Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Jerusalem: Capital of the World - Joseph Chambers -
http://www.pawcreek.org/jerusalem-capitol-of-the-world/ Isaiah 66 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, The Capital of the World There is no place on earth both loved and hated as is the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding land promised to Abraham. The present "State of Israel" is a small part of the final geography that will constitute its completed territory. Jehovah God made an undisputed covenant to Abraham and gave him the basic perimeters of his final inheritance. The Jewish people, Abraham's seed, will soon take full possession. Jesus Christ will be seated on the re-established "Throne of David" and the glory and riches of the world will flow into this "World Capitol." From this golden city there will be established a righteous theocracy to ensure justice, equality, and mercy on a worldwide scale. Men have dreamed of a one-world government ruled by man. This dream has always been the antithesis of God's future design. The rebuilt city of Babylon will be the last challenge to Jerusalem as the capital of a worldwide government. These two cities are the exact opposites. Jerusalem is the center of all spiritual revelation while Babylon is the springboard of every hateful and evil spirit. Jerusalem, The Joy Of The Whole Earth While Abraham was still a wandering Bedouin, only recently having arrived from the land of heathens, Jerusalem had a king/priest named Melchizedek. He was called King of Salem, Priest of the Most High God, King of Righteousness, and King of Peace. (Hebrews 7:1-28) God had already chosen the city and its king and priest was described in language befitting a God. In fact, Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, was made a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not after the order of Aaron. Very simply, Melchizedek predated Aaron and was of a spiritual order too expansive to describe in this article. It is clear that the Father Himself had chosen this city. "But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there." (II Chronicles 6:6a). The children of Israel were the chosen heir of Abraham and established Jerusalem as their capital under David, their second king. The Jebusites had made this city a military stronghold cleverly defended by a strong wall and situated on a hill surrounded by a continuous valley. It was called "the stronghold of Zion." (II Samuel 5:6-9). In what appeared to be a military victory without firing an arrow, David took the city and renamed it "The City of David." They immediately brought the "Ark of the Covenant" to King David's new capital with great celebration. God's presence was now in the chosen city and it was cause for great joy. Note the celebration and holiness this event describes. "And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims." "And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?" "And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart." (II Samuel 6:2,5-9,12-16). Jesus was born in a small hamlet called Bethlehem just a few miles away. Jerusalem was the central city of His life. He was condemned and scourged in the city of His earlier arrest. Final death by crucifixion and burial were immediately outside the walls. He ascended to heaven from a mount overlooking the city and He will return to that same place, called the Mount of Olives. This golden city will be the location of His residence palace and government headquarters. While Jerusalem has been God's chosen city with His name clearly associated in its rise and fall, now the city will see the glory, which the great God intended. Human minds cannot envision the riches, grandeur, and indescribable glory that will be its fortune. Only the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven will eclipse its magnitude and splendor. In fact, I believe these two cities will be connected and serve to enhance each other. New Jerusalem will probably be suspended in the heavens above the earthly city and become the light overarching it as the fiery cloud did for camping Israel in the wilderness. Before arriving in Jerusalem, the returning Son of God will defeat the Antichrist in a glorious display of His position as "Lord of Host." Zechariah describes His arrival at Jerusalem. "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited." (Zechariah 14:4, 8-11). The city will be greatly expanded as the topographical outlay is completely altered. Zechariah's description points clearly to the mountains moving in a northern and southern direction while the Mount of Olives moves in both of the opposite directions of east and west. The cleavage of the Mount of Olives will unleash a living fountain of waters that will flow from the great city toward the Dead Sea on the east and the Mediterranean Sea on the west. These waters actually flow from the Mount of Olives and through the temple altar or from the temple altar through the Mount of Olives and then east and west. As they flow east to the Dead Sea, Ezekiel tells of the healing of this body of water and of all the deserts in the eastern direction. It will do the same to the deserts on all sides of Jerusalem. "Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh." (Ezekiel 47:8-9). This will create a great lush valley ("And there shall be a very great valley." [Zechariah 14:4]), which will change much of the landscape from mountainous terrain to a prosperous garden-like environment. Isaiah spoke of this grand day, "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God." (Isaiah 35:1-2). The Garden of Eden was cut off because of Adam's sin. Now it is recreated and Jerusalem is its new center. Ezekiel 36 37 Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. 38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel describes the extent of the city's new boundaries. "And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD. And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof. And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred. And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty. And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city. And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel." (Ezekiel 48:13-19). The city will be approximately sixty miles square with a twelve mile square inner city allowing a twenty-four mile perimeter on all four sides. This will stretch almost the entire distance from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Many parts of the country are already becoming a garden, but not to compare with its future. The Psalmist David could see the future glory of his capital city and sung of that day in Psalm 48:1-3. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge." David even details the hatred kings would feel in envy for this city. "For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail." (Psalm 48:4-6). He also spoke of the city's eternal presence as the enduring city forever. "As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah." (Psalm 48:8). Jerusalem, as it now exists, shall be attacked by the Antichrist, her temple desecrated by his false religion, and her palace partially destroyed; but, immediately, upon the triumph of the Messiah, she shall start her rise to greatness. The previous mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, stated that he had the greatest task in the world: to prepare Jerusalem for the Messiah. I believe this is the generation that will witness the final events that lead to the Millennium Kingdom of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and His rulership in this "Eternal City." One can almost hear the words of Isaiah as they near fulfillment. "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean." (Isaiah 52:1). Ezekiel prophesies of Jerusalem, "...and the name of the city from that day shall be, (Jehovah Shammah) The Lord is there." (Ezekiel 48:35). The Promise Land Stretching From Jerusalem The great city of Jerusalem will be the capital of all the territory promised to Abraham. Its boundaries will eliminate several existing nations and finally experience peace with the two nations left on her borders. Assyria and Egypt will be her northern and southern allies, while the heirs of promise inhabit the rest of the geographical region between the two. The God that cannot lie has given His Word. This is the promise as given to Abraham. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." (Genesis 15:18-21). Not only did Abraham receive this great assurance of his inheritance, but also it was given with the cutting of a covenant unique to this promise. A great Biblical scholar, G.H. Pember details this covenant experience in breathtaking terms. "In response, then, to the command of God, Abraham brought the prescribed animals, and proceeded to divide the beasts, laying each half opposite to that which corresponded with it. "The birds he did not divide, being thus in accord with the later Mosaic ritual, but probably placed one on either side. And so, having completed his preparations, he waited for the arrival of the Other Party to the covenant, being watchful in the meanwhile to drive off the birds of prey that flew down upon the carcasses. "Now, when God had called him out of the tent, the stars were shining: at least, therefore, the time must have been very early morning. Hence the patriarch seems to have waited and watched during the whole of the long day, and still his faith was tried; for God did not yet appear to confirm the covenant. Just, however, as the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon him, in which he experienced terror and great darkness. Then, the gloom was pierced by the voice of God, and Abraham heard words by no means out of harmony with his direful circumstances, though ending in strains of far distant hope. "The sun had gone down, and Abraham seems to have awakened to a consciousness of his surroundings. It was dark, and he saw moving towards the carcasses an appearance in shape like to a cylindrical furnace, from which smoke was issuing, and a fiery flame streamed forth. It was the sign of God's presence, corresponding to the pillar of cloud and fire by which He subsequently manifested Himself to Israel. In this form He passed between the pieces; but Abraham was not invited to follow Him. The reason of this departure from ordinary custom seems to lie in the fact that the covenant, which God was about to establish, involved an absolute promise, the fulfillment of which did not depend upon conditions to be required of Abraham. "After the Lord had thus passed between the pieces, He defined, in the plainest and most unmistakable terms, the extent of the territory which He had reserved for the children of Abraham. 'Unto thy seed' He said, 'have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.' (Genesis 15:18-21). "Such then, is the memorable promise in which the boundaries of the land of Israel were defined, and its full extent made known. As we have before remarked, it was given without any conditions: consequently, no possible circumstances can prevent its ultimate fulfillment." (The Great Prophecies of the Centuries Concerning Israel and the Gentiles, G.H. Pember, M.A., original publisher, Hodder and Stoughton, London, England, 1909, pp. 52-54.) The extent of the boundaries was set in unmistakable terms. Israel was to drive out all its inhabitants and inherit this entire territory when she returned from bondage in Egypt. Instead, she bargained with her neighbor, started serving their gods, intermarried with the heathens, and, finally, ended in destruction and rejection by God. Nothing that has happened in the 3,000 plus years since Abraham heard from God has annulled God's faithfulness. Israel will be chastened and scourged until her heart is humbled and then the Messiah will come. "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations." (Ezekiel 36:31). That day is fast approaching. Several additional Scriptures will help define the land expanse involved in these promises. "From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast." (Joshua 1:4). "Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be." (Deuteronomy 11:24) Zechariah 14 20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The Lord; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. We can clearly define several areas: the wilderness (Arabia, present Saudi Arabia, and several small Arab nations), Lebanon (controlled by Syria), to the river Euphrates (the portion of Iraq west of the Euphrates river), land of the Hittites (described below) with the Mediterranean Sea for the western boundary. "All the land of the Hittites" includes a large portion of eastern and southern Turkey and all of Syria is included in this promise. Other areas are described in the text from Genesis 15:18-21. "From the river Egypt" is believed to represent the area from the north end of the Gulf of Suez going in a northwestern direction toward the Mediterranean Sea. It appears that the whole of the Sinai Desert and all of Jordan will belong to the Promise Land. The tribes of the Canaanites, all of which lived in Palestine were dispossessed, either partially or entirely by Joshua and no longer exist in any natural form. This presents a fairly clear picture of the future possession of Israel. With the Mediterranean Sea as a western border, the southern lines of the Sinai and Arabian Desert as the southern border and going north along the Persian Gulf and the Euphrates River to embrace at least the southwestern half of Turkey from the Euphrates River to the regions running north of Syria and Lebanon and then ending again at the coast of the Great Sea. For Israel to speak of this kind of territorial design would be an act of war. Yet, God's promises that cannot fail are unquestionable in declaring Abraham's seed as the rightful heirs. There are some areas of this territory that are to be judged and uninhabited at least until God creates a New Heaven and a New Earth and the former things are forever vanquished. I believe that the New Creation begins at the start of the Millennium and will continue until all things are made new, and God the Father, Himself, dwells with men in the New Jerusalem. It will all be final by the end of one thousand years when the Bridal City descends from God to dwell among men. As the millennium kingdom is established, righteousness, and prosperity will fill the whole earth beginning in the new, greatly enlarged "State of Israel." Jewish People to Return After the Millennium Begins Immediately after the return of Jesus Christ to end the Battle of Armageddon and to inaugurate His kingdom, there will be an influx of Jewish descendants from every corner of the globe. The return of the children of Abraham has begun, but is only a trickle compared to the future. The following prophecy given by Isaiah is clearly dated after the beginning of the "thousand years of Christ's reign." A remnant is going home at present, but the entire seed of promise is soon to follow. "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." (Isaiah 11:10-16). The multiplied city of Jerusalem and enlarged "State of Israel" will easily incorporate millions of Jewish citizens. The people of Israel represent a level of expertise and brainpower unknown in any culture on earth. This intellectual and creative ability will be mightily enhanced by the spiritual transformation of serving the Glorified Messiah and now their new king, Jesus Christ. The glory that King David and Solomon dreamed about will be a stark reality as wealthy Jews bring all their riches to the "Land of Promise." No longer will they be required to leave their accumulated possessions in the country from which they immigrate. It will now serve to increase the wealth of the "Zion of God." Information is now surfacing that there are millions more Jewish people in many countries of the world than previously believed. Debate has raged for decades over the ten tribes (Israel) that were deported into the Assyrian kingdom before the destruction of Jerusalem (Judah) and the deportation of its inhabitants to Babylon. I'm not an authority on this subject, but I do believe millions will respond to the call when the Millennium kingdom is established. Isaiah clearly distinguished between the two groups with his prophecy. He said, "and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." (Isaiah 11:12b). He called Israel "the outcast;" that could refer to their rejection even by the present "State of Israel." All of that will change when the Messiah is seated on the Throne of David. Israel to Possess Inhabitants of Babylon as Slaves Citizens of Israel will not only be wealthy, they will possess the heathens for an inheritance. It will be a Godly rule of justice and fairness, but they will be their servants. Isaiah spoke of this day when Babylon would be destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah. His words are as follows, "For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing." (Isaiah 14:1-7). The Psalmist David saw this same reality in his prophetic utterances. He ties this historic future to the time when the King would set upon the holy hill of Zion. "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (Psalm 2:6-9). Our twentieth century minds cannot grasp this kind of thinking. We forget that God is just and all of us will reap exactly what we sow. Not only do individuals reap the fruit of their labor, but families and nations also answer for the corporate action of their past. The Tribulation Period will purge the earth of its wickedness, but those who survive this holocaust will be judged by their individual and corporate treatment of the Jewish nation. Their lot in the millennium will be decided by their action during Israel's darkest period of all history. Remember, these are natural people who manage to survive the "Seven Year of Tribulation." Three classes of people will share the millennium kingdom: the Jewish nation, the glorified saints, and the natural people. Israelis will rule the new State of Israel, the saints will rule the rest of the world and the natural people will serve both. Revelation 20 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Assyria and Egypt to be Partners with Israel The promise land will stretch from Egypt on the south to Assyria on the north and east. The heirs of Isaac and Jacob will possess everything between these two nations. The Moabites, Ammonites (parts of Modern Jordan), and Edomites will share the land given to them, but Israel will rule over them. A partnership will develop between Israel, Egypt, and Assyria that will give them control of the entire Middle East. Peace will finally come to this "Hotspot of the World." Isaiah gave specific prophecy of this day. "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it." "And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts." "In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it." "In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance." (Isaiah 19:1, 4, 16-17, 19-25). Prophecies of this magnitude always overwhelm me. When I was in Egypt in February 1990, my heart melted at the depression hanging like a cloud. When I arrived at my hotel the first night, after a day of sightseeing and research, the Holy Spirit miraculously led me to these verses. Suddenly, the hope of my Messiah's (Jesus Christ's) coming was more than escape. It was renewal, re-creation, and glory for every part of God's earth, including Egypt. These verses show that after Egypt and Assyria are judged, God will renew both and make them the followers and worshippers of the King of Israel. They will share with Israel the blessings of the eternal kingdom. Israel will be a blessing in the midst of Egypt and Assyria. Egypt He called "His people," Assyria He called "the work of His hands," and Israel He called "Mine inheritance." Assyria and Egypt will be possessed by Israel's King and not by Israel as a nation. It will be a unique partnership for eternity. The New Center of Creation Jerusalem, the Golden City, and the Nation of Israel will be the center of God's new world. Its King will be the triumphant one who trod the winepress of God's wrath at Calvary and earned the right to rule. The old center of creation was Eden and the land of Shinar (Sumer). The people forfeited their position and God called a new nation by Abraham. Jerusalem took the place of Eden or Babylon before Abraham arrived in the land. Finally, after centuries of human failure, the promise will be final. The promise land will become the "center of God's New World." For one thousand years it will be perfectly ruled by the King of Kings. The followers of the Second Adam will enjoy what God designed for the First Adam. "And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. (Ezekiel 36:35-36). It does not end with the millennium kingdom. That's only the prelude to an eternity in the presence of God. The "Earthly Jerusalem" and "New Jerusalem" coming down from God out of heaven will be the focus of God's entire cosmos. The Father, Himself, will be with us for eternity. We will enjoy a "New Heaven" and a "New Earth." The glory of God and of the Lamb will enlighten and fill the sinless eternal existence of mankind. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." (Revelation 21:1, 3, 22-23). Hamas-Israel Ceasefire Talks Show Peace Impossible - By Caroline Glick - www.breitbart.com The ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Hamas terror group's regime in Gaza point to a central truth about the nature of the Palestinian conflict with Israel. Before anyone speaks any more about a possible "deal of the century," or a "two-state solution," it is imperative that the implications of those talks be fully understood. The ceasefire talks are being held between the sides of two separate international coalitions. On the one side are Israel, the U.S., and Egypt. On the other side are Hamas, Qatar, and Turkey. The party that has been most notably absent from the discussions is the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA, which was formed in 1994 in the framework of talks between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, is charged with running the Palestinian autonomous areas that Israel transferred to PLO control. Until June 2007, that included the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian population centers in Judea and Samaria. In 2006, the PA held elections to its legislative council. Hamas won. In 2007, Hamas forcibly ejected the PA from Gaza and set up its own terror regime, which has ruled - with public support - ever since. The PLO is an umbrella organization that includes several aligned Palestinian terror groups. Fatah, which was established by Yasser Arafat in 1958, is the largest faction of the PLO. Until his death in 2004, Arafat headed Fatah, the PLO and the PA. His successor, Mahmoud Abbas, similarly sits at the helm of all three groups. Since it was established in 1964, the PLO has insisted that it is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinians. Since the PA was established in 1994, the PLO has sought to convince Hamas, the Muslim-Brotherhood's Palestinian terror affiliate, to join its ranks. Although Hamas and Fatah have negotiated multiple unity deals since then, many of which involved Hamas joining the PLO, none of the deals was ever fully implemented. Since Hamas ousted Fatah forces from Gaza, on the ground, PA/Fatah has served as Hamas's financier and diplomatic representative. It has used the internationally-funded PA budget to pay for Hamas's regime in Gaza. Abbas's PLO representative Azzam al-Ahmad served as the chief Palestinian negotiator in ceasefire talks that brought an end to Hamas's 50 day war against Israel in 2014. The PLO's international delegations represented Hamas's positions in forums like the UN. The PA/Fatah was apparently blindsided by the current round of ceasefire discussions. In these discussions, being carried out indirectly with Israel through several different mediators, Hamas is not using the PA to represent it. And this makes sense. To show his frustration with Hamas's refusal to cede control over Gaza to the PA in any significant way, in April 2017, Abbas stopped paying Hamas's electricity bills. He also stopped transferring money for salaries to the Hamas regime in April 2018. Given the acrimony between the two sides, it is little wonder that Hamas, uninterested in ceding its power, decided to represent itself in its ceasefire negotiations. Abbas stubbornly refuses to accept his growing irrelevance. Rather than trying to maneuver himself into a senior negotiating role, Abbas has boycotted the talks. He has soured his relations with the Sisi regime in Egypt, by - among other things - refusing to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, who is overseeing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. Until a few weeks ago, Sisi was Abbas's strongest supporter. He accepted Abbas's demand that Fatah reassert its control over Gaza in any ceasefire deal. But Abbas's recalcitrance and contempt for Sisi's regime have brought relations to a low point. Sisi, like Israel, believes it is more urgent to prevent another war than empower the feckless Fatah leader. Abbas's behavior has also won him the contempt of several PLO factions. While Fatah boycotts the Cairo talks, almost every other PLO faction is participating in them. The participation of the likes of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) in the talks shows that Abbas's long-held plan to incorporate Hamas into the PLO has been turned on its head. The PLO is joining Hamas. And this brings us to the main reality that the current ceasefire talks expose. Since Hamas took over Gaza 11 years ago, the U.S., Egypt, and Israel have believed to varying degrees that Gaza is a sideshow. The main story is Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). Like all previous U.S. peace proposals, Trump's "deal of the century" is reportedly focused on Judea and Samaria and the PA, not on Gaza and Hamas. But the ceasefire discussions have shown that Gaza and Hamas are the only game in town. Since Israel removed all of its civilians and military forces from Gaza in 2005 and abandoned the area, Gaza has been an entirely independent Palestinian territory. It has international borders with Israel and Egypt. It has a population it controls. It is a Palestinian state in everything but name. On the other hand, in Judea and Samaria, there is a Palestinian autonomy inside a larger area controlled by Israel. As Abbas said in a speech Saturday panning the ceasefire talks, "There is no state in Gaza and an autonomy in the West Bank, and we will not accept this. We will never accept the separation of Gaza [from the West Bank]." What Abbas left out was that the reason the Palestinians do not have a state in Judea and Samaria is because the PA/Fatah, under both Arafat and Abbas, rejected multiple Israel and U.S offers of statehood. There is no Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria because the PLO/Fatah/PLO doesn't want one. Which brings us back to the Hamas state in Gaza. Abbas also said, "Either we take responsibility for the West Bank and Gaza under one state, one regime, one law, and one weapons, or Hamas will take responsibility [for the West Bank]. The situation in Gaza proves that is a lie. The options aren't Fatah or Hamas. They are Israel or Hamas. In 2004, Israel decimated Hamas's leadership in Gaza. The next year it walked away from Gaza, handing the area to the PA/Fatah lock, stock and barrel. Rather than use the opportunity to build a state, the PA/Fatah militarized Gaza and orchestrated ever escalating mortar and rocket assaults against Israel. Gaza's militarization and the open transfer of massive quantities of armaments to Gaza through the Egyptian border gave Hamas the ability to rebuild its forces - and, in less than two years, oust Fatah from power. Like the PA, Hamas uses its control over Gaza not to build a state but to expand its ability to strike Israel. This it has achieved by, among other things, developing close relations with Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, serving as an arm of their foreign policies towards Israel, Egypt and the wider Islamic world. Hamas has also developed close ties with the so-called "Islamic State" and affiliated al Qaeda organizations that operate in Gaza and Sinai. Like the PA, Hamas has used Europe's hostility towards Israel, and the Islamic bloc's control over UN agencies (including the UN General Assembly), to mask its crimes and blame Israel for its aggression against the Jewish state. Despite Hamas's failure to develop Gaza economically, and its use of Gaza's civilian population as human shields behind which it builds its military capabilities and attacks Israel, the people of Gaza have maintained their support for the terror regime. Far from pushing it out for failure to govern in any recognizable sense of the term, a majority of Gazans continue to support the jihadist group and to share its program of continuous warfare against Israel, with the aim of annihilating the Jewish state. Moreover, polling data show that if elections were held in Judea and Samaria, Hamas would win them. All of this leads to one clear conclusion. Hamas-ruled Gaza is what a Palestinian state looks like. It is what a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria would look like if any U.S. or other peace proposal that requires Israel to transfer control over the areas to the PA/Fatah is implemented. The Palestinians - as a people - are not interested in establishing an independent state. They are committed to annihilating Israel. This is why all of their political factions are terror groups. That's why one of Abbas's possible successors is in prison for five counts of terrorist murder and the other has called for Israel to be wiped out with nuclear weapons. This is why, in a bid to shore up popular support for Fatah, Abbas is calling for a renewal of terror attacks against Israel. And this is why Hamas, whose record is one unblemished by phony peace processes with Israel, is more respected and trusted by the Palestinians in Gaza and Judea and Samaria. Last week, Trump's top advisors on the Palestinian conflict with Israel, Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley,, and Ambassador to Israel David Friedman issued a statement on their much touted plan. "No one will be fully pleased with our proposal, but that's the way it must be if real peace is to be achieved. Peace can only succeed if it is based on realities," it read. While it is true that peace can succeed only if it is based on reality, it is also true that there is no realistic prospect for peace. Hamas's terror state in Gaza is the apotheosis of Palestinian aspirations. This is what the Palestinians seek to build in Judea and Samaria and, in due course, this is what they want all of Israel to become. Under the circumstances, the Trump administration has a choice to make. Does it want Judea and Samaria to look like Gaza? Or does it want Judea and Samaria to look like Israel? The ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel are proof that there is no third option. News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com America faces an uncertain time. Across the political spectrum, people are talking about a "Second American Civil War." But what's happening in the United States is happening everywhere. From North America to Central and South America. From Europe to the Middle East. Africa stays in a state of perpetual turmoil. India and Pakistan. Ukraine and Russia. Yemen and Saudi Arabia. North Korea and South Korea. China and all of its free neighbors. Conflict boils over. We have entered a period of worldwide political chaos. It's exactly the situation that the Bible says will bring about the Tribulation period of the last days. That's the time when the Book of Revelation will come to life. It will include a series of unthinkable disasters - natural, environmental, political, and spiritual. This is not politics as usual. And it is not confined to a single political party. In Mark 13:8, Jesus said that in the last days, "Nation will arise against nation." When we go back to the Greek, we see that the word for nation literally means "people group." It's not just talking about war between countries, but also war within them. And that's what we're seeing in America - and the world - right now. But an even sadder war is unfolding -- the war of parents on their children. In just recent weeks, we learned about a Georgia man who left his 22-month old son to die in a steaming hot car. A Texas man who slit the throats of his 8-year-old son as he pleaded, "Daddy, I'm sorry!" and his one-year-old daughter as she cried. A Colorado man who confessed to killing his pregnant wife and probably killed his two young daughters and buried them in a crude oil well. A Jordanian Muslim man living in Texas who tried to kill his daughter because she shamed him by leaving Islam. He managed to kill her husband and her best friend. In 2 Timothy 3, the Apostle Paul says that "in the last days... men will be... unloving...." (2 Timothy 3:1-3 NASB) The King James Version says that "men will be... without natural affection...." "Natural affection" is a translation of the Greek word, "stergo." It refers to the love that binds parents and children together. The word actually used in this scripture is "astórgous." It adds an "a" to the beginning. The "a" is a negative. A "theist" believes in God. An "atheist" does not believe in God. "Stergo" means the "natural affection" we feel toward our children or parents. "Astórgous" means "without natural affection." It's not just "unloving" or "unkind," as so many translations say. It refers specifically to people not having the affection that is natural for their own kids or parents. In the United States alone, about 500 children each year are murdered by their own parents. Of course, that figure is dwarfed by the 60 million unborn babies who have been murdered by their own mothers since Roe v. Wade in 1973. But these sad statistics -- each representing an even sadder story -- just prove the reality that we are in the "last days" that Paul described. Lauren Geoghegan and her boyfriend Jay Austin, both 29, believed in a world filled with goodness and light. In fact, in April Jay wrote: "Evil is a make-believe concept we've invented to deal with the complexities of fellow humans holding values and beliefs and perspectives different than our own." Were he alive today, Jay might not think "evil" is such a benign thing. But he is not. Neither is his girlfriend. In July of 2017, Jay and Lauren set off on an around-the-world bicycling adventure. It ended tragically in Tajikistan when they and two other cyclist-tourists were brutally run down by five terrorists in a car. The young men then jumped out of the car and stabbed Jay and Lauren and two others to death. A fifth cyclist survived the attack. Later, ISIS released video of the young men smiling and posing beneath an ISIS flag. Sadly, Jay met evil face to face and learned that it is not a "make-believe concept." Evil is real and the father of evil roams the earth desiring to ultimately destroy all of us. Britain, too, is learning the hard way that evil is real. London is witnessing an explosion in stabbings, as well as car and acid attacks. There's a section of London known as "murder mile." In fact, in the last few years, violent crime is exploding all across Europe. London's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, blames the crime wave on "government cutbacks." But, increasingly, others are beginning to realize that the real source of London's increasing terror problem is radical Islam. In fact, it's happening across Europe. In Sweden, for the first time in more than a century, it looks like the socialists may lose their lock on the Parliament. The Sweden Democrats are poised to become the largest bloc in Parliament after the September 9 elections. Though the mainstream Swedish media paint them as "racists," they are not. They are pro-traditional-Sweden and this year's elections are being primarily driven by concerns over rampant immigration. When interviewed by a local TV news program, an unidentified Swedish citizen asked the question apparently on the minds of many Swedes: "Why should Sweden become a Middle Eastern country?" But it's not just Sweden beginning to fight back. Six European countries, including France, have now enacted nationwide bans or partial bans on the wearing of face veils. Three others have bans in local cities. And four countries, including Germany, have legislation against veils pending. It is a safety issue since the police need to see faces. Also, the EU's fight against terror increasingly depends on surveillance cameras that can't see through veils. These cameras are hooked up to computers with facial recognition software. But it's more than just a safety concern. Europeans are finally beginning to realize that they are losing their historical cultures. Revelation 1:5 calls Jesus, "The ruler of the kings of the earth." (NASB) Knowing that, you might wonder why this world is in such a mess! But it's important to understand that, even though Christ has the right to rule the earth, He isn't exercising His authority over the kings and kingdoms at this time. Satan won a temporary legal right to rule the kingdoms of the world when Adam foolishly relinquished his God-given authority to him in the Garden of Eden. When Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory...." (Matthew 4:8-10 NASB), the Lord did not dispute Satan's temporary legal claim to those kingdoms -- and the right to offer them to Him. But Jesus knew that when His work on the cross was finished, Satan would be, too! In John 12:31, Jesus said, "The ruler of this world shall be cast out." (NASB) It's only a matter of time until Christ comes back to earth and claims His rightful role as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! What a day that will be! But the Apostle John assures us that, in the meantime, we have not been left to ourselves. He proclaims that right now - just as we are - we are loved with the continuous and pure love of Christ. Sometimes we're tempted to think that the love of God had its highest culmination in the past, when God gave His Son to die for mankind. But the case is just the opposite. God's love then was for His enemies. Now, it's for His friends. Then God's love reached out to man in all his ugliness and sins. Now it floods believers who have been washed from their sins and clothed with Christ's robes of righteousness! Revelation 1 says, "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6 KJV) He has "washed us from our sins" - past tense. It's already done. If only we could get it through our heads that we have been cleansed from our sins and their eternal judgment! He "has made us kings and priests" in Him. Again, that's past tense. It's done! The fullness of God's great love is a present reality and His forgiveness of our sins is a past fact. We don't have to wait and work to be forgiven. The work was fully accomplished when Christ shed His blood for us two thousand years ago. All that remains is for us to accept the pardon, which God is so eager to give us and to delight in the realities of His ever-present love! Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. Compromise - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2018/08/22/compromise-grant-phillips/ Compromising is not always a bad thing. It depends on the subject matter, the parties involved and I'm sure other factors that may need to be considered. So I will not say that compromising is always the wrong thing to do. For example, a good marriage always involves compromises in many situations. However, when it comes to our relationship to God and His Holy Word the Bible, we cannot compromise. I do emphasize that our stance must be in line with the Bible and not just our own misguided opinion. I believe one of the greatest failures of the church today is its compromising with the world. Instead of the church going out into the world evangelizing, the world has come in to the church and spread corruption. This has occurred basically because the churches have compromised God's Word. There is an old saying, "If a man will not stand for something, he will fall for anything." Martin Luther King, Jr., made it even stronger by saying, "If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." There are many accounts in the Bible, and throughout history for that matter, of men and women who stood firmly upon the Holy Word of God and would not give an inch, often at the forfeiture of their own life. How many of us today have the same tenacity to cling to what God says, regardless of the cost? Obviously those folks are still among us, but they are few in number. Not everyone who claims the name of Jesus knows Him as Savior and Lord. Satan has slithered into many of the churches and whispered compromising lies in the ears of most of the so-called leadership. Most of the flock has been so dumbed-down; they have no clue of what is from God and what is from man, because they take what is said as 'gospel', never searching the Scriptures; "Well, the preacher says so, so it must be true." Again, it is largely a result of compromising our Lord's Word. Moses is a man we are all familiar with and also a good example, among many others, of one who would not compromise what God had told him. You recall that God brought ten plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians for refusing to let Israel go and serve God in the wilderness. During these plagues Pharaoh tried five times to persuade Moses to compromise. These are the 10 Plagues on Egypt and where they are located in Scripture. Blood: Exodus 7:14f Frogs: Exodus 8:1f Gnats: Exodus 8:16f Flies: Exodus 8:20f On Livestock: Exodus 9:1f Boils: Exodus 9:8f Hail: Exodus 9:13f Locusts: Exodus 10:1f Darkness: Exodus 10:21f Death to Firstborn: Exodus 11:1f Opportunity to Compromise #1: After the fourth plague of flies Pharaoh says to Moses, "Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land." (Exodus 8:25) Pharaoh said in effect, "Sure, sacrifice to your God, but you must do so here, not in the wilderness." Moses rejected this compromise, because that is not what God said. Satan says to professing Christians today, "You can have your cake and eat it too. The world has changed. You can worship God, and still enjoy all the world has to offer. Claim Christ, but you really don't have to change anything in your life. You're a good person, and God won't mind at all." Unfortunately, unlike Moses, most today have decided to remain in Egypt and worship with Pharaoh, perhaps thinking that to compromise is the Christian thing to do. Opportunity to Compromise #2: Again after the fourth plague of flies Pharaoh says in Exodus 8:28, "I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far." So now, Pharaoh is saying, "Okay, you may sacrifice to your God, and since you will not do so here, I will let you go into the wilderness, but you can't go very far." Moses has already told Pharaoh they must go a three days journey into the wilderness to worship their God. Not going very far is not in compliance with God's Word, so Moses rejects Pharaoh's compromise. There are also those professing Christians who are like Lot's wife. They have left their former life, but they longingly look back with a fond remembrance of all they enjoyed in the Egypt. Sooner or later (most likely sooner) they will be drawn back to Egypt because they decided to serve two masters, but what does Jesus say about that? "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. " (Matthew 6:24) Opportunity to Compromise #3: After the seventh plague of hail Pharaoh has this to say to Moses, "Go, worship the Lord your God," he said, "But tell me who will be going." (Exodus 10:8) Moses has already told Pharaoh who is going. God said that all of Israel will be leaving. There is no need to name names. This is a waste of time and just a ploy to get Moses mind off his reason for being there. Satan tries his best, and often succeeds, to draw the unsuspecting professing Christian into a dialogue. Why do so many think they can have a discussion with that old serpent and win? Moses let God do his talking, then left it at that. We should do the same. Opportunity to Compromise #4: Again, after the seventh plague of hail, Pharaoh offers up another compromise, "No! Have only the men go and worship the Lord, since that's what you have been asking for." (Exodus 10:11) Now Pharaoh is trying to twist what God has said through Moses. God has never said that just the men are to leave, He said all of Israel is to leave. Moses again rejects Pharaoh. "Maybe it would be okay to just have a 'boy's night out' and leave the women and children home. We could get a break from the 'little woman' and the noisy young'uns and have a nice quiet worship time." Moses didn't think so, because that again, is not what God required. How often are families broken up during worship time, each going their own way, when they should be worshipping God together, as a unit? Opportunity to Compromise #5: After the ninth plague of darkness Pharaoh comes up with one more compromise. He says, "Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind." (Exodus 10:24) Notice that the first two times Pharaoh brought up these ridiculous compromises he referred to "sacrifices," but the last three times he changed it to "worship." Regardless, how are the Israelites going to worship without sacrificing, and how are they going to sacrifice without their livestock? All of that doesn't matter anyway. None of this complies with God's Word. Therefore, Moses rejects Pharaoh again. This reminds me of countless times I have been in a worship service and noticed that almost no one was carrying a Bible. Would somebody tell me how we can worship God without a Bible? It can't be done! Yet, in most 'worship' services today, the Word of God is only an afterthought, and after hearing the watered down, tasteless dribble coming from the pulpit, it is obvious the speaker isn't interested in the Word either. Each time Moses had an opportunity to compromise God's Word, but he stood strong on the Word of God against Pharaoh. All Israel, after the tenth plague, left Egypt and went to the wilderness. Our problem today is comparable to those who wanted to return to Egypt. However, those who will not compromise would rather be with God in the wilderness than with Pharaoh in Egypt. Who is your God? Is Pharaoh your god, or is God your God? It is way past time for many to get off the fence. God is telling us in the following Scriptures that we must not compromise Him or His Word. "The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1) "Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." (Numbers 16:21) "Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "... Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives." (Ezra 10:10-11) "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers ... Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14, 17-18) "Then I heard another voice from heaven say: " 'Come out of her, my people, 'so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes." (Revelation 18:4-5) The churches today are overrun with sin that flows from the pulpit to the pews and back. There is little if any interest in what God says, and in living for Him as one who is holy (set apart). Only a few have traveled to the wilderness as Moses and Paul (Galatians 1:15-18). Most have remained in Egypt, and in Egypt they will die. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html Daily Jot: Conspiracy 3-Tech Giants - Bill Wilson - www.harvest.org There is a real danger to representative government and Christianity when free speech is oppressed. Of course, the First Amendment states that the government cannot abridge free speech. That doesn't mean, however, that corporations-non-government entities-have to allow free speech. But in this day and age, there is a great danger to free speech when large ubiquitous platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google, Microsoft, and others begin to not only censure speech, but target the speech of those with which they disagree. These platforms have been built on free speech and people use them to express themselves socially, politically and economically. Now, however, there is a new danger of tyranny. These aforementioned companies are holding a secret meeting (not so secret now thanks to Buzzfeed News) to plot their midterm election strategy. BuzzFeed reports it obtained an email invitation from Facebook's head of cybersecurity to employees from a dozen tech giants to Twitter's headquarters for "a follow-on discussion to our industry conversation about information operations, election protection, and the work we are all doing to tackle these challenges." Given that these companies recently have moved to prohibit many conservative voices in the name of hate speech, but not visceral liberal voices, should give everyone pause about the very real conspiracy to influence the mid-term elections. Remember that the immediate past "president" accessed some 190 million people's private information without their consent from Facebook during his re-election campaign. Carol Davidsen, a former campaign official for the ex-president tweeted March 18, "They (Facebook) came to office in the days following election recruiting & were very candid that they allowed us to do things they wouldn't have allowed someone else to do because they were on our side." It's no secret that these tech giants are globalists that favor leftist ideology. By virtue of their agreements with the previous Administration to allow spying on Americans, use of private information for campaign purposes, and censorship of opposition, it is a very deep concern that these platforms, not the Russians, are conspiring against the current White House. Indeed, leftist billionaire George Soros organization Media Matters For America is working a plan over social media to identify and discredit what it calls "fake news" and "propaganda" from conservatives-which it says is anything that supports the Trump Administration. On May 17, Facebook announced it was launching a joint effort with the Atlantic Council to prevent its service "to be abused during elections" by monitoring content to "spot" abuse. Soros and many of his pass-through organizations financially support the Atlantic Council. The Apostle Paul offers good advice in Romans 16:17-18, "...mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they...by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Daily Devotion: "Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done" - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10 How can we know the will of God? We find it in the Word of God. The more we read the Bible, the more we'll understand it, and the more we'll discover what the will of God is. Jesus said we should pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 NKJV). This reminds us that the primary objective of prayer is to first line up our will with the will of God. In John 15 we find this amazing promise from Jesus: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (verse 7 NKJV). The Message puts it this way: "But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon." Of course, we immediately focus on the last part of that verse: "You will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." But hold on. Let's go back to the conditions Jesus gave: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you. . . ." In other words, if we maintain a living communion with Him, and His words are at home with us, that will change the way we pray. God wants us to discover His will. And true praying is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is taking hold of His willingness. Prayer is not about getting our will in Heaven; it is about getting God's will on earth. If you want to see your prayers answered in the affirmative, that is the key. Find out what the will of God is and then start praying that way. 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
|
|