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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Gog/Magog War Can’t Happen Before the Rapture, Part 1 - By Ron Ferguson - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/03/06/gog-magog-war-cant-happen-before-the-rapture-part-1-by-ron-ferguson/
(Part 1 of 3) I want to write about a matter I know there is a lot of variance about and that I feel fairly strongly about because of proper biblical exegesis. Writers on this site and elsewhere have differing views, but I have rarely seen much in the way of justification for a specific viewpoint for the topic I am going to write on. Opinions seem fixed and interpretation molded around that view. People lock their views in vaults, and they do not justify those views. I suspect a good number of people don’t read what others write, in any case. I would not say that if I did not try to read most of the articles myself. One of the key principles to any exegesis or exposition is that all conclusions must be in harmony with the rest of scripture. In order to do that, one must know what the rest of scripture says and how it links in with the whole revelation of God. The matter I wish to examine critically is the “Gog/Magog War.” Ideas fall into 3 main timeframes, and it is this area that is disputed. As to the combatants, there seems to be general agreement with verses 2 and 3 of Ezekiel 38 being understood. It is the timeframe that I want to write about. The three times given are (1) before the Rapture; that is, it could be anytime now. (2). Somewhere in the Tribulation. (3). At the end of the Tribulation as part of the whole Armageddon conflict. There has been the suggestion that this happens after the start of the Millennium, but that is so unlikely I won’t spend time on it. I am convinced thoroughly that (1) is incorrect, and I know it is the dominant view of some RR writers, and I am not writing against anyone in any way. Please continue to read this fairly and not delete. I don’t hold my position without proof, and the proof is internal. One must be able to support one’s position. With that in mind, let us look at it.
(a). 38:3-4. – God takes this initiative to bring armies to destruction. This has not happened in the age of grace and will not happen before the Rapture. It is the call and gathering of the Gog/Magog army. Right now, at the end of the Church age, we can see the beginnings of these power alignments, but that is not the war. (b). We come to verse 8. This verse is a problem for all three views of timing. It cannot be said today that Israel is dwelling securely. Neither is that nation “restored from the sword” with the PLO and Hezbollah firing up to 225 Iranian rockets daily into Israel. Verse 8 just cannot apply to our times. It is an impossibility. Israel is surrounded by enemies. The problem also exists possibly that near the end of the Tribulation when the forces gather for Armageddon, Israel is also not at peace. This is when I think the Gog conflict happens, along with Armageddon. It can’t really be said that the nation at that time is at peace. The only time that happens is in the Millennium when Israel is settled and restored. However, the Lord reigns from Jerusalem, and before that, there has been a judgment of the sheep and goat nations. The forces of Gog would definitely be considered goat nations and would not enter the Tribulation anyway, so they cannot be present then. (c). Another problem is found in this verse – gates.” The purpose of walls, bars and gates was to protect the city and villages. In this verse, it speaks of a time of peace in Israel, a proper peace with security, and implied no threat from any enemy. That application to our days is ludicrous, and even at the end of the Tribulation when I think this happens, is problematic. The description presupposes a fully unprotected community dwelling peacefully, BUT Israel is one of the best-protected areas in the world. Verses 8 and 11 are difficult. Maybe we are not to know exactly. The Gog/Magog war just can’t happen before the Rapture. It does not fit in any shape or form. (d). This is a critical verse – I have recently done a series on The Day of the LORD and pointed out over and over the special importance of the statement “In/On that day,” or “At that time.” Those catch phrases always refer to the times of the end, in the Day of the LORD, AFTER the Rapture, never before. The emphasis again is on living securely. No one can say that Israel dwells securely today; otherwise, it would not have both offensive and defensive weapons in abundance possessed by Israel to protect its very existence. (e). IMPORTANT VERSE. Next, we look at this verse – “In the last days” in the Old Testament could never have referred to the Rapture or the time before the Rapture because the Rapture was a mystery to be revealed by Paul in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and not before. The term always referred to the time just before the Second Coming. Note this wording – “My people Israel.” Go back to Hosea and read this carefully – Then we move along with the most important conjunction, which is “Yet.” numbered and it will come about that, in the place where it is said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ it will be said to them, ‘You are the sons of the living God.’“ The change is there from “Not My people” to “You are the sons of God.” Ezekiel 38:16 uses “My people Israel,” the same aspect of this Hosea verse – Israel does not become “You are My people“ in the converted state until after the Second Coming. In the relationship sense today, Israel is “not My people,” though in the general sense they are the earthly people of God. There is one more verse to consider in the Hosea passage that throws so much light on this subject. It is this one – That verse just quoted is where redeemed Israel will appoint one Leader, which we know will be the Messiah after the Second Coming. After their restoration, they will be restored as His people, just as Hosea and Ezekiel 38:16 teaches. What is the reason for this? It is stated, and it is this, “for great will be the day of Jezreel.” Jezreel is the valley that contains the hill “Har Megiddo,” which is Armageddon. It is Armageddon that is the great day and spells the deliverance for Israel from the Gog forces, and AFTER that, Israel can be termed as “My people” in the greatest affection. See too, that expression “in the last days,” and as it occurs in the Old Testament, it can only mean the last days of the AGE leading into the Second Coming (same usage as in Matthew 24:1). In the New Testament, when Paul speaks of the last days, as in 2 Timothy 3, he means the last days of the CHURCH AGE, which is right now. Through God’s dramatic destruction of the Gog alliance, the nations will know God, and He will be sanctified through what happens in Israel. That just cannot happen at this time before the Rapture. It would be totally out of place. Israel currently is “not My people.” So great will be Armageddon that the nations will know God and His mighty works. [email protected] Most Americans Don’t Know About The New Nuclear Weapons Russia Has Developed Since The End Of The Cold War - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/most-americans-dont-know-about-the-new-nuclear-weapons-russia-has-developed-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war/ Even though war has erupted in Ukraine, most Americans still do not believe that a nuclear war with Russia is a serious threat. The Cold War doctrine of “mutually assured destruction” has been pounded into our heads so many times that most people simply assume that it would be unthinkable for either side to attempt a nuclear strike. That may have been true in the 1980s, but things have changed dramatically since that time. The Russians have developed some extremely impressive weapons and anti-missile systems since the end of the Cold War, but most Americans don’t even know that they exist. Let’s start with the RS-28 Sarmat. While the U.S. still relies on hopelessly outdated Minuteman III missiles that first went into service in 1970, the Russians have developed the most advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles on the entire planet… The RS-28, sometimes known as the “Satan II,” has been in development since 2014, and was famously described as “capable of wiping out parts of the earth the size of Texas or France,” by Russia’s state-owned media. The missile has a range of 6,385 miles and carries a warhead jam-packed with Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles (MIRV) that boast a combined destructive yield of 50 megatons. In other words, the RS-28 Sarmat carries a destructive yield greater than 35 times that of the Minuteman III. America’s most powerful nuclear bomb in service, the B83, also boasts just a 1.2 megaton yield, and even the most powerful nuclear weapon in American history, the 9 megaton B53, rings in at less than 1/5 the yield of the mighty Sarmat. The U.S. military has no way to defend against the Sarmat. The Russians have also developed a very alarming line of hypersonic missiles that we have no way to defend against. In fact, the Russians just released footage of the Zircon hypersonic nuclear missile which can travel at speeds of up to 7,000 miles per hour. Meanwhile, the U.S. is way behind both the Russians and the Chinese when it comes to developing hypersonic missiles. But if the Russians were to hit the U.S. with a surprise first strike, they would probably utilize their “black hole submarines”… The mainstay of the Russian Navy’s conventionally powered fleet are Project 877–class submarines, known as the Kilo class to NATO and the West. Nicknamed the “Black Hole” submarine by the U.S. Navy, the Improved Kilos are extremely quiet. The class has been built more or less continuously for thirty years, a testament to their effectiveness at sea. These “black hole submarines” were designed to be as quiet as possible, and that makes them ideal for a sneak attack… A lot of silencing went into the Kilos. The hull is described as having the approximate shape of a drop of water and greatly reducing water resistance over older, World War II–era submarine designs. The propulsion plant is isolated on a rubber base so it doesn’t touch the hull, preventing vibrations from turning into noise that can be heard outside the boat. The ship has a rubbery anechoic coating to deaden noise emanating from the submarine, which occasionally gives the submarines a blocky appearance noticeable in photographs. The air regeneration system can keep the crew supplied with oxygen for up to 260 hours, giving the ship almost two weeks’ worth of underwater endurance. These submarines have the ability to sneak up to our coastlines without us even realizing that they are there. And once they launch their missiles, we would only have a few moments to respond. As terrifying as that sounds, many experts are even more concerned about a submarine-launched weapon known as “Poseidon”… Unlike the submarine-launched nuclear missiles both Russia and the United States maintain as a part of their nuclear triads, the Status-6 (sometimes called “Poseidon” or by its NATO designation of “Kanyon”) is actually a submersible drone. Once deployed by a Russian Navy submarine, the drone can travel autonomously toward its target, covering more than 5,400 miles at depths as low as 3,300 feet. Once it finds its target, the Status-6 simply parks and waits for the command to detonate. We would never see the Poseidon coming. Theoretically, the Russians could deploy Poseidons to all of our major coastal cities and detonate them all simultaneously. Just take a few moments to think about what that would mean. And it has been reported that some Russian officials have said that the Poseidon “can be equipped with a 100 megaton weapon”… Onboard this submersible drone is an absolutely massive warhead–with some claims saying it carries the same nuclear yield as the RS-28, and others claiming twice that. According to some Russian officials, the Status-6 can be equipped with a 100 megaton weapon… which is two times more powerful than the largest nuclear weapon ever even tested. A detonation of that magnitude would not only destroy and irradiate a massive area, its positioning under water would result in a radioactive tsunami that would reach far further inland than the blast itself. In no uncertain terms, the Status-6 is intended to serve as a doomsday weapon. It’s the sort of weapon you build not to win wars, but to end them. Such a weapon could destroy New York City in the blink of an eye. But all of these offensive weapons won’t do the Russians much good if they can’t defend against our missiles. Unfortunately for us, the Russians have developed the most advanced anti-missile systems in the world. The S-400 and the A-135 are vastly superior to anything that we have, and now the extremely sophisticated S-500 is being put into service… The S-500 is designed for intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft, for air defense against Airborne Early Warning and Control and for jamming aircraft.[citation needed] With a planned range of 600 km (370 mi) for anti-ballistic missile (ABM) and 500 km (310 mi) for air defense,[22] the S-500 would be able to detect and simultaneously engage up to 10 ballistic hypersonic targets flying at a speed of 5 kilometers per second (3.1 mi/s)[23][24] to a limit of 7 km/s (4.3 mi/s).[25][26] It also aims at destroying hypersonic cruise missiles and other aerial targets at speeds of higher than Mach 5, as well as spacecraft.[citation needed] The altitude of a target engaged can be as high as 180–200 km (110–120 mi).[citation needed] It is effective against ballistic missiles with a launch range of 3,500 km (2,200 mi), the radar reaches a radius of 3,000 km (1,300 km for the EPR 0,1 square meter).[27][28] Other targets it has been announced to defend against include: unmanned aerial vehicles, low Earth orbit satellites, and space weapons launched from hypersonic aircraft, and hypersonic orbital platforms.[29] If Russia were to launch a nuclear attack against us, we would definitely be destroyed. But most Americans don’t realize that the Russians now have systems that have been specifically designed to handle whatever we might throw at them. In other words, the balance of power has shifted. But most of our leaders continue to mock the idea that the Russians are a threat to us. For example, just consider these recent comments from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham… Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., echoed Risch’s sentiment that the conflict will not escalate to the most dire situation. “Well it’s not going to be World War III – this is all a bluff,” Graham said during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures.” “Putin knows that no one wins a nuclear exchange. If he ordered a strike on the United States, a general would shoot him in the head.” It is this sort of thinking that could eventually get all of us killed. Without a doubt, I believe that the Russians do not actually want a nuclear war. But the Russians have been preparing for one for several decades. And when that day finally arrives, it won’t be the U.S. that has the upper hand. Digital Tyranny: Beware of The Government's Push for A Digital Currency – John Whitehead - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5255 This is what comes of those $1.5 trillion spending bills: someone's got to foot the bill. Because the government's voracious appetite for money, power and control has grown out of control, its agents have devised other means of funding its excesses and adding to its largesse through taxes disguised as fines, taxes disguised as fees, and taxes disguised as tolls, tickets and penalties. No matter how much money the government pulls in, it's never enough, so the government has come up with a new plan to make it even easier for its agents to seize Americans' bank accounts. Make way for the digital dollar. In an Executive Order issued on March 9, 2022, President Biden called for the federal government to consider establishing a "U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)." Similar to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, CBDCs would also be a form of digital money, but there the resemblance ends. If adopted, CBDCs would be issued by the Federal Reserve, the central banking system for the U.S. government. One CBDC digital dollar would equal the value of a physical dollar. And like the physical dollar, which ceased to be backed by gold more than 50 years ago, the CBDC would be considered a government-issued fiat currency that is backed by the strength and credit of the U.S. government. (Of course, that's not saying much considering that much of the time, the U.S. government operates in the red.) Although government agencies have six months to weigh in on the advantages and disadvantages of a centralized digital currency, it's as good as a done deal. For instance, three weeks before the Biden Administration made headlines with its support for a government-issued digital currency, the FBI and the Justice Department quietly moved ahead with plans for a cryptocurrency enforcement team (translation: digital money cops), a virtual asset exploitation unit tasked with investigating crypto crimes and seizing virtual assets, and a crypto czar to oversee it all. No surprises here, of course. This is how the government operates: by giving us tools to make our lives "easier" while, in the process, making it easier for the government to track, control and punish the citizenry. Indeed, this shift to a digital currency is a global trend. More than 100 other countries are considering introducing their own digital currencies. China has already adopted a government-issued digital currency, which not only allows it to surveil and seize people's financial transactions, but can also work in tandem with its social credit score system to punish individuals for moral lapses and social transgressions (and reward them for adhering to government-sanctioned behavior). As China expert Akram Keram wrote for The Washington Post, "With digital yuan, the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] will have direct control over and access to the financial lives of individuals, without the need to strong-arm intermediary financial entities. In a digital-yuan-consumed society, the government easily could suspend the digital wallets of dissidents and human rights activists." Inevitably, a digital currency will become part of our economy and a central part of the government's surveillance efforts. Combine that with ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives that are tantamount to social media credit scores for corporations, and you will find that we're traveling the same road as China towards digital authoritarianism. As journalist Jon Brookin warns: "Digital currency issued by a central bank can be used as a tool for government surveillance of citizens and control over their financial transactions." As such, digital currency provides the government and its corporate partners with a mode of commerce that can easily be monitored, tracked, tabulated, mined for data, hacked, hijacked and confiscated when convenient. This push for a digital currency dovetails with the government's war on cash, which it has been subtly waging for some time now. Much like the war on drugs and the war on terror, this so-called "war on cash" has been sold to the public as a means of fighting terrorists, drug dealers, tax evaders and more recently, COVID-19 germs. In recent years, just the mere possession of significant amounts of cash could implicate you in suspicious activity and label you a criminal. The rationale (by police) is that cash is the currency for illegal transactions given that it's harder to track, can be used to pay illegal immigrants, and denies the government its share of the "take," so doing away with paper money will help law enforcement fight crime and help the government realize more revenue. According to economist Steve Forbes, "The real reason for this war on cash--start with the big bills and then work your way down--is an ugly power grab by Big Government. People will have less privacy: Electronic commerce makes it easier for Big Brother to see what we're doing, thereby making it simpler to bar activities it doesn't like, such as purchasing salt, sugar, big bottles of soda and Big Macs." This is how a cashless society--easily monitored, controlled, manipulated, weaponized and locked down--plays right into the hands of the government (and its corporate partners). Despite what we know about the government and its history of corruption, bumbling, fumbling and data breaches, not to mention how easily technology can be used against us, the shift to a cashless society is really not a hard sell for a society increasingly dependent on technology for the most mundane aspects of life. In much the same way that Americans have opted into government surveillance through the convenience of GPS devices and cell phones, digital cash--the means of paying with one's debit card, credit card or cell phone--is becoming the de facto commerce of the American police state. Not too long ago, it was estimated that smart phones would replace cash and credit cards altogether by 2020. Right on schedule, growing numbers of businesses have adopted no-cash policies, including certain airlines, hotels, rental car companies, restaurants and retail stores. Making the case for a digital wallet, journalist Lisa Rabasca Roepe argues that there's no longer a need for cash. "More and more retailers and grocery stores are embracing Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, and Android Pay," notes Roepe. "PayPal's app is now accepted at many chain stores including Barnes & Noble, Foot Locker, Home Depot, and Office Depot. Walmart and CVS have both developed their own payment apps while their competitors Target and RiteAid are working on their own apps." So what's really going on here? Despite all of the advantages that go along with living in a digital age--namely, convenience--it's hard to imagine how a cashless world navigated by way of a digital wallet doesn't signal the beginning of the end for what little privacy we have left and leave us vulnerable to the likes of government thieves, data hackers and an all-knowing, all-seeing Orwellian corpo-governmental state. First, when I say privacy, I'm not just referring to the things that you don't want people to know about, those little things you do behind closed doors that are neither illegal nor harmful but embarrassing or intimate. I am also referring to the things that are deeply personal and which no one need know about, certainly not the government and its constabulary of busybodies, nannies, Peeping Toms, jail wardens and petty bureaucrats. Second, we're already witnessing how easy it will be for government agents to manipulate digital wallets for their own gain in order to track your movements, monitor your activities and communications, and ultimately shut you down. For example, civil asset forfeiture schemes are becoming even more profitable for police agencies thanks to ERAD (Electronic Recovery and Access to Data) devices supplied by the Department of Homeland Security that allow police to not only determine the balance of any magnetic-stripe card (i.e., debit, credit and gift cards) but also freeze and seize any funds on pre-paid money cards. In fact, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it does not violate the Fourth Amendment for police to scan or swipe your credit card. Expect those numbers to skyrocket once digital money cops show up in full force. Third, a government-issued digital currency will give the government the ultimate control of the economy and complete access to the citizenry's pocketbook. While the government might tout the ease with which it can deposit stimulus funds into the citizenry's accounts, such a system could also introduce what economists refer to as "negative interest rates." Instead of being limited by a zero bound threshold on interest rates, the government could impose negative rates on digital accounts in order to control economic growth. "If the cash is electronic, the government can just erase 2 percent of your money every year," said David Yermack, a finance professor at New York University. Fourth, a digital currency will open Americans--and their bank accounts--up to even greater financial vulnerabilities from hackers and government agents alike. Fifth, digital authoritarianism will redefine what it means to be free in almost every aspect of our lives. Again, we must look to China to understand what awaits us. As Human Rights Watch analyst Maya Wang explains: "Chinese authorities use technology to control the population all over the country in subtler but still powerful ways. The central bank is adopting digital currency, which will allow Beijing to surveil--and control--people's financial transactions. China is building so-called safe cities, which integrate data from intrusive surveillance systems to predict and prevent everything from fires to natural disasters and political dissent. The government believes that these intrusions, together with administrative actions, such as denying blacklisted people access to services, will nudge people toward 'positive behaviors,' including greater compliance with government policies and healthy habits such as exercising." Short of returning to a pre-technological, Luddite age, there's really no way to pull this horse back now that it's left the gate. To our detriment, we have virtually no control over who accesses our private information, how it is stored, or how it is used. And in terms of our bargaining power over digital privacy rights, we have been reduced to a pitiful, unenviable position in which we can only hope and trust that those in power will treat our information with respect. At a minimum, before any kind of digital currency is adopted, we need stricter laws on data privacy and an Electronic Bill of Rights that protects "we the people" from predatory surveillance and data-mining business practices by the government and its corporate partners. The ramifications of a government--any government--having this much unregulated, unaccountable power to target, track, round up and detain its citizens is beyond chilling. Why We Watch – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2022/03/14/why-we-watch/ Again, the commentary is presented from an Amero-centric perspective. The continuation of vantage point is because, indeed, at this particular time in history, America is at the heart of the geopolitical milieu. Much of what has happened, and is happening at present, has been or is influenced by the actions of those in control of the government of the United States. For example, when Donald Trump was president, Russian leader Vladimir Putin held in check his aggressive nature. Or at least the Restrainer, the Holy Spirit, did so. At any rate, Putin threatened Ukraine because of its leaders’ talking about joining NATO on occasion. Mr. Trump is said to have let it be known (I don’t find the exact quote) that if Putin invaded Ukraine, Moscow would be the target for being nuked. Trump didn’t hide his intentions. He was blunt and always followed through on his promises/threats – at least for the most part. Putin realized this, no doubt, and never came close to invading the former Soviet state. The Trump administration put the Chinese Communist Party leaders on notice that to assault Taiwan or to disrupt American, or any other shipping, in the South China Sea would bring America’s naval might to the area, and it would be used if necessary. As a matter of fact, there was increased American naval presence there during all years of the Trump administration. Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist dictator, got the message and, again, with Holy Spirit Restraint I’m convinced, thought better than to unleash his missiles, navy, and army upon Taiwan. The Chinese are known for their patience, however – in waiting for the right opportunities that will inevitably come. Xi Jinping has been watching the Russian invasion and all attendant to it. He has considered the present American president and his response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I’m convinced, as stated in previous commentaries, that Xi Jinping will, at some point soon, decide to take over Taiwan, the island state Chinese dictators have long considered to be a part of mainland China. This might be done sooner rather than later, as it is said. Xi Jinping knows that the American political environment is chaotic – that the Democrat Party is, at this point at least, due to take a drubbing in November elections. If things don’t change drastically, the Presidential elections in 2024 will be calamitous for the Democrat Party also. Almost certainly, the new governing elements within Congress and then in the White House will bring back strong leadership in direct opposition to all that is going on at present, with the Biden Administration doing all it can to disassemble America as founded – to bring the nation into the globalist sphere. For example, Biden’s immediately on taking office adopted the radical, green demands of the left, thereby severely curtailing the Keystone Pipeline System, making America again dependent on global sources of energy, thus putting the nation under the thumb of the globalist elite. The November 2022 election change to a pro-America (nationalist) administration will doubtless include a reconfiguration of the U.S. military, with replacement of the present Joint Chiefs of Staff being almost a surety. I.e., I believe the Communist Chinese leadership very likely might have concluded that now is the opportunity they have longed for since Taiwan broke away in 1945. Another such opportunity might not come until a future such weakened America and western world – thereby with diminished resolve to oppose such aggression – might again come into being. Now, understand that the above is offered with the absolute assurance that God’s Mighty Hand is in all of it. We know that from God’s Word. “And now ye know what withholdeth [the Holy Spirit] that he [Antichrist] might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he [the Holy Spirit] who now letteth [restrains] will let [restrain], until he [the Holy Spirit] be taken out of the way.” (2 Thes 2:6-7) So why do we “Watch” as our title of the commentary suggests? Because we are commanded to do so by the Lord Jesus Himself, to begin with… “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Mark 13:37) “And when you see all these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your head, for your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28) His command is more than enough to make clear that God wants us to be aware of His impending return to Planet Earth as the moment of that Glorious Appearance nears. He said to look up when we “see all these things begin to come to pass.” The Judaizers of His first coming to present Himself as Israel’s Messiah and King couldn’t see the Truth. Jesus was that Messiah. Christians must not be oblivious. We are commanded to be aware of the time of Christ’s Return to put an end to the carnage that is happening now and is scheduled to take place in Judgment and Wrath during the 7 years of Tribulation. We are to thus warn those who are lost and headed for Hell of these things to come while witnessing the Loving Gift Offering of God’s only Son in Sacrifice for the sins of mankind. To know that Bible prophecy tells the end of all things from the beginning does one thing more for the Christian who “watches” as Jesus commanded. It offers comfort and assurance. Assurance that there will not be nuclear exchanges that end civilization. There will not be World War III as so many are fretting about right now. People will be doing all the things of normal life at the very moment of His next intervention into human history. All will be normal for the times in that regard, while the times are chaotic just like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. Boy howdy! Are we ever at that point in comportment right at this moment? Jesus, Himself, promised this would be the condition of humanity in just one passage I continue to repeat for all who will listen. “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Luke 17: 26-30) The Lord Jesus Gave the most important Promise of all as recorded in the following passage. And remember that “the last day” begins with the Rapture! “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6: 40) Daily Jot: Is this the end of time? - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There is a lot of consternation in the Christian community about the Russian-Ukraine war. Some think it is the beginning of the tribulation spoken of in the Bible and leading to the end of days. As always, there is a lot of misinterpretation and misinformation. The first thing Christ told his disciples about the end of days in Matthew 24:4 was, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Then he went on to give a chronology of the events leading up to and through the end of days. Prophecy questions are best answered with your own Bible study–not just by blindly accepting what is taught. Instead of repeating in ignorance what people say about Bible prophecy, it’s best to find out firsthand through independent study. Christ said in Matthew 24:6-8, “And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows.” The part that concerns so many right now is the war Russia has started with Ukraine because since the Cold War, Bible teachers have wrongly taught that Russia was Gog of Magog, the antichrist leader of the Ezekiel 38 end time prophecy. Read and study the context of the holy scriptures. Many things that have been taught as fact, are not what the scriptures say. For example, ”Ros” or “Rosh” does not mean Russia in interpreting Ezekiel 38. It always means “chief” or “head.” When looking at the current worldwide landscape, it prompts many to think we have entered the tribulation spoken of by the prophets and Christ. This just does not match with the context of the scriptures. With Matthew 24:6-8 in mind, think about the context and the current history. In the early 1900’s, for example, there was World War I and thereafter a worldwide flu pandemic. During World War II, many thought Adolf Hitler was the antichrist. He certainly had many of the characteristics of the antichrist, but he was not. Then there were famines, and disease, and more wars—Korea, Vietnam, Intifadas, Afghanistan, Iraq and many more. These events, even earthquakes, increased during the 20th Century. Throughout this time, people have thought that the end was near. Many theories exist about the end of days. Read and study the Bible for yourself and put what the prophets say in context—context is very important. As you study and discern, don’t just pick out verses and build your own context around them to support what you want to believe–as have many modern Bible teachers. Keeping verses in context will reveal that the prophets are viewing The Day of the Lord event from several perspectives, but all are consistent. Why? Because it is God’s word, not man’s ideas, interpretations, traditions or agendas. You may conclude that because of the frequency of prophesied events, we may be living in the time Christ termed “the beginning of sorrows.” But the end is not yet. There are many prophecies that must occur before that Day of the Lord. Before jumping on someone’s error-perpetuating bandwagon, find out for yourself. Daily Getting What We Don’t Deserve - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. —Numbers 6:25 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/getting-what-we-dont-deserve/ - Listen Let’s imagine for a moment that I loaned my motorcycle to a friend, and he went out and dumped it. Worse yet, he totaled it. So I said, “I want you to get me a brand-new bike.” That would be justice. But let’s say, for example, that I dealt with my friend in mercy and said, “You don’t have to get me a brand-new bike. I forgive you.” Now, if I dealt with him in grace, I not only would refuse his offer to buy a new bike for me, but I would take him out to dinner and then buy him his own Harley. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. And grace is getting what we don’t deserve. The Bible says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8–9 NLT). Grace is God’s unmerited favor, and we need God’s grace because we sin every day. In fact, we sin more than we think we do. The Bible says, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:18 NLT). We think we sin when we do things like lose our temper or think a lustful thought. And yes, those are sins. But we also can sin when we say no to God’s prompting to open His Word and read it. We can sin when God leads us to pray or share the gospel with someone, and we refuse. We need God’s grace every day. Just as surely as we need God’s daily provision, we need His daily forgiveness as well. That’s where grace comes in. 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
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