End Times

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Eye on the End Times – Ezekiel’s Gog – MaGog War Coming Soon?

Scholars commonly interpret the country of Togarmah, which is mentioned as being one of the countries that attacks Israel in the Gog – Magog war (Ezek. 38-39), as the modern country of Turkey. So, this news item below, in which the Prime Minister of Turkey mentions invading Jerusalem should serve notice that the End Time stage setting to the war could be speeding up.  Since Ezekiel’s prophecy tells us that it will take 7 years for the weapons from this war to be destroyed (Ezek. 39:9), I believe that the Gog – Magog war will take place just before the Great Tribulation and may even be the catalyst that leads to the Jews’ re- building of the third Temple in Jerusalem (since God will miraculously prevent Israel from being destroyed – Ezek. 39:6-8).

 

The Prime Minister of Turkey Is Now Having Talks About Invading Jerusalem, In A Major World War

http://shoebat.com/2014/12/29/prime-minister-turkey-now-talks-invading-jerusalem-major-world-war/

 

By Walid and Theodore Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive)
A major talk was organized in Konya the birth place of Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu and in his presence before a jubilant crowd shouting in Nazi style Davutoğlu can be seen elated at the statements spoken by the leader of Hamas, Khalid Mashal. The fiery speech hailed Turkey headed by Erdogan and Davutoğlu as the representative and head of the entire Muslim world and praised him for the soon invasion of Jerusalem in the coming world war.

In the speech, which was not aired in major media (Shoebat.com was able to obtain the footage thanks to Willi Adelberger) and after the crowd calmed down their Nazi style chants, Mashal reminded that “Jerusalem is the first center of direction for Muslims. It was Konya that in 1980 when Jerusalem was threatened rose up for Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque”. Looking towards the near future Mashal declared:

As Turkey for centuries was the main defender of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, likewise with you are the center of the Muslim Umma (Muslim nation) which will carry on the mission of liberating Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.

At the 6:10 mark of the video Khalid Mashal declared:

know this, that strong Turkey is the strength of Palestine and of Jerusalem.

At around the 7:14 mark he exclaimed:

Turkey is the strength that represents all Muslim nations.

Ahmet Davutoglu, Erdogan’s right hand man, is seen instantly clapping in jubilation at such affirmations the moment Khalid Mashal spoke of conquering Jerusalem with the crowds waiving flags that stem from the Turkish favorite colors in which the Ottomans prided themselves with the “fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow” (Revelation 9:17) which are also the colors of the flags the neo-Ottomans like to carry. In every time one can see Davutoğlu, he is smiling in joy.

Mashal complemented the AKP Islamic party of Turkey of their accomplishments in what he termed “lightening speed to have accomplished what they accomplished for the advancement of the Muslim world”. “Allah is with us and is with you for victory” Mashal reminded of war against Israel. He ended his speech reminding that he will invite Erdogan and Davutoğlu into the Temple Mount: “We were welcomed in Istanbul and now in Konya and tomorrow we will welcome you into the platform of Al-Aqsa (Temple Mount) in the next conferences, by the will of Allah”.

It is obvious what this signifies: the Turkish government wants to invade Jerusalem in a holy war, or jihad. World War III will then be over Jerusalem, which indicates one glorious coming event: the Crusades will be revived, and the Final Crusade is will occur.

What is very sad, though, is that the Muslim world still has the spirit of jihad, and we in the West are still stuck in the mindset of the Enlightenment, in which the idea of Holy War or a Crusade is mocked and seen as lunacy, and where secular wars are praised over religious wars.

We must revive the spirit of Holy War, for no secular war will fully extinguish the enemies of Christianity. With secular wars there is an invasion, battles, and then compromise. In religious war there is no compromise, only obliteration of evil for the cause of the good.

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Eye on the End Times – Palestinians seek UN resolution to end Israeli occupation

Is this the beginning of stage setting for the scenario of Israel becoming a burdensome stone?

Nimr Hammad, an adviser to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, has said that he will push to submit a UN resolution this week that will give Israel two years to negotiate a peace settlement that will ultimately lead to their giving up the land that they acquired when they defended their country from annihilation in the six day war in 1967.

The U.S. has historically vetoed any such resolution, but if that is the cas this time, then why is Secretary of State John Kerry wasting so much of the taxpayer’s money jetting across Europe and the middle east to speak with different heads of state?

http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-meet-palestinian-negotiator-london-000611664.html

 

Zechariah 12:3

And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Daniel 9:27

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

 

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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King – Part 2

By GF Herrin

Gabriel Reveals the Purpose of the Seventy Weeks – 9:24

In response to Daniel’s passionate prayer on behalf of his people, God sends Gabriel to reveal to Daniel that seventy weeks have been decreed for his people and their holy city of Jerusalem. The meaning of the word “weeks” in Hebrew is “hepthads”. A hepthad is a unit of measurement that is used to signify seven things are grouped together (Lehman Strauss, The Prophecies of Daniel, 1969, 267-68). This grouping of seven years together was not without precedent in the biblical text. Years were collected into groups of seven by God in His instruction to the Hebrews on the proper cultivation of the land of Israel.

Moses speaks of God’s land use instructions:

“Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land” (Lev. 25:3-5).

The Lord instructed the Israelites to carefully follow this mandate of observing the sabbatical year of rest for the land. Part of the reason for God’s removal of His people from their homeland was to provide a period of rest for it. “I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you; your land shall be desolate and your cities waste. Then the land shall enjoy its sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall rest– for the time it did not rest on your sabbaths when you dwelt in it” (Lev. 26:33-35).

The timing of the revelation of the Seventy Weeks is subsequent to Daniel’s understanding of Jeremiah’s seventy years as a significant prophetic period. The revelation at such a time suggests that God has put equal emphasis on the seventy weeks of seven period in regard to His chosen people. So, Daniel would have been especially interested to hear of Gabriel’s revelation of the future events. Gabriel, in verse 24 revealed six reasons for the Seventy weeks which will be discussed here.

To Finish the Transgression

As a nation, Israel had transgressed against God by turning to false gods and idols and offering sacrifices and offerings at the high places beginning during the time of Solomon’s reign. They also had not followed God’s statues and the Law that Moses had handed down regarding how they should live as His separate, chosen people who were called out of Egypt.

Part of the purpose of the seventy week period, then, is to finish the transgression of the people of Israel. The Hebrew word for “transgression” that is used is “pasha”, which can be translated to mean “revolt” or “rebellion”. In addition to rebelling against God’s ordinances, Israel would later commit the ultimate rebellion by rejecting Christ, their Messiah (Strauss, 277). However, part of the function of the Seventy Weeks, especially the last week, is to end Israel’s rebellion by reconciling them to God. This reconciliation will reach its ultimate fulfillment when Israel comes to saving faith in Jesus as their Messiah and King in the seventieth week. Zechariah writes, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zech. 12:10).

To Make an End of Sins

This speaks of the second advent of Christ in which he will come to rule as the God-man in His millennial kingdom on Earth. God will put in the hearts of his people, Israel a new nature to do His will and to follow His commandments and to avoid sin (Strauss, 278).

Ezekiel writes of this time, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezek. 36:26-28).

To Make Reconciliation for Iniquity

In the latter days, Israel will mourn for their sins and come to understand that Jesus, the Messiah, has provided the sacrifice for them so that they can be reconciled to the Father. Israel will become God’s holy people again to live with him in the New Jerusalem. The veil will be lifted from their eyes. The partial hardening that Paul spoke of in Romans 11:25 will be removed. Their spiritual blindness will be no more. The will come to realize that only Jesus Christ can save them from their sins.

Jeremiah prophesies:

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more (Jer. 31:33-34).

Israel will come to know God intimately and be restored into a close relationship as His children.

To Bring in Everlasting Righteousness

The events of the Seventy Weeks will accomplish the tasks needed to be done to bring forth Jesus as Israel’s chosen king. With Jesus, the true Israel, established as king, the theocracy will be re-established. The Messiah will reign on his throne in Jerusalem and bring righteousness to all the land.

The Scriptures foretell the Messiah’s millennial reign as king:

Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel’ (Ps. 2:6-9).

Jeremiah writes specifically of the righteousness that will be characteristic of the Messiah’s millennium: “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jer. 23:5-6).

To Seal Up Vision and Prophecy

Many interpreters hold the view that at the end of the Seventy Weeks all of the visions and predictions that the prophets made regarding the coming of Christ’s kingdom on Earth will be fulfilled. This includes the visions and interpretations of Daniel regarding the destruction of the Gentile kingdoms and establishment of God’s eternal, physical kingdom to come. Preterist Philip Mauro interprets this “sealing up” as an end to prophecy and vision given to the Jews as punishment to them for rejecting Christ (Philip Mauro, The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation, 1998, 17). Certainly, sealing up could mean a stoppage of revelation given to the Jews. But, in the context with which this overall message is given (a response to Daniel after he prayed for his people and the city of Jerusalem), it makes more sense to understand this sealing up as a fulfillment of all prophecies given regarding Israel and their city.

In addition, the Hebrew word “nabiy” is more properly translated to mean “prophet”, not prophecy. Thus, the understanding is that a sealing up of the prophet or specific things spoken by the prophet will be accomplished (Thomas A. Howe, Daniel Notes, from Daniel class lectures, Southern Evangelical Seminary, 2008, 9.75). So, if we consider this, then it may be more accurate to interpret this passage as a statement that everything that Jeremiah spoke of including the reconciliation of Israel to God will take place at the consummation of the Seventy Weeks. This interpretation is consistent with God’s promises for Israel’s future redemption as well.

To Anoint the Most Holy

There are various interpretations regarding the anointing of the most holy. The text actually translates to “and anoint holy of holies”. This could refer to the anointing of the most Holy One, Jesus. E.B. Pusey seems to advocate that this prophecy referred to a spiritual fulfillment at Christ’s first advent (E.B. Pusey, Daniel the Prophet, Nine Lectures, 1885, 196). Mauro also spiritualizes the passage when he states that the anointing was accomplished at Pentecost (Mauro, 17). A preferred explanation would be a futuristic literal fulfillment. Given the fact that Saul, David, Solomon, and Jehu (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39; 2 Kings 9:6) were anointed with oil, wouldn’t it be expected that the King of kings, Jesus, would be formally anointed at the beginning of His millennial reign? After all, His reign will be the most anticipated event in the Scriptures. It is natural to expect that this coronation of Him will be marked by a formal anointing. It could also be interpreted that this prophecy foretells the anointing of the most Holy place of the future millennial temple. After all, in almost all of the places “holy of holies” appears in the Scriptures, it is used in reference to the altar, sacrifices, or priestly duties ministering in those areas (Howe, 9.76). Further, it is possible that this passage may be referring to both the literal anointing of our Lord Jesus Christ and the anointing of the Millennial temple. In the coming Kingdom, the man-God Jesus will dwell among men in His Holy place. So, it makes sense that the place of his dwelling will be anointed since He is holy.

Ezekiel prophesies of this incredible event:

Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore (Ezek. 37:26-28).

End of Part 2

 

 

 

 

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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King – Part 1

 

By GF Herrin

Daniel 9:24 – 27

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

 

Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy is perhaps the best known of all prophetic Scripture regarding Israel and End Times. It also may very well be the most often misunderstood of all eschatological Bible passages. The prophetic passages in Dan. 9:24-27 give us a glimpse of key events that are to take place impacting Israel and its people. Understanding the Scripture properly influences greatly how one understands many other pieces of Scripture involving prophecy of things that to take place before the coming age. To properly understand the message of the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks is to understand God’s faithfulness and determination to bring forth Israel’s chosen King and Lord: Jesus Christ. Misunderstanding the Scripture is to underestimate God’s nature and faithfulness to His covenant people in respect to keeping the prophetic promises written of throughout the Old and New Testaments.

H.A. Ironside writes of the importance of understanding the Seventy Weeks prophecy:

For if the 70 weeks are to be misunderstood, then, an effort will necessarily be made to bend all the other prophetic Scripture passages into accord with that misinterpretation. But if we have a correct understanding of the teaching of this chapter, we can then see readily how all prophecy, without any forcing, falls right into place and is intimately linked with this the greatest of all-time prophecies (H. A. Ironside, Daniel, Kregel, 2005, 86).

A key to understanding the passages of the 70 Weeks in in understanding the context in which the revelation was given. It is clear from the passages in Daniel 9:1-19 that the revelation that Gabriel brought to Daniel was given to him in response to his fervent prayer. It is believed that the time period for the events described in chapter nine was approximately 70 years after Israel’s initial deportation to Babylon after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The text says that Daniel had been reading Jeremiah’s writings and understood that Jerusalem would remain desolate for seventy years.

Jeremiah’s prophecies clearly indicated a 70 year period in which Israel’s land would be left desolate:

Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years (Jer. 25:8-11).

Jeremiah revealed what the Lord said would come after the 70 years in exile as well: “After seventy weeks are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word for you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:10). When he came to understand Jeremiah’s prophecies regarding the seventy year exile that God had appointed, Daniel was prompted to pray for Israel’s forgiveness and for Jerusalem to be delivered from its time of desolation. As is evident in the words of 9:12, Daniel was familiar with the Law of Moses and the judgment that God would bring upon Israel if they were unfaithful to Him:

Moses writes, “I will heap disasters on them; I will spend My arrows on them. They shall be wasted with hunger, devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; I will also send against them the teeth of beasts, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within For the young man and virgin, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs” (Deut. 32:23-25).

He also would have known of the Scripture regarding the consequences of disobedience to God: “But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you” (Lev. 26:14-17).

But Daniel must have also understood the Scripture regarding God’s promised of faithfulness and mercy if only Israel would repent and turn away from its iniquities and call upon the name of Yahweh:

“But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt– then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land. The land also shall be left empty by them, and will enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes. Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord” (Lev. 26:40-45).

Daniel also understood from Jeremiah’s writings that God would never allow Israel to cease to exist as a people to Him. Jeremiah writes: “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord” (Jer. 31:36-37).

In Daniel 9:16, 18, Daniel appeals to God’s sense of righteousness and mercy in hope that He will turn away His anger from Jerusalem and His sanctuary. Daniel, in his sincere devotion to the Lord, is compelled to bring his humble petition to Him. There is nothing in the text to suggest that Daniel has excerpted words from prayers from people such as Nehemiah as some critical scholars have suggested (A. A. Bevan, A Short Commentary on the Book of Daniel, 1892, 150). It is Daniel’s familiarity with the Law, the writings of Jeremiah, and his intimate knowledge of the nature of God that enables him to compose such a humble prayer in chapter nine. This prayer serves as a great model for anyone needing to call upon the name of the Lord. Daniel, as a great man of faith, displays the kind of heart that God desires in His people. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18).

That his prayer is effective is evident in the swiftness with which Gabriel provides the answer to Daniel along with a revelation from God. Daniel pleadingly offers up a humble request on behalf of his nation, Israel, to be forgiven of sins and for Jerusalem to be restored back to its people. Understanding Daniel’s intended audience is a key to understanding the prophetic message that Gabriel brings to him. The revelation that Gabriel brings to Daniel directly addresses the remaining days for Israel. J. A. Seiss writes: “It is not the Jew and Jerusalem in one case, and Christians and the church in another. It is the Jew and Jerusalem first, last, and all the time, and nothing but the Jew and Jerusalem, and what pertains to them (J. A. Seiss, Voices from Babylon, 1879, 240). So, it is with the correct understanding of application that we must examine the prophecy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks in 9:24-27.

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Itching Ears Continue to Want to be Scratched

 

 By GF Herrin

People may ask me, “why do you think we are living in the End Times?” To that question, I must say that in addition to our living in a time where the nation of Israel has been re-formed and Jerusalem once again belongs to the Jews, we are also today seeing the fulfillment of specific Scripture that warns us of widespread apostasy within the church and false teachers who will tell people whatever they want to hear.

Paul writes, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:3-5).

We have seen this passage fulfilled directly through several mainline churches’ reluctance to take a stand against homosexuality and same sex marriage. In fact, apostate churches such as the United Church of Christ, who sued the state of North Carolina back in May to overturn the voter enacted law banning same sex marriage stand as a clear example of a church turning completely against God’s word, which commands Christians to stand for the truth:

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2).

In addition to denominations such as the Episcopal church, which was a forerunner in blessing homosexual couples and has openly encouraged pastors active in the lifestyle, groups such as the Metropolitan church have dis-regarded Scripture passages forbidding homosexuality (Rom. 1:26-28; 1 Cor. 6:9). Also, congregations such as the apostate Holy Trinity Lutheran church in Charlotte, who have actually celebrated the recent allowing of same sex marriage in North Carolina, have openly encouraged disobedience to Scripture, also, with their stance.

Why have many churches fallen away from standing for the truth of Scripture? There seems to be a couple of reasons. The prevailing attitude of churches that encourage homosexuality seems to be one that emphasizes grace over the Law. While it is true that the grace of God brought about man’s salvation from eternal damnation (God the Father was not obligated in any way to send His son, Jesus to die for sins), it does not provide believers a license to sin (see Rom. 6:1-2, 15-16; Gal. 5:13; Jude 4).

The other attitude seems to be one of thinking that homosexuals are born “that way” and that Scripture does not apply here. So, since certain people are born with an innate attraction to the same sex, it must be considered “OK” if they act on their impulses and engage in sexual activity with that one person that they are committed to. But is attraction to the same sex not unlike a heterosexual man who may be predisposed to enjoy the viewing pornography? After all, a man might feel a great sense of excitement and arousal when he views certain pictures or videos involving women in various stages of undress. Shouldn’t he then be allowed to act on how he feels in various ways? And what if he is attracted to young girls? Shouldn’t it be ok if he has sex with a young girl as long as he is committed to her?

It seems to be a slippery slope. Plus, (given the scriptural references where Jesus spoke out against sexual activity in a non-monogamous relationship – Matt. 5:27-28; Matt. 19:4-5) this attitude of since “I was born this way”, seems to me to be an idol that stands between a believer and God. If you say that Scripture does not apply here or it must have been wrong, how do you then differentiate between what is true in Scripture and what is not? Were Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul wrong when they wrote of Jesus’ dying on the cross for sinners? Were they wrong when they spoke of the literal physical Resurrection of Christ as a typology of all born again believers who have put their trust in Jesus for their resurrection in the age to come (John 3:3; 11:24; 1 Cor. 15:13-19)?

In a recent conversation with a celibate believer who had come out of the homosexual lifestyle to follow Christ, it was apparent that Christians must reason together and evangelize to all in a spirit of love and not condemnation. In speaking biblical truth we must point them to Christ. We also need to put homosexual acts in the category of yet another sin (see Rom. Chapter 1, and 1 Corinthians chapter 6 for many others) that must be repented from in order to be born again. Ultimately, the goals of the Christian life should be to glorify God, to live holy, and to live out God’s true purpose for our lives.

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The Lunar Tetrad of 2014-15

blood red moon

Eye on the End Times

Question: what do we know about the first time Jesus came to live among us?

There were signs, right?

The three Magi saw the star and knew a King would be born.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matt. 2:1-2).

God said that the stars in Heaven were to serve as markers or signs.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; (Gen. 1:14).

What do we know about the people during His first Coming?

Well, for the most part, The Jews were not looking for Him! So, they did not know the time of His coming. In what I believe to be the most haunting passage in the New Testament, Jesus said to the Jews, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes…because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:42-44).

But, what do we know about the time before at the end before the Messiah’s Return? Well, we know that Jesus himself said there would be signs before His second coming, also.

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;” (Luke 21:25).

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31).

Four Lunar eclipses that are occurring in conjunction with biblical Feast days during 2014-15 would seem to serve as a type of sign, wouldn’t you think? After all, Scripture says, regarding the biblical Feasts, “These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Lev. 23:4).

If, for some reason, you have not heard of this amazing astronomical event (the lunar tetrad), here is the time table for the Lunar and solar eclipses events of 2014-15:

There will be four blood red moons (two have already happened) that will fall on four biblical feast days over the next two years….

This is extremely rare but not without precedent.

The other times it has happened in history they have served as monumental omens for events following soon after in the nation of Israel.

 

Here are the dates for the four that fall in 2014-15:

Passover                                    April 15, 2014

Feast of Tabernacles             October 8, 2014

Passover                                    April 4, 2015

Feast of Tabernacles             September 28, 2015

 

Two solar eclipses connected with God’s Holy Days in 2014-2015, also will occur:

Adar 29/Nisan 1(new year)     March 20, 2015

Feast of Trumpets                   September 13, 2015

 

Some History around what has happened in the past when blood red moons have occurred on Feast days: 

1949/1950- the years following Israel’s re-gathering as a nation -  and a time during which the new nation fought for its survival in a war of Independence

1967/1968 – Jerusalem was liberated on June 7th, 1967 and as a result of the Six-Day War, for the first time since 70 AD, the city belonged to the nation of Israel.

Before that, you have to go back to 1493/1494 for four successive lunar eclipses on Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles” – a time right after the Jewish expulsion from Spain and the opening up of the exploration of America, a country where millions of Jews live today.  See: http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2012/denish419.htm

Prophecy in the News, writes, “This is most unusual. It is a rare occurrence for four lunar cycles on successive Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) observances. It will not happen again for hundreds of years. Four lunar eclipses occurring on the Feast of Tabernacles and Passover in two successive years are phenomenal. But add to them two solar eclipses on the two days that open the Jewish year Adar 29/Nisan1, just two weeks before Passover, and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashannah) – is uncanny. On each of these six Jewish Holy Days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light. Will this happen again in the 21st century? No.”

Now, I am not Date Setting for the Rapture of the Church, here (although I believe I received a word from the Lord concerning the general timing of His return 6 years ago). Since these are Feast days that we are talking about, and Jews everywhere were commanded to observe them, we could more likely be talking about an event that is significant to Israel. While it is possible that the Rapture could occur, maybe it is more likely that a war impacting Israel may take place. What I am referring to is more properly understood as “Stage setting”. There are quite a few significant events that have taken place the first lunar eclipse occurred on April 15th. I will write on that in my next post.

The key thing I want to mention here is that the Bible instructs us to be actively looking for Jesus’ return!

 

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37).

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matt. 24:4)

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”(Titus” 2:13).

“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things (Christ’s Coming), be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;” (2 Pet. 3:14).

 

Most people today will not be looking for him. Many churches completely disregard the study of End Times prophecy, thinking that it is too difficult to understand. Scripture is clear that people (some professing Christians even) will doubt the Return of Christ. I have witnessed scoffing and sneering from both non-believers and so-called scholars alike. A Duke divinity professor commented recently in a disparaging way casting his doubt on the validity of the doctrine of the Rapture. Folks, you may have all the biblical knowledge in the world, but it doesn’t mean that you know Jesus! And similar to Christ’s first coming when there was only a small number who knew the timing of His arrival (Luke 2:34, 38, John 1:39; 3:29) so it will be in the end. Take care to keep yourself from the entrapments of this world (look for a future post on the necessity of staying from idols).

Remember, “and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19).

Beware of the biblical illiterate among us: “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:3-4).

Maranatha!

by

The Coming Storm

 

By GF Herrin

8/2/14 – 2014 has brought lots of changes…Both personally and prophetically, things have been swirling for me lately…I began a new job in Charlotte, NC in January and that has cut into my time available to write…Also, 7 years of  my web site content was laid to waste recently when my pages were deleted off of my web site provider’s server and I have had to start over…This has caused me to re-consider the mission of Lamp-Light.com…Its mission has always been to assist in activities of spreading the Gospel that Lamp-Light Ministries is focused on. But, I believe that the time is short now and we are truly living in the End Days.

I believe there are certain things that are occurring prophetically right now especially with regard to the Nation of Israel…I am a friend of Israel and always have been…I believe that the Blood Moon lunar eclipses that will occur on 4 Feast Days over the next two years portend a very important time for  both Israel and this world. The Gaza war that began on July 8th after some 1200 missiles had been fired by Palestinians into Israel could be a crucial event on the prophetic clock..The Bible is clear that in the last days Israel will be looked at as a “heavy stone”  (Zechariah 12:3) by all the nations who would rather it not exist than have to deal with the Jews.  All peoples will be forced to answer for how they have treated Israel (Matthew 25:31-46 specifically deals with the judgment that will occur for people in how they have treated Jewish Believers who come to faith during the 7 year Tribulation period to come), including individuals such as Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama who have pressured Israel over and over to both give up land and concede to the demands of Hamas.

So, with the knowledge of how Israel and Jews have been treated throughout time (over 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust alone), I will begin a more vocal support of God’s chosen people.  The Bible is clear that many Jews will come to faith in the Tribulation (Zechariah 12:10). Bible believing Christians are called to support Israel and to call those in this country and others who do not.