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America and the Gold
The United States dominated much of this year’s Olympic Games in Paris. More than interesting to me is the gold the American athletes won for the apex nation of the world in relationship to another object of gold. That object is the infamous “golden cup” described in the Bible—first in Jeremiah 51:7 and second in Revelation 17:4.
My fascination centers around the wickedness surrounding the Paris Olympics. The games began and ended with blatant bookends of evil ostentation to anyone watching proceedings from the biblical Christian perspective.
More about my thoughts on all this later.
America burst forth from history’s slow-motion movement with brilliant inventiveness that would mystify if viewed from any perspective other than that of Bible prophecy. The stunning achievements within the mix of that quantum leap continue to engender awe. Human genius almost certainly had to have been infused with supernatural influence in accomplishing the exponential progress humanity has achieved within one hundred years. We have moved, within that time, from traveling at speeds horses can run to streaking at the speed of light through communications technologies.
The United States of America has been the nation at the very heart of the explosion of human technological progress. We have no peer in this regard. Just as God’s hand of providence guided the founding fathers in bringing the country to birth in 1776, so His omnipresence inspired the American genius and industry resident in the nation to achieve things essential to opening the book of end-times prophecy.
The prophet Daniel’s words resonate in our day:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
This ranks as perhaps the foremost signpost encapsulating our generation’s place on God’s prophetic timeline, when considering the question about whether America is anywhere in Bible prophecy, even if not mentioned specifically by name.
The prophet’s words tell us:
1) There is a book that has written in it the end of all things regarding the human realm.
2) That book was purposely shut, in order to not reveal details about the end.
3) The book was sealed during Daniel’s time, and no one would be able to break that seal.
4) The world would experience a great population explosion near the end.
5) The people of that future time would go at a phenomenal speed, literally to and from points all over the earth.
6) Humankind’s knowledge would increase tremendously.
Many, including myself, believe this detonation of knowledge at the very end includes an understanding about end-of-days prophecies from God’s Word, as well as human knowledge that has erupted like at no other time in history in what we now call the Information Age, which has grown out of the creation of the computer. The major implication in the first part of the prophecy is that the book of understanding end-times matters would be opened at the time of the running “to and fro,” and of the exponential increase in knowledge. Therein is the validation of our claims that this generation is bumping up against the very end of the age, and that the signals we are witnessing today are, indeed, signs of Jesus Christ’s soon return to the earth.
Again, the United States is inarguably the matrix out of which the geometrical progression of knowledge, thus the spectacular increase in our ability to travel to and from anywhere on earth, has grown. The unsealing and opening of the book Daniel was told about by the angel might well have taken place during one specific incident about which we’ve all learned in our rudimentary studies of American history. The occurrence certainly seemed an explosive epiphany, with God reaching down to man in a spectacular fashion. More than coincidentally, I am of the firm conviction, one of America’s most famous founding fathers was the recipient of this brilliant stroke from the heavens.
Benjamin Franklin’s Shocking Experience
Benjamin Franklin, whom we know as one of the key founders of the US, in fact appropriated through his God-inspired genius the key to the greatest discovery of humankind. His use of a key opened up new vistas dreamed of by only a very few inventive minds in previous history.
Franklin believed electricity could be harnessed from lightning. So, he tested his theory in 1752 by using a contrivance we’ve all become somewhat familiar with by way of our history books.
Mr. Franklin was knocked on the seat of his pants in a shocking discovery, as we know.
American Industriousness on Display
Of course, much groundwork was laid by others as well as Americans for the explosion of modern technological achievements. But it is American industriousness—a genius for taking groundwork laid and rocketing into the future with that foundational creativity—that makes the US unique among the nation-states of history. Electricity and its many fantastic applications has continued to power the still-surging explosion of knowledge and travel in the twenty-first century.
Like ancient Babylon, America has been a “golden cup” in the hand of God:
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. (Jeremiah 51:7)
What a dichotomy! Babylon was considered a “golden cup” when in God’s hand when equating the use of that cup to export the wickedness on a worldwide basis, as described by the prophet!
We see that same “golden cup” next in the hand of the whore of Babylon—the false religious system—as she sits astride the Beast:
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. (Revelation 17: 4)
In both cases—the nation Babylon and the prostitute astride the Beast—God’s Word speaks to His judgment and wrath because of worldwide rebellion against His governance.
To my thinking, this absolute turning from the God of Heaven was manifest for all to see with the graphic display leading into and out of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
America, which sure looks similar to the Babylon mentioned by the prophets Jeremiah and John, has exported wickedness as have no other people in human history because of the tremendous technologies it has been instrumental in developing.
No such instrumentalities have made this more possible than electricity, computers, satellites, and the burgeoning artificial intelligence. And these are being used by the Ephesians 6:12 minions, both demonic and human, to make the world ready for Satan’s son of perdition, Antichrist.
America could well be pointed to as possibly being that “golden cup.” Certainly our most blessed nation in all of humankind’s history fits the description. And it looks as if the American “golden cup” of exported evil to the rest of the world will be used in God’s righteous indictment as He sits as judge to bring down the anti-godliness described by Jude:
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 1:14–15)
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Prince of Persia Postponement?
To Holy Spirit-centered Bible prophecy observers, there should be little, if any, doubt that we are dealing now with demonic activity at every turn. This is truer than ever when considering things going on in the Middle East. Narrowing it down to the nation Israel, the dark spiritual forces become even more manifest.
The other nation-state entity that makes clear the demonic influences in that volatile region is Iran. This nation, of course, is located in the area where ancient Persia sat.
This is important to think on at this present hour; everything of significant prophetic importance now revolves around this region.
Daniel, the great prophet who was given an end-times heads-up concerning his people, the Jews, had a visit in which God’s angel told him about this very time that is front and center in our hourly news. At least it seems this is likely the beginning of the time the angel spoke of that is the nucleus of the stage being set for the wrap-up of things leading to Christ’s Second Advent.
Here is that one-way conversation the angel delivered:
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thane heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. (Daniel 10:12–14)
The angel then laid out what would happen after those many days had passed. Those days have now passed, and the book that was closed to him, Daniel was told about later, is now almost certainly opened.
That prophecy said the “wise who see these things of the end times will understand” (Daniel 12:10). All who view the issues and events developing in the Middle East, overlaid by the template of Bible prophecy, are the “wise” the angel mentioned.
Things involving Daniel’s people, Israel, and the area of ancient Persia, Iran, have the diplomatic world in a fever pitch to force peace and safety in the region. There is great fear that Iran is about to attack Israel in retaliation for the Israelis eliminating Iran’s proxy terrorist leaders. And, to add insult to injury, Israel did so in one instance by going to the heart of Teheran.
Iran has been threatening ever since to launch a major assault to destroy the Jewish State.
This hasn’t happened, nor do I believe it will. The Iranians (Persians), creators of the game of chess, are smart enough to know better. They are fully aware that Israel has one of the great militaries in the world and possesses nuclear weapons that would devastate any enemy. The Iranian Israel-haters know better than to threaten Israel’s destruction at this point.
To attack in such a way would give Israel the excuse it has been wanting—to do whatever is necessary to destroy Iran’s budding nuclear program hidden deep within the Bushehr Mountains area.
Now, our God is in complete control of all things at all times. He is restraining at every level throughout this world of evil that is straining at the leash to bring about the Antichrist. That said, I think it is accurate to believe the same prince of Persia the angel, with the help of Michael, fought against is alive and well in that region. He is doubtless whispering in the ear of the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. He is likely saying in the ears of the ayatollahs to withhold their attack until a more propitious time—when they and the massive coalition outlined by Ezekiel come together with tremendous power to destroy the hated Israel.
So, in that sense, it might well be the prince of Persia who is postponing the war that everyone in the diplomatic world fears.
The blustering Khamenei and his fanatic Islamists are obviously quite hesitant to carry out their threats to get revenge. Their hesitancy is based in fear, we can conclude. The following somewhat adds credence to this likelihood.
For all Iran’s threats to retaliate against Israel for assassinating key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, the key concern for the ayatollahs will be that, in any confrontation with the Israeli military, they have no chance of winning.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have risen considerably since Israel was accused of carrying out the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau leader Ismail Hanimex in Tehran shortly after the swearing in ceremony for Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian last month.
Although Israel rarely confirms or denies its involvement in overseas assassinations, the Iranian regime has been quick to accuse Israel of killing Haniyeh, who reportedly died after a bomb exploded in his guest apartment in northern Tehran.
A senior Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, was assassinated in Beirut the previous day, in an operation for which Israel took credit. (“Iran knows it cannot win a war against Israel,” By Con Coughlin, Gatestone Institute, August 11, 2024)
Other news items frame Iran’s reluctance to launch an attack on Israel. The following briefs on Raptureready.com news linked to stories relevant to Iran’s hesitancy.
Ayatollah Khamenei faces tough dilemma when it comes to retaliating against Israel
The 85-year-old despot is keenly aware of the repercussions of a major strike on Israel and, given the delicate timing of Masoud Pezeshkian’s first steps as president, it’s somewhat likely Iran’s Supreme Leader will opt for a more prudent approach.
Internal strife: Iran’s delayed retaliation to Israel sparks rift within terror proxies
Iran has angered its allies, particularly Hezbollah and Hamas, by once again urging caution in responding to Israel after the assassinations of high-ranking Hezbollah terrorist Fuad Shukr and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, the Kuwaiti newspaper al Jarida reported on Wednesday.
An all-out Middle East war just might be restrained for the moment with the assistance of the Prince of Persia, that old nemesis of Daniel’s angel visitor and Michael, God’s mighty archangel.
You want to be among the “wise” who watch with understanding the entire stage being set, not among those who haven’t a clue. Those who are wise can take comfort from knowing that all these things happening mean Jesus is about to call all believers to Himself in the Rapture.
Here is how to go to Him when He summons Christians in that great event.
That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)
UNTAKEN TOO: 12 Days Following the Rapture :: By Constance O. Wyler
Book Review by Terry James
My web site affiliation is Raptureready.com. Therefore, anything to do with that great Event that will remove believers from this Judgment-bound planet instantly piques my interest.
Upon reading UNTAKEN, TOO: 12 Days Following the Rapture by Constance O. Wyler, I wasn’t disappointed that I had invested my time in this sequel to her first novel – UNTAKEN: 12 Hours Following the Rapture.
As a matter of fact, the fictional account of her characters enduring the days immediately following the disappearance of people around them and throughout the world sparked more than just my interest in a story well told. Her handling of the technological aspects of our world as it exists at present and how that technology will be used by the Antichrist system following the Rapture sparked interest in exploring those developments when writing my commentaries.
I can promise that reading this second novel will set you to cogitating on this present world of non-fiction in which we live as well. The back cover of Constance’s novel encapsulates well this fictional account of the immediate aftermath of Christ’s Rescue of God’s children from Planet Earth. The description is one with which I agree wholeheartedly:
The Rapture has happened. What would you do? You’ve agreed to an artificial intelligent implant so viewers can see, hear, and feel whatever you experience. But are you still in control or is AI? Continue in the protagonist’s mind and learn what happens during the twelve days that follow the incredible event called the Rapture.
“Continuing this post-rapture journey, this is a must-read for those looking for motivation on why we should make every effort to be about the Father’s business NOW. A stunning achievement with a thought-provoking perspective on AI and the on-ramp to the Mark of the Beast. Highly recommended!” ~ Scott Townsend, RaptureKit.org
“The “real” Rapture is imminent! I deeply desire that as many as possible read the Untaken books. In the genre of the Left Behind series, Untaken, Too is technologically advanced, exciting, alarming. Truly compelling!” ~ Carlos B. Hall, Retired Pastor/Bible Teacher
“I enjoyed Untaken but this sequel is amazing! Untaken, Too is a thought-provoking scenario that challenged me to ponder ‘What if…?’ I was totally captivated and I applaud the author’s ability to remain true to God’s Word. Well done, C. O. Wyler!” ~ Connie Saunders, blogger of Older & Smarter
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I can only add that in this late moment of prophetic stage-setting for that most terrible time of human history, the Tribulation, this story couldn’t be timelier. I hope you will get the book, devour it –and you will do just that once started reading—then pass it along to someone who needs to know what the world of the unsaved faces because of rejecting Christ as Savior.
To order BOOK 2:
UNTAKEN, TOO: 12 Days Following the Rapture
Author: Constance O. Wyler
Available almost everywhere online: https://books2read.com/untakentoo
~ Ebook on Sale for ONLY $0.99 during the month of August
To order BOOK 1:
UNTAKEN: 12 Hours Following the Rapture
Author: Constance O. Wyler
Available almost everywhere online: https://books2read.com/untaken
~ Ebook always FREE online
Here is my review of Book 1:
https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2022/11/20/when-children-go-missing/
Spirit of Antichrist-to-Israel Linkage
A decade and a half ago, I presented a chapter in one of my books in which I expressed a firm conviction that God’s Word about the spirit of Antichrist and God’s chosen nation, Israel, were possibly linked in a specific way. Upon reading the manuscript, the publisher’s book-selection committee wanted me to strike my thoughts on the possible connection. Although I had only offered the possibility and wrote it in such a way as to make it only a scripturally based conjecture, I was told that if I didn’t delete that portion, they wouldn’t publish the book.
The committee said it smacked of being a false teaching. That was their only charge against the postulation.
I, of course, did take it out of the manuscript because it was just a small part of a massive volume I very much believe the Lord wanted published.
But things have come to pass in terms of the tremendous wickedness and evil we’ve witnessed, especially lately, that I couldn’t in good faith remove such a portion from a book I was offering for publication today. I believe my earlier conviction is being proven: There is a link between the spirit of Antichrist and God’s people, Israel.
The Apostle John said the following about the spirit of Antichrist:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
I think all who believe in Christ for salvation who observe these strange times from the pre-Trib view of Bible prophecy have the spiritual capability of discerning the hell-spawned hatred that has suddenly developed against Israel on a global scale. I believe evil is manifesting particularly on a national scale at this late prophetic hour.
A portal to the dimension where demonic entities are held seems to have been unleashed. The Apostle John said, in effect, that the portal was opened to some extent when he was transcribing the words of the Holy Spirit. Certainly we should expect to see an intensive increase in such activity the nearer time comes to the Tribulation.
Evil men and seducers are growing worse by the hour, just as the Apostle Paul predicted. Much of the seduction is carried out against the Jewish people–against Israel—by the evil professors at the university level across America and the world. Students under their wicked inculcation seem to have been possessed by the spirit of Antichrist as they chant, “Kill the Jews,” and, “Wipe out Israel from the river to the sea!”.
John’s words have specific meaning. They are not just idle words, but present the connection, I think, to Satan’s hatred of God’s chosen people and nation:
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Jesus, the promised Savior since Genesis 3:15, is the object of Lucifer’s hatred. He has been working through eons to destroy the flesh through which the Savior came into the world. It was Jewish flesh. Satan’s insane rage now is manifest as strongly as ever, perhaps more so, as the time of Rapture and the Tribulation to follow nears.
One report offers proof of the increasing rage against God’s chosen.
There is a massive security presence here as the Secret Service, the Capitol Police, and other federal, state, and local police agencies are deployed in a wide perimeter around the Capitol grounds.
More than 10,000 angry, hostile, anti-Israel and anti-Netanyahu protesters have descended upon the city.
I’ve personally heard some saying, “We will kill all the Jews,” and “Go home, Jews,” and “Netanyahu, you’re not welcome in our country!”
One repugnant sign that I saw on my way to the Capitol read: “Go back home to Europe, Satanyahu.” (“Netanyahu addresses Joint Session of Congress with 10,000 angry, hostile, anti-Israel protestors outside Massive security perimeter established by Secret Service, Capitol Police,” Joel C. Rosenberg | Published: July 24, 2024, All Israel News)
The spirit of Antichrist has been fully unleashed against God’s chosen people. John made perhaps the strongest statement pointing to exactly how close this world is to the beginning of the worst time in all of human history–the Tribulation.
But before that time of horror can commence, Jesus Himself will step out on the clouds of Glory and call all believers to Himself.
Here is how to be a part of that divine rescue from this judgment-bound world.
That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)
Scanning a Fearful Future XII
I believe the Holy Spirit speaks to those who are attuned to God’s prophetic Word and who are doing as Jesus commanded: “What I say unto one, I say unto all. Watch” (Mark 13:37).
The Lord is speaking dramatically at the moment: “Watch! Watch the issues and events that are exploding all around you at the moment!” This is the message we’re receiving each minute of the day.
Therefore, it’s time for a “Scanning a Fearful Future” update.
Jesus said when we see all these “things” begin to come to pass, we’re to look up in anticipation of Him coming to take us home (Luke 21:28 and John 14:1–3).
These “things” we’ve been seeing come to pass for some time are now flowing in like the end-times flood Daniel described (Daniel 9:27). Great deception is in every direction, with deceivers at the highest levels of governments and religious circles prevaricating with power straight from the father of lies. The latest deception being foisted by Lucifer’s propaganda arm, the news media that assists him in his “prince of the power of the air” position while he spreads lies that mesmerize, involves the president of the United States.
Whether the shooter who almost took the life of the Republican candidate was a hireling of a globalist, deep-state cabal, or was simply a young man turned into a crazed fanatic by the months and years of the media’s brain-washing hatred, the source of the evil is the same. Satan continues to do all within his power to remove the obstacles blocking him from fulfilling his plan to set himself up, through the coming Antichrist, as destroyer of God’s order of things.
While these constant attempts to bring in the Antichrist regime accelerate at every level, those with Holy Spirit discernment can also see the truth of the mighty, restraining hand of God at work through all that’s taking place.
God has promised that He will restrain evil right up until the moment believers are taken out of the way. With the Holy Spirit, who lives in every believer, ceasing the restraint of evil, the spiritual wickedness in high places of Ephesians 6:12 will have the run of the planet for a limited time.
The current battle–Lucifer’s forces versus God’s forces—is destined to become more intense by the minute. The future indeed would look fearful if not for that Great Restrainer controlling all that happens. God continues to have the evil forces in derision, as promised in Psalm 2. The Lord is almost assuredly laughing at the wicked forces of corruption that see practically every one of their plans disrupted. The following describes some of the restraining we are witnessing.
It’s important to understand that The Powers That Be (TPTB) themselves have never been so disunited and confused, incohesive and disordered.
In point of fact, all of the major implementation plans on their New World Order agenda have gone awry. Every nefarious scheme to foist a One World Government on the world community of nations has been thrown into disarray. Just look at their crazy Covid [expletive deleted] to understand their current stewpot.
Nevertheless, the power elite will continue to carry out their Great Reset since so much of their world takeover project greatly depends upon it. Toward that end, CYBER POLYGON plays an integral role in that global controlled demolition of cyberspace as a necessary precursor to their long planned CBDC roll-out…
CYBER POLYGON: WEF Commences with a Global Simulation to Collapse the Internet
It ought to be obvious that such a massive and far-reaching international outage just doesn’t happen by accident; rather, this was a classic MIHOP event.
MIHOP = Made It Happen On Purpose
But just how do we know that?
Because, CrowdStrike is involved—THAT’S WHY!
[CrowdStrike is a global cybersecurity leader with an advanced cloud-native platform for protecting endpoints, cloud workloads, identities and data.]
For the dark side to successfully execute their plans for a total planetary lockdown, they must exert complete command and control over all of cyberspace.
That’s where the WEF’s CYBER POLYGON comes in.
Welcome to the second July Surprise! he utterly staged false flag Trump assassination hoax being the first one. (Cyber Polygon 2024: “Great Reset begins with engineered Internet breakdown followed by CBDC roll-out,” posted on July 19, 2024 by State of the Nation)
While I don’t believe, as the article concludes, that the assassination attempt on former President Trump was a hoax, there is no doubt the wicked forces in high places, both demonic and human, continue to do all within their dark-dimensional power to bring America down in order to remove the holdup to their Great Reset. The recent (I believe) deliberately contrived massive breakdown of vast cyberspace technology, controlling, for example, airline scheduling and safety, is proof.
If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, when scanning the future for the terrifying things that are coming, you indeed face the prospect of a fearful exercise. You don’t have to remain outside of Christ’s protection against the uncontrolled satanic wickedness about to burst upon the world. Here again is how to be assured of safety–being kept from the time that is coming upon the world of unbelievers (Revelation 3:10).
That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)
Ten Potent Proofs for the Pretribulation Rapture
By Lee Brainard
Book review by Terry James
While recently attending the Prophecy Watchers Conference in Colorado Springs at which he and I were speakers, my friend Lee Brainard and I discussed his book. I’ve since looked at it in depth and concluded that it is one of the best treatments of the pretrib Rapture I’ve read.
Most Christians today don’t have a solid foundation in the Bible’s teaching on the subject, even if they attend churches that professedly believe in it. They haven’t been systematically taught the various arguments that can be made for a pretribulation Rapture. When they do wade into the debate regarding the event’s timing, they’re likely to hear more assertions, cliches, and sound bites than well-framed arguments. This lack of foundation leaves them susceptible to preachers with strong personalities and well-framed erroneous arguments. Hence, as we have painfully witnessed, multitudes have embraced the pre-wrath and post-Tribulation Rapture in the past couple of decades. This book is designed to help remedy this lack of foundation. In fewer than 120 pages, the author has presented ten distinct arguments for the pretribulation Rapture in compact form. Distilled a little further, their essence can be presented in the following six points–the gist of which Lee presents here in brief.
The economy argument. God returns to Israel during the tribulation, and the evident economy during the tribulation is the Mosaic economy, therefore the church cannot be on earth during the seventieth week. God cannot have two honored economies or two honored temples at the same time.
The timeline argument. We see the representatives of the church in heaven in the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation prior to the opening of the first seal (the antichrist) in the sixth chapter, therefore the church is not on earth during the tribulation. We also see other timeline indicators which present a rapture prior to the second coming. For instance, the rapture is presented at the morning star of the day of the Lord while the second coming is presented as the sunrise of the day of the Lord.
The distinction between the rapture and the second coming. There are numerous distinctions between the rapture and the second coming. For instance, the church is taken to heaven at the rapture, while she descends from heaven with the Lord at the second coming. Other distinctions include: the saints taken vs. the saints left, the bride vs. the guests, and the apantesis vs. the parousia.
The relative normality argument. The coming of the Son of man will be like an unexpected thief in the night and will catch the world unaware and unwatching. This does not fit the second coming. The whole world knows it is coming, and they prepare for it, even gathering the armies of the world at the right time and place—Armageddon. But the rapture fits the thief-in-the-night scenario perfectly. The world will be going about their normal business, oblivious to the dawning of the day of the Lord on the horizon, and they will be shocked out of their obliviousness by the vanishing of the church and the first wave of judgments.
The deliverance from wrath argument. The church, as the body and bride of Christ, cannot see the wrath of God that will be poured out on earth at the end of the age. This time of wrath is synonymous with the tribulation. Evidence is provided that the word tribulation is used for the wrath of God, and the concept of wrath is used for Israel in the tribulation.
The nature argument. The seals differ from the normal course of troubles during this age both qualitatively and quantitatively. The seals mark the Lord’s return to theocratic government from the providential government that has prevailed throughout the church age. The seals are vastly worse in degree than anything that mankind has experienced during the course of this age. The fourth seal alone brings twenty times the death toll of World War II. The first seal, the rise and reign of the antichrist, is expressly identified as the day of the Lord (the dawning of it) in 2 Thessalonians 2. It is a great delusion sent upon mankind as a judgment for their unbelief of the light they were already given. It is retributive judgment, albeit mingled with grace.
Taken together, these arguments present a rock-solid case for a rapture prior to the tribulation (that is, prior to the seventieth week). The church must be removed before the first seal is opened and the antichrist is revealed. The church must be removed before the Lord returns to dealing with national Israel during the seventieth week. The church must be removed before the world is bombarded with the seal visitations which vastly outstrip anything mankind has experienced in the church age. As we read in Revelation 3:10 according to my paraphrase, “Because you have patiently suffered with me in the church age, I will remove you from the planet before the tribulation, which shall come upon the entire planet, to try those whose focus is only earthly.”
For believers who are Rapture ready, this is indeed an exciting volume to consider while we eagerly await that shout from Heaven’s clouds of Glory: “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).
Ten Potent Proofs for the Pretribulation Rapture
Author: Lee Brainard
Publisher: Soothkeep Press
ISBN: 979-8-9873081-3-4
To order: AMAZON
Are we there yet?
For those of us who have raised children, you might remember the question. There was a commercial, as I recall, that used the question to emphasize one product or the other in a humorous way.
Children in the back seat of the car in the commercial kept asking “Are we there yet?”
We who transported our young kids on those times–especially on longer trips to Grandma’s or other destinations–have heard that question, often in whining tones as time went on during the longer trips. I certainly remember hearing it. And I’m sure my parents heard it on those trips from Pekin, Illinois, where we lived when I was a child, on the road to Hampton, my grandparent’s home in south Arkansas.
At this late moment of the Church Age I, myself, seem to be whining this question, and I’m hearing it from others on a growing basis.
“Are we there yet?”
It is coming from God’s children–believers in Jesus Christ who, like myself, sometimes grow weary,or vexed—as ol’ Lot might have put it while enduring to the end his time in Sodom.
“Are we there yet?” That is, how long before we reach the end of our Lord’s tolerance for the evil flourishing all around us while we keep “looking up,” as my friend, the late J.R. Church, used to put it at the close of his Prophecy In the News TV program each week?
Each and every day–actually, each and every news cycle—we’re inundated with end-times storm warnings. And it seems as if the words of warning from the chief prophetic meteorologist of all history is speaking directly to those who, as commanded by Him—are “watching” in order to discern where this generation stands on God’s prophetic timeline.
Jesus gave the signals to look for as earth’s inhabitants near the outbreak of history’s most virulent turbulence–that of the Tribulation era. The following is that storm warning.
“Are we there yet?” Is that great storm of the ages about to invade at this particular time? Let’s listen again to that Heaven-sent forecast that we can rely on as 100% accurate, because it was issued by God Himself.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matt 24: 6-13)
Heaven’s forecast, of course, covers a broad scope of history, so many parts of this Olivet Discourse prophecy by Jesus apply to much of history that has already unscrolled. Let us very briefly dissect this warning first in terms of its broad, historical sense.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars…”
Hundreds of wars have afflicted humanity since Jesus spoke these words. The greatest wars of all time, World Wars I and II, have caused the deaths of millions. The Romans waged war on the Jews, the Temple was destroyed, and the Jewish people scattered to all the world.
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…”
As a matter of fact, it has been the ethnic disputes and warfare that have wrought the deaths of millions across the world.
“And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places…”
Earthquakes have continued to rumble throughout history, while the wars have brought famine and disease to countless generations. We have seen lately in our brief time on the planet lately a tremendous increase in these things.
“All these are the beginning of sorrows…”
These great troubles have been accumulative, indeed been like birth pangs, growing more intense and coming in greater frequency.
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”
The history of hatred of the Jews is in full view of the eyes of the world. The Nazi Holocaust is the number-one sign of history that highlights the satanic hatred God’s chosen people have endured. Their rejection of the very name of Jesus Christ and their being blamed for His crucifixion have been the basis Satan has used to incite the world against Israel.
So history has proven the absolute accuracy of Jesus’ forecast. But it is the question ”Are we there yet?” I wish to address with regard to whether this generation has reached the moment when the Lord will say “enough is enough” and call believers to Himself so the greatest storm of all history can rage upon a world ripe for judgment.
We must place the same template over what is going on at this very moment to try to help answer: “Are we there yet?”
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars…”
The most profound threat of nuclear conflict might now be in the offing. Even the Cold War could not match the danger. Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was effective, as the world’s two greatest superpowers were able to control escalation into man’s final war.
Not so now. There seems no control, as the power centers with the nuclear weapons are scattered around the globe and many decision-makers among the most diabolical of their leaders seem bent on having their way, regardless of possible ramifications of all-out nuclear war.
The primary cause of the conflict again centers around ethnic differences and demands. Greatest among these conflicts is the hatred of the Jews and of Israel by their neighboring countries.
And that hatred has expanded to include many within nations of Europe and even the United States of America.
The seas and waves of peoples are roaring, in that the protests against the Jews and Israel are front and center in even what is generally considered the civilized west.
At this very moment, even some among the Jewish people themselves are shouting along with the Israel-haters, “Stop the genocide” and “From the river to the sea.”
As Jesus forewarned, these Jews on the politically ideological left are “betraying one another.” The genocidal rage is building swiftly toward another holocaust. Jesus also had a forecast about this evil that will mark the very end of the age.
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).
And hatred is building, too, against the Church–all believers in Jesus Christ and His message of being the one and only way to salvation (John 14: 6).
The comment by a legal defense fund for Christian persecution states the following:
Biden is empowering the radical Left to wage a surreptitious war on our Christian faith – prayer, churches, the Bible, and even Christian kids sharing their faith in school are all under attack. The Biden FBI has even placed spies in churches and targeted “radical traditionalist” Christians for investigation…
We’re in court right now defending a teacher who was banned from praying anywhere a student might see her.
I’ve never seen anything like it. (Jordan Seckulow, ACLJ Executive Director)
While unbelieving Jews must undergo the Tribulation storm to bring forth a remnant that will bring about God’s great promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, believers of this Church Age (Age of Grace) will be taken (paralambano) to be with Jesus in the clouds of Glory–in the Rapture. All indicators are that we have come to be right smack in the breaking turbulence of Jesus’ forecast of the end-times storm.
And this is why I believe we can answer with a resounding “YES!” the question: “Are we there yet?”
Scanning a Fearful Future – Part Two
Terrible times like no other in American history lurk somewhere in the future, according to FOX News Channel’s Glenn Beck. He is joined in his stated apprehension for what is coming by thousands of American citizens. Many of these are fear-filled Christians who look to Beck and others to inform them of the proposed terrors to come, and to tell them what to do about it. I continue to hear from some of these through email on a weekly, even daily, basis.
I would like us to look briefly at developments across today’s socioeconomic landscape, thus to examine as analytically and as fairly as possible the portentous matters that give Beck and others fodder for their doomsday scenarios.
Economics-minded forecasters great and small watched the stock market bubble build during the days preceding the Lehman Brothers collapse of 2008, speculating wildly what the bubble’s burst might bring. That financial aneurysm, they determined, would certainly rupture–and, of course, it did. Governmental insanity created by ultra-liberal politicians saw to it that people with champagne tastes and beer drinkers’ budgets for years received home loans they didn’t have much more than a prayer of ever repaying.
We are now familiar with the terms “Freddie Mac” and “Fannie Mae.” We are equally acquainted with names such as Barney Frank, Charles Schumer, and others, who–in the name of “fairness” to those who couldn’t afford housing like the more affluent–demanded these be given the loans anyway, despite the fact the recipients didn’t have the income or collateral to support that level of debt.
Rather than govern the housing industry responsibly, the elected officials invested with the responsibility to oversee things, in concert with their Wall Street cohorts, foolishly threw caution to the fiscal winds. A banking crisis of unprecedented magnitude was thus created, with the housing bubble rupture setting in motion bank failures and threats of even greater crises.
Calls for massive bailouts to avert what the president of the United States and others in government and media speciously screamed would otherwise be world-rending calamity brought about the most devastating crisis of all. Trillions of dollars were, in effect, created out of thin air by the Federal Reserve Bank to save entities “too big to fail.”
The totally irresponsible sleight-of-hand accomplished only the creation of an exploding national debt that most likely can never be repaid. Decisions made by some of the same people who help create the problems strapped on the back of American citizens financial burdens with which generations far into the future will have to deal.
The resulting economic uncertainty deepened an abyss-like recession that more soundly thought-out measures would have surely lessened in severity. Jobs, as we know, are being lost; businesses are closing their doors; deflation or hyper-inflation–the experts can’t figure which—might collapse the American economy within a near-time frame (which the experts can’t predict, either).
The stability of the global economy hangs in the balance, with the other nations and their monetary gurus wondering about the financial fate of the U.S. and its all-important dollar. And, make no mistake: Under present world economic structures, the fate of the American dollar is absolutely critical.
Enter Glenn Beck at the tip of the gloom iceberg. And “iceberg” is a viable term here because the things he and others are forewarning are indeed chilling. Statements the TV and radio show host make almost daily send shivers down the spine of many of his viewers and listeners. He says things like (I paraphrase), “Change is coming, and when it happens, you won’t recognize your country. You will wake up next day, and it will no longer be America as you’ve known it. And, it will happen just that fast. I can’t tell you when that transformation is coming, but it’s coming.”
Beck forecasts the same astonishing change for the entire world in his proposed overnight transformational moment. His words sound almost out of the pages of Bible prophecy from the Pre-Trib view, don’t they? But the change he predicts is tied almost exclusively to the earthly, not to the ethereal–almost, but not entirely, as we will soon find.
Economic collapse, thus societal rearrangements of apocalyptic dimension, is at the heart of his fearful forecast. He implies that we will, perhaps, awaken that morning to a monetary cataclysm–our dollar as worthless as the deutsche marks of the Weimar republic of Germany just before Hitler’s meteoric rise to power in the 1930s. The FOX program host often raises the real probability, in his view, that inflation, which is on the rise, will skyrocket to astronomical levels when the great transformation he fears takes place.
He gives some key commodity future dollar amounts for what he claims the experts tell him will be exponential price rises. A small bag of sugar could be as much as $60 or $70. One ear of corn could be $11 or higher. A loaf of bread will likely be $24. Just under a pound of coffee could be $77. Fifteen ounces of orange juice will likely be $45, according to Beck’s forecasters.
A Hershey chocolate bar, standard size, will cost $15.50, his experts say. Now, that is certainly a crisis in the making if it is an accurate prognostication. Chocolate lovers I know would probably join the rioters Beck believes will rage in the streets once cuts to federal government give-away programs have to be made.
Next week, we will think a bit on what a changed America might look like if truly effective remedies to deal with Mr. Beck’s fearful vision of a new socioeconomic paradigm are ever implemented.
Terry James Prophecy Line 