Prophecy Update Newsletter
October 3, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
No Man Knoweth the Day or the Hour - by Pastor Mike Taylor - http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2016/09/no-man-knoweth-day-or-hour.html
"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Mark 13:32But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36 For the last 2000 years, there has been much theological interpretations of what Jesus was saying in these verses recorded by the men who sat at Jesus feet when they asked Him, "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Matthew 24:3 As you read either chapter found in the Gospels, Jesus explains to His disciples what the signs will be of the end of the age and His return. Note one thing, as you read this chapter, Jesus was living as a mortal man, God in the flesh, a Jewish man that was speaking to other Jewish men who had customs and idioms that modern men must come to understand, in context, to what Jesus was teaching to His followers. His disciples were going to have to teach these very things to the rest of the world, so they would have to be able to grasp what these signs were. So Jesus used familiar speech patterns or "idioms" that each were easy to understand and convey their meaning. I want you to focus on one passage that Jesus spoke of, and it starts the sermon off with what can only be described as this idiom that any Jewish man of those times would have understood immediately because it was part of their culture, their very life and unless we understand these idioms of speech, then the meaning gets lost in translation. What was Jesus referring to when He made the statement "no man knoweth the day or the hour"? Our Lord was saying that He was going to return on a certain day ofthe Jewish calendar that was celebrated each year. It was a phrase that was used to illustrate what the event held to each of them listening. It was a most Holy Day and a special Sabbath of worship that was celebrated in the fall of the year and was signified by the blowing of trumpets, which was to mean the "Return of the King." Let us examine this, but to give this topic which is important to each of us in these last days, and a proper explanation of all points I would like to cover, I shall split this sermon into two parts. This first part will deal with a day that I believe, Jesus was giving reference and when all of His church should be watching for as the end grows ever closer. The second part of this sermon will be focused on signs that were given by God, as it was in the "days of Noah" and an event that could signal that the day is upon us and we must be getting our houses in order and develop an urgency to reach as many people as possible to get them into the Kingdom of God through belief in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The next sermon will be entitled"Blood Moons Rising/Day of the Lord". It is a sign in the heavens to us which may...I repeat, may have a connection to this day I wish to talk about in this sermon. But note one thing, I make no prediction of the Lord's return, as we cannot know for proof positive, but am referencing scripture that gives us the information that points to a specific set of days as clues in His Word. These are found in the New Testament, as well as the Old Testament. These are expressions of culture at the time Jesus and His disciples lived in and were ingrained into their lives. Now back to the focus of this sermon. God's Plan for Mankind God has given us a plan to show how He wishes to draw men unto Himself. Many have discarded this knowledge as being Jewish (to their great error) and having no relevance to the modern church. But what if I told you that God has used each of these signs to reveal the timing of the first coming of His Son into the world, to die and to be resurrected and will use these signs to announce the second advent of His Son coming back into this world , leading up to Him ruling and reigning for 1000 years? Would you stand up and take notice? I urge you to take due diligence and study the scriptures and these words I give you. The old saying, "Don't believe me, believe your bible" is what I want you to do. Put this information next to the text. Look in the Strongs Concordance and find the original Greek and Hebrew words and how they are expressed. In other words, do you homework and your own study. These commandments coming from the Voice of Almighty God gave us God's appointments with the salvation of mankind. They show exactly what has happened in the past, and will most definitely fulfill His plan in the near future. Let us dive right into what God gave us nearly 4000 years ago to reveal His plan for the salvation of mankind. "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are MY feasts. These are the LORD's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:" Leviticus chapter 23:2,4 Note that God says that these are the "LORD's" feast, not belonging any one people, not the Gentile nations, not the Jews, not the Hebrew children, not any other people, but that belonged to Him. In another scripture is emphasizes, "These are MY feast"...Now some think that the word "feast" denotes something with food. It has nothing to do with food, but denotes a commandment for a gathering of His children, His people to acknowledge and worship Him, as a "Holy Convocation" or commanded meeting time/gathering. To the people of the time of Ancient Israel these "feasts" meant one thing, which was descriptive of their national relationship with Jehovah post Exodus leading into their agricultural life and had specific date events that were connected to each day or set of days. But to the modern day Church of the Living God, it means something entirely different. We are not Israel, but each of these days pointed to one thing and One Person, Jesus Christ. To His church, it points to the historically completed events that God has already accomplished or one-half of His plan for the salvation of man. He waits to complete His work and fulfill His plan to redeem His creation to live with Him for all eternity. These are prophetic rehearsals of God's Son coming into the world the first time as a suffering servant and ultimately, our Savior and High Priest, but the 2nd time or noted by the last half of these commanded days, as conquering King and Lord of Lords. He came first as a lamb, but the next time He sets foot on this earth, He will come as a conquering warrior....a roaring Lion of Judah full of wrath of Almighty God. To describe His plan in language that we can understand, God chose to bring His Son to come into the world to complete the first part of His plan on the exact days of His appointed times the Bible calls "His Feast" that were given to Moses. They were divided up into observances. Four in the spring of the year, and in the fall of the year the remaining three. The spring appointed days were Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost. What happened on these days that were completed on the exact date that these times of worship were given by God in the Old Testament and completed in the New Testament that effects the Church? Passover- Jesus offered Himself as the sinless lamb of God. His shedding of His blood was for the salvation of the world and the payment for our sins. Feast of Unleavened Bread- His death and burial removed our sins outside of the camp. Feast of First Fruits-on the first day after the Sabbath on this Passover week, the priest waved a sheaf of barley in the temple as an offering of first fruits of the harvest, and simultaneously, Jesus was offering Himself to the Father in heaven as the First Fruits of those born of the dead in resurrection and full payment for the sins of the world. Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks- 50 days from Firstfruits, The Holy Spirit came in power exactly on time! 3000 were saved and the Church was birthed! Note that Jesus completed His act of salvation by His death and burial on the exact days of these original God given appointed times. He sent God's Holy Spirit, as our comforter, counselor and advocate on the exact day that was given in the Old Testament and the church was born. These are called God's Spring Holy Days and they have significant impact on the Christian's life and his understanding of what has happened in the past and what is coming in the near future. Believe one thing, my reader, God is always right on time. He does nothing by chance, but gives His Word in power, to inform of us of His plans and to all those He has called in these last days to proclaim His truths. Does it not stand to reason and totally logical and scriptural, that if He fulfilled His plan of salvation for all men on the appointed times of God's Plan for Man on THE day in these springs observances, that He will fulfill His plan beginning at His return to gather His church, and to set up His Kingdom to rule and reign for 1000 years on these EXACT days appointed? As He completed His redemptive act on the very day appointed, He will be right on time with His second entrance into the affairs of men in the chosen day appointed as noted by the coming fall feast, known as Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles, as God has had a plan. It is a wise man that seeks to understand His ways and His plans by making preparations to be ready when they are "right at the door". LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING Returning to the phrase "no man knoweth the day or the hour". We still need to answer that question, what was Jesus saying that the apostles were completely familiar with? By the explanation above, I think you can see how these days mean something totally different to the Church, than it did to Israel when they were given on Mt. Sinai. What significance does the remaining Holy Days of God affect you and me? The 3 Fall Festivals start on the first day signified by the new moon in the 7th Month of Tishrei. This is the only Holy Day marked by the New Moon and is set apart for that reason as special. All other festivals are set or counted by the full moon as Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and even Pentecost are counted from the full moon of Nissan which is in the early spring, so The Spirit of GOD is pointing to this festival as a certain day! . This is separated by months from the last feast and must be carefully witnessed by men of great authority in the land of Israel. It was a very involved process that must be guaranteed by two witnesses to it's beginning reported to the Sanhedrin during the time of Ancient Israel. Since it must be authorized, as they called it, "sanctified" before the month's activities could begin, the appointed time is stretched into two days, as "No man knoweth the day or the hour." (emphasis mine). It is the only Feast Day that is named as such, because they just didn't know which day was the correct day. Hence the quote is connected to this day. Why two days? It is because that with the days counted of 29.5 from new moon to the next, no one is sure if it's the 29th or the 30th day of the month, so to be sure, they count both. To further explain the reasoning why two days, I went to the internet and looked up the reason. What follows is an explanation: "Yom Teruah is the only festival that no man knows when exactly it will occur. This is due to the fact that it begins on the new moon. The new moon was sanctified when two witnesses see the new moon and attest to it before the Sanhedrin in the Temple. This sanctification could happen during either of two days, depending on when the witnesses come. Since no one knew when the witnesses would come, no one knew when the Feast of Trumpets would start." Watch Unto Prayer A new moon is called "rosh chodesh" in Hebrew. As mentioned, new moons must be validated in Israel by 2 witnesses who will watch the dark black sky at the end of the moon cycle for the first glimmer of the moon to reappear. This is the beginning of the 30 day cycle which determines Israel's months. (Moon is the word from which we get months). As soon as the new moon is sighted and verified (2 witnesses) then the Sanhedrin, or the High Priest will send runners from the east to the west with signal lights to be lit on high mountains to inform the people that the day has been sanctified and they can begin their counting for the month and the Feast of Trumpets can begin and worship God. They are said to run "like lightning" This highlighted and bold statement "like lightning" is another Jewish idiom that any Jewish person of the time would instantly recognize and it is connected to the fall observance of the Feast of Trumpets. For Psalm 18:11-14 "He made darkness (the new moon on Feast of Trumpets) His secret place (the day no man knows the hour); His pavilion round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies (describing the Day of the Lord). At the brightness that was before Him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave His voice (the sound of the trumpet - the shofar); hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot out lightning and discomfited them." There are numerous passages that use the same Greek word in Strongs, #796 "astrape, or astropo #797 meaning a bright shining light, a glare, lighning, bright, shining. Other scriptures where the word is used are : Luke 10:18 "And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning (astrape) fall from heaven." Which would make sense, as when God brings His people home, Satan is kicked out of heaven and comes down to earth with his demon hordes. Jesus said: Matthew 24:27 "For as the lightning (astrope) comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Luke 17:24 "For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines unto the other part under heaven (the east to the west); so shall also the Son of man be in his day." All describing the beginning of the Day of the Lord and the Feast of Trumpets. WHICH TRUMPET ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? There is a direct connection with this God ordained observance that Paul alluded to in 1st Corinthians and many people do not understand that Paul is talking about the Feast of Trumpets when during this time it is historically noted that 100 trumpets were blown and then a long, louder blast of the shafor and a silver trumpet called the "last trump" then the "Great Trump" respectively. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) and again in 1st Thessalonians, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) We cannot go to the Book of Revelation and say that the trumpet of the seventh angel is what Paul is referring to (Revelation 11:15) as John had not even wrote his testimony yet when Paul wrote his in these two passages. This is the last trump (of the 7th angel) that many people try and make this connection in error, because they don't understand the context. One they labor to connect the two, as they believe that the church will experience the same horrors that the rebellious nations will be subjected to right along with everyone else. I speak it again as in past messages posted , and to further drum home this truth, since the tribulation is designed to purge and refine Israel as silver is in the fire because of their centuries of unbelief, and the nations are destroyed because of their rebellion and unrepentant lawlessness, what is the point of refining the Church during the same period? Was the blood of Jesus not good enough? Did He not do what God intended His perfect sacrifice to accomplish? Then why the conflict? Answer is there is no conflict, only a lack of understanding on our part. No, Paul is speaking of a trumpet that will herald an emotion of joy unspeakable and full of glory for His church redeemed and starting the judgment upon the nations, but the seventh angel who blows his trumpet signifies the fulfillment of unspeakable horror and untold death and destruction. They are two separate references to a trumpet and not the same one. In further explanation of Jewish history, in the first century when Paul wrote these words, the last trump (shofar) meant a specific day in the year, as he was describing. In Judaism, there are three trumpets that have a name. They are the first trump, the last trump, and then the great trump which is a silver trumpet blown. Each one of these trumpets indicates a specific day in the Jewish year. The first trump is blown on the Feast of Pentecost (Exodus 19:19). It proclaimed that God had betrothed Himself to Israel. The last trump is synonymous with Rosh HaShanah, according to Theodore Gaster in his book, Festivals of the Jewish Year, in his chapter on Rosh HaShanah. Herman Kieval also states the same thing in his book, The High Holy Days in the chapter on the shofar. The great trumpet is blown on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), which will herald the return of Jesus back to the earth to rule and reign and put down all rebellion (Matthew 24:31). In between these two events of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are the 10 days of awe, which in Jewish tradition are the days God judges mankind. These would correlate to the tribulation period and a time of intense judgment on the earth. Got that? First and last trump on Pentecost, then Rosh HaShanah or Feast of Trumpets respectively, followed by a period of 10 days of judgment, and then the great trumpet blown on the Day of Atonement, or AT-ONE-MENT with God or the return of Jesus Christ with His saints to reign and rule. The first and last trump relate to the two horns of the ram, which according to God's Word, was caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah when Abraham was ready to slay Isaac and offer him up as a burnt offering. This ram became the substitute for Isaac even as Jesus became the substitute for us and provided life for us through His death. The last Feast day to be completed is the Feast of Tabernacles, which God has said in His Word, Zechariah chapter 14, that all men would come to the Jerusalem to worship Him at HIS Feast of Tabernacles. "And it shall come to pass, that all who are left of the nations who came up against Jerusalem, shall go up year to year to worship the LORD of host , to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It is the only Feast observance left, as all have been completed and fulfilled by our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT Paul makes a reference that we are not in darkness, in 1st Thessalonians, "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night." We are not in darkness, so as we see the day approaching, we will not be surprised as the rest of the world is, being in the dark. We are in the light, as God has shined His Light on our hearts through His Holy Spirit. God gave us signs in His Word and signs in the heavens that will alert us, that the time is at hand. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 24? 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Only Noah knew of the appointed time. He didn't know the day, but he knew the season, so he worked on the ark as God commanded. God says that they were all surprised and swept away by the flood, but Noah was not surprised. Also, in this passage as the good man of the house, we are to watch. We may not know the hour, but we know the season. But note one thing concerning Noah and his family...when he and his sons began to build the ark, some 100+ years prior to the beginning of the flood, they had no idea what day the rains would come, but as the time grew closer and closer and they were a week out from the rains starting...what did God say to Noah? Genesis7:4 " For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth." God made it known to His servant when the time was right for him to know...He would know even the day. Now Noah had not known for all those years what day it would be that God would fulfill His judgment on the earth but he believed. But when it was only 7 days hence, God told Noah straight out the exact day He would bring it to pass, just not the hour. What is my point in this reference? Some 2000 years ago, when Jesus our Lord and Savior made these statement "no man knoweth the day or the hour" identifying that He would return on a future Feast of Trumpets that all these men surely recognized, they had no idea what year it would be...just a day in the season of a future year. Now 2000 years down the annals of time, we are as Noah, children of the light who see the day approaching, and God is telling us to expect Him to even narrow it down to a small window of time. How will He do that? He told us that there would be signs in the heavens...in the moon, in the sun and in the stars. Revelation chapter 3, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." As the day approaches, the gathering of God's people to keep them from the hour of temptation as John wrote above, will trigger the Day of the Lord preceded by the church's removal from planet earth. Some feel that it begins latter in the chapters of Revelation when Jesus is physically present, but God will bring judgment upon this earth and rebellious mankind beginning with the opening of the 1st Seal loosed in Chapter 6. God will begin the process of preparing the earth and the heavens for the reign of His Son, Jesus Christ and removing the defiling rebellion of wicked men and the polluting of His creation. As God in His grace attempts to bring man to repentance, the destruction will grow worse and more intense Joel described it as such chapter 2, 1 "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations." On down in verse 30, "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." This is the beginning of the sorrows of unrepentent man and his wickedness, not the end. It will continue until the full measure of His wrath is poured out by the seventh angel and the bowl judgments. God has given us clear examples and words that point to a time in the near future when He will begin fulfilling His past prophetic rehearsals of God's plan for man, and beginning the Trumpet call to announce the coming of the King. Will you be ready? Next time, I will embark on the signs in the heavens, moon and the stars that signal a coming window of time in the near future that just might fulfill the scriptures that Jesus spoke of and like Noah, give us a warning of it's nearness that will fall exactly on this coming Holy Day. Just as He completed the spring, He will complete the fall observances, as well. Time will tell , if like Noah in his day, God will tell us the exact day of His coming. It is in His power. See you next time, when we explore "Blood Moon Rising/Day of the Lord". This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying God's salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, comes into your life. Should you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected] , God bless you all, till we meet at Jesus feet. 
ISIS terror cell found in Jerusalem planning attacks - http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/126837-161002-police-uncover-is-terror-cell-in-jerusalem-planning-attacks-against-israelis
Indictments filed against all six members of the cell, which was planning major attacks, kidnappings Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service and Jerusalem Police uncovered a terrorist cell run by the Islamic State group in East Jerusalem that planned to carry out attacks across Israel, the Shin Bet cleared for publication Sunday. Six residents from the Shoafat refugee camp and the neighborhood of Anata are accused of establishing an IS terror cell, attempting to reach Egypt or Syria to join IS fighters, and of planning to carry out terror attacks in Israel on behalf of the group. with attempting to join the Islamic State. Indictments were filed against four members of the squad Sunday morning at the Jerusalem District Court, while indictments were filed in the Magistrate's Court against two other squad members. The group members face charges of attempting to aid an enemy during war, membership in an illegal organization, membership in a terror organization, and aiding a terror group. According to the investigation, the members of the cell planned several serious attacks, including mass attacks around the country and kidnappings. The indictment said the network had been established in 2015 by 29-year-old Ahmad Shweiky, Ha'aretz reports. He is said to have set up a weekly study group that met to study IS ideology. Members of the group allegedly cut their hair, grew out their beards, and folded the hem of their pants in a fashion customary among Islamic State supporters. Two of the suspects, Amer Al-Baiyeh and Mohammed Hamid, are said to have travelled to Israel's southern border with Egypt six months ago where they made an unsuccessful attempt to obtain visas to cross into the Sinai peninsula, a hotbed of jihadist activity in Egypt. In June 2016, two of the suspects allegedly travelled to Turkey via Jordan where they attempted to cross into Syria, Ha'aretz reports. The two were detained by Turkish police in the city of Gaziantep and deported back to Jordan before returning to Israel. The indictment says that once back in Israel, the group began planning to carry out an attack, including a possible shooting attack on Tel Aviv beaches. The group later planned to make explosives, targeting the Teddy Stadium in west Jerusalem or Israel's parliament buildings, and had saved nearly 1,000 NIS (around $266) to finance the attack before being arrested, Ha'aretz says. Israel's Shin Bet said that when one of the group members was detained, two others made plans to kidnap an Israeli soldier to be used as collateral and demand his release. Several Arab Israelis have been arrested on suspicion of links with IS and plans to carry out attacks inspired by the Sunni extremist group. Israeli security officials have said two Palestinians who shot dead four Israelis in Tel Aviv in June had drawn inspiration from IS. And Shin Bet said an Arab Israeli who killed three people in a January 1 shooting spree in Tel Aviv may have been inspired by the jihadist group. Last month an Israeli court jailed five Arab Israelis for terms from 30 months to six years for seeking to join the Islamic State group in Syria. Agents of the Shin Bet arrested one of the suspected IS sympathizers at Ben Gurion airport in 2014 as he attempted to leave Israel for Turkey, on his way to Syria, court documents said. The man, Karim Abu Saleh from the northern Israeli town of Sakhnin, also "decided to carry out an attack with a firearm against security personnel in Israel," said the charge sheet. Abu Saleh attempted unsuccessfully to obtain a Kalashnikov assault rifle for that purpose, it said. He was sentenced to six years in prison. All the men shared IS videos which encouraged the killing of non-Muslims, carried out combat drills and practiced making petrol bombs, said the charge sheet. "The accused were charged with membership and activity in a banned organization," it said. Abu Saleh was also charged with conspiracy to commit a firearms offence. The men had all confessed under a plea bargain arrangement, the document said. Israel has so far largely avoided IS-inspired attacks, though it estimates that around 50 of its citizens have traveled to Syria to fight with Sunni rebels. 
US, Russia on brink of military showdown in Syria - http://www.debka.com/article/25696/US-Russia-on-brink-of-military-showdown-in-Syria-
There is a sense in Washington and Moscow alike that a military showdown between the US and Russia is inevitable - direct this time, not through proxies, like the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish jets last year. When the big powers are in direct confrontation, minor players step aside and run for cover. When President Barack Obama Friday, Sept. 30 attended the funeral in Jerusalem of the Israeli leader Shimon Peres, he must have realized he was only 514km as the crow flies from Aleppo, the raging crux of the escalating big-power conflict. The moment after the ceremonies ended the president and his party, including Secretary of State John Kerry and his security adviser Susan Rice, made haste to head back to Washington to navigate the crisis. The first step toward a direct showdown was taken by the United States. By now, it is no secret in Moscow, or indeed in any Middle East capital, that the American A-10 air strike of Sept. 17 against a Syrian military position at Jebel Tudar in the Deir ez-Zour region of eastern Syria was intentional, not accidental, as originally claimed. Scores of Syrian soldiers died in the attack. The fact that President Obama instituted a secret inquiry to discover which link in the American chain of command ordered the attack pointed to his suspicion that a high-up in the Pentagon or possibly the CIA, had ordered the air strike, in order to sabotage the US-Russian military cooperation deal in Syria, which Secretary Kerry obtained after long and arduous toil. The concessions he made to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in those negotiations, especially his consent for extensive sharing of intelligence, were found totally unacceptable in the US Defense Department, its military and intelligence community. The Russian-Syrian reprisal came two days after the A-10 strike. On Sept. 19, an emergency aid convoy was obliterated on its way to the desperate population of Aleppo. Moscow and Damascus denied responsibility for the deadly bombardment, but no other air force was present in the sky over the embattled city. On the ground, meanwhile, an unbridled onslaught on rebel-held eastern Aleppo was launched Wednesday by the Russians, Syria, Hizballah and pro-Iranian Shiite militias under the command of Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers. The fall of Aleppo, Syria's second city after Damascus, would give Bashar Assad his most resounding victory in the nearly six-year civil war against his regime. On Sept. 29, Kerry threatened Moscow that "the United States would suspend plans to coordinate anti-Islamic State counter-terrorism efforts if Moscow does not stop attacking Aleppo." Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov answered with a sneering: "Once again there was a certain emotional breakdown yesterday against the backdrop of the Obama administration's unwillingness to fulfill its part of the agreements." This was a strong hint of the knowledge in the Kremlin that someone in the US administration was holding out against the implementation in full of the cooperation deal agreed upon and was therefore responsible for its breakdown. The United States is left with two options: Either stand idly by in the face of the Russian-Syrian-Iranian onslaught on Aleppo, or shelve the coordination arrangements for US and Russian air operations in Syria, with the inevitable risk of a clash in the air space of Syria or over the eastern Mediterranean. 
Legendary Shofar Awaits Moment Elijah Will Appear, Blow It, And Herald Messiah's Arrival - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/76273/legend-messiahs-missing-shofar/#kXqHjvzU1AI3OYrP.97
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn shall be blown; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Ashur, and they that were dispersed in the land of Mitzrayim; and they shall worship Hashem in the holy mountain at Yerushalayim." Isaiah 27:13 (The Israel Bible™) Though it is impossible to say with absolute certainty when the Messiah will come, in an ancient synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City, a shofar and jug of oil are patiently waiting on a high shelf for his arrival. They are replacements for the originals, supposedly rescued from the Second Temple amidst Roman destruction, which disappeared in the heat of the 1967 battle for Jerusalem. Legends and mysteries surround the simple items. One of the landmark holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City, the Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai Synagogue was built at the beginning of the 17th century. The synagogue is believed to stand on the location of the original study hall of Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai, a major rabbinic and scholarly figure in the Second Temple era, quoted throughout the Talmud. The synagogue is known for many things, but its most remarkable element could easily go overlooked. On the southern wall, on a glass shelf far too high to be readily accessible, sit a jug of oil and shofar. Tradition has it that when the Messiah arrives, Elijah himself will appear to blow the shofar and anoint him with the oil. The shofar, or ram's horn, is usually identified with Rosh Hashana, the upcoming Jewish New Year, when 100 blasts are traditionally blown from the shofar. Usually shofars belong to individuals who practice year-round, not to the synagogues themselves, making the Ben Zakai shofar unusual. They are among the most significant ritual items in Judaism. The shofar was used regularly in the Temple service, and Jewish tradition holds that the sounds of the shofar will announce the arrival of the Messiah, just as they greeted the ancient kings of Israel. And Zadok the Kohen took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Shlomo. And they blew the ram's horn; and all the people said: 'Long live king Shlomo.' I Kings 1:39 The story of the Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai Synagogue shofar is singular. At the end of the 16th century, there were no synagogues in all of Jerusalem, and Ottoman rulers made it illegal to build new ones. After bribing Turkish officials, Jews were able to construct four synagogues in one building with half-hidden entrances. Legend claims there is a secret tunnel connecting the synagogue to the Temple Mount. This tunnel is also waiting for the Messiah, who will use it to travel the last few hundred yards to the Third Temple. According to the legend, when the Second Temple was destroyed, Rabbi Ben Zakai saved a jug of oil and a shofar that were part of the Temple service, bringing them to his study hall to be used when the Messiah finally arrived. The story holds that the objects were preserved through generations, and that it was this jug and shofar that were installed in the synagogue when it was first built more than 1,500 years later. For 400 years, the shofar and oil stood ready. But when the Jordanians conquered the Old City in 1948, they went on a rampage, destroying and desecrating Jewish places of worship much as their Roman predecessors had done 2,000 years earlier. Shimon Gantz, the manager of the synagogue today, told Breaking Israel News that he recently spoke with one of the first IDF soldiers to enter the Old City in 1967 after the Israeli liberation. "He told me that he entered the Old City via the Zion Gate, and immediately sought out the synagogue. His platoon arrived here when the battle was still raging. They were horrified to see the way it had been treated. It was vandalized and full of the worst kind of garbage. But he also said that he was sure he saw the original jug of oil and shofar on the high shelf, untouched. "Unfortunately, by the time the battle for the city was over and Jews re-entered the synagogue, the shofar and oil were gone," Gantz told Breaking Israel News. The shelf stood empty until 1978, when Yitzchak Navon, then-President of Israel, visited the synagogue. Accompanying President Navon was an elderly Jew who had prayed at the synagogue before the Jordanian occupation in 1947. Navon noticed his companion looking up at the empty shelf and asked what he was looking for. The man told Navon about the oil and shofar, obviously pained and disappointed at their absence. Navon promised to replace them. Later that year, a shofar and jug of oil were placed there by the president of Israel, and they remain on the shelf until today. Anyone can buy or own a shofar, making the Navon shofar special only in its connection to Israel's modern history. From simple ram's horns to ornate, silver-plated instruments, the horn of the Messiah is available to all, Ayal Kellman, vice president of judaica store Israel365, told Breaking Israel News. "In the past three years, we have sold hundreds of shofars in the months leading up to Rosh Hashana to Jews and Christians around the world," he said. "Many of our customers, especially of Christian faith, are awaiting the end times and are purchasing shofars in order to be able to herald the arrival of the Messiah themselves," Kellman added. But that doesn't mean the Messiah's own shofar is not still out there, waiting. In fact, a curious anecdote from Dr. Yahav Shmaryahu, the synagogue's long-time caretaker, adds a new twist to the story. Three years ago, a small group of men approached Dr. Shmaryahu, asking for special permission to pray in the synagogue at midnight. While they were praying, one of the men looked up and at the shelf and shook his head in disappointment, telling Dr. Shmaryahu that the shofar was not the original. "I knew this was the case, so this didn't surprise me," Dr. Shmaryahu told Breaking Israel News, "But then he claimed the original shofar was in his possession, and when the time came, he would return to the synagogue to blow shofar." "It could be that he was just telling stories, but the legend of the shofar goes back to the Second Temple," Dr. Shmaryahu noted. "When the Messiah comes, we will know what is true. For the time being, this shofar is waiting." 
Global Suicide - By Daymond Duck - http://raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd247.html
It is too early to know what will happen, but there is a lot of speculation that, if true, portends a growing danger for the world (and the U.S.). Apparently, France has drafted a resolution for presentation to the UN Security Council that will be voted on after the U.S. elections and before Pres. Obama leaves office. France and others hope that Pres. Obama will instruct Samantha Power, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, to vote for it or at least not veto it. This unbiblical resolution will divide Israel and Jerusalem, and give the Temple Mount to the Palestinians. It will go against God's warning in the Bible (Joel 3:2), and those that are promoting it are well aware of that, but they don't care. In their minds what the Bible says, Israel's claims, prior agreements and things like that are irrelevant. On Sept. 15, 2016, UN Sec. General Ban Ki-moon addressed the UN Security Council and said, "Let me be absolutely clear: settlements are illegal under international law. The occupation, stifling and oppressive, must end." Israel disagrees with Sec. General Ban Ki-moon's statement. Israel believes East Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and the West Bank belongs to Israel under international law because Israel captured them in a defensive war from an enemy that was attacking her. But, aside from that, God's law will ultimately prevail over international law. And the Bible says God took an oath to give all of the Promised Land to Israel for an everlasting possession. France, the Palestinians, the UN, the U.S and others are choosing to ignore this, but God won't ignore it and they will not get away with it (Joel 3:2). At the Sept. 2016 UN meetings, Mahmoud Abbas stood before the UN General Assembly and demanded that Israel return to the pre-1948 borders (a move that will divide the land of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, and give the Temple Mount away). Pres. Obama stood before the group and said, "Israel cannot permanently occupy and settle Palestinian land." The fact that he accused Israel of occupying and settling Palestinian land shows that he is also ignoring what the Bible says. While all of this was going on, 88 U.S. Senators (Republicans and Democrats) got so concerned about the reports that Pres. Obama may betray Israel after the upcoming presidential election that they sent a letter to him. Their letter urged him to instruct Samantha Power to veto all one-sided resolutions that are in favor of the Palestinians and against Israel. Why is this dangerous for the world? This is dangerous for the world because the UN and the UN Security Council represents the world. They know that the Bible says God made an everlasting covenant to give all of the Promised Land to Israel for an everlasting possession (Gen. 17:7-8), but they don't care. Why is this global suicide? This is global suicide because these unbelievers are deliberately choosing to ignore the Word of God and He said what the nations do to Israel at the end of the age will come back on them (Obad. 1:15). So the next U.S. presidential election will take place on Nov. 8, 2016 and it may well be the most important presidential election the U.S. has ever had. But it may not be nearly as important as what the UN Security Council does between Nov. 8, 2016 and Jan. 20, 2016. This writer can't predict what they will do, but it bears watching and multitudes should pray for Israel. FYI: I recently wrote two articles about Black Lives Matter. I stated that Pres. Obama is using Black Lives Matter to take over police departments and put them under the Dept. of Justice. It is my belief this is being done to gain control of the local police and to use them to disarm America's citizens. During the Charlotte riots, a spokesperson on TV said the Dept. of Justice is now exercising control over 26 police departments. When rioting breaks out many of the same outsiders are flown or bussed in and the trouble seems to continue until the Dept. of Justice has control of the police. Some of these outsiders (hired professional demonstrators) that seem to always show up are now complaining about the news media taking videos of their demonstrations. A couple of reporters have been attacked. The fact that pictures of the same people show up in videos taken in different cities is a problem. Prophecy Plus Ministries Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] 
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html 
On This Week's "Hal Lindsey Report" - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com
The recent rash of terror incidents in the United States is disturbing. With the bombings in New York and New Jersey and the stabbings in a mall in Minnesota, it is clear that terrorist attacks inside the US are on the rise. I continue to be amused, sometimes amazed, at how anxious our government officials are to declare immediately that none of these events are terrorism, especially Islamic terrorism. Of course, none of us want them to go off half-cocked and automatically declare any act of violence to be terrorism, but neither do we want them to automatically declare that is is not! Why can't they just wait until they know more information? Why immediately declare that it is not terrorism, then begin walking that back almost immediately? Obviously, the knee-jerk reaction by those officials is to try to protect the Muslim community from any undue blame. However, the result is that instead of protecting Muslims, they are actually protecting the ideologies of Islam. They're automatically giving a violent and oppressive false religion a walking pass. Sort of like the FBI granting immunity to suspects or witnesses before they find out what information the suspects or witnesses can offer. Well, one thing seems certain. Allowing more high-risk individuals into the United States is not the answer. We've been warning Europe about the possibility of a flood of hardened killers pouring out of the Middle East. Why aren't we heeding our own advice? Instead, the Administration has announced that it is dramatically increasing the number of "refugees" it will accept from the most troubled and ideologically dangerous areas on earth. Our philosophy used to be that it is better to fight extremists in their homelands than to fight them in ours. Now, we're withdrawing from the fight over there and importing their soldiers here. For reasons known only to the deluded minds of the Washington elite, our new policy is to bring the fight here! Since this is a fight against terrorism, that means that, increasingly, it will be waged in American shopping malls, churches, schools, sporting events, nuclear power stations, water reservoirs, and office towers. In other words, soft targets on American soil. And if the past offers any indication, we will not be opening our doors to Christian refugees even though a Christian genocide is raging in several parts of the Middle East and Africa. Speaking of the Middle East, the Islamic State seems to be losing ground in both Iraq and Syria. The media wants us to believe that Iraqi military successes have been made possible only because of U.S. air attacks. Now, that's certainly an important factor, but air power alone never won a war. In reality, it's because the Iraqi government's ground forces have been aided by a group of 40 Shia militias. They're like a motley group of posses or lynch mobs in the Old West. In fact, most of these militias have strong ties to Hezbollah and the Shia terrorist nation of Iran. Further, Iranian general Qassem Soleimani has been instrumental in forming and coordinating these militias. If you remember, Soleimani is the shadowy Iranian al-Quds Forces leader who brokered the deal to bring Russia to the Middle East. Reuters and other news services are reporting that Iranian combat troops are also operating on the ground inside Iraq. These groups, especially Hezbollah, are contributing to similar success in Syria. It's true, the land area held by ISIS is shrinking. And even though the U.S. air campaign has been important, the real key has been the involvement of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. This may be a case where the cure is worse than the disease! As a result of their success against ISIS, Russia is becoming a key player in the energy-rich Middle East. Of course, the big winner in the region is Iran. They have used the presence of ISIS to place their military into key positions all around the region. Just as the Bible predicted for these final days. Recently, European Union leaders gathered for a summit in Slovakia. It was anything but business as usual. They discussed the turmoil created by the recent Middle East migration tsunami -- which nations like Germany and France at first welcomed and even encouraged. Then they discussed the possible break-up of the EU with the British exit and the threatened desertion of several other nations. Some of the old Warsaw Pact nations are forming a separate alliance to resist Brussels' heavy-handedness. Even the Mediterranean members are coalescing to resist the EU's edicts. Europe today is not united. It is fracturing along predictable lines. But instead of backing off its draconian demands on its members, the EU's unelected bureaucrat leaders are doubling down. Now they are proposing the creation of an EU Coast Guard to begin patrolling their shores by the end of the year. They've already proposed a European Army to replace the armed forces of the individual states. In fact, Jean-Claude Junker, the president of the European Commission, is pushing for a "United States of Europe" by the end of the year, too. It's amazing to see all of this happening in the light of Bible prophecy. The transfiguration of Europe is taking place before our eyes. The Bible says that when the dust clears, those that are left will join together into one final superstate -- a new Roman Empire. From the New Rome will come the Antichrist. Folks, this is no longer just Bible prophecy, this is Bible reality! Finally, this week I want to continue my recent discussion of "redemption" by briefly considering the day in history that forever altered the relationship between God and man -- the day Jesus died. With His death, He "paid in full" the Certificate of Debt owed by every man and woman that has lived or ever will live. The only question that now remains is will we accept that free gift of pardon Jesus purchased and God now extends to us? Don't miss "The Final Yom Kippur" on this week's program. Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, The Word Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. I just want to make note of the recent passing of the former Israeli prime minister, president, statesman, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shimon Peres. Though he was often an enigmatic character in the unfolding drama of the State of Israel, there is no denying that he was a tremendous influence on those events. He was the last surviving major player in the birth of the nation of Israel -- God's timeclock in the prophetic scenario. His passing is but another milestone that reminds us that time is marching rapidly toward the culmination of events at the close of this Age of Grace. Make certain you are ready for what is coming next! Watch this week's Report before it airs! An HD quality MP4 download of each week's show will now be available for purchase from the website. Visit the store at www.hallindsey.com to get your report. 
Daily jot: The tangled tax deception - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was elated that the New York Times surreptitiously obtained some partial copies of old tax records of Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Clinton tweeted, "Trump "apparently got to avoid paying taxes for nearly two decades-while tens of millions of working families paid theirs."" Clinton's campaign released a statement: "There it is. This bombshell report reveals the colossal nature of Donald Trump's past business failures and just how long he may have avoided paying any federal taxes whatsoever." While Clinton and the NY Times are pointing fingers at Trump, both used the same deduction to avoid paying taxes. Yes, it's true. An analysis of both Trump's and Clinton's tax documents conducted by Zerohedge.com shows that Clinton used the very same deduction that Trump did to avoid paying taxes. In 2014, Clinton's total adjusted gross income was $10,594,529. That in of itself is revealing for someone who claims to be working on behalf of the poor. But on page 17 line 14, Clinton deducts $699,540 as a "long-term capitol loss carryover." This is the same type of deduction used by Trump in 1995, although his was $916 million. Moreover, the NY Times also used the tax law to pay no taxes in 2014. Despite having a pre-tax income of $29.9 million, the NY Times received a $3.6 million refund. Here you have Hillary Clinton-multi-millionaire Hillary Clinton-crying that Trump used the tax law to avoid paying taxes. She calls it a "bombshell." Clinton and her husband used the very same tax law to avoid paying taxes. And the NY Times, who may have obtained the 20-year-old Trump tax documents illegally, using the same tax law to avoid paying taxes. Clinton and the editorial staff at the NY Times have long admonished conservatives for tax avoidance when they are doing the very same thing. And that's the way they trade-in twisting the truth, accusing people of doing the very same thing they are doing, and trying to take the attention of the bad things they do off of themselves and place it on others. At least Trump is honest about it. Trump's campaign says that he is "a highly-skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required." Trump made his money doing business. Clinton made her money selling influence to terrorist sponsoring nations. Both used the same deductions to try to avoid paying taxes. Trump says he shouldn't pay any more taxes than he is required by law. Clinton points the finger at anyone not paying their "fair share" while she is avoiding paying taxes, too. As 2 Timothy 3:13 says, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Just make sure you're not one of the deceived. 
Daily Devotion: Is Your Marriage Alive? - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Therefore, He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:14-16 In Ephesians 5, Paul tells us to awake from spiritual lethargy. I want to apply these verses specifically to marriage today. You can't sleepwalk through marriage. Show me a marriage that is strong and vibrant and thriving, and I will show you a marriage that people are giving attention to. It's sort of like making a fire. You begin with some kindling and newspaper and twigs, and then add some logs to it. Once the fire is going, you put another log on it. And another. You continue to feed it over time. In the same way, if a marriage is strong, especially over a period of time, it is because the husband and wife keep putting logs on the fire. They cultivate their romance. They strengthen the marriage. If you stop feeding the fire, it will start to weaken. You must constantly give it attention. You must be proactive, not merely reactive. When the husband neglects his role and the wife neglects hers, one problem turns into another, and soon it gets worse and worse. Eventually it reaches a state of crisis. It's best to engage in "preventative maintenance" and strengthen the marriage every day. Verses 15 and 16 tell us how: by "walking circumspectly" and "redeeming the time." To "walk circumspectly" conveys the idea of looking, examining, and investigating something with great care. It's like the attention you would give to the words of a contract before signing it. "Redeeming the time" refers to making the most of every opportunity. Are you examining your marriage carefully, paying attention to detail? Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to strengthen your marriage? Are you making sure you have done everything you can do? Don't sleepwalk through marriage; tend the fires to keep it alive and strong. 
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 
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