Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Rapture Dates and Trumpet Judgments - Pete Garcia -
http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8646 (Random Thoughts on Bible Prophecy: Part I) Inevitably, as we draw closer to the last days, things are beginning to happen with increasing frequency and intensity. These events will trigger a whole slew of emotional responses for those who are awake and watching, ranging from excitement and anticipation, to fear and foreboding. There will even be that eerie (uncanny) feeling we get when we see the prophetic passages of Scripture literally being fulfilled as we watch events unfold. In these instances, we should take comfort in the words of Christ who, on numerous occasions, stated that we were told all these things beforehand so when they happened, we would believe (John 13:19, 14:29, 15:26, 16:4). There is no particular format for this brief; I have just had a series of things on my mind so I will unpack these in no particular order. Rapture-Feasts of the Lord Leviticus 23-There are many who believe that the Rapture of the Church has to take place on a feast date such as Trumpets or Pentecost. Then there are those who believe a Rapture-event is not dependent upon such dates, but could happen at any moment. I have changed my opinion on this particular topic and now lean toward the former (feast-Rapture) bandwagon simply because Scripture does not support these specific Christ-centric events as happening haphazardly (see Galatians 4:4-5). Those who believe it has to be on a feast date, make strong cases to the fact that the term "no man knows the day or hour," is a Jewish idiom referencing the start of the fall feasts. The fall feasts start at the head of their new year (Rosh Hashanah-September/October) which also begins the feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah is the biblical name), because it begins on a new moon. A new moon sighting before modern technology was very difficult to determine exactly when it began. You would not know the exact day or hour. However, you knew generally, when it would begin. So follow the logic on this, you have four spring Jewish feasts that all occur within a short period:
---------Fifty-days later----Last of the Spring Feasts-------------[1 Cor. 15:3-7]
---------Four-month break------------------ In John 4, Jesus was compelled to travel to Samaria, and it is here that He speaks to the Samaritan women and asks for water. Samaritan's were of mixed Jewish and Gentile descent, thus unclean and shunned by the Jews. It is interesting to me that Christ was first compelled to go here (John 4:4) and then used this specific opportunity to present Himself to the Samaritans. It is here that he tells His disciples that the fields are ripe for harvest. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. Jn. 4:35-36 ---------Beginning of Fall Feasts------------------
Here is the rub, we do not know if we are going in a May/Pentecost Rapture (because we are a separate/distinct group from Israel), or if we are going in a Fall/Trumpet Rapture. Neither can we be dogmatic about a specific year. However, regarding which feast day makes the most sense, Trumpet's makes more sense to me since this is a Christ-centric event and He is fulfilling these events, not us. Moreover, the subsequent feasts seem to fall in line with putting the focus back on the 70th Week of Daniel. The Church is told in 1st Thessalonians 5:4 not to be in darkness (or ignorance) regarding that day. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us that we would see the Day approaching. If we could not know the day, then how could NOT be in ignorance about it? How could we SEE the day approaching, if we could NOT know which day it could be? Jesus rebuked the church at Sardis (who I believe to be the mainline protestant churches) by saying, Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard--and keep it and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come like a thief, and you shall not know at what hour I will come upon you. Revelation 3:3 Therefore, as it has happened, the mainline protestant churches have largely abandoned teaching or preaching about prophecy. They have quit watching largely returning their gaze from the sky, to the world around them. Not only has it had a distracting influence upon them, but it has also had a deadening effect. Mainline churches are dying (literally) on the vine. It would appear then that the most commonly used phrase against trying to understand the timing of the Rapture, "no man can know the day or hour," is packed with a lot more meaning than we were originally led to believe. Truth And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32 There is no new truth; there is just THE Truth. If Scripture is true and I believe it is, then everything I understand about the world must be understood through that lens (or filter). Geopolitics, economics, technological advancements, current affairs, the sciences, etc., are then all measured against what Scripture has to say (or not say) about a particular topic. While the secular world might think this particular lens is a blinder or hindrance to objective reasoning, this biblical worldview really is more like a pair of glasses. These glasses exposes the world for what it really is, a four-dimensional construct (height/width/depth/time) that is currently winding-down and falling apart. Moreover, we cannot prevent this deconstruction from happening any more than we could stop an earthquake. Once I accepted the reality that God is in control (and always has been), it has taken away a lot of my own fear and anxiety about what was coming upon the earth. Peace and Security For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 1st Thessalonians 5:2-3 Since 9/11, I have increasingly come to understand that one cannot have peace and security (Grk-asphaleia) without giving up rights and liberty. The United States experiment became the most successful manifestation of freedom and liberty in human history, but as of late, has become unsustainable both for practical and existential reasons. Over the past 105 years (or since the Federal Reserve Act of 1913), the United States has steadily and incrementally lost its freedoms to both the globalists and socialist agendas. They (globalists/socialists) seek to destroy our experiment in liberty for their own idealistic purposes of a one-world government. A government that is controlled by a small group of elites. Although the United Nations became the official political mechanism for this global unification, numerous other organizations continue to work toward uniting the world under singular political and economic system. Islamic Terrorism And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Matthew 24:6-7 The terms nations and kingdoms used above might seem a bit redundant, but they mean two different things in its original Greek form. Nation is ethnos, by which we get the word ethnicity. Kingdom is basileia, which means a political or governmental element. In true Hegelian Dialectic fashion (thesisàantithesisàsynthesis), Islamic terrorism has become the "useful excuse" (thesis) by which the citizens of the West demand an answer for (antithesis). The globalists increasingly introduce invasive and constrictive legislation to the West as a foreordained solution (synthesis) for said terrorism. We need only trade freedom for security. Why do I think this? Because the West refuses to deal with Islamic terrorism in any common sense way. Instead of recognizing the destructive nature of Islam, western governments (the majority of whom are led by indoctrinated leftists), are doing everything they can to placate and coddle Islamist agendas. Islamic terrorism is useful to them at present (e.g., the Patriot Act, police-state tactics) much in the same way the anarchists were useful prior to World War I. However, going back to my first point, if the Bible is true (it is), then Islam is not the final dominant form of religion on the earth. Rather, Satan will use Islam until it no longer serves his purposes. What I mean by this is that Satan is currently using the fear and division Islam causes to drive people into the arms of this final world government and religion. Ultimately, Satan intends to install his own man (the Antichrist) on the throne and direct ALL worship to him (Revelation 13). Islam will cease to exist as either a threat or an issue at the conclusion of the Gog-Magog War (Ezekiel 38-39). Climate Change According to nature.com, a recent scientific study found that the earth currently contains around 3.04 trillion trees. While that might sound like a lot (it was more than they originally believed), the presumably unbiased researchers go on to theorize that it is roughly half the number of trees they believe existed since humans started walking upright (their opinion). According to Scripture, during the First Trumpet Judgment, one-third of all the trees on the earth will be burnt up through fire and hail (Revelation 8:7). Purely going off the number of trees, this study shows that almost one-third of three trillion trees are located in the western hemisphere. If we were to add up the total number of trees in the western hemisphere's three largest nations (Canada-318 billion), Brazil-302 billion), and the (United States-228 billion), we get 848 billion trees. That is 152 billion trees short of one-trillion. However, if we added in the rest of the nations in our hemisphere (Mexico, Argentina, Chile, etc.), it should reasonably fill out the rest of that one trillion trees that are consumed inside the 70th Week of Daniel. Does this mean that the western hemisphere is destroyed by some supernatural, cataclysmic event? I do not know, but the numbers are intriguing. Iran, North Korea, and the U.S. - by Tom Quiggin - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12338/iran-north-korea-us For those wishing to understand the emerging role of the United States in the Middle East, especially regarding the ever-expanding role of Iran, watch North Korea. The long-term effects of U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive posture toward the Hermit Kingdom are not yet clear, but change has occurred. For the first time in 68 years, a leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, walked across the border to South Korea. In a region of the world where maintaining face is paramount, this was possibly seen as a sign of submission. Insights on how President Trump will deal with Iran and its nuclear weapons program can be gained from examining how he dealt with North Korea. North Korea and Iran have exchanged technology programs and have actively sought to assist each other in weapons programs. President Trump, throughout his administration, has been focused on North Korea and has expended considerable financial and political capital on the issue. This effort is aimed at three North Korean programs that create regional and global instability: nuclear weapons, an electromagnetic pulse weapons capability and the missile programs that make delivery of these weapons possible. A host of other international actors would also undoubtedly love to see these programs dismantled. At the same time, an expansionist Iran continues further to destabilize the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Morocco and Israel, to name just a few countries, are facing Iran and its proxy states, such as Qatar, and could understandably nervous about becoming the next Yemen. Iran's programs threaten them, as well as Iran's own exasperated citizens. Iran's expansionist mode was propelled even further by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a personal agreement that former President Barack Obama made with Iran, but never signed by the regime. In short, the deal gave Iran a huge amount of cash and lifted of some sanctions in exchange for Iran agreeing to roll back parts of its nuclear program. The deal appears to favor Iran with no discernable change in outlook on their weapons and missile programs, and legitimates its nuclear breakout capability in just a few years. Now what? North Korea It is possible that President Trump might accomplish what other American Presidents have not: that North Korea may be willing to denuclearize verifiably - give up all its missiles and chemical weapons -- in exchange for having the country brought into the 21st Century. That a possible "complete denuclearization" of the entire Korean Peninsula may occur is a shift unthinkable only a year ago. North Korean President Kim Jong-un has stated that he will blow up the nuclear site tunnels in his country before the next round of negotiations. Whether this grand gesture is driven by a fundamental desire for progress, or whether the nuclear test site has lost its value due to an internal physical collapse of the site, is not clear. Either way, it is a step ahead. Why would North Korea's President take the unprecedented step of stepping across the North/South border? One reason, ignored in much of the discussion, is that where previous talks with North Korea over the last several decades worked on carrot and stick negotiations, this time President Kim Jong-un may have been persuaded to the table by a fear for his political future. Although much discussion exists about President Trump being unpopular and out of control, a careful reading may suggest otherwise. From an intelligence and military analysis point of view:
The mainstream media has reported much about the deployment of American aircraft carriers in the region and well as B1-B , B2 and B52 bombers -- part of the coverage about traditional ground and air military exercises. In March of 2017, however, the South Korean press reported that the SEAL TEAM 6 was in South Korea. These reports suggested joint military drills, simulating the kidnapping, or a decapitation strike, aimed at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. SEAL TEAM 6, incidentally, is the same group that killed Osama Bin Laden, hiding in Pakistan. Such announcements are rare; one wonders who were the real intended recipients of the message. In April of 2017, the submarine USS Michigan docked in South Korea and the port visit made public. The true import of this event was missed by many. In plain language, the USS Michigan is a huge submarine powered by a nuclear reactor with a massive weapons capability. In its early form as a ballistic nuclear missile carrying submarine, it could, quite literally, destroy continents with its 24 Trident missiles, each with between 8 and 12 warheads. The USS Michigan has now been converted to a guided-missile carrying submarine, which can carry 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles with a variety of warheads. The USS Michigan also has two silos that can deploy mini-submarines, each of which can deliver a complete SEAL Team and an extensive array of equipment. The submarine service is highly secretive. The security surrounding nuclear-powered and nuclear- weapons-capable submarines is understandably exorbitant. The security around the deployment of special forces on these submarines is even greater. Yet, in October 2107, the USS Michigan again made a port call that was made public. The message to North Korea and to President Kim Jong-un was: We are here. In your back yard. You could be escorted from power, as was Haiti's former "president for life," Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier. Concessions of the Past North Korea, under its two previous presidents, may have grown used to extracting concessions from the rest of the world - acts sometimes referred to as extortion or blackmail. By simply yelling and making threats, North Korean leaders were able to get money, influence, and exceptional treatment (read: countries looking the other way) for its nuclear program. When President Kim Jong-un tried this same approach on the United States last year with a series of demands and missile launches, concessions were not offered. When the North Korean president threatened the U.S. and others by saying his nuclear weapons program was complete and his launch button within reach, President Trump responded: I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! What has this to do with Iran? When you look at human rights issues, Iran, a theocratic dictatorship, is listed as one of the worst countries to live in. Women have been crushed into submission, and gays face persecution by the state,. In addition, Iran's own citizens are subjected to sham trials, tortured and killed. Iran is listed in the U.S. as among the world's leading state supporters of terrorism and has been a key figure in supporting President Bashar Assad of Syria, who has been bombing his own people with chemical weapons. At the same time, its oil-based economy is suffering and the population is increasingly outraged as seen in a recent series of demonstrations. As with North Korea, the senior leadership is kept in power through fear and terror. The Supreme Guide of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also known as "The Jurist," is kept in power by the Council of Guardians. The muscle is provided by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Subordinate to the IRGC, at least nominally, is the Qods Force, a sort of overseas special forces unit. The Qods Force has been listed as a terrorist entity by Canada, and the USA. Egypt included the Qods Force on a list of nominations for terrorist entities operating in Syria. The al Qods force is also believed to have operated in the Middle East, Sudan, South Asia and Western Europe. The IRGC, which has grown powerful and wealthy, controls a large segment of Iran's economy. To what degree they are independent of the political leadership is not clearly understood -- especially if the economy should suffer an unfortunate downturn. Although lifting sanctions on Iran has benefitted the country, the IRGC has apparently been a major beneficiary: much of the new money has been diverted into upgrading the IRGC's military capabilities . It remains unclear what, if any, benefits have accrued to the general population of Iran since the 2015 signing of the nuclear deal. The population has apparently not outwardly felt any tangible benefits despite higher levels of oil exports and economic growth. North Korea and Iran There are not many unstable states that can currently threaten global stability and, in particular, American interests. Among those that can are North Korea, Iran and Pakistan. Russia, a relatively stable major nuclear power, falls into a category of its own. The Trump Doctrine, if it can be called that, for dealing with emerging nuclear power states, is itself emerging. Financial pressure will be applied through sanctions. Military force will be threatened, and the survival of the regime will be called into question. In Iran, the real power figures are the Ayatollah Khamenei, President Rouhani and the two men who run the IRGC: Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari and the commander of the Quds Force, Major General Qasem Soleimani. With the Iran Deal on the rocks, these are the figures who are most likely to feel their lives disrupted. Based on this precedent, it is not surprising to see press articles already suggesting that General Soleimani has been "green lighted" for assassination. What can one asses from all of this? Either you work with President Trump or you might be personally inconvenienced, so to speak. The second message is to the Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran. If Iran continues its present path of expansionism, the results might not be agreeable. Cooperate, and things could improve. Many observers, critical of President Trump and his approach, claim Trump and his administration lack consistency and do not have a clear message. Seen differently, unpredictability can be of use. For whatever reason, President Trump is one of those people who seems to enjoy operating in a state of unpredictability, or is willing to create some to exploit the uncertainty associated with it. He is a builder and a real estate developer, which means he wants to see results in real time as well has envisioning a long-term outlook. What can one conclude from all of this? First, North Korea is a warm up. The main target is Iran. Second, combined with, cyber power, financial sanctions, a new style of diplomacy, traditional forms of warfare -- "the continuation of policy by other means," as to Carl von Clausewitz pointed out -- is emerging. The leaders of fragile dictatorial states with limited popular support may be facing a multi-front series of attacks, kinetic and cyber, as well as assurances of bewilderment if they continue to threaten global order. They should not be sleeping well at night. Watchman Warning: Tragedy in Gaza - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-5-19-2018/ Gaza is an ongoing humanitarian disaster. In just the last few days, dozens of Gazans have needlessly died attacking the Israeli border. They were killed by Israeli soldiers defending said border. But that's not the whole story. They were really killed by the people they entrusted with their spiritual and physical well-being. According to the Palestinians, a 10-month-old baby girl named Layla died on May 14th from inhalation of Israeli tear gas. They said nothing about the potential harm that may have come to Layla from the deep, black smoke of burning tires. Later, a Palestinian doctor at the hospital treating the child, admitted that she died of a pre-existing heart condition - not Israeli tear gas. Nevertheless, within hours, the Hamas PR machine turned the baby's death into international rage against Israel. Almost universally, the media blamed Israel. But they ignored the more obvious question. Why was a 10-month-old present at these horrific, violent protests? The Los Angeles Times wrote that Layla's 12-year-old cousin took her to the scene of the riots in search of the girl's mother. He knew just how to get there. Hamas leaders provided buses to get as many people to the border as possible, regardless of their age. How many adults saw him board the bus carrying the infant? That bus was going to a war zone. The bus driver knew it. Every adult and young adult on that bus knew it. It didn't matter. They let the baby go. Layla shouldn't have been at the border. Her 12-year-old cousin shouldn't have been there either. Neither should the cousin's mother, or other family members. Did anyone really believe these women and children would successfully breach Israel's line of defense? No. At least 35,000 Gazans went to that border because they were told to. Gaza's political leadership, Hamas, worked with Gaza's spiritual leaders, the Muslim imams, to whip the crowds into a fury. Hamas designed the event for a single purpose - to maximum Palestinian casualties. Monday the 14th was the 70th anniversary of Israel's rebirth as a nation. It was also the day the US opened its embassy in Jerusalem. Hamas and their allies wanted split-screen TV coverage of the event. On one side of the TV screen, they wanted the festivities of the embassy opening. And on the other side, they wanted the screen to show death and mayhem. They got exactly that. Hamas created the riots at the border and staged them for television. They made certain there would be casualties. In fact, it is a tribute to the Israeli Defense Forces that more didn't die. The media says the people of Gaza were reacting to their terrible living conditions. And from all accounts, those conditions are bad. People suffer from lack of food, jobs, money, education, and healthcare. But how did this happen? And why does the suffering continue despite billions in humanitarian aid pouring into the small area? Let's go back to February of 2005. That's when Israel did exactly what the Palestinians asked. They unilaterally pulled out of the Gaza Strip. Every Jew left the region. Israel got nothing. Palestinians got everything. For Israel, it was a straightforward show of goodwill. And Israel did not set the Gazans up to fail. In fact, they set them up to succeed. The Jews left millions of dollars in infrastructure. That included five hundred acres of sophisticated and expensive greenhouses. As Israel's withdrawal from Gaza was being planned, NBC News said, "The greenhouses are a centerpiece of Palestinian plans for rebuilding Gaza." But immediately following Israel's withdrawal from the area, riots broke out across Gaza. During those riots, Palestinian mobs destroyed the greenhouses. Chaos reigned. It didn't have to be that way. Israel wanted the Palestinians of Gaza to succeed. They wanted and needed a secure and stable neighbor. The nations of the world poured vast sums of money and materials into Gaza. It should have worked. Here's why it did not work. Just a few weeks after Israel's withdrawal, the people of Gaza elected a known terrorist group, Hamas, to govern them. With that choice, the Muslim people of Gaza chose hatred over happiness. They chose death over life. They chose rage over prosperity. They chose failure when success was ripe for the picking. A wide variety of both Muslim and non-Muslim nations have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. They include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the United States, Japan, the European Union, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Some of the suffering in Gaza comes from the isolation imposed on it by its two neighbors - Israel and Egypt. Why does Egypt limit what goes in and out of Gaza from their side of the border? Because they don't want to import terrorism into their nation any more than Israel does. The biggest cause of suffering in Gaza is the corruption of the Hamas-led Gazan government. Hamas leaders live in luxury while nearby children go hungry. They line their pockets with money brought into Gaza for humanitarian relief. Much of what they don't spend on themselves, they spend on strengthening the military arm of Hamas. When nations send concrete and steel for building houses, hospitals, and schools, Hamas uses it on terror tunnels running beneath the border as they plan future attacks on Israel. Gaza is a sad story - a reminder that elections matter. It is also a reminder of God's promise to Abraham over 4000 years ago. In Genesis 12:3, God said to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." The last part of that promise - the part about all the families of the earth being blessed - will soon be fulfilled. It will happen when Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish descendant of Abraham, returns to rule and reign on planet earth. An Amazing Week - By Daymond Duck - http://www.raptureready.com/2018/05/20/amazing-week-daymond-duck/ Without question, the fulfillment of Bible prophecy is on fast forward; but this week was an amazing week, and it seemed like it was on super-fast forward. One, on May 7, 2018, Pres. Trump said he would reveal his decision on whether the U.S. would stay in or withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal the next day. On several occasions, Iranian leaders said a U.S. withdrawal would lead to war. So, while Pres. Trump was speaking, the U.S., England and France had ships and planes en route to areas near Syria. An amazing thing about this is the fact that some prophecy teachers believe the U.S. (perhaps one of the young lions) and England (perhaps the merchants of Tarshish) will ask Russia, Iran and others if they are going to take a spoil and a prey when they attack Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13). Two, the next day which was May 8, 2018, Pres. Trump announced his intention to withdraw the U.S. from the Iranian nuclear deal. And by the end of the week, Iran's Foreign Minister was on his way to Russia (Iran's main ally in the Battle of Gog and Magog) for a meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss ways to keep the Iranian nuclear deal alive. The next day, May 9, 2018, Pres. Trump held a Cabinet meeting; and before it started, he was asked about the potential consequences of the U.S. withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal. Pres. Trump replied, "I would advise Iran not to start their nuclear program. I would advise them very strongly. If they do, there will be very severe consequence." On May 10, 2018, Iran announced that it will start enriching nuclear fuel in the coming weeks. It is just speculation, but some would say this could lead to the destruction of Iran's intercontinental missiles and nuclear facilities in Elam (part of Iran; Jer. 49:34-39). Three, Saudi Arabia and some of the other Arab nations praised Pres. Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal. An amazing thing about this is that Sheba and Dedan are in Saudi Arabia; and they will also ask Russia, Iran and the others if they are going to take a spoil and a prey when they attack Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13). God and His Word are amazing. Iran is against Israel, but the U.S., England and Saudi Arabia are for Israel; and this fits what the prophets said. Four, Iran and the others will attack Israel in the latter days and latter years (Iran was called Persia in Ezekiel's lifetime; Ezek. 38:5), and open war broke out between Iran and Israel this week. Open war means Iran (not Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, etc.) was directly involved in the attack on Israel. The location of this confrontation was on the mountains of Israel, and that is where the Battle of Gog and Magog will take place (Ezek. 38:8). Iran suffered a terrible defeat, and that is what will happen to Iran again in the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 39:1-6). Iran's defeat was to be expected because Jehovah promised to curse those that curse Israel. Allah keeps coming up short against Jehovah. The Mahdi will too. This open war was not the Battle of Gog and Magog, but it could lead to that because Iran has already announced her intention to ramp up her confrontation with Israel in the coming weeks. Five, Syria and Israel will get into a war in that day (a phrase that applies to the time of the end), and Damascus will cease to exist as a city in one night (Isa. 17). Israel warned Syria to stay out of Israel's confrontation with Iran, but Syria ignored Israel's warning. Syria tried to shoot down some of Israel's missiles and jets, and Israel responded by destroying some of Syria's missile launchers, radar systems, weapons storage facilities, etc. Syria's losses were extensive. Some reports said loud explosions could be heard all around Damascus. At some point, it will be one very loud explosion in Damascus. Pray for the people of Syria. Six, for seven weeks, one of Iran's proxies (Hamas, a terrorist group in Gaza that is funded by Iran) has been instigating riots in Gaza. At the time of this writing, approximately 41 Palestinians have been killed. Some reports said thousands have been wounded, and Hamas was promising that it will get worse. (It did. On May 14, 2018, some reports said approximately 55 more had been killed and another 2,400 had been wounded.) One must wonder if this continued violence is ultimately going to trigger the confrontation that some prophecy teachers call the Psa. 83 War. We know this much: It may have been another step toward the Battle of Gog and Magog because Turkey (one of Israel's attackers in that prophesied war) has withdrawn its Ambassadors from the U.S. and Israel. Seven, a volcano is erupting in Hawaii, and some Geologists say it has the potential of throwing boulders the size of a refrigerator hundreds of feet in the air. Eight, the second worst flood in the history of Montana is taking place right now. Nine, in 2013, the Boy Scouts started admitting gay boys. In 2015, they started accepting openly gay leaders. In 2017, they started accepting transgender scouts. Now, they are going to drop the word "Boy" from their name. They will be the Scouts, not the Boy Scouts. Who but Satan could imagine that this wonderful organization could be corrupted so fast? Ten, Pope Francis said a person that owns a gun is not a Christian. Only God knows his heart, but his theology is definitely not Biblical. Eleven, this week the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to work on an agreement to establish one international law for the environment. Put another way, they want to draft one environmental law that every nation on earth will have to abide by. The problem with this is that they will eventually draft a law about buying and selling. Everyone on earth will be required to abide by it. It is amazing how so many events that happened in just one week seem to relate to 2,600-year-old Bible prophecy. Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] Daily Jot: The power of truth and lies - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Propagandizing truth makes a better lie. We've seen it in the past with Turkey's genocide of over a million Armenians between 1915-17, a model Adolph Hitler used in an alliance with Islam in the Holocaust. Blame the Armenians for the troubles faced by the Islamic Caliphate-the Ottoman Empire-and the masses will rally around the cause. Hitler did the same thing with Jews. Now, in attempting to revive the Caliphate, Turkey's "president" Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using the Jews to enrage the Muslim world against Israel. Erdogan claims Israel is no different than the Nazis because it killed Hamas terrorists trying to invade Israel's border with Gaza. The deaths, however, were not without legitimate cause. Erdogan stirred the masses at a Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit to issue a final communiqué condemning Israel and the US for the massacre caused by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem. The OIC is basing its arguments with lies. The first point in the communiqué states: "Condemn in the strongest terms the criminal actions of Israeli forces against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where unarmed Palestinian civilians are exercising their legitimate right of peaceful protest against this inhumane and absolutely illegal occupation." Gaza is not occupied, but governed by the duly elected terrorist group Hamas. Also, the protest was extremely violent. The communiqué said, "these crimes have been committed against the backdrop of the illegal decision by the U.S. Administration to officially move its embassy from Israel to the occupied City of Jerusalem, which has further emboldened the Israeli government in its reckless behavior towards civilian Palestinian population." The decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem is not illegal and Israel was only defending its border. Hamas admitted that of the 60 people killed, 50 were members of Hamas, who were instigating and leading the riots aimed at storming the Israeli border. Warning after warning was given that deadly force would be used if the invasion persisted. Erdogan succeeded in getting the OIC to call for dispatching an international protection force to protect the "Palestinian" people. The communiqué also urged the UN to recognize ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people. Herein evil is accusing others with lies of what it is doing. This all could be prophetic. Turkey, the capital of the last Islamic Caliphate, is attempting a revival under Erdogan's leadership by vilifying the Jews and Israel. The alignment of the empires in Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 17 indicate this is perhaps Revelation 17:11 in the making, "And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction"--Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, Roman, Islamic. The Islamic Ottoman Empire (the 7th head) was dealt a death blow in 1922. We may be seeing it come back to life. Daily Devotion: In the Father's House - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." -Matthew 7:13 There are two ways we can live our lives: We can live the right way or the wrong way. There are two roads we can take in life: We can take the narrow road that leads to life, or we can get on the broad road that leads to destruction. There are two foundations we can build our lives on: We can build on solid rock, or we can build on shifting sand. Ultimately, we can live the happy and holy way or the miserable and unholy way. Many unbelievers have the wrong concept of what it means to be a Christian. Their concept of being a Christian is this: (1) You are lame, (2) you never have any fun, and (3) you are boring-nothing is ever going on. Jesus told a story about a boy who ran away from home. He had grown tired of living with his dad and thought all the fun was to be had outside of his home. So he left. In reality, what was he looking for? It appears from the story that he wanted nice clothes. He wanted great food. He wanted parties. So he went away, spent all his money, and came back empty-handed and miserable. Yet the first thing his father did was give him some nice clothes. The next thing his father did was give the order for some great food. He said, "Kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found" (Luke 15:23-24 NLT). Everything the boy was searching for was in his father's house all along. In the same way, everything we're looking for can be found in a relationship with God. FROM THE HEART
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