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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Resumption of Daniel’s 70th Week – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/the-resumption-of-daniel-s-70th-week
The prophecy of Daniel’s 70th week, in Daniel 9:24-27, has been paused or delayed for 1989 years now. The end of the 69th week occurred when the Messiah (Jesus) was “cut off” (killed) in the year AD 33. The date on the Jewish calendar was Nisan 14, 3793. It occurred on Passover day or what was known as the preparation day of the Passover. The preparation day occurs the day before the special Sabbath (not the weekly one), which occurs on Nisan 15 and is biblically called the First day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. No work is to be done on this Sabbath day. That is why Jesus’ body had to be taken down from the cross and buried before this day started at 6:00 pm. The Gentile date for the crucifixion of Jesus occurred on April 2, AD 33 according to the Julian calendar, which was the one being used by the Roman Empire at that time. If our modern Gregorian calendar would have been in use at that time, you could deduct a few days and the date would have been March 31, AD 33. There are 365.25 days in the Julian calendar and 365.2425 days in the Gregorian calendar. The obvious question is, why was there a pause between the 69th week (483 years of 360 days per year) and the 70th week (490 years)? In other words, why didn’t the 70th week follow immediately after the 69th week ended? Many theologians believe this could have been the case if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their king and Messiah. Jesus could have established his Millennial Kingdom 7 years later instead of having to wait for 2000 years, because of the Jews unbelief. The Millennial Kingdom of God would then have started in the year AD 40. Of course Jesus would still have to die as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world (John 1:29) and be resurrected on the third day. There are references to both the 1st and 2nd Coming of the Lord scattered throughout the Old Testament in what appears (if one didn’t have the New Testament) to be a single event. These “dual reference prophecies” could only be determined as such after the 1st Coming had already taken place. They were written in such a manner that was impossible to know beforehand that the Lord’s 1st Coming would only partially fulfill them. The writers of these prophecies often switch from the 1st Coming to the 2nd Coming in the middle of a sentence, or in the very next sentence, as if they are one event. The Holy Spirit might have made sure they were written this way because it could have possibly been only one event if the Jews would have accepted Jesus as the Messiah, when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, as their king, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Here is an example of one such dual reference prophecy: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (Isaiah 9:6). The first half of the first sentence is referring to the 1st Coming and the second half is referring to His Millennial Kingdom after His 2nd Coming. The second sentence is also referring to Jesus’ millennial rule after His 2nd Coming. At the time of Isaiah’s writing (and centuries afterward), no one could have known from reading these verses that it was speaking of two separate advents of the Messiah. Another dual reference prophecy is found in Micah 5:2, “But you Bethlehem Ephrathath, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” If you didn’t know better, one would think that the events of this prophecy would transpire in the lifetime of one individual, that would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah, and then grow up to become ruler over all of Israel. The last part of the verse indicates that this is no ordinary ruler, but is the Messiah Himself. With the benefit of the New Testament, we now know this verse is referring to Jesus being born in Bethlehem when he came the first time as a human baby; but he will not become ruler of Israel until He comes the second time (2nd Advent) as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. One more example of dual reference prophecy is found in Isaiah 61. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:1-2). At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when he was in the synagogue in Nazareth, he read from the scroll of Isaiah 61:1-2. However, Jesus stopped before the end of verse 2, leaving out the phrase “and the day of vengeance of our God.” He then closed the book and sat down. Jesus said to them “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Jesus was saying He was the fulfillment of this prophecy and had come to do the things listed therein. But by stopping his reading where he did, he revealed he hadn’t come (yet) to fulfill the last part of Isaiah’s prophecy “the day of vengeance of our God.” In other words there would be a separation of time between the year of the Lord’s favor (1st Advent) and the day of His vengeance (Day of the Lord – Tribulation). Without the benefit of the Luke 4 passages and just by reading Isaiah 61:1-2, one would assume that the Day of the Lord (day of vengeance) would take place directly after the Messiah’s ministry. However, we now know these are two distinct events separated by thousands of years. Of course, the most obvious dual reference prophecies is found in Daniel 9:24-27 and is known as the 70 weeks (sevens) prophecy. If you were living in the times of Daniel when he recorded this prophecy, you would think the 70th week would come concurrently after the 69th week, without any gap of time between them. Once the apostles and disciples figured out Jesus was the Messiah and was the subject of Daniel 9:26, they thought He would return soon after His ascension to begin His day of vengeance and then to establish His kingdom. They knew nothing about a vast gap of time between the 69th and 70th week. As a matter of fact, just before Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles asked him, saying, “Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:6-7). It is clear from the apostles question that Jesus never mentioned an extended period of time in which Israel would be set aside while his attention would be focused on the Gentiles and the Church. They didn’t even know about the Church at this time or that Gentiles would be a part of it. They would not know this fact for certain until 20 years later when James told them at the Jerusalem Council, and even then they didn’t know for how long the time of the Gentiles would last. In hindsight, we now know Jesus will resume His focus on Israel after the Rapture. After the Holy spirit and the Church are removed from the Earth, God’s divine clock will reset and Daniel’s 70th week will begin (with a short gap of time between them – until the Antichrist confirms the covenant). The dual reference prophecies were written is such a way that if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their king and Messiah, He could have fulfilled them in the allotted time of the 490 years, without a vast gap of time between the 69th and 70th weeks. Jesus was cut off, resurrected, and ascended into heaven at the end of the 69th week (after 483 years). 7 more years were still needed to complete Daniel’s prophecy before the Messiah Jesus could establish His Millennial Kingdom (in AD 40). These last 7 years would (also) unfold into what the Old Testament prophets called the time of Jacob’s Trouble or the Day of the Lord. I am uncertain as to how all this would be accomplished by the Lord, and one can only speculate what these last 7 years would have been like. I’m sure it would have been different from what is described in Revelation because this book and all of the books of the New Testament would never have been written and the Church might never have been formed. One thing is certain in this scenario, all of the prophecies in the Old Testament (including the Day of the Lord and Daniel’s prophecies) and Jesus’ prophecies would still be fulfilled in these last 7 years. God’s will is always accomplished and His word is always fulfilled. As I mentioned before, even if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their king and Messiah, He would still need to die on the cross to fulfill prophecy. The Romans would not accept a Jewish king in their midst, so they would see to it that he was crucified. They would then punish and persecute the Jews who were now revolting against the Roman Empire. Jesus would still be resurrected on the third day and appear to many. I believe Jesus would also have remained on the earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven and the Father’s house, where He would remain until He returned 7 years later. For Daniel’s prophecy to be fulfilled (in this scenario), I believe the Jews would agree to a 7 year peace treaty with the Romans to avoid further persecution or war. This event would anger God greatly and the time of Jacob’s trouble would commence. The Roman ruler would break this covenant with the Jews and commit the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27) mid-way through this “covenant with death,” as described by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:15-16). Instead of the temple being destroyed in AD 70 (for in this scenario, there is no AD 70), it’s destruction would occur after the abomination of desolation. The temple’s destruction would still fulfill Jesus’ prophecy of Matthew 24:2. The desolations of Daniel 9:27 would continue until the Jews repented and called on the Lord to return, fulfilling the prophecies of Hosea 5:15 and 6:1-2. Jesus would return to the earth 1260 days (3.5 years of 360 days per year) after the abomination of desolation at the battle of Armageddon and destroy the Roman Antichrist and his army and all the other forces arrayed against Him. Of course God knew Israel would reject His Son as the Messiah during His 1st Advent, and the scenario I just described would never have taken place. However, He gave them every opportunity to do so, including Jesus remaining on the earth for 40 days after His resurrection. The Holy Spirit also gave the prophets of old dual reference prophecies so that Jesus could have fulfilled them completely during His 1st Advent. In between the gaps in these prophecies, the Church was born and the covenant of God’s grace through faith has temporarily suspended the covenant of the Law for Israel, just as He always planned. After the Rapture and the removal of the Church and Holy Spirit, the covenant of the Law will resume for Israel (after a short gap of time) until it comes to an end 7 years later. In my series articles “In the Midst,” I have given many hypothetical examples of the timing of the soon-coming 7 year Tribulation. These examples are just that; they are not predictions, only possible theories based on Jesus’ 2nd Coming on a future Feast of Trumpets. Trumpets is the day many theologians believe Jesus will return to the earth based on the idea that He will fulfill the last 3 Feasts of the Lord at this time. As Jesus fulfilled the first 4 Feast of the Lord: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits, and Pentecost during His 1st Advent, so He will fulfill the last 3: Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles during His 2nd Advent. There are 2520 (7 years of 360 days per year) days duration for the Tribulation. Based on Trumpets (Tishri 1) being the date when Jesus returns to the earth (2nd Advent); to determine the “in the midst” event of the Abomination of Desolation, you must count backwards 1260 days from Trumpets according to Revelation 12:6. Usually (about 90% of the time) this will put you at Nisan 10-12. Most theologians believe the start of the Tribulation (when the Antichrist confirms the covenant with the many) begins 1260 days before the Abomination of Desolation. I believe it starts 1230 days before the A.O.D for the following reason: the end of the Tribulation occurs 2520 days after the start of the Tribulation and 1290 days after the Abomination of Desolation according to Daniel 12:11. For further details, see: In the Midst, Part IV: Return of the King :: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready The most likely timeline for the soon-coming seven year Tribulation, in my opinion, is AD 2026-2033. I have given the reasons and empirical evidence for this hypothetical timeline in several articles, including The Perfect Numbers in the Day of the Lord :: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready, so I will not list them here. However, an interesting phenomenon regarding these 7 years of AD 2026-2033 is that they mirror the 7 years of AD 33-40 regarding the dates on the modern Gregorian calendar and the modern Jewish calendar (which uses the mathematical calculations of the metonic cycle of 19 years). For an example, the following table starts with the dates of Passover (Nisan 14) on the Gregorian calendar starting with the comparison between the years AD 33 and AD 2026. I chose Nisan 14 because of how significant of a date it is in the Bible. It could have been any date. All of the days of the year of AD 33 match AD 2026, etc. Passover – Nisan 14 Dates Start: *AD 33 – March 31 Start:*AD 2026 – March 31 AD 34 – March 19 1) AD 2027 – March 19 AD 35 – April 8 2) AD 2028 – April 9 AD 36 – March 27 3) AD 2029 – March 29 AD 37 – March 17 4) AD 2030 – April 16 AD 38 – April 4 5) AD 2031 – April 6 AD 39 – March 24 6) AD 2032 – March 25 AD 40 – April 12 7) AD 2033 – April 13 * Note: The Jewish Anno Mundi (year from creation) years are not given for the Passover dates as they are off (deficient) by about 200 years according to my reckoning. See: Chronology of Mankind: 6,000 Years of History Pt 1 :: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready. Instead we will use the Anno Domini dating system, that we presently use for the Gregorian calendar. Notice the nearly identical dates (within a day or two) for the two groups of seven years, except for the “in the midst” years of AD 37 and AD 2030, which is off by a month due to the addition of an intercalary/embolismic month (usually added every 2 or 3 years) in the Jewish calendar. This is done so their calendar can become realigned with the solar calendar. These Gregorian dates that correspond to their Jewish dates repeat (cycle) about every 8 years. For example, the next time there will be an (nearly) identical 7 years (as above), for these dates will be from 2034 – 2041. Then the next one will be from 2042 – 2049, etc. There is always a full moon during the Passover/Unleavened Bread Feast. It generally occurs on the first full moon of spring, but sometimes it will land on the second full moon of spring (as it will do in the year AD 2024). The modern calculated Jewish calendar is very accurate in determining the Jewish Feasts that coincide with new or full moons. The first full moon of spring occurs after the date of the vernal/spring equinox of that year. Biblically, Passover is always on Nisan 14 and the first day of Unleavened Bread is always on Nisan 15 (nowadays the Jews have combined them and the Passover Feast starts on the 15th). As I commented on earlier, Jesus was crucified on Passover (it was called the preparation day at that time), Nisan 14, 3793 on the Jewish calendar and April 2, AD 33 on the Julian calendar (if the Gregorian calendar had been in effect, it would have been on March 31, AD 33). The first full moon of spring occurred the next day on Nisan 15, 3793, on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, or April 3, AD 33 on the Julian calendar. For confirmation, see: www.moonpage.com You can also look up NASA records for lunar eclipses (they only occur on a full moon) and you will find a small partial one occurred on April 3, AD 33 (Julian calendar). This lunar eclipse might not have been observed in Israel or maybe the moon appeared slightly red. The three hours darkness that occurred at Jesus’ crucifixion was not a solar eclipse, as they only occur during a new moon and do not last long. This was a supernatural event that God created to demonstrate His anger and displeasure at the exceeding sinfulness of Jesus” tormentors. It was a precursor to the darkness that will envelope the earth during Jesus’ 2nd Coming. As He went out, so He will return. If the Jews had accepted Jesus as their Messiah during His 1st Advent, the 70th week would have started in AD 33 and ended in AD 40. These 7 years look remarkably similar to the years of AD 2026 through AD 2033, regarding the dates on the Gregorian and Jewish calendars. It looks like at the end of the 69th week (in AD 33) the 70th week could (theoretically) finally resume in the future year of AD 2026, as far as the comparison of the dates are concerned. I suppose this is just a coincidence? Regardless, the Jews could have finished their transgression against the Lord Jesus and accepted Him as their King and Messiah approximately 2000 years ago. Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks would have been fulfilled shortly after this. Instead, they are still hopelessly searching for their Messiah, while the (time) gap between the 69th and 70th week keeps getting longer. The Jews have always been a stiff-necked (hard headed) people, as described by God and his prophets multiple times. See: Jewish People & The Supernatural Signs for the Jews :: By Randy Nettles (raptureready.com). God, who is all-knowing, knows the end from the beginning. “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18). He always knew Israel would reject His Son, Jesus, as their Lord and Savior when he came the first time. While Israel was still searching for their Messiah (and ignoring the prophecy of Daniel 9:25), God would visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this, the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: “After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind will seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord who does all these things” (Acts 15:15-17). However, the remnant of Israel will eventually “see the light” and recognize and acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth as their Christ at the last moment of Jacob’s trouble. He will hear their cries and save them from certain death at the hands of their enemies. “Come, and let us return to the LORD, for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up” (Hosea 6:1). At the end of the 70th week, the six objectives or accomplishments of Daniel 9:24 will have finally been met by the nation and people of Israel, and Jesus will begin His 1000 year reign upon the earth. The Jews will then become the elect people that God always intended for them to become. When God made His covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, He told Moses and the people, “You shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). “And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. But you Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:1-4). The seal of the book of Daniel is opened and the time of the end is near. Those who share the knowledge of the saving grace through faith in Jesus Christ will be richly rewarded. “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18). Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. Randy Nettles [email protected] Israel Is Fast Approaching the Moment of Truth with Iran – Eliezer Marom - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5153 The nuclear talks between world powers and Iran are moving forward and will soon reach the decision-making stage. To borrow a soccer analogy, the sides are done feeling each other out. The Iranians, masters of negotiation, tried conditioning the continuation of talks on the removal of sanctions and were rebuffed. It appears that this time the Europeans (mainly Germany, France and Great Britain) are more involved in the talks, while the Americans, who spearheaded negotiations under former President Barack Obama, are working more collaboratively with the other global powers. It seems that despite the mutual threats and prevailing sense that the talks were headed toward failure, an agreement will ultimately be reached that will restrict Iran's pace of uranium enrichment and give Tehran what it wants with the removal of most of the sanctions. Iran's long-term strategic interest is to possess a nuclear weapon. In the short term, however, under the yoke of sanctions and a sputtering economy that threatens the regime's survival, Tehran must get the sanctions lifted. The United States, under a president with plummeting approval ratings, needs an achievement to improve his standing. The Chinese and Russians, which regardless don't abide by the sanctions, will be glad to return to doing legitimate business with Iran--such that ultimately, all sides have an interest in reaching a deal. Israel is in the toughest position of all. If a deal is reached, currently sanctioned funds will be unfrozen, allowing Iranian terror and influence to run amok across the Middle East. We can expect the situation in Syria to change as well, and for the Iranians to apply even more pressure in an effort to cement their influence there. The Iranian nuclear threat won't be eliminated, either, with the country remaining close to the threshold point. The Iranians will be able to secretly move ahead with their nuclear program, which will bring them closer to nuclear breakout capability. Israel has the ability to attack Iran, and will soon have no other choice because the proverbial sword is almost at its neck. It appears that the critical moment is fast approaching. We cannot rely on American military intervention, which most likely will not come. When Israel has faced significant strategic threats in the past and taken the initiative, the Israel Defense Forces has emerged victorious. The preparations currently underway are meant to improve the IDF's attack capabilities and finalize a better plan of action. The IDF must receive a clear directive from the Israeli government, which defines the objective: devastating damage to Iran's nuclear program; and the target date: fall of 2022. Despite the difficulties, it seems the time has come for the IDF to prepare a strike plan in conjunction with the country's intelligence services. At the same time, Israel must prepare for an Iranian response from its soil, and via Hezbollah in Lebanon as well. Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups should be expected to unleash their own havoc as well. Israel has been fighting Iran for over two decades, and the IDF has the ability to continue coping with the Iranian threat and hitting Hezbollah hard. Beyond the operational preparations, Israel needs to prepare a diplomatic plan to legitimize a military strike and soften the international reaction. Editors Note - Could such a strike lead to a retaliatory coalition strike by Iran, Russia, Turkey and and others as described in Ezekiel 38 known as the War of Gog/Magog? We may soon find out! Big Brother’s All-Seeing Eye - By Jack Kinsella - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/01/08/big-brothers-all-seeing-eye-by-jack-kinsella/ [Editor’s Note: Jack Kinsella wrote this article in 2003, but it is more relevant today than ever.] The Pentagon is developing an urban surveillance system that would use computers and thousands of cameras to track, record, and analyze the movement of every vehicle in a foreign city. The project nickname is unusually lame, even by Pentagon standards. Dubbed “Combat Zones That See,” the project is designed to help the U.S. military protect troops and fight in cities overseas. The project’s centerpiece is groundbreaking computer software that is capable of automatically identifying vehicles by size, color, shape and license tag, or drivers and passengers by face. According to interviews and contracting documents, the software may also provide instant alerts after detecting a vehicle with a license plate on a watch list or search months of records to locate and compare vehicles spotted near terrorist activities. Its other projects include developing software that scans databases of everyday transactions and personal records worldwide to predict terrorist attacks and creating a computerized diary that would record and analyze everything a person says, sees, hears, reads or touches. U.S. police use cameras to monitor bridges, tunnels, airports and border crossings and regularly access security cameras in banks, stores and garages for investigative leads. In the District of Columbia, police have 16 closed-circuit television cameras watching major roads and gathering places. Great Britain has an estimated 2.5 million closed-circuit television cameras, more than half operated by government agencies, and the average Londoner is thought to be photographed 300 times a day. Assessment At this point, you are probably expecting me to begin spinning like a dervish and shouting “Mark of the Beast!” but, to quote the first President Bush, ‘Nope. Not gonna do that.’ Let me make two contradictory statements, and then I will attempt to sort them out. First off, let me say that I agree with the use of the technology. Secondly, I have no more desire to be photographed 300 times a day than anybody else. I agree that it is a bit spooky to know you live under surveillance. I agree with the privacy experts that the potential for abuse of the technology is high. As one privacy expert lamented, the system could be ‘abused’ to identify and arrest domestic criminals as easily as it could be used to identify potential terrorists. But there is a short-term solution for those of us who don’t want the government to use cameras to catch us breaking the law. Don’t break the law. The only ones who are truly concerned about development and use of this technology are: 1) terrorists, 2) liberals, 3) criminals, 4) those who won’t know what they think about it until the mantras start, 5) hysterical Christians suffering both a lack of faith and a lack of understanding of Scripture for the last days. Categories 1 through 4 are self-explanatory. It is Category 5 that needs addressing here; hysterical Christians who are suffering from both the lack of faith and the lack of understanding. This story is stunning in its import; it is almost a letter-perfect fit to the surveillance system foretold by the Apostle Paul from the Island of Patmos almost two thousand years ago. In John’s vision, the antichrist will set up a three-tiered system of government, through which he will be able to control the tiniest details of day-to-day life. His system will be political and global. John sees the political ‘beast’ “rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns (Rev 13:1), said system being empowered by “the dragon [that] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” (2) The political beast’s authority is absolute: “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (4) The political beast is capable of global communications: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;” (5) which then sets the stage for the pogroms against the Tribulation saints as well as the Jews. “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (6) Enter the religious beast in verse 11, who then wields “all the power of the first [political] beast before him” (12) but adds the dimension of religion, using counterfeit miracles to set up a form of counterfeit Christianity (“he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”), (11) through which he deceives “them that dwell upon the earth” (14) before merging both into a kind of all-encompassing socio-economic system that controls everything from where people go, to where they worship, to whether or not they can buy food. Revelation 13:16-17 explains how the three come together and why the Pentagon’s new system is germane to Bible prophecy. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” To accomplish all this, the antichrist would have to be able to reward his followers, identify his enemies, and be able to keep them separate. For centuries, people debated about the Mark of the Beast. Is it a literal mark? Is it a tattoo? Is it an embedded chip? Or is it something that can only be seen by surveillance cameras that photograph every citizen three hundred times a day? I don’t know. What I do know is that this new system fits into John’s scenario with less difficulty than any of the previous ones. I always wondered how the antichrist was going to convince everybody to take a visible mark. Some cultures would jump right on it. Ours, for example. All you’d have to do is make it a fashion statement. Other cultures, on the other hand, would take a lot of convincing, which appears to me to be a wasted and time-consuming effort given the antichrist’s entire reign is only seven years. But, if the Mark could be made invisible to the naked eye… Here is where I reconcile the contradictions. In the natural, I have no major issue with the use of this technology because it is NECESSARY. There are people who want to kill other people for no other reason except to either make a political point or underline a political worldview in innocent blood. That was clear even before the New York skyline was changed forever on September 11. In the New Normal, it is more than necessary; it is a matter of survival. Common sense tells anybody to whom sense is common that there is no non-intrusive way to spy on potential threats, and that there is no way to identify potential threats without spying. By definition, sneak attacks are planned and developed in secret. Now, to the ‘hysterical Christian with a lack of faith and understanding’ category. Look at Revelation 13 again. Does it say this is an OPTIONAL scenario for the last days? Or is it a prophecy that will be fulfilled down to the last “jot and tittle”? And if it is the scenario outlined by God as His Plan for the judgment of the nations and the redemption of Israel, then only a hysterical Christian with no understanding of Scripture would be in a panic about it. If this is the technology that will be used to set up the system of the Mark of the Beast, I say, bring it on! Let’s get that baby tuned up so that it is working perfectly and ready to go. It will afford some measure of safety against terrorist attacks abroad, and when we have been properly conditioned to accept it in places like the U.S., let’s use it to protect the homeland. The Bible is true, and so the antichrist’s system will be introduced, implemented and made operational whether Christians rail against it or not. Since I believe in a pretrib Rapture, all it means to me is that the Lord is coming soon for His Church. But to those who believe the Church will be here for some or all of the Tribulation, it means the same thing (albeit a bit later). It is additional evidence that these are the last days foretold and anticipated by the prophets from Daniel to Revelation. The fact that it will be the system of the antichrist during the Tribulation is no reason for Christians to get hysterical about it. What is their point? To change what God said would happen anyway? To stall it? To hold God off? Revelation 13:18 contains that cryptic 666 prophecy that has had people spinning like tops trying to decipher for 19 centuries. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Instead of focusing on the number, let’s stop in the first sentence. “Here is wisdom.” The Book of Proverbs has much to say about ‘wisdom’ — something that is a step TOWARD ‘understanding’ rather than the other way around. “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?” (Prov 8:1). “O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart” (8:5). “Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength” (8:14). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (9:16). “He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good” (19:8). Wisdom brings understanding. Now we return to the 666 prophecy. Are you beginning to understand? The Mark of the Beast isn’t FOR the Church. We play no role in the Tribulation. No matter what your view of the timing of the Rapture, the Church is not mentioned as playing any role whatsoever. Whether your doctrinal view puts the Rapture before, during, or after the Tribulation, you will find no mention of the Church. Just the saints, and then in only one of two contexts — they are either in heaven already, or they are the saints to whom it was “given unto to him to make war” with — and overcome, may I add. If not already in heaven, they are on their way at the hands of the antichrist. Wisdom tells us that the Scriptures are true and that God’s Word will not return to Him void. “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24). “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:9-11). UNDERSTANDING tells us that this is playing out exactly as God said it would. It is, therefore, spiritual foolishness to rail against it, since the Bible tells us that 1) it isn’t the antichrist’s system until the antichrist gets here to take it over, and 2) that is what God said was going to happen anyway. This is an important story, but not because it means the antichrist is about to start rounding up Christians. It’s because John said this is what was GOING to happen. And then Jesus returns. “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). The King IS coming!! Tell your friends. The late Jack Kinsella’s articles can be found in the Omega Letter archives at this link. As Store Shelves Get Barer, Food Industry Insiders Are Warning That Supplies Will Get Even Tighter In The Weeks Ahead - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/as-store-shelves-get-barer-food-industry-insiders-are-warning-that-supplies-will-get-even-tighter-in-the-weeks-ahead/ It is happening again. In December, Joe Biden stood in front of the American people and boldly declared that he had defeated the supply chain crisis, but of course that wasn’t true. There have been persistent shortages for months on end, and now fear of Omicron is taking things to an entirely new level once again. On Monday, the hashtag #BareShelvesBiden was trending on Twitter, and that is because shelves are alarmingly bare in supermarkets from coast to coast. We are being told that these shortages are only “temporary”, but of course that was what we were told when nationwide shortages first began to pop up all the way back in early 2020. Unfortunately, food industry experts are warning us that supplies are going to get even tighter in the weeks to come. For example, the following is what billionaire John Catsimatidis just told Fox News… “Omicron is taking its toll at different levels of the supply chain, whether it’s the warehouses, whether it’s the selectors, the drivers the loaders – and as they call in sick there are interruptions in the system,” Catsimatidis told Todd Piro during an appearance on “Fox & Friends First.” Catsimatidis went on to say that many of these interruptions will continue over the next 6 weeks as the COVID-19 variant impacts the labor market. The United Refining Company owner added that the Northeast in particular is seeing the price of various products, including eggs, poultry, and beef, go up because of low supply and high demand. That sounds rather ominous. Of course he is not alone. Egg Innovations CEO John Bruunquell is specifically warning that current conditions are likely to prevent his industry from supplying enough eggs to the general population… Meanwhile, Egg Innovations CEO John Bruunquell, who acquired the first U.S. patent for reduced fat and cholesterol eggs, echoed Catsimatidis’ sentiment on “Fox & Friends” with co-host Ainsley Earhardt, warning that an uptick in demand coinciding with labor, freight and vendor issues may soon hamper egg supply. So if shelves that normally hold meat and eggs are already bare in your area, they may be staying that way for a while. And if the shelves that normally hold meat and eggs are not bare in your area, you may want to grab what you can while you still have the opportunity to do so. The shortages are escalating, and shelves appear to be getting emptier with each passing hour. According to Zero Hedge, Americans from coast to coast have been posting photographs of bare shelves on social media… Before Christmas eve, President Biden declared his administration’s efforts to eliminate supply-chain bottlenecks ahead of the holiday season had succeeded. Ten days into the new year, we can firmly say that is not the case. The hashtag “BareShelvesBiden” has been trending on Twitter for the last 24 hours. The hashtag ranked on Twitter’s most trending list as of late Sunday evening. People from around the country tweeted pictures and videos of bare supermarket shelves as Biden’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force fails to address pandemic-induced disruptions. In recent months I have been writing a lot of articles about this supply chain crisis, but even I didn’t anticipate that things would be this bad in early 2022. If we simply had enough workers to do all of the jobs that needed to be done, that would go a long way toward resolving this crisis. In industry after industry, vast numbers of workers seem to have “disappeared” from the system, and this is causing a whole host of problems. For instance, FedEx is warning that a lack of staff will result in significant delays… FedEx Corp warned on Friday that rising cases of Omicron variant has caused staff shortage and delay in shipments transported on aircraft. “The explosive surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant has caused a temporary shortage of available crew members and operational staff,” the company said. I don’t know why FedEx is using the word “temporary”, because they have been operating without enough people for many months. Of course it is just human nature to want to put a positive spin on things. So many people out there want to believe that the future is going to be brighter, because the last couple of years have really stunk. In fact, just check out the words that Americans used when one recent survey asked them to describe 2021… Among the words volunteered in response to the open-ended question to describe 2021 in a single word: 1. Awful/terrible/bad/sucked – 23% 2. Chaos/confusing/turmoil – 12% 3. Challenging/hard/rough – 11% 4. Disaster/train wreck/catastrophe – 6% 4. (Tied) Okay/good – 6% Looking ahead, our economy is now the number one thing that Americans are concerned about… The U.S. economy is the top priority for Americans, with inflation worries rising and pandemic-related fears waning, a poll released Monday showed. Sixty-eight percent of Americans mention the economy in some way when asked an open-ended question about the top five priorities for the government to work on in 2022, according to a year-end poll taken by the Associated Press. Just 37 percent cited the virus, down from 53 percent a year earlier. The American people want the supply chain crisis to be resolved, they want inflation to go back down, and they want life to return to the way that it used to be. Unfortunately, none of those things are going to happen. It has become exceedingly clear that our health authorities are completely incapable of defeating the pandemic, and it has also become exceedingly clear that our leaders in Washington are completely incapable of fixing the economy. And if you think that things are bad now, just wait until we get a few more years down the road. Virtually everything that Joe Biden and his minions do makes things even worse, and we still have at least three more years of either him or Kamala Harris in the White House. If you are waiting for the government to pull us out of this mess, you are going to be waiting an awfully long time. Decades of very foolish decisions have brought us to this point, and it would take a miracle of epic proportions to turn things around now. Daily Jot: Biden’s illegal purge of the military - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Imagine a military where the top brass, taking orders from the Commander in Chief, many of which have investments in and ties to China, are using the COVID crisis to reduce military readiness and compromise national security. According to several high-ranking officers under whistleblower protection, this is what is occurring. The COVID vaccination mandate in the military is illegal because it forces servicemembers to take an Emergency Use Approved government serum in violation of military code. High ranking commanders, however, are telling servicemembers that the vaccine is Food and Drug Administration approved (even though there is no FDA-approved vaccine available) to force the vaccinations. The whistleblowers are making their case public during a Truth For Health Foundation press conference at 12:00 EST Wednesday (livestreamed at https://www.lifesitenews.com/purging-patriots-from-the-military/ ). These servicemembers across several branches of the military have documented that the Department of Defense is illegally forcing service members to take the Experimental Use Authorized COVID vaccine under career-ending threats and are systematically denying ALL religious exemptions. Additionally, whistleblowers have confirmed that military commanders have punished unvaccinated soldiers with extra physical activities, shamed them with humiliating acts, and denied them medical treatment as a matter of “shadow” policy across several military installations in acts of coercion to get troops vaccinated. Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet, President and CEO of Truth for Health Foundation, a non-profit public charity aimed at defending medical truth and individual medical freedom told The Daily Jot, “What the Biden Administration and the Department of Defense are doing to our honorable sons and daughters in the military is unconscionable. Our service members are being illegally ordered to take an EUA product while being told it is “FDA-approved.” Our sources say Comirnaty, the only FDA-approved COVID shot, is not available on any US military installation in the US or overseas. If service members request a religious or medical exemption, they face extra duty, public humiliation, and threats of dishonorable discharge. If they talk about it, they risk career-ending discipline.” This violates the very rights these men and women are serving to protect. Moreover, the Biden Administration implemented the military vaccine mandate through the Secretary of Defense. Attorneys for the whistleblowers argue that only the Commander in Chief can issue such an order, but he legally could not do that for an experimental drug. They say that If the US has to respond militarily to an international threat (i.e. Russia invading Ukraine), the president can legally mandate the vaccine. Meantime, many of the most experienced officers are being drummed out of the military because they refuse to take the vaccine, leaving our military compromised. The Democrat illogic of destroying American democracy to save it is in full swing. As Christ said in Matthew 24:4, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” They are purging patriots from the military. Daily Devotion: The Most Amazing Book Ever Written - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. —2 Peter 1:20–21 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-most-amazing-book-ever-written/ - Listen Soon after evangelist Billy Sunday became a Christian, an older believer gave him some advice on how to grow spiritually. He said, “William, there are three simple rules I can give to you, and if you will hold to them, you will never write ‘backslider’ after your name. Take 15 minutes each day to listen to God talking to you; take 15 minutes each day to talk to God; take 15 minutes each day to talk to others about God.” How does God speak to us? He speaks to us primarily through His Word, the Bible. Yet a lot of people aren’t opening their Bibles today. Instead, we’re looking at things like social media. Every day, 66 percent of evangelical believers are looking at Facebook, 39 percent are looking at YouTube, and 32 percent are opening their Bibles. We have a problem. We need to open up the Bible and discover what it has to say, because a successful Christian will be a Bible-studying Christian. On the other hand, a failing Christian will be someone who doesn’t open the Word of God. I remember the first time I started to read the Bible. I couldn’t believe that I had finally found the user’s manual of life. The words were so relevant to what I was facing as a 17-year-old, and they’re still relevant to what I’m facing today. They’re relevant for every phase of life. The Bible is the most amazing book ever written. It’s literally God’s message to us. Technically speaking, it’s not one book but actually 66 books written over a span of 1,500 years. The words of Scripture were inspired by God and written by 40 authors from every walk of life, including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars. And all of them write about God’s redemption of humanity. The Word of God is perfect, and it’s completely trustworthy. 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? 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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. 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