Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Dying Light of the Day / Antichrist Zeitgeist
- By Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.com/2020/07/the-dying-light-of-the-day-antichrist-zeitgeist The people of the great nations of the past seem normally to have imagined that their pre-eminence would last forever. Rome appeared to its citizens to be destined to be for all time the mistress of the world. The Abbasid Khalifs of Baghdad declared that God had appointed them to rule mankind until the day of judgement. Seventy years ago, many people in Britain believed that the empire would endure forever. Although Hitler failed to achieve his objective, he declared that Germany would rule the world for a thousand years. That sentiments like these could be publicly expressed without evoking derision shows that, in all ages, the regular rise and fall of great nations has passed unperceived. Sir John Glubb, The Fate of Empires (p.17) As America gets ready to celebrate her 244nd birthday this as a nation, we should take a moment and pause to wonder what became of this once mighty nation. Is it so far-fetched to believe that our nation will not last forever? Or even last another decade intact? Would we recognize her 10-20 years from now? Would the Founders of this once great nation even recognize her today? Most likely not. Looking around today, it seems almost inconceivable that 400 years ago, our nation was once forged by Pilgrims who were fleeing an oppressive, monarchical Europe, seeking only religious liberty in the New World. These were men, women, and children, who braved the perilous voyage, carrying with them, only their hopes, dreams, and faith that God would bless their endeavor. Even harder to believe that out of that meager Plymouth effort, 150 years later, a nation would be born; baptized in blood and in the righteous indignation that at the very least, taxation should equal representation. This spurred such men as John Hancock, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and fifty others to risk their livelihood and their lives, by signing their Declaration of Independence against the imperial superpower of the day, Great Britain. Almost a hundred years and a lifetime of westward expansion later, the nation was at another boiling point over the issue of slavery and states' rights. The spark that ignited the fire was the creation and election of the Republican Party and its first presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln ran on an anti-slavery platform. His election and subsequent commitment to both anti-slavery, and these United States, was the straw that finally broke the camel's back of the Democrat South. They seceded and formed what we now know as the Confederacy, after which, 750,000 Americans died fighting. After the War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by Democrat John Wilkes Booth, the nation was subjected to a prolonged period of grieving. This is really where the idea of the democratic shadow government first began to form. However, this shadow government needed a militant arm to give teeth to their poisonous ideas, hence, the creation of the Ku Klux Klan. Don't ever believe the modernist spin that somehow the two parties flipped. Republican's did move south, from the high-tax north, to follow jobs in low-tax, business friendly southern states...in the 1970s and onward...not because they mysteriously turned racist overnight. Remember, the Democrat (LBJ) Civil Rights Act in 1964 was similar to the Republican Civil Rights Act they vetoed in 1957. However, out of the grievous racial tensions that followed the Civil War, came a new and burgeoning class of American citizens who have contributed tremendously to the history of this great nation. Men and women like William H. Carney, Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington, and George Washington Carver, began the long and industrious history that modern Americans would continue emulate. In the 20th-century, some of the greatest philosophical, judicial, and intellectual heavyweights come forth from black community and continued to help shape, heal, and steer this nation into its status as a superpower. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas, Shelby Steele, Walter E. Williams, Condoleezza Rice, and Ben Carson to name a few. Despite it all, our nation's often turbulent, but magically cohesive structure, was only cohesive because it centered around two central themes- that all men are created equal, and that our rights and freedoms come from our Creator, not government. And now, 244 years into this American-experiment, our nation has seemed to be entering into the twilight of its years that Alexander Tytler had so long ago spoke about: From bondage ~To spiritual faith ~To courage ~To liberty ~To abundance ~ To selfishness ~ To complacency ~ To apathy ~ To dependence Then starting over with Bondage As of 2020, we are a nation who has screamed past apathy back into the arms of dependence. Although, we shouldn't be surprised should we? Every nation, empire, and kingdom prior to us, rarely lasted more than 200 years. Rome, being the exception as to her unnatural longevity; even she underwent a massive transition from a Republic, to a dictatorship near the turn of the first century. From 27BC to 476AD, Rome remained under the control of one emperor after another. However, once the power, prestige, and position of Emperor came into being, that authority, was never relinquished willingly. However, wealth and comfort ultimately gave birth to corruption and decline, and after 1200 years (as both a republic and monarchy), the Western Roman Empire collapsed and was consumed by barbarians. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again. President Ronald Reagan But America was a rarity. She was the best of all possible human governments, rolled into one, and then capped off by both a Judaeo-Christian moral foundation, and a Greco-Roman form of government (pre-Julius Caesar). The founders had the foresight to take the best forms of government, and then put enough checks and balances so that not any one part of it, could get too powerful. The American form of government was designed to have gridlock. Serious changes to the Constitution's Bill of Right's could be changed, but only through a slow, deliberate process from all parties involved. Fast forward to today. To quote Thomas Sowell's timeless wisdom, each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late, for which we have failed. After nearly a century of progressive indoctrination and propaganda that once great shining city on a hill, now, lay smoldering in the ashes of her own, uncompleted suicide. Lawless bands of criminal opportunists and anarchists, claim victory over the ash heap as if they achieved something so grand as to destroy the very vehicle that afforded them the ability to act in their basest nature. And because the invasion came from within, we have only two recourse's. The first, is to either completely take back the mediums and narrative for which this nation was founded upon through spiritual revival, or secondly, face another bloody civil war. Except this new civil war will not be between north and south, but between left and right. And given the dividedness of our nation, and even within the Church, revival seems unlikely. Also, Scripture has forewarned us that in the last days that not only would things would go from bad to worse, but there is no nation like the United States listed. (Luke 21:34-36; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Peter 3) Did we think as a nation, we could write into law, the systemic, government-sanctioned infanticide and not draw the wrath of an angry God? Do we think that even if the Democrats win, and the nation burns, that God has not already foreseen it? He has. He has already told us by our very conspicuous absence in Scripture that we are not the final superpower in the world of the last days. However, that does not mean we go down without a fight. Without question, we know the Lord will return for His Church and will take us up in the Rapture. We know that the Lord has unfinished business with both the nation of Israel, and the Christ rejecting world (Jer. 30:7-11). The only problem is, we don't know when this is going to take place. He could return today, tomorrow, or twenty-years from now. So in the meantime, we must occupy until He comes. While we are instructed to keep our gaze upwards, we must not neglect the needs of those in front of us. Jesus said, behold the fields are white for harvest (John 4:34-36). We must hold fast and become salt and light to a nation whose light is quickly being drowned out by the darkness of our age. Jesus said that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. When the Church is pulled up, the world will come apart rather quickly. In the time being, we must do our best to make our nation, a safe place for our children to live as untainted by sin, corruption, apostasy, and violence for as long as we can. We must stand, for as long as we can, even though we have little strength (Rev. 3:8). We must not roll over and let the world become what its master, Satan, wants it to become (1 John 5:19). While I do not know how apropos it is to quote Dylan Thomas here, however, I can resonate with the sentiment that in our final moments on earth, the Church should not roll over and give in. We must stand. "Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light... Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas Antichrist Zeitgeist Zeitgeist: the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:2-3 Why did God wait 430 years to free the Israelites from their sojourning, affliction, and ultimately, Egyptian bondage? Was it just because He enjoyed watching them suffer? Perhaps it was because God loved the Amalekites more than the Israelites? The answer, unsurprisingly, is no to both. According to Genesis 15, we know that God was allowing a certain level of iniquity (wickedness) to come to its full measure, before He meted out His just-punishment upon the wicked Amalekites. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. Genesis 15:16 However, there is also another consideration I would like to throw into the mix that might be overlooked. Perhaps, God was timing this for just the right Pharaoh to come along as well (Exodus 2:23). We know, according to Genesis, that both Abraham and Joseph had previous interactions with earlier Pharaohs, and in both scenarios, things worked out well for both Abraham and Joseph. In Abraham's case, the Pharaoh was justifiably afraid of the God that Abraham served. As for Joseph, once he interpreted the dreams that were plaguing Pharaoh, Joseph was elevated to the number two spot in all the land. After Joseph's ascension, his family stayed on there in Egypt and began to flourish greatly after much time had passed. It was here, that we pick up the opening verses in the book of Exodus. And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land." Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage-in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor. Exodus 1:6-14 We see that the Israelites who came to live under Joseph's protection, grew comfortable in Egypt and flourished. However, Egypt was not the land that God had given them. He allowed them to get comfortable, but after much time had passed (roughly 64 years), a certain pharaoh arose who escalated that level of misery and rigor he put upon the Israelites, and began making them suffer even more. In their affliction, would be an increasing desire to depart from that place. Isn't that like God though, to allow His own to not get comfortable too comfortable this world, because this world is not our home. He allows Satan a certain measure of "free leash" to persecute believers in this world, to a point. God does this because He does not want us planting our roots too deeply in this world, because this world has a rendezvous with judgment and destruction. Make no mistake, Satan knows Bible prophecy. When Satan misquoted the Psalms (Psalm 91:11-12; Luke 4:10) to Jesus during His Wilderness Temptation, he demonstrated a certain level of proficiency and knowledge of the scriptures. The reason Satan hates the Jews with a supernatural passion, is because they are a central theme to God's plan of the redemption, not just for the Jewish people, but of all mankind. Therefore, if he could destroy the Jews and / or Israel, he could theoretically break prophetic promises of a last-days restoration of the Jewish nation, thus nullifying the word of God. However, I would add, even more so that Satan has a special place in his heart for breaking bible prophecy. Why is that you ask? Well, since he cannot travel back in time, and much of bible prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, that is all he has left. His hope is that he can break one line/ one verse/ one eventuality from actually coming to fruition. Theoretically, if he could break bible prophecy, then he could nullify the word of God as being errant...and thus, God a liar. And if one verse of bible prophecy could be broken, then it would invalidate the other 30,999 verses. You see, the entirety of the book of Revelation sits in the middle as a fulcrum between the whole weight of Scripture and the whole foundation of Scripture- all 31,000 verses. Everything has to come to pass in Revelation, or it could invalidate the entirety of the rest of the Bible. From a strategic standpoint, and playing devil's advocate here (no pun intended), if I were Satan, the last candidate I would want to fill the role of Mr. Antichrist, would be someone from the boundaries of the old Roman Empire (Dan. 9:26). He may have used Europeans in the past (Nero, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, etc.), but since Israel has been restored as a nation, he KNOWS he is running out of time. Satan has even used Jews in the past (Rothschild's, Adam Weishaupt, Karl Marx, etc.) to bring hatred and fear upon the Jewish people. If I were Satan, I would use someone who comes as far away from that place (the Mediterranean region) as possible. Which makes an American Antichrist an interesting candidate. Albeit, we are a nation of immigrants. [I am not saying the Antichrist will be American-this is just wargaming] Nevertheless, what Satan wants, and what Satan gets, are often two, very different things. His goal is to break Bible prophecy...but God. God gets the final say. God is not bound by time like Satan nor the rest of Creation are. God already knows who the final gentile, world ruler, will be, which brings us full circle back to where we are today. Let's say that Satan wanted to use a man like Barak Obama to become the final world ruler. Obama has the credentials (former two-term president of the United States). He's a globalist/internationalist, and completely comfortable with the idea of the United Nations running the world. He's an apostate Christian (if he ever was one), who was raised on a steady diet of Marxism, Human Secularism, the Social Justice Gospel, and Islam. Obama loathes Israel's very existence. He's popular with the left, the media, and most international leaders around the world. He is an eloquent speaker, and charismatic to the core. He's corrupt, completely at peace with the destruction of traditional norms, values, and is pro-abortion (infanticide). So for all intents and purposes, he would SEEM like the perfect candidate to be Mr. Antichrist. Let's run with this hypothetical scenario for a minute. IF Satan had his way, he would continue to destroy and demoralize the Trump presidency with this faux-global pandemic, racial tensions, and general lawlessness at all levels, so that the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden (and Obama's former Vice President) could win in November. It is also becoming blatantly obvious, that Biden is suffering from an aggressive form of dementia (or some form of cognitive regression). This is why his campaign team have been hiding him these past few months. He has difficulty stringing sentences and thoughts together, and often times, doesn't remember where he is or what he's talking about. Regardless, even if Biden did win, he would not be the one in charge of the United States...his vice president would. Now, the Obama's decided to maintain a residency in Washington D.C. after their presidency ended in 2016. They did so under the pretenses that their daughters could finish out their education at the elite private school, Sidwell Friends. The last president to remain in D.C. after their presidency ended was Woodrow Wilson (1912-1921), and he only did so because had suffered a stroke in 1919 and was incapacitated until he eventually died in 1924. Additionally, Barak Obama has maintained a low-key, but ever-present, shadow government that has been covertly fomenting a secret coup d'état against the current Trump Administration. Consequently, if Biden did manage to win (i.e., voter fraud, crisis, etc.) he would undoubtedly be declared medically (or mentally) incompetent within a matter of months of his inauguration. Either a democratically controlled congress or senate, or both, would call for an emergency session to declare Biden unfit to serve and would be forced to retire. His VP (perhaps Michelle Obama) would be made President, and Barak would come in and serve as the Vice President or at the least, an advisor. While this seems too wildly fantastical to even consider with a straight face, stranger things have happened. If I were a leftist/socialist, this scenario would be the best possible outcome I could hope for. Given the Obama's history in office and continued popularity, I don't see it as an impossibility (should Biden actually win). So how does that potentiality serve Bible Prophecy? How does that serve Satan's agenda? Again, what Satan wants, and what Satan gets, are two different things. To the latter part, Satan would have no issue dismantling the US Constitution from the inside out and morphing our nation into some type of United Nations on steroids. Satan would try to install his man (Obama) into this new office of a global regime, and thus, break Bible prophecy. But God. Daniel 9:26 is very clear in stating that this final world ruler, will come from within the boundaries of the old Roman Empire. That would be from somewhere within the boundaries of North Africa, the Near East, Southern Europe, and up to the United Kingdom, France, or Germany. Here is what the Angel Gabriel told Daniel- "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined Daniel 9:26 The people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. According to historical fact, those people, were the Romans under General Titus who came and destroyed Jerusalem in AD70. From Daniel's time, fast forward 600 years (circa AD95) and the Apostle John is shown that the future last kingdom would be like a dragon coming out of the sea with ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns (Rev. 13:1-3). One of the heads seems to have a fatal head wound, but it is healed. Bouncing back to what the Prophet Daniel had written centuries earlier, we see the correlation between the head, horns, and crowns- that that beast was dreadful and terrible, and it was a combination of the previously mentioned chimeras, and it had ten horns, and that a little horn rose up from amongst them, and plucked out three of the other horns to gain control over all the rest (Daniel 7:7-8). Two of my favorite teachers disagreed slightly as to the interpretation of these heads, horns, and crowns. Jack Kelley, the late, great teacher from Grace Thru Faith, believed the numbers to signify the completeness of this beast's awful power and authority over the earth. Jack Kinsella, the late, great bible prophecy teacher and founder of The Omega Letter, once wrote in his article "And Then There Were Ten" that these were actual countries whose leaders would be supplanted by the little horn. I'm like the character Delmar O'Donnell in O' Brother, Where Art Thou, when caught in the middle as the deciding vote between George Clooney's character and John Turturro's as to who should lead their gang he says..."I'm with you fellas." But where there was zero disagreement on, was where this leader came from. This Mr. Antichrist must come from within the boundaries of the old Roman Empire. [For a fascinating discussion, see here.] I don't want to speak out of turn, but Satan does not want his man of sin / antichrist person, to come from the boundaries of the old Roman Empire. However, this little horn clearly rises, and is able to pluck up three other horns, and thus gains the majority over the rest of the ten horns. Perhaps Obama does come to power over the "Americas" (North, Central, and South) once again and rules through the United Nations somehow. But he is not The Antichrist. He might be an antichrist (little a) but whoever this man of sin ends up being, he will, as the British are fond of saying, have to come from across the pond. Conclusion It is of much interest that we are now in several overlapping stages of humanity. On a philosophical level, we are in the post-modern era. This means that our present zeitgeist believes that all truth is relative. On an economic/technological level, we are at Industrial Revolution 2.0. This means that we are in what is known as, the cyber-physical age. This means that everything has, or is in the process of getting, a digital footprint. On a political level, we are at the fourth turning point. We went from hyper-nationalism pre-WWII, to globalism, and now back to a hybrid mix between globalism and nationalism. These ebbs and flows are precipitated by the cyclic nature of global affairs- high, awakening, unraveling, and crisis. We are in crisis on numerous levels. The age we live in is known as the Age of Information. With the development of computers, and later, the Internet, has rushed us into an ever increasing dependency on digital technology. As mentioned in previous briefs, if the great race in the 20th-century was over nuclear supremacy, the great race in the 21st will be over artificial intelligence. But given that we are still in the longest war ever waged (the war on truth), we should really call this the Age of Disinformation. Fake news, yellow journalism, deep fakes, misinformation, and the increasing polarization of political, religious, and philosophical views, are forcing us into positions we will not be able to deescalate. Is it any wonder that deception was the one sign Jesus repeatedly warned us of when was asked about what the last days. It is also interesting that since World War II, the United States has taken on a protectorate role over Europe. This has allowed for them to spend the money they normally would have spent on defense, to spend on infrastructure and technology. It has also allowed them the luxury to experiment with varying forms of economic and political unions. They have since formed into a federation of states we now know as the European Union. As of 2020, their latest formation (27 nations and counting) has proven troublesome, and it is my opinion that they will ultimately be forced to go back to the ten-nation configuration. Perhaps the only reason God is preserving us now, is because He is also waiting for the right geopolitical conditions to be set. This includes the right antichrist character to come along. When that man is in position, along with the timing of perhaps a fall feast, a specific number of believers come into the Body of Christ (as mentioned in my previous brief), as well as hitting some minimum threshold (like Abraham's bargaining over Sodom), God pulls the trigger and the Rapture occurs, throwing the world into a tailspin. This is, in my estimation, why the Rapture has to happen before the 70th Week of Daniel; it has to be a surprise. Granted, Satan likely already knows who all his antichrist candidates are now. He also likely knows our calendars even better than we ever could, since he was there throughout it all. So he presumably has "high-watch" dates for a potential Rapture on his calendar. The fact that we are still here and given the meteoric rise of wickedness and lawlessness, probably has him wondering when as well. If we can draw a parallel back to Noah's day, we remember two things. First, Enoch was taken up mysteriously some 669 years before the Flood. Some argue that has no connection to the flood given the length of time, but when men routinely lived up and beyond 900 years, it's still within the realm of an antediluvian lifetime. Second, once Noah, his family, and the animals were on the ark, God shut the doors for seven days before the first rain drop fell. (Genesis 7:4-10) As crazy as it sounds, this latest global pandemic has likely been used by the powers that be, as a test run for the Rapture itself. Satan knows a Rapture is coming, he just does not know when. When it does happen, the world will be thrown into chaos. He will not have the luxury of time to get all of his players in place. He needed to see if something like a Chinese Coronavirus could force the nations into a) conditioning, b) compliance (mask, social distancing, shutting down), and c) acceptance (of the narrative). Evil and wicked men will use crisis to grab control like kids fighting over candy under a broken piñata. But out of that chaos, will arise one man (The Antichrist) who will assume control. How exactly he does that is anyone's guess. Paul was clear when stating we (the Church) will not be here when he is revealed, so it's pointless to speculate with any attempted authority. Satan at that point, will have no other alternative but to use, and he puts all power and authority (Luke 4:5-6) behind him to carry out his satanic plans. In closing, I have presented much information about a variety of topics to think and ponder upon, however, let me tie this up and leave you with two thoughts. First, is that the United States was a surprise to Satan. Even still, he was able to chip away at the greatest nation in the history of the world with poisonous ideology, and get us to willingly succumb to lawlessness and wickedness. That once great shining city on the hill, has lost her light. The day is almost done, and darkness is falling across our land. It is unlikely that a revival will come to our shores again. Second, even though that might be the case, we (the Church) must remain those small beacons of light (candles) in the dark, and fight for as long as we can, to preserve what's left of that which is good, while we can. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thess. 2:7-8 10 Realistic Ways the War of Gog and Magog can Ignite Tomorrow - By David Sidman - www.breakingisraelnews.com O mortal, turn your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him Ezekiel 38:2 (The Israel Bible™) The war of Gog and Magog, is a final battle prophesied in the Book of Ezekiel which consists of a type of 'End of Days' World War that ushers in the final redemption. O mortal, turn your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him (Ezekiel 38:2) But could a third world war really be on the horizon? When looking at the in rise international hostilities taking place worldwide between nations, the notion of such an apocalyptic battle seems to be an extremely realistic scenario. The following is a list of international hostilities that if erupt simultaneously, can spiral into a Third World War. And due to modern defense technology, the devastation can be unprecedented. A war of this magnitude can potentially be waged any day now...even as early as tomorrow. 1. China vs America It's no secret that the China - America relationship has cooled since Trump waged his trade war - and even more so during the covid-19 pandemic. But can a trade war escalate into an actual war? After Trump threatened that Washington would cut the 'whole relationship' with Bei Jing, the White House took it a step further deploying three aircraft carriers to the South China Sea. Seeing it as a potential provocation, Bei Jing recently hinted at blowing up those very aircraft carriers. 2. China vs India America isn't China's only problem. Last month, 60 soldiers were killed in skirmishes between Chinese and Indian soldiers in the eastern Ladakh region of the Himalayas. China was accused of breaching the Indian border in what Delhi saw as an act of hostility. The standoff between the two nations is ongoing. 3. North Korea vs South Korea The detente between North Korea and its southern counterpart took a turn for the worst in June when Kim Jong Un's sister threatened a military campaign against Seoul saying that the next course of action against the "enemy" will come from the army. Compounding the threat, Pyongyang blew up an office that served as a liaison center for the two Korea's. 4. Egypt vs Turkey As Turkey is trying to secure offshore drilling licenses in Libya, Tripoli's neighbor to the east doesn't seem to be all too pleased. This can be seen by Egypt's latest move of amassing tank companies on the border with Libya in preparation for an apparent confrontation with Ankara's insurgency. 5. Turkey vs Greece Turkey could be looking at a war on several fronts as hostilities between their old rival, Greece have resurfaced as the latter accuses Erdogan of deploying Syrian refugees to Greek shores. Making matters worse, the Greek military is currently amassing troops on their border with Turkey against the backdrop of increased tensions between the two countries caused by Turkey's intentions to conduct oil and gas exploration in the Greek continental shelf in the Aegean Sea. 6. Egypt vs Ethiopia Ethiopia is planning to build a massive dam to supply their population with much needed hydro-electric energy. The only problem is that the dam will block a key water source to the Nile River - Egypt's main source of fresh water. This has caused pro-government journalists to call for war against Ethiopia. And although negotiations between the two countries has dragged on for 10 years, Addis Ababa said it will start to fill the dam whether or not a deal is agreed reports the Financial Times. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian prime minister, has said his country was ready to "mobilize millions" to defend the dam. 7. Russia vs Ukraine Russia has deployed 1,100 Russian tanks and 330 warplanes along border with Ukraine reports UKR Inform. According to the report, Ukrainian intelligence as well as American experts, warned that under the pretext of holding strategic exercises, Russia could resort to a large-scale offensive against the Ukraine. 8. Lebanon vs Israel Obviously, Israel would have to be the main focus of the War of Gog and Magog. And so, Jerusalem could find themselves in a repeat of the 2006 2nd Lebanon War sooner than later. That's because Media reports claim that Hezbollah, the terrorist organization that effectively runs Lebanon, has announced that it plans on attacking Israel this summer. 9. Hamas vs Israel Lebanon might be joined in their efforts to destroy the Jewish state by the Hamas Terror group who has already began firing rockets into Israeli territory in July. The latest barrage came following a warning from Gaza saying that Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria would constitute a "declaration of war." 10. Iran/Turkey vs Israel Could the Sunni and Shiite superpowers of the Middle East unite in a joint effort to destroy Israel? Several top Middle East experts see it as a realistic scenario. Islamic expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar noted that "Turkey and Iran see themselves as a powerful unified front that can stand against any other country in the world right now, whether it is Russia, the US, Israel, or Saudi Arabia." Meanwhile Middle East expert Seth Franzman notes that their coperation in Syria and Iraq lay the groundwork for a potential joint strike against Jerusalem. Compounding the threat, official voices out of Tehran have threatened retaliation for sabotage inflicted upon Iranian nuclear sites. Does A Series Of "Mystery Explosions" Inside Iran Mean That The Next Big Middle East War Is About To Begin? - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/does-a-series-of-mystery-explosions-inside-iran-mean-that-the-next-big-middle-east-war-is-about-to-begin Over the past several weeks, a series of "mystery explosions" has happened at very strategically sensitive locations inside Iran, and it has become obvious that what we are witnessing is not just a bunch of random accidents. For years, the Israeli government has pledged that the Iranians will never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and several of the sites where the mystery explosions have taken place have direct connections to Iran's nuclear program. For example, there was a very large explosion at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility on July 2nd, and it is being reported that some officials believe that this explosion was caused by a "powerful bomb". The following comes from the Jerusalem Post... Israel was behind an explosion and fire at Iran's Natanz nuclear complex caused by a "powerful bomb," a Middle Eastern intelligence official with knowledge of the incident told The New York Times on Monday. A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed to the Times that an explosive was used in the incident as well. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Of course there have been several other "mystery explosions" as well, and there is speculation that "computer viruses similar to the Stuxnet virus" may have been involved in at least some of the blasts... Five recent explosions in Iran may have been caused by computer viruses similar to the Stuxnet virus that disabled Iranian centrifuges in 2010. Two of the blasts took place at power plants, one at a missile research, development and production site, one at a new uranium enrichment centrifuge center, and the last (if it can be considered part of the attacks) in downtown Tehran at a medical facility that could have been a cover for nuclear operations such as a hidden command center. It has become clear that the Trump administration does not intend to take military action to stop Iran's nuclear program, so the Israeli government has been forced into a position where it must make a very tough choice. Either Israel must be willing to accept Iran as a nuclear power or Israel must do something to stop it from happening. At this point, it has been confirmed that the "industrial shed" that was destroyed during the explosion at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility "was in fact a new site for assembling centrifuges", and that would definitely be a logical target for the Israelis to hit. When asked about the "mystery explosions", the following is what Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz had to say about them... When Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz was asked if Israel had anything to do with "mysterious explosions," he reportedly told Israel Radio: "Not every incident that transpires in Iran necessarily has something to do with us." "All those systems are complex, they have very high safety constraints and I'm not sure they always know how to maintain them," he said, according to Reuters. Obviously that is not a denial. Meanwhile, it is also being reported that the Mossad has "thwarted a series of planned Iranian attacks on Israeli embassies"... Israeli spy agency Mossad claims it has recently thwarted a series of planned Iranian attacks on Israeli embassies around the world. The intelligence bureau has halted 'terrorist' plans in Europe and elsewhere, according to a report by Hebrew-language broadcaster Channel 12 which said that Israel's arch-enemy Iran was behind the plots. The Iranians are becoming increasingly frustrated by the success of Israeli covert operations, and they want to find ways to strike back. Embassies are typically easy targets, but thankfully the Mossad has apparently been one step ahead of all Iranian efforts to target embassies so far. Needless to say, all of this is happening at a time when tensions in the entire region are rapidly coming to a boil. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keeps insisting that he is about to move forward with his plan to to annex portions of Judea and Samaria, and if that happens there will inevitably be a violent response by the Palestinians. In fact, the Times of Israel is reporting that "Fatah and Hamas are in agreement that there should be a popular uprising if the controversial plan goes ahead"... An adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned Saturday there was a possibility of a third intifada if the Israeli government goes ahead with its plan to annex parts of the West Bank. The Kan public broadcaster reported that Nabil Shaath told the Arabic-language arm of the France 24 network that Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas are in agreement that there should be a popular uprising if the controversial plan goes ahead. And the truth is that rocket fire has already started. On Sunday, Israeli planes hit targets in the Gaza Strip after "a barrage of rocket fire into southern Israel"... Israeli aircraft struck targets in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday following a barrage of rocket fire into southern Israel. No casualties were reported on either side. In a statement, the Israeli military said attack helicopters and fighter jets struck "underground infrastructure" belonging to Gaza's ruling Hamas terrorist group. Earlier Sunday, the army said three rockets were fired by Gaza terrorists toward Israel, setting off air-raid sirens. It said one of the rockets was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome air defense system; according to Channel 12 TV the other two landed in open areas. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket fire. A number of armed terrorist groups operate in Gaza. The bottom line is that the Middle East has been on the precipice of a major war for years, and it certainly isn't going to take much to push things over the edge. If the Iranians do not stop their nuclear program, the Israelis are going to continue to hit them, and that will eventually spark a war. And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his plan to annex portions of Judea and Samaria, that is almost certain to spark a war too. We have reached such a critical moment, and it appears to be just a matter of time before a great conflict erupts. God's Staying Hand - By Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/07/07/gods-staying-hand-by-terry-james/ The past weekend this nation celebrated Independence Day 2020. The holiday is a sort unlike any celebrated by any other country in earth's history. There will never be a holiday of its like again this side of Christ's next intervention into the sordid and sorry affairs of man. I can say this with certitude-at least within my own view-because America is the last hope, in human terms, for freedom to the extent America has enjoyed that blessing for 244 years. We are witnessing liberty's last gleaming. When thinking on this commentary, I first thought to title it "Why America Is Lost." The thought was that the nation has since some time in the 1950s begun the dismantling of all that is good about her, as French philosopher and admirer of America, Alexis de Tocqueville, would have it. By the late 1950s, influences by Karl Marx and especially of Charles Darwin, as well as by other anti-God minions, had so invaded the educational process in America as to weaken the undergirdings that held erect America's "goodness." That "goodness" is the Judeo-Christian principles upon which the founding fathers placed the republic they created. By 1963, those principles had eroded to the point that prayer and Bible reading were banished in public classrooms. The Ten Commandments became anathema to the new masters of education. There were actually statements made to the effect that the commandments should not be posted anywhere in public places-especially not within public classrooms. The rationale? Because the children might actually read them and begin to think they have to obey and practice them. That insanity is recorded for anyone who cares to research it. I'm not making it up, as they say. I remember a thirty-something-year-old professor standing before my political science class in my freshman year at college lauding the marvels that Marxism-Leninism offered as opposed to the evil presented by American adventurism and bloody war-making since the founding. By then, the erosion of American "goodness," thus its "greatness," was well underway. So, as I say, I started to give this commentary the title, "Why America Is Lost." I thought to present the fact that the disease of anti-God inculcation has so infected America at its core that the nation cannot be spared the inevitable fall that God's righteousness-the only goodness that exists-ultimately demands. As de Tocqueville and any observer within the realm of rationality would rightly conclude, America has lost her goodness, her godly foundational mooring. So she has lost her greatness (the gleaming of freedom as testimony to God providing certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). We have allowed the "wickedness in high places"-those principalities and powers in the lofty perches of academia and government-to replace the godly foundations. The nation has been and is at this moment being deconstructed by lawlessness in an avalanche of tearing down all values formerly held to as suitable for a good and moral people. Founders like Franklin and Adams forewarned about dangers intrinsic within the populace ever abandoning the Judeo-Christian base they had erected. Any other people than a morally based, truly free people, they consistently forewarned, are unsuitable for God-given governance. Any people not firmly moored by such providentially influenced foundation are ultimately destined to lose their liberty, was the message. That those liberties implicit and explicit within the Bill of Rights are even at this moment under assault cannot be denied. The anarchists, arsonists, and so-called deconstructionists of the radical left make liberty's last gleaming a manifest destiny for Americans. The Democrat party champions those who are fomenting a cultural revolution that mimics those of Mao and others. Lawlessness rules in major cities where the reprobate thinking of Democrat mayors and governors agrees with the Marxist demands that law enforcement be eliminated through defunding and other means. The Republican Party for the most part refuses to stand up against the evil that has taken over much of the nation's youth-the Millennial generation. From kindergarten through doctoral programs, these have been victims of a satanically influenced cabal of anti-God educators for more than six decades. The title, "Why America Is Lost," therefore, would be appropriate for an article in this day and time. But the impression struck as the depression deepened in thinking on these matters. "You have left out one ingredient to all this seeming madness afflicting the nation and world." Indeed, I had left out the most important ingredient when thinking on the insanity raging within our nation and beyond. That factor is God's staying hand. America, although it shows every indicator of precipitous decline from which there seems no escape, remains the freest nation on earth. Its economy, already untenable because of debt extrapolated into hundreds of trillions of dollars for future generations, remains intact, despite suffering a complete shutdown due to a largely contrived virus threat. Most of the nation's heartland continues to function and show progress toward a return to a degree of normalcy, despite the most vicious attempts imaginable by globalist diabolists in DC and other capitals of the world to rip American sovereignty and autonomy to shreds. It is incontrovertibly true from the perspective of Bible prophecy, within the observations of those spiritually attuned. God continues to restrain the raging efforts to bring down this supernaturally inspired experiment in liberty. America will be here, I'm believing, until that restraint is withdrawn when Christ calls all born again believers to Himself. Meantime, it is incumbent to pray fervently that He who sits in Heaven-and obviously has the rebels of planet earth in derision as in Psalm 2-continues to restrain the satanically enraged evil with His omnipotent, staying hand. Daily Jot: Your prophetic heritage - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Many people have told me that they have disconnected from the news because it is all so bad that they just cannot handle it. The loudest, most brash, biggest bully, filthiest name caller all seem to rise to the top of the media coverage with their version of the latest issue. The next problem is bigger than the one before, and they seem to be building on one another far faster than we can mentally process them. There are those who predict the end of America. Others say judgment has come. Still others are oblivious to anything but their daily schedule. But they all feel the frustration. It is like a demonic spirit that has engulfed our nation and is strangling its good sense. In this time, remember who you are. If you are a follower of Christ, the Messiah, then you know his promise. The entire Bible is given to us as the word of God, as is Jesus Christ. In Christ is our salvation and in the Bible is instruction on how we are to work out our salvation here on earth. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." The promise of eternal life, knowing the end game so to speak, should give us all the confidence to speak boldly as we ought to speak and having done all, to stand. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 that ...see that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Isaiah 54:17 says, "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD." Likewise, Isaiah 33:14-16 says, "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that keeps his hands from the holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the fortresses of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure." As the LORD says, your heritage-your prophetic place-is in his righteousness and it is you who shall have a place of defense in the fortress of rocks, dwelling on high with bread and water. Do not be overwhelmed by the things of this world. As Paul said in Romans 12:21, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Let's not sit around wringing our hands over the unrighteous, but rather seize our place in the righteousness of the LORD. You don't have to be enslaved by oppression-it has no authority over you. So stand in that gap. Be that royal priesthood. Obey God rather than man for the night is far spent and the day is at hand. Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light and let your light so shine. Daily Devotion: Lose Your Religion - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. -Romans 8:17 When people go through great difficulty, sometimes they say they're losing their religion. I would say that's good. Lose your religion and then replace it with a relationship with God, because the faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. If your faith can't stand a test, then maybe it isn't real faith. The faith of real Christians will grow stronger through hardship. It won't get weaker because of it. The reality is that if you live a godly life, then you will suffer in some way. The Bible tells us that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT). Trials, hardships, difficulties, and yes, even suffering, come into every believer's life. It is not a matter of if, but when. That's because once you become a Christian, a new battle begins. It's a battle with the devil, the world, and the flesh. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, "And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering" (Romans 8:17 NLT). We go through hardship so our faith will get stronger and so we will become more like Jesus. God is getting us ready for Heaven. And suffering reminds us that Earth is not our home. Heaven is. Yes, we will suffer as Christians, but God will be with us. Suffering and pain cause us to depend on Him instead of ourselves. It is only the Christian who can know that God is ultimately in control. And it is only the Christian who knows that one day we will be rewarded in Heaven. 
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 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 
|
|