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Ticking Toward ‘Doomsday’: Is the Secular World Counting Down to The Tribulation? – By Jonathan Brentner - https://harbingersdaily.com/ticking-toward-doomsday-is-the-secular-world-counting-down-to-the-tribulation/ As a lifelong student of Bible prophecy and a close observer of current events, I’m surprised that the Rapture has not yet happened. So many signs point to the nearness of the Tribulation and conditions described in Revelation 6:1-8 with the release of the riders of the apocalypse. However, we still wait for the time when we will meet Jesus in the air. Even a secular organization, which goes by the name of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, recognizes the nearness of the catastrophic events of the Day of the Lord. On January 23, 2024, they reset their “Doomsday Clock” at ninety seconds to midnight. As a young child, I loved watching rockets take off, carrying their occupants to outer space. I remember the disappointment I felt when the countdown paused or even stopped to another day. I believe that from our limited perspective, the countdown to the Day of the Lord has paused. In spite of the myriad of signs pointing to the start of the seven-year Tribulation, it seems as though time stands still for those of us excitedly awaiting Jesus’ appearing. For the world, the seconds on the “Doomsday Clock” remain fixed at ninety seconds. As we wait, it’s important to keep in mind at least a couple of things: 1 — The Restrainer With each passing month, the words of 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 become increasingly relevant to our day: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.” The Restrainer is the Holy Spirit, and His presence within true believers is currently holding back the full expression of evil and lawlessness, which will happen when the antichrist appears on the world scene. This doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit will cease to be active on the earth after the Rapture, only that His current work of restraining the “man of lawlessness” will end. For the past several decades, world leaders have expressed their earnest desire to establish a two-state solution to the turmoil in the Middle East. Past U.S. presidents have promoted the faulty notion that giving the Palestinians a nation of their own will establish peace. Currently, rumors abound that the Biden administration might seek a UN resolution to force such a solution upon Israel. Other world leaders have also offered similar proposals, but there’s never been a time when both sides have agreed to any resolution, and does it seem likely to happen any time soon? Why have all these attempts failed? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 gives us the answer. The ultimate peace accord cannot happen until after the Rapture and the antichrist brokers the deal. Daniel 9:27 tells us that he will succeed in establishing peace for Israel, albeit for a brief time. I suspect that Israel’s current war, which shows no sign of ending, may later play a role in Israel’s willingness to accept the covenant offered by the man of lawlessness. Perhaps he will allow the rebuilding of the third temple to make his offer all the more alluring. The Bible tells us that Israel will have this temple by the midpoint of the Tribulation period. Although at times I am tempted to think that things cannot get any worse, the Bible reveals that conditions on the earth will rapidly deteriorate after the Rapture. 2 — The Lord’s Patient Warnings Regarding the Future A realistic examination of how the Old Testament prophets described the Day of the Lord, along with the judgments described by the Apostle John in the book of Revelation, tells us that the Tribulation period will be far more horrifying than anything the world has ever seen. Because of the many terrors that lie ahead for planet Earth, God is giving people more time to heed the warnings of what’s coming (see 2 Peter 3:8-10). Despite the tragic silence in most pulpits, the Lord is not silent today regarding the terrors that lie on the horizon for those who don’t know Him as their Savior. I believe God intends for the symbolism behind the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse completing an X upon the U.S. to alert America to the nearness of His judgment not only upon America but the entire world. The fact that it will pass over seven U.S. cities named Nineveh only adds to the drama unfolding this Spring. The coming solar eclipse does not tell us when God’s wrath will arrive, but it points to the dire consequences that surely lie ahead if America continues on its current path. From the Father’s perspective, the clock is still ticking toward the time when He sends Jesus to take His children out of the world. He knows the very moment when He will send His Son to bring us up to glory. Our reality, however, resembles the “Doomsday Clock” that remains paused at ninety seconds. We know that once the second hand on this clock starts moving, it will be too late for the world. Although they don’t believe the Bible, the “doomsday” that the atomic scientists have in mind eerily resembles the Day of the Lord’s wrath described in Scripture. For now, we wait in eager anticipation of His appearing to take us home (John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:20-21), knowing that the Lord is currently restraining the appearing of the antichrist as He gives more time for people to heed the warnings of doom that abound all around us. Restraint, Derision, and The On-Coming Disaster – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/02/26/restraint-derision-and-the-on-coming-disaster/ We have looked at Restraint and Derision by the Lord against the anti-God wickedness of these evil, current times on a number of occasions in these commentaries. That this Intervening action from Heaven would be the order of the last of the last days of the Dispensation of Grace (Church Age) is, of course, found in Psalms chapter 2 of the Old Testament and in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 in the New Testament. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.’ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision” (Psalms 2:2-4). We have looked before at truth regarding God’s Omniscient analysis involving the human minions of wickedness in high places that are, wittingly or not, doing Satan’s bidding. A careful dissection of things going on over recent years shows time after time that the Lord has intervened to slow down the Ephesians 6:12 minions, both demonic and human, in their effort to hurry the process of bringing Antichrist to the end-times world stage. Again, without intending to get deeply into the weeds of politics, I believe we see Heaven’s Intervention each and every day to slow the process of, for example, bringing this nation down from the Judeo-Christian principles the founding fathers intended. We remember when Democrat party attendees years ago during their convention gave a resounding “No” when the proposition was brought up to keep the mention of God in official declarations of party campaign rhetoric. The “Nos” clearly dominated the voice vote, but those in charge didn’t dare try to kick God out because of the political damage that no vote would have inflicted. Of course, kicking God out of anything isn’t possible with the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent God of Heaven. To that end, He continues to have that anti-God party in “derision,” just as He indicated He will do to anyone against Him. They kept the word God in but definitely haven’t included Him in actuality in any way I can detect. The anti-God opposition continues in that now more than ever radical, leftist, ideologically driven political party that governs. What I’ve written in the past in regard to God’s having such wickedness in derision applies more than ever while we move ever more quickly toward the Tribulation. I wrote the following some time ago: These—the president, the vice president, and the press spokesperson—have actually become almost laughingstocks to observers outside their political party, their leftist ideology, and the mainstream media (which, mentioning in the same breath, is perhaps redundant). Their mental acuity is, it seems to me, inadequate to the challenge in addressing legitimate issues on the national and international scene. These are avid adherents of the platform presented by the political party that verbally shouted God out of their midst. As we’ve often looked at in considering how both political parties, along with every other aspect of American culture and society, including business, public education, and even woke military insanity, we see that our so-called leadership has almost without question been turned over to the reprobate mindset of Romans 1:28. The result of the growing anti-God actions by most all of America’s day-to-day activity is eventuating in a madness that is inexplicable apart from Psalms chapter 2 as given above. And the leaderships of most every nation on earth observably have fallen victim to the same reprobate infection as America’s governmental leadership. All of this aided and abetted by news reporters and institutions, which makes Hitler’s Goebbels look less wicked and evil by comparison. Rebellious mankind, driven literally mad by their own back-turning to the God Who is not willing that any should perish but all should come to Repentance, are setting the stage for fulfilling prophecy of the most frightful sort. Jude was given to foretell this most terrible outcome for those whom God has in Derision at this very moment. “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” (Jude 1: 10-16). To those who are unbelievers in God’s Grace Gift Redemption Process and who are within these doomed anti-God rebels, upon which the Lord must one day, perhaps very soon, Pour His Righteous Judgment and Wrath, please understand the following: God has Provided a Way to be Reconciled to Him and to become part of His Family in Heaven Forever. This is the One and Only Way to escape the horrendous disaster, the Judgment and Wrath that is surely coming. “That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). DOWNLOAD THE PROPHECY UPDATE APP Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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Rauf - https://bibleprophecyfortoday.com/2024/02/25/get-ready-for-the-close-up-the-temporary-darkness-of-illumination/ As we approach the the first quarter of the year 2024 A.D., there has been a great amount of news and speculation concerning the upcoming total solar eclipse that will be visible in the United States on April 8, 2024. This would be 44 days from today and a week removed from Easter or Resurrection Sunday, which falls on March 31, 2024. Furthermore, it would be also be just under two weeks before Passover. Now according to the Jewish Talmud, the solar eclipse is a sign or omen for the Gentiles who base time on the solar calendar. In contrast, a lunar eclipse is a sign or omen for the Jews, who base their calendar on the cycles of the moon. An eclipse is a natural phenomenon that occurs when one heavenly body such as a moon or planet moves into the shadow of another heavenly body. In many ancient and modern cultures, solar eclipses were attributed to supernatural causes and were considered to be bad omens. That being said, 40 days after the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, a lunar eclipse is scheduled to take place that will be seen in Israel on May 19, 2024 in Israel, which also happens to be the date for Pentecost, which is when the Church was born! Jesus Himself stated in the Book of Luke: Luke 21:25-28—25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. In addition God Himself had a purpose for the sun, the moon and the stars as well: Genesis 1:14–And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Of interesting mention is that just seven years ago there happened to be another solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017. If you couple that eclipse with the one that is to occur in April if you were to view their trajectories, The two eclipses, seven years apart, will form an “X over the America. But it gets even more interesting………. Now the first eclipse which took place SEVEN years ago (The number seven often alludes to COMPLETION when studying Biblical numerology)on August 21st, 2017, it become to be known as the “the Seven Salem Eclipse” because the path of that eclipse crossed over seven U.S. locations named “Salem” which is short for Jerusalem. Here are those cities: Salem, Oregon, Salem, Idaho, Salem, Wyoming, Salem, Nebraska, Salem, Missouri, Salem, Kentucky and Salem, South Carolina. Notice SEVEN in all named SALEM. Now when the second Eclipse occurs in the next 44 days, the path of that eclipse will cross over seven U.S. locations named “Nineveh> I am not making this stuff up guys. Here is the names of those towns: Nineveh, Texas, Nineveh, Missouri. Nineveh, Indiana, Nineveh, Ohio, Nineveh, Pennsylvania, Nineveh, Virginia and Nineveh, New York. Coincidence? I have heard it said before that coincidence is not a kosher word! According to the Bible, Nineveh was a large pagan city that symbolized enmity with God. Nevertheless, God commissioned Jonah, to go and witness to the: Jonah 3:1-10--And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. Some believe that there was a total solar eclipse just before Jonah warned Nineveh to repent. This maybe true however I haven’t found any proof as of yet and I am just mentioning it in passing. Now if you go further back in the Bible, Nineveh was built by Nimrod, a might hunter who openly defied God: Genesis 10:9-12–And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. Now let me also mention that the path of the Great American Eclipse of 2017 and the path of the Great American Eclipse of 2024 just happen to intersect in Illinois. . Remember, this total solar eclipse that will cross the United States for the second time in seven years on April 8, 2024 will then create an “X” over a part of the country known as Cairo, Illinois or “little Egypt” which is Carbondale, Illinois. Now when you follow the trajectory of this second eclipse, it will first be noticed in…..wait for it…..Eagle Pass, Texas! This small town is currently the epicenter of the migrant crisis with immigrant crossing the U. S. border. As you continue through San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth and through parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, you are passing not one but two Fault lines:the Balcones Fault Line, which is not currently active although seismic activity has been occurring in other parts of Texas as we speak. Now the Balcones Fault or Balcones Fault Zone is an area of largely normal faulting in the U.S. state of Texas that runs roughly from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north-central region near Dallas, Texas along Interstate 35. Now a you continue all the way up to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the path of totality for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse goes right up to the tip of Illinois where it hits Cairo (also called Little Egypt or Carbondale) Illinois. And the fault line at the intersection of thee two eclipses happens to be in the New Madrid Fault Line. What does all of this mean you ask? Keep reading…….. On the 28th of August 2024, there will be a planetary alignment of Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune that will be seen in the morning just before sunrise. There will be another planetary alignment in the month of October 2024. One reason that planetary alignments are important is that it has a tremendous effect of pulling on the outer crust of the Earth, which means we should pay attention to increased earthquakes and volcanoes at these times. Now what I am about to share with you is based on actual facts. This “X” over the USA has happened before in the 1800s. A total solar eclipse occurred onJune 16, 1806 as well as 17 September 17, 1811 with a giant “X” marking the spot on the map over the New Madrid fault zone. Approximately five months later on February 7, 1812, the town of New Madrid was destroyed in a 7.4M – 8.0M earthquake, which was the fourth earthquake of the 1811-1812 series of earthquakes. The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes rank as one of the largest in recorded history for the USA. It was 10 times larger than the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.(http://www.new-madrid.mo.us/102/Earthquakes-of-1811-1812). In lieu of the current crisis in Israel that began with the War in Gaza between Israel and HAMAS, the United States, let alone other nations are putting extreme pressure on Israel to give up its pursuit of the Hamas terrorists and agree to a two-state solution. As a matter of fact, just next week, the Russian Federation (this is currently the official name of Russia) will be hosting over a dozen factions of Islamic terrorists including HAMAS, PLO, FATAH, HEZBOLLAH, and even the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC-QF) of Iran, in an effort to unify their forces for a final solution to the “occupation” of “Palestinian” land from by Israel. In other words these factions are now seeking Russia for support. Ezekiel 38-39 anyone? Could this be the proverbial jaw that pulls Russia into the current war in Israel. The Bible, however, tells us that the Lord will deal harshly with any nation that pursues such a policy of dividing His Land. Will there be a literal dividing of the land here in the United States as we are pressuring Israel to divide their land??? Now I am not claiming this can all happen but I do believe that we have and will continue to witness an escalation of wars globally could with an accelerated increase in both seismic AND volcanic activity as the year progresses. We are already witnessing war in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America and of course the Middle East. Furthermore, it is now becoming more evident and obvious that we are not that far removed from the seven-year Tribulation period when the entire earth will experience the fury of God’s wrath as Israel takes center stage after the Catching Away or Harpazo of the true Church. The Bible says there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, particularly in the last days: Joel 2:28-32—28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lordshall call. Luke 21:25—25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Oh and by the way, the next total solar eclipse visible from the United States will not happen until 2044. https://time.com/4897581/total-solar-eclipse-years-next/ So will the solar eclipse signify the nearness of this time? Could this be God’s final warning to America? Will this spark a revival in the country? Only time will tell. Maranatha! Revelation 21: A narrative of 2 cities, exploring the heavenly city - By Mark Creech - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/revelation-21-a-narrative-of-two-cities-exploring-the-heavenly.html Few books occupy as prominent a place in literary history as Charles Dickens,’ A Tale of Two Cities. It is a masterpiece of storytelling, social commentary, and moral insight. In Dickens’ novel, two iconic cities, London and Paris, serve as metaphors for utterly different societies during the tumultuous era of the French Revolution. Dickens depicts London as a stable and orderly culture governed by established institutions and traditions. Paris, on the other hand, is characterized by upheaval and revolution. Dickens also contrasts characters in the book. Sydney Carton is initially portrayed as an English lawyer who is dissolute and cynical, but ultimately experiences a profound transformation and performs a selfless act of sacrifice to save another. His nobility and willingness to surrender his own life for the sake of others stands in stark contrast to the decadence and oppression of the French aristocracy represented in the novel. Carton becomes a figure of redemption and selflessness, the aristocracy symbolizes corruption, privilege, and the exploitation of others. As we look to Revelation chapter 21 verses 9 through 27, there is found another narrative of contrasting cities — a divine revelation of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, juxtaposed with the fallen city of Babylon. And just as Dickens contrasts the nobility and sacrifice of Sydney Carton with the self-indulgence of the French aristocracy, Revelation presents an unadorned juxtaposition between the redeemed inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, who bask in the blessed glory and presence of God, and the inhabitants of Babylon, who reject the Lord’s sovereignty and are filled with wickedness. In both of these narratives, there is seen the timeless struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, justice and oppression. Conversely, in Dickens’ tale, we are called to judge rightly and choose wisely — to embrace the eternal truths of redemption and righteousness embodied in the New Jerusalem, while rejecting the allure of Babylon’s fleeting earthly pleasures and empty promises. What do the Scriptures say? Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone — like jasper as clear as crystal. The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. There were three gates on each side — east, north, south, and west. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick(according to the human standard used by the angel). The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were made of pearls — each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of the day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty — but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:9-27). The angel who speaks to the apostle John is apparently one of the angels who had carried out God’s judgment on the ungodly via the seven bowls and invited the seer to see the “great prostitute.” Now one of the angels, perhaps the same one as before, invites John to see the blissfulness of the redeemed — the pure Bride of Christ. The heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, is referenced as the “wife of the Lamb.” This doesn’t mean the city is not a literal place, because it is the residence of all the saved. What it does mean, however, is that the city is permanently associated with its inhabitants, the saints of every era who took God at his Word and were “confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God” (Hebrews 11:10). These people are considered fully united with their Savior, the Lord Jesus, in a perfect eternal relationship, characterized by moral spotlessness, and tender affection. J. Dwight Pentecost, in his book, Things to Come, quotes from “Theocratic Kingdom,” by G.N.H. Peters, which reads: “In the usage of the East when a king entered his capitol to rule therefrom, or a prince ascended the throne, it was represented under the figure of a marriage, i.e. he was wedded, intimately and permanently united to the city, or throne, or people … there is no impropriety but rather eminent fitness that the union of the King of Kings with his metropolitan city should be designated under the same figure, implying the most intimate and permanent relationship. Thus, the figure of marriage, which to many is the main objection to a literal city, serves rather to indicate it.” The angel then lifts John “in the Spirit, to a great, high mountain” where he can get a good view of the heavenly city. When the apostle sees it, he says he witnessed it descending out of heaven from God. No person is ever able to see and comprehend what is heavenly unless they are first lifted by the Spirit to a higher spiritual plane. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again [or born from above], you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Real conversion and the ability to discern what is truly spiritual is wrought by a work of God’s Spirit on the human heart. Moreover, the apostle says that the New Jerusalem descended out of heaven from God, which is another way of making the same point as the first. That which is heavenly cannot be achieved through good works (Ephesians 2:8-9), human wisdom (I Corinthians 1:20-21), or worshiping anything other than the one true God (Romans 1:21-23). God’s favor and his heavenly treasures, figuratively and literally, cannot be merited by climbing a great high mountain of spiritual challenges. Instead, the Spirit of God through simple faith lifts the believer in Christ to new and glorious eternal heights, and God in his grace and mercy descends with his unspeakable treasures. The late renowned evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham once encapsulated this central tenet of Christianity, saying: “In every other religion, the human is reaching up to the divine, but in Christianity, the divine came down to the human.” The description of the heavenly city is out of this world — no pun intended. The most beautiful cities in the world today cannot compare. Paris, France, is celebrated for its iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Louvre Museum, as well as its charming boulevards, elegant architecture, and romantic ambiance. Florence, Italy is home to some of the world’s most iconic art and architecture. Nestled between the iconic Table Mountain and the glistening Atlantic Ocean, is Cape Town, South Africa, which is admired for its natural beauty, vibrant culture, and diverse attractions. Who can forget Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, considered one of the most visually stunning cities in the world, with its dramatic mountains, golden beaches, and lush rainforests? Earthly cities such as these may evoke a sense of wonder and veneration, but they are only finite and subject to decay, reflecting the imperfections and limitations of human civilization. The New Jerusalem, the eternal city of God, however, transcends earthly beauty and human comprehension, radiating with the glory of God himself. Revelation tells us that the heavenly city is brilliant like a precious jewel, clear as crystal. It gleams with a resplendent light. Its walls rise majestically, towering into the celestial expanse, constructed of jasper, 216 feet thick but pure and translucent, symbolizing the impenetrable strength and integrity of the divine presence which lovingly enfolds God’s redeemed people. Each stone that makes up the wall shimmers with ethereal hues of jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst, casting a kaleidoscope of colors that dance in the light of God’s shekinah glory. Upon each foundation stone of the walls are written the names of the twelve apostles, who relinquished everything for their Master. The 12 gates of the city stand as the portals of entry, and each is guarded by an angel. They are fashioned from a single pearl, which represents the priceless value of entrance into God’s holy presence and His forever Kingdom. The 12 tribes of Israel are written on these gates. Daymond R. Duck and Larry Richards in The Book of Revelation: The Smart Guide to the Bible Series, quote Randall Price, who says: “The walls of the New Jerusalem reveal that Israel and the Church share equally in the inheritance of the city. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel are inscribed on the 12 gates. The names of the 12 apostles are on its 12 foundation stones (Revelation 21:12-14). Even though these are all Jewish, they still represent the dispensations of Israel and the Church (as in Hebrews 12:23).” The main street of the heavenly city is paved with pure gold, so refined that it’s as pure as glass. Today people will fight and steal for a piece of gold, but in God’s city, people’s feet tread pavement with a higher grade of gold than the world has ever seen. The angel who showed the apostle John the New Jerusalem, measured the holy city, its gates, and its wall. The measurement of the city revealed it was like a square, or some say it was like a cube. Still, some think it was more like a pyramid, but it’s difficult to prove either way. Duck and Richards argue the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament tabernacle and the temple in Jerusalem were cubes, “so it seems that the shape of God’s temporary residence among the Jews will be the shape of God’s permanent residence among His people.” One thing is for certain, the heavenly city is colossal. Calculating the dimensions given by today’s standards of measuring, the city is approximately 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles wide, and 1,500 miles high. Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois, are approximately 1,500 miles apart. The International Space Station is only about 260 miles above the earth. Obviously, this covers a tremendous amount of territory and is indicative of the millions of believers who will live in the New Jerusalem. The Revelator notes that there is something conspicuously missing in the heavenly city — something we might not expect. He says that there is no temple. Temples have always held great importance in ancient cultures worldwide. Similarly, churches held a central place in medieval Western culture. In early America, a community would often build the church prominently central to the town or city, demonstrating its import to the soul of its people. A city without a temple might be perceived to be a godless place. So, when the Bible says that there is no temple in the heavenly city, it doesn’t mean there won’t be worship there. It means there won’t be a temple like those on earth, which sometimes descend from being sacred places to places of superstition and sectarianism. There’s a humorous story that illustrates this point. A Baptist was stranded on a desert island for years before finally being rescued. When asked about the three huts he had built during his time there, he explained that one hut was his home, and the second hut was the Baptist church where he faithfully worshipped and prayed. Curious, his rescuers inquired about the purpose of the third hut. The Baptist replied, “Oh, that’s the Baptist church where I used to attend before there was a disagreement and a split!” The reason given for the absence of a temple in Heaven is because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. In other words, God, the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, aren’t just the focus of worship; they’re the very essence of it. Everyone in New Jerusalem experiences the full realization of what Christ was telling the Samaritan woman when he said: “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). So, in Heaven worship reaches its fullest expression. “No temple” means “everywhere is a temple” — worship is in every place, in every circumstance, and for all eternity. We should model our earthly worship after the heavenly worship. Not that we should do away with going to church. Church buildings still serve their purpose on this side of the divide. But we should not limit our worship to a building, or a set form of prayers, rituals, and denominational polities. Acceptable worship requires speaking to God with a clean heart, praising him, honoring him, thanking him, and obeying him in everything. Conventional worship, compared to the worship of eternity, is as inadequate as the light from a flashlight directed at the midday sun. In the heavenly city, our worship is perfected in holiness. There is no sun or moon in the heavenly city either. John Phillips in Exploring Revelation writes, “The light that blazed from the face of Jesus on the mount of transfiguration will be the sole illumination in the heavenly Jerusalem. We shall walk in the light of his countenance.” The nations will walk in Christ’s light, and the rulers of the world will enter into this holy place. As Isaiah prophesied, “All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance” (Isaiah 60:3). On that day, there will be no more kings to dispute the Lord’s way. No more kings like King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, King Belshazzar of Babylon, the Pharaoh of Egypt, King Ahab of Israel, Herod Antipas of Rome, and Pontius Pilate of Rome. In more modern times, there will be no more rulers like Adolph Hitler of Germany, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Kim Jon-Un of North Korea, or Xi Jinping of China. Every nation, every ruler, shall willingly and humbly bow in obeisance to the King of kings and Lord of lords. The gates of the New Jerusalem will never be closed because there is no night there. There will be no threat. And nothing evil, nor any sinful practice will ever enter into that city – only those saved by the precious blood of the Lamb will bask in its countless wonders. How interesting! The city of man, Babylon, also known as the great spiritual harlot, where the worship of all gods but the one and only true God, is plunged into darkness (Revelation 16:10). The heavenly city where God only is worshiped is brilliant with the incomparable light of his magnificence. Babylon is drunk with the blood of the saints she’s martyred, but she is destroyed catastrophically and completely by the judgment of God (Revelation 18:9-24), and ultimately the saints live in perfect peace and safety forever in the New Jerusalem. Babylon is the epitome of man’s pursuit of worldly riches, honor, and glory. In the heavenly city, however, precious stones and gold are as common as building materials, great honor belongs to those who honored the Lord, and total triumph is reserved for those who can go into the heavenly city. To which city is your citizenship, Babylon or the New Jerusalem? Daily Jot: Prophetic Terrorist State with Nuclear Weapons - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Iran is a main Biblical prophetic player that comes against Israel, igniting a colossal end times battle prophesied in Ezekiel 38. Ezekiel 38:2 says, “…set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against them.” Magog, Meshech, Tubal are all located in what is now modern Turkey. Verse 5 says, “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them…” Persia is modern day Iran. For decades, the UN Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), tasked with preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, has been useless against Iran’s terrorist Islamic leaders enriching uranium. Now IAEA head Rafael Grossi says Iran is continuing to enrich uranium beyond commercial grade use. Reuters reports that Grossi said Iran was enriching uranium at an elevated rate of around 60% purity, which is close to nuclear weapons grade. Iran continues to deny it is building nuclear weapons, but Reuters reports it is the only state that has enriched uranium to that level without producing them. In December 2005, The Daily Jot reported, that then IAEA chief Muhammad ElBaradeisaid that if Iran resumed enrichment of uranium as threatened, the rogue nation would have a nuclear bomb within a few months. A month before, ElBaradei said that there was no evidence that Iran had a nuclear weapons program. His feckless leadership and often delusional ideas of trusting Iran have largely brought the world to the brink of a nuclear terrorist-sponsoring state. Three years later in 2008, ElBaradei admitted to the LA Times that the UN’s policy toward preventing Iran from a nuclear arms program “has been a failure.” This from the man who balked at Bush Administration concerns that Iran was moving toward building a nuclear weapon in a November 2004 news conference, “I am not ready to jump to the conclusion and say this is a weapons program,” he said, “unless I see clear cut proof that this is a weapons program. And we are not there yet.” The IAEA leadership under El Baradei and Grossi have played the “could have a nuke in six months” card nearly every year for two decades. If not for Israel’s clandestine efforts to thwart Iran, the terrorist state already could have developed nukes. Also, former president Barack Obama accelerated Iran’s nuclear ambitions by signing a nuclear weapons deal with Iran in 2015 and sent them $100 billion on pallets, which was used to continue its nuclear and missile development program. President Trump ended the agreement and froze billions in Iranian assets which hindered Iran’s nuclear development. Joe Biden unfroze the billions for Iran and now we have the IAEA saying Iran is enriching nuke-grade uranium again. Obama said that without the Iranian deal the US would be faced with a choice of a nuclear Iran or another Middle East war. Well, we have an Iranian-sponsored terrorist war in the Middle East today, and Iran continues its nuclear program. Psalm 122:6 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love you.”—a good place to start. The prophecy clock ticks ahead. Sources: https://www.reuters.com/world/iaea-chief-says-irans-nuclear-enrichment-activity-remains-high-2024-02-19/ Daily Devotion: The Blessed Interruption - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. —Ephesians 2:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-blessed-interruption/ - Listen Ancient Ephesus was known for its cultural learning, its incredible edifices, and its spirituality. The people of Ephesus were very religious. They worshipped many gods and erected idols of every conceivable deity. These were religious people, but they did not know God. Their religion was their vain attempt to reach God through their own human efforts. Although there were numerous gods in Ephesus, the people of that city did not have a relationship with the one true God. Historians tell us that a great cloud of hopelessness covered the ancient world. Their philosophies were empty, and their traditions were disappearing. In addition, their religions were powerless to impact them in this life or to prepare them for the life to come. Yet, is that not a picture, in many ways, of our culture today? We have made incredible advances in technology, but people are searching spiritually. They’re asking the big questions: Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? Sadly, so many are looking for truth in all the wrong places. They want the benefits of faith but not the restrictions of it. They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. The Bible tells us that will be a sign of the last days. According to 2 Timothy 3:5, people “will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (NLT). There is only one way of reconciliation that God has made available to us. If we want reconciliation with God, it will come only through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:13 tells us, “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (NLT). Notice the words “but now.” We were on our way to a certain judgment, but God interrupted that when He sent Jesus. It was a blessed interruption. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus and His shed blood, we now have been reconciled to God. Sin is the great separator in the world. Ever since it entered in, it has been dividing people throughout human history. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, sin immediately began its work of separation. It separated Adam and Eve from God. And ultimately, it separated their sons Cain and Abel. But at the cross of Calvary, Jesus eliminated the wall that separates us from God. He brought about reconciliation. We can come to God right now, but not because of our worthiness or because of the good deeds we’ve done. We come to Him because of a relationship with Him—and that relationship was purchased through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 2/27/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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