The End Times are Upon Us

The End Times are Upon Us - By Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-end-times-are-upon-us.html 6 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:6-8) Everyone that is alive in this hour of the last days of man-kinds last gasp of ruling themselves, can see the chaos that is virtually enveloping this world. If it hasn't hityou directly, you may know someone who has felt the upheaval that is coming upon this world, and the neighborhood around you. Be it either natural environmental disasters, flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes that have come awake all up and down the Pacific coastlinesand elsewhere, raging fires that are out of control in California or other states in the western section of the USA, famine that is growing a food crisis, or see the wars that have broke out in the Middle Eastin the past and the threat of wars that could effectevery man and women on this planet that are threatening to come to pass in the near future. But with all this surrounding us and many that are in fear of what is coming upon the earth, it is good to step back and survey the surrounding landscape of historical detailsalong with current events that can only be related to Bible prophecy that is being fulfilled in these last days. Let us, for a moment, consider the awesomeness of this big picture that is coming quickly into clearer view. UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE IN PROPHECY For two thousand years, since the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to the right hand of God our Father, mankind or the generations of those who put their faith in our Savior,have looked expectantly at the clouds and believed that they would see the coming of our Lord in their generation. There have been so many signs that points to the nearness of the Jesus return for His church, that people have become almost complacent with the routine they have seen downthrough times past. Many disbelieving people who scoffed at the very idea of the Lord's return came to believe He wasn't coming at all. 2 “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2nd Peter 3:2-4) Those of us who are living in this generation of the last days are eyewitnesses to events for which the ancient prophets had no words to describe, but can only be decipherableto that generation that lives in it. To the prophets, to them it was “somewhere in time”. DANIEL'S VISION OF THE FUTURE For example, the prophet Daniel was so confused by what he witnessed, and so unsure of how to describe it in words that made sense, that he actually complained to God's Messengerabout it: "8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."(Daniel 12:8-10) Just try and see it from Daniel's perspective. He had just absorbed a vision of Israel's future, divided into seventy weeks of years. God revealed to Daniel the rise and fall of four successive world empires; Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Much of Daniel's vision would have been somewhat familiar;the mechanics of government and technology of war didn't change that much from the 5th century BC to the 1st century AD. But Daniel's vision took a hard right turn following the 'cutting off of the Messiah.' 26 “And after threescore and 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) The Messenger of God jumped from the first century AD to somewhere in the 21st Century when Jerusalem would be sacked and the temple destroyed in 70AD by Titus and then jumpingforward near 2000 years to the confirmation of a seven year treaty between the many nations and the coming Anti-Christ and the start of the Tribulation period of 7 years, or Daniel's 70th week. Daniel had seen things that staggered him so much he didn't know where to begin. Consider the angel's reply carefully: "And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." (Daniel 12:8-9) There is a principle in Bible scriptures that dictates that God doesn't repeat Himself unnecessarily, but has a purpose if He does. If God tells you something twice, thenit is really important and those who read it should really take notice, as God wants you to get what He is saying. That is the case here. Earlier, Daniel had voiced a similar complaint, and the angel had already told him: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end," but in more detail, adding that, 'in the time of the end', "many shall run to andfro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Daniel 12:4) The visions were so complex that the prophet was left near speechless to understand what it was he was being shown. This is the same man, who was so in tune with the Mindof God that he could divine and interpret dreams, but this vision was designed only for the generation that would actually live it and see its fulfillment. As mentioned, each generations has watched for signs of the times that pointed to the imminent return of our Lord, but they all lacked one thing. That one thing will be mentionedfurther in this message. Take for example, the Church at Thessalonica that was so convinced that the Day of the Lord was upon them, and that they had missed the rapture of the Church and were soreafraid. Paul had to comfort them and tell them what the signs would be before the coming Day of the Lord, and they were not living in it yet. “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” (2nd Thessalonians 2:1-5) But the angel that came to Daniel said that the signs of the times would only be understandable to those who were actually living in that particular time of the generationof the end. KNOWLEDGE VS. WISDOM There is a world of difference between 'knowledge' and 'wisdom'. One can have great wisdom without much knowledge. Some of the wisest men I ever knew had little or no education.But it is equally true that you can have a tremendous amount of knowledge but have no wisdom, but is known to have book smarts, but no common “horse sense”. I've known many just such as I describe. The bookstores are full of examples of Ph.Ds who have dedicated themselves to proving just that and it fills our universities of those who have knowledge but very little wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge is what Daniel was seeking when he made inquiries of the Angel Gabriel, which is who the Bible says was sent. Indeed, the angel Gabriel went on to say; "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (Daniel 12:10) The Proverbs of Solomon explain 'understanding' as an equation that could be expressed this way: "wisdom plus knowledge equals understanding." "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10) That is the whole purpose of the Proverbs; "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding." (Proverbs 1:2) Daniel was a very wise man, but he had nothing to compare the revelation he was receiving to what was evident in his world at the time and had no understanding of what wasbeing revealed. It left him totally confused, but to write what was seen, as the understanding of this knowledge was not for him, but for another time. I believe it was for our time in the generation we are now living. THE BIG PICTURE As we look around us and try to understand what is happening and the Big Picture, it comes down to the sign that Jesus told us would be the sign of the last generation. Thatis what was lacking of all past generations...the rebirth of Israel. 32” Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:32-37) It began when, for the first time since the times of Daniel, there is, in this generation, a political and national entity called "Israel" composed of Daniel's people andliving in Daniel's city. 24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon they holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”(Daniel 9:24) From the day that Israel was reborn it was unheard of for a nation to be reborn in just one day, but was prophesied that it would happen just that way when Israel would, againstall odds, be reborn once again in one day. 8 “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed,she brought forth her children.” (Isaiah 66:8) But on 14 May 1948, the countdown clock began ticking down. As the prophecy spoken of by Jesus came to pass, and as I have mentioned in many messages past, Israel is the doorto end time prophecy, and Jerusalem is the key to that door. God made a promise to the Prophet Daniel, and God keeps His promises. As noted, the Messiah was cut off after 483 years of a 490 year prophecy that still has 7 remaining years for the prophecy tobe completed. That clock is now ticking away. But one doesn't need only to judge by the “fig Tree” of Matthew 24's prophecy to make that point. The point makes it all by itself. Virtually every major component of Bible prophecy makes the Big Picture by tracingit to this point in modern history. Many things are linked with the restoration of the nation of Israel and it all began in the same year of 1948. -The war on terrorism and the rise of Muslim atrocities began in 1948 and continues to the present time. -The prophesied coming of the Anti-Christ began with the destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the Temple, and those legions of the Roman Empire as spoken of in Daniel9:27 .-Those “people” became the modern version of the Roman Empire in 1948 when the European Union was formed out of the Benelux Treaty. -The current East/West geopolitical alignment in the Middle East is a direct result of the US/Soviet Cold War which officially kicked off with the 1948 Berlin Airlift. -The first Constitution for a global government, the Universal Declaration of Rights and Freedoms was ratified by the UN Member States in 1948. -The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Treaty establishing global economic policy rules (and ultimately evolving into the World Trade Organization) was signedand ratified by the UN in 1948. -The World Council of Churches was established under UN auspices in Amsterdam in August, 1948. -China and Taiwan were divided by the 1947-1948 Communist takeover of the mainland, giving birth to the inscrutable People's Republic of China. -Muslim Pakistan broke from newly independent India in 1948, creating the Islamic republic that ultimately gave the world the first Islamic Bomb, the Taliban and Osama binLaden. This is all historical facts that anyone can point to that speaks of the co-ordination by Divine authority to put in place the final actors on the world stage to wind downthis generation that we are living in. But if a person does not have “wisdom” then the knowledge of these historical events mean nothing to them in the Big Picture that God is orchestrating to come to pass to bring His will into being completed. When Jesus said that “this generation will not pass till all be fulfilled” We must re-emphasize what a generation is. The Psalms in chapter 90 says that a generation is 70years, and 80 years by strength, then we fly away. So when in 1948, that timeclock of 70 years began for a generation born would see all things be fulfilled in that general time frame. And in May ,2018 will be 70 years since Israel was reborn. It means thaton the outside of 80+/- years, (God is sovereign and can add or take away years according to His will) Jesus will be back on this earth, reigning and ruling for a thousand years. But a Tribulation of 7 years must happen between now and that end time of 80+years, somewhere of what was written of a generation in the Psalms. If the tribulation is that close, then the removal of the Church is even closer. This is the picture we see, and it remains to be seen when and how the generation of the Lord's return playsout according to God's plan and not ours. God gave us a general time frame. What the secular world sees, being devoid of understanding, is chaos, terror and upheaval of this world all around them. This lack of understanding breeds nothing but fear,as the world doesn't know what is happening, but the minute you start to tell them what is happening on God's Time Clock, then that is when they begin to shut you out or flee from your presence and label you a “prophecy nut” But remember in the first destruction of this planet that was flooded over with a deluge of water, Noah preached for 120 years without a single convert. I would call thatmost discouraging. So it is with the day that we live in, as men scoff at the idea that the end of this age is close at hand, they close their minds and their hearts to the reality of what is actually happening. Although they have knowledge of the events,they have not wisdom that leads to understanding. We as “watchman on the wall” see the sword coming, and we are commanded to warn the people. As it is written in Ezekiel: 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) So we continue to warn the people, to give them knowledge, to hopefully produce wisdom and to lead them to understanding. We know not all will listen. But if only one comesto the understanding and escapes what is coming upon the earth known as the Tribulation, then that soul is priceless in the eyes of God. Our work is for even that one who believes, but we pray for more. So, in this message, I think it is good to step back once in a while and drink in the awesomeness of the events to which we are now almost daily witnesses of. As we see the hand of God moving directly in the affairs of this World to fulfill His Word in this generation, then our individual setbacks pale in comparison. We all should be encouraged to know that God is in control and that His Word will NOT come back to Him void. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing wheretoI sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) RECEIVING ETERNAL REWARDS It is encouraging to know that those who look for the Glorious Appearing of our Lord and Savior will receive a special crown, a “crown of righteousness” that is reserved inheaven for all who have believed by faith and followed our Lord Jesus and seek to do His will in this time of the last generation. Paul speaks of this special crown that is reserved for the Children of God: 8” Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them alsothat love his appearing.” (2nd Timothy 4:8) Even more encouraging words are spoken by Titus in chapter 2 that believers should not be quaking in fear of what is coming u 12 "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:12-14).....(upon the earth,but we are looking for that “Blessed Hope” which is Christ, the Lord. Looking at the signs of the times is terrifying. Understanding the times of the signs means a 'crown of righteousness' and represents our 'blessed hope'-- the soon Raptureof the Church. Still, it is natural to feel a sense of fear, as after all, we all want to go to heaven, but none of us want to hasten that process by dying. It is as the old saying goes “everyone want to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”. It's a natural human response that is fueled by the sympathetic nervous system, of the “fight or flight” desire to preserve life at any cost. But being fearful at times is not a sign of a lack of faith,it is a sign of being human. Paul explains that we are dual-natured creatures, part carnal and part spiritual, so it is not disloyal (or schizophrenic) to be afraid with the natural part and overjoyedat its spiritual implications. That is what 'understanding' is all about. 6 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at theappearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1st Peter 1:6-9) LET ME ASK YOU A PERSONAL QUESTION. Are you afraid of what is coming upon this earth? Are you fearful that your family could be swept away, or that death could be right around the corner for you or any of yourloved ones? With all the violence even now in our schools, I don't blame you. It is entirely human to fear something you don't have understanding of. To be afraid of evil men who want to destroy the innocent lives around them is totally human but is devoid of Godly faith. Because you have nothing that you can hold ontoand take courage that Jesus is the answer to that fear...For it is written: 7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2nd Timothy 1:7) The whole world knows that something “BIG” is coming. Those who have nothing to place their anchor in are fearful of what is coming. They can see how the world is startingto implode upon itself, and evil is growing unabated and it is right on our front doors steps of even this country. Men's hearts are failing them for what is coming upon the earth. But if you think it is fearful now, just wait, if you be so unfortunate, to see what WILL come upon the earthin possibly a few short years. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26) Men and women can't explain what is coming, they just have knowledge, but no wisdom or understanding of what God said would happen in these last days. A time of terrible suffering is fast approaching this world, even to the shores of this once great country known as the USA, which may not be so great in the time that isstill to play out. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 “ A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not beenever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.” (Joel 2:1-2) 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) A time that anyone who has wisdom coupled with knowledge will receive understanding and turn to the only Source of not being afflicted with this time called Jacob's Trouble.It is calculated that during the time that is fast approaching 80-90%+ of all man-kind left on earth will be destroyed. That is 5-6 billion people in 7 short years. Will you be amongst those who meet an untimely death and devoid of any hope for eternity? Manypeople will miss this coming span of death and destruction, but many people will endure this intense suffering and most assuredly death from something none of us want to think about. But make no mistake, it is coming. Jesus is coming, and His wrath will fallon all who have not believed the following verses and confessed who Jesus is in their lives. 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.” (John3:16-18) 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) My question to you, are you ready to meet Him? Him? Jesus Christ our Lord, for readers, He is coming, and He is coming soon. This is pastor Mike Taylor sounding the alarm. Jesus is coming and coming soon. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, then email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com. God bless you all. TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET ----------------------------- Ready or Not, Here It Comes - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.comssa I�ve seen many articles lately with titles asking the question �Are You Ready�. That�s a very good question, but what are you ready for? How do you prepare for something youdon�t know about? The best way to prepare for anything is to study and learn about it. If the question is about the Rapture and the Great Tribulation, study Scripture. God�s word has much information about both of these events, and Scripture will give youa good idea where we are in God�s timing. Let�s talk a little about each of these events. There is so much information in Scripture, that I can only lightly talk about each one. The Rapture is also called �The Blessed Hope�, only affects certain people throughoutthe world. It will happen quietly, quickly, and unexpectedly. You may be having a conversation with a friend or family member, and suddenly they will disappear. �Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment,in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.� 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.The Apostle Paul was the one who was given the privilege of disclosing the Rapture. Although it is hinted at in the Old Testament, it was never openly declared. The first hint is seen in Enoch. At a time when the world was very evil, fallen angels mated withhuman women, and wickedness was everywhere, Enoch kept himself away from the activities of the world. �And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.� Genesis 5:21-24. The writer of Hebrews also talks about Enoch. �By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; andwas not found because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God.� Hebrews 11:5. Enoch didn�t die but was taken to Heaven by God. God�s judgment was coming and God took him prior to the judgment of the Floodof Noah. Enoch is described as a man who walked with God and that�s the only way to be ready for the Rapture and miss God�s wrath pouring out during the Tribulation period. Turn your life over to God. Repent of sin in your life, and ask Jesus to forgive you. God�s wrath is coming, but Christians can be sure we won�t face it. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, he commended them for turning from their pagan ways. �For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God� and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrathto come.� 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. Those who have chosen to reject the free gift of salvation through Jesus will be left on earth to face God�s wrath. The Apostle John was given a look into the future and wrote what he saw in the book of Revelation. Jesus dictatedseven letters to various churches and those letters describe history of the church age in advance. Once the last letter was written, John experienced the Rapture. �After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heardwas as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.� Revelation 4:1-2. John representsChristians who are Raptured when the Church Age is over, but before God�s wrath comes. There are many passages in Scripture that describe those final seven years, including Daniel chapters 9 through 12, and Revelation beginning in chapter 6. It begins whenthe first seal is broken and the evil horsemen of the apocalypse begin their deadly ride. The Tribulation is a seven-year period of time that will affect the entire world. Satan will be unleashed and pure evil will permeate everything. A completely evil manwill step into power; he will be controlled by Satan. �Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself aboveall that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.� 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. There will be a one-world economic system (keep your eye on the World Economic Forum) and a one-world religion.The evil world leader will require everyone to take his mark. �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: 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 13:16-17. If you take his mark, you will forfeit your soul. You will have sealed your own fate. God�s judgments will begin sometime after the Rapture; we are not living in the Tribulation today.We are getting close to the judgments, but as of the time I�m writing this, the judgments haven�t begun. When watching signs of the times, keep an eye on Israel; God hasn�t forgotten them, and they haven�t been replaced. They are ready to build the third temple, which will bethe one the Abomination of Desolation (described by Daniel and by Jesus) will stand in. �When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let themwhich be in Judaea flee into the mountains:) Matthew 24:15-16. Studying prophecy will enlighten you, but does it prepare you? In some ways, yes. Don�t delay in accepting salvation through Christ. Many signs of the Tribulation are falling into place today,which tells us that our time on earth is very short. It seems the entire world is focused on dividing Israel, and God won�t condone that. Fighting near Damascus makes one think of the prophecy in Isaiah 17 stating Damascus will be a ruinous heap. Iran is aboutto have a nuclear bomb, which is a bad idea on many levels. The Jewish Temple is ready to be built, and that is a major sign. Earthquakes are increasing and occurring in unusual places. The covid craziness was a precursor to the pestilence of that time andthe mark of the beast, and creating panic leading to government control. The wickedness seen around the world, as well as the moral decay are signs. How do we prepare for the total chaos of the Great Tribulation? We can stock up on food, medical supplies,and water, but is that enough? It�s better to accept Jesus and miss it altogether by being taken in the Rapture. As you follow prophetic events, keep in mind that Satan thrives on chaos and lies; truth is found in Scripture not on CNN. Satan puts stumbling blocks in your way to stopyou from studying Scripture. He wants fear and confusion to blind you to God�s truth. Many things are happening on a global level that indicate something big is about to happen. People �feel it in the air�, and Scripture tells us what signs to look for (Matthewchapter 24 is a good place to start). Be sure you understand the sequence of events and difference in them. The Rapture will occur first and will take Christians to Heaven, then sometime later, the Tribulation will begin, and that�s when God�s wrath will bepoured out. The Second Coming will happen at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. As we near the end, events of prophecy will seem to speed up and happen faster. Don�t live in fear, but study God�s word and you�ll have peace knowing that God isn�t surprisedby these events, and loves His creation. �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.� John 3:16. Faith in Jesus is our only hope. Prophecies in Daniel warn theworld in general, but Israel in particular, about very troubled times. The end of time is coming and the signs are happening rapidly. The only way to be ready is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. In that way you�ll be taken in the Rapture insteadof remaining on earth to face the horrors of the Tribulation. God has warned us, but the choice to heed His warning is up to each person individually. The truth is, if you procrastinate, you may die before you accept Christ. Only faith in Jesus will assurethat you spend eternity in Heaven with Him. Don�t think that rejecting Christ and spending eternity in Hell is going to be a big party and lots of fun. God describes it very differently. Eternity in darkness in the lake of fire that burns forever won�t bea party. �And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.� Revelation 20:15. It�s a choice that must be made prior to leaving this world. The good news is, if you�ve given your life to Christ now, you won�t be on earthfor that final judgment. God always gives warning, and doesn�t want any person to face the days of His wrath or eternity separated from Him. Turn to Him now, today, before it�s too late. What�s stopping you from asking Christ to forgive you and save you fromdamnation? Only you can make the choice for yourself. Look into your life. Is there anything you�re holding on to that�s worth eternity in Hell? Give your life to Christ now, and when the Rapture happens, you�ll be one who disappears and enters eternity andpeace with God. Ready or not, it�s coming. Make your decision now and find a Christ centered, Bible believing congregation. Fellowship with fellow Christians and witness to people who haven�t come to faith in Christ.God wants you to find peace, but Satan wants you to allow fear to blind you to God�s truth. �We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day stararise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.� 2 Peter 1:19-21. Biblicalprophecy is very neglected by many pastors today. Don�t let that hinder your studies. Maybe you can teach your pastor a thing or two! As you study Scripture, especially end times, remember many verses speak of the Rapture and others speak of Christ�s second coming. These are two separate events. The Rapturewill happen at least 7 years before the Second Coming of Christ. One day if you notice that many people have gone missing, that�s the Rapture. You�ll probably hear many stories of alien abduction or �mother earth� purging herself of people who don�t care forher like they should. Those are lies. The truth is very serious and you should pay attention to that truth now. God�s judgment is coming. Huge hailstones will pummel the earth, water will be undrinkable, demonic activity will be seen everywhere, and your lifewill be worthless. Satan, in the form of the Anti-Christ, will become the ruler of this world and require everybody to take his mark. If you refuse to take it you cannot buy or sell. On the other hand, if you do take it, you won�t be able to escape the finaljudgment and spend eternity in the lake of fire. There will be some very brave people who�ll come to salvation during this time, but when the enemy catches them, they will be beheaded. The tribulation of that day will be unbearable. Ready or not, it�s coming. Are you ready? Have you accepted the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for your salvation? Make your decision now. Ready or not, here it comes. God bless you all, Nathele Graham -------------------------- TribulationPreview By Hal Lindsey Forces from within are weakening the United States even as the world economy falters. Inflation is rising almost everywhere. The nations who once stood for human rights and dignity grow more and more willing to suppress rightsin exchange for the promise of “peace and safety.” People are afraid. More every day, these look like the times described in the Bible as happening just before the second coming of Jesus Christ. In biblical terms the seven years preceding Christ’s return are known as Daniel’s 70th week. But most Christians refer to those years as simply “the tribulation.” The Bible teaches that several things must happen before thetribulation begins. They include the rapture of the church followed by the antichrist’s rise to prominence. We know a great deal about what will happen in the tribulation and what the world will look like in those days. Even though we are not in the tribulation, we see the world looking more and more like it will during that time.From here, it can happen with exceeding speed. The tribulation will be a time of judgments upon the earth. Those judgements will begin with the famous “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” Revelation 6:2 (NASB) says, “And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who saton it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer.” That first horseman will be antichrist presenting himself as a false messiah to the world. He will conquer by bringing the world into a single monetary system headed by himself. The verse mentions a bow, but no arrows. Hewill conquer without firing a shot. When a desperate world sees his seemingly miraculous Middle East peace treaty, it will be as if he pulled the sword from the stone, and they will quickly give him their kingdoms. The desperation we see now is a prelude to the extreme desperation that will enable him to conquer the world with amazing ease. But the era of peace, safety, and international cooperation will be brief. The underlying antagonisms will remain. For instance, Iran, Russia, and Turkey will still hate Israel. The arrival of the second horseman marks theremoval of peace from the earth. It means war. Next comes the black horse, destroying lives and economies with hyperinflation. Then arrives the pale horse, leaving death in its wake. And those are just the beginning of tribulation’s judgments. The hurricane has not arrived. But the wind has picked up, and it’s beginning to rain. The barometric pressure is dropping. And in the distance, we see a dark, threatening sky. It’s a good time to draw close to the Lord andHis word, and to spread that word everywhere. We stand remarkably close to the culmination of this age, and the beginning of something glorious. -------------------- Daniel's Last Seven � Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/daniel-s-last-seven Jeremiah was a priest in Jerusalem when God called him to be a prophet in the 13th year of King Josiah�s reign. He held this God-appointed office during the reigns of Judah�slast five kings, from 626 BC to 580 BC. Jeremiah�s message to the unreceptive Jews was about the coming destruction of Judah and Jerusalem for their sinful rebellion against the Lord. In 605 BC, Jeremiah prophesied about a 70-year desolation and captivitythat God would bring about through His chosen vessel, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. These 70 years of captivity in Babylon were a judgment and punishment from God because the Jews failed to obey His word and will. The main reason for this judgment is givenin Jeremiah 25:6-7, �Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them; do not provoke Me to anger withthe works of your hands, and I will not harm you. Yet you have not listened to Me, says the Lord, that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.� Most Bible teachers think that the 70-year judgment started in 586 BC and ended when the second temple was rebuilt and completed in 516 BC. Others suggest the starting pointwas 605 BC when the first group of Jews (including Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) was deported to Babylon, and the end was 535 BC when reconstruction of the temple began in Jerusalem. Judah�s 70-year captivity was brought about because of the Jew�s apostasy and not obeying the commandments of God. One of these commandments the Jews ignored was keeping theSabbath of the seventh year as described in Leviticus 25. Evidently, for 490 years, they had failed to keep every seventh year as a sabbath. The length of the Babylonian captivity was determined to be for 70 years because the Jews refused to observe 70 Shemitahyears. �And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths.As long as she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years� (2 Chronicles 36:20-21). In 539 BC, Daniel the prophet was still in Babylon and was reading the prophecy of Jeremiah regarding the 70-year captivity. Realizing the 70 years were nearing completion,Daniel began to pray, asking God�s forgiveness for the sins of his people and pleading for the restoration of Jerusalem and Israel�s imminent return to their land. It was a genuinely righteous prayer and is found in Daniel 9:1-19. By praying fervently to God and asking for forgiveness of Israel�s corporate sins, Daniel was attempting to bring about the promise of restoration found in Leviticus 26:40-42: �But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into theland of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt� then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land.� Before Daniel could finish his prayer, the Angel Gabriel appeared and gave him the prophecy of the seventy �sevens� outlined in Daniel 9:24-27. �Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring ineverlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Theend of it shall be with a flood, and until the end of the war, desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominationsshall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.� Regarding the Shemitah years for Israel and the prophecy of Daniel 9:25-26, in my last article, �The Sabbath of the Seventh Year� ( https://www.raptureready.com/2022/06/24/the-sabbath-of-the-seventh-year-by), I showed how you get 69 �sevens� from the starting date of 444 BC (Artaxerxes issue to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem) to the end date of AD 33 (the crucifixion of Jesus) without using the 360-day calendar. The 360-day calendar (12 months of 30 days permonth) was the �go-to� theory made famous by Sir Robert Anderson. In his book, The Coming Prince, he introduced a �prophetic� biblical calendar that was possible to get 483 years (69 seven-year periods) from the starting date of Daniel�s prophecy, 445 BC,to the end date of AD 32 (Anderson�s dates). The prophetic 360-day calendar had 5 to 6 days less than a solar calendar, so over an extended amount of time would have more years. For this timeline, the prophetic calendar has seven more years than a solar (Julian)or Jewish calendar, which only has 476 years (68 seven-year periods). Anderson�s dates for the 69 sevens are reasonably accurate (within one year of most modern scholars), and his theory of the prophetic 360-day calendar has kept Daniel�s prophecyin the proper timeline. While others have looked elsewhere (different decrees from different Persian emperors) to get the desired result of 69 weeks or 483 years, Anderson kept to his guns and stuck with his timeline. This was only possible through the useof his �prophetic� calendar. Since then, most scholars and students of the Bible have just accepted it as a proven fact (including myself). However, I was always a little skeptical about his theory of a 360-day calendar as the Bible doesn�t mention it. The insurmountable problem with the 360-day calendar is that the Jews never used it. Neither did any other kingdom/nation unless they used a 360-day calendar with an intercalary13th month added every six years to align it with the solar calendar (of 365/355 days per year). I believe this 360-day calendar with an extra 13th intercalary month added was the one Noah used during the great flood described in Genesis 7 and 8. Another argument scholars use in favor of the 360-day calendar is the verses in Revelation that refer to 1260 days (Rev. 11:3;12:6) or 42 months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5), mainlyin association with the last 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation. Since there are 30 days in a month and 12 months in a year with this calendar, there would be 1260 total days in a 3.5-year or 42-month period. But did you know that the Jewish calendar usuallyhas 1260 days from Nisan 10 or 12 to the Feast of Trumpets in a 3.5-year (42 months) period? Nisan 10 was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the king of Israel but was rejected by the Jews. It was also the day the children of Israel first enteredthe promised land. Daniel 7:25;12:7 and Revelation 12:14 refer to 3.5 years as �time, times, and half a time.� Most Bible scholars believe the Abomination of Desolation will occur around Passover, Nisan 14, and 1260 days later on the Feast of Trumpets, Tishri1, Jesus will return to the earth (Second Coming). The Jews have always used a lunar calendar with an intercalary month (30 days) added every 3-4 years, which periodically brings it back into alignment or near alignment withthe solar calendar. The Jewish and Julian/Gregorian calendars would have shown 476 years to have elapsed in the 444 BC-AD 33 timeline. The answer to this paradox of 69 �sevens� in a 476-year timeframe is found in the wording of Daniel�s prophecy. The Hebrew word, �shabu,� translates as �a unit of seven� andcould refer to seven of anything. It is simply a numerical measure. Our English equivalent is �heptad,� which means "a group of seven.� Daniel, as well as all Jews, would have been quite familiar with the concept of "sevens of years" from the Mosaic law stipulatingthat every seventh year was to be a sabbatical or rest year for the land during which time they were to plant no crops (Leviticus 25:1-6). The NIV translation reads "Seventy sevens are decreed,� which is more literal than and therefore easier to understand than the KJV and NAS, which translate �Seventy weeksare decreed,� which naturally congers up the thought of a "week of days.� I believe that Daniel�s use of the term �shabu� or �sevens� is referring to the actual Shemitah (Sabbath) year/s and not to the seven-year cycles. In my previous article andcharts, I showed that the starting date 444 BC and the end date AD 33 for Daniel�s prophecy are both Shemitah years (sevens). Since 444 BC is the actual starting date, you would count it, but you wouldn�t count the six years preceding it. The Shemitah yearsare continuous back to the first one, 1396-1395 BC (after the children of Israel entered the promised land in 1406 BC). As I said before, God would make sure the land had its Sabbath year of rest regardless of whether the people were living in the land. So, you would count 444 BC and every year after it, up to and including the last year of AD 33. That would amount to 476 solar years or 69 sevens (actual Shemitah years),including 444 BC and AD 33. In this article, I will refer to the Shemitah 7-year cycles as �weeks� and the Shemitah seventh years as �sevens.� If the Jews were using a prophetic calendar of 360 days per year, the prophecy would have been for 483 years. But of course, they weren�t and never had. Daniel 9:25-26 nevermentions 483 years, only 69 (7 + 62) sevens. This portion of Daniel�s prophecy has always been for 476 years, not 483 years. The last week (Shemitah cycle) and seven (Sabbath year) of Daniel 9:24, 27 will make the duration 483 years (or 70 sevens), not 490years. These verses never mention 490 years, only 70 sevens. It doesn't make sense when you look at it from a mathematical point of view. This is why this prophecy has been such a paradox throughout the centuries. Only through man�s misinterpretation of God�sword is �70 sevens� construed as 490 years. Regarding the actual dates (month, day, year) for the 69 sevens prophecy, we know the end date. Jesus died at 3:00 pm Thursday, on Nisan 14 (Jewish calendar), which wouldhave been April 2, AD 33 on the Julian calendar. Regarding the starting date, we know Nehemiah asked King Artaxerxes for permission to rebuild the gates and walls of Jerusalem in the month of Nisan during the king�s 20th year of reign (Nehemiah 2:1). We don�tknow the exact day the decree was issued. Still, If it happened 476 years earlier (to the day) on the Julian calendar, the date would have been Thursday, April 2, 444 BC, or Nisan 2 on the Jewish calendar. Daniel had prayed about Israel�s imminent return to their land; instead, God gave him the revelation of the seventy �sevens� to assure Daniel that God would fulfill His covenantpromises to Israel (Abrahamic and Mosaic). Gabriel went on to say that this would not be ultimately fulfilled at the end of the seventy-year captivity in Babylon but at the end of the seventy �sevens� period. The vision of Daniel�s Seventy Sevens refers to a period of seventy Shemitah years required to bring in the ultimate jubilee, the millennial kingdom of the Messiah. This finaljubilee will bring a release from slavery to sin, establish everlasting righteousness, reunite families, and redeem the land. The six objectives of Daniel 9:24 for the Jewish people and Jerusalem will only be accomplished after the 70th seven when Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom. Only thenwill the Jews �finish the transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy, and anoint the Most Holy.� I have written several articles concerning the perfect numbers of God used throughout the Bible, which have spiritual significance in many instances, such as the numbers 7and 10 and their multiples 49, 70, and 490. SeeSeven - God�s Perfect Numbers :: By Randy Nettles :: Rapture Ready for more information. We can see God�s significance of spiritual perfection and completeness for the number7 and the importance of ordinal perfection for the number 10 in Daniel�s prophecy of 70 sevens. Christ�s crucifixion occurred between the 29th and 30th Jubilees for Israel (the land). As I said in my last article, the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the 2ndTemple (AD 70) occurred about the same time the 30th Jubilee should have begun. If my cycles and Shemitah/Jubilee years are correct, then the last Jubilee for the land of Israel was in 1980-1981. It was the 69th Jubilee. The 70th Jubilee for the land of Israelwill be in 2029-2030. Another interesting example of God�s perfect numbers is the total time that will have transpired for the Israelites since they entered the promised land (1406 BC) and begantheir first Shemitah cycle in 1402 BC until the next Jubilee (70th) begins in 2029-2030 (Tishri 10 � Day of Atonement). From 1402 BC until AD 2029 is 3430 years. 3430 years is equal to 490 �weeks� and/or �sevens.� Mathematically, it looks like this: 490 x7 = 3430, or 70 x 7 x 7 = 3430, or 49 x 10 x 7 = 3430, or 7 x 7 x 10 x 7 = 3430. God likes His perfect numbers, doesn�t He? Does this mean anything prophetically? In other words, will the70th Jubilee be the last seven of Daniel�s prophecy? Not necessarily, but if not, it sure is quite a coincidence. The only thing we know for sure is that Daniel�s last week/seven (otherwise known as the Tribulation, Jacob�s trouble, or the day of the Lord)is nearly upon us, and it�s going to be a time of crisis like no other. �For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no fleshwould be saved; but for the elect�s sake, those days will be shortened� (Matthew 24:21-22). However, for those in Christ, it means the closer we get to Daniel�s last seven, the closer we are to the Rapture of the Church. �For God has not appointed us to wrath, butto obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him� (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus! Randy Nettles ----------------------------------  WHAT OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES DID JESUS FULFILL? For Christians, a full understanding of the New Testament is impossible without seeing it as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Likewise, a full understanding of the Old Testament depends on our reading it as a preparation for the work of Christ in the NewTestament. Of course, we might ask, “What major Old Testament prophecies did Jesus actually fulfill?” The birth of a king One of the major prophecies of the Old Testament is about the coming of the Messiah. The Old Testament says the Messiah would come from the house of King David (2 Samuel); would be born of a virgin (Isaiah); would be born in Bethlehem (Micah); and would endup in Egypt for a time (Hosea). Of course, all of these prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. His genealogy traced back to King David; he was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem; and the Holy Family had to flee to Egypt to escape the persecution of King Herodshortly after Jesus’ birth. Great expectations? There are also prophetic words in the Old Testament that describe the trajectory of the Messiah’s future ministry. For example, Psalm 40 foreshadows the Messiah becoming the perfect sacrifice. It declares, “Sacrifice and offering you do not want; you openedmy ears. Holocaust and sin offering you do not request; so I said, ‘See; I come with an inscribed scroll written upon men. I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being.’” We find the explanation of the fulfillment of these verses in Jesus in Hebrews 10. This New Testament text interprets the Psalm as foretelling that the Messiah would replace the covenant of the law with a new covenant. That is to say, the offerings and holocaustswere offered according to the law, the Torah. However, Jesus, who came to do God’s will, would establish a new offering that can take away sins – that is, the offering of his body and blood once for all. Other prophecies about the Messiah’s public ministry include the Messiah being a stumbling block (Isaiah); being preceded by a great prophetic voice (Isaiah); being a redeemer of the Gentiles (Isaiah); being despised and rejected (Isaiah); and entering Jerusalemon a donkey (Zechariah). Jesus certainly became a stumbling block, was despised and rejected, and redeemed the Gentiles (1Peter; Luke; Matthew). Of course, his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday aboard a donkey and John the Baptist’s announcement of hiscoming are clear examples of his fulfilling Old Testament prophesies. From Good Friday to Easter Sunday Unsurprisingly, the most important Old Testament prophecies about Jesus concern his death and resurrection – and there are plenty of them. We will highlight just a few. For instance, the anointed one would be the Passover Lamb, whose blood once saved the peopleof Israel from death in Egypt and whose bones were not to be broken (Exodus). Jesus is called the Passover Lamb by Paul in 1 Corinthians and the Gospel of John details how Jesus’ bones were not broken during his crucifixion, as was the common practice. Additionally, Old Testament texts predict that the Messiah would be forsaken and scorned; would have his hands and feet pierced; and would have lots cast for his clothing (Psalm 22). Psalm 31 tells of a plot to kill God’s anointed one and Psalm 38 prophesiesthat the Messiah will remain silent before his accusers. All of these were fulfilled before and during Jesus’ Passion. The Messiah’s resurrection is also foretold in the Old Testament. Psalm 118 states, “I shall not die but live and declare the deeds of the Lord. The Lord chastised me harshly, but did not hand me over to death.” It is a passage that finds its fulfillment onEaster Sunday in the Gospel of Luke (24:5-7): They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handedover to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” Last but not least … One final major area of Old Testament prophesy points to the Messiah’s role in the life of the Church. Psalm 68 speaks of ascension into the heavens. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians (4:7-16), questions what else could the fact that the Messiah ascendedon high mean in the Psalm except that he also descended to Earth. Paul goes on to say Christ first descended and then ascended in order to fill the universe. Further, Paul explains that Christ bestowed gifts upon his Church in the form of apostles, prophets,evangelists, pastors and teachers to form us all for the work of ministry and for building up the body of Christ. The following source was used in the writing of this article: https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog-and-stories/old-testament-prophecies.html. ---------------------------- https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/swisscottage/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2014/11/44-Prophecies-Jesus-Christ-Fulfilled.pdf 44 Prophecies Jesus Christ Fulfilled Prophecies About Jesus Old Testament Scripture New Testament Fulfillment. 1 Messiah would be born of a woman. Genesis 3:15 Matthew 1:20 Galatians 4:4 2 Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1 Luke 2:4-63 Messiah would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:22-23 Luke 1:26-31 4 Messiah would come from the line of Abraham. Genesis 12:3 Genesis 22:18 Matthew 1:1 Romans 9:5 5 Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac. Genesis 17:19 Genesis 21:12 Luke 3:34 6Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob. Numbers 24:17 Matthew 1:2 7 Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10 Luke 3:33 Hebrews 7:14 8 Messiah would be heir to King David's throne. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 Isaiah 9:7 Luke 1:32-33 Romans 1:3 9 Messiah'sthrone will be anointed and eternal. Psalm 45:6-7 Daniel 2:44 Luke 1:33 Hebrews 1:8-12 10 Messiah would be called Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23 11 Messiah would spend a season in Egypt. Hosea 11:1 Matthew 2:14-15 12 A massacre of children would happenat Messiah's birthplace. Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:16-18 13 A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah Isaiah 40:3-5 Luke 3:3-6 14 Messiah would be rejected by his own people. Psalm 69:8 Isaiah 53:3 John 1:11 John 7:5 15 Messiah would be a prophet. Deuteronomy18:15 Acts 3:20-22 16 Messiah would be preceded by Elijah. Malachi 4:5-6 Matthew 11:13-14 17 Messiah would be declared the Son of God. Psalm 2:7 Matthew 3:16-17 18 Messiah would be called a Nazarene. Isaiah 11:1 Matthew 2:23 19 Messiah would bring light toGalilee. Isaiah 9:1-2 Matthew 4:13-16 20 Messiah would speak in parables. Psalm 78:2-4 Isaiah 6:9-10 Matthew 13:10-15, 34-35 21 Messiah would be sent to heal the brokenhearted. Isaiah 61:1-2 Luke 4:18-19 22 Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek.Psalm 110:4 Hebrews 5:5-6 23 Messiah would be called King. Psalm 2:6 Zechariah 9:9 Matthew 27:37 Mark 11:7-11 24 Messiah would be praised by little children. Psalm 8:2 Matthew 21:16 25 Messiah would be betrayed. Psalm 41:9 Zechariah 11:12- 13 Luke 22:47-48 Matthew 26:14- 16 26 Messiah's price money would be used to buy a potter's field. Zechariah 11:12- 13 Matthew 27:9- 10 27 Messiah would be falsely accused. Psalm 35:11 Mark 14:57-5828 Messiah would be silent before his accusers. Isaiah 53:7 Mark 15:4-5 29 Messiah would be spat upon and struck. Isaiah 50:6 Matthew 26:67 30 Messiah would be hated without cause. Psalm 35:19 Psalm 69:4 John 15:24-25 31 Messiah would be crucified with criminals.Isaiah 53:12 Matthew 27:38 Mark 15:27-28 32 Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21 Matthew 27:34 John 19:28-30 33 Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced. Psalm 22:16 Zechariah 12:10 John 20:25-27 34 Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed. Psalm22:7-8 Luke 23:35 35 Soldiers would gamble for Messiah's garments. Psalm 22:18 Luke 23:34 Matthew 27:35- 36 36 Messiah's bones would not be broken. Exodus 12:46 Psalm 34:20 John 19:33-36 37 Messiah would be forsaken by God. Psalm 22:1 Matthew 27:46 38 Messiahwould pray for his enemies. Psalm 109:4 Luke 23:34 39 Soldiers would pierce Messiah's side. Zechariah 12:10 John 19:34 40 Messiah would be buried with the rich. Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57- 60 41 Messiah would resurrect from the dead. Psalm 16:10 Psalm 49:15Matthew 28:2-7 Acts 2:22-32 42 Messiah would ascend to heaven. Psalm 24:7-10 Mark 16:19 Luke 24:51 43 Messiah would be seated at God's right hand. Psalm 68:18 Psalm 110:1 Mark 16:19 Matthew 22:44 44 Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin. Isaiah 53:5-12 Romans5:6-8 --------------------------------- How the Book of Jude Addresses the Last Days � Jack Wellman - https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-the-book-of-jude-addresses-the-last-days/ The Book of Jude seems as if it�s almost written for today and it really is, because these are the last days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. The Last Days The Book of Jude seems as if it�s almost written for today, and it really is, because these are the last days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. To begin with, the �last days� have been the �last days� for the last 2,000 years. Since Jesus� ascension, we have always been living in the last days. The phrase �last days� or �end times� is very prominent in the New Testament (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet3:3), even though two centuries later, Jesus has still not came back. Why? We are now and have been living in the last days since Jesus� resurrection and ascension, meaning Jesus could come back at any moment. That is what all ages of the church have believedand had expectations of. The true church has always had an eager expectation of the soon return of Christ. The trouble they saw around them prompted them to believe it was the last days. And that�s as it should be. We should all be living as if Jesus werecoming back this very minute, because, He could! The Book of Jude is not very long (only one chapter), but its twenty-five verses have much to say about the last days, and our day today. This book is strikingly similar to the way it was in Jude�s day too. Jude Jude is the half-brother of Jesus Christ, having the same mother but not the same father, and the range of the date of this book is incredibly wide, with conservative scholarsplacing it between the years 70 to 90 AD. The reason I think the date is much later is because Jude refers to the Apostle�s predictions for the last days (Jude 1:18) as having come true (Jude 1:17), but clearly, Jude�s epistle is just as relevant today asin the day it was written. Jude begins by telling us who he is, that being �a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James� (Jude 1:1), so Jude is a servant of Christ more than His half-brother. Jesus is not Jude�s brother anymore. He is his Lord and Savior.The Greek word for servant is actually slave (�doulos�), and there is a huge difference between being a slave and being a servant of Christ. A servant can quit their job, get fired, do a poor job, and go home after work, but a slave, particularly one of Christ�s,is owned by the Master, but the Master is good and He is merciful, and like a good master, He provides for all of our needs. Incidentally, in Jude�s day, slaves were more like family members than what we think of as slaves. They were sometimes adopted intothe family. That was never so with a servant. The Original Gospel Jude originally wanted to write this letter (book) about one thing and that was their salvation, but something came up and he had to change the content. This book is verydifferent from the rest of the New Testament books because it refers to a later time period than most of the other books do. And you can read a sense of urgency in Jude�s words, as he says he �was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I foundit necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints� (Jude 1:3). Contending for something means fighting for something, and in this case, it was fighting for the original message (the gospel) that originallycame from Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15). What we are fighting for is the preservation of the original faith that was once �delivered to the saints.� This means, it was �once and for all,� and that�s it. The Canon is Closed No more revelation is necessary today for God has already (past tense) spoken (Heb 1:1-2), no matter what people say. What God has said in His Word stands and it is settledin heaven. Please notice that this statement is in the past tense: �once for all delivered.� It�s enough for �all� and it�s sufficient for all. Nothing more is needed for us. I�ve heard it said, �If it�s new, it�s not from God; and if it�s from God, it�s notnew,� so �new revelations� trouble me because we cannot ever be certain of the source. Of Scripture, we can always be sure! Just like what is happening today in the modern church, �certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for thiscondemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ� (Jude 1:4). Satan�s Churches There have been and still are satanic churches who have satanic ministers preaching another gospel (2 Cor 11:14-15), and today, they are even allowing homosexual marriageand even condoning it. They argue, �Since they love one another, what is wrong with that,� but remember, Eve loved the forbidden fruit. Bank robbers love money, so love cannot justify the means. Many swallow these lies because of those who brought them incame in under the cover of darkness and have �crept in unnoticed.� They are subtle and small changes to doctrines at first, but then they can grow, but if they are wrong on one point, why believe them on the other doctrines. If they had been noticed, someonewould have said something, but that�s why Jude believes we must contend for the faith originally delivered by Christ and expounded by the Apostles. The enemy is very clever, yearly adding elements to the gospel of Jesus Christ that were not in the original. They add baptism, works, the sacraments, tithing, Sabbath observance,or something else they must �do.� It is often, �Jesus + something.� That means it is not actually the gospel originally delivered (Gal 1:7-9). It can�t be added too because God has already spoken through His Apostles and Prophets, but most clearly throughthe Son of God, Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1-2), and His own hear Him speak clearly and plainly in the Gospels (John 10:27-28). Satan�s Ministers Since the date of this book�s writing may have come after most of the Apostles had died, it makes sense that the prophecies the Apostles gave had been fulfilled. Jude writesabout �the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ� (Jude 1:17), and what �They said to you, �In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions� (Jude 1:18). We know it�s not those within the Body of Christ that Judewrites about, but �these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit� (Jude 1:20). It is those outside the church of Jesus who infiltrate and try to weaken the gospel of repentance and faith (Mark 1:15). Looking religious means nothing to Godbecause it�s not about religion; it�s about a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. We are reminded that Satan�s own ministers can look like angels of light (2 Cor 11:4-5), but they only appear that way, because they bring a message of darkness. � even the Devil can appear to be a preacher of righteousness � Satan�s Gospel A gospel look-alike that neglects matters of sin, repentance, confession, sanctification, living in holiness, coming out of this world, being Jesus� disciple, and doing whatJesus� disciples would naturally do (Matt 25:35-36). If the Apostles were here on earth today, they would be appalled at some of the �buffet-style� religions that claim to be Christian. There is only one way (John 6:44; Acts 4:12) and not a little of thisand a little of that. Without the whole gospel of repentance and faith (Mark 1:14-15), you have half the truth, and a half-truth is a whole lie�straight from hell. Conclusion We can be students of prophecy but overlook Jesus. I believe it is still best to focus on Christ and to be ready for His appearing at any moment and to live that way. Is Jesus� return soon? Are we living in the last days? I don�t know to the first one, but yes to the �last day.� I know a better question: �Have you put your trust in Christ? Are you ready for His appearing because He could come at any moment?� If not, there are otherprophecies that will come true someday for you (Dan 12:2-3; Rev 1:7, 20:12-25), so it�s not too late to repent of your sins and place your trust in the Savior. Do that today, while it�s still called �today� (2 Cor 6:2). Eternity is a very long time to be wrong.