Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...Featured Article: The Hidden Doctrine of The Rapture
Palestinian Jihad & Hamas lose 11 men in IDF terror tunnel blast which also sent a political message Hamas promises 'blood for blood' after tunnel bombing, but sticks to unity plans Rise of The Kings of The East - China Looks to Become Dominant World Power Nearing Midnight: Prophetic Indicators in View Astronomy Study Confirms Biblical Account of Joshua's Sun-Stopping Miracle Daily Jot: News, politics, entertainment--A prophetic cleansing of America Daily Devotion: To the Other Side 
The Hidden Doctrine of The Rapture - Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/the-hidden-doctrine-of-the-rapture/
Over time I've received several questions along the line of the following one. "Why do you think that such an important occurrence as the rapture is spoken of so few times and why is it so "hidden" in scripture?" It's true the rapture is not mentioned very often, at least not directly. In fact, the Greek word from which we get the whole rapture idea appears only 13 times in the New Testament and even then it comes to us in a roundabout way. The Greek word is harpazo and means to catch up or take by force. In most English translations of 1 Thes.4:17 it's rendered "caught up." The root from which it comes is haireo which means "to take for oneself." 1 Thes. 4:17 is the only place the word harpazo refers to the rapture of the Church. On top of that, rapture is an English word that comes from the Latin translation of harpazo which is why you can't find it in your Bible. You would have to read 1 Thes. 4:17 in Latin to see it there. (It appears as rapiemur.) Many people don't realize that for the thousand years preceding the Reformation, the Latin Vulgate was the primary translation of the original Greek texts. It was the standard text longer than any other translation before or since. Although the concept of the rapture appears throughout the Bible, it wasn't until about 20 years after the cross that it was described in any detail. This is how Paul could say he was revealing a secret (Listen, I tell you a mystery) when he described it in 1 Cor. 15: 51-53. Together with 1 Thes. 4:15-17 it was the first clear teaching of the rapture in the history of mankind. Only with the benefit of Paul's disclosure can you look back through the Bible and see the many hints of the rapture. There was a good strategic reason to keep all this secret before the cross. Paul spoke of it in 1 Cor 2:7-8. Explaining that his message of wisdom was not taken from the wisdom of the world, he said, No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Remember, Jesus called Satan the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11). Paul thought of him as the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4). And John said the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19). So Paul's reference to rulers of this age is not to the High Priest in Jerusalem or Caesar in Rome. He was saying that had Satan and his lackeys understood the extent of the blessings God had in mind for the Church, they would have done everything possible to prevent the crucifixion. God's Secret Wisdom, Part 1 There are two facets to God's Secret wisdom where the Church is concerned. And as you'll see, both require absolute secrecy. The first is the manner in which the Church was brought into the world. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15) A quarter of a century after becoming a believer, I still can not adequately describe my initial reaction to hearing these verses. I had been in church all my life and had never been told such a thing. The bill of indictment for all the sins of my life, past, present, and future, was canceled at the cross. This rendered null and void any claim Satan ever had or ever would have against me. At the cross, he thought he had won by defeating God's only hope for the salvation of mankind. Instead, whoever chooses to do so can now receive a lifelong pardon for their sins that no one can ever revoke. Let me explain here that this knowledge did not inspire me to go out and sin to my heart's content without any fear of consequences. Nor does it do so in any other true believer. Those who base their opposition to eternal security on the assumption that only the fear of loss will make us behave are missing the point. Besides, while it was our behavior that caused our sin problem, it's the Lord's behavior that cured us. All that's left for us is to believe and receive it. No, what this did for me was to produce a knee-buckling realization that I could never be worthy of such a gift and created a determination in me to spend the rest of my life trying to live up to what I had already attained (Phil 3:20). In God's eyes, I was now perfect (Hebr. 10:14), a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). I had been adopted into His family (Gal 4:4-5) and guaranteed a place in His Kingdom (Ephes. 1:13-14). I wanted to make sure He didn't regret doing all that. This guarantee of salvation is based entirely on our belief that Colossians 2:13-15 is true. It was such a radical departure from what God's enemies had come to expect of Him that they were caught totally off guard. Before the cross, forgiveness only covered past sins. As soon as a person sinned again after the Day of Atonement, he was right back in debt and Satan had a brand new claim to him. To set aside the penalty for his sins, innocent animals had to die in his place, but that didn't free him. It only gave him a temporary stay of execution (Hebr. 10:3). But when Satan saw the lifelong lists of our sins being nailed to the cross right before his eyes, and heard Jesus say "Paid in full!" (John 19:30) he knew that what he thought was going to be his final victory had become his ultimate defeat. Although with 20-20 hindsight we can look back into the Old Testament and see hints of what God was going to do in the Church, no one before the cross saw this. Not the Jews, certainly not the Gentiles, not even Satan. And instead of a nice orderly transition from Law to Grace, the clock for the Age of Law abruptly stopped seven years short of its previously announced duration (Daniel 9:24-27). Religious ceremonies the Jews had viewed as mandatory suddenly became meaningless. A culture steeped in religious law and practice was made obsolete, and would soon be dispersed. For the first and only time in history, the gates of heaven had been flung open to whosoever would enter, conditioned only on their belief that Jesus died for their sins and rose again (Romans 10:9). God's Secret Wisdom, Part 2 The second facet of God's secret wisdom will be the way the Church is taken out of the world. At a time no one will be able to determine in advance, and without any prior warning, the Church will simply disappear off the face of the Earth forever, leaving the unbelieving world in utter chaos. Because the birth of the Church took Satan by surprise, the details surrounding the Church's departure have to be even more obscure. He's a quick study, after all, and has had 2000 years to review what little the Bible has to say about the Rapture. He wouldn't be so easily taken by surprise a second time. Being a student of prophecy, He knows at least as much as we do about the End Times. (Please remember this. It isn't that Satan doesn't know God's plan, it's that he believes he can defeat God's plan.) He knows the rapture will precede the End Times judgments, will take place when the church reaches its full number, and that only God knows the number. But that's about it, so his only hope is to prevent the Church from reaching that number for as long as possible. Because he doesn't know what the number is, he's effectively kept off balance. If he knew when the church was leaving, he could plan some a counter attack. But since he doesn't, he's forced to remain reactive, unable to relax, never knowing when the whistle will blow and the game will be over. I think that's God's real purpose in keeping the rapture secret. When God does take the Church out of the world, there will be another abrupt change as the Age of Law returns for its last seven years. Once again the focus will be on Israel. There will be a Temple with sacrifices and all the other associated ceremonies. Except for all the missing people, it will be as if the Church Age never happened. And please understand, even when the New Covenant comes to Israel, it won't be like it is in the Church. A Temple, animal sacrifice, required Holy days, and a Levitical Priesthood will continue into and throughout the Kingdom Age, or Millennium. You see, it's clear that the Church Age was not intended to be the next step in the progression of God's plan, to supersede that which came before, and perhaps to be superseded by what comes after. It was a complete and radical departure from the norm and once completed it will never be repeated. Having known nothing but the Church Age, we don't appreciate how unique we are. But as Paul wrote, people in ages yet to come will study the Church to learn the extent of the incomparable riches of God's grace (Ephes. 2:7). Here, There, Or In The Air To underscore the Church's uniqueness, its departure will have to be even more dramatic, even more cloaked in mystery than its arrival was. Soon and very soon, on a day that no one could have predicted in advance, believers will hear a loud command, "Come up here!" (Rev. 4:1), accompanied by the trumpet of God. Immediately the spirits of dead believers will receive new resurrection bodies, and the living will be transformed from mortal to immortal. Together we will meet the Lord "in the air" having disappeared from Earth in the twinkling of an eye (1 Thes. 4:16-17, 1 Cor. 15:51-53) and then we'll proceed to His Father's house (John 14:2-3). This has always intrigued me. The Greek word for air refers to that space between Heaven and Earth called its atmosphere. So we're not immediately going to Heaven, nor is the Lord coming all the way to Earth, as He will in the 2nd Coming. Instead, the meeting will take place in the atmosphere. The atmosphere was created on the 2nd day when God made an expanse to separate the water under it (the sea) from the water above it (the water vapor canopy that surrounded the Earth until the flood.) He called it the sky or firmament (Genesis 1:8). Unlike all other creation days, the 2nd day was not pronounced good. Some scholars speculate this is because demonic spirits immediately inhabited it. This may be why Paul also referred to Satan as the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Ephesians 2:2). If this is the case, then it means the Lord is going to shock Satan again, this time by suddenly assembling the raptured Church in his front yard without any warning. Each list of sins that Satan saw nailed to the cross 2000 years ago will be represented by one deliriously happy redeemed believer in a final grand display of victory before we fly off to our mansions in the sky. Talk about a dramatic ending for the Age of the Church. What a day that will be. Now do you see why its exact timing has to be kept secret? We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. Palestinian Jihad & Hamas lose 11 men in IDF terror tunnel blast which also sent a political message - https://www.debka.com/palestinian-jihad-hamas-lose-11-men-idf-terror-tunnel-blast-also-sent-political-message/ To ward off demands from Washington, Cairo and Riyadh to back the Palestinian unity effort, Netanyahu chose to show them what was really going on in Gaza. The IDF and Israeli intelligence certainly knew a terrorist tunnel was being dug in the Gaza Strip near Khan Younes some weeks ago. But they waited until it crossed over and had snaked almost a kilometer inside Israel up to a point near Kissufim before blowing it up on Monday, Oct. 30. The IDF must also have known that Jihad Islami, which Iran established as its Palestinian arm, was building it, rather than Hamas. The Jihadis threatened retaliation after reporting 11 of their men killed, including two top commanders, and two Hamas operatives, and 15 were injured - most of them mortally. Israel and Hamas are both on high alert for potential escalation. Ahead of the operation, Israel positioned an Iron Dome battery outside the Gaza Strip in case it prompted rocket fire in reprisal. The army also closed off parts of the border region to entry. The timing of the operation entailed a number of complicated considerations, DEBKAfile reports. The IDF waited for a government go-ahead, while watching two landmark events go forward without an Israeli response: (a) The Egyptian-brokered Hamas reconciliation with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, and (b) Steps by Hamas to deepen the foothold of Iran and Hezbollah in the Gaza Strip. Thus far, Hamas had been able to keep both tracks afloat without a collision or running into Israeli interference. A decision was awaited as to whether to hit the still-unfinished tunnel when it was deserted, or to wait for high terrorist officers to be trapped inside. The latter was seen as tantamount to hitting an Iranian/Hezbollah target in Syria. The opportunity came up Monday, when a group of senior Jihad officers entered the tunnel, led by their central Gaza regional commander Arafat Abu Marshad and his lieutenant Hassan Abu Hasnin. Both were killed, along with a third jihadist Ahmed Khalil, and eight others, as well as two members of the Hamas naval commando unit, who tried to rescue the group that was trapped in the falling debris. There was more than one way to destroy the terror tunnel using the "innovative technology" cited by Prime Minster Binyamin Netanyahu. It was decided to target the eastern section that crossed into Israel by air. The Israeli Air Force has never before struck an enemy target on Israeli soil. However the government wanted to show the Americans and Egyptians that the IDF's operation was not a wanton attack on Gaza but an act of national defense. Tuesday, Oct. 31, was the day set by Hamas for Palestinian Authority officials to move in and start taking over the border crossings to Israel and Egypt. After that date, Israel would have found it hard to destroy the tunnel, without laying itself open to the charge of endangering PA officials. An entire legion of Trump Administration envoys has been crisscrossing the Middle East these days on various errands. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner left Riyadh Saturday after a visit in which he was accompanied by deputy national security adviser Dina Powell and special peace envoy Jason Greenblatt, who stayed on and arrived in Jerusalem Monday, Oct. 29 to brief Netanyahu on the talks the US envoys held in Riyadh as well as Cairo. Another American visitor to the Saudi capital was Treasury Secretary Seven Mnuchin. He landed in Jerusalem a day before Greenblatt and he too met Netanyahu. Neither American nor Israeli officials are prepared to reveal the subjects of the US diplomatic shuttle. However, DEBKAfile's sources have learned that Israel was asked not just to express public approval of the reconciliation process underway between the rival Palestinian factions under Egyptian auspices, but to embark on practical steps to this end. Netanyahu tried to ward of the demand coming at him from Washington, Cairo and Riyadh, by showing them what was really going on in Gaza, under cover of their Palestinian peace effort. New terror tunnels were hardly compatible with peace diplomacy, he wanted them to see and he believed that rocket fire in reprisal was worth that risk. Monday night, after counting their dead, the heads of the Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip held an emergency meeting to decide on their response to the tunnel attack. Jihad Islamic's pushed hard for a declaration of war on Israel, while Hamas advised against giving Israel a chance to "blow up its reconciliation accord with the Palestinian Authority." Its leaders were reluctant to jeopardize the landmark events due on Tuesday: A large Egyptian delegation was coming to the Gaza Strip to oversee the transfer of border crossings to the Palestinian Authority and also announce the establishment of an Egyptian consulate in Gaza City. A military clash could blow these events sky high. Hamas promises 'blood for blood' after tunnel bombing, but sticks to unity plans - Dov Lieber - https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-promises-blood-for-blood-after-tunnel-bombing-but-sticks-to-unity-plans/ 'The enemy knows that our strength is in our unity,' says leader Ismail Haniyeh at funeral for deceased terrorists Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday said the terror group intends to respond with violence to the deaths of seven Gaza terrorists Monday after Israel blew up an attack tunnel that stretched into Israeli territory, but suggested the response would be delayed as Palestinian factions work toward reconciliation. "I assure the leadership of [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad: blood for blood, destruction for destruction," said Haniyeh, speaking at the funeral for those who died in the tunnel, which was built and controlled by the PIJ terror group. PIJ possesses the second-largest military in Gaza after Hamas. Five of the dead belonged to PIJ, two of whom were senior leaders, while two members of Hamas's military wing were also killed during a rescue operation in the exploded tunnel, according to the group. While Haniyeh vowed to attack Israel, he stressed that Hamas's immediate response would be to quicken his party's reconciliation efforts with the Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority. Earlier this month, the two factions signed an agreement in Cairo allowing for the PA to resume control of Gaza - which Hamas seized in a near civil war with Fatah in 2007 - by December 1. "The response to this massacre is to move forward toward the restoration of national unity because the enemy knows that our strength is in our unity and no people under occupation can win if they are not united," Haniyeh said. Above: A funeral procession for terror group members killed in the tunnel explosion. Hamas's deputy leader in Gaza, Khalil Hayya, also speaking at the funeral, stressed the terror group would wait for a strategic time to respond. "We are a prudent resistance that knows how to manage its conflict with the enemy. [We] know how to avenge and to strike in the specific place and time that will hurt the enemy," he said. Hamas has accused Israel of stirring up chaos in Gaza through the demolition of the tunnel in order to foil the ongoing reconciliation talks. So has Fatah. Fatah spokesperson and vice chairman of the party's revolutionary council Fayez Abu Eita echoed Hamas, charging that the detonation of the tunnel by the Israeli army was aimed at disrupting the unity talks. "This crime comes in the context of [sowing confusion] and creating tension in order to thwart Palestinian national reconciliation," Abu Eita said in a statement carried in the official PA news outlet Wafa on Monday night. Senior Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batash on Monday vowed that "all our options are open" for a response, but added his group "will take all considerations into account." Palestinian and Israeli reports have said Egyptian officials were in contact with Hamas late Monday urging the terror group to show restraint and allow the reconciliation process to continue. Israel deployed its Iron Dome anti-missile system in the area and declared the border region a closed military zone in preparation for possible retaliation. "The explosion took place inside Israeli territory. The majority of the dead were operatives who entered the tunnel after it was blown up and died in the Gaza Strip, and not as a [direct] result of the explosion," said IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee. "We are not interested in an escalation, but we are ready for all scenarios," he said. Both the IDF and Hamas say most of the deaths from the detonation of the tunnel were caused by inhalation, though an IDF spokesperson said it was dust or smoke while Hamas has claimed the tunnel was filled with poisonous gas. The IDF said the tunnel ran from the Gazan city of Khan Younis, crossed under the border, and approached the Israeli community of Kibbutz Kissufim. Despite an assassination attempt on Hamas's internal security chief Tawfiq Abu Naim on Friday, blamed variously on Israel and the Islamic State jihadist group, the terror group said it will continue to abide by the Cairo agreement and hand over control of Gaza's border crossing to the PA on Wednesday. The fate of the Hamas security forces after it transfers power to the PA is one of the most delicate issues facing the reconciliation process. Abbas wants the handover to be comprehensive and include all security institutions, but Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, has said "no one" can force his group to disarm. Israel and the United States have meanwhile said that Hamas must disarm as part of any unity government. They have also demanded that the group recognize Israel. Rise of The Kings of The East - China Looks to Become Dominant World Power - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1729#YCPexzASWiukqWx6.99 Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the 19th Congress of the Communist Party in the Great Hall of the People near Tiananmen Square on October 18th with bold promises to build China into the world's hegemonic superpower in the next 30 years. While recognizing the upcoming economic challenges, Xi's speech expressed a desire to increase the authoritarian nature of the Chinese government and its stranglehold over the country. He declared in his three-and-a-half-hour speech that "it was time for his nation to transform itself into a mighty force" on the international stage, economically, culturally and militarily. Xi's speech was the clearest indication yet of the direction of Chinese policy that looks to solidify its hold on power, consolidate its gains and begin to expand China's reach farther across the globe. General Joseph Dunford, the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is on record stating to the Senate Armed Services committee, "I think China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation by about 2025." The statement was made during his confirmation hearing and takes into account that Russia and North Korea are the largest threats currently, but China's rapid military modernization and overseas expansion is moving it up the list. In July of this year, China opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti, Africa. This follows on an extensive campaign of Chinese investment and alliance-seeking throughout Africa and South America to build infrastructure, secure mineral rights and set up trade deals to counter the United States. In the view of US intelligence officials, "Chinese leaders see the US-led world order, most notably the US alliance network and promotion of US values worldwide, as constraining China's rise and are attempting to reshape the world order better to suit Chinese preferences and growing clout." At home too, China has launched new campaigns of suppression to bring the population more firmly under the control of the communist party as its economic growth continues to outstrip that of the US. The breakdown of the Transpacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has also worked to strengthen China's position on the world stage. China already enjoys a strong lead in mid-range rocket technology with its network of bases across its territory capable of launching several thousand high-yield rockets at targets over a thousand miles away, more than sufficient to overwhelm any naval or ground forces it might face. But now China is pouring billions into modernizing its ships, submarines and aircraft to compete with the United States. A recent report pointed to the vastly increased strategic lift capability China is developing. Any foreign use of military force requires not simply the aircraft and ground forces to launch an offensive, but a large fleet of transport aircraft to put in place the ground forces and logistical systems to conduct military operations. China's focus on this aspect of force projection has put the world on notice that China is preparing to project its influence beyond its own borders and, according to the report, "may also be more inclined to use force to protect its core interests." Direct evidence of expeditionary warfare capacity includes six large amphibious transport docking ships, a new class of amphibious assault ship, aircraft carriers and advanced guided missile cruisers. This is in addition to three new classes of attack submarines, including both nuclear-powered and diesel electric. The subs have already entered service in the Gulf of Aden to fight piracy. By 2020, China will be the third most powerful nation with respect to attack submarines, behind only the United States and Russia, when its six nuclear-powered Type-093 subs are joined by more advanced nuclear subs. Many new long-range, heavy transport aircraft, such as the Y-20 transport are entering service along with a Chinese version of the Russian An-225, the largest cargo aircraft in the world. Long-range drones with offensive capabilities similar to those of the US will accompany these ships and reports indicate that 10 new refueling ships will also help to extend the range of the Chinese naval fleets by 2020. China continues to expand its network of naval bases in the South China Sea and General Dunford reported that "Chinese leaders seem committed to increases in defense spending for the foreseeable future. China's military modernization is targeting capabilities with the potential to degrade core US military technological advantages. The officially disclosed increase in China's military budget was 8.5% (inflation adjusted) from 2007 to 2016, and is now set to increase dramatically over those numbers. If left unchecked, we face a China that is able to replace the United States in its trade alliances, military force-project capability and is thus able to impose its political and cultural will on the world. Just as the 20th century was the American Century, we now stand at grave risk of the 21st century becoming the century of a risen Chinese superpower able to spread its brand of authoritarian control across the globe. Nearing Midnight: Prophetic Indicators in View - Terry James - http://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Those who are watchful for Christ's soon return from the pre-Millennial, pre-Trib view of Bible prophecy see this present time as inundated with significant signs. We more and more often these days hear the term "convergence" bandied about. "Convergence" is used to define the coming-together at once of most of the indicators the prophets-particularly Jesus-gave for the end of the Church Age (Age of Grace). Two signals fitting within that definition, I believe, are in the news while we continue to observe these troubled but exciting times. I say "exciting," because the signs are indicators that our Lord must be very near that moment of shouting from the clouds of Heaven, "Come up here!" (Revelation 4:1-2). First, I would like to again look at the prophecy Jesus gave about when He will next be revealed to mankind in a catastrophic way. As those who read these commentaries regularly know, I believe Christ was talking about our present time very near the end of the Church Age in this prophecy. The Lord, as recorded in Matthew 24:36-42 and Luke 17:26-30, said it would be just like the days of Noah and the days of Lot when He intervenes or is revealed. I believe this has to be the time of the Rapture. He said people will be buying, selling, building, planting, marrying, etc. It will be business, I believe He was saying, even better than usual when the Rapture occurs. But, we have to look into other aspects of the way it was in Noah's day in order to find reference to the prophetic signal I wish to examine here. We go to Genesis chapter 6 for that perspective: And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (Genesis 6: 5-6) Paul, the great apostle, further enlightens on how it was in Noah's day: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Genesis 6:21-25) The following item in the news is quite telling, in my opinion, regarding how this generation fits within God' prophetic timeline. "So many millennials read their horoscopes every day and believe them," [Coco] Layne, who is involved in a number of nonreligious spiritual practices, said. "It is a good reference point to identify and place people in the world." Interest in spirituality has been booming in recent years while interest in religion plummets, especially among millennials. The majority of Americans now believe it is not necessary to believe in God to have good morals, a study from Pew Research Center released Wednesday found. The percentage of people between the ages of 18 and 29 who "never doubt existence of God" fell from 81% in 2007 to 67% in 2012. Meanwhile, more than half of young adults in the U.S. believe astrology is a science... Melissa Jayne, owner of Brooklyn-based "metaphysical boutique" Catland, said she has seen a major uptick in interest in the occult in the past five years, especially among New Yorkers in their 20s. The store offers workshops like "Witchcraft 101," "Astrology 101," and a "Spirit Seance." "Whether it be spell-casting, tarot, astrology, meditation and trance, or herbalism, these traditions offer tangible ways for people to enact change in their lives," she said. "... Astrology isn't the only spiritual field overwhelmed by demand: Danielle Ayoka, the founder of spiritual subscription service Mystic Lipstick, said her customer base is growing exponentially. The self-described astrologer sells a "mystic box" subscription, which includes crystals, "reiki-infused bath salts," and incense customized to the unique energy of the current moon cycle for $14.99 a month. She says she's seen 75% increase in her audience in the past year. (Why millennials are ditching religion for witchcraft and astrology, MarketWatch, Rapture Ready News, Oct. 21, 2017) Second of the prophetic indicators I think appropriate to mention here involves the incessant assault by the globalists elite. The drive to construct the New World Order, as President Herbert Walker Bush termed it, continues at a stepped-up pace. President Donald J. Trump's call to "Make America Great Again" has sent the one-worlders into a frantic effort to get our thinking back on track. -Back on the track upon which President Obama faithfully took the U.S., in line with recent presidents who came after Ronald Reagan, who, for the most part, was a staunch advocate for American sovereignty. Now, the son of the first President Bush has weighed in, demonstrating where his strongest allegiance lies. Without mention of Trump's name, Bush 43 unloaded on any thought of America being given first place over the more important globalist agenda. Former President George W. Bush delivered a public repudiation of President Donald Trump's political identity, suggesting many aspects of the current administration are fueling division in the United States and around the world... "We cannot wish globalism away," Bush said, noting that the United States must sustain "wise and sustained global engagement" for the future of the country. Bush indirectly accused Trump of fueling dangerous ideologies that threatened the unity of the United States and global stability, spending a large portion of his speech complaining about social ills in the country... Bush urged Americans to "recover our own identity," citing a commitment to global engagement, free and international trade, and immigration. "We've seen nationalism distorted into nativism, and forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America," he lamented... Bush's decision to publicly criticize Trump's presidency is unusual after he made a point of rarely challenging President Barack Obama while he was in office. (Source: George W. Bush Emerges to Bash Trump, 'Nativism': 'We Cannot Wish Globalism Away,' Charlie Spiering -Breitbart, Oct. 21, 2017) George W. Bush had qualities I admired in a president. His holding to his father's desire to bring the world back to configuration like it was during the days of Babel is not one of them. Globalism is a satanic, not a godly, concept. It will eventuate, however. We are seeing stage-setting for producing the platform from which Antichrist's regime will rule with an iron fist. Here's what the Lord says about that effort we see in development at present: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 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. (Psalms 2:2-9) Astronomy Study Confirms Biblical Account of Joshua's Sun-Stopping Miracle - By Abra Forman - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/97127/biblical-joshua-stopped-sun-earliest-recorded-solar-eclipse/#/ "Yehoshua addressed Hashem; he said in the presence of the Israelites: 'Stand still, O sun, at Givon, O moon, in the Valley of Aijalon!'" Joshua 10:12 (The Israel Bible™) The Biblical patriarch Joshua 'stopped the sun' on October 30, 1207 BCE by way of a solar eclipse that may have been the first recorded in history, Cambridge researchers announced Monday. In a paper published in the scientific journal Astronomy and Geophysics earlier this month, researchers from England's Cambridge University confirmed a theory first suggested by Ben Gurion University researchers last January: that Joshua's miraculous 'stopping of the sun' during battle to allow the Israelites more time to defeat their enemies was actually an annular solar eclipse. They even pinpointed the exact date - the afternoon of October 30, precisely 3,224 years ago. In the Biblical account, Joshua led the Israelites into battle with the armies of five kings in order to help the besieged Gibeonites, with whom they had signed a pact. As the Israelites began to gain the upper hand, Joshua prayed for the sun and the moon to stand still in order to complete the defeat. His prayers were answered. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. Joshua 10:13 The Cambridge researchers understood this passage as an important historical account. "If these words are describing a real observation, then a major astronomical event was being reported," said paper co-author Professor Sir Colin Humphreys from the University of Cambridge's Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. "The question for us to figure out is what the text actually means." The British researchers used the original Hebrew Bible to better understand the exact connotations of the verse. "Modern English translations, which follow the King James translation of 1611, usually interpret this text to mean that the sun and moon stopped moving," explained Humphreys. "But going back to the original Hebrew text, we determined that an alternative meaning could be that the sun and moon just stopped doing what they normally do: they stopped shining. "In this context, the Hebrew words could be referring to a solar eclipse, when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, and the sun appears to stop shining." He added that the interpretation was supported by the fact that the Hebrew word meaning 'stand still' shares a root with a Babylonian word describing eclipses found in ancient astronomical texts. While historians have long suspected that Joshua's feat was an astronomical phenomenon, none were able to date the possible eclipse because they were only looking for total eclipses. However, Joshua's eclipse was annular, meaning that rather than obscure the sun entirely, the moon's passage in front of the sun was too far away to cover it completely and left a characteristic 'ring of fire.' With the help of the Merneptah Stele, an Egyptian artifact which independently confirms the Israelites' presence in Canaan, historians have dated Joshua's entry into the land to between 1500 and 1050 BCE. Using complex calculations, the researchers determined that the only annular eclipse visible from the Canaan during that period took place in October of 1207 BCE. The path of this eclipse passed directly over Canaan. The researchers were thus able to date the exact hour of Joshua's miraculous feat: between 3:27 PM and 4:53 PM in local time (determined by sundial). Though there may be a scientific explanation for the Biblical miracle, this in no way refutes its divinity, Rabbi Arieh Trugman told Breaking Israel News when the Israeli research was announced early in the year. "Despite the fact that in many different areas people want to pit science against Torah, what is much closer to the truth is that in most cases there is no conflict between science and Torah," said Rabbi Trugman. "It is very common to find many areas in which there exists an amazing confluence of secular knowledge and Torah wisdom." The Cambridge researchers also noted that should the date be accepted by general historians, it could help clarify the dates of pharaonic reigns, including that of Ramses the Great. According to the calculations and verified with Egyptian records, the reign of the pharaoh Merneptah began in 1210 or 1209 BC, dating the reign of his father, the famous Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses the Great, to 1276-1210 BC, plus or minus one year, the researchers determined. Daily Jot: News, politics, entertainment--A prophetic cleansing of America - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The Mueller Special Counsel handed down indictments of two former campaign staffers of President Donald Trump. None of the counts were about Russia, but rather about business dealings in Ukraine. The political world in our nation's Capitol is very nervous. So much so that Tony Podesta, brother of former campaign chairman for Hillary Clinton and big-time Democratic lobbyist and donor, has stepped down from his company because of ties to the very same entities in Ukraine at the center of the indictments. Meanwhile, in Hollywood, dozens of women and some men are coming forward with sexual harassment or rape charges against entertainment industry moguls. The same is happening in the news industry. In politics, news, and entertainment, there is a massive exposure of vile and distasteful events that appear to be systemic in those cultures. Money laundering, tax evasion, bribery, influence peddling are all being exposed in the political arena. We are seeing both Democrats and Republicans participating in the most scandalous and corrupt practices in recent history. When President Trump said he wanted to drain the swamp, no one knew the extent of vile corruption that would be exposed. We are seeing a little bit of it. Many people are angry about the Mueller investigations, but as bad as they are, and as politically motivated as they are, they are exposing unthinkable dishonesty to the American people. Hollywood has similar problems. It long has been common knowledge about the casting couch-how upcoming stars sleep their way to the top. It's cliché. And many of those stars don't have any problem with depictions of sex and nudity in the movies they make. Yet, America is finding out how deep the sexual perversion and immorality is in the entertainment industry. We are even seeing the same sexual harassment charges bubbling up from the button down veneer of the news industry where several news organizations have had to fire people because of sexual harassment accusations. Fox, NBC, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC are all interrelated with various people coming forward with claims of sexual harassment. The news media, politics and the entertainment business mainstays in American culture are interwoven in political agreement as well as corruption, scandal and immorality. Immoral Hollywood supports corrupt politicians and unethical and immoral news hounds revel in their relationships with these depraved people. Now they are being exposed. And they are nervous as to who will be uncovered next. This represents a prophetic cleansing of America. In Matthew 10:26, Jesus says, "Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known." Given enough time, evil self-destructs. But we, as Christians, must fill this darkness with the light of Christ. Daily Devotion: To the Other Side - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." -Mark 4:35 One day Jesus said to His disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." So they boarded their boat and were cruising across the Sea of Galilee, a large freshwater lake known for its unexpected storms. And sure enough, a storm came. This one was a doozy, because even the seasoned sailors were despairing of life. Meanwhile, what was Jesus doing? He was asleep in the boat. The disciples woke Him up and said, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:38). In other words, "Hey, Lord, are You paying attention? Don't you care that we are going through this? Wake up and do something." So Jesus rebuked both the storm and the disciples. He turned to the storm and said, "Peace, be still!" (verse 39), and it stopped. But then He turned to His own disciples and said, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" Jesus was saying, in effect, "Boys, you haven't learned anything. I said, 'Let's cross over to the other side.' I didn't say, 'Let's go to the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown.' " Jesus didn't promise smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe passage. It's better to be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without Him. I would rather be in a fiery furnace with Jesus than in a palace without Him-or in a lion's den with Jesus, or in a prison, or even shipwrecked. As long as I know the Lord is there, then I can get through it. Remember, God is with you, regardless of what storm, regardless of what shipwreck you are going through right now. You are not alone. He cares. And He will never leave you or forsake you. 
FROM THE HEART
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