Israel is Tired of Waiting for Obama

Posted on May 6, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

Israel has executed pinpoint airstrikes on areas on the outskirts of Damascus in the last 48 hours. They are apparently fearful that Assad will give Hezbollah forces the use of some highly accurate missiles with ranges over 100 miles to use against Israel. Iran has a vested interest in securing the Assad regime as he is a firm Shiite ally of Iran, whose government is also a Shiite. The Shiite Muslims are much more apocalyptic than their Sunni Muslim counterparts. The Shiites believe that the future holds a great war which will see final victory and world conquest for them over their enemies through the arrival of a leader called the Mahdi. The coming Mahdi, like the biblical Antichrist, will seek to destroy the Jews and establish a global Caliphate. Iran is definitely looking for a war with Israel. They reportedly have 150,000 troops ready to be deployed into Syria. Israel knows this, yet President Obama, whose father was known to be a Shiite Muslim in Kenya, is really dragging his heels on following through with commitments to Israel regarding providing weapons and standing with them against Syria and Iran. Is there a relationship between Obama’s Shiite background through his father and his own Muslim schooling and his almost complete silence on Shiite Iran’s threat and his hedging on action against Shiite led Syria? I think so.

Several things work to Israel’s advantage through these recent attacks against Syria. As Israel attacks Damascus they are showing President Obama that they will take action to defend themselves even if he will not help them. They are also indicating to Iran that Israel will be pushed for only so long. They may be planning an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites which could come at any time. While Iran and President Obama would be dumbfounded at their audacity, Israel will have further amazed their enemies at just how well they are able to effectively accomplish their mission. In addition, with Israel dropping what reports indicate are huge nuclear-like ordinance on targets just outside of Damascus, they are, perhaps unwittingly showing how easily and how soon they could fulfill a particular biblical prophecy. In Isaiah 17:1, there is stated the words: “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.” All of the Islamic nations threatening Israel will be astounded when this happens. Yet, an attack of this magnitude, which will almost certainly involve nuclear weapons, will bring the wrath of Israel’s enemies, and their retaliation. But, according to the prophet Ezekiel, God will intervene to protect the tiny nation: “‘I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,’” says the Lord God. ‘Every man’s sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many Peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 38:21-33) Zechariah describes in graphic detail God’s actions against Israel’s enemies one day who seek the destruction of the Jewish state: “And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people who have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” (Zachariah 14:12)

Events of recent days seem to indicate that the prophecies of the Bible have a great deal of relevance to the current unfolding of world events. No amount of denial on the part of the skeptics will make the Bible have any less credibility for our days. Jesus told His disciples that He would be returning. The Bible indicates that Jesus’ return will be in two phases. First He will return in the clouds to rapture His Church to heaven. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); and Second, Jesus will return to the earth, specifically, to Jerusalem to secure His rule of the entire earth from there for a period of 1,000 years. (Revelation 19-20, Zachariah 14) In between the coming of Jesus Christ FOR His saints and His coming WITH His saints to the earth, will be the seven-year great tribulation period when the Antichrist will rise to power. The Antichrist, through his false prophet, will cause everyone to receive his diabolical mark indicating complete loyalty to him and his satanic regime: 666. Those not taking this mark will be hunted down and many will be killed. Revelation tells us about the Antichrist at that time: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (666).” (Revelation 13:16-17)

I believe we are seeing events preceding and preparing the world for the fulfillment of these Divine predictions occurring at this time. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? In Matthew 24:33, Jesus said about these very times: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior by asking Him to save you today and to forgive you or your sins through His dying for you on the cross and rising from the dead. The Bible promises that: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Last Wars on Planet Earth

Posted on April 30, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

The country of Syria, the civil war raging there, and help the Assad regime is receiving from Russia and Iran is very much in the news. Based on some clear predictions in the Bible, these events could develop into a scenario that brings about one of the final battles on planet Earth:  The Battle of Gog and Magog.  The Bible predicts that at least two significant wars are to occur in the earth’s future.  These will be the battle of Gog and Magog, described in Ezekiel 38-39 and the Battle of Armageddon predicted in numerous places in the Bible. (among these are, Malachi 4:1-5; Revelation 14:14-20; 16:12-16; 19:19-21).

A reading of the unfolding of the battle of God and Magog will show that it will involve the key players of Russia, Iran, and several other Islamic nations teaming up to invade Israel in the latter days. Many students of prophecy believe that this battle probably will occur some time before the final Battle of Armageddon. In other words, these actually will be the two last wars on Planet Earth. While there may be small wars and battles to occur in the Middle East and elsewhere on the earth, these will be wars that will have a global impact unlike any since WWII.  Both of these battles, Gog and Magog and Armageddon will result from the efforts of Russia, along with the Islamic nations, conspiring to destroy Israel.  A few years after the battle of Gog and Magog, all other nations, including the “Kings of the East,” namely, China, will gather against Israel for a final global battle.  They will assemble in the expansive valley of Megiddo in the last days of the Great Tribulation period.

It is interesting to note that the list of Islamic nations that will join with Russia to attack Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog does not include Syria. Many believe the prophetic verse in Isiah 17:1 which predicts the over-night destruction of Damascus indicates that some nation, probably Israel, will destroy this Syrian capital.  This will essentially decapitate Syria from effectively being a future threat to God’s Jewish nation.  This strategic military strike on the part of Israel may induce Russia, along with Iran, to attack Israel.  Both Russia and Iran are presently supporting Assad’s brutal Shiite regime with weapons, radar, and troops to attack Israel.  Recently Assad is known to have used chemical weapons against the Syrian rebels fighting to topple his regime.

Jesus predicted that in the last days there would be “wars and rumors of wars”(Matthew 24:6; Mark 13:17).  Of course, Satan will instigate these wars which will arise because of demonic hatred of Israel and the Jews. We may be witnessing the set-up and build-up of the end times scenario of the Battle of Gog and Magog.

Late last year there were reports that weapons were being shipped from Libya to Turkey so that they could be brought into Syria. These weapons are reported to be a covert effort on the part of the Obama administration to aid the Syrian rebels.  It is believed by a growing number that Ambassador Christopher Stevens was actually meeting with a Turkish official on the evening of September 11th at the consulate in Bengazi as a part of negotiations to ship more of these weapons to Syria.  These were weapons that the United States provided in the Libyan conflict, but which were never recovered after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. The problem with covertly shipping weapons to Syria to help the rebels there is that there is a known and growing presence of al-Qaeda forces who are fighting among the rebels. Consequently, if these reports bear out, America could actually be assisting al-Qaeda to infiltrate and gain a significant foot hold in Syria to control that country in the event that Assad falls.

This leads many to believe that this is the reason that the Obama administration is stone-walling all questions on Benghazi. Even today, there are new reports of “whistle-blowers” who have some potentially damaging information as to what was going on in Benghazi when the attacks occurred, and how they could have saved the lives of our people there if they had wanted to. Reports are increasing from insiders that these witnesses were threatened to keep silent. Remember that Obama promised to get involved in helping the Syrian rebels if Assad crossed the “red line” by using chemical weapons against them. He now seems to be backing away from that promise. Could President Obama be hesitant to get involved with the Syrian conflict because it would blow the cover as to what was really going on in Benghazi? It is too bad that the liberal news media is helping the President in this apparent cover up. (See “The News Media, False Prophets of our Time?” in this blog.)

A few days ago, the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), many of whom are working to corrupt news reports by attacking the Associated Press and other news outlets, caused world stocks to plunge.  The news systems hacked by the SEA put forward a false report that President Obama had been injured in a bomb attack on the White House.  This was, of course, a false report.  But it shows the incredible power that hackers possess to corrupt truth and to threaten the national security of the United States.

In parallel to this, prophecies of the future Antichrist indicate that he will understand the awesome power that can be gained by anyone who controls the world’s computer net-works. He will gain full control of the world’s computers and will rule “cyber-space” with propaganda to manipulate the world’s economies and news media outlets.  The world will know only what the Antichrist will want them to know.  Revelation says: “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man:  His number is 666” (Revelation 13:17-18).

Most likely, the Battle of Gog and Magog will occur sometime at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period, after the Rapture of the Church. The Bible predicts that the coming of Jesus Christ to rapture away the Church from the earth to heaven could occur at any time (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  The Tribulation period, which is the 70th week predicted in the book of Daniel, chapter 9, is not a time of judgment for the Church, because the sins of all born-again believers, who make up the true Church, were completely judged and paid for through Jesus Christ on the cross.  The Tribulation will be a time of God’s finishing up the unfolding of prophecy for the Jews and the Gentiles(Daniel 9:24).

The Battle of Gog and Magog will end with God supernaturally destroying Russia and the majority of the Islamic nations.  This will certainly bring peace to Israel and will be a prime time for the future Antichrist to capitalize on this peace to guarantee continued peace for Israel for a seven-year period (Daniel 9:27).  Most of Israel and the other nations will view the Antichrist as the Messiah.  Eventually, from the location of Israel’s re-built temple, he will demand worship as God (Matthew 24:15).  He will seek to dominate the world with the help of a ten-nation confederation.

Christians need to be aware of these Bible prophecies so that they are not surprised at the present day intrigues, cover-ups, evil perversions of immorality, rising crime rates, confusion among nations, earthquakes, and pestilences. These troubles all indicate that the Lord is coming, just as He promised. We can therefore be confident, faithful and prayerful as we continue to serve the Lord.  Jesus told His disciples:  “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Will the Church Look Like in the Last Days?

Posted on April 27, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

To understand the Latter Days of the Church we should look at 2 Timothy 3. This entire chapter is worth studying for the student of prophecy who desires to be discerning in the end times, to the glory of God! Timothy shows us three characteristics of the Church in the last days. We need to be effective preachers of the gospel, missionaries, teachers and dynamic servants of our soon coming Bridegroom. Understanding these three characteristics of the last days Church will help us to effectively fulfill God’s call for us. But, before you begin reading below, first may I suggest you pray and then carefully read through 2 Timothy 3.

I. The Perilous Times (3:1) The Bible predicts that the “last days” will be “perilous times” for Christians who are true to the faith. They will see awful developments in the Church that will cause many to be led astray into error. The purity of the Christian life will be compromised by immoral behavior. Activities and lifestyles that were once renounced by Christians will be tolerated and even embraced as truly enlightened. There can be little doubt that we are now in the latter days of the Church Age. The more the Word of God is ignored in teaching, ministry and public life in these days, the more we are seeing that there are new dangers that Christians should be aware of. For example, American leaders in politics and religion are ignoring the real threat of Islamic Jihadist teachings that are flooding the internet. Young and impressionable men and women are reading these toxic doctrines and some are even plotting attacks against American people. We have seen this recently in the Boston Bombings and in the plots that have recently been uncovered in Canada. Christians should know their Bibles and their faith and be able to defend what they believe. Also, they should be able to tell others the wonderful way of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our only Savior.

II. The Perverted Traitors (3:2-13) Look carefully at the attitudes that prevail in the Church and society in the latter days.  Paul warns Timothy that men and women of the latter days will have 20 specific and fleshly characteristics which will produce perilous times which will affect the entire culture for evil. “For men shall be…” (2-5) 1. Lovers of themselves 2. lovers of money- Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, NET)  The global dept we see today is the result of the love for wealth in America and the other nations that have forgotten God. –3) boasters, –4) proud, –5) blasphemers- The Greek: “blasphemoi” means “abusive and evil speaking” –6.) disobedient to parents, –7) unthankful, –8) unholy, –9) unloving Jesus predicted that in the last days: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold,”(Matthew 24:12) –10) unforgiving, –11) slanderers, –12) without self-control, –13) brutal, –14) despisers of good,–15) traitors, they will be like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus (Luke 6:16), –16) headstrong, –17) haughty, or conceited, –18) Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, –19) having a form of godliness, –20) but, denying the power of godliness, that is, denying the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. This will be a denial of a living relationship with Jesus Christ. The Church will trust its own methods, plans and wealth rather than have a real dependence on the power and authority of Jesus Christ and His Word, the Bible. This will be the way of the Church of Laodicea of the last days, lukewarm with Jesus outside the door and knocking to be allowed into His own Church. Yet they will refuse to welcome the true Son of God into their fellowship.  It will be the Babylonian global church of the latter days.  It will consist of a fellowship of demons (Revelation 3:14-19; Revelation 18:3).

Notice Paul’s instruction to Timothy and to those of the latter days, “from such turn away.” (5), For these apostates will think nothing of boldly sneaking (“creep”) into homes and “make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (6-7) False teaching is always connected with immorality in the Bible. Today, much false teaching is coming through women who aspire to be on the same level with men as pastors which is forbidden (see 1 Timothy 2:11-15).  The apostasy of the latter days will come through the defiant and demonic efforts of both “men” and women “of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith.”(8)

We can think of “men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith” such as Charles Taze Russel, inventor of the false doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult. Another is Joseph Smith, who rejected sound Bible doctrine and claimed to have a special vision of an angel called Moroni. He created a cult of the Mormons, founded upon many fictions, among which is the claim that God was once a man who became a god, and Lucifer and Jesus were brothers.  I will name one more of the many hundreds that could be named: Mary Baker Eddy, the inventor of the demonic myth of Christian Science.  All three of these that I have named wrote their own authoritative additions to the Bible. Why did they write these? Because they knew the Bible would not support their heretical teachings. Again, these are among many of the latter days false prophets who are “men (and women) of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith.”

III. The Persevering Teacher (3:10-13) Paul says to Timothy, “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions.” (10) Paul’s desire is for Timothy, and all pastors and believers of the latter days, to be willing to “suffer persecution.” (12) A clear distinguishing mark of the latter days apostasy of the Church will be the rapid increase of the presence of “evil men and impostors,” who will “grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”(13) “The Greek word for ‘impostors’ is goes (only here in the New Testament), which originally meant ‘A wailer, howler,’ and then ‘a juggler, enchanter’–‘because incantations used to be uttered in a kind of howl:’ –and so finally ‘a deceiver, impostor (‘swindler, cheat’) Such men are ‘deceiving and being deceived.’ Having been deceived by false teachers, they are now deceiving others.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 11, p. 409)

The presence of impostors in the latter-day Church will certainly increase the discomfort of Christians who will take a stand for truth against the trends of their day. Many will harass and mock Christians, pastors, missionaries, teachers and churches who preach God’s truth and live for the Lord.  More and more, church staff members, teachers in schools and missionaries in the field, will lose their jobs because of their unwillingness to violate the Bible.  But they will stand faithful, as many are today, by the power of Jesus Christ, no matter how unpopular it is.

Jesus said: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) Are you willing to live for the Lord no matter how many among your friends, your church or denomination are compromising the things of God?

Paul told Timothy: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of…(14) “All scripture is given by inspiration (God breathed) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (15) Notice how Timothy, and we, “must continue” faithfully in the truth of the Christian faith as it is revealed in God’s perfect Word, the Holy Scriptures.  Notice also how complete the Bible is for all, providing everything a man or woman of God needs to live a victorious and dynamic life in honor of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  How can you live a fuller Christian life in these latter days of growing apostasy, by trusting God and His Word more completely each day.

In these latter days many are downplaying the importance of believing that the entire Bible is the inspired, and therefore, perfect Word of God. The Greek word for “inspired” is theopneustos; theo=God, pneustos=breathed. When people deny that the Bible is entirely “God-breathed,” then they will be open to other religious writings such as the Muslim Koran or the writings of Hinduism, or the mystical writings of Contemplative Spirituality or New Age. These are merely of men, and even of Satan. No other writing on earth can claim to be God-breathed as does the Bible! All others give the wrong idea about God and Jesus Christ. The Bible is God’s only book on the earth that is the very Word of God! This is what “inspiration” truly means! One Bible note states: “Thus God not only inspired the authors who wrote the words of the Bible, but He also inspires those who read it with a heart of faith.” (NKJ Study Bible, p.2059) Stay faithful to God’s Word in these latter days. Be a witness for Jesus Christ to lead others to a saving knowledge of Him until you hear that “upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” when He returns.

Posted in The Church Today: Matters of Doctrine and Prophecy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The “Strong Delusion” of “Political Correctness” of the Latter Days

Posted on April 22, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

Reports about terror bomber, twenty-six year old, Tamerlan Tsarmaev, being under investigation by the FBI in 2010 and their not finding any reason for concern at that time is a real shock. There are some concerns that the extreme “politically correct” guidelines that the FBI and other U.S. investigative departments must follow may be largely to blame. We appreciate the amazing work of our law enforcement agencies. Yet, their hands are being tied to a great extent by radical “political correctness.” It seems that evil is able to slip by in new and amazing ways in these present days of willful blindness in America.

The devil is real and so are his evil forces, the demons. The Bible tells us that, even now, prior to the return of Jesus Christ, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He (the Holy Spirit) who now restrains will do so until He, is taken out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7) There will come a time, perhaps very soon, that the Holy Spirit will cease His restraining influence and will be removed, along with the Church, to heaven. Then, evil will be revealed through incredible acts of violence along with great upheavals of governments, Peoples and even of creation. (Matthew 24:1-14)

The Antichrist will arise over the political and religious realms during the seven year Tribulation period. His goal will be to cause every one to take his mark: 666. (Revelation 13:16-18) Many will follow his wicked religion and politics of destruction. He will seek to destroy Israel, the Jews, and any country that supports Israel. This will especially be true, I believe of his efforts to destroy America, who is a strong ally to Israel (stong despite President Obama’s efforts to weaken our ties). America presently has roughly the same number of Jews as citizens as does the State of Israel. Islam is a religion that, as a whole, is committed to America’s and Israel’s destruction. God loves the Moslem as well as the Hindu and Buddhist. We need to show the love of Jesus Christ to them through praying that they will come to saving faith in Christ. Yet many Islamic radicals are seeking to call up terrorist fighters to, through heartless activities, will seek to make war with Israel and America, as well as Great Britain, etc. We saw this with the Boston Bombings, even though our President and others refuse to call this what it is: “Islamic Terrorism.” Christians need to do all they can, through the direction of the Holy Spirit to spread the word of God and the saving truth of the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. There is much darkness in ignorance about the Bible and this is dangerously leading many to follow the deceptions of the Islamic terrorists. Tamerlan Tsarmaev, who died ingloriously at the hands of heroic law enforcement while attempting to blow them up, had told a friend some time before that the Bible was a cheap copy of the Koran. Tsarmaev was wrong by over 500 years! The Bible was written over a period of 1600 years by over 40 different authors from many different places and backgrounds. The Old Testament was completed by about 400 B.C.. The New Testament was written, beginning with the writing of the Gospel of Matthew at around 38 A.D. through Revelation, by the Apostle John at about 100 A.D. Thus the Bible was complete over half a millenium before the Koran was written, sometime after 610 A.D., and before the religion of Islam had its beginning in Arabia.

In these days, we are perhaps witnessing the rise of a “strong delusion,”(2 Thessalonians 2:11) that keeps our leaders preoccupied with “political correctness” more than with reality and truth of the nature of the threat to us. It is too bad that we are more fearful of breaking leftist and liberal policies of “political correctness” than we are of the real threat of Islamic Terrorism. The Antichrist will be an expert at coming up with politically correct policies to get the world under his evil sway. The world will buy into his transformative policies which will include changing how people will think and speak, because the demonic powers will be allowed by God to bring “strong delusion” upon them. “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” (Daniel 7:25) We need to be aware of the “strong delusion” of “political correctness” which is being pushed by so many on the left who seem to have more problems with a strong Israel and a strong Christian presence in America than they do with combating and even using the words: “radical Islamic terrorism.” The closing words of Revelation are more relevant than ever in these latter days when spiritual delusion is growing ever stronger: “Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rejection of God’s Truth makes us Vulnerable as a Nation

Posted on April 20, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

We should be more aware than ever that America is in need of revival and a return as a nation to the God of the Bible. So much of our willingness to be “politically correct” regarding the real nature and threat of Islam, especially the radicalized version of it, is blinding us to the real existential threats to both America and to Israel.

I believe this is why we are now so weak in our support of Israel. We need leadership in America that will take a clear stand! Our present political leaders are being very mis-leading as to the reality of the goals of fundamentalist Islam. That is, the complete destruction of Israel and thus of the United States. Their desire to destroy America is not simply because of our policies in the Arab nations, but primarily because of our stated support of Israel. For example, events like the Fort Hood Shooting were re-catagorized from being called Islamic terrorism to that of being mere work-place violence. No doubt, the Obama administration, along with the Department of Justice under Eric Holder, are now scrambling as to how to address this latest Islamic Terrorist crime of the Boston Bombings. We must pray that they will view it as it is and not seek to cover it up in any way like we have seen with the Benghazi cover-up, etc.

So many Christians and churches today are being seduced into a similar temptation to call sin something other than what it is. Often ministries will play down significant threats of doctrinal error to their supporters or congregations in order to advance their own causes. Putting blinders on is always dangerous! In these latter days of the unfolding of world history, according to Bible prophecy, we are seeing strong trends to reject God’s truth as it is revealed in the Scriptures. This rejection of God’s truth as it is stated in the Bible results in spiritual and satanically induced blindness. This blindness, in turn, results in a vulnerability to attacks from God’s enemies and the enemies of His people. Paul warned in 2 Corinthians: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) The “god of this world” to which Paul refers here is Satan.

The devil is a real enemy who desires to bring as much confusion and destruction into the world as he possibly can. He is behind the “radicalizing” of these two young men who set off these bombs during the Boston Marathon. Satan is the enemy of our souls, and he hates the Lord Jesus Christ and all those who believe in Him, as well as those who seek to support and protect Israel. Again, his desire and design is to bring blindness. He chief means of doing this is to reject God’s Word and to reject God Himself.

Just as a ship is vulnerable when its radar and sonar are taken out, in a similar way, we as a nation are vulnerable because of our rejection of God. God’s promise is: “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4) So, God promises He never sleeps and will watch over any nation that will honor Him. Instead, we have rejected Him and have become blind to evil. As a nation it is “politically correct” to “call evil good and good evil, and put darkness for light and light for darkness.”( (Isaiah 5:20)

It is time for believers in Jesus Christ to pray that America’s leaders begin to face the truth that they have rejected the one true Triune God of the Bible. God will and is holding us accountable for this through allowing us to be all the more vulnerable through spiritual blindness to the attacks of Satan. The Church, which should serve as “eyes and ears and conscience” to a nation, is enabling this national blindness by shaving off the importance of sound biblical doctrine and being unwilling to take a stand against false teaching and false teachers for the sake of popularity and financial profit. This has and will bring spiritual blindness to the Church as it has caused blindness to our nation today. I believe the spirit of Antichrist is even now working to dull our thinking and blind us to prophetic truth, which is God’s truth. Being blind to God’s truth will soon bring outright rejection of His truth through the Bible, and allow us to become vulnerable to the things and events that Bible prophecy warns us is sure to come in these latter days!

The cure for blindness for America and the American Church today is found in the prophecy of Revelation: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15) While America rejoices that these two terrorist brothers were stopped, and this is truly a miracle of God’s pure grace, yet, thousands more children will be killed in Boston and America through abortion. Where we see terrorism in one place, we are blind as a nation to the terrorism of the unborn in another place. And, in still another place is the terrorism against the traditional and biblical family through same-sex marriage! Terrorism, in any form advances through vulnerability, which, in turn, occurs through spiritual blindness. Again, this blindness comes through the rejection of the one true God!

Watching for the coming of the Lord will sharpen our spiritual eyesight, through Bible study and prayer. Through God’s Holy Spirit, we will notice the signs of the times. These are signs we need to see to keep from being vulnerable to those powers, both visible and invisible, that seek our blindness and then our destruction. The Bible tells us that there is a “light” that comes to us through Bible prophecy to which we need to pay close attention. The study of Bible prophecy will greatly affect how we see and interpret the events of our days. Peter wrote: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19) I believe the Holy Spirit will honor with insight Christians who are students of the Bible and of Bible prophecy. God will provide them with critical insight as to the significance and meaning of the events of our times even in the midst of a nation and many churches and ministries that have rejected and compromised God’s Truth. So, in spite of much spiritual blindness, Christians who are watching for the Lord’s return need to be watchmen on the wall in these days of national vulnerability. (Ezekiel 33:7-11)

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Boston Bomb Blast and the Signs of the Times

Posted on April 17, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

A sudden blast of a bomb in the middle of a crowd of hundreds at the finish line at the Boston Marathon yesterday, April 15th, is likely a sorrowful indication that the latter days are upon us. This does not mean in any way that God is not still sovereign and in absolute control of His creation. But, never forget that creation and everyone in it is fallen through sin. This is why Jesus Christ, the Son of God came into the world, to die on the cross to save sinners. Then He rose from the dead. And He promised that He will return to put a rebellious world back under His authority.  He will do this by judging the wicked and giving eternal life to those who believe in Him.

Man, in wickedness, because of his hatred for God and His people and under the diabolical influence of Satan, is seeking to bring as much violence into the world as possible. Each evil action seems, over time, to be a little worse and more twisted than before. Truly this is the case today!  There is greater darkness coming over the world, and these are indeed “perilous times” as predicted in 2 Timothy 3:1. Paul, through his letter to the young preacher, Timothy, predicted by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Who knows the entire future in perfect detail, that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.” Paul predicts the awful characteristics of many people in the latter days. In 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Paul predicted that men of the latter days will have 20 specific and fleshly characteristics which will produce perilous times and circumstances. These circumstances will involve horrible violence and destruction for vile, selfish and demonic purposes. This rise in violence is part of the preparations for the coming of the final man of sin who will instigate despicable violence against the innocent. This will be the Antichrist.  His spirit is already active today.  “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work (is at work in the world already)…” (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

The Boston Bombing is one example of the horrible reality of latter-day Satanically energized and demonically directed violence. Again, Paul lists 20 specific attitudes and activities of the wicked in the latter days. As I list them, see if you can recognize these as particularly prominent today as the behavior, not only of individuals but also of our godless culture both in America and around the world:

Men will be:  Lovers of self, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, dishonoring to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection (perverted, callous, and inhuman), unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of those that are good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having (only) a form of godliness, denying the power of God and the life of godliness (the reality of the Holy Spirit and His indwelling life). (2 Timothy 3:1-17)

Jesus clearly stated the character of the times just prior to His return when He said: “As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be” (Matthew 24:37-39, HCSB). Marriage is very much in the news these days, but the issue today is “giving in marriage,” because the call of our perverted latter-day culture in America and in Europe is to give anyone away in marriage. This is marriage of one man to several women, or man given in marriage to another man, or a woman to a woman. This is violence against marriage, against women, against children, and against the very image of God in man!

In the days of Noah, perverted marriage arrangements were the rage. In Genesis 6 there is the sad record of the Sons of God, fallen angels, taking “wives of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:2).  The result of this unholy union were “giants in the earth in those days” (verse 4).  The consequences of this iniquitous marriage arrangement was judgment, just prior to the flood of Noah. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at His heart.  And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…” (verses 5-7a).   Remember that Jesus said: “as its was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus) be.

We are also seeing great violence against children through abortion.  Christians need to pray for President Obama to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and to be converted from a sinful anti-life view to a pro-life position to save lives. We should be sure that our sins will find us out (Numbers 32:23) and God has already begun to judge us as a nation. In the days just prior to Noah’s flood, the times were described in this way: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11).  How can we deny that this is exactly what is happening today? Today there is the violence against God and His Word, violence against marriage, violence against innocent children in the womb, and against their mothers, violence against womanhood and manhood through the perversion of pornography. These types of violence mark these days as being like the “days of Noah.” If God’s prophetic word is true, and I believe with all my heart that it is, then judgment is already coming upon America, just as Psalm 73:6 tells us: “Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.”

I pray that the bombing in Boston will awaken America that true wickedness is in our midst!  Satan has been given much ground in our land through sin.  God will hold us accountable, just as He did Sodom and Gomorrah.  They, and no less we in America, have “sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). Many, many innocent people suffer much through the wickedness of others. We need to pray for those who have been hurt in this horrific crime and for the loved ones of those who have been murdered. We also need to pray for revival in America. We cannot hope to solve this crime, and many many others without the supernatural help of the Living God!

Yesterday, April 14, was the day that Israel remembered the soldiers who have fallen in their wars in defense of God’s people and God’s land. Today, April 15, is the day of Israel’s celebration of their independence as a sovereign nation (as of May of 1948).  God is truly doing a miraculous work through His people, the Jews, especially as we see them regather in their land. And many Jewish people are coming to a saving faith in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps this sheds some light on the timing of yesterday’s bombing. Terrorists, at heart, are anti-Semitic, and anti-Christ. But as long as America tolerates immorality, godlessness and violence against the innocent in our midst, we are endangering God’s people Israel. We threaten them through ineptitude in how we deal with Islamic nations such as Egypt, Syria and Iran. We threaten them through our inept response to the imminent threat of North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, of Iran, and the indirect threat of China. God has revealed Himself to America for many years.  Pray that America will listen and respond to Him.  And keep watching, the Lord will come at any moment! “Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh!” (Matthew 24:44).

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why so little preaching on the Second Coming?

Posted on April 15, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

The last Words of Jesus Christ in the Bible are found in the next to last verse in the Scriptures: “Surely I come quickly. Amen” (Revelation 22:20). Many believe that since Jesus has not returned over the last 2,000 years of Church history, then we might as well stop talking about it. But this is not an option that is given in the Word of God! Over and over, the New Testament Scriptures encourage us to look for the coming of the Lord from heaven at any moment. A careful look at the signs that are given in the Bible surrounding the coming of the Lord along with an awareness of the news these days tells us that things are shaping up for Jesus to return and for the unfolding of the final days of this age on earth.

Yet there are so many preachers these days that are so in love with their own success that they seem to be unconcerned with the Lord’s return. And this is not just true of preachers, but of Christians in general today. Because the prophetic truths about the rapture of the Church and the Great Tribulation period which is to come about in the future are not being expounded from the pulpits in America, people are left with the impression that things will simply never change. In 2 Peter 3:4 we read the clear prophecy that as the earth approaches the End Times, there will be a growing attitude of apathy concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Worldliness and unbelief, which will be cultivated by immoral lifestyles as well as covetous practices, will cause this apathetic attitude to grow worse. Peter writes: (they will ask) “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). 

Well, even preachers and teachers of the Bible reason that the New Testament writers thought that Jesus would return in their life time, and He did not. But this is a false premise which ends with a deceptive conclusion. The Apostle Paul and Peter and the other early believers expected the Lord to return at any time, and not simply “in their lifetime.” They believed and taught that believers should always be ready for Jesus to return.  The Apostle John, who lived until about 100 A.D., was so convinced of His return that he wrote in his first letter (written about 90 A.D.) that we are to continue to “abide in Him,” that is, in Jesus Christ.  He said in this context (1 John 2:28) that our continuation in our abiding walk in Christ will be greatly encouraged by our awaiting His return.  John wrote:  “Abide in Him, that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”  When John wrote these words an entire generation of Christians had already passed on to glory, and the Lord had not yet returned. Undaunted, John still watched for Jesus’ any moment return and encouraged believers to do the same.

And as far as it being over 2,000 years since the Lord ascended to heaven with the promise to return, (Acts 1:11) remember the amazing words of Peter in this regard: “The Lord is not slack, concerning His promise (of His return), as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering (patient) toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  So, God intends to fill up heaven as much as possible and for as long as possible. Yet, what is a “long time” to our way of thinking, is only a short time to God!  Peter states: “But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Therefore, in all reality, from God’s perspective, (which is the only one that really counts!) it has only been two days since the Lord was on the earth and died and rose again! We are now in the beginning of the third day!

With this in mind, I want you to consider these remarkable words spoken by the prophet Hosea at about 780 B.C.: “Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.  AFTER TWO DAYS WILL HE REVIVE US; IN THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP, AND WE SHALL LIVE IN HIS SIGHT. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:1-3).

I believe that we are right on the brink of the Lord’s return based upon the signs of the times that Jesus gives that surround us today! But even beyond the signs is the Lord’s simple promise: “I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself (at the rapture [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18]); that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). Still, even if the signs and the Lord’s promise combined were not enough for preachers to expound the truths of the Second Coming to their congregations, and for us believers to witness theses truths to others, then we still have the Lord’s clear command to believe it and to watch for His wonderful return: “Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42). “Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44).

Posted in The Church Today: Matters of Doctrine and Prophecy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Israel, A Major Part of God’s Prophetic Plan for the World

Posted on April 13, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

In the study of Bible prophecy, it is always import to keep Israel and the Church as separate distinct purposes of God. If we confuse these two purposes of God then we will replace Israel with the Church and this will cause great confusion and misinterpretation of the Scriptures regarding God’s eternal covenant with Israel and His plans for the future.

God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 that He was setting him apart as the forefather of a distinct and separate people on the earth. This covenant was eternal and also promised the land to Israel. This is the land they occupy today in small part. It is prophesied that, through Abraham’s descendents (Isaac, then Jacob who was renamed “Israel”), there would arise David who would be anointed as King of Israel. This Davidic line and throne was to last forever. From this throne would come the Reigning and Suffering Messiah of the Jews, and then for the whole world, Jesus Christ ( see: 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Luke 1:32-33). Jesus offered Himself to His own people as their Messiah, but, as a nation, they rejected Him in unbelief. However, many Jews and Gentiles did believe and received Him as their Messiah and Savior as the new-born Church in Acts 2. Now, God, having stopped His prophetic clock of Daniel’s 490 year prophecy for the completion of His purpose for Israel until Messiah returns, is still very active in preserving and preparing Israel for that day! (Read Daniel 9:24-27; John 1:11-13; Matthew 23:29-39; Acts 1-2; Ephesians 3). This is why we have been and are seeing such a great movement of Jews going back to their home land and the issues surrounding Israel are on the fore-front of the news these days. These are indications that the Lord is coming, and perhaps even today, to rapture His Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Next, the Great Tribulation will begin with the rise of the Antichrist who will appear as the Messiah to the Jews and to the whole world. He will be their long-awaited deliverer, no matter what religion or immoral life-style any one practices. In the middle of the Tribulation God will seal 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel! They will preach to the world about Jesus Christ, Him crucified, resurrected and coming again. Many will be saved during that time of world-wide trial. The Church will be in heaven already with the Lord during that time, only the false Church, Babylon the Great, will be on the earth. The Church as a whole is already losing its clear testimony for Christ as its focus is on self-perpetuation, self-realization, self-affirmation and not on sound doctrine and the coming of the Lord (see 2 Timothy 3:1-13; Revelation 3: 15-17).

What an amazing unfolding of the great prophecies of Scripture we are witnessing today! The rise of leftist, humanistic, pro-abortion liberalism under a president who is dangerously weak and double-minded in his support of God’s people, the Jews, signal the nearness of the coming of the Man of Sin, the Antichrist who will assert dictatorial rule with a goal to destroy the Jews entirely! Much of this signal comes in the form of strangely horrific storms that have been devastating the land in America. There are diseases that defy explanation! There is the devastation of deep racial and religious division instigated and perpetuated by our liberal and anti-Christian leadership. Wars and rumors of wars are arising with ever-increasing ferocity through demonic leaders like Kim Jong-Un of North Korea or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Even marriage and the family is under aggressive assault! We have also seen earthquakes, perfectly timed to indicate God’s displeasure with America’s complacency toward God and Israel. We must always keep in mind the warning of Jesus to His disciples and to the Jews of the later days:

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 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. .. 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” (Matthew 24:4-8, 10-12).

Many of those in the Church, by ignoring Bible prophecy and seeking to establish a global “Kingdom” before the Lord returns, have commandeered God’s promises for Israel and transferred them to the Church. This is Replacement Theology. Therefore we need to pray for Israel. We should pray for the salvation of the Jews. Many are coming to faith in Jesus Christ these days. This is in spite of the fact that growing numbers are teaching, even in the “evangelical” Church the false and dangerous Dual-Covenant Doctrine, that states the Jews do not need to believe in Jesus Christ to be saved and that He did not come to offer Himself to the Jews as their Messiah. We are certainly in the last days, just as the Bible predicted when we see “another gospel” such as this being taught and accepted (Galatians 1:6-9). This is just another and even more insidious form of anti-Semitism! But, God’s prophetic plan will prevail because our God is sovereign. Whatever purpose comes against His people or His own righteous plan is well stated by Ezekiel who quotes God’s intention regarding the overthrow of all that offends His righteousness: “Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him” (Ezekiel 21:27).

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The News Media: False Prophets of our Time?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

In Old Testament Israel, prophets spoke for God. Yet there were also others, false prophets, that did not speak for God, but only for themselves and for those who were in rebellion against God and His will. Those in the news media today, I believe, most often, are false prophets of our time. It is interesting that the news media in America and Europe today mainly takes a leftist, or liberal view of reality. They are predominately pro-abortion and pro-redefinition of traditional marriage, pro-global government and anti-Christian, and anti-Israel. They also tend to be anti-capitalistic and generally support leftist causes around the world. Again, they seem to be among the false prophets of our time!!

Jesus predicted in Matthew 24:11-12, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” The false prophets of the latter days will promote false ideas and false philosophies and will support false solutions to problems. Many of these will indeed be problems that they themselves have caused. Truth is not so much the issue with these false prophets of the last days, but political agenda will be the issue. They will promote proper ways of saying things, often called “political correctness.” This involves a real lack of love for people as many innocent lives are sacrificed through abortion, and many children and families suffer because the family is being redefined, and thus often destroyed. Since millions of abortions reduce the size of the masses and greatly facilitates control by government.

This does not mean that the individual members of the world News Media are insincere! Nor does this mean that they are trying to be evil people. It just means that they are deceived through sin. Therefore their convictions tend to be anti-Christian, anti-theistic, and anti-biblical in orientation. Having the philosophy of life and a cosmological viewpoint that generally arises from rejecting the Bible, their orientation toward cultural and sociological, as well as religious realities, are going to be affected in ways that are consistent with their evolutionist and often, secular humanistic perspective. Few of them have been willing to break from the “group think” approach to perceiving and reporting events and trends of the day. Recent news about new reporting policies of the Associated Press indicate that the leftist tendencies of the false prophets of these days are only getting worse.

Still, understand as we might, as Christians, we have to come to grips with the reality that we are in a real spiritual battle against mindsets and worldviews which are aggressive and revolutionary in zeal which seeks ultimately to restrict the freedom of believers in Jesus Christ to speak of Him and to affirm His teachings to a needy and lost world. They would rather assert that we should be silenced as dangerous inhibitors of global progress. Those, then that hold this general philosophical and cosmological orientation represent an actual “religious” view of “Leftism” or “Secular Humanism” which is very much more dogmatic than even the most committed Christian. These, then, are the “false prophets” of our time the title to which this entry refers: “The New Media: False Prophets of our Time?”

Believing that we are in the latter days, we need to think carefully about what the Bible teaches concerning false prophets. Their message needs always to be held up to the Word of God for verification. In the prophetic book of Ezekiel, the Lord was speaking through His prophet about the priests and the prophets who “have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean…so that I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26) So, often, the liberal news casters prejudice reports of events, movements, and trends pertaining to Christians, and concerning Israel and their right to exist and to defend themselves as a nation. Often, viewing Israel and Christians as the problem in the world, because they deny any idea of supernatural revelation through the Bible, and any notion that God has a chosen people on the earth today, they view believers in Jesus Christ as the real troublemakers.

It is sad when those who call themselves Christians give these false prophets incentive through thoughtless words and acts. This is why we, as Christians, recognizing that persecution will exist in the latter days, should humbly seek the Lord daily for wisdom as to how to communicate the truths of the Bible and the will of God through Jesus Christ to the world in loving yet convicting ways that are true to God’s Word.

Are you available to be used by the Lord wherever you live, no matter your financial or family background, for His glory? Are you willing to spend significant time in the study of the Scriptures and of Bible prophecy so that you have a grasp of the times and learn how to answer the false prophets of our times with truth from God’s Word? God, as He looked over the bleak landscape of secularized and idolatrous cultures in Ezekiel’s day, said: “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30).

How sad that, in these latter days which may see the return of Jesus Christ at any moment, there are many, many cultures and societies, even nations where there is no one that the Lord may find who is willing to pray for that land! We need intercessors for the Lord in America! God desires to raise up intercessors, which are those who will pray for others who are in trouble or in sin, in many countries around the world today. Jesus encouraged the disciples who would be under persecution in the latter days: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).

Once you are saved by simple faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are saved forever! In this verse, Jesus is encouraging believers to stay faithful and not to give in, or be drawn away by the trends of unbelief in their day. Those who persecute them will be judged by God in His own time. But God loves them too and desires also that they come to believe on His Son so their sins can be forgiven. Jesus wants you and me to understand the times and to stand strong, faithful and victorious as true witnesses in the midst of many, many false prophets in our days.

So next time you hear a liberal news broadcaster or read a humanistic newspaper or magazine, do not be surprised at their unbelief, nor be despondent or pessimistic, but pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to them and that they will receive Him as their personal Savior. Then they can know His forgiveness and His love. Then they will have the Mind of Christ” (John 1:12;1 Corinthians 2:16). Meanwhile, wait on the Lord and He will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31). Do not fear, “for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). Keep looking for the Lord’s return!

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Are the Kings of the East Rising Up?

Posted on April 8, 2013 by prophecyinperspective

The countries of Asia certainly figure into the End Times scenario. The agitation of North Korea, under the demonic leadership of Kim Jong-Un, threatening the United States with nuclear attack goes beyond the question as to whether they have the actual capability to make good on their threat. Students of Bible prophecy should understand that the United States will continue, at least for a while to support Israel, and so long as this is happening, this nation will not be destroyed. While America’s destruction for her sins might occur sometime during the Great Tribulation Period, I continue to believe that the Lord is using this nation to continue to provide defense for Israel.

North Korea and China are clearly already interested in the destruction of America. Hating America is a round about way to hate Israel since we are so clearly tied together as allies. Revelation 16:12 predicts that during the Tribulation Period, the latter half, an angel will dry up the Euphrates river to allow for the passing of the armies of the “kings of the east.” There are literally billions of potential troops that even now can be mobilized from China, Japan, India and Indonesia, Malaysia, Viet Nam, and through massive air lift and shipping, millions from North Korea. These are nations that Satan no doubt, even now, is preparing for the last days attack on Israel at Armageddon. While this battle may be seven years, and even longer, from today, it would stand to reason that the impetus for this preparation will arise through nations like North Korea causing much instability to the countries of Asia to in turn cause them to arm, and prepare for war. China, South Korea, and Japan are three nations that certainly feel the threat of this rogue nation. It would not take much, after they arm, to mobilize for the destruction of Israel as near-future events encourage them to do so. The time of their attack on Israel at Armageddon will be at the time when the Euphrates, the historical border between the near and far east is removed as an impediment to the movement of massive numbers of troops and equipment.

You can be sure that demons are behind the scenes even now stoking the flames of ancient hatred for God’s covenant people Israel. Remember that any attack against America is really an indirect attack on the Jews and Israel itself.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the salvation of Jews in America and around the world. Many Jewish individuals are already coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who came to offer Himself as their Messiah. He still offers Himself to them and to us Gentiles. Praise God for His wonderful grace!! He loves His people, the Jews so much and invites them today to come to salvation in Him. In fact, He loves the whole world and desires all to come to faith in Him. Some teach that the Jesus did not come to offer Himself to Israel as their Messiah and so Jewish people do not need to believe on Jesus Christ. This is false! He offered Himself on the cross for “the Jew first and also for the Gentile” (Romans 2:9-10). Meanwhile God calls upon all nations to support and to seek to defend His nation of Israel which is the “Apple of His eye!” (Zechariah 2:8)

I believe the kings of the east might well be preparing, stirring, agitating, and rising with the ultimate goal of the complete annihilation of Israel. As we see in the case of the wicked leadership of North Korea, the threats are already starting!! Already we are perhaps witnessing the insidious and anti-semitic influence of the unclean and evil spirits of Muhammadanism (Islam), Communism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and many other “isms” of the east which stand opposed and are completely antithetical to the truth revealed in the Bible concerning “the Way, the Truth and the Life” Himself who is, the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!(John 7:14;1 Timothy 6:15).

Posted in Our Times: Current Events in Perspective | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments