Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Epochs in Bible Chronology - 6000 Years of Mankind - Pete Garcia - by Randy Nettles -
https://rev310.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/epochs-in-bible-chronology-6000-years-of-mankind/ "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31). "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:1-3). Most Bible scholars believe there will be 6000 years of recorded history for mankind, and then Jesus will return and reign/rule for 1000 years on the earth. The bible says that a thousand years is as one day with the Lord. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:80). Just as the original creation week took 6 days of work and 1 day of rest...for a total of 7 days; so mankind will work on the earth for 6000 years and will then rest for 1000 years during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ...for a total of 7000 years of history on this earth. After 7000 years, God will create a new heaven and earth for the faithful angels and redeemed mankind. We are advancing rapidly towards those 6000 years according to biblical chronologists. The following is a history and partial genealogy of mankind, as per the Bible and other secular records, with 13 epochs of time calculated and cumulated. These epochs of time consist of major events and births in the history of mankind and specifically, the Jews. It starts with Adam, the first created man; and ends with Jesus (the second created man) at His Second Coming. 1) Creation to flood: 3960-3959 BC to 2304-2303 BC; 1656 years. There is very little dispute of the totality of the 1656 years duration from Adam to the Flood as per the book of Genesis. The book of Genesis first records the lineage of Adam to Noah and his sons. Noah was the ninth generation from Adam. His three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth were the tenth generation from Adam. Noah was 600 years old when the great flood started. The flood and the floodwaters lasted for approximately one year. The date 3960-3959 BC is not a random date. Later dates, such as 1446 BC or 586 BC, that have been established and proven from both secular and biblical sources allow us to work backward and arrive at this date. This will become self-evident later in this study. The following epoch covers the time span of the genealogy of antediluvian man...starting with Adam and ending with Noah and his sons. Before the flood, during the antediluvian period, men sometimes fathered children at a much older age. Of course, they had much longer life spans (10 x our current ones) during this time period. Noah did not start having sons until he was 'older'. He had his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, by the time he was 500 years of age. Methuselah fathered Lamech (Noah's father) at 187 years old. Lamech fathered Noah at 182 years of age. Jared fathered Enoch at 162 years of age...Enos was 90, Seth was 105, and Adam was 130. Of course, Adam and his sons fathered many other children (begat sons and daughters) after these recorded ages; but our focus is on the biblical lineage of Adam's son Seth. The years involved within epochs 1-10 are determined by verses in the bible and are determined by the following: Event or birth - Year from Creation - Year of Event - Biblical verse/s. Creation of Adam - Year 0 from creation - 3960 BC - Genesis 5:1 Birth of Seth - Year 130 from creation - 3830 BC - Genesis 5:3 Birth of Enos - Year 235 from creation - 3725 BC - Genesis 5:6 Birth of Cainan - Year 325 from creation - 3635 BC - Genesis 5:9 Birth of Mahalaleel - Year 395 from creation - 3565 BC - Genesis 5:12 Birth of Jared - Year 460 from creation - 3500 BC - Genesis 5:15 Birth of Enoch - Year 622 from creation - 3338 BC - Genesis 5:18 Birth of Methuselah - Year 687 from creation - 3273 BC - Genesis 5:21 Birth of Lamech - Year 874 from creation - 3086 BC - Genesis 5: 25 Enoch "taken up" (raptured) by God - Year 978 from creation - 2973 BC - Genesis 5:21-24 Birth of Noah - Year 1056 from creation - 2904 BC - Genesis 5:28-29 Beginning of the flood - Year 1656 from creation - 2304 BC - Genesis 7:11 2) The duration of the flood (until the earth was dry) to Abram's (Abraham) birth: 1 year after the flood started in 2304 BC, the occupants exited the arc in 2303BC. 1656 years (epoch 1) + 1 year (stay in arc) = 1657 years. Abram was born in 1951 BC. 2303 BC to 1951 BC = 352 years. This epoch is recorded in the book of Genesis, chapters 11 and 12 and records the lineage from Noah's son, Shem, to Abraham. Two years after the flood, Arphaxad was born to Shem. Seven generations later, Terah was born into this lineage. Terah. Abram's father was actually 130 years old when Abram was born. "And the days of Terah were two-hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran" (Genesis 11:32). "Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran" (Genesis 12:4). Subtracting 75 from 205 equals 130 years for the age of Terah, at the birth of his son, Abram (name was later changed to Abraham). This is somewhat unusual in the genealogy of the patriarch's after the flood. After the flood, the usual age of reproduction for this lineage was around thirty plus, but Terah was the rule to the exception. He had his son, Abram, at the ripe old age of 130. In these olden times, the old men could still father children at an old age, as long as the wife was not beyond child birthing age. Terah lived to be 205 years old. He was the last of the patriarchs to live over 200 years. Noah and family leave the ark - Year 1657 from creation - 2303 BC - Genesis 8:13-16 Birth of Arphaxed - Year 1659 from creation - 2301 BC - Genesis 11:10 Birth of Salah - Year 1694 from creation - 2266 BC - Genesis 11:12 Birth of Eber - Year 1724 from creation - 2236 BC - Genesis 11:14 Birth of Peleg - Year 1758 from creation - 2202 BC - Genesis 11:16 Birth of Reu - Year 1788 from creation - 2172 BC - Genesis 11:18 Birth of Serug - Year 1820 from creation - 2140 BC - Genesis 11:20 Birth of Nahor - Year 1850 from creation - 2110 BC - Genesis 11:22 Birth of Terah - Year 1879 from creation - 2081 BC - Genesis 11:24 Birth of Abraham - Year 2009 from creation - 1951 BC - Genesis 11:26, Genesis 11:32, Genesis 12:4 1656 years (epoch1) + 353 years (epoch 2) = 2009 years. 3) Abram's birth to God's land covenant/s with Abraham: 1951 BC to 1876 BC; 75 years. This is the covenant between the Lord and Abram and his seed: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you: and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3)."And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there built he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him" (Genesis 12:7) Abraham was born 352 years after the flood because Terah was 205 and died in Haran (Gen.11:32). Then Abraham, when his father was dead (Acts 7:4), moved to Canaan at the age of 75 (Gen.12:4). Thus, Abraham was born when Terah was 130, so Genesis 11:26 should be paraphrased, Terah lived seventy years, and begot the first of his three sons (not Abram). Abraham was still 75 years old in Genesis13:14-16 when the covenant (regarding God giving the promise land to Abraham and his descendants forever) was confirmed. 430 years later (Gal.3:16-17), "the law" of rituals was given (Ex.24:12)... the same year as the exodus (Ex.14) which was 430 years after Genesis 12:4 (Ex.12:40-41). Birth of Abraham - Year 2009 from creation - 1951 BC - Genesis 12:4 The Lord makes a covenant with Abraham - Year 2084 from creation - 1876 BC - Genesis 12: 7 Abraham confirms covenant - Year 2084 from creation - 1876 BC - Genesis 13:14-17 2009 years (epoch 1-2) + 75 years (epoch 3) = 2084 years. 4) Confirmed covenant to Exodus: 1877-1876 BC to 1447-1446 BC; 430 years "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:40-41). The 430 years must begin in Abraham's lifetime, not Israel's or Jacob's, because the 400 years which ends also at the exodus specifically starts at Isaac's affliction by Ishmael (Gen.15:13; 21:8-12; Acts 7:6) which, therefore began 30 years after Abraham entered the land. Abraham lived to be 175 years old. Isaac was 180 years old when he died. Jacob lived to be 147 years old. Joseph wasn't born until Jacob was 91 years old. Jacob was probably over 100 when he fathered Benjamin...Joseph's younger brother from the same mother. Yes, Jacob was a feisty old man. Exodus 12:40-41 says, "Now the sojourning (in Canaan and Egypt - 215 years each) of the children of Israel (which here includes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), who dwelt in Egypt, was 430 years." Josephus says the same thing: "They left Egypt ... on the fifteenth day of the lunar month (Num. 33:3), four hundred and thirty years after our forefather Abraham came into Canaan" (Antiquities of the Jews, 2:15:2) Both the Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint add "and in Canaan" in verse 40. Some translations say Israel dwelt in Egypt 430 years, which contradicts Galatians 3:17. The Septuagint, quoted by Paul in Galatians, says, "the sojourning of the sons of Israel who dwelt in the land of Egypt and Canaan was 430 years" because they dwelt in Canaan before they dwelt in Egypt. Abraham confirms covenant - Year 2084 from creation - 1876 BC - Genesis 13:16-17 Birth of Ishmael - Year 2095 from creation - 1865 BC - Genesis 16:3-4 Birth of Isaac - Year 2109 from creation - 1851 BC - Genesis 21:5 Birth of Jacob - Year 2169 from creation - 1791 BC - Genesis 25:26 Birth of Joseph - Year 2260 from creation - 1701 BC - Genesis 30:22-24 Joseph stands before Pharaoh - Year 2290 from creation - 1731 BC - Genesis 41:46 Jacob enters Egypt - Year 2299 from creation - 1661 BC - Genesis 47:28 Death of Jacob - Year 2316 from creation - 1644 BC - Genesis 49:33 Death of Joseph - Year 2370 from creation - 1590 BC - Genesis 50:22-26 Birth of Moses - Year 2434 from creation - 1526 BC - Exodus 2:1-10; Exodus 7:7 Exodus from Egypt - Year 2514 from creation - 1446 BC - Exodus 12, 13 2084 years (epochs 1-3) + 430 years (epoch 4) = 2514 years 5) Exodus to Israel's temple foundation: 1447-1446 BC to 967-966 BC; 480 years. "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month; that he began to build the house of the Lord" (1Kings 6:1). Moses, the man of God, led the children of Israel out of Egypt in 1446 BC. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses died (at 120 years of age) after viewing the Promised Land from a distance. Joshua replaced Moses as the leader of the newly formed nation of Israel and entered the Promised Land in 1406 BC. He died at 110 years of age. After Joshua's death, God raised up 'Judges' to lead and deliver his people from slavery; brought on by the hostile nations surrounding them. The total time of the Judges was about 326 years, from 1376 BC to 1050 BC. Israel's first king was Saul, who ruled for 40 years until about 1010 BC. David was the next king and he also ruled for 40 years until about 970 BC. He died at 70 years of age. You can see how the life span has significantly decreased from the time of the Antediluvian patriarchs...from Adam's 930 years to David's 70 years on this earth. David was a descendant from the lineage of Jacob's son, Judah. David's son, Solomon, became king of Israel after his father's death. He began the temple building project that his father had desired in the fourth year of his reign in 966 BC. The exodus from Egypt occurred in 1446 BC,480 years later (966 BC), the construction of the first temple of the Jewish nation began. 1 Kings 6:1. Exodus from Egypt - Year 2514 from creation - 1446 BC - Exodus 12, 13 Crossing of Jordan River - Year 2554 from creation - 1406 BC - Joshua 4:19 Dividing of the Land of Canaan - Year 2559 from creation - 1401 BC - Joshua 13 Judges begin leading Israel - Year 2584 from creation - 1376 BC - Joshua 2:16 Saul (first king of Israel) begins reign - Year 2910 from creation - 1050 BC - 1 Samuel 10; Acts 13:21 David begins reign - Year 2950 from creation - 1010 BC - 2 Samuel 5:4 King David's death - Year 2950 from creation - 1010 BC - 2 Samuel 5:5 Solomon begins reign - Year 2990 from creation - 970 BC - 1 Kings 2:11-12 Solomon begins construction of temple - Year 2994 from creation - 966 BC - 1 Kings 6:1 2514 years (epochs 1-4) + 480 years (epoch 5) = 2994 years. 6) From temple foundation (in the fourth year of Solomon's reign) to the death of Solomon: 967-966 BC to 931-930 BC; 36 years. Solomon ruled for 40 total years and then died. Saul, David and Solomon all reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21; 1 Chr.29:27; 2 Chr. 9:30). Solomon begins construction to build a temple - Year 2994 from creation - 966 BC - 1 Kings 6:1 Death of Solomon and Rehoboam begins reign - Year 3030 from creation - 930 BC - 1 Kings 11:42 2994 years (epochs 1-5) + 36 years (epoch 6) = 3030 years. 7) The death of Solomon to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple: 931-930 BC to 586-585 BC; 345 years. By adding all the reigns of each of the kings of Judah (after Solomon's death) mentioned in Kings and Chronicles we have a total of 345 years. The year in which a king came to the throne was known as his accession year. His first regal year, i.e. the first full year of the king's reign, began on the first day of the new year following his accession. The period between his actual accession and next New Year's Day was known as the beginning of the reign. Israel, in common with other near eastern nations, commenced the new year on the first of Nisan (our March - April), its first king, Jeroboam, having come from Egypt (1Kings 12:2-3) where the new year began in the spring. Judah, however, commenced the new year on the first of Tishri (our September-October). Where two dates overlap, a co-regency is indicated. Regal years are used. Read Edwin R. Thiele's excellent book..."The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings" regarding the chronology of the kings of Judah and Israel. It is deemed the definitive work and reckoning of the calendar years on this topic. The following kings of Judah list is from his calculations: Rehoboam - 930-913 BC (1 Kin.14:21-31; 2 Chr. 9:31) Abijam (Abijah) - 913-910 BC (1 Kin.15:1-6; 2 Chr.13:1-22) Asa - 910-869 BC (1 Kin.15:9-24; 2 Chr.14-16) Jehoshaphat - 872-848 BC, includes co-regency time (1 Kin.22:41-50; 2 Chr.17-20) Jehoram (Joram) - 853-841 BC (2 Kin.8:16-24. 2 Chr.21:1-2; he reigned concurrently with his father four years (2 Kin. 8:16; 2 Chr. 21:1-5; 2 Kin. 9:29; 8:25) Ahaziah - 841 BC (2 Kin.8:25-9:29; 2 Chr.22:1-2) Queen Athaliah - 841-835 BC (2 Kin.11:1-20; 2 Chr.22-23) Joash - 835-796 BC (2 Kin.11-12; 2 Chr.24:1-27) Amaziah - 796-767 BC (2 Kin.14:1-20; 2 Chr.25:1-28) Azariah (Uzziah) - 792-740 BC (includes overlap reign time with Amaziah; 2 Kin.15:1-7; 2 Chr. 26:1-23) Jotham - 750-732 BC (Includes coregency time with Uzziah; 2 Kin.15:32-38; 2 Chr.27:1-9) Ahaz - 735-715 BC (includes overlap reign time with Jotham); 2 Kin.16:1-20; 2 Chr.28:1-27 Hezekiah - 715-686 BC (2 Kin.18-20; 2 Chr.29-32; Isa.36-39) Manasseh - 696-642 BC (includes coregency time with Hezekiah, 2 Kin.21:1-18. 2 Chr.33:1-20) Amon - 642-640 BC (2 Kin.21:19-26; 2 Chr. 33:21-25) Josiah - 640-609 BC (2 Kin.22, 23:1-30; 2 Chr.34-35) Jehoahaz (Shallum) - 609 BC (2 Kin.23:31-34; 2 Chr.36:1-4; Jer.22:1-12) Jehoiakim (Eliakim) - 609-598 BC (2 Kin. 23:34-37; 2 Chr36:4-8; Jer.22:13-23; 26:36) Jehoiachin (Coniah) - 598-597 BC (2 Kin. 24:8-17; 2 Chr.36:9-10; Jer.22:24-30, 52:31-34) Zedekiah (Mattaniah) 597-586 BC (2 Kin.24:17-20, 25:1-7; 2 Chr.36:11-21; Jer.39:1-10, 52:1-11) The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple occurred in 586 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. He reigned for 11 years. The people of Judah were killed or removed to Babylon. 3030 years (epochs 1- 6) + 345 years (epoch 7) = 3375 years. 8) The destruction of the first temple to the finished construction of the second temple: 586-585 BC to 516-515 BC; 70 years. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple occurred in 586 BC. The construction of the second temple was finished in 516 BC. Both dates are well established in secular histories as 586-585 and 516-515 BC. There were 70 years from the destruction of the first temple(Jer.52:12-13) in the "nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar" (52:12) and "eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign" (2 Kings 25:2) to the building of the second temple "in the sixth year of the reign of Darius" (Ezra 6:15). Destruction of the first temple - Year 3375 from creation - 586 BC - Jeremiah 52:12-13, 25:1, Daniel 2:1 The second Temple is rebuilt in sixth year of King Darius - Year 3445 from creation - 516 BC - 2 Chronicles 36:21, 23 3375 years (epochs 1-7) + 70 years (epoch 8) = 3445 years. 9) From the sixth year of King Darius the Mede (when the second temple was finished) to the Persian king Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem: 516 BC to 444 BC- 72 years. Cyrus issued a decree in 538 BC regarding the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-2). This wasn't the decree we are looking for because Dan.9:25 speaks of the rebuilding of the city, Jerusalem, including the streets and walls, not merely the temple. The people resisted this decree and stopped work on the temple until the second year of Darius (See Ezra 4:4-5, 24.) Darius issued a decree in 520 BC, and ordered the construction of the temple to continue (Ezra 6:11-12). Again, this decree was for the temple, not the city. The temple was completed by the sixth year of Darius (Ezra 6:14-15) so this could not be the decree spoken of by Daniel. Counting the prophecy from these dates would place us well before Christ's life. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, the work on the walls was progressing slowly or not at all. Everybody was already at work building the city and the Temple, but the walls and gates were being neglected. (Neh. 2:11) Under the authority of the decree, they had received thirteen years earlier from Ezra. Nehemiah finished his work in 52 days(Neh.6:15). The city and walls had been rebuilt much earlier, and Nehemiah merely repaired some recent damage to the gates and walls. Actually, once you determine the date of the decree of Artaxerxes (in his seventh year), then it is easy to determine the date of Nehemiah's commission since it was in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Neh.2:1). Nehemiah 1:1-2 shows that Nehemiah's brother came from Susa in December (Chislev) to report the sad situation in Jerusalem. Four months later (Nisan), in the spring of 444 BC (Artaxerxes' 20th year), the king gave permission for Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem (Neh.2:1-8). Second temple is rebuilt in sixth year of King Darius - Year 3445 from creation - 516 BC - Ezra 6:15 King Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem - Year 3517 from creation - 444 BC - Nehemiah 2:1. 3445 years (epochs 1-8) + 72 years (epoch 9) = 3517 years. 10) Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem to "Palm Sunday" before Jesus' crucifixion, 444 BC to AD 33...476 years (Daniel 9:24-26). The decree given by Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 BC (Neh. 2) was the starting point of Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 9:25-26). Jesus the Messiah was "cut off" from being King of the Jews, in AD 33Nisan 10, on a Sunday (now known as Palm Sunday) fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel 9:25-26. Daniel 9:24 and Daniel 9:27 have yet to be fulfilled. Four days later (Thursday) AD 33 Nisan 14,the Lord Jesus was crucified on a Feast of Passover. Three days later (Sunday) AD 33 Nisan 17, Jesus was resurrected back to life on a Feast of Firstfruits fulfilling His prophecy of Matthew 12:39-40. The first part of Daniel's prophecy(Daniel 9: 25-26) consists of 483 total years of 360 days per year...not our current solar calendar of 365.2422 days per year. The 360 day per year 'prophetic' calendar was the one that Daniel was referring to when he gave his prophecy. The only other time/s in the Old Testament that this 360-day calendar was referred to was during the flood of Noah, Genesis 7 and 8, and possibly Genesis 29:27-30. Daniel 9:24-26 and Genesis 29: 27-30 are the only two times in the Bible that the word "weeks" is used as a term for 7 years (360 days per year). However, when reckoning cumulative years for Bible chronology, we use the solar calendar; so Epoch 10 is for 476 years. King Artaxerxes decrees rebuilding Jerusalem -Year 3517 from creation - 444 BC - Nehemiah 2:1 Birth of Jesus Christ - Year 3956 from creation - 5 BC - Mathew 2; Luke 2:1-20 Christ's ministry begins - Year 3990 from Creation - AD 30 - Luke 3:21-38 Christ's crucifixion - Year 3993 from Creation - AD 33 - Luke 23:32-49 Joseph, Jesus' stepfather, was a descendant of King David and his son Solomon. Mary, Jesus' mother, was a descendant of King David and his son Nathan. 3517 years (epochs 1- 9) + 476 years = 3993 years. 11) Jesus' death to present (AD 2018). 1985 years. AD 33 to AD 2018. This epoch includes the calling of Paul as an apostle of Jesus in AD 38, the destruction of Jerusalem and dispersion of Israel in AD 70, Israel becoming a nation again in AD 1948, and Jerusalem regained by Israel in AD 1967. 3993 years (Epochs 1-10) + 1985 years = 5978 years. 12) Years before the Tribulation starts - 0 -? years (in the future). Obviously, we cannot predict how many years are in epoch 12. It could be 0 to 20 years. 13) Seven-year Tribulation. (7 years in the future). 5978 years (epochs 1-12) + 7 years (epoch 13) = 5985 years. According to these calculations (not including the Tribulation or the time immediately before) for the biblical chronology of mankind, we are now (AD 2018) 22 years (6000 years - 5978 years =22 years) shy of reaching 6000 years. Does this mean we are 15 years away from the future seven- year Tribulation? It is possible, but in my estimation, we are much closer. It is more likely that sometime in the distant past, our calendar changed from 360 days to 365.2422 days per year. Nobody is for sure of the exact reason for this change, or when it happened. It could be that it occurred after (and possibly as a result of) the great flood. If epoch 1, the antediluvian period before the flood, lasted for 1656 years of 360 days per year instead of 365.2422 days, then that would account for some of the 15-year time difference. When calculating 6000 years of biblical chronology of mankind, it is impossible to have the exact numbers, but we believe that it is close to the seven-year time period known as the Tribulation. Life, as we know it, is soon (a relative term) going to change in a most drastic way. Make your choice for the Lord Jesus today, while there is still time. [email protected] The Palestinians No One Talks About - by Bassam Tawil - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13355/palestinian-victims Here's some "good" news: In October, only five Palestinians living in Syria were pronounced dead. The London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria reports that in October 2017, 12 Palestinians were killed due to war-related incidents in that country. "The list of victims who died in October 2018 includes four Palestinians who were pronounced dead in Teloul Al-Safa, in Al-Sweida desert, south of Syria, and one Palestinian in Damascus," the group said. According to the human rights watchdog that monitors the situation of Palestinians in Syria, the number of Palestinians killed in Syria since the beginning of the civil war there in 2011 now stands at 3,903. Another 1,712 Palestinians in that country have been arrested by the Syrian authorities, and 316 are listed as missing. The latest victim was identified as Ahmed Abdullah Balbisi who, according to the human rights group, died of torture in a Syrian prison eight years after his incarceration. The group said that Balbisi was arrested then for participating in peaceful demonstrations organized by the Syrian opposition. Balbisi is the latest victim added to the 3,903 Palestinians killed in Syria during the past seven years. His death was reported by the group on November 22. A day earlier, the human rights group reported that two other Palestinians, Mohammed Khalil al-Kurdi and Wael Abu Hamdeh, died due to lack of proper medical treatment. On November 19, reports surfaced that a third, Mohammed Ahmed Farhat, was killed during an exchange of gunfire between the Syrian army and the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group. Last week, reports noted that a Palestinian man, Nael Abd Al-Raheem, was kidnapped and killed by ISIS in Aleppo's northeastern city of Al-Bab. These stories concerning the atrocities committed against Palestinians in an Arab country do not come as a surprise. It is not as if anyone expected the Syrian regime or the opposition forces there to act differently. What is disturbing, however, is the attitude of the international media and community to the plight of the Palestinians in Syria in particular and the Arab world in general. There are dozens of foreign Middle East correspondents in the Middle East, and many are based in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. These correspondents feel safe living and working out of Israel. They prefer to live and work in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv rather than in Ramallah, the Gaza Strip, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and other Arab countries. Why? Because Israel is the only place these correspondents feel safe. A trip to Syria might result in being beheaded by Muslim terrorists. A trip to Iraq might result in being kidnapped by Muslim terrorists. A trip to Egypt or to Jordan might result in being harassed by the authorities or anti-Western Muslim extremists. Perhaps this disparity helps to explain why the international community does not read about human rights violations in Arab and Islamic countries. There is, however, another reason, not related to the journalists' safety. The international community are not interested in what the Arabs and Muslims are doing to the Palestinians because the Western journalists are hell-bent on covering only stories that reflect negatively on Israel. Palestinian rioters killed by the Israel Defense Forces on the Israel-Gaza border attract the attention of scores of Western journalists and media outlets. By contrast, Palestinians tortured to death and otherwise killed in Syria receive zero coverage in Western media organizations. The 3,903 Palestinians killed in Syria in the past seven years are of no interest to the Western correspondents or their editors. As far as these journalists are concerned, the reports of the human rights organization monitoring the condition of Palestinians in Syria are rubbish fit for the wastebasket. Unlike those living in the Arab countries, the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are fortunate. Thanks to the Western media's continued obsession with Israel, the international community is aware of them. The real victims, meanwhile, are the Palestinians who are being arrested and mistreated and killed in Syria and other Arab countries. These are the true victims -- not only because of what they are being subjected to in the Arab countries, but largely because their misery is being completely ignored by the Western media. The Western media's obsession with Israel has created the impression that the only Palestinians living on this planet are those who are residing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This impression does injustice to the Palestinians who are facing horrendous conditions, torture, and death in the Arab countries, especially Syria. According to the same human rights group, Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, nearly 31,000 Palestinians from Syria who fled to Lebanon are being subjected to a "precarious legal status and dire socio-economic conditions owning to their lack of access to the labor market and absence of relief assistance." Who cares about the suffering of these Palestinians? No one. Every week, scores of foreign journalists travel to the Israel-Gaza border to report on clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian rioters. Have any of these journalists thought of travelling to Syria or Lebanon to report about the atrocities that are being committed against the Palestinians there? Of course not. Why should they do so when the story lacks an anti-Israel angle? Editors in the West have a long history of bias in reporting about Israel (for instance, here and here). As the author and journalist Matti Friedman wrote about covering Israel: "Corruption, for example, is a pressing concern for many Palestinians under the rule of the Palestinian Authority, but when I and another reporter once suggested an article on the subject, we were informed by the bureau chief that Palestinian corruption was 'not the story.'" In a separate article, he added: "In these [journalistic] circles, in my experience, a distaste for Israel has come to be something between an acceptable prejudice and a prerequisite for entry... You can claim to be speaking truth to power, having selected the only 'power' in the area that poses no threat to your safety... [T]his group of intelligent and generally well-meaning professionals ceased to be reliable observers and became instead an amplifier for the propaganda of one of the most intolerant and aggressive forces on earth." The number of Palestinians killed in Syria will soon reach 4,000. Perhaps then, with that gruesome milestone reached, will Western correspondents in the Middle East wake up to the enormity of the crimes that are really being perpetrated against Palestinians? Nearing Midnight: California's Hell Fires - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The wildfires that raged across California in 2017 were ones for the record book. Nearly 9,000 wildfires tore through the state, burning 1.2 million acres of land (an area the size of Delaware), destroying more than 10,800 structures and killing at least 46 people. The Thomas Fire burnt 282,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and was the largest in state history. In a normal world, last year's fire events in California would stand for many years before some rare weather event created similar conditions. It is stunning to learn that 2018 has surpassed 2017 to become the worst ever for death and destruction. The Camp Fire has caused devastation on a scale never before seen in California. Normally, a fire will burn out part of a subdivision and kill a few people. The Camp Fire destroyed most of the city of Paradise, California. At least 85 people have been confirmed dead in the blaze. The previous most deadly fire in the state was the Griffith Park Fire of 1933, which killed 29 people. Nearly 17,000 homes and buildings were incinerated, which is three times larger than the previous record event. In California, 15 of the 20 largest fires in the state's history have burned since 2000. That state has experienced major fire events in each of the past 8 years. The state is "a bit like a canary in a coal mine," said Ms. Pohl, a research analyst with Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit research group that helps communities develop wildfire plans. "We are also going to see the same trend across other states in the country in the future." California Gov. Jerry Brown said the fires are the result of climate change. He balked at President Donald Trump's suggestion that poor forestry and poor forest management might be to blame for the massive wildfires. If these fires are the result of climate change, then we are all going to die within a few short years. The oceans will boil away and all land will become a burnt wasteland. The firestorm that raced through the city of Paradise was the product of extremely rare weather events. The flames reached the city limits by jumping a mile-wide canyon. The wall of fire moved at speeds that most experts would have never imagined as possible. Most of the largest fires took place in July and August because that is the hottest time of the year. It is very odd to have such a massive fire in November. Since the Thomas Fire occurred in December of last year, strange has quickly become the norm. The stock price of PG&E, which supplies electricity to 16 million California residents, has been cut in half by the Camp Fire. Power equipment belonging to the electric utility may have sparked the fire. It warned last week that insurance might not cover its liabilities if the utility is held responsible for the wildfire. The San Francisco-based company already has booked estimated losses of $2.79 billion this year for claims related to the 2017 wildfires. PG&E faces a further $10 billion in liabilities from last year. The losses for 2018 may reach $15 billion. Since it has become a huge financial risk to provide electricity in California, the taxpayers in that state will likely be forced to bailout PG&E and several other utilities. Home insurance rates have already seen massive hikes from the previous year's fires. Unless the situation changes for the better, the cost of insurance will have to rise by $100 billion per decade. With tax rates in California already the highest in the nation, many residents will soon find it too expensive to live in the state. The worst type of disaster a property holder can experience is fire. When a house is flooded or hit by a tornado, there are many things that can be recovered in the aftermath. When a home is consumed by flames, there is nothing to claim but ashes. I saw YouTube videos of people driving several miles in Paradise with block after block of total devastation. With natural disasters becoming a regular occurrence, the "blessed hope" is our only remedy from future calamity. "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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thess. 4:16-18). "Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Daily Jot: Finding joy in chaotic times - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The headlines are unnerving. Killings at shopping malls and schools, unending politically-motivated investigations, visceral name-calling and labeling all have become common place in our society. If you want to be encouraged, there is really no place in the headlines for you. Sometimes it is a good idea to just take a step back, take a deep breath, and look at the world from a different angle. When I started the Daily Jot back in January of 2002, I sensed the Lord wanted a brief testimony of daily events that could equip and encourage people to share the Good News. Most of the Daily Jot readers, especially those who have been reading a while, "get it." But I want to encourage all readers to keep things in perspective. The Bible is about Jesus Christ and what he did to bring salvation to a fallen world. There are many examples of how we are to live our lives and how we are to treat others. A good friend of mine says "You reap what you sow, more than what you sow, later than you sow." He's got a great point. It really is a law of God. So if you read the Jot and use it to share a Biblical perspective by discussing a current event, then you have planted a seed. Unlike seeds that you plant in a garden, you may never see the growth of that seed, but God's word does not return void. I want to encourage you to share what is in the Daily Jot with others--either verbally, or via email, or any other way that you see fit. The Daily Jot is NOT intended to bring you distress or sorrow or fear. As Christians, we are often mocked for saying that we are living in the end times. They say that every generation thinks that. But the fact of the matter is that every day brings us closer to the Biblical end times. Certainly, there are many prophetic indicators that tell us we are getting closer and closer to the return of Christ the Messiah. How wonderful is that? We know from scripture that things are going to get worse the closer we get. But we are encouraged in Ephesians 6:13, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Part of what the Daily Jot is intended to do is to rally folks to do the right thing. Romans 12:21 says "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Our country long has been a beacon of Christian hope to the rest of the world. I know. I have traveled quite a bit and hear what people say. We have a legal say in how things are done in our country. But because we have diverted our attention away from God and from His precepts of good citizenship, our beacon is dimming. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3 that he has seen travail of the labors of men. "I know there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God." Don't let these troubled times get you down. Find joy in Christ's labors. Daily Devotion: An Encounter with God - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. -Genesis 32:24 Jacob had wronged Esau. Now he was headed back to meet his brother, and he didn't know whether or not Esau would kill him. But Jacob was about to have an encounter with God. I find it very interesting how the Lord came to Jacob as a wrestler. It's almost as though the Lord was saying, "You want some of this? You're always fighting Me. You're always wrestling Me. Game on. Let's do this." The Bible tells us that "a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day" (Genesis 32:24 NKJV). This wasn't an angel; this was the Lord Himself. Jacob called the place "Peniel," which means "face of God." This is what we would call a Christophany, which is an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. We think of Jesus as primarily in the New Testament, but the fact is that Jesus, being a part of the Godhead, being eternal, has always existed. Thus, we find Christ in the Old Testament as well, making appearances in different places. I believe this was one of them. Jacob the manipulator met the Messiah. The conniver met the Christ. The wrestler met his match. Commentator C. H. Mackintosh said, "To be left alone with God is the only true way of arriving at a just knowledge of ourselves and our ways.... No matter what we may think about ourselves, or what others may think about us; the great question is, what does God think about us?" Jacob was all alone, and he was having to think about everything he had done. That happens when you get alone with God. Sometimes we need to unplug and, as the psalmist said, "Be still, and know that He is God." That is how we can hear the voice of God again. FROM THE HEART
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