Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, is a regular contributor to Fox News and Fox Business channels. The host of one program I regularly listen to on Fox Business is Lou Dobbs. Dr. Jeffress appears on that show weekly.

Dobbs, the program host, recently gave a series of catastrophic possibilities that could soon affect us all:

The coronavirus, he said, was about to blow up into a pandemic. Already, at the time, more than 1,100 people had died. The numbers of those with the coronavirus was exploding in China and had jumped all boundaries to begin proliferating around the globe. The US had at the time only fifteen cases, with no deaths, but the doctors and scientists he had interviewed during the show I last tuned in to and during other programs painted a possibly disastrous scenario even for the US if they couldn’t soon get a handle on how to deal properly with the spread of the disease.

Then, there was the matter of fears of climate change. Many, especially among younger Millennials, fear they have but a dozen or fewer years to live on the planet, because the polar ice caps will melt and drown everyone, or worse. The earth, itself, will be depleted of breathable air due to carbon dioxide emissions and other toxic substances.

Then there is reportedly an asteroid that is to pass near the earth. It probably has done so by the time this article is posted. One pundit said the asteroid was large enough to be a continent-destroyer—capable of decimating all of North America. It was to pass within a million miles of the planet, but that is considered a near miss, according to scientists in the know. It is said to be but one of a number of such space objects headed our way.

Locusts in Africa and other regions are devouring all things edible. They are the largest swarms ever seen in modern history, according to the show’s host and his guests, who speculated what could happen if these creatures ever get to the crops on this continent.

Then, there is the matter of the wildfires and other disasters in Australia that look to be apocalyptic-like catastrophes.

Lou Dobbs then introduced his guest, Dr. Jeffress, by saying, “Pastor, is this the end of days?”

Jeffress, in his usual upbeat way, said something like, “No. It is not the end of days,” then added, somewhat more seriously, something like, “But these are all signals the Bible says will be occurring at the very end of the age before Christ’s return.”

The pastor went on to speak for a few seconds about what Matthew 24 and Revelation have to say about these sorts of signals. Dobbs then talked about the great fear that seemed on the rise, and asked if we should be afraid.

I was very proud of Dr. Jeffress’ answer, which went something like: “The way to not be fearful about these coming things is to make sure that you know the One who controls all these end-of-days signs. Make sure you know Jesus Christ as your Savior.”

I don’t know how many heard the Lou Dobbs program that night. His is program has some of the highest numbers of viewers for its time slot. So, several million at a minimum were listening, I presume.

Regardless of the number of people who watched the program that night, there is a nation and a world full of people who live daily in fear of things coming on the earth. But a more problematic number of people suffer a state of mind that even more egregiously adds to a world pointing in directions other than the one God has prescribed. That mindset consists of almost complete apathy about anything heading down the pike that looks like the age is coming to an end and God’s righteous judgment is on the brink of falling.

Both the fear of things such as climate change, etc., and the apathy infecting the fearless combine to constitute what I call the “end-of-days delirium.” Those who have no fear, especially of God and His judgment, mostly inhabit the Western world. The American populace in particular falls into this category.

The reason? Because of the comfortable, even opulent, lifestyle enjoyed by Americans when compared to the rest of the world.

Europe was, for the most part, long ago given over to the delirium of end-of-days apathy. America is now nearing the end of that exponentially spreading malady.

The progress of this humanistic disease has been eloquently dealt with by Alexander Tytler, a Scottish history professor (1714—1778) who is generally given credit for chronicling the stages of a democracy’s demise. I once filed away its essence as repeated by Kirby Anderson, a radio host and host of Probe Ministries.

If we stay on the road to decay, Anderson relates what awaits us:

The decline of this nation (just as the decline of every other nation) is due to spiritual factors. The political, economic, and social problems we encounter are the symptoms of the spiritual deterioration of a nation…. Each of the great civilizations in the world passed through a series of stages from their birth to their decline to their death. Historians have listed these in ten stages. (1). The first stage moves from bondage to spiritual faith. (2). The second from spiritual faith to great courage. (3). The third stage moves from great courage to liberty. (4). The fourth stage moves from liberty to abundance. (5.) The fifth stage moves from abundance to selfishness. (6.) The sixth stage moves from selfishness to complacency. (7.) The seventh stage moves from complacency to apathy. (8.) The eighth stage moves from apathy to moral decay. (9.) The ninth stage moves from moral decay to dependence (America with her growing addiction and servitude to the government—Socialism—has entered this stage). (10.) And the tenth and last stage moves from dependence to bondage.

Of course, there is the possibility of an eleventh stage, and that would be (11.) total obliteration—full annihilation or Armageddon.

It’s easy to discern that this nation could well be in stages 9 and 10 at this point. The septicemia I term end-of-days delirium has set in.

The only Rx to begin dealing with this disease that is infinitely more toxic than the much-feared coronavirus is that dispensed by the God of Heaven. His Holy Name is Jesus Christ. He will one day make all things right again.

Of all my cogitating on Bible prophecy, the thought just never struck.

I’m partner with Todd Strandberg in raptureready.com. I’ve written hundreds of articles on the subject. I’ve authored entire books devoted just to the topic. Yet I’ve never even thought, much less written about, one particular aspect of the matter. Some might correct me on that, but that is my memory—or failure thereof—on this thing specifically involved.

The topic, the subject, is the Rapture—that stupendous instant when Jesus Christ steps out on the clouds of glory and shouts with the last trump and the voice of an archangel, “Come up here!”

We believe that it will happen in an atomos of time—quicker than it takes for light traveling at 186,000 miles per second to enter the eye and strike the retina. That’s much faster than the eye can blink, I’m told.

Again, we believe that millions of all born-again believers who are alive will vanish in that instant. It will happen all over the world, but perhaps in no place on earth will the great event be witnessed by more people than in America. And, I’m not meaning that this is because there are more Christians—true believers—in the United States than in any other place on the planet. That might be the case, but that isn’t why I state it.

The thought, as I said above, had not crossed my mind until an epiphany came in the form of an email by a Christian sister, whom I presume is a long-time family member of our Rapture Ready website.

Although I won’t mention her name, I will relate a part of her email that struck deeply into my prophecy-watcher alert center:

Terry: Concerning the Rapture discussion about whether or not people will see us leaving when we are caught up. They will certainly see SOMETHING, because there are cameras everywhere constantly filming everybody.

So, if I’m out in the middle of the street talking to one of my neighbors when Jesus suddenly calls me up into the clouds, at least three of my neighbors’ security cameras are going to record my disappearance.  (Where did she go?  She was standing right there talking to Dave and then she just disappeared!”).

Whether we just disappear or can be seen rising up after we are transformed, the cameras at the grocery store, the bank, the jam-cam on I-10, the neighbor’s security camera or doorbell ring camera, all those cameras recording everybody everywhere all over the world are going to capture it all.

Again, this is just an idea that never struck me. But it will surely happen just as she describes, barring an unforeseen EMP attack or other phenomenon that shuts down all cameras in the nation.

Anyone who has watched forensic shows that record crimes in every possible location knows that we’re under constant surveillance. There is no way we can escape the cameras looking down on us from telephone poles, building roofs, or wherever.

Even drones now circle overhead and record every movement we make, both for law enforcement and commercial purposes. Private drones now keep track of us just for amusement and entertainment.

But it’s the cellphone and other devices held by individuals in every town in the country that make the emailer’s observation of special, prophetic significance.

People are literally filming on their phones every moment of every day and night, especially in America, where so many people have smart devices. There is no doubt that the disappearance of people around towns all over America will be captured in that staggering instant.

The news-gathering entities around the US will be soliciting every video they can find. Social media venues will go crazy with quantities of footage that will likely almost melt down many websites. It will be the most filmed event in history!

Many of those video recorders will still be going when they hit the ground, having been dropped by Christians doing the filming. These, too, will give credence to the message of those of us who have been teaching the truth of the pre-Trib Rapture.

Perhaps it is the many such videos that will convince a great number of people who have heard our message. The message? That Jesus has called believers to Himself. Those who see and are thus convinced might then seek earnestly all information left behind that forewarns of what they have just witnessed.

My thanks to my emailer friend who stimulated the thought about history’s most viewed event!

It has been taking place for decades, even longer. The American and world public have become anesthetized, or at the very least numbed, to the effects. At least half of this nation’s population seems to be in a near-comatose state, in consideration of what is right and wrong in terms of what the founding fathers meant in establishing a constitutional republic.

I refer to the incessant propagandizing of the people by a news conglomerate that mimics in most every way the Big Brother news leviathan of George Orwell’s novel 1984. The author invented the term “doublespeak,” defined as language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses meaning to further an agenda, often by governments, corporations, marketers, or other power structures.

The novel tells of a socially stratified, post-nuclear war world ruled by three superstates—Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia. The ruling elite keep the “proles” under their oppressive governmental thumb. These are the worker bees who are given just enough entertainment and mind-altering things to imbibe to keep their noses to the grindstone of serving the state and to keep their minds off the machinations of those who govern them.

We have, since the late 1950s, and even before then, been victims of the emergence of Orwell’s 1949 vision of a dystopian, news-propaganda monster. It appears that perhaps two-thirds of the American populace has fallen into Orwell’s “prole” category within today’s political process.

Perhaps this figure is a bit of an exaggeration, but the astonishing disconnect is troubling. According to reactions I see in the matter of people understanding whether information they get is reality or propaganda, no other conclusion can be reached. Millions are falling for the lies that they should be allowed to do what is right in their own eyes. Anyone who holds up biblical or even constitutional founding principles as the way we should comport ourselves is met with angry protestation.

Those of us who believe abortion, homosexuality, use of illicit drugs, pornography, fornication, adultery, and other such evils are wrong, are seen by a vast section of the nation’s population as the evil side of American society and culture.

We have witnessed the Orwellian-like news organizations of our day in action. These join that vast number in pigeonholing Christians and “moralists,” as they would have it, into a corner they call “hate-mongering.”

A campaign planner of one political party’s candidates recently called all who oppose the leftist-agenda Nazis. He then proceeded to, in Hitler-Aryan fashion, tell those around him what he will do to that opposition once his party wins. He said he would summarily kill some and put others in gulag. The rest would go into reeducation camps to get their minds right. The mainstream, Orwellian news media, so far as I can determine, said nothing to condemn this campaign planner’s rhetoric.

Evil doesn’t change. The rhetoric, under the right conditions, will become murderous implementation when opportunity arises.

There are still those with satanic-controlled minds who would perpetrate on Americans the same sort of atrocities the Nazi beasts inflicted upon the Jews and other victims of those days.

There is coming a time, God’s Word foretells, when people will fall totally for the doublespeak and newspeak of those horrendous times. The ultimate Big Brother will forge a regime so powerful and evil in influence that no one, in human terms, can resist. He will have the consummate propaganda machine to brainwash and reinforce his dictatorship’s absolute control. His minions are now being prepared, in my view, to carry out his inculcation of the “proles” of that Tribulation time. They will be all who are left behind because of their unbelief when Christ calls believers in the Rapture.

Today’s mainstream news organizations are acting as a prep school for inflicting the future lies of the son of perdition. So it is not too far-fetched to see a bit into the future and apply prophetic Scripture, based upon what we see developing at present. The nation and world are being prepared for the ultimate manifestation of the Orwellian world the author forecast with the release of his 1949 novel.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9–12)

You don’t have to be among the “proles.” Accept Christ right this moment. You will go instantaneously to be with Jesus Christ in an atomos of time—faster than the eye can blink—when He says “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).

To hear Him when He calls, follow the Apostle Paul’s soul-saving instruction:

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. (Romans 10:9–10)

A friend in New York City emailed with a fascinating perspective. Chris is, like those of us at Rapture Ready, a watchman of issues and events as they might relate to prophetic stage-setting. He, like many others in the RR audience/family, helps keep us abreast of significant developments in these times so near the end of the Church Age.

New York City, itself, is experiencing an uptick in cases of anti-Semitism, as are other major cities across the US. So it is with an elevated degree of observational credence that my friend made a strong case for Bible truth.

The truth:

The Lord said to Abraham, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

I also have some good friends in Australia who are part of the RR audience/family. They, too, keep us informed of things going on in their part of the world from time to time.

So it is with some twinge of regret that I feel compelled to use that region as an example in a somewhat negative light. I mean no disrespect to the people of Australia in general. Particularly, I intend to cast no aspersions on my dear friends who live there.

However, the case presented that there could well be a connection between things taking place in Australia and God’s displeasure—even judgment—is powerful. It is so strong that the example needs to be pointed to as proof of God’s Genesis 12:2–3 promises always being fulfilled. Anti-Semitism is a tremendously egregious matter in God’s holy eyes—and America, in allowing its spread, must be warned to take notice.

Rather than write in-depth on the matter of anti-Semitism in profiling its horrific infliction of hatred upon the Jewish race within Australian society and culture, I will present links to stories of what is happening there. Again, thanks to my friend Chris in New York City for compiling these links.

• “Confronting Reality: Anti-Semitism in Australia Today,” Jewish Political Studies Review 16:3–4 (Fall 2004); https://www.jcpa.org/phas/phas-jones-f04.htm
• “Israel Arrests Woman Wanted on Child Sex Abuse Charges at Melbourne Jewish School,” (February 13, 2018); https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israel-arrests-malka-leifer-woman-wanted-on-child-sex-abuse-charges-at-australian-jewish-school-1.458662
• “Australian Jewish Leader Condemns Senator’s Speech Calling for ‘Final Solution,’” (August 15, 2018); https://www.thejc.com/news/world/australian-jewish-leader-condemn-senator-fraser-anning-speech-calling-for-final-solution-1.468332
• “Anti-Semitic Attacks of Boys Who Were Called ‘Jewish ape’ and ‘dirty Jew’ Shock Australia,” (October 3, 2019); https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxnews.com/world/anti-semitic-bullying-australia.amp
• “Australian Teenager Charged Over Making Jewish Boy Kiss Another Student’s Shoes,” (October 25, 2019); https://www.thejc.com/news/world/australian-teenager-charged-for-making-jewish-boy-kiss-another-student-s-shoes-1.490685
• “We Cannot Let Anti-Semitism Spread Here,” (November 21, 2019); https://www.cis.org.au/commentary/articles/we-cannot-let-anti-semitism-spread-here/ 
• “Report Shows Anti-Semitism on the Rise Following Outrage Over ‘Party Nazis,’” (Mon November 25, 2019); https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a191124hsgly/report-shows-anti-semitism-on-the-rise-following-outrage-over-party-nazis-20191125?&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_source=10daily&utm_campaign=digital:na&utm_term=google&utm_content=dsa&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0IzskZOa5wIVi5yzCh2pawFPEAMYASAAEgLDbPD_BwE
• Antisemitic Assaults and Threats up by 30 Percent in Australia, New Report Finds,” (November 26, 2019); https://www.thejc.com/news/world/antisemitic-assaults-and-threats-up-by-30-per-cent-in-australia-new-report-finds-1.493612
• Australia Sees 30 Percent Increase in Anti-Semitic Incidents,” (November 26, 2019); https://wwwgoogle.com/amp/s/www.jta.org/quick-reads/australia-sees-30-percent-increase-in-anti-semitic-incidents/amp
• “Toxic Left-Wing Anti-Semitism: Australia, UK and the USA,” (December 19, 2019); http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/24901 
• “Global Anti-Semitism: Select Incidents in 2019,” (December, 2019); https://www.adl.org/resources/reports/global-anti-semitism-select-incidents-in-2019 
• “Australian Jewish Survivors Recount How the Fire Swept into Their Home in 45 Minutes,” (January 9, 2020); https://www.thejc.com/news/world/australian-jewish-survivors-recount-how-the-fire-swept-into-their-home-in-45-minutes-1.495182
• “Holocaust Survivor ‘Suffering Flashbacks’ after Nazi Flag Flown Metres away from His Australian Home,” (January 17, 2020); https://www.thejc.com/news/world/holocaust-survivor-suffering-flashbacks-after-nazi-flag-flown-metres-away-beulah-australian-home-1.495548
• “The BBC Has Shamed Itself with Orla Guerin’s Holocaust Report,” (January 33, 2020); https://www.thejc.com/comment/comment/the-bbc-has-shamed-itself-with-orla-guerin-s-holocaust-report-1.495792

I can’t look into the high councils of the third heaven and know the rendering of judgmental edicts. I can, however, look at God’s Word of condemnation and examine evidence to get a pretty clear understanding of what that evidence points to. You can do the same. Does the God of Israel keep His promises? You be the judge.

While anti-Semitism rages in the continent down under, so do the geophysical elements. Australia has in the past weeks experienced plague-like affliction almost biblical in proportion.

In the midst of raging wildfires, hailstones the size of baseballs pounded Australia in a mix of elemental opposites echoing the Egyptian plague. As if that reminder of the Exodus were not enough, a massive dust storm turned day into night. These and other phenomena created a pre-Messiah show of wonders in the hard-hit continent down under conspicuously timed to coincide with the week when Jews around the world read the section of the Torah relating the story of the plagues in Egypt.

While the northern hemisphere hunkers down for winter, Australia enters its dry summer. This year, a stark drought brought on devastating wildfires that have, so far, burned an estimated 46 million acres of land. The fires destroyed over 5,900 buildings including approximately 2,683 homes, and killed at least 30 people. An estimated one billion animals were also killed and some endangered species may be driven to extinction. (Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, “Australia Slammed with Hail, Pestilence, Darkness Plagues in One Week,” Breaking Israel News, Latest News. Biblical Perspective, January 22, 2020)

In a strange, horrifying mixture that can only be described as a biblical-type plague, hail the size of baseballs fell following catastrophic fire that ravaged the region (see https://t.co/0jmjbKmRnz).

The article further explains the devastating phenomena.

As if a Biblical plague of hail was not enough, a massive dust storm engulfed the town of Narromine, some 250 miles northwest of Sydney. The 186-mile wide cloud of red dust was carried by wind gusts up to 66 miles per hour. The huge storm quickly plunged the area into darkness so complete the weather service described it as “Day turns into night!”

Again, this isn’t just to pick on our good friends in Australia. The evidence, however, contrasting anti-Semitism’s assault to the very elements crying out in such fury must be noted in observing these end times. “America, take notice” is the message. That goes for the rest of the world as well.

God’s chosen people—chosen nation—are front and center as the number-one sign of where we stand on God’s prophetic timeline. Although modern Israel is as evil in comportment as the nations of the rest of the world in many ways, its God neither slumbers nor sleeps. He has declared His absolute love and protection over this place he calls“the apple of my eye.”

This is what the Lord says, “He who appoints the sun to shine by day, Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is His Name; Only if these ordinances vanish from My sight,” declares the Lord, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before Me.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)

Listening to the news as I began my morning, the host of the morning program was lauding the Trump administration’s amazing accomplishments—despite the fact that President Trump is in the middle of only the third impeachment trial in the history of the nation.

The “wins” just keep coming for this president, the show’s host was saying. —Thus while he has faced the bitterest of attacks during his first three years since his inauguration.

Always, of course, I look at news while keeping in mind Bible prophecy. That’s what being a ”watchman on the wall” is all about.

The host said, after going through the many hate-filled, angry rages Mr. Trump has endured, “Construction is at a thirteen-year high.”

The declaration punched my “prophetic-observer” button. The Scripture recording what the Lord, Himself, gave about the very day of His next catastrophic intervention into the affairs of fallen man echoed in my still-awakening brain.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:2–-30)

The word “builded” in the KJV, combined with the host’s word “construction,” is what triggered my thinking on the title of the commentary.

As I’ve written before and continue to believe, Jesus was, in this Luke passage (as well as in the Matthew 24:36–42 account of “the days of Noah and days of Lot” prophecy), foretelling an unusually robust economy at the time of His next intervention into this fallen world. That will be the Rapture of the Church, the calling of all believers of this Church Age into His presence.

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)

Every economic indicator suggests that the nation is at the moment in record territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average continues to build toward 30,000, having just the past couple of weeks hit the 29,000 mark.

Construction—building—is at a thirteen-year high, as the program’s host informed. Trade deals and other phenomenal economic trends, such as a coming explosion in agricultural exports (can you say “extraordinary planting”?) is in the offing. The economic uptick is stunning in its movement toward…toward what?

The escalation in the markets and most every other stratum of fiscal indicators continues. This is happening even though the underlying structure of the tremendous uptick is fatally flawed. The undergirding simply cannot, if reality prevails, support the weight of the multiple trillions of dollars that can never be found to match what is needed to resolve the debt that’s been accumulated.

So, what is the outcome? Toward what end is this untenable rising economy building?

A number of experts in finance and economy say there will soon be a reset, an adjustment of disastrous proportion. The great, economic structure being built will collapse under its own weight, bringing on a depression worse than that of the 1930s.

However, the highest-profile economic gurus—those seen on the most noted broadcast and cable networks—see no end to the build toward…again, toward what?

The facts about economic circumstance are like so many things in today’s daily news; they are both true and false. They are based upon perception and spin in many cases. This is because we live in a world where people would rather believe a lie than face truth.

When Jesus spoke about truth to Pontius Pilate just before the crucifixion, He elicited the answer that fallen mankind prefers: “What is truth?” 

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (John 18:38–39, emphasis added)

The sudden return of Jesus Christ is the truth about where this building economic bubble is leading. His return is truth that even many among professing believers in Christ deny to varying extents. I refer to those who mock the pre-Trib Rapture. They say, in effect, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

Again, about the prophesied economic uptick, Jesus said:

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:29–30)

Can it be that the unprecedented boom, at least in perception, means we’re building toward that stupendous moment of Rapture?

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)

A recent article in The Washington Post inadvertently mentioned it through an attributed quotation. Evidence forthcoming from the elimination of Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force, the division of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), seems to validate it. As a matter of fact, every breaking-news story seems alive with it. Yet we who “watch” the unfolding of issues and events already know it in the deepest reaches of our spiritual hearts and minds.

The Word of God says it all: “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).

The Washington Post article said in part:

But as conflict in the Middle East intensified and natural disasters struck, some voices are taking the opportunity to offer biblical interpretations. Religious teachers and authors, especially some conservative Christians, often draw on these kinds of current events as examples of how various predictions and descriptions in the Old and New Testaments could be coming true.

Many of these religious leaders view actions in Iran, a Muslim-majority country, as playing a special role in these predictions, which usually focus on the apocalypse, or the end of days.

California-based prophecy writer Bill Salus told viewers this week on the show “Prophecy Watchers” that “Iran is the elephant in the room in the Middle East … he’s the bully.” Salus suggested on the show that God is angry with the current Iranian leadership and that Christians should watch recent events as likely to fulfill biblical prophecies.

“I really do believe this is going to lead to other things,” Salus said. “This is number one on my radar.” (Sarah Bulliam Baily, “Iran tensions could fulfill apocalyptic biblical prophecies, some religious teachers say,” by Sarah Bulliam Baily, Washington Post, January 10, 2020)

Bill Salus does seem to have a point that the evidence validates—at least to us who believe Israel’s God neither sleeps nor slumbers. God is awake and looks to be angry with the leadership of Iran.

The tragic, mistaken shooting-down of the Ukrainian 737 at the time of the missiles roaring toward Iraq in the attack on American assets certainly seems more than just coincidence. Some believe God’s hand is in the tragedy.

This begs the question: Is God a capricious God?

Does He look down from His heavenly throne room and say, “This will show them I AM’s anger?” Is He a volatile, mercurial, unstable, erratic being that acts in such ways?

Absolutely not. But, does He allow acts that bring to light the evil of earthly actors? Yes, absolutely.

The Almighty performed such enlightenment, some prophecy watchers believe, by allowing the world to see the Iranian regime’s dealings with the deaths of those many people aboard the commercial passenger jet. First, they tried to portray it as a probable mechanical failure, then as pilot error, and finally as caused by the American president for his killing of their second in command.

This, incidentally, is the same thing many within the Democrat party’s presidential candidates and much of mainstream news media held—that it was President Trump’s ordering the elimination of Soleimani that caused the accidental shooting-down of the airliner, ultimately.

The lie didn’t work, just like most of the Democrat Party and mainstream news media’s lies haven’t worked.

The Iranian people arose in great numbers, showing they believe the oppressive, Iranian masters who rule over them were and are responsible for the ongoing problems they’re suffering.

It seems that Heaven is making certain truth is told through the evil being perpetrated.

Another signal that this is the case is, I think, wrapped up in Iran’s avaricious determination to develop nuclear weapons so they can have total hegemony over all the Middle East, particularly Israel. —Also so they can threaten the rest of the world, if opposed in their evil doings.

It is more than interesting that at the time the missiles were being launched toward American assets in Iraq and the airliner was mistakenly shot down, the very region of Iran’s nuclear-development facilities we’ve been mentioning was shaken by earthquakes.

An earthquake struck Iran near the Islamic Regime’s Bushehr nuclear plant on Wednesday according to reports. The event happened as missiles were launched at Iraqi bases housing US troops.

A USGS quake map published two separate graphs southest of Borzajan — one at 7.50 am IST (10 km SE, magnitude 4.9) and another at 8:49 am IST (17 km SE, magnitude 4.5).

The chart reveals the respective locations of the earthquake’s epicentre and the town of Bushehr, which is close to the site of Tehran’s nuclear power plant. (David Sidman, “ Magnitude 5 Earthquake Near Iran’s Nuclear Facility,” January 8, 2020, Rapture Ready News, January 11, 2020)

It is the second 5.0 magnitude earthquake in the area in recent months.

Nothing takes place without Heaven’s notice. God is not an existential Creator. He is awake and aware. Let us, as “watchmen on the wall,” be the same in these closing days of the Age of Grace. Let us watch and forewarn.

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:37)

Recent news items and opinion pieces spark thoughts of fictional journeys by man into the heavenlies–of Star Trek television series and movies and of Star Wars films and their media franchise that continues to mesmerize moviegoers.

Mankind’s technological reaching out to grasp at the billions of stars that sparkle from the blackness above is unabated. Determination to travel to those faraway galaxies has even become a dream turned to necessity in the minds of a growing portion of earth dwellers.

We hear constantly and consistently from those who fear climate change threatens planet earth that we must begin thinking about colonizing the moon, Mars, or even distant planets not yet discovered. One multibillionaire, I think, is even planning a project that will take him to such a new heavenly body to inhabit.

Many among the Millennials believe their days are limited here on this doomed planet. They must grasp on to such–pardon the pun—high hopes. They are told by the likes of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that they have twelve years at most to live if something isn’t done to turn things around in the destruction of earth’s ecology, environment, etc.

Never mind that one well-known prognosticator said in the 1970s that, because of global warming, New York City would no longer have a harbor by the 1990s. There would be no New York City because the North Pole’s ice would have melted and the resultant rise in water levels would completely cover Manhattan. No matter that such expert scientists as former VP Al Gore proclaimed in the 1990s that, by the time in which we now live, polar bears wouldn’t have any ice to stand on and would perish.

The fear is still being spread by Mr. Gore and those who predict that climate change will exterminate mankind in the near future. Climate change is the number-one political issue for the political leftists in America and around the world. They, of course, have enlisted the autistic Swedish teenager, sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg, to sail around the world in a non-carbon-emitting boat to point out before the United Nations assembly and other forums that we’re all going to die if billions of dollars (particularly American billions of dollars) aren’t poured into changing things.

So, it is essential, you see, that man reach out to the stars to find habitable places where we can migrate in order to save the species. The Chinese, for example, are planning a space shot to reach Mars. It isn’t clear that they are necessarily reaching out to the red planet to see if they can later inhabit it. One is prone to be cynical. One is prone to consider whether their space shot might rather be militarily oriented. They, are, after all, building entire islands in the China Sea and loading them down with military stuff. Why would they be making this tremendous effort to build military platforms in the middle of a vast sea if they fear they must flee to distant galaxies to save themselves?

Boeing, the company that took big economic hits for the crashes of its new 737 commercial airliners, is expending great quantities of corporate wealth to create a commercial earth-to-space-station system. America is joining in, as NASA is looking for ways to get back into the space business on some level, since its fall from the glorious heights during the times of the moon missions.

And, for goodness sake, the Trump administration has just commissioned the United States Space Force! Even the right-wing types who believe the climate change hoax is…well…a hoax are into the desire to go where no man has gone before.

With President Trump’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act tonight, the U.S. Space Force has officially lifted off. Senior defense officials and military leaders said that the law allows the new service to begin to execute on months of planning. But “thousands” of decisions have yet to be made. It’s not yet settled what missions, equipment, and facilities the new branch will take over from the Army, Navy, Missile Defense Agency and other Defense Department agencies. (“Space Force is go for launch, but ‘thousands’ of decisions remain,” Rapture Ready News, December 28, 2019)  

It seems our need to escape the planet is a species-wide matter.

There seems to be Scripture to validate that man will indeed reach into the blackness of space. At least a certain level of success in the collective effort of mankind seems assured, scripturally speaking. And, remember, anything man can imagine, he can do–eventually—according to God’s own words as He looked down on the tower-builders at Babel.

But, just as in that Genesis 11 account, the Lord seems to tell us He will again intervene. The intervention will come before man has had the chance to ruin earth’s environment, and before he has been able to reach distant planets and colonize them while our planet perishes.

God’s Word says: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD” (Obadiah 1:4).

Man is destined to live on a majestically restored planet earth. Jesus, Himself, will remake this fallen sphere into the pristine orb it once was before Adam’s sin. Then, this old planet will be taken apart, atom by atom, and remade with a swooshing sound, at the end of that thousand-year reign of the King of all kings.

Planet earth and man’s destiny to inhabit it are absolutely God-guaranteed!

The only space shot the Christian today should be concerned with to any degree is when we will lift off in that atomos of time when Jesus says “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).

Lest one thinks the leftists on the political spectrum are solely responsible for the globalist dementia that seems to be infecting half of America today, we must remember the facts.

George H. W. Bush (Bush 41,) upon taking office following the Reagan years, spoke nineteen times, with ebullient eloquence, about the New World Order he and the world community leaders planned. Suddenly there was no talk of making America great again, or of sovereignty of nations. The emphasis of his speeches was sprinkled with mention of the “thousand points of light” that would make the world at large safer and more prosperous.

Mr. Bush’s move away from Ronald Reagan’s America-centric ideology and actions was surprising to most so-called conservative thinkers. After all, Reagan’s vice president promised that his (Bush’s) election would mean a continuation of the Reagan agenda. He even promised “Read my lips… No new taxes!” while campaigning against Democrat Michael Dukakis.

It should not have surprised. George H. W. Bush was totally in the camp of the globalists elite. From his years at Yale until the time following his years as war hero, then as head of the CIA, he was a one-worlder bent toward erasing nationalistic borders–both ideologically and in geophysical terms.

He was a nice guy. I liked him. Still do think fondly of him in some ways. But, he fell into the satanic trap of believing that human effort, apart from the controlling hand of God, can change the hearts and minds of fallen humanity. Many, even among Christians who believe that only the God of Heaven can make this planet more peaceful and more righteous, are convinced that President Trump is on the way to changing things. That is, this president, these believe, can and will defeat the global humanists. The tables, they believe, are beginning to turn away from the Barack Obama view that America is fundamentally at fault from its foundation and must come under the umbrella of globalism.

The global elite now see that they will have to take a backseat to the United States and forget their plans for establishing their vaunted New World Order. This seems the opinion of a good number of observers.

If the likes of the people within the intelligence services of the US and the mainstream media can be exposed, tried, convicted, and marched to incarceration, the pathway will be clear to make America great again. This is the thinking of many who are fed up–as am I—with the shenanigans of what has come to be called the Deep State.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh says emphatically that this scenario just isn’t in the offing. He believes that these who should be frog-marched in orange jumpsuits to jail, as he puts it, are but the pawns of forces much higher than themselves. Those in the globalistic stratosphere who tried–and are still trying–to pull off a coup d’etat against Trump will bring more pressure than ever in order to establish their desired one world order.

I agree, but only in part. Rush sees the evil as strictly human in their constituency, although he does acknowledge, in a cursory way, seemingly demonic influence.

We who believe God’s Word can be assured that the forces at the highest levels of these intrigues who are fomenting all the evil  are the “powers and principalities” of Ephesians 6:12. These will never give up their “wickedness in high places.” Their very existence depends on winning their war against all that the God of Heaven has established as truth. To lose means they’ll be assigned for eternity in the Lake of Fire. Therefore, the battle–the war—is destined to grow infinitely worse while the time of Christ’s Second Advent nears.

That they are already in process of ratcheting up the final stages of war against God is, like all other converging signs of these end times, in today’s news. The following opinion piece gives enlightenment to the coming assault.

Here we are, on the cusp of 2020 and a brand-new decade, and the global elites no longer feel the need to hide themselves or their agenda…the Bilderberg Group no longer meet in secret, being sure than nothing can stop their New World Order Agenda. Such is the case with a group called Global Citizen which brags of a $48 billion dollar bank account, and the endorsement of top-name Hollywood music and movie stars to sell their message to ignorant and worshipful millennials…

Tonight, Hollywood superstar John Legend wowed the crowd at London’s Royal Albert Hall, along with other icons in the entertainment industry:

The artists performing at the inaugural Global Citizen Prize ceremony include Jennifer Hudson, host John Legend, Raphael Saadiq, Sting, Stormzy, and special guests Chris Martin and H.E.R. As well as musical performances and calls-to-action for Global Citizens everywhere, the program will feature powerful, inspirational stories of people taking action to positively impact their communities—to serve as a reminder that every one of us is capable of achieving great things.

Interestingly, they did it with a stage set that was built around the Illuminati All-Seeing Eye, just like Kanye West did at Lakewood Church with Joel Osteen. (“Singer John Legend and Hollywood Elite Meet in London to Hand Out ‘Global Citizen Prize’ under the Illuminati All-Seeing Eye,” Geoffrey Grider, Now The End Begins, Rapture Ready News, December 21, 2019)

The year 2020 doesn’t seem to be the year that promises a step-back from the hate-filled assaults on the political, societal, or religious fronts. Rather, the new year seems to be a harbinger of the doubling-down of the warfare by the minions, both human and demonic, in the “high places” of Ephesians 6:12.

Of course, there is always the “blessed hope” of Titus 2:13, who must even at this troubling moment be preparing to call His people, the Church, to Himself.

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” (Revelation 4:1)

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!

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.