Watch for This!

1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord

5:1 Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. 5:2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night. 5:3 Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. 5:4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. 5:5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 5:6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. [emphasis mine]

These verses tell me that it is possible for a God-fearing Christian to discern the approximate time of Jesus Christ’s second coming. Not an exact time, but a general indication that the Lord’s return is near. I know many people have falsely predicted in the past that Christ is coming on this date or on that date, but I think based on these verses in Thessalonians, it is possible to know whether it is close at hand.

Now I’m not talking about the imminent "pre-tribulation rapture", which is so widely preached, and in my opinion not well supported. I’m talking about when Christ actually comes down in the clouds on what is commonly referred to as The Day of the Lord. It is my contention that on The Day of the Lord, Christians will be taken up into the clouds to meet Jesus in the air. Here is how I got to this:

1. Look for the Last Trumpet:

15:51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – 15:52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

[1 Corinthians 15:51-52; emphasis mine]

I highlighted two things in these verses:

1. we will all be changed; and

2. It will be at the last trumpet.

In order to determine when Christians will all be transformed we have to use proper hermeneutics. Part of good hermeneutics, I’m told (I’m an accountant, not a doctor of theology), is to gradually work out from the verse in question to broaden a search for a “last trumpet”. Broaden a search from verse 52, to chapter, to book, to the New Testament and look for a reference to a “last trumpet". Ellis Skolfield (EllisSkolfield.com ), did this search and he noticed that the “last trumpet” according to hermeneutics must be the 7^th trumpet of the book of Revelations. Moving out from 1 Corinthians 15, the last Revelation trumpet is the first reference to a last trumpet you come to. I have not found a better explanation of what the last trumpet could be, so I tend to agree with Skolfield – we will all be transformed and meet the Lord in the air at the last trumpet, the 7^th trumpet, of Revelation.

Now if you’re still following my rather long post, please take a moment to consider: if 1 Corinthians 15:52 says we will ALL be transformed at the LAST trumpet, how is it possible that the pre-tribulation rapture theory believes that the next event on the end times calendar is the imminent rapture? I have to ask: don’t we have go through the first six trumpets? And isn’t the Christian transformation going to occur at the last trumpet in Revelation? This obviously means that we have to go through the initial six trumpets first, and the seventh trumpet does not happen until the end. I’ve heard the traditionalists say that this last trumpet is the "last Trumpet of Atonement", but I don’t see the hermeneutical support for that. True, I’m only a bean counter, but as an accountant I do tend to ignore fantasy and be attracted to the obvious.

2. It is Well With My Soul:

I love how the Holy Spirit talks to me in sometimes the most subtle ways. One day I was doing the dishes (yes, it happens) and was listening to the Gaithers’ sing “It Is Well With My Soul” – what a great song! A couple lines of that song struck me. The lyrics go:

And the trump (i.e. trumpet) shall resound

And the Lord shall descend

It is well, It is well with my soul.

Suddenly I had a mental breakthrough, not a profound one, but still I think the Holy Spirit was trying to bring something rather obvious to my attention. That is: i) a trumpet will sound; and then ii) the Lord will descend. Well, I thought, if I can find the scriptural support for this powerful song, I can prove when Christians will be transformed into heavenly beings. Incidentally, the imminent rapture theory says nothing about a trumpet sounding before Christians are taken and transformed. This song talks about a trumpet sounding, which must be the last trumpet, before Christ returns to earth. What scripture provides support for those amazing lyrics?

Matthew 24: 29-31:

24:29 “Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. [emphasis mine]

Notice The Trumpet Blast:

Take note of the trumpet blast in Matthew 24:31. This has to be the last trumpet blast before the angels “…gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other”. The traditional theory holds that “his elect” refers to the remnant of Israel and not to Christians. The traditional theory states that Christians will be raptured in an imminent, next major world event. But there is a problem with this traditional theory. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says we will be transformed at the LAST trumpet. Matthew 24:31 describes the last trumpet blast, when Christ actually comes back physically to this earth. How do I know that the event in Matthew 24:30 is Christ actually, physically coming back down to earth, and not just Christ gathering the raptured dead and living while hovering in the heavens? I know this is descriptive of Christ actually stepping foot on the Mount of Olives because of the words in Matthew 24:29: “…the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light”.

The Sun and Moon Will be Darkened:

Whenever you see a reference in the Bible to the sun and moon darkened or a day without light, this gives a signal to the reader that it is referring to the final Day of the Lord. There are many references in the Bible that describe what The Day of The Lord will be, and I encourage you to search out each one of them by looking at specific references to a darkened sun, moon, and stars. I believe that the Day of the Lord will soon take place. Like the traditionalists believe the rapture is near, I believe that the Day of the Lord is near. Why do I think the Day of the Lord is near? Well, let’s read one passage about the Day of the Lord to see what it will happen on that day.

Joel Chapter 3 [emphasis mine]:

The Lord Plans to Judge the Nations

3:1 For look! In those days and at that time

I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem.

3:2 Then I will gather all the nations,

and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.

I will enter into judgment against them there

concerning my people Israel who are my inheritance,

whom they scattered among the nations.

They partitioned my land,

3:3 and they cast lots for my people.

They traded a boy for a prostitute;

they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink.

3:4 Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon?

Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia?

I will very quickly repay you for what you have done!

3:5 For you took my silver and my gold

and brought my precious valuables to your own palaces.

3:6 You sold Judeans and Jerusalemites to the Greeks,

removing them far from their own country.

3:7 Look! I am rousing them from that place to which you sold them.

I will repay you for what you have done!

3:8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah.

They will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.

Indeed, the Lord has spoken!

Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat

3:9 Proclaim this among the nations:

“Prepare for a holy war!

Call out the warriors!

Let all these fighting men approach and attack!

3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords,

and your pruning hooks into spears!

Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’

3:11 Lend your aid and come,

all you surrounding nations,

and gather yourselves to that place.”

Bring down, O Lord, your warriors!

3:12 Let the nations be roused and let them go up

to the valley of Jehoshaphat,

for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations.

3:13 Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe!

Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full!

The vats overflow.

Indeed, their evil is great!

3:14 Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision,

for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision!

3:15 The sun and moon are darkened;

the stars withhold their brightness.

3:16 The Lord roars from Zion;

from Jerusalem his voice bellows out.

The heavens and the earth shake.

But the Lord is a refuge for his people;

he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.

The Lord’s Presence in Zion

3:17 You will be convinced that I the Lord am your God,

dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain.

Jerusalem will be holy –

conquering armies will no longer pass through it.

3:18 On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine,

and the hills will flow with milk.

All the dry stream beds of Judah will flow with water.

A spring will flow out from the temple of the Lord,

watering the Valley of Acacia Trees.

3:19 Egypt will be desolate

and Edom will be a desolate wilderness,

because of the violence they did to the people of Judah,

in whose land they shed innocent blood.

3:20 But Judah will reside securely forever,

and Jerusalem will be secure from one generation to the next.

3:21 I will avenge their blood which I had not previously acquitted.

It is the Lord who dwells in Zion!

Notice the words of Joel chapter 3. When is this day going to take place? After the return of the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem (verse 1). Allow me to take a bit of an aside here: Has the return of the exiles taken place? Yes, Israel was declared a nation again by the Balfour Declaration on May 14, 1948. That was in fulfillment of Isaiah 66:8:

Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.

I’ve covered this before on this blog, but “Zion in labor” is descriptive of the Holocaust, where Hitler exterminated 6.5 million Jews. Out of that “labor”, the nation of Israel was re-established in the Holy Land in one day! That is history – it cannot be refuted.

We know that this is descriptive of the Day of the Lord because of what it says in verses 14 and 15: “the sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness”, but what else can we see about the conditions leading up to that day?

We see that God will gather the nations to be judged at the valley of Jehoshaphat (verse 2). This is descriptive of Armageddon where Christ will fight the nations who have gathered against Jerusalem and Israel. We can see that Tyre and Sidon (verse 4) and the “land of Philistia” will be enemies of God’s people the Israelites:

Verse 4 : “Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? I will very quickly repay you for what you have done!”

Tyre and Sidon are two coastal cities still present in southern Lebanon. The land of Philistia was along the coast, south-west of Jerusalem – roughly where today’s Gaza strip is located. Ok, now we have to pay attention – what has happened in Lebanon and the Gaza strip in relation to God’s people Israel? Answer: The 2006 Lebanon war with Hezbollah, and constant battles in Gaza with Hamas, the democratically elected government of the Palestinians. These battles are happening today! If you follow the news of these regions at all, you’d know that Russia, Iran, and Syria are actively and fully arming Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Hamas in Gaza . Russia has sold $300 million worth of arms to Syria, who is trying to destabilize the Lebanese, pro-western government via the Hezbollah. The Gaza is caching millions of dollars worth of weapons in underground tunnels. All signs point to a major battle or series of battles with Israel, which is Hamas’ and Hezbollah’s common enemy.

Notice that verse 9 talks about a “holy war”. The Muslims in and around Jerusalem are convinced that they are entering into a holy war with Israel and the West. Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, has repeatedly stated that he intends to “wipe Jerusalem off the map...soon”. Is that holy war going to really take place soon? I don’t know, but the whole world has been gathered around Israel just as God said he would do in the last days. As I’ve outlined before on this blog, UNIFIL is in southern Lebanon with their international force, while France, Britain, Italy, and the US navies are present either off the Mediterranean shores of Lebanon or in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has the USS Eisenhower and soon the USS Stennis Strike Forces in or heading into the Persian Gulf just opposite the coast of Iran.

Here’s two points to consider:

1. God has gathered the nations around Israel. (see my earlier post )

2. Tyre, Sidon and Philistia have fully armed themselves in preparation for war with Israel. (Hezbollah rearms)

A third point I’d like to include here as well. It is more of a coincidental point, but one that I think should be considered nonetheless:

3. The time of the Gentiles, as described in Luke 21:24, ended in 1967. As I referenced two blog posts ago, Luke 21:24 says:

They [Israel] will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Israeli Defense Forces took control of all Jerusalem after The 6-Day War lasting from June 5 to 10, 1967. Please decide for yourself and consider that this may just be a coincidence, but isn’t it interesting that Tyre, Sidon and Philistia have aligned themselves against God’s people on the 40^th anniversary of The Six Day War. The Six Day War - when after 2,000 years of exile, the Israelites liberated all of Jerusalem, and thereby ended the “times of the Gentiles” and Gentiles would trample on Jerusalem no more from that point to eternity. I think we need to consider the significance of 40 years in the Bible. When I do a search on the phrase "forty years" in the NIV bible I get 42 "hits" or results. Probably the most significant forty year period was when Moses and the Israelites were led out of Egypt and wandered the desert for forty years. This begs the question - is there something symbolic and significant between:

a)the plagues that God sent the Egyptians and the subsequent forty years of Israel's wandering the desert before entering the Promised Land; and

b)the plagues mentioned in the book of Revelation and the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven?

That is a very deep topic and I don't have insight on this possibility. Perhaps if somebody has some insight on this, they can post a comment.

The coming of the Son of Man (Jesus Christ’s second coming) could, could be very soon indeed. My earnest prayer is that everyone reading this post, will seriously consider the accuracy of God’s prophesies, and then consider the possibility of Christ’s imminent return. But most importantly consider the condition of your soul. Have you accepted Christ as Savior of your life? The time you have to decide and answer that question is possibly very short.

As a pastor of mine once said: “Even if Christ’s coming is not immediate, no one is guaranteed their next breath.” Those are very wise words to consider. May the Holy Spirit minister to your soul in these last days.

A Comfort to Israel

I am not an Israelite or a Jew, but I am a Zionist (defn. A supporter of the modern state of Israel). It is impossible to be an obedient follower of Christ, a Christian, and not be an ardent supporter the state of Israel. I’ve been reading through the book of Ezekiel and recently read the following:

34:23 I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them – namely, my servant David.8 He will feed them and will be their shepherd. 34:24 I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince9 among them; I, the Lord, have spoken!
34:25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and will rid the land of wild beasts, so that they can live securely10 in the wilderness and even sleep in the woods.11 34:26 I will turn them and the regions around my hill into a blessing. I will make showers come down in their season; they will be showers that bring blessing.12 34:27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the earth will yield its crops. They will live securely on their land; they will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 34:28 They will no longer be prey for the nations and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely and no one will make them afraid. 34:29 I will prepare for them a healthy13 planting. They will no longer be victims14 of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations. 34:30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them,15 and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.16 34:31 And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people,17 and I am your God, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Look especially at verse 28: “They will no longer be prey for the nations and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely and no one will make them afraid.”

The State of Israel is currently in a state of complete upheaval. Prime Minister Olmert is being charged with fraud, and being pressured to resign for poor results during the Lebanon conflict last summer. PM Olmert has only been in power for a short time since Ariel Sharon fell into a coma; and yesterday Lieutenant General Dan Halutz of the IDF resigned because of the Lebanon conflict. Israel seems to have no effective leadership. Israel seems to be in complete confusion. Along with these troubles, Ahmadinejad is thumbing his nose at the world and his own people by continuing his 12th Imam Mahdi rhetoric and continuing to enrich uranium in spite of UN sanctions and in spite of a poor showing in recent municipal elections. Hamas in Gaza and the Hezbollah in Lebanon are arming themselves to the teeth for another conflict with Israel – they are encouraged by the success of Hezbollah during last summer’s conflict. Syria and Iran have recently purchased hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons from Russia courtesy of Putin. Things look very bleak for Israel. IF Israel were not resting in the care of the God of Jacob (Zechariah 2:8), I would agree that things look hopeless for Israel, and that they will indeed be destroyed by the Arab population surrounding them. Rest assured, this will not happen.

I am always surprised and disheartened by the number of people who do not realize what is and has happened with Israel. It is all spelled out in Micah 4:6-13 and many, many other places in the Old Testament. Sadly people do not have eyes to see what the Lord is accomplishing in our day. When I talk about what is happening in Israel to people I know, I'm only met with blank stares and return looks as though I'm totally crazy. I am certainly no prophet, but I can relate to how the minor OT prophets must have felt when the Israelites failed to heed their warnings. That is so sad - pray for these people please.

Someday everyone will know the significance of that day:

Pictured: Israel Defense Forces soldiers next to Jerusalem's Western Wall shortly after the 6-Day War (June 5-10, 1967)

Luke 21:23-24:

How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. [emphasis mine]

Isaiah 51:22-52:3

22 This is what your Sovereign LORD says,
your God, who defends his people:
"See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
you will never drink again.

23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you,
'Fall prostrate that we may walk over you.'
And you made your back like the ground,
like a street to be walked over."

Isaiah 52

1 Awake, awake, O Zion,
clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your garments of splendor,
O Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
will not enter you again.

2 Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
O captive Daughter of Zion.

3 For this is what the LORD says:
"You were sold for nothing,
and without money you will be redeemed."

Even as a Gentile grafted into the olive tree (Romans 11), Lord I thank you that you have guaranteed the safety of, and always been faithful to the eventual restoration of Israel, and that you continue to watch over your people even today. Thank you for the unrivaled accuracy and reliability of these prophesies written 2,700 years ago, so that by reading them, people will be without excuse.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. [Romans 1:20-21]

I'm Hearing War Cries

Fresh news this morning:

1. The US navy is sending the USS John C. Stennis strike group (i.e. aircraft carrier and support ships) to the Persian Gulf, which as you know, is just off the coast of Iran. The Stennis will join the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Boxer strike groups already in the gulf. This brings the total number of US marines in the gulf to 20,000.

2. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ultimately has control over Iran's affairs and controls Ahmadinejad's actions, stated today that "...Iran will never abandon nuclear work".

This diplomatic confrontation is coming to a head and will soon break into an all-out war, unless something miraculous happens. Some Christians maintain that the "anti-Christ" is waiting in the wings and he will implement a temporary peace in the Middle East. I'm not a strong believer in that theory, but I haven't written this traditional anti-Christ theory off completely just yet. I do believe that this confrontation is more likely to explode (literally); there is too much at stake: 40% of the world's crude supplies flow through the Persian Gulf and specifically through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which at its narrowest funnels down to a width of only 21 miles. Unfortunately, Iran forms the northern portion of this geographic funnel.

I praise God that He has all things in control, including the apocalyptic ending of this age. I'd hate to be a blind, non-Christian at this point. Pray and witness like never before, because our world may experience incredible suffering in the very near future. Personally, I don't think the Day of the Lord, as spoken of in the Bible, is very far off at all. Many people have said this in the past, but I have to look at the nuclear potential that is present in the world today which wasn't present in the past, to lead me to believe that eventually some crazy nutbar will pull the trigger to initiate a catastrophe. So many environmentalists are crying about "global warming", but I have to think this is relatively one of the smaller threats to our world at this point. I don't know for sure, but I seriously doubt God will give the world enough time for the icebergs at the Poles to melt. People would do well to pay attention to their Bibles instead of watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.

Why Are So Few Seeing This?

13Then I saw three evil^[a] spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." 16Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. - Revelation 16:13-16

Has anyone else noticed that the combined beast in these verses refers to the Lion-Bear-Leopard beast described in Revelation 13? Has anyone noticed that a lion beast, a bear beast, and a leopard beast are first introduced in the Bible in Daniel's vision recorded in Daniel chapter 7? Ellis Skolfield has done an excellent job of of bringing this relationship to my attention. I am thankful that I tripped onto his web site one day. I summarize Skolfield's Lion-Bear-Leopard (LBL) contention in a past blog post. I think Skolfield is right on when he says that the combined LBL beast is what we see in the Middle East today. The combined LBL beast in Revelation 13 is "glued together" by the religion of Islam today. The LBL beast in Daniel 7 describes the ancient kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. Ancient Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece are today represented by the countries of Iraq, Iran, Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and former Soviet republics. What ties these nations together today? Islam. What is the number one threat to western civilization and the Jews in Israel today? Radical muslims.

To summarize:

Lion Beast = Ancient Babylon = today's Iraq
Bear Beast = Ancient Medo-Persia = today's Iran
Leopard Beast = Greek empire under Alexander the Great = Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and former Soviet republics, and eastward to India.

The only thing gluing these countries together is the religion of Islam.

Here's my point: The Islamic LBL beast and the false prophet (Muhammad) are empowered by the dragon (Satan) to "go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty...Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon."

Interestingly President Bush will soon be proposing his go-forward strategy for Iraq. A story on YAHOO this morning speculates that President Bush is going to ignore the Iraqi Study Group's recommendation to retreat from Iraq, and instead bolster the number of troops. Based on scripture, I believe that Bush will indeed opt to send more troops to Iraq - it's part of God's plan. It is a well know fact that the U.S. already has at least three aircraft carriers in and around Iran within its' 5th fleet. I think we may be seeing the beginning of the gathering of kings to the battle of Armageddon. As I've emphasized on this blog in the past - keep your eyes on Israel and on anyone who threatens Israel (i.e. Ahmadinejad). Israel is the time clock of the final events on this earth. May the Lord open our eyes like never before so that we are not caught sleeping when he returns. May God help you to focus on His plan for this world, for our lives, and to ignore what the world considers as its priorities. Our western society, I believe, will soon get a huge wake-up call. God's patience with people who deny His existence will end, and to most it will come as a complete surprise that will devastate their daily routines: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark" [Matthew 24:37-38].

Obviously, you might have noticed that I'm not a proponent of the rapture-next theory. I believe that we will be raptured but not until the last trumpet on the day of the Lord per 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Matthew 24:31; and per the "last day" references in John 6:39,40,44,and 54. See these additional comments on the predominant theory out there of a Secret Rapture. The danger of the rapture-next theory is that it presupposes that people will have another chance to come to Christ after the rapture, albeit they will have to be martyred. This "second chance" doctrine is dangerous because I don't see it lining up with scripture; God forbid non-Christians are taking a "wait-and-see" approach to see whether the rapture actually happens first before deciding whether to accept Christ.

So, back to my first question - why are so few seeing what is happening? The Bible says:

They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12

[Pictured: Mount of Olives Hebrew Cemetery]

I have developed such a desire to dig into Old Testament scripture in my study of eschatology, this year I'm going to limit my Christmas readings to the Old Testament only. How is that possible? Easy - God is completely amazing: telling his prophets Isaiah and Micah what will transpire seven centuries BEFORE it happens is nothing to Him. If you're not a Christian, my prayer is that you would wrestle with this scripture and begin to ask some serious questions about who Christ is. How you answer those questions is the single most important duty of man. Christ is coming again. God is fulfilling prophesy today by gathering nations around little, seemingly insignificant Israel. Keep an eye on Israel, but most importantly make sure you're right with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Only Jesus Christ can justify you in the sight of God.

Micah 5

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops,
for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel's ruler
on the cheek with a rod.

2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times. "

3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor gives birth
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.

4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

5 And he will be their peace.

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

We Know Where This is Headed

"But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief." [1 Thessalonians 5:4]

I came across a good summarization of recent quotes from Islamic leaders in the Middle East. These rulers are actively and publicly calling for the destruction of Israel.

[Source: FrontPageMagazine.com]

Ahmadinejad, Iran’s President since the summer of 2005:

“... the annihilation of the Zionist regime will come.”

"The Islamic umma (community) will not allow its historic enemy [Israel] to live in its heartland."

"There is no doubt that the new wave [of attacks] in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot [Israel] from the face of the Islamic world."

“Our dear Imam [Ayatollah Khomeini] ordered that the occupying regime in Jerusalem be wiped off the face of the earth. This was a very wise statement. The issue of Palestine is not one which we could compromise on…this would mean the defeat of the Islamic world.”

“The issue in Palestine is by no means finished. The Palestinian issue will only be resolved when all of Palestine comes under stringent Palestinian rule.”

“I am hopeful that just as the Palestinian nation continued its struggle for the past ten years, they will continue to keep their awareness and vigilance. This period is going to be short-lived. If we put it behind us successfully, god willing, it will pave the way for the destruction and the downfall of the Zionist regime.”

"When I see the behavior of America, England, and their other accomplices [i.e. Canada in Afghanistan] in recent days, I get the impression that they are preparing even greater crimes. I warn them: know that the fire of the wrath of the peoples is about to erupt and overflow. If you do not put an end to your crimes, know that the ocean of the peoples will soon rage. When the peoples begin to move, they will drag everybody to the defendant's bench, and will remove them from the throne of power."

"Today, the Iranian people is the owner of nuclear technology. Those who want to talk with our people should know what people they are talking to. If some believe they can keep talking to the Iranian people in the language of threats and aggressiveness, they should know that they are making a bitter mistake. If they have not realized this by now, they soon will, but then it will be too late. Then they will realize that they are facing a vigilant, proud people."

"Today, Hizbullah in Lebanon is the standard-bearer of the resistance of all the monotheistic peoples, of the seekers of justice, and of the free people [Note: Christians are considered polytheists to Muslims because we believe in the Trinity]. Hassan Nasrallah is shouting the loud cry of the vigilant human consciences. Today, Hizbullah stands tall as the representative of all the peoples, all the vigilant consciences, all the monotheistic people, all the seekers of justice, and all free people of the world, against the rule of hegemony. Until now, with the help of Allah, [Hizbullah] is winning, and, Allah willing, it will reach the ultimate victory in the near future."

Editor’s note: At this point you should all be asking: “what does Ahmadinejad consider “ultimate victory in the near future”? Ahmadinejad is a Shiite “twelver”. He believes that he has been chosen to hasten the reappearance of the Imam Mahdi, the 12th Imam. According to Ahmadinejad, the world must be in a chaotic condition before the 12th Imam will come out of hiding. That is why there is so much concern about Ahmadinejad potentially getting nuclear weapons. This is or should be extremely scary stuff IF you have no hope other than in the “here and now”. Of course, advance notice of what WILL transpire is in Ezekiel 38 and 39 for any who are willing to hear.

From an Editorial in the Iranian newspaper Resalat, which is close to the Iranian regime:

"It must not be forgotten that the great war is ahead of us, perhaps tomorrow, or in another few days, or in a few months, or even in a few years," .The nation of Muslims must prepare for the great war, so as to completely wipe out the Zionist regime, and remove this cancerous growth. Like the Imam [Ayatollah] Khomeini said: 'Israel must collapse."

Hassan Nasrallah, Leader of Hezbollah (Political party/terrorist group in Lebanon):

"Anyone who reads the Koran and the holy writings of the monotheistic religions sees what they did to the prophets, and what acts of madness and slaughter the Jews carried out throughout history. Anyone who reads these texts cannot think of co-existence with them, of peace with them, or about accepting their presence, not only in Palestine of 1948 (Israel was declared a nation on May 14, 1948 – see Isaiah 66:8) but even in a small village in Palestine, because they are a cancer which is liable to spread again at any moment."

"If they [the Jews] all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide."

“They [the Jews] are a cancer which is liable to spread again at any moment."

"There is no solution to the conflict in this region except with the disappearance of Israel."

"One of the central reasons for creating Hizbullah was to challenge the Zionist program in the region. Hizbullah still preserves this principle, and when an Egyptian journalist visited me after the liberation and asked me if the destruction of Israel and the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem were Hizbullah's goal, I replied: 'That is the principal objective of Hizbullah, and it is no less sacred than our [ultimate] goal.' We face an entity that conquered the land of another people, drove them out of their land, and committed horrendous massacres. As we see, this is an illegal state; it is a cancerous entity and the root of all the crises and wars and cannot be a factor in bringing about a true and just peace in this region. Therefore, we cannot acknowledge the existence of a state called Israel, not even far in the future, as some people have tried to suggest. Time does not cancel the legitimacy of the Palestinian claim."

"Put a knife in your shirt, then get close to an Israeli occupier and stab him."


The last word however, comes from the only God, the God of Israel:

Zechariah 12:2-3
2 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.
3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.

Psalm 83 :
A song, a psalm of Asaph.
83:1 O God, do not be silent!
Do not ignore us! Do not be inactive, O God!
83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile.

83:3 They carefully plot against your people,
and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.
83:4 They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation!
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
83:5 Yes, they devise a unified strategy;

they form an alliance against you.
83:6 It includes the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
83:7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. (Selah)
83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian –
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River!
83:10 They were destroyed at Endor;
their corpses were like manure on the ground.
83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,
83:12 who said, “Let’s take over the pastures of God!”
83:13 O my God, make them like dead thistles,

like dead weeds blown away by the wind!
83:14 Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides,
83:15 chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify them with your windstorm.
83:16 Cover their faces with shame,
so they might seek you, O Lord.
83:17 May they be humiliated and continually terrified!

May they die in shame!

83:18 Then they will know that you alone are the Lord,
the sovereign king over all the earth.

Micah 4: 9-13:
4:9 Jerusalem, why are you now shouting so loudly?
Has your king disappeared?
Has your wise leader been destroyed?
Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor?
4:10 Twist and strain, Daughter Zion, as if you were in labor!
For you will leave the city
and live in the open field.
You will go to Babylon,
but there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will deliver you
from the power of your enemies.
4:11 Many nations have now assembled against you.
They say, “Jerusalem must be desecrated,
so we can gloat over Zion!”
4:12 But they do not know what the Lord is planning;
they do not understand his strategy.
He has gathered them like stalks of grain to be threshed at the threshing floor.
4:13 “Get up and thresh, Daughter Zion!
For I will give you iron horns;
I will give you bronze hooves,
and you will crush many nations.”
You will devote to the Lord the spoils you take from them,
and dedicate their wealth to the sovereign Ruler of the whole earth.

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:36

Prepare our hearts Lord Jesus for your return - Amen.

Canada on a Knife Edge

The following article is talking specifically about America but is completely true of Canada as well. Sadly, but not surprisingly, our society closely resembles 2 Timothy 3:1-5, and there isn't a political party in the world that can turn things around unless citizens themselves are willing to repent and submit:

A Knife Edge

Is the Pope Going to Survive Turkey this Week?

• ISTANBUL, Turkey Nov 26, 2006 (AP) — More than 25,000 people joined demonstrations Sunday against Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit, police said. [Source: ABC News]
• BBC Report: Stepping into the Storm

After reading Revelation 17 and 18 many times, I find it hard to believe that Pope Benedict is going to visit Turkey on Tuesday to express his "esteem for Islam" - we HAVE come a long way since the Crusades - WOW!

Since I'm 98% convinced that Rome is the "City on 7 hills" mentioned in these two chapters in Revelation (see Dave Hunt's comments), I would not be surprised if this upcoming trip resulted in a major clash between the beast (Leopard-Bear-Lion of Islam) and the Whore riding on the Beast (Catholicism). Is the Pope going to survive his trip?? Is Rome (especially the Vatican) soon going to be destroyed by the beast? Only God knows for sure. We'll see.

Did I mention that we're headed for another war?

DEBKAfile reports: Russia sells Iran sophisticated missile systems capable of repelling US or Israeli air or missile assaults: Debkafile

I had to post this just in case anyone's still wondering whose side Russia is on. Are we marching right into Ezekiel 38-39?

I've been reading Joel Rosenberg's book called "Epicenter-Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future" - a very interesting and intriguing book!

Joel has a video sermon online entitled : "Are We Living in the Last Days" that can be found here.

In the pull-down menu labelled "Search by Speaker" Select "Joel Rosenberg"

Twins!

As reported in www.irna.ir
Iran is now "one step away" from nuclear success and [Ahmadinejad] advised "our malevolent enemies to adopt a friendly attitude towards the determined Iranian nation."
"They should know that having friendly ties with the noble Iranian nation would be to their benefit, otherwise they would face disgrace and defeat."

That second line sounds to me like a threat. I was watching Glenn Beck's special last night on CNN (I think it was called "Extremists Exposed"). I find Glenn to be a bit of a loud mouth, not exceptionally bright (i.e. he keeps calling Ahmadinejad: Ahmadeemajob), but I do have to give Glenn credit for his assessment of “the extremists”. Of course by extremists he's really talking about Islamofascists. I know we're all dangerously politically correct in North America, but let's face facts and be honest with ourselves for at least one second: the extremist threat is coming directly from within Islam.

If you've been following the subject matter of this blog at all, you'll know that I believe the Leopard-Bear-Lion (LBL) beast in Revelation 13:2 is the revival of the Leopard, Bear, and Lion beasts of Daniel 7. The LBL beast in Revelation 13 shows up as a combined beast because Islam is the glue that holds it together. I also believe that the combined beast in Revelation 13 will, in combination with Satan and the False Prophet, call the world to battle in the final Day of the Lord (aka Armageddon).

Here’s a quote to think about:
13Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan), out of the mouth of the beast (Lion-Bear-Leopard beast) and out of the mouth of the false prophet (Mohammed). 14They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. [Revelation 16:13-14, comments added in parenthesis]

If you're unfamiliar with what happens on "the great day of God Almighty", I recommend you get really familiar with it quickly. See Zechariah 12 and 14; Joel 3; Ezekiel 38 and 39, etc. I believe the Day of the Lord is closer than most think, or I should say "most don't think". I believe I'm not flying out on some wild tangent by saying most people are asleep to the warnings of biblical prophesy. People, inside and outside of the church, are generally so busy doing things that have NO ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE, that they can't be bothered to read what they must consider “irrelevant Old Testament prophesy".

God said to Daniel that his prophesy will remain sealed up until the time of the end. Guess what? With the re-establishment of Israel on May 14, 1948, and with the end of Gentile rule over Jerusalem in 1967 - WE ARE LIVING IN THE END. The "time of the Gentiles” is over, therefore prophesy given to Daniel can only be properly understood now – post 1967.

This must sound pretty “flaky” to many of you, but in my opinion, the best interpretation of prophesy in the Old Testament and in Revelation comes from Ellis Skolfield [www.ellisskolfield.com]. As described by Skolfield in his free online book The False Prophet, he was frustrated by the lack of support for the traditional end time theory consisting of: Daniel’s 70th week; with Anti-Christ in the middle; a re-build, third temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem; and a 7-year peace treaty that goes very badly in the last 3.5 years.

Like Skolfield, I too was getting frustrated by what this traditional theory offered up as biblical support. I’ve read the traditional books (eg. John Walvoord) that specify, in 15-step chronological detail , what will happen in the end - with the first step being the rapture. What? How can the rapture be step number 1 of 15 when 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 states:

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

These verses refer to the transformation that Christians will undergo at the last trumpet. Traditionalists say this transformation will happen at the rapture. But how can the rapture be the next event then if 1 Corinthians 15:52 says our transformation will occur at the last trumpet of Revelation?! To me, the traditional theory has gone off track with the imminent rapture prediction. I don’t believe that we will be transformed into our eternal bodies until the seventh trumpet sounds. To think otherwise contradicts 1 Corinthians 15!

In light of what the world has seen transpire since the end of Gentile rule over Jerusalem in 1967, it looks a lot more like the European Union is not the final kingdom that will war against Christians and the re-gathered Israelites before Christ’s second coming. It looks more likely that Islam and Muslims will be (are) warring against the followers of Jesus Christ and Jehovah God.

Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, is almost on a daily basis threatening the very existence of Israel, who just happens to be the apple of God’s eye. God is not going to let Israel be destroyed, now that he has re-gathered Jacob’s children from the four corners of the earth – that’s for certain (Jeremiah 31:35-37).

The traditional “next stop: the rapture” theory is widely accepted as gospel truth. It is considered established Christian doctrine by many, and many think that to diverge from it is to blaspheme God. But when a theory, which has been built up on shaky assumptions, is starting to fail, it is important to go back to the bible (back to the drawing board, so to speak) and look for a better explanation. We are commanded by Jesus to watch for his second coming. Rest assured, most will continue to watch through the lens of the traditional theory, and consequently most will be unprepared and surprised by Christ’s physical reappearance:

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. [Matthew 24:44]

Does this verse support a 15-step chronologically ordered end times theory?

See - I'm not the only one talking about a naval buildup (and I'm not talking lint)

US naval war games off the Iranian coastline: A provocation which could lead to War?
by Michel Chossudovsky
October 24, 2006
GlobalResearch.ca

There is a massive concentration of US naval power in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Two US naval strike groups are deployed: USS Enterprise, and USS Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group. The naval strike groups have been assigned to fighting the "global war on terrorism." War GamesConcurrent with this concentration of US Naval power, the US is also involved in military exercises in the Persian Gulf, which consists in "interdicting ships in the Gulf carrying weapons of mass destruction and missiles" The exercise is taking place as the United States and other major powers are considering sanctions including possible interdiction of ships on North Korea, following a reported nuclear test, and on Iran, which has defied a U.N. Security Council mandate to stop enriching uranium.
The exercise, set for Oct. 31, is the 25th to be organized under the U.S.-led 66-member Proliferation Security Initiative and the first to be based in the Gulf near Bahrain, across from Iran, the officials said.
A senior U.S. official insisted the exercise is not aimed specifically at Iran, although it reinforces a U.S. strategy aimed at strengthening America’s ties with states in the Gulf, where Tehran and Washington are competing for influence" (Defense News, http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2171176&C=mideast) Tehran considers the US sponsored war games in the Persian Gulf, off the Iranian coastline as a provocation, which is intended to trigger a potential crisis and a situation of direct confrontation between US and Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf:"Reports say the US-led naval exercises based near Bahrain will practise intercepting and searching ships carrying weapons of mass destruction and missiles. Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as describing the military manoeuvres as dangerous and suspicious.
Reports say the US-led naval exercises based near Bahrain will practise intercepting and searching ships carrying weapons of mass destruction and missiles.
The Iranian foreign ministry official said the US-led exercises were not in line with the security and stability of the region. Instead, they are aimed at fomenting crises, he said." (quoted in BBC, 23 October 2006)
USS Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG 5) to arrive in Arabian SeaThe USS Boxer (LHD 4), --which is the flagship for the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG 5)-- which left Singapore on October 16, is scheduled to join the two other naval strikes groups. ESG 5 is comprised of USS Boxer, Bunker Hill, USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Comstock (LSD 45), USS Benfold (DDG 65), and USS Howard (DDG 83). ESG 5 also includes PHIBRON 5, the 15th MEU, Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WHEC 726). “We are about to enter a part of the world that can be very dangerous,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman (AW/SW) Jacques Beaver, Boxer’s flight deck ordnance chief. “We must be flexible and prepared to defend ourselves from any threats.”Boxer has been preparing for the weapons upload for two months by completing required maintenance and electronic pre-checks. Checks ensure that the ship’s missile and launching systems are up to standard and safe to load with live ordnance. “It has taken a lot of hard work for our people to get this done,” said Chief Fire Controlman (SW) William Lewis, combat systems, fire control division’s leading chief petty officer. “You cannot measure the importance of having these defenses guarding the lives of the Sailors and Marines in this strike group.”BOXESG is comprised of USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Comstock (LSD 45), USS Benfold (DDG 65) and USS Howard (DDG 83). The strike group also includes Amphibious Squadron 5, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WHEC 726) and Canadian Frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341).BOXESG is currently conducting operations in support of the global war on terrorism while transiting to the Arabian Gulf [sic]." (http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2006/october/3.htm) USS BoxerCanada is part of the Expeditonary Strike Group (ESG 5)Canada is formally participating in this military deployment under the disguise of the "war on terrorism". The Canadian Navy has dispatched Frigate HMCS Ottawa, which is now an integral part of ESG 5, under US Command. It is worth noting that particular emphasis has been given to medical evacuations and combat medical support suggesting that a combat scenario could be envisaged. Boxer and Ottawa, both operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility, know that they can play a vital role to aid humanitarian assistance operations, medical evacuations or combat medical support that would rely heavily on the medical capabilities of the Boxer strike group. Cross training Sailors from ship to ship helps ensure the success of the strike group should BOXESG have to respond to any medical scenario, according to Richardson.“Training is a necessary part of any evolution,” said Richardson. “Anytime you’re working with another nation, it’s important that we understand their capabilities just as much as they understand ours, so in the event anything occurs we know where our assets are.” The cross training also fostered cooperation between the two allies which provided Verville and Boxer corpsmen a forum to learn about each other’s navies and each other’s culture." (Military.com October 2006) Dangerous Crossroads: Tonkin II? "An incident" in the Persian Gulf could be used by the US as a pretext for war against Iran. A war pretext incident, similar to "the Gulf of Tonkin Incident", which triggered the Vietnam war, could be used by US forces, with a view to justifying retaliatory military action against Iran. In August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson claimed that North Vietnamese forces had attacked US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Tonkin incident, which had been manipulated, contributed to unleashing a full-fledged war against Vietnam: "A phantom attack on two U.S. destroyers cruising the Gulf of Tonkin was staged by the Pentagon and the C.I.A. The bogus attack occurred early in August, 1964. That evening President Lyndon Johnson went on television giving the grim details of the non-attack. Later, however, it was revealed that navy commander James Stockdale flew cover over the Gulf of Tonkin that night. Stockdale disclosed that U.S. ships were firing at phantom targets—targets that didn’t exist. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident that drew the U.S. into the quagmire of Viet Nam simply didn’t happen. Johnson, as presidents so often do, lied to the American people. The result was the rapid passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which was the sole legal basis for the Viet Nam War. As a result of Johnson’s lie, three million Vietnamese people and fifty eight thousand U.S. soldiers died." (Charles Sullivan, Global Research, January 2006)Revised and updated Oct 25, 2006. Note: Since this report was first published, we have been advised that several press reports concerning USS Eisenhower are incorrect. US military sources have confirmed that USS Eisenhower was in Naples on Oct 23. We have made appropriate corrections.