Prophecy Line
ADVENT!
Christmas.
The term sounds so familiar, so comforting. It brings forth thoughts of family, of homecomings and of lights, ornaments, and bright-eyed little ones all aglow with anticipation. It brings smiles engendered by knowing Santa will soon place things beneath the glistening tree, some wrapped in colorful paper and ribbons. Christmas, in America at least, with all the shopping and hustle, seems to dismiss for the moment thoughts of troubles, conflicts, and the evil side of life.
This commercially oriented image of Christmas, in a secondary sense, isn’t in itself terrible. Sadly, however, this has, I believe, become the primary view of Christmastime in our nation. And that fact is not as it should be.
To believers in the true meaning of the celebration, Christmas brings thoughts of that event from which has come succeeding Christmases for more than two millennia. The Christ child in the manger, the stable, the shepherds in the fields, the angels declaring the good news that the Savior has been born in Bethlehem.
That announcement was at the same time spectacular and limited in scope of delivery. The angels by the thousands surrounded those Judean hills and gave praises to the Highest in Heaven. Yet only the lowly shepherds–the least socially acceptable people of that time–received the glorious message that Christ the Lord and King was born.
We call that first Christmas the Advent of Christ. It was the birthday of God in the flesh, come to earth to bring peace to men of goodwill. More than that, it was the Lamb of God come to this fallen planet to seek and save the lost–which includes, before salvation by each individual is attained–all of humanity.
The term “advent” means the arrival, emergence, or coming forth of something or someone of importance. Could there be a greater purpose than that of seeking out and saving those who are lost? Is there a more magnificent blueprint than that reclaiming those separated from the Creator God for all of eternity? What could demonstrate absolute love more than that great God reaching out with a redemptive plan–a plan to reconcile fallen man, individually, with Himself?
Heaven’s announcement of that stupendous act of God was sensational, to be sure. But, it was muted in comparison to the announcement that is even now being sounded for an equally astonishing event.
We term that coming event the “Second Advent.”
The heavenly alert is sounding in siren-like fashion through hourly, even minute-by-minute, pronouncements. The alert resounds throughout the whole earth, not just in the eyes and ears of a few, like that given to the shepherds in that first Advent of more than two thousand years ago. This alert is declaring that the same baby who came to seek and save those separated from their Creator by sin is, as King of Kings, about to come again. This coming will not be secretive. It will be the most spectacular event ever to be witnessed in the history of man.
We help sound that alert in these commentaries. Our Christian brothers and sisters who are spiritually attuned to God’s heavenly siren of alert do the same with their various ministries, or just through individual witness. Again, sadly, only a few choose to hear and believe the forewarnings of Christ’s Second Advent. In that respect, God’s alert that Christ is about to return to forever reign on earth is as ignored, as was the announcement to the world during Christ’s First Advent. The alert is treated as mythology by most of the world at best, and as lies by Christian fundamentalist haters at worst.
Some of those signals making up the announcement of the Second Advent are as follows:
- Paul’s “perilous times” indicators of 2 Timothy 3 in our face each and every hour
- Second Thessalonians 2 forewarning of deception and apostasy, which is now growing at a phenomenal rate as witnessed by the Catholic pope’s false proclamations and even some evangelical apostates chiming in with agreement
- The globalist cabal raging in Psalm 2 fashion to create a one-world order that excludes anything to do with the God of Heaven
- The God-Magog coalition gathering north of Israel in precise alignment for the Ezekiel 38-39 assault
- Hatred for Israel and for Jews metastasizing throughout the world as given in Zechariah 12.
Our hourly, even minute-by-minute, reports on the many news outlets issue the warning for the spiritually attuned. Jesus Christ is on the very cusp of stepping out on the clouds of glory to reclaim planet earth.
Again, we call Christ’s return at Armageddon the Second Advent. He came in the First Advent as a baby in Bethlehem. He comes the second time as the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.
The first phase of that Second Advent will be the Rapture of all born-again believers–that is all who believe in Christ, based on Romans 10:9-10.
Jesus will shout “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1). Paul the apostle prophesied that then we who are alive and remain will be changed in a millisecond into immortal bodies suited for eternal existence. We will live forever with our Savior and Lord.
Those who have died in Christ (saved) will go into Christ’s presence at that shout, even preceding those alive at the time Christ calls. They, too, will have immortal bodies and will live with Him forever.
Since we see a tremendous number of signals alerting that the Second Advent is plainly in view, we know Christ’s shout for Christians to come to Him is indeed imminent–it can happen at any moment! The Second Advent (Revelation 19:11) will occur at least seven years following the Rapture of believers. A time of great trouble unlike any ever experienced, Jesus said, will fill those seven years.
An Advent even greater, perhaps, then the first one will occur. The clouds will scroll apart, as will the very heavens. Jesus will return to the planet raging with life-ending violence. Only He can calm this earthly storm.
I, personally, believe the Lord of Lords and King of Kings will calm the raging armies at Armageddon just as He calmed the storm on Galilee those millennia ago.
I believe He will simply say, “Peace…Be still.”
With that as biblically prophetic perspective, we, as believers, should have a very Merry Christmas!
Days of Lot Boom on Track
It has been since September 2, 2019 that I last addressed things going on in the economic realm that shows things are tracking precisely on God’s prophetic schedule. Because that schedule is unfolding in such dynamic fashion, I sense it necessary to periodically remind of that prophetic progression.
Like that earlier commentary, this commentary isn’t meant to applaud myself in any sense whatsoever. It is to point out that this generation seems to be at the very place Jesus, Himself, said that end of the age generation will be at the time of the Rapture.
Every underlying indicator that this economy should have long ago imploded stares the experts in the face. Yet that bust has not occurred. As a matter of fact, those experts—that is those with major media as a platform—proclaim unprecedented economic uptick. They proclaim from the proverbial rooftops that this is the greatest economic trend in memory.
Yet the lesser known fiscal observers –many of those of the blogosphere— note that this perceived economic trend toward reaching unknown stratospherics is all built on nothing but the faith in that not-undergirded financial structure. I.e., this economic boom is built on nothing but air. It is like the cartoon character in “The Roadrunner” cartoons. It is like Wyle E. Coyote, suspended in mid-air over a deep canyon. He just hangs there and finally gravity takes hold and he ends up a puff of dust at the canyon’s bottom.
Without intending to be sacrilegious or even slightly disrespectful toward the Lord’s dealings with mankind, these times reflect something analogous. It seems the economic crash that should have already happened is suspended in mid-air. It’s as if the tremendous weight of debt –the trillions of dollars that can never be repaid—is supernaturally made of non-effect. That is, the horrific weight just doesn’t matter. The economic crash cannot take place because of some unseen force.
The economists who say there is coming a great crash can’t explain why it hasn’t come already. They can only speculate that it is because of sleight-of-hand by the wizards within Treasury and other high bastions of finance. But, then, they have to admit that there is no such financial wizardry that could hold back such stupendous fiscal weight.
These, of course, don’t see any such thing as something supernatural holding back a crash. Certainly, most would never attribute the holding up of that crash to the God of Heaven.
Yet, they must admit it is totally unprecedented and has unnatural elements running throughout the phenomenon.
And it is indeed a phenomenon. Never has there been such an extended time before economic correction takes place, according to the “experts” I’ve read and talked with…
By now, these say, such a necessary adjustment should have resulted in, at the very least, a relatively strong recession. Some believe a depression the depth of the Great Depression of the 1930s should have taken place.
Now for the reason I wrote at the beginning of this commentary that I in no way intend to pat myself on the back.
I wrote at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 a series of articles “Scanning a Fearful Future.” My conclusion at the end of this series of 10 articles was that there would be no financial crash. –That instead there would be a financial uptick –even an era of boom. This all based upon the thought, considering whether this generation was right at the time of Christ’s intervention into the affairs of mankind. –Specifically, if the Rapture of the Church was on the very brink of taking place.
All of this, of course, was based upon Bible prophecy. It was predicated on the words of our very Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when He was on earth and was teaching His disciples.
The belief I expressed was that there would be no economic crash of the sort many emailers were writing me about with their fear that the U.S. and the world was about to face Tribulation-like troubles. These troubles, most who wrote were afraid, would have at their basis severe economic woes.
My contention was –and still remains— that if we were as late in this dispensation of grace as I believe this generation to be, there wouldn’t be time for all to come crashing down –economically and in other ways—then build positively again until the world reached another time exactly like this time in which we find ourselves. It would take many years, perhaps many decades to again come to where this generation finds itself –particularly in reference to America. And, America is the apex nation of the world in economic terms. If the U.S. came crashing down, the entire world, so intricately linked to the almighty dollar, would suffer even greater meltdown.
All of my conclusion was and is based upon Jesus’ prophecy about the days of Noah and the days of Lot found in Matthew 24: 36-42 and Luke 17: 26-30.
Jesus said there would be, rather than economic catastrophe, a great uptick in buying, selling, building, and even in agricultural matters, like planting, etc.
Since that time of writing in 2011, my findings have been validated. This, again, is because of believing God’s Word on prophetic matters, not on my own soothsaying abilities or “word of knowledge.”
America is in a tremendous financial uptick at present, even Trump detractors reluctantly admit. The economic boom predicted by Jesus Christ is still on track.
Donald J. Trump, a builder of perhaps unprecedented ability, was supernaturally placed in position to see to it that that economic boom prophesied by the Lord Jesus has come to pass. This is my contention that has, at least in my spirit, been wholeheartedly validated.
Records are set daily in the DOW and other economic sectors. –Thus, despite that there are still the ominous trillions upon trillions of dollars of economic gravitational pull that should at any moment cause a catastrophic crash.
Jesus said there is such a crash that will indeed take place. It will be at the moment He is next “revealed” to the world. That great, catastrophic, event will be the Rapture, when His people –all saved through belief in His death, burial and resurrection– will be called home to Heaven to be with Him for eternity (Rev 4: 1). Jesus said that judgment would fall upon those rebels of planet Earth that very day.
Jesus Christ, whose Birthday we celebrate at this time of year, is the only safe shelter from that coming, world-wide time of unprecedented horror. Again, the following is the way to make sure you are within His protective shelter during that great future storm.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom 10: 9-10)
Trending toward Tribulation
While this year draws near to its end, it is a good idea, I think, to make assessment of where we might stand on God’s prophetic timeline.
Certainly by any measure of a true watcher of God’s Bible prophecy clock, the hour is late. Let’s try to break down exactly how late that hour is.
ISRAEL TRACKING TOWARD TRIBULATION HOUR
The news of late just continues to build toward Israel becoming the “cup of trembling and burdensome stone” of Zechariah chapter 12. The Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel chapters 38-39 is clearly in view.
God’s prophetic clock, as I and many other fundamentalist students of Bible prophecy believe, is, of course, the nation Israel. So to understand what is happening in that Jewish state, chosen by God to be prototype in His dealings with all nations of earth, is a good place to start with our assessment.
Some of the headlines that attest to this fact can be determined by posts in recent Rapture Ready News posts.
- How the Israel-Iran War Might Begin
The missiles will come in low, after being in the air for almost an hour, and when they hit, they will be coming just over the horizon. People who witness the attack will remember later that the missiles didn’t fall from the sky. They flew at their target straight, like a bullet. The drones will hit just a few minutes later. They will have been flying at low altitudes for longer, taking off in Iraq, crossing into Syria, and then across the border into Israel.
- REPORT: Trump and Netanyahu Finalize Pact to Be Military Allies in Gog and Magog
- Israeli Military Says Hezbollah Undeterred Despite Recent Setbacks
A year after uncovering a network of cross-border Hezbollah tunnels, the Israeli military says the Lebanese militant group has beefed up its presence along the volatile frontier. Military officials say that neither the destruction of the tunnels, nor Hezbollah’s recent domestic problems, have weakened the group’s desire to prepare for renewed conflict with Israel.
- Descendants of Gog & Magog Join Russia, Iran in Joint Military Drill
“O mortal, turn your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him” (Ezekiel 38:2). Iran announced last week that they will, for the first time, hold joint war drills with China, and Russia. One rabbi, an end-of-days expert, stated that this will bring together all the elements “to end all of history.”
- Erdoğan’s Top Adviser Calls for “Islamic Army for Palestine”: Threatens to Bomb Israel
A senior adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said last week that it was “not possible” for the Islamic world to give up on Jerusalem, and called for the creation of an Islamic “army for Palestine.”
- Democratically-Controlled Congress Today Passed a Two-State Solution Resolution Calling for Israel to Be Divided and the Land Given to Create a Palestinian state.
CULTURE TRENDING TOWARD SODOM
The cultural and societal degeneration toward Sodom and Gomorrah-like activity is burgeoning.
- Hallmark Channel CEO Says Company Is “Open” to Making LGBTQ-Friendly Christmas Movies
The chief executive of the Hallmark Channel, known for its treasure trove of wholesome and characteristically cheesy Christmas flicks, said in a recent interview the company is “open” to filming movies with lead characters who are gay. - WATCH: Drag Queen Admits He’s “Grooming” Children at Story Hour Events
Drag queens are deliberately “grooming” the next generation to accept LGBT ideology when they read to children in public libraries at drag queen “story hour” events, a U.S. drag queen admitted.
- Twitter Changes Terms of Service to Allow Pedophile Content, Including NAKED Children
“Artistic depictions of nude minors in a non-sexualized context or setting may be permitted in a limited number of scenarios e.g., works by internationally renowned artists that feature minors,” states Twitter’s new rule. - J. J. Abrams: “The Rise of Skywalker” Will Have LGBTQ Representation
Director J.J. Abrams has allegedly delivered on his promise to feature more LGBTQ representation in the Star Wars universe via the upcoming film “Rise of Skywalker.” Though the characters Finn and Poe will not be lovers, Abrams said the representation will still be apparent
- Human trafficking in America among Worst in World: Report
The United States is again ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking. According to a recently released report by the State Department, the top three nations of origin for victims of human trafficking in 2018 were the United States, Mexico and the Philippines.
RELIGION ROARING IN REBELLION
The world of religion, led by Pope Francis, is gnashing its teeth toward the God of Heaven.
- Pope Francis Declares That Christian Fundamentalists Are “A Scourge”
Beware of the fundamentalist groups: everyone has his own. In Argentina too there is a little fundamentalist corner. And let us try, with fraternity, to go forward. Fundamentalism is a scourge and all religions have some kind of fundamentalist first cousin there, which forms a group. Ostensibly, the…
- Ilhan Omar Leads Catholic Church in Muslim Prayer
Ilhan Omar recently posted a bizarre video of herself reciting a Muslim prayer in front of the altar of a Catholic Church. Over 20 congressmen attended the event, as did a Muslim interfaith leader…who also has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
- Army Says Faith-Based Group Can No Longer put Bible Verses on Dog Tags after Complaint
When Army Captain Russell Rippetoe was killed in action on April 2, 2003 — the first combat casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom — then-President George W. Bush spoke about how Rippetoe had on his dog tags “Joshua 1:9” engraved on it.
- Pope Advances One World Religion Agenda: Presents Buddhist Leader with Manifesto
Pope Francis topped off his three-day visit to Thailand last Saturday with a meeting with Thailand’s supreme Buddhist patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at Bangkok’s Ratchabophit Temple. The meeting took place in front of a 150-year-old gold statue of Buddha. The Pope followed Buddhist custom by removing his shoes. During the meeting, the Pope gave the Buddhist Patriarch the Declaration on Human Brotherhood. “You assume that the pope is Catholic but he is certainly not acting like a Catholic,” Rabbi Asore said. “These alliances, his actions, are certainly not what a Catholic would do.”
The above constitute but a scant overview of the hundreds of reports in these and other categories that could be used in our assessment. But suffice it to say that no matter in which direction the prophetic observer looks, one sees the ominous clouds of Tribulation boiling on the horizon.
This all means not gloom and doom for the Christian, rather a glorious prospect beyond description. The Rapture is but a millisecond away at any given moment as we carry out our duties as watchmen on the wall.
Power of the Air
Many an elderly former television network broadcaster doubtless engages in ever-recurring conversations while sipping his favorite evening libation.
“Remember how we once ruled the airwaves?” might be one such conversation starter.
“Yeah. In the old days we could say it on the evening news and by noon the next day public opinion would begin to come around,” the commiserating drinking partner might say.
I can imagine a Dan Rather type and some other no longer relevant propagandist lamenting as the tonic and gin or bourbon on the rocks burns a liquid trail down their once golden throats.
“Those were the good, old days,” one of them shakes his head, blinks, and calls to the barmaid for a refill.
“There’s no leadership to ever bring those days back,” I can hear the other irrelevant former anchor saying. “Now they all go their separate ways… There are far too many of them to ever come together.”
“It almost makes you see the need for the power of dictatorship…for the good of the republic,” the Dan Rather-type says, taking the first sip from his newly refreshed adult beverage.
“Yeah. We used to at least have that kind of influence over public opinion… for the good of the republic,” the other, ageing broadcaster puts in.
They must dream happily of when they and their network colleagues had the three network monopoly. Now, it must be a nightmare that they live through daily. Their personal influence is no more—the power of their profession significantly diminished.
That this is the case is plainly presented in polls taken about how America’s people feel about that profession. Always, news media, as being trustworthy in the eyes of the public, ranks very near the bottom of those polls.
If there ever was a question about why that ranking is so low, we need only think on the past three years or so.
It would almost seem that our two, ageing, former anchors need not worry for a second about the ability of the news conglomerate to speak with the power of one. The mainstream news media have coalesced in a way that ABC, CBS, and NBC could have and would have never done when they had, collectively, nearly sole power of the air.
It is true that today’s now fractionalized mainstream news media, as individual news forums, draw infinitesimally small numbers of viewers in comparison to numbers drawn by the big three networks during the good old days. But the power exerted by the new collective –the fractionalized mainstream media— is, I’m convinced, even more powerful than that wielded by the big three those years earlier.
The proof of that is the absolutely fanatical cohesion that this new, media collective has cemented.
Before the months leading up to Donald J. Trump’s election to the presidency the new, collective, news conglomerate, at least presented the pretense of being independent, one from the other. Following Trump’s becoming the Republican candidate and up to the present hour, that agglomeration of news forums has melded as one to destroy this president.
They have, in the process, infected about one-half of the adult citizenry of America with an insane rage that I’ve characterized a number of times as “a reprobate mind.” –The same mind-set described by the Apostle Paul as recorded in Romans 1: 28.
In this sense, the new mainstream news media is far more effective than was that big three conglomerate that pretended to be independent of each other in trying to shape public opinion. They, this media today, are as driven in their insane rage as are the left-wing, anti-God public they possess. And, possession is what it amounts to in my estimation.
I can say this because at the black heart of this propagandist cabal is the chief minion of the underworld. And this is provable, Biblically.
Broadcast –at least as originally conceived and implemented— projected out over the airwaves. They were received by instrumentality antenna of those who tuned in to the messages of news, entertainment programs, and commercial announcements. So, as the broadcast industry was foundational, that method –over the air— was progenitor of this new mainstream media.
This evil cabal which, although fractionalized as being individual entities, is totally conjoined in delivering up messages their master director wants delivered.
That master director is indeed the maestro, who for the time being is allowed to be infernal minister of propaganda to seduce and delude the rebellious among earth’s inhabitants. That he is undertaking to do with massive effort.
Scriptural proof of his temporary right to his position as master of deluding all who will watch and listen is as follows.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2)
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Satan is the prince of the power of the air. He is using that power in a very literal way to seek out and devour as many as he can delude. He has, during this last three and a half years, managed to seduce and bring into his insane rage nearly half of the adult population of the United States of America, it appears.
But the God of Heaven has not left us without defense against this evil prince and his media minions. God’s word tells of this protection for the Christian—all who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Gog’s Persian Partner Prophecy
Threats against America have been coming fast and furiously from the ruling minions in Tehran. Sanctions imposed by America because of Iran’s unabated nuclear program, threats against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and the regimes continuing hostile activities in the region are putting great pressure on the nation’s leadership.
The people of Iran–at least a considerable number who are resisting the dictatorship–are leading in applying the pressure. Whereas the propaganda from the Iranian news media–and some within the mainstream news in America as well—has consistently proclaimed that the protests of the people have been against America, even those media no longer can hide the facts. The facts show that the protesters, many of whom have died over the last few weeks, are violently against the Iranian ruling regime. This, even the Ayatollahs are having to recognize. The result of the protests and of this recognition is that they’ve found a scapegoat, and have acted in trying to divert attention from what’s really going on.
The real thing going on is that the people are suffering due to the sanctions imposed because of the regime’s dogged determination to develop nuclear military power, thereby going against every agreement they have made to the contrary.
The scapegoat is the Iranian secular office of president (as much as it can be determined that anything about Iran is secular). The following news excerpt gives an indication of the attempted diversion from the ruling religionists being to blame.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi is to submit his resignation, his office says, after more than 40 people were killed on the bloodiest day since anti-government protests began.
Iraq’s top Shia Muslim cleric condemned the use of force against protesters and called for a new government.
About 400 people have been killed in protests since the start of October, and at least 15 died on Friday.
Iraqis are demanding jobs, an end to corruption and better public services.
- Is a new Arab Spring unfolding in the Middle East?
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned over reports of the continued use of live ammunition against demonstrators” and called for “maximum restraint.” [Abdul Mahdi’s resignation] came after Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for a new government.
“In response to this call, and in order to facilitate it as quickly as possible, I will present to parliament a demand [to accept] my resignation from the leadership of the current government,” the statement signed by Mr. Abdul Mahdi said.
The statement did not say when his resignation would take place. On Sunday parliament will hold an emergency session to discuss the crisis. (Iraq Unrest: PM Abdul Mahdi to resign after bloodiest day in protests – BBC News)
Sources are setting off alarm bells that Iran is putting its nuclear production facilities into high gear. And, it’s not for peaceful, nuclear energy. The following excerpt frames the story.
The Iranian government is shortening its nuclear breakout time–the amount of time required to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a single nuclear weapon. Tehran has accomplished this through several steps in the last few months.
Iran’s government first increased its enriched uranium stockpile beyond the 300 kilogram limit; it enriched uranium to levels beyond the cap of 3.67 percent, and then activated 20 IR-4 and 20 IR-6 advanced centrifuges. The Iranian leaders even boasted that their government is now exploring new uranium enrichment programs and producing centrifuges.
Most recently, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, declared that Iran has an adequate supply of 20% enriched uranium., “Right now we have enough 20% uranium,” he told the Iranian Students News Agency, ISNA, “but we can produce more as needed”. He added that the country is resuming uranium enrichment at a far higher level at the Fordow nuclear facility — an underground uranium enrichment facility which is reportedly located on one of bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — injecting uranium gas into centrifuges, and operating 60 IR-6 advanced centrifuges. (“Iran to Have Nuclear Bomb in a Few Months?” by Majid Rafizadeh, Gatestone Institute)
A major part of all this that might be of interest to prophecy watchers, in my thinking, is whether the current and building resistance to the Muslim rulers of Iran will bring stepped up activity in fulfilling their nuclear ambitions (as the above excerpt seems to indicate). They will almost certainly not step up dismantling that program. Becoming a nuclear power, thus a hegemonic regional force, is, I believe, a supernaturally induced desire, placed there by the Prince of Persia, or that minion’s superior, Lucifer, himself.
If the Ayatollahs determine their own positions are threatened, might they go all out to complete getting the ultimate weaponry that they think will assure their continuing rulership?
It has long been my contention that something prevents the Gog-Magog force from storming toward Israel, using nuclear weapons. At least, that’s the way I read the Gog-Magog forces in regard to their weaponry.
It seems there are no nukes involved–at least, none used by these evil attackers. The Lord, Himself, seems to use something at least as horrific as nuclear weaponry in dealing with those attackers, but their forces seem to be conventional. Salem Kirban, in his novel 666, portrayed the attack as from weaponry exactly described in Ezekiel 38-39. Real horses, real, ancient weapons, etc., the novelist thought, might be used because of something catastrophic happening, causing technological collapse.
Another prophecy comes into view, I think, considering why Persia –Iran— apparently hasn’t any nuclear weapons at the time of the attack on Israel.
My friend Bill Salus has written about this prophecy a number of times, including in his book, The Now Prophecies. He outlines the prophesied destruction of Persia’s (Iran’s) war-making capabilities. He, like I, see things shaping now in the mountainous regions of Iran as building up to the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program.
Bill writes the following.
At the top of my timing list for the NOW predictions is Jeremiah 49:34-39. This prophecy, authored around 596 B.C., seems to deal with what is presently taking place inside of Iran. This ancient foretelling breaks down into two parts, both of which are occurring NOW!
Jeremiah 49:34-37 appears to be alluding to Iran’s military matters, specifically its nuclear and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM’s) programs. then shifts topics to the religious element and the burgeoning conflict between Islam and Christianity…
Elam is the area of Iran that hugs the Persian Gulf. Elam represents about one-fifth of modern day Iran and Persia spreads across the remaining four-fifths of the nation. Persia was the name for Iran until 1935.
About 2700 years ago, two prophecies were issued about future judgments that would come upon Iran. Ezekiel 38:5 addressed Persia, and Jeremiah 49:34 concentrated on Elam. Notice on the map that Elam is the location of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor. It sits upon the convergence of three tectonic plates and is a nuclear disaster waiting to happen. In addition to this reactor, Iran has contracted with Russia to construct several more of these nuclear facilities in the same general area. (The Now Prophecies, Bill Salus, ms page 21)
We should, I think, keep our spiritual senses attuned to what Iran’s tyrannical leadership does next. If they push to complete their nuclear program, the Elam prophecy of destruction might be quite near to fulfillment.
Supernatural Wrestling Match
While thinking on a new book, a Rapture Ready news item entered the process. The story represents the heart of end times matters that continue to occupy much air and cable time, as well as paper and electronic print in reporting these days.
That is, the basic subject of the story is covered extensively by secular journalists during every news cycle. The prophetic or end times element within the story is covered only by those such as yours truly in forums such as the Rapture Ready web site, some Christian TV and radio stations and networks, and through books.
One of the most recognized names within Christian circles was involved in making an observation that piqued my interest while thinking on the new book. The observation he made resides at the center of that gestating book idea.
Evangelist Franklin Graham suggested the resistance President Donald Trump has faced since taking office could be “demonic” in origin.
Graham made the assertion while appearing as a guest on “The Eric Metaxas Radio Show” in a segment posted online on Thursday.
“It’s a very bizarre situation to be living in a country where some people seem to exist to undermine the president of the United States,” Metaxas said. “It’s just a bizarre time for most Americans.”
“Well, I believe it’s almost a demonic power that is trying–” Graham began to respond when Metaxas interjected, “I would disagree.”…
“It’s not almost demonic. You know and I know that at the heart it’s a spiritual battle,” the talk show host said…
(Source: Franklin Graham sees ‘demonic’ power in ferocity of opposition to Trump By Randy DeSoto, The Western Journal, November 27, 2019)
Graham went on to say that this opposition is hate filled without seeming cause. President Donald J. Trump has done more to help Americans in under 3 years in office than presidents of the recent past have done with 2 full terms each. He cited the administration’s strides in bringing back jobs and improving the economy in general. Both Graham and the host of the program agreed the resistance this president continues to receive is demonic in origin.
Although I didn’t see in the story the Biblical scripture that confirmed for them this conviction, it was easy to deduce that the underlying scriptural text was likely the following.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6: 12)
Certainly, the 2016 presidential election seemed to unleash the hounds of hell against not only the new president, but against all things godly. The very foundation of America, based in large part on Judeo-Christian precepts by the founding fathers, continues to come under attack.
It was a long process since well before that election that lay the groundwork for what we see happening with all this madness today.
The public educational system in the United States has been under assault since the 1950s and even before. Even the private institutions of higher learning fell victim to the demonic influences. Harvard, for example, founded as a Christian school and given its name in honor of a Christian educator, John Harvard, succumbed to the humanist lies from the pit.
I, myself, can remember sitting in a sophomore political science class at university and hearing a smooth, suave, Marxist professor laud communist regimes and lie about America’s founding as being evil.
Today’s youth are largely uneducated as to truth in most every discipline. They have been corrupted and co-opted by the hounds of hell who continue to drive the nation –and the world, for that matter—toward being receptive to Antichrist when he vaults upon his globalist platform.
The devil is at work on many fronts, whether it be geopolitics, society and culture, economics, religion, or whatsoever.
I believe that the true explosion from the minions –both human and supernatural, came the night Trump won the election. The outburst by his opponents was astonishing to behold.
We remember the woman sitting on the curb the moment she learned that Trump had won. She shrieked and broke into hysterical screaming and gyrating. The cell phone camera caught the insane reaction for all to see.
I, of course, being blind, couldn’t see it physically, but the sounds were such that it was easy to visualize the actual video accompanying the absolutely lunatic-sounding shrieks. It was if the poor woman was possessed.
To the rational mind, it should be apparent; it seems to me, that the thinking ability of nearly half of the people in this nation of adult age has been turned inside-out and upside-down. I have written often –and my mind has not been changed—that because much of American citizenry has moved increasingly farther away from acceptance of godly government, the country has reached the point described by the Apostle Paul in Romans.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. (Rom. 1: 28)
As for believers, those who have accepted God’s grace gift of salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the ability to discern these things as part of end times spiritual warfare. We don’t have to have the credentials of world-wide name recognition like that of a Franklin Graham to appropriate this discernment ability. We are expected –commanded—to not only recognize the supernatural wrestling match –or end times battle—we are in. We are to prepare ourselves to face this very time in which we find ourselves just before our Lord Calls us home in the Rapture.
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Eph. 6: 11-18)
Evil When Not Constrained
One can sense an invasion is taking place during these strange times. Email messages I receive indicate that many are recognizing this intrusion.
A writer recently used a line from a Shakespeare play for the title of his article expressing the evil that is proliferating. “Something wicked this way comes” well sums up the invasion many who observe the times are sensing.
Satan is working overtime, it seems. He no longer appears to be trying to hide his nefarious activities as in most previous decades. It’s all part of his having turned the spiritual hearts of mankind far enough away from the God of Heaven that Romans 1: 28 is now the operative mode for comportment of the world at large.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Romans 1:28)
We have looked at this matter a number of times in these commentaries. Thinking–the ability to reason on a sound basis—seems lost to a broad swath of people in this generation. They have, it is observable, moved so far from God’s blueprint for living that they have been turned over to a reprobate mind. Their thinking, in other words, is turned upside down. Good they call evil and evil they call good.
And this brings us to the evil I would like to examine for the balance of this commentary.
The objects most closely held to the emotional hearts of the human kind have down through the ages been the children. It is true that cultures and societies have from time to time sunk to the level of murdering their children for the sake of offering sacrifices to their various gods. For example, in the case of Molech, into whose red-hot arms even the Hebrews at one time threw their young children. But for the most part, the children have been the most cherished possessions within the family structure.
The onset of the reprobate mind of Romans 1: 28 has been a progressive, spiritual dementia that now can’t be missed by anyone spiritually attuned to the invasion of evil.
The United States of America has become the most egregious offender in the matter of sacrificing children. More than 60 million babies (probably more, because this is a figure I’ve heard for several years) have undergone the fires of brutal murder while in their mothers’ wombs. Even more egregious, infants are now murdered outside their mothers’ wombs.
One Democrat politician says this is okay, so long as the baby is destroyed before he or she takes his or her first breath. The Bible, this politician says, declares that the person is not a living being until that first breath.
His party, as a whole, supports this as a political platform item. The children can, therefore, be sacrificed to the god of convenience–abortion after the fact of sexual activity—although those advocating for abortion always use the lie that this heinous murder of babies must be allowed for the health, either physical or psychological, and well-being of the woman. The woman, not the God of Heaven, has the right to choose.
Supposedly the most civilized of the civilized societies and cultures to have yet existed on planet earth–the United States of America–allows this atrocity to continue. It is nothing less than sacrifice to the god of this world–Satan. It is a form of spiritual insanity –reprobate mindset–to continue in this orgy of self-serving infanticide.
And now we are seeing front and center news reports on a daily basis that the evil has produced duplicitous parameters within the confines of jurisprudence.
The most serious offenders of our laws have always been those who carry out their evil against the children. Even the murderers within our prison institutions recognize the absolute horror of those who abuse children, sexually or otherwise. These men will often take out their anger on those who come among their ranks who have been convicted of harming children in any way. The pedophiles are often brutally beaten and/or murdered once they are incarcerated.
At the same time these pedophiles are considered the worst of the worst in the community of prisoners, the law of this land looks the other way when children are subjected to something worse than pedophilia in a more sophisticated way.
We have read of the children who are read all sorts of sexual content by transvestites in some of our public school libraries of late. We are subjected to stories of children as young as five years who are taught by some institutions that provide day care how to “touch themselves” in intimate ways to provide self-given pleasure.
This is a progression of evil spawned by the reprobate mindset. If unchecked, this evil progresses–moves forward into hellish, more destructive areas of satanic invasion.
What could be more hellish than those things just mentioned as being perpetrated upon the most innocent among us? Well, here it is. We now are going into opening the youngest up for direct invasion from the demonic realm. The following news excerpt helps explain. It involves the Walmart chain now selling a book on demonic activity.
The [Walmart web] site categorizes the book as a “playful guide” to conjure demons to communicate with “the spirit”. The children’s product is listed for children ages 5-10 and “inspires” kids to “create demons of their own”. The book is a sort of coloring book whereby kids can draw demons using a system of sigils.
As the Publishers Weekly text reads:
Leighton integrates a hands-on craft element into this playful guide that invites readers to conjure gentle demons by writing their sigils, which serve as “a phone number” straight to the spirit. The demons necessitate specific summons (a riddler named Corydon requires a sigil “drawn in bright red, the colour of a clown’s nose–preferably while you’re giggling”), and express specific characteristics and abilities that range from pragmatic to gross. They include “Flatulus,” whose talent is passing gas; “Quazitoro,” an expert at finding missing objects; and “Spanglox,” “the best-dressed demon in the underworld,” who offers cutting-edge fashion advice. Leighton’s renderings of the multieyed, multiarmed, sharp-toothed demons are outlandish without being creepy, and the creative concept will likely inspire some readers to create demons of their own. Ages 5-10. (July)
On Walmart’s site, the book is placed in a category called “Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural Kids Books.” It is listed at $9.88 per copy. (“Wal-Mart Now Selling A Children’s Book of Demons,” David Sidman, Rapture Ready News, November 23, 2019)
While the Restrainer still continues to hold back evil below the level to which it will ascend during the Tribulation era, mankind is welcoming the invasion through the gates that once served to protect the most vulnerable. It is a sure signal that God will not long continue to tolerate the intolerable.
Children are innocent before reaching the age of accountability for their souls. They are, until reaching that age (differing with each individual), accounted as having their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The inviting of the demon world into the minds of little ones is offense of major magnitude to the Creator of all things.
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).
2 Chronicles 7: 14 Not For Church?
Recently I heard a prophecy teacher –actually one of my favorite prophecy guys— say something like the following: “I hate to burst your bubble about what you probably believe about God’s promises to the church and his promises to Israel. But 2 Chronicles 7: 14 isn’t for the church. It is for Israel.”
He then went on to say that the context of that promise makes it obvious for whom it was given. It doesn’t apply to we of the Church Age was his conclusion.
I must take exception to that statement by this man, one who I respect greatly and consider one of the very top teachers and writers of Bible prophecy today. Let’s have a look at the promise that god, indeed, made to the nation Israel.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14)
The speaker was talking about whether the United States is in Bible prophecy. He was speaking to the many worries people have as to what will happen to America so far as concerns prophecy yet future. Particularly, as I recall, he was talking about the upcoming 2020 presidential election. People were, he said, wondering about what we should do as believers to seek God’s divine intervention in this election. There are great fears that the opposition party to that of this president has turned totally toward the dark side and is more and more anti-God in their platform goals.
The speaker was intimating that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is the scripture most invoked, but that it isn’t in effect for the Church. It was given exclusively to the Jews –to the nation Israel.
The basis for my taking exception to my friend’s pronouncement in part is truth encased within the following scriptural areas.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with who is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1: 17)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13: 8)
God’s Word is the very Person of Jesus the Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead. God the Father sent Jesus into the world as Himself in the flesh. Jesus taught and preached ultimate truth. Jesus and the Father are one –see John chapter 17. Jesus created all that is, see Genesis chapter 1. He did so by the spoken Word. Jesus is the Word. This is made plain in John chapter 1.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1: 1-3)
Jesus and the Father, the Lord verifies through His prayer in John chapter 17, are one. Jesus also says that we who believe in Him are one with Him, as He is one with the Father. Therefore His Father’s children are Jesus’ “people,” just as they are God the Father’s “people”.
We are all “one” with God. We are His “people”.
This includes all people of God’s created order who “believe” for salvation as prescribed by God. Those who believe are His people.
Therefore, it is my Bible-based contention that in 2 Chronicles 7: 14, the “my people” is referring to God’s “people,” no matter of what era.
God changes not. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
God’s Promise to Israel in 2 Chronicles 7: 14, in my view, apply to believers of all ages.
It is true that Israel’s “land” was healed on several occasions, after the people had drifted into backsliding and gross idolatry. America, it is equally true, for example, has not experienced what might be considered a complete healing in the sense of Israel in its ancient past.
However, America, again for example, has experienced degrees of “healing.” The great revival movements that came out of the Great Depression, was God at work in answering prayers of His “people.”
I believe the 2016 election for president was an answer to the prayers of God’s “people.” It was, to anyone possessing spiritual acuity, a miracle from the Almighty. Certainly, even the secularists –the mainstream media, and Mr. Trump’s opponents, were stunned into a form of madness!
Another friend defines the declaration that 2 Chronicles 7: 14 is not for the Church as a part of the Seminary Syndrome.
By this, he means that the products of often self-exalted seminaries sometimes can’t see the simplicity of God’s truth for feeling they have to make it complex to somehow justify their existence as the last word on interpretation of scriptural truth.
And, I mean no disrespect to the men and women who have the prestigious, seminary degrees of various flavors. Many, many of these are dear friends.
But, for the Seminary Syndrome to induce them to say such things as the things mentioned above with regard to God’s dealings with His “people,” just smacks of being wrong to my spiritual senses.
I have expressed before in my commentaries that I have the same problem with the Seminary Syndrome declarations that Matthew chapter 24 (the Olivet Discourse) is for the nation Israel only. –That the Rapture of the Church isn’t to be found in that great teaching by our Lord.
So please continue to pray in light of 2 Chronicles 7: 14 in regard to the 2020 presidential election. Our nation still needs healing, as we all know. Admittedly, as this generation seems to be at the very end of the Age of Grace, and at least half of the nation is deliberately moving away from, not nearer to God, it is unlikely that there is time to see a complete healing of America.
However, the prayers of God’s people have and can yet produce miracles within this land upon which God has so richly bestowed His blessings.
Blueprint for Delusion
Even a cursory observation by those paying attention, if they are honest, should induce them to acknowledge that this generation is encompassed by attempts to delude. I was in the advertising and public relations business for a number of years before my eyesight problems forced me to turn to other pursuits. The Lord saw to it that I landed softly enough in the field of writing books–for the most part, books on Bible prophecy.
I am most thankful for His providing that parachute into the field of trying to determine truth from lies about unfolding issues and events of these last days.
The advertising business is filled with lies, misconceptions, diversions and delusions of many sorts. The whole objective is to separate consumers from their hard-earned money. Actually, the objective is to get into our wallets, regardless of how the money is earned.
Government regulators now stipulate much more stringent parameters in advertising than they did during my day. For example, you’ve heard that line of mumbling of impossibly-fast-to-be-understood words after some drug company commercials. It sounds like gibberish. Actually, the lines are complying with governmental regulations by explaining possible side effects or other points of information the regulators insist the consumer be given. I’m surprised the government will allow those follow-up announcements to be given in such a hard-to-understand way.
The thing I’m trying to point out is that advertising and public relations are, by their very design, intended to seduce people into buying products and services, or whatever.
This is a form of delusion. Billions of dollars are spent in ad buys and other ways to produce these seductive messages. Campaigns can be long and ongoing in a building propaganda process to construct and establish product identity.
Think, for example, of the diet food industry. Marie Osmond seems to be on the TV screen every hour, on the hour, lauding the praises of Nutrisystem. America’s airways and cable systems are inundated with such commercials.
Whether the product advertisements are truthful in every case or not, the attempts to seduce the buyer are never ending. This is but one step away from deluding the consumer–deluding us to make us believe that something that might or might not be true is almost certainly a fact.
When it comes to spiritual matters, the Bible is absolutely true in every case. And God’s Word speaks powerfully to the matter of false advertising in the spiritual sense. Heaven’s forewarnings about one coming delusion is unmistakable for anyone who will heed the alert.
Satan has a blueprint for delusion. The Bible forewarns about this devilish plan. We are in a time when this forewarning is crucial. The Christian must not ignore the flashing red lights that are bursting all around us today.
Paul the apostle tells through prophecy that God will, following the Rapture of the Church, allow this delusion to come upon earth’s rebels, and they will believe Satan’s big lie. Believers of this Age of Grace must be wise to Lucifer’s evil deception.
This is why we, collectively, wrote the book we released recently. Discerners: Analyzing Converging Prophetic Signs for the End of Days is designed, we believe, by Holy Spirit influence, to give the Christian a comprehensive look at signals of how near we are to the time of Christ’s Second Advent, thus to the Rapture of the Church.
Satan wants to foist upon humanity seduction that will delude his victims to believe one particular lie. Regarding the matter of the blueprint for the delusion that our title cocoons, Jeff Kinley has framed the matter in excellent fashion.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians,
Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 (italics mine)
So, it is clear from Scripture that there is coming a time in history when the whole earth will fall under a grand delusion. The means through which this global deception will take place is the Antichrist, the man of sin. And he himself is directly energized by Satan. Paul says this devilish activity will take place in force during the last three and one-half years of the tribulation. And with his signs (whether they prove to be illusory in nature or actual miracles), he will nevertheless convince the world that he is indeed “God.” And billions will worship him as such (Revelation 13:8,11-15; 14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). This is the culmination of Satan’s long-sought objective—to be worshiped as God (Isaiah 14:13-14). And through the Antichrist, he will finally realize that depraved desire.
But what makes this bizarre phenomenon so potentially perplexing is that it is God Himself who initially sends this delusion. One may be inclined to think this sounds either uncharacteristic, cruel, or antithetical to God’s essence and character. After all, doesn’t He want people to come to faith in Him? Doesn’t Scripture say as much in 2 Peter 3:9? And if this is true, why would He then cause the world to be deceived by lies that will effectively prevent people from salvation? These are fair and legitimate questions, and ones that, fortunately, are answered for us in God’s Word. (Jeff Kinley, “Descending Dark Delusion,” chapter 3, Discerners: Analyzing Converging Prophetic Signs for the End of Days)
Jeff goes on to illustrate that God’s plan is in every case perfect, and that the Lord will deal with mankind through the delusion. That is, God will make understandable the horrendous lie that will assault people during the Tribulation.
If I may, I suggest you read that chapter and all others in our book. It’s a great book because of superb writers like Jeff and fifteen others who are, themselves, spiritually attuned discerners of our times. That’s not just the old ad man in me coming out. It really is a book that will greatly edify your study as we watch this delusion build, leading up to the Rapture.
And, I do believe we are seeing it build. It will manifest fully once the Church is in Heaven, but that prophesied delusion is increasing now as God’s cup of wrath is filling for pouring upon a world of rebellious unbelievers. Meantime, while we are witnessing the things develop that God’s Word tells us are signs to look for preceding Christ’s return, we are to adhere to the following Scriptural commands. They are from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself:
“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13: 37).
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21: 28).
Jewish Myopia
As anyone who reads my commentaries knows, I support Donald J. Trump in most every one of his actions and policies as president. As a matter of fact, I believe he has been placed in this powerful office at one of the most crucial points in human history, not just at the most critical point in American history.
A quick rethinking of the 2016 U.S. presidential election makes one acknowledge the strange turn of events. The so-called odds ran totally contrary to the way the election was supposed to go.
I believe it was not just a strange turn of events, but a supernatural turn of events that took place.
Likewise, I think most who read these commentaries know that I strongly support the nation Israel in most every way. This is not to say I always support and agree with the Israeli government and that country’s actions and reactions to events in which they become involved. The nation is in many ways stumbling in the dark like any other nation, and often makes mistakes. Israel is in no way perfect, and those who accuse we who support the nation blindly just don’t know the truth of our support. I’m talking about our support as Christians –Christians in the truest sense. –Christians who believe in the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy.
And, speaking of blindness –a myopic view of things that rivals any nearsightedness in history— the nation called Israel and the people called Jews are subjects of legendary such malady.
Only, it is not merely legendary myopia the nation and Jewish people as a whole suffer. It is Biblically pronounced extreme nearsightedness with which they are afflicted.
Paul the apostle wrote the following in this regard.
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom 11: 25)
Jewish orthodoxy, of course, rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah 2000 years ago. This puts the nation, as a whole, under Paul’s further expression of God’s condemnation in this regard.
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor 4: 3-4)
Having prefaced these commentary thoughts with the fact that both Mr. Trump and the Jewish people and the nation Israel have no greater a supporter than yours truly, I must point out a development that portends devastating trouble ahead.
The trouble of which I write is for the Jewish people who continue to reject the one, true Savior of the world –the Lord Jesus Christ.
It involves the matter of the orthodox Jews –the religious upper-strata that holds to Judaism and the rejection of Jesus Christ. These religionists –at least a number of them—embrace President Trump as a sort of savior. They don’t give him Messiah status, but they laud him as a king of prophetic prominence within their clerical view.
This brief excerpt will, I hope frame my thought here.
President Trump attended an Orthodox Jewish fundraising event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Manhattan on Tuesday evening. Four hundred Orthodox Jews participated in the event, contributing an estimated $100,000 each for the honor of paying a personal tribute to the Commander-in-Chief.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson recited the blessing said upon seeing a non-Jewish ruler…
Blessed art Thou, O L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, that you have shared part of your love and glory and compassion with a human being who maintains the honor of every innocent person and every Jew forever.”
The Talmud states that it is a mitzvah (Torah commandment) for a Jew to go out of his way to see rulers and kings, whether they are Jewish or non-Jewish but there is a dispute among Halachic (Torah law) authorities as to whether this blessing should be recited with the complete name of God in these times upon seeing a ruler who is not a king.
It is significant that when the rabbi recited the blessing upon seeing Donald Trump, he said the complete and explicit name of God in Hebrew.
Rabbi Nachman Kahana, a prominent spiritual leader in Jerusalem, did not agree with Rabbi Jacobson’s decision to use the name of God in this instance.
“Every rabbi can make his own ruling and Chabad has their own methods and rulings. But what is for sure is that Halacha is not influenced by political considerations,” Rabbi Kahana explained to Breaking Israel News. “It is like science and should be the result of careful consideration of the facts and the current situation…
This is learned out from the real king, Hashem (God, literally ‘the name’), which is the source of the king’s authority. Hashem’s authority is not derived from other men. He cannot be impeached, and we don’t vote for God.” (Rabbi: Blessing Trump as King Shows He is the Final President Before the Return of Davidic Dynasty, By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Breaking Israel News, November 13, 2019)
So, there is disagreement about the technicalities of giving homage to political leaders amongst the Jewish upper-clergy. However, their myopic inability to determine who is who among politicians and world leaders is the point I wish to make. The lack of ability to determine how those leaders can be trusted as a blessing by God to Israel is becoming clear in these strange days so near the end of the age.
Their blindness, as expressed by the Apostle Paul in the scripture given above, becomes increasingly manifest as their true Messiah’s coming nears. This myopia –this blindness, is foretold by the Messiah, Himself.
“I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” (John 5: 43)
Jews at the highest ecclesiastical echelons are exhibiting the supernatural myopia Jesus predicted. They are straining to look for the anointed one so long promised. Sadly, they will soon, deludedly, see Antichrist as Israel’s Messiah.
Terry James Prophecy Line 