The Big Picture

 The Big Picture - Nathele Grahams - twotug@embarqmail.com My husband had a way of irritating me. He was a wonderful man, but every time I would get in a dither about something, fretting about details and how everything seemed tobe falling apart, Ron would always say “Look at the big picture”. Then he would chuckle. Sure enough, if I would focus on the big picture, I stopped fretting and saw how all things were falling together in spite of my worrying. As Christians, we need to focuson the big picture. As we watch the horrors happening in Ukraine, we can easily be distracted by details rather than focusing on the big picture. God wasn’t taken by surprise, and He loves the people who are being hurt by this war. He also sees all thingsand knows that this is leading to a much bigger war. He sees the big picture, and gives us prophecy so we can also see the bigger picture if we study. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none likeme, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” Isaiah 46:9-10. It’s comforting to know that God knew all these scary things would happen, butHe is God, and truly there is none like Him. If we allow ourselves to trust Him, we will have inner peace. Scripture gives us the big picture. Unless you study Biblical prophecy, without interpreting it to suit your own agenda or understanding, but study it as God dictated it,you will miss what’s going on today. The Apostle Peter had a front row seat to the miracles of Jesus, but he said that the miracles weren’t as sure as prophecy. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lightthat shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man: but holy men of Godspake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21. Remember, the focus of prophecy and the end times is on Israel, not on any manmade nation, but on God’s chosen nation of Israel and turning their hearts back to Him. Christians are a special groupof people from many nations, ethnic backgrounds, and family ties. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all onein Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:27-29. We are united as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ by our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We have admittedthat we are sinners who do not have any hope of spending eternity with God, except through the blood of Jesus…our Kinsman Redeemer. Israel has always been God’s chosen people. God called Abraham out of the pagan culture in which he lived and blessed him by giving him the land we now know as Israel. God’spromise included the fact that Abraham would have a son, and would be the father of a great nation. Although Abraham and his wife Sarah were quite old, that son was born to them. His name was Isaac. Isaac’s son Jacob was the father of twelve sons, who eachhad many children. One of those sons, Judah, would be the one from which King David was born, and many generations in the future, the Messiah was born. Many prophecies were fulfilled in the years between the call of Abraham and the birth of the Messiah, whomwe know was Jesus the Christ. There are hundreds of Old Testament prophecies which specifically describe His birth, life, and death, but because the religious leaders who lived during the time Jesus walked in the Holy Land, refused to study prophecy and understandthe times in which they lived, they rejected their Messiah and crucified Him. One of the prophecies regarding this is found in Daniel chapter 9. This prophecy is about the nation of Israel, which is interesting because Daniel received it while in captivityin Babylon. Israel had been taken captive and the Temple destroyed. Yet, Daniel was shown that they would be a nation again, and the Temple rebuilt. He spoke of the coming Messiah, but he also told of the rejection by Israel of their Messiah. “And after threescoreand two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” Daniel 9:26.Indeed, the Messiah did come to the Jewish people, but they rejected Him and accused Him of blasphemy. Jesus was crucified, but He didn’t remain in the grave. His crucifixion and resurrection won victory over death. All people can live eternally with God byplacing their faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. That’s the big picture regarding Christ’s birth, ministry on earth, and death. Still, the leaders of Israel were blind. The Apostle Paul wrote about the blindness that has plagued the nationof Israel, and tells us that it will last until all who will accept Christ have done so. “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, untothe fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” Romans 11:25. Look at the big picture, and see that the “fulness of the Gentiles” is just about filled. Prophecy is on fast forward. If you haven’t made a commitment to Christ, then time is running out. Just as in Noah’stime, the door of the Ark was shut and all who refused the safety of the Ark faced God’s judgment. God’s wrath will be poured out soon, but Christians will be Raptured prior to His judgment. Be sure that you have repented and accepted His offer of grace throughfaith. One big mistake made by those who haven’t a clue about prophecy, is the belief that the ekklesia (the church) has replaced Israel. This false teaching has led to much misinterpretationof Scripture. All question about the error of that thinking should have been wiped away when Israel became a nation again. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel,and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Isaiah 11:11-12 also “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, anddrink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the LORD thy God.” Amos 9:14-15. In Ezekiel chapter 37,the Lord showed Ezekiel a valley of dry bones. Those bones join together and begin to come alive. The Lord explained the bones as being the whole house of Israel that shall be brought back into the land which He gave them. That prophecy was fulfilled in 1948when Israel was reestablished. In Ezekiel’s end time prophecy, found in chapters 38 and 39, after the dry bones come together and finally get life, there is a war. God will win. I will say that much of the misunderstanding of prophecy comes from interpretations of future events based on knowledge of the time. For instance, a century ago it wouldhave been impossible to understand how the whole world could watch God’s two witnesses, described in Revelation chapter 11, be killed, but those who missed the Rapture will see and rejoice over their death. “And they of the people and kindreds and tonguesand nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophetstormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” Revelation 11:9-11. Today, we have satellite news broadcaststhat people can watch on their telephones. When studying prophecy, remember that what God has foreseen, will happen. The prophets may not have known how something would come about, but they knew that it would, and faithfully described what they saw or heard.When Daniel was given the end time prophecy, there were things he couldn’t understand, but wrote anyway. He was told to shut and seal the book until the end, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shallrun to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4. Many prophecies should be coming clear because we are at a time when technology has caught up with Scripture. God saw the big picture, and we need to trust His knowledge. If we pay attention to prophecy, we’ll understand that the Mark of the Beast can easily be implemented through computer technology and micro-chips. This “pandemic” wasn’tan “oops”, but a planned scenario to see just how far people can be pushed and controlled. According to Scripture, when the mark of the beast is implemented, a person will choose to take it. Only those who bow to the beast and take his mark will be able tobuy food, earn a living, and other necessities of life. By choosing to take the mark, a person will have “sold their soul to Satan”. You will be beyond salvation. Altered DNA? I think so. Just like the Nephilim of Genesis chapter 6, which most Christians refuseto understand. That’s one of many reasons we know that the Rapture will happen prior to the beginning of the 7-year period of time known as Daniel’s 70th week, also called the Tribulation. Christians are assured of Salvation by faith. We are sealed by theHoly Spirit and our salvation is secure. “That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealedwith that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:12-14. The Rapture will happen before the mark is mandatory. Beware of mandates. There willbe people who will come to faith after the Rapture and they are known as Tribulation Saints. If their faith in Jesus is made known, they will be beheaded. Make sure of your faith. Search your heart and see if there’s anything you need to ask Jesus to forgiveyou for, then witness to friends and family. When you look at the big picture disclosed by Scripture, you’ll understand the times in which we live, and hopefully you’ll be prompted to share the Gospel with others beforeit’s too late. Pray for the people in Ukraine. Pray for Israel. God bless you all, Nathele Grahams VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM