To not believe invitespersonal destiny that is the most devastating imaginable. This is not some imponderable factoid or matter of conjecture as to whether it’s fact or fiction. This is the truth we must believe, or else we’ll face a destiny beyondimagination: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believethnot is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17–18) The whispers that come in soothing sounds from the creature that tells people to not believe is a million times more sinister than the snarling admonition by Jack Palancein the TV series. Satan says to each human being facing this all-important decision: “Yea…Hath God said?” It is the same deception that brought sin into the world when the serpent whispered those words, and Eve, being deceived, convinced Adam to partake in tasting the forbiddenfruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God’s Word says we are lost because of that original sin. Satan seductively says that God didn’t really say that but said something else because man, being God himself,can determine for himself his course toward ultimate destiny. It is true that God created us in His own image. At the same time, He gave us volition (free will) to believe or not to believe. God doesn’t force Himself on us. He didn’tcreate robots. He wants men and women, boys and girls, to love Him because it is our decision. We can believe it—or not. At the same time, however, there are consequences to that decision, individually. Whether we choose to believe or not believe determines where we will spend eternity. To believe that Jesus came into the world not to condemn the world, but so the world can be saved through Him is the all-important decision we can make. Our choice setsour personal destiny. To believe that Jesus came to seek and save the lost—those in unbelief—and to accept that He is the only remedy for this lost condition is what God requires to cover oursin that condemns us to an eternity apart from His holy presence. Sin cannot enter heaven. That’s why Jesus said that we must be born again—otherwise, we can’t even see the kingdom of heaven, much less enter it. We must believe that Jesus died for us to save us from our lost condition, we must believe that God raised Jesus from death, and we must confess with our mouth that we believethis (Romans 10:9–10). Like it or not—believe it or not—this is the way, the only way to go to heaven either upon death or at the Rapture of all believers. It is more important than ever for Christians—believers—to share this truth with everyone we meet. Conditions proliferating in every direction point to the any-moment removalfrom planet earth for the believers. We must look through God’s eyes, being one with Him in Spirit, and point to that one Way He accepts for redemption. Jesus addressed His disciple, Thomas: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14: 6) VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Where Did All the People Go?

Where Did All the People Go? - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/where-did-all-the-people-go/ Why are companies all over the world suddenly desperate for workers? In my entire life I have never seen anything like this. When the labor shortage started in the UnitedStates, a lot of people blamed overly generous government handouts, but that doesn’t explain why the exact same thing is happening in nation after nation all over the globe. There aren’t enough factory workers, there aren’t enough truck drivers, there aren’tenough port workers, there aren’t enough employees to properly staff our stores, and the shortage of doctors and nurses is becoming a major crisis in some areas. During normal times, we were always told that the global economy was not producing nearly enoughjobs for everyone, but now for the very first time we are facing an enormous worldwide labor shortage. It is almost as if millions upon millions of people suddenly disappeared from the system. Earlier today, I was stunned to learn that a new survey has discovered that 69 percent of global companies are having a hard time finding enough people to hire… A survey of nearly 45,000 employers across 43 countries showed 69 percent of employers reported difficulty filling roles, a 15-year high, according to employment-servicesprovider ManpowerGroup Inc. At the same time, 15 countries — focused in Europe and North America — reported their highest hiring intentions since the survey began in 1962. Just a few years ago, any company that was willing to pay decent wages would be absolutely flooded by job applications. But now everyone can’t stop talking about the “shortage” of workers. So where did all the people go? Normally, global supply chains run as smooth as butter, but now they are in a complete and utter state of chaos. And the biggest reason why they are in a complete and utter state of chaos is because there simply is not enough workers for them to operate as they usually would. On a very basic level, we need people to make stuff, pack stuff, ship stuff, transport stuff, unload stuff and sell stuff. Every step along the way, shortages of workers are causing major headaches, and now we are being told that this supply chain crisis “will last well into next year”… A supply chain crunch that was meant to be temporary now looks like it will last well into next year as the surging delta variant upends factory production in Asia and disruptsshipping, posing more shocks to the world economy. Manufacturers reeling from shortages of key components and higher raw material and energy costs are being forced into bidding wars to get space on vessels, pushing freightrates to records and prompting some exporters to raise prices or simply cancel shipments altogether. But if we had enough people to do all the jobs that needed to be done, this crisis could be resolved very rapidly. So where are they? As inventories get tighter and tighter, that is invariably going to drive up prices. Earlier this week, one of my readers emailed me about the shortages and price increases that she is seeing in her local area. I asked her if I could share this with allof you, and she said that I could… You can’t find frozen turkeys, frozen hens, frozen cornish hens…the supply chain HAS indeed been cut. There was 1…just one box of oatmeal on the shelves of our local foodstore that are normally stocked through the gills with food. Prices are higher…tomato sauce, in a can: what used to cost $0.99 cents last year now costs $1.50. Chicken drumsticks—we usually throw a bunch in a crockpot with some bbq sauce and put it over ricefor our kids, they love it….chicken drumsticks, last year were $0.89/pound….now they are $ 1.39 per pound. We only buy meat that has been reduced….a rump roast, for instance, was marked down from $18 dollars to $7….that’s a huge price cut, so we look for dealslike that. But they are hard to find!!! Everything is higher, packaged in smaller boxes and cups and there is not much of it. We all knew this was coming….it’s going to get worse, for lots of people who don’t know what’s happening. We have goats for goat milkand meat if we need, chickens for eggs and we’ve put back lots of produce we found on sale over the summer, in the freezer to booster our garden. It’s shocking how much just is not there…the shelves are empty, moved closer together, and bare spots are everywherein grocery stores these days. Unfortunately, what we have experienced so far is just the beginning. Global food supplies are going to continue to get tighter, and that is going to continue to drive upfood prices. Another sector of the economy where the labor shortage is having a big impact is in the healthcare industry. Lately, I have been coming across lots of stories about people dying because they can’t get the care that they need. Just before I started writing this article, I came acrossa heartbreaking story about a 70-year-old woman in Canada that dropped dead after a six hour wait in a local emergency room… Bonnie Marie Hall was with her 70-year-old mother — Susan Tasson — when she died early Wednesday in a Kamloops, B.C., hospital emergency waiting room after a six-hour waitfor care. Hall says her Ontario-born mother had an infectious laugh and a “warrior” spirit. She had three sons and two daughters, loved her grandchildren and had lived in Kamloopssince 1987. “Nobody wants to die in a waiting room. Nobody,” said Hall. Nobody should ever have to die that way. But it is going to keep happening, because there is an acute shortage of healthcare workers right now. All over the nation, the shortage of nurses has become a really big deal, and new mandates are just making things even worse… Hospitals are struggling to comply with the state’s nurse staffing requirements as pandemic-induced burnout has exacerbated an already chronic nursing shortage nationwide. But burnout isn’t the only thing compounding California’s nursing shortage: The state’s new vaccine mandate for health care workers is already causing headaches for understaffedhospitals before it is even implemented. Some traveling nurses — who are in high demand nationwide — are turning down California assignments because they don’t want to get vaccinated. There is a serious shortage of doctors as well, and this is a phenomenon that we are witnessing all over the globe. For example, over in the UK it is being reported that there is a “shortfall of more than 50,000 doctors” right now… The NHS may be unable to cope this winter because of a “frightening” shortfall of more than 50,000 doctors, the head of the British Medical Association has warned. Here in the United States, our healthcare system has never been so close to a state of collapse. In fact, one doctor recently wrote an article in which he claimed that it has “already collapsed”… As a resident physician who has only trained in an era of COVID—I was asked to consider graduating from school early in April 2020 to help with medical staff shortages—mytime as a doctor has been defined by working in a system that has already collapsed. The American health system I work in has featured limited personal protective equipment, oxygen shortages, and the construction of field hospitals in convention centers andparking garages. Last winter, many hospitals across the country instituted crisis standards of care, forced to ration health services based on criteria that few people envisioned would be used outside of a mass casualty event, like a terrorist attack. Today,hospitals are full in much of the country, with patients requiring an ICU being airlifted thousands of miles in search of a staffed bed. These are not features of a health system that is approaching failure. These are features of a health care system thathas broken down spectacularly, forcing doctors and patients to climb through the rubble looking for help. But just like every other industry, if we had enough people to do the jobs that needed to be done, we would be fine. In all the years that I have been writing about the economy, finding enough workers has never been a problem. Yet here we are in the middle of 2021, and all of a sudden there are millions and millions and millions of empty jobs all over the globe. Once again, there is a question that I must ask. Where did all the people go? This is a question that everyone should be asking, because the people that are currently running things are not telling you the truth. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Conform Yourself to God’s Truth

Conform Yourself to God’s Truth - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com In this life, it can be easy to stray from the correct path. Satan tempts us to follow the way of the world, and makes it sound lovely to wallow in sin. When we accept Christfor salvation, we need to put the world behind us, and live according to His ways. Scripture is our guide. God gave us Scripture so we can know His will, but we also have the Holy Spirit to lead us. He knows the right path and if we follow His light we won’tgo astray. The Holy Spirit is God, and He has existed eternally. He was there when the world was created. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And theSpirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2. When people use their imaginations and come up with their own ideas about creation, all kinds of silly ideas come about. “We were left here by an alien race” is one that keeps making the rounds. “There was an explosion millions of years ago, or was it billions of years ago…no, maybe it was strillions of years ago”, but smart people believe Scripture. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:3. God was there in the beginning,so shouldn’t we believe our infallible God instead of fallible man? The answer to that is “Yes”. When we begin to believe man’s “wisdom” over God’s word, it’s easy to stray from God’s ways. It was a concern for the Apostle Paul that the pastors of the variouscongregations, stay on track and preach God’s truth. “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called. Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be withthee. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:20-21. Pastors today need to go back to the basics, and teach the congregation God’s truth from God’s word. As liberal seminaries question the solid truth of Scripture, liberal ideas begin to be taught from pulpits. Then all mannerof evil is accepted. It’s not up to people to decide what the Holy Spirit meant as He led the men who penned Scripture to write God’s words. Most Scripture is very plain in its meaning, butpeople don’t like what it says. Christians are to use Scripture when deciding who to marry, and who to yoke with in business dealings, and who to allow to join a congregation. If you choose to marry a non-believer, your faith will be compromised. The non-believingspouse will set a very poor example for your children. If you choose to enter a business partnership with a non-believer, what will guide their business ethics? If not guided by God’s word, there will be trouble. The Corinthian congregation had strayed farfrom God’s ways. They were surrounded by a pagan culture, and most in that congregation had been a part of pagan practices before accepting Christ. Instead of turning away from the sins embraced by paganism, they were proud of their acceptance of it and allowedpeople into fellowship who were openly sinning. That sounds a lot like many congregations today. The Apostle Paul wasn’t shy about his disgust over their actions and wrote a very concise letter pointing out their errors. They needed to turn back to Christ,rather than embracing the world. Sexual sin has always been a problem for people. God established a one man/one woman marriage in the Garden of Eden, but people ignore God and justify their own sin nature. That was happening in Corinth, and the leadershipof the congregation weren’t dealing with the sin. Paul, who respected God, wouldn’t turn a blind eye. “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have hisfather’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned that he hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2. A young man was having an affair with his step-mother, and the congregation was proud of their open-mindedness. “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” 1 Corinthians 5:6. When one sin is accepted, people will usually begin accepting more and more sin. Paul told them to put the man out of the congregation until he repented,then welcome him back. “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the dayof the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:4-5. We all sin, and every err isn’t worthy of shunning, but this sin was especially unacceptable and needed to be dealt with. Today, Christians are way to accepting of sin. The world says it’s okay to sleep around, or changeyour gender, and God says “No”. Who do you believe? Satan is the ruler of this world, so choose carefully who you will follow. I choose to follow Christ. Many false teachings are being taught from pulpits today. By knowing Scripture, you can be sure that you’re following God rather than Satan. Those first Christians had manydilemmas. Most were Jewish but had accepted Christ. They assumed that in order to become a Christian, a Gentile would first have to embrace Judaism. That assumption is easily understood, because Jesus came to the nation of Israel first. They were, and stillare, God's chosen people and the Law was entrusted to them by God. The Law was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, so to think a Gentile must first embrace the Law, denies Christ’s finished work on the cross. Some denominations have chosen a few of the Laws which theyforce upon the members, but that’s not Scriptural. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass fromthe law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18. We are not under the Law given by Moses, but God’s law will always be valid. We aren’t to have a false god in place of God Almighty, we aren’t to have idols, we aren’t to take God’s name in vain, we are toremember the sabbath to keep it holy (Jesus is our Sabbath rest, so remember Him), honor your father and mother, don’t murder (don’t even murder people in the womb), don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t covet what others have. It really isn’tvery difficult to figure out God’s truth. Our freedom in Christ isn’t a license to sin. We need to follow Jesus’ example and be more like Him. We all have a sin nature which pulls us to disobey God. As Christians,we take the name of Jesus Christ, and therefore we need to deny our selfish feelings and desires. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23. You’ve probably heard someonesay “That’s my cross to bear”, but the context of their statement has nothing to do with what Jesus meant. The cross was death. The condemned person was forced to carry their cross to the place where the crucifixion would be done. Condemned people were usuallyguilty, but Jesus was perfect, and innocent of any and all sin. He took our sin upon Himself, carried His cross to the place where spikes were driven into His flesh, and His innocent blood poured out. His blood was shed for your sins and mine. When we repentof our sin and claim to be a Christian, we need to take up our cross, and deny our selfish human sinful desires, and follow Christ. Our sins are forgiven, and the only way we can thank our God who died for our sin is to live for Him. Once again, the ApostlePaul has Holy Spirit breathed words for us. “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewedin the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:21-24. We can’t earn our salvation, but we can show our gratitude. The word “conversation” isn’t just the way we talk. Itcomes from the Greek word “anastrophe” and means “the manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment”. In other words, crucify your old way of life and be born again into a life that honors Christ. How do we know what God expects of our behavior? Study Scripture. Don’t wait for your preacher to do a study on sin. Study what Scripture says and don’t twist it’s meaningto show your chosen sin as acceptable. The Bereans were commended for searching Scripture to be sure what Paul was preaching was God's truth. By the way, it was Old Testament Scripture which they searched. Ultimately, you will be accountable for your own sin,and ignorance isn’t an excuse. The whole Bible, from Genesis through Revelation, is God’s word. Men held the writing instruments, but they wrote according to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Put away the self-help books and study God’s Holy Bible. “All scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. That’s how we know God’s truth.We study what Scripture says, then conform to it, rather than making it conform to us. We can all find sins in our life that need to be corrected. People may not understand the changes you make in order to conform to God’s truth found in Scripture. Stand as a witness for Christ, and whether people understand or not,God does. It’s God we need to please, not our selfish sin nature nor other people. God bless you all, Nathele Graham VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

A More Careful Look at the Rapture, Part 3 of 4

A More Careful Look at the Rapture, Part 3 of 4 - By Ron Ferguson- https://www.raptureready.com/2021/09/08/a-more-careful-look-at-the-rapture-part-3-of-4-by-ron-ferguson/ [F]. WHAT RAPTURE IS CORRECT? Terms are thrown around, and arguments take place over exactly when the Rapture will occur in the future. I suppose the four schools of thought are these (The 4 I am coveringare the 4 I have encountered): Mid-Tribulation Rapture. These adherents believe the Church must endure the first three and a half years of the seven-year Tribulation, which some people like to call “thebeginning of sorrows,” and then the Rapture happens before the “heavier judgements” begin. The problem with this view is that Revelation chapter 6 is still the execution of the wrath of God, and that begins the Tribulation. The opening of the first seal is the start of all that will happen. At that time, the world realizes what is happening, although they must have known from the start thatthey find themselves in supernatural times – Rev 6:16-17, “and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come,and who is able to stand?” We are not destined to wrath; we are delivered from that wrath that is to come, so this view of a mid-tribulation Rapture is absolutely erroneous. It is amazing that anytrue bible student can hold to such a Christ-dishonoring idea, for it lessens that work of the cross where the Lord took the wrath in our place. There is NO MORE wrath for us. There is no way God will put His children through the wrath against sin when theSaviour bore it for us. Rapture immediately preceding the Second Coming. This belief is popular for those who dismiss a separate rapture 7 years before the Second Coming. They claim there is arapture but that it happens immediately before the Second Coming – rapture followed by Christ’s appearing, almost as if it was one event but in two parts. This view would have the Christians here on earth going right through the Tribulation and enduring thewrath of God, which Jesus took for us on the cross so that we will not endure God’s wrath against sin. This belief of the Rapture is false. In fact, I think it is disgusting. No such thing at all as a separate Rapture. This is a common belief among those who do not accept dispensational teaching and/or dismiss the concept of a Tribulation (suchas the SDAs, Reformed theology, Replacement Theology). They believe everything continues as it is now until the Second Coming. For them, there is only one coming. Remember, we quoted the Nicaean and Apostles’ Creed earlier – “He shall come to judge the livingand the dead.” This is the accepted view of those who follow The Apostles’ Creed rather than the bible. It includes the RC church, the Anglicans, the Reformed churches, the Lutherans, some of the Methodists and Presbyterians, and others. There is a strong correlation between this belief and covenant theology and replacement theology, horrible systems that dismiss Israel altogether in prophecy and transferall the Old Testament prophecies for Israel to the church in a spiritual sense. For me personally, this is a dishonoring, objectionable belief. Any system that would write off the Jews is not from God in any shape or form. It is a false doctrine, a doctrineof demons. The separate Rapture as the next event in God’s program. This is the biblical position. Christians are looking forward to the blessed hope of the Lord’s return. The Raptureis pre-Tribulation and pre-millennial. The Lord comes to snatch away His Bride before God’s wrath is poured from heaven. It is the only credence that is consistent and harmonious with all of scripture. The departure of the Church must occur before any releaseof judgment upon the earth. Surely Noah is a pertinent lesson here. He was raised from the earth, the judgment raged below, and when that had finished, he returned to earth. We shall be taken from the earth, the judgment rages below, then we come back withthe Lord. We are in the “Ark” when we leave, and we will be with the “Ark” when we return. Christ is the Ark. [G]. PRE-RAPTURE PROPHECY: There is no prophecy that has to be fulfilled before the Rapture can happen. Those who want to insert material from Matthew 24 and 25 are wrong when they try to link itwith the Rapture because those chapters are set in the Tribulation and the start of the Millennium. I have written about that in earlier Rapture Ready articles (“Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 in Parallel” and “The Rapture – How Soon is Soon”). I truly hope that people can understand Matthew 24 properly. When you read it, you can see it is addressing Jews, not Gentiles. The Second Coming, which is what Matthew24 is about, contains all the signs of His coming, the cosmic signs in the heavens. That is the Second Coming, NOT the Rapture, because there are not any heavenly or cosmic signs for the Rapture. As the Lord took Enoch, so the Lord takes the Church; no greatphysical display like signs in the sun and the moon as it will be for the Second Coming. There are indicators for the Rapture generally, but that is all they are – the “last days” (of the Church age) taught in 1Timothy 3 and the fig tree Israel becoming established,which it is now in its own land. [G1]. LET’S GET MATTHEW 24 CORRECT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!: Go look at the question the disciples asked Jesus at the start of Matthew 24. Matthew 24:3 [“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privatelysaying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?'”]. Jesus gave no Gentile teaching in His ministry. The disciples asked a 100% Jewish question. His disciples wanted to know the time of His coming.They knew what this coming was. The Old Testament prophets are full of this. It is the coming to the Jews, that which we call the Second Coming. For those of you who want to misapply this chapter to the Rapture, tell me, “what is the end of the age?” It is not the Rapture. It is the age that was spoken of by theOld Testament prophets, and Jews knew it to be the time when Messiah was coming, and this age would end, and Messiah would set up His kingdom. Please put Matthew 24 into proper context. You cannot selectively handpick parts of the chapter you like and forget about the rest. What about this? – “when you see theabomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet…” That is verse 15 from the chapter. You know the desecration of the Temple does not happen until halfway through the Tribulation, so it is already in the Tribulation, which is whereMatthew 24 fits. Either all in or all out, NOT one in and the rest out. And in regards to the Rapture, it is all out! None of the Rapture is in Matthew 24. And don’t tell me the part about Matthew 24:7, “for nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes,” is applying to Rapture signs because it DOES NOT, and in the next verse, Jesus said these were the start of the birth pangs. The birth pains are for Israel in the Tribulation. It is the start of the Tribulation. I think it is just far too convenient to useMatthew 24 for the Rapture and dislodge the discernment the children of God ought to have. If anyone wants to think differently, write to me to “prove” that any of Matthew 24 is the Rapture. It is Jewish, as is the whole of the book of Matthew if you study it! [H]. THERE IS ORDER IN THE RAPTURE: We will look at the two main New Testament passages for the Rapture. [H1]. THE LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS: There is a distinct order in the Rapture, and this is obtained mainly from 1Thessalonians 4. Firstly, we look at a passage from 1Corinthians chapter 15. The first half ofthe chapter argues for a resurrection of the dead, and the surprising thing is this – 1Cor 15:12, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” What can be more surprisingthan that? Some of the members of that church did not believe there was any resurrection, that this life is all we have, and death ends our lives forever. Paul counteracts that andleads into the resurrection for Christians, which is what occupies the verses from 12 to the end of the chapter with the great triumph of Christ’s resurrection, not only leading to our resurrection, but also to the great Rapture where all is finalized forour old earthly existence. In just the last 9 verses of the chapter, Paul declares this mystery unknown to any on earth before that time. In those 9 verses, he speaks of the perishable (corruptible in the KJV) and the mortal. Perishable (those who have already died and are with the Lord) will put on the “imperishable” (gained through the new bodies in the Rapture); and the mortal (those still living when Jesus comes in the air) will put on “immortality” (the same bodies exactly that the imperishable have). However, here, Paul keeps the same order he develops in 1Thess 4 – the already dead first, and then those who are living. Then he ends with these verses of triumph – 1Cor 15:55-57, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be toGod who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Recently, I read an idea I thought about but have to say it is a wrong idea, very wrong. That notion is that there is nothing of the Rapture in 1Corinthians 15. It is statednot to be a Rapture chapter. This is the first time I had even seen that opinion, so I looked into it. We will look at the relevant verses – 1Corinthians 15:51-53, “51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet,for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” A verse does not have to mention a snatching away to be a rapture verse. It must be examined in context. The verses above must be in context, as must the passages. The contextlooks at two groups, those who are sleeping and those who are not sleeping right now. The ones who sleep are the Christians who have died and are now with the Lord in heaven. Those who are not sleeping live on earth and wait for the Lord’s return for His own.Verse 51 confirms that ALL Christians, dead or alive, will be changed. That means both lots participate in that great event. Verse 52 now explains the time period for that change, and it is the expression, “the twinkling of an eye.” That will be explained shortly. Also, it happens at the lasttrumpet. Scripture must harmonize, so that trumpet matches 1Thessalonians 4:16 and Revelation 4:1. The next point is that the order of change is clearly stated. In Corinthians, it is “and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” The dead changefirst, then the living – all in the twinkling of an eye. As expected, this also corresponds with 1Thessalonians 5:15 (“we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep”) and verse 16 (“and the dead inChrist shall rise first”), followed by those who remain in verse 17. In verse 15 where perishable becomes imperishable, and mortal becomes immortality, this happens in the air when called to the Lord. Without a shadow of a doubt, Corinthiansis a very strong Rapture chapter. Not one of the great Pre-tribulation eschatological scholars has ever doubted it. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Living in Biblical Times

Living in Biblical Times – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/living-in-biblical-times The earth and its inhabitants are busy. They are busy staying preoccupied with anything and everything they can, so long as it distracts them from that gnawing feeling inthe pit of their soul asking, "What happens to me after I die?” In the meantime, they settle for distractions. They will settle for anything that keeps them focused on the immediacy of the now, over the lateness of the hour. Politics. Pop culture. Sports.Work. News. The reality is, this world and this universe are winding down, and as it does, is beginning to spin wildly out of control. The more out of control it becomes, the more Satanwants you staring at the tree, and not at the coming wildfire that is burning down the forest. The end is coming a lot sooner than most people think. Since most of the world is not watching, the suddenness of the great disappearance will catch them off guard; Andthen, sudden destruction will come upon them. In fact, they will not know what is happening until it’s already done. Knowing vs. Seeing There has been a lot of discussion over the past century on whether or not we can know when the Rapture happens. And if we remove all the crazy date setters and wild-eyedspeculators out there from the equation, what remains are essentially two camps of watchers- those who think we can’t know, and those who think we can. Let us see what the Bible says on the subject? …not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 According to the writer of Hebrews, watching believers should be able to see the Day approaching. But what does that mean exactly? If the Rapture is a signless event (itis), then how can we see it approaching? How does Matthew 24:36 factor into it? “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” At this point, we have a verse saying we will see (with our own eyes) that Day approaching, and we have another verse stating we can’t know exactly when Christ will return.If Matthew 24:36 were Christ’s final or only words on the subject, I would tend to agree that we can’t know. However, these are not Christ’s final or only words on the subject of His return. Nearly sixty years later, Christ tells the Apostle John on the islandof Patmos to address seven letters to seven churches. Of note, here is a portion of Christ's words to the church at Sardis. In it He says: Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hourI will come upon you. Revelation 3:3 So now, Christ adds both the seeing (watching) and connects it with the knowing. If taken through its logical conclusions, if we will not watch, then we will not know whathour He comes upon us. Conversely, if we will watch, then we should know what hour He will come. This seems to correspond more with the passage in Hebrews 10 as being able to see that Day approaching than it does with the Matthew 24:36 passage. It was to the Apostle Paul who was given the task of explaining the mystery of the Rapture to a growing Gentile church. In fact, Paul writes more about the Rapture of theChurch than any other writer in Scripture. Paul clarifies this line of thinking regarding knowing vs. not knowing when he writes these verses to a small church in Thessalonika: But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as athief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 1Thess. 5:1-4 Being in darkness is a colloquialism for being blind (or not being able to see). Here, Paul links those who are not in Christ and are of the world, as being in darkness.He also links those who are in Christ and are watching, as being 'sons of the day.' Paul links being able to see (being of the day) with knowing perfectly when the Day of the Lord is at hand. As I have written in previous articles, there are two different usages of the phrase the Day of the Lord (DoTL) used in Scripture. There is a general usage of this termDoTL all throughout the New and Old Testament that speaks to the whole seven years. There are also numerous passages that speak to specific usage of this term, speaking directly to the Second Coming itself. However, I believe Paul is addressing the generalusage of the DoTL phrase here in 1 Thessalonians 5. In conclusion, we who are watching will be able to know that Day is approaching, because we are seeing the things (geopolitical, technological, financial, religious, etc.)come to pass that are necessary for the 70th Week of Daniel to happen. Like how we know Thanksgiving is near when we see the decorations for Christmas going up, we also know the Rapture is near when we see the things 70th Week going up. Although we cannotknow the specific day or hour (or the exact moment) of the Rapture, we can know the season. Harvests, Feasts, and Seasons “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22 Speaking of times and seasons, Jesus often referred to parables when speaking of His return. In His most famous parable on the subject, He links His return to a specifictime of year. While we cannot be dogmatic about it, clearly, Jesus knew every word He spoke and was recorded in Scripture would be scrutinized to the nth degree. Therefore, it is my opinion He used this example very strategically. Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So youalso, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Luke21:29-33 Although most of us are not farmers, we know that the Israelites were given instructions in the Old Testament on how and when to harvest their crops. First, they were togather the “first fruits” as an offering to the Lord. Secondly, they would then conduct the main harvest (minus the corners of the field). Depending on the crop, there would be an early and late harvest. Lastly, the poor could be allowed to come in once themain harvest was complete, and would be allowed to go through the gleanings of the field (Lev. 19:9-10). Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this is found in the story of Ruth (a gentile bride), which is celebrated during the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot orPentecost), which puts it in late spring, early summer. The times and seasons also corresponded with the Feasts of the Lord. There were four Feasts in the spring, then a long summer break, and then three Feasts in the fall. Weknow in the life of Christ, He fulfilled the first three with His death, burial, and resurrection. We also know that the church was conceived at Pentecost some fifty days later. What remains is the fall feasts, and we believe that these will also be fulfilledliterally during the 70th Week of Daniel. The question remains, where does the Rapture of the Church fall into this pattern (if at all)? Feasts of the Lord And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, theseare My feasts. Leviticus 23:1-2 Spring Feasts 1. Feast of Passover (Fulfilled) (24 hours later) 2. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Fulfilled) (2-6 days later) 3. Feast of First Fruits (Fulfilled) (50 days later) 4. Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost) (Fulfilled) (135 days later) Fall Feasts 5. Feast of Trumpets (10 days later) 6. Feast of Atonement (5 days later) 7. Feast of Tabernacles (73 days later) 8. Hanukah [Dates courtesy of Robert Breaker’s White Board!] Now, the Church was conceived (not born) at Pentecost, and what we have been waiting for these past two thousand years during our gestation period (i.e., the Church age)is the Rapture (our birth). This is the long-awaited birth of all the singularly corporate, body of believers from that first Pentecost until the Rapture (Romans 8:18-25). Every born-again believer of both the living and the dead will meet Christ in the airfor the greatest reunion the world has ever seen. What we can’t know is whether or not this reunion and transformation (from mortality to immortality) happens as part of the Feasts of the Lord, or is a completely unconnected event. It would seem though, thatgiven our conception being originally connected with Pentecost, must in some way, find its birth also with Pentecost (to close the loop so to speak). Now, some have pointed out that the last trump must be connected with the Feast of Trumpets, but I do not think this is the case. As I have pointed out on numerous prioroccasions, if there is a last trumpet, there must also be a first trumpet. The first trumpet blast gathered the nation of Israel together for the first time at the foot of Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19). It only makes sense that the last trumpet gathers all of thechurch together in the air at the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18, 1 Cor. 15:51-56). Thus, this explains the significance of the ‘last trump’ as being connected with the gathering of a body of believers, rather than a feast. Signs Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; Genesis1:14 The Bible is replete with references to the heavens, and we know historically, the Mazzeroth held significance to earlier Bible people. Correspondingly, many in our ownday have pointed to various astronomical events such as the Blood Moon Tetrads or the Revelation 12 sign as having prophetic significance. Whether they are significant or not, I cannot say with authority. We know two millennia ago, God used the “Star of Bethlehem” as a sign for the Gentile Wise Men to follow and worship the child, Jesus. We also know inside of the 70th Week of Daniel (the seven-year Tribulation) that there will also be major astronomical signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Acts. 2:19-20) that heraldthe Day of the Lord. However, we cannot say with any specificity whether or not the things we are seeing now in the heavens, point to anything specific. If we are in the dispensation of the Church (I believe we are), then we do not derive our authority from the signs and wonders that accompanied the Old Testament times and/orwill find fulfillment inside the Tribulation. Rather, we preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor. 1:23). Therefore, anything we see today is either not for the Church to apply to our own deliverance,or serves as a sign to point Israel to the lateness of the hour since they have rejected the message of Christ crucified. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ForJews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 1 Cor. 1:21-22 As I've said on numerous occasions, I don't dismiss out of hand things like the Rev 12 sign or other events, I just don't think we can pin any of our specific hopes on them.The proof of this is that they have happened, and we are still here, so whatever they meant, is beyond us. What we can know though, is that creation is moaning and groaning, and we are seeing our universe becoming increasingly hostile to the burden of sinplaced upon it. This means an uptick in both natural calamities, such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and hurricanes, as well as cosmic disturbances. If there are any signs we as the Church can see and point to as the lateness of the hour, it is the birthpangs. The fact we are seeing such a dramatic increase in both the frequency and intensity of the natural and cosmic disturbances is a testament to the lateness of the hour. But it is not just the universe winding down that points to our end coming soon. There are many other signs which are happening simultaneously that are also heralding theend of our age. These are the growing apostate nature of Christendom (not the true Church), the geopolitical alignment of nations against Israel (e.g., Gog-Magog), the revival of the old Roman Empire, technological advancements in military weaponry, genetics,artificial intelligence, information processing, and the implementation of these things into the human body. The old order of geopolitics is falling apart and the new world order is rising. Across the board, evil is being called good, and good, evil. Becauseof this, we are feeling the effects of the wrath of abandonment in this once blessed nation. Violence and wickedness are on the rise everywhere. Lastly, we are seeing the nations of the world setting the stage for the coming ten-nation confederacy by using'governance-by crisis' as test-runs with global mandates and lockdowns. Closing People have been saying for many years now that Christ's coming must be soon because of this sign or that. Some pointed to the rise of Hitler or the year 2000 as proof.To be fair, what are a few decades in light of eternity? So "soon" or "at hand" are relatively subjective terms. So in light of what we have discussed already, and instead of saying that Christ is coming soon (this term is rather vague), let us consider afew key points as we close out this study by looking at things in reverse order. 1.We know Christ's Second coming will be tied to a specific time, rather than some random moment. We know this because Christ's First coming was tiedto something known as the 'fullness of times' (Gal. 4:4-5). Presumably, this meant all the conditions necessary for the Messiah to come the first time had been met. So whatever the conditions necessary for Christ's Second coming, must also be met in orderfor us to know when that might occur. 2.We know at the Second Coming, Christ triumphant return in the air with the armies of heaven in tow, meet the Antichrist and his global forces inIsrael at Armageddon. We know this Antichrist will have recently recaptured Jerusalem from the Jews, and desecrated their temple. In order for this to have happened, the Jews must be living back in Israel and their third temple must be standing. 3.We know that the Antichrist will need to have the technology available to control all buying and selling in the world. He will need the technologyto control all the governments in the world, as well as their armies. 4.We know that Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the 'many other nations' will align themselves to come against Israel. In their overtly divine destruction,Israel decides it's time to rebuild their third temple. 5.We know the world is united behind a false religion known as "the whore." We know this new religion will masquerade as Christianity but will promoteall the blasphemous things God hates. 6.We know the world will be forced to unite over a major global crisis we assume to be the Rapture of the Church, which will decimate the United Statesand realign the global power structure. 7.We know the world is quickly approaching the two-thousandth anniversary of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (2032). We know that the 70thWeek of Daniel last approximately seven years. We know that to God, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. We also know that God promised Israel to raise them up on the third day (Hosea 6:2). I guess at this point, you just need to ask yourself if you can see anything on this shortlist as already existing? Is it already in play? Is it already being implemented?What's left to happen? If you can see it, then as 'sons of the light' and 'sons of the day, you should know that our salvation (deliverance) is at hand. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28 VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM