Can We Know When Jesus Will Return?

 Can We Know When Jesus Will Return? - Britt Gillette - https://brittgillette.substack.com The Answer Might Surprise You… Can we know when Jesus will return? No. When it comes to the exact timing of His return, we can’t know. Jesus Himself said “no man knows the day or the hour of my return, not even myself.Only my Father in heaven knows” (Mark 13:32). Jesus reiterated this concept when He said He would come like a thief in the night “when least expected” (Matthew 24:43-44). This idea, coupled with the statement “no one can know the day or the hour” of His return,has led many Christians to believe they can’t know anything about the timing of His return. After all, if Jesus comes like a thief in the night when least expected, how could you know when He’s coming? That’s a good question. And while it’s true we can’t know the day or the hour, the idea no one has a clue as to whether it’s tomorrow or a 1,000 years from now is just plain wrong. The Bibleis clear we can know the general “season” or timeframe of His return. Like a Thief in the Night Many people who believe we can’t know anything about the timing of Christ’s return base their belief on the idea Jesus “will come like a thief in the night.” Jesus did say He would come unexpectedly,like a thief in the night: “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son ofMan will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:43-44 (NLT) And Paul said the same thing: “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NLT) But if you read the rest of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, you’ll see he said something else as well. Paul said those of us who live in the light will not be surprised. While Jesus willcome like a thief in the night when least expected, those who know God’s Word will not be surprised. Here’s the full context of that passage (emphasis mine): “But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light andof the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by thearmor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 (NLT) How can this be? If Jesus comes unexpectedly like a thief in the night, how is it Christians are not surprised? It’s because we know to expect Jesus at any moment, and we obey His commandto be alert and ready at all times. We also know the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to establish His Millennial Kingdom comes with many signs. Why Would God Mention Signs? If we can’t know anything about the timing of the Second Coming, then why did Jesus tell us to look for signs? When His disciples asked Him to describe the signs of His return, He told them.He didn’t rebuke them. He didn’t tell them to forget about such things. Instead, He described the signs. Why would Jesus say to look for signs if they don’t exist? Why would He mention them if we can’t know when He’s coming? The answer is clear. We can know the general time frame of His return. We can’t know the day or the hour, but we can know the season. Numerous signs precede the Second Coming. Jesus and theprophets told us what those signs are. And Jesus said when you see them, you’ll know He’s near – right at the door: “In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:33 (NLT) We see those signs today. So we can know with certainty Jesus is coming soon. A Command to Watch Jesus also commanded us to “Watch!” (Matthew 25:13). This begs the question. Watch for what? Over and over again, Jesus says, “Watch! Don’t let me find you asleep when I come back withoutwarning” (Mark 13:35-37). This is a clear command. But what does it mean? Jesus is telling us to be spiritually alert. If we live a life of faithful service to Him, the day of His return won’t catch us like a trap. Jesus says a faithful servant lives lifeexpecting His return at any moment (Luke 12:35-38). But Jesus is also telling us to watch for signs of the Second Coming. After all, if there are no signs, what are we supposed to “watching” for? Again, it’s clear. Signs will precede the SecondComing. And Jesus expects us to recognize those signs. If He didn’t, why would He command us to watch? He wouldn’t, because we would have nothing to look for. We’re supposed to be watching for the signs. And Jesus says those who are ready and waiting when He returns will be rewarded: “The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!” Luke 12:37 (NLT) Recognizing the Signs In reference to His first coming, Jesus told the Pharisees: “You can recognize the signs in the sky and know what type of weather is coming, yet you don’t know how to recognize the signs of the times” Matthew 16:3 (NLT) The prophets had written extensively about the coming of the Messiah. The Pharisees knew when the Messiah was supposed to come. They knew the Messiah would perform many miracles. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies right before their eyes. Yet the Pharisees still didn’t recognize who He was. Just as He did with the Pharisees, Jesus expects us to recognize the signs ofHis Second Coming. He told us what signs to look for. And the same prophets who wrote about His First Coming also wrote about His Second Coming. Like the Pharisees, we’re expected to recognize “the signs of the times.” Those signs tell us the Second Comingis drawing near. The Rapture vs. The Second Coming Now, when I talk about the signs of the Second Coming, I’m talking about the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. This is different from the rapture of the church.The rapture is a sign-less event. Nothing needs to precede it. It can occur at any moment. That said, if we see signs of the coming seven-year Tribulation and the Second Coming appearing all around us, that means the rapture of the church is even closer. The Bible says the raptureoccurs before the Tribulation (Revelation 3:10). Therefore, all these signs we see tell us Jesus is close – right at the door. The Signs Are Everywhere – Make Sure You Share Them! While we can’t know the day or the hour of His return, we can know the general season. The Bible tells us what signs to look for. And Jesus Himself said when you see all these signs come together,you know His return is near (Luke 21:28). Today, we see those signs. Israel is once again a nation (Isaiah 11:11-12). The Jewish people are back in Jerusalem (Luke 21:24). And the Gospel is being spread to the ends of the earth (Matthew 24:14). These and othersigns are out in the open for everyone to see. You can’t miss them. For 1,800+ years of Christianity, these signs didn’t exist. Today, they do. God said He will hold us accountable for letting others know about the signs (Ezekiel 33:1-6). We’re expected to point out these signs to others. We’re expected to tell others Jesus is returningsoon. If the world ignores us, so be it. But if anyone tells you we can’t know the timing of His return, tell them what the Bible says. The truth is we can know the general season of His return. And given all the signs we see today, we can be certain we’reliving in it. The time is near. Jesus is coming soon!

Could it Be We are in the Season of the Lord’s Return?

 Could it Be We are in the Season of the Lord’s Return? – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/the-passage-of-time To be upfront, no, this isn’t a take on Kamala Harris’ speech in 2022 in which she mentioned the phrase “the significance of the passage of time” four times in a short span. This is a littledifferent and hopefully more significant. This article is about time and how it is reckoned by the Metonic Cycle, the Hebrew calendar, and the sun, moon, and stars. “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1). Two calendars are used to determine the passage of time, and both are celestial. The first one is the solar calendar which is determined by the sun’s positioning. The summer solstice, thelongest day of the year (from the point of view of the northern hemisphere), and the day when the sun is at its highest point in the sky mark the passage of a year. In ancient times, this could be measured by erecting monuments (such as Stonehenge) or other rock structures, a testament to the historical and cultural significance of timekeeping. The sameis true for the winter solstice, the year’s shortest day. There are approximately 365.2422 days in a solar calendar because that’s how long it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun. As Earth revolves around the Sun, there are two moments each year when the Sun is exactly above the equator. These moments are called equinoxes. One occurs around March 19-21 (in the northernhemisphere) and is called the vernal equinox because it signals the beginning of the astronomical spring season. Vernal means fresh or new. The other equinox occurs around September 22-23 and is called the autumnal equinox because it marks the first day ofthe astronomical fall or autumn season. Equinox means “equal night” since the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world during the equinoxes. The other celestial calendar is the lunar or moon calendar, which follows the monthly cycles of the moon's phases. It’s one of the oldest calendars in the world that creates lunar months,also known as synodic months. A lunar month is simply one that occurs between two successive syzygies, such as new moons and or moons. The word month is derived from the word moon. “God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14). On average, there are approximately 29.53 days between each moon phase (new moon – new moon, etc.). A lunar year is approximately 354 days, so it loses 11-12 days annually compared to thesolar calendar. However, ancient civilizations found practical applications for the lunar calendar, using the moon’s phases to help identify the seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Since each season has at least three full moons, this instructedthem on when to schedule necessary activities like harvesting and hunting. The moon calendar was used for ritual and religious purposes and still is today. Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan, and the Chinese New Year are just a few holidays or feast days thatrely on the (moon) lunar calendar. “He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down” (Psalm 104:19). The Jewish religious calendar is a combination of the lunar and solar calendars. It is called a lunisolar calendar. The conjunction of the new moon (dark moon) determines a new month. Usually,the first day (or second) after the dark moon will be the first day of the new month on the lunisolar calendar. The middle of the month (14-16) will occur on a full moon. This is when the start of the Passover begins. A month will have 29-30 days, and a yearwill have 353-355 days. Typically, there are 12 months to a year, but an intercalary month (30 days) is added every 2-3 years to keep the harvests and religious activities (Feasts of the Lord) in their proper seasons. Over time, the lunisolar calendar, withthe added intercalary months, will have the same number of days as the solar calendar. One of the methods used by the ancient Greeks to achieve lunar-solar harmony was the Metonic cycle, named after the Greek astronomer Meton, who lived in the 5th century BC. The Metonic cycleis a period of 19 years, after which the lunar phases recur at the same time of the year. The recurrence is not perfect, and by precise observation, the Metonic cycle defined as 235 synodic months is just 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 58 seconds longer than 19 tropicalyears. The lunar month is when the Moon completes one cycle of phases, from the New Moon to the New Moon. This cycle was found to be a nearly exact match for 19 solar years (19 years x 365.2422 days = 6939.6 days). Over time (approximately 200-300 years),it will drift by one day. By incorporating the Metonic cycle into their calendar system, the ancient Greeks could synchronize the lunar and solar calendars for an extended period, ensuring that important religiousand agricultural events occurred at the appropriate times. Mathematical calculations played a crucial role in developing and implementing the Metonic Cycle. These mathematical calculations determined the accuracy and duration of the Metonic Cycle.By aligning the solar and lunar calendars, the Metonic Cycle ensured that the phases of the moon and the seasons of the year remained synchronized. This synchronization was achieved by adding seven intercalary months (30 days) to the 19-year cycle, compensatingfor the fractional difference between the lunar and solar years. The mathematical genius behind the Metonic Cycle allowed for an accurate and practical calendar system. “Ancient Greek farmers relied on the Metonic cycle to determine their agricultural practices. The Metonic cycle, based on the lunar-solar connection, played a crucial role in determining themost favorable times for planting and harvesting crops, demonstrating the practical benefits of the lunar-solar connection in everyday life. This connection allowed farmers to synchronize their agricultural activities with natural phenomena such as lunar phasesand solar seasons. By observing the patterns of the moon and the sun, farmers could accurately predict the optimal periods for planting different crops, ensuring a successful harvest. Moreover, the Metonic cycle also influenced the religious calendar of the ancient Greeks, as many religious festivals were closely tied to agricultural events. These festivals celebrated thecycles of planting, growth, and harvest, reflecting the deep connection between agricultural practices and the spiritual beliefs of Greek society. The legacy of the Metonic cycle can be seen in various modern calendars that use a lunisolar system. One example is the modern Hebrew calendar, which incorporates the Metonic cycle to ensurethe alignment of the lunar and solar years. This allows for the observance of religious holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur, to fall on the exact dates each year consistently. Another example is the Islamic calendar, which also utilizes the Metonic cycleto reconcile the lunar and solar calendars. This is particularly important for determining the dates of Islamic holidays, such as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.” (1) However, the Greeks weren’t the first civilization to use this calendar type. The ancient Babylonians and Hebrews also employed a lunar-solar calendar. The ancient Hebrew calendar was notcalculated mathematically but relied on nature and celestial objects. “Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day” (Psalm 81:3). Initially, the first of every month and year was during the first new moon of fall, but God changed it to spring in the time of Moses. The original Passover occurred in Egypt during Moses’stime before the Hebrews’ exodus occurred. To convince Pharaoh and the Egyptians to let the Hebrew people go, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. The seventh plague was when the LORD sent hail mixed with fire to all the land of Egypt, except in Goshen, where theHebrews lived. Exodus 9 says it was so heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. “And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herbof the field and broke every tree of the field” (Exodus 9:25). We know Abib (now known as Nisan) occurred in the early spring because of the following verse: “Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head, and the flax was inbud. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops” (Exodus 9:31-32). The month of the exodus was the month of the “Abib” (or Aviv) crops, the month of the year in which the crops were already known to begin to turn green each year. “And Moses said to the people: Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. On this day you are going out, in the month Abib” (Exodus 13:3-4). The wheat, coming out of the ground later, was now tender and hidden, either under the ground or in the herb, whereby it was secured both from the fire by its greenness and moisture and fromthe hail by its pliableness and yielding to it: whereas the stalks of barley were more dry and stiff, and therefore more liable to be injured and destroyed by the fire and hail. In Egypt, the wheat harvest is at least a month later than the barley harvest,which is finished by the end of March or April. “We know from several passages that barley which is in the state of Aviv has not completely ripened, but has ripened enough so that its seeds can be eaten parched in fire. Parched barley wasa commonly eaten food in ancient Israel and is mentioned in numerous passages in the Hebrew Bible as either "Aviv parched (Kalui) in fire" (Lev 2,14) or in the abbreviated form "parched (Kalui/ Kali)" (Lev 23:14; Jos 5:11; 1Sam 17:17; 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Samuel17:28; Ruth 2:14). While still early in its development, barley has not yet produced large enough and firm enough seeds to produce food through parching. This early in its development, when the "head" has justcome out of the shaft, the seeds are not substantial enough to produce any food. At a later stage, the seeds have grown in size and have filled with liquid. At this point, the seeds will shrivel up when parched and will only produce empty skins. Over timethe liquid is replaced with dry material and when enough dry material has amassed the seeds will be able to yield barley parched in fire. The month of the Aviv is the month which commences after the barley has reached the stage of Aviv. 2-3 weeks after the beginning of the month, the barley has moved beyond the stage of Avivand is ready to be brought as the "wave-sheaf offering" (Hanafat HaOmer). The "wave-sheaf offering" is a sacrifice brought from the first stalks cut in the harvest and is brought on the Sunday which falls out during Passover (Chag HaMatzot). This is describedin Lev 23:10-11, "When you come to the land which I give you, and harvest its harvest, you will bring the sheaf of the beginning of your harvest to the priest. And he will wave the sheaf before Yehovah soyou will be accepted; on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest will wave it." From this, it is clear that the barley, which was Aviv at the beginning of the month, has become harvest-ready 15-21 days later (i.e. by the Sunday during Passover). Therefore, the month ofthe Aviv can not begin unless the barley has reached a stage where it will be harvest-ready 2-3 weeks later. If the barley is not developed enough so that it will be ready for the sickle 2-3 weeks later, then the month of the Aviv can not begin and we mustwait till the following month.” {2} The wave-sheaf offering, known as the Feast of First Fruits to most Bible scholars, must occur after Passover (Nisan 14) and within the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Duringthe remaining days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (after the waving of the barley sheaf), the barley bread to be consumed was made without leaven. This is why First Fruits must be within the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the Torah, leaven represents sin.The bread represents Jesus’ body, which was without sin. Barley is the first crop to rise from the earth in early spring. Jesus is the first fruits of the first harvest to rise from the earth to eternal life with a translated eternal body. “But now Christis risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Shortly after the seventh plague and before the tenth and final plague, God told Moses and Aaron, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year toyou”(Exodus 12:1). The LORD changed the “counting of months” from the first month of fall to the first month of spring so the first calendar month of the year would now coincide with the month of the Hebrew’s new-found freedom – the month of the exodus. However,the “counting of years” would remain with the original fall calendar (the civil calendar). The LORD informed Moses and Aaron regarding the tenth and final plague, the Passover plague, in which He would kill all the firstborn (man and beast) of Egypt. The LORD instructed Moses andAaron on how to avoid the same fate as the Egyptians with the blood of the Passover lamb. The first Passover (and all God’s instructions regarding it) and subsequent days of eating only unleavened bread for seven days are described in Exodus 12:1-29). In Deuteronomy 16:6, the LORD reiterated, “You shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.” At the original Passover, in 1446BC, God changed the Hebrew calendar's start so it would be permanently anchored to the Passover when the children of Israel came out of Egypt. “Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, you shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the ritesof it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall you keep it” (Numbers 9:2-3). “The appointed season was the beginning of spring. The sun still determined the season, as the calendar’s first month would always occur around the vernal equinox (thefirst day of the astronomical spring) when the early barley crops were abib or aviv. The new moon would still begin the months, and approximately 14-16 days later, when the moon was completely full, the Passover would begin. Thus, Passover is tied to the vernalequinox and the full moon. However, you no longer watch for the day of the new moon to begin the year; instead, you assess which new moon establishes the proper day of the Passover to begin the annual remembrance! Therefore,the rule to determine the month of the abib crops (modern Nisan) is the new moon that establishes Passover on or after the Vernal Equinox. This is the same as saying the first month (Nisan) is the new moon closest to the Vernal Equinox (whether the new moonis before or after the Vernal Equinox). No other rules are added.” (3) This biblical Hebrew calendar was still in use in Jesus’ time. The moon was observed and not mathematically calculated. The crops were also observed for readiness to harvest. If the cropswere in “aviv,” during the first new moon of spring, that was the year’s first month. If the crops were not “aviv,” then an extra 13th month was added to the calendar, and the first month (Abib or Nisan) of the new year would occur on (or 1-2 two days later)the second new moon conjunction of spring (late March or April). After the Jews were forced out of the land of Israel in 135 AD and could no longer determine their calendars, as they couldn’t observe the heavenly signs from Jerusalem any longer (nor determinetheir crop’s readiness for harvest), they eventually developed a mathematically calculated calendar based on the 19-year Metonic (intercalation) cycle. In the fourth century AD, Hillel II established a fixed calendar based on mathematical and astronomical calculations (similar to Meton’s). This calendar, still in use, standardized the lengthof months (29-30 days) and the addition of months so that the lunar calendar realigns with the solar years over the course of a 19-year cycle. The modern (calculated) Hebrew calendar relies on seven intercalary months within the Metonic cycle so that religiousholidays and planting/harvests fall in their appropriate seasons, whereas the Islamic calendar does not. The 13th month (embolismic or intercalary), Adar I, is added to the cycle's 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years. We are currently, in 2024,in the 9th cycle. The modern Jewish “calculated” calendar is still used today for religious purposes. It is quite ingenious but is not as accurate as the ancient observed calendar and has many flaws. Also,through the centuries, many rules have been added by the rabbinic Jews that are not biblical. Below are just a few of them: 1. Pesach: The Passover begins on 15 Nisan and lasts for seven days in Israel and eight days outsideIsrael. It can only begin on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. 2. Shavuot: The Feast of Weeks falls on 6 Sivan or 7 Sivan outside Israel. It can only fall on Monday,Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday. 3. Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year falls on 1 Tishrei. It can only fall on Monday, Tuesday, Thursdayor Saturday. 4. Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement falls on 10 Tishrei. It can only fall on Monday, Wednesday,Thursday or Saturday. 5. Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles begins on 15 Tishrei and lasts seven days. It can only beginon Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday. 6. Certain months are restricted to 29 days, while others are restricted to 30 days. A few of themcan be either. The Hebrew Metonic cycle of 19 lunar years, which includes seven intercalary months, equals 6939 days. This is equivalent to 19 solar years. For example, the first day of the first month in2016 was Nisan 1 on the Jewish calendar and April 9, 2016, on the Gregorian calendar. The end date (6939th day) will be April 9, 2035. The following day, April 10, 2035, will be Nisan 1 on the first year of the next Metonic cycle. Nisan 1, or April 9, 2016, is approximately two days past that year's second new moon of spring (meteorological spring). Nisan 1, 2035, is also two days past the second new moon of April 8,2035. The question arises: Why is Nisan 1 reckoned by the second new moon of spring instead of the first one for these years? The answer lies within the preceding year of the 19th year of the previous Metonic cycle. The 19th year is an embolismic year (3,6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19) of 383-385 days. The 19th year was calculated from March 21, 2015, to April 8, 2016 (384 days). The first spring new moon of 2015 occurred on March 20th. So, 2016-2017 is a regular (352-355 days) year because it is year 1 on the current Metonic cycle. For this to be true regarding the rules of the calculated Jewish calendar, the starting datefor this year was April 9, 2016, and the end date was March 27, 2017 (352 total days). March 27, 2017, is actually one day ahead of the first new moon of March. April 9, 2016, is very late for a Nisan 1 date. That would put the ‘waving of the omer” (First Fruits of barley) on April 24th as reckoned by the biblical dating for this event. I wrote aboutthis in The Calculated Jewish Calendar vs. the Biblical Jewish Calendar (rev310.net). There is no reason (other than the Metonic cycle rules) that Nisan 1, 2016, shouldn’t have started during the first (meteorological) spring new moon instead of the secondone. The first new moon conjunction occurred on March 9th of that year, and the full moon conjunction occurred on March 23rd. The new moon determines the date of Nisan 1, and the full moon determinesPassover. The Feast of Firstfruits (waving of the barley omer) and Shavuot/Pentecost do not get Jewish dates until Nisan 1 is determined. Regarding Gregorian calendar dates, none of the Feasts of the Lord get dated ahead of time until Nisan 1 is determined.Of course, with the calculated Metonic calendar Israel currently uses, this is no problem. The vernal equinox (the first day of the astronomical spring) occurred on March 20, 2016, so Passover (Nisan 14) would have been after the vernal equinox. March 9, 2016, the first new moonof spring, is closer to the vernal equinox than April 7, 2017, the second new moon of spring; therefore, the first date should have been used. You (the Jews) do not want to wave the barley sheaf during the Feast of First Fruits (waving of the barley omer)if it is too ripe, as it will just fall apart. It is also necessary to begin harvesting the crops as soon as possible. I always knew the calculated Jewish calendar could be off by a few days because of these rules. Still, I didn’t realize until recently that it might be off by a month from the astronomicallyBiblical calendar. This error occurs more often in the modern Hebrew calendar as the centuries progress. This problem is well recognized, even in modern Judaism. “Applying the Metonic cycle to the Hebrew calendar is perfectly fine over the whole 19-year cycle,but it is wrong to apply the “rules” of the Metonic cycle by its rigid schedule of intercalation within any 19-year period. The actual moon should declare which year should be the intercalary year, not a rigid, predetermined schedule! The modern, authoritative calendar of Israel applies the rigid but erred Metonic cycle to their calendar, while the Biblical calendar only intercalates when Passover would naturally fall atthe time of the Vernal Equinox. We have seen in recent years that the modern, Calculated calendar of Judaism is more and more divergent from the real sun, moon, and stars. In some years, the date of Passover and all commanded moedim as determined by the authorizedcalendar fall in the wrong lunar month. 2016 and 2019 are examples. And it will happen again in 2024, 2027, 2030, 2035, and 2038.” {4} The other rule for determining which spring new moon to use for reckoning Nisan 1 is crop readiness. If the crops in Israel aren’t in a state of “aviv” during the first new moon of spring,then the following new moon would be Nisan 1. Now that the Jews are back in the land of Israel, they should get rid of the calculated Hebrew calendar and go back to an observational calendar. They will need the correct calendar when they build the third templein Jerusalem during Daniel’s 70th week (especially on the Day of Atonement). Regardless, we know that the Lord Jesus will fulfill the last three Feasts of the Lord on the appointed days as He did during the first four Feasts. As I mentioned before, the Metonic cycle correlates with the identical Gregorian calendar dates after approximately 6939 days or 19 years. It’s nearly exact, but the Metonic cycle is 2 hours,4 minutes, and 58 seconds (or approximately 2.083 hours) longer than 19 tropical years. So, approximately every 218.92 years, the dates will be off by one day. Let’s look at the upcoming year 2025 and go back in time from there. The (first) new moon of springfor 2025 is March 29th. The first new moon of spring for 1816 (twelve 19-year Metonic cycles or 209 years from 2025) is March 28th. If you went all the way back to the time of Jesus, the date for the first new moon of spring for 30 AD (the first year of Jesus’ ministry) would have been March 20th using the proleptic Gregoriancalendar (and the Astro Pixels website). 30 AD is 1995 years (or 105 Metonic cycles) from 2025 AD. There are 2.083 hours of difference between any two Metonic cycles. In this example, there are 105 Metonic cycles, so 105 x 2.083 hours = 218.72 hours. To converthours into days, we must divide 218.72 hours by 24. This will result in 9.11 days. March 29 (2025 AD) to March 20 (30 AD) is 9 days difference (without reckoning the hours of the new moon conjunctions). I use AstroPixels - Six Millennium Catalog of Phases of the Moon for reckoning the moon’s phases throughout the millennia. The calendar date changed from Thursday, October 4, 1582 AD (Juliancalendar) to Friday, October 15, 1582 AD, when 11 days were added, and the new Gregorian calendar took effect throughout most of the world. For a more accurate reckoning of dates, I use the proleptic Gregorian calendar, which is just extending the Gregoriancalendar backward to dates preceding its official introduction. The date for the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere ranges from March 19 – March 21 on the Gregorian calendar. Every 400 years, going backward or forward, the vernal equinox falls onthe same time and date. Example: The time and date for the vernal equinox in 1625, 2025, and 2425 is 9:00 (GMT) on March 20. Isn’t it amazing that next year, in 2025, we will be in the same time frame as when Jesus began his earthly ministry? The two spring new moons are nearly identical except for a nine-day difference(out of 1995 years). Could it be we are in the season of the Lord’s return? In the next installment, we will go even further back into the time of Moses and Joshua and look at the timing of the first three Passovers (and the new moons that preceded them) recordedin the Bible. Until then, “Look up, and lift your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). Randy Nettles rgeanie55@gmail.com Randy Nettles | Profile (rev310.net) – archived articles Endnotes: {1} Understanding the Metonic Cycle: The Lunisolar Logic of the Ancient Greek Calendar (calendarculture.com) {2} nehemiaswall.com/aviv-barley-in-the-biblical-calendar {3} Calendar Basics (therefinersfire.org) {4} The Hebrew Calendar Month (therefinersfire.org)

God Doesn’t Lie: The Danger Of ‘Spiritualizing’ Biblical Prophecy

 God Doesn’t Lie: The Danger Of ‘Spiritualizing’ Biblical Prophecy – By Hal Lindsey - https://harbingersdaily.com/god-doesnt-lie-the-danger-of-spiritualizing-biblical-prophecy/ Millions of Christians look at end-times prophecy like a giant, undiscernible maze. But, as with so many seemingly complex systems, there is a key that unlocks everything. The key to unlockingBible prophecy is this — GOD NEVER LIES! Through the centuries, theologians came across prophecies they either didn’t like or that seemed impossible. So, they would fudge. It’s as if they were thinking, “God goofed up a little here,so I’ll explain it away.” Where His Word makes a plain statement of fact, they would hedge. “It says one thing, but it must mean something else,” they would explain. Bible interpretation loses its integrity when people begin to read into it whatever they wantto find. For instance, God made certain promises to Abraham. But the obvious interpretation of those promises involves things theologians of the Middle Ages either did not like or that did not seempossible. So, they “spiritualized” the promises. They didn’t like the fact that the obvious interpretation was a promise to Abraham’s physical descendants through the line of Isaac (and later Jacob). A Christian theologian of the dark ages would interpretthat to mean, “a promise to Jews.” But, generally speaking, they didn’t like Jews. They wanted Jews relegated to the trash heap of history. It’s the same thing so many around the world still want. Their other problem was that they just couldn’t see how the promises to Abraham regarding his descendants could come true. With every century that the Jews remained dispersed around the world,the more implausible the promises seemed. That is, they seemed implausible… until God started to miraculously fulfill those promises. But by then, most theologians were locked into the old antisemitic, anti-Jew, and anti-Israel thinking. It had become a matter of faith (or maybe anti-faith) that God would not literally fulfillHis promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others. So, when He began to fulfill His Word before everyone’s eyes, they denied it was happening. Some of them say that modern Israel cannot be the fulfillment of Bible prophecy because, as a nation, they have not repented and turned to Messiah Jesus. God promises that will happen, sohow can today’s Israel be the renewed nation promised in prophecy? Prophecy itself answers the question. Ezekiel 36 explains that Israel would be brought back together and to the land. Then, at some point after being brought back, they would experience a nationalrepentance. Notice that they will first return to the land, and then return to God. In Ezekiel 36:24-25, God says to the people of Israel, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all thelands, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness.” We don’t know the timing, but the order is clear — return, and then be cleansed. The next chapter, Ezekiel 37, pictures the children of Israel as a bunch of bones in an ancient cemetery — utterly dry, and with the bones dispersed all over the place. In verse 4, God saidto Ezekiel, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” In verses 7-8, Ezekiel testifies, “As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, andbehold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.” In the following verses, God gives them the breath of life. Here again, we see the order. First, they are reassembled. Then, after being reunited in the land, they receive the breath of life. That’s where we are now. Israel is being reassembled beforeour eyes. As a whole, they don’t yet have the breath of life, but we can know that it’s coming because God said it would. And GOD NEVER LIES!

God’s appointment of leaders

 God’s appointment of leaders - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Romans 13:1-2 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resiststhe ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” These words have been used through the ages by governments and even churches to subjugate Christians. But Peter in Acts 5:29 directly disobeyed the ruling leaders, saying, “Weought to obey God rather than men.” Due to a lack of understanding, some just dismiss the seemingly conflicting statements with cliché’s that no one can argue with, like “God is in control” and “God appoints all leaders.” God’s word, however, explains it perfectly. In Deuteronomy 16:18-21, Moses establishes the concept of God’s government upon earth. Moses commanded the Israelites to appoint judges and policemen for every city in the Promised Land tokeep the peace, and resolve controversies. The judges were to make their rulings righteously and without partiality. He then prophesied that the Israelites may have a king, but God then set forth certain perimeters: “Be sure to appoint over you the king theLORD chooses (Deuteronomy 17:14-15).” The king was not to have too many wives, horses, or gold and silver. He did not make the law, and he was subject to it like everyone else. It is in the context of only God has the right to rule over humanity that informsPaul via Romans 13:1-7 and Peter in Acts 5:29. In his exhaustive contextual study of Romans 13:1-7 with the writings of both Paul and Peter, Greg Herrick of Dallas Theological Seminary states that “Paul is not putting his carte blancheon all government actions per se, but is instead upholding the principle of “government and order” as an end towards responsible, peaceful living in a fallen world. When a government fulfills its functions of maintaining peace, and generally protects the welfareof its people, both against those from within and without who would threaten these things, then it is carrying out the end to which it was appointed. It must be obeyed even if some things are tough—e. g. paying high taxes. But, when it crosses these boundariesand becomes an instrument for evil, violating the explicit will of God as outlined in Scripture, then it must not be followed (i.e. obeyed) at that point.” Herein is the crux of submission to the authority of governmental leaders: God is the originator and establisher of government authority. From their Jewish background, both Peter and Paulrecognized that governing order by God’s law is not a terror to people, but a necessity of responsible, peaceful living protecting the general welfare of the people. When that government or authorities become an instrument of evil, however, our God-given humanagency requires us to submit to God rather than man. Leaders are to be servants unto people, not promoting themselves to god-like stature in their governance. So when you hear the cliché’s about God appointing all leaders and we have to obey them even if theyare an instrument of evil, understand the truth of the context of Godly authority and godless authority. Sources: https://bible.org/article/paul-and-civil-obedience-romans-131-7

Grafted in—not replace

 Grafted in—not replace - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There is a rising stench of antisemitism in America and around the world. It is not just propagated by those terrorist sympathizers that we see demonstrating in the streets of major cities.It is also spread among those who would call themselves “Christians” because they believe the “Church” replaced Israel and the Jews as God’s chosen people. There couldn’t be anything more misguided and against scripture. Yet this sentiment is a growing wildfirereaching to the height of the heavens. My friend, Aaron Fruh, President of Israel Team Advocates, whose mission is to change the growing anti-Israel narrative on college campuses, explained the rising antisemitism in Christianity, in The Times of Israel. He writes: “The Evangelical anti-Zionist and Antisemitic organization Christ at the Checkpoint (CATC) held its biannual conference in Bethlehem of Judea this past May at Bethlehem Bible College.In 2017, the NGO Monitor reported that “Christ at the Checkpoint seeks to advance the Palestinian nationalist agenda within Evangelical Christian churches while simultaneously reviving theological antisemitic themes such as replacement theology…Other anti-Jewishthemes promoted at CATC include the de-Judaizing of Jesus and the promotion of a racial theory of Jewish origins.” This year’s CATC conference pivoted—leapt would be a better description—from its traditional theological foundation of Supersessionism (the falsenarrative that the church has replaced Israel and Palestinian Christians are the rightful owners of Jewish land). He continued, “Gone were the old-guard supersessionists like former Wheaton College New Testament theologian Dr. Gary Burge, who denies Jewish ownership of the land of Israel in his book WhoseLand, Whose Promise, and on page 176 demands that Israeli Jews who do not convert to Christianity should be burned: “The people of Israel cannot claim to be planted as vines in the land, they cannot be rooted in the vineyard unless first they are grafted intoJesus. Branches that attempt living in the land, the vineyard, which refuse to be attached to Jesus will be cast out and burned.” Murderous language like this evokes the not-too-distant memory of Jews burned in the gas chambers by German Christians who tooktheir Supersessionism to a whole new level by copying the ancient Inquisitors who favored burning Jews alive in Synagogues. Fruh continues, “It also evokes the recent memory on October 7th, 2023, of Palestinian terrorists—inspired by Supersessionists—who burned to death Jewish men, women, and children.” Romans11;17-18 says of the Gentiles and Jews, “… you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do notsupport the root, but the root supports you.” Supersessionism is dangerous. Remember Jesus and his disciples are Jews. They wanted us all to be one. Romans 11:21 warns, “ for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.” Replacementtheology, Supersessionism, is dangerous. Remember Jesus and his disciples are Jews. They wanted us all to be one.

How God Defines Greatness (1 Samuel 18:5-16)

 How God Defines Greatness (1 Samuel 18:5-16) - By Donald Whitchard - 1 Samuel 18:5-16; Proverbs 26:12, 27:2 Greatness, according to the world’s standards, is measured by things such as achievements, status, education, wealth, and individual or corporate contributions to society. While these traitsare admirable, they can also be a source of pride, selfishness, self-centeredness, and arrogance. God’s definition of greatness is different. It is not defined in terms of material indulgence or satisfaction but instead is based upon how we live our lives,leaving behind a testimony of character and a good reputation. This is especially true for anyone who defines themselves as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our talk about Jesus should be in line with our walk. This principle was present in the life of godly men and women who graced the pages of the Old Testament. In our look at the life of David,we read that his character and reputation were built upon God’s definition of what makes a person great. 1 Samuel 18:5-16 gives us the background: “So, David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he behaved wisely. And Saul sent him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’sservants. Now it happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musicalinstruments. So, the women sang as they danced, and said: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousand.’ Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him, and he said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousand, and to me they have ascribedonly thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?’ So, Saul eyed David from that day forward. “And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So, David played music with his hand as at other times, but therewas a spear in Saul’s hand. Saul cast the spear, for he said, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But David escaped his presence twice. Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. Therefore, Saul removed him from hispresence, and made him a captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel andJudah loved David, because he went out and came in before them” (NKJV). Three times in this chapter, we read the phrase, “David behaved himself wisely.” It means “to walk properly” or “a person who knows how to carry themselves.” This goes beyond just having goodmanners (which would benefit this nation and the world today) but also refers to anybody who watches what they say, what they do, and how they act because they know they are being watched. In other words, we see the development of maturity and responsibilityin David even though he is still a youth. After David defeated Goliath (1 Samuel 17:48-52), he then continued to prove himself to be a loyal and faithful subject as the days progressed. He did not allow his ego to override his responsibilities.While David had been anointed to be the next king of Israel, he also knew that he needed to take each step one at a time and not let ambition get in the way of God’s perfect timing. Even when Saul tried to kill him, David carried himself in the right way bynot allowing bitterness, anger, or sense of revenge to overcome him. He continued instead to set a good example. By the providence of God, he had become more popular than Saul, had married into Saul’s family, and had been both blessed and made prosperous greatly throughout Israel. David did not let anyof this take precedence over his desire to wait upon the LORD. He continued to carry himself in spite of the opportunity for self-promotion. David set priorities in his life that overcame the difficulties he faced from Saul (vv.10-11). David knew that the king was against him, yet he kept his composure and played the harp in frontof Saul. He had a job to do and did it faithfully. David showed his steadfastness by keeping calm even though Saul attempted to kill him, not once, but twice! David kept at his post. He knew that Saul’s rage would not prevent him from what God had established. We read that Saul hated David and wanted him dead. Saul looked at David with the eyes of a jealous man who was everything he was not. Saul saw how David carried himself and kept himself cleanmorally. In the beginning, Saul had shown promise but instead lived a life of defiance before the LORD. As a result, God took the kingdom away from him and had given it to a peasant boy who had herded sheep for his father’s house. While Saul had all the trappingsof royalty and nobility, David wrapped himself in the robe of faith and devotion to God in spite of the circumstances. David’s character did not go unnoticed by Saul’s subjects, servants, and immediate family. He had the love of Michal, Saul’s daughter, and of Jonathan, who saw in David the noble and godlycharacter that would shape his life in the years to come. The main point is that David relied upon the LORD and was devoted to doing His will no matter what was going on around him. He behaved and carried himself as a real man of God and someonewhom the people trusted and loved. What a difference between the example of David and the examples of “manhood” that society has imposed upon us in these last days! Today’s latte-sipping, bun-wearing, effeminate soy-boys whostill live with their parents and complain about everything while posting memes on their thousand-dollar phones and laptops are unbiblical examples of what God expects of men. Men like David are hard to find, but, thank the LORD, they are still around, takingon the responsibility expected of them, caring for their families, earning a living, and being role models for their wives and children in accordance with God’s Word. May the LORD forgive us for letting the world tell us how to act as men and women of God. Let us reclaim the standards set before us in Scripture and be able to stand before the LORD Jesus,presenting Him the fruit of our labor, done in His will. Do not end up, as many will, with the smell of smoke upon them and nothing in their hands except the charred remains of wood, hay, and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). donaldwhitchard@outlook.com www.realitycityreverend.com www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview/streams

The debate: American voters lose out

 The debate: American voters lose out - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump revealed four main takeaways: 1) Harris showed better than anyone expected; 2) Trump spent most of the night countering Harris lies abouthim; 3) The moderators “fact checked” Trump and helped Harris by not pressing her on her lack of substance and lies; and 4) The candidates clearly have two distinct and opposite visions of America. One has a vision of government subsidies (tax money) solvingall the problems that government policy has created. The other’s vision is of a nation in great decline because of failed government policies that must be corrected. Overall, American lost out because the moderators made the debate a sham. The expectations were so low for Kamala Harris that all she had to really do was show up and not cackle after every statement and she would be hailed by the pundits as the winner of the debate.That she accomplished. The media is fawning over her in the aftermath. She came across as well-rehearsed, stayed on point, articulate, but lied and twisted the truth about herself and her opponent throughout the debate. She dodged questions on her record,conjured up false narratives, and mocked Trump through both her words and facial expressions. She claimed that Trump was the candidate of division and she was the candidate of vision. Hers’ was a tremendous showing of projection—accusing others of exactlywhat she was doing. Trump on the other hand spoke directly about the negative impact the Biden-Harris Administration has had on America. His driving theme was that America is in trouble and Harris and her Marxistpolicies were to blame. He often spoke in hyperbole, which sparked correction from the moderators. The issues, however, that Trump raised—immigration, crime, inflation, cost of energy, food, housing are among those that Americans are dealing with every day.Trump’s anger at what the Biden-Harris Administration has done to this country was clearly evident. He exposed several times the weaponization of government by Biden-Harris against him and citizens, the incompetence of Harris, and the danger ahead becauseof her weaknesses. The moderators were clearly biased. They fact-checked Trump no less than seven times and allowed Harris to lie at will. They let Harris off the hook on debunked hoaxes about Trump’s statementson race, very fine people, bloodbath, disparaging the military, etc. They allowed the debate to focus on the scandals conjured up by the Democratic Party against Trump rather than holding Harris accountable to her waffling and lying about abortion, the military,Israel, and a multitude of false narratives about Trump. Harris was clearly aided by the moderators. Who won? The Marxists. Who lost? The American voters. Once again the media could not be trusted to impartiality. They skewed the debate in favor of Harris.Proverbs 11:1 says “A false balance is abomination to the Lord.” It should be detestable to the rest of us, too.

Imminent!

 Imminent! – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/09/08/imminent/ My friend Chris sent me an email with a link to an interview between an author and a CBS Mornings host. The title of the book being discussed was Imminent: The Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs. The word “imminent” naturally piqued my friend’s tendency to link the urgency integral to that word’s meaning to the same word’s urgency as related to the Rapture. And he knew it would garnermy interest, too. The Rapture is an imminent event; that is, it can happen at any moment, without warning. Our purpose here is to urge our audience, if saved by belief in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on thecross at Calvary, to be “Rapture ready” by being in God’s will when that great event occurs. We urge our readers who aren’t yet saved to accept Christ now, this moment. Jesus is the only Way to be transported into the clouds of Glory and onward into Heaven.All others will be, as the title of the series by my friends Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins puts it: Left Behind. The Rapture, of course, is that moment (in the “twinkling of an eye”) when millions will vanish from the earth when Jesus calls them (1 Thessalonians 4:16—18). I say “is” that moment, ratherthan “will be” that moment, because that calling is as good as already done in God’s omniscient, omnipresent view of things. Nothing can change that scheduled time when Jesus shouts, “Come up here!” as He did in calling John into Heaven to witness things tocome following the Church Age (Revelation 4:1). And, again, that calling is imminent. That is, the Rapture can take place at any moment. There is no sign or signal that is to precede that great event. If one is to be Rapture ready, one must be so at all times. There will be no time to get ready. The time is now—right this moment—to be prepared, in the salvation sense, for that (twinkling-of-an-eye)instant when Jesus calls. And that is the gloriously wonderful thing about the matter of the imminent Rapture. If you have accepted Christ, you will go to Him when He calls. No believer—no child of God—will be leftbehind to suffer the judgment and wrath that will, following that call, begin to descend upon the world of left-behind earth dwellers. I take it that the author’s book, Imminent: The Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs, involves the belief that UFOs, or as they are called now by the government, UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena), arethreatening us. According to the brief interview I heard, I presume the book warns that visitors from other worlds are on the verge of invading our planet. In that regard, I think all we have to do is to glance around our society, culture, and every other aspect of the human condition to know that indeed there is an invasion from another world:the interlopers from the other dimension Paul described: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians6:12) Bible prophecy scholars like the late Chuck Missler undertook in-depth studies on these interlopers from the dark dimension. Writers and speakers like L. A. Marzulli continue to present greatresearch about this end-times invasion. I, myself, have delved into fictional accounts of the matters involving UFOs—for example, with my novel The Rapture Dialogues. I’ve written many times that I, as do others from the pre-Trib view of prophecy, believe the imminent invasion feared to come from other worlds (as even our government now expresses) willbe part of the big lie Antichrist will foist upon those who are left behind. The people of the earth have endured many decades of being prepped/inculcated by the nefarious powers that be for that coming invasion, the time when the false prophet of Revelation13 will call fire down from the skies. Seeing this big lie taking shape, so far as it involves that coming supposed invasion from space, and discerning these times that look more and more like the Tribulation era to come, it istruly time to expect the greatest imminent event of history this side of the Second Advent. Again, here is Paul’s heads-up on that occurrence: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive andremain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18) As always, for those who read this and don’t know Jesus for the salvation of your soul, you don’t want to be left behind when that invasion from Satan’s forces assaults the planet during theseven years of Tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week). Here is how to make sure you go instantly to Jesus Christ when He calls all believers to Himself in the Rapture: 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 believes unto righteousness;and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)

The Sun Is Doing Something That It Is Not Supposed To Do

 The Sun Is Doing Something That It Is Not Supposed To Do, And That Could Mean Big Trouble In The Months Ahead- by Michael Snyder - https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/the-sun-is-doing-something-that-it-is-not-supposed-to-do-and-that-could-mean-big-trouble-in-the-months-ahead/ The giant ball of fire that our planet revolves around has been far more active than scientists originally anticipated this year, and that could have very serious implications for all of usin the months ahead. Fluctuations in solar activity affect our climate more than anything else does, and we also tend to see more earthquakes when solar activity is at elevated levels. The current solar cycle is supposed to reach a peak at some point duringthe next 12 months, but so far there are no signs that solar activity is slowing down. In fact, the average number of sunspots that we witnessed last month was the highest that we have seen since 2001… The average number of sunspots reached 215.5 in August, according to the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center at the Royal Observatory in Belgium. It’s the highest number since Sept.-Dec.2001, according to SpaceWeather.com. July’s total was 196.5. Last month, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a preliminary statement that solar activity is at its highest since March 2001. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Scientists were originally projecting that we would see about half as many sunspots during the month of August… Experts had predicted that August would only see half as many sunspots, indicating that the solar maximum is imminent, and it may be more active than anticipated, possibly bringing intensesolar flares and coronal mass ejections. The number of sunspots has been increasing at an exponential rate for the past couple of months. Hopefully we will get a reprieve here in September. Because if we don’t, we could see more severe geomagnetic storms like we did in May… In May 2024, Earth experienced its strongest geomagnetic storm in over 20 years, with auroras visible much farther south than usual, including regions as far as Florida and Mexico. If anotherlarge sunspot appears around the time of the September equinox, it could lead to a similar or even stronger event. When a very large geomagnetic storm occurs, it can disrupt our lives in countless ways. Back in May, even farm equipment was dramatically affected… Ronald Rabon, the owner of Double R Farms, said back in May when the G-5 extreme solar magnetic levels occurred, he was out spraying his cotton field when his equipment started acting up. “I didn’t know what was wrong with it,” Rabon said. “All I knew, it was, and you could get it straightened up and go for a few minutes. And it might go 20, 30 minutes and whatever minutesfrom then, all of a sudden, you’d be going through the field and it might just take a left.” Rabon said one of the biggest problems with the solar flares is preventing his sprayers from being accurate. His GPS uses precise alignments for spraying, and when knocked out of its track,could overspray his crop and kill it. Of course if our planet is hit by a large enough storm, it could fry power grids, take down the Internet, and cause massive societal problems all over the world. Hopefully such a scenario will not play out any time soon. All of the solar activity that we have been witnessing is also the primary reason why there has been so much intense heat this summer… Summer broke global heat records for the second straight year, scientists have confirmed — putting 2024 firmly on track to be the hottest year in recorded history. The period between June and August — summer in the Northern Hemisphere — was the world’s hottest such period since records began in 1940, according to data published Friday by Copernicus,Europe’s climate change service. Much more importantly, there tends to be a lot of seismic activity when solar activity is very high, and that is precisely what has been occurring. In particular, a lot of experts are quite alarmed about all of the shaking that we have seen in California lately… Residents in California experienced a swarm of five earthquakes within the last 48 hours. A 4.4-magnitude was felt in the north around Lake County on Saturday and two more struck the area the following evening, ranked as a 2.7 and 2.8-magnitude. Locals in southern California also reported two more quakes on Saturday, with the largest ranking a 3.9-magnitude. Within the past 7 days, there have been more than 900 earthquakes in California and Nevada. As I discussed the other day, I am extremely concerned about the instability that we have been witnessing on the west coast. This is something that I will be watching very, very closely during the months to come. In my brand new book, I explain why I believe that we have entered a time when we will see historicearthquakes of absolutely epic proportions. Of course it isn’t just the U.S. that will be affected. There has also been a lot of shaking south of the border lately too. On September 6th, a gigantic crack in the Earth that suddenly opened up actually swallowed four cows… A large earth crack opened in Ejido J. Cruz Gálvez, located in the Hermosillo municipality of Sonora, Mexico, on September 6, 2024, swallowing four cows. The crack is reported to be approximately 3 km (1.8 miles) long and 1.5 m (5 feet) wide, with a depth of 4 m (13 feet) in some sections. According to the rancher who recorded a video of the crack, it swallowed four cows. Local authorities have not yet issued any statements regarding the matter. It is not normal for a crack in the Earth that is 3 kilometers long to appear out of nowhere. When will people finally start to wake up? Our planet is becoming increasingly unstable, and this should deeply alarm all of us. Meanwhile, the skies above our heads are becoming increasingly active as well. For example, a giant space rock that is “approximately the size of two football fields” will come flying by our planet on September 15th… An asteroid approximately the size of two football fields is set to make a close approach to Earth this month. According to the New York Post, the 720-foot-wide asteroid named 2024 ON, willpass around 620,000 miles from our planet on September 15. While this distance might seem vast, it’s remarkably close in astronomical terms – equivalent to just 2.6 times the distance between our planet and the Moon. However, it poses no threat to Earth. The good news is that this particular giant space rock is definitely going to miss us. In the future, we may not be so fortunate. So much is happening in the skies above our heads, but most of the population is not paying attention. Unfortunately, it is just a matter of time before major events start to happen that none of us will be able to ignore.

Power of the Air Evil

 Power of the Air Evil – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/09/09/power-of-the-air-evil/ While we approach the 2024 presidential election, we’re once again subjected to the evil festering within the mainstream media at every level. Whether it’s general or entertainment news, all,in one way or another, is geared to pump up the party and candidates of their preference and not only diminish, but destroy, all opposition to their view of the way America and the world should be governed. And that way has become radicalized and perverted. The power of the mainstream media to shape opinion, thus pervert society and culture, is used by the dark force the Apostle Paul called “powers and principalities in high places” (Ephesians6:12). As I’ve mentioned before, something exciting is building toward a profound event, I believe. God Himself intervened, reached down, and in front of the entire world prevented the assassinationof one of the candidates. This isn’t mere coincidence. Something is up. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, it’s exciting to contemplate what that something might be. Jesus told us to “look up and lift our heads” when we “see all these things begin tocome to pass.” Things haven’t changed for the better in the matter of the media’s harmful influence, but have gotten progressively worse since the time leading up to the 2020 presidential election. The articlethat follows was written in 2019, and I present it again here as a reminder of the evil the nation faces while the November date of electing the next president nears. ******* Many an elderly former television network broadcaster doubtless engages in ever-recurring conversations while sipping his favorite evening libation. “Remember how we once ruled the airwaves?” might be one such conversation starter. “Yeah. In the old days we could say it on the evening news, and by noon the next day, public opinion would begin to come around,” the commiserating drinking partner might say. I can imagine a Dan Rather type and some other no-longer-relevant propagandist lamenting as the tonic and gin or bourbon on the rocks burns a liquid trail down their once-golden throats. “Those were the good, old days,” one shakes his head, blinks, and calls to the bartender for a refill. “There’s no leadership to ever bring those days back,” I can hear the other saying. “Now they all go their separate ways.… There are far too many of them to ever come together.” “It almost makes you see the need for the power of dictatorship…for the good of the republic,” the Dan Rather-type says, taking the first sip from his newly refreshed beverage. “Yeah. We used to at least have that kind of influence over public opinion…for the good of the republic,” the other aging broadcaster puts in. They must dream happily of when they and their network colleagues had the three-network monopoly. Now, it must be a nightmare that they live through daily. Their personal influence is no more—thepower of their profession significantly diminished. That this is the case is plainly presented in polls taken about how America’s people feel about that profession. Always, news media, as being trustworthy in the eyes of the public, ranks verynear the bottom of those polls. If there ever was a question about why that ranking is so low, we need only to think on the past three years or so. It would almost seem that our two aging former anchors need not worry for a second about the ability of the news conglomerate to speak with the power of one. The mainstream news media hascoalesced in a way that ABC, CBS, and NBC would have never done when they had, collectively, nearly sole power of the air. It is true that today’s now fractionalized mainstream news media, as individual news forums, draw infinitesimally small numbers of viewers in comparison to the numbers drawn by the big threenetworks during the good old days. But the power exerted by the new collective—the fractionalized mainstream media—is, I’m convinced, even more powerful than that wielded by the big three those years earlier. The proof is the absolutely fanatical cohesion that this new media collective has cemented. Before the months leading up to Donald J. Trump’s election to the presidency, the news conglomerate at least pretended to be independent from one another. Following Trump becoming the Republicancandidate and up to the present hour, those news forums have melded as one to destroy this president. They have, in the process, infected about half of the adults of America with an insane rage that I’ve characterized a number of times as “a reprobate mind”—the same mindset described by theApostle Paul in Romans 1:28. In this sense, the new mainstream news media is far more effective than the big three that pretended to be independent of each other in trying to shape public opinion. This media today isas driven in its insane rage as are the left-wing, anti-God public they possess. And “possession” is what it amounts to, in my estimation. I can say this because at the black heart of this propagandist cabal is the chief minion of the underworld. And this is provable, biblically. Broadcast—at least as originally conceived and implemented—projected out over the airwaves. They were received by the antennae of those who tuned in to the news, entertainment programs, andcommercials. So, as the broadcast industry was foundational, that method—“over the air”—was the progenitor of this new mainstream media. This evil cabal, although fractionalized as being individual entities, is totally conjoined in delivering messages their master director wants delivered. That director is indeed the maestro—who, for the time being, is allowed to be infernal minister of propaganda to seduce and delude the rebellious among earth’s inhabitants. He is undertakingthat goal with a massive effort. Here is scriptural proof of his temporary right to his position as master of deluding all who will watch and listen: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. (Ephesians2:2) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Satan is the prince of the power of the air. He is using that power in a literal way to seek out and devour as many as he can delude. He has, during this last three and a half years, managedto seduce and bring into his insane rage nearly half of the adult population of the United States of America, it appears. But the God of Heaven has not left us without defense against this evil prince and his media minions. God’s Word tells of this protection for the Christian—all who believe in Jesus Christfor salvation: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4) ******* While carrying out the Great Commission Jesus gave believers, we are, as Paul exhorted, to be “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour JesusChrist” (Titus 2:13). Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The World Is Living on Borrowed Time!

 The World Is Living on Borrowed Time! – By Jan Markell - https://harbingersdaily.com/jan-markell-the-world-is-living-on-borrowed-time/ When 2024 dawned, now so many months ago, very few could have seen the turmoil that lay ahead. It’s just as well. Only God can handle foreknowledge, and since He knows the end from the beginning,nothing catches Him by surprise. He doesn’t orchestrate chaos, but He allows it so that we can have wake-up calls and keep eternity in perspective. I want to highlight just five scenarios that are what I believe to be turning points in this present year. To a certain degree, they take one’s breath away. Death Is Celebrated The believer loves life and wants to enjoy it forever—and will in a heavenly home. Our number one job is to find as many people as possible who can take this journey with us. We choose life,which culminates in eternal life. At the August Democrat National Convention, very few chose life. Abortion was glorified. With a carnival-like atmosphere, people were encouraged to make themselves extinct by sacrificing children on all sorts of platforms! A mobile abortion clinic awaitedin the parking lot of the DNC. A dozen baby lives were exterminated on the spot. The lunacy was staggering with people walking around like they were a birth control pill or an IUD. Clearly, it was demonic. Who could have imagined? Presidential Candidates Removed The summer of 2024 saw both presidential candidates removed, although one survived an assassination attempt, and as of late summer, he is still running for president. The point is, the globalistswant to install their candidate for their end-time purposes. They are pressing on towards their one-world government and agenda. Certain people are in the way. God controls the timing of their success but they haven’t figured that out. They are alwaysin a hurry, but they can’t run ahead of God’s time frame. Lauding Paganism—Announcing the Antichrist The 2024 Olympics in Paris celebrated hedonism, paganism, and debauchery, and took an unspeakable swipe at the Lord Jesus Christ. The recent Olympics may be the greatest globalist extravaganzaever. This year’s event made believers glad that we are secure in the love of God and His plan for the end of the age. Christians who are aware of the Olympic antics are righteously indignant at the attack God got on the global stage. Mocking the Lord’s Supperset a new level of indignation towards the One who created the universe and spared humanity from sin’s consequences. Clearly, this event was announcing the Antichrist, who hasn’t actually shown up yet because this isn’t his time! But symbolically, he rode in on a white horse. Again, could you have anticipatedsuch an outrage? Israel is Being Set Up She is being betrayed, even by once strong supporters in Washington D.C. She is isolated and viewed as a burdensome stone (Zechariah 12:3). Almost everyone Israel trusts lets her down. Shewill drop her guard one more time when the Antichrist comes along to sweep her off her feet. But the set-up is in process. When she was attacked on October 7, 2023, a natural response would have been global support. Just the opposite happened. Global antisemitism enveloped the entireworld. It has been so stunning one could not have perceived this level of hate that is actually unique to the 1930s and sadly, to this modern generation. College campuses, marches, and demonstrations globally have reignited the Nazi passion to “gas the Jews.” Again, it has been breathtaking, and the panorama is set to further explode this falland winter. Jews have been reprogrammed in recent months to run and hide. The Gog-Magog Players are Ready Four of the five major participants to the Russian invasion of Israel, also known as Gog-Magog, are flexing their muscles today. Russia, Iran, and Turkey have united in very recent years withan early foreshadowing of Ezekiel 38-39. Sudan is engaged in a brutal civil war but has Russian soldiers throughout the African country. She could easily participate in the taking of a “spoil” in Israel as outlined in Ezekiel’s passage.Israel’s wealth would be a great relief to impoverished Sudan. And the brutal Sudanese regime would rather steal it than produce it. I have just outlined five scenarios that have serious consequences and a biblical reference. In a sense, no previous generation has observed this kind of alignment and convergence in theseareas. Once again, who could have imagined? Really, no one. And there are so many more. Time is short, friends. The world is living on borrowed time.

November’s Election Will Determine Many Things

 November’s Election Will Determine Many Things… But Israel’s Existence Isn’t One of Them – By Robert Gottselig - https://harbingersdaily.com/novembers-election-will-determine-many-things-but-israels-existance-isnt-one-of-them/ Last week, I discussed how the world was quick to blame Israel for the death of the six murdered hostages instead of placing the blame squarely on the demonic death cult of Hamas, who killedthem. Israel, especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was condemned for not securing a ceasefire for a hostage deal. To be clear, the blame lies entirely with the terrorist organization, not the Jewish State. It reminds me of Isaiah 5:20, a verse that appropriately describes the state of our world today,not only concerning Israel, but everything we see happening in our society. In this verse, God says, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Now we have leaders praising the anti-Israel protesters. Such was the case last week with Democratic Vice Presidential nominee and Governor Tim Walz. World Israel News reported that Walz,speaking about the protesters in Michigan, stated, “I think those folks who are speaking out loudly in Michigan are speaking out for all the right reasons. It’s a humanitarian crisis. It can’t stand the way it is, and we need to find a way that people canlive together in this.” The report described: Walz put pressure on Israel, without mentioning Hamas, to find a two-state solution, calling on “the Netanyahu government to start moving in that direction.” Walz’s comments come as large anti-Israel protests plague Michigan… Walz’s support also echoes that of his boss, Vice President Harris, who defended anti-Israel agitators, saying she “understandsthe emotion behind it” in a July interview. “They are showing exactly what the human emotion should be as a response to Gaza,” Harris said. Wow. Pointing the finger at Israel and having more sympathy for Hamas and the Palestinians is despicable, to say the least. These protesters are chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” How is it possible for anyone to praise that? Additionally, this idea that Israel needs to move in the direction of a two-state solution and that it’s all their fault is ludicrous! The situation in Gaza is all on Hamas and the Palestinianswho continue to support them. As long as the Palestinians love death more than life and teach their children to hate and kill Jews, not much is going to change. As for the two-state solution, the Arabs had that chance in 1937 and 1947. The so-called Palestinians had two states offered to them on at least four separate occasions. The Arab-Palestinianssaid no. The reason for this is defined in their mantra, “From The River To The Sea, Palestine Will Be Free,” which speaks of the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea—that means no Israel. They want the entirety of the land. Somehow, the devil has convinced the world that Israel must give more of their ancestral homeland away for the sake of peace. Yet, look at a map. Look at all the land that the Arabs own versusthe small portion of land that is Israel’s portion. For world leaders to be more sympathetic to the Palestinians only shows their ignorance. A prime example was the ridiculous statements by Walz and Harris. Trump, on the other hand, is standing100% with Israel, putting the blame for the six murdered hostages and the situation in Gaza solely on Hamas. Former President Trump, as he was addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition on September 5th, stated, “Let me state this very clearly. The blame for these wicked murders lies with Hamas andHamas alone. Only an evil and inhuman ideology kidnaps, murders, and tortures innocent men, women, and children. And likewise, only a deeply sick political party here in America would make common cause with those who sympathize with such evil. Only a morallyrotten president and vice president would seek to blame Israel for heinous acts of terror committed against its own citizens.” World Israel News reported: The presidential candidate repeated a statement he had made previously that if he were president, “October 7th would never have happened.” He also told the Jewish audience that if Kamala Harris is elected in November, “You’re not going to have an Israel,” and he added, “Israel will no longer exist.” Trump warned, “Terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land.” Now, while I fully support Trump’s statement on where the blame should lie—that is, with Hamas— and I am also thankful for his unwavering support of Israel, I do, however, disagree with aportion of his statement. Should a Harris government be elected in November, it will not result in Israel no longer existing. In that scenario, I would say that things for Israel would get significantly tougher. The US-Israel relationship will definitely be strained. But to say that Israel will not exist is not whatGod promises in His Word. Israel is always going to exist. That’s what we read in Jeremiah 31: 35-36: “Thus says the Lord,Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): ‘If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israelshall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.'” Did you catch that? Forever! For us Bible-believing Christians, that should give us great comfort.God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is true to His Word. Every day, as I wake up, I see the sun shining in the sky, and it reminds me of His faithfulness. God also says this in Amos 9:14-15, “‘I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine fromthem; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,’ Says the Lord your God.” So, while I am thankful for President Trump’s unwavering support of Israel, he’s wrong in the sense that, even if a corrupt government is elected, Israel will never cease to exist becausethat is contrary to what we read in God’s Word. It is because of God’s faithfulness that Israel exists. It is because of God’s faithfulness that He’s calling His chosen people back to the land of Israel that he swore as an everlasting possessionto the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Period! It is God that is going to watch over His people. In the meantime, we need to continue to pray for Israel as their enemies vow to wipe them off the face of the map. Though the Jewish State’s enemies will not succeed in their goals, that doesn’tmean that there can’t be a lot of casualties, conflict, and grief within Israel. For that reason, we need to keep praying for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

Escape Artist!

 Escape Artist! – John Bellam - https://www.rev310.net/post/escape-artist “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” -Luke 21:36 Harry Houdini lived from 1874 to 1926 and has been considered by many to be the greatest escape artist who ever lived. He was a famous magician known for being able to escape from any entrapment that could be rigged up to stop him. Handcuffs, straight jackets,submerged water tanks, and even underground coffins proved to be no match for the “Great Houdini” who found a way to escape them all as part of his famous act. But while the world marveled and cheered at Houdini’s exploits, there was one final adversary fromwhich he was not able to escape. Death took Houdini in Detroit Michigan on Halloween night 1926 of Peritonitis. He was 52 years old. And thus once again proved that only one man has been able to truly defeat the grave and escape its clutches: Jesus Christ! But because of His victory over the grave, our Lord has paved the way for all of those who believe in Him to accomplish something unthinkable to the unbelieving world. A mass evacuation from the earth prior to the wrath that is coming on the whole unsuspectingworld very soon. That escape is known as “The Rapture” and it is the greatest escape plan of all time! Those who like to deny that a “Rapture” event is coming love to refer to Christians who believe in it as “escapists”! This would include both the world of lost souls who deny Christ as well as the A-millennialists and post-millennialists and others who believein Jesus but claim we must build the kingdom on earth first before the Second Coming. They are like those Peter warned us about in his second Epistle: 2 Peter 3:3-7 “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning ofcreation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which arenow preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” The mindset of these “Pre-Mill Rapture” haters is that we are worthless to society (because we aren’t helping make the world a better place by conforming to their cultural advancements ) and worthless to the church's growth (because we are not advancingthe kingdom fervently due to our supposed defeatist ideology). The antagonists sadly come from both outside and inside the Christian camp and often the so-called “friendly fire” from other Christians is even more venomous than from the non-believing world. Now it is understandable that those outside proper Christendom would believe we are out of our heads expecting a sudden escape from the planet in the twinkling of an eye! They don’t believe in our Lord and His promises so we should expect them to revileus and reject our hope. But… those within true Christendom who adhere to a different eschatology normally do so because they claim there is no biblical support for our theory. They claim there are no verses that support our position and that it is the creationof John Darby in the late 1800s. Now I’m not going to go into detail about all the common points we make about verses such as: 1 Corinthians 15:52 which says : “51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” Or John 11:23-26 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shallhe live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (Jesus is speaking of the dead who will rise at the rapture and the living who will be translated to an eternal state without dying ) Or John 14:2-3 “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Or Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Or 1 Thess 5:9-11 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And 1 Thess 4:13-18 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesusthose who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Andso we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” And there are many more such passages in the New Testament that we can point to as proof of our imminent calling to be with the Lord at the rapture. Those have been discussed by many writers on this site and throughout the watcher community so I won’t hashover those same points here again although they are tremendous proof of our position. But what I will delve into here are the possibilities of hidden proofs in the Old Testament. Were there any typologies or foreshadowings we can lean on from the Old Testament to confirm that the mystery of the “Rapture” revealed in the New was also concealedin the Old? I believe the answer is yes and that the keyword Jesus used in Luke 21:36 to give us a clue was the word "Escape"! The rapture is truly an ESCAPE and it’s not something to be ashamed of as the world and the post-millennial church want to accuseus of but is in fact part of the “Blessed Hope" we are to cling to in this late hour. “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:12-13 In researching the notion of an “escape” I feel God was very generous in giving us OT examples of “Rapture” typologies. Escapes that, while not always prefiguring a “snatching up “ of the Church, at least symbolized an incredible escape provided by God thatrevealed God’s protection and provision of safety for His people. ENOCH’S DEPARTURE The first two are pretty obvious. Enoch and Elijah. Both men were taken to Heaven by God supernaturally without tasting death. Enoch was Noah’s grandfather and was “snatched up” to Heaven prior to the Great Flood. The timing may have been a picture of howGod would rapture His Church prior to the next worldwide judgment. Gen 5:22-24 “After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took himaway.” We know this was not indicating a mere death because of the passage in Hebrews that says : 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” And Jude tells us of ancient Enoch having a great understanding of the coming of Christ to judge when He states in the following verses : “14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.” Enoch was a perfect example of a pre-judgment “Rapture” foreshadowing an end-times rapture of the church BEFORE the Great Tribulation! ELIJAH FLIES AWAY Although Enoch was certainly a rapture-before-judgment example For us in the Old Testament… Elijah wasn’t so much. His translation to Heaven in a whirlwind was not truly an escape but instead was more of a situation of God choosing a time when people areunaware that snatching away is coming except the true watchers. Elijah was taken to Heaven in a whirlwind and His protege Elisha and a small group of prophets were following his every move to see what was about to happen. Elijah gave Elisha a sign to lookfor and Elisha was faithful to watch and obey. From 2 Kings 2:9-14 “9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. 13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.” Elijah is certainly a type of snatching away, but not so much in the “escape the coming wrath” style that other examples bring. Let’s look further for other examples. NOAH AND LOT Noah and his seven family members certainly could be considered. They knew the judgment was coming, faithfully built the ark, and obeyed all the Lord commanded to be ready. Faithfully God preserves them in the Ark as the rest of the world perished. Now theywere not snatched away so this example may be more akin to the sealed 144,000 Jews in Revelation who are protected by God through the Great Tribulation. Many have equated Enoch to the Church leaving earth before the judgment and the family of Noah being preservedthrough the flood like the sealed Jews. The order is correct as well. Enoch raptured, and then the Family of Noah preserved through the flood. The Church will be raptured, then the remnant Jews preserved through the Tribulation. The symmetry is perfect. Lot is another example of someone who was evacuated before judgment when His family and He were escorted out of Sodom before God's destruction fell upon that city. It was not a true rapture parallel because They were not translated to Heaven but it was nonethelessan "Escape" from judgment and shows God’s faithfulness to His remnant by them being removed before He pours out His judgment. Lot and Noah may have been the two examples Jesus used in His description of His coming (Luke 17:26-30) because Lot escaped the judgmentjust as the Church will while Noah was preserved through the judgment as the Jews will be one day. ISRAEL CORNERED Another great escape was provided as Moses and the Israelites were backed up to the shores of the Red Sea with the hard-charging Egyptian Army coming at them in full force to massacre the pinned Hebrews. Only a slaughter appeared possible until God openedthe waters, provided an escape route for the Jews, and then drowned the Egyptian army behind them. (EX 14:21-29) I see this as more of an OT picture of Revelation 12 where the satanic Antichrist is pursuing Israel during the Tribulation and the remnant areled into the wilderness to safely avoid their destruction but it is certainly an escape provided by God that previews the end times. It shows God’s nature as a Savior, a deliverer, and a protector of His chosen ones. DANIEL GOES MISSING One passage I have always been somewhat inquisitive about is Daniel 3. It is a bit surprising to me that although Daniel is present in all the chapters of the book, He is visibly absent and not mentioned in chapter 3. Instead, the entire chapter is abouta new form of worship being instituted in the Babylonian kingdom and Daniel’s three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) are the focal point of the chapter’s controversy. Everyone in the kingdom is ordered to worship the new statue erected by Nebuchadnezzar in his image and if they don’t, they will be thrown into a furnace and killed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship anyone but their God and consequentlyare thrown into the fiery blazing furnace to die but instead of being consumed, a fourth person appears who looks like the Son of God and keeps them safe. They survive the ordeal unscathed to God's glory. My interpretation of the typology in this story isthat Nebuchadnezzar is a foreshadowing of the Antichrist. The image He sets up to be worshipped is a picture of the Image of the beast that the Antichrist and false prophet set up in the temple in Revelation 13. The three boys represent the sealed Jews inthe Trib that can’t be killed and the one like the Son of God in the furnace with the three is of course Jesus Christ and foreshadows the Jews when they believe on Christ during the tribulation and thus will be saved. Because the chapter fails to even mention Daniel, I believe he may represent the pre-trib believers who are absent from the tribulation because they have already been raptured. I certainly could be wrong about this but it makes sense in light of the restof the chapter lining up so well with the book of Revelation and especially chapter 13. Remember, the Church age is the entire subject of chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation but once the command to “Come up here “ is given to John at the beginning of chapter 4,the church is completely missing through the entire Tribulation period in the next 19 chapters of the book. Daniel's missing during this mini-tribulation preview of chapter 3 may represent the same thing. THE GREAT PREVIEW Perhaps the most vivid preview of the rapture followed by the Tribulation that is tucked away in the Old Testament can be found at the end of Isaiah 26 and the beginning of chapter 27: (Isaiah 26:19-21, 27:1) “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. 21 For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain. 27:1- In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.” What an amazing picture in the exact chronological order as we see consistent with Daniel’s Tribulation preview and certainly the book of Revelation. The dead are raised and the people are called to come up to their Heavenly sanctuary (At The Rapture) andwait a little while as the 7-year Tribulation unfolds. After they are called to their ESCAPE, God brings judgment (severe sword) to the Christ-rejecting world, to punish the Beast system (Leviathan which is a sea monster known as a Beast from the sea in Revelation13) and slay it. This passage DOESN’T SAY to Israel or the mystery Saints of the Church to “win the world for your king and pave a way for righteousness so He may come to you. Destroy Leviathan and restore the earth to its beginnings !” If that was the message we may beable to see the point of the post-millennialists but the passage lays out the end exactly as Pre-Trib believers would expect it to and is consistent with the Pre-Trib position as all other scripture confirms. CONCLUSION There are many more OT pictures, foreshadowing, and typologies of “Escapes” that God provides to His Elect that declare God’s faithfulness and consistency in How He interacts with His people. This is just a small sampling of the ones that have gone before. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Solomon in all his wisdom declared this almost 3000 years ago and we can gather from this that what the world is about to experience has been foreshadowed before in God's divine playbook. Jesus said that His Second coming would come at the worst time inhistory : (Matt 24: 21 ) "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.” Yet we have many examples of dire wickedness being judged before and how God dealt with it to give us clues what to expect. In the same way, Jesus encouraged us to be “Escapists” when He said: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” -Luke 21:36 So do we get that? We are to pray we are worthy to escape this horrible coming Tribulation and not be ashamed of our hope by a dying scoffing world or by those members of the Church with cling to wrong eschatological beliefs. We have many examples of howGod has provided escape routes before. One thing is definitely certain: If we are about to experience the most awful Tribulation in history as Jesus declared, then we are also about to witness the “Greatest Escape” in the annals of time as well! “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Rev 22:20