PROPHECY UPDATE....................12/03/2022

 

A Man of War: The Lord is His Name – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/a-man-of-war-the-lord-is-his-name   THE SON OF MAN   Jesus was born (but not conceived) as any normal human being, from the womb of a woman. He was part of the family of Joseph and Mary and was raised as a son of Joseph. The Bible says “the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). By the time he was twelve years old, when he was at the Passover in Jerusalem talking to the teachers in the temple, he amazed them all with his knowledge regarding the Tanakh (Old Testament). “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).   Jesus started his ministry in his early thirties and began preaching and teaching. His first sermon was “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” This was an entirely different message than any other learned rabbi had ever taught. Jesus was also unique in that he could cure people of their diverse diseases and drive out demons from possessed people. He did this out of love and care for his people. During his three-year ministry, he performed many miracles.   One miracle that was unique is recorded in John 1, where Jesus heals a man who was born blind. The Pharisees were in an uproar about this, as it indicated Jesus was more than a teacher or healer. They made a big stink about it because the miracle took place on a Sabbath. When the Pharisees questioned the man about it he told them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing” (John 9:30-33).   Many Bible teachers only portray Jesus as a gentle, humble, meek, and mild-mannered individual. He is pictured as holding a baby lamb in one arm and a little child in the other. While it is true that he fits all the above descriptions, they do not adequately describe his true character. They forget the times he showed his righteous anger by overturning the money changers and sellers of merchandise tables in the temple or the many times he called out the religious elites for their hypocrisy. Although Jesus had a compassionate nature, he was far from weak. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Of course, Jesus showed the ultimate compassion for his fellow man when he died on the cross for their sins. Jesus exemplified all of the “fruit of the spirit” characteristics: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.   Does meekness, gentleness, humbleness, compassion, and caring for your fellow man constitute weakness? Far from it, it shows just the opposite. It shows tremendous strength of character and empathy. Just think of the great strength it took to be willing to die such a horrible death on the cross for crimes and sins that you did not commit. Jesus was quite a man. He was our role model for what a human being should be and how we should live our lives. He exhibited a love for children and respect for women and Gentiles. However, all these traits were not what the Jews were looking for in their Messiah. Even Jesus’ miracles and healings weren’t enough to convince them. Every time he performed a miracle, they wanted to see an even greater sign from heaven to prove he was from God. The Jews were expecting a man of war, another David, to save them from their subjugation to the Romans and establish another glorious earthly kingdom by way of war. Of course, this was not God’s will at this time.   Jesus the man, was not to be this great warrior king that would “make Israel great again.” He had a much more important mission to achieve, namely, redeeming mankind from sin and death. Jesus could only do this by submitting to the will of his heavenly Father and laying down his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus’ death was proof to the Jewish elites that he was not their Messiah. However, His resurrection was much more problematic, but of course, they still found a way to not believe. They still awaited their warrior Messiah. In 132 AD, the Jews in Judea thought Simon Bar Kokhba could be “the man of war” they were looking for, as he led a popular revolt against Rome. He was killed in 135 AD, and his troops were completely decimated. The entire Jewish population of Judea was deported and replaced with Gentiles. The province’s name was changed from Judea to Syria-Palestine.   Jesus lived his life on earth as a man of peace. He was not a man of war. Ironically, what the unbelieving world didn’t know was that Jesus had a life before his first advent (birth, life, death) in the first century AD. In a previous pre-first advent life, He was, indeed, the ultimate “man of war.” To get a better idea of what I am talking about, we need to go back to the very beginning.   GOD, THE WORD   “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not, which lights every man that comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”(John 1:1-5,9-14).   In this passage of scripture, John is referring to the creation account in Genesis 1 which begins with “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” (KJV) The Hebrew word for “God” is “Elohim” which means Gods or gods, as in plural. This is a direct reference to God as the Trinity or Godhead which consists of one God who has revealed Himself in three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Some scholars believe verse 1 of John 1 is actually referring to pre-creation (and possibly when the angels were created) and verse 2 is referring to the creation account of Genesis 1; otherwise, the two sentences appear to be redundant.    Before Jesus was born into the world during His first advent, He was the second Person of the Trinity and was known as the Word or the Son. He acted as the voice of God that spoke every animate and inanimate object into existence. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17).   The Word created the spirit beings known as angels sometime before the Creation account mentioned in Genesis 1. Job said they were present when God created the heavens and the earth. “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Man was made in God’s image on the sixth day of creation. Mankind would succumb to the wiles of the Devil/Satan and rebel (sin) against God, as one-third of the angels had done in the distant past. However, these events didn’t catch Elohim unaware as He is omniscient and knows the end from the beginning.   THE SON OF GOD   Elohim had His ultimate plan in place to redeem mankind from sin and death, which were the results of their rebellion against Him. His plan was foreordained before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20). The fall of the human race required an atoning sacrifice for sin, which God Himself would procure. The Word, the second Person of Elohim, would literally become the Son of the Father and would become a man, born of a woman (Son of man), that would sacrifice his earthly life and His innocent blood would be shed for the redemption of mankind. All that chose to accept His graceful sacrifice would be saved from the second death and hell. God provided that sacrifice in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of man. In His grace, God redeemed the human race and brought glory to Himself.   Unfortunately for the rebellious angels, redemption would not be available for them. All the angels were continually in God’s presence and had knowledge of the glory of God. Therefore, they had no excuse for rebelling and turning against Him. They were not tempted by a superior being, as mankind was. Lucifer and the other angels chose to rebel against God despite the fact they knew it was the utmost evil.   “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:1-4).   The pre-incarnate Word used many approaches to send his messages to people in Old Testament times. “He spoke to Isaiah in visions, to Jacob in a dream, and to Abraham and Moses personally (as the Angel of the Lord). In New Testament times, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, spoke to people in person and relayed the Father’s message of salvation and the Kingdom of God to all who would listen. Not only is Jesus God’s spokesman, but He is also God Himself – the very God who spoke in Old Testament times. Jesus’ more excellent name is the Son of God. This name given to him by His Father is greater than the names and titles of the angels.” {1}   God has never called any angel a Son (as is begotten). The author of Hebrews 1:5 is quoting Psalm 2:7 when he says, “You are my Son, this day have I begotten you. I will be to you a Father, and You shall be to me a Son.” Jesus is God’s firstborn (unique) Son. In Jewish families, the firstborn son usually held the place of highest privilege and responsibility. Jesus was superior to any created being, such as angels. Sometimes in the Old Testament, angels were called sons of God (Genesis 6:2,4; Job1:5,6; Job 2:1; Job 38:37), as is the elect Church sometimes called in the New Testament (Matthew 5:9; Luke 20:36; Romans 8:14,19; Galatians 3:26). He goes on to say, “And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels He says, Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7).   Hebrews 1:8-9 likewise quotes Psalm 45:6-7 when the Father is declaring to the Son the following: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” Notice in the first sentence how the Father is calling the Son “God.” Then in the next sentence, the Father is saying He is the Son’s “God.” They are both God, the first and second Persons of the Godhead. Another example of this Godhead is found in Hebrews 1:13, which is quoting Psalm 110:1. The Psalm verse says, “The LORD (YHWH or Yahweh) said unto my Lord, Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”   This same quote is found in Matthew 22 when Jesus was questioning the Pharisees. Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to him, The Son of David.” Jesus said to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord? saying The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son? And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matthew 22: 42-46).   THE LORD JESUS CHRIST   Jesus is given many names and/or titles throughout the Old Testament. They include the Lord, Jehovah, the Lord Jehovah, Jehovah’s Shepherd, Jehovah of Hosts, The Messenger of the Covenant, Adonai, Messiah (Anointed One), Branch, Immanuel, Holy One, King of Glory, Man of Sorrows, Sure Foundation, Chief Cornerstone, Shiloh, A Great Light, Prince of Princes, Root of Jesse, Star out of Jacob, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, the Angel of God, the Angel of His Presence, and the Angel of the Lord. Only one time is the term “Son of God” used in the Old Testament (KJV), and that is in Daniel 3:25. This term might be interpreted as a “son of the Gods” instead. King Nebuchadnezzar is probably talking about an angel, as he is referring to the same Person in Daniel 3:28 as an angel.   There are many more names for Jesus in the New Testament as well, including Son of God, Son of man, Chief Shepherd, Good Shepherd, Alpha and Omega, Lamb of God, Chief Cornerstone, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Bread of Life, The Word, The Rock, The True Vine, Messiah, Christ, Light of the World, and of course Yeshua (Joshua) or Jesus. The “Word” is only used in the Gospel of John (John 1) and is referring to the second Person of the Godhead, the Son. John uses it as another name for the Son or the pre-incarnate Jesus.   “The word Jehovah is based on the Hebrew term for the God of the Hebrews, YHWH (or Yahweh). It is usually rendered in English Bibles as LORD. Many conservative theologians recognize that the name Jehovah, Yahweh, or LORD typically applies to the Triune God collectively. But it also, in many cases, refers to the individual Persons of the Trinity, including Jesus Christ.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Trinity and is God; as are the other two Persons of the Trinity, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. He is sometimes referred to as the Son or the Son of God.” {2}   The literal translation of the Hebrew word mashiach (המשיח, messiah), is “anointed”, which refers to a ritual of consecrating someone or something by putting holy oil upon them/it. So, the word “messiah” literally means anointed or anointed one. Anytime you see the word “anoint” (Hebrew - ū·mā·šaḥ·tā) in the Old Testament, it is a form of the word messiah. Special people were anointed with olive oil to signify God’s call on that person’s life, such as a prophet, priest, or king. The Greek word for mashiach (messiah) is “christos” or “christ” in English.There are 39 instances of its occurring in the Greek Septuagint LXX. The word Christ is used extensively in the New Testament, meaning messiah or anointed one, usually in reference to Jesus. Jesus wasn’t ever anointed with olive oil but was anointed with the Holy Spirit during his baptism. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).   THE ANGEL OF THE LORD   In the Old Testament, it was sometimes necessary for God to manifest Himself to human beings in a visible form, either individually or collectively. This is called a theophany. The word theophany comes from the Greek words “theos” (God) and “phaneia” (to appear). God usually makes his presence known to man in the form of a man Himself, or sometimes even as an angel.   “Old Testament theophanies involving Christ are called Christophanies. So a Christophany is a particular kind of theophany that includes a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ in human form. It does not include visions (or dreams) of God or metaphors involving God, but actual temporary appearances of God in the form of a human being. In the Old Testament, Christ appeared in His pre-incarnate state. But in the New Testament, God appears not as a temporary human being but as one who is entirely permanent in the God-man, Jesus Christ.” {3}   Most of the Christophanies in the Old Testament are accomplished by the entity called “The Angel of the Lord.” The word Angel is translated as messenger, and Lord is translated as Jehovah or Yahweh in the Hebrew language. So the Angel of the Lord is not actually a created angel but is the Messenger of God. As Christ is the second Person of the Triune God in the New Testament, the Angel of the Lord is the second Person of the Trinity in the Old Testament. The Angel of the Lord is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). They are One and the same. They both had the same mission to accomplish for God the Father. The Father sent them to the earth at different times to deal with mankind and to accomplish His eternal will and plan of salvation for all humankind.   “The combined testimony of these theophany passages (regarding the 2nd Person of the Trinity) portrays the Son of God as exceedingly active in the Old Testament, dealing with sin, providing for those in need, guiding in the path of the will of God, protecting His people from their enemies and, in general, executing the providence of God. The revelation of the person of the Son of God thus afforded is in complete harmony with the New Testament revelation. The testimony of Scripture has been so complete on this point that, in general, scholars who accept the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture are agreed that the Angel of Jehovah is the Christ of the Old Testament. Not only Christian theologians but Jewish scholars as well have come to the conclusion that the Angel of Jehovah is more than an angel.” {4} For more information on the biblical Angel of the Lord, I have written six articles on this subject. Here is the first one: The Angel of the Lord: Part 1:: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready   Micah prophesied that the promised Messiah would come out of Bethlehem Ephratah, which is of course where Jesus was born. He also said his goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Jesus is this ruler/king who came forth in the fullness of time and is the Messiah/Christ. His work and travels have been going on from beyond His earthly ministry and the time of his human birth into the ancient past when He interceded into the affairs of man on behalf of the Father God. When Jesus made a physical appearance, it was as the Angel of the Lord. Sometimes he resembled a man and sometimes an angel.    The Angel of the Lord, in the form of a man, walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As a “man,” He warned Abraham about His plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. As an angel, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24). This is an interesting verse as it appears the Angel of the Lord was funneling brimstone and fire from the Father God in heaven. As a man, He wrestled with Jacob before he blessed him and changed his name to Israel. “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30). Jesus was the angel in the burning bush, that was not consumed, that called out to Moses at Mount Horeb and told him, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God” (Exodus 3:6).   A MAN OF WAR   The Angel of the Lord overthrew the Egyptians during the Red Sea crossing and drowned them. Afterward, the children of Israel sang the song of Moses. In this song, the Lord is described as “a man of war.” Here is part of this song to the Lord: “The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. In the greatness of Your excellence, You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils, the waters were gathered together; the floods stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters” (Exodus 15:1, 7-8, 10).   During the Exodus, He was the angel that accompanied the children of Israel during their forty years of wandering in the desert. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people (Exodus 13:21-22). And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them” (Exodus 14:19).   It was the second Person (the Son or Word) of Elohim, in His Shekinah glory, who came down Mt. Sinai in fire, smoke, thunder, lightning, and clouds. Nobody, including Moses, saw Him clearly as he was obscured from their sight. However, it was a Christophany of the Son/Word, the being known as the Angel of the Lord in angelic form, who met with Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders upon the mountain. “And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel, he laid not his hand: also they saw God,and did eat and drink” (Exodus 24:10-11).   Moses spoke to the Angel of the Lord, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, according to Exodus 33:11. In verse 18, Moses asks the Angel of the Lord to show him His glory. Moses wanted to see God’s (the second Person of the Trinity) true Shekinah’s glorious form. The Lord told Moses, “And he said, You can not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:20-23). Moses’ face shown for some time after that encounter with the Lord.   No one can see the face of God (be it Father or Son) in His Shekinah glory and live. The only way you can see His face is through a vision, theophany, or in some environment where His features are obscured. However, when we are raptured and receive our new spiritual bodies, that are made for eternity, we will be able to gaze upon the face of God forevermore. I suppose our faces will shine even brighter than Moses’ did!   VISIONS OF GOD   Both Daniel and John had a vision of God. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days, the Father. Here is his description: “I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, and its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:9-10).   John’s vision was of God, the Son: “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:12-16).   The descriptions of the Father and Son sound similar, don’t they? In the New Testament, Jesus said, “I and my Father are one (John 10:30). Jesus said to Philip, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father?” (John 14:9).   More to come in part II.   Randy Nettles   rgeanie55@gmail.com   Endnotes:   {1} Life Application Study Bible – KJV – pg.2446 {2} Finding Jesus in the Old Testament by David Limbaugh, Regenery Publishing, pg.148 {3} ibid – pgs. 150-151 {4} Jesus Christ Our Lord by John F. Walvoord, Moody Publishers, pg. 53

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/the-four-horsemen/   The following article is framed by Revelation 6, the chapter that begins the Tribulation. As a point of reference, this is where the Seals, Trumpets and Bowls of Revelation 6-18 fit together in the last days prophecies:   Immediately after the Born Again Believers are rescued from planet earth and taken to heaven, the 7-year Tribulation begins with the release of God's wrath in the form of Seven Seals of Judgment. The first four of these Seals each has a rider on a different color horse.   They are usually referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because they usher in a new dispensation— the time of a future 7 years of horrible judgment on those left behind post-rapture.   It’s important to note that Jesus Himself is the One Who is releasing these apocalyptic horsemen, one at a time.   Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, Rev. 6:1   The amount of worldwide death happening so quickly is hard for American Believers to relate to. Consequently, it drives me crazy to hear people today cavalierly quoting Revelation 6 verses about these four horsemen, as if they have already been released.   They have not. Clearly all four horses are released AFTER the Rapture. So if you ARE seeing the Four Horsemen wreaking havoc on the earth, you missed the Rapture. You would need to go read the Millions Missing! booklet about what to do now that you find yourself in the Tribulation.(2)   One proof they're released post-rapture is because Church Age Believers are nowhere to be found after Revelation 5 and don’t show up again until the Tribulation judgments are over. Between Revelation 6 and Revelation 19, we’ll be high-fiving in heaven, enjoying a big dinner after the Bema Seat/Judgment Seat of Christ.   I say “enjoying” because at the Bema Seat (Judgment Seat of Christ for Believers) we’ll readily see our salvation was secured by what Jesus did, not by what we did or did not do. And anything we allowed Jesus to do through us while on the earth will be rewarded.   fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, 1Cor. 3:13b-15a   Apparently, some people will go to the Christian judgment and have all their works burn up. Yet they are still saved.   But those who miss the Rapture still have hope. We see innumerable people getting saved all through the Tribulation. Everybody knows someone who will miss the Rapture. They should be told if people disappear, it's not over, it’s not too late to go to heaven!   A person’s only hope in the Tribulation is by faith trusting Jesus Christ for their salvation, although the Holy Spirit will not permanently indwell them. So they have no spiritual enlightenment.   A person gets saved in the Tribulation just like people got saved before the Church Age, by faith. (Hebrews 11)   It’s not pretty trying to survive in the Tribulation, and those saved during that time mostly get pummeled. Still, it’s encouraging from an eternal perspective that so many people get saved in the Tribulation.   It gives us hope for our family and friends who, for whatever reason, just can’t connect the dots prior to the Rapture. Not to mention proving the importance of being bold in our witnessing when the Lord opens a door of opportunity.   The White Horse   The first horseman out of the chute is on a white horse. We’ve written a great deal about him in the past. If you’ve not read our article on why the first horseman has a bow without arrows, the info is HERE. (1)   But in a quick summary, the first horseman comes on a white horse, but he’s not Jesus. He is a sinister make-believe savior. Satan’s man does what Satan does best, lie.   “… he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b   And, as you can see in the article "A Bow Without Arrows," he conquers with drugs. So depending on where we currently are on God’s timeline, it could be he just continues doling out the deadly va((ines. Or, it could be that he has the antidote for the deadly va((ine. Or he SAYS he has the antidote if you’ll just take another gene therapy treatment.   Regardless, whoever trusts this guy at this stage will have hell to pay.   The Red Horse   On the heels of the white horse and the drugs, Jesus releases the 2nd horseman who ushers in World War 3. The remarkable characteristic of this horseman is that he comes using a “great sword.”   This verse in Zechariah probably refers to nuclear weapons.   …their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. Zech.14:12   Since a nuclear bomb melts people’s flesh off their bodies before they fall to the ground, it would certainly qualify as being the “great sword.”   It’s also likely that this war is the same war as the Ezekiel 38/39 war. In a previous article we showed this battle sounded like a nuclear battle.(3)   The Black Horse   With the world reeling from the aftermath of the Rapture, drugs and world war, the Black Horse naturally follows—economic collapse.   With the world currently using fiat currencies, a worldwide collapse is totally understandable. Supply lines will collapse so food supplies will dwindle. The cost to purchase any of what is available will be sky high.   In fact, it takes an entire day’s wage just to purchase food, with nothing left over for fuel, housing, etc. (Rev. 6:6) Food would eventually be worth more than money—even hard assets like gold and silver. Rich and poor alike will be starving to death.   Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! James 5:1-3   The Ashen Horse   The result of all this carnage brings massive and unimaginable worldwide death—2 billion people die! This is 1/4 of the earth’s population dying from the nuclear effects of war, drugs and starvation. Not a pretty sight.   The scale of this amount of death is hard to grasp. People will be dying faster than they can be buried…and few will even have the strength to do the burying. Bodies will be everywhere.   An interesting characteristic of this time is scripture mentions people dying from attacks by “wild beasts." (Rev 6:8)   Apparently the ravages of nuclear war causes vegetation to be severely reduced. Hungry animals will be a lot worse than hungry people—and only the strong survive. With humans weak from lack of food, the carnivorous instincts of animals will have them trolling for easy prey. I can’t imagine being eaten alive. Just saying.   Now we’ll look to see the results of the Four Horsemen’s havoc on the earth.   Martyrs   The upside to all of this is that an immensely large group of those who missed the Rapture will be a part of the largest revival in the history of the world.   After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, Rev. 7:9a   They either have access to Bibles or they heard enough in church through the years to know exactly what happened when the Rapture occurred. That they missed it. Confused and shaken, they're not about to go along with the system.   They will buck the new system that would provide them with food, energy and shelter and instead recognize that their only hope is in trusting Jesus…even unto death.   Revelation 7:9-17 is a worthwhile read discussing these amazingly sold-out-for-Jesus martyrs. The passage concludes with:   …“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Rev. 7:14-17   Reading that gives me the chills. These are people who we know today. Very likely they THOUGHT they were Believers but for whatever reason, missed the Rapture rescue. I bet they’ll have some incredible stories to tell one day!   Worldwide Earthquake and Signs in the Sky   I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Rev. 6:12-14   When you think it couldn’t get worse, it does. With the earth reeling from one calamity after another, Jesus releases a massive worldwide earthquake.   Experiencing even a small earthquake will shake you up, but this is no small one…it’s a doozy. It’s worldwide and is so severe the mountains and islands around the world are moved out of their places. I’m guessing that would be about 1000 on the Richter scale.   But don't confuse this one with an even bigger earthquake at the end of the Tribulation when all the mountains are shaken to the ground.   Luke is probably writing about one of these two events here:   “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:25-26   Those who have survived up to this point will be numbed by the events coming on the earth. Those who are woke today might find temporary safety in Satan's system he offers to survive. They can continue their hatred of all that is good… for a while.   But there are others, including kings, rich guys and military leaders who come to the rational conclusion that God is judging the earth, and who can stand against Him?   Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Rev. 6:15-17   This is interesting because you have all these kings and rich guys hiding in caves together. So most of the dwellings must have fallen in the worldwide earthquake. Since the earthquake was big enough to move ALL mountains it definitely would move and collapse buildings.   But the most amazing comment is that they recognize it is Jesus Christ’s wrath they’re dealing with. This is still early in the first half of the Tribulation so people can still get saved by faith and join the martyrs. All they—these kings, military commanders, rich men who are terrified in those caves—have to do is bend their knee to Jesus Christ as Lord and their sins will be forgiven forever.   This brings to mind an apropos verse about the future:   ...so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Phil. 2:10   So sooner or later they will ALL eventually bend their knees to Jesus. And there’s definitely an advantage in sooner!   CQLJ!   BP   (1) https://compass.org/a-bow-without-arrows/ (2) https://compass.org/millions-missing/ (3) https://compass.org/nuclear-bombs-and-the-bible/

Prophecy Update Videos

Prophecy Update: When Your Doctor is the World Health Organization - Pastor Mark Henry and Michele Bachmann Pastors’ Point of View (PPOV) no. 235. Prophecy Update. Drs. Andy Woods & Jim McGowan. 12-2-22. OFF-HAND • Mike Gendron • Roman Catholicism 101 – Pablo Crascini This is About to Happen, and It Ends in Complete Tyranny... – Britt Gillette It's TIME to GET YOUR HOUSE in ORDER!!! – Pastor James Kaddis and Monkey Werx

In The Midst Of Chaos – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-with-amir-tsarfati-a-world-in-chaos/   Undoubtedly, Israel is a very special corner of the world. How do I know that it is special? Because God has chosen it to be so. That’s why so many over the centuries, at the behest of the Enemy who hates all that which God loves, have tried so hard to take it away from the Jewish people or to make the land less than what it actually is.   Tuesday marked the 75th anniversary of the United Nations’ acceptance of the partition plan of the land that was at that time called Palestine – a name given to it by the Romans after they decimated it in the second century. The plan was for the land to be divided between two groups of people. For the Jews, there would be a Jewish state, and for the Arabs, there would be an Arab state.   Notice the words that were used. There was no mention of Palestinians because there was no such thing as Palestinians. There were simply Jews and Arabs who lived in Palestine. The idea of a Palestinian came later, creating an artificial grouping of people for the purpose of being a political weapon against a Jewish State.   The Palestinian plan worked, and today this group of people are determined that the land of Israel not be a Jewish state or an Arab state but a Palestinian state. This is not at all in keeping with the UN decision seventy-five years ago. But more importantly, it is not in keeping with the judgment of the San Remo conference of 1920. At this seminal conference, the decision was made to adopt the Balfour declaration that promised the Jews a Jewish homeland in what was then Palestine. The conference also adopted the Balfour declaration’s intended borders which included both Israel and Jordan of today. It was only in 1922 that the British sliced off Transjordan and gave it to the Hashemite family. Later, the League of Nations resolved to adopt the decision of the San Remo conference with the amended borders. Thus, it is still valid today, since the UN, born in October 1945, agreed that all resolutions of its predecessor are effective and valid.   So, despite what you hear, the land of Israel is not stolen. The Israelis are not occupiers or squatters on someone else’s land. We are here legally based on international resolutions. But even more importantly, we are here because this is the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants thousands of years ago. And because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, His promises still stand true today.   Genesis 13:14-17 KJV – “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”   A World in Chaos   As I looked through the news a couple days ago, it struck me that we are truly a world in chaos. There were riots in Belgium, riots in the Netherlands, riots in Germany, and riots in Kazakhstan. In China, Iran, and Brazil, major protests were taking place as people voiced their anger and disgust at their governments. Then, in northern Syria, the war continues. In northern Iraq, the war continues. And in Ukraine, the war continues. Evil is alive and well in this world. In some places it resides in the government, in others it is among the people, and in many it is in both. More than ever before, we as the church must fulfill our calling to not only pray for the soon return of our Messiah, but also to reach out to those around us with the truth of the Word of God so that they can begin to find peace in the midst of all this chaos.   Israel Preparing to Remove Iran’s Nuclear Threat   Israel will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. The threat of that kind of firepower in the arsenal of so radical a regime is simply too dangerous. However, the cost of stopping Iran could be steep. If Israel acts decisively, the international outrage will be great. Despite many nations breathing a sigh of relief behind closed doors, their public reaction will be one of outrage and, quite possibly, punitive sanctions. According to senior officials in Israel’s defense department, the Israeli citizenry may need a wake-up call. “Public opinion is focused on the cost of living and looking for deals for Hanukkah. We must prepare citizens for a war economy.” Some good news is that it seems that the US has finally come to the understanding that Iran cannot be allowed to “go nuclear”. In preparation for a possible attack against Iran’s nuclear sites, the US Air Force (USAF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) began three days of military exercises that will include simulating a strike on a remote target.   Iran’s Islamic Regime Facing Battles on Numerous Fronts   When you set yourself up as the bully on the block as Iran has, you’ll never run out of fights. Iraqi Kurdistan has been under attack from Iranian missiles and drones for several weeks now. Tehran accuses the Kurds of supporting the anti-government protests that have swept through the country. They also say that many of the weapons that reach Iranian insurgents flow through that area. On another front, the Azerbaijani army has been ordered to full alert for possible war with Iran. Two weeks ago, five individuals were arrested by the Azeris for espionage on behalf of Iran. Then, this week the head of Azerbaijan’s intelligence service claimed that Iran is preparing more subversive actions on Azeri soil. Another front is more of a mystery. On Monday, Reza Dastani, a member of the IRGC’s Basij militia, was killed in Isfahan on his way to work. This came just days after Col. Davoud Jafari, an adviser of the IRGC Aerospace Force in Syria, was killed by a roadside bomb near Damascus. Iran blames the US and its allies for these assassinations. The final front from which the radical Islamic regime is being attacked is the home front. The protests resulting from the killing of Mahsa Amini by the Iranian morality police show no sign of abating, despite the violent attempts to quash them.   Terrorist Blast at a Madrassa in Afghanistan   A bomb explosion tore through the Al Jihad Madrassa in Aybak, Samangan, Afghanistan yesterday killing at least 10 students and injuring 24 more. The religious school teaches mostly young boys. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast yet, but the Islamic State has been perpetrating acts of terror of this type ever since the Taliban took power.   Leader of ISIS Killed   Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, number one man in the Islamic State, was killed in battle recently, ISIS confirmed in an audio recording yesterday. Al-Qurayshi had taken over leadership after his predecessor was killed by US forces in February. The newly named ISIS leader is Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi. Let’s hope that his tenure is as short as his predecessor’s.   Ukrainian Deaths Reach 120,000 – Maybe   In a speech tweeted out by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, she condemned Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. To emphasize the horror of what has taken place, she stated that 20,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 100,000 Ukrainian military have lost their lives. However, a short time later, the tweet was removed. It was then replaced with a tweet showing the same speech, but with the casualty figures edited out leaving a noticeable jump in the video. No explanation has been given for the removal of the figures.   Saudi Arabia Makes Arms Deal with China   At the recent Zuhai air show held in China, Saudi Arabia purchased $4 billion worth of drones, missiles, and laser-based weapons systems from Beijing. This is one more example of China stepping into leadership roles that the US used to fill.   Growing COVID Protests in China   China’s draconian COVID restrictions have finally tipped the scales amongst many in the nation leading to protests and clashes with police. Barriers were torn down in numerous cities and projectiles were hurled at authorities. Unfortunately, in a nation not known for its human rights concerns, it is likely that a very harsh crackdown is on its way.   “Religion of Peace” Makes Converts at World Cup while Moroccans Riot over Belgian Victory   While Islam, the “religion of peace”, is given free rein to proselytize during the World Cup, peace was not on the minds of many Moroccans living in Belgium and the Netherlands. The 2-0 victory of the the Moroccan team over Belgium at the World Cup led to rioting in Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. Meanwhile, at the tournament in Qatar, any form of protest has been very effectively shut down. Prior to the match between Iran and the US on Tuesday, the families of Iran’s players were threatened with imprisonment and torture if the players failed to behave ahead of the match.

Who Is Like the Beast? – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/who-is-like-the-beast   If you think that the way the world is today, is the way it's going to be five, ten, or fifteen years into the future, you have another thing coming. For the skeptics out there who might think this is nothing by hyperbole, ask yourself this one question: does the government have more or less control over your lives than it did five, ten, or fifteen years ago?   It doesn't take a bible prophecy expert to notice that the world, at least since these three key dates (Sep. 11, 2001-Patriot Act, Oct. 3, 2008 [Emergency Economic Stabilization Act [EESA]...i.e., TARP 1-3, and the 2020-present Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and subsequent mandatory vaccination rollouts), has become increasingly Orwellian.   While the thought of Western Civilization blindly racing toward a Chinese-styled social credit system might prompt fear and anxiety for the Christian, it shouldn't. It is disconcerting yes because we are watching our world willingly giving itself over to this final and terrifying version of the Beast kingdom that will control the entire planet. However, the only way that can happen now, is if the Restrainer is removed. Not only does the removal of the Restrainer set the stage for this final version of Satan's kingdom, but it also does so by creating the requisite religious, geopolitical, and spiritual vacuum Satan is allowed to fill. If the Restrainer is removed (2 Thess. 2:8), then the Holy Spirit-sealed Church is removed (Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30, 2 Cor. 1:21-22). And the only way the Church can be removed (see Matt. 16:18-19) is if God removes it.    And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:18-19 (my emphasis)   “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3 (my emphasis)     Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. -Revelation 3:10 (my emphasis)     Prison Planet   Much to the Amillennialists' chagrin, Satan is not currently chained up in the bottomless pit. Satan is, as Peter noted, currently walking about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Neither is this present iteration of the world, our Father's kingdom. True, God is sovereign over all creation, but remember Satan legitimately offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world because, in this dispensation, they were his to give (Luke 4:5-7).   Right now, Satan has the kingdoms of this world locked down under his control to varying degrees. He doesn't have absolute control yet, because the Church is still present on the earth, and Satan cannot defeat her. But with regard to the overwhelming majority of the people and nations today, he has imprisoned them with false religions and ideologies that keep them trapped in vicious cycles of self-destruction. With that said, let's ask ourselves a question, which is easier to maintain, a) a prison that feels, smells, and looks like a prison, or b) a prison where the prisoners don't even realize they are imprisoned?   “A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.” ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World   Although limited by the technology of his day, ol' Aldous naively assumed that humans would always be in the mix with regard to any future global government. Little did he, or any other early 20th-century dystopian authors understand just how technologically pervasive the coming future global government would become. While no one would ever accuse the Devil of being lazy, he is, however, extremely efficient. He knows how easily men fail, and he wants a system in place that is 'fail-proof.' So let me state here at the outset the BLUF (bottom line up front) is that the coming governmental system we know to be the 'Beast Government' is three-pronged, tying political governance, economics, and religion together in perfect synchronicity. The default for this system is to make everything digital, and then make access to this all-encompassing digital system completely stringent upon your absolute loyalty to said system.   Like frogs in a pot slow boiling, we've seen these technologies already so their existence isn't all that "shocking" to most. What we are watching now, is the convergence of these three seemingly unrelated technologies being refined in such a way that their digital tentacles interlock in an unbreakable bond. There is money (because money makes the world go round), the identification of the individual via health reasons (because it's for your own good), and loyalty (this will come via politically charged crisis-based religious dogma). So there is zero confusion on this and the other things that are mentioned in this article, none of what we are seeing presently is "the mark of the beast." These are stage-setting events for what will become the mark of the Beast within the confines of the 70th Week of Daniel.   The Money   The introduction of the impending Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) here presently is setting the foundation for what will eventually become the mark of the Beast. The CBDC is crucial to establishing a global surveillance network. It is how the False Prophet and the Antichrist will one day be able to control "all buying and selling" on the planet. To that point, the global surveillance network is going up in practically every city (large and small) and in ways that most of us cannot even conceive. From street lights to satellites, this world is presently being locked down (all in the name of convenience, safety, and security) that will remove anonymity and privacy permanently. (see Digital Panopticon, Internet of Eyes, LED Incapacitator, Geofencing, Social & Emotional Learning, etc.)   "To anyone who pays attention to these trends, it seems evident that Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) will be that new system. Every indication is that CBDC’s arrival is imminent. On Tuesday, several global banks announced a partnership with the New York Federal Reserve to pilot digital dollars. Given the ubiquity of credit and debit cards, payment apps and other online payment systems, digital money has been bound to happen for some time. The risk isn’t the electronic part, that’s inevitable – it’s the fact that a central bank will oversee the digital currency. From my vantage point, it’s impossible to overstate the risk presented by CBDC. Whether it’s a utopian vision based on good intentions or a sinister plot to crush our sovereignty, the result may be the same: control. A Central Bank Digital Currency has all the downsides of fiat money, plus the added layers of surveillance and programmability overseen by the state." (Zero Hedge)   2. Identity   The Digital Health Certificate "vaccine passport" will, at some point after the Rapture of the Church, become the standard for participation in this new system. It will not be enough that this new global government controls how and where you live, they will also mandate what is going on inside your physical body (for your own health and safety). This internal monitoring will be offered as free healthcare for everyone under the guise that free comes with just a "few" strings attached. When I say few, I really mean, a lot.   While I know the previous round of mandatory medical testing (the jab) is not the mark of the beast, it is laying the foundation for what is coming. As far as I can tell, the global elite is looking at putting around 500 vaccines into each person in the coming years. The World Health Organization (WHO) set these targets on its own website:   "Targets to be achieved by 2030 include:   Achieving 90% coverage for essential vaccines given in childhood and adolescence Halving the number of children completely missing out on vaccines Completing 500 national or subnational introductions of new or under-utilized vaccines - such as those for COVID-19, rotavirus, or human papillomavirus (HPV)"   3. Religious/Ideology   "The great problem with climate change is that it no longer seems like a scientific theory, but more like a 21st-century version of the pre-Reformation Catholic Church, complete with evangelists, tithes, indulgences, and bizarre superstitions." (IBT)   This new global religious ideology is one part climate change crisis (emphasis on the crisis) and two parts ecumenical interfaith-ism. While the crisis always seems to be a perpetual and revolving litany of changing crises, the push behind it is always aimed at getting different groups to set aside their differences to solve said crisis. Whether it's global cooling, starving in Africa, global warming, climate change, and carbon footprints, the problem is almost irrelevant. What is relevant, is that groups set aside their distinctions and come together in a mushy, ill-defined, murky, and vague political group that almost always leans left (politically) and liberal (religiously). These religious climate change disciples would even go so far as to create a new ten commandments and tie the Covid lockdowns as doing our religious duties to fight climate change.   "In the run-up to COP26 in Glasgow, over 2,200 churches and church groups throughout Britain and Ireland participated in the Climate Sunday Initiative, addressing climate change by holding Climate Sunday services, committing to practical action and speaking up for climate justice.   Climate Sunday was resourced by a coalition of 31 denominations and charities, members of the Environmental Issues Network (EIN) of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). The coalition, though time-limited, aimed to leave a lasting legacy of churches committed to ongoing action. Its members will continue to provide opportunities for local churches to make climate action a significant part of their discipleship and mission and to contribute to civil society efforts to secure adequate national and international action."   Altruistic government health concerns aside, the end state remains the same. It remains the same because the god of this world's agenda remains the same; absolute and total control over every nation, tribe, people, and language. And he will get it. At least temporarily. To make matters worse, these satanically inspired globalists are not content to indoctrinate the older vanguard like Soros, Rothschild, Bill Gates, and Kissinger, but make it the new standard for all inspiring political leaders.   For a more serious perspective, see also: https://rumble.com/vvw2d6-kim-iversen-the-dark-side-of-the-world-economic-forum-young-global-leaders-.html     Conclusion   For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.   We've all heard it countless times before. These four phrases have been propagandized into virtually every crisis scenario known to modern man, as justification for increased corporate and governmental intrusion into our lives.   Safe and effective Security and privacy Peace and security Peace and safety   At the outset, these are presented as noble things that are good for us. They are presented as necessary services that our benevolent government will provide with our tax dollars. In a way that is true. As societies become more lawless, more laws, restrictions, and guidelines are necessary to not only curb mankind's baser nature but also, to deal with the widening spectrum of crimes and wickedness that is becoming prevalent. However, Satan, as the god of this age and who is also managing the fallen kingdoms thus far, is the one ramping up the lawlessness so that people will increasingly cry out for a man to save them. This is the old 'Hegelian Dialectic' in action on a grand scale.   In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter six, verse twelve, the Apostle Paul states that we battle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, dark powers, and rulers of this age that wage war against God through influence and persuasion. These dark forces use men to accomplish their devious deeds that only ever perpetuate the conditions for the final Beast kingdom. We can think of things like the French and Soviet Revolutions, World War 1, and the rise of the Third Reich as test runs on how they will bring about this final kingdom. And as horrific as those past events were, where tens of millions died, they all will pale in comparison to what is coming.   Any system, whether it's academic, corporate, religious, or governmental that doesn't encourage critical thinking and freedom of diverse opinions, is one that seeks absolute "consensus" amongst those who fall under its purview. These dark forces encourage censorship and totalitarianism because they know that in the public arena of ideas, the Bible is truth, and is the key to mankind's freedom. That is why in the age of information, where the Gospel is reaching every corner of the earth, Satan is furiously seeking to censor and shut down the Gospel. Every technology and device that can be weaponized, will be weaponized against its population. Even going so far as to know human weakness, Satan is seeking to remove humans from the situation so that every quantum system will be controlled by Artificial Intelligence (and dark supernatural intelligence) to monitor, thus further removing the need for humans to be a part of the system.   As daunting as all this seems in the present, we (as born-again believers in Jesus Christ). Satan cannot prevail against the Church so long as we remain on the earth. The fact we are seeing Satan ramp up his efforts so aggressively in these last few years should be an encouragement to us. It means our deliverance is all the sooner. He will continue to kick against the goads only ever able to stage set, but never actioning his "kingdom" until God allows it. And as promised in numerous places through by type (Enoch, Noah, Lot, etc.) and word (John 14:1-3, 1 Thess. 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:1-9, Rev. 3:10, etc.), the Church, who is the Bride of Christ, will not be here to see its inauguration. So hold fast. Do not let anyone steal your crown. Our deliverance draweth nigh.   Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28   Maranatha!

Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Wagon Train - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com   Not too long ago, Chris and I were visiting with some friends in South Carolina. Bob, Clegg and I retired to the garage to enjoy some time to talk and smoke some of my home-made cigars. The door open and us sitting partly outside with a fan blowing out any excess smoke in the cool fall air, we got to talking about our childhoods and the influence Western television shows and movies had on us. We remembered some of the old timer shows and their stars—Of course, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, James Arness, Jimmy Stewart, Roy Rogers, Clayton Moore, Chuck Conners all played a special role in shaping our lives as young men. There were also lesser stars like Jack Elam, John Anderson and John Dehner.   We reminisced about some of the lines in the movies. John Wayne, “You know who I am and what I’m gonna do.” Clint Eastwood, “Dying aint much of a living, son.” James Drury, “It’s a lot easier getting into this business than it is getting out.” Many of the shows had what they used to call “morals of the story” at the end. The Rifleman, staring Chuck Conners and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark, always had a brief moral at the end of the episode, usually driving home a point about right vs wrong, or forgiveness. Other shows like Gunsmoke, the Virginian, The Big Valley, High Chaparral, Laramie, The Roy Rogers Show, Cheyenne, among many others, left the moral up to the viewer, but it was quite obvious about good and evil.   One of my favorites was Wagon Train. This was the story about various individuals that interacted with a city on wheels, a wagon train headed to California. It is the ballad of rugged individualism and how these great pioneers, ordinary men and women, overcame incredible odds to make their new lives in the West. Often faced with dire circumstances of weather, battles with marauders, disease, drought, and evil men and women, the leaders of the wagon train had to make wise decisions guided by their discernment and often by their faith in God. Wagon Train showed the good, the bad and the ugly of life, but it was never reticent about proclaiming the Word of God, quoting the Bible, and demonstrating the role faith plays in overcoming extraordinary challenges everyone faces in day to day life.   Out back behind our barn on the farm were two or three frames of old horse drawn heavy duty farm wagons like the pioneers used. The wheels and frames, though being left out in the harsh winters of Northeastern Ohio for probably 75 years, were still in workable condition. I made a wooden box and placed it on the axel of the first wagon and often sat there acting out some of the adventures I had seen in Wagon Train. Bob and Clegg also shared times they did similar things. While we grew up in different parts of the country with different backgrounds, the Westerns helped shape us as adults. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Those old Westerns had a role in how we were trained as kids. Sad that children today don’t have that reinforcement.

Daily Devotion: What’s Insulting to God - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org   Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. —Hebrews 12:2   https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/whats-insulting-to-god/ Listen   It is insulting to God to say that all religions are true and that Jesus is only one of many ways to Him. If that were the case, do you think God the Father would have let His Son go through the agony of the cross?   Jesus, who is God, is omniscient. He knew what would happen. He was fully aware of the horrors of the crucifixion waiting just around the bend. He knew His disciples would abandon Him and that Judas Iscariot would betray Him. And He knew that Simon Peter would deny him.   Jesus knew they would rip open His back with scourging, press a crown of thorns onto His head, beat Him, spit on His face, and then crucify Him. Worst of all, He knew that He would bear all the sins of the world. And He recoiled from it.   The Bible says that Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT). But the sorrow Jesus experienced in Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion seemed to be a culmination of all the sorrow He had ever known. I don’t think we can even begin to fathom what He was going through. And He did it all for us.   Hebrews 12 reveals what kept Him going: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (verse 2 NLT). The joy before Him, friend, was the knowledge that we would come into a relationship with God.   Jesus refused diversion. He refused distraction. And He would not leave His path because He had to taste death for everyone. Jesus had to drink the cup. He had to go to the cross and die for our sins.