Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Our God Is an Awesome God - Jack Kinsella -
www.omegaletter.com "Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. . . Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." "Behold, ye are of nothing. . ." (Isaiah 41:21,23-24a) There is so much going on in the world related to Bible prophecy that it is sometimes helpful to take a step back and contemplate a bit on the Big Picture. It is easy to get so caught up in the details that one misses the awesome power of the Big Picture itself; the embodiment of the old saying about being unable to 'see the forest for the trees'. Bible prophecy is more than a prediction about the future. It is a promise about the future. God doesn't just list events out of context, the events emerge later out of the promises He makes. God promised the restoration of Israel in the last days as a benchmark against which to measure other end-time's promises. To bring about the restoration, God promised that the Jews would be forced out of Israel, scattered worldwide, persecuted worldwide, and that they would then return to Israel. All of these promises were fulfilled in the context of the greater Promises of the Big Picture; the return of Christ for His Church and the national redemption of the Jews. The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies. Some were fulfilled more than 3000 years ago. Others have been fulfilled since then. The most astonishingly unlikely prophecy of Scripture was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, when Israel resumed its seat at the table of nations after a 2700 year absence, as prophesied by Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, Isaiah and Jesus. Israel was established as a nation some 3400 years ago. The Jews lost sovereignty about 2700 years ago. Israel existed under a succession of conquerors until AD 70 when the Jews were banished from the Holy Land by the Romans. They wandered, persecuted and afflicted, and were dispersed (but never absorbed) among all the nations of the world. But when God called them back to their land at the appointed time, they came in exactly the order prophesied: "Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 43:4-5) Zionist history records the first modern mass emigration of Jews back to the Holy Land as the "First Aliyah" (1882-1903): "Between 1882 and 1903, approximately 35,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine, then a province of the Ottoman Empire. The majority, belonging to the Hibbat Zion and Bilu movements, came from Eastern Europe with a smaller number arriving from Yemen." (Wikipedia entry for 'aliyah') These early immigrants from the East later gathered together with the survivors of Hitler's Holocaust in Western Europe, and, under the slogan, "Never again" declared the rebirth of the sovereign state of Israel. The Soviets soon clamped down on Jewish emigration, and Jewish 'refuseniks' languished in Soviet labor camps until the USSR collapsed and 'gave up' her Jews -- from the north. In 1991, during a 36-hour covert operation, Israel airlifted 14,325 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in defiance of the Mengistu regime then in power who was 'holding back' the Ethiopian Jewish community from emigrating to Israel. Since then, dozens of other rescue operations have been mounted for isolated Jewish communities world-wide. God's promise was fulfilled exactly as it was given, in order and to the last detail. "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." (Isaiah 46:9-10) Allow yourself a second to contemplate that verse and what it reveals. God's 'signature' is to start at the end with a Promise, then outline in advance how He will keep it. First, the end -- Israel's restoration -- told 'from the beginning' and then, 'from ancient times' His method for accomplishing 'the things that are not yet done.' God not only promised Israel's restoration, but in so doing, foretold, in detail, the events that would make restoration necessary -- and the order in which He would accomplish it. Down to details like the subtle difference between 'gathering' from the West and commanding the South to 'hold not back'. Awesome. The prophet Joel foretold that the modern state of Israel will be partitioned by other nations: "I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for My people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land." (Joel 3:2) Zechariah foretold that Jerusalem would become the focus of international attention, a 'burdensome stone' that will cause all the nations of the world to be gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:1-5) The prophet Micah said that in the last days, Jerusalem would become the world's most important religious site. (Micah 4:1) NONE of this was even possible to be fulfilled only a generation ago. Today, it is so much a part of the daily newscasts that it loses its impact. Step back from it for a minute and see it for what it actually is. The scenario playing out before our eyes conforms exactly with God's promises regarding Israel in the last days. That is just part of the Big Picture. It's awesome. All the rest of the details are, in and of themselves, just as awesome. But when you step back and see how each detail is so interdependent on so many other details, 'awesome' isn't quite adequate to describe it. The attention to detail confirms for us that no matter how chaotic and out of control world events seem to be, everything is going according to Divine Plan. God remains in control of events and He told us how it all turns out in the end. And since He hasn't been wrong yet, we can trust Him on it. How awesome is that? Memri reveals Muslim call to arms to form joint ISLAMIC ARMY to invade Israel! - http://therightscoop.com/here-we-go-memri-reveals-muslim-call-to-arms-to-form-joint-islamic-army-to-invade-israel/ The website Memri, known for monitoring and translating the Middle East, has uncovered a doozy for us in recent days and it goes right along with what we've been saying about Erdogan's plans to resurrect the fatally wounded head of the Ottoman Empire. First allow me to set the scene. On December 6, as you well know, Trump changed US policy recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and set in motion a plan to move our embassy there from Tel Aviv. That brought about outrage and protests in the Middle East - some violent - and condemnations from all over Muslim world of Trump's decision. Even the UN tried unsuccessfully to get Trump to undo his decision. Then Erdogan steps up and takes charge of this issue on behalf of the Muslim world, making ominous threats against Israel that sound akin to invasion while leading the OIC to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. That's the backdrop. Six days after Trump made this recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, one of the top news websites in Turkey ran an article entitled "What If an Army of Islam Was Formed against Israel?" They ran it on both their newspaper (below) and on their website. Translated: A Call for Urgent Action for Jerusalem Full stop. This is exactly what the Bible predicts will happen in the last days, as we've explained at some length in our Bible Prophecy Primer. Ezekiel 38 specifically explains how Turkey, partnered with Iran and many other Muslim nations will invade Jerusalem. Zechariah 14 talks about how the nations with gather against Jerusalem in the last days and that the city shall be taken and half of the city exiled to other countries. And on and on we could go. Now before we get to the nitty gritty details of this Yeni Safak article, you need to first know something about the source of the material Yeni Safak used. This is where some excellent research from Memri comes in to play. They explain that the source of this material is from an organization called SADAT: The main points of the article are taken from the website of the Turkish SADAT International Defense and Consulting Company, which provides consultancy on defense and warfare, both conventional and unconventional, and on military organization, training and gear. The company has an agenda of promoting pan-Islamic military cooperation. According to its mission statement, it seeks "to establish defense collaboration and defense industry cooperation among Islamic countries, to help the Islamic world take its rightful place among the superpowers by providing... strategic consultancy and training services to the militaries and homeland security forces of Islamic countries." According to Israeli security sources, the SADAT company is involved in aiding Hamas, and seeks to assist - with funds and military gear - the creation of a "Palestine Army" to fight Israel. Here's how Michael Rubin with AEI describes SADAT: ...SADAT, a private paramilitary group which emerged from the shadows on the evening of the coup: Eyewitnesses say SADAT members fired into crowds and Turkish military officers suspect SADAT snipers to be responsible for at least some of the casualties that occurred on the trans-Bosporus bridge. Adnan Tanriverdi, a former general dismissed for his Islamist leanings after the 1997 coup, founded SADAT in 2012. After the coup, Erdogan brought Tanriverdi into his office as chief military counselor. Thanks to a rule change made at Erdogan's direction, many Islamists dismissed from the military who found refuge in SADAT subsequently re-joined the military with retroactive credit for promotions they did not receive in the military because of early termination. ...SADAT appears increasingly to act as Erdogan's personal militia or a Turkish equivalent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The "Turkish equivalent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." Also Adnan Tanriverdi is pictured above in the center. Memri explains that the information used in the Yeni Safak article was taken from a PDF that no longer exists on the SADAT website. But Memri has it available upon request. Hamas Taking Steps to Plot Israeli Independence Day Border Chaos - by Ali Waked - http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2018/03/13/hamas-taking-steps-plot-israeli-independence-day-border-chaos/ Hamas has demanded that other jihadist Palestinian organizations prevent any attempts to carry out attacks in the border area with Israel in order to avoid harming the chances of leading thousands of Palestinians to the border fence in a protest planned as part of events marking the 70th anniversary of Israel's founding, a senior official in one of the jihadist Palestinian organizations told Breitbart Jerusalem. According to the source, in a meeting between Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, and representatives of the Palestinian factions, Hamas insisted that Israel must not be given an "excuse" to take steps that would make people afraid to approach the Israel-Gaza fence, which would harm the planned protest in which thousands are expected to march to the fence. Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported last week that the IDF is preparing for attempts by Hamas to send thousands of protesters to the border on Israeli Independence Day on April 19, taking advantage of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Breitbart Jerusalem also reported last month that Hamas and the Palestinian factions are considering the idea of sending thousands of protesters to the border with Israel to put pressure on Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the international community to find a solution to the hardships in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian source, Hamas plans to attempt to begin processions in the coming weeks and bring them to a climax on Israeli Independence Day. The source noted that in a meeting attended by Haniyeh, Hamas demanded that attack attempts be prevented like the one from two months ago when four IDF soldiers were wounded by an explosive device wrapped in a Palestinian flag and hung on the border fence. Nearing Midnight: South Africa is Begging for God's Wrath - Todd Strandberg - http://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The South African Parliament passed a measure last week that would confiscate all land owned by white farmers. The vote is the first step in amending part of South Africa's constitution that would allow the government to take the land from the white farmers and not provide them with any financial compensation. The proposal, which passed 241 to 83, has the full support the Marxist African National Congress (ANC). When the apartheid system ended in 1991, it was replaced by the much loved Nelson Mandela. Widely regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice, Mandela received more than 250 honors-including the Nobel Peace Prize. The cult of personality that surrounds him could not find the fact that he was a communist. South Africa was once the richest nation on the African continent. Its vast mineral wealth once had it producing most of the world's supply of gold, platinum, and diamonds. Today, South Africa has fallen to third place as an economic power. Its production of gold has fallen to fifth place. The basic income of the South African people has been in a slow decline over the past two decades. The failure of socialism in the USSR, Cuba, and Venezuela should have spelled extinction for this system of government. It continues to thrive because of greed and envy. People cannot resist a government that promises them free things, and the idea of stealing from the rich to give to the poor is equally appealing. When the number of takers in a society grows faster than the number of producers, the wealth of the nation begins to decline. This is what is happening in South Africa. The ANC blames the downturn on its white citizenry. Even though the blacks have a monopoly on power and comprise 90% of the population, somehow scapegoating the whites will make things better. The leader of this effort to drive out the white farmer is Julius Malema. This radical Marxist is following the game plan of the Nazis. In 2016, Malema said he was "not calling for the slaughter of white people - at least for now." At a recent rally, Malema called on his followers to "go after the white man" and "cut the throat of whiteness." The persecution of white farmers is already a reality. Last year, more than 70 people were killed in more than 340 such attacks," reported the Australian News.com. Over the past 20 years, the number of white farmers has declined from 60,000 to 30,000. South Africa is traveling the same path as Zimbabwe, which "plunged into famine after a government-sanctioned purge of white farmers in the 2000s." The now deposed President Robert Mugabe thought that food just popped out of the ground. The Zimbabwe government has asked for the farmers to return; but now that many of them have set up farms in neighboring Zambia, it's unlikely that they would return. It is an absolute disgrace that the world has been mostly silent on this land grab by the South African Parliament. Because we live in a world where civil rights don't apply to Caucasians, the major news media have seen no need to cover this story. I think South Africa's troubles are going to blossom in the coming days for a far greater sin. Cape Town has a deep devotion to anti-Israel ideology. In December, the ANC decided to downgrade the status of the country's embassy in Tel Aviv. Last month it voted to cut ties with Israel 'over abuse of Palestinians.' South Africa has even refused any help from Israel over its growing water crisis. Cape Town is in the grip of the worst drought the city has experienced in 100 years. Day Zero is the date when the taps run dry. By summer, four million people in the city of Cape Town may have to stand in line to collect their ration of drinking water. It's interesting that South Africa was at its glorious peak when it had a close relationship with Israel. Now that South Africa is ruled by a gang of Israel-hating racist thugs, this nation is a shadow of its former self. "As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it" (Job 4:8 NIV). We ARE The Last Generation - how much time is left? - Joel - http://www.christianevidence.net/2018/03/we-are-last-generation-how-much-time-is.html The Parable of the Fig Tree "Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever." (Matthew 24:32-35) Let's take a closer look at the meaning of this parable... "Now learn the parable of the fig tree ..." Firstly, the verb "learn" here is in the imperative mood, which means it is a command, not something optional. Next, who or what is the fig tree in this verse? (Remember only the Scriptures can be used to interpret the parables recorded in them) The answer to this question is unmistakably Israel. I'll give just ONE example in Hosea 9:10: "I (God) found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at her first time." (Hosea 9:10) In the above verse, God compares Israel to grapes and the fathers to fruits of the fig tree. Jesus often used fig tree in parabolic form when communicating things about Israel, and there are several other verses to confirm this (Joel 1:6-8, 12; Luke 13:6-9; Jeremiah 24; Jeremiah 29:16-19). Virtually every theologian will agree that in the Bible, Israel is referred to as the fig tree. In addition, the verse above is almost a direct parallel to what Jesus said in Matthew 24. "When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near..." The verb "know" here is also in the imperative mood in the Greek, which means it is a command. "He is near..." translated estin in Greek, literally means the time when the Lord is coming to establish His kingdom. "I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place." When Jesus says "this generation," the Greek word for generation here is genea. Genea refers to a particular age or time. Combined with the statement "all these things take place," which would include all the events of the seven year Tribulation - everything that Jesus had been talking about...the birth pains (vs. 4-14)...the abomination of desolation (vs. 15)...the need to flee because of the impending dangers (vs. 16-28)...and the catastrophic chaos of the universe (vs. 29), brings us to the conclusion that the generation in existence when Israel was formed will not pass away (die) before the Second Coming. So what does this full verse mean? It simply means that the generation that sees Israel reborn and the fig tree "put out its leaves" is the same generation that will see the completion of the Tribulation and the return of Jesus Christ (Second Coming). Remember, this verse is in the imperative mood, which means it is a command for us - not just a parable to be overlooked! And guess what? Israel, a country that had not really existed as a separate nation for nearly 2,500 years, was declared a new sovereign state by an act of the United Nations on May 14, 1948! How long is a generation? There's another obvious question concerning this parable: how long is a generation? The length of a generation has not always been constant since the days of Adam and Eve. From the time of Adam up to today, humanity lifespan on earth has been deteriorating. The answer to this question can be found in the most significant and definitive declaration in the Bible for the life span of man which is given in Psalm 90 (Psalm 90:10). The Psalmist states that the life span of man is normally seventy years, eighty years if blessed with outstanding health: "The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they be eighty years, yet is their labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." (Psalms 90:10) It's interesting that, even though Moses wrote Psalms 90 over 3,000 years ago, and he lived to be 120 years old, today, 70 years is almost exactly the average life expectancy of human beings worldwide. The average life span of those living today in Israel is between 70 and 80 years! It is reasonable to conclude that the generation Christ was talking about in the parable of the fig tree will also be 70 to 80 years in length. In fact, Christ's parable of the Fig Tree in Matthew 24:32-35 and Moses' length of a generation in Psalms 90:10 seem to go hand in hand! Labour and sorrow is figurative of the Great Tribulation, that is soon cut off thus Jesus ends it when He comes riding on a horse to Armageddon battle and we fly away. On 14th of May 1948, the state of Israel was proclaimed a nation! Since 1948, we have seen Israel put forth leaves on her tender branches both economically, military, financially and spiritually, and Israel has become a world force always on news all over the world. If the leaves of the fig tree can be said to have sprung forth in 1948, then the generation is 70 years old this year! If we use a generation of 80 years (with years of labor and sorrow) according to Psalms 90:10, then the year for 1948 generation to be over is (1948 + 80 years): 2028. Taking into account the seven-year Tribulation period, that would place the latest year for rapture and the beginning of the great tribulation to occur as (2028 - 7): 2021. That's only 3 years from now! Israel's rebirth, along with recent prophetic events, are a strong indication that the generation Christ was talking about has already been born, and the return of Jesus Christ to establish His reign for a thousand years is very close at hand. Considering Israel will mark 70 years (normal life span of man) of statehood on May 14th this year, and the signs of the time are all around us, we must remain watchful and alert, and continue spreading the gospel! Time is running out. I am not attempting in any way, shape, form or fashion to set a day and hour for the return of Jesus but I am revealing the season for His return. While the Bible says we don't know the day or hour, it certainly says that we know the times and seasons (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). Otherwise, what was the point of giving signs that would indicate His coming was near? The time of the "last days" that Jesus referred to, is not "in the future" and it's not "coming soon". It is here right now. Stay alert, Jesus is coming! Daily Jot: Federal authority over education - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The framers of the US Constitution had a healthy distaste for federal government in the sense that they placed many checks and balances in the Constitution to prevent government from trampling the rights of citizens. They also didn't want government to become tyrannical due to brainwashing generations of Americans toward a certain "governmental" philosophy. Hence, the 10th Amendment, which says, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Education was most certainly one of those powers that were reserved to the state and to the people. So what changed? The federal government began issuing policy requirements during Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. During the Carter Administration, the Department of Education was created in 1979. According to the Department of Education's website, its mission is to establish policies related to federal education funding, administer distribution of funds and monitor their use; collect data and oversee research on America's schools; identify major issues in education and focus national attention on them; and enforce federal laws prohibiting discrimination in programs that receive federal funds. Herein, is where the federal government weaseled it's philosophies on liberalism, teaching things outside of reading, writing and arithmetic, and ruining generations of young American's worldview on the country, its history, and their role as citizens. All education was intended by the Founding Fathers to be administered, funded and taught locally in partnership with the respective state government to ensure uniformity across rural and urban areas in the state. But the federal government under the direction of liberals began pushing its programs onto the states and localities using the carrot of money. If states and school districts wanted funding from the federal government, they needed to comply with what the federal government wanted taught. State curricula began to be influenced heavily by federal government. The Department of Education publishes recommended teaching strategies and materials. This is something that should have never happened. So let's fast forward to today where we have a society of dumbed-down youth who are more politically influenced and historically ignorant than any generation before it. They have little or no understanding of the Bill of Rights, except where it pertains to deconstructing what they consider a white supremacy society that trolls every minority on purpose. They will be protesting the 2nd Amendment right of gun possession and the school personnel support that protest. They can't be led in Christian prayer in school, but they must study Islam. They can't balance a checkbook, but they know how to use a condom. It's messed up. And we need to take back local control instead of using schools as a glorified tax-supported baby sitter. As Proverb 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Hmmm. Daily Devotion: See You in the Morning - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. -1 Thessalonians 4:13 I heard the story of a Christian man who was on his deathbed and called his three sons into his room. To his two sons who were believers, he said, "Good-bye, my sons. I will see you in the morning." Then he turned to his other son, who wasn't a Christian. With sadness in his voice, he said, "Good-bye, son." The son answered, "Father, why did you say, 'I will see you in the morning' to my brothers, yet you said 'Good-bye' to me?" "Because you haven't put your faith in Christ," his father told him. "I can't say I will see you in the morning. I'm just saying good-bye, because I don't think I'll ever see you again." The son began to weep. "But I want to see you again," he said. "You have to put your faith in Christ. Then we will be reunited," his father told him. So his son became a believer that day. The hope of the Christian is that we'll see our loved ones again. Death is not the end. It doesn't mean that we aren't sad when a loved one dies. We grieve like any person grieves. We cry. The depth of our sorrow is an indication of the depth of our love. If you love someone and they're gone, then of course you grieve deeply. But as believers, we also have hope. We know we'll be reunited with our loved ones who have died in Christ. I believe that thinking about Heaven is one of the best things we can do when we're grieving. In fact, Heaven becomes much more real to us when we have loved ones there. We don't grieve hopelessly; we grieve hopefully. For the Christian, life on earth is as bad as it gets. Better things are coming. 
FROM THE HEART
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 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 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. 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 Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
|
|