Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Prophetic Assessment & Predictions 2020 - By Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.com/2020/07/prophetic-assessment-predictions-2020
In my previous article Prophetic Allusions, I made mention of the difficulty many have regarding the optical illusions of life these days. The world they live in (in whom Satan now controls) has pulled the wool over their eyes. The optical illusion they suffer from is believing that this life is the only reality, and that the end of the age is still way off into some distant and unknowable future. They go through life suffering from varying shades of uniformitarianism, or the belief that things tomorrow, will be like they were today, as they were yesterday. An appropriate comparison would be that of either "The Matrix" or Vanity Fair from "Pilgrim's Progress." It is a false reality pulled over the eyes of the unbelieving world. While it is impossible in our present reality to fully understand the inter-dimensional machinations surrounding us on a daily basis, it would be the height of folly to pretend it doesn't exist. Since at least the turn of the 20th-century, there has been a mushrooming fascination with the occult by the unsaved world. This is due largely to the advent of fiction books, television, music, and movies. Juxtaposed to this, is the academic, business, and governmental world's almost militant atheism forcing us to live as if the spiritual world does not exist. In these regards, the world is becoming increasingly spiritually divergent. The Gray Zone What is happening is that we live in a world who will tolerate anything and everything, except Christianity. Even then, it will only tolerate Christianity if it is completely watered down and corrupted. Other than that, if you profess to be a bible-believing, born-again Christian, you are a relegated to the kook or a fringe category. But why is that? There are far crazier belief systems out there then what Christianity presents. If all religions are equal (as many post-modernist experts propose), why single out Christianity? Clearly there is something about the truth-claims Christianity makes that separates it from every other belief system out there. But what does it mean to live in an increasingly spiritual, but less Christian world? This is where we are seeing the incremental indoctrination of the occult world so that we are increasingly desensitized. We see a world who is being given over to a debased mindset, unable to come to the knowledge of the truth (see Romans 1). The Apostle John states in 1 John 5:19 states matter-of-factly that this world (in its present form) has been given over to Satan. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. Allow me the opportunity to explain (or summarize) in the most basic of terms of what this looks like. According to the Bible, when Lucifer rebelled against God, he took with him a third of the angelic hosts (Rev. 12:3-9). Since the total number of angels is uncountable (Heb. 12:22), a third still represents a significant number (probably numbering in the billions to trillions). The wicked angels are separated into different classes of demonic hosts that continually interact unseen with humans in our physical reality. Specifically, these dark, malevolent forces are prohibited from manifesting in complete physical form (for fear of the abyss-Luke 8:31, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6). However, they seem to have no issue skirting the divine prohibition by means of a form of spiritual hybrid warfare (i.e....gray zone tactics). This means they do anything and everything just below the threshold of physically manifesting. Hybrid warfare is an emerging, but ill-defined notion in conflict studies. It refers to the use of unconventional methods as part of a multi-domain war-fighting approach. These methods aim to disrupt and disable an opponent's actions without engaging in open hostilities. These wicked angels are continually operating under the premise of deception, disinformation, and doubt. They continually stir the world into a myriad of negative directions and actions by stirring vulnerable humans into: chaos, hatred, anger, depression, anxiety, fearfulness, hedonism, lasciviousness, and many other forms of sinfulness. They set up imaginary strongholds of lies and deceit, and this is why they fight so hard against the truth. They are creatures of intense, murderous darkness, yet, they are held at bay by God the Holy Spirit, who uses (is using) the body of Christ in the present. This is why these demonic forces stand so vehemently opposed to only two groups of people on the earth- the Church, and Israel. It should be understood that the same demonic forces that stand unseen behind the Ku Klux Klan, are the same demonic forces that stand behind Black Lives Matter, Neo-Nazis, Isis, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, leftist, and the countless other violent and wicked groups operating in our world today. The same goes for any religion that is not grounded in the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, groups like: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, Paganism, Satanism, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, and countless other faux-Christian cults. These groups all have their own demonic deities hiding behind a façade of religious piety and "hidden knowledge." For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 At the present, these forces seem to be at odds, somehow working feverishly against each other. This too is a façade. It is a misdirection that Satan has carefully orchestrated to make the world think that there are many paths to redemption. This is why the post-modernist view of relativism is far more deceptive than say, Satanism. At least Satanism comes out and says what it is. Relativism hides behind a veneer of soft-spoken, well-intentioned academics and liberals, preaching that all truth is relative. That is a lie from the pit of hell. Relativism- the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exists in relation to the culture, society, and historical context and are not absolute. In other words, your truth is just as valid and true as my truth. Which of course, is absurd. Jesus cannot be both just a man, and also a God-Man. He is either one, or the other. He is either God come in the flesh to save mankind, or he is just a man pretending to be God, and cannot save anyone (including himself). This is an absolutist position. As born again believers, we absolutely believe that Jesus is a God-Man, and the Bible is very clear on this absolutist position. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2:5 I and My Father are one." John 10:30 The Rapture Gap Again, the seeming present discord amongst the demonic hosts are being orchestrated to confuse and prevent the world into knowing what is true. However dark things appear in the present, they pale in comparison to what will happen one second after the Rapture of the Church. These demonic forces are still restrained to a certain degree in the present, they will not be once the Church is removed. Were it not for the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit sealed-Church-2 Thess. 2:3-8), this world would have been given over wholly to darkness millennia ago. As we see in Revelation 1, the resurrected and glorified Jesus walking amongst the churches (equaling the church epochs) and they are represented as lamp stands (i.e., light bearers) in a darkened world. The Church was designed to be the salt and light during this age of grace, something we seem to see diminishing the further we progress into the Laodicean Era. However, one second after the rapture occurs, the light will have completely gone out from this world. The world will once again, be enshrouded in absolute spiritual darkness. The demonic forces will no longer be prohibited from physically manifesting, and they will be realigned to work together as one; with a singular purpose of bringing the entire world together under the control of their master, Lucifer. He will in turn, imbue his authority into one man, The Antichrist (aka...The Lawless One, the Little Horn, the Rider on the White Horse, etc.) Some ask, why bother studying about the Antichrist? We won't be here to find out who he is. True, but for the record, there are 27 chapters in the bible devoted to this final, wicked gentile ruler, clearly, the Bible has a lot to say about this individual. There are two often overlooked reasons as to why God is uses the mechanism of delivery known as the Rapture (Greek-harpazo, English-caught up). The first is because it is intended to disrupt life on this earth. When Christ first came, His birth was relatively non-eventful as far as the world knew. Most had no idea the Messiah had even come at all, save, some frightened shepherds, and an entourage of wise men from Parthia. Neither is the Rapture intended to be a gradual transition into judgment, as was the case in Noah's day (building the ark over a hundred years). The Rapture is meant to throw the world into a tailspin instantaneously, thus, causing the enemy (Satan) to have to be in reaction mode, and thus, creating the perfect-crisis scenario those left behind have to contend with. The second reason is the practical (or functional) purpose. His return for His church is designed to disrupt the world and cause them to choose a particular path. Just like the Great Flood was the practical justification for building the tower of Babel (just in case God flooded the world again), the Rapture will ultimately cause the world leaders to want to come together under a global government. The top three single nations in the world today are the United States, China, and Russia. At least two of these are presumably overseen by territorial, demonic princes (Dan. 10:13, 20). Out of the three, the US is clearly the newest, however, since WWII, the US has remained the top military and economic superpower on the planet. Meanwhile, both Russia and China have been spending much of the past century jockeying to see who can overthrow the US from being king of the hill. As of late, that job has been getting easier and easier. Since 1962, the US has been aggressively removing God from within its borders, which consequently, we have seen the continual eroding of US power and authority from the global stage. In terms of stage-setting, the world already has a semi-functional global government; the United Nations (UN). However, the UN lacks the political will, economic authority, and military power to compel anyone to do anything without the US supporting those globalist agendas. Since the US is bound by its own Constitutional system of checks and balances, it is hindered from joining any global alliance, which attempts to supersede the authority of the Constitution; thus, the UN's ambitions have remained neutered for the time being. This is a bit of speculation, but it might be what we are seeing today is the final piece of stage setting. In just the past few months, we've seen a rapid, transnational, global "pandemic" (COVID-19 hysteria) (pestilence), violent racial and religious tensions (ethnos against ethnos), political polarization, corruption, the hard swing left by many governments (including our own) towards socialism (deception), and military unrest around the world (wars, rumors of war). These might be the necessary birth-pangs, or even Braxton-Hicks contractions that designed to weaken the foundation of the world's greatest superpower. The world cannot fall under a singular government so long as the United States remains its sole superpower. So given the global distress and perplexity to seemingly unsolvable problems, to the erosion of American economic, military, and political power, the world seems like its gearing up for a "reset." It doesn't take a genius to see that the destruction of the nuclear family, the removal of God's blessings from our shores, and the monumental increase in our national debt means regime change is on the horizon. When the Rapture does happen, it might not take more than a nudge to get America to collapse to her knees. Once the US collapses, it does not mean it (the nation) ceases to exist. It simply ceases to exist as it was founded (i.e., a constitutional republic). It will get rolled up into whatever the new, global government becomes...which will happen quickly. Thus, the more the world can become destabilized prior to the Rapture, the shorter the gap in time will be between the Rapture and the official start of the 70th Week of Daniel (i.e. the Tribulation). (Dan. 9:27) However long (or brief) the post-Rapture chaos ends up being, the chaos (crisis) will be necessary for the rearrangement of geopolitical powers. Satan is currently using our present turmoil in a form of twisted, global, Hegelian-Dialectic circle. The crazier the world gets the more people will demand governmental control and oversight over their lives (trading liberty for safety). The more control the governments get, the less likely they will ever hand it back over to the people. Instead, the government will continue to commission large, transnational tech companies to continue creating and selling them back increasingly Orwellian equipment. The government (whoever runs it next) is then increasingly using this invasive technology to rein in the chaos. Right now, our government is still semi-benevolent in the likes that it is trying to do well. But we are one election away from all that power being in the wrong hands. This Hegelian cycle will continue to escalate up to and through the Rapture of the Church. Trust me, the disappearance of millions-billions of people, will make our present day 5G systems, bio-metrics, drones, our digital footprints, artificial intelligence, and contact-tracing seem like child's-play. This technology is simply moving at lightning-quick speeds to even keep up with all the tools the US Government has at its disposal. Our present turmoil, violence, and lawlessness is being designed to drive the world toward a singular, totalitarian, global government. The sooner Satan can get everyone under one government, the quicker he can get one man to ultimately rise to the top to control it all. Personally, I believe the Rapture is the 'perfect crisis' the world will use to form the final world government. However, the US could collapse beforehand, or head into a second civil war. If Trump wins reelection, he may be forced to execute some form of martial law to rein in the lawless in blue cities and states. The economic, political, and military collapse of the United States will leave a giant power vacuum the global leaders will have to fill. The European Union (EU) currently lacks the political will today to step into any kind of meaningful global leadership role; they are content to let the US lead from the front. History has shown us that great empires in the past can go from obscurity to great power status, seemingly overnight. The Macedonians under Alexander the Great, the Khans, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Third Reich are examples of how quickly nations can rise up. This gap between the Rapture and the Tribulation, will probably be just long enough for the world to reorganize under a revived European power structure. They will have harnessed, and harvested what they could from what is left of the United States (bringing it back to Europe), and will start reestablishing their authority. My thoughts, as mentioned previously in the Antichrist Zeitgeist was that Satan will seek to break bible prophecy by choosing someone who is NOT from the boundaries of the old Roman Empire. This is where I think he does select a "Barack Obama" type leader, to head this newly empowered global United Nations. The UN will have to relocate to Europe however, as much of the US will be turned back over into the "wild west." After the Rapture, the Europeans will begin scrambling their tepid forces, presumably allowing the United Kingdom or France to take the helm. The remaining US Forces (EUCOM) that are still stationed in Europe at the time, will quickly be absorbed under the authority of a newly renamed Euro-Army (formerly known as NATO), as transatlantic travel will presumably come to a halt. However, in the absence of the US, I believe it is here that Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the rest of the Gog-Magog federation launch a preemptive and failed assault into Israel. It does not seem that Satan even wants this to happen, because, presumably, he knows how it will end. This is why I believe God puts the 'hook in the jaw' of Gog, and leads him there to attempt it anyway. With the United States in shambles, the EU will have had no one to turn to for help. They will be in no position to stop this monstrous Gog-Magog military federation from doing anything. [Interestingly, these future Gog-Magog nations are presently in varying forms of disarray now, and/ or have no desire to become part of a global new world government.] This attack will force this newly established Euro-global government to react (Ezekiel 38-39) by protest. With the Magog Federation distracted, the EU military will start raiding the US for planes, tanks, weapon depots, and nuclear sites to beef up their own armies, navies, and air forces, while Gog and Magog gather on Israel's northern border. With the spectacular Magog confederation defeat, the world will be even further destabilized, with only China remaining on the far side of the world. The global order at this point is shifting rapidly, and somewhere along the way, Satan's original candidate is going to either die, or become unable to serve in that Antichrist position. This will cause someone from within the EU to be thrust into the spotlight. This will be the man who later signs the peace deal with Israel, officially starting the 70th Week of Daniel. With the Restrainer removed at the Rapture, the demonic hordes will no longer be bound to the realm of the unseen. I believe they will begin manifesting physically and will embolden the remaining leaders into rapidly consolidating resources, manpower, and technology to assume control over the entire earth. Remember, demons are fallen or wicked angels, who were present at the earth's creation (Job 38:1-7) and they know, where all the hidden treasure is buried. They know where all the hidden resources are, and they know the secrets to unlock every form of technology such as quantum physics to bring things online quickly. Conclusion Far too many Christians today live their lives as if the world was a playground, instead of a battleground. We are at war. We need to be prepared for whatever eventuality comes to pass. That means if the US collapses before the Rapture, we are just as prepared as if it happened after the Rapture. So if I may, I'd like to put some predictions out there for you to consider. These are not gospel, they are not divinely inspired, and they are simply working theories I have. So don't sell the home and move to the mountains based on my thoughts here. Simply consider them, and adjust yourself as necessary (if necessary). Trump wins the 2020 election- the US begins to tear itself apart (red v. blue civil war) I would expect some form of Martial Law to be declared as he attempts to rein in the lawlessness. This means be prepared. This means use Bible prophecy to share the Gospel. That's why Bible prophecy exists. (John 13:19, 14:29) Trump loses the 2020 election- Democrats, leftists, and progressives, begin rapidly attacking conservatives, Christians, and systematically dismantling the country. This means be prepared. This means use Bible prophecy to share the Gospel. That's why Bible prophecy exists. (Mark 13:11) The Rapture happens, and at that point, it won't matter to us what happens on the earth. However, our goal, is to take as many people with us. That means we prepare today by sharing the Gospel with as many of our lost friends, family, and strangers as possible. (2 Corinthians 6:2) Yes, there is a war raging all around us. Yes, the demonic forces and Satan himself, hates you with every fiber of their spiritual being. You believer, are a child of God. You are an inheritor of all the glory, honor, and privileges Lucifer wanted for himself. You are untouchable unless God allows you to be touched. And even if you troubled, persecuted, or killed for His name sake, it is for His glory, and your reward will be far greater than anything this world could ever give you. Yes, the times are getting darker, but we were foretold they would. It is time for us to awaken out of our slumber and get busy for the Lord. We are not like those who sleep and are drunk at night; we recognize the season, and we can see the end from here. We only have a little while longer- perhaps days, months, and even a few years, but the Day of Christ is rapidly approaching. It will come and nothing can prevent His soon appearing for His bride, the Church. Pray, study your bible, share the good news of Jesus Christ, and lastly, stand and fight. The demonic hordes, as fearsome as they might appear, are nothing compared to the God we serve. They war now by spreading lies and hate, but our weapons are so much more powerful. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 Even so, Maranatha! End Times Birth Pains - What's Coming Next? - By Britt Gillette/End Times Bible Prophecy - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=4179 With all the restrictions and societal changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself longing for the "carefree" days of 2019 when everything was "normal." Perhaps you've felt the same way. Of course, 2019 was far from perfect. It had its own problems and stresses, but only in comparison to 2020 do we think of 2019 as "the good old days." And that got me thinking... This seems to be happening a lot lately. We've had no less than three of these events in the past 20 years. If you're old enough to remember, it was a different world before September 11, 2001. After September 11th, collective fear increased. All sorts of restrictions and protective measures were put in place. Where would the next terrorist threat come from? Many longed for the relatively simple days of life before that terrible day. Then in 2008, the Great Recession hit. Many people lost their jobs, and among those who didn't, fear of an impending layoff increased. Many longed for the "simpler" times of the post-September 11th years. Now, here we are in 2020. We're in the middle of a global pandemic, and many long for a return to their pre-pandemic lives. None of this should surprise us. Jesus said the days before His return will follow this exact pattern. He likened them to birth pains (Matthew 24:3-8). This means, as with labor contractions, we'll see these types of events increase in frequency and strength as we approach the end of this age. What we're seeing today are the birth pains Jesus warned about. Jesus Is Coming The frequency of these events testify that Jesus is coming. Our generation will witness His return (Matthew 24:34). All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present. They include, but aren't limited to: * The restoration of Israel (Jeremiah 23:7-8; Isaiah 11:11-12) * The Jewish people in possession of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28) * The global spread of the Gospel (Matthew 24:14) * A marked increase in travel and knowledge (Daniel 12:4) * Israel surrounded by enemies (Psalm 83:4-12; Ezekiel 11:14-17; Ezekiel 35:10) * Israel fielding a great army (Ezekiel 37:10; Zechariah 12:6,8) * The rise of a United Europe (Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Revelation 17) * The rise of the Gog of Magog alliance (Ezekiel 38:8; Ezekiel 39:27) * Increased calls for global government (Revelation 13:7) * People acting in the way Paul said they would act (2 Timothy 3:1-5) * Widespread ridicule of the Second Coming (2 Peter 3:3-4) All these signs and more point to the soon return of Jesus. He told us to "look up" when we see these signs converge (Luke 21:28), and we're seeing them converge now. That means the rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming are close at hand. And since Jesus told us to expect birth pains leading up to His arrival, look for major events similar to September 11th, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic to appear with greater frequency and cause greater trauma. In other words, expect things to get worse before they get better. So what will come next? While we can't know for sure, here's a few events on the horizon. What's Coming Next? With conditions set to be worse in the coming months and years, what are the most likely events to occur in the near future? The possibilities are endless. We could see large magnitude earthquakes, a nuclear terrorist attack, or even a global pandemic worse than COVID-19. But rather than speculate, let's focus on what we know is coming. The three events outlined below are either already happening or certain to happen in the near future. 1) A Global Depression - For the moment, many people seem to think the current economic slowdown is a brief pause - that once the coronavirus disappears, the economy will spring back to life and resume an upward growth trajectory. The S&P 500 reflects this belief. After crashing for most of February and March, it's now just a few percentage points from its all-time high. But the "V-shaped" economic recovery touted in the media is nothing more than a mirage. You can't shutdown entire countries in an interconnected global economy and expect the impact to be temporary. Many individuals and small business owners have watched their savings dwindle as their businesses are forced to close or their customers disappear. In some industries, it will take years for sales to reach pre-pandemic levels. Governments have tried to take measures to help - offering loans, providing direct cash payments, and even outlawing evictions. But these measures are only temporary. Eventually, they have to end. For instance, in the United States, unemployed workers receive an extra $600 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefits. This has helped mask the true impact of the coronavirus shutdowns, but unless they're extended, those payments will end on July 31. Then what happens? With more than 20 million people collecting unemployment, that adds up to over $12 billion per week. That's $624 billion on an annual basis. Prior to the shutdowns, this would have been around 3% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product. Today, with the hit the economy's taken, it adds up to even more. When those payments end, consumer spending will dry up even further, lines will once again form outside of food banks, and a new round of layoffs will hit America's workforce. Making matters worse is the crippling impact on small business. Not only did governments force many businesses to shut down, but in a number of cases, it only allowed them to reopen with limited capacity. Foot traffic is down, and as new coronavirus cases crop up, these businesses may be forced to shut down again. This creates great uncertainty, and uncertainty is terrible for economic growth. Both businesses and individuals take less risk and cut expenses during times of uncertainty, and that means fewer sales, less revenue, and a contracting economy. To have the entire world economy suddenly come to a screeching halt is absolutely unprecedented. The result will be a terrible global depression on par with, or maybe even worse than, the Great Depression. 2) Widespread Famine - According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, more than 820 million people worldwide regularly suffer from hunger. And these statistics pre-date the coronavirus pandemic. That means events are only going to get worse because the state of the global economy has a direct impact on world hunger. Global hunger significantly increased during the Great Recession, and the current economic slowdown will be no exception. The World Bank's most recent projection for 2020 global GDP is a 6.2% contraction - two times worse than the Great Recession. This alone increases the odds of famine and will leave millions more hungry. According to Paul Winters of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, "Even before we got the COVID pandemic we were already seeing an increase in hunger around the world due to climate, conflict and economic slowdowns, and now we have this extra economic slowdown." By itself, the coming global depression will plunge millions into a state of poverty and hunger. But as terrible as all this is, it's set to get far worse. Why? Because this year also saw the emergence of one of the worst locust plagues in decades. Swarms of locusts measuring miles in length have ravaged countries in East Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. These swarms could continue to thrive and spread well into 2021. As they destroy crops, millions more face the prospect of famine - one of the signs Jesus said to look for (Matthew 24:7). 3) War in the Middle East - According to multiple news reports, Israel is currently contemplating the annexation of large parts of the West Bank. A coalition deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, of the Blue and White party, put forward a plan to do so as early as July 1. But so far, nothing has happened. That said, Netanyahu knows his window of opportunity to act is small - especially if it looks like Donald Trump may lose his re-election bid. If that happens, Netanyahu will almost certainly move forward with annexation while he still has a reliable ally in the White House. However, such a move is likely to set off a firestorm of international condemnation and declarations of war from many of Israel's enemies. For decades, world leaders have feared an explosive war in the Middle East. We may be closer to such a war now than we've ever been before. While Israel's next war doesn't have to be one outlined in bible prophecy, several prophesied conflicts have yet to take place. These include conflicts that result in the destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17), an attack from Israel's immediate neighbors (Psalm 83), and an invasion by a coalition that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and several other nations (Ezekiel 38-39). Could we be on the verge of one of these wars? We could. And Jesus pointed to "rumors of war" as a sign of His coming (Matthew 24:6). What You Should Do So with all that's taking place, what should you do? The answer is clear - make the most of the time you have left. If you're not a Christian, turn to Jesus now. He paid for your sins through His blood as shed on the cross. There is no other name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus alone is the way to heaven (John 14:6), so turn to Him while you still can. If you're already Christian, don't fear the events of the Tribulation. Jesus promised to protect His followers from "the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world" (Revelation 3:10). But don't think that because you'll avoid the Tribulation, you won't face trials in this life. Jesus says you will. He says you'll face many trials and tribulations in this world, but don't let them bring you down, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Realize the rapture itself could be the next traumatic event to hit the world. Think of those left behind, the fear they'll have, and the world they'll be living in. Use that as motivation to spread the Gospel. Right now, more people than ever are seeking Him. God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them (Romans 8:28). World-shaking events like the COVID-19 pandemic are no exception. People have been shaken from their sense of security. It's in these moments when people seek God the most, because He can never be shaken. He's the rock you should build your life on (Psalm 18:2). So take advantage of this moment and share your testimony, because Jesus is coming soon! Nearing Midnight: The Gog-Magog specter - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ While we sense the powers and principalities at their nefarious work just beneath the surface of what we can see, the prophetic specter of one of human history's most catastrophic wars emerges. I refer to the Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, which, of course, we've looked at many times in these commentaries. Stage-setting for the final act of the age is taking place at a blistering pace. The drive to completely erase God from the minds of earth's inhabitants and replace Heaven's governance with man-centered authority is full-speed ahead. A borderless world suited for the one-world order longed for by both the human and spiritual echelons in high places is no longer a surreptitious goal. The minions are out in full force, trying, in a major step, to bring America down so as to form a more perfect union, in the eyes of those globalist entities. It will ultimately become a hellish order that God promises to deal with in the most bitter, harshest terms as outlined in Psalm 2. It's obvious that the consummation of the end of this Church Age (Age of Grace) is near. Not even in the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 has American liberty been so affected. World War I and all other activities in that pandemic, which was tremendously worse in terms of numbers of deaths than COVID-19, didn't bring about a complete national shutdown. The minions in high places have used this so-called pandemic to forge their construction for Antichrist's soon-to-come launching platform. Two nations prophesied to be key in the assault are increasingly in the news. Prophetic overtones cannot be missed when analyzed by those who serve as watchmen on the wall. Meantime, the Middle East is seething with the rise of evil that is barely restrained from bursting forth in one of earth's final, major conflicts. Spectral foreshadows presaging the Gog-Magog attack from Israel's north are darkening the region's geopolitical horizon by the day. We will look at a couple of nations in current news that, in part, comprise Ezekiel's Gog-Magog force that will assault God's chosen people of Israel. We begin with Turkey, which was within the region in ancient times known as Togarmah. The nation is one of three major countries scheduled to assault Israel in a coalition led by Rosh-or Russia, as most scholars conclude. It is most interesting that this nation is sounding off on its plans for Jerusalem, and for the Temple Mount in particular. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "liberate al-Aqsa mosque" from Israel after "resurrecting Hagia Sophia" as a mosque on Friday. The decision to change the status of the ancient Hagia Sophia church, which had been transformed into a mosque in 1453 and then into a museum in 1934, was made controversially last week... The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa mosque, the Turkish Presidency website says. "The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come... the resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the reignition of the fire of hope of Muslims and all oppressed, wrong, downtrodden and exploited." (Seth J. Frantzman, "Turkey Vows to 'liberate Al-Aqsa' after Turning Hagia Sophia to Mosque," Jerusalem Post, July 11, 2020) An even more key nation scheduled to attack Israel in the Gog-Magog assault is front and center in the news. We have covered a number of times the prophecy that the ancient area of Persia called Elam will suffer a catastrophe of some kind. We, along with others who study the prophecy, believe it will be a nuclear problem of some sort. People will, apparently, be forced to flee the area because of the disaster. That mountainous area in Iran is thought to contain Iran's nuclear development facilities. Strange things have been going on there recently. Iran is facing a total intelligence breakdown. With another explosion on Thursday night, reportedly at an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facility, the question is not only how anyone has pulled off up to seven attacks in around two weeks, but how has the Islamic Republic repeatedly failed to stop them... What the world is witnessing right now is someone - the United States, Israel or Saudi Arabia, possibly with Iranian dissident proxy help - hitting Iranian nuclear and conventional weapons and IRGC facilities practically at will. And they are doing it in a way that has virtually never been witnessed in recent memory... The questions remaining then, are how long these attacks can continue and whether Iran can cope with them or try to make some sort of secret contact to cut a deal to get them stopped. If it does not, the message from whoever is making this happen is clear: Continued aggressive actions on nuclear and other fronts will lead to consequences that the ayatollahs had never imagined. (Yonah Jeremy Bob, "What the World Is Witnessing Right Now Is Someone Hitting Iranian Nuclear and Conventional Weapons and IRGC Facilities Practically at Will," Jerusalem Post, July 11, 2020) Hatred of Israel by these and other diabolist states of the Middle East are raising the specter of the Gog-Magog war a visible, looming certainty. We believe the Rapture will immediately precede that attack-the next-to-very-last war before Christ's return at Armageddon. Have the Jewish End Times Begun? - by Dan Sofer - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/154005/have-the-jewish-end-times-begun-opinion/ "See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes." (Malachi 4:5) The End Times, for many Christians, brings to mind the Rapture, Tribulation, the Second Coming, and Judgement Day. But what do Jewish traditions teach about the End Times? And are those traditions coming true before our eyes? The Jewish End Times Jewish beliefs about the End Times are based on the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament, especially the books of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, and Malachi) as well as later rabbinic sources in the Talmud and Midrash. These traditions discuss key events that include: - The Resurrection of the Dead - The Ingathering of the Exiles (including the "Ten Lost Tribes of Israel") - The building of a Third Temple in Jerusalem - The reign of the Messiah-King descended from King David The relationship between these events and their timing are unclear, but a number of other factors will play a role. Elijah the Prophet, the "harbinger of the Messiah," is to return to anoint the Messiah. The period immediately preceding the Messiah's return will be a time of great uncertainty and suffering. These "birth pangs of the Messiah" will include social upheavals. A great war will rage between mighty nations as described by Ezekiel in his prophecy of Gog and Magog. (Ezekiel 38) The end result will be a period of world peace ("The wolf shall dwell with the lamb..."-Isaiah 11:6) and, perhaps, eternal life. Maimonides: A Surprising Interpretation The famed twelfth-century scholar and philosopher, Maimonides (Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon), adds a surprising twist to the views of the Final Days. Despite this forecast of seemingly miraculous events, the Messianic Era will not involve the suspension of the laws of nature! The Messianic Era will introduce a time of peace and prosperity, which will free the righteous from mundane concerns allowing them to dedicate their time to study and reflection. And how will we identify the Messiah? Simple. Any righteous king of the House of David who succeeds in returning the exiles to Israel and in building the Temple in Jerusalem is, retroactively, the true Messiah. What is Missing? The keen-eyed reader will have noticed that something is missing from the Jewish End Times-something besides open miracles. In a word: Satan. These End Times include no final battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell. This is because, although a "satan" appears briefly in the Hebrew Bible as Job's "accuser," Judaism does not believe in a Devil. The Jewish End Times... Today? We return to the question with which we started: Have the Jewish End Times already begun? There is evidence to support an answer of "yes!" Over the past one hundred and forty years, Jews have returned to the Holy Land from all corners of the Diaspora. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the number of returning exiles has increased steadily and soon the majority of world Jewry will reside once again in Israel. This trend has only accelerated since the onset of the recent coronavirus pandemic and social unrest. (The "birth pangs of the Messiah?") Secondly, the past fifty years have seen a significant drop in large-scale wars along with dramatic increases in global prosperity and health, thanks to the "miracles" of modern medicine and technology. With Israel's growing economic and political strength, we hope and pray that a time of peace and prosperity is near, a time when the righteous of all nations can devote more of their time and energy to spiritual pursuits. And who knows... perhaps a "cure" to death? What Next? Of course, this article only scratches the surface. Jewish traditions of the End Times are far richer-and more colorful-than we have discussed here. Many fascinating questions remain. For example: Who will be resurrected and where? And how is the Messianic Era related to the World To Come and Heaven? You are invited to read further The Dry Bones Society series brings these traditions to life in modern-day Israel, along with healthy servings of mystery and humor, history and adventure. This award-winning and heartwarming tale of hope and second chances explores the Jewish End Times starting with the Resurrection in Jerusalem. As one reviewer put it: "If you liked the Left Behind series, you will love this!" Daily Jot: The prophetic communist threat to American Christians - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The international COVID 19 response has enlightened the world to just how fast governments can move to restrict freedom and overrule basic rights, especially the right to free speech and religious expression. Combine this with the hatred expressed by the "hate doesn't live here" crowd if you don't agree with them on their pet issues, or even wearing a mask during these COVID 19 times. Then add in the massive movement in the news media and the Democratic Party toward socialism, lawlessness, and support for organizations like Antifa that promote fascism in the name of anti-fascism. We then have a formula for how fast your rights as a Christian can be trampled, your life endangered. The revolution taking place in America is fomented by communist actors. Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, for example, stated on The Real News Network July 23, 2015, "The first thing, I think, is that we actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia [co-founder Alicia Garza] in particular are trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on, sort of, ideological theories." This opens the door for hypocrisy. Which matters most-Black lives or Marxism? Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and many leaders of the Democratic Party are socialists. They take issues that need to be addressed, use a little truth to make a better lie, wrap the words "rights" and "justice" around them, and hijack them, using activists as pawns, not to solve the issue, but to advance their Marxist agenda. They are ideological parasites. Fascism, Marxism, Socialism, Communism-are all different flavors of the same poison. They pit people against one another, engender support, and when they win, they establish tyranny. Russia, China, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, and the list goes on and on. COVID 19 lockdowns are just the fire drill. You can see that religious freedoms have been taken away in many cases. COVID 19 may be where it begins, but look at a recent Christian Post article about China to see where it goes-cash rewards paid by the communist government to rat out Christians, whose houses are then raided, and officials removing Christian images replacing them with pictures of Chinese leaders, saying, "These are the greatest gods." Communism abolishes all religion, making the state the god of the people. This is why communism is a prophetic threat. You, as a prophetic person, have a job to do-As Christ stated in Matthew 28:18-20, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." In America, we have the right to do this freely. But all those socialist warriors mentioned in this Jot would gleefully remove your right to the free exercise of religion AND your free speech when it conflicts with their political/Marxist agenda. In this country, we have been blessed with liberty in Christ and by law. Don't be deceived by communism. It threatens our prophetic destiny. Daily Devotion: What Does Jesus Pray For? - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Who then will condemn us? No one-for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. -Romans 8:34 What does Jesus pray for when He prays for us? What does He say when He intercedes for us? In John 17 we find the true Lord's Prayer, a prayer that only Jesus could pray. Here Jesus said, "Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are" (verse 11 NLT). Jesus prays for our protection. That's His heart toward us. The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus was with the disciples and turned to Simon Peter and said, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat" (Luke 22:31 NLT). Now, would it freak you out if Jesus said that you? "Hey, the Devil has been asking about you by name, that you'd be taken out of God's protection." Jesus could have stopped there and just let that hang for a moment. But He went on to say, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers" (verse 32 NLT). Many of us know people who have made a so-called commitment to follow Christ, but they mysteriously crash and burn. They fall away spiritually and are no longer interested in following Jesus. Maybe you've thought, "Wow, if someone like that could fall away, am I next?" That's entirely up to you, because God has given you a free will. He doesn't want you to fall away, but you have to do your part. The moment you fail to move forward spiritually is the moment that you essentially begin to go backward. 
FROM THE HEART
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