Denying the Power…
The year 2016 has, like those years just previous, brought with it strange geophysical manifestations. The heat and storms of recent days were once called unprecedented in many cases, in terms of records falling. Now the unusual weather is becoming considered the norm.
The tremendous rainfall in several regions of the U.S., particularly in southern Louisiana, have taken lives and devastated property along it’s swath. People are forced to move to safer ground and will likely have to completely rebuild their homes and their lives in the areas affected. Wild fires in California are even more destructive, with thousands left homeless, their lives thrown into chaos.
This outbreak of devastation is joined by myriad earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other geophysical phenomena that seem to be ratcheting up by the hour around the world.
Paul the apostle’s words provide the thought-provoking impetus for this commentary: “This also know, that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall…have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:1, 2, 5).
My own cerebral meanderings on what’s going on conjured the thought. This generation, through denying even the mention of the power of God’s dealing with mankind, might be resulting in an increasing lack of power of the electrical sort to energize the households and businesses of large parts of America.
A stretch, you say?
The supposition/postulation isn’t as far-fetched as might be thought at first assessment. To begin, we must ask: Using Paul’s perilous-times indicator, what is the “power”–albeit of spiritual nature–within the “form of godliness” that this generation is denying? The answer is found in the following Scripture. That power is He “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-8).
The name is Jesus. It is the name above every other name–now, and in the ages to come (see Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9). Come to think of it, it is totally relevant to analyze these matters in this way. The One who owns that holy name holds in His mighty hand all power, whether of the natural or supernatural variety, according to God’s Word as given above. Without the Lord Jesus Christ, there would be nothing whatsoever upon which to cogitate–nor would you and I be here to think upon anything.
But, this is not the way many people in America now view the God of all creation. Jesus, in this country whose founders and other leaders invoked that holy name in many of their writings, is now considered persona non grata. His name can be used as a curse word in film and other public entertainment venues, and in private conversations. But, He isn’t to be mentioned in the public school systems, nor can public prayers be ended with His name for fear of offending those of other religious belief systems.
As a matter of fact, the Supreme Court ruled in 1963 that God will no longer be allowed in public classrooms. Our leaders have turned their backs on God, and, sadly, many of America’s citizenry prove by their daily way of life that they indeed follow the leaders. Jesus, as we’ve written before in these commentaries, spoke to the very conditions we see developing with regard to geophysical upheaval. While the Lord rode the little donkey toward Jerusalem to offer himself as Israel’s Messiah, the people laid palm fronds before the animal’s path. They praised Jesus, shouting, “Hosanna!” They were shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The pharisaical religionists told Jesus to make the people stop their praise of Him. These considered it blasphemous for the people to attribute the title of Messiah to this carpenter from Nazareth. The Judaizers hated Him and wanted Him dead. They would shortly get their wish, because Jesus would soon be crucified upon Golgotha.
The modern-day religionists and those who hate the name of Jesus Christ, because He represents to them a narrow-minded way of righteous living to which they will not conform, are doing all within their power to keep the people of the nation from seeing Jesus as the Savior of the world. The name of Jesus is suppressed at every level they can manage to influence.
Luke recorded Jesus’ words to the God-despisers of those times–those who had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof: “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40).
Jesus is again about to interject His majestic presence into this Christ-rejecting world. It seems to me that nature is shouting, “Hosanna!”
War with the Beast
A time is coming, according to Bible prophecy, when the world will experience the most powerful leader to have ever lived upon the planet. He will far surpass in military capability any president of the United States of America who has yet held the reins of power.
The people of planet earth will literally become awestruck as they witness his exploits. The prophecy regarding the amazement over this future military man-marvel is seen in the following:
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13: 4)
We have looked many times at this future tyrant John calls through Holy Spirit Inspiration “the beast.”
He is the first of two beasts that John, through his Revelation vision, sees coming into world history. This beast will make his appearance during the period Daniel the prophet indicated will be the seventieth week that will wrap up premillennial human history. That will be the last seven years leading up to the return of Christ at Armageddon (Revelation 19:11). We know him better, perhaps, as Antichrist.
It is good to think for a bit on that Scripture about this man-beast. The Bible says the question will be asked by the populations of the world–who will actually worship him: Who is able to make war with him?”
In other words, it will look to everyone who witnesses Antichrist’s military exploits and other miraculous accomplishments that he is a god. It will appear, the prophecy says immediately preceding the question, that he is killed by a wound in his head and comes back to life. This is obviously, from our understanding and perspective today, a false resurrection. However, the world at that time of great delusion won’t see it that way.
The question “Who can make war with him?” will be one asked with mesmerized stares of eyes more glazed and glistening than were those as recorded on the black-and-white films of Hitler’s worshipers during the 1930s.
There is no such leader with that kind of power anywhere in view today. There are many, many military leaders and their armies who can and do make war with anyone and everyone in this present geopolitical climate. That future beast will be indeed an animal of unprecedented military capability and authority.
Besides the United States military–still the most feared on the planet despite the current president’s efforts to, in my view, greatly diminish its strength–Russia and China continue to build tremendous war-making machines. Iran, Turkey, and others constantly aspire to more powerful militaries. There will have to occur massive changes in the military power structures of the world to bring about this singular most monstrous war-making leader, against whom no one is thought to be able to fight.
We often conjecture about what happens to the United States. Why isn’t it in Bible prophecy? If there, it certainly is in a greatly changed configuration, because its military is nowhere in sight, prophetically speaking.
We believe that the militaries of Russia, China, and many others, such as Iran and Turkey, are in prophetic view. We believe we see many of these within the Gog-Magog assault into the Middle East toward Israel as given in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.
Our own view within the pre-Trib camp concerning the Rapture holds that the great changes needed to reconfigure things in alignment with end times Bible prophecy will unfold during the post-Rapture era. At least, that is my understanding at this point in time.
After that great Rapture event, the United States might fit into being aligned with those nation-entities that stand on the sideline as the Gog-Magog attack begins and simply make a diplomatic protest.
Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Have you come to take a great spoil? (Ezekiel 38:13)
At any rate, the coalition that assaults into the Holy Land environs will be powerful, and unopposed–by human agencies, that is. God, of course, will completely destroy all but one-sixth of that Gog-Magog army in that future attack. After that destruction, only the great “kings of the East” juggernaut will remain as a force with which to be reckoned.
So, how does the great beast of Revelation 13 accumulate such awesome strength as to have the whole world ask: “Who is able to make war with him?”
In my own cogitations upon the matter–and it is supposition to be sure–there is somehow a dividing line set between the occidental and oriental worlds. This is true to this point in history, I think. But, in that day there seems to be a supernatural demarcation–the Euphrates River or thereabouts. When it is “dried up” as given in Revelation chapter 16, the kings of the East–led no doubt by China–will invade at the time of Armageddon, it seems. At that time the demons appointed especially for that moment will be released from their holding places and will supernaturally indwell those hordes from the orient. These will kill one-third of earth’s inhabitants, the prophecy tells us. However, all of this will happen later, at the very end of the Tribulation–Daniel’s seventieth week.
At that earlier time of the Gog-Magog attack, I believe that Antichrist, resident within the nations who will send a note of protest (Ezekiel 38:13), will understand Bible prophecy to the point that he will think slyly to let the Gog-Magog forces go to their destruction by the God of Heaven. He will then move into the military power vacuum and build his mighty army–an army supernaturally enhanced by the dark powers of Satan.
Again, it is the view of most who hold to the pre-Trib view of the Rapture and to pre-Millennialism that this beast–Antichrist–is to come out of the geographical area now known as the European Union. He will come from the people who were at the heart of the ancient Roman Empire -the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple in AD 70. I do not believe the beast will be a Muslim, although I do believe his ethnic make-up will be from the area of ancient Assyria. He will, nonetheless, I’m convinced, have been born and raised in the area of Europe, likely somewhere near Rome.
Today there is movement toward beginning a military establishment in that very region. The following excerpt is interesting in that regard.
The leaders of the Czech Republic and Hungary say a “joint European army” is needed to bolster security in the EU.
They were speaking ahead of talks in Warsaw with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They dislike her welcome for Muslim migrants from outside the EU.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said “we must give priority to security, so let’s start setting up a joint European army”.
The UK government has strongly opposed any such moves outside Nato’s scope.
The Czech, Hungarian, Polish and Slovak leaders are coordinating their foreign policy as the “Visegrad Group.” (“Czechs and Hungarians call for EU army amid security worries,” BBC News, 8/27/16)
With the UK (Britain, possibly “the merchants of Tarsish”) leaving the EU in the so-called Brexit, the way might be clear to generate great interest in such a powerful military–absent NATO–as the beast can one day build upon. One thing sure, such a military monster will one day be constructed.
It will take the Lord Himself, returning from Heaven with the saints of glory, to bring Antichrist’s ability to make war to an end. Thankfully, Jesus Christ will do so. I believe our Lord will end the beast’s war-making capability with the same words He used that day on the stormy Sea of Galilee. “Peace. Be still.”
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Principalities and Globalism
The G-20 meets occasionally to try to reach some degree of consensus on how to globally govern the rest of us. The phrase “some degree,” in combination with the word “consensus,” in my view, constitutes what is known as a non sequitur, or nonstarter. The sentiment, thus expressed, does not follow. Consensus is just that–consensus; i.e., it strongly implies harmony without substantial opinion to the contrary.
In international community diplomatic parlance, however, “some degree” is as close to consensus as it gets. And, this quandary is at the heart of the distress and perplexity world leaders face in trying to govern the rest of us in a global way. Globalism–as it has always been attempted–has been an abject failure. The contentiousness is just too great when efforts are made to get the nations of the world to agree on anything, much less on things as monumental as creating a one-world order. All such monolithic projects have failed miserably since the Babel builders saw their attempt at world order under one man, more or less, come crashing down when God destroyed the tower under construction and scattered the would-be, new-world-order masters and their subjects to different locations around the world (Genesis 11). There simply is no consensus in the matter of globalism.
The individual egos among world leaders are themselves monumental–as titanic as the tower of that Genesis 11 account. The lyrics in a country song sum up the gargantuan egos of today’s national leaderships: They are “legends in their own minds.”
Because of the pride and arrogance–not to mention the greed and lust–rampant within so many countries, neither consensus nor anything close to it can ever be reached to produce a single, governing global entity. Yet those of us who study God’s prophetic word believe there is ultimately to be a global order under one dictator, the man of sin, the Antichrist.
Since there can never be harmony on a worldwide scale that will bring order like that indicated in Revelation 13:16-18, how will the beast’s regime come to fulfillment? While thinking on such things, I was struck with the realization–upon reading an article by my friend Wilfred Hahn—that globalism is, itself, a non sequitur, a nonstarter.
Hahn, an expert on global economic matters whose articles appear on Rapture Ready, wrote the following, quoting Moisés Naím, the well-known former editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine and former executive director of the World Bank:
When was the last time you heard that a large number of countries agreed to a major international accord on a pressing issue? Not in more than a decade.… These failures represent not only the perpetual lack of international consensus, but also a flawed obsession with multilateralism as the panacea for all the world’s ills. It has become far too dangerous to continue to rely on large-scale multilateral negotiations that stopped yielding results almost two decades ago. So what is to be done? To start, let’s forget about trying to get the planet’s nearly two hundred countries to agree. We need to abandon that fool’s errand in favor of a new idea: minilateralism. By minilateralism, I mean a smarter, more targeted approach: We should bring to the table the smallest possible number of countries needed to have the largest possible impact on solving a particular problem. (Wilfred Hahn, ” The Bible on the Next World Leader,” Eternal Value Review, www.eternalvalue.com)
This recommended minilateralist approach seems to precisely foreshadow the global configuration that will vault Antichrist to his dictatorship and sustain his power. It will be constructed by the principalities the apostle Paul exposes as recorded in Ephesians 6:12. We see this global arrangement for the climax of history just prior to Christ’s return in the following scriptural passage: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Revelation 17:12-13).
Since the prideful human power wielders will never easily come to consensus on governing on a worldwide basis, the most powerful dictator ever to be upon planet earth will use his demonic force of will to wrest control from the holdouts.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:8-9)
Watching the G-20 in action –or perhaps watching the inaction of the G-20 would be more appropriate terminology– makes ever more obvious that the minilateral approach is likely the methodology that will be used by the powers and principalities of Ephesians 6:12 to bring about Satan’s final form of globalism.
Revisiting a Fearful Future
I wrote a series of articles with the title “Scanning a Fearful Future” at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. The ten-article series involved the fears people were expressing through emails. Almost all emails involved great anxiety over what well-known secular and Bible prophecy pundits were predicting for the immediate future.
The pundits were saying that the U.S. and world economy would collapse at any moment and America would no longer be the America as we’ve known it. There would be the development of a police state and tremendous, martyr-like persecution for Christians. I wrote in that series of articles that no such world-rending catastrophe would occur prior to the Rapture of the Church (all born-again believers). The Holy Spirit, I’m convinced with all that is within my spirit, led me to this conviction, based upon Bible truth.
I believed–and wrote–that such a world-rending cataclysm was indeed going to occur. The world’s economic disposition was (and remains) in a most precarious status. But, the Lord was telling me in my spirit–based on my prayer and study of Bible prophecy–that no man-made crisis or action would bring America or the world into complete collapse. My conclusion–totally scripturally based–was that it would be the Lord, Himself, who will bring the world system into chaos with Christ’s catastrophic intervention via the Rapture.
This finding was carried through in my writing of Rapture Ready…Or Not: 15 Reasons This Is the Generation That Will Be Left Behind
Therein I put excerpts of the series of articles, and gave reasons for why I believe my conclusions to be validated.
Bottom line to report as of this writing is that my conclusion reached remains validated. We are now at a point almost six years later, and the world has not collapsed as the pundits predicted for 2011 or 2012. Yet, the situation has worsened, not gotten better in every direction one looks on the geopolitical, socioeconomic, religious, and geophysical landscapes. Evil men and seducers have gotten worse and worse, just as the apostle Paul prophesied. The apostle’s forewarning of perilous times (2 Timothy 3) is coming to pass before our eyes daily.
But, God’s staying hand of control remains upon this reeling, dangerous world of growing godlessness. Planet earth will obviously stay on its course of destruction, but the end is not yet.
With all that said, there is at present a fearfulness such as I haven’t sensed, not even in those days the pundits were predicting any-moment world economic collapse in 2010 and 2011. Christians are worried–almost frantic in some cases–looking after things that seem about ready to come down upon their lives. The trepidation in the emails is more pronounced even than in those days six years ago–yet the world and life in the U.S. goes on pretty much as normal for these times of this increasing debauchery and societal upheaval.
This year’s presidential election season contributes mightily to the trepidation, I have no doubt. Another four or eight years of the sort of deliberate dismantling of the American republic that we have suffered will, people fear, end in total loss of religious liberty at best, and of personal freedom of every sort at worst.
Looking at all of this from the humanistic perspective, the reasons for fear, even panic, seem justified. But, for the Christian who has the mind of Christ at the center of their spiritual reasoning, there is a far different mindset that is available. I was listening to Dr. Charles Stanley present his message that touched on the topic of fear and upon such spiritual reasoning. He gave the following passage from the book of Isaiah.
I find it most comforting and reassuring.
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (Isaiah 41:9-13)
It is true that these words were given in this instance to Israel. But, the Lord of Heaven changes not. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Those who are in God’s family can rely on His promises–which are ours totally and forever, no matter the period in history in which we live.
The world has not collapsed. God is still on the throne. Prayer changes things, just as His Word tells us.
For those who don’t know Christ for salvation the future is indeed bleak. It is fearful–frightful beyond all imagination. But for the Christian alive at the end of the age–this Age of Grace–we are to, when we see all these portentous developments begin to come to pass, lift up our heads and look to Jesus. His coming for His Bride is about to take place (Luke 21:28).
Surveillance Society Surging
America is more and more experiencing what citizenry in Britain has been going through for some time. The assault on U.S. privacy has been undergoing a metamorphosis for decades, but until very recently, the barriers have seemed to at least hold back unbridled Big Brotherism in this nation.
One journalist reported from England in a chapter for one of my books:
If you want to be a film star, come to Britain. We’re all on camera. All you have to do is walk through any town or drive down any road and you are watched, filmed, and monitored. When my wife, Pat, and I tour America , we feel neglected because the roadside cameras are no longer ever-present—not yet. As the world moves towards a “Big Brother” society beyond the nightmares of author George Orwell, who predicted a world in which the state watched everyone in his 1948 classic novel, 1984, it is like we are inmates of a high-tech prison. Big Brother really is watching us in Europe. The rest of the world is not far behind. (Alan Franklin, “Big Brother is Watching,” The Departure).
It seems that now Alan and Pat won’t be sensing that they are neglected when they come to America. Strides are being made–in the name of commerce—to make sure that we are all on Candid Camera.
We have been listening to the debate for some time now about the drones that have spied on, then, in some cases, hunted down and taken out high-priority terrorist targets in some places in the Middle East. Now, the drones are being seen and reported more and more in the homeland. U.S. Senator Rand Paul, some years ago warned that such surveillance is becoming akin to violating the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That’s the one that, in part, prohibits illegal searches and seizures of private citizens and their properties.
One story around the time Sen. Paul issued the warning outlined the technology’s invasive nature.
Planes able to photograph sunbathers in their back gardens are being deployed by Google and Apple. The U.S. technology giants are racing to produce aerial maps so detailed they can show up objects just four inches wide. But campaigners say the technology is a sinister development that brings the surveillance society a step closer. Hyper-real: 3D mapping services used by C3 Technologies (as purchased by Apple) will form the main part of the software giant’s new mapping service. Google admits it has already sent planes over cities while Apple has acquired a firm using spy-in-the-sky technology that has been tested on at least 20 locations, including London. Apple’s military-grade cameras are understood to be so powerful they could potentially see into homes through skylights and windows. The technology is similar to that used by intelligence agencies in identifying terrorist targets in Afghanistan. (Vanessa Allen, “Software Giants Will Use Military-Grade Cameras to Take Powerful Satellite Images,” Rapture Ready News, 07:04)
People have embraced their satellite-to-vehicle capabilities in searching out locations while traveling. Browsers on the Internet love sometimes taking the virtual tours down the streets of cities throughout the nation. The convenience and entertainment presented by technology continues their desensitizing effects on the American public to the dangers inherent in such surveillance advances.
Homeland security agencies–which have proliferated since 9/11 and the radical Islamist attacks—seem oblivious to complaints that they are becoming increasingly invasive. It is troubling, although thoroughly fascinating, to witness how global control, long ago prophesied by the only source who knows the end from the beginning, is coming to fulfillment in our time.
It is no longer difficult to imagine how Antichrist and his regime of absolute control will have the technological facilities to keep tabs on every victim during the Tribulation. Developments in the global monetary world are moving along the necessity of bringing about that end-times system of control. The powers that be must find a way to make all conform to a singular methodology in transacting business. There must be a completely changed economic order in order to establish even a modicum of stability to a world gone mad in terms of economic insanity.
Satan moves malevolently on the minds of mankind, as the apostle Paul told us: “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” (Ephesians 6:12).
All people of planet earth must be made to cooperate with the regulations the powers dictate. This means everyone must be observed at all times, which is where this is all leading.In my view, this is the major reason for the surging surveillance society we are considering here.
Olivet Overview – Part 2 – By Ed Wood
Last time we looked at the events Jesus foretold in his last public address to his followers just before his crucifixion. As we have seen, the total destruction of Jerusalem and the temple he revealed took place exactly as he described it some forty years later (70 A.D.) By the Roman army led by Titus, the Emperor Vespasian’s son. We have already seen here an example of prophecy fulfilled. Twenty centuries have passed since Jesus spoke of the time yet to come before he would return in a manner so awe-inspiring and unmistakable that at long last the world would be unable to deny that he is exactly whom he said he was so long ago – Son of God and Messiah.
In the first article in this series we took a look our present time and it seems that only willful stubbornness would prevent a person from acknowledging that much more of what the Lord disclosed as already well under way and likely to intensify during the last seven years of history as we know it – a time often referred to the Tribulation, and that with good reason:
Matthew {24:22} [Jesus said] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. [Here, as in the following Bible references, bracketed sections have been added.]
Since Jesus was not only the Son of God in the flesh twenty centuries ago, but indeed God himself who exists beyond all time and space as we perceive it, we should not be surprised as to accuracy. The truth is that despite what all too many of the inspirational self-help crowd and even some preachers are peddling, the days ahead are going to get a LOT WORSE! But believers in Jesus Christ can take hope in that before the worst of it comes, they’ll be long gone:
1 Corinthians {15:51-53} Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.
1 Thessalonians {1:9-10} For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
These are but two passages supporting the Pretribulation Rapture in which true followers of Christ will be supernaturally removed from the Earth so as not to be subject to the “wrath” that is to come. There are precedents, notably Enoch (Genesis 5:24); Noah and his family (Genesis 6:9 – 9:17), and Lot and his family (Genesis 18:16 – 19:28). It is not my intention at this time to go into an extensive defense of this subject since so many have already done so over the years. For example, an excellent and comprehensive treatment is to be found in Terry James’ new book Rapture Ready…Or Not? which I strongly recommend to everyone as they expectantly await Jesus’ return.
Nevertheless, it is important that those of us who believe in the certain truth of God’s Word to be informed of what will soon come to pass not only to increase our Bible knowledge, but to relate it to whoever else we many encounter who thirsts for accurate answers in a world which is so lacking in them today. But be cautioned – there will definitely be resistance from those who only what they want to hear. And even this is a sign of these times:
2 Peter {3:3-7} Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Sadly, you may find the greatest opposition from the clergy of the major denominations of organized religion since many of such institutions have already fallen deeply into apostasy, embracing the “doctrines of devils,” just as the apostle Paul said they would in the last days:
1 Timothy {4:1-2} Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
2 Timothy {4:2-4} Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
But now, let us continue our Olivet exploration and see where it takes us.
Just Around the Corner
1) The Abomination of Desolation {Matt. 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-16}
In his discourse, Jesus mentioned an “Abomination of Desolation” being set up in the “holy place as mentioned by Daniel. Here are Daniel’s own words:
Daniel {11:31} And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice,] and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes fits the bill above by putting a statue of Zeus with his face on it and by sacrificing pigs in that “holy place” within the temple’s inner section, circa 170 B.C. This makes sense in that though it was a future event to Daniel, it was already an accomplished event by the time Jesus walked the earth. (See the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees and Josephus’ history, Antiquities Book 12, chapters 5-11 for more details about all of this.)
Interestingly, Daniel also mentioned the following which does describe a second desecration:
Daniel {9:26-27} And after threescore and two weeks [Seven weeks (49 years) – Time it took from Artaxerxes order to rebuild Jerusalem until it was finished. (Neh. 2) and sixty-two weeks (434 years) – time from completion of Jerusalem to Jesus’ crucifixion] shall Messiah [Jesus] be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince [the Roman army, under the command of Titus in 70 A.D.] that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood [See Jeremiah 46:8 where the term “flood” is actually referring to an army, as it is here], and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
How we know this is not referring to Antiochus is that the desecration described here occurs after the Messiah (Jesus) was cut off, not before. Remember, the first violation of the temple’s holy place was over 170 years earlier. Revelation further confirms what Jesus said:
Revelation {13-11, 13-15 } And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy [Antichrist]. . . And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Again, it looks like another defiling statue imbued with some manner of “pseudo-life” (either by technology, supernatural means or both) will be erected in the “holy place.” This was something well beyond Antiochus’ abilities, but certainly not those of Satan’s ultimate henchman of the future. What this also tells us is in order for this prophecy to come to pass, the holy place has to exist once again, either in a partially or completely restored temple. This has not happened yet however most prophecy scholars think it will rise again atop the Temple Mount once again despite the fact the Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque are presently there. An organization named the Temple Institute has already prepared the implements that will be used in this restored temple and descendants of the Levitical priesthood are being trained to resume the Mosaic sacrifice system – see http://www.templeinstitute.org for more information. Personally, I agree that a third temple is guaranteed because with God, nothing is impossible.
2) Jerusalem surrounded. (Matt. 24:15-20; Mark 13:14-18, Luke 21:20-40)
Jerusalem threatened by enemies is by no means a unique event. Notable examples are its sack by the forces of Shishak, pharaoh of Egypt (1 Kings 14:25-26), threatened invasion but divinely thwarted invasion by Sennacherib, king of Assyria (2 Kings 18:13-19:36); its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:10-25:30) and, once again, a similar carnage by the Romans that we have already mentioned.
An important difference between Luke’s account and those of Matthew and Mark should be mentioned. Luke does not mention the “abomination of desolation” while both Mark and Matthew do. Why? Could it be that Luke somehow missed it in his research, something which seem doubtful considering the obvious care he took in compiling what would one day become the gospel that bears his name and the subsequent Book of Acts. Or was Luke describing the Roman invasion which resulted not in a profaning or occupation of the temple, but its complete destruction whereas Mark and Luke are revealing an event yet to come even in our time initiated by the Antichrist? I do not pretend to have a definitive answer to this question and offer this possible explanation as a possibility only.
What we do know is that at the very end of the Tribulation, Jerusalem gets surrounded and invaded yet again, the details of which come from a source about 2500 years ago from the Old Testament (Zechariah 14:1-21) and how the whole matter concludes – and who it is that intervenes! The last three chapters of Revelation provide an even more detailed account of this very same events.
In summary, at the end of the most terrible time in human history, Israel’s last defenders make a stand against the 200 million man (and no doubt woman) army as it begins its assault on the city the Jews have vowed never to surrender again, no matter what the cost! In their very last extremity, these besieged defenders call out to God for help – and get an answer that causes them to weep as they recognize at long last the Messiah that their ancestors rejected 2000 years ago to save them, and him accompanied by every saint that has ever lived. And from that fateful Last Day, life on Earth changes forever!
Next time, we’ll go back just a little bit time to look at some of the things which precede this culmination of history, following as we have the sequence of the Olivet Discourse. In the meantime – Keep looking up!
Globalism at Full Gallop
In writing last week’s “Nearing Midnight” column, I expounded a bit on the all-out assault on national sovereignty. I thought I was through. I’m not. The gist was that this end-times attack can be seen in all its vehemence while the entire mainstream media and even Republican establishment leaders in many cases are waging all-out war on Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Trump presents his political case as “America First.” He claims to want to reestablish America’s autonomy in the area of global trade–a thing that has set off a frothing-at-the-mouth rage by the globalist-elites. No matter any other invective they throw at him, Trump’s nationalistic campaigning, wanting to keep America as the leader of the world’s nations, thwarting their globalist agenda, is the real reason for the rage, make no mistake.
There is no longer any pretense of equal coverage of the candidates. Rather than question both candidates on the issues, the mainstream news journalists (no longer an accurate nomenclature for this mob) don’t question Mrs. Clinton at all and hang on every word from the mouth of Trump. There ravenous desire is not to find out what his hopes for making America great again is all about, but to take anything he says and either blow it out of all proportion or make up lies about what he says out of whole cloth.
Well…maybe not always exactly out of whole cloth, but certainly to take his audaciousness and turn it, through twisting and fabrication, into what they hope will continue to widen the margins in the polls in favor of their own political ideology and chosen candidate–an ideology that is in complete synchronization with that of the Democrat Party–in my humble estimation.
The mainstream news organization is a global conglomerate as never before. They view America as the hold-up to the utopian dream. If all nations are forced to be more equal in material wealth–all peoples equal in personal wealth–the world will live at peace. It didn’t work with Stalin’s Soviet Union or with Mao’s China. It’s not working anywhere in the world at present–e.g., Venezuela, Cuba, and any other place it’s being tried. But, somehow, if America gives up its wealth in some sort of insane redistribution scheme this time it will work, so the reprobate thinking goes.
Thus, globalism is the ideology, philosophy, and theology all rolled up into one ball of upside-down thinking that will in the minds of the one-world order types bring peace, prosperity, and love for all mankind.
We have witnessed the scheme being implemented to an incremental degree over the past seven and three-quarters years. Even before the Obama administration, the scheme was underway, as a matter of fact.
The James Bakers of this new world cabal, it must be truthfully noted, are no different in their pursuit of bringing America down than are the George Soros types. They are all simply at the opposite ends of the geopolitical spectrum, and rather than that spectrum being linear, it forms a circle, with the left meeting the right to close what will be a planetary dictatorship at some point.
Put a cross-hair symbolically over that circle, and it is all of us who are at the center of that bull’s eye. We are to be encapsulated within that circle of power.
The circle is quickly closing. This election of the next American president will likely determine just how quickly and completely that geopolitical spectrum-corral is in place.
Ours is not a political website. We are about eschatology–the study of end things from the perspective of Bible prophecy. So what I have written here is all examined after prayer and much study about what God’s Word has to say about things to come. We are particularly interested for the moment, of course, in what might be about to come to pass in terms of the immediate future.
We know beyond any doubt within our own prayer and study that what we are seeing is the attempted closing of that one-world circle–the structure that will be the stage setting for the coming king of fierce countenance. We are witnessing the rapid advancement of the neo-Tower of Babel being constructed, the platform from which Antichrist will, for a time, be allowed to subject most of the planet.
I find it rather ironic that the one question I and other speakers often get at forums where we interview or speak is: “What about America? Is it in Bible prophecy?” Or: “Why isn’t America in Bible prophecy?”
I find it ironic because we have no real answer as to why America, the most grandiose and powerful nation-state of all of history, is given no mention, while other smaller places–like Libya–are mentioned. Yet, we, in my opinion, now find ourselves at a moment in history when the American electorate has at its fingertips when entering the voting booths the ability to determine whether, in fact, this circle of global gulag will be sooner rather than later closed.
That global, imprisoning circle will ultimately be closed. There’s no doubt about it. The Lord has long ago reported it’s closing. But, I sense it doesn’t have to be closed just yet. I believe the American electorate might just be able to have an effect on its timing so far as its closing into a lock-down position is concerned–to delay it for a time later rather than sooner.
I view this matter under the rubric of 2 Chronicles 7:14. God’s people hold the key to slowing the onslaught of the Antichrist regime that is reaching out for the throats of the peoples of the world–particularly for the throats of all Christians. The Holy Spirit is still the restrainer of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. He is resident within each believer, those who constitute the church of Jesus Christ.
We must, as God’s people, humble ourselves and pray, turn from our wicked ways, and seek His face. And, I believe that we must vote in the right way in this presidential election, perhaps one of the last opportunities we might have to do so.
The rider on the white horse of Revelation chapter 6 is preparing to gallop. Rapture Ready…or not the time is coming when God’s children will be called into Christ’s presence. It is time to be about doing our earthly duty, while looking up.
Damascus’ Cup of Wrath
Reports of atrocities coming out of Syria are reminders of the ongoing rage of man against man. We live in a world headed for a time in which God must deal in judgment with planet earth. We get an inkling of what faces the cities of this world with the declaration found in the book of God’s most terrible judgment. “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (Revelation 16:19).
The great commercial center at the time of that judgment will suffer as perhaps no city or people have ever suffered, when God’s cup of wrath is full, and He gives it to Babylon to drink. Jesus Himself said it would be the most terrible time in human history–and that’s saying something! This earth has been witness to regimes that have dealt so fiercely with their peoples that we sometimes wonder how the Creator of all things could have allowed such treatment.
The Lord has acted at times to judge the murderous governments throughout history, of course. The Third Reich is an example. Hitler’s Reich was to last a thousand years, but lasted barely twelve, and is today looked upon as among the most heinous–certainly considered the most horrendous of the modern era. Yet there are elements among us that view the Nazi regime as a good idea, particularly because of the way that government treated the Jews.
Syria’s present tyrant-ruler is one such admirer of the Nazi attitude toward God’s chosen people. Like all Muslim states of the radical sort–and it’s difficult to find one that isn’t radical—the brutal Syrian dictatorship of Bashar Al-Assad, successor to his father, Hafez Al-Assad, hates Jews with satanic passion and has Israel in its crosshairs for annihilation. For this reason, it can be said with certainty that, barring repentance, the Syrian leader and his ilk are in for some very rough times indeed. God’s Word says about the people of earth and their treatment of Abraham’s progeny: “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 12:3).
But, it is not the Jews alone that the Syrian dictator comes against with luciferian anger. He slaughters anyone who would defy his self-anointed right to rule with an iron fist of oppression. He is doing so with abandon these days, even in the face of pressure –although milquetoast pressure—by the international community.
The world of opposition to what’s going on in Damascus and surrounding area is of the spineless sort because of threats from Russia and China. Putin and the Chinese leadership have made it clear that any military action to put Assad out of power will be met with Russian and Chinese force. It is much like in the cold-war days when the Soviets and the Maoists held the nuclear threat over the heads of the world’s diplomatic community.
As the death tolls rise with Assad’s military murdering people in plain view, yet blaming the opposition rebel forces of perpetrating the killings, the international community wrings its collective hands and seems totally unable and unwilling to take action that would truly cause the raging to cease in the region.
Satanic/demonic influence, with ISIS and other forces wreaking havoc on innocents, driving refugees along with terrorists to Europe and other places presents dangers the world has only begun to suffer.
There seems no chance of a Jonah-Nineveh sort of repentance by Assad and his ruling henchmen. We can say with certainty, then, that God’s judgment is on its way to Syria. But, it’s not just the fact that God will judge anyone who hates Abraham’s seed, or that judgment will come because of the obvious sins of the regime in murdering the Syrian people. We can know with certainty God’s judgment is coming because of the prophecy, with which most Bible prophecy students are familiar.
“Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isaiah 17:1). Damascus’ cup of wrath is about to be poured by the mighty hand of God. But, lest the rest of the world think this city that harbors most every Islamist terrorist organization that is blood-vowed to destroy Israel is alone in the prophetic promise to drink of that cup of wrath, consider again the following forewarning to all cities of earth: “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (Revelation 16:19).
Terry James Prophecy Line 