Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Top 3 Prophetic News Headlines of 2020 - Britt Gillette - http://www.end-times-bible-prophecy.com/the-top-3-prophetic-news-headlines-of-2020.html
The number one sign of the Second Coming is the convergence of all the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Jesus said, "When you see all these things take place, look up! Your salvation draws near" (Luke 21:28). What are the things Jesus and the prophets said to look for? Israel back in the land (Jeremiah 23:7-8)... The Jewish people back in control of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24)... The Gospel being preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:14)... And more. Today, we see these signs. Because we do, we can be confident we live in the season of His return. But Jesus cited other signs too. So did the prophets. And we see those signs as well. As 2020 draws to a close, what were the biggest prophetic news stories? Below is a list of what I believe were the top three: 1) The COVID-19 Pandemic The current COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is not one of the specific events prophesied in the Bible for the seven-year Tribulation. The world simply hasn't entered that time period yet. However, it is significant to bible prophecy, because it sets the stage for the near-term fulfillment of many end times bible prophecies. This isn't surprising. Politicians take advantage of times of turmoil, disaster, and fear to implement changes people otherwise wouldn't accept. Since the coronavirus pandemic, politicians all over the world have used their power to implement draconian lockdowns of local populations. Countries such as Italy, Spain, and France announced nationwide lockdowns, ordering all "non-essential" workers to stay home and shelter in place. Draconian restrictions governed when people could leave their homes and who they could interact with. Police raided private residences to break up illegal parties, and many people turned in their neighbors. While the deadliness of the pandemic has waned since the spring, government lockdowns and COVID regulations keep coming. In the United States, governors continue to issue onerous rules for how and when restaurants and other businesses can operate. They regularly trample on the First Amendment freedoms of assembly and worship. In fact, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito recently said Nevada treats casinos more favorably than houses of worship. All these government orders are an attack on personal freedom and liberty, drawing us down the road toward dictatorship. The word "coronavirus" doesn't appear in the Bible, and it's not one of the monumental events of the Tribulation. However, the coronavirus is one of the general signs Jesus said to look for. When asked to describe the signs of His coming, Jesus cited pandemics just like the one we're experiencing now as a major sign (Luke 21:11). 2) Calls for Government-Backed Cryptocurrencies The coronavirus has also led to something else - an acceleration in the push for digital currency, also known as cryptocurrency. The use of paper currency has declined dramatically in this new era of online ordering and social distancing. Paper currency is a haven for bacteria and viruses, and many claim it could accelerate the spread of coronavirus. Because of this, look for more and more politicians to call for an end to using paper currency. The end of paper currency and its replacement with government-sponsored cryptocurrency will put unlimited power at the fingertips of government leaders. Not only does cryptocurrency offer a way to permanently record every financial transaction, but it will also enable the government to track where you go and what you do. It will track the websites you visit and make note of who your friends are. While most of this information is already available through tracking of credit cards, debit cards, mobile phones, and social media profiles, a state-sponsored cryptocurrency will provide unfettered government access to this information. It will create a closed, government-controlled economic system where you'll be dependent on the government's cryptocurrency to pay for all your needs. If the government decides they don't like you, they'll be able turn off your access and freeze you out of the economic system. They'll be able to decide what you can and can't buy. They'll be able to tell you where you can and can't go. In essence, they'll have complete control over your life. And while I'd like to think we can take measures to avoid it, the rise of government-sponsored cryptocurrency is inevitable. Long ago, the Book of Revelation foretold the establishment of an end times economic system eerily similar to a world dominated by government-sponsored cryptocurrency. The Bible says a time will come when a global dictator will require everyone on earth to receive a mark on the right hand or the forehead (Revelation 13:16). Without this mark, the people of the world will be unable to buy or sell anything (Revelation 13:17). How will this work? It remains to be seen. But the worldwide rush to create government-sponsored cryptocurrencies provides us with a glimpse as to how such a system might work. And right now, the world's central banks are devising plans to roll this system out. 3) Peace Treaties with Israel In recent decades, no area of the world has been home to more conflict and ongoing animosity than the Middle East. A cauldron of ethnic, political, and religious clashes, many believe the spark that ignites World War III will come from the Middle East. Central to the region's ongoing conflicts are Muslim hostility toward Israel and disputes over control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. These are the exact events the Bible says will happen in the last days. The Bible says Jerusalem will be "like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger" (Zechariah 12:2-3). That's precisely what we've seen. Yet, the Bible also says an Israeli peace treaty plays a central and pivotal role in the end times. Over 2,500 years ago, Daniel said a mighty ruler will enter into a covenant or a treaty with Israel for a period of seven years (Daniel 9:27). This treaty will kick off the seven-year Tribulation and make the ruler behind it a major player on the world stage. Who is this ruler? None other than "the man of lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:3) himself - the Antichrist. 2020 has brought peace agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kosovo, Serbia, Morocco, and Sudan - with the prospect of more nations joining in the near future. Do any of the recent peace agreements qualify as the Daniel 9:27 treaty? Some say yes. They point out that the Daniel 9:27 treaty is a covenant made "with many," and that's what we see. But that's where the similarities begin and end. These peace agreements are not the treaty described in Daniel 9:27 - at least not yet. The treaty outlined in Daniel 9:27 is set for a specific period of time - seven years. None of the recent peace deals with Israel mention a period of seven years. Also, the man behind the treaty of Daniel 9:27 is a specific individual - the Antichrist. The driving diplomatic force behind these peace agreements has been the Trump administration, and Donald Trump is not the Antichrist. Despite what many of his political opponents may think or say, he simply doesn't fit the profile. The Bible describes the life and times of the Antichrist. It provides details in regard to his ethnic background and political career. Donald Trump doesn't fit the description. The Bible says the Antichrist will be the leader of a revived Roman Empire (Daniel 7). He will come from among the people of the Italian peninsula (Daniel 9:26), and He will be called the Assyrian (Isaiah 10:12; Daniel 8:9). Furthermore, the Bible says the Antichrist will emerge from a group of ten kings (Daniel 7:7-8), and not all of these ten kings will willingly cede their power. Three will oppose him (Daniel 7:8). None of these verses describe Donald Trump. So unless a dramatic change takes place, the recent Israeli peace agreements are not the treaty described in Daniel 9:27. However, that doesn't mean they don't have prophetic significance. In all likelihood, they lay the groundwork for the treaty Israel will eventually sign with the Prince of Darkness. We'll have to wait and see what further developments take place before we can know for sure. Remember, the Bible doesn't say the Antichrist will "create" a covenant with Israel, it says he will "confirm" a covenant "with many" (Daniel 9:27). So the recent Israeli peace agreements may well be the foundation for Israel's treaty with the Antichrist. What to Look for in 2020 Hopefully, Jesus will return in the last few days of 2020. But whether He does or doesn't, expect these same trends to continue in 2021. Look for the coronavirus pandemic to accelerate the trend toward increasing government power. More and more people have come to tolerate government mandates, bailouts, and censorship. Included in these government power grabs will be the eventual rollout of government-backed cryptocurrencies as a replacement for paper currencies. When this happens, all freedom and liberty will disappear. Governments will have complete control over their citizens. Against this backdrop, we see the groundwork being laid for the peace treaty that will kick off the Tribulation (Daniel 9:27). Combine these developments with countless others foretold in the Bible, and we can know the rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming draw near. This is why the #1 thing you should look for in 2021 is the return of our Savior. As we enter a new year, all the signs tell us, "Jesus is coming!" Mystic Rabbi who Accurately Predicted New Strain of Covid back in May, makes this Messianic Prediction – Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - https://www.israel365news.com/162738/mystic-rabbi-who-accurately-predicted-new-strain-of-covid-back-in-may-makes-this-messianic-prediction/ After that, I will pour out My spirit on all flesh; Your sons and daughters shall prophesy; Your old men shall dream dreams, And your young men shall see visions. Joel 3:1 (The Israel BibleTM) While scientists struggle to understand the coronavirus as it shifts and changes in front of their eyes, a mystic rabbi in Israel is making accurate predictions of what lies in store for the world. NEW STRAIN: 70% MORE TRANSMISSIBLE Last week, it was announced that a spike in coronavirus cases in Britain was caused by an outbreak of a new mutated strain of the virus labeled N501Y by scientists. This development is raising concerns about the efficacy of the recently released vaccine. A mutation means a change in the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2, which is an RNA virus. Experts are reassuring the public that the vaccine will be effective as there have already been over 4,000 mutations detected in the coronavirus since the pandemic began while noting that a single mutation does not render the vaccine ineffective. The British mutation initially appeared in Brazil in April before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, though it appears to have become up to 70% more transmissible but not more deadly or resistant to vaccines, since leaving South America. The same mutation has also been detected in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia. Several countries to put a travel ban in place, restricting arrivals of travelers and, in some cases, products from Britain. RABBI NIR BEN ARTZI’S PREDICTION This development in the pandemic was predicted seven months ago by Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi, a mystic rabbi in Israel renowned for his accurate predictions. On May 27, the rabbi gave a sermon in his Torah academy. “The Creator of the world loves Israel,” Rabbi Ben Artzi began. “He brought the plague of the corona by the ‘king’s road’ (the high road, the fast way). God is pleading with the Jews who live outside of Israel to come to Israel. Outside of Israel is a killer that will not stop killing. The corona is running rampant in the world. The corona has made the world into a huge bowl of spaghetti.” In November, the rabbi discussed the pandemic again. “There is the plague epidemic but very soon there will be an epidemic of a different sort. This is because God wants to change mankind into a different kind.” “The Jews outside of Israel are living in an illusion that nothing will happen to them,” Rabbi Ben Artzi said. “The hatred is going to increase and corona is just going to get worse. There will come a new corona that will go to the US and every place including Russia. God is telling the Jews outside of Israel that He will not go back. The next stage is the redemption and Messiah. The rabbi then cited the Mishne Torah, a compendium of Torah law written by Maimonides (the Rambam, Halachot Malachim 11:1 )in the 12th century. “Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming, denies not only the statements of the other prophets, but those of the Torah and Moses, our teacher,” Maimonides wrote. “The Torah testified to his coming” Maimonides cited Deuteronomy as his source. as Deuteronomy 30:3-5 states: Then Hashem your God will restore your fortunes and take you back in love. He will bring you together again from all the peoples where Hashem your God has scattered you. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there Hashem your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And Hashem your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers. Deuteronomy 30:3-5 “The belief in the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of faith of Judaism established by the Rambam that are recited after morning prayers,” Rabbi Ben Artzi said. “Anyone who does not believe that the Messiah will come has a deep problem, with himself and with his Creator. Without Messiah, this world will come to an end. History of Predictions Rabbi Ben Artzi began his string of accurate predictions four years ago. Israel was being threatened by impending sale of the advanced Russian S-300 anti-air system to Iran. Rabbi Ben Artzi reassured his followers that the weapons system would not be a threat to Israel, despite what military experts claimed. He cited Psalms as the source of his prescient knowledge. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Psalms 37:15 The rabbi predicted, “These missiles, which can shoot down practically any plane, will get a virus in their computers, and go crazy. They will blow up inside their bunkers. The launcher will blow up underneath them.” A few months later, videos surfaced showing the missiles doing precisely that. Just before President Trump entered office, Rabbi Ben Artzi predicted a rise in black magic. Sure enough, after Trump entered office, many of his opponents began gathering in bizarre ceremonies, using black magic rituals against the president. The rabbi has made many other predictions, some of which have already manifested. Nearing Midnight: The Demonic Hatred of the Death Penalty – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The federal death penalty has seen a resurgence at the end of President Donald Trump’s tenure. After a 17-year hiatus of the federal death penalty, 2020 last week saw its tenth federal execution. A Louisiana man on death row for more than 15 years for the abuse and murder of his young daughter was the most recent person to be executed by the federal government. Alfred Bourgeois, 56, was executed by lethal injection. He was pronounced at 8:21 p.m. on Dec 11th, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Bourgeois, a long-haul trucker, was convicted of torturing his 2-year-old daughter physically, sexually and emotionally, and during a delivery route to the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, beating her to death after she tipped over her potty-training seat, according to the Department of Justice. His final words were defiant and unapologetic. “I ask God to forgive all those who plotted and schemed against me and planted false evidence,” Bourgeois said. “I did not commit this crime.” With three more federal inmates scheduled to be executed next month — days before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration — more than 40 members of Congress and members-elect are asking him to sign an executive order to end the federal death penalty on his first day in office. The Democratic lawmakers wrote that they believe capital punishment is “unjust, racist, and defective,” and that there remain glaring disparities in how it is administered: While Black people make up 13 percent of the nation’s population, they represent 42 percent of inmates on death row and 35 percent of those executed, according to the NAACP. The Missouri Democrat Cori Bush is demanding President-elect Joe Biden move to grant clemency to everybody currently sitting on death row. She made her views clear in an op-ed with Time Magazine: “If [Biden] truly opposes the death penalty,” she wrote, “he must do everything in his power to stop it for good. Granting clemency to all on federal death row is his most effective tool.” Bush went on to describe the death penalty as “murder in the name of justice” and drew a link between it and the dark stain of racism in American history. “Ending the death penalty is about justice,” she argued, seemingly unaware that families of their victims need justice as well. “It’s about mercy. It’s about putting a stop to this nation’s dark history of lynching and slavery.” The people that argue that the death penalty is racist ignore the fact that it is also sexist. Men make up 98 percent of all those currently on death row, while just 2 percent are female. Most certainly, the U.S. population does not represent that kind of makeup. If Alfred Bourgeois in any way thought his race should have been excused for murdering his own daughter, he deserves to be sent to the hottest part of hell. His lawyers should be Bourgeois’ cellmates for telling him America’s injustice system is why he committed his horrendous criminal act. The left’s answer to the death penalty is to keep people locked up for life. When you have a criminal system run by liberal judges, murderers are released all the time. Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson recently ordered the release of 50 percent – or 1,858 inmates out of 3,716 – to curb the transmission of COVID-19. Sheriff Don Barnes refused the order, explaining that, to date, some 1,400 low-level offenders have already been released since March. The remaining inmates are “serious offenders,” he said. “Of the medically vulnerable, 90 of them are in custody for murder or attempted murder, 94 for child molestation,” Barnes added. The lack of support for the death penalty is a strong indication of how close we are to the tribulation hour. People are fighting against a God-directed method of punishment because they increasingly share the same mindset of their spiritual father. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). Christmas and Genealogies - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-12-23-2020/ The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of wise men from the east following the Christmas star to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem. The Gospel of Luke tells about the night of Christ’s birth — of angel choirs and lowly shepherds rejoicing together at the plan of God unfolding before their eyes in the Person of Jesus. But those two Gospels give us another, even more astounding aspect of Christmas. When most people get around to reading the New Testament, they’re surprised that such a thrilling story seems to begin with a yawn. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, begins with a genealogy. Is the fact that “Azor begat Sadoc” an important part of Christ’s story? It is crucial. Starting with Abraham, Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph — the adoptive father of Jesus. That genealogy shows that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It shows that Jesus can rightfully be called by the messianic title, “Son of David.” Through the generations, God had been preparing for the birth of Jesus. Luke gives us Mary’s genealogy. Mary was the Lord’s physical mother. She, too, was a descendant of David and of the patriarchs. Between the two genealogies, we learn that Jesus was physically and legally qualified to be Israel’s Messiah. Today, most of Christendom believes that God’s promises to the physical descendants of Israel have become null and void. They believe God ditched Abraham’s physical descendants in favor of the Church. They see the Church as “spiritual” Israel. In his ministry’s magazine, the late, great R. C. Sproul articulated the idea that the Church replaced Israel in the program of God. “We’re not dispensationalists here…” he wrote. “We believe that the church is essentially Israel. We believe that the answer to, ‘What about the Jews?’ is, ‘Here we are.’” But if being a physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can be canceled out and the Jews can be replaced by “spiritual” descendants, why was it important for the New Testament to show the precise lineage of Jesus? Why not just have a “spiritual” descendant of Abraham and David as Messiah? The answer is that God’s word is paramount. Through the prophets, God clearly said certain literal things about the Messiah. If Jesus had not been a literal, physical descendant of David, He could not be the Messiah. No one would have even considered it a possibility. God made sure that His word contains these two crucial genealogies. They prove that He takes His word seriously. He is not capricious. His word can be trusted. And when He says, “Israel,” He literally means “Israel.” The New Testament uses the word “Israel” 75 times. And in each instance, it means the literal, physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Christmas shows yet again that God means every word He speaks. And that means you can trust Him completely. Daily Jot: The lesson of the communist pig’s milk – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There is a prevailing mindset among politicians in America that the government must provide everything for everybody, except those who are culturally cancelled. Take for instance the most recent COVID relief bill—5,593 action packed pages of pork, most of which doesn’t have anything to do with COVID, and everything to do with an uninterrupted flow of breastmilk from what has become a growing communist pig. Yes, not communist in the sense of secret killings, concentration camps, a one-party system and jack-boot tyranny, but communist in the form of soft tyranny, group think, mass propagandization, and little by little the “free” government sustenance as provided by wealth redistribution. Congress passed a $600 payment relief for Americans, and sent millions overseas in foreign aid. President Trump said that was an insult to the American people and suggested an increase in relief to $2,000. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) jumped on the idea to spend more money, saying she could get that extra $1,400, tweeting: “Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” Unanimous consent is politician-speak for not taking a recorded vote—everybody just says “aye” or “nay” and the “aye’s” have it even if the “nay’s” are louder—kind of like what the democrats did for the presidential election. With the national debt soaring toward $28 TRILLION with each taxpayer’s share over $220,000, ‘gotta wonder where all this COVID and other money is coming from? Chinese payoffs—no that goes directly into the Biden family trust; Russian payoffs? No, that all goes into the Clinton Foundation and the Bide family trust–—just kidding, I think. No, really someday it will all catch up with us, like it did when President Reagan drove the Soviet Union into bankruptcy in the arms race. The Soviet Union collapsed financially and there wasn’t much left of its social infrastructure to remain a nation. These communists in Congress are spending our tax dollars as if there is no end to them. And they are locking down our businesses due to COVID. Sure, it makes great sense to exchange our business or job for $2,000. As is said in Jeremiah 6:14, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Take heed. Do not be deceived. America is on a bad track and you and I need to pray and act. Sometime, somebody has to pay up. The politicians make us feel good by voting more of our money to go somewhere. Pelosi, the head sow, is giddy. “Icing on the cake,” she probably thinks. When it’s really lipstick on the pig. Sucking the teat of the communist pig is dangerous for all Americans because that pig is growing bigger and stronger as it robs the piglets of their ability to grow up and be healthy. The communist pig gives a little milk while hogging the entire manger from its litter. And sometimes she just rolls over and smashes her piglets. Daily Devotion: A Permanent Resident - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. —Revelation 3:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-permanent-resident/ - Listen Have you ever been locked out of your own house and had to knock on the door to get in? This is the picture we see in Revelation 3, where Jesus said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (verse 20 NLT). In its original context, Jesus was addressing these words to the church of Laodicea. This church had lost their relationship with Him and replaced it with cold legalism and religion. So Jesus was saying, “I want relationship.” In the first century, they didn’t have fast-food restaurants like we have today. A meal, especially dinner, was something that took time. It was the main event of the day. They would sit at a table that was very low to the ground, and instead of sitting in chairs, they’d recline on pillows. A meal was a time of sharing, a time of talking, a time of discussing the events of the day. It was a very important time of intimacy and closeness. For example, when you have close friends over, do you sit in the living room? Probably not. It’s more likely that you go to the kitchen, because there’s something relaxed about a kitchen. It’s a great place to hang out. So Jesus was saying, “This is what I desire with you. I want fellowship. I want friendship. I want closeness.” And He’s saying the same to us. At Christmas we sing, “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” but are we prepared for all that includes? Do we want Christmas all year long or just one day of the year? Do we just want the Lord home for the holidays, or are we ready to invite Him in, not just as a guest but as a permanent resident in our lives? FROM THE HEART
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