ESCHATOLOGY 101 DIFFICULTIES

by Jesse Johnson

 

Why is eschatology a difficult topic? Consider: there are three views on the return of Christ as it relates to the millennial kingdom. Either Jesus will return before the kingdom or after the kingdom, or that there is no millennial kingdom. That pretty much covers all of the bases right there. Moreover, when you look through church history, you see all three of those views advanced by major theologians. Why isn’t this easier?
The same tension is true inside of premillennialism. You have those who think the rapture is before the tribulation, those who see it as occurring during the tribulation, and those that see it at the end. Why can’t MacArthur and Piper simply meet at Starbucks and sort this out for the rest of us?
I think there are a two main reasons studying eschatology is difficult:  1. The complexity of church history. As I noted, there are famous pastors and theologians all over the eschatological map. Thus, people on all sides often appeal to authority, as in “Jonathan Edwards was the greatest theologian ever, and he was post-mil, so there.” I call this the “Confessions Can’t be Possibly be Wrong” syndrome.
The problem with it of course is that all of the views have their adherents. It is easy to forget that people—even our heroes in church history—are products of their time and their own education. Every era has its own theological blind spots, and some of those remain even to this day.

2. The difficulty of telescoping prophecy. Prophecy tells of future events, but it often does not distinguish between future events that may be separated by thousands of years. The most obvious example of this is Isaiah 61, which describes the advent of the Messiah. Isaiah tells us that he will come to preach the good news to the afflicted and proclaim liberty to the captives. Jesus said that he fulfilled that prophecy. But then Isaiah 61:2 says that the Messiah would also proclaim the day of Vengeance from God. When Jesus read the scroll of Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:18, he stopped in the middle of the verse, declaring that some of it was fulfilled at his first coming, and implying that the rest would be fulfilled at his second coming.
This effect is often compared to the similar illusion you have of mountain peaks. From a distant valley two peaks appear to be next to each other, but once you begin hiking, you realize that they might in fact be several miles apart. From a distance they looked parallel, but on top of them you see a huge valley between.
This same effect is in prophecy. Daniel tells of 70 weeks for example, and the first 7 and the second 62 are end-on-end. But it is that 70^th one that lies on the other side of over 2,000 years. Isaiah describes the kingdom and the eternal state, two events that I think are separated by 1,000 years, but he often flows from one to the other seamlessly.
This effect makes the study of prophecy anything but an exact science. Scripture is clear as to the future events, and we know that they will be fulfilled down to the exact detail (as was prophecy at the Messiah’s first coming), but it becomes difficult to sort out the precise order of all future events.
Yetwith that said, I hasten to add that scripture is perspicuous, and while the exact order of all future events is prophetic and thus slightly veiled, there is enough revelation to discern a general framework.
Which is why I am comfortable calling myself premillennial and pretribulational. The teaching of the Bible is such that I have never really been able to understand how someone could reject the reality of the millennial kingdom, and the weight of a few passages compels me to see the return of Christ before that kingdom. That’s not to say that I know all the details of the kingdom, but I am more than comfortable saying that I thinks Scripture is clear on the issue.
As for the rapture, because of the difficulty of prophetic passages, I understand why all three major rapture views (pre-trib, pre-wrath, and post-trib) have problem passages. They involve the timing of future events, and those events are often described in contexts where prophecy is telescoped, and it remains unclear precisely how all the details will line up.  However, I am still confident with saying that the best understanding of the verses that speak of a rapture points to one that is pretribulational.
Next week I’ll lay out my positive argument for that view.

Related Posts

• 4 Honest Questions About the Millennial Kingdom
• Eschatology 101--definitions

QUESTION: "DOES WAR WITH SYRIA HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE END TIMES?"

Answer: As civil war rages in Syria and other nations ponder potential involvement, some Bible teachers believe we can see biblical end-times prophecy unfolding right before our eyes. The Middle East is a religious-political powder keg and has been for years, but the Syrian Crisis seems to be making the situation that much more explosive. Because of Syria’s proximity to Israel, Egypt’s troubles, Iran’s threats, and the United States’ ultimatums, there is talk of the end times, Armageddon, and World War III.

It is true that, with every passing day, we draw closer to the Second Coming of Christ (James 5:8). And the prophecy of Isaiah 17:1 has yet to be fulfilled: “A prophecy against Damascus: ‘See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.’” Damascus, the capital of Syria, has a longstanding reputation for being the oldest continuously occupied city in the world. It has never been without citizens or totally destroyed. But Isaiah’s prophecy still stands; there is coming a day when Damascus will be nothing but a “heap of ruins.” The current war in Syria could indeed be one of the events leading up to the capital’s destruction.

There are other verses in the Bible tethered to Isaiah 17:1, but the idea of a ruinous heap suggests that not one building is left standing in Damascus. The city will no longer be a city. Some students of prophecy believe a nuclear bomb could be the means of fulfilling this prophecy; others suggest the possibility of an earthquake. Regardless of exactly how or when it happens, two things we know for sure: God is sovereign and His Word will stand (Isaiah 40:8).

There is much unrest in the Middle East, and the war in Syria is capturing the attention of the whole world. However, this particular conflict, even if it expands to other nations, cannot be associated with Armageddon. That battle occurs near the end of the Tribulation, during the bowl judgments, as the nations of the earth gather to fight against the Lord (Revelation 16:12–16). The war in Syria, if it is indeed part of end-times prophecy, is more likely part of the “birth pains” described in Mark 13:7–8.

In 700 BC, Isaiah wrote of the demise of Damascus. Today, 2,700 years later, many believe that we are close to seeing that long-standing prophecy fulfilled. However chaotic the events on the world stage appear, we know that all things are working toward the fulfillment of God’s Word.

“The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)—are you ready for His coming?

Recommended Resource: Understanding End Times Prophecy by Paul Benware.

WILL ISAIAH 17 SOON BE FULFILLED?

- By Daymond Duck -http://www.raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd87.html

On January 29, 2013, Israel launched the first of several recent attacks inside Syria. Several reports said Israel destroyed a Syrian military convoy that was transporting sophisticated Russian anti-aircraft missiles. Other reports said Israel destroyed a Syrian factory that produced and stored biological and chemical weapons. Some sources said several Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops were killed. Iran was livid and said Israel would regret it.

On May 5, 2013, Israel launched a second attack inside Syria. Bombs were dropped on a series of targets housing high-tech Russian missiles. One report said at least 300 elite Syrian soldiers were killed and hundreds were wounded and hospitalized. Syria's Foreign Minister quickly called this second attack a "Declaration of War."

On May14, 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu flew to Russia for an emergency meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss these two attacks and the Russian sale of two kinds of sophisticated missiles to Syria: The S-300 anti-aircraft missile and the Yakhont anti-ship cruise missile. Mr. Netanyahu opposed the sale of these missiles and warned Mr. Putin that Israel would destroy them if they were shipped. Mr. Putin warned Mr. Netanyahu that Israel is headed for a war with Syria and it would be a war that could drag in Russia (drag in Russia made me think of God's hook mentioned in Ezekiel 38:4). Mr. Netanyahu returned to Israel believing this quickly arranged very important emergency meeting had failed. He was also burdened with a bad feeling about what might happen in the very near future if Russia continued to ship these missiles and Israel continued to destroy them. Russia's Foreign Minister said the missiles have been sold to Syria and they will be delivered.

The very next day, on May 15, 2013, a Palestinian group known for its strong support of Syrian President Assad fired several mortars out of Syria into Israel. Mr. Netanyahu quickly reacted with a strong warning to Mr. Assad: If Mr. Assad's proxies continued to attack Israel, Israel would remove Mr. Assad from power.

On July 5, 2013, Israel launched a third attack inside Syria. Several great explosions destroyed everything at a very large weapons depot near Syria's main seaport. There were contradictory reports about what happened and who did it, but some said Russia had carried through on its promise to deliver the controversial missiles and Israel had carried through on its warning to destroy them. All doubt was erased about the contradictory reports when several CIA officials, with the seeming approval of President Obama, said it was Israel.

Vladimir Putin was furious. He ordered a surprise drill, the largest since the fall of the Soviet Union, to begin on July 13, 2013 to test Russia's readiness for war. He urged his troops to enter a state of full combat readiness. This was seen as a clear warning to Israel to stop attacking the missiles he keeps sending to Syria.

On July 27, 2013, Israel launched a fourth attack, but this time it was in Lebanon and Syria. One unconfirmed report said Israel destroyed a convoy transporting weapons from Syria to Lebanon. Another unconfirmed report said Israel bombed a Syrian army post.

On August 1, 2013, CIA officials with President Obama's approval confirmed that Israel was behind the July 27, 2013 attack. But they said that Syria had moved some of the missiles and all of them didn't get destroyed. These same CIA officials said we can expect Israel to carry out more attacks on Syria to finish the job in the future. They added that as long as Russia keeps sending controversial missiles to Syria we can expect Israel to keep attacking them. By deliberately disclosing Israeli military secrets against the wishes of Israel, President Obama is increasing the likelihood of war between Israel and Syria.

Why would he deliberately release information that could start a war between Israel and Syria that could drag in Russia? I don't know, but he might be trying to weaken Israel (which he has threatened to do), help the rebels in Syria (which he has said he will do), and embarrass Putin (who looks the "bored kid in the back of the classroom") that he clearly doesn't like.

With all of this going on it is difficult to imagine that someone won't make a mistake and trigger a war between Israel and Syria in the near future (or that Russia, Iran and others won't quickly get involved). The Bible says it will happen in that day (at the end of the age). Are you ready? The way these explosive events are lining up with Bible prophecy is too real to ignore.

FYI: "God Has Spoken (And We Know It)" by Daymond Duck will be out this month (August 2013).

Prophecy Plus Ministries

Daymond & Rachel Duck

daymondduck@bellsouth.net

rachelduck@bellsouth.net

THE END OF THE AGE OF GRACE IS AT HAND

- By Carl Worline -http://www.raptureready.com/soap/worline7.html

I am not a prophet. In-fact, I do not even have the gift of prophecy. Instead, I am a Christian who reads the news each day, including the prophetic news websites and I consider myself a "watcher on the wall."

As such, I feel the need to sound the alarm. The signs in the world today all point to the end of the Age of Grace and to the imminent arrival of the Rapture. We are, quite literally, in the very last moments of the opportunity that mankind has to find salvation through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus as the Savior of the world. At this moment eternal life in heaven with Jesus is a free gift. Very soon now that will change. Salvation will still be attainable, but at a very high price.

The vast majority of people seem to feel exceptionally uncomfortable when I mention the word "Rapture." Perhaps this is because date setters, such as Harold Camping, have all been wrong in the past and have lost all of their credibility. I tend to believe that people today are uncomfortable with any mention of the Rapture and the end of the Age of Grace, because they have a well-founded fear deep in their soul that something really big is about to happen and they know that they are going to be left behind to face a horrible fate of some kind.

There are signs out there that flood us with warnings that the end of the Age of Grace is here. In fact, there are so many signs that it is becoming all but impossible to see the road on which we are traveling. Every person on this planet has been impacted by these signs in one way or another. Let's take a look at a few of the signs that have occurred recently. Space does not permit me to list them all or to delve very deeply into specifics, but we can certainly look at some of the major signs of the time.

The earth, itself, is groaning. Our weather is nothing less than freakish. It seems that every place that is not experiencing a drought is under water from floods of biblical proportions. Freak hailstorms now seem routine. Dormant volcanoes all over the planet are coming back to life as we see a major up-tick in earthquakes. Tornadoes have become super-sized and almost seem to have a mind of their own at times - a mind that does not seem to like us very much. Wildfires appear much more frequently and also seem to be much more destructive. Natural disasters displaced 32.4 million people in 2012.

Incidents of mass-animal die-offs are averaging more than two per day. Strange, creepy, and very loud sounds are being hard over large areas and nobody has been able to explain them, or even discern the direction they are coming from. The earth's magnetic poles are moving at an accelerated rate while sinkholes are popping up in diverse places around the world.

Despite so many floods, water is becoming scarce. One-third of the world's population has limited access to fresh water. Most of the major rivers in the world are experiencing reduced rates of flow. Egypt is ready to go to war with Ethiopia over the Nile. The Colorado River, the High Plains Aquifer, and the entire western half of the United States, are rapidly drying up.

There are many signs in the heavens. Large meteors and fireballs are hitting the earth. Solar flares are unusually intense. Solar and lunar eclipses, complete with blood moons, are occurring and they are occurring on Jewish feast days. Near misses by asteroids now occur on a seemingly regular basis. A huge chunk of space rock recently struck the moon and produced an impact so large it was visible from earth without a telescope. God told us in the first chapter of Genesis that He put the stars, planets, and moon in the heavens as signs for us. Perhaps we should believe Him and look up once in awhile.

The stars remain fixed in their relationship to one another as the planets wander through them, telling a story that is constantly changing (and often difficult to interpret). Later this month the Star of David planetary alignment will occur for the last time leading up to the Tetrad of blood moons that will occur in 2014 - 2015 and will not occur again for another century. What exactly does this mean, or is it just a coincidence?

There is a huge increase in sickeningly evil acts throughout the world, just as Jesus said there would be. I will not list examples here. They are too horrible to think about. How could mankind have become so grotesque in its inhumanity?

Islam has experienced a rabidly intolerant worldwide awakening. Muslims slaughter Christians and Jews for the most seemingly trivial of excuses while demanding that the world accept Sharia law with all of its cruelty. The cruelty of Islam intensifies daily with each new act seemingly more cruel and inhuman than the last.

Christian persecution has increased to the point that Christianity is literally threatened with extinction in many areas of the world. The Vatican just declared that 100,000 people are killed each year for their Christian beliefs. North Korea alone has imprisoned an estimated 70,000 people for being a Christian. The Christian population of the Holy Land is rapidly heading toward extinction, as is the rest of the Middle East as well.

Egypt's Christians face arson, beatings, and forced conversion among the upheavals. Here at home in the United States an Arizona pastor was just imprisoned for holding a Bible study in his home. He was sentenced to 60 days, plus 3 years probation, plus a $12,180 fine. However, it is not a crime to have an unlimited number of buddies over to watch a football game on TV while drinking as much beer, wine, or hard liquor as one can consume.

Christian fundamentals are crumbling. Upon his confirmation as the new pope,

Francis dedicated his reign to Mary and promised redemption for the "good atheists." Lutherans have elected their first gay bishop. The Church of Scotland has voted to allow gay ministers. The Church of England has formally given up the fight against gay marriage. In the UK there are more people who believe in aliens than believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The White House has formed a petition to ban teaching creationism and intelligent design in schools. The rising new religion of Chrislam is replacing the one true God with the Islamic god known as Allah. Blasphemy and mocking abound as Hollywood releases two new movies ridiculing the Rapture. Saint Malachy's pope number 112 has come to power as lightning strikes Saint Peter's Basilica (twice). Meanwhile a pro-abortion mob chants "God is dead," and "Hail Satan," on the steps of the Texas Legislature during a session considering legislation to save unborn children.

Anti-Semitism is increasing across Europe once again, as well as on college campuses around the world.

Homosexuality is not only becoming legalized, but is becoming morally acceptable all over the world. Those who believe it is wrong are accused of being the ones who have the mental disease or defect. Brazil has paved the way for gay marriage. France has become the fourteenth country to legalize gay weddings. Cubans are holding marches to protest "homophobia." Tel Aviv recently had a turnout of 100,000 for a gay pride parade. In France, mandatory sex education for 6 year olds aims to shift the perception of traditional biological roles.

A former police officer was just arrested in the UK for publicly stating that he believes homosexuality to be a sin. Third-graders introduced President Obama at an LGBT pride event at the White House in June. A Milwaukee school held a "gender-bender" day where boys came dressed as girls, and girls came dressed as boys. A children's television network has launched a transsexual superhero show. The Boy Scouts of America voted to accept gay youths and then marched in a gay pride parade in Salt Lake City. Not to be out done, over 90 Girl Scouts marched in a gay pride parade in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against the Defense of Marriage Act, and also ruled in such a manner as to allow gay marriages to resume in California. The bells of our National Cathedral in Washington D.C. rang for joy as celebrations broke out in major cities around the world regarding our Supreme Court's decision. It would almost seem that our highest court has become the mouthpiece of the homosexual cause.

Our Pentagon held a formal ceremony to celebrate our gay troops, declaring our nation to be a safer place because of them. Oklahoma suffered two F5 tornadoes after proclaiming that their state homosexual pride week would begin at 4 PM on Pentecost. And in Seattle, gay pride participants viciously beat a Christian street preacher.

The rise of sexual perversion defies imagination. The White House marked Mothers Day by celebrating birth control. Recent legislation allows 15-year-old girls to purchase the morning after pill without parental permission or knowledge. The California legislature passed the kindergarten through 12th grade transgender rights bill that allows children to use whatever bathroom, or shower room they identify with.

Wars and rumors of wars seem to be at an all-time fever pitch. Chemical weapons have been used in the Middle East. Syria and Israel are exchanging fire in the Golan Heights while Assad has announced that he is serious about opening a new front against Israel.   Conservative reports estimate that 100,000 have been killed so far in Syria's civil war. The Syrian conflict has spread to Lebanon. Russia has been taking an increasingly active interest in Syria, sending Assad ship killing missiles. Iran has sent 4,000 of their top troops to Syria.

Egypt and Jordan have expelled their ambassadors from Israel. Muslims are turning against Muslims in many places such as Turkey and Syria. Egypt has cut all ties with Syria and closed the embassy in Cairo, and has withdrawn the Egyptian envoy from Damascus because of Hezbollah's aggression in the Syrian conflict. Australia has abandoned the Golan Heights. Egypt teeters on the brink of civil war after Mohammad Morsi's overthrow. A recent anti-Muslim Brotherhood protest in Egypt was the largest political event ever in world history. And finally, North Korea continues with its short- range missile tests and threatens nuclear war with the United States.

The economy of the entire world is a house of cards in which the financial system of one bankrupt nation artificially holds up another using imaginary currency that exists only in the electronic memory of world banking computers. Such a Ponzi scheme cannot last forever, and it is nothing short of a supernatural miracle that is has been able to last this long. Taxes on the wealthy in France top 100 percent. Cypress has already confiscated a large chunk of the bank accounts of their wealthy. Suspicious sales of gold have caused the price to plunge. The Eurozone is now in the midst of its longest recession ever.

In Greece 65.5 percent of young people are out of work. In Spain it is 56.4 percent. In Portugal it is 42.5 percent. And in Italy 40.5 percent of young people are out of work. The financial system in Japan is beginning to spin wildly out of control. The dreaded "Hindenburg Omen" appeared in the stock market during the first week of June. Egyptians have never been in such dire economic straits. America's mortgage rates have just taken their largest jump in 26 years.

Our military is shutting down due to budget cutbacks. We have aircraft carriers sitting in port because we cannot afford to fix them. One-third of our Air Force has been shut down because we cannot afford to continue training. Recent reports to our Congress speak of "rot" in the ranks of our nuclear launch corp. An average of 22 veterans commit suicide each day─as well as an average of more than one active duty soldier each day. Sexual assaults are up 35 percent since 2010. Military members are punished for their Christian beliefs and our president threatens to veto the proposed religious protection clauses now being considered.

Our political system is collapsing. Polls show a growing support for the impeachment of our president over the Benghazi scandal, the IRS scandal, the Fast and Furious scandal, and the Associated Press Scandal. There is a total lack of leadership at the top. While Egypt erupted in chaos, our president went golfing and our Secretary of State took the day off to spend sailing on his private yacht. Neither lifted a finger or said a word to help.

Our nation is on the verge of a moral collapse. At last count 27 NFL players have been arrested since the Super Bowl. Vermont has become the third state to legalize assisted suicide. More Americans are committing suicide now than during the great depression.

I have often said that I do not believe in government conspiracies and yet it is becoming increasingly more difficult to deny their existence. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has purchased well over 2 billion rounds of hollow point ammunition and has another billion, or so, more rounds are on order. The Geneva Convention forbids the use of hollow point bullets in war, so the only possible use of these rounds that are expressly designed to kill (rather than for target practice) is to be used right here at home in the United States.

DHS has also purchased a couple thousand bulletproof checkpoint booths. Why? Even more shocking, DHS has purchased around 2,700 tanks. Please explain to me why DHS needs its own private fleet of tanks (totally separate from what our military has). And to top that, IRS agents are now training with AR-15 fully automatic assault rifles as well as rat-holing away millions of rounds of ammunition. Who does the IRS plan to use these weapons against? Is the IRS going to start collecting taxes from American citizens at gunpoint? Now I can understand why our government has suddenly become so obsessed with the confiscation of all privately owned firearms. It is preparing for an armed conflict against its own citizens.

The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will use the mark of the beast to control the entire worldwide economy and that private transactions will not be possible. The only way the Antichrist will be able to accomplish this will be for him to have a huge database in which he knows virtually everything about everybody. Such a database will require astronomical amounts of storage capability. Does this storage capability exist today? The answer is yes. The United States government currently has data storage facilities in Salt Lake City, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and Fort Mead, Maryland that each hold storage capacities in the multiple-yottabyte range.

A yottabyte is the largest named classification to date for data storage. One yottabyte of data typed out in standard type on 8 ½" x 11 paper would be a stack of paper approximately 3 light years tall (16 quadrillion miles). Why does our government need to collect and keep forever so much information? America is fully embracing a police state culture.

Virtually everything that we do is watched, monitored, tracked, or recorded in some way. Our government is monitoring all phone calls, emails, credit card transactions, and Internet activity. The IRS improperly seized ten million medical records. A federal judge has ordered Google to hand over customer data to the FBI without warrants. The NSA and the FBI are collecting all cell phone calls. The front and back of every single piece of mail is photographed and the images are stored. In 2012 there were 160 billion photographs of mail taken and permanently stored by our postal system.

Our government keeps a list of the names of 8 million people it considers to be a threat. Likewise, our government has built a photo recognition database of 120 million American citizens from driver license records. License plate readers mounted on cars have recorded photographs and the location of millions of motor vehicles in the United States. Satellites have taken billions of photographs from space with resolution so precise that documents on the ground can be read. With so much information collected on each and every individual I can see how it would be completely possible to control all financial transactions, both personal and public, with a single biometric mark on either the right hand or forehead.

Israel is God's chosen people as well as being God's time clock. I truly believe that we can tell exactly how close we are to the end by watching what is happening in Israel. One huge sign that we are at the end is that Israel has stopped issuing aliya visas. Aliya is the return of Jews to the Promised Land during the last days and it is now another biblical prophecy that has been fulfilled. Israel has struck energy gold in the form of oil and natural gas. Here is the reason that Gog, from the land of Magog, will attack Israel to seize a spoil, which is straight out of Ezekiel 38. Israel is surrounded in exactly the manner described in Ezekiel 38 and Psalm 83.

Let's look at one little sign from Psalm 83 that nobody ever seems to mention. When Asaph wrote Psalm 83 back in the days of King David, he described one of antagonists of Israel as the "Tents of the Edomites." There has been a lot of blending and mixing over the past 3,000 years (plus or minus), but the Edomites can be traced back to the people who now identify themselves as the Palestinians. Now ask yourself, who lives in tents? The answer, of course would be a people who do not have a nation of their own, just like the Palestinians of today. I would say that Asaph certainly had a clear vision of the current political situation of today.

The political situation in the Middle East is very fluid. It is constantly changing. At this very moment everything is lined up exactly as the Bible says it will be during the last of the last days and it will not remain this way for very long.   Therefore, I expect the end of the Age of Grace to occur extremely soon.

Other signs of the end of the Age of Grace would include the specter of the black horse of the Apocalypse that now looms on the horizon. World food sources are being attacked on every front and we are just one disaster away from mass starvation. The European commission is attempting to criminalize nearly all seeds and plants that are not registered with the government.

One-third of America's bees died last winter, aggravating the threat of famine from reduced pollination. Disease is spreading through the continent of Africa destroying entire crops of casaba. Japan and South Korea have banned US wheat out of fear from our genetic modifications. Most of Haiti is malnourished and starving. Syria's crop destruction from civil war is worsening food shortages. Crops all over the world have been damaged and destroyed by the freakish weather.

Disease and pestilence are two things that are mentions by Jesus in Matthew 24 as signs of the end of the age. The H7N9 bird flu has killed or caused the destruction of millions of birds. The new sex super-bug has been declared worse than AIDS. A flu is rising among pigs in China. Chinese officials have also confirmed that the latest bird flu strain is fatal in one-third of patients.

Singapore is suffering an outbreak of the Dengue fever virus. There has been a huge outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in Argentina. The World Health Organization is warning that the Saudi coronal virus is spreading and the Middle Eastern MERS virus is a threat to the entire world, with mortality rates currently at 65 percent.

The east coast of the United States is being overrun with a plague of cicadas. Israel was hit with a plague of locusts─just days before Passover. Billions of locust eggs have hatched in the Negev Desert. Bosnia has been experiencing a plague of flies. Fully one-third of the world's food supply is currently destroyed each year by pestilence.

The Bible tells us that one of the signs of the end of the ago will be an increase in knowledge. With an increase in knowledge comes an increase in technology. Currently we are on the brink of creating a computer that not only thinks for itself, but will actually be aware of its own existence. This will be a new form or life created by Man instead of God. In the meantime we have hacked our way far enough past the firewalls of God's computer to gain access to the DNA codes of life, and we have begun the incredibly dangerous and irresponsibly foolish act of tinkering with them.

The first genetically modified babies have now been born. Scientists have created a living embryo of a formerly extinct frog and have cloned a mouse from a single drop of blood. The UK plans to approve creating babies with DNA from 3 parents. I believe that chapter 6 of Genesis makes it quite clear that tampering with DNA is what made God so angry that He ended the Antediluvian Age, and I believe that tampering with DNA will be a major contributing factor in God's decision to end the Age of Grace really soon, before any more damage can occur.

In recent weeks the talk of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem has become surprisingly more serious despite Islamic objections.

The Bible tells us that even the very elect will be deceived in a great deception during the last days. This makes me highly suspicious of the Vatican's increasing interest in space and alien life. There seems to be a lot of recent evidence to suggest that the Vatican is preparing to announce the existence of alien life and that it is not a violation of Christian (Catholic) dogma. I find it really strange that the Catholic Church owns several state-of-the-art observatories and telescopes, including one with the strange acronym "Lucifer."

UFO activity has certainly spiked in recent months. About a year ago a UFO was photographed from several angles descending and hovering over the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount. A UFO was also photographed descending and hovering over the Vatican, and a UFO was recently photographed entering Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano.

The European Union has taken the Tower of Babel and the woman riding upon the beast as its symbols. I find this a bit unnerving, a bit blasphemous, and very prophetic. Is the European Union daring God to strike it down? Has the challenge been made to God to remove the Restrainer and allow the Tribulation to begin? Is Isaiah 17 on the very verge of fulfillment? Is Isaiah 19 on the very verge of fulfillment as well?

The Bible tells us that during the last days young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams. A lot of people are reporting dreams and visions of the Rapture and Tribulation. Most of these dreams seem to contradict each other as far as specifics, but I have noticed a very marked increase in urgency that seems to tie them together. Something incredibly big is definitely about to happen.

The gift of prophecy is not required in order to sense that something huge is happening right now in preparation for something even more important. When this event occurs it is going to be spectacular beyond our present ability to comprehend. Christians feel the building urgency with either a sense of peace or else a sense of anxiety that comes from a knowledge that they still have issues to be resolved with God and that there is precious little time remaining.

Those who do not believe also sense the urgency of the hour and are angry that there unbelief and present lifestyles are being challenged. The unbelieving are also frantic because they sense that time is running out, just as Satan must be frantic because he knows so little time remains.

Fasten your seatbelt and lovingly remind the person next to you to fasten their seatbelt as well. Then close your eyes and think about this verse, which seems to apply to us now more than ever:

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

Carl Worline

Oaktree3168@aol.com

WHAT'S TO BECOME OF EGYPT?

- This Week's Feature Article by Jack Kelley - http://gracethrufaith.com/ikvot-hamashiach/whats-to-become-of-egypt/

Once again my inbox contains a number of questions about Egypt, just like it did when former Pres. Hosni Mubarak was ousted in Feb. 2011 and a year later when Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was elected President. During both those times articles appeared on various web sites trying to connect the events with the fulfillment of end times prophecy. But as Morsi's abrupt removal after only 16 months in office clearly shows, we don't know what the ultimate outcome of the current situation will be so we really don't know what if any prophecy is being fulfilled. With that in mind, let's take another look at the Bible to see if we can get the Lord's perspective on our question, "What's to become of Egypt?"

Like I said it's still too early to see if the current unrest in Egypt will lead to the fulfillment of prophecy. Those who've read my study on the Psalm 83 scenario know that I don't believe Egypt is one of the nations mentioned there. Neither does Egypt appear in the lineup of combatants in the Battle of Ezekiel 38 that will follow shortly afterward. Participation in one or both of these battles would be expected if Egypt had successfully established itself as a radical Islamic nation.

However, the situation is still volatile. As of this writing, the Egyptian military has taken direct control of the country again, making only vague promises where the future is concerned.

Several people have written to ask if the current events in Egypt could be a fulfillment of Isaiah 19:2-4.   Let's read it.

"I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian-brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty."

An initial reading shows some similarity to current events. But Egypt has had a long history of internal conflict, so it would be a mistake to think of the current unrest as being unique. Also, Isaiah said they would consult their idols, the spirits of the dead, the mediums and spiritists in an effort to figure out how to avoid defeat. This is a clue that the passage speaks of an event that's in our distant past, although it was prophecy when Isaiah wrote it. In Isaiah's time Egypt was a pagan nation as it had been for centuries. But today Egypt is 80-90% Muslim (mostly Sunni), with the remainder being Coptic Christians. Neither religion permits the kind of practices Isaiah spoke of.

I'm convinced this passage was fulfilled when God gave Egypt over to Nebuchadnezzar following his defeat of the Southern Kingdom in 586 BC. Ezekiel 29:17-20 tells us that God was doing this as a reward to Nebuchadnezzar for his 15 yearlong campaign to conquer Tyre. Even though the siege of Tyre was only partially successful, God said, "I have given him Egypt as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me" (Ezekiel 29:20). I believe Nebuchadnezzar, who was known as "The Destroyer Of Nations", was the fierce king Isaiah had in view as Egypt's cruel master.

Back To The Future

We can tell from Scripture that eventually Egypt will become part of the End Times Roman Empire, also being called The Islamic Caliphate by some. According to Daniel 11:40-42 the King of the South, which in Daniel 11 always refers to Egypt, will make an unsuccessful play for leadership during the Great Tribulation by attacking the forces of the anti-Christ. Daniel 11:42 reveals that this will bring Egypt under the anti-Christ's control. The timing is shortly before the anti-Christ moves his headquarters to Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45) for the final showdown in his quest to control the world.

Of all the nations who either are now or have been significant in the Middle East, only Israel, Egypt and Assyria are mentioned at the outset of the Millennium, and all three are held in high esteem by the Lord.

The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." (Isaiah 19:25)

This means that sometime between their defeat by the anti-Christ and the 2nd Coming a significant number of Egyptians will become believers and will survive to populate their homeland during the Millennium. We'll turn once again to Isaiah 19 for more insight.

In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the Lord Almighty raises against them. And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the Lord Almighty is planning against them (Isaiah 19:16-17).

I've read the major translations of these two verses and none of them say that anything will actually happen to Egypt at this time. I've come to the conclusion that the Egyptian people will be persuaded that the Lord is about to execute some major judgment against them. It will be as if they can see Him raising His hand to smite them as He takes the battle field to defend His people against the nations of the world (Zechariah 14:3). This will so terrify them that there will be a massive national conversion to the Lord, reminiscent of Nineveh's conversion after Jonah warned them of a coming judgment (Jonah 3). It will happen just in time to prevent their destruction in the final days of the Great Tribulation.

The Great Pyramid?

In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them. (Isaiah 19:19-21)

Only Egypt has a location that's both on the border and in the heart of the country. That's possible because in Hebrew, Egypt's name is Mizraim, a plural word that means "two Egypts." In ancient times they were two countries, Upper (southern) Egypt and Lower (northern) Egypt, but they were joined to become one.

The name of this location is Giza. It's on the border between the two Egypts and in the heart of the combined Egypt. And there's already a one-of-a-kind ancient monument there, called the Great Pyramid.

The Great Pyramid is thought to have been built in the 22nd Century BC on a 13-acre base made level to within less than 1 inch.   900 million cubic feet of granite blocks were used in its construction. To this day engineers can't explain how the workers managed to fit those huge blocks together so carefully in building a monument nearly 500 feet high. Some of the larger ones weigh nearly 80 tons.

It originally had a face of polished white limestone consisting of 115,000 stones finished on all six sides to within .01 inch of being perfectly straight. Cut on a bevel, they fit together with seams of less than 1/50th of an inch. They were then cemented together and polished to a high sheen. It's said that the pyramid shone as if made of light itself and could be seen from over a hundred miles away. Over time the face has been stolen and carried away.

Unlike the 80 or so other pyramids in Egypt, which are vastly inferior copies, the Great Pyramid was not built as a tomb but as a monument, one that has architectural and astronomical features experts would be hard pressed to duplicate today. There are those who believe it was built as a unique tribute to God by beings with supernatural abilities. It's entirely possible that this amazing structure could again become an altar and a monument, restored by the Egyptian people as an expression of gratitude for the Lord's mercy upon them.

The "savior and defender" who will rescue them from their oppressor (the anti-Christ) has to be a reference to the Messiah, through whom God will make Himself known to the Egyptians as we've seen above. We're not given any more detail than that, but obviously this will have to happen prior to the 2nd Coming because afterwards it will be too late.

It's Not Over Yet

Sometime during the Millennium Egypt will get into trouble with the Lord again, and this time they won't repent in time to avoid His judgment. Isaiah 19:22 tells us that the Lord will strike Egypt, and when they return to Him he will heal the nation. I think this is described in Zechariah 14:16-19.

Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

This could also be the time of fulfillment for Ezekiel 29:8-16 which records an outstanding judgment against Egypt consisting of a 40 year period of desolation. Biblical records don't show the Lord ever executing this judgment, and it's not likely to happen before the 2nd Coming. That leaves the Millennium as the most likely time of fulfillment. Zechariah 14:16-19 is clearly Millennial in its focus and Isaiah 19:22 appears to be as well.

But at the end of the 40 years, the Lord will gather the Egyptians and bring them back. The judgment will have cured them of their rebellion and they will never again attempt to think of themselves as better than other nations. After that they will enjoy peace with the Lord.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25)

In Summary

So it appears that after Egypt has been brought back into the fold of the Lord's people on Earth, Egypt and Assyria will join Israel as God's favored people. By the way, don't confuse Assyria with modern day Syria. Assyria was much larger, encompassing nearly all of the Fertile Crescent from the Persian Gulf in the East around the Arabian Desert and down the Mediterranean coast to the Nile region in the West.

All this indicates that Egypt is in for a rough time over the next few years. Having come to the Lord in the final days of the Great Tribulation, Egypt will struggle and be disciplined at the outset of the Millennium, but will survive to be known as God's people, alongside Assyria His handiwork, and Israel His inheritance. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

THE REVIVED OTTOMAN EMPIRE

This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley

The Ottoman Empire existed from 1299 until 1922. It was in many respects the Islamic successor to the Eastern leg of the Roman Empire and like the Roman Empire it had its headquarters in Constantinople (Istanbul). At the peak of its power and influence, the Ottoman Empire extended from the Adriatic Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east and from Austro-Hungary in the north to the southern tip of the Red Sea. It was at the center of interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for 6 centuries. The Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War 1, having aligned itself with Germany. Its dissolution at the end of the war led to the formation of 40 new nations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, many of them on land once claimed by the Romans.

Suleiman The Magnificent

The Empire’s greatest days occurred under the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent who reigned from 1520-1566. Only 25 years old when he came to power, Suleiman began his reign by performing many acts of kindness and mercy toward his people. He freed hundreds of slaves, showered his officers with gifts, and built a school for slaves. To the Ottomans he was known as The Lawgiver, having re-written the non-Shariah portions of the law. This was the law by which the Ottoman Empire was governed for all of the remaining years of its existence. Because of the humanitarian nature of his laws he was also called Suleiman the Just by his subjects.

Suleiman was a powerful conqueror for Islam. His armies pushed the boundaries of the Empire nearly to Vienna and his powerful navies controlled the Mediterranean. Because of the tribute he received Suleiman became one of the wealthiest men of all time. He never wore the same clothes twice, he ate from solid gold plates with jewel encrusted utensils and had a harem of over 300 women.

The Ottomans were tolerant toward the Jews and welcomed thousands of them into the Empire after King Ferdinand expelled them from Spain in 1492. Suleiman’s father had wrested control of what is now Israel from Egypt in 1517 and Suleiman fell in love with Jerusalem, ordering its walls rebuilt in 1535. It was the first successful rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls since the Romans destroyed the city in 70 AD and Suleiman’s walls can still be seen surrounding the Old City today.

According to Nehemiah, the Persian King Artaxerxes Longimonus issued a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem following the Babylonian destruction. He did this in the spring of the 20th year of his reign (Nehemiah 2:1). On our calendar it would have been March of 445BC. On the 483rd anniversary of this decree Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on what we know as the first Palm Sunday, fulfilling the prophecy from Daniel 9:25 of the Lord’s 1st Coming as Israel’s Messiah. Then in 68-70 AD the city was destroyed by the Romans.  After centuries of being rebuilt and then torn down by various conquering groups, the walls around Jerusalem were finally rebuilt for good by Suleiman beginning in 1535 AD, and during his reign the city enjoyed an exceptional period of peace and religious tolerance.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Turkey is the surviving remnant of the Ottoman Empire. Following their defeat in WW1 the Empire was divided up by the victorious Western powers. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had been a high ranking Ottoman officer and led the effort to found the Republic of Turkey. He set about to make it a secular nation in the style of western democracies. While endorsing Islam, he limited it to the status of a religion instead of allowing it to be the political force it had been. He saw to the suspension of the Ottoman Caliphate and Sultanate, clearing the way for the newly formed National Parliament to assume ultimate power. Among the many changes he enforced were the institution of a new language and alphabet, the adoption of western style of dress and mandatory 2nd names for men, and the granting of full political rights to women.

Until recently, Turkey has been viewed as a western nation. With membership in NATO and more than a dozen military and commercial treaties with Israel, Turkey has been an important western ally in the Middle East. In fact, many students of prophecy have seen Turkey’s alignment with the west as a major obstacle to an early fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. It appears from a study of the modern equivalents to the Biblical names mentioned there that Turkey has to be among the Islamic forces that will invade Israel in the future.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Lately there’s been a major shift in Turkish politics in what could be a dramatic step toward the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38. After stalling for years, the EU has put Turkey’s application for membership on the back burner and as of now a majority of EU ministers oppose Turkey’s admission to the Union.

Perhaps as a result of this Turkey has begun to look to the East, and current Prime Minister Erdogan is fast becoming a regional Muslim leader by criticizing Israel—particularly after the Gaza war. His clout is spreading from the streets of Gaza to Beirut, Damascus, and Cairo—the traditional strongholds of Arab nationalism.

PM Erdogan is by far the country’s most popular political leader enjoying wide support among the Turkish people, due in part to his frequent criticism of Israel. He’s become convinced that instead of relying on outside powers to bring peace to the Middle East the Ottoman Empire should be re-born to take the lead. He’s been quoted as saying, “Turkey’s goal is to live in peace with all countries and restore the might of the Ottoman Empire.”

In this regard, a recent article by historian Robert E. Kaplan entitled ,”The US Helps Reconstruct The Ottoman Empire” has been getting some attention.  Dr. Kaplan’s specialty is modern Europe and he received his doctorate from Cornell University.  His article was published by the Gatestone Institute, “an international organization dedicated to educating the public about what the mainstream media fails to report.”

In the article Dr. Kaplan shows that with the exception of Iraq, the ultimate outcome of each American military intervention in Europe and the Middle East since the mid 1990′s has been the replacement of a secular government with an Islamist regime in an area that was formerly part of the Ottoman Empire. Providing detailed documentation, Dr. Kaplan wrote the article more to raise awareness of what he sees as US strategy in the region rather than to draw any conclusions.

It turns out that there are three primary beneficiaries of a revived Ottoman empire.  Turkey is an obvious one because Turkey is the surviving remnant of the original empire and is the logical choice to head up a revived version.  Germany is another beneficiary.  Germany had a close and beneficial relationship with the Ottomans in the years leading up to WW1 and is working behind the scenes with the US in the hope of regaining its influence in the Muslim world.  And the US benefits because like Turkey the New Ottoman Empire would be primarily composed of the Sunni sect of Islam.  Helping the Sunnis get control of the Middle East would further marginalize Shiite Iran, something the US sees as being strategically important.

If this is what’s really going on, it could help to explain Pres. Obama’s efforts to reconcile with the Islamic world,  why he included Turkey in his first overseas tour upon taking office, and why he seemed to be so obviously on the side of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood in their efforts to unseat Hosni Mubarak’s secular government in Egypt.  It would also help to explain Turkey’s decision to build a $100 million mosque/cultural center in Lanham, Maryland,  about 30 minutes by car from the White House.  It is expected to “be the largest and most striking example of Islamic architecture in the western hemisphere” when it is finished in 2014.

The Man With No Name (Yet)

A Revived Ottoman Empire would send students of prophecy scurrying back into their Bibles to see if the re-birth of the Ottoman Empire could fulfill the prophecy of the so-called revived Roman Empire. There are already some who believe the 7th Kingdom ofRev. 17:10 is the Ottoman Empire, and they point out that Constantinople is also a city on seven hills. If so, its Islamic heritage would confirm the identity of the one world End Times religion as Islam.  It would also support the idea that the end times Islamic leader called al-Mahdi could be the anti-Christ.

As details of Islamic eschatology become more widely known, prophecy students are discovering a striking similarity between Islamic prophecies of al Mahdi and Christian prophecies of the anti-Christ. I’ve made mention of these in several previous articles, how both come on the scene during a time of great turmoil on Earth, both come claiming a desire to restore peace, both have a seven year reign, both head a one world religion and one world government, both claim supernatural origins, and both reigns end in a battle between good and evil that brings Earth’s final judgment. Could they be one and the same? The legend surrounding al-Mahdi as being in occlusion (supernaturally hidden) since the 10th century could make him the 8th king who belongs to the seven, just like Rev. 17:11 says.

As you can see we might have an interesting circumstantial case here for a revived Ottoman Empire. It’s not something to build doctrine on just yet, but it certainly bears watching. One nice thing about our times is we won’t have long to wait before we find out how these prophecies are fulfilled. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 06-01-13

AS CLOSE AS WE WILL EVER GET...

 - By Gene Lawley -http://www.raptureready.com/soap/lawley19.html

As close as we will ever get to knowing the day and the hour before Jesus actually comes is tucked in an overlooked passage of scripture from the Apostle Paul. But first, some background. Just after my 78th birthday in April last year, I was talking with my doctor about my health conditions, and he reminded me that life expectancy for a male now is 77 years. That tells me that I am living on "borrowed time" and it brought me to think of my generation and how it fits into Bible prophecy. (Now, a year later, the immediate future-perhaps six months or so-appears much more ominous, even predictable, than it did then.)In Matthew 24:32-34, Jesus says this: "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place."

[Emphasis mine]

The fig tree has long been considered a "type", a symbol, for the nation of Israel, and this budding of the fig tree example relates to the restoration of Israel as an independent nation on May 14, 1948. The "dry bones" of Ezekiel 37 take on life, once again. And the generation that sees this happen will see all of the prophetic events Jesus named in His projections just prior to this fig tree example.

How long is a generation? Psalm 90:10 tells us very clearly that it is seventy to eighty years. Here is an astounding "coincidence": Add 70 years to 1948 and the year 2018 comes up, for the beginning of that generation's demise. And we are still within the context of God's "no man knows the day or the hour" of Christ's coming limitation. How is that? It looks like those who live past 70 years are living on "borrowed time", and the uncertainty of our personal longevity is truly in the hands of the Lord. And so it is with "this generation". We can juggle years and months around in an attempt to pin down the time of the "coming of the Son of Man" more closely, but it is conclusive that He will come "as a thief in the night", as the Scriptures repeatedly tell us.

Let's look again at that Psalm 90:10 passage: "The days of our lives are seventy years, and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away" (NKJV). The psalmist apparently was lamenting our struggle, but the fact of God, only, knowing "the day or the hour" of our passing is made evident in that unanswered longevity question for this generation. Note also, at the end of the verse, his expectation at the end of his and our time-"and we fly away". Could this be a subtle reference to the Rapture?

If the Rapture were to occur tonight, the length of "this generation" would include the seven years that are identified as the final "week" of Daniel's prophecy of "seventy weeks of years" (Daniel 9:24-26). Add seventy years to 1948, then subtract seven years and the resulting year is 2011, yet no Rapture occurred then. Is this generation, which now includes believers and non- believers, then living on "borrowed time"? If the calendars match with God's calendar, we are now, in 2013, 65 years into this final generation (1948 +72 - 7=2013, a 65-year period), for the Rapture (in a pre-trib setting) will occur seven years prior to the end of the age and the second coming of Christ. God has given 70-to-80 years as a generation, thus, sometime between 2011 and 2021 the Rapture will likely occur. (Yes, there are people now living well into their 90's and a few into their 100's; it only heightens the uncertainty of the timing of His coming.) What are the converging events that would indicate that the time is near, the "times and seasons" aspect?

Are we, then, close upon the time of the "day of the Lord", the time of the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7)? (Note that Daniel 9:24 identifies that time period having to do with Daniel's people and their Holy City.) The following consideration of current events and Bible prophecies will test the reality of this looming possibility.

The statement of Jesus in Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only...", and similar statements and illustrations in all the Gospel accounts, have bothered Bible students for years. Yet, there is no way of getting around what the Scripture says.

In one place (Matthew 24:4), He says this: "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into." Yet, one might quickly think, "If I just knew the hour He is to come, then I would be sure tobe ready", and perhaps many of us have thought just that. However, the strong implication in His statements that we are always to be ready to go to meet the Lord, whether it is to meet Him coming for us, or to meet Him when our temporal lives are over on earth.

A very pertinent scripture to this point is 1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Like a Thief in the Night

The "like a thief in the night" parallel is commonly related to His coming on the "day of the Lord", and implies "suddenly and without pre-announcement". To highlight the apparent fact that most people will not be prepared for His sudden appearance, Jesus recounts two historical situations which evidence that stark reality in Luke 17:26-30: "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

"They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." These scriptures tell us several important and time-wise things:

1) Most people will not be aware of the signs of the times and what is on their doorsteps. Their lives will be in a "forever rut";

2) These incidents illustrate the Rapture of the Church, the true believers, and it is clear that it will occur before the judgment of God upon the disbelieving world, for no such normal life activities will be possible at any time, "pre-wrath", middle or post tribulation. For when the rider on the white horse enters the scene (Revelation 6), the major struggle for all people will be summed up in one word: "survival";

3) All born-again believers will be raptured, even the most back-slidden one among us. Lot was not the best example you could find of a righteous man in his day-the Angel practically had to drag him out of the city, saying "the Lord cannot judge this people until you are out of the city" (Genesis19:22). Peter says of Lot, "If (God)...delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)- then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations..." (2 Peter 2:7-9). There will be no "partial" rapture-and any conclusion to the contrary is heresy.

4) The context of Luke 17:26-37 tells us that the Rapture will be sudden and world-wide-daylight for some, darkness of the night for others (thus the confusion of days and hours for each time zone).

Of the Times and Seasons

Paul writes of the transforming miracle in the Rapture: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality " ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). He calls it a mystery and it is, as many of those left behind will be declaring, in wonder-and fear.

He writes of the Rapture event in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 through 5:4 in a contextual account that describes its manner of occurrence and gets as close to revealing "the day and the hour" as anyone will ever get-until the actual event takes place. Most often, it seems, we read and quote 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, perhaps adding verse 18 to finish the chapter, then read no more of the context.

But there are no chapter breaks in the original language that Paul used, and when one reads the passage straight through into chapter 5, there is a continuity of thought that reveals much about the timing of the Rapture that seems to have been missed-at least in my own past observations.

Here is the passage, to verse 4 of chapter 5: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief."

[Emphasis mine.]

As Close as We Can Ever Get

Note the continuity of the subject, now dealing with when this event will occur. First, he indicates that these believers, and now those of this day, are fully aware of the "times and seasons" of the Rapture. World events are clearly indicative of that period just before the Lord's return. Then, he says the believers know "perfectly" that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night-the uncertainty of the exact moment during the "times and seasons".

The next verse is crucial, for it pinpoints an event that will unleash the judgment of God upon the earth. In the continuity of the text, he writes, "For when they say "Peace and safety", then sudden destruction comes upon them..."

Like a swirling vortex, sucking its victims down one final plunge into oblivion, events of the world seem to be drawn into a central topic of "peace in the Middle East", specifically between the Palestinians and Israel. My Bible search did not find any other use of the term "Peace and safety" that Paul used. The only one that seems to deal directly with the current situation is that of Daniel 9:27, where Daniel writes, "Then he [the one who is of the people who destroys the Holy City] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week [seven years]..." [Emphasis mine]

The two "peace agreement" events have to do with Israel and its neighbors, thus a strong likelihood that they speak of the same thing. The "confirming of a covenant with many" likely will be fulfilled in the context of the multi-nation votes of the United Nations Security Council, thus it is confirmed "with many". It will include, no doubt, a provision that allows Israel to rebuild its temple on the Temple Mount, for after three and one-half years that named "confirmer" will set himself up in that temple and claim to be God.

Are the "times and seasons" of this event upon us now? Constantly for months we have seen attempts to enter a bid for statehood for the Palestinians to the United Nations, and apparently it was recognized at a lower level in the UN, not the Security Council, last September, 2012.

Statehood for Palestine is inseparably linked to the peace agreement issue with Israel and Israel is not willing to give up the areas of the West Bank and the Golan Heights, which are demanded by the Palestinians. In the strong urge for peace, however, Israel may be wavering on the issue. Two events that could impact the situation, and may well do so, are Iran's threat of nuclear prominence and Israel's response, and Israel's increasingly enraged neighbors who cannot contain their anger any longer and it overflows into open warfare of the Psalm 83 description. In 1 Thessa- lonians 5:3 the questions are, "who are the 'they' who cry out, "Peace and safety", and who are the 'them' upon whom sudden destruction comes?

As the events of this summer, 2013, unfold, and the ever- lasting hatred of the Muslim world for Israel reaches its boiling point-or perhaps more likely, its boiling over point-when and what will the scenario look like? If the "they" who cry "Peace and safety" are Israel, then it is likely that there will have been a major confrontation between Israel and its surrounding neighbors that results in major destruction of the enemies of Israel, thus that cry is associated with victory for Israel.

Certainly God has promised His hand in the conflict will be on the side of Israel. Isaiah 17:1-2 predicts the total devastation of Syria's age-old city of Damascus, for it will be reduced to rubble, never to be inhabited again, and Ezekiel 29:12 tells of Egypt's devastation in which no man will dwell for forty years. Psalm 83 seems to speak of a conflict with Israel's immediate neighbors, who are hovering on its borders, intending Israel's elimination from the Middle East.

Another scenario could be that when the Palestinian state-hood bid is accepted and voted favorably, "they", the Palestinians, may say, "Peace and safety", and as they proceed to take over their claimed Israeli territories, then sudden destruction comes upon "them", the Palestinians, as Israel responds with its defensive reactions to the intrusions of its enemies.

The Amplified New Testament merely uses this phrase to describe it: "When people are saying, 'All is well and secure...'", which may indicate either of the suggestions.

It is almost a certainty that soon there will be a dramatic transformation of the Middle East landscape, politically. Also, it could turn out as it was a year ago, as well as the three years before then, when the "peace process" was given one more year to work out the details of an agree-ment and have it ready by the next September. Given the urgent desire of the "one world government" faction to make the most of this opportunity to move ahead with their goal, and the Muslim intent to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, it seems the "times and seasons" of all events are coming together soon. Coupled also with the social and moral cup of evil that is filled almost to its brim (known as the United States of America) God's final wrap-up and world-wide judgment may truly be on the near horizon.

The "peace process" seems to have settled on the month of September each year as its date-line; the Feast of Trumpets comes up each September with its likeness to the Rapture; the rage in the Muslim world at Israel and America con- tinues to boil; and natural disasters and pestilences abound. One day soon all these issues and events will come together in perfect timing by God's hand, and like a thief in the night, He will make Himself known in great glory!

How close are we to seeing the final wrap-up begin to unfold? A couple of news headlines from May 1-2 are very much of "prime time" content:

"Pope accepts invite to Israel, urges peace talks"

"Netanyahu: Conflict Is Over Israel's Existence, Not Land"

In regard to the latter headline, it is vividly apparent that it is the truth. In spite of Israel having relinquished territories previously captured in open conflict-Gaza, the Sinai-the result has been only more rocket fire and open hostility. It's another proof that the Bible's age-old prophecies are coming to pass, as Psalm 83:3-4 clearly tells us: "For lo, Your enemies roar; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They take shrewd counsel against Your people, and plot against Your hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name Israel may be remembered no more."

The Prime Minister is right-the issue is their hate for Israel, not a desire for their land. And their rage is a burning fuse, ever shortening. This may well suggest, too, a relaxing grip by Israel on its firm resistance to any more "land for peace" arrangements.

For the believer, the Apostle Paul had encouraging words to those facing their final days as mortals on earth: "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).

Revelation 22:20 is an appropriate summation of these things: "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! "

Author contact: andwegetmercy@gmail.com