PROPHECY UPDATE ..........................11/15/2022

 

Conspiracy Theories or Spoiler Alerts? – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2022/11/11/conspiracy-theories-or-spoiler-alerts   Evil people have always conspired against the righteous. We see this in the words of David in Psalm 37:12, written three thousand years ago:   “The wicked plots against the righteous    and gnashes his teeth at him”   Why, then, do the majority of people doubt that this happens today? Why do so many believers deny that there’s a deadly intent in the agenda of the globalists?   One possible answer to the above questions is that many regard the warnings they hear as “conspiracy theories.” This has become a popular yet convenient way for people to disregard the threats to their wellbeing and continue with life as though they don’t really exist.   However, what if the items that most people regard as conspiracy theories are actually spoiler alerts for what lies ahead? What if they are like a lighthouse illuminating the clear and present dangers of our day?   Long, long ago, IBM aired commercials under the banner of “You Make the Call.” Viewers watched short video clips of plays from NFL football games after which an announcer asked what call they would make if they were the referee. Was it a penalty? Was it a fumble? Did the receiver catch the ball inbounds? Was it a touchdown?   As you go through the list below, I invite you to also “make the call.” Do these things result from the perspective of a conspiracy nut given to baseless doomsday scenarios?   Or are they valid portrayals of events that signal the nearness of the seven-year Tribulation?   1. CATASTROPHIC WORLDWIDE FOOD SHORTAGES DURING 2023   I often read warnings of catastrophic food shortages for 2023. Back in June of this year I wrote, Is America on the Cusp of a Food Catastrophe? In it, I provided much supporting evidence for this from a wide variety of sources.   Since I wrote that article, both the World Health Organization and the UN have come out with warnings of their own concerning dire food shortages for 2023.   This coming time of worldwide famine aligns closely with Bible prophecy for the time of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:6). These forecasts of drastic shortages of food are what the Bible says we should expect in the last days leading up to the Day of the Lord.   Do you agree that there’s much evidence supporting this?   2. DIESEL FUEL SHORTAGES   There’s considerable talk about impending diesel fuel shortages in the U.S. Is this also just a conspiracy theory? I don’t think so.   A recent Reuters’ news story out of London, Column: U.S. Diesel shortage increasingly likely until economy slows, says that yes, diesel fuel shortages pose a real threat to the American economy. The story states that the only remedy for this crisis is a dramatic slowing of the economy, such as a deep recession or depression, so that the demand for the fuel lessens.   A November 5, 2022, Newsweek article also warned of the critical diesel fuel shortage in America. The title itself, Diesel Shortage Will Hit These Seven States the Hardest, reveals that these warnings are not just the doomsday scenarios of those with tinfoil hats, but rather point to a legitimate and looming crisis.   If these shortages continue or get worse, they will drive up the prices of everything in the short term and lead to panic buying.   I have read scenarios of the chaos and violence that would erupt in the U.S. if we completely run out of diesel fuel and they sound remarkably similar to what John describes in Revelation 6:5-8.   Even if we don’t run completely out of diesel fuel, isn’t it likely that the shortages will cause much suffering as prices skyrocket for basic necessities?   3. RECORD INFLATION THAT WILL GET MUCH WORSE   Inflation in the U.S. and in many European countries is already at levels not seen for almost five decades and many predict this will become far worse in the months ahead. The scarcity of natural gas in Europe will not only kill a great many people, but also accelerate rising prices for everyday necessities.   The quote below comes from a recent Market Watch article, Hedge-fund giant Elliott warns looming hyperinflation could lead to ‘global societal collapse. As the title suggests, it assumes that “hyperinflation” lies in our future.   “. . . executives at leading hedge-fund firm Elliott Management Corp. warn that the world is heading toward the worst financial crisis since World War II.”   Is this not exactly what Revelation 6:5-6 says about skyrocketing inflation early in the Tribulation? We already see numerous indicators of spiraling price increases throughout the world, which is precisely what we would expect to see during the days leading up the time that John describes in Revelation 6-18.   What call do you make on this?   4. THREATS OF WORLD WAR III   The leaders of NATO and Vladimir Putin talk about the use of nuclear weapons as though it’s something normal and to be expected. Some world leaders say that World War III has already started; others say it’s ever so close.   Another warning of war comes from Chinese President Xi Jinping. He recently stated that China is "preparing for war.”[i] Since no nation seems ready to declare war against this nation anytime soon, it begs this question: Who is China preparing to attack and when?   At any moment, the war in Ukraine might explode into a much a larger conflict; we hear numerous threats of this.   North Korea has stepped up both its weapon testing and threats against America.   I cannot predict what will happen between now and the Rapture, but I believe what we see is stage-setting for the deadly wars that will happen after the Lord takes us home to glory.   The Bible tells us that great wars will happen in during the Tribulation. The second rider of the apocalypse is that of war (Revelation 6:3-4, 8) and the wars that he spawns will contribute to the deaths of an exceptionally number of people, a total that fits with the use of nuclear weapons.   Do you see great wars in the near future?   5. THE DEPOPULATION AGENDA OF THE GLOBALISTS   This is perhaps the place where we see the greatest denial. If people, even believers, do not openly say that talk of a depopulation agenda is nothing but a wild conspiracy theory, they communicate it in other ways.   But is this real or just the ramblings of doomsday purveyors? No, it’s not.   The elite globalists of our day are not silent regarding their intent to drastically reduce the earth’s population. Yuval Noah Harari, perhaps the most influential of them all, frequently describes most people as “useless eaters.” Harari is currently on tour promoting his latest book and saying things such as “we just don’t need the vast majority of you.”[ii] His desire to reduce the earth’s population is clear.   Harari is the righthand man of Klaus Schwab and thereby has immense influence over the leaders of the world. His books sell by the millions and he’s the favorite author of many world leaders, including Barak Obama.   I document the evidence of the deadly agenda of the elite powerbrokers of our day in my recent post, Depopulation: The Sign that Tells Us Jesus’ Appearing is at Hand.   In Psalm 37:14-15, David further exposes the deadly agenda, or conspiracies, of all those who promote evil.   The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows      to bring down the poor and needy,      to slay those whose way is upright;   their sword shall enter their own heart,      and their bows shall be broken.   Along with the Psalmist’ portrayal of how evil people conspire against the wicked, please also remember what Jesus declared about Satan in John 8:44 and 10:10. He is a murderer and a liar.   I believe the globalists are merely minions carrying out the devil’s plan to bring about the reign of his man, the antichrist.   Do you agree?   6. THE PUSH FOR A ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT   Seven years ago, I began writing about the UN’s Agenda 2030 and its push for a one world socialistic government. In response, I received some of the harshest criticism that has ever come my way. One person has repeatedly called me a liar because of what I wrote regarding these things.   Now, however, this global push has become abundantly clear. The World Economic Forum (WEF) openly calls for global governance and conducts open meetings in Davos, Switzerland where leaders from all over the planet plan for time when all the nations of the world unite under one banner. In the past, they held these meetings behind closed doors. Now, however, they invite the press in to record their planning sessions for the day in which they will rule over all the people of every nation.   The U.S. President openly promotes the agenda of the WEF. His campaign slogan of “Build Back Better” was taken directly the group the Klaus Schwab and Yuval Harari lead. In the early days of the his administration, he sent John Kerry to the WEF to pledge America’s devotion to them.   All these things align perfectly with biblical prophecy. The books of Daniel and Revelation predict that the things we hear from the WEF will happen in the future, although briefly, during the Tribulation.   This push for a worldwide government by 2030 aligns with God’s Word says will happen in the last days.   7. THE MARK OF THE BEAST   Most people today have heard about the Mark of the Beast and regard the number 666 as evil (perhaps in a superstitious way), but relatively few believe such a thing a will ever happen. It’s clear that those outside of Christ reject this as a conspiracy theory or pure nonsense.   What about fellow believers? Many of them also see the mark as something of the past or symbolical of a different reality. A great many pastors regard prophecies regarding the fulfillment of Revelation 13 as conspiracy theories or part of a false doomsday scenario based on an errant interpretation of Revelation.   What about the elite globalists? Although they don’t use Revelation 13:16-18 terminology or believe what it says; nonetheless, it’s an outcome they have been planning for a very long time and hope to bring to fruition in the near future.   Several months ago, I wrote Transhumanism: Marching Toward the Mark. In it, I describe in detail how the current push for transhumanism is all about setting up the earth’s population to receive the mark of the beast.   Pay close attention to this quote from a speech by Aldous Huxley, a philosopher and author, at the California Medical School in 1961:   “There will be, in the next generation or so, a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing dictatorship without tears, so to speak, producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them, but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda or brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods. And this seems to be the final revolution.”[iii]   Though spoken over sixty years ago, these words represent the blueprint from which the globalists operate today. What Huxley talked about in 1961 has now become reality. “Pharmaceutical methods” are fast becoming the way by which elite globalists are now seeking to change human DNA and later combine them with machines.   Globalists such as Klaus Schwab talk openly about transhumanism and how the combining of machines with humans will be the final step in the evolution of mankind. Joe Biden recently signed an executive order promoting transgenderism in the U.S.   Those who operate under the banner of “see no evil” in our world miss how the technology for this now exists for the first time since the Lord revealed this to the Apostle John almost two thousand years ago.   Never before in history has Revelation 13:16-18 been so close to fulfillment. Through artificial intelligence, one person is now able to determine on a worldwide basis the parameters for who is able to buy and sell, or not. Before, it would have required a vast multitude of people to pull this off, but no longer. The words of John in Revelation 13 are ready to leap off the page into reality.   The current planning of the elite is all about preparing people for the coming day when they will receive an injection of sorts that will enable them to control all who receive it.   Please know that this will not happen until at the midpoint of the Tribulation, long after Jesus has taken us up to glory and the place He’s prepared for us.   CONSPIRACY THEORIES OR SPOILER ALERTS?   What say you? Conspiracy theories or spoiler alerts? Perhaps I made my views a little too obvious.   Despite the openness concerning their agenda, the globalists are the ones with the most to gain from people regarding their plans as conspiracy theories. The more who see their agenda as mere conspiracy theories the better it is for them because it results in little to no resistance to their agenda.   On the other hand, believers that regard the seven items listed above as descriptions of what Scripture says the world would look like just before the start of the Day of the Lord, recognize the nearness of Jesus’ appearing to take us home.   We rightly recognize that Jesus is right at the door, ready to take us home to His Father’s house in heaven.   The Bible tells us that the Rapture will happen quickly (1 Corinthians 15:50-54) and the Lord’s wrath will fall suddenly upon the world (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).   We do not know how much longer we will wait for Jesus’ appearing, but we know that it will be a day just like any other when rather suddenly we find ourselves in glory with our dear Savior (Colossians 3:4).   If after reading this article you still believe that I am a conspiracy theorist, tinfoil nut, or one overly susceptible to doomsday scenarios, please read the articles that I reference above before you respond.   My book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is available on Amazon. In it, I provide a firm biblical basis for our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing and the glory that lies ahead for all those in Christ. It will be a day of rejoicing and praise like no other.   Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/ . Thanks!   [i][i] Prophecy News Watch Website, The Clock Is Ticking - China Prepares For War, @ https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5717   [ii] Ethan Huff, Klaus Schwab’s Right-Hand Man Calls for “Mass Extinction Event” to Usher in Great Reset, November 4, 2022 @ https://noqreport.com/2022/11/04/klaus-schwabs-right-hand-man-calls-for-mass-extinction-event-to-usher-in-great-reset/?utm_source=wnd&utm_medium=wnd&utm_campaign=syndicated   [iii] Taken from the Alliance For Human Research Protection website: https://ahrp.org/1961-aldous-huxleys-eerie-prediction-at-tavistock-group-california-medical-school/  I also found this quote on several other websites with varying agendas; it is valid

The 1948 Connection - By Jack Kinsella - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/11/12/the-1948-connection-by-jack-kinsella/   The restoration of the Jews to the Promised Land is one of the most staggeringly overt fulfillments of Bible prophecy to occur in the last 2,000 years.   The Hebrew prophets all foretold an eventual restoration of Israel, even addressing the future state by name, in some cases centuries after Israel had ceased to exist.   Jesus said,   “Learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:32-34).   In his book, Personal Witness, Ambassador Abba Eban, one of Israel’s Founding Fathers and Israel’s first Foreign Minister, wrote;   “In accordance with our plan, a letter from [Chaim] Weizmann to [President] Truman had been sent on May 13 asking him to recognize our new state.”   The expected infant state was still nameless since the Zionist leaders were still characteristically arguing over the name (should it be “Judea,” “Zion,” [or]what about the name “Israel”)? Weizmann, for the first time in history, was asking for a nameless state to be recognized.   Although Ezekiel confidently wrote of the restored Jewish state as “Israel” 2,500 years before, those who actually served as midwives to the rebirth did not decide on the name until the very day before!   Hosea said of Israel,   “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time…” (Hosea 9:10)   Joel wrote of the northern invaders of Israel,   “He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree…” (Joel 1:7).   In 1948, the fig tree began to put forth leaves, so to speak, and Jesus said that generation would see “all these things” fulfilled.   The Bible said that pivotal event in history would take place simultaneously with the birth of a revived Roman Empire. A unified Europe looks back to its foundation as January 1, 1948.   It said an apostate world religion would develop at the same time. Revelation 13:11 describes this religious system as “having two horns like a lamb” — symbols of Christianity. The World Council of Churches was born in 1948.   It predicts that global political system will co-exist with a global economy. The World Trade Organization — a trade organization empowered to regulate the global economy — saw its genesis in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, enacted by the UN in 1948.   The Bible predicted that global economy will fall under the control of a single individual who will be able to regulate commerce down to the individual level — “That no man might buy or sell” (Rev 13:17). Such individual control was impossible before the advent of computers.   Although computers had been invented during World War II, they were huge, bulky monsters that used notoriously unreliable and hugely inefficient vacuum tubes. The first computers were slower than a pocket calculator, filled huge environmentally sealed rooms, and required enough electricity to power a small city.   That all changed in 1948 when Bell Labs invented the transistor chip, signaling the official birth of the Computer Age.   That final age would be marked by “rumors of war” (Matt 24:7). The ultimate ‘rumor of war’ was the Cold War. It began with the Berlin Airlift of 1948. The Soviet collapse was a direct result of the cost of fighting the Cold War. The ongoing decline of US influence in the world is also related to the costs of that ‘war.’ The power vacuum left by the simultaneous decline of each of these great powers is being filled by Europe, just as the Bible predicted.   Earthquakes began to show a marked increase in size, scope, and intensity in 1948. The modern period of ethnos [nation] against ethnos [nation] can be traced to the death of colonialism beginning in 1948. Increasing ‘pestilence’ or deadly disease, can be traced to 1948. Economic ‘kingdoms’ began with the first multinational corporations in 1948.   Legislation passed by the UN in 1948, like the UDHR and the UNCPR, function today as the legal cornerstones of our developing globalist worldview and the disintegration of US Constitutional guarantees.   The decline in morality — worldwide — can arguably be placed at the feet of the current trend of devaluing human life to the degree that legislation permitting abortion and euthanasia are evidences of an ‘advanced’ society.   The Japanese Eugenics Act — the first legal abortion on demand legislation ever passed in modern society — was passed in 1948. American Margaret Sanger was so impressed with the idea that she founded the premier abortion rights advocacy group — Planned Parenthood — in 1948.   Let’s not forget the other technological advances introduced in 1948 — commercial television, holography, cybernetics, meteorology, the nuclear arms race, microelectronics, and dozens of other advances that served to demystify the books of Daniel and the Revelation for this generation.   Add that to the social breakdown that followed the ouster of God from American education following McCollum vs. the board of education decision of 1948. Don’t forget the contribution made to evolutionary theory by the introduction of the ‘Big Bang’ theory of 1948. That served to further alienate the concept of a Creator God from the American worldview.   2 Peter 3:3 warns,   “that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”   All these things taken in context point to one logical conclusion. This is the generation of whom Jesus was speaking when He said,   “This generation shall not pass until ALL these things be fulfilled.”

Prophecy Update Videos

Prophecy Update: We Are Under Judgment! – Pastor Tom Hughes & John Haller Prophecy Update: Why Does This Matter? – Pastor Curt Reed & Olivier Melnick Prophecy Update: What Would Jesus Say About All This? – Pastor J.D. Farag Christians Mocking the End Times? – Britt Gillette

Why Should the Re-Establishment Of The State of Israel Matter To Christians? – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/god-in-action-why-should-the-re-establishment-of-the-state-of-isreal-matter-to-christians/   Now, why should it matter for Christians if Jews are returning to Israel? Because this is God in action! Despite the nation’s repetitive disobedience – and they are disobedient – God preserved it from the agenda of its enemies time and time again, even up to the War of Independence in 1948.   And now we live in 2022 and all of you belong to that generation that can see the fig tree come back to life. We live in an unprecedented age where countless ancient prophecies, or precursors to them, are happening right before our eyes. While some may be more subtle and others are like the spokes on a larger wheel, there is none more clear than the rebirth of the nation of Israel.   Isaiah 54:5-8 KJV – “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.”   Today we can see that the Lord’s promise to gather His “momentarily forsaken” people by His great mercy and everlasting kindness is being undeniably fulfilled. Yet in spite of this incredible miracle fulfilling a 2700 year old prophecy, antisemitism is rising around the world, including in the church. However, this too is prophetic.   Zechariah 12:3 KJV – “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”   Zechariah’s 2500 year old prophecy is also coming to pass right before our eyes, and yet there are many in the church who say that God is finished with the nation of Israel or that the church has replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan. Not only are neither of those things true, they are anti-biblical and present a series of major theological problems, not the least of which is this:   Romans 11:16-18 KJV – “For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”   The firstfruit, the lump, and the root all point back the believing patriarchs of Israel. The broken-off branches represent all unbelieving Jews. The cultivated olive tree is Israel, and the wild olive tree grafted in is believing Gentiles, or the predominantly Gentile church. In verse 18, Paul skips over the agrarian and ceremonial metaphors and reaches back to the root – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. – and says you do not support the root but the root supports you.   If the root, believing Israel, has been cast off then who are Christians grafted into? If modern Israel is not Biblical Israel then why are the things prophesied about Israel happening to the nation?   What tragic spiritual loses are suffered when we follow the errant teaching of God casting off or replacing Israel. We miss the majesty of God protecting His chosen people and their eternally covenanted homeland in our day. We miss the mercy and grace of God towards even the most rebellious of people by recognizing it is He who has regathered them as promised. We miss the closeness of the Day of the Lord and do not have a reference point from which to see the day approaching.   1 Peter 2:9-10 KJV – “For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”   Christians should rejoice in the the faithfulness of God to Israel and take heart in the fact that God does not cast off people He calls chosen. If He did so with Israel, he could do so with the church.   The fig tree buds three times a year in spring, late summer, and fall.   Hosea 9:10a KJV – “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time:”   Here Hosea refers to the Patriarchs as the firstfruits on the fig tree.   Jeremiah 24:5-8a KJV – “Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the Lord”   Here, the faithful of the captives of Judah are referred to as “good figs”, and at the time of the regathering God will set His eyes on them for good in preparation for what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse:   Matthew 24:32 KJV – “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:”   The tender branch speaks of the new wood on the fig tree that would support an upcoming harvest of good figs. This pictures Messianic Jews, including the 144,000 and all the Jews who they lead to faith in Christ, and also the good fruit among the Jews that happens at Jesus’ second coming:   Zechariah 12:10 KJV – “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”   Don’t let anyone rob you of the majestic mercy and goodness of God toward Israel by saying He has cast them off or replaced them with the church. They’re back in the land to tell us He’s coming for us soon. Then, not long after, He’s coming back for the believing Jews and we will be with Him.   Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

This Generation Revisited – Steve Savell - https://www.rev310.net/post/this-generation-revisited   “Now learn the parable of the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:32-35).    The parable of the fig tree, appearing in what is known as the Olivet Discourse, is perhaps one of the most challenging passages of Scripture for Bible students. The challenge stems from the fact that Jesus appears to be predicting a particular period of time in which we can expect to witness His glorious and visible return to earth. In light of current events and the fact modern Israel has been around for over 74 years, I recently revisited this fascinating prophecy. You can read about my earlier musings on this prophecy here: http://www.fightforjoy.net/blog/this-generation   The Parable of the Fig Tree--The argument goes something like this: The fig tree represents the nation of Israel. The branch that becomes tender and puts forth its leaves refers to the rebirth of the nation in 1948. Therefore, the generation born around the time of Israel’s return to the land will be alive at the Second Coming of Christ. Sounds like a legitimate interpretation, but is this the correct interpretation of this particular passage of Scripture?   Many conclude this traditional interpretation cannot possibly be correct given Jesus’ words in verse 36: “But of that day and hour no one knows.” He said the same thing in Acts 1:7, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.” Paul reiterated this in his first letter to the Thessalonian believers: “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you” (1 Thess. 5:1).   If you have been following my musings for any length of time you know that I believe the Bible says what it means and means what it says. In other words, God does not have a speech impediment. The rule of thumb I follow is if the plain sense of the text makes sense; seek no other sense, lest you end up with nonsense. I follow this rule in every sermon I preach and every Bible study I teach and every article I write. With that in mind, how should we approach this difficult text?   Hank Hanegraaf, radio’s so-called “Bible Answer Man,” and author of The Apocalypse Code (I do not recommend it), believes the entirety of Matthew 24 refers to events surrounding the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Therefore, his conclusion is that the “this generation” of Matthew 24:34, refers to the generation alive at the time Jesus gave this prophecy. Since Jesus gave this prophecy around A.D. 32, or so, there were some still alive when the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple.   Suffice it to say Hank is guilty of seeking “other sense” in this passage thus ending up with nonsense. He is a partial Preterist who is thoroughly confused on matters of eschatology. He believes all prophecies except for the Second Coming and the resurrection have already been fulfilled. Just to demonstrate how utterly ridiculous this interpretation is, consider the fact that the worldwide preaching of the kingdom, the tribulation period, the return of the Lord in visible glory, and the regathering of the elect of Israel have not yet occurred.   Another solution to this difficult passage is offered by the late Pastor Bob DeWaay. He believes this prophecy is used in a pejorative sense in the New Testament and is therefore qualitative and not setting a time limit. He sees the issue of “this generation” in the sense of Jewish hardness to the gospel and their rejecting Jesus as Messiah down through subsequent generations. He uses passages like Matt. 12:41-45, Luke 9:40-45, and Acts 2:40 to support his interpretation. His argument is well thought out and may very well be correct.   I will admit it is possible the fig tree here refers to Israel’s rebirth. However, I believe Jesus was using this parable to say that when the people of Israel see all the end times signs He described, they will know that His return is really near. Notice I said, “The people of Israel.” I believe the Olivet Discourse, though contained in three Gospels, is meant for Israel (or the Jewish people), and not the Church.   The fig tree is among the last to get its leaves in the spring. So when it begins to bud, you know that summer is really near. Therefore, when the people of Israel see all these signs they’ll know their redemption is near. Luke’s account drives this point home clearly: “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).   Another interpretation—one I like better than my own and it may very well be the correct interpretation—suggests Matthew 24:34 says that the generation born when the end times signs begin will still be alive when all signs are fulfilled and Jesus returns visibly to this planet. This interpretation aligns perfectly with my current position that with the exception of Israel's return to the Land, we are not witnessing signs today but rather prophetic trends pointing to future signs that will be fulfilled during Daniel's 70th Week.   According to Psalm 90:10, a biblical lifespan is 70 to 80 years. Many scholars agree that the first of the end times signs was the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Therefore, the generation born around 1948 can expect to see everything fulfilled in their lifetime. If this interpretation is correct we must keep in mind that Israel is recently 74 years as a nation. If a biblical lifespan is 70 to 80 years, what does this say about the lateness of the hour?   What does this say about the lateness of the hour? Israel has been a nation since May 14, 1948, sovereignly fulfilling Isaiah 66:7-9, and Ezekiel 36-37. Since that time the nations that made up the ancient Roman Empire have been coming back together in what is known as the European and Mediterranean Unions—a key End Time prophecy. Russia, for the very first time in history, has been entering into military and economic alliances with the nations described in Ezekiel 38-39. Jerusalem has become a heavy stone for all the nations of the world just like Zechariah predicted in Zech. 12:3.   But perhaps the key piece to understanding the lateness of the hour is found in Daniel 9:26-27. Here the prophet Daniel speaks of a pseudo-peace that is coming to the Middle East, between Israel and her enemies. The Bible gives us every reason to believe this peace will be brokered by a European—a descendant of the people who destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70—the Romans. Daniel predicts this so-called peace agreement will be forced upon the Israeli people. This is amazing considering the ongoing desire of world leaders to broker some kind of peace in the Middle East.   Although it is impossible and foolish to try and interpret prophecy to fit every headline, it is not impossible to see that things are happening in our world, the Middle East, and Israel in particular, that are setting the stage for what the Bible describes as the final act of history—the 70th Week of Daniel and return of Christ. Given the direction things seem to be headed, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see some talk in the near future about dividing the world into ten regions. The Bible is not silent on that and seems to indicate the so-called Antichrist will arise from among ten kings in the latter days. With that, I have one final question: Are you ready to meet the Lord in the air? If not, your time is quickly running out!   http://www.fightforjoy.net/blog/this-generation-revisited

Daily Jot: Schumer invites Republicans to join mainstream - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com   Now that it looks like the Democrats are going to keep the Senate and the Republicans might bring the House of Representatives under their control, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) is extending a bipartisan olive branch—to some. On Monday’s CNN “This Morning,” Schumer said that he was going to meet with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and try to build an alliance of like-minded senators, exclusive of Make America Great Again (MAGA) Republicans. Schumer said, “I’m going to say to the Republicans in the Senate who are not the MAGA Republicans, stop letting them lead your party. Work with us to get things done.” Just what we need—more Marxism.   Schumer went on to say, “The red wave proved to be a red mirage. And one, not the main reason but one of the main reasons for sure, was that average American folks, even those in the middle, even those who tended to be Republican, said, ‘I’m afraid of this MAGA. They’re trying to ruin our democracy.’ If you look at the numbers, if you look at the results of the House and Senate, the MAGA Republican way didn’t work. The MAGA Republican candidate, across the board, lost. If you’re a good leader of a Republican Party, you say continuing to follow them is a path to disaster.” Not all MAGA Republicans lost across the board. And the extremists that are ruining the Constitutional Republic are Democrats.   We should ask ourselves: Is it so extreme to put America first? Is it so extreme to protect the life of the unborn? Is it so extreme to provide affordable energy while working toward renewable energy? Is it so extreme to secure the borders? Is it so extreme to say that parents have a say in their children’s education? Is it so extreme to expect your child to go to school to learn about math, science and history, and not be preyed upon and groomed by sexual predators? Is it so extreme for a coach to pray with his team after a football game? Is it so extreme to stand for equality under the law and be labeled a fascist, racist, misogynist, homophobe, Islamophobe or some other “phobe” or “ist”? Is it so extreme to oppose lockdowns of healthy people and shuttering of businesses? Is it so extreme to oppose censorship of dissenting opinions?   The very things upon which Schumer wants to collude with non-MAGA Republicans are the morally-based threats to your freedom, your religious rights, your right to free speech, your pursuit of happiness, the nation’s very soul. Schumer wants Americans to conform to an immoral Marxist ideology. These beliefs will destroy the Constitutional Republic, but preserve the Democrats’ version of “Democracy.” And some Republicans will go right along with them. I, for one, don’t appreciate being labeled an extremist or a threat to our national security because I disagree with Chuck Schumer’s brand of America. You don’t foster change through appeasement. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good morals.” The moral soul of our nation is at stake. Senate Republicans would do well to understand this.

Daily Devotion: The Problem of Habitual Sin - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org   Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. - 1 John 3:9   https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-problem-of-habitual-sin/ Listen   If we were walking the dusty roads of Israel with Jesus and came upon the man known as Judas Iscariot for the first time, he might not be what we had expected him to be. At first blush, we might even think that he was a stand-up guy.   We might believe that he was devout, deeply religious, and very concerned about others. And we would have been shocked upon discovering that he was the one who betrayed the Lord. That’s because Judas was an incredible actor. He was a performer. He knew how to talk the talk, but he certainly didn’t know how to walk the walk.   Yet Judas had no excuse. He had the privilege of spending a number of years with God incarnate. He would have been fully aware that Jesus was never hypocritical or inconsistent in any way, shape, or form. He saw Jesus live a flawless life.   Yet Judas did not believe. And not only that, he turned against Jesus and sold Him for 30 pieces of silver, the price commonly paid to purchase a slave.   Judas was able to do the wicked things that he did because he never really knew Jesus. Sure, he knew about Him. In fact, he knew about Him more than most people did. But he never personally knew Jesus. Judas’s life could be summed up by this statement about him: “So he went his way” (Luke 22:4 NKJV). He lived the way that he wanted to live.   If you can habitually commit sin without any remorse, that’s a clear indicator that you don’t know God. There are a lot of people running around today saying, “I’m a believer. I’m a follower of Jesus.” Yet, if they can persist in sin, something isn’t right.   The Bible doesn’t say that a Christian won’t sin, only that a Christian won’t habitually sin.