Edition 88. August 30th 2011
All the signs.
News events and comment.
●Terror attacks on Israel will begin intensifying now.
●Israel army now conducting massive preparations for coming troubles related to the UN Palestinian statehood bid. So-called "settlers" being prepared, given emergency food and water.
●Israel Navy sends two more war ships into Red Sea ahead of threats of a terror onslaught from Egypt. 30/8/2011(Alarabia)
●One of Egypt's new radical Islamic leaders, Sheik Adel Shehato calls for Christians churches to be blown up and Christians to be "exterminated" so that Islamic law can advance in Egypt. - Roz Al-Yousef (Egyptian Daily)
●A "Day of Rage" is coming to New York City. The organisation "Acorn" is organising a large scale protest designed to incite violence on September 17. They will "occupy" Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange with the intention of bringing down the stock markets. They have taken a leaf from the book of various Middle East uprisings and the riots in Britain. Their grudge is capitalism and anything and everything else that makes them unhappy on the day! (WND)
●Palestinian leader Abbas (the so called moderate) in a fiery speech to Islamic clerics said on Saturday 27th August "We will not accept a Jewish state."
●Iran warns Israel "Flee the Middle East or face annihilation." Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Reza Naghdi says "Iran has no option but to destroy Israel." - CIA agent.
●Iran's leader Ahmadinejad renews call for Israel's destruction. Says "Those who are for humanity should be for eradicating Israel."
●Again on Friday 26th August Ahmadinejad speaks at rally saying "There is no place for Israel in the region." He said "Palestinian statehood would only be the first step towards wiping out Israel." This is in line with his earlier 2005 call for Israel to be "wiped off the map." Actually , it's not just him. Essentially the heart of Islam has no place for Israel under Jewish control.
●The relationship between Syria and Iran goes way back in history. The two together were once called Persia. They still have a very strong bond today. Iran is the stronger of the two and has enormous oil wealth, military power and a maniac dictator leader. Syria has quite a large oil industry, but smaller than Iran. It has a vicious military machine and a maniac dictator leader.
Iran has often said that it would stand by Syria no matter what.
On the 27th August Iran announced that it would launch "600 missiles" against Israel if Syria is attacked. The dictator of Iran said that "Iran would now operate on behalf of Syria." Iran said that they would use the 'Shihab 3' missiles, which have a 1000 mile range. French foreign minister warned of this developing into a full blown war. A few days ago Israel conducted a military jet fly-over of Syria. This made them mad. Iran's madman sees Israel and the western world as one. So in his eyes a NATO attack on Syria would result in an Iranian attack on Israel.
Bear in mind that both China and Russia are strong allies of Iran and Syria. China has been selling large quantities of arms to both Iran and Syria of late.
Syria is next on the Arab Spring agenda, but as I've said many times, this is a different story. It will bring in Iran, Israel and other superpowers...mark those words!
●China announces support for Palestinian UN statehood bid next month. When I read this new item I was shocked but not surprised. The shock is because this places China as a direct enemy of God's plans. This will be the reason why China will be brought into the great war of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel38 &39)
●Israel is in an increasingly dangerous situation. It won't take much to trigger off a wider conflict. At the same time there's a growing internal voice of discontent and a call for Netanyahu to step down. Whoever is in power at the time the tribulation period starts will capitulate to Satan in disguise and sign the fateful seven-year peace treaty with the person who will be revealed as the antichrist by that act.
●Cairo Egypt: Signs are being put up and appearing all over. "We are building the gas chambers." (So much for their democracy!)
●The nature of Hamas as revealed in their constitution: "Israel will arise and will remain strong until Islam eliminates it" "All the so called peaceful solutions are contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement." "There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad."
●Europe is on the brink of disintegration, with the euro not far behind. Greece and others are in far bigger trouble than estimated. The problem is now just starting to filter through to the European banks. It will create a domino effect and new world banking crisis. The US is in an economic mess heading for the wall as well.
●There is a fast arising political dysfunction around the world, where all leaders are simply out of fix-it options when it comes to the arising debt crisis and new charge to world recession. It's almost as if the whole world is waiting some magic saviour to arrive on the scene and fix everything. The world will get him soon. He will be the long awaited superman, the antichrist himself.
As you read through the news items above, I hope you can see the unfolding of Bible prophecy!
All the signs
This very important edition is a compilation and summary of all the signs of the coming tribulation period, the second coming and related issues. For your benefit, I've drawn all this together from previous editions and added a few new ones as well.
One or two signs on their own may be important, but many all dovetailing together paint a dramatically clear picture. The message is urgent.
We are in the most powerful and advantageous position as children of our great Messiah to know where we are in the grand scheme of things. Through His prophetic word and by the word of His Spirit we have light, knowledge and understanding of "things to come." We can see what the unsaved world can't. This wisdom gives us stability, security and wonderful purpose in the midst of a shaking doomed, world.
It's important to realise that almost everything in Bible prophecy relates to Israel, Jerusalem and the Jews. The coming of our Messiah is in association with Israel and the salvation of the Jewish people.
2 Peter 1:19 "We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the Day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart."
Take heed to prophecy! If you don't you're in dangerous darkness! The "morning star" in the above verse is the planet Venus, which arises in the darkest part of the night, just before the day arises. Taking heed to Bible prophecy is this light arising in dark hearts, giving light, sight and direction. Ignore it at your peril!
Remember that Israel got into big trouble because it "Did not know the time of its visitation" (by our Lord) Luke 19:44
Some people say the Bile and prophecy in particular can't be trusted because it's all open to interpretation. The amazing thing about Bible prophecy is that it has a 100% fulfilment record in an exact literal manner. All the prophecies of the old testament were fulfilled exactly and litterly. All the prophecies of both the old and new that have been fulfilled have done so in an exact literal way. This means that the unfulfilled prophecies will continue in the same manner.
Of course there is some allegory in prophecy, but here all you need is common sense.
Why the confusion?
There is an enormous amount of confusion around the subject of prophecy. Actually it's no different for the Bible as a whole. In fact we have 35000 different so-called Christian denominations (divisions) out there. That's an absolute curse! Gods will is unity. 1 Corinthians 1:10
Quite simply the reason for all the divisions and confusion comes from the fact that the Bible only becomes the inspired, Spirit-led word of God under certain conditions. The Bible says of itself that it is dead letter and produces death outside of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:6. Only once you are born again can you "see the Kingdom of God". John 3:3. Only after receiving the fullness of the Spirit of God can you be "led into all truth" and see "things to come." John 16:13
According to Matthew 6:23 "If the light that is in you is darkness how great is that darkness." The tragedy is that many people can't see because they are full of darkness. They are trying to see the light without the plug connected to the wall. It's impossible for them to see truth. They only see what their darkened minds see.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 "With all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. For this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie."
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God should shine on them."
Isaiah 44:18 "They do not know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that cannot understand."
Proverbs 28:4 "Those who forsake the word of God will praise the wicked."
Jude 18 speaks of "last days mockers, causing division, not having the Spirit
Only once we come to our Lord in humility and surrender can we truly see. Only then can we have true spiritual knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
Matthew 11:25 "I thank You Father Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes ("Babes" are those who are humble and dependant on God. Those who reject God's ways are dependent on self.)
Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of Your words gives light and understanding to the simple."
The sequence of end time events as revealed in numerous Bible verses:
●The rebirth of Israel. This is the starting point for all end-time chronology and prophecy.
●The recapture and restoration of Jerusalem to Jewish control.
●The beginning of birth-pangs as nature's upheavals begin (slowly at first)
●Birth pangs seen in world economic and political chaos.
●The Arab nations and other Islamic nations consolidate to come against Israel. The war in which Damascus, capital of Syria is destroyed could occur any day now, or it could occur as part of WW111.
Syria's Assad:
●The plans to divide Israel and Jerusalem are forged, inciting God's anger, which turns to full blown wrath later.
●The rapture of true born again, blood washed, believers. (Yes, yes I know all about the timing issues)
●The signing of a seven year peace treaty between Israel and the person who is revealed in this act as the antichrist.
●This act starts the seven-year tribulation period.
●The temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount.
●During the seven year tribulation the true saved and raptured church is seen in heaven participating in the marriage feast of the lamb.
●A world government and world currency comes about under the control of the antichrist. The nations of the world freely give their control to him.
●The war of Gog and Magog (WW111) takes place. The exact timing of this is unknown. It could begin at any moment. The city of Damascus, capital of Syria is destroyed. (Either a separate war of part of WW111)
●Three successively worse sets of judgements begin. These are: The seven seal judgements, the seven trumpet judgement and the seven bowl judgements. All are seen in the Revelation
●The wrath of God, the wrath of Satan and the wrath of man run side by side with about two thirds of the world's population being killed.
●The battle of Armageddon (It's actually a campaign running through the second half of the tribulation) comes to a dramatic conclusion with the Second Coming of Yeshua / Jesus with his saints.
●The world and it's systems and all unbelievers are judged destroyed and cast into hell with Satan, bound and confined for a thousand years.
●The very nature and character of nature itself is changed and the earth becomes a living paradise of unimaginable wonder, just the way it was before the fall. The earth experiences perfect environment
●The 1000 year Millennium begins and ends with us going into the eternal state, with new heavens a new earth, Satan and all unbelievers cast into eternal hell.
Some overall characteristics of the tribulation period:
The tribulation will begin with the signing of a seven year peace pact between Israel and the person who is revealed at that point as the antichrist. This begins the 70th week of Daniel, which completes the 70 weeks after the 2000 year gap period between 69 and 70. The entire period is called "the tribulation", but it is divided into two three and a half year periods. These are Jewish years made up of 360 days per year. The second half will be far worse than the first.
The first half will see a sort of political peace on earth, but the geo-physical judgements run through the whole seven years intensifying towards the end.
The tribulation will be without parallel:
Jeremiah 30:7 "Alas for that day is great, so that there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it." "Jacob" here and many other verses is a reference to the Jewish people at large. Some don't like the idea that they are singled out for tribulation. Well, they must go and argue with God. He wrote that verse.
Zechariah 13:8-9 "And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the Lord, that two thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it."
In this time of tribulation the veil of blindness upon the Jewish people at large will be lifted as they find salvation in their Jewish Messiah who is none other than Yeshua / Jesus. We are now in the forerunner period to this veil being lifted as more and more Jews recognise their Messiah.
Zechariah 13:6 "And someone will say to him, what are these wounds in your hands? then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.' This incredible verse identifies who the Messiah is. A Messiah with wounds in His hands?...I wonder who that could be! The Jews can't see that the Messiah came and suffered for their sins....yet!
I had a talk some time ago with a completely deceived, blind man who had been a believer for over 10 years. He adheres to replacement theology. He said that God is finished with the Jews. "Why would God save the Jews, when they killed Jesus. They don't deserve to be saved" he said. I said to him "Do you deserve to be saved?" That ended the conversation! Unfortunately this is the arrogant, proud belief system of a great many churches today.
The following are some words characterising the tribulation, that I've lifted from numerous verses:
●It will be a time of war, hatred, wrath, anger, fury, peril, death, destruction, deception, distress, earths upheavals, abounding lawlessness, multitudes in the valley of decision, the time of Jacob's trouble.
The period in the run up to the tribulation is characterised in the Bible by the following:
●Departure from the faith. The love of many growing cold. Betrayal of believers by believers. The lukewarm being spat out. The great apostasy of the church. The full number of the Gentiles coming in. A time of great peril and lawlessness, with self-love and deception growing.
The big, time-specific signs:
Matthew 24:33 "So you also, when you see all these things, know (lit = I command you to know) that it is near at the very doors."
Perhaps the biggest sign of where we are in prophecy is the rebirth of the state of Israel and the returning of Jerusalem to Jewish control.
These two events occurred in 1948 and 1967. These are found in Matthew 24:32-34 and kick off the "last generation" which according to Psalm 90 is 70 years. Adding 70 to 1948 brings us to 2018. Then we need to come forward 7 years for the tribulation which brings us to this year 2011 for the start of the rapture and tribulation. Please bear in mind that there are many variables with dates and calendars. I'm simply saying that this is a strong possibility. These time-lines may well be out by a little bit...but not by much!!
The bid for Palestinian statehood at the UN later in September this year is a major prophetic event with enormous consequences. It's as big an event as Israel's statehood in 1948.
There are dozens of passages of scripture stating clearly that Israel and an undivided Jerusalem belong to our Lord and that He has given ownership to the Jews and no one else.
Joel 3:2 "I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgement with them there, on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, they have also divided up My land."
Zechariah 12:3 "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; and all who would heave it away shall surely be cut in pieces, though all nations are gathered against it."
The big thing with "dividing the land" and messing with the borders of Jerusalem is that rather than producing peace, it evokes the fury of God and brings war and destruction. The world's roadmap to peace is a prophesied roadmap to war!
The dividing of the land and the city may well be the very issue that begins the tribulation period. It is highly probably that the tribulation will begin on a Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) This is the next of the seven feasts to be fulfilled. The next Feast of Trumpets is at the end of September and coincides with the 70-year generation as well.
The tribulation period is the final revolt of Satan. It is the dawn of darkness, the greatest drama of all time. Only the kingdom of God is unshakeable
Some smaller, season-specific signs:
Don't be ignorant of the times and seasons says the Bible.
●Revival of the pure language of Hebrew spoken in Israel. This occurred in 1948. Zephaniah 3:9
●Preparations for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Daniel 9:26-27, Zechariah 1:16
●Return of Jews to Israel from numerous countries, first in their blindness. Zephaniah 3:10-11, Jeremiah 23:7-8, Isaiah 42:16
●Arising of false prophets and the arising of the false counterfeit church. In preparation to join the false prophet and in preparation for the great "spitting out of My mouth." Revelation 3:16, Matthew 24:5,11
●Apostasy and falling away of much of the church 1Timothy 4:1-3 2, Thessalonians 2:3
●Israel faces growing danger de-legitimisation by the church. Romans 11:21
●Love of many grows cold. Matthew 24:12
●A time similar to the days of Noah and Lot These days were characterised by increasing evil, complacency to God and aggressive homosexuality . Luke 17:26
●A time of increasing wars and rumours of wars Matthew 24:6-7
●Severe earthquakes, famines and pestilences. Luke 21:11, Mathew 24:7
●The gospel preached throughout the world. Matthew 24:14
●Godlessness and the arising of evil. 2Timothy 3:1-5
●Existence of a 200 million strong army in the eastern nations. Revelation 9:16
●Arising of a revised Roman Empire Daniel 2:32-33
The economics of the tribulation:
World stock markets will crash like never seen before. The value of investments will fall. Of course clever investors and traders will do very well, because all they need is movement to profit. The direction doesn't matter. World starvation, poverty, disease and the like will arise at the same time. It will all be at a time of monumental chaos and upheaval.
Gold is the ultimate investor's safe haven in troubled times. It's already making repeated record highs. It will continue to fly through the roof as the world's fiat (paper based) currencies fall apart. But right in the tribulation itself gold will fall out of bed with everything else. There will be no place to hide economically speaking.
Ezekiel 7:19 "They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse; their gold and their silver will not be able to deliver them, in the Day of the wrath of the Lord."
All of this takes place under the leadership of Satan disguised as the antichrist, so that he can bring in a system of immense control that will put Marx, Lenin and all communists to shame.
The enemies of Bible prophecy.
Obviously all enemies of the absolute veracity of the Bible would be enemies of prophecy.
You may be shocked to know that many Bibles are themselves enemies of prophecy, because they use allegorical methods of interpretation. Some like the NIV simply remove many verses of scripture, especially in the Revelation.
You may be also be shocked to know that a lot more than half the church are enemies of prophecy. They are taught by their deceived leaders, "No one knows the time" (so don't bother trying) They are taught, "Everything's relative and open to interpretation". They are taught, "The Bible must be made relevant to today" They are taught, "Love is all that matters and a loving God would never judge and send anyone to hell." These deceived leaders are instruments of Satan himself.
2 Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing this first: That scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, saying where is the promise of His coming?...all things continue as they were."
Obviously Satan, who according to the Bible is the god of confusion will bring as much confusion as possible into these things, as his time draws to a close. In the midst of it all "Our God is not a God of confusion" and His truth stands supreme. 1 Corinthians 14:33
So then, where are we in Bible prophecy?
This is a chart from a book compiled in 1913 by Clarence Larkin. He had amazing insights. We are right at the tail end of the church era, just before the start of the tribulation and rapture. Please don't send me emails if you believe in a post tribulation rapture. That's fine, that's your right.
What should our response be?
Our response is always to be ready. The Lord is coming as soon as any of us drops down dead! If not, He is coming soon for all true believers in a blinding flash!
There's a well known saying out there: "The only thing sure in life is death and taxes"... WRONG! One generation will not see death or taxes ever again!
As our Lord's coming gets nearer, so does the coming of Satan get nearer, and we will be exposed more and more to a spiritual battle. This is seen in worldliness and self-orientation in believers. It's seen in the great deceptions out there as well.
But the Spirit of the living God is being poured out and is far stronger. Those that want to be tapped into truth and want to go God's way will be led onto glorious victory.
Ezekiel 36:5 "Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom (Arabs) who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with whole hearted joy and spiteful minds (lit- uttermost contempt) in order to plunder its open country."
Heaven or hell:
Old man, your days are just about over. Actually your days are about to begin. You've been homeless for many years and rejected by almost everyone. Well, you're about to move into a new home...forever. It may be a home that our great Messiah has been preparing just for you since He left. That home will be the most incredible, spectacular, wonderful home imaginable. Oh yes, and you get a new eternally young miraculous body as well. Would you like the keys? Are you saved?
Old lady, like the old man next to you, you will live forever. Your eternal abode may be one of eternal suffering. You will be locked into that home crawling with devils, demons and all the unsaved, weeping and wailing. You will never get your hands on the keys to get out of that home. But you don't need to go there in the first place. Do you know our Lord and saviour? Has he made you one of His own? If so eternal beauty in an eternal paradise awaits you.
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Here is a painting by Rembrandt depicting the prodigal son returning to his father, while the jealous brother looks on.
Kind regards and many blessings...Shalom and grow in grace!
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