Jesus is Coming Soon!

 Jesus is Coming Soon! - By David R. Reagan - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/04/20/jesus-is-coming-soon-by-david-r-reagan/ We are living on borrowed time. Many people believe there is nothing that can be known about the timing of the Lord’s return because Jesus said He would return like a “thief in the night” (Matthew 24:42-44). But Paul makes it clear in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 that Jesus’ statement does not apply to believers: “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake youlike a thief…” He then proceeds to explain why: “for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” Paul is referring, of course, to the light of the HolySpirit who indwells all true believers and who can enlighten us through our study of Scripture to know the season of the Lord’s return (1 John 2:27). God’s Attitude As a matter of fact, God is obligated by His character to warn the world of the imminent return of His Son. The reason is that Jesus is returning in great wrath to “judgeand wage war” (Revelation 19:11), and God never pours out His wrath without warning. God does not wish that any should perish but that all should be brought to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, God always warns before He executes His wrath. He warned theworld through Noah for 120 years. He warned Sodom and Gomorrah through Abraham. He sent Jonah to warn the pagan city of Nineveh, and He sent Nahum to the same city 150 years later. Likewise, God is warning the world today that His Son is about to return. He is calling the world to repentance. The message of the hour to unbelievers can be summed up inthese words: “Flee from the wrath that is to come by fleeing into the loving arms of Jesus now.” Jesus came the first time as an expression of God’s love; He came to die for the sins of Mankind. But when He returns, He will come in vengeance to pour out thewrath of God on those who have rejected God’s love and grace. The soon return of Jesus also carries with it a message for believers. Lukewarm Christians and carnal Christians are being called to commit their lives to holiness: “The nightis almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:12-14). God’s Method of Warning God is alerting believers of the soon return of His Son through what are called “signs of the times.” These are prophecies concerning world events that we are told to watchfor, prophecies that will identify the season of the Lord’s return. The Bible is full of these signs. There are about 500 prophecies in the Old Testament that relate to the Second Coming of the Messiah. In the New Testament, one out of every25 verses is concerned with the return of Jesus. In fact, there are so many signs that it is difficult to grasp all of them. The best way I have found to do this is to put them in categories: 1) The Signs of Nature — We are told to watch for earthquakes,famine, pestilence, and signs in the heavens (see Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11). This is the least respected category of signs for several reasons. For one thing, many people simply shrug their shoulders and say, “There have always been natural calamities,so what else is new?” Note that Jesus says these signs will be like “birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8) — that is, they will increase in frequency and intensity as the time draws near for His return. In other words, there will be more intense earthquakes and morefrequent ones. That is exactly what is happening today. Another reason these signs are given little respect is because most Christians are so rationalistic that they do not really believe in the supernatural, and they, therefore,find it difficult to believe that God speaks to the world through signs of nature. Yet, the Bible teaches this principle from start to finish. God dealt with the world’s sin through a great flood in the days of Noah (Genesis 6). He called the nation of Judah to repentance through a terrible locust invasion (Joel1). In like manner, He called for the nation of Israel to repent by sending drought, wind storms, mildew, locusts, famine and pestilence (Amos 4:6-10). The prophet Haggai pointed to a drought as evidence that God was calling the people to get their prioritiesin order (Haggai 1:10-11). The New Testament begins with a special light in the heavens marking the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2:2). On the day that Jesus was crucified, there were three hours ofdarkness and an earthquake (Matthew 27:45-51). And when Jesus returns, the earth will experience the greatest earthquake in its history as every mountain is lowered, every valley is raised, and every island is moved (Revelation 16:17-21). God has always spoken through signs of nature, and He continues to do so today. We had better pay close attention to them. 2) The Signs of Society — Jesus said that society will becomeincreasingly lawless and immoral as the time approaches for His return. In fact, He said it would become as evil as it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:12,37-39). Paul paints a chilling picture of end-time society in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. He says it will be characterized by three loves — the love of self (Humanism), the love of money (Materialism),and the love of pleasure (Hedonism). He then points out that the payoff of this carnal lifestyle will be what the philosophers call Nihilism — that is, a society wallowing in despair. Men’s minds will become depraved (Romans 1:28), and people will call evilgood and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). We are seeing these prophecies fulfilled before our eyes today as we watch our society reject its Christian heritage and descend into a hellish pit of lawlessness, immorality,and despair. Even worse, we are exporting our nihilism around the world through our immoral and violent movies and television programs. 3) The Spiritual Signs — There are both positive and negativespiritual signs that we are to watch for. The negative ones include the appearance of false christs and their cults (Matthew 24:5,11,24), the apostasy of the professing church (2 Thessalonians 2:3), an outbreak of Satanism (1 Timothy 4:1), and the persecutionof faithful Christians (Matthew 24:9). These negative spiritual signs began to appear in the mid-19th Century when Christian cults started forming. First came the Mormons, then the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and thena great variety of spiritualist groups like the Church of Christ Scientists and the Unity Church. The apostasy of the mainline Christian denominations began in the 1920s when the German school of higher criticism invaded American seminaries and undermined the authorityof the Scriptures, teaching that the Bible is Man’s search for God rather than God’s revelation to Man. During the 1960s, Satanism exploded on the American scene and has since been exported worldwide through American movies, books, and television programs. Dabbling in the occulthas become commonplace in the form of astrology, numerology, crystal gazing, transcendental meditation, and channeling. The whole trend has consummated in the appearance of the New Age Movement with its teaching that Man is God. As society has secularized, true Christianity has come under increasing attack. Judeo-Christian values, once the foundation of Western Civilization, are now openly mocked,and those who still adhere to them are castigated as “intolerant fundamentalists” by the media. The positive spiritual signs include the proclamation of the Gospel to the whole world (Matthew 24:14), a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32), and spiritualillumination to understand prophecies that have been “sealed up” until the end times (Daniel 12:4, 9). As with the negative signs, we are seeing these positive signs fulfilled in our day and time. Through the use of modern technology, the Gospel has been proclaimed throughoutthe world in this Century, and the Bible has been translated into all major languages. The great end-time pouring out of the Holy Spirit that was prophesied by the prophet Joel has also begun. Joel called it “the latter rain” (Joel 2:23), and he said it wouldoccur after the Jews had returned to their land. The state of Israel was re-established in 1948. In 1949, God anointed two ministries that would have a worldwide impact — the ministries of Billy Graham and Oral Roberts. Then, in the 60s came the CharismaticMovement, which prompted renewal in worship and gave emphasis to the continuing validity of the gifts of the Spirit. The acceleration in the understanding of Bible prophecy began in 1970 with the publication of Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth. It seemed to open up to popularunderstanding many prophecies that had been “sealed up” until the end times (Daniel 12:4, 9). Remarkably, it became the number one best seller in the world — with the sole exception of the Bible — for the next ten years! 4) The Signs of Technology — The book of Daniel says that therewill be an explosion of knowledge in the end times and that people will move about quickly (Daniel 12:4). There are many Bible prophecies that cannot be understood apart from modern technology. For example, how can the whole world look upon two bodies lyingin the streets of Jerusalem (Revelation 11:8-9)? Modern television satellite technology makes it easy. How can the False Prophet build an image of the Anti-Christ that appears to be alive (Revelation 13:15)? The answer, of course, is the science of robotics.How can the False Prophet require all people on earth to take the mark of the Anti-Christ in order to buy and sell (Revelation 13:16-17)? It would not be possible apart from computers and lasers. Jesus said that the Tribulation will be so terrible that all life on earth would cease to exist if He did not cut the period short (Matthew 24:21-22). How could all life bethreatened prior to the advent of nuclear weapons? Another reference to nuclear power is likely contained in Luke’s statement that men in the end times will “faint from fear” because “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26). That certainly soundslike a reference to the splitting of the atom. 5) The Signs of World Politics — The Bible prophesies that there will be a certain pattern of world politics that will characterize the end-time geopoliticalmap. The focus will be the re-established state of Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3). It will be besieged by a menacing nation from the “remote parts of the north,” the nation of “Rosh”— or modern-day Russia (Ezekiel 38:2, 6). There will also be a threatening nation to the East that will be capable of sending an army of 200 million — namely, China (Revelation 9:13-16 and Revelation 16:12-13). A third source of danger to Israel will be theArab nations that immediately surround it. They will covet the land and will try to take it from the Jews (Ezekiel 35:10 and 36:2). Another key player on the world political scene in the end times will be a coalition of European nations that will form a confederation centered in the area of the old Romanempire (Daniel 2:41-44, Daniel 7:7, 23-24, and Revelation 17:12-13). This confederation will serve as the political base for the rise of the Anti-Christ and the creation of his worldwide kingdom (Daniel 7:8). Other international political signs include wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6), civil wars (Matthew 24:7), and general international terrorism and lawlessness (Matthew24:12). 6) The Signs of Israel — The signs related to the state of Israel are prolific and very important. The most frequently repeated prophecy in the Old Testament is the prediction that the Jewish people will be regathered from the “four corners of the earth” in the end times(Isaiah 11:10-12). The Bible states that a consequence of this regathering will be the re-establishment of the state of Israel (Isaiah 66:7-8). The Scriptures say that once the Jews are back in their land, the land itself will experience a miracle of reclamation(Isaiah 35). The desert will bloom, and people will exclaim, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden” (Ezekiel 36:35). Another end-time miracle will be the revival of the Hebrew language (Zephaniah 3:9). Most people are not aware of the fact that when the Jews were dispersed from their landin 70 A.D., they ceased to speak the Hebrew language. The Jews who settled in Europe developed a new language called Yiddish — a combination of German and Hebrew. The Jews who migrated to the Mediterranean basin created a language called Ladino — a combinationof Hebrew and Spanish. Other significant signs of Israel that we are told to watch for in the end times include the re-occupation of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24), the resurgence of Israeli military strength(Zechariah 12:6), and the re-focusing of world politics on Israel (Zechariah 12:3). All these signs have been fulfilled in this century. The nation has been re-established, the land has been reclaimed, the ancient language has been revived, the Jews are backin Jerusalem, and Israel is the focal point of world politics. Jesus says in Luke 21:28 that when these signs begin to happen, we should “straighten up and lift up our heads” because “our redemption is drawing near.” The Key Signs The most important signs are the ones that relate to Israel because God uses the Jews throughout the Scriptures as His prophetic time clock. By this I mean that very oftenwhen the Lord is revealing an important event that will take place in the future, He will point to the Jewish people and state that when a certain thing happens to them, the important event will also occur. A good example of this principle can be found in Daniel 9 in the famous “Seventy Weeks of Years” prophecy. The prophet said to watch for a decree to be issued that would authorizethe rebuilding of Jerusalem. He then said that the Messiah would come sixty-nine weeks of years (483 years) after that decree was issued to the Jewish people. There are two key prophecies which relate the return of Jesus to events that have occurred in Jewish history since 1948. These two events clearly established the period inwhich we are now living as the season of the Lord’s return. The State of Israel The first is the re-establishment of the state of Israel which occurred on May 14, 1948. Jesus singled out this event as the one that would signal His soon return. His prophecy is contained in the fig tree parable (Matthew 24:32-35), which He presented in His Olivet Discourse. The day before He delivered this speech, He had put a curseon a barren fig tree, causing it to wither (Matthew 21:18-19). This was a symbolic prophecy that God would soon pour out His wrath upon the Jewish people because of their spiritual barrenness in rejecting His Son. The next day, Jesus reminded His disciples of the fig tree. He said to watch for it to bloom again. In other words, He said watch for the rebirth of Israel. He indicated thatwhen the fig tree blooms again, He would be at the gates of Heaven, ready to return (Matthew 24:33). Equally significant, He added an interesting observation: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). Whatgeneration? The generation that sees the fig tree blossom. We are that generation. The fig tree has blossomed. Jesus is at the gates. The City of Jerusalem The second key event was prophesied by Jesus in the same speech, as recorded by Luke: “[The Jews] will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all thenations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). The first half of this prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D., forty years after Jesus spoke the words. In that year, the Romans under Titus conquered Jerusalem and dispersed theJews among the nations. Jerusalem remained under Gentile occupation for 1,897 years — until June 7, 1967, when Israel won the city back during the Six-Day War. The Jewish re-occupation of the city of Jerusalem is proof positive that we are living in the season of the Lord’s return. Jesus said it would mark the end of the GentileAge. A Call to Action There is no way to escape the conclusion that we are living on borrowed time. The signs of the times are upon us, and they are shouting for our attention. Are you ready? If Jesus were to return today, would He be your “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:11-14), or would He be your “Holy Terror” (Revelation 6:12-17)? If you have never received Him as your Lord and Savior, now is the time to act. Repent of your sins, and call upon the name of the Lord that you might be saved (Acts 2:14-39). And if you are a Christian, are you living as if Jesus might return any minute? Have you committed your life to holiness? Are you praying for the lost and witnessing for theLord when you have an opportunity? Are you yearning for the Lord’s return? Can you say with Paul that you are a candidate for a “crown of righteousness” because you have lived your life “in the love of Hisappearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)?

Proof of God’s Love

 Proof of God’s Love - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. —Romans 5:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/proof-of-gods-love-2/- Listen I’ve noticed that people like to think of their animals as human. They’ll put clothes on their dogs, for example, but dogs don’t like clothes. Years ago, I bought a Harley-Davidsonhat for my dog, which I thought was funny. But he hated it. And he couldn’t wait to get it off. We can put clothes on dogs, but it won’t turn them into humans. A dog is still a dog. In the same way, we might try to change our environment or the way we look, but it won’t change who we are. We’ll still be the same on the inside. When a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus with some questions, Jesus told him, “Don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’ ” (John 3:7 NLT). To help Nicodemus understand, Jesus went on to say, “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going,so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” (verse 8 NLT). Jesus was saying, “It is just like the wind. You don’t see the wind coming or where it is going, but you see its effects. You can tell when it is going to rain. Look at thedark clouds. You can see the rain. But you can’t see the wind. You can only see the effects of it.” In the same way, we can’t see God. But to say there is no God because we can’t see Him is like saying we don’t believe in electricity because we can’t see it. Although wecan’t see God, we can see His effect. We can see the impact He has made in people’s lives. Jesus got more specific in His conversation with Nicodemus and laid out the essential gospel message. He also gave us a verse that every Christian should commit to memory: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NLT). This refutes the concept of God as a cosmic killjoy or an angry judge who is ready to destroy humanity. Rather, Jesus began by saying, “For this is how God loved the world.” God loves everyone, despite what they’ve done. And He showed His love to us in a tangible way. The apostle Paul wrote, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT). But let’s also notice the other part of John 3:16: “So that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (NLT). What does it mean to believe? It doesn’tmean to intellectually accept something. Sometimes we think that believing something means acknowledging it is true. However, that is not believing in the biblical sense. The word “believe” means to put your completefaith in something. God is saying, “Trust Me with your life.” That is what it means to believe.

Without Excuse

 Without Excuse – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/04/21/without-excuse-2/ An epiphany struck while listening to a radio talk show host I sometimes listen to during weekday mornings. The words that sparked the revelation came from a cut from a TVprogram the radio host played. The cut was from the ABC program The View. I don’t know which of the four main View women hosts did the speaking –that is, I don’t remember the name given of that View host. It was, of course, either Sunny, Joy, Saraor Whoopi. And the words that ignited my thinking in writing this commentary should have been unremarkable – that is, if I weren’t a student of Bible prophecy from the preTrib perspective. But the words the woman spoke, interspersed without any sort of emphasis or context, among the rest of her statement, making the words unremarkable at best, struck like thatbolt of lightning that struck the Statue of Liberty’s torch a couple of weeks ago. Sunny, Joy, Sara, Whoopi, and the rest were making fun of those who had made statements that the eclipse of April 8 or the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s destruction were signsfrom God. They ridiculed those who said that these things and other things happening, like the earthquake that shook New York City, was Judgment from the Almighty or portended Judgment about to be meted out by Deity. In the middle of the couple of paragraphs of the harangue the particular host of the show was making, she said amidst the audience’s laughter and applause something like “therapture” didn’t come…” This stunned me. Here, one of the three most non-Bible-centered people one could think of was, although as merely a casual mention, referencing the next prophecy to be fulfilled,we who study from the preTrib view believe. If Sunny, Joy, Sara or Whoopi understands that the Rapture is an element in God’s Prophetic Timeline, then every American must surely have at least a cursory acquaintance with the term. In thinking further, my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Tim LaHaye, and his co-author, Jerry Jenkins, came to mind. The Left Behind books, in what was the top-selling series ofChristian fiction in publishing history, saturated America and the world with the term that Whoopi or one of the other women of The View casually threw in there when mocking everyone who had predicted that the eclipse and surrounding hoopla was a signal ofJudgment from God. Some of the entertainment world –the late-night hosts on television, and others, also scoffed at those who mentioned that the eclipse, etc., had prophetic or Heavenly judgmentovertones. These had also joked about Biden’s designation of Transgender Day of Visibility on the day Easter fell this year. They, observably in my view, delighted in pulling this off against the Christian world and their perceived view of its judgmental foolishness. The most ungodly among our populace, who dominate the airwaves with their celebrity, have made certain that the unbelievers know of Heaven’s failure to follow up on any Judgmentthat believers in Christ expect. They accuse that we look down on them with feelings of superiority, and God’s lack of judgmental response is reason, they obviously believe, to celebrate with good-natured fun-poking. All of the joking and mocking proves one thing: the lost world of people, particularly in this nation, is without excuse. Satan, through being prince of the power of the air,does his devilish work of deceiving the masses through use of his minions who have information dominance in this fallen world. So there can be no doubt that the lost, especially the lost here in America, have heard or read time and time again about God’s comingJudgment –and even more importantly, about His Redemptive Plan for mankind through the Sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil has convinced the masses that God’s Intervention into the physical world is good to use as the butt of jokes. God is, at most, an existential being, Satan lies.God set things in motion, and it’s been hands-off for the most part since that time. But the God of Heaven has a different View, and Judgment is on the way. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known ofGod is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Becausethat, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:18-21). The God of Heaven is, first and foremost, not a God of Judgment and Wrath but of Love and Mercy. He Desires that all come to Him for Repentance and Forgiveness. He has movedHeaven and Earth to bring all people into His Eternal Family. Here, again, is how to be Forgiven and thus go in the Rapture when Christ Calls believers or go directly to Heaven when life on this sphere is finished. “That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believesunto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

The Way We Represent Christ

 The Way We Represent Christ - By Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). We live in the time of the signs, and prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. We hear news headlines, or people talk around the water cooler at work, and the words are of doom,gloom, and fear. It’s so easy for us to lose sight of the fact that Christians can rest easy in God’s truth. God hasn’t changed at all, and His word is still truth. Unfortunately, many Christians choose not to study God’s word. Liberal media gets high priorityin reading material, but God’s word is left on a shelf to gather dust. As that happens, it’s the secular view of life that gets seared into our minds and hearts. In October of 2023, Hamas committed a vicious and heinous act of terrorism against Israel. At first, the world was stunned that such a brutal attack could be done by one groupof humans against another group. Then, the liberal media began blaming Israel. If you study Scripture, you’ll understand that God gave that land to Abraham and to his children forever. God had made a covenant with Abraham. “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: theKenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites” (Genesis 15:18-21). There were no conditions or time limits on that promise. There have been times when Israel has fallen out of fellowship with God, but that didn’t cancel the promise. Much later, God did give rules to Moses to pass along to the Jewish people. “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought youunto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the wordswhich thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:4-6). Israel is a treasure to God, even when they are in rebellion. They’ve been in rebellion for many years. In 1948, Israel was reestablished as a nation, not because of any workof men but because God ordained it. The Jewish people have all rights to Jerusalem and, indeed, to every inch of Israel. When God makes a promise, He will never go back on it. Prophecy is an important Biblical study, and Christians need to make every effort to understand it. Why is this important? God doesn’t want us to be taken by surprise. Hewants us to understand the times in which we live. By understanding, we can find peace when others are wringing their hands and fretting. Prophecy is also a great witnessing tool. Sadly, even Christians are having trouble dealing with all the evil that’s happening in the world. The horrid attack that Hamas inflictedupon Israel has many people talking about the end times. Some talk mockingly, but others truly want to understand what God says. Scripture tells us that Jerusalem will be a “problem” to all nations. Guess what? There’s a war going on today because the Muslimnations that surround Israel want to destroy them, and all nations of the world are affected. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that daywill I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3). Some say this is a prophecy concerning the final battle when Christ returns at the end of the Great Tribulation. That may be, but it looks very much as if it could be happeningnow, before the Tribulation. What we can absolutely know for sure is that God will never allow Israel to be uprooted again. Prophecy is clear on that point. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, andfrom Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judahfrom the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:11-12). If you study the history of how it all came together for Israel to be reestablished, it was miraculous and obvious that God orchestrated it. In the last few years, much has happened to cause anxiety. The pandemic caused so much trouble, and what we know now makes it look even worse. Evil men were behind it, andthe supposed “cure” was just a long line of jabs. There’s talk of more pestilence coming. Food tampering, as well as genetic tampering (as in the days of Noah), is a reality today. When the disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age, He gave some signs. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise againstnation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:6-8). Jesus said not to be troubled when we see these things, but He also said it’s just the beginning. As I see prophecy being fulfilled, I get scared and upset, but I also findpeace knowing that God has told us what is coming, but He has also promised Christians that we will be Raptured prior to the final seven years of history. We’re seeing things happening faster, and we can trust in the Lord to take us away from the Tribulation.Christians need to represent Christ in a way that honors Him and gives hope to others, not in a way that follows the world. Unfortunately, we’re seeing another sign that the days are coming to an end. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famineof bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12). Today, people just don’t study or share God’s word. Paul also wrote a letter to Timothy warning about what will happen to congregations in the later days. “Now the Spiritspeaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstainfrom meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:1-3). Many pulpits today are filled with much false doctrine… doctrine of devils. There is truly a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. This lack of teaching allows world eventsto put fear into the hearts of Christians. There’s no reason to only blame preachers. Most people have access to Bibles and can study Scripture for themselves. There are many excellent Bible teachers online, but use discernment; there are many false teachers.The best way to study and teach Scripture is to start in Genesis 1:1 and teach line upon line and precept upon precept through Revelation 21:21. That way, no important truths will be skipped. If you are a Christian and spend your time fearfully listening to all of the bad things happening in the world and fretting and worrying about what you read, remember thatMSNBC and CNN raise their ratings by feeding on people’s fears. Satan also feeds on lies and fear. No wonder many Christians are scared. Instead of keeping tuned to God, they stay tuned to secular programming. Christians should be the ones who are calm andfaithfully representing Christ. We are the ones who need to have answers to help the unsaved find salvation and peace in Christ. Peter is a good example of a man who was changed by Jesus. Peter followed Jesus for years but didn’t really know Him. That’s like many Christians today. It wasn’t until afterthe resurrection that Peter let go of his fears and became a true man of God. He no longer hid in fear of people knowing he was a follower of Christ. He wrote letters of encouragement that still edify us today. In his first letter, Peter spoke of living aGod-honoring life. If you walk closer to Jesus, you will have less fear. “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be readyalways to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:14-15). If a non-believer is filled with anxiety over news reports or anger because they blame Israel for the war, do you have answers? If they look at you and you’re anxious andhave no joy in the Lord, will they even know you’re a Christian? On the other hand, if you show joy in your life because you are a child of the King, they may feel comfortable asking you about your peace. Will you have an answer? Can you explain why Israelowns the land and why the war is happening? Can you explain that things will get worse and that the only hope to escape the horrors of the Tribulation is to truly repent of sin and turn to Jesus? These are important answers to important questions. If you represent Christ with joy and strength, you are serving Him well. The world holds no hope for anybody. For a person who has not given their life to Christ, there isno chance to live eternally in Heaven; they face an eternity in the lake of fire. On the other hand, Christians have so much in which to find joy. Our sins have been forgiven. Do you really understand what that means? Sin separates us from God. Even what we think is a small sin is still sin and will condemn us to an eternity in the lake of fire. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If you dwell on that fact, it can be very depressing, but there’s more to that thought. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God hathset forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier ofhim which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-26). You cannot have any joy or peace unless you have realized that you are a sinner and that sin has separated you from God. It’s time to repent of sin; that means to change yourmind and turn to Christ. If you live an adulterous lifestyle, that’s sin. Repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness. He will forgive you. Then, turn away from sin. You cannot represent Christ in a good way if you’re living a life that glorifies the world. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Give your thoughts to God, and don’t let fear stop you from representing Christ in a way that honors Him. God bless you all, Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed. If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

The Certainty of Eternal Life

 The Certainty of Eternal Life - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. —Romans 5:12 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-certainty-of-eternal-life/- Listen Have you ever wondered why we even have to die in the first place? After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden and disobeyed God, He barred them from the Tree of Life. God didn’t want them to live forever in the state they were in. They had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and that brought sin into the human race. As aresult, sin, like a disease, has spread to all of us. The Bible tells us that “when Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 5:12 NLT). If Adam hadn’t sinned, we wouldn’t have died. If Adam hadn’t sinned, our bodies would not wear out. At the same time, if we had been in Adam’s shoes, we would have done thesame thing. Why? Because we all have crossed the line. Novelist William Boyd said, “We all want to be happy, and we are all going to die. . . . You might say these are the only two unchallengeably true facts that apply to everyhuman being on this planet.” All of us are getting older. It’s just the reality. We cannot stop the march of time. We cannot turn back the clock. Therefore, what happens to us when we die? Jesus dealt with this question. He said, “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. Andthose who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son” (John 5:25–26 NLT). Before I was a Christian, I didn’t really have any faith to speak of. My belief as a sixteen-year-old kid was that I would cease to exist after death. And that terrified me.I thought, “How could it be that I could simply cease to exist?” Thinking about it kept me up at night. And one of the great things I experienced after I became a Christian was to realize there is life beyond the grave. Death is not the end of existence. The real you is not this body you live in; it is your soul. It is your spirit that lives on after your body has gone. History tells of the renowned atheist Voltaire, who was one of the most aggressive antagonists of the Christian faith. He did everything he could to undermine Christianity.But the nurse who attended him on his deathbed reportedly said that for all the wealth in Europe, she never would watch another atheist die. In contrast, the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody said on his deathbed, “I see earth receding; Heaven is opening; God is calling me.” You can die like Voltaire. Or, you can die like Moody. But there will be a future judgment. And if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, then you won’t be there.

Has The Bride of Christ Made Herself Ready for His Return?

 Has The Bride of Christ Made Herself Ready for His Return? – ByDean Dwyer - https://harbingersdaily.com/has-the-bride-of-christ-made-herself-ready-for-his-return/ What do you picture in your mind when you hear the word “wedding”? One of the first images that comes to mind for most people is a beautiful bride, adorned in white. We mightalso think of a woman who has kept herself pure, awaiting that blessed day when two will become one under the provisions of God’s marriage covenant. In the Scriptures, we know that the church is the bride of Christ. But during this time when we are awaiting the upward call of our Bridegroom, how are we living? After all,every bride looks forward to her wedding day with great anticipation. In ancient Jewish weddings, while the bride-to-be was excitedly waiting for her beloved to return from building a place for them, she was being observed for moral purity. Ephesians 5:25-27 reads: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washingof water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” The Greek word for “without blemish” is “amomos” and it means that the purity obtained is of the highest quality and without any defect whatsoever. It is interesting thatthe same word is used in 1 Peter 1:19 where Christ is described “as of a lamb without blemish”. This is the marvel of imputed righteousness! We who were blemished, spotted, wrinkled, defiled and on our way to a Christless eternity have now been made perfect,unblemished, undefiled, spotless, sanctified and soon to be glorified, all because we have been washed clean through the blood of Jesus. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. Just as the earthly bride was expected to remain morally pure while waiting for her bridegroom, the church is commanded to remain spiritually pure. In 2 Peter 3 we read these words: • Verse 14: “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.“ • Verse 17: “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.“ One of the most potent weapons Satan has at his disposal to tempt the bride of Christ to commit spiritual adultery is false teachers. 2 Peter 2:13-14: “They are spots andblemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls.” Notice the language – whereas the sanctified bride of Christ is to be presented without spot or blemish, the seductive false teacher is identified by having those very spotsand blemishes. If we are properly anticipating our wedding day, that anticipation should lead us to be forsaking spiritual adultery and fixing our eyes on Jesus. Titus 2:11-14 says this: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our greatGod and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.“ In the book of Esther, the events begin with the Persian King Ahasuerus searching for a new queen. Eligible virgins throughout the provinces were gathered but they did notmeet the king immediately. Intense preparations needed to be undertaken. Esther 2:12 reads: “Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus werethe days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women.“ Well, the time frame and preparations may seem excessive to us, but it demonstrates the seriousness with which those in the king’s court took to meticulously prepare the womento be deemed fit to be part of the king’s consort. When they entered that throne room, they were to be presented as the absolute best version of themselves they could be. It made me think – while we remain on this earth during the period of our betrothal to the King of Kings, are we taking it seriously? Are we being meticulous in our preparation. Arewe redeeming the time as the Scriptures command? Are we choosing to be a holy people, set apart for our Bridegroom? I will end by affirming the wonderful truth about Jesus to those who may not know Him. Whilst the virgins of Persia had to be purified before they met the king, you can cometo the King of Kings just as you are and He will cleanse you. You don’t need to do anything other than ask Him to wash you clean and purify you with His shed blood. And if you accept Him in saving faith, then you too can share in the anticipation we feel aswe await that moment that Revelation 19:6-8 describes as follows: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us beglad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.“

7 Reasons You Should Study Bible Prophecy

 7 Reasons You Should Study Bible Prophecy – Britt Gillette - brittgillette@substack.com Why does bible prophecy matter? As a Christian, why should you spend any time studying it? It’s sad to say, but many Christians (including countless “church leaders”) saybible prophecy doesn’t matter. Many of them say you shouldn’t study it at all. Why? Among the stated reasons are these: "Studying bible prophecy is a waste of time." or “Bible prophecy is a distraction.” Or how about this one? "Bible prophecy so negative!" That last one is truly ridiculous. Negative? How is the return of Jesus to establish everlasting peace on earth with no more death, crying, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4)negative? It’s not. In fact, it’s our blessed hope (Titus 2:13)! No. There’s something else going on here, and I think I know what it is. The real reason so many church leaders ignore bible prophecy is because they care more about what the world thinks thanwhat God thinks. The forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12) love to divert people from the truth. In doing so, they’ve managed to associate the study of bible prophecy with date setters and “kooks.” Many pastors and church leaders who ignore bible prophecy don’t want others to think they’re one of the “kooks.” That would make them uncomfortable. It’s much easier (and a lot less controversial) to cover topics like “7 Ways to a Better Marriage” or “5 Waysto Live a Better Life Today” or “How to be Happy All the Time.” Now, I’m not saying these topics don’t matter. They definitely do. God wants us all to live a full and blessed life here on earth. But to ignore bible prophecy is to ignoreanywhere from one-fourth to one-third of the Bible. If God didn’t want us to study it, why would He reveal it? The Bible says all of God’s Word is useful for teaching and instruction (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and that includes prophecy. The Power of Bible Prophecy The prophetic passages in the Bible are just as important as all the others. God promises wherever He sends His Word, it will prosper (Isaiah 55:11). This includes all ofHis Word, not just those verses self-appointed Christian leaders deem “okay.” If you have any doubt, here’s what the Bible itself says about the importance of bible prophecy: 1) Prophecy Points to Jesus The Book of Revelation says all prophecy points to Jesus (Revelation 19:10). In fact, Jesus Himself said He came to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). What ifthe magi (Matthew 2:1-2) had ignored bible prophecy? What if they thought the study of prophecy was “a waste of time?” Then they would have missed out on one of the greatest honors of all time – seeing the baby Jesus. What if Simeon (Luke 2:25-35) had theattitude bible prophecy is irrelevant? Then he would have missed out on the greatest blessing of his life. What if Anna (Luke 2:36-40) had ignored bible prophecy? Then she too would have missed out on Jesus. 2) Jesus Demands We Watch If the study of bible prophecy is “a distraction from God’s work,” then why does Jesus demand it? That’s right. Jesus doesn’t simply suggest we study bible prophecy. He commandsus to study it. After all, He commands us to “stay alert” and to “keep watch” (Mark 13:33,35). That begs the question – watch for what? The answer is clear. Watch for His return. Otherwise, He’ll find us sleeping when He arrives without warning (Mark 13:36).If you don’t study bible prophecy and the signs of His coming, how will you ever know what to watch for? And if you don’t know what to watch for, how can you obey Jesus? 3) Prophecy Proves the Bible is God’s Word Long ago, God issued a challenge. He said, “Who else can tell the beginning from the end” (Isaiah 41:21-24)? God proclaims He alone can do so. Only God can reveal what isgoing to happen before it happens (Isaiah 46:10). The hundreds and hundreds of specific and detailed prophecies found in the Bible prove its divine authority. What other book on earth can match the Bible in predictive power? None. But if you fail to studybible prophecy, that fact will pass you by. 4) Prophecy is a Powerful Evangelistic Tool In the first century, bible prophecy was the primary tool for spreading the Gospel. As an example, Peter cited the Messianic prophecies as clear proof Jesus was the long awaitedMessiah (Acts 2:14-42). His speech led three thousand people to give their lives to Jesus. He also said the life of Jesus fulfilled what the prophets had written about the Messiah (Acts 3:18-24). Philip used a fulfilled prophecy to explain the Gospel to anEthiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39). And Paul's primary method of spreading the Gospel was to reason from the scriptures (Acts 17:2-3). He explained how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah, and he explained all that the prophets said about Him (Acts13:27-31). If you don’t study bible prophecy, you’re missing one of the greatest tools for spreading the Gospel. What better way to respond to those who demand evidence Jesus is the Messiah than to tell them about the numerous prophecies He fulfilled? 5) Prophecy Encourages Holy Living If you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, you know He could return at any moment. And if you know He can return at any moment, it encourages holy living. In the story of the evilservant, Jesus warned us about a danger. What danger? The danger of thinking He’ll delay His return. Jesus said the evil servant thinks, “My master won’t be back for a while,” and he goes on sinning (Matthew 24:48-49). Instead, you should live your life asif He could come at any moment. This mindset leads to patience (James 5:8), disciplined prayers (1 Peter 4:7), love (1 Peter 4:8), and an eagerness to use your gifts for the glory of God (1 Peter 4:10-11). While we wait for the return of Jesus, we should makeevery effort to live peaceful, pure, and blameless lives (2 Peter 3:11-14). 6) Prophecy Gives Specific Blessings Some Christians avoid reading the Book of Revelation. They might find it frightening or difficult to understand. But remember, it’s the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation1:1). It’s not the revelation of John. It’s not the creation of ancient men. It’s a message from Jesus. It’s so important, God says He’ll bless anyone who reads it to the church! And He’ll bless anyone who listens to it and obeys what it says (Revelation 1:3).In heaven, some will wear “a crown of righteousness.” Who are the people who get this crown? All who eagerly await the return of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:8). 7) Prophecy Reveals the Season of the Lord's Return Jesus says the world will be caught unaware when He suddenly returns (Luke 12:40). It will be like in the days of Noah and Lot. People will go on living their daily livesas normal right up until the moment of their destruction (Luke 17:30). But those who study bible prophecy won’t be surprised by His return (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6). Why? Because they’ll understand the signs. While we can’t know the day or the hour of His return(Matthew 24:36), we can know the season of His return. Jesus, Moses, and the prophets told us what signs to look for. And Jesus says when you see all those signs converging you can know His return is very near (Matthew 24:33). Bible Prophecy Should Provide You with Hope and Encouragement Don’t ignore bible prophecy. Don’t poke fun of it or laugh at it (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22). Instead, study bible prophecy. Doing so will fill you with hope and encouragement.This is especially true in our day and time because our generation is witness to the converging signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. For over 94% of Christian history, the state of Israel did not exist. Today, it does. For over 95% of Christian history,the Jewish people did not control Jerusalem. Today, they do. These signs and others point to the nearness of the Lord’s return. They indicate we live in the season of His return. Jesus is coming, and that should fill you with hope for the future. Prophecy is behind this hope and almost every promise Christians hold near and dear. The promise of heaven… The hope of salvation… The joy of eternity with Jesus. Each oneof these is a promise from God guaranteeing our future. And what is bible prophecy if not a guarantee of future events? So don't let what others think discourage you from studying bible prophecy. Remember, the world mocked and ridiculed Jesus. If you follow Him, He says you will be mocked and ridiculed as well (Matthew 10:22-25). Bible prophecy is the message of Jesus.And if you’re a Christian, you must be willing to endure persecution for it. Jesus said if anyone is ashamed of Him and His message, He will be ashamed of that person when He returns (Luke 9:23-26). Don’t be ashamed. Study bible prophecy. Let it enrich yourlife. For the whole purpose of prophecy is to glorify Jesus (Revelation 19:10). If you liked reading this, please click the ❤️ button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏 or share it with your loved ones and spread the Good News that Jesus is coming!

6 Global Events that Could Rock the World at Any Moment

 6 Global Events that Could Rock the World at Any Moment – BrittGillette - https://brittgillette.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email One or more of these events could suddenly hit the world. What should you do? The constant state of crisis we see in the world today is exactly what Jesus said the world would look like just prior to His return. He said many things will happen, but “all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (Matthew 24:8). What does this mean? It means we should expect painful events on a global scale to increase in both frequency and intensity in the time leading up to His return. What’s Coming Next? If that’s the case, then what’s the next major event? If the global events we’ve endured over the past few years are going to be more frequent and more severe, what are themost likely events we’ll see next? The possibilities are endless. We could see large magnitude earthquakes, major terrorist attacks, or even another global pandemic. We can’t be certain what the next event will be, but here are the six most probable eventson the horizon: 1) The Destruction of Damascus Last weekend, Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel. As of this writing, Israel has yet to respond, but it’s widely believed they will respond militarily tothis unprecedented attack. If so, Iran has vowed to retaliate. In fact, Iran threatened to strike Israel with a weapon “never used before.” What are they referencing? No one knows for sure. It could be a bluff, but it could also be a reference to chemical,biological, or nuclear weapons. In the event of all-out war between Iran and Israel, Iran will almost certainly unleash its proxies in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and other parts of the world. Hezbollahis believed to have approximately 150,000 rockets and missiles pointed at Israel from southern Lebanon and Syria. If Hezbollah engaged in a massive attack on Israel and overwhelmed Israel’s air defenses, it’s not out of the question we could see Israel respondwith a nuclear weapon. Damascus is known to be a hotbed of terrorists with a mix of Syrian militants, Iranian military personnel, and Hezbollah leaders. If it feels its existence is threatened,Israel will use every weapon at its disposal, and Damascus is one of the top targets. Israel has the ability to destroy the city with a nuclear strike, and many people believe Isaiah 17 (which describes the destruction of Damascus) is a prophecy yet to befulfilled. Don’t be surprised if the current conflict escalates to a point where we witness exactly that – the destruction of what many believe is the longest continuously inhabited city on earth. 2) Iranian Closure of the Strait of Hormuz Even if we don’t see an escalation to all-out war between Israel and Iran, we’re very likely to see Iran take another action – the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The failureof Operation Prosperity Guardian to open the Red Sea is evidence the deterrent effect of conventional naval power has ended. Drones now dominate conventional weapons systems on the battlefield. We see this in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and we see it in theRed Sea. The Red Sea shipping corridor has been closed to western shipping since Iran, working through its Houthi rebel proxies in Yemen, launched a campaign to attack and harass westerncontainer ships. If Iran can shut down Red Sea shipping lanes, closing one of the most vital corridors to world trade for the past four months, then why can’t they do the same in the Persian Gulf? Given its location, Iran effectively controls the Strait ofHormuz, the narrow shipping lane that’s the only way in or out of the Persian Gulf. Last weekend, Iran hijacked the MSC Aries, marking the sixth vessel recently hijacked by Iran or its proxies. Over 20% of global oil consumption travels through the Straitof Hormuz, making it the most important maritime chokepoint in the world. Rather than engage in an all-out kinetic war with Israel, Iran may instead chose to harass western shipping in the Persian Gulf or altogether block any ships associated withcountries supporting Israel. Even without completely closing off access, a few attacks on oil tankers would dramatically increase insurance costs for oil tankers – costs that would be borne by the whole world in the form of higher oil prices. If Iran did shutdown Persian Gulf oil tanker traffic, global oil prices could immediately skyrocket to over $180 per barrel or more – an event that would trigger a global financial crash the likes of which we’ve never seen before. 3) Cyber Attacks on Infrastructure Despite the warnings, many people remain oblivious to the prospect of cyber attacks on vital infrastructure. We’ve seen numerous instances where this has taken place on alimited basis, but the prospects of escalating war in the Middle East and other places around the globe make this more likely with each passing day. The threat is greater now because state-sponsored cyber attacks during a time of war will likely cause damageand chaos on a much greater scale than attacks we’ve seen in the recent past. In the past few years, nation states have shown a greater willingness to attack vital infrastructure. Examples include destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines and Houthithreats to sever underwater Internet cables in the Red Sea. Recently, Iran threatened to attack U.S. water systems, and speculation continues over whether or not the Baltimore bridge collapse was due to a cyber attack or not. The WEF has warned of (which probablymeans they’re preparing to launch) a global cyber attack on the Internet. A broad-based attack could shut down financial institutions, water supplies, the electrical grid, and/or other resources vital to daily life. Such an attack could take place at any moment,and most people are woefully unprepared for such an event. 4) A Global Banking Crisis In March 2023, a global banking crisis emerged, resulting in the second, third, and fourth largest bank failures in U.S. history. In addition, Credit Suisse (a global systemicallyimportant bank) came close to failure before a shotgun wedding with UBS. A failure of Credit Suisse would have triggered a global financial crisis, prompting credit fears to spread through the global financial system overnight. Central bank actions (such asthe Federal Reserve’s Bank Term Funding Program) kicked the can down the road, delaying the crisis for another day. But the end of that program, along with other factors, sets the stage for a new banking crisis to re-emerge at any moment. Some of the largest banks in the world (such as J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs) recently issued disappointing earnings reports due to a number of factors.One of those is the imploding commercial real estate market, which has hammered a number of regional banks already, and could trigger a crisis worse than the 2008 sub-prime housing crisis. On top of that, the recent rise in interest rates has hit bank balancesheets hard with U.S. banks alone currently sitting on more than $600 billion in unrealized losses. As if the banking environment weren’t already difficult, the Bank Term Funding Program that helped prevent the 2023 banking crisis from consuming the entirebanking system came to an end on March 11th. In addition, a major source of post-pandemic liquidity for banks – the Federal Reserve’s reverse repo facility, is drawing down to its end. The result is a set-up that could quickly lead to a re-emergent bankingcrisis at any moment. 5) A Currency Crisis As if all these other prospective events weren’t bad enough, we’re also on the verge of a major currency crisis. The Japanese yen currently sits at its lowest level relativeto the U.S. dollar since 1990. To prevent the situation from getting worse will likely require the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates or the U.S. Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Given the recent persistence of inflation, it’s unlikely we’ll seethe U.S. lower rates in the short-term. This means the Bank of Japan may be forced to raise rates and take other measures to defend its currency. This is especially true if conflict in the Middle East leads to a spike in oil prices. If oil prices spike while the yen continues to depreciate relative to the dollar, Japan (the fourth largest economy in the world) will stand on the precipice of economic ruin.Despite efforts to move away from the petro-dollar, the majority of global oil transactions are still denominated in U.S. dollars. Japan produces virtually zero fossil fuels domestically, making it heavily dependent on foreign imports to power its economy.If the yen continues to depreciate relative to the dollar, while oil prices spike, Japanese energy costs will skyrocket as the Japanese are forced to trade yen for dollars in order to buy oil. Faced with an economic meltdown regardless of what actions it takes, the Bank of Japan would almost certainly move to defend the value of yen. This would cause a reversalof the yen carry trade (succinctly explained here), which could quickly lead to a disorderly unraveling of financial positions all over the world. Along the way, we could see margin calls and exploding derivatives positions that crash global financial markets.Yet despite the potential carnage, most people remain unaware of this possibility. 6) The Rapture of the Church The overwhelming majority of the world remains ignorant of the reality that Jesus will one day return for His church. Jesus promised to keep the church from the Tribulation(Revelation 3:10), and signs all around us indicate the 7-year Tribulation period is drawing near. Furthermore, Paul says Jesus will come in "the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52). This means, in a faction of a second, Jesus could snatch every bornagain believer from the face of the earth. Imagine the implications. The disappearance of potentially hundreds of millions of people in an instant would cause global chaos in-and-of itself. That’s before accountingfor all of the second order impacts of so many missing people all over the globe. Each and every one of those people play a major role in someone’s life, and the sudden disappearance of so many will directly impact society and all its institutions in profoundways. In fact, the rapture of the church could trigger many, if not all, of the events in this article in an instant and without warning. What You Should Do With all these things on the verge of taking place, what should you do? Simple. Make the most of the time you have left. If you’re not a Christian, turn to Jesus now. TheBible says we’re all sinners (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Yet, while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). He paid for our sins through His blood as shed on the cross, and there is no other name by which we aresaved (Acts 4:12). Jesus alone is the way to heaven (John 14:6), so put your faith in Him while you still can. If you’re already Christian, don’t fear the things of this world, especially the coming events of the Tribulation. Jesus promised to protect His followers from “the greattime of testing that will come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10). So Christians will not endure the Tribulation. However, don’t think that means you won’t face sorrows in this life. Jesus says you will. He says you’ll face many trials and tribulationsin this world, but don’t be discouraged, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Understand this – the rapture of the church could be the next traumatic event to hit the world. Think of those left behind. Think of the fear they will have. Think of theworld they’ll be living in. Let that motivate you to spread the Gospel. Right now, more people than ever are seeking God. And according to His purpose, He uses every event for good (Romans 8:28). World-shaking, global events are no exception. Traumatic global events are an assault on the world’s sense of security. It’s in these moments when people seek God the most, because He can not be shaken. He’s the rock uponwhich you should build your life (Psalm 18:2). If you do, such events won’t have the same impact on your life. So if you know this already, make sure to share what you know. Take advantage of this moment and tell others about the hope you have in Jesus Christ(1 Peter 3:15). You may not have much longer, because He’s is coming soon!

The Prophecy in Psalm 22

 The Prophecy in Psalm 22 Most people who are familiar with the Old Testament know that, as Jesus Christ hung on the stake (Greek stauros, "any kind of wooden pole") about to die, He cried out, "‘Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani?' which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" (Mark15:34; see Matthew 27:46). Our Savior is quoting Scripture, Psalm 22:1, drawing attention both to His fulfillment of David's prophecy in that verse and to a significant spiritual event, the Father placing the totality of humanity's sins upon Him. In just a few minutes, Jesus would die, paying the penalty for thosesins with His blood. While Psalm 22:1 may be the best-known of that psalm's Messianic prophecies, it is not the only one. Psalm 22 is the most extensive Messianic prophecy in Psalms, rivaling Isaiah 53 in describing the sacrifice of the Suffering Servant. Apparently, King David wrote this psalm as a description of his own terrible sufferings at the hands of rivals. From a New Testament standpoint, however, it is almost exclusively focused on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It reflects His thoughts and emotions in the last moments before His death. The gospels—particularly in the crucifixion accounts in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19—directly quote or allude to several of this psalm's verses. It is so clearly Messianic—and the fulfillments so obvious—that it requires littlecommentary. In fact, some commentators wonder if David was prophesying directly about his greater Descendant, as the descriptions are difficult to place in the biblically well-documented life of David. Thegospel record of Christ's crucifixion notes the fulfillment of seven distinct prophecies from Psalm 22. 1.Psalm22:1 - "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me," mentioned above, appears in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. Psalm 22:2 may allude both to His crying out to God in both the daytime (during His crucifixion) and nighttime of that Passover day (in the Garden of Gethsemane; Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-41; Luke 22:39-46). 2.Psalm22:6 - "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people." The entire paragraph of Matthew 27:39-44 provides examples of people's reproach and despising of Him (see also Mark 15:29-32; Luke 23:35). Even the criminals hanged with Him reviled Him (Matthew27:44; Mark 15:32; Luke 23:39). 3.Psalm22:7 - "All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head . . .." This verse focuses on ridicule, which includes the mocking by the Roman soldiers (Matthew27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-3), Jesus' Jewish guards (Matthew26:67-68; Mark 14:65; Luke 22:63-65), and Herod's guards (Luke23:11). 4.Psalm22:8 - "He has trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!" David gives an example of what the mockers would say, and indeed, some passersby,chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jews said near-exact versions of it during His crucifixion (see Matthew 27:39-44; Luke 23:35-37). 5.Psalm22:15 - "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws . . .." The apostle John, in particular, notes the necessary fulfillment of this detail of Jesus' great thirst: "After this, Jesus, knowing that all the things werenow accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!'" (John19:28; see also Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36). 6.Psalm22:16 - "They pierced My hands and My feet." The gospel writers record "they crucified Him" or a similar phrase (Matthew27:35; Mark 15:24-25; Luke 23:33; John 19:20, 23). At the time of this psalm's composition, crucifixion was not a common form of execution; a death that included the piercing of hands and feet would have been strange to David's contemporaries. (Greek historian Herodotus knew of it as aPersian execution method in the early fifth century BC but disapproved of its use.) The Romans adopted it as a ghastly deterrent, as it was a slow, grisly, agonizing (excruciating is literally "out of crucifying," describing the extreme pain of crucifixion), humiliating, and public way to die.Normally, the executioner would drive nails into the wrists or hands and the feet, usually through the heel. After Jesus' resurrection, Luke and John mention that He showed His disciples His hands and feet (Luke24:40; John 20:20, 24-27), confirming He had been crucified and fulfilled Psalm 22:16. 7.Psalm22:18 - "They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." All the gospel writers mention this detail (Matthew27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24), although John expands on it more than the synoptic writers: Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, "Letus not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says, "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things. John ensures that the reader understands how the soldiers fulfilled both parts of the prophecy. They divided His garments equally among themselves (probably shoes or sandals, turban, girdle or belt, and outer robe), but they threw dice or somehowcast lots for His well-made, likely linen tunic (Greek chitōn, "shirt worn next to the skin," "a loose-fitting undergarment"; "a garment fitting loosely from shoulder to knee or ankle."). Without a doubt, the details of the gospels fit seamlessly with the prophetic psalm. The psalm pivots on the final sentence of verse 21: "You have answered Me." The irony of God's answer to Jesus' prayer for deliverance is that He must die to save all others. God's will, seen in His magnificent plan of salvation, was done, costing Jesus Christ everything. The Son of God had to die so God could call others to become His sons and live. The psalm's second half, Psalm 22:22-31, focuses on the results of the Messiah's suffering. Even though the Jews had Him killed to silence Him, their efforts ultimately came to nothing because His crucifixion magnified and multiplied the spread of His teachings through the workof His disciples. He tells His disciples this very thing in John 14:12: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." Eventually, all the world will turn to God (Psalm22:27), and the King of kings and Lord of lords will rule over all nations in His Kingdom (Psalm22:28). The following verse, Psalm 22:29, hints at the second resurrection, while Psalm 22:30-31 prophesy that those He leaves behind after His death will serve Him by telling His story, not just to the next generation, but to all coming generations, to everyone yet to be born. Psalm 22 is a poignant reminder of what Jesus endured to become our Passover Lamb and our Atonement for sin. But all that suffering, as terrible as it was, is overshadowed by victory and glory, which He will gladly bestow upon us if we, too, endure to the end (Matthew24:13). - Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Best Way to Contain This Global Threat Is For America To Stand With Israel

 The Best Way to Contain This Global Threat Is For America To Stand With Israel – By Tony Perkins - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-best-way-to-contain-this-global-threat-is-for-america-to-stand-with-israel/ Monday night in Israel, as Jewish families gathered around the Passover table for their first Seder since the tragedy of October 7, there were too many empty chairs. Someheld hands, still hoping for the release of their hostage loved ones. Thousands of others tasted the meal’s bitter herbs with a fresh wave of grief for the ones who will never return. Across the country, Jews and non-Jews hold their breath, wondering whatnext year’s holiday will look like. More than that, wondering whether the world, a place rocked by hatred, conflict, and chaos, can survive it. “Why is this night different?” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked poignantly as dusk fell. “On this night, 133 of our dear brothers and sisters are not around the Sedertable, and they are still held hostage by Hamas in hellish conditions,” he said somberly. “… And why is this night not different?” he prompted. Because Passover, of all holidays, recognizes that the Jewish people have been oppressed and hunted throughout history. “In every generation they rise up to destroy us,” Netanyahu reminded his people, “and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from them. This time as well,” he insisted, “we will overcome those who seek our lives.” But it will not be because Israel’s friends have stood strong in their defense. Here at home, the Biden administration has all but abandoned America’s strongest, most significantMiddle Eastern ally. As the Jewish state stands on the brink of war with the entire Islamic world, this president and his party seem more intent on placating his radical, anti-Semitic base than supporting Israel’s right to self-defense. After Iran fired morethan 300 drones and ballistic missiles at the tiny nation in an unprecedented attack, what did the president demand? Restraint — not from the ayatollah, but from the country the religious dictator sought to destroy. Even as President Biden declared his “ironclad” support of Israel Monday, the world knows he’s simultaneously tied Netanyahu’s hands and made the Jewish state vulnerable togreater hostilities. As Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and I talked about last week on “Washington Watch,” the best way to contain this global threat is for America to stand with Israel. “The only thing the ayatollah and the thugs of the world appreciateis strength,” Graham emphasized. “They’re not normal people. Quit treating the ayatollah and his regime as normal. The whole reason they live is to … destroy the Jews and Christians.” But, he pointed out, if they believed America would truly support Israel, “they would think twice [about trying to] wipe them off the map.” Instead, what every evil opportunistic leader in the world sees is an America whose president is vacillating in his support of Israel. Joe Biden is so afraid of the youngpro-Hamas, extremist protestors in his party that he refuses to send a message of resolve to Iran — and anyone who would prey on the Jewish state. And frankly, that’s what got Israel into this mess in the first place. The White House invited this aggressionand emboldened Israel’s enemies by projecting weakness and uncertainty. And what this administration fails to recognize — to our great detriment — is that America’s security is intertwined with our support of Israel. Yes, this president’s foreignpolicy has been a disaster from China to Afghanistan, but his indifference toward Israel’s enemies may be the most dangerous decision he’s made for the future United States. “The ayatollah and his henchmen talk every day about the destruction of the Jewishstate,” Graham warned. “So to those Americans who believe this doesn’t matter to you, I promise you, if Israel is destroyed … you’re next on their list. This idea of sitting on the sidelines and watching the only democracy that practices religious toleranceto be wiped out by a theocracy, who has as its goal to purify the world’s religion, is insane. Have you learned nothing from the ’30s?” This is not just another skirmish. This is a very, very serious moment for our nation. The world as we know it is at a tipping point. What America does in our foreign policytoward Israel and the Middle East has greater significance now than ever before, because if we get this wrong, we will embolden the enemies of Israel and watch the entire region unravel into one massive conflict. From a biblical perspective, Jesus warned us that these days were coming. In John 15:11, He says, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you, and thatyour joy may be full.” So how should Christians approach this moment? I believe with great prayer and supplication, understanding that God doesn’t want us to be anxious or worried. “Peace I leave with you,” Jesus told His followers in John 14:27. “My peaceI give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” God intends for us to walk in peace and joy, even when it seems the world is spinning out of control. In reality, everything is falling into place. The timeline, we may notknow. But what we do know is this: as believers, we’re called to do everything we can to spread the gospel, to work for the wellbeing of people, and to bless the Jewish people. You cannot separate the hatred of the Jewish state from the rise of anti-Semitismin the U.S. and around the globe. Now, more than ever, we need to stand with Israel. That means we must pray for Israel, and we must also vote for those who are willing to stand with the Jewish people. As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu during a meeting in Israel just a few weeks ago, “We stand with you because we’re people of the book.” Genesis 12:3 tells us, “I will blessthose who bless you [Israel], and I will curse those who curse you.” This is an opportunity to witness to the world that we believe God’s promises. As former Knesset member Ohad Tal warned, “Those who take a pass on standing with Israel, their future is inquestion as well.”

An Ancient Evil Reborn in Today’s America

 An Ancient Evil Reborn in Today’s America - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-4-21-2024/ On a spectacularly beautiful September morning in 2001, hijacked planes struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The bloodlustof radical Islam needlessly took the lives of thousands. And, briefly, America woke up. That short-lived awakening was purchased at a terrible cost. But while it lasted, it was amazing. People from sea to shining sea realized again what it meant to be Americans.They didn’t suddenly become blind to the nation’s shortcomings, but they also saw what was rare and precious in the American spirit. Then the nation drifted back into slumber. While the people slept, an ancient evil rose among them. At the beginning of this millennium, most people, including Jewish Americans, thought antisemitism had mostly beenbanished from the land. But after 9/11, against all reason, it started growing again. Today it manifests itself everywhere. Young people speak antisemitic slogans as a bizarre form of virtue signaling. We can see it in the signs and hear it in the chants on campuses and in the streets. Young people, most born after 9/11/2001, today sing out the ideologies of our 2001 enemy — “Death to America!” … “There is only one Solution, Intifada. Revolution!” … “Long live Hamas!” … “Death to Jews!” They compare those who disagree with them to the Ku Klux Klan. But who would agree more with the chant, “Death to Jews!” than the KKK? Thesepitiful children have become the thing they decry. They warn us of their intent, saying, “The 7th of October is going to be every day for you!” They often cry out, “We are Hamas!” If they are Hamas, it means they want to killJews and Christians. Their hate has nothing to do with so-called colonization. It is all about hatred for “people of the book” because they are Jews and Christians. By claiming to be Hamas, campus radicals are actually saying they want to murder your babiesand burn your homes. They want to behead and mutilate. They want to rape, take hostages, and then keep on raping. That’s what October 7th was about and what they praise. If they “are Hamas,” they want to replace democracy with a theocratic ruling elite. Hamas leaders have not held an election in Gaza since they came to power in 2006. Gaza’sHamas overlords ended women’s rights, destroyed freedom of religion, criminalized freedom of speech, and have done their best to end freedom of thought. They murder homosexuals, a group whose cause most of these young people consider dear to their hearts.The control Hamas exercises over its subjects knows no limits. They tell women, for instance, exactly what clothes to wear. Antisemitism is just one aspect of the ancient evil. It can be described more generally as open rebellion against God. God loves people, so the ancient evil hates people.God chose one people for the task of presenting Himself to the world through His words and the Word. So, the evil does everything it can to engender hatred against the chosen nation, and especially toward a Jew called Jesus Christ, the Word incarnate. What is the answer? Be faithful. If you are a Christian, draw close to the Lord. Pray fervently. Study His Word. Stand as a friend to Israel. It is not that they can do nowrong. They can, and often do, make egregious errors. They have embraced many of the same sins and ungodly attitudes that are bringing about America’s moral freefall. But in all that, remember God’s Word. Israel is what God says that it is.

Ezekiel 38-39: The War of Gog & Magog (Part 1)

 Ezekiel 38-39: The War of Gog & Magog (Part 1) -A.V. Rauf - https://bibleprophecyfortoday.com/2024/04/20/ezekiel-38-39-the-war-of-gog-magog-part-i/ Israel is the apple of God’s eye; the center of God’s prophetic program; they have been brought back as a nation beginning in 1948. This is a miracle in itself in terms ofnatural history. No nation has ever experienced this. Especially since 1967, when Jerusalem was recognized as a city in Israel a plethora of miraculous fulfillments of Bible prophecy regarding the nation of Israel have come to pass and are continuing to cometo fruition even as I am writing this post! What is also noteworthy is how this small nation seems to be in the forefront of the global media as events in the Middle East are now being showcased before the entire world. This was also written in the book ofZechariah (which is a complimentary book also referred to as “The Little Apocalypse”)as compared to the Book of Revelation: Zechariah 12:1-3— 1 The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel,saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both againstJudah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Gog Magog War According to Ezekiel 38 & 39, we see that Gog and Magog are going to invade Israel. The first thing we need to know is that Gog and Magog are mentioned in the Book of Revelation: Revelation 20.7-8—And when the thousand years are expired, Satanshall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Some say that this coming war prophesied in Ezekiel will occur after the thousand year reign of Christ according to these verses. That is not true. This will be a minor rebellionin the eyes of God and it will be dealt with rather quickly. Not with the magnitude of what was described in Ezekiel 38-39. There are four major views regarding this war. Now in reference to what is currently taking place in the Middle East, what we will examine in the next few posts is of extremeinterest. View # 1: The war will happen after the Millennium (unsupportiveview) View # 2: It will occur in the Middle of the Tribulation period.This would be 3-1/2 years into the final 7 years on this earth prior to the return of Jesus Christ to set up His Millenial kingdom. View # 3: The war will occur before the rapture of the church,preceding the seven year tribulation period. One of the reasons for believing this is found in Ezekiel 39:4-12: 4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to thebeasts of the field to be devoured. 5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. 6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7 So will I makemy holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereofI have spoken. 9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire sevenyears: 10 So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord God. 11 And it shallcome to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall callit The valley of Hamongog. 12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Many Bible scholars find it difficult to see the fact that weapons being burned for seven years occurs during the Millennium. They also notice in this passage that it takesseven months to bury the dead. Again they don’t see this happening during the Millenium. They also believe that Gog & Magog refers to Russia and its allies consist of a Pan-Islamic Empire that will be defeated before the tribulation begins. (e.g. during thisseven years the weapons are being burned.) Thus, this is different then the Battle of Armageddon. View # 4: This war takes place during the Battle of Armageddon.This is the view that is believed by most Jewish rabbis : Zechariah 14:1-3– Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thyspoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of thepeople shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. ( I suggest you read this chapter in its entirety.) There is no difference between this and what the other Hebrew prophets spoke about. This is the great Final Battle which occurs at the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ at the endof seven year tribulation period. THESE ARE THE FOUR COMMON VIEWS HELD BY BIBLE SCHOLARS. LET US NOW EXAMINE THE SCRIPTURES……. Ezekiel 38:1-6— 1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4 And I will turn theeback, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libyawith them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. In the opening six verses of Chapter 38 we have a recognition of those who will invade Israel. I want to break this down into 2 categories: the identity of Gog (verses 2-3) the involvement of other nations involved in this invasion ( verses 5-6) So in order to see who invades Israel let’ start with the identity of Gog: The identity of Gog. The land of Magog means simply “from Gog.” So Magog is the land where Gog has his Empire or throne perhaps. The reason this became of great interest is due to the researchof a Hebrew scholar named Gasinius. In examining the Hebrew words used in this text, Gasinius identified the words “chief prince,” which in Hebrew means “rosh” or “the head leader.” He identified the word “rosh,” and its phonetic equivalent with the moderncountry of Russia. He then proceeded to use the same method of phonetic equivalent of the Hebrew terms compared to their Russian meanings. Therefore, “Meshach” becomes “Moscow” and “Tubal” becomes “Tobolsk.” Many scholars in the past have identified Gog and Magog with the ancient Scythians. The Scyths were early mounted Nomads; unequalled in their archery skills. Aiming backward,riding at a gallop, they could kill birds in flight—right or left handed! The Scythians are mentioned in Colossians 3:11 in the N.T. Many believe that they were the ancestors of many of today’s Russian people. Or at least those of the former Soviet Republic.They dominated the vast steppes of Russia from Ukraine to the Great Wall of China. An eight century reference referred to the great Wall of China as “ Sud Yagog et Magog.” Or the rampart of Gog and Magog. A rampart is a high, elevated protection or defense.The Quran makes reference to it as Vadjudj wa madjudj. They were known to be very Barbaric, and even cannibalistic. They were known to eat the remains of their deceased relatives (according to Tertulian, one of the early church fathers.) Also, they were alsoidentified as being “north” of Israel. In order to identify Gog from a biblical perspective, we will look at three categories: 1. A Historical Connection: Genesis 10:2–The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai,and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. Here it lists Gomer, Magog, Tubal and Meshach as the sons of Japheth. (Remember that after the flood of Noah, it was his three sons that re-populated the earth: Shem, Hamand Japheth.) By the way the name Togarmah, which is mentioned in Ezekiel 38 was the son of Gomer, or rather the grandson of Japheth. Now the term Gog can be found 11 times in the Bible. However, 9 of the 11 times it is mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. I Chronicles 5:4 ( in the genealogical tables) list Gog asa descendant of Reuben of the tribes of Israel. So there is a historic connection to this name: I Chronicles 5:4–The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, It comes from the Japhetic nations. Japheth was promised that he would be dominating the world scene. Thus, world empires were sprung from Japheth. According to the Jewishrabbis, the Japhetic nations would always be involved in Armageddon. They saw the “Semitic” peoples of Israel being attacked by the Japhetic peoples who would primarily be dominating the world in the days of the coming of the Messiah King. 2. A Geographical Connection: In verse 6 of chapter 38 we read “north quarters.” In verse 2 of chapter 39, we read “north parts.” Now Magog is mentioned in the Bible 5 times. In I Chronicles 1:5, we see Magog as the son of Japheth. All we know is thatit is north of Israel. When you look at a map, and you go the furthest direction upward, it appears that that nation is Russia. Some say it could mean Turkey. In what is referred to as the “Fertile Crescent,” all countries are north of Israel. This is regardedso by the Bible and it is still regarded so today. For example, although Iran appears east of Israel, (see map) one must still travel north. You can’t cut across the Saudi Arabian desert, you must go north. Now first you go through Syria and then Iraq whichis always north. Isn’t it interesting that Syria and Iraq are being targeted by ISIS as they attempt to re-establish an Islamic Caliphate in the Fertile Crescent! As I am studying the current crisis with ISIS and the Levant, it is clear that these events area pre-cursor to a possible war (perhaps Psalm 83) that will ultimately lead to the War of Gog and Magog and the appearance of Anti-Christ. Psalm 83–1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, andbe not still, O God. 2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from beinga nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek;the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. 9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 10 Which perished at Endor: they became asdung for the earth. 11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: 12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. 13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. 17 Let them be confounded and troubledfor ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth. The ancient Assyrians were always referred to as a Northern power. Even ancient Babylon was always referred to as a Northern power. So even as we read our maps, we are notnecessarily viewing them from a Hebraic background. So it is probable that Gog and Magog, although they are referred to as a Northern power, can stretch out as far as Iran, when you study this from a Hebraic perspective. We do know that Iran in fact is mentionedhere. 3. A Political Connection: In 38:2 Gog is referred to as the chiefprince, or leader of Meshach and Tubal. It does not say that he is the chief prince of Magog, although he is from the land of Magog. So what does the Bible have to say about Meshach and Tubal? Meshach appears 8 times in the Bible. He is listed as a son of Japheth in I Chronicles 1:5. Interestingly, the name Meshach is also referred to as the son of Shem. So Meshachalso descends from the Semitic nations. I Chronicles 1:17–The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad,and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. He is also called the brother of Elam and Asher, which today is Iran and Iraq by the way. Both Meshach and Tubal are listed together as merchants. They apparently are veryactive in trading with other countries. Tubal is listed 8 times in the Bible. Tubal and Meshach are listed in the Bible as among the nations whose graves are seen as the result of God’s judgment. The other nationsare Asher (ancient Assyria/modern Iraq), Elam, (modern Iran), Egypt, and Edom (which is Jordan.) Ezekiel 32:17-29– It came to pass also in the twelfth year, inthe fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 18 Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go downinto the pit. 19 Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. 20 They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. 21 The strong among the mightyshall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword. 22 Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: 23 Whose graves areset in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living. 24 There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword,which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. 25 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all hermultitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.26 There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. 27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised,which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 28 Yea, thou shalt be broken in themidst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword. 29 There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with themthat go down to the pit. God says those are the graves which will result from God’s great judgment in Armageddon. It is very interesting that Tubal and Meshech are among these nations. ( To be continued….)