What To Watch In 2024

 What To Watch In 2024 – Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/what-to-watch-in-2024/ What Is a Black Swan Event? Definition: A black swan event is an unlikely and unpredictableevent with significant consequences, such as the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and Great Depression, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm thinking the Rapture would be considered a black swan event! What To Watch In 2024 2024 should be a wild and woolly year! Before discussing what may be coming in 2024, it’s imperative to have a firm grasp on the fact that God is in 100% control. He has promised in scripture that things will bebasically normal up until the Rapture when all Hades breaks loose around the world. So when you read the rest of this article, there is no reason to fear the future because God’s predetermined where we are and where we’re going. Our job is simply to lineup with God’s Word. Comfort from the Old Testament: Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteousright hand. Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing andnon-existent. For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Is. 41:10-13 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psa. 23:4 Comfort from the New Testament: For God has not given us a spirit of timidity [fear], but of power and love and discipline. 2Tim. 1:7 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God [a solid working knowledge of scripture], so that you will be able to stand firmagainst the schemes of the devil. Eph. 6:10-11 So, with all those comforting verses in mind, let’s look at what might be ahead in 2024 and how God wants to use us in the lives of those in our sphere of influence in thecoming year. The big question most Believers have today is how much prophetic fulfillment will we see before the Rapture? It’s not clear, but I believe that when you compare Matt. 24:37-39to Rev. 18, it shows Believers will continue to have food, building, electricity, parties, etc., right up to the Rapture. Watching all these last days’ prophecies come together just means the loud and boisterous Rapture shout is getting very, very close. We don’t know for sure when the Rapture will happen, but I personally think the last trumpet blowing on the last day of Rosh Hashanah (whichever year) is a good guess. So today the Globalists/Satanists continue to push the “all is well” narrative while we easily see 2000-year-old prophecies falling into place that tell us the world’s aboutto fall off a cliff. Yes, it’s a bit unnerving to watch but helpful to know what we’re being rescued from. But regardless of when the Rapture will happen, the Lord has instructed us to watch all these signs for comfort knowing our rescue before the wrath is close. In 1Thess. 4,after verses that explain the Rapture, Paul concludes with: Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1Th. 4:18 Therefore, with COMFORT in mind, here are five areas to keep your eyes on in 2024… 1) Israel Israel is God’s time clock to watch. As we surmised this past September, if we’re getting close to the Rapture we should see Israel moving to the world’s center stage. Let’sjust say that in the last 75-80 days Israel is fast becoming the prophesied “burdensome stone” to the world. This is major because the Tribulation begins post-Rapture with a 7-year peace treaty between Israel and 10 nations from the old Roman Empire. The Daniel 2 image shows 5 nations are from the western Europe leg and 5 nations are from the eastern leg, which we call the Middle East. This may be why the countries (fivefrom Europe—iron, and five from the Middle East—clay) have a hard time working together. “In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as yousaw the iron mixed with common clay. As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. Dan. 2:41-42 These nations are basically forced to make peace with Israel because after Israel soundly defeats the post-Rapture invasion of Israel by Russia, Iran, Turkey, etc. (Ezek.38/39), the world will see God is with Israel. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog [Russia].” Ezek. 38:16b “I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD.”’ Ezek. 38:23 After defeating Russia, et al., Israel will continue conquering her nearby enemies, turning on Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, etc. “In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left allthe surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem.” Zech. 12:6 One of the enticements for the Ezekiel 38/39 invasion comes after Israel discovers a well-hidden massive gold and silver treasure estimated to be around $100 trillion. Webelieve this is tied to the yet-to-be-rediscovered Solomon’s hidden Temple treasures. Israel IS currently looking for them—albeit understandably quietly and behind the scenes. In summary: • Watch Russia, Iran and Turkey continue to line up against Israel. • Watch Israel continue to be a burdensome stone for the world. • Watch for Israel to discover trillions of dollars in gold and silver. 2) Banking and Finance A large number of normally rational financial people think we’ll see a huge financial problem in 2024. "Since 2009, this has been 100 percent artificial, unprecedented money printing and deficits: $27 trillion over 15 years, to be exact," Harry Dent told Fox Business Tuesday(Dec. 19). "This is off the charts, 100 percent artificial, which means we're in a dangerous state. I think 2024 is going to be the biggest single crash year we'll see in our lifetimes.” "If I'm right, it is going to be the biggest crash of our lifetime, most of it happening in 2024. You're going to see it start and be more obvious by May," the analyst claimed."So if you just get out for six to 12 months and stuff stays at the highest valuation history, maybe you miss a little more gains if I'm wrong. If I'm right, you're going to save massive losses and be able to reinvest a year or year-and-a-half from now atunbelievably low prices and magnify your gains beyond compare.” Ed Dowd has an interesting explanation of what he thinks will cause this: WATCH: https://banned.video/watch?id=6511e044290e468e85c18f8e (Start at 14-minute mark) Some will argue we're already caught between a rock and a hard place as the U.S. Government is now paying over $1 trillion in interest every year. That's $2.7 billion perday. It's just a matter of time until that train wrecks. The most obvious thing the bad guys can do to ensure they stay in power is to collapse the financial system. A collapsed banking system would allow those in control to nationalizethe banks—which will give them the excuse they need to institute their traceable digital dollar. This is often referred to by many as The Great Reset. This could be achieved in a number of ways with a cyber attack being most often discussed. But it’s also the last thing they’ll want to do since most of us pay some 40% ofour income in taxes. They want the gravy train to continue on as long as possible while the band plays on. Just know they will do whatever is necessary, whenever it’s necessary, to retain power. They’re all in. Whatever it takes… a cyber attack (blamed on China) causing a bankholiday, a nuclear war, or any number of awful situations. The bad guys are ready to pull the plug when necessary. If you missed the link last week to The Great Taking, you should read or watch the free documentary. WATCH: https://thegreattaking.com 3) Excess Deaths and Disabilities This is a tough one to discuss as we all know people who are va((inated. But facts are facts and the data continue to show people are excessively dying and/or being disabledover normal established actuarial parameters. You’re just forbidden to mention it on FB, YouTube, etc. And the obvious and ever-present elephant in the room is that 99% of all these excess deaths and disabilities are happening to jabbed people. But the media, including Foxand Newsmax, are swayed by huge advertising purchases by Big Pharma—so they won’t talk about excess deaths. But they can’t cover up all these worldwide deaths forever and the word is slowly getting out. These excess deaths are continuing to rise and it’s only a matter of time untilthe cat’s out of the bag in the national media. There’ll be a lot of ticked-off people who will need some hand-holding when they have to admit they were duped into taking the shot. When the cat is finally out, it will affect everything—real estate, stocks, insurance rates, government, vehicle prices…everything! 4) USA Elections This is huge because our nation is under attack. Can those who are taking us down continue in power to finish the job? It is my contention (and I would LOVE to be wrong) that the Globalists/Satanists will never allow President Trump to be reelected. If Trump were reelected, too many peoplewould go to jail for what they’ve been doing illegally. And if the bad guys are willing to kill millions worldwide via their fake va((ines, they would think nothing of murdering whoever gets in the way of their global government. So I believe the Globalists/Satanists believe they have the power to install their world government and they will never let go of their power. Taking down the USA is the lastobstacle for their world government, so they stole the last election and will steal the next one too…whatever it takes. If they thought there was any chance Trump could win, they would arrange for SOMETHING major to happen to declare a national emergency, which Biden has the power to do athis discretion…meaning he could even suspend elections. The news is full of what polls are concluding… who is leading the Presidential election, etc. They want conservatives to think they have a good chance at winning. Don’t buythe lie. It’ll never happen (my opinion, again, I hope I’m wrong). Today we only have the illusion of freedom. We were founded as a republic with minority rights, but that’s long gone. A democracy is way different from a republic. In factThomas Jefferson warned that a democracy is no more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49%. Realistically, today we’re a fascist state that weaponizes the government and jails opposition. Recently I read where the FBI was creating a list of people who were a threatto the government. They admitted that 99% of those on the list were Trump supporters. The bad guys might be envisioning a civil war as their excuse to declare a national emergency. That list of Trump supporters would most likely be their target. That’s whatcommunist countries do. Of course, there IS the possibility that the Lord wants Trump to be reelected. Hey, He did it once before. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Rom. 13:1 And if God wants Trump in power, Trump will be back in. But other than a miracle of Biblical proportions happening, I don’t see it happening. I will definitely vote, a rightgiven to us by our original Constitution. Hopefully your home state will withstand the NWO pressures to conform. 5) Our National Borders If you only needed one reason to prove we’re under attack as a nation, just look at our southern border. What a joke. Tens of thousands of illegals are crossing each week.Ten million (10,000,000) since the Biden regime took over. This unprecedented influx of illegal aliens is meant to both add to the democratic voter rolls and also contribute to our declining dollar. It is being coordinated by thebad guys. China is sneaking in military age men, for what reason? Muslim men between the age of 18 and 30 will soon outnumber the Spanish speaking hordes. And that brings to mind averse regarding people dying during the Tribulation: And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, Rev. 20:4b That verse is particularly interesting in light of Hamas’ Israeli massacre that included literal beheadings. And Muslims have moved into every European country as well. Hmmm… God’s got us here for a reason! Back before the foundations of the world were laid, God prearranged for us to be alive at this time of a dispensational change. Things will be quite different after the Rapture. Most people reading this have been given special Godly insight into what’s really going on. I know you’ve noticed that not everyone understands what you understand. I believe one of the reasons we’re here at this moment in time is to be a light pointing to Bible prophecies being fulfilled today. God seems to use Bible prophecy more thananything else to get non-Christians’ attention, and at this stage there’s a lot at which to point! Since God often uses Bible prophecy to pique someone’s interest in the Bible, it often leads to an open door to proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh [before you were saved], He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross [2000 years ago]. Col. 2:13-14 If you’re a Believer, 2000 years ago ALL your sins—past, present and future—were nailed to the cross. The sins you commit tomorrow were paid for 2000 years ago. This means you’ll be rescued from the coming wrath. Everyone should know they don’t have to be here to endure God’s SOON coming wrath. And if they miss the Rapture, they needto know they can still go to heaven! (6) That’s why we mailed over 100,000 of our Millions Missing? booklets last year. And this year we’re putting finishing touches on our new Before and After Rapture mailer toalso be sent far and wide. I can’t wait to share it with you when it’s finished... and it’s close! We know Jesus is coming to rescue Believers. We know we’ll miss the horrible prophesied 7 years of wrath coming on the earth. So between now and the day of our sudden disappearance,we should be bold looking for opportunities to share with family and friends what’s dead-ahead! “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”… Joshua 1:9 If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31b Use us, Lord!

On Leaving the World Behind

 On Leaving the World Behind – Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have become producers of movies, it seems. Former Secret Service agent and now national talk show host DanBongino tells that he believes the two are the actual producers of the dystopian film Leave the World Behind. –This, although the Netflix director of the production, Sam Esmail, claims the former president is only an advisor on the film. Fact is, Leave the World Behind is the product of the Obamas’ Higher Grounds Productions company. The movie is an adaptation of Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name,which Obama had included on his 2021 summer reading list. The film, according to Bongino, portrays disasters of the direst sort. And director Sam Esmail says the movie is based largely on many personal notes from Barack Obama andhis intimate knowledge of threats to America and the world. Esmail said: “I am writing what I think is fiction, for the most part. I’m trying to keep it as true to life as possible, but I’m exaggerating and dramatizing. And to hearan ex-president say you’re off by a few details… I thought I was off by a lot! The fact that he said that scared the [expletive deleted] out of me.” Bongino said that revelation by the director scared him, too. The movie itself wasn’t a great film, according to the former Secret Service agent who served in protection effortsfor three presidents, including Obama. But that Obama told the director that the dire threats given in the fiction weren’t as bad as the ones that actually exist worries Bongino, a former agent who has a considerable degree of intimate knowledge of such presidentialintelligence-gathering capability. I haven’t watched the movie–that is, I haven’t listened to it (being blind). But I trust Bongino’s analysis and agree the threats to the peoples of the world at this timemust be dire indeed. Of course, all we have to do is to look around at all that’s going on, as those who “watch” like our Lord commands us to do, to know that the very existence of humankind wouldbe very tenuous if not for the controlling and restraining hand of God. The very title of the movie speaks of the lateness of the prophetic hour. The spirit of Antichrist, which has a profoundly growing presence in the world, seems to be foreshadowingthe Beast’s coming regime. Leave the World Behind is quite a title, don’t you agree? That is, it is quite a title considering the nomenclature of our website, Rapture Ready, and the title of this weekly column, “Nearing Midnight.” The title of Obama’s film almost seems meant to mock the spectacularly successful Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. It’s like the producers are saying tothose of us who don’t like the way developments are going to “get out of Dodge.” Speaking of that well-worn phrase, a writer of note who regularly gives information about the grim developments that are engulfing the nation and world has weighed in on thatvery subject. That is, he delves into the wisdom of “getting out of Dodge” at this darkening time of human existence on planet Earth. The writer presents information from a biblically prophetic perspective. I have no doubt he is a born-again believer in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. However, his interpretationis, I believe, far from accurate in the matter of eschatology so far as he seems to understand things, as we find in looking at his use of the phrase “get out of Dodge.” Here is a portion of that article. So where will you be when things finally hit the fan? During the past several years, we have seen a mass exodus of conservatives from blue states. For example, Fox News is reporting that 65 percent of those that have recentlymoved to the state of Idaho are Republicans, and only 12 percent are Democrats… “Time is not on your side; flee the city NOW before the coming collapse!”… Ultimately, if you were planning to relocate, you should have already done it by now. But the good news is that conditions are still at least somewhat relatively stable as we approach the end of 2023. So if you want to get out of Dodge, you can still do it. In fact, for many of you, this may be your last chance. But don’t wait too long because the clock is ticking. At this point, most Americans can feel that something has gone horribly wrong. The warning signs are all around us, and conditions are getting worse with each passing day.(“Are You Prepared for the Coming Economic Collapse and the Next Great Depression? 12/11/23) The writer warns that it is time to, in effect, do the same thing Obama’s movie title is suggesting. We should leave the world behind. Of course, that title means, in total context, I presume, that people should work toward leaving the world as it is presently configured by making it better. Perhaps whatis needed is a “Great Reset.” In fact, that is exactly what is meant by the film’s title and tenet. The writer who uses the title “Get Out of Dodge” in his article, on the other hand, I believe, means that in order to try to avoid being caught up in the dangers and evilof the coming Antichrist regime, we should find, as we say in the South, fraidy holes in which to hide. That’s a bit simplistic, and perhaps even unfair or disrespectful, to refer to the writer’s efforts in such a way. Certainly, he is an excellent writerand even a good reporter of world events as they might pertain to God’s Word with regard to the way things are shaping for the Tribulation. But he is against any thought of a pre-Tribulation Rapture of believers. As a matter of fact, he has written an entire book against that view—and is totally misguided as tohow we as believers should be preparing at this critical hour as we are nearing midnight of the Tribulation era. We should not be looking at “getting out of Dodge” in terms of trying to move somewhere in order to not get caught, punished, and/or killed bythe Antichrist and his forces of evil when his regime comes to power. We are told by our Lord what we are to do. He said: “And when you see all these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your head, for your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Further, Jesus Christ told John to write the following: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10). We who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—in His death, burial, and resurrection and on His being our Savior from sin’s dread sway—are to be following the Apostle Paul’s HolySpirit-given directive: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Believers are not to fearfully look for Antichrist and his satanic regime of terror. We are to “occupy”–work to spread God’s Word of salvation while we anticipate the LordJesus Christ’s call to us from the clouds of Glory. We are not to strive to get out but rather to look for and trust our Blessed Hope–the Lord Jesus—to rescue us from the time of God’s wrath and judgment that is about to come against the anti-God rebels whowill be, sadly, because of their own choice, left behind to face that man of sin. Here again is how to make the right decision –the decision God wants everyone to make in order to bring them into His eternal heavenly family. “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).

12 Prophecies That Will Be Fulfilled before Christ's Return

 12 Prophecies That Will Be Fulfilled before Christ's Return This world can often feel like a dark place. Sometimes it’s hard to see light and hope in the midst of all the suffering and pain we see around us. Constant media headlines reveal the deep struggle, the pain, and brokenness so many have known. God's promises are true and He is faithful to bring them all to pass. Every single one. Jesus gives us eternal hope, rooted in Him, the promise of heaven, and the reminder that He will come again. Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll shares these known facts from the Bible: · One out of every 30 verses in the Bible mentions the subject of Christ's return or the end of time. · Of the 216 chapters in the New Testament, there are well over 300 references to the return of Christ. · 23 of the 27 New Testament books mention Christ's return. · In the Old Testament, such well-known and reliable men of God as Job, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, as well as most of the minor prophets mention Christ's return in their writings. Instead of fearing the end times, or battling uncertainty over future events, simply knowing God’s word will give us power to live out our days with the understanding and wisdom that He is still at work, even when difficult things surround us. He hasn’t lost control, not ever. 1. Mark 13:24-27 “But in those days, following that distress, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great powerand glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” 2. Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." 3. Matthew 24:36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” 4. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 “…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” 5. 1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” 6. Luke 21:25-28 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavenswill be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 7. John 14:1-3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and willtake you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” 8. Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” 9. Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” 10. Revelation 19:12-16 “His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayedin fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” 11. Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.” 12. Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” And as believers, we can have a deep confidence, an anchor of hope, that the world may not always understand…for we know that this life isn’t all there is. God has more in store, still to come. And it’s greater than we could ever imagine. Take heart, staystrong, He is with us, and He will surely come again! If you find yourself reading this today, and don’t know for sure if you’re a believer or have never made the choice to give your life to Christ, don’t waste another moment. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Heaven is real and so is hell.He gives us the choice, for how we want to live, and for what we choose to live for. Jesus loves you and gave his life for you, He longs to bring you freedom and forgiveness from the sin you have battled, and He promises to restore and renew your life. Justtalk to Him today, like you would a friend, ask Him to forgive you for the sin and wrong in your own life, for choosing to go your own way. Acknowledge that He died for you on the cross, taking your sin and shame, so that you wouldn’t have to. Confess thatHe alone is Lord and Savior, and that He rose again and lives today. Thank Him for new life, for forgiveness, and for purpose and hope. Know that you are never alone. He promises to be with you always and gives the eternal security that nothing in this worldcould ever offer. Peace. John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10

A Child is Born

 AChild is Born By Hal Lindsey For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of theincrease of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. — Isaiah9:6-7 [NKJV] Every birth changes the world. Every life has consequence. Think of all the people you have known in your lifetime. Each one represents some level of influence you have had — hopefully for good, sometimes not. In some cases,the influence is huge. Sometimes, it is minimal. All those people knew people, too. And so, influence spreads. Your influence has gone places that would astound you. We have no reliable way of measuring the impact of a life, but we know it is there. Everyone changes the world.There are no inconsequential births. In John 3:7, Jesus said, “You must be born again.” The second birth He spoke of changes all eternity. The math behind that statement is staggering, with effects multiplied by infinity. The second birth was made possible by a death. The Child born to us in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, came that we “may have life, and… have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). And His life is the light of men (John 1:4). He is “TheLamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Lambs were sacrificed for sin over and over again. But the Lamb of God made one final and complete sacrifice for all sin, for all time. And on the third day, He completed His victory over sin anddeath when He rose from the grave. Every life changes the world. But one Life changed everything, including eternity. Every birth is significant. But one birth became the dividing line of history. Every person is important, but Jesus is the only begotten Sonof God. His name is called Immanuel, “God with us.” Micah 5:2 says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” This and other Old Testament verses depict God coming into the world in human flesh. Theologians call it, “the incarnation.” John 1:1 describes Jesus when it says, “The Word was God.” John 1:14 describes Christmas when it says, “And the Word was made flesh.”

The Truth About God’s Chosen People

 There Is A Very High Price To Pay For Ignoring The Truth About God’s Chosen People – By Olivier Melnick - https://harbingersdaily.com/there-is-a-very-high-price-to-pay-for-ignoring-the-truth-about-gods-chosen-people/ This is usually the time of the year when I post a “Year In Review”, looking retrospectively at the last twelve months with respect to antisemitism, Bible prophecy and Israel.Unfortunately for us all, over the last two decades, I have not lacked stories to tell, lies to expose and truth to teach. Is 2023 any different from the previous years and is it significant for our civilization? The answer can be found in the events of October7, 2023, when Hamas committed the brutal murder of 1,200 Israelis in one day (the highest Jewish death toll since the Holocaust.) and took over 200 hostages into Gaza. October 7 was not just a terrible terrorist attack in Israel, but it was an existentialattack on Western civilization. Some sixty years ago, Yasir Arafat, the Egyptian-born leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, started planting the seeds of historical revisionism in the MiddleEast. His then farfetched approach to the Palestinian people being refugees in their Israel-occupied land didn’t take root immediately, but the seed was planted. It has been watered by liberalism and an increasingly Marxist-leaning left faction. Additionally,it is being fertilized by post-modern social justice militants around the globe. Fast forward to 2023 in the Middle East and the rest of the world by proxy and the roles of victims and perpetrators have been switched. This reverse narrative founded on liesand historical revisionism has now fully blossomed and the world is buying it…No questions asked. The result is an exponential hatred of Israel and by proxy, the rest of the Jewish people in the entire Diaspora. Historically, this is yet another conflict inthe Middle East, but biblically, it is one of the last few bricks in the foundational wall of the end times! The world is currently being conditioned for the final chapter of HIStory before the return of the Messiah to establish His Millennial Kingdom, and just as the Bible predicted,it will all hinge around Israel and Jerusalem (Zechariah 12; Ezekiel 36-38.) But really, is Zechariah 12:3, “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all thenations of the earth will be gathered against it”, to be taken literally? Of course, it is! We should be concerned and heavily burdened for the Jewish people but not surprised. Keep in mind that if Zechariah 12:3 is to be taken literally, 12:9 also is, “Andin that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Is the world truly guilty of willful ignorance? Are all the nations going after the Jewish people, or am I a conspiracy theorist seeking cheap validation from the world? After all, maybe the way that people are lookingat the Hamas/Israel war is accurate, and I am biased toward my own people. Or is it possible that the world is again joining the bystanders of yesteryear and looking the other way while Jewish people have been slaughtered in Israel and are being demonizedeverywhere else? Being a bystander in that situation would be bad enough, but I fear that many people are also turning into perpetrators and that 2023 will be remembered as the year that changed everything for Israel AND for our civilization. • Amsterdam (December 2023): Pro-Palestine leaflets dropped in a shopping Mall accompanied by an announcement about the Genocide of children by Israel in Gaza. No mentionof the 1,200 Israelis butchered by Hamas first. • Paris and suburbs (November 2023): Stars of David were painted on Paris buildings to identify where Jewish people lived, very reminiscent of 1938 Kristallnacht. No mentionof the 1,200 Israelis butchered by Hamas first. • China (October 2023): Internet antisemitism is at an all-time high. • Sidney (October 2023): A pro-Palestinian rally took place at the Sidney, Australia Opera House, where chants of “Gas the Jews” were heard. No mention of the 1,200 Israelisbutchered by Hamas first. • London (October 2023): A man was arrested for tearing down posters of the Israeli hostages in Gaza, claiming they were spreading false information. No mention of the 1,200Israelis butchered by Hamas first. • United States (December 2023): Harvard President Claudine Gay wouldn’t condemn Hamas and claimed that context had to be considered when “calling for the genocide of Jews.” No mention of the 1,200 Israelis butchered by Hamas first. Did the world turn against the Allies when they joined forces to obliterate the Nazi regime? Were the “poor Nazis” the recipients of global humanitarian aid and did they becomethe poster boys for social justice, activism and resistance? Of course not, so why is the world still rooting for the terrorist organization that is Hamas and demonizing Israel? Simply put, this has everything to do with the Bible and God’s final plan forthe ages. If you are still on the fence over the infallibility of the Bible and the existence of God, now would be a very good time to trust both as we are seeing all the predicted events falling into place like never before. If we trust the Bible–and we should–then God will never completely forsake Israel (Jeremiah 31:35-37) and He will catch up with all her enemies (Zechariah 12:9). Unfortunately,there will be great casualties, as 2/3 of the Jewish people will perish during the Tribulation (Zechariah 13:9). Before that terrible event takes place, Christians have a great opportunity to expose their Jewish friends to the only true Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus)of Nazareth (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). The number of casualties can be reduced since God only gave us a percentage, not an exact number. Sadly, the world is ignoring the truth about the Hamas/Israel war and about who God is and His promises to us and Israel. The Bible also tells us that to become part of God’s family for all eternity and be spared the upcoming Great Tribulation, we must put our trust in the finished work of Yeshua,who gave His own life as a ransom for ours, was buried, rose again, ascended to heaven and will physically return one day to reign on earth from Jerusalem on the throne of David. If you are looking for New Year’s resolutions, why not trust in Yeshua today if you never have before? And if you already are part of God’s family, why not support Israelin 2024? There has never been a better time to embrace the truth about God and the truth about Israel.

Caesar shall become more oppressive in 2024

 Brace yourself—Caesar shall become more oppressive in 2024 - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Despite Congress and the Biden Administration’s brag about not raising taxes, come 2024 your taxes are being significantly raised due to the expiration of the Trump-era taxcuts. In fact, the standard deduction of $26,000 for married couples filing jointly will be cut in half—that’s $13,000 married couples will lose to the government right off the top. Americans are faced with record inflation eating away at household incomeslargely because of Biden Administration economic policies—the cost of food and fuel at levels never before experienced by this generation. Many Americans are suffering from the squeeze between their expendable income and an increase in the cost of items consumed. In addition to the economic pressures, tax breaks that eased financial burden are going away. The Hartford’s Gene Marks explains, “A lot of these changes have to do with the2017 Tax Act, that was passed under the Trump administration. That tax act had a lot of provisions and benefits for individuals and small businesses, and a lot of the provisions of that tax act are starting to expire. So now, let me explain what I mean. Atthe end of 2025, individual tax rates are gonna go back to the 2017 levels with the top tax rate going up to close to 39%…the bottom line is, is that taxes take a huge bite of your income, and there are significant changes coming to taxes over the next coupleof years, and you need to be aware and take action now.” This is due to Congress not renewing the Trump tax breaks and the IRS increasing its enforcement. Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride says there is great pessimism among Americans regarding their financial future. McBride stated on Bankrate.com, “A staggering61 percent of those not expecting their financial situation to improve point to continued high inflation as a culprit–nearly twice that of any other reason. Of the 37 percent of households expecting improved finances in the new year, higher income, betterspending habits and less debt are the most common explanations for their optimism.” Anna N’Jie-Konte, president and director of financial planning for Re-Envision Wealth, agrees: “High interest rates, widespread layoffs and staggering inflation at the grocerystore are all real pressures folks currently feel. There is no relief in sight; therefore, it’s not hard to understand why Americans are pessimistic about their personal financial prospects.” According to a recent CBS News poll, “Inflation’s impact may even go beyond the immediate pressure on Americans’ pocketbooks, to a larger sense that it is stifling opportunityin America and the deeper sense that the nation’s economic troubles of recent years have been, as a whole, tougher than others it has faced in generations.” Piling on with another tax increase while politicians are saying there are no tax increases, just addsto the financial burden suffered by most Americans. Christ said in Mark 12:17, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Caesar is oppressive in all things, but in G-d there is perfect freedom. Lean in to the Lord,stand fast, and seek first the kingdom of G-d. https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/personal-finances-outlook-survey/#not-improving https://sba.thehartford.com/media/podcasts/7-upcoming-tax-changes/?cmp=EMC-SC-SBA-48653855&eml=1 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-news-poll-inflation-impact-living-standards-opportunity-2023-12-10/

God Will Accomplish His Purposes

 Regardless Of How Chaotic Our World Appears, God Will Accomplish His Purposes - By Jonathan Brentner - https://harbingersdaily.com/regardless-of-how-chaotic-our-world-appears-god-will-accomplish-his-purposes/ How do we cope with living in a world that appears to be on the precipice of devastation? Some say that Bible prophecy scares people. I beg to differ. It’s the news headlines of our day that frighten those paying attention. Furthermore, a look at what Scripturesays about our future prepares us for what lies ahead, produces hope in our heart, and generates a peace that truly goes beyond anything we can explain. How do we get to such a place of such confident assurance amid the violence that threatens our wellbeing? Recognize That God Is Sovereign God is sovereign over all things. He not only oversees the raging of the nations, but He also controls their destiny. Because of this, He’s able to reveal the distant futurefrom ancient times (Isaiah 46:8-10). His ability to declare “the end from the beginning” demonstrates his sovereignty over all government leaders in our world. What we see happening today is precisely what the Lord, through His prophets, said the world would look like in the end. Regardless of how chaotic our world appears, God willaccomplish His purposes for both our lives and the end of human history as we know it. The Lord’s supremacy over all things resounds in the words of Isaiah 46:10, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” He will not fail to bring us toglory and fulfill all His promises to us. Believe What Scripture Says Today’s convergence of signs screams that the world is headed in one direction: God’s judgment on the ungodly during the Tribulation period followed by Jesus’ thousand-yearreign over the nations. We not only see this sequence in the book of Revelation, but also throughout the writings of the Old Testament prophets. The preparations for war in the Middle East stagger our imagination, but God’s Word tells us that someday Jesus will make “wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9).It’s then and only then that the words of the following verse (Psalm 46:10) will become a reality: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Scripture assures us that someday we will reign with Jesus as He rules for a thousand years over the nations in peace and righteousness. As believers, we have an inheritancethat will someday result in wonders and pleasures far beyond what even the rich and famous of our day currently enjoy. Focus On Jesus’ Appearing To Take Us To Glory Scripture tells of a future event that will rock the world. The Lord Jesus will suddenly appear, raise all the “dead in Christ” with immortal bodies, and catch living believersup to “meet Him in the air,” also with glorified bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:47-55). Since the words of the Bible are true, we know the sequence of events described in these passages must happen. Jesus will appearand when He does, He will give us glorified and incorruptible bodies; this is the promise of Scripture. Regardless of what happens in our future, we rest on the expectation that Jesus is coming to take us home to glory (John 14:2-3; Colossians 3:4). This is the substance ofwhat Paul described as our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14). It’s this focus that enables us to hold our earthly aspirations loosely in our hands as we face an uncertain future. Trust Jesus! During these turbulent times, it’s essential that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and believe His promises to us. A glorious and joyous eternity awaits us. The Gospel message includes both forgiveness of sins and the hope of Jesus’ appearing to take us to glory. This is the expectation that sustained many New Testament saintsin their afflictions and will do the same for us in the turbulent days ahead. Please don’t fall for today’s most popular manner of setting a date for the Rapture, that of assuming it cannot happen anytime soon or in one’s lifetime. We cannot know exactlywhen it will happen, but it’s foolish to think that the Rapture cannot take place today, next month, this year, or anytime after that.

“The Brink” Of Complete And Utter Chaos

 Even The Mainstream Media Is Starting To Admit That The World Is Teetering On “The Brink” Of Complete And Utter Chaos- by Michael Snyder - https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/even-the-mainstream-media-is-starting-to-admit-that-the-world-is-teetering-on-the-brink-of-complete-and-utter-chaos/ A “perfect storm” is raging all around us, and our world is so close to plunging into a complete and utter state of chaos that even the mainstream media is talking about it. Thepast several years have been a time when multiple major wars have begun, pestilences have paralyzed the entire planet, the worst global food crisis in modern history has erupted, and we have been hit by a seemingly endless series of natural disasters. Butthere is a growing consensus that even more difficult times are ahead of us. During a roundtable discussion on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, CBS News correspondent Catherine Herridge actually confessed that she is concerned that “2024 may be the year of a blackswan event”… CBS News’ “Face the Nation” held a roundtable on Christmas Eve, affording various talking heads an opportunity to make predictions for 2024. While most of the predictionswere relatively banal, one among them stood out, prompting critics to puzzle over its possible significance. Network correspondent Catherine Herridge, the wife of a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, suggested that “2024 may be the year of a black swan event. This is a nationalsecurity event with high impact that’s very hard to predict.” I agree with her, but I don’t think that it will be just one “black swan event” that we will be facing. Specifically, Herridge gave several reasons for why she felt the need to issue such a “dark” prediction… Herridge told the other CBS News panelists Sunday there were a number of concerns that factored into her “dark” prediction, including that “this sort of enduring heightenedthreat level that we’re facing, the wars in Israel, also Ukraine, and we’re so divided in this country in ways that we haven’t seen before. And I think that just creates fertile ground for our adversaries like North Korea and China and Iran.” Hmmm… It seems like I have heard all of this somewhere before. I just can’t seem to put my finger on it… Of course she is right on target. So much is going to happen during the new year that is about to start. CNN is getting in on the act too. The following comes from an article that they just posted entitled “How 2023 has been the ‘year of the brink’ and 2024 could be worse”… It could have been immeasurably worse. But holding back from the brink in 2023 has simply deferred vast crises to 2024. The post-Covid world is exhausted, cash-strapped, butultimately more fraught than for decades. Overshadowing it all will be a flagging hyperpower, at best distracted with presidential elections, at worst tearing itself apart in voting disputes and political extremism. The likelihood the United States will be occupied by its own traumas amplifies each risk. The geopolitical given of a US response will be absent, fuelling authoritarian ambition,or a radical upending of the global order. 2024 could make 2023 seem rational and sober. Very well said. When CNN starts publishing articles that sound like they could have been written by me, that is clearly a sign that time is very short. Just like Herridge, the author of the CNN article is also deeply concerned about the current state of the conflict in Ukraine… Having spent two weeks around the frontlines, it is clear Kyiv faces an existential crisis in the coming winter. It will not survive without Western help. It cannot admitto the scale of challenges it faces without being dubbed by some US Republicans a loser, unworthy of US funding. It is true. Ukraine will not survive without western assistance. And even if funding is restored to previous levels, the Russians will continue to gain ground. At some point the government in Ukraine is going to become extremely desperate, and that is when things will start to get very “interesting” over there. Meanwhile, the war in the Middle East just continues to heat up. On Tuesday, the U.S. military conducted a series of strikes on Iranian-backed forces in Iraq… At President Joe Biden’s direction, the U.S. military carried out the strikes in Iraq at 1:45 GMT, likely killing “a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants” and destroying multiplefacilities used by the group, the U.S. military said. “These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continueattacks. We will always protect our forces,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, in a statement. A U.S. base in Iraq’s Erbil that houses U.S. forces came under attack from a one-way drone earlier on Monday, leading to the latest U.S. casualties. Iranian-backed forces have already attacked U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria more than 100 times. Whether the Biden administration is willing to publicly admit it or not, the truth is that the U.S. is already at war in the Middle East. Could we soon be at war with China as well? Chinese President Xi Jinping just issued quite an ominous statement about Taiwan… President Xi Jinping vowed on Tuesday to resolutely prevent anyone from “splitting Taiwan from China in any way”, the official Xinhua news agency reported, a little more thantwo weeks before Taiwan elects a new leader. China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, and has ramped up military and political pressureto assert its sovereignty claims. The Chinese will not invade before the upcoming election in Taiwan. And I don’t think that the Chinese will invade during the early months of 2024. But an invasion is most definitely coming. For years, I have been urging my readers to watch Russia, China and Israel. Now a time of global conflict is upon us, and many believe that 2024 will be the year when we finally pass the point of no return.

God’s Plan For Israel

 The Misconception That Leads Many Christians To Misunderstand God’s Plan For Israel – By Dr. Baruch Korman - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-misconception-that-leads-many-christians-to-misunderstand-gods-plan-for-israel/ I heard a popular Bible teacher state, “Throughout the history of Israel, covenant breaking, and disobedience, and idolatry disqualified Israel from the present divine rightto the Land (Daniel 9:4-7; Psalm 78:54-61).” It is oddly that this individual quoted from Daniel 9, considering that, after speaking about God’s punishment upon Israel for their disobedience, idolatry, and covenant-breaking,Daniel states that such a punishment was temporary and that God was about to bring the people back to the Land which He had promised the Jewish people. Also, in Psalm 78, God was certainly angry with His people, but biblical prophecy makes it clear that inthe end times, God would indeed return the Jewish people to the very Land which He promised them by covenant. It is a gross error to believe that the Jewish people must be obedient to return to the Land. What one must remember is that God acts to fulfill Hisprophetic promises because of Who He is and not because of the obedience of His people. Unbelief does not Negate the Faithfulness of God When considering the return from Babylon, only a remnant came home to Israel. God brought them back because it was necessary for the Jewish people to be in the Land for theFirst Coming of the Messiah, Yeshua. Now, in our days, God is once again returning the people to the Promised Land in preparation for the Messiah’s Second Coming. The prophet Ezekiel offers much information concerning these issues. He writes that God will not bring the Jewish people back to the Land in the end times because of theirpurity; rather it will be in the Land that He will cleanse them. In other words, God Himself will bring a spiritual change to the people, but only after they have returned to the Land. Ezekiel 37:23 KJV – “Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleansethem: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel wrote these words over 2,500 years ago, and it was for this reason he wrote these things in the future tense. This verse contains a sentence that appears numeroustimes in both the Old and New Testaments. This sentence is, “so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.” These words represent the outcome of redemption, as only through redemption can a person have a relationship with God. Therefore, it should notbe surprising that in the next verse, Ezekiel writes: Ezekiel 37:24 KJV – “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, anddo them.” The David to which this verse refers is not David the son of Jesse, but the Son of David, Yeshua. He is the Redeemer, and only He can bring about such changes to the Jewishpeople. When looking at this verse (Ezekiel 37:24) in the original language, it states, “And My Servant David is King over them…” All English translations I could find, except Young’sLiteral Translation, place this in the future tense. The reason for the present tense is to reveal to the reader the outcome when Yeshua is ruling in the Millennial Kingdom. This prophesied righteous change is the sole result of Yeshua’s work on the crossand the redemption that the blood of Yeshua brings. The point is that the Jewish people are returning to the Land of Israel not because of their faithfulness, but only due to God’s faithfulness. He is bringing them back not because of their obedience and fidelityto the covenant, but to lead them to faith and obedience to His purpose. Prophetic Ignorance Begets Bad Teaching The major problem with those who teach that the Jewish people no longer have any divine right to the Land is that they ignore a plethora of biblical prophecies which attestthat God will indeed bring the Jewish people back to the very Land He promised their forefathers. Again, this event, which is taking place in our days, clearly indicates God’s faithfulness and that we are approaching the End Times. In 2022 alone, Jewish people returned to their homeland from 95 different countries. This is not by chance, but it is a strong example of the providence of God at work inour days. Again, David is mentioned a few times in Ezekiel 37. The context demands that the reader understand that it is the Messiah to Whom Ezekiel is referring. In verse 25, the Messiah is called a Prince. The Hebrew word that appears is איִׂשָ� (nasiy),which is derived from the Hebrew word which can mean “to take away or to be lifted up”. The Hebrew conveys to the reader that because Yeshua will take away the sins of the Jewish people in the end times, He will be lifted up or honored. In modern Hebrew, thisword is used for the term “President.” In Ezekiel 37:26, the Covenant of Peace is mentioned and also called an Eternal Covenant. The word “peace” in Hebrew relates to the fulfillment of the will of God and theword “eternal” relates to the Kingdom. Hence, Yeshua Himself will bring a remnant of the Jewish people to faith in the end times. With this faith, they will join the rest of the believers in the Kingdom of God. A very important point is that God will not establishHis Kingdom until the end time remnant of Israel is saved. Crucially, God is returning the Jewish people to the Promised Land, not because of their faithfulness, but to bring them to faith. And it is His faithfulness that will causethis to take place. A Testimony to the Gentiles The chapter concludes with the following verse: Ezekiel 37:28 KJV – “And the heathen [Gentiles] shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” This means that even at this late hour in God’s prophetic calendar, He will use the Jewish people as a witness to the Gentiles concerning the faithfulness of God. The Hebrewword that is first in this verse is יָדְְָעוְּ (ye-da) and it means to know by experience. There is another Hebrew word that could have been used—להכיר (hikiyr), which refers to one only possessing knowledge of someone or something. Ezekiel chose לדעת (ye-da) to reveal that through God’s prophetic plan concerning Israel, even right up to the Second Coming of Yeshua, there will be some Gentiles who willcome to faith and experience God’s redemption. In other words, God’s original plan to use the Jewish people to be a blessing to the Gentiles will be fulfilled in the end times, and the Land of Israel is foundational for this to take place. God’s Heart for His Land and His People When studying the Scriptures, there is a strong emphasis on the Land of Israel and how it has and will play a significant role in the will of God. Failure to acknowledge thisfact reveals an errant theology based upon the mind of man, rather than on the revelation of God through His inerrant Word. We must remind ourselves that God will never forget His promises to the Jewish people. At the Second Coming of Christ, Yeshua will send forth His angels to gather His electfrom the four winds, from one end of heaven to another (Matthew 24:31). My hope is that there will be many Jewish individuals, who like myself, did not wait until the end times to accept the Gospel, but who will receive the salvation that onlyYeshua offers. I came to know Him in 1982. My family returned to the Land over 20 years ago and now calls Israel home. We do indeed serve a faithful God!

Justifying hate by appropriating Christ’s love

 Justifying hate by appropriating Christ’s love - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The leftist crowd believing in various shades of Marxism (government is god) are appropriating Jesus Christ as a Palestinian Jew refugee born in an occupied land of terror.The history of Christ’s birth is being twisted by political heretics comparing the Christ to Palestinians who are justified in their terrorist acts against Israeli “occupiers.” Progressive (today’s socially acceptable term for Marxists or Communists) CongresswomanAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) Christmas message said Jesus was born in a Palestinian territory occupied by a ruthless government bent on killing him, just like Palestinians are today. Her revisionist history is remarkably false, but it’s not lost on otherpeople who should know better. Ocasio-Cortez posted on social media: “In the story of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in a massacre of innocents.He was part of a targeted population being indiscriminately killed to protect an unjust leader’s power. Mary and Joseph, displaced by violence and forced to flee, became refugees in Egypt with a newborn waiting to one day return home. Thousands of years later,right-wing forces are violently occupying Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for today’s Palestinians, so much so that the Christian community in Bethlehem has canceled this year’s Christmas Eve celebrations out of both [fear for their] safety and respect.” The point also was echoed in a discussion between a Rabbi, a Catholic priest and a Muslim cleric on CNN. CNN contributor Father Edward Beck said, “What I’m so struck by isthat the story of Christmas is about a Palestinian Jew. How often do you find those words put together. A Palestinian Jew born into a time when his country was occupied, right? They can’t find a place for her to even give birth, his mother. They’re homeless.They eventually have to flee as refugees into Egypt, no less. I mean, you can’t make up the parallels to our current world situation right now. So in some way that is who we believe god becomes. Born into that situation and yet that very man Jesus says, loveone another. Love your enemies.” This politicization of the birth of Christ is dark, twisted thinking. Today’s Bethlehem is actually occupied by the Palestinian Authority—the very root of terrorism againstJews. The PA supported Hamas on October 7. It reaffirmed Hamas’ barbaric actions and stated purpose of eliminating all Jews from the face of the earth. These people continue to claim moral equivalence by advocating hate and terrorism against the Jewish people,now by appropriating Jesus and his message of Love. In John 3:19, Christ said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Ocasio-Cortez and Father Beck representa very dark and evil segment of the world community that preach love while justifying hate. Whether ignorance or willful, this is worse than, say it with me…Stupidocrisy. Sources: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/catholic-priest-edward-beck-claims-christmas-is-story/ https://www.claytoncountyregister.com/news2/is-bethlehem-part-of-israel-or-palestine/905384/#gsc.tab=0 https://nypost.com/2023/12/25/news/aoc-slammed-over-christmas-message-about-israel-hamas-war-jew-hate/

Bible Prophecy Begins and Ends with Israel

 Bible Prophecy Begins and Ends with Israel - By Dr. Robert Jeffress- https://harbingersdaily.com/bible-prophecy-begins-and-ends-with-israel/ Imagine you open to the middle of John Grisham’s latest best-seller. Immediately you face unfamiliar names and locations. To make sense of the story you flip to the end. Butthe ending seems more confusing than the middle. You slam the book shut in disgust. Grisham has really lost his touch, you conclude. This analogy is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But it illustrates why so many people have trouble with Bible prophecy. To understand prophecy, we should not start in themiddle of the Book—with Ezekiel and Daniel—or at the end with Revelation. No, we should begin at the beginning—with Genesis. It’s there, in Genesis 12:1-3, that God makes a startling promise to a man named Abraham. All prophecy hangs on this promise, or “covenant.” To better understand this covenant,and how it relates to prophecy, let’s look at the contents of the covenant, the character of the covenant, and the consequences of the covenant. Content of the Covenant The first thing God promised Abraham was Land. Abraham was born in the idolatrous city of Ur, around 2166 BC. In His sovereign grace, God called Abraham out of this lifestyle. In Genesis 12:1 God says, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.” At the age of 75, Abrahamuprooted his family and possessions and moved to a distant country he had never seen. It was only later, after Abraham had acted, that God provided the details of that land in Genesis 15:18-21. God also promised Abraham a lineage to fill the land. Genesis 12:2 states, “And I will make you a great nation.” Genesis 22:17 adds, “I will greatly multiply your seed asthe stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore.” Remember, God made this promise to Abraham when he was 75 years old. Not only this, but his wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet God fulfilled this promise, giving them physical and spiritual descendantsbeyond number. In addition to a land and a seed, God also promised to make Abraham a lasting blessing. Genesis 12:3 states, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In thisclimax of the covenant, God was saying, “Through you Abraham, I will bring a Savior who will redeem the world.” How do we get a Savior from Genesis 12:3? From the New Testament. Galatians 3:8 states, “The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying, ‘All the nations will be blessedin you.’” God preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Abraham. And Abraham was saved by it. Galatians 3:6 tells us, “Even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” People in the Old Testament were saved the same way we are: by God’s gracethrough faith. Abraham looked forward to Christ for salvation, and we look back to Him. Character of the Covenant We have seen that God promised Abraham a land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. But were these promises symbolic? Were they temporary? Could they be lost? How we answerthese questions determines how we view Bible prophecy. Thankfully, God’s Word gives us some answers. First, God’s covenant with Abraham was literal. We see this from Abraham’s response. In Genesis 12:4-5 we read, “[Abraham] went forth as the Lord had spoken to him… and theyset out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.” If Abraham thought Canaan was only symbolic of Heaven, why did he go through all the trouble of moving to Canaan? Certainly, he was looking for Heaven as well, as Hebrews 11:10 states.But he was also looking for an earthly home. In addition to being literal, the covenant was eternal. Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise. Finally, God’s covenant was unconditional. In Abraham’s day, kings would establish contracts by taking animals, splitting them in two, and placing the halves in two lines.The parties would then walk side-by-side through the animal pieces, holding a torch. This signified that the covenant was dependent upon each party keeping his end of the bargain. But when God ratified the agreement with Abraham in Genesis 15:9-21, only Godpassed between the pieces. This signified that the promise had nothing to do with Abraham’s obedience. It had everything to do with God’s faithfulness. Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise. Consequences of the Covenant So what does this have to do with prophecy? Since 1948, Israel has possessed the Promised Land—but not all of it. True, God sent a blessing to all the world through JesusChrist. He rules right now in the hearts of believers. But he’s not yet sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem. That prophecy will still be literally fulfilled. You may say, “I’m not Jewish. Why should I care?” Just as God made unconditional promises to believing Jews, He has made promises to you and me. In John 10:28 Jesus said, “I give eternal life to them and no man shall snatch them out of my hands.” The God who can be trusted to keep His promises to Israel, is the sameGod we can depend on to keep His promises to us. We’ve seen that God’s promise to Abraham includes land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. We’ve noted that the covenant was literal, eternal, and unconditional. We know that part of it has not yet been fulfilled. And we know that God’s faithfulness to complete it demonstrates how faithful He will be to us. We now know how the story begins. We are ready to dive into the middle and the end. And because of God’s faithfulness, we know it will have a perfect ending.

Proof the Church Is Not in the Tribulation: Part 1

Proof the Church Is Not in the Tribulation: Part 1 - By Ron Ferguson- https://www.raptureready.com/2023/12/06/proof-the-church-is-not-in-the-tribulation-part-1-by-ron-ferguson/ INTRODUCTION I find it indefensible, the claim that the Church, and Christians of course, will enter the Tribulation. Why do I find it indefensible? If you think Christians must enterinto the Tribulation, even half of it, please read this. To start with, this position is not held by those who hold to Preterism, which is the belief that there is no separate Rapture or a Tribulation or a Millennial reign. Theysee Revelation as fantasy or history in allegory. These people are very greatly misled, and I am not being arrogant in this, for it is not just Revelation they discard but much of the Old Testament prophecy, including huge sections of the Major Prophets. Theydo this mistakenly through the belief of Replacement Theology or supersessionism – a complete denial of Israel’s future. Preterism is a belief of the Roman Catholic church that pays scant regard to the scriptures in any case. The Roman Catholic position was continued by the Reformers, who heldonto a number of Catholic practices and did not examine them properly in the light of the Bible. Just a few of the deviations from scripture the Reformers adhered to were the wearing of vestments and infant “baptism” instead of Christian baptism by immersionpracticed by the early church. Let us pass on from Preterism to look at those who do believe the Old Testament prophets are relevant and hold to Revelation as literal (in the varying degrees of literalismsome adopt). Most of those holding that position believe in a separate Rapture and Tribulation. Eschatology is not a strong point in many churches these days, and even the great stalwarts of the past, such as the Southern Baptists, are giving ground, movingaway from the traditional belief in prophecy. It is not my purpose to give a full explanation of Pre-Millennialism, Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, or Post-Tribulation Rapture. The purpose of this article is to provefrom scripture that there is only one position that is credible and sustainable. That position is that the Church CANNOT and DOES NOT enter the Tribulation on earth. Just before I leave that last paragraph, there is a ridiculous position held by some who try to compromise a Rapture into their Preterism. Preterism has everything endingat the Second Coming. Period! Full stop! They say at the Second Coming, the Lord “raptures” His Church, drawing it up to Himself as He is descending to earth, and the Church descends with Him. What is the purpose of that? It is utterly meaningless, but suchare the lengths of those who dismiss a separate Rapture into heaven. Just before I attempt to give the proof for a pre-Tribulation Rapture, I need to give an explanation. I am finding more and more, in churches I know of and people tell me,that the belief and teaching that the Church will be in the Tribulation is quite common in the Pentecostal movement. As the Charismatic/Pentecostal churches are growing more in numbers, so is the misunderstanding of the Rapture and Tribulation. In my city,some of these from Pentecostal churches are entering more traditional churches and bringing this confusion with them. It is a problem. That is what sparked my interest in writing this article so I can have at my fingertips the evidence I need to refute this error. Confusion is the way I would describe thebelief system of Pentecostal eschatology. HOWEVER, let usbe very clear here. It is not at all confined to the charismatic churches and is widespread in churches that used to be sound. Let us see if we can make sense of this. LISTING THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE CHURCH NOT BEING IN THE TRIBULATION [1]. PENALTY ALL PASSED, OR PENALTY REMAINING? I want to place a scene before you. A woman is in court having misappropriated 50,000 dollars. She was found guilty, for the evidence was as clear as day, and the judge orderedher to repay the money within one week, or she would face a jail sentence. That was the irrefutable verdict. Just before the judge dismissed the case, a man stepped to the front of the court and addressed the judge. In his address, he mentioned he had the ability and the motivationto pay this woman’s fine to release her from the penalty. He himself would meet the penalty to free the woman from the judgment against her. The judge agreed and then said, “The outstanding money will be paid by this man who stands before me to clear the debt owing, but I also determine the woman needs to pay 50,000dollars herself because she did the crime, and crime must have a penalty.” Well, you can imagine what a scene that made in court. There were cries of “Unfair” and “Unjust,” among others. People could not understand why this woman would have to bepenalized when the man who stepped in paid her penalty in full. What this illustration does is highlight three people – the woman, the benefactor, and the judge. Let us look at them now in the spiritual sense. The woman represents the sinner, that is, all of us who are guilty and have a penalty against us. The penalty is death, for the soul that sins must surely die. That penaltyis so huge that we can not even begin to unravel it. We are, therefore, condemned without any hope. “Guilty, vile and helpless we.” The benefactor represents Christ, who took our debt and paid it Himself. The Bible says a lot about substitution when Christ took all our sins and made them His own and metthe penalty in full. He who knew no sin. When we had no one to help us in our condemnation, Christ died for the ungodly. He paid the whole debt. How much of the penalty for sin still belongs to us if Christ paid it on the cross? How much? Not one bit, for on the cross, Jesus went through the wrath of God against oursin and paid the penalty so that not one inkling of it exists for us. Do you understand that? Are you fully redeemed or partially redeemed? You either are or you are not. For those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, you are clean every bit, and there is no wrath or penalty hanging over your head. Do you understand that?In the illustration we had in the court, the judge accepted the payment of the penalty but then turned around to make the woman pay the penalty that had already been satisfied. What justice is that? What we just had is the strongest case for a Christian not going through the Tribulation. The time of God’s wrath against sin in the Tribulation is wrath against a sinful,unrepentant world. God is judging the world for sin, sin it has stored up for millennia. What does the cross mean? Surely, it is God’s wrath against sin, but it fell on Jesus Christ instead of falling on you. He took your place. He paid the penalty fully. He enduredthe wrath for you that you might never undergo the wrath of God. If you had a den of iniquity in your city where the grossest things were committed along with murders, and God judged that place and wiped it away, you would say that wasfair. But if God said, I am going to judge that place of iniquity and sin, but everyone in the city will be judged as well,” then you would protest unfairness. Those who say the Church has to enter the tribulation are saying that the Christian has to endure the wrath of God, when Christ already did that for us so that we might neverfall under the wrath of God. It is unacceptable to say Christians have to be in the Tribulation BECAUSE it lessens and dishonors the work of Christ on thecross. He delivered us from wrath, from the coming wrath, so why do you who believe the error say we have to go through God’s wrath? Some of that great error that says that Christians will endure the wrath of God, even though they are saved, goes back to the Roman church again, with its teaching on purgatorythat says we have to suffer for our sins to become acceptable to God. It is a curse on the suffering of Christ on the cross for us. Disgraceful! THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN Christ Jesus. Thereis no more wrath. Christ endured the very last drop of wrath for the converted man and woman. Why do those with false teaching want to put believers into condemnation again when we have been delivered from that? [2]. REMOVED FROM JUDGMENT AND KEPT SECURE Noah is the prime example here (Lot being a lesser one). Judgment was to fall on the pre-diluvium world, but before it came, God removed His righteousness ones from the earth.The wrath of God came on a sinful, satanic world that had rejected God and resorted to the worst possible sexuality and violence. Judgment was inevitable. The situation in Noah’s time is not unlike the way our world is going. God commanded Noah to build an ark, and that was to become his refuge. Christ is our Ark (Hebrews and the Tabernacle teaching), and He is our Refuge. Noah was lifted up fromthe earth on the waters while the wrath of God raged underneath in the flood. Christians will be lifted up with Christ to heaven while the wrath of the Tribulation rages underneath. The Church will be sheltered in the “Ark” in heaven as the Bride of the Bridegroom.Jesus Christ is our Ark. After the flood, Noah returned to the earth to a new age. After the Tribulation, the Church returns to earth with the Lord to a new age, that of the Millennium. Noah was removedout of judgment, and the Church will be removed out of judgment also. The angels delivered Lot and his family out of Sodom before the judgment of God came. That judgment was to be on the unrighteous, so God removed His own before His wrath destroyed the citiesof the plain. It is clear that God in wrath will never put His children, or His own, through that wrath. They are taken out of the way first. God will not put His Church through the Tribulation. Just a note to those who say the Church goes through the first half of the Tribulation. The supposition here is that the first half is mild before the real terror stuff comesin the second half. That is extremely false reasoning. The Tribulation begins with the four riders on the horses where more than a third of the population will perish. There will be wars and famine and diseases and all sorts of pestilences, including the animalsof the earth turning against mankind. The four horsemen are the first 4 seals of the seal judgments. This is the sixth seal – Revelation 6:12-14 “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, andthe whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of theirplaces.” This is the result of what happens after that, and note, the Tribulation is in the early stages – Revelation 6:15-17 “The kings of the earth and the great men and the commandersand the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB; for THE GREAT DAY OF THEIR WRATH HAS COME,and who is able to stand?” There is nothing mild or easy about the first half of the Tribulation. The mid-Tribulation view is just as false as the Church passing through the whole of the Tribulation.God will not allow it. [3]. THE FIRST SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – CHRIST THE DELIVERER FROM WRATH (a). We will consider some New Testament references proving the Church does not pass through the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “They themselves report about us whatkind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, JESUS WHO DELIVERS US FROM THE WRATH TO COME.” The context makes it clear that what Paul is talking about is the Tribulation. The two books of Thessalonians have this prophetic theme. The wrath that is coming is the wrathof God that arrives with Revelation 6:17. It can have no other application. The Greek is clear. It is THE wrath that is to come. Paul is teaching that Christians will have no part in the wrath of God that is coming on the earth. Why is that? It is becausethere is no wrath against Christians, for Jesus Christ took all the wrath for us. Go back to the illustration earlier of the court scene. (b). Consider this verse also – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 “GOD HASNOT DESTINED US FOR WRATH, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.” What could be clearer here? WE ARE NOT DESTINED TO WRATH; not appointed to wrath; notdelivered to wrath. We will NOT be delivered to the Tribulation, for that is the wrath of God and of the Lamb. We are not designated to wrath BUT to obtain salvation. Our salvation is complete when we are translated into the presence of our Saviour. The Church obtains the ending ofits salvation when taken from the world, while the remaining population is destined to wrath, the wrath of the Tribulation. It is dishonoring to say that God has destined His Church to pass into the wrath of God. How can you have that belief, you who say theChurch goes into the Tribulation? Consider the evidence against that position fairly. [4]. THE SECOND SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – THE PLIGHT OF THE DYING BELIEVERS Let us be very clear about this next one. In the three weeks Paul spent among the converted pagans at Thessalonica, he taught them all about the prophetic events that werecoming. That would have included the unfulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament. It is actually an amazing thing, for prophetic events were not neglected when teaching the Thessalonian Christians all about the Christian life. We are going to take that upin part 3. Some churches today tell their people nothing about the prophetic scriptures. They ought to be ashamed. Some say the scriptures are not relevant. They ought to be ashamed. Some say the New Testament is relevant now and not the Old Testament. Theyought to be ashamed. Anyway, it was obvious from the following scripture that Paul taught them about the Rapture, that it was going to happen (at first they thought in their lifetimes), but alas,some of the Thessalonian Christians were dying. The consternation the living believers had was that those who had died had missed out on the Rapture. Read what Paul says: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE ASLEEP, THAT YOU MAY NOT GRIEVE, as dothe rest who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, EVEN SO GOD WILL BRING WITH HIM THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN JESUS.” Yes, they thought those who had died (fallen asleep is the term) had missed out on the Rapture, and their hope had gone. Relatives were grieving. Paul assured them that whenthe Lord returns, He will bring the dead believers with Him. That would have been a great comfort to them. When a Christian dies, his body goes into the ground, but the living person/spirit goes immediately to be with the Lord. Hence, in the Rapture, the Lord brings those peopleback with Him, and in an instant, their bodies are raised, and the living are caught up from the earth, and all are together. It is at this point that Paul sets out the most glorious Rapture passage in the New Testament that starts this way – 1Thessalonians 4:15-16 “For this we say to you by theword of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and thedead in Christ shall rise first. . . . etc” Clearly, the believers at Thessalonica were looking forward to the Rapture, NOT the Tribulation, because they knew the Church has no part in the Tribulation whatsoever. Theyjust thought their loved ones had missed out because they died. The Thessalonians correctly were looking forward to the Rapture, NOT the Tribulation, because Christians have no part in the Tribulation. ------------------------------------------ Proof the Church Is Not In the Tribulation: Part 2 - By Ron Ferguson- https://www.raptureready.com/2023/12/13/proof-the-church-is-not-in-the-tribulation-part-2-by-ron-ferguson/ We continue looking at the reasons that prove the Church, the Body of Christ, can have no part in the coming wrath of God in the Tribulation. God�s members of the Bride aredelivered from that coming judgment. Of course, I know there are some who do not accept the Tribulation is the literal event the Bible describes, but I am not going down that track today. [5]. THE THIRD SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � ALAS THE DAY OF THE LORD HAD COME! For this, we look at 2 Thessalonians where that church had a real problem. In his visit to the believers for three weeks, Paul taught them about the DAY of the LORD. That is a common term in all the prophetic books forthat period in history when God will intervene in the affairs of men with open judgment. This will be a terrible time on earth. (I have a full study on this �The DAY of the LORD� in the RaptureReady archives.) There is much in theOld Testament prophets explaining the events in the DAY of the Lord. Anyway, Paul taught the Thessalonians that the DAY of the LORD was a terrible time of suffering and that it occurredin the Tribulation, but believers would be delivered from that terrible time by the Rapture. Paul wrote this � 2Thessalonians 2:1-2 �Now we request you, brethren, with regard to THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR GATHERING TOGETHER TO HIM,that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, TO THE EFFECT THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS COME.� The saints at Thessalonica were greatly disturbed that they were in the DAY of the LORD because they were suffering persecution andtrouble. In other words, they believed they were in the Tribulation and had missed out on the Rapture. The DAY of the LORD covers the period straight after the Raptureuntil the Millennium. The �coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him� is the Rapture. They were disturbed they had missed out. Some false teachers were telling them the DAY of the LORD had come already. They wrote to Paul in their distress,and that is the background for 2 Thessalonians. In the previous letter, Paul detailed the Rapture in chapter 4. 2 Thessalonians is Paul�s response to their dilemma. This is what he explained to them � 2Thessalonians 2:3-5 �Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come UNLESS THE APOSTASY COMES FIRST, and THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED,the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. DO YOU NOT REMEMBER that while I was still with you, I wastelling you these things?� This is a very critical passage for the pre-Tribulation Rapture. Paul says the DAY of the LORD will not come UNLESS first has come �the apostasy.� It is extremely unfortunatethat most Bible versions translate the Greek word ἀποστασία (apostasia) as an apostasy from the faith or as rebellion. Let us be very clear here: apostasy from the faith is not something of the last days. It happened in Laodicea, and look at the Roman Catholicchurch from 600 AD onwards, and of the Middle Ages and the horrible heresies of the 300 � 1000 AD, like Arianism and Gnosticism that decimated the Christian faith. Apostasy has always been with us. NO, the word does not mean apostasy! It means something else. The word means �departure,� and it is not departure from the faith as in the 2 Thessalonian usage. It means a departure in location. That is, a translation from earth to heaven � the Church removed from earth to heaven. Some who want to defend the Church being in the Tribulation can get very abusive, as one did to me in a posting of mine in another place. Let me explain the use of this word better from a previous article I preparedin the past: The expression (apostasia) normally means defection, revolt, or rebellion BUT it can also be translated by �disappearance� or �departure,� and it has been suggested by Greekscholar Kenneth Wuest in Prophetic Light in the Present Darkness and by E. Schuyler English in Rethinking the Rapture that the reference is not to an apostasy from the faith (didn�t that occur some 1,600 years ago and throughout history?) but to the translationof the church from the world. Wuest points out that the word �apostasia� is derived from the root verb �afistami,� which means �to remove, withdraw, depart, go away, etc.� Of its 15 occurrences in theNew Testament, it is 11 times translated �depart,� and Wuest accordingly argues that the substantive must mean �departure� or �going away.� And since the Greek text has the definite article [ἡ = THE], then a particular departure is in view. It is, and thatdeparture is the removal of the Church. These are the 15 references. My text for these verses is the NASB. Luke 8:13 �And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.� Luke 13:27 �and He will say, �I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART from Me, all you evildoers.'� Luke 2:37 �and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never LEFT the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.� Luke 4:13 �And when the devil had finished every temptation, he DEPARTED from Him until an opportune time.� Acts 12:10 �And when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out andwent along one street; and immediately the angel DEPARTEDfrom him.� Acts 15:38 �But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had DESERTED them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to thework.� Acts 19:9 �But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he WITHDREW from them and took away the disciples, reasoningdaily in the school of Tyrannus.� Acts 22:29 �Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately LET GO of him; and the commander also was afraid when he foundout that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.� 2 Corinthians 12:8 �Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might DEPART from me.� 1 Timothy 6:5 �Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such WITHDRAW thyself.� (AV) Hebrews 3:12 �Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in FALLING AWAY from the living God.� And, of course, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 our verse, and one other I have misplaced. As can be seen, by far the most common usage of �apostasia� is departure or going away. It is the Church that will depart (be raptured) and go away to heaven, AND THEN the lawless Antichrist can be revealed, BUT NOT BEFORE. Paul is saying that because the Antichristhad not been revealed, then the DAY of the Lord has not arrived.They worried about missing the Rapture but Paul reminded them it had not happened, so no worry! They had not missed the Rapture because they died. Paul reminded them he had spoken all about these things when he was with them. [6]. THE FOURTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE RESTRAINER IN THE CHURCH AGE We look at the verses � 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 �You know WHAT RESTRAINS HIM [the appearing of the Antichrist] now,so that in his time he may be revealed, for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only HE WHO NOW RESTRAINS will do so until he is taken out of theway, and then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.� In verses 7-8, it is revealed that there is One here who is hindering the full release and revelation of iniquity. This one is the Holy Spirit, and only when He goes can iniquitybecome fully matured. Only the Holy Spirit can hold back the floodgates of evil rushing in like a torrent; the Church cannot do that; individuals cannot do that. The Holy Spirit WILL and CAN ONLY go when the true Church departs. And then that lawlessone (world ruler, Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming (the Second Coming). The departure (wrongly translated �apostasy�) must happen first. It will kick start the whole of the Tribulation. I hope it can be seen that �the departure of the Church� must occur before any release of judgment upon the earth. Surely, Noah is a pertinent lesson here. He was raised from the earth while the judgment raged below. Lawlessness is most certainly at work in a serious way right now. This is evident in the political field, in the police force, in increasing racism, and in the judiciary.I am horrified at what I am hearing about so much miscarriage of justice in the United States. Just in people�s dealings with one another, riots and Islamic protests, lawlessness is charging ahead in all Western democracies. Can you ever imagine what it would be like if the Holy Spirit was not restraining the full outbreak of lawlessness? It would be indescribable. When the Holy Spirit departswith the Church, the lawless one will come into prominence and will be accepted by a lawless world. This Thessalonians section is certain proof that the Church must leave before the onslaught of wickedness in the Tribulation. With the Church out of the way, evil will haveits fullest day. [7]. THE FIFTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � CHRIST IN RETRIBUTION This next reference may not be quite as clear as the previous one, but placed in context, the passage is in the prophetic revelations from God through Paul. This is the passage: 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 �After all it is only just FOR GOD TO REPAY WITH AFFLICTION those who afflict you, and TO GIVE RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE AFFLICTED and to us as wellwhen the Lord Jesus shall be REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS IN FLAMING FIRE,dealing out RETRIBUTION to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of theLord and from the glory of His power, WHEN HE COMES TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS ON THAT DAY,and to be marvelled at among all who have believed, for our testimony to you was believed.� What is being said here is a general comment for the afflicted Church. It is not pointing at a specific time, but it certainly refers to the Tribulation time. The Lord willgive relief to His afflicted people, which is the Rapture. The revealing with His mighty angels in flaming fire is the Second Coming. Jesus comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, which has two applications. The first � He will be glorified in Hissaints at the Rapture when He comes for them, and second, He will be glorified in His Tribulation saints (the Jewish believers) at the Second Coming. We, the believers caught up in the Rapture, will marvel at our Redeemer Lord, just as the Tribulation saints will marvel at the Lord when He comes in glory in Revelation 19. [8]. THE SIXTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � COME UP HERE! To understand the progression in the book of Revelation, you must carefully note this verse � Revelation 1:19 �Write therefore the things which YOU HAVE SEEN, and the THINGS WHICH ARE, and the things WHICH SHALL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.� That places thebook in three parts, the first being what John had seen, and that is Chapter 1; the second being �the things that are,� and that included the 7 churches of John�s time. However, those 7 churches outline in a special way the whole history of the Christian eraright to the present and incorporate the last one, Laodicea, the wayward, arrogant church that well represents our period in history. The 7 churches are wonderfully true to the period they represent. That brings us to the end of Chapter 3, the end of the churchage. The third part is �the things which shall take place AFTER THESE THINGS.� That is simple to understand, and thetext is saying that from Chapter 4 until Chapter 22, the whole book is prophetic from that point. It speaks of all that is future. However, to begin that third section of �the things which shall take place after these things,� there is a very important verse, a MOST IMPORTANT verse � Revelation 4:1 �After these thingsI looked, and behold, A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN, andthe first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said, �COME UP HERE,and I will show you what must take place after these things.� That is the Rapture, and immediately after that, we have the Church in heaven present at the great worship of God, and that is Chapters 4 and 5. At the start of Chapter 6,the seals are broken and the Tribulation begins. Revelation is so clear that the Rapture must precede the Tribulation. There is no wriggle room in that book. I think the very words spoken by the Lord at the Rapture willbe, �COME UP HERE.� [9]. THE SEVENTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � THE THIEF IN THE NIGHT We return to 1 Thessalonians where we need to apply logic to understand this reference. Look at it � 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 �for you yourselves know full well that THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME JUST LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.While they are saying, �Peace and safety!� then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child and they shall not escape,BUT YOU, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THE DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU LIKE A THIEF, for YOU ARE ALL SONS OF LIGHT AND SONS OF DAY. We are not of [the] night nor ofdarkness, so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.� Paul continues explaining The DAY of the LORD, which, if you remember, always applies to the Tribulationand into the Millennium, never to the Church age. He says that Day will come like a thief in the night when sudden destruction bursts on an un-expectant world. A thief comes in the night, in the darkness, but Paul says we don�t belong to the darkness becausewe are sons of light. The DAY of the LORD is the Tribulation coming into the world, but Christianswon�t be overtaken because we are children of light, not of darkness. The Lord raptures us home before that DAY falls on the earth. We don�t belong to the darkness ofthe world because we belong to the light of God. The Church will not go into the darkness of the Tribulation. Those who teach that are in error and demean the work of Christ in suffering on the cross. We end this study in the next part. ronaldf@aapt.net.au -------------------------------- Proof the Church Is Not in the Tribulation: Part 3 - By Ron Ferguson- https://www.raptureready.com/2023/12/26/proof-the-church-is-not-in-the-tribulation-part-3-by-ron-ferguson/ We continue this study proving that the Church must be raptured away before the Tribulation comes. Christians are not appointed to wrath, which is what the Tribulation is.The wrath of God is against sin in the horrific judgments of the Tribulation, and believers of the Church age are rescued from that. We are not appointed to wrath. We are not children of darkness, the darkness of sin in the Tribulation. [10]. THE EIGHTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � BOTH COMINGS IN ONE VERSE The verse in the spotlight here is this one � Titus 2:13 �looking for THE BLESSED HOPE and the APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOUR, ChristJesus.� This verse is not saying the same thing twice. It is saying two separate things. Both future comings are found here. The first is the �blessed hope� or �glorious hope� inthe AV. That is the Rapture, and it is blessed and glorious, for Christ comes to claim His Bride from the earth � all ages of history down through the years. It will be such a blessed time when raptured into His presence. The second part of this verse connects with the appearing of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. That appearing is His glorious manifestation in the Second Coming. We, the Church,leave heaven with our Bridegroom, having celebrated the marriage supper of the Lamb for the return to earth at the Second Coming. The Lord comes for the Battle of Armageddon and then steps on the Mount of Olives with His Church, the Bride. Those two comings, one for the Church, and one at the end ofthe Tribulation, are separated by 7 years. That is the length of the Tribulation on earth. The Church is in heaven for those 7 years. THE CHURCH DOES NOT, AND CAN NOT, ENTER THE TRIBULATION. [11]. THE NINTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE � DELIVERANCE FROM THE TRIBULATION This is a very precious promise for all believers, but let us look at it � Revelation 3:10-11 �Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I ALSO WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TESTING, THAT HOUR WHICH IS ABOUT TO COME UPON THE WHOLE WORLD,to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, in order that no one takes your crown.� This is the message to the church at Philadelphia. In the book of Revelation, the Tribulation occupies the majority of the focus as it rages on the earth. The message hereis that those who keep trusting the Lord will not enter the Tribulation. In other words, the true believers will have no part of that testing or trial coming upon the WHOLE world. The AV uses the wording �the hour of trial,� and that will be trial in tribulation. That section of chapter 3 is clearly telling us that the ones who faithfully belong tothe Lord will be delivered FROM the Tribulation. It DOES NOTmean �delivered through the Tribulation.� It means �OUT OF,� �AWAY FROM IT,� or �RIGHT OUT OF IT.� The Greek word is �ek,� meaning �out, or out of,� having no part in it. The Lord is coming quickly. It won�t be long now. When the Rapture happens, it will be so quick, the Greek being �inatoma� (�tomos), a particle of time that cannot be split.Less than a split second. There is a very wrong concept around that some hold on to. It is called �a partial Rapture,� where those said to be faithful to the Lord are raptured, but rather slack orworldly Christians are left behind to go into the Tribulation. It is false. Don�t listen to that. It is also elitist and judgmental. [12]. THE HEAVENLY PREPARATION OF THE BRIDE IN HEAVEN Recently, I wrote about the Church, the Bride of Christ. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is recorded in Revelation 19:7 �Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him,for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.� The Bride will not come to the wedding without absolute spotless purity typified by white linen � Revelation 19:8 �and it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, brightand clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.� The Church MUST BE in heaven for the Marriage preceded by cleansing andthe giving of rewards. If the Church was on earth in the Tribulation, that could not happen. Before the Marriage happens, the Church needs full purification. In other words, when you enter heaven, the Lord has to deal with unconfessed sin and other issues, and thenthe Church is rewarded with such passages as this � 1Corinthians 3:12-13 �Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man�s work will become evident, for the day will show it because it is to be revealedwith fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man�s work.� All that preparation must take place in heaven before the Second Coming, and the first verse in the chapter (Revelation 19) for the Second Coming is this one � Revelation19:11 �I saw heaven opened and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.� The Church as the Bride returns to earth with her Bridegroom immediately after the Marriage Supper, absentfrom the earth for at least 7 years (we are speaking about the entire Church). The Church has no part in the Tribulation. [13]. WHICH GOSPEL IS BEING PREACHED NOW AND IN THE TRIBULATION? This next evidence is very clear in scripture, but some find it obscure, and others ridicule it. Those who have a good understanding of eschatology realize the truth of it. The gospel that is being preached in the world today is not the gospel that will be preached in the Tribulation. I hope that does not come as a shock to you, but we will gothrough it. THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM Matthew is the only evangelist who covers the Gospel of the Kingdom. Matthew is the Jewish gospel, and it contains things that are not covered in deeper detail in other Gospels.Matthew gives the full account of conditions in the Kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount. He gives the fullest account of the parables relating to the Gospel of the Kingdom in Chapter 13. He has the fullest account of the Tribulation in Chapter 24. Chapter 24 is most significant because it is answering a question � Matthew 24:3 �As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, �Tellus, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of THE END OF THE AGE?'� The end of the age is the end of the Tribulation,which is the Second Coming. Note that John does not mention anything from the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, which is for the Jews) in his Gospel, and he wrote in AD 96 after the destruction of Jerusalem, well into the Christian era. Let us hold Matthew 24 there for a moment and look at what John the Baptist preached right at and just before the beginning of Jesus� ministry. Matthew 3:1-3 �Now in thosedays John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, �REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.'� This is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet saying, �The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make ready the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight!'� Matthew 3:6 �and THEY WERE BEING BAPTISED by him in the Jordan River AS THEY CONFESSED THEIR SINS.� John the Baptist was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is a different gospel from the Gospel of grace of the Church age, because Jesus had not yet died, and thatis the basis of the Christian gospel. What John taught was Repentance followed by Confession of sins in baptism (immersion). That gained entrance into Messiah�s Kingdom, for it was at hand. Messiah was to set up His Kingdom on earth described in the Old Testament.Those who repented and confessed their sins in baptism were waiting for Messiah to come to install His Kingdom. John knew it was the Lord, and incidentally, down the track just a little bit, when the expected Kingdom had not been set up, John sent a messagefrom prison: Matthew 11:1-4 �It came about that when Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. Now whenJohn in prison heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples, and said to Him, �ARE YOU THE EXPECTED ONE, OR SHALL WE LOOK FOR SOMEONEELSE?� and Jesus answered and said to them, �Go and report to John what you hear and see.� When Jesus began His ministry, what did He preach? Well, as King of the Jews and Messiah, He preached the gospel of His Kingdom � Matthew 4:23 �Jesus was going about in allGalilee, teaching in their synagogues, and PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM,and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.� It was the same gospel that John the Baptist preached. IF THE NATION REPENTED THEN, THE KINGDOM WOULD HAVE BEEN SET UP.It did not repent, and as a result, the gospel went to the Gentiles. A short time passed, and we see Jesus preaching the same Gospel � Matthew 9:35 �Jesus was going about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and healing every kind of diseaseand every kind of sickness.� Then, a dramatic change happened. Matthew records Jesus and the disciples in the grain field � Matthew 12:1-4 �At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grain fieldsand His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat, but when the Pharisees saw it they said to Him, �Behold, Your disciples do what is NOT LAWFUL TO DO on a Sabbath,� but He said to them, �HAVEYOU NOT READ WHAT DAVID DID WHEN HE BECAME HUNGRY, he and his companions � how he entered the house of God and they ate the consecrated bread which was NOT LAWFUL FOR HIM to eat, nor for those with him, but forthe priests alone?� This is a watershed moment. What is Jesus doing? Well, He broke the Law of Moses. Was He guilty? No, He was not. What did the reference to David mean? David was the rightfulking in rejection at that time. The nation had rejected him at that point. Therefore, the sacred bread was of no consequence because the nation had set aside the Law of Moses. Now, look at Jesus, who made reference to David. Jesus was the rightful King in rejection by His nation. At that stage they were not repenting, not responding to the gospel of the kingdom. The Law had been set aside nationally, so what Jesus did was not unlawful. His statementhere, where he apparently disregarded the Law, was the testimony that He had been set aside by the faithless leadership. From that time onward, Jesus did not preach the Gospel of the Kingdom anymore, but then the cross lay ahead of Him, and He revealed thatto His disciples: Matthew 16:21-22 �FROM THAT TIMEJesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and SUFFER MANY THINGS from the elders and chief priests and scribes,and BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED UP ON THE THIRD DAY, and Petertook Him aside and began to rebuke Him saying, �God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.'� Well, the Gospel of the kingdom was not preached and was set aside, BUT one day, it will be preached again after the Church has been removed. The church�s mission is to teachand preach the Gospel of grace during the time of Israel�s darkness, but once the Church is raptured to heaven, then the Gospel of the kingdom is preached again. Here is the reference (speaking down through the future to the Jewish Tribulation people): Matthew 24:9-14 �Then they will deliver you to TRIBULATION and will kill you, and you will be hated by allnations on account of My name. At that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased, most people�s love will grow cold. But the onewho endures to the end, he shall be saved. THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLE WORLDfor a witness to all the nations, and then THE END shall come� (answering the disciples� question about when the age would end). In the Tribulation, the preaching will be very similar to what Jesus and John preached � repentance and confession, and I also believe it will have baptism while confessingsins, just like what John and Jesus in His early ministry preached. It is the gospel of the coming Kingdom to be set up by Messiah at the Second Coming. If the Church was in the Tribulation, it would continue preaching the gospel of grace, which is preached today and has been its gospel for 2000 years. That gospel is not preachedin the Tribulation, but the gospel of the kingdom is. That proves the Church is not in the Tribulation. [14]. THE SHOUT IS BEFORE THE PROCLAMATION OF PEACE AND SAFETY Number 14 is a quotation taken from a posting on Bible Truth Publishers by Bruce Anstey titled, �The Church Will Not Go Through the Tribulation.� The �shout� referenced above is the shout in the Rapture. Peace and safety explained. The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Thessalonians, clearly puts the Rapture (1Thessalonians 4:15-18) as happening before the time of Tribulation, when �peace and safety� will be promised by the Beast and the Antichrist, through the false protection of the newly revived Roman empire (1Thessalonians 5:1-3). Furthermore, a closer look at the passage will show that those �caught up� at the Rapture (in chapter 4) are addressed as a different class of persons than those who are promised �peace and safety� in the Tribulation (in chapter 5). This is indicated by the change from the first-person plural to the third-person plural. The words change from �we� and �us� when referring to those caught up in the rapture to �they� and �them� when referringto those who will be promised false peace and safety in the Tribulation. This change is not by accident; the Spirit of God is indicating two different classes of persons. The raptured saints � the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18), and those who will be livingin the time of Tribulation. Paul, being a Christian, put himself among those who might be on earth when the Lord comes (the Rapture), saying �we.� But it is significant that he did not refer to himselfamong those who would be on earth during the time when �peace and safety� will be promised by the Beast. This, of course, is because he sought to set the hope of the Lord�s coming before the saints as an imminent thing, which is the Christian�s proper hope. [15]. CONCLUSION The Lord is wonderful who saved us. The Lord is wonderful who keeps us. He has completed all necessary for our salvation and will never bring us into divine justice and divinewrath, which is what the Tribulation is all about. God judges a blasphemous, unrepentant world whose sins have accumulated to the point of overflowing. That judgment falls in the Tribulation as the wrath of God is displayed openly. A believer can never be counted with the blasphemous world or with an unrepentant world, and for that reason, the wrath of God in divine judgment can have no part for theChristian. Christ settled all that for us on the cross. We are delivered from � (OUT OF) THE VERY HEART OF IT � the wrath of God. Like Lot, we arebrought out of it (in the Rapture); and like Noah, we are lifted up OUT OF it, so we have no part in it. Any position other than the Rapture before the Tribulation begins is of Satan�s deception because he wants to destroy the composure, joy, comfort and certainty of believers. ronaldf@aapt.net.au I hope these three articles were of help in clarifying the truth of the Rapture preceding the Tribulation.