God’s Continued Plan for All of Mankind

 God’s Continued Plan for All of Mankind - By Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/10/gods-plan-for-all-of-mankind.html Does God have a plan for mankind? Has He revealed it to His people through the words of your bible?  16 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ”. (Colossians 2:16-17) God laid down a plan, a chronological plan for the whole of mankind that is sprinkled within the pages of your bible. In Ancient Israel, during the Exodus led by Moses, Godinstituted festivals, or feasts given to the people of God led out of Egypt by His chosen messenger, Moses. These festivals were given to the nation of Israel and most of the religions of today discount these as “Jewish”, but fail to understand that thesewere given by God to humanity as a benchmark, or guide to His plan for all of mankind's redemption. I will look at them in this message as “timelines of prophecy” or what God has done for man, and what He intends to do in the near future. When our great and awesome God gave them to Israel, the people did not understand them in their spiritual application, but followed them as rituals for what God expected ofthem. They were physical representations to them that were carried out without understanding of their final outcome and what they represented. Each of these days pointed to one event, the coming of the Messiah and His redemption of all the earth and His greatestcreation, man. THESE FOLLOW IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER In the spring, begins the first of the Feasts, called Passover. In the Exodus, the Israelites were spared the death angel killing their first borne by striking the door postand the lintels with the blood of a lamb. You can read about this in Exodus chapter 12. Sadly, Israel has never gotten beyond this act of sacrificing a lamb on Passover and were observing it during the lifetime of Jesus Christ. But the life and death of JesusChrist changed this observance for all time. Jesus during the evening preceding His death, called His disciples to gather together for the last supper meal where our Lord and Savior changed the emblems of this Holy Dayfrom a lamb slain to a memorial of bread and wine. Matthew chapter 26: 26 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.27 And he took the cup, andgave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28) Jesus proclaimed a new symbol of the Passover, the wine and the bread, a symbol of His broken body and His shed blood. Jesus did this a day before the day the Jews would beobserving the Passover with the sacrifice of thousands of lambs in the temple, because He knew that He would be the Passover offering for the sins of all mankind. At the time of our Lord’s death on the cross in the afternoon before sundown, thousands of lambswere being ritually slaughtered in the temple, but the supreme sacrifice that would take away the sins of the world, was being laid down in blood spilled upon a cruel cross at the exact moment of the events going on in the temple. Coincidence? No, God doeseverything right on time. When Jesus was laid in the tomb of a rich man, fulfilling scripture to the exact detail, He arose three days exactly from that time of His death. Exactly as scripture proclaimed and He proclaimed to the temple priest when drivingout the money changers, He arose three days later. (John 2:19-21) Upon the first day of the week, when the women came to the tomb to prepare the body for burial, they found the tomb empty and went and told the disciples who ran to find outif this event was true. Afterwards, Mary Magdalene was crying in the garden area of the tomb, when Jesus appeared to her. 14 “And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekestthou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.17 Jesussaith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 14:14-17) Why was this significant, and why did Jesus not want Mary to handle Him? In the temple on that morning was another event that Jesus was preparing to fulfill. That very morning is known as the “Wavesheaf Offering of First Fruits.” The primary history of this event is found in Leviticus 23:9-14: And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shallbring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a malelamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourthof a hin. You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” As this action provided the first fruits of the harvest, Jesus was to ascend to the Father to be the first fruit raised from the dead. The Bible nowhere indicates that thepriests understood the ritual they were performing on Saturday evening when Jesus Christ, the archetypical Wavesheaf, was "harvested" from the material world by being resurrected from the dead. On Sunday morning, as the firstborn of many brethren, He was liftedinto and through the heavens to God's throne to be accepted by Him as the sacrifice for our sins and as our High Priest. The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost Seven weeks from the time of the Wave Sheaf Offering is the Feast of Pentecost. It is the last Holy Day observed in the spring. When Jesus was on this earth after His resurrectionuntil the time of His ascension to rejoin His Father at His right hand, He commanded His disciples to tarry till He send them the “Comforter”. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) Pentecost is unique among the holy days because it is the only annual feast determined by counting. All the other festivals God commands to observe on certain dates on theHebrew calendar, but we must count for Pentecost. Whether we count fifty days or seven weeks or seven Sabbaths from the day of the wavesheaf offering, we must still go through the exercise of measuring the time to keep the feast properly. Why? God does nothingwithout a purpose, and His purposes always include giving His people additional instruction for their ultimately eternal benefit. Counting to Pentecost is no exception. God gives us many numbers in His Word to give us a season to expect His return and unfoldingevents. No where in this message, can anyone proclaim that God will do this or that on a specific date. To set dates in stone is to go against what God told us that “no man knoweththe day or the hour, but my Father only" but it can give us a direction to know that events are lining up with what His Word proclaimed. So let’s recap the symbolic meaning of God’s plan for man that is replayed during the springtime of each year of man’s existence here on earth. Remember, these were symbolicin the days of Israel, but have been made real, as Jesus Christ has been crucified and shed His blood for the remission of sins for all who believe. Passover symbolizes our redemption from this world and the forgiveness of our sins. Unleavened Bread is a weeklong observance that follows Passover day and typifies our lifelong task of coming out of sin and putting on the new man in sincerity and truth. We begin to count on wavesheaf day, which occurs during this period, and the fifty days extend to Pentecost, afestival that symbolizes the harvest of God's firstfruits, as the church was born on this day. These feasts days are God’s Spring time of prophetic time markers for the redemption of His creation. Those plans have been completed. Jesus has died and rose again. We whohave believed have had His blood applied to our lives and we proclaim a memorial of His death and resurrection with the Lord’s supper of the bread and the wine until He returns to gather His church unto Himself. We seek by the power of the Holy Spirit to removesin from our lives, as portrayed by the Feast of Unleavened bread. Symbolically, we press on to become conformed to the image of the only example we have for being accepted by the Father into His presence, His Son Jesus Christ. We have before the Father, ourhigh priest and the first fruits borne of the dead through resurrection, our Lord and Savior, and we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to be our guide, our counselor, and the power within us to complete that transformation. THE AGE OF GRACE. Between the spring and the and the fall, is the coming summer months that the harvest grows. It is the time that we are now experiencing and fast drawing to a close. We arein the age of grace, the age of the church upon this earth. During this time, many trials come upon any believer, and amongst us grow the weeds amongst the harvest…called tares in your bible. 24 “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30) We that have discernment and are following the ways of our God and Savior, know that evil abounds all around us. The tares or weeds, are right among us in the church. Duringthis summer months of the Age of Grace, God allows the wheat and the weeds to grow together, but will separate the true from the false. When will that be? As the spring time markings of the salvation of our God, brought about by our Savior Jesus Christ has been completed, and we are in the midst of the growing harvest, we awaitthe completion of God’s plan for man, as symbolized by the Feasts given by God and observed in the fall. Symbolically, we are on the cusp of the end of days that I believe, are experiencing right now. Let us now look at the spiritual meaning and applicationof these prophetic time markers that are called God’s Holy Days beginning in the fall. IN THE FALL: THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS The first time marker is the Feast of Trumpets. If you study your bible, you will notice that the trumpet was used for many points of communication to the people. Each trumpwas blown in succession in the wilderness, and during the time of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. In the wilderness, the first trump or the left horn was blown to alert the people, saying “Heads up” Attention, If you will. . The right horn, or the second blastwas designed to get the people ready to move. The last trump was used to signal, “Move out”…they were also used in battle as signals. According to Jewish tradition, the first trump is blown with the left horn of the ram Abraham sacrificed instead of Isaac (Gen 22:13). This is blown at the end of the springtime, or Pentecost that we just described above. The last trump is blown with the right horn of the ram. This is blown in this first feast of the end of the age of Grace, or the rapture of the church. The ram represented Jesus. He will sound both the firsttrump and the last trump. In the book of Revelation, John hears the sound of a loud trumpet. 10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” (Revelation1:10-13) John hears a loud trumpet and turns to see the Lord of Glory, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul describes this sound that I believe John heard: 50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Deathis swallowed up in victory.(1st Corinthians 15:50-54) And again in 1st Thessalonians; 14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1st Thessalonians 4:14-18) A trumpet was also used to announce the coming of the KING. This trumpet that each of the apostles heard was our God, Jesus Christ sounding His coming with a shout that soundsmuch like a loud trumpet blast and is what John and Paul both heard. NO MAN KNOWETH THE DAY OR THE HOUR Another interesting fact that has been proclaimed by numerous writers, is that the Feast of Trumpets is the beginning of the secular New Year and is called Rosh HaShanah. "The problem of Rosh HaShanah is heightened by the fact that it falls on Rosh Chodesh, the new moon itself. Therefore, even in Jerusalem it would have been difficult to leteveryone know in time that the New Year had begun. To solve this problem, a two-day Rosh HaShanah was practiced even in Israel. Creating a two-day Rosh HaShanah was also intended to strengthen observance of each day; in the rabbinic view, the two days areregarded as a yoma arikhta, ONE LONG DAY. It has been called “when no one knoweth the day or the hour” Recall what Jesus told His disciples? Matthew 24 36 “ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) This was a well know feast day that any Jewish man would have recognized immediately, as it was part of their culture, and their very lives. Could our Lord be giving us a clue to His coming? What day, what year, we don’t know. We cannot say with certainty, but there has nothing to happen before the Lord breaksthrough the clouds and proclaims with a loud trumpet call, “COME UP HERE.” It is two days in Jewish culture..will Jesus come on a future "FEAST OF TRUMPETS? He did not this year, but will He come soon? Answer: no one knows...but we keep watch, as one of thesecoming years, which could be today, or next year or the year after that, then Jesus will come, and He told us plainly, that we are indeed, in the very last days of the LAST DAYS. “ So when all these things begin to happen, lift up your heads, for your redemptiondraweth nigh”....Jesus will come, and to many, He will come as a thief when they least expected Him. CONCLUSION Let me make one bold statement right here. If God has been fulfilling His plan for man in the past, on the very day of these Ancient God given time markers, called God’s Feasts,is it not plausible or even wise to conclude that God will continue to do the same for the fall feast on THE very day? If God has done this in the past, is it reasonable to expect Him to do the same in the fall observances? I know one thing, God does not change,and He gives discernment and reveals truths to His people in preparation for His movement. Our God is a God of order and He gives His people plenty of knowledge found in His Word should they read and understand with their spirits, not with their heads, butwith their hearts. DAY OF ATONEMENT, CHRIST'S SECOND COMING? Following on the heels of this aforementioned Feast of Trumpets, are the 10 days of Awe in Jewish culture, or having your name written in the God's book of life...it couldvery well correspond to the coming Tribulation, when Israel will be tried as silver is refined in the furnace, and many Gentiles will believe along with them, but many will die for that faith. Following on to the end of the Tribulation, is the next observances of the Plan for Man that God has given us in His Word, next is the “Day of Atonement.”.( at-one-ment withGod). Atonement is used in the sense of "a covering," and therefore as a means of forgiving sin. By contrast, in the burnt offering, sin is nowhere seen because it is not part of what the burnt offering teaches. In it, God is satisfied because the offererhas met His requirement through Jesus blood in his life, and by the righteous way he lives his life by following the example of His Lord Jesus. Thus, the offering shows the offerer accepted. Many believe that this is the time of the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the saints in heaven are wed to the groom, our Savior being joined to His church and the feastis completed here on earth during the Millennium . (Revelation 19:) 7 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation19:7-9) At the conclusion of the time of feasting and being joined to our bridegroom, the Lord sets up His Kingdom here on earth, as Atonement is following closely by the Feast ofTabernacles. After destroying all rebellion with the sword of His mouth, our God, Jesus Christ will complete a prophecy marker, know as the Feast of Tabernacles, or God with us. Revelation chapter 19: 11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fiercenessand wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16) God will literally tabernacle with us for 1000 years and rule the nations with a rod of iron. All will be set aright and return the earth to the time of pristine conditionthat was in the time of Adam and Eve. Rebellion will be put down, sinners will be eliminated, and Satan will be bound for 1000 years in a bottomless pit. During this time, God will command that all keep the Feast of Tabernacles as read in the book of Zechariah chapter 14: 16 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORDof hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep thefeast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” (Zechariah 14:16-19) Why does our Lord command us to keep this time of the Feast of Tabernacles? Because our God is finally with us, and commands us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Allwho are mortal during this time, will be introduced, as we were to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and to believe on/ or not to believe on what He did. That will be the job of the redeemed Church, as Kings and Priest to guide all who are born duringthis 1000 year reign of our Lord Jesus, to the foot of the cross...Temple worship will be resumed, as Jesus cannot die again, but the symbolism will point to what He did thousands of years prior. All other markers in prophecy mentioned before and written inGod’s Word have been totally completed, but God, our Lord and Savior will continue to redeem mortals in the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ. Men will still be of a sin nature, but not to the extent with Satan removed from tempting them. When Satan is unleashedfrom his pit, then somehow he will deceive a vast number of people that the bible speaks of in Revelation chapter 20: 7 “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sandof the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:7-9) At the end of this glorious time when Jesus will reign with righteousness and justice, that Satan will be allowed to be loosened for a short season to tempt all who have beenborn during the Millennium. It’s almost unfathomable that men and women who have been in a first person relationship with God Almighty will follow this “prince of lies”. The bible says it will be so. Hard for me to imagine, but I can’t imagine Israel in thewilderness going against the miracles of a God amongst them and following their sin nature either, but so it was. Those deceived will come against the Holy City which is the Throne of God our Savior, and fire will come down out of heaven and destroy them all. At the end of this period, when all sin is exterminated, it will prove that man cannot be trusted in his mortal state. God will remove all aliens that are not washed in theblood of Jesus Christ and the remainder will be spirit beings, as God the Father is, and as Jesus Christ is…. as the Church Saints are, so shall all men and women be. But before that is finished, there is one last feast proclaimed by God. In the Bible, it is called the “Last Great Day.”…Great because it will be the final judgment of allunsaved men and women from all of human history standing before a “Great White Throne.”. Revelation chapter 20: 11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out ofthose things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”(Revelation 20:11-15) So ends the time of mankind, and the beginning of eternity...we will be with God the Father and the Lamb in the New Jerusalem and God will dwell with us forever, and ever. DECISION TIME: ARE YOU READY? How do you become written in the book of life? What is the one work that you must do that will qualify you to be counted amongst the children of God? 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 10:9-11) And the mini sermon that is the essence of what the bible was written for and spoke to me as a boy: 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) God’s plan for man embodied in these time markers of prophecy and fulfillment point to only one Man, the Son of Man….the Son of the Living God, Jesus the Christ. If you have not found this truth in Jesus Christ and His atonement for your sins, and spelled out in these biblical revival messages, I call upon you to let me introduce youto the only name that will lead to eternal life and escape eternal judgment, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The Tribulation Has Not Begun—But It’s Coming Soon

 The Tribulation Has Not Begun—But It’s Coming Soon - By Amir Tsarfati- https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-with-amir-tsarfati-the-tribulation-has-not-begun-but-its-coming-soon/ Shalom from my home in Israel! It has been another very busy news week in our world. It is times like this that my volume of inquiries rises with many asking the question, “Amir, has the tribulation begun?” I understand the concern. The ground in Turkey and Syria can’t stop shaking. Now the earthquakes are being felt in Lebanon and Israel, and even all the way down to Egypt. And it’s not just the Middle East that’s acting likeit’s on a trampoline. The Philippines, Indonesia, Oman, and other places around the world are shaking, too. But it’s more than plate shifting that’s causing people to ask that question. Globalism is on the rise, while morality is plunging. The Ezekiel 38 nations of Russia, Iran,Turkey, and Sudan are all building alliances. Technology is advancing to the point where is it quite conceivable that the world will soon see a global currency, a unified belief system, and a microchipped populace. While Putin calls his year-old excursioninto Ukraine a “military operation”, we all know that it is a war. And there are plenty of other areas around the world that are giving us rumors of wars. It is because of what is happening in the world around us that I have written my next book, Has the Tribulation Begun?, which is releasing in May. But, don’t worry, I won’tmake you wait two months for an answer to the question. No, the tribulation has not begun. How can I be sure? Because I am still here on this earth. The rapture must precede the tribulation. No rapture? No tribulation. What my new book delves into is why thereis a need for a tribulation, how we can know that the time is close, how we can be sure that there is a rapture, and what will those who are left behind experience? It is the most evangelistic of my books, because the more I study the tribulation the greatergrows my desire for those that I know and love to not have to experience it. No, the tribulation has not begun. But it’s coming soon. So, let’s redeem the time we have left by sharing the hope that is found in Jesus the Messiah and the promise of eternallife that is extended to all people. Romans 10:11-13 KJV – “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lordover all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 7,700 Earthquakes Have Shaken the Middle East Since February 7 Turkey and northern Syria continue to be ground zero for ground-shaking. Since the first two major quakes occurred on February 7, there have been more than 7,700 aftershocks.The largest, measuring 6.4, struck near the Turkish city of Antakya on Monday, killing six people. It took down dozens more buildings, many in Hatay province near the Syrian border, and was felt in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. The death tollof the original quake has climbed to more than 45,000 people, with 122,000 more injured. Israel Targets Iranian Drone Experts in Syria Israeli fighter jets killed at least 5 and wounded 15 more in a strike on the Kafar Sousah neighborhood of Damascus. Targeted was a meeting of Iranian experts on the developmentof drones. Some reports indicate that it was actually eight high ranking officials of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who were killed, while others say that a Syrian engineer and an Iranian official were among the dead. The area hit servesas a security zone housing offices and branches of the IRGC’s Quds Force. Per policy, Israel declined to admit its role in the attack. Russia later condemned Israel’s actions, calling it a “flagrant violation” of international law. Netanyahu’s Justice Reform Bill Clears First Hurdle Early Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform bill passed in its first reading. Heavily attacked by the Left, this bill will limit the expandingpower of Israel’s judiciary by reducing the types of laws the High Court can review and taking the power to appoint judges away from other judges and putting it in the hands of the legislature. There are still a second and a third reading of the bill whichmust pass for the reform to go into effect. UN Security Council Issues Statement Denying Jewish Right to Live in Historic Homeland The United States joined other member nations of the UN Security Council in denouncing Israeli settlements in their historic homeland. The statement expressed “deep concernand dismay” over Israel’s decision to expand settlements, while ignoring the recent terrorist attacks against Israel by Palestinian groups and the fact that the Palestinian Authority subsidizes terrorism and pays the families of terrorists. Prime MinisterNetanyahu criticized the denouncement, saying, “The statement should not have been made and the United States should not have joined it.” IRGC Attacks Israeli-Owned Tanker Using Kamikaze Drones The Campo Square, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker owned by an Israeli, was the victim of an attack by Shahed-136 suicide drones operated by the Iranian IRGC. These are the samedrones being shipped by Iran to Russia for use in the conflict with Ukraine. There were no casualties or damages reported. Sanction Battle Between the EU and Iran The European Union on Monday expanded their sanctions related to Iran’s violent suppression of those protesting the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. Asset freezes andvisa bans were imposed on 32 more Iranian officials, bringing the total sanctioned to 196 individuals and 33 entities. In response the next day, Iran issued retaliatory sanctions against 23 people and 13 industries from the EU and the UK. Regarding the protests,after a temporary lull they have once again fired up in earnest. IAEA Admits 84% Uranium Enrichment by Iran The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) admitted to detecting uranium enriched to 84% at an Iranian nuclear facility. This means that this atomic watchdog agency isone of the few organizations that hasn’t quite realized that Iran has had weapons-grade 90% enriched uranium for a while now. Iran’s Assassination Plot Against Diaspora Jews A plot which involved Iran mapping the location of high-target diaspora Jews for assassination has been uncovered. The plan, revealed at a high-level meeting in Tehran, wasintended to be implemented should Israel attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is pressuring the UK to refrain from designating this same IRGC as a terrorist group, this despite the fact that the European Parliament has recentlymade that designation as did the US under the previous administration. Washington is choosing to ignore Tehran’s assassination plots against innocent civilians in the hopes that somehow they can resurrect a failed nuclear deal with Iran. High-Ranking Israeli Politicians Recommend Military Aid to Ukraine Following Visit Yuli Edelstein and Ze’ev Elkin, two high level Israeli lawmakers, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday. Both men are originally from Ukraineand lead the Ukrainian parliamentary friendship group in the Knesset. Following the meeting, they issued a joint statement which read, in part, “Israel has provided and will continue to provide extensive humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but, in our opinion, itis not enough.” The statement went on to encourage the Israeli government to provide military technologies to Ukraine to help in the war effort, a sentiment that is sure to get Israel into even deeper water with Russia. US President Joe Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine The day before the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv. In a meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy,Biden reaffirmed America’s support for the nation and pledged another half-billion dollars in military assistance. Moscow was informed of the visit ahead of time and they extended the courtesy of taking a brief break from their recent favorite pastime of rainingdown cruise missiles on the capital city. US Warns China Against Supplying Arms to Russia After US intelligence indicated that China is considering aiding Russia militarily in their effort against Ukraine, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made a statement Sundaysaying that such an action would not be good. Blinken said, “It was very important for me to share very clearly with [senior Chinese foreign policy official] Wang Yi that this would be a serious problem.” Not surprisingly, Wang Yi didn’t take kindly to Blinken’sstatement, responding the next day, “We will not accept American finger-pushing in China-Russian relations.” Vladimir Putin’s Moralistic Speech Marks Anniversary of Military Operation Tuesday saw arch-villain Vladimir Putin making a speech to the federal assembly marking the one year anniversary of his “military operation” against Ukraine. In it, he emphasizedthe military power of Russia, saying that, since they cannot be defeated on the battlefield, the enemy is fighting a war of information. He then defended not only the righteousness of his actions, but the righteousness of the Russian nation. Taking the moralhigh ground, he spoke of the decadence of the West, saying, “It is all about the destruction of the family, of cultural and national identity, perversion and abuse of children, including pedophilia, all of which are declared normal in their life. They areforcing the priests to bless same-sex marriages…. But here is what I would like to tell them: look at the holy scripture and the main books of other world religions. They say it all, including that family is the union of a man and a woman, but these sacredtexts are now being questioned. Reportedly, the Anglican Church is planning, just planning, to explore the idea of a gender-neutral god. What is there to say? Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” What we see in his words is an attempt tocreate common ground with Christians, Jews, and Muslims in order to garner their support. But we must not be fooled by holy-sounding rhetoric. Putin is a man who truly believes in his own righteousness. However, it is through his bloody actions that we seehim for who he truly is. US Holds Exercises with South Korea and Japan While North Korea Fires Missiles The US held bilateral exercises with South Korea and with Japan on Sunday. Both Asian nations separately joined US fighters in escorting American B-1 bombers in a show ofstrength following North Korea’s firing of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) into the Sea of Japan. If such exercises continue, North Korea threatens to implement an “unprecedented response”. Deadly Marburg Virus Surfaces in Western Africa Equatorial Guinea has seen an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, which kills 88% of its victims. The bat-borne, Ebola-related virus has already taken nine lives in theCentral African country and another 16 cases are being investigated. Abraham Accords in Action in Abu Dhabi The Abraham Accords were on full display last week in Abu Dhabi, UAE. First, the Abrahamic Family House was inaugurated on Thursday. This interfaith center was built to celebratethe country’s history of religious diversity. Housing a synagogue, a mosque, and a church, all equally-sized white marble structures, the Abrahamic Family House can be applauded, not for its ecumenism which seeks to equate the value of all three faiths, butfor the evidence it gives of the growing acceptance of Israel into the Arab world. The second sighting of the Abraham Accords was at the IDEX 2023 tri-service (army, navy, air force) defense exhibition, the largest of its kind. When it opened its doors onMonday, Israeli companies were allowed to participate for the very first time.

The Rapture and the Second Coming

 The Rapture and the Second Coming - By Rick Segoine - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/02/21/the-rapture-and-the-second-coming-by-rick-segoine/ The things that Jesus said and did on Earth and the impact He has had on the twenty centuries that have since passed are both wonderful and amazing. The reality of Jesus returning to Earth will be far beyond amazing. It is not a myth. Picture the literal and physical return of Jesus Christ to Earth at the Second Coming. In a way, motion picture special effects are conditioning the human mind to behold what God can and will do in actual reality. There are those who do not believe that a literal and physical return of Jesus Christ is going to happen or is even possible. The looks on the faces of those unbelievers wholive to see that amazing day will give a whole new meaning to that old 1960s adage called “blowing your mind.” With computerized special effects, it is now quite possible to depict Jesus leading an Army of Angels out of Heaven while riding down through the Sky on a White Horse andtouching down on the Mount of Olives. That would be spectacular and thrilling to watch, and yet this prophesied event will have, in actual reality, a zillion times more impact. There are two main schools of thought on the event that I and many others believe precedes by at least seven years the literal, physical Second Coming of Jesus, and it isknown as the Rapture of the Church. One is a pre-tribulation rapture, and the other is a post-tribulation rapture. Some [post-tribulation] believe scripture teaches that the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ are one and the same event. Others [pre-tribulation] believe that the Raptureand the Second Coming of Christ are two separate events. We know that the Second Coming of Christ happens at the end of the seven-year tribulation period because scripture, especially in the book of Revelation, describes so manythings during those seven years that will happen prior to Jesus’ return. The book of Revelation was revealed to John by Jesus Himself. Jesus also says that if He were to not return when He plans to at the end of the seven years, no flesh would be saved (Matthew24:22, Mark 13:20). Pre-tribulation Rapture verses include Rev. 3:10, 1 Thess. 5: 9-10, and 1 Thess. 1:10, which allude to believers being caught up to be spared from the wrath of God. Jesusis not going to subject His bride (The Church) to seven years of wrath upon an evil God-hating world. The Apostle Paul describes the Rapture as something that will occur in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:50-54). The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is described in scriptureas an event that will take much longer than a mere “twinkling of an eye.” Revelation 1:7 and Revelation 19:14 are two accounts of what the Second Coming will look like. Jesus compares the Rapture to the days of Noah in that no one knows the day it will happen, and many won’t believe it is even going to happen at all. Just as in the days ofNoah, people will be going about their business when, suddenly, that day arrives. And like the rains came down and the Ark began to rise, the Church will go up (Matthew 24:37-39). Whoever lives through the seven-year tribulation should know exactly when the Second Coming will happen because the prophet Daniel (Dan: 8) reveals the exact number of days[1,260] between the ‘abomination of desolation” committed by the Antichrist and the literal Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said that nobody knows the day or the hour of our Blessed Hope (The Rapture) and thus compares it with the days of Noah when the Floodcaught people unaware. Jesus wanted us to see the parallels between the Flood and the Rapture. It would hardly be like in the days of Noah if we could count down the days to the Rapture. There is no reason to fear the Rapture. It will be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to every single person who is blessed to be a part of it. The very good news is that all true followers of Jesus Christ alive at the time will be raptured no matter what their position is on the timing of the Rapture. Fear of the unknown, fear of the supernatural, and attachment to life on Earth as we know it can translate into fear of the Rapture. Perfect love [embodied in our Lord andSavior] casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), and so we need to trust 100% in Jesus with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. Fear not; Jesus knows exactly what He is doing and will orchestrate the Rapture in a perfectly wonderful, beautiful way. It is not unnatural for a younger believer to hope for a delay in the Rapture, just as it is not unnatural for a believer who is older in years to hope the Rapture happens “the sooner, the better.” The young feel like their life on Earth has just begun, and the old are sick and tired of witnessing countless acts of wickedness and evil. Yet we are aware that if there seems to be a delay in our Savior calling us home, it is forthe sake of precious souls that still can and will be saved. Why is there going to be a Rapture? Because the Church (believers) is not appointed to the wrath that will be poured out in the tribulation upon a wicked Christ-rejectingand God-hating world (Rev. 3:10, 1 Thess. 5:9-10, 1Thess.1:10). The Rapture will have a major effect on everyone who is left behind, and many false reasons will be given for the disappearance. Two thousand years of anticipating the return of Jesus has lulled the masses to sleep. That is one of the main reasons that the Rapture will come upon us with sudden swiftness,just like the rains in the Days of Noah and the fire and brimstone in the days of Lot. The Ark took about 100 years to build, and Noah continually warned those who were mocking him right up until the day arrived that God supernaturally sealed the door of theArk and unleashed the waters of the firmament to flood the earth. It was at that moment that it became too late for the mockers, and all of the mocking stopped. During the last two thousand years, Jesus has prepared a place for His true followers and, figuratively speaking, has built a different kind of Ark – one that is supernaturalin nature. Only this time, it is not going to rise slowly upon the water. Rather, a rapid transformation in the twinkling of an eye will take place as Jesus receives all who love and trust Him as well as all who have died over the centuries loving and trustingHim. Just like in the days of Noah, many will mock and scoff and refuse to believe such an amazing thing could actually happen. People had 100 years to get on board with Noah and 2,000 years to get on board with Jesus, bound for that heavenly place He has prepared for us (John 14:3). And in that split-secondwhen the trumpet blows and the Lord calls, we will be given new eternal, incorruptible bodies. Anyone left behind after the Rapture takes place who still denies that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled will be giving a much deeper meaning to the act of denial. For others left behind, The Rapture will provide proof that the Holy God of the Holy Bible really is, in fact, God and that He alone is trustworthy and in control of His creation.Witnessing His supernatural power will give many the courage to believe in Him even though their physical lives will be in peril for doing so. (Rev. 13:7). Those who like to point out that the English word rapture is not in the Bible have a problem. The event known as the “Rapture” is most definitely described multiple timesin the Bible, and the Hebrew wedding protocols are an amazing picture of the Rapture, including the fact that only the Father knows the day or hour that the Son will go to bring his bride to her new home. Paul explains exactly what the Rapture is in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-55. These words define a disappearance, a great catching away, a radical departure,to deliver, a transferring from earth to heaven. In Hebrew are the words natzal and metzal, and in Greek, those Hebrew words translate to harpazo. Harpazo in Latin becomes raptero or rapio, which translates to rapture in English. They all describe what Paulexplained in the above scriptures. The words to describe it are just that. It is the event itself that matters. Some long for the Rapture with all of their hearts, and some kind of welcome it with reservations. Either way, it is going to happen according to the will and the timing ofour Holy God, our Heavenly Father. No one can possibly imagine the wonderous life that God, through his amazing grace and mercy, has planned for those who have accepted the free gift of salvation (1 Cor. 2:9). Some of those left behind will write off the Rapture as a fluke along the lines of the so-called “big bang,” or as some kind of massive alien abduction, or any number of wildtheories. The evil globalist cabal will continue their work to bring the Antichrist into full power, at which time that man of sin will step up the persecution and martyrdom of those who have turned to Christ, as well as to prepare for his very vain attemptto actually fight against Jesus and His Heavenly Host upon Jesus’ return. Attempting to fight against the supernatural powers of Almighty God and His Son Jesus will likely go down as the dumbest idea in the history of the world. There are those who attempt to fight against God intellectually or through the medium of theology and those who will actually attempt to fight Him physically. The last battle,called Armageddon, will prove the futility of trying to fight against God at all. God has complete supernatural control over all of the forces of nature, as He demonstrated many times throughout the Bible by doing amazing miraculous things that completelydefy reality as we know it. Those demonstrations were but tiny glimpses of His total power. Most of us have seen videos on YouTube of big-wave surfers riding waves 100 feet high at a place called Nazare in Portugal, and it highlights how small humans are by comparison.These giant waves are but ripples in the bathtub to God Almighty. His supernatural power is unfathomable; it is off the charts. We have no charts to measure such power. Jesus will return as a Conquering King to put an end to the reign of Antichrist and his False Prophet and their evil ways. He will put an end to those seven years that willbe more horrible than ever was or will be on planet Earth. No flesh would be saved at all if He were not to return and, with supernatural power, put an end to the evil as well as the time of wrath (Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20). The idea of human armies, marshaled by that master terrorist, Satan, for one last-ditch stand in an attempt to battle against the supernatural powers belonging to Him whospoke the universe into existence, is going to go down as the ultimate glorification of stupidity and arrogance. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will bring a welcome end to the seven-year tribulation period, also known as the 70th Week of Daniel. Trust in Jesus or trust in the pseudo-intellectual ramblings and theoretical rumblings of fallen man. It will be the most important choice anyone will ever make. The Rapture, the Seven-Year Tribulation Period, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, followed by 1,000 years of peace on Earth with Jesus ruling from Jerusalem, the final banishmentof Satan at the very end of the millennial kingdom, and then the creation of a new Heaven and new Earth that will last forever without a trace of evil or wickedness. Some long for it, some mock and scoff at the thought of it, some deny it could possibly happen,and some will foolishly attempt to fight and fail against Almighty God in an attempt to prevent it. From Genesis to the creation of a new Heaven and Earth. This is God’s “Week of Creation,” for we know that 1,000 years is as a day to the Lord (2 Peter 3:8). We are somewhere in the midst of the “birth pains” Jesus spoke of (Matthew 24:8) and nearing the very end of the first “Six Days” with only the Rapture and the Seven-yearTribulation standing between life on Earth as we know it and the last Millennium (the last day of God’s Week) when Jesus will reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years with the redeemed lending Him a helping hand. All of us who long for God’s will to be done and love, believe, and trust in Jesus need to keep looking up, for our redemption (our Blessed Hope) is drawing nigh. Dear Ones… The Signs are Everywhere… Our Blessed Hope is so Very Near. Any precious soul who has read these words and does not know Jesus, please call on Him today. He longs to save you, give you the gift of eternal life, and be your best friendnow and through all eternity. Your friend in Him, Rick Segoine

This Rapture Generation

 This Rapture Generation – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2023/02/19/this-rapture-generation/ My commentary title this week will likely be construed by some as audacious. “This Rapture Generation” implies that people of earth alive now are those who will, without doubt,be the generation of believers who go to Christ in the Rapture, doesn’t it? Those who have named specific dates for that stupendous event have earned consternation down through the years, and deservedly so. Jesus Himself declared that no one but theFather knows the day or hour when it will occur. And certainly, to date, that truth has played out exactly as the Son of God—who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—said. Yet, at the same time, the Apostle Paul implied himself to be part of the generation that would be raptured: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himselfshall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18) Paul obviously expected to be part of those who would be living when Christ calls believers to Himself in the Rapture. The pronouns used are pretty clear, aren’t they? YetPaul has been dead for 2000 years or so, and the Rapture is still future, as we are all too aware. So is God’s Word (the “Word” who, in fact, is the Lord Jesus Christ, according to John 1:1) less than truthful with us through the prophecy given Paul regarding the Rapture?We know the answer to that is a resounding “no.” God cannot lie, therefore we are to think through Paul’s words with our born-again, Holy Spirit-influenced discernment to understand the apparently audacious statement. Paul’s declaration was as audacious asmy title for this commentary, I think. So what is this seeming contradiction all about? The answer, I believe, is found in another familiar statement by Paul, one we use frequently in studying the Rapture. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13) I believe that wrapped up in this profound statement of faith is an instruction to all believers. During this Age of Grace (Church Age), we’re always to be earnestly expectingJesus to snatch us from this fallen sphere at any moment. This instruction—this commandment—has been in effect since the Church was born (as presented in Acts chapter 2). Every believer since that time should treat the promise of the Rapture as if it absolutelywill take place while we are still living on earth. As a matter of fact, all who love the prospect of Christ’s appearing are promised a crown of righteousness. With this in mind, the title, “This Rapture Generation,” is appropriate for those of us who are believers now. Jesus will come for us in the Rapture at any moment—perhapstoday! I hope to go much deeper in expressing this certainty. And we do go deeper with each and every article presented. At least that is our aim. The signals are brilliantly projected for those with discerning spirits to understand. Our Lord is unfolding prophetic signals of such unmistakable significance that we wouldhave to look in another direction to miss just how near we are to the Tribulation. The Rapture is thus right at the exit door of human history for believers in Jesus Christ. Sadly, most who should be helping God’s children focus on the lateness of the hour continue to feed only pabulum about how to grow into Christian adulthood. Such spiritual food isn’t bad, of course. The Scripture is necessary to spiritual growth. But there comes the time that requires us to take a deep look into just how latethe hour is on God’s prophetic timeline. We are now very near that instant of Rapture about which we’re forewarning. This is almost certainly the Rapture generation, and I cannot feel sheepish in declaring it. Tell everyone you know, using your own words, the soul-saving truth encompassed by Paul’s Holy Spirit-given formula for going in the Rapture when Christ calls: 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. For with the heartman believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)

Want to understand the New Testament? Read the 'Old Testament'

 Want to understand the New Testament? Read the 'Old Testament'- By Joseph Farah - https://www.wnd.com/2023/02/want-understand-new-testament-read-old-testament/ It must have been a very depressing and confusing Passover week for the closest followers of Jesus, who has trekked with Him for years through the Galilee with the expectationthat He would shortly assume the kingship of Israel, reining and ruling from Jerusalem. After all, that's what they were expecting when the week began. Instead, their teacher, their rabbi, their Lord, was arrested, imprisoned, tortured, tried by a corrupt high priest and the equally tainted Sanhedrin, and finally crucifiedlike a common criminal by the Roman military authorities on a high holy day. Peter, for one, was so discouraged that he denied three times being one of His followers. The other apostles hid in fear for three days and three nights, not comprehendingwhat had become of their Messiah or what would become of them. Early Sunday morning, a group of women close to Jesus – Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and Joses, Salome, and others – who had prepared spices for embalmingHis body, walked to the garden tomb. Knowing the entrance to the tomb would be covered by a huge, rolling stone, they wondered aloud, "Who will help us roll away the stone?" When they arrived, they were shocked and perplexed to find the large stone, sealed under the watch of Roman guards, already rolled away, the Lord's body gone. "Two men … in shining garments," probably angels, spoke to the women, saying: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake untoyou when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again" (Luke 24:7). The women, experiencing both fear and joy, hurried back to tell the 11 apostles and other disciples what they had seen and been told. No sooner had they left than they weremet by the risen Jesus Himself, who said, "All hail … Be not afraid; go and tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me" (Matthew 28:9-10). Though some of the men did not believe the story, Peter and John ran to the open tomb and found only Jesus' grave clothes. That same day, two of the apostles decided to journey to the village of Emmaus, a distance of nearly 7 miles. Maybe they needed to clear their heads of all the things theyhad experienced over the last four days. Perhaps they just wanted to talk through all that happened. As they walked and talked, they were joined by the risen Jesus, but they did not recognize Him. Jesus asked them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" The one named Cleopas responded, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" Jesus said, "Which things?" They said, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priest and our rulers delivered himto be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, whichwere early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women hadsaid: but him they saw not." Jesus responded, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Andbeginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Why is this important for today's believers to understand? This was the same day that Jesus rose from the dead. The only scriptures Jesus could use to explain to Cleopas and his friend on that long walk to Emmaus were those that werealready written: the Hebrew Scriptures, which we problematically refer to as "the Old Testament." It would be decades, at least, before the Greek Scriptures, or the "New Testament," would be written and widely circulated to spread the Gospel far and wide. Think about that. The apostles, we're told in Acts 17:6, had turned the world down without the benefit of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or any other books ofthe "New Testament," which means their main resource, from which came all of their scriptural references, was the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible. That's what Jesus used to explain all to his friends on the road to Emmaus, and it was not merely enough. In fact, after that lesson, Cleopas and his companion agreed: "Didnot our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32). It must have been quite the Bible study. We've all heard the story about the road to Emmaus. But the point is this: Jesus explained the good new using only the "Old Testament,"suggesting that after 2,000 years, we should be able to do likewise. We should be able to mine the Hebrew Scriptures to evangelize our Jewish brothers and sisters. That's what Jesus was doing. After all, it would be decades before His apostles and disciples,all Jewish, would even think about bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. The "Old Testament," or Tanakh, is the foundation for our faith as Christians. Without it, we cannot fully appreciate, or explain, or comprehend the work of Jesus, the veryJewish God-Man, who came to atone for the sins of the world and build His kingdom here in Earth. That's why I chose the title for my latest book, "The Gospel in Every Book of the Old Testament," specifically what Peter said about this very topic in Acts 3:18-26 on theday of Pentecost: "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, thatyour sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hathspoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye arethe children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning awayevery one of you from his iniquities." It's one continuous love story – from beginning to end.

Satan’s Prepping Continues

 Satan’s Prepping Continues – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2023/02/20/satans-prepping-continues/ “Preppers” are sometimes deemed wise, sometimes lauded, and often criticized as conspiracy theorists—and worse. Whatever their acceptance, praise, or condemnation, their veryexistence and proliferation gives credence, even validation, to their fear that “something wicked this way comes,” as Mr. Shakespeare would have it. And whether one’s a prepper or not, even a non-Bible prophecy observer can recognize that there is growing wickedness in every direction on the cultural and societal landscape. Prepping, of course, is gathering all sorts of things to prepare against hard times to come. Fear is prevalent and growing that there will be a complete fiscal breakdown—thedollar will massively lose value and be replaced by alternative economic systems worldwide. There is belief that society will collapse under the despotic hands of tyrants seeking to bring America down. Fear of attacks of cyber and even kinetic sorts are onthe rise. There is trepidation that things like this are now being planned by the likes of Russia and China against a once well-protected America—a nation no longer secured against such destructive possibilities. I admit to writing myself about these fearful prospects, in context of trying to be discerning about what God’s Word has to say about this generation as it approaches thetime Jesus said will be the most horrific of human history (Matthew 24:21). So a growing percentage of earth’s inhabitants are looking at what they see coming, and are trying to protect themselves and those they love from a possibly unprecedentedassault against humanity. Some are intensively doing so, pulling out all stops. The billionaires we hear about are doing things like buying up old, deserted missile silos and fixing them up for long-term living underground while the chaos of nuclear warand other deadly things occur on the planet’s surface. Lesser financially secured folks who are equally fearful of things to come are stockpiling foods, medical supplies, and all they think necessary to survive. Of course, admittedly, the vast majority of the world’s populations, if they think at all about such dire possibilities, do so for only a fleeting moment. They are too busydoing life from one minute to the next. There is one, however, who is doing a different kind of prepping. And he is doing so at breakneck speed. We can see his handiwork in that regard by simply observing the timesand watching headlines unfold. It is as if he knows that he has a short time to prepare in consideration of his biblically forecast destiny. I’m talking about, of course, Lucifer the fallen one. Satan is in an all-out phase of prepping, as I believe I and others who are watchmen and watchwomen can discern in theseincreasingly troublesome times. The devil observably has his collars and chain around the necks of the dogs of government, military, economy, science, entertainment, and especially religionists. We go over these matters every week in the many columns of those who present observations on Bible prophecy development. In government we see developments shaping swiftly into the final, global entity Daniel the prophet spoke of to King Nebuchadnezzar. In military matters, we see war being threatenedin areas of prophetic significance. World War III is considered almost a certainty by some of the most revered military affairs experts. In the economy there are developments that can be nothing less than preparing for the coming marks-and-number (666) systemof Revelation chapter 13. In science, AI and all things digital are bringing all of humanity under surveillance and controls that will provide Satan’s man, Antichrist, everything needed to enslave a world—a world that obviously is already in a compliant moodto worship Lucifer. Last week’s Super Bowl LVII made it clear, at least within the microcosm of that screaming throng, that the masses might be all in on welcoming the coming man of sin and hisBeast state. At Super Bowl Halftime Show, Rihanna Keeps The Satanic Spirit Of Last Week’s Grammys Alive And Kicking In Demonic Aerial Display With Fallen Angels Last week, we showed you how the Grammys invited to world to enjoy something “beautifully unholy,” and then cheered as Satan was prayed to, invoked and worshipped on internationaltell-a-vision, and “sponsored by Pfizer” no less. Moments ago, the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show opened with filth merchant Rihanna descending from the sky, surrounded by what could only be described as dancing fallen angels, and sang “Bi**h Better Have MyMoney.” What was the reaction? Cheering and applause so loud that it competed with the music for your ear. You can stop having that debate now on whether or not America is a Christian nation, we absolutely are not. (RR news story link/prompt Rapture ReadyNews, February 13, 2023, NTEB story) In religion, there is movement of all religions (all belief systems) attempting to come together as one. Pope Francis is consistently seen at the forefront of the effort whilehe applauds and approves of the World Economic Forum (WEF) efforts to bring the world back to Babel. We witnessed a meeting on traditional Mount Sinai in Egypt, where globalist minions came down after visiting the top, bringing down (in a way that mocked God’sTen Commandments), their ten commandments for dealing with climate change and other world problems. All of this is Satan’s prepping. While the world preps to survive what they fear is coming, the devil is prepping with all at his disposal to bring on that very devastationthe human preppers fear. I believe one of the chief signs we see in Satan’s prepping is the activity going on with the unidentified flying objects for which nobody within the military command systemseems to have an answer. The question I have: Is the world, with this sudden rash of UFOs, being further prepared to accept a space-brother-visitation explanation for that stunning moment when theRapture occurs? This sudden phenomenon, in conjunction with the insanity being perpetrated against children, gives reason, in my view, to wonder. As many who read these commentaries know, I’m convinced beyond any remedy that every child under the age of accountabilitywill go to be with our Lord when He calls the Church. God is going to, I’m convinced, demonstrate how He hates the way the world has dealt with the helpless little ones. The judgment and wrath will be great on this collective sin, I have no doubt. We can expect Satan’s prepping to become more intensive as 2023 proceeds. Perhaps part of the reason Jesus told us to keep looking up is that Satan’s prepping—the so-calledUFOs, etc—will be a key indicator of the Lord’s very near call to believers. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21: 28)

John’s Revelation of the Millennium – Part 1

 John’s Revelation of the Millennium – Part 1 – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/john-s-revelation-of-the-millennium-part-1 Millennialism is a Christian doctrine based on the Book of Revelation (20:1-7) in which Jesus Christ will establish a kingdom on earth for a duration of 1,000 years. The termcomes from "millennium" (Latin mille ‘one thousand’ and annum ‘year’), which means "one thousand years." There are three different interpretations regarding the timing and nature of this 1000-year kingdom. Some believe that the return of Christ occurs beforethe millennial kingdom is established on earth. This is known as premillennialism. Others think His return will happen after the millennial kingdom. This is known as postmillennialism. There is a third view called amillennialism, which has a symbolic interpretationof the millennium kingdom. The adherents to this view believe it is simply the duration of the imperfect church on earth between Christ's first coming and His return, and that the real kingdom of God is in heaven after the millennium kingdom is completed onearth. The Jews also believe in a Messianic Kingdom (although Jesus is not considered the Messiah) and it is prophesied throughout the Old Testament. This kingdom is not given aspecific duration as the one found in Revelation, so it is assumed to be eternal. One of the most famous passages of scripture regarding this kingdom is found in Isaiah. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the holeof the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a rootof Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:6-10). THE THREE VIEWS REGARDING THE MILLENNIUM Premillennialism is the view that Christ’s second coming will occur prior to His millennial kingdom, and that the millennial kingdom is a literal 1000-year reign of Christon earth. Most modern premillennialists are also dispensationalists. Dispensationalism is a theological system that recognizes different ages ordained by God to order the affairs of mankind. Dispensationalism has two primary distinctions: a consistently literalinterpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program. The last age or dispensation is the millennial kingdom. The dispensational system results in a premillennial interpretationof Christ’s second coming and usually a pretribulation interpretation of the Rapture. Modern premillennialism associates the establishment of a literal, future 1000-year reign of Christ, with complete fulfillment of the Abrahamic land promise to national,ethnic Israel. This author’s theological and eschatological view is one of dispensational premillennialism. However, some premillennialists are classified as “historic premillennialists.” They believe the Rapture will occur after the seven-year tribulation at the same time as theSecond Coming. Historic premillennialism does not require that apocalyptic prophecies be interpreted literally. Adherents to historic premillennialism believe that the Old Testament foretold of the church of the New Testament and that the age of grace waspredicted in the Old Testament. This is completely opposite to what dispensational premillennialists believe. What they have in common is the belief in a literal 1000-year millennium reign of Christ on the earth. Postmillennialism is an interpretation of Revelation chapter 20 which sees Christ’s second coming as occurring after the “millennium.” However, they believe the millenniumkingdom is a golden age of Christian prosperity and influence in which Christians dominate the world and set up the conditions for Christ to return to the earth. They will set in motion the millennial kingdom by converting all of society to Christianity. Theydon’t believe in a literal 1000 years but think it means a long period of time. Those who hold to postmillennialism use a non-literal or allegoric method of interpreting unfulfilled prophecies. There are both preterist and historicist views regarding postmillennialism(more on these views later). “The prefix a of amillennialism does not mean that it does not believe in a millennial kingdom at all. It only denies the existence of a literal 1000-year kingdom on earth.The millennium is a metaphor for the age of the church on earth, and the kingdom is spiritual as Christ’s reign at the right hand of God in heaven. For amillennialists, the church’s millennial kingdom points to the kingdom of God in heaven. This kingdom ofGod in heaven does not involve a direct, personal reign of Christ on earth, rather this kingdom in heaven is manifested only in the hearts of believers as they receive the blessings of salvation (Col. 1:13-14) in the church. The age of the church, symbolizedby the millennium, began with Christ's first coming and will continue until his return, and the church as a reflection of God's kingdom in heaven is considered to be far from perfect and still characterized by tribulation and suffering. According to amillennialism, it is only at the return of Christ when the final judgment takes place that the tribulation will be overcome and Satan and his followers willbe destroyed. Also, the physical resurrection of all will take place for the final judgment, and the eternal order will begin. For amillennialists as well as postmillennialists, the first resurrection of the righteous (Rev. 20:4-5) simply refers to spiritualresurrection, i.e., conversion or regeneration that occurs during the millennium. Amillennialism was popularized by Augustine in the fifth century and has dominated Christian eschatology for many centuries. Many mainline churches today continue to endorseamillennialism.” {1} https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Amillennialism THE FOUR INTERPRETIVE VIEWS OF REVELATION “There are also four major approaches to interpreting the book of Revelation and its meaning for the end time: the idealist, preterist (full and partial), historicist, andfuturist view. The idealist view teaches that Revelation describes in symbolic language the battle throughout the ages between God and Satan and good against evil. The preterist view teaches that the events recorded in the book of Revelation were largely fulfilledin AD 70 with the fall of the Jerusalem Temple. The historicist view teaches that the book of Revelation is a symbolic presentation of church history beginning in the first century AD through the end of the age. The prophecies of Revelation are fulfilled invarious historic events such as the fall of the Roman Empire, the Protestant Reformation, and the French Revolution. The futurist view teaches that Revelation prophesies events that will take place in the future. These events include the rapture of the church,seven years of tribulation, and a millennial rule of Christ upon the earth.” The idealist view, or the spiritual view, uses the allegorical method to interpret the Book of Revelation. The allegorical approach to Revelation was introduced by ancientchurch father Origen (AD 185-254) and made prominent by Augustine (AD 354-420). According to this view, the events of Revelation are not tied to specific historical events. The imagery of the book symbolically presents the ongoing struggle throughout the agesof God against Satan and good against evil. In this struggle, the saints are persecuted and martyred by the forces of evil but will one day receive their vindication. In the end, God is victorious, and His sovereignty is displayed throughout the ages. The second view is called the preterist view. Preter, which means “past,” is derived from the Latin language. There are two major views among preterists: full preterism andpartial preterism. Both views believe that the prophecies of the Olivet discourse of Matthew 24 and Revelation were fulfilled in the first century with the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Chapters 1-3 describe the conditions in the seven churches of Asia Minorprior to the Jewish war (AD 66-70). The remaining chapters of Revelation and Jesus’ Olivet Discourse describe the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. Full preterists believe that all the prophecies found in Revelation were fulfilled in AD 70 and that we are now living in the eternal state, or the new heavens and the newearth. Partial preterists believe that most of the prophecies of Revelation were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem but that chapters 20-22 point to future events such as a future resurrection of believers and the return of Christ to the earth. Partialpreterists view full preterism as heretical since it denies the second coming of Christ and teaches an unorthodox view of the resurrection. The third view is called the historicist approach. This view teaches that Revelation is a symbolic representation that presents the course of history from the apostle’s lifethrough the end of the age. The symbols in the apocalypse correspond to events in the history of Western Europe, including various popes, the Protestant Reformation, the French Revolution, and rulers such as Charlemagne. Most interpreters place the eventsof their day in the later chapters of Revelation. Many adherents of this position view chapters 1-3 as seven periods in church history (although some premillennialists do as well). The breaking of the seals in chapters 4-7symbolizes the fall of the Roman Empire. The Trumpet judgments in chapters 8-10 represent the invasions of the Roman Empire by the Vandals, Huns, Saracens, and Turks. Among Protestant historicists of the Reformation, the antichrist in Revelation was believedto be the papacy. Chapters 11-13 in Revelation represent the true church in its struggle against Roman Catholicism. The bowl judgments of Revelation 14-16 represent God’s judgment on the Catholic Church, culminating in the future overthrow of Catholicism depictedin chapters 17-19. Prominent scholars who held this view include John Wycliffe, John Knox, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, GeorgeWhitefield, Charles Finney, C. H. Spurgeon, and Matthew Henry. This view rose to popularity during the Protestant Reformation because of its identification of the pope and the papacy with the beasts of Revelation 13. However, since the beginning of the twentiethcentury, it has declined in popularity and influence. The fourth view is the futurist view. This view teaches that the events of the Olivet Discourse and Revelation chapters 4-22 will occur in the future. Futurists divide thebook of Revelation into three sections as indicated in 1:19: “what you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later.” Chapter 1 describes the past (“what you have seen”), chapters 2-3 describe the present (“what is now”), and the rest of the bookdescribes future events (“what will take place later”). Futurists apply a literal approach to interpreting Revelation. Chapters 4-19 refer to a period known as the seven-year tribulation (Dan. 9:27). During this time, God’s judgmentsare actually poured out upon mankind as they are revealed in the seals, trumpets, and bowls. Chapter 13 describes a literal future world empire headed by a political and religious leader represented by the two beasts. Chapter 17 pictures a harlot who representsthe church in apostasy. Chapter 19 refers to Christ’s second coming and the battle of Armageddon followed by a literal thousand-year rule of Christ upon the earth in chapter 20. Chapters 21-22 are events that follow the millennium: the creation of a new heavenand a new earth and the arrival of the heavenly city upon the earth. Futurists argue that a consistently literal or plain interpretation is to be applied in understanding the book of Revelation. The literal interpretation of the Bible meansto explain the original sense, or meaning, of the Bible according to the normal customary usage of its language. This means applying the rules of grammar and staying consistent with the historical framework, and the context of the writing. Literal interpretationdoes not discount figurative or symbolic language. Futurists teach that prophecies using symbolic language are also to be normally interpreted according to the laws of language. The futurist view is widely popular among evangelical Christians today. One of the most popular versions on futurist teaching is dispensational theology, promoted by schoolssuch as Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. Theologians such as Charles Ryrie, John Walvoord, and Dwight Pentecost are noted scholars of this position. Tim LaHaye made this theology popular in the culture with his end times series of novels.” {2}https://probe.org/four-views-of-revelation/ . This author agrees with the futurist view regarding Revelation and other scripture regarding eschatology. HISTORIC PREMILLENNIALISM AND THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS Historic premillennialism was held by a large majority of Christians during the first three centuries of the Christian era. Many of the church fathers such as Papias, Irenaeus,Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and others taught that there would be a visible kingdom of God upon the earth after the return of Christ. This early view of historic premillennialism taught that the Antichrist would appear on earth and the seven-yeartribulation would begin. Next would be the post-tribulation rapture, and then Jesus and His church would return to earth to rule for a thousand years. Many Christians in the early church (mentioned below) believed that the millennium reign of Christ would involve mostly Gentile Christian believers (the Church), as the Jewshad been punished by God for their unbelief, through the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 AD and their dispersion in 135 AD. The faithful spend eternity in the New Jerusalem. The earliest fathers of the church (before 300 AD) primarily believed in a literal millennium. The fourth-century church historian Eusebius considered Papias to be a primarysource for the millennial views of early fathers. Papias was evidently associated with Polycarp and John the apostle. Irenaeus said, “And these things (a futuristic, restored, Jewish kingdom) are borne witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John, andcompanion of Polycarp, in his fourth book.” Polycarp appears to have been a disciple of the apostle John and to have met other eyewitnesses of Jesus as well. He was martyred in 155 AD when he refused to deny his faith. Chiliasm is the Greek equivalent of millennialism. However, it has a broader meaning when used in regard to the earliest Christian eschatology. Chiliasm is not just the last1000 years of Jesus’ millennial kingdom but is the belief in the Millennial Week. Not only is Jesus’ kingdom reign on earth for exactly 1000 years, but the whole time of man’s struggle under the curse has been confined to six millennial “days” (6000 years).The seventh millennium is the seventh-day Sabbath rest. This belief by the early church fathers was reinforced by the following scripture. “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night (Psalm 90:4). “ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Some of the ancient church fathers are identified by modern scholars as “premillennialists” simply because they mentioned either Christ’s return at the end of six thousandyears, or refer to the Kingdom as the “Seventh Day.” These learned Christian men believed the return of Christ was imminent as they believed that the world was rapidly advancing towards the end of the sixth millennium (according to the LXX chronology) whenChrist would literally return to literally set up His millennium kingdom. Below are some quotes from these early historic premillennialists regarding this subject. The writer of the Epistle to Barnabas wrote (cir. 117/132 AD), “Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This implies that the Lordwill finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifies, saying, “Behold, today will be as a thousand years.” Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. “And He rested on the seventh day.” This means: when His Son, coming again, shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day.” Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho (written cir. 155) wrote, “But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrectionof the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare.” Justin did mention that, “many who belong to pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise.” Evidently there were already others who did not believe in a literal millennium at that point in history, but Justin does not supply their names. Justin became one of the first Christian apologists, explaining Christianity as a reasonable system. Justin incorporatedGreek thought with Jewish prophecy, presenting Christ as the fulfillment of the Hebrew tradition. Irenaeus wrote in his Against Heresies (written from 180 to 199 AD), “These [promises given by Christ] are to take place in the times of the kingdom, that is, upon the seventhday, which has been sanctified, in which God rested from all the works which He created, which is the true Sabbath of the righteous, which they shall not be engaged in any earthly occupation; but shall have a table at hand prepared for them by God, supplyingthem with all sorts of dishes.” Irenaeus followed Paul more closely than did the apostolic fathers after him. Theologically biblical rather than philosophical, he was the first theologian who wrote for the church. He saw himself as a shepherd of God’s flock. Tertullian wrote (207-212 AD), “But when this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this world, he will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the templeat Jerusalem; and then the Lord will come from heaven in the clouds, in the glory of the Father, sending this man and those who follow him into the lake of fire; but bringing in for the righteous the times of the kingdom, that is, the rest, the hallowed seventhday; and restoring to Abraham the promised inheritance, in which kingdom the Lord declared, that ‘many coming from the east and from the west should sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Tertullian was one of the first to articulate the doctrine of theTrinity, stating that God is one substance and yet three persons. For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suffered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 years mustneeds be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day ‘on which God rested from all His works.’ For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they ‘shall reign with Christ,’ when He comes fromheaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for ‘a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.’ Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. And they are not yet fulfilled, as John says: ‘five are fallen; one is,’ that is, the sixth; ‘the other is not yet come.’” Hippolytus employs the creation-week typology widely accepted in the west until Augustine. He sets the time of Christ's return in 500 AD. This would be the “sixth day” or6000 AM (anno mundi) according to the Septuagint chronology. Hippolytus was the church’s most important theologian in the third century. (Note: the Septuagint LXX is about 1600 years longer than Ussher’s Masoretic chronology. Usher’s chronology is about 44years longer than my reckoning. See A Chronology of Mankind – 6000 Years of History (rev310.net) So, the prevailing view among early (1st - 3rd century AD) Christians like Papias, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus was that history would end with a Messianic rule centered inJerusalem that followed the return of Christ (i.e. premillennialism). However, after the Roman empire under Constantine embraced Christianity in the early 4th century, it became more common to spiritualize the concept of the millennium as the reign of Christin the hearts of his people and the reign of the Christian dead in heaven. The millennium and church history became synonymous in this burgeoning new eschatological interpretation. We will finish our study in part II and look at allegorical interpretations by Origen, Augustine, and the early Roman Catholic Church regarding the book of Revelation. Randy Nettles rgeanie55@gmail.com

Witnessing In the Last Days

 Witnessing In the Last Days – Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/witnessing-in-the-last-days/ I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 1Cor. 3:6 As we watch the many prophesied end-time events unfold, we can all agree that this is a most amazing time to be alive. God in His divine providence has placed us here at thisvery moment for His purposes. How exciting is that! So what’s the main purpose for a Believer living in these last days? It’s the same purpose that’s been the most important since God created the world some 6000 years ago.Succinctly stated, it’s “salvation.” As we’ve said countless times in the past, THE most important thing on this earth is who's going to heaven and who's going to hell! We have to keep that perspective 24/7, even in the midst of trying circumstances as we live in these last days. Who knows what’s coming that the Globalists/Satanists willuse to try to scare us. Another supposedly deadly disease? World War? Food shortages? We have to keep in mind at all times that fear is from Satan, not God. and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. Heb. 2:15 Jesus is our immovable rock on whom we trust. For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. Psa. 31:3 As more and more people realize the Globalists/Satanists are literally trying to murder some 80% of the world’s population, we, by God’s grace and providential timing, havethe answers to share. And our two main goals are: 1) To live our life glorifying God. 2) To be used by God in the lives of those in our sphere of influence. And for those non-Believers we come into contact with, it's seed-planting time! We should look for opportunities to explain that whether they live or die before the Raptureis really not that important …compared to what happens for eternity. Hey, eternity is a long time to unnecessarily burn in the flames of hell. We have to be discerning to recognize when God opens a door for us to testify to His saving grace, and also when God is not opening a door. We can’t talk anyone into heaven — God has to do it. Humans are just the conduit He uses to reach people. If God has not prepared a heart to receive Him, we’re just barkingup a tree. We also need to understand that witnessing is many times a long process. God may use you to share a scriptural truth with someone and they immediately respond to the callof God. But more often than not, you’re planting seeds to be watered in the future for salvation. …as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,but God who causes the growth. 1Cor. 3:5b-8a I know a true story that happened 20 years ago. Bob (not his name) wanted to witness to his neighbor Stan (not his name). Stan always seemed to be somewhat distant in thefew opportunities Bob had to talk to him across the property line. Then one spring, upon seeing Stan in the yard, Bob decided to be bold. He walked up and politely invited Stan and his wife to go to Easter service that week. The response was described as almost demonic. The neighbor spewed so much vile cursing at God it would have made a Satanist blush. His dislike for Christians was so bad Bobbegan to retreat back to his yard saying innocently, “I’m sorry, I personally know I needed a Savior to pay for all my sins, but whatever.” Still shaking, Bob went into his house and warned his wife about their neighbor’s response. Six months later, seven police cars abruptly pulled up to Stan’s house for a raid.They arrested Stan and his wife for growing and selling large amounts of marijuana with grow lights in their basement. A few days later Stan had posted bail and was in his yard. Bob saw him and walked over, saying “Hi Stan.” “You still speaking to me?” Stan replied. "Yes, of course I am… how bad is it?" Stan explained his charges, that he was guilty, but that he was most concerned about his wife who was also being charged. After a few minutes of discussion, Bob began walkingback to his yard. As he walked he turned and said to Stan, “For what it’s worth, the invitation to join us for church is still there.” Stan just stood there speechless. Bob walked back into his house not wanting to be cussed out again. Bob explained to his wife what Stan was charged with and that Stan seemedso broken that he invited them to church again. Then to Bob’s amazement, there was Stan at his door. Before Bob could say a word, Stan began crying and telling Bob that he did in fact want to go to church with them. In tears Stan told them that the first time Bob had asked him to go to church and Bob said he knew he needed a Savior, that he barely got into his house before breaking downin tears of conviction. They cried together and hugged. The two couples began a Bible study together with both Stan and his wife trusting Jesus for their salvation. They met every week and six monthslater Stan was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison. His wife received no incarceration. It’s my understanding that Stan did his time, returned home and they are strong maturing Believers. The point of this story is you never know what God’s doing in someone’slife to whom you witness—you may be planting seeds for later salvation…all in God’s timing. Witnessing today is the same as it was 100, 1000 or 6000 years ago. A person has to believe by faith that Jesus is Lord and Savior, that He died and rose again, defeatingdeath. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Heb. 11:1 And the Lord has us here at this time to deliver that message as He opens doors of opportunities. Every day we see more and more people dying suddenly from heart attacks orstrokes, or slowly from cancer or other deadly diseases. The general population is now beginning to understand they’ve been duped about the purpose of those falsely called “va((ines.” That they are actually designed to kill millionsof people. But the silver lining is that this will bring more and more opportunities to share the good news of Jesus the Messiah. People don’t listen much to spiritual matters when allis well. Sometimes God has to kick the props right out from under them. Despite what happens in the future, whatever big event is rolled out next by the Globalists/Satanists to make people fearful, we have answers. Answers that were recorded thousandsof years ago. for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2Pet. 1:21 We have answers for lost relatives, neighbors or coworkers who the Lord may save before or after the Rapture. We can be bold today because we can't mess up trying to be used by God. And when we finally transition to the next life, whether before or at the Rapture, we win! Wait… we’vealready won!! Whether we are planting seeds or watering seeds, use us, Lord! CQLJ! BP Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. Is. 35:3