Those Who Keep the Faith

I begin by wishing you a Merry Christmas since it is only a few days away. I hope it will be a time of joy for you.  Although I have posted this article just days before Christmas Day you are going to see very quickly that this is not a Christmas message, but rather, it is a teaching about a prophesied period that is quickly approaching. So, I hope you will keep reading. This article is focused on an epoch during the Tribulation Period. Contrary to what some Christians believe: it is ready to commence.

Some will be tempted to stop reading right here because the Tribulation Period frightens them—they fear it. Some will be tempted to stop reading right here because they have no interest in what will happen during the Tribulation Period—they have no interest in Bible prophecy. Some will stop reading because they do not believe the Tribulation Period will happen for many more years to come—not in their lifetime. The two previous groups are steadfast in their views because enjoying this world and gaining all it has to offer has blinded them to what has been prophesied. Worldly prosperity and seeing their dreams come true are more important to them than the will of God the Father. These two groups are willingly unfamiliar with Bible prophecy and purposely take no notice of the global government already established and enforcing its policies in every country in the Western world. Because of a lack of interest and unbelief, they fail to see that this global government will become the prophesied Antichrist government that has been foretold in the Scriptures. The mandates the global government will implement within the very near future – I am saying within this decade, the 2020s – are exactly the policies of the Antichrist government predicted in the book of Revelation. Christians should be the first people on earth to know and have an awareness that a shift in the earthly realm is taking place. The shift is demonic not a godly shift, as some Christians are falsely prophesying. Satan and the fallen angels know that the church is about to be raptured off the earth so they are getting ready to go full speed ahead in usurping power to deceive the inhabitants of the earth like never before. Some contend that God is bigger than the evil ones. He is! But what is prophesied and written in the Holy Scriptures cannot be changed. God is not unaware of the shift in the earthly realm, he is letting it happen. This shift has to happen so that his plans for the church and the nation of Israel will happen at the appropriate hours. He is letting Satan and the fallen angels prepare for their temporary kingdom on this earth, being accomplished during the Tribulation Period so that he can pour out his wrath and judge them in the end. 

I pray that if you have made it this far in this article the Holy Spirit will guide you and help you to continue reading. The young boy Timothy from the story “A Christmas Carol” has said: “God bless us, everyone.”[1] Therefore, I ask God that he would bless everyone who reads this article. Do you receive that? I am sure you know that the only information we have about what will happen after today is gained through the study of Bible prophecy. So, please put your fear, your doubts, and your lack of interest aside and study to gain some insight and knowledge about what has been prophesied to happen during the Tribulation Period by the Lord Jesus Christ, and recorded for us by the apostle John and the prophets. For those that fear the Tribulation Period, I want to inform you that if you are raptured with the body of Christ on the day the church’s salvation is completed (1 Thess. 4:16-17) then you will not even be on the earth when this seven-year period transpires. These seven years are referred to as the time of God’s wrath, and there is Scripture revealing that the church is raptured into heaven before the time of God’s wrath begins. The Scripture reveals that the time of God’s wrath is for the disobedient (Eph. 5:6, 3-5; Col. 3:5-10), so if a believer-in-Christ is faithful to the Lord and obeys the words of Jesus Christ during the church-age before the rapture occurs, they will not enter the time of temptation that is coming (Rev. 3:10).

Some translations refer to this period as the “hour of trial.”[2] I have written many times, that the hour of trial is the time of Jacob’s trouble or Israel’s distress (Jer. 30:7ab; Zeph. 1:14-18). It was prophesied to Daniel by the angel Gabriel that this period is referred to as Israel’s seventieth week, so that is an appropriate title for these seven years—the Seventieth Week of Israel (Dan. 9:24, 27). It will be a period unlike any other time in history or any time after that (Matt. 24:21). The primary purpose of Israel’s seventieth week is to bring the Jewish nation to repentance and then salvation (Jer. 30:7c, 10-11; Hos. 6:1-2; Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:25-27). Therefore, I encourage the believer-in-Christ to praise the Lord because it is written that he will deliver us from the wrath of God that is soon to come (1 Thess. 1:10). Our God has not assigned us a place in the time of his wrath but rather has selected a day that will commence before the Tribulation Period to complete his salvation in the body of Christ (1 Thess. 5:9). The body of Christ will be in heaven clothed in heavenly bodies when the Tribulation Period is taking place on the earth, enjoying the start of our marriage to the bridegroom (Rev. 19:6-10; Matt. 8:11-12; 25:1-13; Lk. 13:28-29). When it is time for Jesus to complete the wrath of God, he descends from heaven to the earth to finish off the people responsible for all the chaos on the earth, and the church is with him during this attack (Rev. 19:11-21).

All the prophetic events we see in the Scripture that will take place during the time of Tribulation are for the believer to pray about. Not to pray that these prophetic events will change, because they have already been prophesied by God and are written in the Holy Scriptures, they will happen as prophesied, but we must pray for the people that will be cast into this darkness, the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk. 13:28). The place where the unbelievers and hypocrites go a short time after the church is raptured (Lk. 12:46; Matt. 24:51). This place of darkness where there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth is allusive to the Tribulation Period. Of course, we pray for people during the church age to wake up and stop rejecting the call of the Holy Spirit today, and to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. We pray for people to turn from darkness and live in the light of God today while there is still time. We pray for miracles and healing to occur in this period. We pray in this day and age that men will repent so they can escape the time of God’s wrath. But we should also pray for the people who will sadly enter into the Tribulation Period, that they repent and turn to God during those horrible seven years. Since they refuse to repent and turn to God this side of the rapture of the body of Christ the Tribulation Period is their last opportunity to escape the white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). There will be millions that will repent and turn to God during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17), and maybe your prayers today will be the reason for their long overdue repentance then. We must also make it a priority to pray for the unbelieving Jews that will enter their seventieth-week period. Because the Scriptures say that two-thirds of the Jews will perish during their seventieth week and one-third will live to see their Messiah come out of heaven to redeem them on the last day of that time (Zech. 13:8-9). It is pleasing to God for the believer-in-Christ to pray for the Jew now, that they accept Jesus as their Messiah before the church is raptured, but we must also pray for those that will not be delivered from blindness until after the rapture of the church so that they can endure the hour of trial until the end of it—Gentile believers should make it a practice to pray for the unbelieving Jew that they receive Jesus as Messiah, and the Jewish believers should make it a practice to pray that the unbelieving Gentile receives Jesus as their Lord before the rapture occurs. This way both believing Jews and believing Gentiles work together as a unified body in God’s house to see it be completely built.       

Many things will happen during the time of Jacob’s trouble but the epoch I am to focus on is when the apostle John sees in a vision three special angels who appear to declare warning (Rev. 14:6-13). The first will fly in midair preaching an αἰώνιος (aiónos) eternal gospel to the inhabitants on the earth (Rev. 14:6-7)—this eternal gospel is not one of grace but of judgment if not heeded according to G. K. Beale[3] (I see where there is great latitude for the possibility of repentance in this angel’s message, so in my opinion, it is not only a warning of judgment but a message of grace also). These people will reject the truth before the rapture of the church and the Tribulation Period starts, but the prayers of faithful Christians before the rapture will be partly responsible for some of them obeying this angel’s preaching during that period. The other people who will be partly responsible for some of these people obeying the angel’s message will be the 144,000 Jews who will have the seal of God put on their foreheads sometime during Israel’s seventieth week (Rev. 7:3-8)—before the mark of the Antichrist is introduced.

This seal of God that will be put on the foreheads of the 144,000 is similar to the seal of God on the human spirit of the body of Christ (Eph. 1:13), except this seal of God on their foreheads may be visible (Rev. 9:4) where the seal of God on the believer is hidden by the body of flesh, we were born in. Just as the seal of God on the human spirit of the body of Christ is a sign that reveals we willingly belong to the Lord, God Almighty, and a deposit guaranteeing we may receive glorified bodies (2 Cor.1:21-22), the seal of ownership and a guarantee of a glorified body is also indicated by the seal put on the foreheads of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. Before the angel flies in midair preaching an eternal gospel the 144,000 will be raptured into heaven (14:1-3)—this is when they too will receive glorified bodies. I do not know if their glorified body will be the same glorified body the church will receive at the rapture of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 15:50-53), but I am sure that when they get raptured during Israel’s seventieth week period their earthly bodies will be transformed from human flesh to a heavenly substance that will allow them to dwell in the eternal realm with Jesus forever.

I said above that the 144,000 will be partly responsible for the repentance of some of the people by the preaching of the angel flying in midair, but they will also be partly responsible for the repentance of the people that will be martyred before the mark of the Antichrist is introduced (Rev. 7:9-10, 13-17; 6:9-11)—the other group comes to repentance after the mark of the Antichrist is introduced (Rev. 13:11, 14). By the order the latter group's story is situated in the Scripture, right after the 144,000 will be sealed (Rev. 7:3-8), is an indication that these people will repent and turn their life to God through the ministry of the 144,000 either for the first time or back to God after not living faithful lives to Jesus Christ during the final generation of the church-age; the time leading up to the rapture of the church. Before the rapture of the church occurs, the latter group desires the world and the things of the world much more than doing the will of God the Father (1 Jn. 2:15-17). It looks like they get a second opportunity under the preaching ministry of the 144,000 to repent of their lackluster desire to do the Father’s will and obey the words of Jesus Christ. These Jewish men who are descendants from each tribe of Israel, will not defile themselves with women but will keep themselves pure all the days of their lives (Rev. 14:4-5).

This angel flying through midair will appear after the False Prophet orders the deceived inhabitants of the earth to build an image of the Antichrist. This image of the Antichrist will receive some kind of demonic life by the power of the False Prophet, which will allow this demonic image to speak and kill anyone who does not worship it (Rev. 13:15). The angel will appear in midair and preach the message of repentance after the False Prophet issues a government mandate that will force people to receive the mark of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:16-17). He will warn the people on the earth in a loud voice that they must repent: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water” (Rev. 14:7, ESV).

Then, a second angel appears after the first one declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion [or wrath] of her sexual immorality” (Rev. 14:8, ESV). Babylon the Great refers to the global government during Israel’s seventieth-week period. The political/economic/social networks (Rev. 18:1-24) along with the religious institution (Rev. 17:1-6) will be ruled by the Antichrist and the ten kings. The political/economic/social nexus is already at work behind the scenes in society today, but after the church is raptured, this global system will have total control of the Western world. The global religious institution already has a foothold in some of the churches and other world religions but will be completely established just after the church of God is raptured. Allegiance to Babylon the Great will be mandated during the seventieth week of Israel. During that period Babylon the Great will kill anyone who chooses to follow Jesus – both Jews and Gentiles – rather than follow their evil institutions (Rev. 13:7, 15; 17:6). This second angel will declare judgment upon the global system sometime after the mark of the Antichrist is introduced. The reason why so many will follow the global structure is because the world will be drunk on the wine of the wrath of the global system.  They will idolize this system because of the riches they will gain by complying with its rulers’ mandates (Rev. 13:16-17)—their compliance with the global government will be an immoral and ungodly relationship. Those who drink of Babylon the Great’s fornication will be the ones who harm those who turn to Jesus during this period. Babylon the Great will force the unbelievers to comply with its rules and regulations, or the people will not be able to prosper during the Antichrist’s reign—this is what is meant by making the nations drink its intoxicating wine. Think of the years 2020-2021, when almost all the Western world leaders forced their citizens to comply with authoritarian mandates or the people could not partake in society. How many were arrested or lost their income because they did not comply? During the Tribulation Period, Babylon the Great’s mandates will be even more harsh than what was experienced in 2020-2021. The Antichrist’s system will show no mercy to anyone who does not comply with its rules and regulations. When the second angel appears to the world and declares that Babylon has fallen, he is prophesying that it has already happened even though at that point it has not—he is indicating that Babylon the Great’s time is short.

After the first and second angels appear, then comes a third angel. He will warn the people, ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ (en foní megáli) in a loud voice (Rev. 14:9a). He will warn them that if anyone receives the mark of the Antichrist or worships him or his image they will suffer God’s, θυμός (thymós) wrath (Rev. 14:9b-10a). This angel appears and gives the warning after the mark of the Antichrist is introduced but before this mandate takes effect. His warning will come after the False Prophet erects and supernaturally gives life to the image of the beast but before the mandate that everyone must worship the image of the Antichrist goes into effect. The power the False Prophet will use to deceive the world into building the image and forcing the mark will be Satanic (Rev. 13:13-14). The reason this angel comes before the people begin to worship the image and receive the mark is that God is not wanting to send these people to the place where they will be tormented with burning sulfur (Rev. 14:10b; 20:10). So before the edict comes into effect by the False Prophet for the inhabitants of the earth to worship the image of the Antichrist and to receive his mark, God sends this angel to warn the people, especially the Jews and Gentiles who will choose to follow Jesus during these seven years. The Scripture also says that the angel will warn the inhabitants of the earth to not worship the Antichrist himself. This tells me that the mandatory order to worship the one-world ruler will not come into effect until after the angel gives the warning not to do it. Common sense tells us that God would not send this angel to warn the people to not do these things or they would suffer his wrath and be cast into the abyss – the place of burning sulfur where they will be tormented forever – if they were already doing it. He would not issue a warning after the fact. God always warns people, especially those who choose to follow Jesus, before they engage in behavior that will condemn them to the eternal fire. Therefore, this third angel will warn not only the unbelieving but also the saints so that they will not give in to the pressure of death by the Antichrist’s global government.

The messages that will be delivered by the three special angels are to give those who enter into the seventieth week of Israel the strength and patience to endure the tyranny of the Antichrist’s global government. The warning to not worship the Antichrist or his image and to refuse his mark are to help guide the believing saints during the Tribulation Period to remain faithful to Jesus (Rev. 14:12). A voice from heaven speaks to John after the third angel’s message and tells him to write this following word: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them” (Rev. 14:13b, ESV)! This preceding promise from the voice from heaven is a reason why the body of Christ should also add to its prayer list the people – both Gentiles and the nation of Israel – that will not be caught up in the eternal realm the day the rapture of the church occurs. Our prayers will be the power the Spirit of God will release to these Tribulation Saints so that they may not succumb to the Antichrist and the False Prophet so that they can remain faithful to Yeshua.        

Picture: StockSnap

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License 

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[1] Video Quote: "God Bless Us, Everyone"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSyx6DaUwxA&t=3s

[2] NIV, NKJV, ESV, ASV

[3] Revelation – A Short Commentary, by G. K. Beale. Page #299

Israel’s Renewed Statehood

  

This past week the world has witnessed inhumane atrocities committed by Hamas militants against unsuspecting people, mostly Jews, residing in Southern Israel. The barbaric acts by these monsters are too graphic to mention in this article, but many of you have no doubt heard and watched what happened on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Fox News has covered this tragedy from the get-go. Their on-the-ground journalists have done a good job reporting; in my opinion. At last count, there have been 1300+ people killed by Hamas, and at least 25 American citizens were among that number. The Hamas militants captured and took hostage at least 150 people back into Gaza, including many women and babies. In Hamas’ charter, their goal is to slaughter every Jewish person. Not unlike the goal of the government of Iran, headed by the ayatollahs, who fund both Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Today, Friday, October 13, 2023, Hamas sympathizers have held rallies and protests against Israel in many cities across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. In Bagdad, pro-Hamas/pro-Palestinian groups had a huge rally showing their support by burning Israeli flags. Israel cannot even defend itself without being called out by the world, being accused of crimes against humanity. Has Israel got a chance? What are their options in defending themselves when the world forbids it? The world is bloodthirsty for the destruction of Israel? One has to go to the Holy Scriptures to find out what is the future of Israel.

In Scripture, we read about Jesus teaching his disciples about the future of the Jewish nation (Matt. 24:9-35; Mk. 13:9-31; Lk.  21:12-33). His Olivet Discourse was taught the same week he was crucified. In this teaching you can read a prophecy about Israel’s seventieth-week period, and get a brief description of what the Jewish people will go through during that time—that time is drawing very near. Christians usually hear about Israel’s seventieth week referred to as the Tribulation Period. The Bible declares that it will be the most horrific seven years in the history of man. At the time this prophecy was taught to the disciples (AD 32) the nation of Israel had not been a sovereign state since Judah was first deported to Babylon (605 BC)—there were three exiles altogether; 605 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC. But Scripture prophesied that Israel would have their statehood renewed after a specific amount of time. This information is contained within the Old Testament, but I am not going to write about that in this article. Scripture prophesied accurately to the day when they would have their statehood renewed; it happened May 14, 1948. Their statehood was taken away from them by Yahweh because of their continual disobedience. Especially because of the sins of King Manasseh—his evil the Lord could not take.

Below is a prophecy given by Jesus about Israel’s renewed statehood and the season of their eventual salvation. Below this prophecy passage I will explain this prophecy as best I can in this article. My experience is that some in the church do not like Bible prophecy, especially endtimes prophecy. But I encourage you to read this teaching anyway. Force yourself to read it, if that is what you have to.

Matthew 24:32-34

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (ESV).

  

Matthew 24:32

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near” (ESV).

When Jesus refers to the fig tree in this prophecy, he is referring to the nation of Israel, as he did with the parable of the man that had a fig tree planted in his vineyard (Lk. 13:6-9), and as he did with the live encounter with the fruitless fig tree (Matt. 21:18-20; Mk 11:12-14, 20-21). The Lord asserts that his hearers should: μάθετε τὴν παραβολήν (máthete tín paravolín) “learn the parable.” This phrase means that Jesus expects his disciples to decipher, or make sense of, what this prophecy means—they must discern the meaning of this parable. Why did Jesus speak this prophecy about Israel’s future in allegorical language anyway? I believe he did this to keep this endtimes prophecy a mystery to not only those who would not put faith in him throughout the church age, whether Jew or Gentile, but especially to some in the church who live in the final generation of the church age; when this prophecy finds its fulfillment. Remember I wrote above that some today in the church do not believe this prophecy refers to Israel? They do not believe it because they do not study endtimes prophecy. They do not study the rapture of the church, the seventieth week of Israel/seven-year Tribulation Period, or the second coming of Israel’s Messiah to redeem the remnant of Israel at the end of their seventieth week. A primary reason for their doubt is because they do not strive after the truth but rather enjoy mythical or disputable stories (2 Tim. 4:4). They do not believe the budding fig tree parable has anything to do with endtimes Israel and its future restoration and redemption, this is why they cannot discern this prophetic language. This prophecy about endtimes Israel is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear (Matt. 13:1-23). They have eyes to see and ears to hear because they aspire to truth. Those who endeavor truth are the ones who can understand this metaphorical language to discern this prophecy. Sometimes Christians need a trustworthy teacher to guide them into truth because no Christian becomes a scholar without study and the power of the Holy Spirit. 

In the disciple’s day, most devout Jews would have known that Israel is referred to as the fig, and its tree in the Holy Scriptures (Jer. 24:1-10; Hos. 2:12; 9:10; Joe. 1:7, 12; 2:21-22; Mic. 4:3-4; 7:1; Hab. 3:17; Hag. 2:19). And they all knew that Israel had lost their right to rule their land since the first deportation of Judah to Babylon while Jehoiakim was king in 605 BC (2 Chron. 36:5-7; 2 Kgs. 24:1-2)—at the time this fig tree prophecy was spoken Rome was ruling the land of Israel, not the Jews; and then the Jews were scattered once Jerusalem and the second temple was destroyed in AD 70. But even so, this prophecy about the fig tree budding was a mystery to everyone who first heard it. When Jesus first spoke it, the disciples likely thought that he was just referring to yet another fig tree, because fig trees were common and they made good analogies when telling a story, or telling a parable. The fig tree they had recently encountered that Jesus cursed may have run through their mind. The fig tree parable about the man who had one and planted it in his vineyard may have also run through their heads. I am not sure how long it took before the disciples were able to figure out that Jesus was referring to the nation of Israel again with this fig tree analogy, and that he was prophesying its future. They would not have known that this prophecy was to have its fulfillment in the endtimes and that it would begin the final generation of the church age. At that time, they had no idea about God’s plan for a new creation, the church of Jesus Christ. That was a mystery as well (Eph. 1:3-14). They may have thought Israel would regain power over their land soon, and this prophecy likely gave them some hope before they were martyred.

In this prophecy, Jesus describes what happens to the fig tree (Israel): ὅταν ἤδη ὁ κλάδος αὐτῆς γένηται ἁπαλὸς (ótan ídi o kládos aftís génitai apalós) “when its branch already becomes soft” (Matt. 24:32b, mGNT). Many English translations say something similar to the ESV: “as soon as its branch becomes tender.” This refers to the time when natural figs become mature, get soft, and begin to droop and can be picked. As I wrote in chapter four, the season for figs in Israel is June through September—the Summer. There are two harvests: June and July, the early or first crop, and August and September, the second crop. Then Jesus adds: καὶ τὰ φύλλα ἐκφύῃ (kaí tá fýlla ekfýi) “and the leaves grow” (Matt. 24:32c, mGNT). The ESV translates: “and puts out its leaves.” Remember also, that I wrote in chapter four, that the leaves usually begin to grow after the figs are present. Then Jesus says: γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐγγὺς τὸ θέρος (ginóskete óti engýs tó théros) “you know that summer is near” (Matt. 24:32d, mGNT). Summer is the time when the figs are ripe. He reminded his disciples that they knew this was the process of a natural fig tree. But Jesus is prophesying about the metaphorical fig tree, Israel—he just finished teaching them about Israel’s seventieth week and the second appearance of the Jewish Messiah (Matt. 24:9-31). The prophetic analogy is that the nation of Israel (the fig tree) will bear fruit at a specific time to come, in the endtimes. They will be restored as a sovereign state when its branch gets soft, and from that point on Israel’s redemption is near, their leaves are growing. They will finally be faithful to Yahweh (Dan. 9:24). As the disciples knew that when a fig tree’s branch gets soft and its leaves grow summer is near, the analogy is, that when Israel becomes a sovereign state once again (1948) then their redemption is near; the remnant of Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:25-27), at their Messiah’s second appearance (Matt. 24:29-31; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-28). 

As I have written above, when Jesus gave this prophetic word (c.a. AD 32) Israel was occupied by the Roman government under the rule of Emperor Tiberius. They did not have sovereign control over their nation since 605 BC—the first of three exiles to Babylon. But Israel’s branch got soft in 1948; approximately 1,916 years after this prophecy was given. For the first time since 605 BC Israel was a sovereign state once again in 1948 as was prophesied (Isa. 66:7-8; Ezek. 37:10-12; Amos 9:14-15). As Israel’s leaves are growing their future loyalty to God is near (Dan. 9:24). It will happen at the end of their seventieth week period, the last day of the seven-year Tribulation Period (Rev. 19:11-16). The fig tree parable, and the Scripture verses before it that give a brief description of their seventieth week and reveal the second coming of their Messiah, reveal the season of Israel’s redemption. In the gospel of Luke, the phrase is added: καὶ εἶπεν παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς ἴδετε τὴν συκῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ δένδρα (kaí eípen paravolín aftoís ídete tín sykín kaí pánta tá déndra) “And he told them a parable: see the fig tree and all the trees” (Lk. 21:29, mGNT). This phrase refers to all the nations and peoples that surround the present-day state of Israel. This would include Gaza which is controlled by Hamas, Lebanon which is controlled by Hezbollah, and the West Bank which is controlled by the Fatah-directed Palestinian National Authority (PNA); the PNA controls approximately 42% of the West Bank while Israel controls the rest. Other trees (nations) likely refer to Jordan, and possibly Egypt. It may also refer to Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Possibly Russia and Turkey as well. 

Matthew 24:33

“So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates” (ESV).

Jesus continues to prophesy the pinnacle of Israel’s redemption with a better understanding of what he is prophesying. In the previous verse, he used the fig tree and its growth process, the figs get mature and then the leaves begin to grow, which indicates that summer is near. When summer is near it is a sign that the figs are mature and can be harvested. But of course, he is prophesying Israel's return to sovereign statehood which will lead to its redemption by using the fig tree as a metaphor. But now he prophecies more literally. He speaks plain sense stepping away from his allegorical utterance of what is to come. I want you to notice what this verse above is saying: When he says, “when you see all things,” Jesus is referring to all that he has prophesied would happen in the previous verses (Matt. 24:9-26; Mk. 13:9-23; Lk. 17:22-23; 21:12-26), which is Israel’s seventieth week as I have written above.

As I said, he is speaking more literally in this statement than he did in the previous verse when he spoke allegorically. Jesus used the fig tree metaphorically because he knew his disciples would eventually figure out that he was prophesying about the nation of Israel. Now I want you to notice what Jesus said next: “You know that he is near.” Some English translations say, “Know that it is near” (KJV, NKJV, NIV, Darby, HNV). Some Bibles do add a footnote to indicate that “it” is referring to “he.” Both the Morphological Greek New Testament and the Textus Receptus translations say: γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστιν (ginóskete óti engýs estin) “you know he is near.” The “he” Jesus was referring to with this declaration was himself: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” … “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth [or all the tribes of the land] will mourn [literally will beat their chests], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:27, 30 – CSB). When Israel sees the things that will happen in their seventieth week (Matt. 24:9-26), then they should know that the Son of Man’s appearance is ἐγγύς (engýs) near. In fact: ἐστιν ἐπὶ θύραις (estin epí thýrais) “It's on the doorstep” (Matt. 24:33c, mGNT)— “at the very gates.” Israel’s redemption has gotten nearer ever since it became a sovereign state once again in 1948. And once they enter into their prophesied seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation Period, their Messiah’s second appearance and their redemption is right on the doorstep.   

This part of the prophecy reveals the season when Israel’s Messiah will descend from heaven to the earth (Matt. 24:27, 30; Mk. 13:26, Lk. 17:24; 21:27; Rev. 19: 11-16), and set down upon the Mount of Olives where he will redeem the nation of Israel from (Zech. 14:4). The second coming of Jesus Christ should not be confused with the rapture of the church, but because of a lack of sincere study it continually is—the rapture of the church is to complete the salvation of the church before the seventieth week of Israel begins, and the second coming of Christ is to redeem the remnant Jews on the last day of their seventieth week. The season of the second coming of Christ, which includes, first the rapture of the body of Christ, and then the seven-year Tribulation Period/the seventieth week of Israel, began when the branch of the fig tree (the nation of Israel) got soft, its fruit became mature and its leaves began to grow—Israel was restored and once again became a sovereign state. This prophecy is intended for the final generation of the church to understand so they can believe and pray for the remnant Jews and their salvation (Isa. 45:17; Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. chaps. 9-11). It is also meant to give the church revelation of the season when their salvation will be completed (1 Cor. 15:51-53) which coincides with being caught up in the clouds (raptured) to meet the Lord Jesus in the air with the believers already passed away (1 Thess. 4:16-17). 

Matthew 24:34

“Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (ESV).

The third part of the fig tree prophecy reveals accurately the season of Israel’s Messiah's second appearance which will bring about their redemption that was prophesied in Daniel (Dan. 9:24). The prophetic statement above is foretelling who is going to be alive at the time when Israel’s Messiah returns for a second time, and will experience the power of God’s salvation so that they will be done transgressing against Yahweh, receive atonement for their iniquity, and will forever be righteous before the Lord. Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote that Jesus began this prophetic affirmation by using the word, ἀμὴν (amín) Amen. Many English translations translate amín as, truly or verily, sometimes surely—this is when it begins a statement. When amín is used to begin a declaration, it means that what is about to be said can be trusted, and the forthcoming message is reliable. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word אָמֵן ('āmēn) amen, is usually used to mean, truly, but also the phrase, so be it—the Hebrew adverb 'āmēn comes from the root word אָמַן ('āman) amen, which translates many times in the English versions of the Old Testament as believe and faithful. So, Matthew says that Jesus began the third part of this prophecy by affirming that his prophetic word can be trusted.

Jesus then announces the phrase: γενεὰ αὕτη (geneá áfti) “this generation.” Before I go any further; what generation is Jesus referring to? Some seem to think he was referring to the generation that heard him speak this prophecy in person, in AD 32. Therefore, they think this prophecy had something to do with the besiege and conquer of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the second temple in AD 70. No! That is not the generation Jesus was referring to. When interpreting Scripture, especially prophetic Scripture, we must stay within the context of the text. Jesus had been prophesying that Israel would once again become a sovereign state which would lead to its salvation using the fig tree metaphorically as an example (Matt. 24:32). Then he prophecies in more literal language by revealing that when Israel sees the catastrophes take place during their seventieth week (Matt. 24:9-26) they will then know, “that he is near.” The “he” is Jesus. He prophesied his second appearance that would occur at the end of Israel’s seventieth week (Matt. 24:33), which he revealed in previous verses (Matt. 24: 27, 30). The geneá (generation) that Jesus was referring to are the people who witnessed the symbolic fig tree and its branch get soft, or become tender, and its leaves begin to grow. More literally, the generation who witnessed Israel become a sovereign state again are the people who will live to witness the second appearance of Israel’s Messiah. I believe that Jesus was primarily referring to the Jewish people. So, the Jewish people who witnessed Israel become a state once again, on May 14, 1948, will live to also see their Messiah’s second coming. A reasonable person fully understands that not all the Jews who witnessed Israel obtain statehood in 1948 will live to the end of Israel’s seventieth week to see Jesus come out of heaven to destroy the Antichrist and the kings of the earth and their armies. But as the prophecy insists, there will be some. 

Some Christians get that this prophecy was not referring to the generation that heard Jesus speak this prophecy on the Mount of Olives, but rather understand he was referring to the generation that witnessed Israel’s statehood being restored. But they seem to not be able to get passed what Jesus meant by the word generation. They have stuck in their mind that the noun, geneá, only means a certain age or peer group, like Generation Z and Y and X. Or Millennials and Baby Boomers. Some seem to think Jesus was referring to a set number of years, like twenty, forty, seventy, or a hundred years. Nevertheless, Jesus was not using the term generation in that context; he used it to mean contemporaneously. The people that coexisted at the time of the Holocaust and the rebirth of Israel is the meaning behind his use of the noun, geneá. Therefore, the geneá of Jewish people who were alive to see Israel reclaim the land of Israel and become a sovereign state again as they had before their first Babylonian exile in 605 BC, will be the geneá still alive to witness their Messiah’s second appearance and will also receive his salvation.

Picture: Toa Heftiba (Father and Daughter)

It Is Not About You

 

“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5, ASV).

The call to preach is a holy thing. It is a sacred calling that requires a consecrated heart and tongue. Men/women are appointed by Jesus Christ to feed his precious church the truth of the Scriptures. Jesus Christ has given the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to build the body of Christ up in the most holy faith and prepare them for ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). Those called are to build the church up through the preaching and teaching of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are to be preached and taught so that the body of Christ can become one-in-the-faith and be able to gain knowledge of the Son of God, that is how the body of Christ becomes mature and can receive and function in the fullness of Christ—his power, his presence, his gifts (Eph. 4:13). Not being mature, and not having received the measured height of fullness in Christ, the believer is like a little child that is tossed back and forth by every wild teaching that crafty men come up with (Eph. 4:14). False teachers and false prophets are masters of error. They can seduce an infantile immature believer into believing anything they say. The spirit that possesses the speaker is supernaturally transferred through his words to the unaware believer that convinces the immature that what is being said is true. The speaker’s words will whip the immature believers up in their emotions, convinced that the error being spoken is truth from God. The childish believer believes what is being preached is true because they have not gained knowledge of the Son of God by knowing the Scriptures. If they study and know the Scriptures, they will be able to discern the errors being taught from the pulpit. Listening week-after-week Scripture taught in error only delves the infantile believer into more error. They are in error because the messages they hear are what their itching ears want to hear, they want μύθους (mýthous) myths; they want stories (2 Tim. 4:3-4). So, twisting the Scripture is like good news to the immature believer. Evil spirits are masters at deception.

Teachers and pastors are appointed to be the divine knowledge givers in the body of Christ. Without divine knowledge the believer cannot tell the truth from a lie—discernment is given as the believer becomes educated in the Scriptures. The pastor and teacher are to preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and they need to remember that they are also servants through Jesus Christ to the church; they must resist the temptation to preach about themselves (2 Cor. 4:5). The leader must remember that the reason they have their ministry of teaching and preaching is because of God’s mercy (2 Cor. 4:1). Craftiness and devilish behavior must be renounced, so is distorting the word of God, the one appointed must preach and teach the Scriptures correctly so that they reveal truth because God is watching them (2 Cor. 4:2)—the Scriptures are not to be taught to pacify the worldly desires of men, especially the one preaching them.

The minister has to remember that his sermon cannot be about himself. Preaching how close he is to God and how loved he is by other believers is not the message of Jesus Christ. Drawing attention to oneself while being appointed to be revealing Jesus Christ will not educate the congregation in the Scriptures. It will not bless the believer with the knowledge of the Son of God or cause the church to be united in the faith—the believer cannot become mature through the life and acts of the pastor.  Because we are in the day and age when church-goers do not put up with sanctifying teaching, teaching that will help them grow in their salvation, but instead choose to have only skim-milk instruction and desire to be entertained by the pastor’s stories, the church has produced a generation of pastors that have become accustomed to preach more about themselves instead of Jesus Christ and the pure word of God. The message of grace and God’s sanctification is revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ, the word of God, not the pastor’s stories. Church service should not be like taking the children to the library to be entertained by, Story Time. The message that is to be preached is about Christ and not about you.  

Picture: Pixabay (Alexas Fotos)

Preparation Time

 

When you meet with other Christians does the topic of the rapture of the church ever come up? Have you ever noticed that some Christians are unaware of how important the New Testament (NT) writings are? I think some may not realize how important the NT writings are because all they hear from many pulpits is the Old Testament (OT) quoted. If you were to ask some people about the NT writings their answer may surprise you. Some think they are not that significant; they view them as just writings after the death and resurrection of Jesus by the apostles that just contain their personal opinions on certain matters. Some imagine the NT as just a small volume of Christian thoughts compared to the OT, so they view the Old as more important than the New. When they need a word from God some of these people just haphazardly crack their Bible and it opens up to the OT—what are the chances? Because of this practice, they feel like God is always speaking to them from the OT and very rarely ever from the New, so in their mind, they believe the OT must be more important than the New. I am not saying that God does not speak to the Christian using OT Scripture, but if the NT writings are specifically for the believer, then does wisdom not reveal that God will use the NT to speak most times to his new creation? Some consider the OT as the meat and potatoes of the word of God, and the NT as just leftovers that they may pick at for a snack. The people who think this way do not realize that the NT writings are the Christian handbook, a divine-inspired written manual on how to live the new life they have been given in Jesus Christ. The NT reveals how the Christian is supposed to live and how not to live. The NT truly was written to prepare the Christian for the day the body of Christ is raptured into the heavenly realm. Some of those that I inform of this fact are sometimes kind of surprised. They never heard or thought of it that way before. They spend most of their reading time in the OT because of what I said above, that is what they hear preached all the time. I usually explain, that although the OT has some important truths that the Christians can apply to their walk with Jesus, it is for the most part a Testament concerning the nation of Israel. That does not mean the Christian does not read and study the OT because it has written in it the foundation of God’s redemptive plan through the Jews, but the Christian should realize that the way to live and walk in the Spirit of God is by reading, studying, and applying the NT to their lives every day. The NT is completely dedicated to transforming the believer into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; 12:2; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10). It is meant to make the believer strong in the Lord as it is planted into their heart (Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Tim. 2:1, 15; Jms. 4:7) so that they can continue in the faith without giving up (Lk. 8:15; Acts.11:23; 14:22; Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 3:6, 14).

Approximately one-third of the OT contains prophecies that concern the nation of Israel, but many in the church think these prophecies are Scripture references concerning the church because they are being taught so, but they are not.  This practice leads to deception and sometimes the church is on the receiving end of false prophecies because of it. The other approximately two-thirds of the OT is concerned mainly with the history of the nation of Israel, its leaders, and its kings. Because so much of the OT writings are taught to the church as that they are referring to the church of Jesus Christ this has some in the church believing that Yahweh is finished with the Jews, that the church is the new Israel. This theology is false. God has not replaced Israel with the church of Jesus Christ. There are prophecies in the Old Testament that foretold the first appearance of Israel’s Messiah (which is of interest to the Christian because it reveals how our salvation began), and there are also many prophecies concerning his second appearance when he will redeem the remnant Jewish people (Ps. 2:6; Isa. 14:1 Jer. 23:6; 31:31; Hos. 1:7; Zech. 10:6-12). This happens at the end of their prophesied seventieth-week period (Dan. 9:24-27). There is prophecy concerning their seventieth week period which is sometimes referred to as the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7-11) or the time of Yahweh’s wrath (Ps. 79:6; Ezek. 7:7-12)—these OT prophecies are important to the nation of Israel, but they have almost nothing to do with the new creation except for gaining knowledge about the time the church is living in; they are signs we are to look out for.

The NT is a very important section of the canon of Scripture. The gospels are a compilation of historical information about the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts is a record of the early church from the time the disciples witnessed Jesus raptured in the heavenly realms to the time of the apostle Paul’s second imprisonment when he was under house arrest. Romans to Jude is a collection of divinely inspired material to guide the Christians from the first day of their salvation to the last day of the church-age when their salvation will be completed (Rms. 6:1-23; 1 Cor. 15:50-53). When the church-age is completed, the Christian will have their body redeemed and transformed as they are raptured into the eternal realm to be with the Lord forever (1 Thess. 4:13-18)—the NT was written to get the Christian prepared for the rapture. As there are many prophecies in the OT concerning Israel in the endtimes, there are also prophecies in the NT concerning the church in the endtimes before the seven-year Tribulation Period begins (Israel’s seventieth-seek). I shall not forget the revelation of Jesus Christ, for at its beginning it is a prophecy given to the church to reveal the different phases of development – both good and bad – it will go through by using as an example seven of the early churches that the apostle John ministered to in Asia Minor (Rev. 2-3). These examples have revealed the different stages of both spiritual growth and spiritual decline the church will experience throughout the church-age, ending with the rapture of the faithful at the end of the church-age (Rev. 4:1). The revelation of Jesus Christ is also a prophecy of the endtimes, written so that the church may study it and know what the world will be like after it is raptured, and just as important so that they can warn the people of the world what it will be like after the church is gone (Rev. 1:1)—the church must study the revelation of Jesus Christ so that they can prophecy and warn the unbeliever of what the world will be like when God finally releases his wrath upon the fallen angels, the ten kings, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and the unbelieving world. It is the believer’s responsibility to prophecy and warn the world so people may have the opportunity to escape the time of God’s wrath by believing in the name of Jesus so they can get saved (Zeph. 1:19; 3:8; Lk. 3:7; 21:23; Rms. 2:5, 8; 5:9; Eph. 2:3; 5:6; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9).  

As I said previously, the NT was written and preserved by God so that the body of Christ throughout the church-age – especially the final generation of the church – can study it and abide by what is written so they can be prepared for the day the church-age is over and be raptured into eternity. It is no coincident that the apostle Paul when writing First Thessalonians writes just before the revealing of the rapture (4:16-17), that the church must conduct their lives to ἀρέσκειν θεῷ (aréskein theó) please God (4:1a). In another place he had written that the church must work towards pleasing the Lord (2 Cor. 5:9). Some in the church today live primarily to satisfy themselves and to a lesser extent to please other people. These believers do not know how to please God because they do not study and follow the divine manual, the NT writings—living to please self and others is more satisfying to some because of the earthly rewards they may receive. Paul asked the Thessalonian believers, even begged them, to live to please God so that as they receive instruction from him and the other apostles they may abound more and more in God (4:1b). Living to please God helps get the Christian prepared for the rapture. Do you think a Christian who lives for self and other people pleases God?

Paul wrote: οἴδατε γὰρ τίνας παραγγελίας ἐδώκαμεν ὑμῖν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ (oídate gár tínas parangelías edókamen ymín diá toú kyríou Iisoú) “for you have seen what order we have given you through the Lord Jesus” (4:2, MGNT). It is the will of God that the believers ἁγιασμός (hagiasmos) sanctification, abstain from fornication (4:3). Sanctification refers to the believer being divinely set apart for God. He made the believer’s spirit holy when he sealed it with his Holy Spirit—man is a spirit, with a body of flesh to live in while on the earth, and with a soul to communicate with. Being spiritually holy before the Lord means that fornication is forbidden. The Greek term Paul used that we have as the English word fornication is πορνεία (porneia)—Vines Dictionary says porneia is used to describe forbidden sexual intercourse and adultery. Metaphorically it is used to describe pagan idolatry.[1] Fornication is also used in some English Bibles in referring to sexual intercourse with the same sex and with animals. The believer should control his body, its sexual passions and lusts, and not be like the unbeliever who cannot control his sexual desire and lusts—the believer is to control himself in holiness and τιμῇ (timí) honor (4:4-5). Timí has the sense of seeing one’s body as being valuable, like in the price that was paid by Christ for it. The believer should not take advantage or do wrong to another believer in Christ, for the Lord will avenge, or punish the one doing wrong (4:6). Paul is primarily referring to coveting or stealing another believer’s spouse with this specific instruction, but this objective would also include doing any kind of wrong to another believer. He said that he, and possibly Silas and Timothy, had warned them about this before—likely when they were with the Thessalonian believers in person.

Paul did write to the Galatian believers with a warning: Any believer living in sexual immorality, impurity, excessive sexual pleasure, hatred, strife, rage, selfishness, conflict, jealousy, and resentment, will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). He wrote the Ephesian believers something similar: There can be no fornication, impurity, or covetousness among the saints, nor profanity, promiscuity, coarse and crude joking (Eph. 5:3-4). He also warned them: πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ (pás pórnos í akáthartos í pleonéktis ó estin eidololátris ouk échei klironomían en tí vasileía toú Christoú kaí theoú) “every fornicator or unclean person or a profiteer who is an idolater has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph. 5:5, MGNT). He also wrote the Corinthian believers: Those who do not walk in righteousness, nor prostitutes, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who lie with men, will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). Paul did not leave it there: People that steal, or who are greedy, slanderers, drunks, or people who are extortionists, shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10). He did remind the Corinthian church that this is what some of them were involved in before they were justified and sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 6:11), but now some of them were going back to the old ways like taking their disputes to the ungodly to judge between them instead of taking it to the body of Christ (1 Cor. 6:1). They had started to act like the unbelievers and were taking one another to court right in front of the ungodly (1 Cor. 6:6), getting them to execute judgment over the children of God. The fact the Corinthian believers were doing this meant that their faith in Christ had been defeated, they were cheating one another and defrauding the body of Christ (1 Cor. 6:7-8). All the people in these churches who were involved in these acts of the flesh (sinful nature) were doing them without remorse, or Paul would not have had to bring these issues up in his letters. The fact he had to publicly chastise them revealed they saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. Even though they were sanctified they were walking in unrighteousness, which meant if they did not sincerely repent, they would not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Please do not disregard what is being said. The apostle Paul wrote to Christians, he is warning the church of God. I believe that when he said a believer will not inherit the kingdom of God, he is implying they will not be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, but will be cast into the Tribulation Period where they will be given one last chance to repent for corrupting their sanctification. Some disagree with my conviction but there is just too much evidence in the NT writings of the apostles that verify my statement. If you did not know; the believers in the first century believed that the rapture of the church was imminent, that it may happen while they were still in their earthly bodies—the church believed this truth up until approximately the third century when some stopped believing in the imminent pre-Tribulation rapture and worked at disproving it. Consequently, believers in this generation should take this warning to heart, because the rapture of the church will happen in this generation as I have written in other articles giving Scriptural evidence as proof. I am not predicting the day and hour, but I am prophesying the season, the generation the rapture of the church will happen. We can do that when we understand endtimes prophecy. Many have no interest in endtimes prophecy so they will disregard what I say—that is between them and God. Jesus taught in metaphors when he prophesied to his disciples that there would be some Jews still alive to witness his second coming who also witnessed the rebirth of the nation of Israel (Matt. 24:32-34; Mk. 13:28-30; Lk. 21:29-32). The γενεά (genea) generation that made it through The Holocaust (1941-1945) and witnessed the rebirth of the Jewish State (May 14, 1948) will also witness Jesus Christ come out of the eternal realm to defeat the globalists and their one-world government (Rev. 19:11-21). A right interpretation of Scripture reveals that the rapture of the church will happen at least seven years before Jesus comes to defeat the Antichrist—you might want to do the math. So, I am not guessing or making false statements, but rather I am using Christ’s prophecy to inform the reader what day we a living in.  

The apostle Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers that God did not call them to impurity, but to sanctification (1 Thess. 4:7). He has called the church to live in holiness. Paul warns the church, that Christians who disregard his instruction do not disobey man, but God who gives the believer his Holy Spirit (4:8). Paul continues: That as for φιλαδελφίας (filadelfías) “love for the brethren” he does not need to write the Thessalonians about it because God has taught them to love one another (4:9). The Thessalonians were already doing that, they already were displaying filadelfías in Macedonia, but the apostle begs them to abound in love for the brethren even more (4:10).

As I wrote above, I do not believe it was a coincidence that Paul instructed the Thessalonian believers to learn how to please God right before he wrote a clear and concise description of the rapture. The believer is to do it so they may abound more and more in God. His instruction to get rid of all fornication and to learn how to control one’s body, its sexual passions and lusts, is a must to walk in holiness and honor. His warning to not do wrong to another believer in Christ must not be ignored, because God is sure to punish anyone that does. The believer is called to live a holy and righteous life. If he disregards this instruction on holiness then he does not disobey men, but he disobeys God who gives the Christian his Holy Spirit. The believer must prepare himself for the rapture before it happens. Now is the time to do it.   

 

Picture: Water Droplets on Green Leaf – Pixabay 

Free to use (CC0)  

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[1] Fornication

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0001117

 

Ten Kings

  

The World Economic Forum (WEF)[1] has emerged as the de facto government of the Western world. Established in 1971 as the European Management Forum, and then renamed the WEF in 1987, its headquarters is situated in Geneva, Switzerland. The WEF has groomed and shaped world leaders in business and politics all over the world to establish and execute a global government—the prophesied global government is concentrated in the Western world as the Eastern world leaders like China, Russia, and their allies have their plans for world dominance (the leaders of the eastern countries will be the kings that emerge from the east during the Tribulation Period – Rev. 16:12). The WEF is not shy about hiding the fact about their global takeover either. Fifty years ago, they kept their agenda to a greater extent a secret, but not anymore. Over the last three decades, the global government has promoted its propaganda through movies, television, and news networks. It began ever so subtly, but now it is right in your face. The leaders of the WEF, like Klaus Schwab (Executive Chairman) and Christine Lagarde (President, of the European Central Bank), promote the power of their global organization openly. Chrystia Freeland, a member of the WEF Board of Trustees, who is the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister of Finance of Canada, has boasted of the power she has with the WEF as she wielded her federal office’s position in Canada by seizing the bank accounts of certain individuals in 2022. These certain individuals dared challenge the Prime Minister’s office on its position during the recent pandemic by protesting lockdowns and forced injections. The media in North America, European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, both in print and broadcast news, are the biggest promoters of global government brainwashing.

The World Economic Forum and the World Health Organization (WHO) have assumed control over the Western world’s healthcare, educational, and financial systems. They control both multinational corporations (MNCs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They even have control over every country’s border, except the central European nation of Hungary, mainly because of Viktor Orban, the nation’s Prime Minister. The PM of Hungary has strict conditions for immigration into his country. But eventually, the global government will have control of Hungary and its borders too. The global government has its hands and feet in every part of this endtimes generation, they have even maneuvered themselves into some churches to implement the policies of the WEF. The signs indicating this endtimes government is here and already ruling the affairs of nation-states are as plain as the nose on your face. The United States of America was the last country they had to take control of, but then Trump was elected president in 2016. But after four years of the Trump presidency, the globalists have assumed control of the USA and this time they will not give it up. Many people, even Christians, have the hope that Trump will win a second term in 2024, but the world is too close to the beginning of the seventieth week of Israel (seven-year Tribulation) for that to happen. 

The global government is under the control of the secret society known as the Illuminati. Members of the Illuminati are Luciferians, primarily from the invisible secret society of Freemasonry. The elites of the world are all initiates of the Illuminati, known in its beginning as the Bavarian Illuminati, which was founded in 1776. Its manifesto was written by Adam Weishaupt,[2] a member of Freemasonry and a devout student of Voltaire and Kabbalah. He studied ancient Egyptian esotericism, the occult, black magic, and the Mysteries at Eleusis.[3] He and Adolph Freiherr Knigge,[4] a writer, speaker, and also a member of Freemasonry, are responsible for the expansion of the Illuminati in the early days as they disguised it as a pure form of Freemasonry. When searching the most popular search engines on the internet for information regarding the Illuminati Order you will get led to websites that give skewed information and a distorted view of this Luciferian community. This is because the global government and its recruits are masters of deception—just like their father, Lucifer. Even from its beginning, the Illuminati’s goal has been to control Christianity and all world religions, to take control of all governments of the world, and to confiscate all privately owned property. The WEF plans to make sure this goal is completely realized by either the year 2030 or earlier. For more than 100 years the Luciferians have been striving for the goal of implementing their utopia in the decade of the 2020s. Theosophical writer, Alice Baily[5] and her husband Foster Baily, began a publishing company called Lucifer Publishing Company (Lucifer Trust) in 1922 but later changed the name to Lucis Publishing Company (Lucis Trust)[6] because the previous name caused outrage back then. In hundreds of magazine articles written by Baily and others through her publishing company the occultists prophesied under the inspiration of demons that their utopia, with their messiah appearing, would be realized in the decade of the 2020s—hence, the global government’s goal is the implementation of their government before 2030. The Bible has prophesied that this global government will emerge and be fully implemented as the church-age comes to completion. That being the case, by the time the seventieth week of Israel begins this government will have complete and unhindered control over the Western world which will be ruled by ten kings, and then into the seventieth week, another individual will assume control as sole ruler (Dan. 7:24; Rev. 17:12), likely near the mid-point.   

Prophecy students know who this individual will be that will eventually be the sole ruler of the global government. He is the Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18, 22). He is the beast that comes up out of the θάλασσα –thálassa – sea (Rev. 13:1b). Thálassa in most places of the New Testament refers to bodies of water; like the Sea of Galilee (the Sea of Tiberias), or the Mediterranean Sea—in Exodus 13:18, in the Septuagint translation, the Greek term used for sea is θάλασσαν – thálassan – (the Greek letter ν – nu – is added at the end of the word). When thálassa is used in describing where the beast will come out of in the book of Revelation it has the allusion of a place of darkness; it is metaphorically describing the world of unbelieving nations that are deceived. When thálassa (sea) is used in Revelation 12:12, it is also metaphorically speaking of the unbelieving nations—the “loud voice” from heaven speaks (Rev. 12:10a), he warns the nations that the devil is cast down to them; both the γῆ (gi) earth and the sea (thálassa) in verse twelve are metaphors for the unbelieving nations. It has the same symbolism as the place of “many waters” where the great harlot sits (Rev. 17:1). The many ὕδωρ (ýdor) waters where the great prostitute sits alludes to the unbelieving nations also, referring to the world where the mass of people from every nation and every language are under the influence and power of the evil ones (Rev. 17:15; 1 Jn. 5:19b). Also; take a look at Revelation 12:15, where the apostle John sees the serpent pour water (ýdor) out of his mouth to overpower the remnant Jews to destroy them. Ýdor in this context, is metaphorically referring to evil and deception just like the sea (thálassa) in Revelation 13:1. Ýdor is not meant to be literal water pouring out of the serpent’s mouth, but rather it is words of deception plagued with evil tactics that he speaks and executes, likely through the servants of the global government, to hamper and trap the fleeing children of Jacob as they head to the place of safety for the final 3½ years of the Tribulation (Rev. 12:13-14). The earth that you see in verse sixteen is figuratively speaking of a gentile nation that helps Israel to flee from the wrath of the dragon; they could be the people of Jordan. You need to remember: the book of Revelation speaks in metaphors and allegory and is filled with allusion; similar to the books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah. Also get discernment and understanding:  because not every time the Revelation refers to the earth or the sea or water does it mean that the Scripture is referring to the unbelieving nations, or their evil and deception. Most times the Revelation is referring to just the sea (thálassa) and just water (ýdor), and just the earth (gi).    

By the time the beast rises out of the sea every nation will be a place of darkness without light because the church of God will already be raptured into heaven—there will be people in these nations that will eventually repent and turn to God during the Tribulation Period. The Antichrist will have his identity revealed when he: δυναμώσει διαθήκην πολλοῖς, ἑβδομὰς μία (dynamósei diathíkin polloís, evdomás mía) “strengthen the covenant of many, seven one” (Dan. 9:27a – Septuagint). This means that an earlier covenant, or previous treaty, or agreement, will eventually be established, or finally be instituted for a seven-year period. Evdomás mía, translates into English (in this context) as, seven past one, meaning a one seven-year period. This prior treaty that will be enforced with the “many” will likely be a prior treaty presented between Israel and the Palestinian people, the Oslo Accords.[7] The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, all but declared the Oslo Accords peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians dead in 2020; as he gave his various reasons.[8] But, there is the likelihood that the Antichrist may enforce this treaty anyway, with some tweaks, which will fulfill the Daniel 9:27 prophecy that will begin the seventieth week of Israel (seven-year Tribulation). I do not think the Antichrist will enforce the Peace to Prosperity peace plan,[9] proposed by the former Trump administration in January 2020. The reason for my doubt is because whoever the individual is that is predestined to be the Antichrist is most likely an adversary of Donald Trump—they are contemporaries. I would not be wrong in saying that he likely has extreme disdain for Trump. Every globalist scorn Donald Trump, and the Antichrist is a globalist. He has to be a globalist or he would not command the attention of the other globalists. He is a member of the Freemasons (although this connection is not made public), and a devout and pious Luciferian (this affiliation is also kept secret from the public). So, the Antichrist will not impose a treaty upon Israel and the Palestinian people or force anything else upon anyone that relates to the former president. You can be sure that he is also working behind the scenes in keeping Donald Trump from becoming the presidential candidate for the Republican party in the upcoming 2024 election. As I said, the man that is the Antichrist is a globalist. He is an important and influential neo-liberal progressive that will become the dictator of the global government after it is executed. Whatever things this man says at this present time, either in the media or at conferences, or wherever, the globalists give him their attention. Even before he becomes the sole ruler of the Western world his words are like gold nuggets to the Luciferian kinship. But to the discerning follower of the Lord Jesus Christ this man is deceiving, he is beguiling. Though the discerning believer does not have the true identity of this man already revealed to them – they do not know for sure who he is – they get the sense of his mesmerizing personality, they perceive his bewitching character, and they recognize the spirit of Antichrist in the speech of specific individuals that are popular on the world stage. The Spirit of God that dwells within discerning believers lets them know that they are witnessing the Antichrist spirit.

The Scriptures allude to the forerunners or predecessors of this global government that the ten kings will rule. It is the ancient Roman Empire. Some teachers call the prophesied endtimes global government the revived Roman Empire. They call it revived Rome because it was the Roman Empire that besieged Jerusalem in AD 70, destroying the second Temple, plundering its valuables, and destroying the city. I have read that after Titus took control of the Temple, he made a sacrifice to his gods within the Temple walls[10] (this allegation may or may not be true, but some think it was possible[11]). Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Temple when he taught his disciples about the endtimes (Matt. 24:2; Mk. 13:2; Lk. 21:5-6). He also prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem when he went to the Temple Mount the Sunday before his crucifixion (Lk. 19:41-44). The angel Gabriel prophesied to Daniel that the people that would destroy the Temple and the city of Jerusalem would be the forerunners or predecessors of the one (Antichrist) that establishes the treaty between Israel and the Palestinian people in the endtimes (Dan. 9:26b, 27a). Since it was the Romans that destroyed both the Temple and the city of Jerusalem then it is presumed that the Antichrist will be a descendant or a successor in some way of the Roman people of the first century. Since the global government will become known as the Antichrist’s government, once the ten kings give him their power (Rev. 17:12-13), and it is presumed the global government is a successor in some way of the Roman Empire that existed in the days of the Apostle’s, then this is why the endtimes global power is presumed to be a revived Roman Empire.

The book of Daniel prophesied that the ten kings would be an extension of the Roman Empire that would exist in the endtimes. When Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream it was revealed to him by Yahweh that the fourth kingdom in the king’s dream would be as strong as iron (Dan. 2:40)—the statue had legs of iron (Dan. 2:33a). The legs of iron were allusive of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire would have another government extended from it described as having feet and toes made of iron mixed with clay (Dan. 2:33b; 41-43). This government having feet and toes made of iron mixed with clay would be an endtimes government implemented and led by ten kings (ten toes) that would be destroyed by a rock, not made by man (Dan. 2:34, 45). This rock is symbolic of the kingdom that Israel’s Messiah will initiate once he comes a second time to redeem the remnant Jews (Dan. 2:35, 44; Rev. 19:11-21). This government will be a worldwide government headquartered in Jerusalem that the Scriptures imply will last one-thousand years (Rev. 20:1-6; Isa. 11:1-16; 65:20-25). The endtimes global government will not be as powerful as its predecessor was, the Roman Empire in the 1^st century. The image of its ten toes being made of iron mixed with clay indicates that part of this government will be strong and the other part will be weak—the proportion of strength to weakness is not directly indicated. Daniel 2:43 reveals that the ten kings of this endtimes government will not all be one specific race or of the same ethnicity, and therefore they will have their differences, they will not be fully united with one another, and the endtimes global government will have division: ὅτι εἶδες τὸν σίδηρον ἀναμεμειγμένον τῷ ὀστράκῳ συμμειγεῖς ἔσονται ἐν σπέρματι ἀνθρώπων καὶ οὐκ ἔσονται προσκολλώμενοι οὗτος μετὰ τούτου καθὼς ὁ σίδηρος οὐκ ἀναμείγνυται μετὰ τοῦ ὀστράκου (óti eídes tón sídiron anamemeigménon tó ostráko symmeigeís ésontai en spérmati anthrópon kaí ouk ésontai proskollómenoi oútos metá toútou kathós o sídiros ouk anameígnytai metá toú ostrákou) “because you saw the iron mixed with the shell, they are mixed in the semen of men and do not adhere to it after that, just as iron does not mix with the shell” (Dan. 2:43, Septuagint).

Daniel also had another dream of the endtimes global government when Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar, was king of Babylon. Again, he saw the Roman Empire (the fourth beast) which was terrible, dazzling, and extremely strong; and the three empires that preceded it (Dan. 7:3-7)—Babylon (lion), Medo-Persia (bear), Greece (Leopard – including the Ptolemies and Seleucids). Daniel again saw that the global government who is ruled by ten kings would supervene the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7d-8a, 20a, 24a), it would succeed the Roman Empire but not until the endtimes (Dan. 7:9-14, 22, 27). These ten kings are now symbolized in Daniel’s dream as horns on top of the fourth beast’s head (Dan. 7:7, 19-20a). As he saw the ten horns that were allusive to the endtimes ten kings, he saw another horn rise among them (Dan. 7:8b, 20b). This horn is another ruler, he is the Antichrist. Daniel describes the Antichrist as being proud and boastful (Dan. 7:8d, 11a, 20c). He will somehow eliminate three of the ten kings (Dan. 7:8c, 24b), and eventually be the sole ruler of the global government. The three kings that the Antichrist eliminates are likely weak leaders—three individuals whom he either has no use for or he simply disdains. 

Some scholars believe that the ten kings are ten kingdoms or nations in mainly Western Europe, areas ruled by ten individuals that will make up the Antichrist’s global government. But time has revealed that is not the case.  The ten-individual theory is right, just not the ten-nation limitation in Europe. As I said earlier, the global government already encompasses the Western world, not just ten nations in Europe. The prophesied global government already encompasses Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), Europe, and the Americas (North, Central, and South America)—the Western Hemisphere is situated mainly in the Americas. Again, the de facto government of the Western world, the World Economic Forum, already controls the Western world from its headquarters in Switzerland. Once the global government is fully executed, its headquarters will likely transfer to Washington DC, and eventually end up in Israel once the seventieth week of Israel is underway. The Greek term used in the Septuagint δέκα βασιλεῖς (déka vasileías) “ten kings,” reveals that Daniel was told that the ten horns were ten individual kings, meaning the ten horns/kings are rulers of only one government. You may say that kings usually rule kingdoms. But the ten kings of the endtimes global government are all ruling only one global kingdom, not ten individual kingdoms. The ten kings who were prophesied, and who now have foremost control of the endtimes kingdom, already have obtained their seats of power in that government. They are recognized by the elites as already succeeding sovereignty over the global government. The ten kings are tycoons. They have tremendous wealth and power. Their powerful influence is known worldwide. They are ten magnates who wield global influence in specific areas, like the military-industrial complex, politics, finance, global food sustainability, the environment, business, and global health. They are the rulers that are behind the Great Reset. They are the rulers that have been working at censoring and controlling the Western world for many years. You may have the feeling that you know one or two of them by name. Your discernment may be right.

When it says in the Revelation that these kings have not yet received a βασιλείαν (vasileían) reign (usually translated as kingdom), it is referring to the time of John’s writing (Rev. 17:12a). It is believed John recorded the Revelation in AD 95. But at the time I posted this article – August 2023 – these ten rulers are already in positions of power in the global government, considered by its members as the top ten senior authorities. I would not be surprised if the ten kings demand to be addressed as, Sovereign.  Verse twelve continues: “They are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast” (Rev. 17:12b, ESV). The angel was telling the apostle John that the prophesied ten kings who succeed the Roman Empire during the endtimes will have the power to reign along with the Antichrist for only a very short time, one hour. A microscopic period compared to the length of time the Roman Empire was in power. Their reign will be an official dictatorship once the global government is officially executed, something that will happen very soon according to the timeline of prophecy. Since the ten kings give their power and authority to the Antichrist sometime during the seven-year Tribulation, the length of their reign will be considerably short compared to the approximate 500 to over 1000-year duration of the Roman Empire.[12]  

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[1] World Economic Forum

https://www.weforum.org/

(Accessed 7/29/2023).

[2] Adam Weishaupt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Weishaupt

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[3] Eleusinian Mysteries

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eleusinian-Mysteries

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[4] Adolph Freiherr Knigge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Freiherr_Knigge

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[5] Alice Bailey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Bailey

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[6] Lucis Trust

https://www.lucistrust.org/

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[7] Oslo Accords

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Accords

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[8] Abbas’s Declaration: The Oslo Accords are Now Dead and Buried

https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/abbass-declaration-the-oslo-accords-are-now-dead-and-buried/

(Accessed 8/08/2023).

[9] Peace to Prosperity

https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/peacetoprosperity/

(Accessed 8/07/2023).

[10] The Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE: Rome Takes the Rest of Jerusalem

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1993/the-siege-of-jerusalem-in-70-ce/

(Accessed 8/09/2023).

[11] Why Historians Believe Titus Sacrificed a Pig to the Ensigns in the Temple in A.D. 70.

https://www.revelationrevolution.org/why-historians-believe-titus-sacrificed-a-pig-to-the-ensigns-in-the-temple-in-a-d-70/

(Accessed 8/11/2023).

[12] How long did the Roman empire last?

https://roman-empire.net/faq/how-long-did-the-roman-empire-last/

(Accessed 8/14/2023).