Revelations of Paul, & the Mystery of the Rapture – Part II

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER... 
 

• Featured Article: Revelations of Paul, & the Mystery of the Rapture – Part II 
• A War Between Two Ideologies - Israel & Hezbollah Make Plans For Next War 
• When the Remnant Grows Weary 
• Millions Of Americans Are Scrambling To Become Independent Of The System As It Collapses All Around Them 
• Daily Jot: Tyranny in the name of public health and safety 
• Daily Devotion: Walk His Way 

---

Revelations of Paul, & the Mystery of the Rapture – Part II – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/revelations-of-paul-the-mystery-of-the-rapture-part-ii
 
Saul, whose name was later changed to Paul, was converted to Christianity in AD 35. By AD 40 there were thousands of converts to Christianity and most of them were Jews. This was about to change, however, and it started with a man named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile Roman centurion, and is described as a devout man and one who feared God. One day in a vision, an angel of God came and spoke with Cornelius. Acts 10:3 says this occurred in the 9th hour of the day (the same hour of the day that Jesus died on the cross). The angel told Cornelius to call the apostle Peter to his house.
 
The next day, Peter had a vision from God in which he was commanded to kill and eat unclean animals. This occurred in the 6th hour (the same hour of the day Jesus was put on the cross). “But Peter said, ‘Not so Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ A voice spoke to him and said, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common’” (Acts 10:14-15). This was done 3 times and then the vision ceased. Notice the use of the multiples of the number 3, which connotes divine perfection.
 
Afterwards, while Peter was wondering what this vision meant, the 3 men whom Cornelius had sent arrived at the house where Peter was staying and inquired of him. The Spirit told Peter to arise and go with them, doubting nothing, for He had sent them. The next day, Peter traveled with the men to meet Cornelius. As Peter proclaimed the gospel to Cornelius and his family, he realized the meaning of his vision; God was calling both Jews and Gentiles to Christ. While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those of Cornelius’ household who heard the word. The Jews who had come with Peter were astonished because they heard the Gentiles speak with tongues and magnifying God. Peter commanded the Gentiles to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
 
In AD 43, the church in Jerusalem, sent Barnabas to minister in Antioch, Barnabas went to Tarsus to bring Paul back to Antioch to minister with him there. Paul and Barnabas spent the next year teaching the believers in that city. Later the two men were commissioned as the Church’s first missionaries. In AD 44, King Herod Agrippa 1 began arresting Christian leaders, starting with James, the brother of John. James was the first apostle to be martyred. He was executed with a sword. Peter was also arrested, but was miraculously delivered from prison. The persecution in Jerusalem grew, and believers fled to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Syrian Antioch. The dispersed Christians brought the gospel with them and the Church grew and spread despite great persecution. Soon after that, God struck down Herod, for his exceeding sinfulness.
 
The book of James was written by Jesus’ half-brother. It was the first book of the New Testament to be written, in approximately AD 45. The order in which the books of the New Testament were written is a topic of much scholarly debate. Here is the order I believe is most accurate: 1) James-AD 45 2) Galatians-AD 49 3) 1 Thes.-AD 51 4) 2 Thes.-AD 52 5) 1 Cor.- AD 56 6) 2 Cor.- AD 57 7) Romans- AD 57 8) Mark-AD 58 9) Matthew-AD 60 10) Luke-AD 60 11) Ephesians-AD 60 12) Colossians-AD 60 13) Philemon-AD 61 14) Philippians-AD 62 15) 1 Timothy-AD 62 16) Acts-AD 62 17) 1 Peter-AD 63 18) Hebrews-AD 63 19) 2 Peter-AD 64 20) Jude-AD 65 21) Titus-AD 66 22) 2 Timothy-AD 67 23) Rev.-AD 95 24) John-AD 95 25) 1 John-AD 96 26) 2 John-AD 96-100 27) 3 John-AD 96-100.
 
In AD 48, the leaders of the church in Antioch held a prayer meeting in which the Holy Spirit showed up. As they were worshipping and fasting, the Holy Spirit told them to prepare their two prominent leaders, Paul and Barnabas, for missionary work to proclaim Christ and plant churches. The church prayed over the men and laid hands on them and then sent them out along with John Mark to preach the gospel of Christ. Their first missionary journey started in Syria and then on to Cyprus and Perga where John Mark left to return home against Paul’s wishes. The two men continued on to Galatia, and the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. They eventually returned to Antioch and reported to the church there that God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 13:1-14:28).
 
Many Gentiles became Christians as a result of Paul and Barnabas’ missionary work. However back in Jerusalem, some Hebrew Christians responded by insisting the new converts obey the law of Moses (including circumcision), which they thought was necessary for salvation. After hearing of this, Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem to meet with the other apostles. This meeting of the apostles in Jerusalem became known as the Jerusalem council and occurred in AD 49. Paul, Barnabas and Peter all testified that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by faith (by the grace of God) in Jesus, apart from keeping the law.
 
James, the half-brother of Jesus, was the leader of the Jerusalem church at this time and announced the council’s decision that Gentiles were free from the law and was not necessary for salvation. This decision reinforced the inclusion of Gentiles into the church. Some 16 years after the crucifixion, James explained what Jesus had told the disciples in Matthew 21:43 when he said, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” James spoke up and said, “Brothers, listen to me. Simon (Peter) has described to us how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out from them a people for His name” (Acts 15:13-18).
 
The Greek word for “to take” is ‘labein’, which means to receive, lay hold of, take. The Greek word for the preposition ‘from’ is ‘ex’, which means from out, out from among. This passage reveals a slight hint of the Rapture as it conveys the idea of carrying away, removing or taking to one’s self. Do you think the Holy Spirit had a part in inspiring these particular words that James spoke and which Luke later recorded in the book of Acts?
 
James then said, “And with this the words of the prophets (Jeremiah 12:15 and Amos 9:11) agree, just as it is written: “After this (after the taking out of Gentiles), I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things” (Acts 15:15-17). The apostles and elders, with the whole church decided to send Paul and Barnabas, with Judas and Silas (who were also prophets) back to the Gentile brothers in the churches of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. They carried with them a letter from the church of Jerusalem which declared the decision of the Jerusalem Council.
 
Paul’s second missionary journey lasted from AD 49 to 52 and is recorded in Acts chapters 16-18. While Paul and Silas (and later Timothy) had gone through Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. That night a vision appeared to Paul, where he was persuaded that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel in Macedonia (Greece). While Paul was traveling from country to country, he wrote 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. He wrote 1 Thessalonians to the church in Thessalonica urging them on through their persecution (earlier Paul had to leave Thessalonica because of this persecution).
 
It is in 1 Thessalonians that Paul first mentions the Rapture, while he is commending them for their faithfulness. “And how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thes. 1:9-10). It’s not clear what Paul is saying here at this point in time, but with latter scripture we learn the “wrath to come” is a phrase for the Tribulation that Jesus will save (rescue) believers from by means of the Rapture.
 
The next mention of the Rapture is found in 1 Thes. 2:19. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” The coming (parousia) Paul is referring to here is the Rapture and not the 2nd Coming. Paul regards the believers in Thessalonica as his “crown of rejoicing”, because he sees them as trophies of the victory of the gospel which he preached. The crown of rejoicing is one of 5 crowns that will be rewarded to believers in heaven (at the Judgment/Bema Seat of Christ per 2 Corinthians 5:10) for their faithfulness. For more information on these crowns see: Biblical Significance of the Number 5: Part II :: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready
 
This is further expounded upon in the next chapter. “So that He (Jesus) may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (at the Rapture) with all His saints” (1 Thess. 3:13). We will discover who these saints are in the next chapter.
 
These three references to the Rapture are clarified in Paul’s full revealing of the Rapture in 1 Thes. 4:14-17. This is the first time the Rapture (catching up) of the Church (both living and dead) is taught in detail. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This revelation was proclaimed as truth from God with Paul’s words “by the word of the Lord.” The Rapture was a mystery unknown in the Old Testament times until the Lord finally revealed it to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
 
THE DAY OF THE LORD
 
Coming immediately after Paul’s revelation concerning the rapture of the church, it is natural to want to know when this will occur. In 1 Thess. 5:1-11, the apostle does not give times and dates but instead speaks on a much larger doctrine of scripture, the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time of special divine visitation from the Lord mentioned often in both the Old and New Testaments. Paul declared, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (1 Thes. 5:3). So why does Paul start speaking about the day of the Lord immediately after his revelation of the Rapture? The answer is: the Rapture is the start of the day of the Lord. Like a thief in the night, who comes without warning, the Rapture will occur and the day of the Lord will begin.
 
“The future period of God’s intervention in the world will begin at the Rapture and will include the period of trouble preceding the 2nd coming of Christ and the establishment of God’s kingdom in the earth. The day of the Lord also include the millennial kingdom. The entire period before and after the 2nd coming of Christ will constitute a special divine intervention and rule of righteousness on the earth in the way that is not being experienced in the present age. The teaching that the day of the Lord does not begin until the 2nd coming is refuted by the fact that it includes the great tribulation. Joel made it clear that the day of the Lord included the great tribulation before the 2nd coming (Joel 2:28-3:2). The time of restoration of Israel (Joel 3:16-21) following the great tribulation is related to the 2nd coming and will be fulfilled in the millennium.” {1}
 
1 Thes. 5:3 refers to the start, middle, and end of the 7 year Tribulation. “Peace and safety” refers to the start of the Tribulation when the Antichrist confirms a 7 year covenant with Israel and the many. “Sudden destruction” comes upon Israel and the elect when the Antichrist breaks the covenant at the mid-point of the covenant (3.5 years) and persecution of the Jews begin. Israel will not escape their Great Tribulation until Jesus returns at His 2nd Coming.
 
However, the Lord has other plans for His church, “ For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thes. 5:9-10). Pauls’ prayer for the church at Thessalonica and believers everywhere (and for all generations) reads as follows, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming (the Parousia of Christ at the Rapture) of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and also will do it” (1 Thes. 5:23-24).
 
 
In 2 Thes. 1:6-10, Paul describes the 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and what it will be like in that day, “ since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.”
 
In 2 Thes. 2, Paul is writing another letter to the church at Thessalonia. In response to a mistaken belief (by false teachers who were spreading “fake news” – some things never change) that the day of the Lord had already begun. The church was being persecuted at this time so it is easy to see how they could fall for this lie. This alarmed the Thes. church because they had understood Paul to say they would not be in this time of trouble because they would have been raptured before it began. The Thessalonians would have thought they had missed the Rapture because they weren’t really saved.
 
Paul wrote, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him (at the Rapture), we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come” (2 Thes. 2:1-2). Paul had to remind the Thessalonians about the chronological order of the day of the Lord. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thes. 2:3-4).
 
The “falling away” are the English words used in the King James (and New K.J.) translation of verse 3. The Greek word is ‘aposasia’ and means apostasy, rebelling, or departure. The root word from which it comes, ‘aphistemi’ means to withdraw or remove. There are two theories on what this falling away or departure means in relation to the timing of the day of the Lord. The first theory is that their will be a great falling away or departure from the faith in the Lord before the Antichrist is revealed.
 
The second theory is that the falling away/departure will not be spiritually but physically, as in the rapture of the Church. Those who claim that the falling away is the Rapture, believe that these verses back it up. “ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thes. 2:7-8). The “He who restrains” is the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He will be removed (partially), or taken out of the way, when the church is raptured. Unrepentant mankind will then reap what they sow…the whirlwind (chaos and destruction)!
 
Soon after the Rapture, the Antichrist will be revealed by his confirming a 7 year covenant with Israel and the many. When he breaks the covenant at the mid-point of the covenant, and proclaims he is God, there will be no doubt he is the Antichrist. Because the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of the power of Satan, and he can perform miracles, signs, and lying wonders, the unrighteous will fall for his unrighteous deception, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thes. 2:11-12).
 
The unbelievers who are left behind after the Rapture will continue in their sin of unbelief and will not accept the truth regarding Jesus and the Rapture. Instead they will believe in the lies, deceptions, and signs of the Antichrist and the false prophet and will share in the fate of the unholy trinity…Satan, Antichrist, and false prophet.
 
In 1 Corinthian 2, Paul speaks about a mystery of a wisdom of God that has been hidden throughout the ages. “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:7-8). Paul’s reference to the “rulers of this age” is not to the Romans or the High Priest in Jerusalem, but to Satan and his demons.
 
Jesus called Satan the prince of this world three times in the book of John (12:31, 14:30, 16:11). Paul called him the god of this age in 2 Cor. 4:4. Paul is saying that if Satan and his minions (both demonic and human) knew what the consequences of Jesus’ death were (salvation to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles), they would have done everything possible to prevent the crucifixion. By resurrecting many saints at the time of his resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53), Jesus proved He was the Son of God and had power over life and death for all of mankind.
 
Once Jesus arose on the third day, Satan realized he was a defeated foe. This realization was probably accompanied by a memory; a memory of long ago (about 4000 years) in the garden of Eden when God gave the very first prophecy after the fall of mankind. “And I (God) will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your seed (the Antichrist) and her Seed (Jesus the Son of man); He (Jesus the Son of God) shall bruise your head, and you (Satan) shall bruise His (Jesus) heel” (Genesis 3:15).
 
Yes, Satan had (only) bruised the Son of man’s heel, due to the resurrection of Jesus on the third day. Jesus will destroy the Antichrist and eventually Satan will be cast alive into the Lake of fire (with the Antichrist and false prophet). The evil one knew at this point that God’s prophecy will be completely fulfilled and he will eventually be destroyed. He knows God’s word will always come true, and yet he tries in vain to prove God a liar. He has undertaken an impossible task…a fool’s errand, for God cannot lie. He is the embodiment of truth.
 
This is another reason why Jesus never teached on the doctrine of the Rapture before the church was established and the Holy Spirit given. Jesus did not want Satan to know about the supernatural beginning of the church (with the giving of the Holy Spirit to believers) and he certainly didn’t want him to know about the church’s supernatural end at the “catching up” of both the living and dead in Christ at the Rapture. A good general never gives away his battle plan.
 
Paul, quoting Isaiah, had this to say about what the future holds for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). I think Paul is referring to the many mansions (in the New Jerusalem) Jesus was talking about in John 14:2, where He will take us to after the Rapture. I actually like the way Isaiah put it: “For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him (at the Rapture?). You meet him (in the air?) who rejoices and does righteousness (Christians?), who remembers You in Your ways” (Isaiah 64:4-5). Isaiah didn’t know about the doctrine of the Rapture, however he was aware of the rewards for those righteous saints who obey the word of the Lord.
 
Of course once Paul revealed the mystery of the Rapture to the apostles and the rest of the world, Satan became aware of it as well. Satan, like the rest of mankind, doesn’t know the day or hour of the Rapture. All he knows for sure is that it will precede the end times judgments and will take place when the church reaches its full number (per Romans 11:25). Only God knows what that number is. All Satan can do is play defense and try to keep as many people as possible from hearing and responding to the gospel. He also creates division in the church regarding doctrine and the timing (or belief) of the Rapture.
 
After the Rapture, Satan and his seed, the Antichrist, will play their part in God’s unfolding drama (plan) known as Jacob’s trouble. They will not be able to escape their fate when they encounter the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as He returns to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
 
There is more to come regarding Paul and his revelations, including the Rapture, in part III.
 
Randy Nettles
[email protected]

 


 
A War Between Two Ideologies - Israel & Hezbollah Make Plans For Next War – Yaakov Lappin - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5089
 
The Israel Defense Forces are developing upgraded intelligence and firepower strike capabilities, and is drilling these new abilities on a regular basis. At the same time, Israeli intelligence sources acknowledge that Hezbollah has morphed from a guerilla-terror organization into an organized terror army.
 
These developments were clearly on display this month, during an extensive war drill conducted by the IDF's 36th Armored Division, a multi-arena division capable of maneuvering into enemy territory and attacking targets in a range of ways.
 
"We are preparing ourselves in better ways. We hope we don't have to get there," said Deputy Intelligence Officer for the 36th Armored Division Maj. A (full name withheld), during the drill.
 
When assessing Hezbollah, Maj. A stated that the Iranian-backed Shi'ite group has learned from its experience in Syria's battlefield how to go on the offensive.
 
As opposed to only trying to target IDF patrols with IEDs, anti-tank missiles and other guerilla tactics, Hezbollah of 2021 is focused on mobilizing forces into Israeli territory and employing tactical lessons it has learned from its partners in Syria since 2011.
 
"They will look to achieve a very big success early on in a conflict or a serious 'success' against the [Israeli] civilian front," he cautioned. This could mean attacking an Israeli village near the Lebanese border and holding families hostage, exploiting Israel's heightened sensitivity to the welfare of its civilians.
 
Hezbollah will "look to achieve its objective early on, allow the media coverage to go viral, and after that, it doesn't care what happens in the rest of the war. It will have its picture--Israelis embarrassed on the world stage," the intelligence officer said, providing an insight into Hezbollah's strategy.
 
Drawing on its experience in Syria, Hezbollah has spent the past decade planning attacks into the Galilee, deploying thousands of armed operatives "the second the war starts." The IDF's destruction of cross-border Hezbollah tunnels in 2018-19 put a dent in those plans, though Hezbollah is planning new overland attacks and collecting intelligence on the IDF's day-to-day activities as part of its "early achievement" strategy.
 
When it comes to Hezbollah's large projectile arsenal, estimated at 140,000-plus, the organization understands that rockets form a "very practical weapon" when fired from civilian areas at civilian areas, said Maj. A.
 
It has closely been studying Hamas's rocket attacks against Israel and "trying to understand what the best way to challenge us is in the next conflict," he added.
 
Hezbollah also has some 100,000 mortars deployed on the border, aimed at villages and frontline IDF posts within a 10-kilometer radius. "This is a rate of fire we are not used to down south," said the officer.
 
'The strength of the urban system'
 
In light of this challenge, the IDF has not been resting on its laurels. In addition to developing unprecedented airpower strike capabilities--based on unleashing thousands of munitions every 24 hours--the Israeli military is planning its next ground offensive to be nothing like past operations and wars.
 
A core part of this change is the ability to gather the most precise intelligence in real time and send it to just the right company, battalion, brigade and division in the field, enabling the rapid, surgical destruction of enemy targets and minimal harm to noncombatants, explained Maj. A.
 
With Hezbollah deeply embedded in the Shi'ite civilian population of Southern Lebanese villages, coupled with its fortifications and posts in those villages, the IDF's dependence on rapid, reliable intelligence is more important than ever.
 
The goal, said Maj. A, is for maneuvering forces to be able to see the enemy, tell it apart from noncombatants, and be precise and lethal all at the same time.
 
Much of the intelligence picture is "under the surface, in more ways than one," said Maj. A. Hezbollah is deployed both in Lebanon and in Syria, backed by the Iranians. The Islamic Republic is building a pipeline of munitions that travels from Iran into Iraq, and ends up in Syria and Lebanon, impacting the entire Middle East.
 
Hezbollah has amassed a drone fleet for intelligence and attack capabilities they can use against both Israeli civilians and the IDF.
 
"When you build a capability you believe in, this also makes you more ambitious. You develop it by yourself, see it succeed--and this gives you more nerve," Maj. A. said, providing a glimpse into Hezbollah's mindset.
 
Using schools, mosques and hospitals is a core part of Hezbollah's modus operandi, as well as concealing itself with mass human-shielding tactics to make it harder for the IDF to respond.
 
Hezbollah looks "ahead of time at the terrain where it thinks we will enter certain areas from and make use of that terrain. It will set up observation posts in high access points. It will take anti-tank missiles ... Russian products and places them in specific vantage points. It builds underground fortifications within the center of urban areas, next to civilian sites," said Maj. A. "That's the strength of the urban system we maneuver in, and the battleground is a civilian battleground whether we like it or not. That's the challenge that makes us have to be precise."
 
Hezbollah's capabilities also include making use of the electromagnetic spectrum for jamming and for intelligence collection.
 
'A war between two ideologies'
 
In light of the above, the IDF General Staff has instructed the military to build the ability to flow relevant intelligence directly down to the maneuvering units in a fast, accurate manner. Otherwise, the officer said, the intelligence will simply be irrelevant or will not enable effective action.
 
The division-wide exercise tests just this ability. End-to-end intelligence was streamed to the division's brigades, including through the use of a new intelligence center in central Israel that sifts through massive quantities of data and highlights relevant insights for those in the field.
 
Signals intelligence, human intelligence, visual intelligence--all are fused into a big picture of the combat arena, and teams put it together like a jigsaw puzzle into a relevant "product." This then turns into "targeting packages" that are sent with the press of a button" to the ground forces.
 
"This allows us to be more relevant against the enemy and more lethal. But more importantly, it allows us to avoid innocent casualties," said the source.
 
The exercise saw units examine terrain, enemy activity in civilian infrastructure and then initiate a full process of preparing strikes for the battlefield.
 
Many of these capabilities rely on new advances in digital combat capabilities and intelligence-gathering means. Asking the right questions and getting the relevant answers to those who need it in the line of fire is critical, said Maj. A, describing a shift towards "intelligence-oriented warfare."
 
"We're interested in peace, in the status quo," he said, adding that he assessed that Hezbollah is not interested in a conflict right now either. However, the history of this troubled region has already demonstrated that this is no guarantee that one won't erupt suddenly anyway.
 
The fact that Hezbollah has been seeking to develop precision-guided missiles, for example, is an explosive red line that Israel has said it will enforce. If Israel is forced to take preemptive action, that could form a trigger for a wider conflict.
 
Similarly, Iran's nuclear program continues to lurk in the background as a potential trigger point for regional conflict despite Israel's obvious preference for the status quo.
 
If Iran orders Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah to act, he will most likely do so since Iran is the source of funding leading to Hezbollah's force build-up, and Iran is the party telling Hezbollah what to do in Syria.
 
"Nasrallah is a very religious man and will follow what the Iranian supreme leaders tell him," said Maj. A.
 
Israel is warier these days of attempting to predict Nasrallah's precise future moves after recent years have shown that he is more than capable of unexpected action, added to the very different cultural mentality that guides his worldview compared to the West.
 
The 36th Division's drill was joined by the IDF's Golani Brigade. During the drill, Col. Barak Hiram, Brigade Commander, stated: "The challenge isn't to win a battle against several Hezbollah fighters; we know how to do that very well. Western armies know how to do that. The main challenge is to win the entire war--and to stay humane. To win and to stay with our morals."
 
He pointed out that an Israel-Hezbollah war is not only an armed conflict but a war between two ideologies, with Israel at the forefront of Western modern democracies confronting Islamic fundamentalist ideologies.
 
"If we win the battle but lose the war because we become one of them; this is victory for their morals," he said, explaining just how critical it was for the IDF to strike the right balance between combat effectiveness and sticking to its own rules of engagement.
 
"In any escalation entering Lebanon, we very much will put the focus on how to kill as many Hezbollah combatants as possible and destroy military infrastructure without harming the civilian population," he added.
 
During the 2006 Second Lebanon War, in which Hiram was injured, the Israeli government decided not to move forward into Lebanon, creating a static war in which the IDF held ground that it captured and stopped moving ahead.
 
"I think that most of our plans for the next time will be much more active, including maneuvering further on, which will take the Hezbollah organization to different dilemmas that it did not have in 2006," he said.
 
Asked by JNS whether this meant an IDF maneuver into Beirut, Hiram stated that no one knows for sure how wars end.
 
"We are here to stay for good. Lebanon is here to stay," said Hiram. "We are willing and hoping that one day, we'll be able to have peace with the Lebanese state that is on our northern border. 


 


 
When the Remnant Grows Weary - By Jan Markell - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/11/20/when-the-remnant-grows-weary-by-jan-markell/
 
In September, I had the privilege of traveling to Southern California to minister at the Behold He Comes conference at Pastor Jack Hibbs’ church. I also met weary remnant believers who are looking for the like-minded and often coming up short.
 
How can we be in these mind-numbing times and not have every single Christian asking what it all means? Maybe because the church is now in Laodicea, and today’s church—with some exceptions—is more interested in conforming than transforming.
 
Their Church Awakened to Wokeness
 
I heard many express dismay that during the Covid shutdown of months to a year or more, their church went “woke.” What on earth does that mean?
 
I learned that many pulpits became more interested in skin color than the gospel of salvation. In just a short time, their church had a complete transformation—and not a good one. The George Floyd incident, which took place less than a half-hour from my office—had changed the culture and all of society. The church did not escape.
 
Social justice is the new urgency and also saving the planet. Not saving souls. And certainly not looking up and listening for a trumpet blast! Many are told people have been doing that for decades and it’s a waste of time.
 
I learned that people talking about the excitement of the Lord’s soon return are dealing with people with short fuses, so to speak. This irritates people more than usual. Many only wanted life “to return to normal,” whatever that means.
 
Watching dysfunctional society seemed to cause people to cling even more to this broken planet. Perhaps this was because life was now filled with inconvenience, the threat of job losses, and alienation from loved ones over vaccine and health-related issues.
 
When Reality Becomes Too Frightening
 
People seemed to want “their best life now” rather than long for eternal rewards. The pandemic has caused so much sorrow and change that some are not coping well. Their “best life” is evaporating. You would think that would result in loosening a grip on a broken planet.
 
Everyone I spoke with at this conference stated they could hardly keep up with the hourly events that are leaping out of the Bible into reality.
 
They acknowledge that their friends and family members who are indifferent to this truly love the Lord but choose to ignore one-third of the Bible dealing with prophecy. The root is reality has turned too negative for them.
 
When I returned home, I got this email from a conference attendee:
 
“Jan, I am viewed as crazy just by mentioning how excited I am for the Lord to return or about the times we are in. It makes me downright nervous to even mention world news and events or end-time prophecies. The reaction from fellow believers is volatile. I am having trouble finding even one person in my life who would be willing to discuss any of today’s issues. What is most disheartening is the indifference of my church of 30 years.”
 
The Pace Is Quickening!
 
So everything has accelerated as the Bible said would happen in that last generation, but interest in the phenomenon is at an all-time low. And weary remnant watchmen are left alone and isolated! Those they mingle with are just waiting for normal to return and for life to carry on!
 
Now let’s throw division into the mix, and it’s so volatile that many people feel even more isolated. Masks, vaccine issues, and other virus-related controversies have separated families, churches, businesses, and more.
 
All would acknowledge, both on the right and the left, that government is growing out of control. Liberties are being violated on a daily basis as politicians meet in smoke-filled rooms to scheme and deny rights to the people. In America, the Constitution has been tossed in a trash can.
 
Soon we will be a vaccine passport society, and the unvaccinated will assume “yellow star” status. How did this happen? This is hardly the “normal” people think will return.
 
Prepping for Mr. Fix-It
 
Society is being prepped for the Antichrist, and as prophecy-loving believers try to warn, the words are falling on a lot of deaf ears.
 
The stage is being set for a closing act. The players are getting into their proper positions. Heads of state are meeting to plot and scheme and deny even more rights. In places like Australia, Lithuania, and Austria, good people are enemies of the state even though they are upstanding citizens.
 
World leaders have no comprehension they are majoring in minors. To them, it makes perfect sense to obsess over carbon emissions. During the Tribulation, this will fade from their memories as they cope with Seals and Trumpets and Bowls. These will spark “climate change” they cannot imagine!
 
Most receiving this newsletter are “watchmen.” Ezekiel 33 tells us that if you don’t warn, the blood is on your hands, so you cannot be silent.
 
Brace yourself to be shocked daily by things you read and watch. Satan is getting more active, and wickedness is rising, so God’s people must shine more brightly.
 
But for the believer, a glorious event will happen soon. It is known as the Rapture of the Church. It is any day. Any hour. Any minute. So don’t grow weary!
 
And yes, if a believer is a Rapture skeptic, they get the surprise of their life someday soon. Then you’ll have the privilege of saying, “I told you so.”
 
Won’t that be a glorious day?
 
olivetreeviews.org  

 


 
Millions Of Americans Are Scrambling To Become Independent Of The System As It Collapses All Around Them - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/millions-of-americans-are-scrambling-to-become-independent-of-the-system-as-it-collapses-all-around-them/
 
Once upon a time, all of the major institutions in our society were running super smoothly, and most people could rely on the fact that they would always be there when they were needed. But now things are going haywire everywhere that you turn. We are in the midst of the worst supply chain crisis in our entire history, the crime and violence in our largest urban areas is starting to spiral out of control, millions upon millions of our fellow citizens are absolutely seething with hate, and this pandemic is causing officials to make extremely irrational decisions that would have been unthinkable during “normal times”. Earlier today, I was horrified to hear that one of my readers had just been denied access to a local hospital. He was taking his wife in for a very important reason, but there were people at the entrance that were checking the vaccination status of everyone that attempted to enter. He and his wife had not been vaccinated, and so they were turned away.
 
That means that they will not be able to have access to any services at that hospital for the foreseeable future.
 
Did you ever imagine that a day would come when you might not even be allowed to go inside your local hospital?
 
In other cases, hospitals are not providing certain services any longer due to severe staffing shortages. In fact, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that some institutions may lose up to a third of their employees due to Biden’s mandate for health care workers.
 
That is madness, and I never imagined that we would see such a thing happen in America.
 
But here we are.
 
Moving forward, many Americans are going to have to start figuring out how to provide their own health care, because our health care system is being shaken like never before.
 
Meanwhile, we are seeing a “historic burst in entrepreneurship and self-employment” as millions upon millions of Americans seek to create jobs for themselves.
 
Thanks to Biden’s mandates, there are millions upon millions of Americans that may soon be ineligible to work for any company that employs 100 or more workers. For now, that particular mandate has been put on hold, but it could be reinstated at any time by the courts.
 
In any event, many Americans have decided that now is the time to leave the system and start working for themselves.
 
So far this year, a whopping 4.54 million new small businesses have applied for a federal tax identification number. That is up 56 percent from 2019…
 
Entrepreneurs applied for federal tax-identification numbers to register 4.54 million new businesses from January through October this year, up 56% from the same period of 2019, Census Bureau data show. That was the largest number on records that date back to 2004. Two-thirds were for businesses that aren’t expected to hire employees.
 
I have always encouraged entrepreneurship as a way for people to become more independent from the system.
 
The good news is that there are literally millions of different ways to work for yourself in this country today.
 
If you are considering taking such a leap, focus on what you are good at.
 
Personally, I would be an absolutely horrible auto mechanic, and if I tried to be a hair stylist it would be a complete and utter disaster.
 
But I can write, and so that is what I do.
 
Others can’t write, but they are incredibly talented in other areas.
 
The key is to find something that will add value to the lives of others.
 
The global energy crisis is another factor that is pushing people to become more independent of the system.
 
This year, Pennsylvania residents are being warned that their energy bills could increase by approximately 50 percent…
 
Energy costs in Pennsylvania are set to rise as much as 50% in some parts of the state beginning Dec. 1, according to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).
 
“Most Pennsylvania regulated electric utilities are adjusting the price they charge for the generation portion of customers’ bills on December 1 for non-shopping customers, also known as the ‘Price to Compare’ (PTC),” the PUC explained in a press release. “The PTC averages 40% to 60% of the customer’s total utility bill. However, this percent varies by the utility and by the level of individual customer usage.
 
And as the global energy crisis escalates, we could see more painful energy shortages like we recently witnessed in China, India and Lebanon.
 
This has motivated a lot of Americans to take matters into their own hands, and at this point demand for wood burning stoves is off the charts…
 
At Central Arkansas Fireplaces in Conway, a suburb of Little Rock, the flood of orders for woodstoves has been so overwhelming that units purchased today won’t be delivered in time for this heating season. “You can’t get a stove until at least April,” says Lakin Frederick, an employee at the store.
 
Needless to say, demand for firewood has also soared, and this is pushing prices into unprecedented territory…
 
At Firewood by Jerry in New River, Arizona, a cord of seasoned firewood — roughly 700 pieces or so — goes for $200 today. That’s up 33% from a year ago. At Zia Firewood in Albuquerque, the price is up 11% since the summer to $250. And at Standing Rock Farms in Stone Ridge, a bucolic, little town in the Hudson Valley that’s become popular with the Manhattan set, the best hardwoods now fetch $475 a cord, up 19% from last year.
 
But those that prepared ahead of time don’t need to pay through the nose, because they already have all the firewood that they need.
 
For years, I have been pleading with people to make preparations in advance for the difficult times that were coming.
 
Now those difficult times have started to arrive, and things are beginning to get really crazy out there.
 
Even entire communities are trying to become more independent of the system. In California, the insanity coming from Sacramento just became too overwhelming, and so the entire city of Oroville decided to declare itself a constitutional republic…
 
Oroville declared itself a constitutional republic. A place where the local leaders pledge to fight mandates they say go too far.
 
“Any executive orders issued by the State of California or by the United States federal government that are overreaching or clearly violate our constitutionally protected rights will not be enforced by the City of Oroville against its citizens,” read the declaration passed this month by the City Council.
 
That is a pretty dramatic move, but the truth is that communities all over the nation are going to have to try to do what they can to insulate themselves from the authoritarian measures that are being instituted on the state and federal levels.
 
If you live in a city or a state where things are particularly bad, you may need to pick up and move to an entirely different part of the country.
 
I know that sounds extreme, but we live in extreme times.
 
If you want a normal life, you will want to find a place where people are still determined to live relatively normal lives.
 
Because as the system continues to collapse all around us, things are only going to get even crazier.
 
Our country is literally starting to come apart at the seams, and a lot more “change” is on the way. 

 


 
Daily Jot: Tyranny in the name of public health and safety - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
Fearmongering in the guise of public health and safety has become a commonplace lever to institute tyranny in America. We are seeing this play out on a daily basis with government policies toward COVID 19. The government, big pharma, and the mainstream (translated socialist propagandizing tools) media have doctored their statistics and collaborated a fear narrative to control where citizens go, what they wear, even whether they can work in their desired profession—all in the name of protecting citizens from a contagion where statistics indicate there is less than a one percent chance of mortality. But there is even a more sinister movement designed to groom your children to comply with government authority.
 
In 1961, future president Ronald Reagan said, “One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project, most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it.” Reagan reasoned that once a government or a tyrannical power has your medical information, it can dictate your life or diminish you. It stands to reason, then, that Reagan would have said, “I told you so” if he had lived long enough to see the public school trend of instituting their own police forces in the name of public health and safety.
 
The Department of Education reports that of 82,300 public schools nationwide, 42,100 have a sworn law enforcement officer and nearly half of them carry firearms. One might reason that this is to protect students from shooters or terrorists. But that’s not exactly the case. It’s more centered around enforcing “behavioral health and risk management.” Translated, this means that school children can be arrested or cited, with full authority of the law, for not following school policies on equity, race, LGBTQ+, etc. Kind of a US version of the Chinese social score. Many school districts are now deploying their own police forces. School districts are “normalizing” a police state and it extends beyond the classroom to parents as demonstrated recently in Round Rock, TX. The Round Rock Independent School District has its own police force.
 
The City Journal magazine reports that in school board meetings, two fathers—minister Jeremy Story and retired Army captain Dustin Clark—spoke against corruption, school officials’ hostility toward parents, and the mask mandate. After dragging Clark out the school, armed school police showed up at Clark’s and Story’s homes two days later, arrested and jailed them on charges of “disorderly conduct with intent to disrupt a meeting.” This tyranny in the name of public health and safety cannot continue. It will ruin our children and our nation. Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Our schools need Christ and our nation needs Christians to boldly stand for free speech and religious rights. Otherwise, we won’t have them and nobody will care.

 


 
Daily Devotion: Walk His Way - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.  —Philippians 2:5
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/walk-his-way/ - Listen
 
When the angel announced that Christ had been born, this was the message he delivered: “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:10–11 NLT).
 
The Christian faith is a happy faith and a hopeful faith. We have hope in this life and in our relationship with the Lord, and we have hope for the afterlife. But this doesn’t mean that Christians are happy all the time or that we should walk around wearing fake smiles.
 
After all, Christians have moments of sadness, too. Christians even grapple with depression and other difficulties that everyone else deals with. We have hard times and setbacks, even if we are God’s children.
 
Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we’ll be exempt from facing a tragedy or a hardship. But what it does mean is that in the midst of our difficulties, we can experience happiness. It comes down to something the apostle Paul frequently referred to when he was writing to the believers in Philippi.
 
There are 16 references to the mind in Philippians, which tells us that the secret of Christian happiness is found in the way that we think, not in the way that we feel. So if we want to be happy, then we need to think properly.
 
Paul filled his heart and his mind with Jesus Christ. And why is that important? Because the way we think will affect how we live. For instance, we will walk in the direction that we’re looking. That’s why it’s hard to look over your shoulder and keep walking forward.
 
In the same way, when we’re looking to the Lord, we will walk in His direction. Every action starts with a thought. And what we think is what we’ll do.

 


 


 
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