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Will Hezbollah and Iran Step Back and Watch as Their Terror Ally, Hamas, Is Wiped Out by Israel? – By Erick Stakelbeck - https://harbingersdaily.com/will-hezbollah-and-iran-step-back-and-watch-as-their-terror-ally-hamas-is-wiped-out-by-israel/
Major Escalation: Hezbollah Launches Barrage Of 30 Rockets into Northern Israel Within One Hour Earlier today, Hezbollah, presumably along with Hamas and other Palestinian jihadist factions in southern Lebanon, launched a barrage of 30 rockets in the span of one hour into Northern Israel. This was the largest barrage since October 7th, when Israel’s war with Hamas broke out. To my mind, this is a major escalation to the north. A key point here is that Hamas, which also has a presence in southern Lebanon under the watchful eye of Hezbollah, said it launched 16 of those rockets. Presumably, Hezbollah launched the rest. Whatever the case, Israel responded by directly targeting Hezbollah. If Hamas is operating in southern Lebanon, it’s with the full approval of Hezbollah. Israel went straight to the source, carrying out air strikes and shelling against Hezbollah’s infrastructure. This is no joke. This was 30 rockets in one hour from the north, where Hezbollah has a powerful arsenal of some 150,000 rockets and missiles pointed at every inch of Israel. After the rocket launches, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including a site housing “technological assets,” a weapons depot, rocket launch positions, and other infrastructure. Is Hezbollah Being Pressured To Jump Into The War? Why is this so important? It comes on the heels of what was a pretty major event on Friday: the much-anticipated speech given by none other than terror master Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. During that speech, Nasrallah engaged in the typical rhetoric, with threats against the United States and threats against Israel. Overall, it was a dud, considering all the anticipation built up around it. That’s actually a good thing. A lot of people were saying that Nasrallah may very well declare war against Israel during this speech. That didn’t happen. What was interesting to me about Nasrallah’s speech on Friday was his insistence that everything that happened in Gaza was completely Hamas. October 7th, he said, was Hamas’s planning and acting by its own volition. Nasrallah applauded the massacre, saying that Hezbollah views it as one of the greatest days in history, but stressed that it was strictly Hamas. He did state Hezbollah’s intention to escalate increasingly the more Israel tightens the vise around Hamas and Gaza. Was the barrage of 30 rockets in one hour, Hezbollah “upping the ante” so to speak? It’s not that Hezbollah has completely pulled its punches. Israeli soldiers have been killed in the engagements with Hezbollah along the border over the past four weeks; at least 11 Israelis have died. Over 50 Fighters have been killed by the Israel Defense Forces in these daily engagements as well. Hezbollah has a much more powerful, advanced, and well-trained fighting force than Hamas. Do the math. One hundred fifty thousand rockets and missiles pointed at every inch of the world’s one and only Jewish State, and at least 40-50,000 well-trained battle-hardened foot soldiers. Hezbollah is a different beast, and I do mean beast, than Hamas. We saw the damage Hamas did on October 7th. Picture that multiplied by several times, and that is what you have in the form of Hezbollah. Which begs the question, does Nasrallah feel the pressure to activate that Northern front? Hezbollah is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Iranian regime. Do Hezbollah and the Iranian regime step back and watch as their brother in arms, their terror ally, Hamas, is wiped off the face of the Earth by the IDF? Hamas has been a very valuable asset to Iran, to Hezbollah, and to the jihadist cause. Do Iran and Hezbollah let that fall by the wayside and lose that crucial tool in their Jihadi terror toolbox? Do they allow Islamic Jihad to be eliminated in Gaza? Or do they jump in? Will Israel Act Preemptively? Another question is, will Israel act preemptively? Israel really ultimately has no choice; the Day of Reckoning is coming between themselves and Hezbollah. Israel may be forced, sooner rather than later, to face off against Hezbollah and the Iranian regime in Lebanon and in Syria. Israel is on war footing, having called up over 300,000 reserve soldiers to be on the front lines in Gaza and also positioned in the north. Over 30 Israeli communities in the north along the Lebanon border have been evacuated, with hundreds of thousands of Israelis displaced. The memory of October 7th is fresh in everyone’s mind. Seeing what Hamas did down south along the Gaza border, and given Hezbollah is much more powerful, would you not feel very uneasy living along the Border of Lebanon unless Hezbollah is defeated? Israel has some very tough decisions to make. Pray for the IDF that God would give them wisdom, protection, and discernment. Pray for innocent civilians in Israel who are still being bombarded by rockets. Pray for Palestinians in Gaza who are being used as human Shields by Hamas, who have no regard for human life. These are demonic Nazis and barbarians—I do not say that lightly. Lastly, pray for the hostages; for a miraculous God-ordained rescue so that they can come home safely to their families. A Prophecy for our Time: Zechariah 9 and the Gaza War - Elie Mischel - https://www.israel365news.com/378529/a-prophecy-for-our-time-zechariah-9-and-the-gaza-war/ The lord of Hosts will protect them: [His] slingstones shall devour and conquer; They shall drink, shall rage as with wine, And be filled [with it] like a dashing bowl, Like the corners of an mizbayach. hen seeking signs of current events in the Bible, it’s important to do so with care and humility. History is littered with exciting yet false interpretations of scripture. Nevertheless, the Bible is not a book of history, but rather an eternal book that speaks to every generation. And so we must, despite the dangers, seek to understand the tumultuous times we are living in through the lens of the Bible. With this in mind, I believe that the 9th chapter of the Book of Zechariah was written for our generation, and specifically for this painful time. On October 7, Hamas terrorists brutalized, raped and murdered over 1,400 Jews, the worst and most sickening massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas also abducted 242 hostages, including babies, children, and elderly Holocaust survivors. Hezbollah, another radical terrorist group sponsored by Iran and based in Lebanon on Israel’s northern border, soon joined Hamas in attacking Israel. In response, Israel has launched a full scale war against Hamas in Gaza, while simultaneously engaging with Hezbollah in the north. Last week, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen joined the attack on Israel, launching missile and drone attacks at Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city. A close study of the 9th chapter of Zechariah makes clear that this war was prophesied by Zechariah. Most significantly, studying Zechariah’s words can give us great strength during this deeply painful time. A Prophecy for our TIme One of the challenges in interpreting prophecy is determining which era of history the prophet is prophesying about. The words of the prophets are often opaque and difficult to interpret clearly. Some prophecies were meant for the near term – such as when Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of the Temple – while other prophecies concern the distant future. Chapter 9 of Zechariah begins with a reference to the land of “Hadrach.” “The prophecy of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach” (Zechariah 9:1). But where is this mysterious land of “Hadrach”? According to one of the Talmudic sages, “Hadrach” is not a country, but rather a hint to the time period addressed in this chapter. In Hebrew, the word “Hadrach” can be broken into two separate words: “Had,” meaning “sharp,” and “Rach,” meaning “soft.” “Rabbi Judah the son of Ilai expounded: This refers to the Messiah, who is sharp against the nations and soft to Israel” (cited by Rashi, Zechariah 9:1). When the Messiah arrives, he will inaugurate an era that will be very “sharp” and painful for Israel’s enemies, but “soft” and joyous for Israel. According to Rabbi Judah, this chapter speaks about the era of redemption and difficult events that will occur in the generations before the Messiah finally appears. The ninth verse of the chapter also makes clear that this chapter is speaking of the Messianic age: “Be exceedingly happy, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold! Your king shall come to you. He is just and victorious; humble, and riding a donkey and a foal, the offspring of [one of] she-donkeys.” Rashi, the great Jewish commentator, explains: “It is impossible to interpret this except as referring to the King Messiah, as it is stated: ‘and his rule shall be from sea to sea.’ We do not find that Israel had such a ruler during the days of the Second Temple [and so this chapter must be referring to the Messianic age].” We are currently living in the “Messianic age,” the generations leading up to the arrival of the Messiah. The “Messianic age” refers to the time when the people of Israel have returned to their land, and the prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled. A War in the North Zechariah first speaks of an enemy in the north: “And Tyre built a fortification for herself, and she gathered silver like dust and gold, like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord shall impoverish her, and He shall smite her wealth in the sea, and she shall be consumed by fire” (Zechariah 9:3-4). Ancient Tyre was located on the southern coast of Lebanon, 83 kilometers south of Beirut – where the Iranian backed terror group Hezbollah is currently fortified. Receiving billions of dollars in funding from Iran, Hezbollah has “gathered silver like dust and gold like the mire of the streets,” funding it has used to stockpile 150,000 deadly rockets that it has aimed and begun to fire at Israel. As I write this, Israeli towns near the northern border have been evacuated and there are daily clashes with Hezbollah. Fortunately, God has promised that “He shall smite her wealth in the sea, and she shall be consumed by fire.” Hezbollah is destined to be destroyed. A War in the South “Ashkelon shall see and fear, and Gaza – and she shall quake violently – and Ekron, for the one to whom she looked was ashamed. And a king was lost from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. And the strangers shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines” (Zechariah 9:5-6) The modern day cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod, on Israel’s southern Mediterranean coast, are under Israeli control. In ancient times, however, the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gaza, Ekron, and Gath were the strongholds of the Philistines in Gaza. To be clear – the “Palestinians” of today do not descend from, and bear no relation to, the ancient Philistines who dwelled along Israel’s coast in Biblical times. It was only on May 28, 1964, the date on which the PLO was established, that the Arabs in Israel began using the name “Palestinian.” Nevertheless, I believe it is no accident that today’s Arabs of Gaza have taken on the name “Palestinian,” for they share something in common with the Philistines of old. The Philistines of the Biblical era were the Jewish people’s most persistent and terrible adversary. Beginning with the era of Samson and continuing through the generations of Samuel, Saul and David, the Philistines were consistently the most dangerous foe of the twelve tribes of Israel. When Zechariah tells us that God will “cut off the pride of the Philistines,” he must be referring to the “Palestinians” of our time, the evil spiritual descendants of the ancient Philistines, for the ancient Philistines no longer exist. The arrogance of Hamas and the Palestinian people will be cut off. “And I will remove his blood from his mouth, and his detestable things from between his teeth. And it, too, shall remain to our God: and it shall be like a study hall in Judah; and Ekron, like Jebusi” (Zechariah 9:7). God will remove the blood from the mouths of the Palestinians, a people that glorifies death and celebrates the murder of Jewish children with mass celebrations and fireworks. But Israel’s victory over Gaza will not merely prevent the Palestinians from committing any further murders. Ekron, the great Palestinian city, will become like “Jebusi.” What does this mean? The Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe that dwelled in the Jerusalem area. Even after Joshua conquered much of the land of Israel, the Jebusites continued to control Jerusalem. It was David, 400 years later, who conquered the Jebusites and transformed Jerusalem from a pagan Jebusite city to the capital of Israel and the seat of God’s glory. In this verse, Zechariah says that the Philistine cities of Gaza will be transformed into Jewish cities, just as Jerusalem was. The day will come when the streets of Gaza City will not be used to train terrorists, but rather as “a study hall in Judah.” “And I will encamp beside My house against a garrison of those passing by and of those returning. And no oppressor shall overrun them, for now I have seen with My eyes” (Zechariah 9:8). On October 7th, Hamas terrorists overran Israel’s southern border. In this verse, God promises that Israel will not be overrun again. As Rashi explains: “I will encamp beside My house to protect it from those who set up a garrison and raiders, that they should not set these up against it.” What has changed? God says “for now I have seen with My eyes.” On that terrible day, God hid His countenance from His people. But now God’s eyes are opened, and Hamas will not again succeed in overrunning the people of Israel. “You, too – with the blood of your covenant I have freed your prisoners from a pit in which there was no water.” This verse, more than any other, made my heart stop. As I write these words, Hamas terrorists are holding 242 innocent men, women and children as hostages. They have imprisoned these hostages deep underground, among the 500 miles of terror tunnels that Hamas built underground in Gaza. For the last 17 years, Hamas has used billions of dollars of international aid to build these tunnels and buy weapons, instead of using the money to build the Gazan economy. “I have freed your prisoners from a pit in which there was no water.” Please, God, may these words come true today! Please free our hostages, who are hidden in a pit, deep beneath the earth. Bring them home to us now! An Attack from Yemen “And the Lord shall appear over them, and his arrows shall go forth like lightning. And the Lord God shall sound the shofar, and He shall go with the whirlwinds of Yemen” (Zechariah 9:14) Last week, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen launched missile and drone attacks against Israel from the south. In this verse God promises that “his arrows shall go forth like lightning,” that He will bring retribution upon Yemen from the air. May we soon see Israeli missiles rain down upon the Houthi terrorists of Yemen! Israel’s Great Awakening Israel will defeat its enemies, both in the north and the south. But at the same time, Israel itself will be transformed: “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Also today, I will restore to you a double promise” (Zechariah 9:12). The people of Israel are described poignantly as “prisoners of hope.” Through thousands of years of exile and persecution, the people of Israel refused to give up hope. They never gave up on the dream of returning to their homeland, which God had promised them throughout the Bible. If there was ever a nation that could recover from the horrors committed by Hamas on October 7, it is Israel, the “prisoners of hope.” God tells the people of Israel, “Return to the stronghold!” “Return to your strength and to your glory” (Rashi). You have suffered terribly, but you can and will rise again! “I will restore to you a double promise” – though you have suffered terribly, you will recover and double in strength! “For I bend Judah for Me like a bow; I filled [the hand of] Ephraim, and I will arouse your children, O Zion, upon your children, O Javan; and I will make you as the sword of a mighty man” (Zechariah 9:13). God promises that the children of Zion will awaken – a prophecy that has come true before our eyes. Jews in Israel and throughout the world are awakening from their spiritual slumber. They are standing up with pride and strength, and they are returning to the God of Israel. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of “secular” Israeli soldiers have requested tzitzit, the tassels Jews are commanded to wear on the corners of their garments. Thousands of videos are circulating of Israeli soldiers of all religious backgrounds praying intensely before heading into battle. “For how [great] is their goodness and how [great] is their beauty! Corn [will give strength to] young men, and new wine will cause maids to speak” (Zechariah 9:17). The young men and women of Israel will rise up and reveal to the world their goodness and beauty, which had heretofore been hidden from sight. One of the great tragedies of our generation is the loss of so many young Jews to secularism and woke progressivism. Most young Jews in America and across the world were raised with little Jewish education and almost no connection to their glorious heritage. But since October 7th, many of these young Jews have begun to rediscover their heritage and to take pride in being Jews. Shocked by the rabid pro-Hamas antisemites that have taken over American universities and scream for the destruction of Israel, they now realize that they have been betrayed by their fellow woke activists. Though many young Jews continue to cling to secularism, a great Jewish awakening has begun. Great Days are Coming This is believed to be the first time the flag is raised in Gaza since Israel disengaged from the area in 2005 “Be exceedingly happy, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold! Your king shall come to you. He is just and victorious; humble, and riding a donkey and a foal, the offspring of [one of] she-donkeys. And I will cut off the chariots from Ephraim, and the horses from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be cut off. And he shall speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall be from the sea to the west and from the river to the ends of the earth” (Zechariah 9:9-10). The Messiah, Israel’s king, is on his way. He will not be like the kings of our enemies; he will not be an arrogant dictator like Vladimir Putin or Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran. The king of Israel will be just and humble, and inaugurate an era of peace. And yes – he is on his way. May the prophecy of Zechariah soon be fulfilled, and may peace return to Israel and the entire world. 2023 End of the Year Support Donation Drawing Like most ministries, a large amount of our support comes from people giving during the last couple of months of the year. This year has been challenging for all of, but I believe that Prophecy Update and other like minded ministries are needed now more than ever! Please consider entering our drawing, not only might you win this brand new iMac, but more importantly, you will be helping to support Prophecy Update - thank you so very much!!! A Chance to Win a Brand New 24-inch iMac with Retina 5K display -- most importantly, you will be helping to Support Prophecy Update! With the following configuration: · 3.8GHz 8-core 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz · 8GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory · Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB of GDDR6 memory · 1TB SSD storage · Gigabit Ethernet · Magic Mouse 2 · Magic Keyboard - US English This system is valued at $2,499, and you might win, for a little as $25!!! It's already that time of the of the year when we have to start budgeting and planning for the coming new year! We pray that the proceeds from this Donation Drawing will greatly offset our End of the Year needs so that we can end the year in the black! Donation Drawing Fund We have set up a special fund for this donation-drawing on our donations page. For each donation of just $25, your name will be entered into our drawing for the iMac one-time. For each additional $25 increment, you will receive additional entries into the drawing. If you donate $100 dollars for example, your name will be entered four times into the drawing, you can enter as many times as you like! The offer starts today and the drawing will be held and announced on 12/31/23. This would make an excellent Christmas gift for a student, for your family, or for those who work from home. For a little as $25, you might win this awesome iMac, but most importantly, you will be helping to support this ministry! (CLICK HERE TO ENTER DRAWING) You can also mail in your entry to: PROPHECY UPDATE PO BOX 40516 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93384 (Please mark entry "End of the Year Drawing") Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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Your Support is Important to this Ministry - We Could Not Do This Without Your Support! Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! II Corinthians 9:15 Worthy of Your Support? It has been said, one of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed and if that information inspires you and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers and open the eyes of non-believers and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. I genuinely believe that Prophecy Update and many other like-minded ministries, are needed now more than ever! The world is getting darker daily, almost hourly, but never has the light of the Word of God shone so brightly. Never in our history has there been such a thirst for Truth and a need for a Savior! The Prophecy Update website, newsletter, and Video Channels are all dedicated to providing the truth, encouraging and informing believers, and prayerfully opening the eyes and hearts of non-believers with the Gospel, but none of it would be possible without your prayers and support. DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 The destruction of the Edomites, Hamas and Satan - By Dan Delzell - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/the-destruction-of-the-edomites-hamas-and-satan.html Scripture predicts and history records the destruction of those who oppose God and His people. For example, the Edomites were destroyed 2,500 years ago; the terrorist group Hamas is currently being destroyed; and Satan will be destroyed when he is “thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” where he “will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, and from the beginning they were hostile to Jacob’s descendants, Israel. They never forgave Jacob for stealing the blessing and the birthright from his brother, and they took out their rage on Israel. The Edomites inhabited the ancient city of Petra (Sela in Hebrew). Dr. Henrietta C. Mears writes, “It perched like an eagle’s nest, enclosed by towering rocks. Its only approach is through a deep rock cleft more than a mile long with massive cliffs more than 700 feet high rising on either side. The city was able to withstand any invasion.” The closing sequence in the 1989 film, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” was filmed at Petra. And as one of the wonders of the world, this historic site is a stark reminder that those who oppose God will eventually be destroyed. In one of the shortest books of the Bible, (21 verses) the prophet Obadiah foretold the coming annihilation of the Edomites. “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever” (Obadiah 1:10). The Edomites were conquered and driven out of Petra in the fifth century B.C. as a result of their burning hatred for God’s people and ruthless opposition to Israel. Like the Edomites before them, Hamas has been enraged with Israel from the day they emerged in 1987. And their recent terrorist attack on October 7 was “a day of hell on earth in Israel.” “More than 2,000 men entered Israeli territory through 29 breaches in the barrier surrounding the Gaza Strip.” Hamas committed unspeakable atrocities against civilians in Israel. Hamas relies upon its 300-mile tunnel network in carrying out its vicious agenda to kidnap, torture and kill innocent civilians. Nevertheless, the elaborate tunnel system will not prevent their looming destruction. Whether it be the massive cliffs of Petra, or the labyrinth of passages in the Hamas tunnels, “those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from Heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth” (1 Samuel 2:10). The words of Obadiah ring true: “The house of Esau will be stubble … there will be no survivors from the house of Esau. The Lord has spoken” (v. 18). The hatred of the Edomites and Hamas toward Israel is only surpassed by the perpetual rage of the evil one who controls their hearts, namely, Satan. Jesus defeated the devil by dying on the cross for our sins and rising again on the third day. Satan will be punished for his rebellion against God when he is “thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” (Rev. 20:10). There is no coming back from the unbearable agony of Hell, where the punishment never ends. The destruction of the Edomites, Hamas and Satan are the result of their cold-hearted pride and furious contempt for Israel. Obadiah wrote: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says about Edom … the pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home in the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord” (vv. 1,3-4). Likewise, Lucifer thought he was invincible, and he longed to become the center of attention in Heaven. Pride and rebellion led to his downfall. “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty” (Ezekiel 28:17). “So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub” (v. 16). “I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings” (v. 17). Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven” (Luke 10:18). Jesus identified Pergamum in Turkey as the earthly residence “where Satan has his throne,” and “the city where Satan lives” (Revelation 2:13). But a spiritual throne in Turkey is no more secure than the cliffs of Petra or the tunnels of Hamas. No place is beyond the Lord’s reach and out of God's sight, as King David noted: “Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). You see, it is impossible to hide from the Creator of Heaven and earth. The Edomites, Hamas and Satan will spend eternity in excruciating torment as a result of their heinous iniquities. They will be shown no mercy, just as they showed no mercy to the victims of their brutality. In the words of Obadiah: “As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head” (v. 15). We are witnessing this spiritual dynamic play out today with Hamas, just as it played out 2,500 years ago with the Edomites, and 2,000 years ago when Jesus “disarmed the powers and authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). “The devil is filled will fury because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12). Satan realizes that he will be “thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” where he “will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Likewise, a growing number of Hamas terrorists are being killed by the Israel Defense Forces everyday, and their souls are immediately entering the horrific prison of Hell. As with Satan and the Edomites, Hamas will suffer the painful and eternal consequences of God’s wrath against sin. They refused to bow their knee to King Jesus, and they persisted in carrying out terrorist attacks against God’s people. In so doing, they deliberately ignored this New Testament warning: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). How Near Is the “Fullness of the Gentiles”? – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/blog/ During the course of my conversations with David Hitt, a close friend of many years, he interjected what I believe to be a most insightful consideration. His thinking involves the circumstances surrounding the Rapture, the restoration of Israel, and the possibility of the Rapture occurring during widespread devastation, perhaps a war—one like we see going on at present involving Israel and its hate-filled enemies. The “fullness of the Gentiles” presented by Paul in Romans 11 has always been foremost in the minds of those who study from the pre-Trib view of Bible prophecy. What exactly does that phrase mean with regard to the time of the Rapture of the Church? Here are David Hitt’s thoughts: Isaiah 6 contains the well-known “Here I am. Send me” passage in which Isaiah volunteers to convey God’s message to His people that they are hardened (deaf, blind, and without understanding). Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (Isaiah 6:8–10) God not only informs His people that they are hardened and that He is the one hardening them, but also that He has hardened them to delay their repenting and being healed. In Matthew 13, when the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks “to them” in parables, He quotes from Isaiah 6: He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:” (Matthew 13:11–14) In Acts 28, Paul also quotes Isaiah 6, reminding the local leaders of the Jews that they are hardened. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Acts 28:24–27) Paul discloses for the first time a consequence of Israel’s hardening: the Gospel would be extended to the Gentiles: Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. (Acts 28:28) However, both of these quotes (Matthew 13 and Acts 28) from Isaiah 6 stop short. They only address God’s hardening of Israel. Returning to Isaiah 6, beginning in verse 11, the prophet then begs God for an answer, and God gives it to him: Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate…” (Isaiah 6:11) God will lift Israel’s partial hardening during or just after a widespread devastation. This may be a great war, even a nuclear war given the extent and degree of damage. However, it may also be a direct act of God. Note that the cities and the houses need not be in “the land” (the Promised Land). They may be in the land or elsewhere. God continues His answer in verse 12: And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. (Isaiah 6:12) God gives five conditions that exist just before his people spiritually awaken: (condition 1) cities lie waste without inhabitant; (condition 2) houses are without people; (condition 3) the land is a desolate waste; (condition 4) the Lord removes men (better rendered in the ESV as “people”) far away; and (condition 5) the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. In the middle of describing utter devastation (conditions 1–3 and 5), God interjects an enigmatic condition 4: “and the Lord have removed people far away.” The Lord (in all caps) is Yahweh: the covenantal God, and thus the emphasis appears to be on the keeping of a covenant. “People” implies more than one people, i.e. Gentiles. This clause likely refers to the Rapture. Note that condition 5 mentions “forsaken places.” Being listed after condition 4, might God have forsaken them, the Rapture having happened? It’s an interesting thought. The lack of an explanation for even 4, the Lord’s removal of people far away, makes it a mystery (something hidden). Now, let’s look at Romans 11, in which Paul answers the question his earlier chapters begged: If Christ is the answer and the law is not, what about the Jews, to whom God had given the law? Has God turned His back on Israel? I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. (Romans 11:1–4) The answer is an emphatic “No!” God will save an elect remnant of Israel, and He will save them by grace, not the law. To keep the Gentiles from being feeling superior to the Jews, Paul goes on to say: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:11–15) Then, after describing how the holy firstfruits of lump of dough renders the whole lump holy, how a holy root can render the entire tree holy, and how branches may be cut off and grafted onto a tree and thereby become holy, Paul reveals a mystery in verse 25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25) The mystery Paul reveals is that the partial hardening of Israel’s elect will end when the “fulness of the Gentiles be (has) come in.” So, let’s assemble what we have learned. Paul says in Romans 11:25 that Israel’s partial hardening will end when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. In Isaiah 6:11–12, God tells the prophet that He will end His hardening of His people proximate a widespread devastation, likely a great war or a direct act of God. From these two statements, one concludes that the fullness of the Gentiles comes in on the precipice of or during a widespread devastation, after which God ends His partial hardening of Israel’s elect. God has one last thing to say to Isaiah to answer his “How long, O Lord?” question: But yet in [the land] shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (Isaiah 6:13) This speaks of Daniel’s Seventieth Week or the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, commonly called the Tribulation. The stump (the believing remnant of Israel) connects the holy root (Jesus) to the branches (believers) of the pruned and grafted tree (the body of Christ). Thus, Israel will be reawakened, after which will be Daniel’s Seventieth Week, which reiterates what we’ve already known: the Rapture precedes Daniel’s Seventieth Week, but perhaps in a time of great tumult, even war. It won’t be the Tribulation, but many believers may think it is. ****** The time of “the fullness of the Gentiles” must be very near, thinking on the signals of Christ’s return flashing all at once during this generation. To be sure to go to Jesus when He calls in the Rapture, you must do the following: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10) Daily Jot: Witnessing prophetic types and shadows of the end times - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There is a phenomena among humans: Someone causes trouble and the one who retaliates gets blamed. We see it in sports when someone commits an egregious foul, the person fouled retaliates and gets penalized. Such is the case with Hamas and Israel. It is for blood. Hamas did the terrorist deed. Brutally torturing, raping, dismembering, beheading, ripping babies from the womb, and killing innocent civilians in a surprise attack. Within days, the news media was questioning whether Israel should respond. Then the Arab nations condemned Israel for its own self-defense. Then the United Nations began condemning Israel for its thoughts and plans for self-defense, falling into the terrorist plan. The terrorist plan, which is shared by a list of Arab countries including Turkey and Iran blatantly, and others like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, who are somewhat more diplomatic, is the elimination of Israel and the Jewish people from the face of the earth. It has been so stated, even by the Palestinian Authority which is given billions of dollars by European nations and the United States. Such a double standard, saying this money is given for humanitarian purposes with a liberal bleeding heart wink knowing full well that the money allows for the purchase of military equipment and funds an infrastructure for purposes of Israeli genocide. Hamas is the most recent shining example. It attacks boldly in the name of allah, then retreats underground beneath hospitals and schools, using their own people as human shields. Oh the poor “Palestinians,” they say, are going to once again be brutalized by the evil Israelis. They need food, shelter, a place to stay, medical supplies, and fuel. The food is being taken by Hamas for its terrorists. The shelter is being used by Hamas as a human shield. The place to stay—none of the neighboring countries will take in the refugees because the “Palestinian” refugees are the pawns of the Arab propaganda machine to invoke world sympathy against Israel. They need to stay put and appear oppressed, even if the oppression is by their own elected government, Hamas. Hamas is taking the fuel and pilfering medical supplies from the hospitals to be used for its terrorists. What a ruse. Yet all the nations of the world cry alligator tears while writing checks for humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, China and Russia on the UN Security Council are condemning Israel for defending itself. We are witnessing first-hand the prophetic types and shadows of the end times. Hundreds of Bible verses describe how the enemies of Israel will come against God’s chosen people “In that day.” One in particular also has a warning. A word of the Lord in Zechariah 12:9, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” God will not be mocked. Claiming to support Israel while funding its brutal enemies in the name of humanitarianism will have consequences. Buckle up. The times, they are a’changin’. Daily Jot: It’s Okay to Ask - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. —Jeremiah 33:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/its-okay-to-ask/ - Listen The Bible tells an interesting story about a man named Gideon. God told him he was supposed to lead the Israelites into battle, but Gideon was a little on the timid side. And he wasn’t so sure that he was the person God wanted for the job. So he said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT). To put it in modern terms, it would be like saying, “Lord, if this is really from You, I want to go out in the morning and find dew on my car but not on the ground or anything else.” The next morning, the fleece was just as Gideon asked. Then he asked the Lord for one more test, saying, “This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew” (verse 39 NLT). The next morning, Gideon woke up to discover that God had again confirmed His word to him. We don’t need to ask God for dew on animal skins, but we can ask Him to confirm His word to us. This can come in a lot of ways. God can speak to us through circumstances as we sense that something is the will of God and doors are opening for us. But we also must have God’s peace when we’re asking God to lead us. Perhaps there’s a stirring in your heart. You’re dissatisfied with where you are and sense that something new is about to happen. And then, when you take that step of faith and find yourself in the will of God, He floods you with His peace. The peace of God confirms that you’re moving in the right direction. Colossians 3:15 tells us, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” (NLT). God wants to reveal His will to us. But just as important as the will of God is the timing of God. Sometimes we have the right idea, but we’re a little slow about getting to it. At other times, we have the right idea, but we’re a bit ahead of the Lord. For example, God called Moses to deliver the Israelites, but Moses was about forty years off. He had the right idea but the wrong timing. Maybe you’re in the process of discovering God’s will for you. Or maybe God has shown you His will, but you’re a little slow in getting to it. Or perhaps, like Moses, you’re a little ahead of His will. Know this: God has a plan and a purpose for your life. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 11/7/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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