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The Imminency of the Rapture - By Mark A. Becker - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/07/30/the-imminency-of-the-rapture-by-mark-a-becker/
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1Thessalonians 5:1-2). The phrase “thief in the night,” as I expound upon in An Examination of the ‘Day of the Lord’, always refers to the rapture of the church. But why is the rapture of the church related to “a thief in the night”? Shouldn’t we know when the Lord will be coming for His bride? Yes and no. For those of us in the church who are watching and waiting, we won’t be caught off guard, just as our brothers and sisters in Christ who were watching and waiting in their generations wouldn’t have been caught off guard had the rapture occurred in their lifetimes. This is Paul’s appeal to us in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, that we ourselves should “know perfectly that the day of the Lord,” which begins with the rapture of the church, will “cometh as a thief in the night.” It is the Lord’s coming for His church, “as a thief in the night,” that results in the world and those Christians who are not watching and waiting to be caught totally by surprise! We made the following statement in Imminence, Signs, and Feasts – Oh My! If signs were required, then imminence ceases. One could say that the rebirth of Israel is a sign that must have been fulfilled before the rapture could occur; but this is faulty logic. The nation of Israel had to be reborn before the Tribulation but was not essential for the rapture of the church. For instance, there has been a presence of Jews in the land of Israel for the past 2,000 years before Israel officially became a nation. If at any time during those 2,000 years, the rapture was to have happened, it doesn’t mean that God couldn’t have rapidly caused events to commence in order to birth the nation of Israel in the time between the rapture and Antichrist’s covenant with Israel and the many (Daniel 9:27). In fact, we know that Israel was to be born in one day (Isaiah 66:8) – and so she was! He’s God, and nothing is impossible or too hard for Him. Even when it comes to the prophecies that we can see fulfilled through man-made technologies in these last days – prophecies that were confusing to our brothers and sisters down through the centuries and that make total sense to us now – were not necessary to them because they knew that God could supernaturally accomplish those prophecies that they didn’t fully comprehend. Their lack of understanding of how a prophecy could have been achieved in their day and age was never a deterrence to their Biblical belief in The Imminency of the Rapture. For 2,000 years, the bride of Christ has been living as if the rapture could have occurred in their lifetimes. And even though there are some generic prophecies – such as apostasy in the church, persecution, moral depravity in society and the church, wars and rumors of wars, wickedness, lawlessness, etc. – these prophetic characteristics within the world and the church have always been present throughout church history and can never be known to what extent they will prevail before the coming of our Lord for His bride. In fact, much of the persecution the early church endured is equal to, or exceeds, the persecution many Christians face today. Therefore, this imminency that they partook in was just as viable for them as it is for us today. Granted, we see the signs more clearly and understand prophecy to a much greater degree than they did, just as God told Daniel we would (Daniel 12:4, 8-9), but this never negated their Scriptural belief that the rapture could have occurred in their lifetimes. In reality, as we shall see, it was the Lord Himself and the Apostles themselves that encouraged them to do just that – watch and wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ at all times! The remainder of this article will seek to demonstrate to the reader that, indeed, the rapture has always been imminent – and for good reason, as imminency has a purifying effect on the believer to live a life of holiness and righteousness in eager expectation of our blessed hope! The Lord Jesus Christ Taught The Imminency of the Rapture Our Lord and Savior Himself couldn’t be more emphatic on The Imminency of the Rapture. “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come… At such an hour as you think not, the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:42, 44). Though we should understand to a certain extent the times and seasons we are living in, the truth is that most won’t know because the rapture happens “at such an hour (divinely set time) as [we] think not.” “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). When it comes to the phrase “day and hour,” we had this to say in Imminence, Signs, and Feasts – Oh My! In all of these verses we have been looking at that speak of the “hour,” we need to note that the Greek word is 5610 ὥρα “hora” and means “a time, or period, or hour. Properly, an hour; (figuratively) a finite ‘season’; limited time or opportunity to reach a goal (fulfill a purpose); a divinely pre-set time period; a limited period to accomplish the Lord’s specific purpose, i.e. ‘the hour’ in which specific characteristics prevail exactly like that for a limited time.” [Definitions Biblehub.com] (emphasis mine) The context, when it comes to future prophecy, is evident and requires, in my humble opinion, the translation of “a divinely set time period, or period in time.” For, if a man doesn’t know the “day,” then he obviously isn’t going to know the literal “hour.” This is one area in which I disagree with some of the translators. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought that they were using the definition of “a figurative ‘hour,’ denoting a period in time,” and expected that the reader would so interpret it in this way. So, it has to be a “divinely set time, or period in time” that the Greek word is conveying and would make total sense within the context of future prophecy. In any case, it is extremely clear that Messiah Yeshua gave insistence that no man would know when He would be coming back to fetch His bride. His return for His church was always to be imminent! “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13:32-33). In The Trinity: Examining the Triune God, I discuss how it is that even the Son of God doesn’t know “that day or that hour” when He will come back to fetch His bride. Needless to say, when it comes to the timing of the rapture, Christ Himself doesn’t know the day or the divinely set time! This is all in the hands of our heavenly Father. “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:35-40). Again, Messiah Yeshua tells us within this parable that we should be “therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when [we] think not.” Here’s what I said about these conditions in Imminence, Signs, and Feasts – Oh My! Even though that “divinely pre-set period in time” of Christ’s return should not come on us as a thief, He will come “in such an hour as [we] think not the Son of man cometh.” Is this a contradiction? No. There are two aspects we should consider here. First, the church is made up of individuals, and there will be some that are waiting expectantly, knowing that the time is at hand, and others that will be sleeping and somewhat ignorant that the day of Christ is near. Not to mention those Christians who don’t believe in the pre-Tribulation rapture of the church. Secondly, there is a very real indication that the church, in general, may experience a kind of “rapture fatigue” and/or will have become somewhat lethargic and apathetic when the rapture actually occurs. This makes sense when one considers “birth pangs.” Right now, there are so many indicators of the soon-approaching Tribulation period that true rapture expectations are very high – this would be comparable to a woman’s contractions increasing in frequency and intensity. After a contraction, though, comes a short period of relief and rest, or in the case of the last days, a “sense” of relief and remission. People are funny. It doesn’t take long for us to forget and move on with our lives. This is why we must always be alert and sober, watching and waiting. “Watch therefore!” “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). Quite possibly every true believer’s favorite passage in Scripture, we see, here again, Christ preaching imminence to such an extent that He declares that He would be coming personally for His disciples! Was Christ lying, beings they have since passed away before the rapture? No. He, as He always did, was speaking to His disciples as representing all generations of His church – including the last generation that would be alive on earth at His coming for His bride. The Apostles Taught The Imminency of the Rapture Peter spoke of the Lord’s coming for us. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls“ (1 Peter 1:7-9). (emphasis mine) Though Peter didn’t teach the details on the rapture as Paul did (that was entrusted to Paul by the Lord Himself), he does speak of “the appearing of Jesus Christ” when those alive at His coming for His bride will be “receiving the end of [their] faith, even the salvation of [their] souls,” which is obviously at the resurrection/rapture of the church! Those who have died in the Lord will have already received the “salvation of [their] souls” at death, as they will be with the Lord only to await their new, glorified, and everlasting bodies at the resurrection/rapture. The structure of Peter’s words in these verses clearly shows an imminence to this event and an expectation that his readers could very well be alive at the Lord’s return for His bride. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28). Only those who are truly born again and alive on earth at the rapture of the church will be those “that look for Him” when “He appears the second time without sin unto salvation.” Again, those who have died no longer have to be looking for Christ as they will be with Him in heaven, and their sin natures will have ceased upon their deaths. John said the same in his first epistle to the church: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). Just as Peter did, we see John speaking to his readers as though they could very well be those who will see Him “when He shall appear… and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” This, again, cannot apply to those who have already died in Christ and are with Him in heaven awaiting their return with Christ to earth to put on their new, glorified, and everlasting bodies at the resurrection/rapture of the church and return with Him and those alive back to heaven. There, obviously, can be no shame possible for those who have died in the Lord. Paul Taught the Imminency of the Rapture Paul encouraged Timothy with The Imminency of the Rapture: “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 6:14). Paul clearly taught Timothy that he could very well be alive “until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As Peter and John delineated above, if Timothy would have died before the rapture, he would have been in heaven until the resurrection/rapture of the church and would not have had to keep himself “without spot, unrebukable” because he would have been with Christ awaiting the blessed event. Paul, similarly, spoke to Titus in the same manner in one of Christendom’s favorite rapture verses: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Paul wouldn’t have told Titus to be “looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” if Paul knew that Titus would have died long before Christ came back for His church. Again, Paul was clearly teaching The Imminency of the Rapture. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians – believed to be his first epistle – Paul had much to say in regard to the rapture: “For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). Obviously, Paul is encouraging all believers who have “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” to “wait for His Son from heaven” – something only people who are living on earth at the resurrection/rapture are able to do! The Mystery and The Imminency of the Rapture In my article Instantly Changed and Caught Up, we noted the following. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed“ (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). (emphasis mine) We need to take into consideration that Paul is referring to two separate groups within 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, which he expounds upon in more detail in 1 Thessalonians 4. The two different people groups – both members of the bride of Christ – are as follows: “… the dead shall be raised incorruptible“ – These are those who have died in Christ that He will bring back with Him to be united with their resurrected, glorified bodies. Simply put, these Christians will put on their new bodies at the resurrection. “… we shall not all sleep [die]… we shall be changed” – Paul, as he often did, is speaking to those saints who are alive when he groups himself within the “we” context. The Greek word for “we” is 2249 ἡμεῖς “hémeis” and means us, we, ourselves, used only in the emphatic. Therefore, Paul is speaking of those alive at Christ’s coming for His bride. Paul always spoke (until he realized that he would be martyred – 2 Timothy 4:6-7) as if he would be alive at the rapture of the church. Every Christian for 2,000 years has been to be watching and waiting for the rapture, as it has a purifying effect on the believer. Then, we looked at Paul’s other teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4. “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). (emphasis mine) In both 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Paul spoke of himself and those who he was writing to as those who would be alive at the rapture of the church, as “we.” If Paul, at this time, knew that the rapture of the church wouldn’t happen for at least 2,000 years, he would have never lumped himself and his readers in with those who would be alive at Christ’s return for His bride. If this were the case, the verses would have read as such: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; Some shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and they who are alive shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). (emphasis mine) “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that those which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then those which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with us in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). (emphasis mine) But Paul didn’t use these words in this way because, until he knew that he would face a martyr’s death, he always believed and taught his disciples that they could be the generation that would see the Lord come back to resurrect/rapture His church and take them back to heaven with Him. Let us, again, remind ourselves of how Paul taught his disciples of The Imminency of the Rapture: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed“ (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). (emphasis mine) “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). (emphasis mine) And, for almost 2,000 years, the church has been comforting each other with these glorious Words (1 Thessalonians 4:18)! Conclusion I realize that most Pre-Millennialists already understand The Imminency of the Rapture. But recently, it has come to my attention that some are having a difficult time with this Biblical doctrine, which is why I was compelled to write this article. I desired to pull together portions of previous articles with additional information and attempt to present this topic as clearly as I possibly could. If for whatever reason, others still find themselves not comprehending this vital teaching, then I must confess that I’m at a loss for words. The general societal conditions of the last days have always been with the church. How intense it would get before the Lord fetches us home has always been the question. The truth is, we have been in the last days for almost 2,000 years since Christ ascended back into heaven. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). Remember, dear Saint, we aren’t waiting for Antichrist; we are watching and waiting – as our brothers and sisters before us – for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). What a glorious truth, that “now are we the sons of God” and “we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” at the rapture of the church! May we all have “this hope in [us] and purifieth [ourselves], even as He is pure!” “For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). May we all continue to be Answering the Call of The Great Commission and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?” Keep reaching the lost for Christ while we still have time. Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha! ➢ Email: [email protected] A Global Food Crisis is Coming - Britt Gillette - http://www.end-times-bible-prophecy.com/a-global-food-crisis-is-coming.html In January and March, I wrote about a coming global famine. Unfortunately, the world has remained on the same trajectory since that time. As we enter the last few months of 2022, the world will awake to that reality as global harvests come in with lower than expected totals. Why is this? Entering 2022, rising energy costs had driven up prices for both diesel and fertilizer. Since these are the two most costly inputs in agricultural production, this led to increased food production costs. Those, in turn, impacted the feed cost for cattle, hogs, chickens, and other animals. But now we're entering the phase where the world will realize shortages and/or higher prices for fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides significantly impacted crop yields all over the globe. What Are the Current Harvest Projections? On August 12, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates report. At first glance, the numbers they cite seem to point to a better than anticipated harvest. However, when you take a look at the numbers and compare them to news coming from the front lines, they appear glowingly optimistic. For example, the USDA projects global rice exports to be the same as in 2021, and they estimate Indian rice production will decrease 0.9%. Yet, according to this TimesNow article: "There has been a 13 per cent decline in paddy sowing so far in the monsoon season in India. Even though the rains have been sufficient, reports say that their distribution in time and space has been inconsistent. This has affected sowing in June and July, the peak months for planting the crop which is fed by monsoon rains and is harvested in October-November." And according to Reuters: "India's top rice producing states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have recorded a monsoon rainfall deficit of as much as 45 per cent so far this season, data from the state-run weather department shows. That has in part led to a 13 per cent drop in rice planting this year, which could result in production falling by 10 million tonnes or around 8 per cent from last year, said BV Krishna Rao, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association." India accounts for almost 40% of global rice exports, so an 8% decrease in their rice production vs. the USDA's projected 0.9% decrease dramatically transforms the outlook for the global rice trade. In this video, "WARNING: A Global Food Crisis is Coming ~ GET READY," I go through the USDA projections for global production, exports, and imports for the most important grains in the world - corn, wheat, and rice. They point to a dire situation. But the official numbers are blind to this because they're mostly based on outdated surveys that don't reflect recent weather issues, and they put more emphasis on "area planted" rather than yield expected (which will vary significantly from past years due to fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide shortages). Government's Reaction Throw in the ongoing war in Ukraine (which feeds a large part of Europe and Africa) as well as a historic drought in Europe, and governments around the world should be working overtime to alleviate the situation. Instead, they've been working to make it worse. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies put sanctions in place to punish Russia. This had serious consequences for the global food market. Why? Russia is the earth's largest wheat exporter, accounting for 18% of global sales. In addition, Russia is one of the world's top oil producers. Fossil fuels play a major role in food production. Diesel fuel powers farm equipment. It powers the trucks that bring food to market. And most notably, natural gas is a critical component in the production of fertilizer. As the world's #1 exporter of fertilizer, the sanctions placed on Russia strained global supply chains and increased the price and availability of fertilizer all over the globe. On top off the sanctions against Russia, and despite the current fragility of the global food supply, western governments continue to push a climate change agenda that involves significant reduction of fertilizer usage and cutbacks on the number of methane-producing livestock. For example, the Canadian government is pushing for a 30% reduction of nitrogen fertilizer use by the year 2030 - a target farmers say will lead to lower food production and higher food prices. In the Netherlands, the government is pushing for a 50% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer usage. Even though it's small in land mass, it's an agricultural powerhouse, supplying the world with billions of dollars worth of agricultural products, materials, and technology. In Ireland, the government is attempting to cull 30% of the cattle in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These types of policies will only compound food shortage issues. Famine is Unavoidable At this point, famine is unavoidable. The only questions remaining are how severe the food shortages will be and how high food prices will rise in the places where food is still available. Once the severity of the situation becomes clear, governments will react swiftly. Food protectionism will sweep the globe as nation after nation bans agricultural exports. Those supplies still available for export will be vacuumed up by the wealthiest nations, who will be willing to pay whatever is necessary to guarantee their food supply. This will leave low income per capita, net importing nations on the outside looking in. Countries such as Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Haiti will experience severe food crisis and widespread famine and starvation. What is the End Goal? In the end, no country will escape the crisis as massive food inflation strikes lower income citizens in even the wealthiest nations. In the United States, flash mobs will move on from jewelry stores to grocery stores. Food theft will run rampant until grocery stores implement strict security measures. We might even see the rollout of Sri Lanka-style digital rationing cards. Is this the end goal? It wouldn't surprise me to find out these government policies are being intentionally implemented to create a food crisis. If they're starving, most people will gladly trade their freedom and liberty for food. The Mark of the Beast Platform While digital rationing cards are not in and of themselves the mark of the beast, they impose a social system identical to the one imposed by the mark of the beast. How? By fencing people into a system where they are completely reliant on the government for their existence. In the past few years, we've witnessed the rise of the mark of the beast technology platform. The marriage of corporate and state power has brought us censorship on Big Tech platforms, banking institutions willing to shut the accounts of peaceful protestors, and vaccine mandates and passports. A global food crisis would be the perfect environment for the world's would-be rulers to implement a digital food rationing system. Since most people no longer live on farms and don't know how to grow or raise their own food, they're vulnerable to becoming slaves to a system they can't survive outside of. When that happens, the government will have complete and total power. The world is paving the way for the rise of the Antichrist. Fortunately, our hope is in Jesus Christ, and our joy is that He's coming soon! Mideast Review: Actively Striking Global Proxies Of Iran – Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/mideast-review-w-amir-tsarfati-actively-striking-global-proxies-of-iran/ Breaking News! Last week I reported about failed ballistic missile launches in Sana’a, Yemen that caused massive explosions. New information has now come out. First, some quick backstory. During Operation Breaking Dawn when Israel dealt with the Gaza-based threat of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Houthis rebels of Yemen offered to help the PIJ by using rockets against Israel. Now, through a report by IDF Chief of General Staff Aviv Kohavi, we have learned that early the morning of the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli fighters struck Sana’a causing the three enormous explosions. At the time, the local media, which is controlled by the Houthis, covered up the story and we only had leaked information to work with. Now we have learned that this operation was Israel once again destroying weapons before they had a chance to be used on us. Killed in the explosions were Iranians, Lebanese (Hezbollah), and Houthis, showing that Iran and its proxies are all working together. It also demonstrates that Israel is actively striking the proxies of Iran no matter where they are. For more information about this breaking story and how it relates to the bigger picture in the Middle East, please watch my Breaking News from this morning. It is very important that you understand how this all ties together. Less than two weeks after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s questionable visit to Taiwan, four more American Democrat lawmakers journeyed to the island nation. It was a move designed to be provocative showing the administration’s toughness in the face of Chinese aggression. Beijing responded by shifting their latest attack submarine near Taiwan waters and holding new military exercises near the Penh Islands. As Russia continues to develop its Kalina laser system designed to permanently “blind” enemy satellites, they are also increasing their skills with newer conventional weapons. The number of cargo flights between Iran and Russia has jumped from 3 in 2021 to at least 42 so far this year. Some of that cargo has been related to drone warfare, and Russia has depended upon Iran’s expertise in UAV weaponry, even holding a joint drone exercise with the aim of “giving Russia the experience and achievements of Iran in the field.” The US and the EU are bending over backwards trying to get a new nuclear agreement completed with Iran. The US is willing to lift sanctions on some of Iran’s economic entities, and the EU won’t demand that Tehran explain its past nuclear activity found at various locations. But no matter what they offer, the Ayatollah’s regime wants more. The EU has stated, “This is the best offer that Iran can receive, and it is not subject to further negotiations. If Iran continues to insist, the talks will collapse.” Two days ago, Tehran gave Washington a 48-hour deadline to respond to their latest offer. The IRGC is ready to use its proxies to attack US bases if the administration refuses them. Turkey’s military attacked American-backed Kurdish troops in northern Syria on Tuesday. At least one civilian, a child, was killed in the shelling in the town of Kobane. This is part of Ankara’s plan to create a 30-kilometer safe zone in northern Syria. Turkey and Israel announced the resumption of normalized relations. While Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid touted how good this was for Israel to have this friend, his counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that good relations with Israel will open the door for Turkey to “help our Palestinian brothers.” While Turkey is possibly on the road to friendship with Israel, our nation’s enemies have been very active. Hezbollah continues their talk about a war with Israel by next month if the Karish gas rig becomes active. They have given a middle-of-the-month deadline for Jerusalem to agree to their demands. Down south, the terrorists in Gaza have been active below the ground attempting to dig a tunnel under the border. The IDF made sure it never reached its destination. Finally, a 25-year-old Palestinian terrorist opened fire at Israeli Jewish worshippers near David’s tomb in Jerusalem’s Mt. Zion. Eight were wounded in the vicious attack, and the terrorist was captured. What is the mindset that causes these kind of acts? One only needs to look at the Palestinian leadership. On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a man who wrote his thesis about Holocaust denial and who refuses to condemn the 1972 massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games, was in Berlin, Germany. From that city, of all places, he stated that “from 1947 until today, Israel has committed 50 massacres in 50 Palestinian villages. Fifty slaughters. Fifty Holocausts.” The reaction was immediate and strong. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Abbas’s words, tweeting, “I am disgusted by the outrageous remarks made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. For us Germans in particular, any relativization of the singularity of the Holocaust is intolerable and unacceptable.” Very well said, Herr Chancellor! When the IDF wasn’t busy blowing up terrorist tunnels, they were attacking Hezbollah and Iranian targets in Syria. On Friday, the Israelis attacked a surveillance position in Quneitra in preparation for a potential preemptive strike on Hezbollah ahead of the beginning of the Karish gas rig operation. Two days later the air force was back in Syria conducting a massive strike near Tartus. According to a Syrian officer, an Iranian base, an air defense system, and a radar station were all hit in the attack. The bad guys were also busy in Syria, attacking two American bases in a 24-hour span. The first was a drone attack at the Al-Tanf military base which is used for training Syrian opposition fighters. The second was a rocket attack at Green Village at the Al-Omar oil field. No casualties were reported in either incident. Controversial novelist Salman Rushdie was stabbed while on stage last week by 24-year-old Hadi Matar, who said of Ayatollah Khomeini, “I respect the Ayatollah. I think he’s a great person.” Ignoring the fatwa Khomeini put on Rushdie’s head in 1989, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said the blame for the attack does not belong with Iran but with Rushdie himself. “Salman Rushdie exposed himself to the public anger by insulting Islamic sacred topics…”, he said. Who can argue with that logical and sane reasoning? Rushdie is in the hospital on his way to recovery. Two years ago, Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, said that Donald Trump ought to live secretly like Salman Rushdie in an obvious threat on his life. On Saturday, the Iranian newspaper Kayhan, which is essentially a mouthpiece for Iran’s Supreme Leader, reminded the world of this statement in an editorial. The piece went on to say, “The attack on [Rushdie] shows it is not a difficult job to take similar revenge on Trump and Pompeo and from now on they will feel more in danger for their lives.” This statement was published one day after the FBI reminded the former president in a very practical way that not all of the threats against him are from outside US borders. A fire likely caused by an electrical short circuit tore through a Coptic Christian Church in Giza, Egypt, on Sunday. Forty-one people were killed, at least 15 of them were children. Condolences are pouring in from around the world. CERN'S Tower of Babel – by Tiar’a Publications - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5531 Is Cern synonymous with The Tower of Babel? "The way forward, according to Oilp and her colleagues, is to build a vertical accelerator that will put gravity to the test directly" - These are words published on Cern's official website concerning what they dubbed, The Space Elevator article: An idea proposed by Russian scientist, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1895 - a structure rising from the equator to a height of 35,786 km - the altitude of a geostationary orbit. Cern's proposed Space Elevator structure rises 2.5 km above the Swiss countryside. Sounds like The Holy Bible's Tower of Babel. Now, before we continue let's eliminate the elephant from the room, come out right and let you know, Cern published their "Space Elevator" article as a harmless April Fool's Day joke. But was it? You've heard the expression, "hiding in plain sight". If you've lived long enough you must have. If you haven't, "hiding in plain sight" refers to a situation in which "character one" (who has done something bad, i.e., a crime) jokes with character two (the naïve audience) about what he has done but conceals the truth within said joke. Call it character one's guilt overflowing to the point he can no longer contain the information. Perhaps, character one is venting, utilizing comedy as the cure for his secret disease. Either way, beware of "jokes" because some of them may indeed be fact simply "hiding in plain sight". Cern was created on September 29th, 1954. It's mission, as per the company's official website: "Provide a unique range of particle accelerator facilities that enable research at the forefront of human knowledge. Perform world-class research in fundamental physics. Unite people from all over the world to push the frontiers of science and technology, for the benefit of all." For those of you keeping abreast with the narrative, you'll notice key words, "all" and "unite". Have you ever wondered, who invented the internet? Well, look no further. It was Cern, and employee, Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist. Mr. Berners-Lee invented the innovative mechanism that disintegrates geographical, cultural and language barriers and connects us "all" in 1989. The birth of The World Wide Web. In the Holy Bible, and in the book of Genesis 11:1-9, it was written that God was displeased "all" the world's peoples had "united". Together, their creative and mental prowess had exceeded anything each could have imagined independently. The peoples of the ancient world had combined their forces, fortified their "church", so-to-speak, and constructed a monolithic structure, The Tower of Babel. The tower stretched the surface of the earth to the heavens above - a stairway to heaven, as it were. These ancient persons' goal was to become like God, and make their way to, or perhaps, back to Paradise. God's plan, however, was not that this occurred, and so he shattered the Tower of Babel, and separated society, land, and created multiple languages. Is the saying true, united we stand, divided we fall? The question is, why on earth do we need to unite and go against the natural order of life in the first instance? Surely, if we were intended to have traveled into outer space and beyond, we as humans would have been equipped with the ability to breathe in outer space, let alone fly. But this is not the case. Speculation concerning Cern's Hadron Collider - a state of the art particle accelerator that discovered the Higgs Boson or "God particle", is that it will destroy what we know as time and space altogether. Even the late Stephen Hawkins received a scare when he first heard of the discovery. In the preface to his book, "Starmus", the physicist wrote: "The Higgs potential has the worrisome feature that it might become metastable at energies above 100bn gigaelectronvolts (GeV). This could mean that the universe could undergo catastrophic vacuum decay, with a bubble of the true vacuum expanding at the speed of light. This could happen at any time, and we wouldn't see it coming". If that isn't enough to give you the willies, I don't know what will. It's fair to surmise, and I am certain you the reader will agree, that standing "united" on matters such as, what is good and what is bad, what is in line with God's plans and what is not, is a good thing. To "unite" on all fronts, no matter the subject, as history emphatically reveals, is not part of God's plan. Written within The Holy Bible, in Luke 12:51, Jesus says "Do you suppose that I have come to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no". Often, "uniting" on all fronts creates a society that becomes "too big for its britches". Reflect upon the ancient Egyptians, the Sumerians, the Greeks, and the Romans. Whether or not Cern is attempting to resurrect similar principles, or directly resurrect the Tower of Babel, and the society that birthed its creation, is to be decided. However, their recent strides indicate striking similarities that are almost too obvious to simply omit from our God given common sense. It's good to be aware and to discern the "gravity" of situations that are taking place all around us. Now more than ever, we need to stand divided in mind so that we may know the truth, not a collective consciousness focused on defining its own destiny, and not that of God's. This Little Light of Mine - By Holly Spate - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/08/17/this-little-light-of-mine-by-holly-spate/ This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine Hide it under a bushel – No! I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine till Jesus comes, I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine! As a young girl and now a mom to two daughters, I remember singing this little tune many times in my life. It’s interesting how such a simple song for children written so many years ago can have so much meaning. Its message and profound lyrics rang true then and ring true still. Sadly, so many Christians are not letting their light shine. Sadly, too many have let their light grow dim. So many have become desensitized to sound doctrine. So many have teeter tottered and tried to tiptoe around the Ten Commandments – treating them as suggestions rather than God’s unchanging, holy rules. So many have made excuses. So many have compromised and become comfy with the world, a world that desperately needs every light shining bright. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 1 Peter 2:9 explains, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” Jesus himself stated, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). What does scripture say concerning a believer’s relationship with the world? “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). As Christians, we are called to shine bright. We can’t afford, and those in the world can’t afford the light of good and hope to grow dim. As believers, our love for our Savior – the One who rescued us – should take first place in our hearts. The love we have because of all He gave should naturally propel us to shine bright and share the hope we have with a lost and dying world. We should never run after the desires of the world but instead hold strong to the only truth and only pursuit worth pursuing… loving God, loving others, and sharing the hope we have with those God puts in our path. Take a moment to think of the moment you came to salvation. Now, go a step further and think for a minute more… put yourself in the shoes of one who has not yet accepted Christ as Savior… who does not have a personal relationship. Then, look around at our world. How must that person be feeling today? What must it be like to live in the mind, the life of one who does not know the Lord? What emotions must be taking over when a nonbeliever sees our world being torn in every direction and falling apart at the seams? When every day, the daily headlines seem worse than the day before. When the love of many is waxing cold. When lawlessness seems to be winning and morals are slipping away. When there are wars and rumors of wars. When nature is groaning and dying off. When evil is celebrated and what was always seen as good is now suddenly turned on its head and called evil. How must it be to feel hopeless and stalled in place while daily being bombarded with depressing news painting pictures of depravity, despair, and hopelessness? What emotions must one be feeling when they see a good future for their children slipping away at the hand of an ungodly government? What thoughts must be going through the mind of those who can’t see a ray of hope or rescue in such a dark and broken place? It’s difficult for many Christians to take it all in at times and not become discouraged, or at times depressed, at all that we’re seeing. As a Christian, my head is spinning from all the negative news and seeing the evil rising in our nation and across the world. It’s difficult to not have a sense of worry and fear at times. YET we have our Savior… we have hope, we have His promises, we have His peace, we have an understanding due to the Bible of what’s happening around us. We know the end of the story. We’ve been rescued and have a bright and beautiful future for all eternity in which to look forward. We know this world is not our home… it was never meant to be our home. It’s a temporary place… we’re Heaven-bound! An unbeliever does not have such peace, and no number of self-help books or trips to a therapist will fill the void that can only be filled through Jesus. Nothing can bring hope, relief, joy, and peace apart from Jesus. Yes, there will be many in the world who believe they don’t need the Savior. They may say they are getting along just fine, but the reality is EVERYONE needs the Savior… everyone! Our heavenly Father has placed us in this world, in this moment, for such a time as this. If there was ever a time to let our light shine, it’s now. If there was ever a time to share the gospel, it’s now. If there was ever a time to pray for the lost in this world, it’s now. As a believer in Christ, you have everything. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, you have everything… everything that’s important… everything that makes life worth living. You have His love, His gift of salvation, His promises, His Holy Spirit, His protection, His peace. You have a very, very, very bright future ahead of you. An inheritance so incredible that our minds cannot even comprehend. For so many, this is not their reality. Their reality is defined by the world and circumstances they live in… a world that’s growing darker by the day. A world that so desperately needs the light of the Son. Christians… get your lights ready. Let others see the love and light of Jesus shining through you. It’s time to shine, brother in Christ. It’s time to shine, sister in Christ. As the song so poignantly and perfectly coveys, This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine Hide it under a bushel – NO! I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine till Jesus comes, I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine over the whole wide world, I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine! Go, Shine bright. Shine like never before! [email protected] Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Runaway - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Long before it became fashionable for football players to wear pink during breast cancer awareness month, it was considered less than manly to wear any form of pink, double that on the football field. And this is the back story about the only time I ever ran away from home. It began in September of my freshman year in high school. My grandmother Humble, my mother’s mother, came to visit. Grandma was a wonderful person. Everyone loved her. She and Grandpa lived in Arizona, so she was up to Ohio to visit with many family members. Grandma was matronly, joyful, loved the Lord, very backwoods kind of country and she made everyone feel that they were a welcome part of the family. Grandma also liked to pull her weight. She wasn’t happy just sitting around gabbing. She had to be cleaning, washing, baking, folding clothes, ironing clothes—something. Her sugar cookies were to die for, yet she always excused their lack of perfection because she could never get used to the new-fangled electric ovens. Grandma always had something to say. And after a while, all the goodness and advice and constant busyness started to get on my nerves. She would often talk, but not always listen. She insisted on doing the wash to help Mom. Mom knew how to wash my football uniform before a game. I tried to tell Grandma. Wash just the jersey and pants alone, nothing else. Well, the day before the game, Grandma was folding the wash and handed me my football uniform. The really cool white sleeves with the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones (we were the Pirates) sown into the sides, was pink. IT WAS PINK. I kind of flipped out. Grandma said she saw that my old red cotton sweat pants needed washed so she just threw them in with the uniform. I was beside myself. Mom tried washing the jersey several more times. No luck. It was still pink. I can’t remember what I said to Grandma, but it wasn’t a very nice rant. And she just kept smiling at me and saying that it’s not as big of deal as I was making it and that everything would be OK, which made me even madder. I was so distraught. Wearing that jersey to school the next day would suffer me ruthless harassment. I saddled up my horse and decided to run away from home. I had ridden down the road a long while and it was getting dark. I was thinking a lot and that verse kept popping up from Ephesians 6:2, “Honor thy father and mother.” And I kept arguing with myself whether that included grandmothers. Finally, I admitted that it did. I turned the horse around and apologized when I got home. And Grandma apologized to me. All was well. Except I took a lot of ribbing about that pink sleeved football jersey the next day. I think Coach Betts took pity on me and gave me another jersey before things got too out of hand. And we won the game, which also turns sarcastic ribbing into good-natured ribbing. That was the only time I ran away from home. Daily Devotion: Hardship and Trust - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God. . . . Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery —Deuteronomy 8:11–14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/hardship-and-trust-2/ - Listen As they were (at long last) poised to enter the Promised Land, God warned the Israelites that the real danger to their lives had just begun. Prior to this point, Israel had wandered in a desolate wilderness for forty years, completely dependent on God for everything. Every day they would step outside their little tents, and there would be manna waiting for them, just like the morning paper. God gave them fresh water to drink, a cloud to guide and shade them by day, and a pillar of fire to light their camp by night. Yes, wilderness living came with plenty of hardships. But those very difficulties compelled them to look to the Lord every day, depending on Him for everything. But then He brought them to the brink of the Promised Land, and they could look across the Jordan and see lush green hills, rippling fields of wheat, flowing rivers, and trees loaded with fruit. They could hardly wait to get in! But God was saying, “Be careful! Watch out, or you’ll get fat and sassy and forget all about Me. Then your troubles will really begin.” We’ve all experienced it: when our lives are hit with uncertainty, danger, or pain, we fall to our knees and cry out to God. God can use adversity to bring us closer to Him—which is actually where we will experience the greatest blessings of life. S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word. . . . It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:67,71, NIV). FROM THE HEART Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. Humbly Seek Your Support Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members. Click below to download! "AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING" If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven? Find out, visit: www.thegoodtest.net www.gotquestions.org www.wayofthemaster.com How to know God DID YOU KNOW? You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email: [email protected] Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly) "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand." "Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!" YBIC-Randy
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