We Are On The Verge Of “The Big War” In The Middle East, And Behind The Scenes Someone Is Smiling9/19/2024  TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
We Are On The Verge Of “The Big War” In The Middle East, And Behind The Scenes Someone Is Smiling - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/we-are-on-the-verge-of-the-big-war-in-the-middle-east-and-behind-the-scenes-someone-is-smiling/
After what we have witnessed the past few days, there is no turning back. Both sides are making final preparations for all-out war, and soon the Middle East will erupt in flames. Almost a year ago, a lot of people out there didn’t believe me when I explained that the conflict between Israel and Hamas would eventually evolve into “the big war” in the Middle East. But now there is no denying what is happening. We really are on the brink of the unthinkable, and as you will see at the end of this article, behind the scenes someone is very happy because things are going exactly as he had hoped. If you tried to write a movie script based on the events that have transpired in the Middle East this week, everyone would reject it for being way too unrealistic. On Tuesday, thousands of Hezbollah militants were maimed when their pagers exploded, and on Wednesday it was being reported that thousands of “walkie-talkies, solar panels and fingerprint recognition devices” that belonged to members of Hezbollah also exploded… Thousands of walkie-talkies, solar panels and fingerprint recognition devices used by Hezbollah fighters have detonated across Lebanon, killing 14 and wounding hundreds of people including mourners at a funeral, witnesses and security sources have reported. The second wave of carnage comes a day after thousands of exploding pagers used by the group left almost 3,000 people injured and a dozen dead, including civilians and children. Security sources have now confirmed that hand-held radios were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, at around the same time as the compromised pagers. Lebanese media has also reported that home solar energy systems have blown up in several areas of Beirut. We have never seen anything like this before, and we will probably never see anything like this ever again. On Wednesday, explosions were going off all over Lebanon, and that was especially true in the city of Beirut… Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV reported explosions in multiple areas of Lebanon, and a Hezbollah official told the Associated Press that walkie-talkies used by the group exploded as part of blasts heard in Beirut. Ali Hashem, a journalist based in Lebanon, wrote on X: “Another round of blasts in different areas around south Lebanon and Beirut southern suburb. Devices in cars, motorcycles, and people’s hands are exploding.” It comes after videos from Beirut’s southern suburbs showed people lying on the pavement with wounds on their hands or near their trouser pockets. Can you imagine the paranoia that members of Hezbollah must be feeling right now? After everything that has happened, they have got to be wondering what devices will explode next. I have no idea how any of them can possibly watch the news in peace knowing that the television could be the next thing to go off. Apparently the walkie-talkies that exploded on Wednesday were originally made by a company in Japan… A Reuters reporter in the southern suburbs of Beirut said he saw Hezbollah members frantically taking out the batteries of any walkie-talkies on them that had not exploded, tossing the parts in metal barrels around them. Images of the exploded walkie-talkies examined by Reuters showed an inside panel labeled “ICOM” and “Made in Japan.” According to its website, ICOM is a Japan-based radio communications and telephone company. I really wish that both sides would decide that enough is enough and would sit down at the negotiating table. But that isn’t going to happen. After thousands of pagers exploded on Tuesday, Hezbollah responded by launching rockets into Israel… Hezbollah has launched its first rocket attack on targets inside Israel after pager blasts left almost 3,000 wounded and 12 dead in Lebanon and Syria, with the militant group vowing retaliation. Iran, which backs the group, has condemned Israel as being responsible for the blasts, which it labelled ‘mass murder’ and amount to the biggest security breach in Hezbollah’s history. And Israel is “pivoting its efforts toward the northern border” as it prepares for a final showdown with Hezbollah… Israeli political and defense officials ramped up their rhetoric on Wednesday indicating the IDF would be pivoting its efforts toward the northern border in a “new phase” of the war, amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah following widespread attacks on Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon attributed to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF chief Herzi Halevi and other officials all issued statements Wednesday evening which appeared to suggest a full-on war with Hezbollah was brewing, hours after a wave of explosions of walkie-talkies and other communications devices used by Hezbollah members across Lebanon caused widespread casualties, echoing a similar attack a day earlier that targeted Hezbollah-issued pagers. But I don’t expect Israel to go into southern Lebanon quite yet. As I discussed the other day, I think that Israel will wait until after Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the UN General Assembly at the end of this month. Speaking of the UN General Assembly, they just passed a resolution that very strongly condemns Israel… On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly approved a Palestinian resolution urging sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel. The proposal also included a demand from the Palestinian Authority for Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza within a year. The resolution passed with 124 countries in favor, 14 against, and 43 abstentions. It’s important to note that General Assembly resolutions are non-binding and will not directly lead to actions or sanctions against Israel. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the vote, saying, “This is a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism. Instead of marking the anniversary of the October 7 massacre by condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all 101 of the remaining hostages, the General Assembly continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers.” Everything that is happening is making one particular individual in the Middle East very happy. For years, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has watched Iran systematically spread Shiite Islam throughout the Middle East. This has greatly distressed Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi leaders, because they intend for their brand of Sunni Islam to dominate the globe. If Israel is able to defeat the Iranians and their allies in this war, that would greatly please the Saudis, because it would fundamentally change the balance of power in their favor. Of course there will also be a tremendous global outcry for a Palestinian state once this war is over, and that is another major geopolitical goal for the Saudis… Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday said the kingdom would not recognise Israel without a Palestinian state and strongly condemned the “crimes of the Israeli occupation” against the Palestinian people. “The kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the crown prince, known as MbS, said. The Saudis are just going to sit back and watch the Israelis do all the hard work, and then afterwards they are going to get the Palestinian state that they have always wanted. But ultimately, the unprecedented chaos that is ahead of us will not be good for anyone. We are entering a time of war, economic trouble, global food shortages and great political turmoil. Global events are building up to a grand crescendo, and it won’t be too long before things start getting really, really wild. World Waits For Hezbollah Response To Israel's James Bond-Style Attacks - By JNS.org - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=7326 The events this week in Lebanon sound like they were taken out of a James Bond movie, as sabotaged pagers used by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously across the country, killing 12 and injuring some 3,000 people, the vast majority of whom were members of the terror organization. This was followed up with an additional attack the next day that killed 20 and injured another 450 as hand-held walkie-talkies being used as backups also exploded. These devices were part of the terror group's emergency communications systems that were supposed to be used during a conflict with the Israel Defense Forces. Experts believe that Israeli security apparatuses were able to access Hezbollah's supply chain, plant the explosives and wait for an opportune time to detonate the devices remotely. This represents an unprecedented breach of Hezbollah's communication system and a reminder of Israel's advanced technological capabilities, which the terror group is well aware of. Just a few months ago, Hassan Nasrallah, its secretary-general, warned his men not to use cell phones as he believed that Israel's ability to monitor cellular communications is the primary way it has been able to accurately target and assassinate many Hezbollah members in the past months. It appears that Israel had access to more than just communication devices. Its decision to detonate the sabotaged pager devices was a response to Hezbollah's attempt to assassinate the former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Aviv Kochavi, foiled just days ago. Hezbollah, on its part, was quick to point to Israel as the perpetrator of the large-scale attack and vowed to retaliate. According to Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, former head of IDF Military Intelligence's Research and Assessment Division and a senior research fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy, the ball is now in Hezbollah's court. "Based on that, we'll see how this moves forward," said Kuperwasser, who is also a senior research fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs. Hezbollah's range of options ranges from the minor all the way up to a large-scale attack on Israel, he said, adding that Israel is prepared for all scenarios. If a full-scale war does break out, he said, Israel will now be in an improved starting position to create a new reality in southern Lebanon. A large-scale Hezbollah attack "could give Israel justification for an operation" in Southern Lebanon, he said. He noted however that "Israel can do this without any further justification, since Hezbollah has been attacking northern Israel without stop." Still, he assessed, a broad Hezbollah attack in response to an incident for which Israel maintained deniability could provide clearer justification for an Israeli operation in southern Lebanon. Rami Igra, a former senior official with Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, told JNS that if Israel was involved in the incident, "What's important is where this leads. Is it another round in the ping-pong game between Israel and Hezbollah--and if so it is worthless--or a prelude to a more significant confrontation?" Igra emphasized that Hezbollah's military-terrorist capacity remains largely intact. "Nothing significant has happened to Hezbollah's capability vis-a-vis the 150,000 missiles and Radwan forces on the Israeli border," he argued. Igra warned that failing to address the Hezbollah threat now could lead to greater consequences down the road. "The lesson from Oct. 7 shows that when we fail to deal with a threat today, we will pay a much higher price down the line," he said. Israel cannot afford to allow Hezbollah to continue unchecked, he added. "Would a war in the north be simple? It seems not, but if we do not deal with it today, we will deal with it tomorrow, and what we do not pay today, we will pay double tomorrow," he said. "I very much hope this was the beginning and not the end." According to Cmdr. (res.) Eyal Pinko, a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University and a former Israeli Navy officer, Tuesday's attack was highly sophisticated and likely took more than a year of planning. Speaking during a video call organized by the Jerusalem Press Club, Pinko said the sophistication of the attack lies in the intelligence operation rather than the technology. "Hezbollah is the largest drug baron in South America. Most of the drugs that are coming to the US, to Canada, to Europe are coming from Colombia and Mexico by Hezbollah," Pinko explained, creating an infrastructure to purchase pagers. "If Hezbollah wants to buy these kinds of beepers or any other communication measures, they need some kind of straw company, they buy it for some kind of company, and from there it goes to Lebanon," he said. "It's a huge network, and of course, it's using the Quds Force of Iran. It's a whole supply chain." The former naval officer also emphasized that Hezbollah's senior command structure had likely been affected by the recent events. "Probably what is happening now in Hezbollah is that all the command structure from, let's say, the rank of lieutenant colonel in a regular military to the generals, are severely wounded; some of them are already dead," he said. This, he added, presents a potential opening for Israeli military action, though he expressed doubt that Israel would seek to escalate the situation. Nasrallah has said for months that Hezbollah is not interested in escalating the ongoing fighting with Israel to an all-out war. He will now need to come up with a retaliation to answer a mixture of conditions regarding the nature of the target, its geographic location and the appropriate weapon to hit it with--in a way that will send Israel a fierce message without creating a deterioration in the situation. Finding this appropriate "Goldilocks" retaliation is increasingly tricky as Hezbollah finds itself confronting an Israeli rival that is less and less willing to contain such attacks. The Israeli government faces rising domestic pressure from both the public and the military command to take a much more aggressive approach against Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel. The government's recent decision to formally include the return of civilians to their homes in the north as a war objective should also be seen as a sign of its new focus. Nasrallah should be closely watching Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is traditionally seen as risk-aversive. Netanyahu's recent aggressive approach towards the United States and his rejection of any potential diplomatic attempt to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon reflect his intentions to continue the military campaign despite the risk of further escalation and widening of the war. Nonetheless, many analysts believe Israel will heed Washington's call not to escalate the conflict. Still, Nasrallah must consider that the domestic political pressures on Netanyahu, along with his tense relations with Washington, could lead him to order to widen the campaign against Hezbollah. Furthermore, Nasrallah should consider the possibility that due to the upcoming presidential election in the United States, Israel might see the current timing as an opportunity to attack Hezbollah, believing that the Democrats need to secure the Jewish vote which will force Washington to stand by Israel. The combination of Israel's intelligence superiority, as demonstrated in the "pagers attack", the rising domestic pressure to deal with Hezbollah "once and for all," and the possibility of a weakened American restraining factor on the Israeli decision-makers puts Nasrallah on the spot--as one step in the wrong direction could cost Hezbollah, and Lebanon as a whole, dearly. After the 2006 war with Israel, Nasrallah later admitted that had he known the attack he had authorized on the Israeli border would lead to an all-out war, he would never have approved it. Let us hope that he remembers that lesson. PROPHECY UPDATE VIDEOS
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 An Angel of Light - By Stephen Meehan - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/09/18/an-angel-of-light-by-stephen-meehan/ “And marvel not; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:15). While reflecting on Bible prophecy and foretold things that will soon happen, there have been a few theories on how the sudden vanishing of a multitude of Christians via the Rapture of the Church will be explained away. The one that seems to be gaining the most traction recently is that UFOs will somehow be involved in taking out the “undesirables” from off the planet so that the rest of humanity can carry on in harmony without being impeded by the obvious bad effects of “Bible-thumping” Christians. But another theory may instead be implemented by the enemy to delude the inhabitants of Earth. There is no doubt that, in recent years, the talk of the existence of and the supposed sightings of extra-terrestrial craft has been in the news. The acceptance of such a notion that they are out there has been increasing through reports from a variety of different sources, including government officials, the military, airline pilots, and some astronomers. I had heard a few episodes of the old “Coast to Coast” radio program with Art Bell while flying out of New Mexico a few years back and was always tickled by the reports from people calling in, talking about their encounters, abductions, and probings from the aliens. I guess life out in outer space can be boring at times and needs to be spiced up with probing. Even the current pope has gotten in on the act by stating that he would not be averse to baptizing the aliens if they did indeed decide to visit our planet. It is hard to imagine, though, that they would just traverse the galaxies for a Catholic baptism instead of just requesting to be taken to our leader. Hopefully, the sprinkling of water on their foreheads will not have the same effect as listening to some Slim Whitman music! There could possibly be a more plausible tactic employed by Satan to trick the world into answering the question of “What happened to them? Where did they go?” immediately after the sudden disappearance of Christ’s saints. And a deception that he has already been using quite effectively throughout the globe for decades, maybe even centuries. The expression that Satan can appear as an angel of light could have a couple of meanings. It could be applied in the figurative sense in that it would be far more advantageous for him to carry on his diabolical deeds while cloaking himself as a source of light or good to optimize his devilish agenda of deception versus being a dark, sinister force continually using heavy-handed methods to exact a greater number of lost souls to his tally. Religion is a prime example of masquerading himself as a false minister of light. How many billions around the world are entrapped in a false plan of salvation by the phony theologies that he has created? To the people that are involved in a religious “-ism” – Shintoism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, Mormonism, Roman Catholicism – their particular religion is something positive and not emanating from a dark source. The founder of that religion must have meant it for good. They think that they are on the correct path to paradise when, in reality, they are on the path to destruction – just as the devil intended. Transforming himself into an angel of light could also take on a literal manifestation. “Marian apparitions” could be such a component of his deceptive capabilities. How many Roman Catholics and others have been duped by the appearances of “Our Lady” or the “Lady of Light” or the myriads of other titles that have been bestowed upon these visions of a supposedly heavenly woman? Is this phenomenon for real or just a clever ruse meant to deceive? People all over the world flock to where this trickery has occurred. It is all deception, as Jesus has NEVER promised to send visions of His earthly mother to speak to man. The Holy Spirit’s role as Comforter, Counselor, Helper, and Guide is more than sufficient to spiritually speak to us and continually point us to Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Another being – especially a human one – is not needed and could never fill in for or replace God. Marian apparitions, then, are not from God but are satanic manipulations designed to delude those who are not acquainted with the Holy Spirit-inspired Scripture. Only a fallen angelic being, though, like Lucifer, would conjure up a supposed image of someone that is very prominent in the Roman Catholic religion to deceive the lost and to keep them from worshipping God correctly. This is but another way for him to place someone instead of God before their eyes to adore, venerate, worship, and trust in – breaking the very first commandments of God: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me“ (Exodus 20:3-5). In God’s eyes, Roman Catholicism has created a god out of Mary. She is by far the most prominent being in that false religion. Rome, of course, denies this, but their actions prove otherwise. The first two commandments listed above are continually defied by the RCC. Satan knows this activity infuriates the Creator, so he keeps Catholics repeating it via prayers to her and having them pray before graven images or statues. Marian apparitions and the worship of these visions only keep this sort of idolatry paramount in the pope’s religion. It is all detested by God, and He equates this sort of worship as hating Him. Back when I was still a Catholic, I visited the town of Knock in Ireland, where a supposed apparition had occurred and where thousands visit each year on their pilgrimages. I also visited Fatima while on a four-day tour of Portugal. Who has not heard of “Our Lady of Fatima”? I had seen the movie of this appearance a couple of times and was enthralled with the story as a kid. Like other Catholics, I believed in these visions as being the actual “Mother of God.” It was a real eye-opener, though, to visit the shrine in Fatima. Daily, there are women who visit the shrine and then proceed to encircle the building dedicated to “Our Lady” on their bloodied knees, all in devotion to her or this “angel of light” that appeared there. Even then, as a Catholic, it was incredible to witness such a sight. Most of these people have never seen the vision themselves but go along with the ruse and become pilgrims to go there. There are hundreds of these places throughout the world. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people, have visited these sighting venues and believe in the validity of the real Mary coming to visit these sites. The world has been set up to accept such appearances as being authentic and to trust in the words spoken to them by this vision. They have no clue that it is the devil appearing to them as an “angel of light.” Anything that he would tell them as “Mary” would be believed. The hook was set long ago, and a worldwide deception could be easily swallowed by the deluded masses post-Rapture. To repeat, Scripture says nothing of the biblical Mary having the power or ability to descend from Heaven or to show herself to a select few at these sites. There would be no need for her to have to do that. But Satan is aware of the power behind these false appearances. The Bible is replete with verses on how to be saved, that simple faith in Jesus Christ is all that we need for redemption, that the Holy Spirit indwells all true believers, and that we only look to Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer, and not to others – including Mary. These sightings of “Mary” usually have her telling those at these places that it is through prayers to her or her “Immaculate Heart” or praying the Rosary or some other activity directed to her or through her that will affect souls getting saved, freed from Purgatory, or some other nonsense that is not biblical. It is all a ruse, all a spiritual charade. To the unknowing, it all sounds legitimate. To those who read the Bible, it all sounds phony. It all sounds deceptive. It all sounds devilish. It all sounds like a trap from an angel of darkness, not of light. Another way in which this false “angel of light” could deceive those on Earth after Christ comes for His true Church would be in mimicking a real messenger of God who will fly through the heavens, presenting the gospel to the Earth dwellers during the Tribulation. We read about this in Revelation 14:6-7: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” This is what a true angel of God will declare. Satan knows this. He is aware of what is in the Bible – he has had a long time to be proficient in its teachings. He could very easily have one of his own demonic angels pretend to give a heavenly message, but instead, it would emanate from Hell. He is all about deceiving and lying, and this could be another useful tactic that he could use to great effect to carry out his worldwide agenda of deceit. A false “angel of light” could point to itself or to the pretend “Our Lady” to beguile all listening or viewing. Is it beyond the realm of possibility that one or a series of these false sightings could be used to explain away what happened to the missing Christians? It would also be very effective to point the masses to the antichrist as the one who will solve the world’s problems and for all to get on board with his Luciferian program. Since mankind is already somewhat accustomed to the reports of these apparitions, it would seem that they would be more easily believed than a story of UFOs secretly transporting the missing masses from off the planet. Why would aliens want to remove only Christians anyway? What’s in it for them? How would they know who to take? The UFO theory seems to open up a huge can of worms. The devil showing up as “Mary” in one or many locations throughout the globe would be a better fit for how Satan would want to deceive after the Rapture. Since the false Mary is so prevalent in Roman Catholic teachings and practices, it could be a pope that the world would gravitate toward when wanting to find out what happened moments after the Rapture. Why go to a secular leader or agency when one who is supposedly Christ on Earth and supposedly connected with God should have all the answers? The apparitions could propel and point to, at the same time, a false one-world religion, a false holy father, and a false vision of Mary. It could jumpstart the antichrist’s legitimacy as a false Christ figure. It has all the components needed to bewitch the entire planet. Throw in some “strong delusion” that will occur as a result of people rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior – as the Bible warns will happen – and you have a ready-made recipe for how to explain away where the missing went. Who would doubt such a scenario? How would UFOs accomplish any of the above? The UFO theory could just be a sleight of hand on the devil’s part. Scan the sky for some alien craft to be flying off, but in the meantime, how about a visit from Heaven by someone you can trust? She’ll explain everything. Just pay attention to “her” words. She has been so believable in the past. You know that you can trust her! “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders“ (2 Thessalonians 2:8-9). [email protected] Six Reasons Why Every Christian Should Desire The Soon Return of Jesus – By David Reagan - https://harbingersdaily.com/six-reasons-why-every-christian-should-desire-the-soon-return-of-jesus/ As every new year dawns, I find myself earnestly yearning that it will be the year that will initiate the end time events that will lead to the Lord’s return to this earth. The first of those events will be the Rapture of the Church. That will be followed by the Great Tribulation of seven years, a period of unparalleled horror that will culminate in the return of Jesus to reign over all the world. The writings of the early Church Fathers (100 to 300 A.D.) reveal that one of the earliest prayers of the Church was “Maranatha!” (1 Corinthians 16:22). That word is actually an Aramaic phrase that means “Our Lord come!” This prayer expresses a fact that is confirmed by many other scriptures; namely, that the First Century Church had an ardent desire for the soon return of Jesus. A Waning of the Zeal The Twentieth Century Church seems to have lost that desire. Most professing Christians today do not pray “Maranatha!” They do not yearn for the return of the Lord. Instead of yearning, they are yawning. Christendom at large is caught up in apathy regarding the return of Jesus. And that is sad, for the Word says that the return of the Lord is our “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13). Also, we are constantly admonished in Scripture to watch for the Lord’s coming and to be ready. Jesus Himself said, “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight… for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Luke 12:35,40). Paul exhorted Titus to live “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). And as Paul faced death in prison, he wrote: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” — 2 Timothy 4:7-8 Think of it, Paul says that a special reward — “a crown of righteousness,” will be given to any person who lives his or her life loving the appearing of the Lord. Are you a candidate for this reward? Do you have a zealous yearning in your heart for the Lord’s soon return? Do you pray daily, “Maranatha!”? Looking for Jesus There are at least six reasons why every Christian should earnestly desire the soon return of Jesus: 1) Jesus: When Jesus returns He will get what He deserves — honor, glory and power. When He came the first time, He was repudiated by the Jews, rejected by His home town, and spurned by his family. He was persecuted by the religious leaders, betrayed by a friend, denied by another friend, deserted by His disciples, and mocked by the masses. He had no place to lay His head. His only possession was a robe. He was born in a stable, raised in poverty, nailed to a tree, and buried in a borrowed tomb. Today, people scoff at Him and ridicule Him. His name is used as a curse word. That is not what He deserves! It is going to be different when He returns. The first time He came as a gentle and helpless baby. He is going to return as a mighty warrior. He came the first time as a suffering lamb to die for the sins of the world, but He will return as a conquering lion who will pour out the wrath of God on those who have rejected the love, mercy and grace of God. His first coming was marked by compassion, humility, and a willingness to be judged and to die. He will return in triumph and in wrath to judge and make war against the enemies of God. He came the first time as a Servant; He is returning as a Monarch. Jesus was humiliated in history. I want to see Him vindicated and glorified in history. And He will be because His Father has promised Him that He will reign over all the earth (Psalm 2:7-9). He has also been promised that He will manifest His glory before His saints (Isaiah 24:21-23) and before the nations of the earth (Isaiah 66:18 & Psalm 22:27-31). Paul says He is returning “to be glorified in His saints… and to be marveled at among all who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10). 2) Satan: When Jesus returns, Satan will receive what he deserves — defeat, dishonor and humiliation. I’m sick of Satan. I’m tired of his plots and schemes and lies and deceptions. I’m fed up with his sicknesses and temptations. I’m weary of his physical, emotional and spiritual pollution. I’m disgusted with his wrecking of marriages and homes. I loath his wars and terrorism. I despise His ceaseless attacks on the Church. I often feel like the martyrs portrayed in Revelation who cry out day and night before the throne of God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” (Revelation 6:10) Like Isaiah, I want to cry out to God, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!” (Isaiah 64:1). The fate of Satan was sealed by the Cross, but his nefarious activities will not cease until the Lord returns. At that time, the Word says that God will deal with Satan decisively. Luke 18:7 says that God will vindicate His elect who cry out to Him day and night by providing them justice. Romans 16:20 says that Satan will be “crushed.” The book of Revelation says he will then be thrown into the lake of fire where he “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10 — see also, Isaiah 14:12-17). But Satan doesn’t want to go to Hell alone. He’s working overtime to take as many people with him as he can. And I want that work stopped! I want Satan to get what he deserves. 3) The Creation: When Jesus returns, the creation will receive what it has been promised — restoration. The material universe was originally created in beauty and perfection. There were no poisonous plants or animals, nor were there any meat eating animals. There were no natural cataclysms like earthquakes and tornados. Mankind lived in perfect harmony with nature. But when Man rebelled against God, one of the consequences of his sin was that God placed a curse on the creation. Poisonous plants and animals suddenly appeared. The animal kingdom turned against itself and Man as some of the animals became meat eaters. And the natural cataclysms began to take their toll. Man now had to strive against nature to survive. But the moment God placed the curse on the creation, He promised that one day it would be lifted through “the seed of woman” (Genesis 3:15). That promise is repeated throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Isaiah 11, the prophet says that when the Messiah comes to reign, “the wolf will dwell with the lamb” and “the lion will eat straw like the ox.” He further states that “the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra” because the snake will no longer be poisonous. Paul reaffirms this promise in the New Testament in the eighth chapter of Romans. He pictures the whole creation as being like a pregnant woman gripped by birth pains, crying out for the moment of delivery. He says that moment will come when “the sons of God are revealed.” In other words, it will occur at the resurrection when the Lord returns (Romans 8:18-23). On the day the Lord returns, the earth will be renovated by earthquakes and supernatural phenomena in the heavens (Revelation 6:12-17). The result will be a refreshed and beautified earth. The destructive forces of nature will be curtailed. Deserts will bloom. The plant and animal kingdoms will be redeemed. Poisonous plants and animals will cease to be poisonous. The carnivorous animals will become herbivorous. All of nature will cease to strive against itself. Instead, it will work together harmoniously to the benefit of Man. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 35:1-10; Isaiah 65:17-25; Acts 3:19-21; and Romans 8:18-23) 4) The Nations: When Jesus returns, the nations will receive what they have been promised — peace, righteousness and justice. Mankind has dreamed of world peace throughout history. Disarmament treaties have been negotiated, peace treaties have been signed, international organizations have been created, but true peace has remained elusive. The Bible says that permanent world peace will never be achieved until the Prince of Peace, the Messiah, returns. Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied that when the Lord returns, the nations “will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” and that “nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war” (Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3). The hope of the world for peace will never be realized in summit conferences between heads of state. The only hope is the return of Jesus who will rule the world with “a rod of iron” (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:26-27). 5) The Jews: When Jesus returns, the Jews will receive what they have been promised — salvation and primacy. God has made many wonderful promises to His chosen people, the nation of Israel. Most of these are unfulfilled and will not be fulfilled until a remnant of the Jews turn to Jesus and accept Him as their Messiah. The prophetic scriptures tell us this will happen at the end of the Tribulation when the Jews who are left alive have come to the end of themselves and decide to turn to God. Zechariah says this remnant will “look upon Him whom they have pierced and will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10). The prophet also says that on that day of repentance, “a fountain of salvation will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity” (Zechariah 13:1). This believing remnant will then be regathered to the land of Israel to receive the blessings that God has promised the nation. Those incredible blessings are described in great detail in chapters 60 through 62 of Isaiah. God’s Shekinah glory will return (Is. 60:2) to a rebuilt Temple (Is. 60:7). The nations will send all kinds of assistance (Is. 60:10), including their wealth (Is. 60:5). The land of Israel will be reclaimed (Is. 60:13), the nation will receive respect (Is. 60:15), the people will enjoy peace (Is. 60: 18), and the Messiah will live in their presence (60:13,19). All the ruins will be rebuilt (Is. 61:4) and the land will be filled with joy (Is. 61:7-8) and praise (Is. 61:10-11). The nation will be a beacon of righteousness, and its glory will be witnessed all over the world (Is. 62:1-3). To sum it up, Isaiah says the nation of Israel will be “a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of God” (Is. 62:3). In effect, the world will be turned upside down regarding its relationship to the Jews. Today the Jewish people are despised and persecuted. They are the butt of jokes and ridicule. But a day is coming when all that will cease. Zechariah says that during the Lord’s millennial reign the Jewish people will be so honored that when a Jew walks by, ten Gentiles will grab his clothing and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23). 6) The Saints: Some of the promises to the Saints — to those who are member’s of the Lord’s Church — will be fulfilled at the time of the Rapture. The Rapture is an event that could occur any moment. It will precede the Second Coming. At the Rapture, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living will be translated to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is at this time that both the living and dead in Christ will receive their glorified bodies. These will be immortal, perfected bodies — like the body that Jesus had after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42-53 and Philippians 3:21). When Jesus returns to this earth, the Saints will come with Him and will witness His glorious victory over the Antichrist and his forces (Revelation 19:11-21). The Saints will then receive what they have been promised — a redeemed earth and ruling power over the nations (Matthew 5:5 and Revelation 2:26-27). Jesus will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords (Isaiah 24:21-23). David in his glorified body will reign as king of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9 and Ezekiel 34:23-24). The Saints in their glorified bodies will be scattered all over the world to assist with the Lord’s reign (2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 2:26-27). Some will serve as administrators (mayors, governors, presidents, and kings), others will serve as judges, but most will serve as teachers, for the entire educational system of the world will be in the hands of glorified Saints. It will be their responsibility to teach those who are in the flesh about the Lord. There will be no legislators (thank God!), for Jesus Himself will give the law. (See Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 66:19-21; Jeremiah 3:12-18; and Luke 19:11-27.) These six reasons make it clear that every Christian should be earnestly desiring the return of the Lord. Yet apathy prevails. Why? Yawning about Jesus I have found four reasons for the apathy and indifference that characterize the Christian community concerning the return of Jesus: unbelief, ignorance, fear, and carnality. Unbelief — Regarding unbelief, many professing Christians simply do not believe that Jesus will ever return. Most of these are people with a liberal view of Scripture. They have spiritualized away the meaning of the Second Coming, just as they have spiritualized the virgin birth and the miracles. To them, the Second Coming is nothing more than a fairy tale. In 2 Peter 3:3-4, we are told that the end times will be characterized by scoffers who will mock the Lord’s promise to return. The tragedy is that many of these are people who profess to be Christians. Ignorance — I think most of the Christians who are apathetic about the Lord’s return are just ignorant about what will happen when He comes back. As a result, they cannot get excited about an event they know nothing about. I was in this category for thirty years. Although I attended church faithfully, my church ignored the teaching and preaching of God’s Prophetic Word. I didn’t have the foggiest idea about what would happen when the Lord came back, and the result was apathy about His return. But when I began studying Bible prophecy and learned what is in store for believers when the Lord returns, I started jumping pews and shouting “Maranatha!” I have never been apathetic since that time. Fear — The apathy of some Christians is due to the fact that they fear the Lord’s return. Because of that fear, they try to repress the thought that He might break from the Heavens at any moment. They fear He might return on one of their “bad” days or when they have an “unconfessed sin” on their conscience. These people are caught up in works salvation. They do not understand that they are saved by grace and that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Carnality — Finally, there are many carnal Christians who cannot get excited about the coming of the Lord because they are in love with the world. They are walking with one foot in the church and one foot in the country club. They want the Lord to come, but they want Him to come when they are 80 years old and have experienced all that this world has to offer. In other words, they want Him to come, but they don’t want Him to mess up their lives. A Seventh Reason Let me conclude with a personal note. There is another reason I want Jesus to return. It has to do with the fact that when you love someone, you want to be with them. I love to fellowship with Jesus in worship, in prayer, and in His Word. But these forms of fellowship are no substitute for being with Him. I love Him, and therefore… I want to be with Him. I want to bask in the presence of His love and holiness. I want to see the glory of God in His face. I want to kiss His nail-scarred hands and say, “Thank you!” Thank you for… dying for me, forgiving me, changing me, guiding me, comforting me, and for giving my life meaning and purpose. And I want to join the Saints and the Heavenly Host in singing, “Worthy is the Lamb!” Maranatha! Daily Jot: Kamala’s propaganda policy page - Part II - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Americans have suffered through over three years of uncontrollable inflation. Housing, energy, fuel, water, and food prices have soared anywhere from 20-100 percent. It is estimated that the average household has lost 30% of its purchasing power during the Biden-Harris Administration. As Vice President Kamala Harris may not be directly responsible for this tragedy, but she is complicit and guilty of it by matter of her strong advocacy for these policies. Policies that began with Joe Biden’s first week in office when through executive order he set out to destroy America’s energy and oil industry by regulating them out of business. Climate change, administrative laws, border policy are among the contributing factors. Marxism seeks to place government in control of the entirety of the population. In communist countries, the government controls housing, food pricing and distribution, energy consumption and even moral acts. If the government can dictate whether a citizen has a home, can eat, has appropriate heating and cooling, healthcare and citizen behavior, it is a dictatorship, the antithesis of the American ideal. In that, those who are faithful to the government are the ones who get the benefits of a government. It destroys the backbone of a free economy—the middle class. This is the circumstance that all Americans are facing today. It is highly unlikely that any true American would embrace this. However, there is a 40-47% of the citizenry that will believe the propaganda that their moral duty is to those who are destroying them. Kamala Harris is not remotely saying that these policies are harming people. In her “A New Way Forward” policy statement she is, instead, embracing more of the same destructive edicts. Not once is inflation mentioned, but throughout she is doubling down on the causes of America’s current descent. From climate change to government housing to healthcare to government jobs to education to government “investment” in housing and businesses to taxing unrealized income, she is presenting the case for government control of every man, woman and child. Another four years of this kind of governing, the freedom of Americans and the foundation of the Constitutional Republic will be unrecognizable. She mentions freedom no less than 11 times in this short document. The propaganda is aimed at making Americans believe the government is giving freedom through these policies. There is nothing further from the truth. The opportunities she mentions are government granted. In her vision, the administrative state will continue to grow. Inflation will continue to increase. Jobs creation will be at taxpayer expense. Health, food, fuel, electric and housing will continue under the tightening grip of government control. The education system will teach that this way is the morally right way and those who dissent are wishing to destroy “democracy.” Government is not God. Ephesians 5:6 says, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Take heed. Daily Devotion: Worse Than Before - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. —2 Peter 2:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/worse-than-before-2/ - Listen When we’re sharing the gospel with our friends and family, we must always remember to pray, because a spiritual battle is raging. Once Satan has taken hold of a life, he does not want to let go. So when he sees people making advances toward Jesus Christ, he will do everything in his power to stop them. And he’s always on duty. The Bible warns, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). In the parable of the sower, Jesus described the seed of God’s Word being scattered on the ground, which represented human hearts. He said, “The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long” (Mark 4:15–17 NLT). Sometimes, people say they have become Christians, but in a month or two, they return to their old ways. They claim they “tried” Christianity, but it didn’t work for them. No, they never really found Christ. Because if they really knew Him, they wouldn’t go back to their former way of life. They went through the motions, but Christ never really became part of their lives. It may just be that many of the people who claim to have been converted have never been converted at all. And often, they end up worse than they were before. Jesus said, “When a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings” (Luke 11:21–22 NLT). The strong man Jesus was speaking of is Satan. He gets a foothold in a person’s life, and he wants to guard his investment. And all the religion and rituals in the world won’t drive out a demon power. There is only one hope, and that is when “someone even stronger” comes in, according to Luke’s Gospel. That Someone, of course, is Jesus Christ. We need His help. When people make a few moral changes, they start to feel better about themselves. They begin to trust in their own morality and the changes they’ve made. And in their smugness, they don’t think they need God. In essence, the devil has them right where he wants them. And in the end, he has a firmer foothold in their lives than he originally had. The Bible says, “And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before” (2 Peter 2:20 NLT). We must have Jesus Christ take residence in our hearts and lives, changing us from the inside out. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 9/19/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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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