Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
A Serious Look at Matt 24 & Rev 6 in Parallel: Part 1 of 2 - Ron Ferguson - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/07/07/a-serious-look-at-matt-24-rev-6-in-parallel-part-1-of-2-ron-ferguson/
[A]. IMPORTANT INTRODUCTION: In 1Cor 15:51, "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," Paul sets out the revelation from God of the Rapture, developed further in maybe 10 years time in 1Thess 4. He calls it here a "mystery," which is a Greek work meaning the revelation of a new truth that has been hidden and not previously known. Up until this time, the Rapture had not been known. This was something altogether new. Therefore, the whole concept of the Rapture was unknown to the disciples when Jesus was here with them. The only slight hint of the Rapture in anything Jesus said may have been in John 14:1-6. It is important to realize these points, because it will determine how we are to look at prophecy passages, especially Matthew 24. There is one passage I'd like you to consider. It is this one here: Acts 1:6-7 "And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, 'Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel'? He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.'" This was on the Ascension Day, some 40 days after the Resurrection, and Jesus had been teaching them during those 40 days. Do you see where their focus was still centered? It was on the Messianic Kingdom that was the expectation of every righteous Jew. That was what was in their minds. It was that kingdom that is set out in the Old Testament by almost every prophet. It was Israel's glorious hope. In other words, the concept of a Rapture was as foreign to them as the durian fruit (a tropical fruit which I love and grow)! It was the expectation of those disciples on the Lord's departure that the kingdom would be set up, but they wanted to know just when. The Rapture was an absolutely foreign concept for the disciples at that time and had not been covered by the teaching in the 40-day period. Not only that, but consider this verse also: Acts 1:3, "To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." Do you see those words "Kingdom of God"? I have no doubt that His Kingdom (the 1,000-year reign) was included in that, and is what prompted the disciples' question in verse 6. Jesus would also have included the gospel (of grace) in His teaching. I hope you don't think I have extended this out too much, but the purpose is to show beyond doubt that the Rapture was a Pauline revelation (mystery) and was not what was taught by the Lord while He was here. Therefore, the contents of Matthew 24 and 25 cannot relate to the Rapture but to the events that concern Israel. You know also that Matthew is the Gospel of the Jews/Messiah/King; whereas Mark is the Servant; Luke, the perfect Man; and John, the God Man, the Word in His divinity. The events that relate to Israel and the kingdom are the matters covered in all the Old Testament prophets and are all included in what is called "The Day of the Lord." The Day of the Lord covers the wrath of God poured out, the coming Gentile domination under the World Leader/Antichrist, the time of Jacob's sorrow (Tribulation), the judgment of the Gentile nations and Babylon the great, and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom. I can give all the Old Testament references for those. However, Jesus keeps a lot to Daniel as he is one of the key prophets as to the unfolding of events. Now, all the matters I outlined in the previous paragraph are the content of Matthew 24 and 25. Knowing that helps immensely in understanding those two chapters. For example, we can see (I hope) that the Rapture is not part of those two chapters. I think what I have already said covers that. Therefore, the crucial question asked of the Lord is partially answered. This question asked, and which formed the basis of these two chapters, was this one: Matt 24:3, "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age'?" To the Jewish mind, the end of the age was fundamentally interlinked with the Old Testament prophetic events concerning Israel; and this is what the Lord knew they were referring to, and answered them specifically. For several reasons already stated, the Rapture was not Jewish, and had not yet been revealed - still a "mystery" - and was foreign to the disciples listening to the Olivet discourse here. "The sign of Your coming" is specifically the coming in glory as we have in Rev 19:1-11, or what we call "The Second Coming." Jesus directs His answer exactly to this Second Coming. I trust that what has been said by way of introduction is enough to show that these events of Matthew 24 and 25 are not in any way speaking about the Rapture and are only connected in as far as the Rapture has to happen before the focus again returns to Israel once the Church has been removed. The Rapture is unknown in the Old Testament and rightly so, because the Church is the Bride called from a far country (type of Isaac taking his bride). The Coming is the coming in glory, the Second Advent. Just expanding this thought on the mystery, we might look at it from another angle - Eph 3:4-6, "And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit - to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel...." You see, Jesus did not teach the facts of the Church apart from one reference to it (Matt 16:18) or the facts of the Rapture apart from a passing suggestion in John 14:1-6. This "revealing" was left to the Apostle Paul. From memory, there are 7 mysteries in the New Testament, but only two of them are termed "great mysteries." Here is one of those: Eph 5:32, "This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church." What I am attempting to show is that Jesus did not teach about the Rapture or the Church, but His reference to His coming in Matthew 24 is rightly in line with the disciples' understanding of His coming in glory as taught throughout the O.T. Therefore, when questioned about the signs of His coming and the end of the age, there can be no possible allusion to the Rapture or the Church, because neither is in view at that point in history. Those who want to include these signs from Matthew 24 in the Rapture are doing injustice to the background and interpretation of the chapter. [B]. INTRODUCING MATTHEW CHAPTER 24: In my opinion, this chapter is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied chapters in the whole Bible. The chapter breaks into two parts. The first relates to history, and the second to the future. The first two verses form the first part. Matt 24:1-2, "Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him, and He answered and said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another which will not be torn down.'" This was fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction by Roman Titus. The remainder of the chapter has not been fulfilled; neither does it contain any prophecy relating to the Church age or to the Rapture. I know people quote it all the time, trying to make it fit into our age, but that is a square peg in a round hole. It simply does not apply. If you think that is wrong, then reread the Introduction above. In fact, the events described by Jesus here slot into the book of Revelation as will be shown. [C]. THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION: Matt 24, Verses 4-33: We must note verse 3 again: "...'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age"? The "coming" is the coming the disciples knew, that is, the Second Coming referred to over and over again in the Old Testament, and "the age" is the ending of the age of world powers and domination and the passing into God's earthly kingdom. It is most important to realize that as the Lord answers the question. However, these signs in the chapter light the pathway to His Second Coming, which we have established, is the only one that could have been meant then. Second Coming, not Rapture coming. It is safe to assume that the Lord begins at the beginning with these signs, that is, what will emerge right after the Rapture. Indeed, that is what He does, and this is in perfect harmony with Revelation. We must realize that the structure of Revelation is paramount to the understanding of that book. Chapter 1 is the introduction, followed by chapters 2 and 3 which set out the picture of the whole Church age until the time of Laodicea, which is right now. Then, chapter 4 begins this way: Rev 4:1, "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.'" That is the Rapture call, and John is told he will see what is going to happen right after the "Rapture" (his calling to heaven through the opened door). Well, chapters 4 and 5 feature the Church in heaven, all the saints of God from Adam until the Rapture; then, from chapter 6 until the end are the events to happen, beginning with the Tribulation that commences with the breaking of the first seal. We would, therefore, expect Matthew 24:4-14 and Revelation chapter 6 to parallel each other; and guess what? They do! Jesus' answer throughout chapter 24 can be seen to be a progressive one, that is, he reveals the information step by step, beginning at verse Matt 24:4, "And Jesus answered and said to them, 'See to it that no one misleads you.'" From there He moves to the series of events that will unfold, which are leading up to the time of His coming mentioned in the Old Testament, which we call the Second Coming, or His Coming in Glory. In doing this He reveals the "signs" that the disciples asked Him of, the indicators of that event. SIGN NUMBER 1: This verse begins the signs: Matt 24:5, "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many." The greatest of these will be the Pretender, the Ruler, the Political leader who will want to reign in the place of Christ. He goes under many descriptions - Political leader; the head of the new Roman Empire; World Leader; the first Beast of Revelation 13; The Man of Sin/Lawlessness. Many refer to him as the Antichrist, and he and the False Prophet will be wholly possessed by Satan. Thus, you have a trilogy of evil - the Ruler, the False Prophet and Satan. This is the counterfeit Trinity. Do not be too hung up on terms and get distracted by them. This is the opening of the revelation Jesus is giving and, therefore, corresponds with the first seal of Revelation 6 that will begin all that happens on earth after the Rapture. The verses: Rev 6:1-2, "And I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, 'Come,' and I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer." How sad it is that some commentators still want to say this is Jesus. This is the coming evil Ruler who will take control of the earth, the false Christ, who will be received even as Jesus Himself. So confused and deluded the world will be after the results of the Rapture, that this one will come with absolutely no opposition (white = no blood; no warfare) and almost immediately will assume control of the whole political system. SIGN NUMBER 2: Jesus continued with the second part of the teaching - Matt 24:6-7, "And you will be hearing of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end; for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." The peace that seems to herald the coming of this false christ will not last, and there will be an outbreak of strife. Because of this trouble, some may think the end is right at hand (the coming of the Messiah to Israel), but Jesus lets them know that this is not the end and more must happen. The parallel, of course, is the breaking of the second seal of Rev 6 - Rev 6:3-4, "And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, 'Come,' and another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him." This will be a terrible time with all trust gone and the shedding of blood rampant (red horse). We currently live in a violent world, and it is simply the institutes of law and order that hold a measure of peace in check, but even those are failing under riots, ethnic violence and rebellion. When restraints are gone, there will be great violence unleashed. Of course, the removal of the Church will take the restraining factor away (the Holy Spirit), and war and violence will naturally show what is in the heart of man. SIGN NUMBER 3: Jesus next introduces famines - Matt 24:7, "...and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes." I guess this could be the flow on from warfare, as we have seen this frequently in the African nations where civil war has caused the population to die through starvation. There will be famines and starvation. The breaking of the third seal of Rev 6 corresponds with this. Rev 6:5-6, "And when He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, 'Come,' and I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.'" Black means death (and apparently the color of death through starvation), and this horse proceeding from heaven shows that death will be upon the earth through hunger, famine and starvation. One quart of wheat will cost a day's wage (one denarius). Now, we should note here that everything so far, of the things that are happening, have come from the hand of man. God's direct intervention has not yet happened, but will do close to the time of the 6th seal. This is still in the section called "the beginning of sorrows." When God's wrath is really revealed (especially in the trumpet and bowl judgments), then that time will be many times worse. I would challenge all the amillennialists and those who say that all this has been fulfilled in the Roman times (preterists) to explain each of these seals, and show to me that they have happened the way the Word says they are to happen. They have not, and that gives the lie to amillennialism and preterism. SIGN NUMBER 4: So far in Matt 24, Jesus has mentioned some terrible situations, namely war, famine, death, earthquakes. These have taken their toll and will continue. The fourth seal of Revelation is the magnification of the situation that is existing, gathering up the plagues and multiplying them, and these same things are mentioned - war (sword); famine/starvation; and pests and wild animals. The colour "ashen" is pale and sickly looking. What a terrible multiplication this will be, for one quarter of the earth's population will perish (or part of that within one quarter of the earth). Even the animals will turn violently feral and attack humans through lack of food. Rev. 6:7-8, "And when He broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, 'Come,' and I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him, and authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth." One can't help notice the word "pestilence." The corona virus is the greatest pestilence to hit the earth since the Spanish flu (if you want to count that as a pestilence). God is allowing us right here and now to have just a small glimpse of what will be so tragic in the Tribulation. Incidentally, Australia has the largest fruit bat in the world, the flying fox, and there are millions upon millions of them that come out around sunset and plague fruit farms and defecate on everything, and it takes the paint off surfaces. These bats carry 2 or 3 deadly viruses, but they are fully protected through the actions of green environmentalists convincing governments. It is a catastrophe waiting to happen. It seems the world is preparing itself for the tribulation. SIGN NUMBER 5: Jesus explains that all which has happened so far is but the beginning of the birth pains - how terrible must be the judgments that follow! Matt 24:8, "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. He has concentrated on the worldwide results and has done so generally. Revelation has supported Matthew 24. Now, the whole emphasis changes, and Jesus hones in on His own saints (the Jewish saints of the Tribulation) - and though He speaks to His disciples with the generic "you," it is the Tribulation saints who are being addressed, for none of this happened in the disciples' time. It does not relate to Christians, as they are in heaven. Jesus continues with this discourse: Matt. 24:9-12, "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold." We see in that passage above that it will be a very hard time for the saints. These are the Jewish believers He refers to as later verses of Matt 24 show. The saints will be suffering under great persecution, hated by ALL nations with many killed. It will be a time of fear and betrayal and apostasy and misleading, for ones will arise to teach full error, embracing satanism; lawlessness will prevail, and people's love (I think it means the saints here) will grow cold, probably because the way is too hard under such adverse circumstances. There will be many defections. That is what Jesus is teaching. There are several aspects in those verses 9-12 which I would take to challenge those who say this has already happened (such as ALL nations; great apostasy; rise of multiple false prophets; increased lawlessness), but no time here to do that. Some of that has always been - consider Elijah, but this speaks of intensity. Now we again have the parallel in the next seal broken and this is it: Rev. 6:9-11, "And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained, and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth'? And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also." That is a MOST interesting passage and a total challenge to those who would want to place it in the Church age before the Rapture! The picture here is of the Tribulation saints who had been killed, according to Matthew 24:9-12 verses. John was permitted to see them with the opening of the 5th seal. These faithful saints died because they would not compromise their testimony of faithfulness; worship the beast or receive his mark. However, we have to consider verse 10 most carefully. The saints here are calling out for vengeance! Is that the teaching we are given for the Church age? Certainly not, for we are told to do the following: Matt 5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." Rom 12:14, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not." In Revelation 6:10 there is no blessing; no forgiveness; no praying for their souls. Instead, there is the call for vengeance upon their enemies. You people who try to tell me that this is the Church in view, explain, please. This is NOT the Church, nor the Church age, and these are not Church saints. What would you expect the Lord to do with an avenging prayer like this? Reprimand them? Tell them to love their enemies? No. They are given white robes and asked to wait until the full number of martyrs is complete. The Lord knows their prayers are correct. What a revelation this is! This passage is assuredly fixed in the days of vengeance of the Great God in the day of His wrath, and their prayer for an avenging hand is a correct prayer for the age they are in, which, of course, is the Tribulation Judgment. It would be totally inappropriate for the Church age. To be continued in Part 2 [email protected] Israel's Right To The Land: Mystery Solved! - by Olivier Melnick - https://www.newantisemitism.com/antisemitism/israel-s-right-to-the-land-mystery-solved When the world struggles with a pandemic and increasing racial/cultural riots, Israel takes second place on the news. Don't quote me wrong, there is still plenty of antisemitic rhetoric to be heard, and acts against Jews still abound. But, somehow, there had been a bit of a respite. That was until the approaching deadline for Israel's annexation of territories from the West Bank became news. The day for the move was July 1st, but Benjamin Netanyahu decided to delay it a bit. People have argued about the legitimacy of Israel in the land, pretty much officially since May 14, 1948, but the saga started way before. The 1917 Balfour Declaration followed by the 1920 San Remo Conference really made it clear that the land then known as "Palestine" belonged to the Jewish people. This led to the November 1947, United Nations vote to partition Palestine between Jews and Arabs. Palestine was only a name for a geographical area that comprised "Palestinian Jews" and "Palestinian Arabs" living in harmony or at the very least tolerating each other. And that was fine-not that I ever cared for the renaming of Eretz Yisrael to Palestine by the Romans in AD 135. But, for all intents and purposes, Palestine was just the name of a piece of land in the Middle East from AD 135 to 1948. Eventually, it became a politically charged word, synonymous with the country of origin for a people known as the Palestinians. Yasir Arafat mastered that narrative to the day he died, and the baton was passed to Mahmoud Abbas who has shared the burden of promoting the same lies with Hamas. So, today, people around the world are buying into the narrative of "the Palestinian victims of occupation and ethnic cleansing by Israel." It doesn't matter if it is not true, it has become the new truth about the Middle East, and most people are OK with that. But, for those who really care about the truth, I would like to offer three reasons why Israel ownership of the whole Land is the only viable and legitimate solution. Biblically, Israel owns the whole land: Going back to the book of Genesis, God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. At that time, it was actually more of a promise. He promised him a great multitude of descendants in Genesis 12:2, "And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing." That promise also happened to be unconditional and eternal. The unconditionality of the Abrahamic covenant is a critical factor that cannot be ignored. In essence, there is nothing that Israel can do or should do to fulfill their part and keep the land. God simply said, "I will" and not" I will if you do", and that is huge. Later, God ratified the covenant in Genesis 15:18-21. In that passage, the list of people groups that God decided to turn into the "land of Canaan" (a euphemism for Eretz Yisrael) add up to a land mass that makes Israel the size of twice the state of Texas, as opposed to the current Israel that is about the size of New Jersey. These boundaries have never been fulfilled anytime that has been recorded in the Bible, and we know that it is an unconditional and unbreakable promise from God, so there is a guarantee that it will come in the future. Most Bible students believe that this will be fulfilled when Messiah (Yeshua) establishes His kingdom on earth at His return. The Jewish prophet Daniel speaks of that future time in Daniel 7:13-14 "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. Israel's ownership of the land never negates the fact that God Himself declared that He is the ultimate owner, passing the deed down to the Jewish people as read in Leviticus 25:23, 'The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me." Israel's ownership of their ancestral, biblical land also doesn't negate the rights of Arabs to exist and flourish in the region-not that Israel has ever been guilty of antagonizing the Arabs. They are welcome as Arabs if they opt to live in peace in Israel. The fact that many countries of origins for the Arabs that resided in pre-Modern Israel "Palestine" never wanted them back in 1948 is beyond the scope of this article. Prophetically, Israel needs the whole land: There is an important factor that plays out in the future of the Jewish people. It is known as the Law of Return, that was passed in 1950 in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament.) It allows Jewish people from all over the Diaspora to return to the land with certain [limited] benefits. Modern Israel has experienced various waves of emigration's over the decades. Jewish people made Aliyah from the former Soviet Union as soon as a ban on Jewish refuseniks was lifted in 1971, and they continue to pour into Israel to this day. Then you have the Ethiopian Jews known as Falashas who started their emigration to Israel in 1977. A myriad of Jews from many countries have emigrated over the years and they form the unique fabric of the Israeli people. Most of these Jewish people are not necessarily religious. Only 15% of global Jews are religious all together. Regardless of a lack of a biblical connection, the Jewish people are also promised by God that in the future they will all return to the land, even in unbelief. In other words, a Jewish person's spiritual connection of lack of, to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has no bearing on God's promise to bring the Jewish people back to the land in the last days. He will do it because of His holy name. The prophet Ezekiel told us of these days in Ezekiel 36:22-28, "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went....For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land....You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. The Jewish people have started to return in large numbers over the last 10 years. Especially from Western Europe. Now, we need to understand that Western Europe is the home of many Jewish people who have live very comfortably there for decades. They have property, investments, wealth and even some deep roots and history. Yet, this is not preventing them from selling all and moving to Israel, France being at the forefront of these Jewish communities. Why? just one word: Antisemitism! The longest hatred has been on the rise as I have been documenting for the last 20 years. It is becoming increasingly unsafe for Jews anywhere in the world except Israel. As the Jews are currently making their way back home, Israel needs every square mile of land to accommodate for their return. Now is not the time to give away more land! Geopolitically, Israel runs the whole land better: With their proverbial head in the sand, most people do not realize how much better life in Israel can be for all people. This tiny sliver of land in the Middle East truly is a beacon of light in a very dark place. It is recognized as the only true democracy in the whole region. Not that I would agree with every move that the Israeli government makes, but it is by far the healthiest group of political leaders in the region. Start with the fact that the Israeli Parliament is made of many political parties that have to always form a coalition to legally govern. Sure, this can get complicated as we have seen in the last series of elections that ended in an odd partnership between Gantz and Netanyahu. Add to that the fact that the Knesset includes Arab members. Yes, Arab members in the Israeli government...Now you have the Israeli government! Where else in the Middle East can you find Jews in any of the other governments? Nowhere! Let's be real, Arabs who live and work in Israel are often better treated than in their own countries, included the "Palestinian Territories." Women have rights in Israel. Arab women have rights in Israel. Gays have the right to live in Israel without risking their lives (Tel Aviv is home to one of the largest Pride Parade in the world.) A wonderful example of that true "coexisting" is the story of the Israeli drink company SodaStream. Until they were forced by BDS people to move their factory to the south where the "Palestinians" couldn't go work anymore, they employed Arabs, Jews and Bedouins in the same facility. Every single day, they all came to work in perfect harmony. Even some Arabs where the very supervisors of Jewish workers. SodaStream is the perfect example of how things can work in Israel for all parties. No matter which direction the annexation of the West Bank goes and how long it takes to accomplish it, the only viable and legitimate solution for Jews and Arabs is an Israel where Jews can live in peace. If Jews can live in peace, they are the kind of accepting people that will allow anyone to live in harmony with them. Land for peace has never worked and the Oslo Accords are dead. The corrupt "Palestinian" leadership worships death in the midst of a vibrant culture that values life. There is a serious dichotomy here that doesn't appear solvable. But, with God everything is possible. He also promised through the prophet Jeremiah to never forsake Israel or allow for its destruction in Jeremiah 31:35-37, "Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: "If this fixed order departs From before Me," declares the Lord, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the Lord, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the Lord. So, what is so compelling about Israel 's right to the land? Any way you look at it, Israel owns the land, needs the land and manages the land better for all people in the region. That is of course if you are interested in the truth. If you believe otherwise, I have a very large and tall steel tower in Paris to sell you! Nearing Midnight: We Are Headed Towards Massive Racial Unrest - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The whole issue of racism in America has quickly reached a level that is cultic in nature. People are being fired from their source of employment for simply saying that "all forms of racism are wrong." As web companies clamp down on free speech in the name of 'social justice,' going so far as to red-flag the President of the United States and label Christian doctrinal statements as 'unsafe,' one tech giant just warned the public that hate speech against 'majority groups' doesn't count. Reddit wants consumers to know that you can say whatever you want about white people, and it will not be censored. It is becoming clear that the news networks are unconcerned about a growing number of violent attacks against white citizens. An employee of Macy's was the victim of an "unprovoked" attack by a black man. This hate crime received very little news coverage. The punching of a 92-year-old woman, causing her to strike her head on a fire hydrant, was widely reported. The outrage should have been over the fact that this is the 103rd time Rashid Brimmage has been arrested. A guy with a long history of mental problems is able to freely walk around attacking people because of his race. If a white person was attacking African Americans on the direction from his dead mother, I doubt his mental state would stand as an excuse. I'm sure Rashid Brimmage is already back on the street, so as soon his meds wear off, he'll be looking for his next victim. The Defund the Police movement has turned law enforcement on its head. When the infamous noose was found hanging in Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace's garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway, it took 15 FBI agents to investigate and determine that it was just a handle. When a woman asked a Chicago cop to stop a black man who was in the act of committing a crime, the officer looked at her and said, "Do you think I want to show up on tomorrow night's news?" He then just walked away. We are at the point where whites have to walk on eggshells around a clique of narcissistic sociopaths. Cancel culture is mob rule, and mob rule is, at its core, the true evil. Even people who didn't do anything at all are subject to the mob's wrath. An L.A. Galaxy soccer player was forced to resign because his wife tweeted that the rioters should be shot. A lawyer in San Francisco was fired because his wife was rude to a man she thought was spray-painting BLM propaganda on a building. A company called Equity Prime Mortgage fired the stepmother of the officer charged in the controversial shooting of drunk driver Rashad Brooks. The stepmother was apparently fired for no reason other than the family link. A San Diego Gas and Electric employee lost his job for "making a white supremacist hand gesture." This man lost his livelihood despite the fact that he wasn't even making an OK sign. He was apparently cracking his knuckles as he drove. I think White Fragility is one of the worst books ever written. It was written by liberal authors who follow an insane line of logic that concludes all white people are born into a culture of racism. It promotes the racist lie that this group of humans is incapable of being racist because of the color of their skin, and this group of humans is incapable of not being racist because of the color of their skin. The book's logic could equally conclude that the Jews were responsible for World War II, and the German people have no responsibility for the Holocaust. The only thing the book does for white people is it's a resource for those that need more of a reason to feel bad about themselves. I read about Aunt Jemima's pancake mix legal battle that showed me how close we are to total racial madness. Quaker Oats' announcement that Aunt Jemima would get a new name and logo motivated a reporter to seek out Larnell Evans Jr. He is the great-great-grandson of Anna Short Harrington, one of several actresses who played Aunt Jemima at fairs and in advertisements. Evans and his nephew Dannez Hunter have invested a huge amount of time in trying to shake down Quaker Oats about their shared history. In September of 2014, they filed their lawsuit against PepsiCo, the corporate owner of Quaker Oats, alleging that Harrington had helped develop Aunt Jemima's signature self-rising pancake mix, and that the company had used her likeness as its logo without providing proper compensation. They asked for a paltry $2 billion in relief and a share of sales revenue. The two did not bother to hire a lawyer. They created a massive legal document that implied a vast plot against black people. The documents' idiosyncrasies elicited snark from judicial authorities. "At over 50,000 words, Hunter's complaint is longer than both The Great Gatsby and the King James Bible's version of the Book of Genesis," the dismissal of a subsequent filing in Minnesota reads. "The overlong complaint meanders across a vast landscape pocked by conspiracy. Portions of the complaint are written in what appears to be Chinese." The Quaker Oats company has long rejected their claim-arguing the character was fictitious and had never been based on a living person. This is a line Quaker Oats has stuck to since at least 1948 when they renewed the alleged Harrington trademark and added a note stating the image did not depict a living person. The case by Evans and Hunter was dismissed on three grounds: that the statute of limitations had lapsed; that their 15 claims either weren't recognized by law, weren't established with evidence, or were implausible; and that the uncle and nephew lacked documentation proving their relation to Harrington or her estate. Things have become so crazy, the day may come when PepsiCo is forced to pay a vast sum of money to anyone who claims to be a descendent of Aunt Jemima. I was very alarmed when people started bowing to show their support for the Black Lives Matter cause. We are not too far from the point of this movement turning into a religion that requires everyone to pledge their souls to the god of racial justice. Anyone who doesn't bow before this demonic idol will get their heads chopped off. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10, ESV). On Anniversary of Roman Invasion of Jerusalem: 60 Rabbis Call on Jews to Enter Temple Mt. - By David Sidman - www.breakingisraelnews.com In the days to come, The Mount of Hashem's House Shall stand firm above the mountains And tower above the hills; And all the nations Shall gaze on it with joy. Isaiah 2:2 (The Israel Bible™) Sixty different rabbis renewed their call on Thursday for Jews to make pilgrimage to the Temple Mount after immersing in the mikveh (ritual bath) reports INN. The call comes on the 17th of Tammuz in the Jewish calendar. This day marks the anniversary of the walls of Jerusalem being breached by the Romans three weeks before the destruction of the Second Temple. It is also a fast day for Jews worldwide as it marks the beginning of Hadrian's siege over Jerusalem. One of the leading signatories of the proclamation was Rabbi Nahum Eliezer Rabinovich, who signed the document right before his death. Additionally, 'outstanding' students of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook who also signed the declaration include Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, Rabbi Eliezer Waldman, and Rabbi Zephaniah Drori. The petition stated that one important means of demanding the (3rd) Temple today is to ascend the Temple Mount." "Ascending the mountain properly expresses first and foremost - a demand for the Temple, both personally and regarding the nation of Israel," they explain. "Additionally, the most important place with regard to the commandments of dwelling in the land and its inheritance is the Temple Mount. We must redeem our national shame, especially our sanctuary, and return them to the ownership of Israel." "Blessed are those who ascend the Temple Mount, which is thanks to our sovereignty over the mountain, and the entire land of Israel for that matter," the rabbis concluded. A booklet compiling comments by other highly respected rabbis from previous generations was submitted by Rabbi Elisha Wolfson, author of "Temple Mount as Halachah (Jewish law)". The booklet highlights opinions of those rabbis regarding ascending the Temple Mount. According to Rabbi Wolfson, the purpose of the booklet was to "strengthen and increase the amount of Jews who visit our sanctuary in a state of purity." "For many years, Israel's government has made it hard for Jews to ascend the Temple Mount and instead, strengthened the Jordanian Waqf 's choke-hold on the site," he explained. "In recent years, the phenomenon has been reversed and we're seeing a serious strengthening of Jewish sovereignty in the area. Things that were considered a dream just a few years ago, now occur on a daily basis on the mount." "The equation is obvious," he said. "The more Jews visit the Temple Mount in accordance with Halacha, the greater Israeli sovereignty is strengthened on the Mount." Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Tricker - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Growing up, for as long as I can remember, we had a pony. He was a black and white pinto with three white socks and a triangle of white on his rump, just above his tail. His name was Tricker. Tricker lived through several generations of Wilsons. My oldest brother Chuck rode him. My next oldest brother Larry rode him. I rode him. Bill McCarthy, close friend of the family rode him. We have a picture of Tricker with Chuck's son Charlie and I'm pretty sure Larry's daughter, my niece Jodi, rode him. Tricker lived to be nearly 40 years old. He was really good with kids after they were able to actually get on him and ride. I rode Tricker before I could walk. He taught me a lot about ponies, mostly that I preferred horses. Tricker was the family pony. We all had to start out riding him. He taught us the tricks of the trade-or at least the tricks Tricker knew. These included a myriad of lessons about becoming a good horseman. In the summer, when I wanted to go for a ride, I would have to go out in the pasture and catch Tricker. I would lure him with a bucket partially filled with grain. Taking some grain in my hand and showing it to him by scooping it up and letting it fall back into the bucket got his interest. "Here Tricker, here boy," I would gently talk him into coming up to get a little sweet molasses, corn and oats mix. The plan would be to let him put his head in the bucket then a lead rope around his neck and put a halter on him. Most of the time, especially when I was little, we would get to the part where Tricker would come up to me long enough to draw his ears back and chase me as fast as I could run until I dropped the bucket. Then he would shake his head, paw his front foot, and tuck his tail and turn his rump toward me as if he was going to kick me while he gobbled up his bounty of grain. This was so frustrating. I would eventually have to get my brother Larry and ask if he would catch Tricker so I could ride. Larry would say, "You have to be smarter than the pony." Then he would demonstrate how to take control of the situation and Tricker would let him put the halter on. It took me a long time to "be smarter than the pony." During my Roy Rogers phase-I preferred to be called Roy and even carved the initials "RR" into my saddle horn-Tricker became Trigger. We would ride through the pasture on so many adventures, fighting the bad guys and saving the day. One time, my buddy Sonny came over and we decided we were going to ride Trigger. Well, he was his obstinate self and he ran us all over the pasture several times, till he got his fill of grain and let us catch him. I always felt that Tricker believed it was his world and he was just letting us live in it. Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God." With Tricker, we often had call on the Lord because the pony couldn't be trusted until we got him caught and saddled. Daily Devotion: Spiritually Bankrupt - by Greg Laurie - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/154497/on-anniversary-seige-jerusalem-60-rabbis-call-jews-enter-temple-mt/ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. -Matthew 5:3-4 Everybody wants to be a somebody, or so it seems. So many people want to be a star, to be out in front, and they think that will make them happy. Yet Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3 NKJV). In other words, "Happy are the nobodies." To be poor in spirit has nothing to do with how much you have in your bank account. This is about your attitude toward God. Here's another way to translate this: "Happy, or blessed, is the person who sees his or her real spiritual condition." And what is your real spiritual condition? You are spiritually destitute. You are spiritually impoverished. You are desperately in need of God. If you want to be a happy person, it starts with knowing that about yourself. Blessed are those who see themselves as they really are, which is spiritually bankrupt. Jesus also said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4 NKJV). Here the idea of mourning is being sorry for our sin. It's mourning over our sin. We see our condition before God as sinners, but it isn't a hopeless situation. There is a Savior who died on the cross for me and shed His blood for every sin I've ever committed. He's ready to pardon and forgive us. The Bible says that "godly sorrow produces repentance" (2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV). So, we must say, "Lord, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin." If you're really sorry for something, you'll change. The sorrow the Bible talks about is being sorry enough to change your behavior. You see God, His holiness, and the life that He wants you to live. And you see how far you have to go. Blessed or happy, are those who mourn over that condition. 
FROM THE HEART
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