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World War Conflicts — Taking Stock Of Our Global Situation – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/amir-tsarfati-world-war-conflicts-taking-stock-of-our-global-situation/
(Galilee, Israel) — Shalom from Israel! Even as I hear the rumble of jets echoing in the skies above me, I am still taken aback at the beauty of the land that surrounds me. The Jezreel Valley, which spreads for miles below my house, is lush and fruitful. The green bounty of the crops is only broken up here and there by the rich brown of the soil being turned by farmers in their tractors. It is idyllic and puts me in the mind of that apt description of this land as being one flowing with milk and honey. Yet, despite the miraculous fertility of modern Israel, there is still a pall of sorrow that hangs over its people. This past weekend marked 100 days since Hamas terrorists poured over the Gaza border and began torturing, raping, kidnapping, murdering, and mutilating every Israeli that they could find. Even today, there are still 132 hostages that remain in captivity enduring the brutality of these savages. Imagine being one of these innocents, just ordinary civilians, having been snatched from your home, forced to watch your loved ones slaughtered, then abused at the hands of your captor’s day-after-day for 100 days. It’s so horrific that I can’t let my mind go too deep into their experience. It’s too dark. It’s too evil. For these past months, I have necessarily been immersed into what has been taking place in my country – the prosecution of the war, the return of the hostages, the terrorist raids. Yet, even with that primary focus, I haven’t lost sight of what’s happening in the rest of the world. So many locations beyond just Israel are either at war or close to erupting. There are those who say that we are on the verge of another world war. Just three days ago, British foreign secretary Grant Shapps said in a speech that the “era of the peace dividend is over” and that we are now in a “pre-war” period that could eventually lead to conflicts involving Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. I agree with much of what he is saying. However, after taking stock of our global situation, I believe that a strong case can be made that we are already in a world war. In today’s article, I want to look at eight areas of conflict or potential conflict that involve a very large percentage of Europe, Asia, and North America, and examine what has taken place in each situation just this past week. World War Conflicts Israel’s Conflict with Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon Successful heavy bombing and strategic military maneuvers continue in Gaza in Khan Yunis, Northern Shati, and Beit Bahia. On Monday, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the “intensive phase” of the offensive in northern Gaza is complete, and should soon wrap up in the south, also. However, this does not mean that the battle is over. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are simply shifting to the next phase that will see terrorists and their facilities, infrastructure, and weapons eradicated. When pressed as to whether there will be a conclusion to military action anytime soon, Gallant tied his negative answer to the hostages who are still in captivity, saying, “If the fire stops, the fate of the hostages will be sealed for many years in the captivity of Hamas. Without military pressure, no one will talk to us. Only from a position of strength can the hostages be freed.” The IDF is determined to staunch the threat from the south, because they understand the brutality of the enemy. On October 7, 19-year-old Adir Tahar was brutally murdered when Hamas terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at him, then followed up by throwing three grenades. When Adir’s father, David, read the autopsy report, it showed that his body was severely damaged and that the terrorists had decapitated him and stolen his head. This began a father’s desperate and tragic search for the head of his son, so that he could bury him with at least some dignity. After weeks without a lead, a terrorist under interrogation confessed that he had Adir’s head and had attempted to sell it in Gaza for $10,000. Based on his information, the IDF searched an ice cream shop in Gaza and found Adir’s head in a suitcase stored in the freezer. David was finally able to bury his son intact. It is stories like these that will keep us Israelis fighting until we are sure that all our borders are safe. Nightly operations into the West Bank continue. On Tuesday, a terrorist cell leader, Abdullah Abu Shalal, was killed by an IDF airstrike in Nablus. The next night, a massive operation in Tulkarm resulted in the arrest of 300 terrorists. Jenin and Dora also saw fighting. All these actions are to root out Palestinian terrorists who are bent on killing innocent Israelis. Sunday and Monday saw two terror attempts thwarted, leading to the deaths of the attempted perpetrators. Tragically, on Tuesday, two Arabs from the West Bank succeeded in their plan. Each commandeered cars, stabbing their drivers. Then they proceeded to ram the vehicles into pedestrians. A 79-year-old woman was killed in the attack and 17 more people were wounded. The IDF held an exercise on Tuesday simulating an attack in Lebanon. Said IDF Major General Ori Gordin, head of the Northern Command, “We are more ready for this than we have ever been, for tonight if we have to.” Meanwhile, major air attacks continue on Iranian and Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Iraqi Militias’ Conflict with Israel Channels associated with Shiite militias in Iraq claim that an explosion at Haifa Bay’s oil refineries on Sunday was a result of a cruise missile they launched. As the Islamic Resistance in Iraq celebrated the victory, Israeli officials said, “Not so fast.” The Israeli Protection Ministry instead claims that it was a “breakdown of a polyethene machine at the Carmel Olefins factory in Haifa” that caused the explosion. Whatever the real story is here, there is no doubt that Iran-backed militias in both Iraq and Syria are trained, armed, and just waiting for their opportunity to cross the border into Israel and carry out their own murderous rampage. Iran’s Conflict with Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan You’d think that Iran had its hands full with its on-going proxy war with Israel and Saudi Arabia. But apparently, the ayatollahs have tired of having all their “Arab rabble” doing the dirty work for them. They want to get their hands bloodied, too. In a 24-hour-period at the beginning of this week, Iran launched airstrikes using missiles and drones on Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan. In Erbil, Iraq, the IRGC targeted a well-known local businessman, killing him and his family. They justified the action saying that it was a Mossad headquarters. The Iraqi foreign minister condemned the attack on CNN saying Iran couldn’t hit Israel at home, so they went to the nearest supposed target. But it wasn’t the Syria and Iraq attacks that caused the most stir because who doesn’t fire missiles at those two countries these days? Instead, the major hub-bub came from Tehran’s violation of Pakistani sovereignty by firing a ballistic missile at the headquarters of Jaish al-Adel, an armed Sunni militia, in Pakistan’s Balochistan province near the Iranian border. Pakistan immediately warned of serious consequences to the attack, then proceeded to close its border with Iran while deploying forces into the area. Baluchi militants didn’t wait for the Pakistani government to act against Iran. The group Gish al-Adel on Wednesday shot to death a high-ranking IRGC officer in Balochistan. Also, on Wednesday, Iran launched another air attack into Pakistan, and now Pakistani F-16s are flying around the border. Then, today, the action continued. Pakistan launched a drone and rocket strike against terrorist organizations in southeastern Iran. Not hitting official Iranian targets was a strategic move, letting Tehran know that Islamabad was capable of the same kind of cross-border air attack. Instead of a punch, this was more of a bumping of the chests. Iran, in an act of whatever the Persian version of “chutzpah” is, demanded an explanation for Pakistan’s actions, and immediately ordered military exercises to take place in the area. This is a conflict that must be watched, and, again, it can’t be emphasized enough that this change of philosophy by the Islamic regime in Iran to engage directly rather than through their proxies is a significant step. Yemen’s Conflict with the US and the UK Last Thursday saw a major joint airstrike by the United States and the United Kingdom on 62 targets at 16 different sites belonging to the Yemeni Houthi rebels. This came after the Iran-sponsored proxy militia continued its belligerence against Red Sea shipping and the State of Israel. In an official statement from the U.S. Department of Defense, Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote that the strikes “targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities.” The purpose of the action was “to disrupt and degrade the Houthis’ capabilities to endanger mariners and threaten global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.” The Houthis responded on Wednesday with a drone attack on an American ship in the Strait of Aden. Late news saw another US strike Wednesday night on 14 rail-based Houthi missiles that were primed to fire at any time. The targets were destroyed. To emphasize their unhappiness with the Houthis, the US administration redesignated the terrorist group as a “terrorist group”. The previous administration had placed the Yemeni rebel group, formally known as Ansarallah (“Supporters of God”), on the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) list which allowed assets to be frozen and accounts blocked. But early in the Biden administration, the state department removed them from that list. Wednesday’s redesignation stopped short of returning the Houthis to the FTO, and instead declared them to be a Special Designated Global Terrorist Group (SDGT). Ease of humanitarian aid was the reason given by the administration, and they say they reserve the right to amend the designation. The global war concerns here can be seen in who condemned the airstrikes. Both Russia’s President Putin and Turkey’s President Erdogan came out strongly against the action. China’s ministry of foreign affairs expressed its concern about the escalation of hostilities in the Red Sea. This is one more military issue that is dividing the east from the west. Russia’s Conflict with Ukraine It has been one year, ten months, three weeks, and five days since the Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” was launched. In that period, half a million soldiers and civilians have been killed or wounded. Now, according to German newspaper Bild, Russia is secretly strategizing to expand the conflict to NATO countries. Russian foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quick to pooh-pooh the allegations comparing it to a “mighty horoscope from last year for Pisces in Cancer.” I’m not sure what that means, but I’m guessing it’s a negative. Still, if the tide should turn against Russia in the war with Ukraine, it is very easy to see a desperate Putin expanding the conflict in a grasp at straws. China’s Threats Against Taiwan The days leading up to Taiwan’s presidential election this past Saturday provided the perfect opportunity for China to again emphasize their ownership claims to the island nation. In a speech celebrating the new year, China’s President Xi asserted that unification is a “historical inevitability.” The Chinese air force and navy are consistently infringing on Taiwan’s sovereignty just to remind them that they are close. The election to Taiwan’s presidency on Saturday of Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing regards as a dangerous separatist, is bound to ratchet the tension up even further. Foreign countries are weighing in with their opinions. Aleksandr Dugin, a close adviser of Vladimir Putin, believes that the time is optimal for China to begin a military operation against Taiwan. US President Biden used the election as an opportunity to remind the world that America does not support Taiwan’s independence. This has been the official US position since 1979. However, in 2016, President-elect Donald Trump made a call to the then-president of Taiwan, leading to harsh condemnation from China. He was the first president to make such a call since Jimmy Carter. If it looks at all like the 45th president has a chance to move back into the office and become the 47th president, it would not be surprising to see China launch an action against Taiwan prior to the November US elections. Turkey attacks the Kurds Turkish jets flew into Syria and Iraq on Friday and rained missiles down onto more than two dozen targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG). The attack came in retaliation for a raid by the PKK on a Turkish army base in northern Iraq the day before that left nine of Turkey’s soldiers dead and another four wounded. President Erdogan’s government considers these two groups to be terrorists, which causes friction with the US government who partners with the YPG in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). North Korea Threats Against South Korea The aggressive rhetoric by Kim Jong-un against South Korea is equally matched by his aggressive actions. Just under two weeks ago, the North Korean army fired 200 artillery rounds into the maritime buffer zone established between them and their southern neighbor. For the same reasons that China’s Xi might consider a pre-US-election move against Taiwan, Supreme Leader Kim may find himself with a decision regarding South Korea come fall. The Western Elite Really Do Not Like It When Someone Starts Shooting At Cargo Ships And Disrupting Global Trade - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/the-new-world-order-really-does-not-like-it-when-someone-starts-shooting-at-cargo-ships-and-disrupting-global-trade/ Since the middle of November, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have literally attacked dozens of commercial ships in the Red Sea, and the Houthis insist that the attacks will continue until Israeli troops pull out of Gaza. Needless to say, that is not going to happen. Since the Houthis are not able to attack Israel directly, they are doing their best to make themselves a relevant part of World War III by lobbing missiles at cargo ships and disrupting global trade. Of course the western elite were not just going to sit there and allow the Houthis to threaten energy markets and global supply chains. Normally, approximately 40 percent of all trade between Europe and Asia goes through the Red Sea. If a commercial ship is forced to go all the way around the Horn of Africa, the additional fuel that is used can cost up to a million dollars. When western economic interests are threatened so gravely, it is only a matter of time before the U.S. military gets involved, and that is precisely what has happened. In fact, the U.S. just launched a fifth wave of military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen… US President Joe Biden has said that attacks on the Houthis will continue even as he acknowledged that the group have not stopped their Red Sea attacks. The US carried out a fifth round of strikes on Yemen on Thursday after a US ship was struck by a Houthi drone. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters that US forces “took out a range of Houthi missiles” that were about to be fired towards the Red Sea. If you asked random people on the street who the Houthis are, most of them would have absolutely no idea. And if you asked them to locate Yemen on a blank map of the world, most of them would not have a prayer of finding it. But now the U.S. is at war with the Houthis in Yemen, and the Houthis are pledging that nobody will be able to stop their attacks… On Thursday Houthi chief Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared that “we are now in direct confrontation with the US and UK” in the Red Sea, following the overnight US coalition airstrikes on Yemen, which constitute the fourth round of counter-Houthi attacks. The Houthis this week have said they will attack all Israeli and US targets in response to the massacre of Palestinians happening in the Gaza Strip. “Anyone attempting to hinder us from doing so will fail,” a Houthi official said Monday. Originally, the Houthis were hitting Israeli ships or ships that were headed to Israeli ports, but now they have decided to broaden their attacks… Initially, the Houthis declared that either Israeli vessels or ships headed to Israeli ports would be targeted, but the scope of their targeting has expanded. “The ship doesn’t necessarily have to be heading to Israel for us to target it, it is enough for it to be American,” Nasruddin Amer, a Houthi spokesman, told Al Jazeera at the start of this week. This is going to be a very serious long-term problem if the Houthis refuse to stop. Ultimately, the only way to completely end the threat would be to invade Yemen and wipe out the Houthis. Would the U.S. and other western powers be willing to go that far? Meanwhile, Pakistan responded to the recent missile strikes from Iran by launching missiles of their own… Pakistan launched airstrikes against alleged militant hideouts inside Iran on Thursday, killing at least nine people as it retaliated for a similar attack days earlier by Iran and raising tensions with its neighbor as conflict across the region escalates. The unprecedented attacks by both Pakistan and Iran on either side of their border appeared to target Baluch militant groups with similar separatist goals. The countries accuse each other of providing a haven to the groups in their respective territories. It seems like there is another round of escalation in the Middle East almost every single day now. I think that it is just a matter of time before the entire region explodes in flames. In eastern Europe, the Russians continue to march forward in Ukraine, and the Ukrainians are begging for more funding at the yearly gathering of the WEF. And we have just learned that next week NATO will be holding “its largest military exercise in decades”… NATO announced Thursday that it would begin its largest military exercise in decades next week, involving 90,000 troops and testing the allies’ ability over months to engage in a conflict with an adversary like Russia. Steadfast Defender 2024 will run to late May and involve units from all 31 NATO member countries plus candidate-member Sweden, US General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told journalists. Why stretch out these exercises until late May? The Russians are already super paranoid, and now these large scale NATO exercises will have them on edge for the next four months. Great. Of course things continue to get even more tense in Asia as well. In fact, China just initiated “its largest military drills around Taiwan in weeks”… Communist China conducted its largest military drills around Taiwan in weeks on Wednesday, which comes just days after Taiwan once again elected a president that has vowed to confront China. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said that China’s military conducted air and naval operations near the island nation last night with 24 planes and five ships. At some point, China will decide to pull the trigger on an invasion of Taiwan. And at some point the war in Ukraine will go to an entirely new level. And I am entirely convinced that the war in the Middle East will soon spin wildly out of control. Global tensions have been building up for years, and I believe that 2024 will be the year when they finally explode. World War III is upon us, and the days ahead are going to be filled with a great deal of turmoil. DOWNLOAD THE PROPHECY UPDATE APP Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 The Mindset of Those Consumed By Anti-Semitism Is Beyond Comprehension – By Tim Moore - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-mindset-of-those-consumed-by-anti-semitism-is-beyond-comprehension/ In Part 1, I provided the history and background of Hamas and their Antisemitic hatred of Israel, culminating in its October 7th, 2023 invasion of Israel and massacre of some 1,400 Israeli citizens. Now we will look at the where’s, why’s, and solution to Hamas’ Antisemitic attack on the Jewish people. Where We often tell people that Israel is about the size of New Jersey. A better reference might be the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, both in size and in population. Compared even to Israel, Gaza is tiny—just over 17 square miles. (By comparison, Manhattan is almost 23 square miles.) In terms of population, Gaza is home to just over 2 million Palestinians (Manhattan only has 1.6 million). The fact that the world attention is focused on Israel and Gaza is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Zechariah foresaw that the nations of the world would become fixated on the land around Jerusalem-- and that they would come against Jewish people regathered there (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:14-16). Today, billions of dollars in US military assets and thousands of American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are arrayed around Israel, offering demonstrable proof that Israel is once again at the center of the world’s attention. But the war raging in Gaza and threatening to escalate into a regional conflict is already causing skirmishes around the globe. In every nation where Jews and Muslims have immigrated, protests and riots have ensued in recent weeks. What began as an initial outpouring of support for Israel and solidarity with the Jewish people quickly turned into Antisemitic outrage. And in places where sizeable Muslim populations are located, the rage of Hamas has been echoed in the frenzy of its unapologetic supporters and their fellow travelers. Even here in America, security experts have warned that terrorist sleeper cells, Palestinian agitators, and radicalized individuals are poised to spark their own Intifada (violent uprising). Unlike past wars that largely took place “over there” in distant lands, the war on Jews and those who support the Jewish state will ensue wherever masses stoked to hate God’s chosen people live. Regardless of the turmoil that lies ahead, we can be certain that the satanic effort to destroy Israel will fail. God promised to: “assemble the banished ones of Israel, and [gather] the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12). And having regathered them, He promised, “I will also plant them on their own land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them” (Amos 9:15). Despite Palestinian propaganda and lies, the Jewish people will continue to live and thrive in their land—the Land God gave them. Why In addition to God’s prophetic word regarding Ishmael and his descendants, there is another tragic prophetic passage that explains the unceasing animosity of the “Arab” people living in and near Israel. When the Hebrew nation entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, they were told to act as agents of God’s judgment against the sin of the Amorites. Those pagan people had offended God by even sacrificing their children to false gods. The Children of Israel started strong, but soon grew weary of their task and became intermingled with those idol-worshipping Canaanites. So God declared, “I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you” (Judges 2:3). The people wept when they heard that pronouncement, and over 3,000 years later, their descendants are still beset by thorns close at hand. Much of the ancient animosity between the children of Israel (Jacob) and Esau (let alone Ishmael) is based on resentment and jealousy. Because God blessed Isaac instead of Ishmael, and bestowed a blessing on Jacob instead of Esau, the unchosen Arabs have been jealous of the Chosen Jews. Islam merely added fuel to the fire. Mohammed gave sanction to killing Jews because they rejected his new religion worshipping Allah. Palestinians take that animosity to new heights. They consider the modern state of Israel to be a catastrophe (called the Nakba in Arabic). Outcast by the rest of the Muslim world and used as pawns in the 75-year struggle against the “Zionist Entity,” the Palestinians have focused their anger on the Jews instead of their Arab kin—even when Arab states like Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon have abandoned and persecuted them dramatically. Ironically, in spite of exporting unrest and terror for generations, the Palestinians have become a cause célèbre in many parts of the world, while the Jews have become despised and hated. Thomas Sowell provided insight to this trend when he responded to a Jewish friend’s inquiry on why the Jews have become so hated. Sowell responded that the Jews “not only succeed, they succeed in a way which is a threat to the egos of other people.” Sowell’s advice to minimize hostility to the Jews? “Fail. Because as long as you succeed, you’re going to be hated.” The mindset of people so consumed by hate is beyond the comprehension of most Westerners. Witnessing the self-destructive ideology of those determined to destroy Israel, Golda Meir said, “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.” Waiting for the Prince of Peace While the word Hamas is an acronym for the terrorist organization that controls Gaza, it is also a word in both Arabic and Hebrew. In Arabic the word means “zeal that is manifest in exuberant rage.” In Hebrew the word means “violence.” Many Gentile Christians would be surprised to learn that the word actually appears in Scripture. Genesis 6:11 says, “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with hamas (violence).” Jesus said in Matthew 24:37 that the coming of the Son of Man will be: “just like the days of Noah.” Corrupt and filled with violence—sounds like a fitting description of our sin-weary world. Many centuries ago, King David also found himself surrounded by enemies seeking his life. He understood the sting of animosity and hate, and prayed, “deliver me from those who do iniquity and save me from men of bloodshed. For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; fierce men launch an attack against me” (Psalm 59:1-3). In Psalm 7 (a fitting Psalm I read the morning of the Hamas attacks), David began, “O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge; save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver” (v. 1-2). In verse 6 he cried out, “Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries, and arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment” (NASB). And in verse 9-10, he says, “O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.” In another great testimony of faith in the “LORD my salvation”, David declared, “Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident” (Psalm 27:3). He concludes that Psalm in a way that resonates in the heart of all who await Jesus’ soon return: “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). We will be strong and courageous—while we wait… The Church Does Not Enter the Tribulation: Part 4 of 4 - By Ron Ferguson - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/01/18/the-church-does-not-enter-the-tribulation-part-4-of-4-by-ron-ferguson/ Reasons That Prove It Earlier back, I wrote a three-part series on this subject, and I thought that was the end. But some more thoughts occurred to me, and a couple of RR readers mentioned a bit extra. Consequently, I have written Part 4 in this series. [16]. THE DAY OF THE LORD REGARDING THE THIEF A reader has asked me about a Thessalonians passage, so we return to Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 5:4: “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, THAT THE DAY should overtake you like a THIEF.” Paul assures his readers, the saints at Thessalonica, that that terrible day (the Day of the LORD), [“that the day”] will not break upon them like a marauding thief, and he tells them why. They do not belong to the darkness. That is so definite. We are sons of light, not of darkness. Light has nothing to do with darkness. The thief belongs to the night, to the darkness of the world. Part of what I said to that reader is this: “We need to look at one other reference to the thief – Matthew 24:43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” In the context of that verse, we have two in a field and two at a mill, one taken and one left. The whole of Matthew 24 is in the Tribulation and Second Coming. None of it is referencing the Rapture. None of it is in our age; it is all post-Rapture = Tribulation. Jesus comes as a thief, and the reference is to the Second Coming. The world is in darkness, and the thief image is an apt one. The thief comes when unexpected, and Jesus will come in judgment when not expected. This has nothing to do with the Rapture.” What Paul means when he says, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, THAT THE DAY should overtake you like a thief,” is that we just won’t be here for the thief’s coming to affect us. The Day of the LORD comes as a shock and lasts for 7 years. When the Rapture happens, it will be a shock to the world but not to the Lord’s own. The Day of the LORD is not for Christians/the Church. The Church can not enter the Tribulation, a time of God’s wrath against the accumulated sins of the world and against unrepentant inhabitants. There is no way the Church is connected with that. Peter qualifies it even more – 2Peter 3:10 “But THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” Peter is not a prophecy teacher like Paul but knew all about it. He speaks of the Day of the LORD in a general sense but looks at it at the end – the Second Coming when Messiah comes as the thief to a dark world prepared at Armageddon to exterminate Israel. Then he moves to the new heavens and earth, the same as Revelation 21. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.” Notice the wording “come upon THEM” and not “us.” This will not be for the Church and is the Day of the Lord heralded by the breaking of the first seal in Revelation 6. The Day of the Lord begins with the breaking of the first seal in Revelation 6 when the Church is already in heaven – chapters 4 and 5 are the great scene in heaven of the Church. The world will be saying peace and safety because the troublesome Christians have disappeared. Then, The Day of the Lord hits them for 7 years, and they will not escape. The Church has been raptured and is in heaven with the Lamb. The Church cannot enter the Tribulation. Then we come to the next 4 verses, which make the distinction of light and darkness even stronger. Paul has just said that the Day of the LORD will not overtake us as a thief, and continues – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 “For YOU ARE ALL SONS OF LIGHT AND SONS OF DAY. WE ARE NOT OF (THE) NIGHT NOR OF DARKNESS, so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober for those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night, but since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE, AND AS A HELMET, THE HOPE OF SALVATION.” Genuine Christians are called sons of the day. We are sons of light, not of darkness. Jesus said the night will come when no man can work. It is at night the thief prowls around. In 1 Thessalonians 5:4, the darkness is the night spoken of when this world enters the Tribulation under the beast of the night, and Satan, the author of darkness. That is the darkness of sin. That is not about Christians, for we are sons of the day. The Church can have no part in darkness, no part in the Tribulation. Genesis 1:1-2 is most interesting – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was formless and void, AND DARKNESS WAS OVER THE SURFACE OF THE DEEP, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” The heavens and the earth would have been in great pristine beauty and light when God created them, but in verse 2, it is darkness that has ruined the earth. The earth was covered in darkness, believed to be judgment from God. (I know some dispute that, but I do believe that, having looked into it). In the Rapture, the sons of light and of the day are removed, and then judgment comes over all the earth, and its time of darkness will have arrived. The thief will be in the Tribulation (Antichrist, the greatest thief of God’s glory and purpose) but not the Church because great moral darkness will come over the whole world, and the Church has nothing to do with that. Messiah will restore the proper moral light when He returns at the Second Coming. [17]. A LITTLE MORE ON NOAH’S ARK BEING REMOVAL FROM JUDGMENT Consider for a moment the ark of Noah. The wrath of God fell from heaven on everyone who was living at that time, but the difference for Noah was the ark. God’s wrath fell on the sinful people, and it fell on the ark. In a sense, it fell on those inside the ark, but the 8 inside were protected by the vessel; the ones outside were unprotected. The ark encountered the wrath of God, too, and it endured the wrath for the sake of the ones it was sheltering. The ark was covered inside and outside with pitch – means atonement – and it was this atonement that protected the redeemed believers inside. We are in Christ who is our Ark, our Atonement with God. The wrath of God fell on Him when He was made sin for us and He entered into judgment and endured the great storm. But all “in Him” will be preserved from the Tribulation storm that is coming once the Church departs because Christ took God’s wrath for us, and He sheltered in in the blood of the atonement. There are some who claim that the Church must go through the Great Tribulation, at least the first half of it, for 3.5 years of the 7 years. Then they say the Church is raptured. That is a great error, for Christ has taken ALL THE WRATH for us, not half. That Mid-Tribulation Rapture is absolutely wrong. [18]. LOOKING FURTHER AT HOW DANIEL’S 70 WEEKS APPLY I do not want to examine this subject in full, as I have done it over many years. Just one thing I will say, and it is this: The 70 weeks were appointed for “your people,” and we know that to be Israel. Daniel 9:24 “SEVENTY WEEKS HAVE BEEN DECREED FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR HOLY CITY – to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.” Those 70 weeks excluded the Gentile nations, which is why only 490 years are recognized for God’s association with Israel in the past 2,500 years. All the other time is Gentiles, which is where we are today. The last week of 7 years, by the way, could not have happened until Israel became a State and nation again. This is why the Rapture could not have happened before 1947. I wonder if the great prophecy teachers of the 1800s, who led the church back to these forgotten teachings, ever realized that fact. I am going to state something I don’t want you to be horrified about. It is this: “The Church was/is an obstruction holding back the final week of the 70.” I don’t need to explain; you should know what I mean. In other words, the Church age is preventing God taking up His people Israel again. I am confident you understand what I am saying. The only solution to this is for the Church to be removed – taken out of the way so the LORD can operate with Israel in that final week of 7 years. Very, very soon, the Church will receive its ticket of departure. The Church and Israel cannot be on God’s agenda at the same time. The Church must depart so the 490 years can be brought to completion. I can see no greater proof for a Rapture that has to happen before the last 7 years than the conclusion of Daniel’s 70 weeks. Once the Church has gone, then the last 7 years begin. THE CHURCH WILL NOT – CANNOT – BE IN THE TRIBULATION because it is NOT part of the last week of the 70 weeks. There is a point I think I am changing my mind about, but I am still uncertain. Maybe others can be clearer. Since the start of the 1960s when I began the study of biblical prophecy, I have always thought the Tribulation (which I equated with the 7 years) started with the breaking of the first seal and the revealing of the world ruler (Antichrist, if you like). Now I wonder if it is more correct to place the start of the 7 years with the signing or confirmation of this treaty/covenant that is drawn up with Israel. Daniel 9:27 “And he WILL MAKE A FIRM COVENANT with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering, and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate” (NASB). Regarding these words, here are 3 translations, I think the ESV is the best – “a firm covenant” (NASB), “shall confirm the covenant” (AV), and “shall make a strong covenant” (ESV). According to Strong’s, it means “to strengthen, to make strong, to prevail” (to get it done) – brackets mine. Regarding covenant, again Strong’s – “covenant, alliance, pledge between men, treaty, alliance, league (man to man).” Some think Antichrist will confirm a covenant/treaty that is in existence, while others think it means drawing up that treaty from the start (that is probably my position). The first position has been influenced by the AV wording. On a human level, nations are hoping someone can solve the Middle East problems, and the coming world ruler will do that. If that is the case, then there would be a small time gap between the revealing of the world leader (the first seal) and the establishment of that covenant. I don’t think in any way such a treaty will come into operation this side of the Rapture, and I think it will be the way that “peace” will come to the Middle East, for the current conflicts and tensions will continue until and past the Rapture. This raises another side issue highlighted by this verse – Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for YOU DO NOT KNOW THE DAY NOR THE HOUR,” and this one too – Matthew 24:44 “For this reason you be ready too, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” The world will know the date of this treaty/covenant being drawn up, and we know the Tribulation is 84 times 30 days = 2,520 days (84 prophetic months), so I sort of wonder if some in the Tribulation time might be able to calculate the day. Anyway, we will leave that one for now. [19]. LOOKING AT CORRESPONDENCE I write on another site where I add a lot of my standard messages and studies, and I take the opportunity to keep the Rapture in view there when I can, posting some of my material from RR. I often get attacked for speaking of the Rapture, but I am not fazed about that, as Satan hates the Rapture and will discredit the word of the Lord. I get called names, vile ones, and other things as well. There is one in particular who calls himself an Online Pastor and Truth Seeker who is particularly persistent (he does not call me those awful names). I am going to give three quotes from him to show what we face in trying to get the truth out. It is like a great concrete barrier. “Hi Ron! Do you know the origins of the lie you’re perpetuating? John Darby came up with it, got it from a girl (Margaret Thatcher) who was on her sick bed and had a vision of the church being raptured before the tribulation. Margaret claimed the vision wasn’t from Yah, and John didn’t care; no, he ran with the lie that you have taken the baton from, and ran with yourself! It’s almost a 200-year-old lie! I’ll bet there are lies older than that which you cling to as well and sell as truth. For example, Christmas – Jeremiah 10 told you not to bring the tree into your house and decorate it with silver and gold. I bet you wouldn’t listen to the Word! Study to show yourself approved unto Yah! Good luck!” Xxx Cxxx commented on Jan 6, 2024 “Don’t be ignorant about the false doctrine of the rapture! Do a little research, and you will see John Darby perpetuated this lie he got from Margaret Thatcher, who, on her sick bed, had a vision of the church being raptured before the tribulation. Margaret admitted the vision was not from Yah! John ran with the lie; it’s about 200 years old now! You won’t find any church father teaching this doctrine before that! The pretrib rapture is a lie to leave you unprepared to go through the tribulation! Good luck! Study to show yourself approved unto Yah!” “Rapture theory is a lie of the devil! It makes people believe they will miss the tribulation, and as a result, they will be totally unprepared and set up for failure and apostasy. The tribulation has already begun and coming quickly to America! Buckle up folks, put oil in your lamp and get extra! Purpose in your heart to endure to the end to be saved! Cling to Messiah! Have the attitude of Hananiah, Misael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego). We will serve Yah whether He delivers us or not!” ===== In fact, I know a lot about John Nelson Darby, having been in the Open Brethren (Plymouth Brethren) in my early years, and I have all Darby’s collected works, though now I don’t look at them. Most of the early writers are on the Internet. In trying to determine where these attitudes and attacks come from, I have narrowed it down to two main sources, there being a lot of opinions. 1. Those who do believe in a Tribulation but think the Church must pass through the Tribulation They tell me I am a coward, not wanting to pass through the suffering. I get told I know nothing about the Rapture or what the Bible is teaching. I suppose I can sit in a corner and say, “Woe is me, for I know nothing and the critics know everything!” 2. Those who belong to Reformation teaching. That is, Replacement Theology Those people absolutely hate the term “Replacement Theology” and have their own word for not attributing any of the Old Testament prophecies to Israel – they call it Supersessionism. It is all of Satan, as he cheats Israel of the glorious promises that await God’s redeemed nation. Anyone who writes off the Jews, in my opinion, is on very dangerous ground regarding blessing. We refer to the Genesis 12:3 verse. This reformation theology against Israel, and the Replacement Theology, is gaining a lot of ground these days, and I wonder if it is in line with Satan’s attack on Israel as a nation, as nations of the world are becoming more anti-Semitic. It is horrifying to see hate for Israel springing up in almost every quarter. I hope some of that made sense and maybe helped a bit. Blessings Ron [email protected] Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: The Johnny U lesson - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com No matter where we went, Dad knew somebody or knew somebody that somebody knew. One time we were in an elevator in Kansas City and Dad struck up a quick conversation with a gentleman. Turned out they knew the same person from a different city in a different state. Then it was like old home week, a story, a good laugh and all this happened while going down about three floors. The elevator door opened and off we went. Another friend made. Another story to tell. There were times we were at horse auctions in Missouri or Kentucky and Dad would be carrying on with somebody that I had never seen before. Turned out they might have been distant relatives or friends of a friend. Dad never met a stranger. This was kind of the way it was back in the mid-to-late 1900s. People were friendly. You learned at a young age the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you–A modern version of Christ’s words in Luke 6:31, “And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.” Treating people fairly and with kindness was the rule. But it was deeper than that. There was also a component of “mind your own business.” Dad was friendly, but there were limits. He had a good sense of timing about approaching people or just leaving them alone. This was probably something instilled in him as a youngster going through many hardships on the farm and learning proper etiquette. Along about 1967, when we were on vacation at Myrtle Beach, SC, Dad asked me if I wanted to go to lunch with him. Of course! We were strolling along the sidewalk and came upon a diner that sold beer-battered hot dogs, and Dad wanted to try one. So we each took a stool at the counter and made our order. Along came a man and asked if he could sit at the stool next to Dad. No problem. Food came. Dad and this guy were like old friends, and I began to wonder where I had seen him before. A lot of talk about horses and Ohio and Pennsylvania. The man finished his hot dog and said, “Well, it was great seeing you.” Dad replied, “Have a good one.” The man walked off and disappeared in the crowded sidewalk. After he left, I asked Dad who he was. Dad said, “You just had lunch with Johnny Unitas.” I said something like, “Wow, are you kidding. I want to get his autograph,” and I started getting up to go catch him. Dad explained to me that Unitas was there as a private citizen and that we needed to respect that he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. We had a discussion that you should treat everyone, regardless of their station in life, as you would want to be treated. It is a lesson that this meager farm boy has carried with me all my life and it has served me well as a confidant of presidents, congressmen, actors, professional athletes and CEOs of large companies. Johnny U went on to win his third NFL MVP award that year. But my Dad and his wisdom is my MVP every year, even though he is no longer with me here on earth. Daily Devotion: Your One Thing - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. —Psalm 27:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/your-one-thing/ - Listen The most spiritual people I’ve met have been the most down-to-earth. They didn’t speak in pious tones or act like they were above it all. The truly godly people I’ve known have been fun to be around. They’ve been great salt-of-the-earth kind of people. David was a truly spiritual man. We know this from the psalms he wrote. They’re a window into his soul. For instance, he wrote, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” (Psalm 57:7 NLT). David was focused. He knew where he was going and wasn’t fickle. He knew what mattered in life. In Psalm 27:4, he said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (NLT). The apostle Paul had a similar goal in life. He said, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14 NLT). Do you have this “one thing” in life like Paul did? Do you know where you are going? Do you know what really matters? The problem is that a lot of us don’t know what matters in life. We’re trying to live in two worlds. We want to be Christians on the weekend. We’ll go to a church service, but the rest of the week we leave God out of our lives. God wants to be a part of everything we do. He wants to be at the forefront of our lives. What is your one thing in life that is more important than anything else? What are you really focused on? Some people might say their one thing in life is their business. They want be successful. They want to get established. They want to make money and a lot of it. Another person might say their one thing is family. They want a strong family and don’t want it to fall apart. Someone else might say their one thing in life is ministry. They want God to use them. There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed in business, wanting a strong family, or wanting an effective ministry. But if you make that your main thing, then it is the wrong thing. The main thing should be Jesus. A truly spiritual person is someone who can enjoy life and love God. A truly spiritual person can have fun but at the same time know where their priorities are. If you put God first in your life, He might not give you everything you want. Or, He might give you more than you want. But He always will give you what you need. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 1/19/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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