Revelation 16: When it becomes hotter on Earth than ever before - By Mark Creech - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/revelation-16-when-it-becomes-hotter-on-earth-than-ever-before.html
 
It’s certainly been hot lately — so hot even air conditioners are feeling intimidated.
 
According to data provided by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, July 3rd of this year marked the highest world temperature on record. The world’s average temperature runs between 53.6 degrees and just under 62.6 degrees, but this year it’s been as high as 62.96 degrees. That may seem relatively insignificant, but scientists say it isn’t a trivial matter. The earth seems to be heating up.
 
Speaking of record-breaking heat, in 2020, Death Valley, California registered what is believed to be the hottest temperature ever recorded on earth. The temperature reading of 130 degrees is supposedly the highest officially recorded in the world since 1931.
 
The only measurements that surpass it are a highly controversial reading from Death Valley in 1913 of 134.1-degrees and a 131-degree reading from Kebili, Tunisia in 1931, which is regarded as Africa’s hottest temperature. However, even the Tunisian record is questioned for its credibility, according to experts.
 
Most scientists say the increase in temperature is because of human-caused climate change. The blistering heat allegedly coming from the use of fossil fuels, which release large amounts of greenhouse gases, is said to trap heat in the atmosphere and cause major energy blackouts, wildfires, and extreme weather conditions.
 
Moreover, a team of experts at NASA found a huge sunspot that is expected to grow and likely to move so it faces directly at Earth. It has the potential to unleash powerful solar flare events and coronal mass ejections. These types of eruptions on the sun’s surface can potentially affect satellite navigation, negatively impact the nation’s power grid, and harm daily life.
 
Although I have an open mind, I’m not convinced the cause of rising temperatures is due to climate change. Without delving much into the subject, there seems to be insufficient data to make this conclusion. It could be that the current warming trends are consistent with historic climate cycles. There is really no way to know for certain. Climate models used to project future changes are too uncertain and lack accuracy due to limited measurements and observations. What is most disturbing about the assertions of climate change is the proposed policies for addressing it would seriously harm economies, impact employment, and lead to the inefficient allocation of resources that could mostly hurt the poor.
 
There is one theory, however, that seems more plausible. One that involves solar activity and cosmic rays. According to this theory, scientists say that variations in solar activity, more specifically, changes in the sun’s output of energy and its magnetic field, can influence the Earth’s climate by indirectly affecting cloud formation. The hypothesis suggests that when solar activity is high, the sun’s magnetic field deflects some of the cosmic rays (high-energy particles from space) that continuously bombard the Earth. With fewer cosmic rays reaching Earth’s atmosphere, the theory proposes there is a decrease in the formation of low-altitude clouds, which result in less sunlight being reflected back into space. Thus, causing a warming effect on the planet. Conversely, when solar activity is low, more cosmic rays reach the Earth, enhancing cloud formation and leading to a cooling effect.
 
I’m not saying solar activity is the cause of current warming trends. I am saying it seems more likely than climate change. Climate change lays the blame wholly at the feet of humanity, which seems somewhat hubris and an exaggerated view of mankind’s power to destroy a world that belongs to God.
 
But it does seem rather indisputable that temperatures are rising — rising higher than we’ve had on record. As Randy Cerveny, an Arizona State University professor, who is with the World’s Meteorological Organization told The Associated Press, temperatures are “creeping up on [the 134-degree record] year after year. That is something that cannot be denied. These extremes tell us a lot about what will happen in the future.”
 
Is it possible the future Cerveny and other scientists predict is connected in some way with Revelation chapter 16 verses 8 and 9? This is what the Bible says:
 
“Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory.”
 
Revelation chapter 16 lists seven plagues that will come upon the Earth because humanity rejects God’s grace in Christ. This period represents the end of the end time.
 
1. Harmful and painful sores come upon those who bear the Mark of the Beast and worship its image (Revelation 16:2).
2. The sea becomes like the blood of a corpse (Revelation 16:3).
3. The rivers and springs become like blood (Revelation 16:4-7).
4. The heat of the sun greatly intensifies so that people are scorched (Revelation 16:8-9).
5. The kingdom of the Beast is plunged into darkness (Revelation 16:10-11).
6. The Euphrates river dries, making way for the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16)
7. An earthquake occurs that is off the Richter scale (Revelation 16:17-21).
 
One may remember previously that at the sound of the Fourth Trumpet, a third part of the sun, the moon, and the stars were darkened. In those verses, only light was mentioned. Nothing was said about the heat. So, this text is not a recurrence of the Fourth Trumpet. In this text, the angel responsible for the sun pours out his bowl on that great star and intensifies its heat to such a degree that it scorches people.
 
The fourth bowl judgment in Revelation 16 is the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy, which reads:
 
“The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, ‘The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed — roots, branches, and all. But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies” (Malachai 4:1-2).
 
The late Dr. Henry Morris, one of the founders of the Creation Research Society, and author of The Revelation Record, said concerning this text:
 
“Though the sun is not part of the earth, it serves the earth. It was created specifically to ‘give light upon earth’ and to ‘be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years’ (Genesis 1:14, 15). The sun has indeed been a good servant to man, and all of Earth’s physical and biological processes derive their energy ultimately from the sun. ‘His [out radiations] are from the end of the Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof’ (Psalm 19:6).
 
“But the sun, like the Lord Jesus Christ, whom it symbolizes as ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12) can be an enemy as well as a servant. It can both quicken and slay with its enormous power. And now is the time for judgment, when those plants without root or fruit will be revealed for what they are: ‘And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away’ (Matthew 13:6).
 
“There was an angel of the winds, an angel of the waters, and now an angel of the sun. To this angel, God has entrusted the great energy conversion processes of the solar engine. Whatever the ultimate fuel is, this angel understands the components of the process and how to accelerate or decelerate it, thus warming or cooling the earth.”
 
“When he pours out the contents of his great bowl on the sun, it will heat up to great intensity and the solar radiation will pour forth in great waves of scorching heat on the earth.”
 
No horror movie has ever been able to picture something so dreadful as what is described in this chapter. Amidst a desolate landscape, ravaged by torment and despair, people will be writhing in pain, their bodies afflicted with ulcerated and festering sores. The sea, once abounding with life, will lie motionless, resembling a vast abyss of crimson. Vital water sources will have turned foul and appear as blood. Thirst will be an unquenchable malady, driving people to desperately search, perhaps even war with one another, for just a small amount of clean water to slake their parched throats. Following quickly on the heels of these woes will come the blazing, blistering, and burning heat. Day by day, the sun will grow more intense and merciless. Once fertile lands will become barren, the crops completely withered. People will shield themselves as much as possible from the searing inferno by trying to stay indoors.
 
What is so sad is they won’t even know three more plagues wait ominously on the horizon.
 
One would think the world’s inhabitants might repent after such horrendous suffering — they would humble themselves under the mighty power of their rightful Sovereign. Most people know of someone who was converted to Christ because their troubles revealed their constant need of the Creator’s benevolent mercies, which they took for granted.
 
There is a story about a little boy who made a splendid toy ship. Filled with enthusiasm, he set off one day to sail his creation on the shimmering waters. But much to his dismay, the boat drifted away from him, making it impossible to retrieve. Desperately wanting his boat back, he sought the help of an older boy, hoping he might rescue it for him.
 
The older lad, without uttering a word, gathered some stones and appeared to throw them at the younger boy’s beautiful toy ship. Confusion and anger filled the little fellow’s heart as he believed the older boy was being cruel, tormenting, and irritating him. He didn’t know that each stone was cast intentionally. Each stone had a benevolent purpose and was part of the older boy’s plan. With each stone thrown, the troubled waters created ripples and waves and gradually pushed the boat closer to shore.
 
Astonishment and delight flooded the youngster’s spirit as he realized the older youth’s actions weren’t meant to mock or hurt him, but to lend him the assistance he needed. Eventually, the boat reached a point where the boy could effortlessly reach out and reclaim his precious treasure.
 
As the first two lines of that iconic children’s table blessing says, “God is great. God is good.” Indeed, he is. He deserves our love, trust, and obedience. However, many people fail to recognize God as a part of the equation. Therefore, God benevolently, with purpose and a plan, sends troubles to get their attention. As one adage says, “Sometimes God has to knock you flat on your back to get you to look up.” Sometimes God has to trouble the waters of life to get us safely to shore.
 
This is how it often happens. When sin is in our lives and we have suffered a great loss, God is often graciously pushing us toward himself. There is a tremendous spiritual opportunity in the pain — an opportunity for a blessed course correction in life. The wise capitalize on these moments and turn away from their sins and find deliverance and a profoundly joyous personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Still, others become angry with God, double down on their sin, blaspheme and curse his name, and don’t repent of their evil deeds.
 
In the book of Exodus, the Bible says that when God afflicted Egypt with plagues so Pharoah would free the oppressed and enslaved Hebrews, initially Pharoah hardened his own heart against God (Exodus 8:32). In other words, the potentate consciously decided to resist God’s will. Pharoah’s stubbornness and self-will led him to reject the signs and wonders God was showing him. These measures should have been enough to turn Pharoah around, but he still wouldn’t free the Hebrews.
 
As the plagues continued, the Scriptures say something noteworthy started to happen, God hardened Pharoah’s heart (Exodus 9:12; 14:8). This means that God, knowing Pharoah’s prideful inclination to contest, allowed his heart to become increasingly hardened. By doing so, God not only demonstrated his power over Egypt, but also fulfilled his purpose of displaying his glory and ultimately delivering his people.
 
In the future, this same scenario happens when the world’s masses defy God’s will and pledge their allegiance to the Antichrist. Their hearts become irrevocably hardened and destined to feel the torrid heat of God’s wrath.
 
One may question what happens to the people who become believers in Jesus during the Tribulation period — those who survive martyrdom and remain on the earth when the heat is on, so to speak. It seems only logical they would be affected, too. Evidently not. They will be protected from these plagues just as the Hebrews were when they were dwelling in Egypt and God sent plagues there to deliver them. (Exodus 8:22, 9:6, 9:26, 10:23, 11:7).
 
It seems that there are movements at work today, not only on Earth but also in the heavens, possibly the sun, being prepared for the events prophesied in the sacred pages of Revelation.
 
With each passing day, it becomes clearer that the return of Christ is near. The most important question everyone must answer is a very personal one: Are you prepared for Christ’s appearance? Are you sure that you’re ready?
 
Romans 10:9 assures us, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This Scripture emphasizes the importance of not only acknowledging Jesus as Lord verbally but also believing in his resurrection deep within one’s heart. It highlights that salvation comes through genuine faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of humanity and, more importantly, as your own personal Savior from sin.

 


 


 
Biometric Technology And A Cashless Society: Why People Are Asking Questions About The Mark Of The Beast – By Mark Hitchcock - https://harbingersdaily.com/biometric-technology-and-a-cashless-society-why-people-are-asking-questions-about-the-mark-of-the-beast/
 
Joe Rogan is a comedian, podcast host, and UFC commentator. His podcast, which I do not endorse with the rank language he often uses, has over 15 million subscribers. He’s a major influencer in our culture today and an unbeliever.
 
A couple of weeks ago, he had a guest named Duncan Trussell, who is a stand-up comic, writer, and actor. Surprisingly, they discussed for quite some time how a cashless society is a precursor to enforcing the mark of the beast.
 
During his program, Joe Rogan asks, “How long before we’re a cashless society?” Trussell responded:
 
“Hopefully, forever. It is so scary to imagine losing privacy completely because every transaction is in the public eye [and is] observable… This is where I get scared because it’s too similar to the mark of the beast. It’s too similar to exactly what [the Bible in the book of Revelation] says. You won’t be able to trade, you won’t be able to do anything unless you have the mark, unless you bear the mark.”
 
This response led Joe Rogan to say, “How’s the Mark of the Beast described in the Bible? I think we’re onto something here.”
 
Rogan then pulled up the Bible and read from Revelation 13:11-18, a section that describes the coming false prophet, a kind of second in command or the lieutenant of the coming antichrist, who is going to make an image to him. The influential podcast host read this entire section live on his broadcast.
 
This is a well-known unbeliever talking at length about the mark of the beast, reading the book of Revelation, making this connection between a cashless society and the rise of the antichrist.
 
On the heels of that conversation, the new “Amazon One” technology is about to go nationwide. A recent headline from CBS News reads, “Amazon releases new cashless ‘pay by palm’ technology that requires only a hand wave.”
 
This article discusses the use of biometric palm scanning technology, which again, is part of this cashless society that Joe Rogan was talking about:
 
Amazon is taking cashless payments to another level.
 
In a new rollout, the tech giant is giving customers another contactless way to pay for groceries — with their palms.
 
In a statement Thursday, Amazon announced that the palm recognition service, called Amazon One, will be used for payment, identification, loyalty membership, and entry at over 500 Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh locations across the nation by the end of the year.
 
Instead of pulling out a credit card or even a phone for Apple Pay, subscribing customers will simply have to hover their palms over an Amazon One device to pay.
 
For decades, Bible prophecy teachers have been saying that there is going to be a cashless society. The only way that the antichrist can control the world economy is for there not to be cash. As long as there is, people can use cash to operate in a way that is undetected.
 
The article continues:
 
The technology is already available at 200 locations across 20 U.S. states including Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Mississippi…
 
Panera Bread, for example, has adopted the technology so that customers can simply wave their hands above the device in order to pull up their MyPanera loyalty account information and pay for their meals.
 
At Coors Field stadium in Colorado, customers trying to purchase alcoholic beverages can hover their palms over the Amazon One device to verify they are 21 or older.
 
It’s being used now in several different convenience stores. It’s being used at Hollywood casinos in Detroit. It’s also being used by many airport travel retailers.
 
Another article from LifeWire reports, “This means you won’t need your wallet, purse, or even your phone to complete transactions. You just need your palm.” Basically, this turns your hand into a personal credit card.
 
“How does this work?” the article goes on. “You pre-enroll via your Amazon account, using a credit or debit card. Next, you head over to an Amazon One palm-reading device to make a scan.”
 
Now, this is powerful. LifeWire says, “The algorithm matches unique elements of your palm with your account information… It doesn’t just use images of the palm to identify a person, but also incorporates the underlying vein structure. “
 
CBS went on to state:
 
A palm is the safest biometric to use because you cannot identify a person by it, Amazon said. The tech company assured customers that their palm data will not be shared with third parties, including “in response to government demands.”
 
Including “in response to government demands”? Well, in the future, this is going to be taken over by the antichrist. He’s going to rule the world and rule this economy.
 
It’s important to understand that these technologies that we’re talking about here (Amazon One, different chip technologies, or biometrics) are not the mark of the beast, but they’re part of the infrastructure he will use to control the world economy. I think he will use these things alongside the mark of the beast. He will use every kind of technology he can to control, monitor, and surveil people’s lives and finances. When you control people’s money, you control their life.
 
All of this is part of the continued setup and setting the stage for the global economy and the antichrist.
 
People want to know, what is the mark? In his podcast, while Joe Rogan is trying to understand what the Mark of the Beast is, somebody sends him a note telling him that the word “mark,” in the Greek, is the word “charagma.” He says it wrongly several times, trying to pronounce the Greek word before talking about the meaning.
 
Nine times in the New Testament, you have the word “charagma” used for this mark, eight of those times in the book of Revelation.
 
The only time it’s not in Revelation is in Act 17:29, which says: “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven [or etched] by art and man’s device.”
 
So, this mark of the Beast is going to be an etching, a tattoo, or a brand; whatever it is, it will be upon the right hand or the forehead of people during the tribulation period. It will be instituted at the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation when the antichrist rules the world politically, economically, and religiously.
 
It says in Revelation chapter 13 that 666 is the number of a man, the number of his name. In both Greek and Hebrew, all the letters of the alphabet have a numerical value associated with them. When the antichrist appears, his name will equal 666. I’m sure you can look today and find all kinds of people whose names equals 666, but that’s jumping the gun to do that; he’s not going to be revealed until after the rapture.
 
When people take the mark of the beast, they’ll literally be taking the name of the antichrist on their right hand or forehead. It will be a pledge of allegiance, a loyalty oath to the antichrist, that they now belong to him, but he owns them. If people don’t take the mark, they’re going to be shut out of the worldwide economy.
 
It’s all here, it’s all in place, and all that has to happen is the rapture. One of these days, the curtain of the in times will go up when the rapture takes place, and the antichrist will rise, and the mark is going to engulf the whole world.
 
God didn’t tell us these things to scare us. He gave these things to us to prepare us. I hark back to what was said during Joe Rogan’s podcast, “It’s so scary.” Well, it’s not to make us anxious but to make us alert and aware.
 
And so for those of us who know the Lord, we see these things, and it foreshadows the fulfillment of prophecy, of the coming cashless society, and the mark of the beast. It’s a major signpost towards the soon coming of Jesus Christ. You and I need to make sure that we’re ready.

 


 


 


 
Prophecy Update Videos
Must Watch Videos!
Videos You Can Trust

 

• Prophecy Update: This Is Scary! – Tom Hughes & Scott Townsend
• Prophecy Update: The Call - Joshua 1:1-9 – Brandon Holthaus
• Advice and Warnings to the Church | Acts 20 pt. 2 | Gary Hamrick
• Are You Prepared? GET READY for Tough Times Ahead... – Britt Gillette
• How Can I KNOW I Will Be Raptured? – Watchman River Tom
• The Timing of the Ten Kings | Tom Hughes & Mondo Gonzales
• What is Happening with all of the Fighter Crashes?! – Monkey Werx
• God Warned and Prepared Us For This! – James Kaddis
• The Non-Human Hierarchy | Doug Van Dorn

 


 


 
RECOMMENDED READING

 


 

• New World Order: Worlds in Collision and The Rebirth of Liberty - by Terry James & Pete Garcia
• Marking the Masses – Tom Hughes
• The Future War Prophecies – Bill Salus
• Has the Tribulation Begun?: Avoiding Confusion and Redeeming the Time in These Last Days – Amir Tsarfati
• The New Heavens and Earth: Recreation or Renovation? – Lee Brainard
• The Triumph of the Redeemed: An Eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times – Jonathan Brentner
• Lost But Not Forgotten: A Story of Redemption During the Great Tribulation - Skye Burgdorf
• Ignite Your Life: Defeat Fear With Effortless Faith - Barry Meguiar

 


 


 
Your Support is Important to this Ministry - We Could Not Do This
Without Your Support!
 
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!
II Corinthians 9:15
 
 
Worthy of Your Support?
 
It has been said, one of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed and if that information inspires you and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers and open the eyes of non-believers and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me.
 
I genuinely believe that Prophecy Update and many other like-minded ministries, are needed now more than ever! The world is getting darker daily, almost hourly, but never has the light of the Word of God shone so brightly. Never in our history has there been such a thirst for Truth and a need for a Savior! The Prophecy Update website, newsletter, and Video Channels are all dedicated to providing the truth, encouraging and informing believers, and prayerfully opening the eyes and hearts of non-believers with the Gospel, but none of it would be possible without your prayers and support.
 
 
DONATE HERE
 
 
Your can also mail your support to:
Prophecy Update
PO Box 40516
Bakersfield, CA 93384

 


 


 
Hal Lindsey: Why Help Ukraine? - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-8-27-2023/
 
With the murder of yet another perceived rival in Russia, Vladimir Putin has again proven that he belongs among the ranks of history’s most evil men. But it should be noted that none of the others on that list had the world’s largest nuclear arsenal a button away.
 
On August 8, 2008, Russia invaded Georgia. There were the usual press statements from various nations condemning Russia, but little action. In the United States, George W. Bush was in the last days of his presidency while dealing with the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Instead of getting tough with the Russian aggressor, the Obama Administration entered office a few months later calling for an immediate reset of the US relationship with Russia.
 
Putin’s aggression received the world’s approval, and he never forgot it. Russia supported Bashir al-Assad in the Syrian Civil War, heavily contributing to the violent catastrophe there. More than a half million people died. Thirteen million were displaced from their homes with half of those having to leave for other countries.
 
In early 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula, and then annexed it. Despite previous US promises to protect Ukrainian sovereignty, the Obama Administration refused to provide meaningful support. No US President wants the United States to directly confront Russia with troops. But Obama’s appeasement of Russia kept him from even sending the kind of weapons Ukraine needed. That failure made future aggression by Putin inevitable.
 
Even with a huge Russian invasion force amassed on Ukraine’s border, President Joe Biden continued his former boss’s policy of giving limited military aid to Ukraine. When Russia invaded, he and most other observers seemed to expect Ukraine to quickly fold.
 
But instead, something amazing happened. The Ukrainians refused to be trampled over. They stood up against what some believe to be the second most powerful military on earth. Their bravery and selfless determination while confronting such an overwhelming force stunned the world. Faced with Russia’s ugly, unprovoked invasion and Ukraine’s amazing response, the US and Europe finally began to send real help.
 
And now, some suggest that the US should stop its support of Ukraine in order to provide help to Maui… as if we can’t do both. Of course, we must help our own people in Maui. And, without a doubt, we need to secure our own border. But at the same time, we must also stand with the people of Ukraine. Doing so makes the world safer for ourselves and for future generations.
 
I do have a caveat here. We need to look carefully at the level of spending. Remember President Eisenhower’s farewell address warning about the “military-industrial complex.” We need to closely monitor every dollar spent on Ukraine. Some politicians and bureaucrats take their marching orders from people who derive power and wealth from the creation of weapons. The US must send what Ukraine actually needs — not just throw money at them. Act strategically.
 
I also recognize that Ukraine is not perfect. But with all their flaws, they are doing something strong and heroic. We can’t send troops because that would lead to nuclear war. But we don’t need to send troops. Ukrainians are already doing the job. We just need to hang in there with them and help them finish it.
 
Russia and its primary ally, China, have shown that they will be as aggressive as they are allowed to be. Appeasement does not work! If we don’t stop them in Ukraine, we will have to stop them somewhere else — maybe here. And if the confrontation involves any NATO nation, we will find global thermonuclear war suddenly staring us in the face.

 


 


 
As Christians, are We Becoming Superstitious? - by Mondo Gonzales - https://www.rev310.net/post/as-christians-are-we-becoming-superstitious
 
It seems I often start many articles I write with one or more caveats. This one will be no different in order for the content to not be quickly dismissed. No doubt there are plenty of secular and even Christian naysayers, mockers, and cynics when it comes to observing and exposing the way in which current events definitively show we are getting closer and closer to Jesus’ 2nd coming. I am certainly not one of those and look forward eagerly to the day we get called up to meet our Lord in the air. Having watched prophecy unfold for the last 30 years provides a vantage point of seeing when current events legitimately correlate with clear expositions of Biblical prophetic passages. It has also provided opportunity to note the way many sensationalize the weekly newspaper to fit their premature interpretations of the Scripture.
 
One example of this was back in the 1990s, Jack Van Impe (one of my prophetic heroes, may he rest in peace) was selling videotapes of how the European Union comprised of 10 nations and how this was in direct fulfillment of Daniel 2. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was faithful not only to buy the video, but also to watch his show every week. He was trying his best to make understandable the prophecy of Daniel 2 with current events. However, it would be dishonest to say that there wasn’t just a little bit of sensationalism. When there became 13 nations in the European Union, he ended up reinterpreting it to say that 3 of the nations would be removed (Dan 7:24) and thus bringing it back to 10. After the European Union took on member 14 (and now at 27 members), he ended up reinterpreting it once again. I don’t say this to pick on Jack, because he was an amazing Bible teacher and puts almost everyone else to shame with his verbatim Bible memory. What was lacking was the humility needed in evaluating prophetic events.
 
This brings me to what I have been seeing lately with the hysteria surrounding the covid19 “pandemic” and how it has caused many Christians to react in ways that are once again a little sensationalistic. Another caveat, I think it is quite obvious that even though the virus is real (three of my relatives had severe symptoms with it, but recovered), the media has overblown, lied, misled, and fear-mongered from the moment they had opportunity. Regardless of your political affiliation, I watched as the national media reported with glee various scenarios that would help shut down and damage the national economy in hope of hurting Donald Trump’s reelection bid. You don’t have to be conspiratorial to see that.
 
However, I have seen some Christian pundits take to their own media presence seeking to sensationalize the supposed connection between covid19 and the potential vaccination efforts, patents, and House Bill numbers introduced in Congress. Most of these have revolved around the association to the number 666.
 
Now let me ask you a question. How many of you (and me) have heard of or felt a little weird or awkward at various times in the following examples:
 

• You go to the store and the total amount of your purchase equals $6.66.
• You are driving your car and you happen to notice that the odometer is turning over to 666 and you feel nervous that something might happen during that specific mile.
• Someone reminded you that June 6, 2006 (6/6/06) was coming up and most likely something bad was going to happen.
• The average 30-year mortgage rate on the date 6/6/06 was… 6.66% (not kidding), Evil indeed! Research shows that mortgage rates on 6/6/1906 were around 5.4%. It seems 1906 was not as evil as 2006.
• The city of Reeves, Louisiana was finally successful in changing their area code prefix of 666 to 749 in 2007. I wonder why…
• Ronald Wilson Reagan has six letters each in his full name.
• Bill Gates’s name when converted to numbers equals 666.
• Christians in 17th-century Europe thought the world would end in the year 1666.

 
The list could go on and on and the name for this phobia (superstition?) about 666 is called Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Is this really how God would want us to interpret the Bible and apply it to our lives? Is the Bible a book of numerology (akin to astrology) that we would allow an innocent number 666 to cause us any alarm or genuine fear? What about the number 13 or broken glass?
 
No doubt, numbers have various associations in the Bible and I certainly am not arguing against that, but we should not allow ourselves to become superstitious. The enemy would love to enslave us to anything that takes away from the loving protection of God as our Father and spurious Bible interpretation.
 
Christians for millennia have wondered how the mark of the beast and its association with the number 666 will come to fruition. Remember the big deal about bar codes? Once this was recognized, there was great sensational teaching on how the mark of the beast was going to be a tattooed bar code. Nothing came of this and we moved on to something else as technology became more advanced.
 
Lately, the covid19 pandemonium has given opportunity for some genuine believers to become fearful over the fact that the House of Representatives introduced a bill entitled HR6666. This is a legitimate bill which is connected with covid19 and was introduced on May 1, 2020. Anyone can go online and look at the contents of this bill and also HR6665 and HR6667, the bills before and after HR6666. This was not a special labeling of a bill, but each bill is given a sequential numbering and it happened to come up in this order. Coincidence? In this case, I would say yes!
 
There are many things wrong with superstitiously becoming fearful because of the number of this bill. Foremost, it’s not 666, but 6666. Secondly, these HR numbers are recycled every few years and so there are many bills that have a HR6666 labeling. Anyone can go to congress.gov and search these HR bills and you will find that there were many bills with this label in 1980, 1982, 2008, 2012, 2018, and now 2020. To be consistent, shouldn’t those other bills have also been seen as nefarious?
 
The other thing I have seen lately is the reference to Bill Gates's patent application filed by Microsoft back in June 2019 and which was finally registered a patent number on March 2020. It was given international patent status in April 2020. Let’s be straightforward, Bill Gates is no friend of Biblical Christianity for sure, but a lot has been made about the content of this particular patent for good reason. The title of the patent is “Cryptocurrency system using body activity data”. The number assigned to the patent is WO2020060606 and most people when bringing this up only focus on the last six numbers having three 6’s in it. Why? First and again, the number is not 666, but instead 060606, and secondly, why is there very little mention of the previous 7 digits and numbers?
 
Under no circumstances am I trying to defend Bill Gates or this particular patent. Many things Bill Gates is involved with are nefarious and aims to contribute to a globalist agenda and increased abortion (reduced population growth) around the world. However, as Christians, we need to demonstrate a more non-sensationalist appearance to a watching world whom we are trying to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, we should expose evil when appropriate (Eph 5:11), but we need to be very careful in our exegesis of the eight Biblical verses that reference the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16-17; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).
 
When the mark of the beast does finally come, it will not be accidental, nor will we receive it unknowingly (as in a vaccine). According to the above passages the common association of the mark of the beast (and his image) is with worship. I am young and healthy and will most likely not get the vaccine even if it ever becomes available. However, as a pastor would I counsel the elderly in our church not to get the covid19 vaccine due to some loose conspiracy of 666? Definitely not. To do so would be to encourage a superstitious faith.
 
We can take comfort knowing that when the time comes for the Antichrist to be on the world scene and he institutes his mark (in whatever shape or form that might be), we will not be tricked into getting his mark. It will be connected with worship of the beast, the image, and the dragon. Then, those pastors that are here should warn all people that to take the mark of the beast is to commit their souls to eternal damnation (Rev 14:9-11). Yet there are those who refuse the mark and have victory over the beast (Rev 15:2) and are resurrected unto eternal life (Rev 20:4). Praise the Lord for His grace!

 


 


 
Daily Jot: Beware of another run at your freedom - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
All signs point to the one-world communist cabal about to make another COVID-style run at your personal and national liberty. It’s starting with mask mandates. Already, the minions of global control are making their move. Morris Brown College in Georgia has mandated mask wearing for at least the next two weeks. Other basic rights such as a ban on large gatherings and parties, contact tracing, temperature checks and isolation/quarantine mandates also have been imposed. Lionsgate, a $3.6 billion entertainment giant with over 3,500 employees, also issued a mask mandate along with required daily screening, and contact tracing. Education and Entertainment renewing the attack on your rights. There’s more.
 
Rutgers University is also mandating masks. In addition, students who did not take the mRNA serum are not allowed to attend classes unless they have a medical or religious exemption. In fact, the web tracker NoCollegeMandates has documented that some 60 colleges and universities have COVID mandates in effect. You can see where this renewed hysteria is coming from—the bastions of leftist activism in entertainment and education. Moreover, the news media once again is carrying the narrative. These institutions, and you can expect other businesses to follow, are trying to normalize the taking away of your bodily autonomy and basic civil rights. They are doing the communists’ bidding for them.
 
The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are also sounding the alarm bells about new strains of COVID. The CDC COVID Data Tracker indicates that hospitalizations attributed to COVID have increased 21% in early August with nearly 13,000 admitted from August 6-12. Deaths during the same period were 1.3% of the total. There are no statistics on the CDC site of how many of those were mRNA vaccinated or how many of those who died were on the remdesivir and ventilator protocols recommended by CDC, which both statistically actually cause death apart from COVID. Also, it is documented by CDC that COVID deaths from the beginning of the “pandemic” averaged about 1% of those infected. In other terms, despite the fear mongering and mandates, there is a 99% chance of survival of this flu.
 
Meantime, some 15 studies of over 6,500 people indicate that mask wearing does not prevent the transmission of COVID. In fact, a group of doctors from various medical institutions wrote a letter to the head of the Infectious Diseases Society of America demanding that the misleading information on masks be deleted from its and the CDC’s websites. They also accused the CDC of “misrepresenting the evidence” by citing selective content to support mask wearing. Bottom line: there is a big lie brewing another round of mandates. Do not be deceived. For as in 2 Timothy 4:4 people will “turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Remember the truth shall make you free, lies put you into bondage. The principalities are again making a play to put you in bondage. Resist them by standing in truth.

 


 


 
Daily Devotion: Living the Gospel - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. —Matthew 5:13
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/living-the-gospel/ - Listen
 
Nothing is worse than a hypocritical Christian.
 
Now, we’ve all had moments of hypocrisy. We have not always practiced what we preach. That is called humanity. Every Christian will fall short.
 
But there’s a difference between believers who struggle but are seeking to live godly lives and those who claim to be believers yet blatantly disregard what the Bible says.
 
If someone who claims to be a Christian is living a lifestyle contrary to what the gospel teaches and what the Bible says, they would do other Christians a big favor if they just didn’t talk about Jesus.
 
The world needs authenticity today. And before we can effectively tell others about Christ, we must first live it.
 
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless” (Matthew 5:13 NLT).
 
We don’t think of salt as a valuable commodity today, because it is relatively inexpensive. But in the first century, salt was a bigger deal. It was a form of currency, and it was a preservative that kept meat from spoiling in the absence of refrigeration like we have today.
 
So, when Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” people immediately would have understood the comparison. Jesus was saying they were a preserving factor in the culture.
 
And that is what we are today. Christians are the ones who stand up for what is right. Christians speak out against what is wrong. And Christians are the ones who are always at the forefront of efforts around the world to help hurting people.
 
That is what Christians do. That is what Christians are. We are the salt of the earth.

 


 
PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES
Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines

 
HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 
TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY
8/29/23
 
http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php 

 

• Libya's foreign minister suspended, flees country after meeting with Israel's chief diplomat
• US said furious with Israel for revealing meeting with Libyan foreign minister
• Cohen blames political opponents for firestorm over meet he publicized with Libya FM
• Israeli leak on Libya meet harms effort to reconvene Negev Forum, organizers fear
• Netanyahu Hails Change in Sweden's Policy Towards Israel at Meeting with Swedish MPs
• Smotrich insists no concessions to Palestinians in exchange for ties with Saudis
• Flight to Tel Aviv full of Israelis lands in Saudi Arabia because of technical issue
• US knew of Saudi forces killing Ethiopian migrants, but kept quiet - report
• Palestinian fears grow amid rising Israeli settler attacks
• Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of 'Gunning Down Palestinian Children'
• Man killed in Lod as death toll of violent crime wave in Arab community nears 160
• Anti-crime mayoral candidate, two others shot in Nazareth
• Terrorists throw bombs at IDF soldiers in Samaria
• 'Give us 6 months notice': Ultra-Orthodox funeral in New York angers local town
• Israeli envoy meets head of Romanian party accused of antisemitism, drawing rebuke
• 300-meter stretch of aqueduct from late Second Temple period uncovered in Jerusalem
• Nasrallah vows 'severe reaction' to any Israeli assassination on Lebanese soil
• Lebanon detains 2 Russian citizens for allegedly spying for Israel
• Israel strikes force closure of Syria airport: state media
• Jordan downs drone from Syria in third incident this month
• Iran boasts new submarines, demands US leave Syria - analysis
• Syrian protests enter second week with calls for Assad to go
• Syria's Assad's Ruling Party HQ Shut by Protests in Rebellious Druze City
• France Bans Islamic Dress in Schools Citing Breach of Secular Laws
• Taliban's morality czar claims women don't need 'sightseeing' as he demands women cover up head even more
• Iran arrests singer for 'illegal' song encouraging headscarf removal
• Iran summons Swiss envoy over US seizure of its oil now docked in Texas
• Poland and Baltic States Threaten to Shut Border with Russian Ally Belarus
• Zelenskyy's corruption crackdown plan raises cover-up fears
• Pope slammed for telling Russians to hold on to 'legacy' of a 'great empire' - While he also advocated for peace, remarks seeming to praise Russia's imperialist past come under fire
• Tucker Carlson Tells Crowd US Leadership Hates Russia, Hungary Because They Are 'Christian' Countries
• Zelensky Says He Won't Hold Elections Unless U.S. and EU Pay for Them
• Ukraine-Russia war: Russia scrambles fighter jet to intercept US drone
• Biden hides free vacations from financial disclosure even after Justice Thomas pummelled for it
• John Kerry Implicated in Ukraine Scandal: Met with Hunter's Business Partner at Burisma Before Ukrainian Prosecutor Fired
• National Archives acknowledges 5,400 Biden pseudonym emails, faces lawsuit for their release
• Newt Gingrich: 'I Don't Think Biden' Runs Administration
• DiGenova: 'Continuing Cover-Up' of Bidens by DOJ
• Report: Emails Show Weiss, DOJ Conspired to Mislead Congress
• McCarthy starts to plot Biden impeachment strategy while GOP skeptics remain
• Jim Jordan hints House 'headed' toward Biden impeachment inquiry in September
• Florida Congressman Files Article of Impeachment Against U.S. Defense Secretary
• Jesse Watters: Evidence suggests Joe Biden is personally running the prosecutions of Donald Trump
• Woman Who Escaped Communist China Under Mao Reacts to Trump Arrest - Sounds Alarm About 'Cultural Revolution' In America
• If Democrats Criminalize Opposition And Cripple The Court, Democracy Is Dead
• Federal Lawsuit is Filed to Disqualify Trump from Running in 2024 Election
• Morris: The 2024 Election Is Going to Be a Vote of Defiance
• Commentary: Trump's Mugshot Is A Symbol Of The Right's Struggle Against Tyranny
• Pollster Soltis Anderson: Indictments 'Galvanized' Support for Trump
• Bolton: 'Even a Lot of MAGA Trumpers Really Don't Want to Elect a Convicted Felon President'
• Far-Left DC Judge Schedules Trial in Trump January 6th Case One Day Before Primary Elections, Three Weeks Before New York Trial
• Trump's DC trial date set for March 4 - one day before Super Tuesday - Trump's trial in Manhattan, brought by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, is set to start March 25, 2024
• Trump to appeal DC trial date of March 4, calling it 'election interference'
• House Republican aims to defund 'sham' Trump prosecutions until after 2024 election
• Trump, other defendants set to be arraigned Sept. 6 in Georgia election case
• As Biden Talks Civil Rights & MLK, Fulton County Holds Black 'Political Prisoner'
• Raskin: Trump Disqualified from Holding Office Because Senate Majority Voted He Incited Insurrection
• Judge Denies Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Request to Halt YouTube Censorship
• Behind the AI boom, an army of overseas workers in 'digital sweatshops'
• Issue with UK air traffic control system 'identified and remedied' but thousands still face major delays after fault
• UK air traffic control chaos 'to last for days' after hundreds of flights cancelled
• Indonesia rocked by 7.1 magnitude earthquake
• 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits near Amahai, Indonesia
• 5.6 magnitude earthquake hits near Pototano, Indonesia
• 5.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Nargana, Panama
• 5.4 magnitude earthquake hits the Bali Sea
• 5.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia
• 5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Quellon, Chile
• 5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Pacocha, Peru
• Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 24,000ft
• Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 23,000ft
• Ubinas volcano in Peru erupts to 21,000ft
• Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 21,000ft
• Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 15,000ft
• Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
• Typhoon Saola lashes northern Philippines as it heads for Taiwan
• As Tropical Storm Idalia targets Florida, Franklin becomes Category 4 hurricane
• Florida preparing for Idalia to be a category 4 storm, emergency chief says
• Tropical Storm Idalia triggers storm surge warnings in Florida ahead of likely landfall
• Tropical Storm Idalia set to become hurricane as Florida schools close, DeSantis expands state of emergency
• 'Widespread fuel contamination' reported at some Florida gas stations as Idalia looms
• Tropical Storm Idalia: Cars may stop working mid-evacuation due to fuel contamination
• Landslides and floods wash away roads overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy where it's feared severe storms could cause 'disaster'
• Greece battles Europe's deadliest fire of the summer for 10th day
• Democrats' climate change blame game for Hawaii fire confronted by reality after Maui identifies cause was due to alleged failures from the state's main power utility company and downed power lines
• Hawaiian Electric Denies Responsibility for Maui Fires, Claims Power Lines Were Shut Off Hours Before the Wildfire Started
• FEMA announces $3 billion for climate resiliency as time runs low for Congress to replenish its disaster fund
• Poland asks EU Court of Justice to cancel three EU climate policies
• Nevada Tribal Rangers RAM climate activist blockade of road leading to Burning Man, mass arrest protesters
• EV Fail: Car Dealers Turning Away From Electric Vehicles After Learning Harsh Economics Lesson
• Japan asks China to urge citizens to halt harassment after start of Fukushima wastewater release
• Pope says 'backward' U.S. conservatives have replaced faith with ideology
• Texas Gov. Abbott: We will take Biden to Supreme Court to protect border
• Joe Biden: "Domestic Terrorism Rooted in White Supremacy is the Greatest Terrorist Threat We Face in the Homeland"
• Neo-Nazi propaganda emerges again - Neo-Nazis, brandishing swastika flags, held a demonstration outside a Chabad synagogue in Cobb County, Georgia
• Gang in Haiti opened fire on church-led protest, killing at least 7 people, human rights groups say
• UNC Graduate Tailei Qi from Wuhan Universtiy in China Identified as Person of Interest in Campus Shooting; Suspect Taken Into Custody
• Harris says US 'experiencing an epidemic of hate' in wake of Jacksonville shooting
• Jacksonville Sheriff: Dollar General Shooter Bought Both Guns Legally
• Jacksonville Sheriff: The Problem Is the Individual, Not the Gun
• Ron DeSantis Booed at Vigil for Jacksonville Shooting Victims: 'You're Not Welcome Here'
• Florida Democrat claims DeSantis' anti-woke policies to blame for Jacksonville shooting: 'Blood on his hands'
• Massive Youth Brawls Hit Two California Malls - Gunshots Ring Out During Altercations
• Haiti: Gang Opens Fire on Christians Protesting Lawless Violence
• 60% Of Women Have Suffered Some Form of Sexual Harassment or Assault in US McMurdo Station in Antarctica
• Former FBI Contractor Charged With Child Sex Crimes
• Alabama Mayor Calls for Defunding Library Unless They Remove Graphic LGBT Books From Kids Section
• California attorney general sues to stop Chino Valley's transgender notification policy - Rules requiring parents to be told if a child is transgender violate students' rights, Rob Bonta says
• Dylan Mulvaney Demands Public and Proud Support for Transgenders as He Attacks 'Extreme' 'Transphobia'
• Vogue Includes Transgender Cyclist on List of 'Powerhouse Women' of 2023
• Legal weed industry in US 'verges on collapse' amid booming blackmarket
• FAA investigating nearly 5K pilots accused of hiding conditions that would make them unfit to fly: report
• More Dog Owners Are Questioning Vaccines Like Rabies After Covid
• Whistleblower Who Disclosed Myocarditis Spike in Military After COVID Vaccine Rollout Goes Public
• CDC Removes COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports From Website: Report
• White House pumps new Covid vax, says it's 'safest protection for avoiding hospitalization'
• Texas law banning COVID-related mandates by local governments takes effect this week
• China Ends COVID Test Requirement for Incoming Travelers

 


 


 
FROM THE HEART
    
Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left,
Count for ALL of Eternity!

IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT  
 
WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT?
 
One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me.
 
Humbly Seek Your Support
 
Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks!
 
If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now!
What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake?
"Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!"
 
"Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey
 
1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack.
2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others.
3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know.
4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update.
 
I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks!
 
Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13
 
If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to:
 
 DONATE NOW 
 
 
 
Or write us at:
 
Prophecy Update
P.O. Box 40516
Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
 
 
We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members.
 
Click below to download!
 
"AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING"
 
 
 
 
If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven?
Find out, visit:
www.thegoodtest.net
www.gotquestions.org
www.wayofthemaster.com 
How to know God
 
 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email:
[email protected]
 
 
Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly)
 
 "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand."
 
 "Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!"
 
 YBIC-Randy