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Bible Prophecy Begins and Ends with Israel - By Dr. Robert Jeffress - https://harbingersdaily.com/bible-prophecy-begins-and-ends-with-israel/
Imagine you open to the middle of John Grisham’s latest best-seller. Immediately you face unfamiliar names and locations. To make sense of the story you flip to the end. But the ending seems more confusing than the middle. You slam the book shut in disgust. Grisham has really lost his touch, you conclude. This analogy is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But it illustrates why so many people have trouble with Bible prophecy. To understand prophecy, we should not start in the middle of the Book—with Ezekiel and Daniel—or at the end with Revelation. No, we should begin at the beginning—with Genesis. It’s there, in Genesis 12:1-3, that God makes a startling promise to a man named Abraham. All prophecy hangs on this promise, or “covenant.” To better understand this covenant, and how it relates to prophecy, let’s look at the contents of the covenant, the character of the covenant, and the consequences of the covenant. Content of the Covenant The first thing God promised Abraham was Land. Abraham was born in the idolatrous city of Ur, around 2166 BC. In His sovereign grace, God called Abraham out of this lifestyle. In Genesis 12:1 God says, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.” At the age of 75, Abraham uprooted his family and possessions and moved to a distant country he had never seen. It was only later, after Abraham had acted, that God provided the details of that land in Genesis 15:18-21. God also promised Abraham a lineage to fill the land. Genesis 12:2 states, “And I will make you a great nation.” Genesis 22:17 adds, “I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore.” Remember, God made this promise to Abraham when he was 75 years old. Not only this, but his wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet God fulfilled this promise, giving them physical and spiritual descendants beyond number. In addition to a land and a seed, God also promised to make Abraham a lasting blessing. Genesis 12:3 states, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In this climax of the covenant, God was saying, “Through you Abraham, I will bring a Savior who will redeem the world.” How do we get a Savior from Genesis 12:3? From the New Testament. Galatians 3:8 states, “The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying, ‘All the nations will be blessed in you.’” God preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Abraham. And Abraham was saved by it. Galatians 3:6 tells us, “Even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” People in the Old Testament were saved the same way we are: by God’s grace through faith. Abraham looked forward to Christ for salvation, and we look back to Him. Character of the Covenant We have seen that God promised Abraham a land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. But were these promises symbolic? Were they temporary? Could they be lost? How we answer these questions determines how we view Bible prophecy. Thankfully, God’s Word gives us some answers. First, God’s covenant with Abraham was literal. We see this from Abraham’s response. In Genesis 12:4-5 we read, “[Abraham] went forth as the Lord had spoken to him… and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.” If Abraham thought Canaan was only symbolic of Heaven, why did he go through all the trouble of moving to Canaan? Certainly, he was looking for Heaven as well, as Hebrews 11:10 states. But he was also looking for an earthly home. In addition to being literal, the covenant was eternal. Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise. Finally, God’s covenant was unconditional. In Abraham’s day, kings would establish contracts by taking animals, splitting them in two, and placing the halves in two lines. The parties would then walk side-by-side through the animal pieces, holding a torch. This signified that the covenant was dependent upon each party keeping his end of the bargain. But when God ratified the agreement with Abraham in Genesis 15:9-21, only God passed between the pieces. This signified that the promise had nothing to do with Abraham’s obedience. It had everything to do with God’s faithfulness. Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise. Consequences of the Covenant So what does this have to do with prophecy? Since 1948, Israel has possessed the Promised Land—but not all of it. True, God sent a blessing to all the world through Jesus Christ. He rules right now in the hearts of believers. But he’s not yet sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem. That prophecy will still be literally fulfilled. You may say, “I’m not Jewish. Why should I care?” Just as God made unconditional promises to believing Jews, He has made promises to you and me. In John 10:28 Jesus said, “I give eternal life to them and no man shall snatch them out of my hands.” The God who can be trusted to keep His promises to Israel, is the same God we can depend on to keep His promises to us. We’ve seen that God’s promise to Abraham includes land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. We’ve noted that the covenant was literal, eternal, and unconditional. We know that part of it has not yet been fulfilled. And we know that God’s faithfulness to complete it demonstrates how faithful He will be to us. We now know how the story begins. We are ready to dive into the middle and the end. And because of God’s faithfulness, we know it will have a perfect ending. Nearing Midnight: On Leaving the World Behind – Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have become producers of movies, it seems. Former Secret Service agent and now national talk show host Dan Bongino tells that he believes the two are the actual producers of the dystopian film Leave the World Behind. –This, although the Netflix director of the production, Sam Esmail, claims the former president is only an advisor on the film. Fact is, Leave the World Behind is the product of the Obamas’ Higher Grounds Productions company. The movie is an adaptation of Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name, which Obama had included on his 2021 summer reading list. The film, according to Bongino, portrays disasters of the direst sort. And director Sam Esmail says the movie is based largely on many personal notes from Barack Obama and his intimate knowledge of threats to America and the world. Esmail said: “I am writing what I think is fiction, for the most part. I’m trying to keep it as true to life as possible, but I’m exaggerating and dramatizing. And to hear an ex-president say you’re off by a few details… I thought I was off by a lot! The fact that he said that scared the [expletive deleted] out of me.” Bongino said that revelation by the director scared him, too. The movie itself wasn’t a great film, according to the former Secret Service agent who served in protection efforts for three presidents, including Obama. But that Obama told the director that the dire threats given in the fiction weren’t as bad as the ones that actually exist worries Bongino, a former agent who has a considerable degree of intimate knowledge of such presidential intelligence-gathering capability. I haven’t watched the movie–that is, I haven’t listened to it (being blind). But I trust Bongino’s analysis and agree the threats to the peoples of the world at this time must be dire indeed. Of course, all we have to do is to look around at all that’s going on, as those who “watch” like our Lord commands us to do, to know that the very existence of humankind would be very tenuous if not for the controlling and restraining hand of God. The very title of the movie speaks of the lateness of the prophetic hour. The spirit of Antichrist, which has a profoundly growing presence in the world, seems to be foreshadowing the Beast’s coming regime. Leave the World Behind is quite a title, don’t you agree? That is, it is quite a title considering the nomenclature of our website, Rapture Ready, and the title of this weekly column, “Nearing Midnight.” The title of Obama’s film almost seems meant to mock the spectacularly successful Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. It’s like the producers are saying to those of us who don’t like the way developments are going to “get out of Dodge.” Speaking of that well-worn phrase, a writer of note who regularly gives information about the grim developments that are engulfing the nation and world has weighed in on that very subject. That is, he delves into the wisdom of “getting out of Dodge” at this darkening time of human existence on planet Earth. The writer presents information from a biblically prophetic perspective. I have no doubt he is a born-again believer in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. However, his interpretation is, I believe, far from accurate in the matter of eschatology so far as he seems to understand things, as we find in looking at his use of the phrase “get out of Dodge.” Here is a portion of that article. So where will you be when things finally hit the fan? During the past several years, we have seen a mass exodus of conservatives from blue states. For example, Fox News is reporting that 65 percent of those that have recently moved to the state of Idaho are Republicans, and only 12 percent are Democrats… “Time is not on your side; flee the city NOW before the coming collapse!”… Ultimately, if you were planning to relocate, you should have already done it by now. But the good news is that conditions are still at least somewhat relatively stable as we approach the end of 2023. So if you want to get out of Dodge, you can still do it. In fact, for many of you, this may be your last chance. But don’t wait too long because the clock is ticking. At this point, most Americans can feel that something has gone horribly wrong. The warning signs are all around us, and conditions are getting worse with each passing day. (“Are You Prepared for the Coming Economic Collapse and the Next Great Depression? 12/11/23) The writer warns that it is time to, in effect, do the same thing Obama’s movie title is suggesting. We should leave the world behind. Of course, that title means, in total context, I presume, that people should work toward leaving the world as it is presently configured by making it better. Perhaps what is needed is a “Great Reset.” In fact, that is exactly what is meant by the film’s title and tenet. The writer who uses the title “Get Out of Dodge” in his article, on the other hand, I believe, means that in order to try to avoid being caught up in the dangers and evil of the coming Antichrist regime, we should find, as we say in the South, fraidy holes in which to hide. That’s a bit simplistic, and perhaps even unfair or disrespectful, to refer to the writer’s efforts in such a way. Certainly, he is an excellent writer and even a good reporter of world events as they might pertain to God’s Word with regard to the way things are shaping for the Tribulation. But he is against any thought of a pre-Tribulation Rapture of believers. As a matter of fact, he has written an entire book against that view—and is totally misguided as to how we as believers should be preparing at this critical hour as we are nearing midnight of the Tribulation era. We should not be looking at “getting out of Dodge” in terms of trying to move somewhere in order to not get caught, punished, and/or killed by the Antichrist and his forces of evil when his regime comes to power. We are told by our Lord what we are to do. He said: “And when you see all these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your head, for your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Further, Jesus Christ told John to write the following: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10). We who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—in His death, burial, and resurrection and on His being our Savior from sin’s dread sway—are to be following the Apostle Paul’s Holy Spirit-given directive: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Believers are not to fearfully look for Antichrist and his satanic regime of terror. We are to “occupy”–work to spread God’s Word of salvation while we anticipate the Lord Jesus Christ’s call to us from the clouds of Glory. We are not to strive to get out but rather to look for and trust our Blessed Hope–the Lord Jesus—to rescue us from the time of God’s wrath and judgment that is about to come against the anti-God rebels who will be, sadly, because of their own choice, left behind to face that man of sin. Here again is how to make the right decision –the decision God wants everyone to make in order to bring them into His eternal heavenly family. “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). PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR END OF THE YEAR GIVING - THANKS!!! We have created a special fund on our donations page just for the End of the Year Support, so that we can keep track and keep you updated. If you mail in a check or money order, please write End of the Year, thanks! (You can donate to our General Fund or enter our End of the Year donation drawing for a brand new iMac computer!) I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Please give a generous end of the year gift. DONATE HERE Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 (Please mark for End of the Year Support) 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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Proof the Church Is Not In the Tribulation: Part 2 - By Ron Ferguson - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/12/13/proof-the-church-is-not-in-the-tribulation-part-2-by-ron-ferguson/ We continue looking at the reasons that prove the Church, the Body of Christ, can have no part in the coming wrath of God in the Tribulation. God’s members of the Bride are delivered from that coming judgment. Of course, I know there are some who do not accept the Tribulation is the literal event the Bible describes, but I am not going down that track today. [5]. THE THIRD SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – ALAS THE DAY OF THE LORD HAD COME! For this, we look at 2 Thessalonians where that church had a real problem. In his visit to the believers for three weeks, Paul taught them about the DAY of the LORD. That is a common term in all the prophetic books for that period in history when God will intervene in the affairs of men with open judgment. This will be a terrible time on earth. (I have a full study on this “The DAY of the LORD” in the RaptureReady archives.) There is much in the Old Testament prophets explaining the events in the DAY of the Lord. Anyway, Paul taught the Thessalonians that the DAY of the LORD was a terrible time of suffering and that it occurred in the Tribulation, but believers would be delivered from that terrible time by the Rapture. Paul wrote this – 2Thessalonians 2:1-2 “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR GATHERING TOGETHER TO HIM, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, TO THE EFFECT THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS COME.” The saints at Thessalonica were greatly disturbed that they were in the DAY of the LORD because they were suffering persecution and trouble. In other words, they believed they were in the Tribulation and had missed out on the Rapture. The DAY of the LORD covers the period straight after the Rapture until the Millennium. The “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him” is the Rapture. They were disturbed they had missed out. Some false teachers were telling them the DAY of the LORD had come already. They wrote to Paul in their distress, and that is the background for 2 Thessalonians. In the previous letter, Paul detailed the Rapture in chapter 4. 2 Thessalonians is Paul’s response to their dilemma. This is what he explained to them – 2Thessalonians 2:3-5 “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come UNLESS THE APOSTASY COMES FIRST, and THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED, the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. DO YOU NOT REMEMBER that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?” This is a very critical passage for the pre-Tribulation Rapture. Paul says the DAY of the LORD will not come UNLESS first has come “the apostasy.” It is extremely unfortunate that most Bible versions translate the Greek word ἀποστασία (apostasia) as an apostasy from the faith or as rebellion. Let us be very clear here: apostasy from the faith is not something of the last days. It happened in Laodicea, and look at the Roman Catholic church from 600 AD onwards, and of the Middle Ages and the horrible heresies of the 300 – 1000 AD, like Arianism and Gnosticism that decimated the Christian faith. Apostasy has always been with us. NO, the word does not mean apostasy! It means something else. The word means “departure,” and it is not departure from the faith as in the 2 Thessalonian usage. It means a departure in location. That is, a translation from earth to heaven – the Church removed from earth to heaven. Some who want to defend the Church being in the Tribulation can get very abusive, as one did to me in a posting of mine in another place. Let me explain the use of this word better from a previous article I prepared in the past: The expression (apostasia) normally means defection, revolt, or rebellion BUT it can also be translated by “disappearance” or “departure,” and it has been suggested by Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest in Prophetic Light in the Present Darkness and by E. Schuyler English in Rethinking the Rapture that the reference is not to an apostasy from the faith (didn’t that occur some 1,600 years ago and throughout history?) but to the translation of the church from the world. Wuest points out that the word “apostasia” is derived from the root verb “afistami,” which means “to remove, withdraw, depart, go away, etc.” Of its 15 occurrences in the New Testament, it is 11 times translated “depart,” and Wuest accordingly argues that the substantive must mean “departure” or “going away.” And since the Greek text has the definite article [ἡ = THE], then a particular departure is in view. It is, and that departure is the removal of the Church. These are the 15 references. My text for these verses is the NASB. Luke 8:13 “And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.” Luke 13:27 “and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART from Me, all you evildoers.'” Luke 2:37 “and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never LEFT the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.” Luke 4:13 “And when the devil had finished every temptation, he DEPARTED from Him until an opportune time.” Acts 12:10 “And when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street; and immediately the angel DEPARTED from him.” Acts 15:38 “But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had DESERTED them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.” Acts 19:9 “But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he WITHDREW from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.” Acts 22:29 “Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately LET GO of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.” 2 Corinthians 12:8 “Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might DEPART from me.” 1 Timothy 6:5 “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such WITHDRAW thyself.” (AV) Hebrews 3:12 “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in FALLING AWAY from the living God.” And, of course, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 our verse, and one other I have misplaced. As can be seen, by far the most common usage of “apostasia” is departure or going away. It is the Church that will depart (be raptured) and go away to heaven, AND THEN the lawless Antichrist can be revealed, BUT NOT BEFORE. Paul is saying that because the Antichrist had not been revealed, then the DAY of the Lord has not arrived. They worried about missing the Rapture but Paul reminded them it had not happened, so no worry! They had not missed the Rapture because they died. Paul reminded them he had spoken all about these things when he was with them. [6]. THE FOURTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE RESTRAINER IN THE CHURCH AGE We look at the verses – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 “You know WHAT RESTRAINS HIM [the appearing of the Antichrist] now, so that in his time he may be revealed, for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only HE WHO NOW RESTRAINS will do so until he is taken out of the way, and then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.” In verses 7-8, it is revealed that there is One here who is hindering the full release and revelation of iniquity. This one is the Holy Spirit, and only when He goes can iniquity become fully matured. Only the Holy Spirit can hold back the floodgates of evil rushing in like a torrent; the Church cannot do that; individuals cannot do that. The Holy Spirit WILL and CAN ONLY go when the true Church departs. And then that lawless one (world ruler, Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming (the Second Coming). The departure (wrongly translated “apostasy”) must happen first. It will kick start the whole of the Tribulation. I hope it can be seen that “the departure of the Church” must occur before any release of judgment upon the earth. Surely, Noah is a pertinent lesson here. He was raised from the earth while the judgment raged below. Lawlessness is most certainly at work in a serious way right now. This is evident in the political field, in the police force, in increasing racism, and in the judiciary. I am horrified at what I am hearing about so much miscarriage of justice in the United States. Just in people’s dealings with one another, riots and Islamic protests, lawlessness is charging ahead in all Western democracies. Can you ever imagine what it would be like if the Holy Spirit was not restraining the full outbreak of lawlessness? It would be indescribable. When the Holy Spirit departs with the Church, the lawless one will come into prominence and will be accepted by a lawless world. This Thessalonians section is certain proof that the Church must leave before the onslaught of wickedness in the Tribulation. With the Church out of the way, evil will have its fullest day. [7]. THE FIFTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – CHRIST IN RETRIBUTION This next reference may not be quite as clear as the previous one, but placed in context, the passage is in the prophetic revelations from God through Paul. This is the passage: 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 “After all it is only just FOR GOD TO REPAY WITH AFFLICTION those who afflict you, and TO GIVE RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE AFFLICTED and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS IN FLAMING FIRE, dealing out RETRIBUTION to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, WHEN HE COMES TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS ON THAT DAY, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed, for our testimony to you was believed.” What is being said here is a general comment for the afflicted Church. It is not pointing at a specific time, but it certainly refers to the Tribulation time. The Lord will give relief to His afflicted people, which is the Rapture. The revealing with His mighty angels in flaming fire is the Second Coming. Jesus comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, which has two applications. The first – He will be glorified in His saints at the Rapture when He comes for them, and second, He will be glorified in His Tribulation saints (the Jewish believers) at the Second Coming. We, the believers caught up in the Rapture, will marvel at our Redeemer Lord, just as the Tribulation saints will marvel at the Lord when He comes in glory in Revelation 19. [8]. THE SIXTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – COME UP HERE! To understand the progression in the book of Revelation, you must carefully note this verse – Revelation 1:19 “Write therefore the things which YOU HAVE SEEN, and the THINGS WHICH ARE, and the things WHICH SHALL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.” That places the book in three parts, the first being what John had seen, and that is Chapter 1; the second being “the things that are,” and that included the 7 churches of John’s time. However, those 7 churches outline in a special way the whole history of the Christian era right to the present and incorporate the last one, Laodicea, the wayward, arrogant church that well represents our period in history. The 7 churches are wonderfully true to the period they represent. That brings us to the end of Chapter 3, the end of the church age. The third part is “the things which shall take place AFTER THESE THINGS.” That is simple to understand, and the text is saying that from Chapter 4 until Chapter 22, the whole book is prophetic from that point. It speaks of all that is future. However, to begin that third section of “the things which shall take place after these things,” there is a very important verse, a MOST IMPORTANT verse – Revelation 4:1 “After these things I looked, and behold, A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN, and the first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said, “COME UP HERE, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” That is the Rapture, and immediately after that, we have the Church in heaven present at the great worship of God, and that is Chapters 4 and 5. At the start of Chapter 6, the seals are broken and the Tribulation begins. Revelation is so clear that the Rapture must precede the Tribulation. There is no wriggle room in that book. I think the very words spoken by the Lord at the Rapture will be, “COME UP HERE.” [9]. THE SEVENTH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE – THE THIEF IN THE NIGHT We return to 1 Thessalonians where we need to apply logic to understand this reference. Look at it – 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 “for you yourselves know full well that THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME JUST LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. 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, BUT YOU, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THE DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU LIKE A THIEF, 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.” Paul continues explaining The DAY of the LORD, which, if you remember, always applies to the Tribulation and into the Millennium, never to the Church age. He says that Day will come like a thief in the night when sudden destruction bursts on an un-expectant world. A thief comes in the night, in the darkness, but Paul says we don’t belong to the darkness because we are sons of light. The DAY of the LORD is the Tribulation coming into the world, but Christians won’t be overtaken because we are children of light, not of darkness. The Lord raptures us home before that DAY falls on the earth. We don’t belong to the darkness of the world because we belong to the light of God. The Church will not go into the darkness of the Tribulation. Those who teach that are in error and demean the work of Christ in suffering on the cross. We end this study in the next part. [email protected] Regardless Of How Chaotic Our World Appears, God Will Accomplish His Purposes - By Jonathan Brentner - https://harbingersdaily.com/regardless-of-how-chaotic-our-world-appears-god-will-accomplish-his-purposes/ How do we cope with living in a world that appears to be on the precipice of devastation? Some say that Bible prophecy scares people. I beg to differ. It’s the news headlines of our day that frighten those paying attention. Furthermore, a look at what Scripture says about our future prepares us for what lies ahead, produces hope in our heart, and generates a peace that truly goes beyond anything we can explain. How do we get to such a place of such confident assurance amid the violence that threatens our wellbeing? Recognize That God Is Sovereign God is sovereign over all things. He not only oversees the raging of the nations, but He also controls their destiny. Because of this, He’s able to reveal the distant future from ancient times (Isaiah 46:8-10). His ability to declare “the end from the beginning” demonstrates his sovereignty over all government leaders in our world. What we see happening today is precisely what the Lord, through His prophets, said the world would look like in the end. Regardless of how chaotic our world appears, God will accomplish His purposes for both our lives and the end of human history as we know it. The Lord’s supremacy over all things resounds in the words of Isaiah 46:10, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” He will not fail to bring us to glory and fulfill all His promises to us. Believe What Scripture Says Today’s convergence of signs screams that the world is headed in one direction: God’s judgment on the ungodly during the Tribulation period followed by Jesus’ thousand-year reign over the nations. We not only see this sequence in the book of Revelation, but also throughout the writings of the Old Testament prophets. The preparations for war in the Middle East stagger our imagination, but God’s Word tells us that someday Jesus will make “wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9). It’s then and only then that the words of the following verse (Psalm 46:10) will become a reality: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Scripture assures us that someday we will reign with Jesus as He rules for a thousand years over the nations in peace and righteousness. As believers, we have an inheritance that will someday result in wonders and pleasures far beyond what even the rich and famous of our day currently enjoy. Focus On Jesus’ Appearing To Take Us To Glory Scripture tells of a future event that will rock the world. The Lord Jesus will suddenly appear, raise all the “dead in Christ” with immortal bodies, and catch living believers up to “meet Him in the air,” also with glorified bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:47-55). Since the words of the Bible are true, we know the sequence of events described in these passages must happen. Jesus will appear and when He does, He will give us glorified and incorruptible bodies; this is the promise of Scripture. Regardless of what happens in our future, we rest on the expectation that Jesus is coming to take us home to glory (John 14:2-3; Colossians 3:4). This is the substance of what Paul described as our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14). It’s this focus that enables us to hold our earthly aspirations loosely in our hands as we face an uncertain future. Trust Jesus! During these turbulent times, it’s essential that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and believe His promises to us. A glorious and joyous eternity awaits us. The Gospel message includes both forgiveness of sins and the hope of Jesus’ appearing to take us to glory. This is the expectation that sustained many New Testament saints in their afflictions and will do the same for us in the turbulent days ahead. Please don’t fall for today’s most popular manner of setting a date for the Rapture, that of assuming it cannot happen anytime soon or in one’s lifetime. We cannot know exactly when it will happen, but it’s foolish to think that the Rapture cannot take place today, next month, this year, or anytime after that. Daily Devotion: Prophetic terrorism against Jews and Christians - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The Judeo-Christian world is repulsed by the brutal, barbaric display of Hamas terrorism against Jews in Israel. On another continent, the Fulani are terrorizing Christians very similarly. Hamas and the Fulani share radical Islamic beliefs that teach it is their religious duty to rid the world of Jews and Christians. Over Christmas, the Fulani massacred some 150 Christian men, women and children as they slept in villages across Nigeria’s Plateau State. The Fulani are a nomadic Islamic tribe that roams across West Africa grabbing land illegally and daring governments to stop them under the threat of terrorism. We have had such experiences in our food and clothing outreach in Ghana, West Africa. It’s what we face. Daily Jot ministry partner, Pastor William Agbeti reported in July 2021: “Fulani herdsmen residing in and travelling across Ghana, from Nigeria, in search of green pastures for their cattle, remain a major challenge to the nation and people of Ghana. Death, bloody confrontation, destruction of farms and properties, pollution of water bodies, rape, robbery, rampant theft and open disregard for authority, follow their trail wherever they go. In Bosuafise where we have a physical presence of our ministry, the Fulani have set up a permanent camp, from where they launch out into neighboring villages with their cattle, destroying crops and degrading land.” The Islamists have become very bold in rural areas where there is little law enforcement and intimidation replaces rule of law. And it has not improved in two years, despite efforts to stop the Fulani. Pastor Agbeti’s report today is yet another reminder: “The Village and community of Bosuafise remain the only traditional hot spot in our fields of operation, where gangs of Muslims have physically settled and are causing havoc to life and property. A couple of Sundays back on a periodic distribution in the area, I was informed by the leadership of the local church we support that the situation has become much more serious. The leaders reported that Islamic land grabbers have come to encircle them, forcefully raising their own communities in their backyard on seized land. An Elder narrated a blood-chilling experience when he dared to stop the illegal and nefarious activities of the Muslims. He said they retaliated by coming to his house in a group and subjected his whole family, including himself, to severe beatings with iron rods.” We have seen Islamists and Hamas supporters rioting in the streets of New York City during Christmas. They have rioted in England and even Bethlehem (trying to appropriate the blame on Israel). There is an international approach by Islam toward Jews and Christians. As the world approaches the end of times, the prophets of old—who were Jews—prophesy of the nations coming against Israel, and they are Islamic. They persecute supporters of Israel and believers in Christ. Psalm 83 speaks of those who sound much like the Hamas and Fulani terrorists today. Verse 4 says, “They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may no more be in remembrance.” Whether Jew or Christian, the times ahead are perilous for the enemies of God come to kill, steal and destroy. Be vigilant. Be strong. Sources: https://helsinkiherald.com/2023/12/terrorists-kill-150-in-christmas-eve-attack-on-sleeping-christian-villages/ https://www2.cbn.com/news/world/very-terrifying-christmas-140-villagers-massacred-christian-area-nigeria https://www.persecution.org/2023/12/26/at-least-96-nigerians-killed-in-christmas-eve-rampage-in-plateau-state/ Daily Devotion: Ready to Break Camp? - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. —2 Corinthians 5:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/ready-to-break-camp/ Listen When you’re getting ready to go somewhere, your destination determines your outlook. For instance, if you’re going on vacation to Hawaii, you can hardly wait to get there. But if you’re going to the dentist, you’re dreading it. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “The time of my death is near” (2 Timothy 4:6 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version renders it, “The time of my departure is at hand.” Earlier Paul had written to the believers in Philippi, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. . . . I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live” (Philippians 1:21, 23–24 NLT). Paul knew where he was going. He knew that he was going to Heaven. Granted, Paul had a marked advantage: he had already died, gone to Heaven, and returned to Earth. He wrote about the experience in 2 Corinthians 12, where he said he was “caught up to the third heaven” (verse 2) and saw things that were indescribable. Many commentators believe this probably happened after Paul preached the gospel in Antioch. The Bible tells us, “They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe” (Acts 14:19–20 NLT). We can imagine Paul in Heaven before His Lord, before the One who had called him on the road to Damascus, before the One who had pardoned him of every sin. But then Paul came back, and ever since, he was homesick for Heaven. This reminds us that Heaven is not a place of unconscious oblivion; it’s a place of conscious existence. Death held no terror for the apostle Paul. He understood that it meant going and being with Christ. It was a beginning, not an ending. It was a promotion. The word “departure” used by Paul in 2 Timothy 4:6 (NKJV) comes from an interesting Greek term that also could describe breaking camp. After a few days of camping, most people are ready to break camp, go home, and enjoy the luxuries of a hot shower and clean clothes. They’re happy to break camp. When death comes, the tent called the body is laid aside as the spirit moves into a more permanent residence. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (verse 1 NLT). Does that sound depressing to you? Getting ready to break camp is good news if you’ve put your faith in Jesus Christ. It means that you’re going to a far better place. It means that you’re going to Heaven. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 12/28/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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