Rapture or Wrath?

 Growing up in the ELCA Lutheran Church I never heard the word RAPTURE.  Nor was the return of Christ ever mentioned except when we recited the Apostles Creed.  But I never heard a message on it.  However, once I started reading the Bible for myself I ran across 1 Thessalonians 4.  About the same time someone gave me a LEFT BEHIND book that really started me thinking about the coming of Christ.

Of course lots of Christians don't agree with this view.  Even worse they think that anyone who believes it is on their way to hell because instead of telling everyone to prepare for the Tribulation we are telling everyone to watch for Jesus to appear in the clouds and call us up there.

I take comfort in the fact that if I am wrong about the rapture that I will be in good company with Dr David Jeremiah, Pastor Robert Jeffress, Pastor Mike Fabarez, Pastor Greg Laurie and our own Pastor Max Frasier. 

I saw this article today and I think he does a great job of spelling out WHY Jesus isn't going to beat the crap out of His Bride before he removes her from the wrath of God and calls her into the clouds for the wedding.

One of the most important yet least discussed issues in Christendom is that of whether Jesus snatches believers away from this world in a pre-Tribulation Rapture or if they must endure the atrocities of this coming most horrific seven years of all times.

The reason this is such an ignored topic is that the majority of people in the church apparently believe that God intends for Christ-followers to enter the 7-year Tribulation. There is some difference among the adherents to this idea, such as whether they might be Raptured mid-Trib or post-Trib, but the bulk of those who entertain this notion see the church hunkering down, gritting its teeth, and suffering the atrocities of plagues and martyrdom. Well, count me out of that consideration.

If someone wants to call me an escapist, or even satanic as some have done, for my fervent belief in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, I say, “Go for it.” I am more than happy and willing to not experience the worst time ever on planet Earth, of which Jesus said in Matthew 24:22:

“And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

To address this topic to some extent, first we need to identify who is destined for the Tribulation, and based on the above verse, who are the elect?

The Bible is extremely clear about who must go through the Tribulation. There are two groups:

Christ-rejecting Jews, i.e. the nation of Israel

The unbelieving Gentile world

As to the first group, anyone who reads and understands the Old Testament sees the fate of those in this category. My intention is not to discuss them right now other than to point out God’s everlasting covenant with Israel and His intention to redeem its people. Jews throughout Biblical history have inevitably been – as the Bible tells us – a stiff-necked people, always seeking other gods rather than the One true God. Israel rejected Jesus Christ, but God has promised that a day is coming when those remaining in this nation will acknowledge Him as Messiah, Savior, and Lord.

This is uncontestable. For this to happen, Israel will go through the entire Tribulation period and experience God’s wrath in doing so.

There are plenty of pro-pre-Trib Rapture passages in Scripture. However, I want to concentrate on why I maintain it is unbelievers who must enter the Tribulation. Let’s consider several verses that make this easy to see.

First, here is Isaiah 13:9,11:

“Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.”

The Day of the Lord is obviously speaking of the Tribulation period. Who does Isaiah tell us are the recipients of God’s wrath and anger? Sinners – the world for its evil – the wicked for their iniquity – the arrogant – the ruthless. That seems pretty clear.

Now we’ll look at Romans 1:18:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

Again, we’ll ask what this says as to whom the wrath of God is revealed?

The answer is plain: the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men – those who suppress the truth.

Next, we have Romans 12:19:

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'”

Our prior verses showed for whom God’s wrath is directed. He says in this passage that He’ll take care of the vengeance that needs to be exacted upon such people. For those who have died in their sins, that was a straight trip to hell, and at the judgment, they’re headed to the Lake of Fire for all eternity. But God also has a time of wrath He’ll unleash upon this world, as Isaiah points out. For those living who enter this period and require the Lord’s vengeance, He will subject them to it.

Just to reiterate, who requires God’s vengeance to be enacted upon them? Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 specifies:

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

Once the satanic Antichrist has come during the Tribulation, those who meet God’s wrath are the ones who are perishing, those who refuse to love the truth, those who will not be saved.

Given this Scriptural proof of those upon whom God pours out His wrath during the Day of the Lord, it couldn’t be any more evident that it is unbelievers for whom this is intended.

If you are a God-fearing, Christ-following, blood-bought believer in the Lord Jesus, you can see there is no place for you in these descriptions and as a recipient of what God intends for this world during those terrible days.

From the very first, even Abraham knew this to be fact, as shown by his statement in Genesis 18:25, where he says to the angel of the Lord concerning Sodom and Gomorrah:

“Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?“

Thus, a pre-Tribulation Rapture is the only position regarding this issue that is Biblical and aligns with the Word of God. In fact, I believe this is so concrete and evident that the pre-Trib Rapture should be considered solid, Biblical doctrine.

Briefly, who are the elect that Jesus mentions in regard to this period?

Since true believers don’t go into the Tribulation, and we see several scenes in Revelation of believers standing before the throne of God because they’ve lost their lives, they are obviously Tribulation saints who die at different timeframes during those seven years.

In Romans 15:18, Paul describes exactly what occurs with such people:

“For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed.”

These late-comers have finally come to the saving grace found only in Christ Jesus. The Word of God penetrated their hearts, and they came to obedience by their deeds, i.e. by standing on their testimony, believing what the Lord did to save their souls.

As a result, as Romans 8:1 tells us:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

It was a long time in coming for these folks, and they had to endure much in the way of trials and tribulations, but God no longer condemns them. How marvelous is that?

Here are the money verses explained in Romans 5:8-10 for these new believers who now realize the Lord’s mercy:

“… but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

For those of us who were born-again prior to the Tribulation and escaped it through the blessed hope of the Rapture, God’s wrath didn’t touch us. For those who didn’t choose that earlier rescue, He delivers even those who experience His wrath in the Tribulation with martyrdom. Yet, regardless of what they face, these newly minted saints, at the very least, escape the torments of eternity. They are the elect who are kept by God – for a shorter or longer period of Jacob’s trouble – by faith in the midst of the fiery furnace.

Early or late in the Tribulation, they will bow down and glorify God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy.”

It’s a miracle in itself that so many will come to the Lord during these seven years of judgment.

Praise God for that. What I’m even more thankful for is that God has shown that He is merciful to those of us who choose prior to that time to follow hard after Him. It’s we for whom the promise is stated and remains that we are not destined for the wrath of God, this time of trial that will come upon the whole earth.

Here;  Rapture or Wrath? :: By Gary W. Ritter - Rapture Ready

Remember what Paul tells us, "Encourage each other with these words."  Telling people to stockpile 7 years of guns, ammo and food while preparing a bunker because God is going to beat you to death in trumpet and bowl judgments is hardly encouraging.

I will continue to listen for the trumpet.  I hope and pray it is going to blow very soon!

"Taiwan is Part of China"

 Pretty sure that the world isn't ready to handle one more huge event.  It seems close to the tipping point right now.  So we are wondering if China might be getting ready to invade Taiwan sometime soon?  They know Joe Biden is week and possibly demented. Also after watching Ukraine they might be betting that USA isn't going to send our soldiers into a China conflict either.  Add to that the fact that they have been stockpiling food in the past 12 months...almost like they know they are going to need it.  Hmmmm......??

Now today we read a sort of a vague warning from top Chinese Defense Minister.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a call with his Chinese counterpart, Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, wherein Wei conveyed a warning that no one can change Taiwan's status as part of China.

The Wednesday phone call was the first that the two defense leaders have held. Wei informed Austin that "If the Taiwan issue were not handled properly, it would have a damaging impact on Sino-US relations," according to Reuters.

The call was intended as a follow-up between last month's virtual meeting between presidents Biden and Xi, wherein Biden warned over China's deepening cooperation with Russia it executes its war against Ukraine. 

A Pentagon official later said the Austin emphasized that the US will continue to adhere to the 'One China' status quo policy, which is the typical response from Washington officials anytime Beijing warns over US officials stoking the pro-independence movement on the democratic-run island.

Chinese state-run English language Global Times further described the importance of the call as one of Beijing conveying its unwavering resolve to Washington on the Taiwan issue. GT writes that Wei stressed "the importance of the Taiwan question, while demanding the US to stop its military provocations at sea, and not to throw mud or threaten China with the Ukraine issue."

Further, "Wei stated a solemn position over the Taiwan question, as he stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and this is a fact and a status quo no one can change."

Meanwhile, in the latest "scare" on the island...Taiwan TV accidently reported that China had invaded!

Without doubt part of the "provocations" Beijing has in mind is that the US has been increasingly sending high-level officials to Taipei. In the latest example, just a week ago:

A delegation of United States lawmakers led by vocal China critics Bob Menendez and Lindsey Graham arrived in Taiwan on Thursday for a two-day trip as Beijing threatened “strong measures” in response.

The group of six US legislators is making the latest in a string of visits by foreign politicians to Taiwan in defiance of Beijing’s efforts to isolate the island nation.

Early this month there was talk that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was set to visit Taiwan after an official trip to Japan - but the whole Asia trip was called off at the last minute due to her testing positive for Covid-19, after which she quarantined for a period. This would have made her the first House Speaker to visit Taiwan since 1997,when Republican Newt Gingrich did. 

Here;  "Taiwan Is Part Of China": Chinese Defense Minister Warns Pentagon Chief In 1st Call | ZeroHedge

When you start to add it all up, it certainly seems like something is getting ready to pop on planet earth.

Duke Divinity Pride

 If you want an example of what Paul was saying when he said, "the great falling away."  Or when Jesus asked if he would find any REAL FAITH on earth at His return, just spend 5 minutes and watch what is happening at the Duke Divinity Pride service.  They call God queer.  And it gets worse from there.

Of course this masquerades as a "church service."

Watch it here;  https://youtu.be/4ZZjixijJsc

7 Jewish Feasts

 God gave the Israelites 7 special feasts.  Why?  To prepare them, and the world, for the coming of Christ.  Jesus fulfilled the first 4 in his first advent and will fulfill the next 3 when he comes again.  Interesting to note that the next feast he will fulfill is the Feast of Trumpets.  Most prophecy watchers believe this will happen when the trumpet call of God sounds and all followers of Christ will be called into the clouds to meet Jesus.

Here is a very good and understandable article on the topic.

It may seem rather distant in our range of consideration, but the summary of all of the sacrifices and statutes of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ. Perhaps it can be summed up in Paul’s declaration in Galatians 2:21: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

The commandments of God actually reveal the morality of His person. That is, if we are to be like Him, then we are to obey and take up those commandments as our way of life. And the very image of God, the Father, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. These fulfilments are right in step with the conclusion of all things in Christ.

That first “festival” in Leviticus 23, surprisingly, is the Sabbath. It is the fourth commandment of the ten and is the first of the ten calling for a positive response from mankind. The first three are “don’t do” commands. It is a command to “take a rest” and be refreshed in the Lord.

In Luke 6, it is told that Jesus and His disciples were going through a grain field, and the disciples were eating of the grains of the field. The scribes and Pharisees took offense because it was the Sabbath and against its rules, as they had interpreted them. Thus, they accused Jesus of allowing them to do that terrible thing. Jesus closed the criticism with this reply: “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5).

In Matthew 11:28-30, we see the invitation of Jesus to come to Him for rest: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Eventually, the trail of faith will lead a believer to Hebrews 4:10:

“For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”

It is the rest of faith in the completeness of Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath.

The seven feasts then named after this one are all together in one annual pattern. If you watch closely, you will see that those seven feasts or festivals are telling the story of the high points of the Christian era, the age of the church. They were placed on the Jewish calendar for each year by the direction of God to Moses. But they are Christian events portrayed, not Jewish. They are called convocations in Leviticus 23, which means “rehearsals” for the actual coming events.

The first one is the Feast of Passover, remembered by the Jews as the mark of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. For the Christian, it marks the death of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, on the cross. That is the means of deliverance of sinners from that bondage. Once His blood, by faith, is spread on the doorposts of his heart, man is delivered from the bondage of sin. It is celebrated on the Gentile calendar about the middle of March each year.

The second festival is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread and follows the Passover immediately. It depicts, as unleavened bread suggests, death in the grave. There is an interesting development in the Jewish practice here, for after Passover, there is a seven-day period of unleavened bread, not two days. Why is that, we may ask.

It seems to be answered by the absence of that third feast, the Feast of First Fruits, which depicts the resurrection of Christ. In Jewish thinking, there is no resurrection of Christ because they are not looking for a Messiah who has nail holes in His hands.

The Jewish calendar goes next to the Feast of Weeks, called Pentecost, the festival of the early harvest. We know what happened at Pentecost. A major Christian era event took place, the entry of the Holy Spirit into the lives of believers in Christ. Just as 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him,” it became a reality, as God had promised, but not for the Judeo faith. This feast occurs about mid-May into early June.

There is a long period of absence for any of the remaining three feasts until fall time, for the next feast is called the Feast of Trumpets and depicts the ending harvest in the agricultural season. Then comes the time of ingathering. In John 4:35, Jesus said, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

The time of the year was after Pentecost, and normal growth time for fruit and crops was at hand, not a harvest. But Jesus is talking about the harvest of the Great Commission that He was to establish, to go into all the world and spread the gospel. This season of sowing and reaping for a future ingathering has been long, allowing the gospel to reach many tongues, tribes and nations.

At the time of the fall harvest from the fields, the festival called the Feast of Trumpets is celebrated. The Jewish event is seen as the beginning of a time of fasting and repentance until the ten days to the Feast of Atonement arrives. It is a time of spiritual harvesting of redeemed souls into the presence of the Savior, the Rapture of the church. Just as Paul details it in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, it will come to pass: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

What a controversial prophetic declaration as for its reality and timing! This feast has received a nod of recognition over the centuries, then they pass on to “really learn when the Lord is going to return.” The Feast of Trumpets is a two-day event, and Jesus said, “No one knows the day or the hour of His coming.” Neither does anyone know what year it will happen. However, many signs point to the times and seasons when that Day will occur. The Jewish recognition of it does not present the highlight it is in the Christian era, where it is a major event, obviously. The harvest of the fruit of the Great Commission is this event of the Christian age of grace. It is not like the Holy One to remove this feast from His set pattern.

Other references of it as the time of the Rapture are John 11:25-26; Luke 21:28 and its surrounding context; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 15:50-53; and Revelation 4:1-4. (I list these only because of lack of space for the article.)

The sixth feast is called the Feast of Atonement and is remembered by the Jews as a time for fasting and repentance, again, but not with any reference, apparently, to One who atones for their sin. It is a feast that is first in the seven years of tribulation, the “time of Jacob’s trouble,” according to Jeremiah 30:7. It is the time of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 9 of God’s punishment of the Jews for their rebellion.

In Zechariah 12:10 is told how the Jewish people turn to Christ as their true Messiah, for it is apparent that their fascination with the Antichrist must have ended when he shuts down their temple worship and declares himself God halfway through the seven years.

Zechariah wrote this: “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.”

Why their fascination with the Antichrist? According to Daniel 9:26-27, he is the one who confirms a peace covenant for them and authorizes the rebuilding of their temple, which has not existed since 70 A.D. His deception was enhanced by the fact that he did not have nail holes in his hands, as did the one the Christians claimed.

Factoring in the anointment of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists in Revelation 7 and their ministry that reaches into every tribe, tongue and nation in the world, we know that the Jews will have found their true Savior. Still, two-thirds of the Jews are to be killed, and one-third will be protected from Satan’s wrath, according to Zechariah 13:8 and Revelation 12:14-15. Are these, then, the remaining mortals who will inhabit the millennium to rebuild the earth’s population?

The final feast, called the Feast of Tabernacles, depicts the return of Christ to the earth to dwell in it. Just as John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” at His first advent, He comes to live among us as King of Kings and Lord of Lords just as Revelation 19:15-16 declares.

Zechariah also describes the Second Coming of Jesus in different details that are quite impressive. His writings in Zechariah 14 follow chronologically after those quotations above regarding God’s regained relationship with the Jews, reported in chapters 12-13. Chapter 14 starts off with this in verse 1: “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming,” then in verse 4, he writes this:

“And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley. Half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.”

This final chapter of Zechariah relates much of what happens during those thousand years when Jesus reigns on earth. It is not hard to understand when the millennium begins and ends. It begins when Jesus returns to the earth at His Second Coming, and He makes His presence known, as related above.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). And so, the festivals of the Lord of Israel are fulfilled. 

Here;  Fulfilments of Leviticus 23 Festivals :: By Gene Lawley - Rapture Ready

Notice that the Feast of Trumpets is the Jewish New Year.  No man knows the day or the hour when the high priest looks for the first sliver of a new moon.  When he can make out the first tiny sliver he blows the trumpet and this event starts the new year.  They know the season this will happen but no man knows the exact day or hour when the priest will blow the trumpet.  In the same way, is this what Jesus was referring to when he said that no man knows the day or the hour of His return?  It seems plausible.  Think about it.

Black Racist Subway Shooter

 Last week a man shot up a bunch of people on a New York subway.  Had he been a white man and said all sorts of outrageous “white supremacy” things, CNN, CNBC, CBS would have been all over the story!  It would have been on the 24 hour news cycle.  There would have been all sorts of hand wringing, tears and lots of talk about the “racist culture in America”.  But when it turns out the dude was black and said all sorts of crazy racist things like that blacks and whites shouldn’t even co-exist together and that blacks should never marry whites, the media went silent.  “Nothing to see hear folks!  Move along!  Next story please!”  It is becoming so evident that the MSM has a narrative and if the story contradicts that narrative they simply don’t report it.  Very frustrating to see.  Watch Paul Joseph Watson pull it apart while adding some witty humor.

https://youtu.be/Ggjyg5jNgPs

Russia Declared on State TV that "WWIII has Begun"

 An interesting bit of info here from the TV station that reports to the people living in the land of Magog.

Olga Skabeyeva,  a leading television presenter, announced on Rossiya 1 state television discussed the protracted “special operation in Ukraine.

“Many are saying ‘could it not be done more quickly?’” Skabeyeva said. “Everyone wants it to happen more quickly. Everyone would like a conclusive victory. Everyone would like all the objectives set to be implemented. Otherwise, on the whole, it’s impossible to accept the special operation which we started – Russia’s special operation in Ukraine.”

She justified the unanticipated length of the “special operation” by claiming it had expanded into a much greater conflict.

“What [the war in Ukraine has] escalated into can safely be called World War Three,” going on to insist, “that’s entirely for sure.”

She added, “Now we’re definitely fighting against Nato infrastructure, if not Nato itself. We need to recognize that.”

Anchor Olesya Loseva, the host of Vremya Pokazhet, made equally bellicose claims, saying that the West was now supplying “zillions of weapons” to Ukraine.

She argued that Ukraine was doing the West’s bidding by carrying out “yet more provocations, bloody, horrible, completely unthinkable.”

These will “force people to shudder once again and say that Russia Is a country which is unworthy of even being on the world map and that all Russians should simply be wiped off the face of the earth.”

She went on to blame Ukrainians for perpetrating genocide. 

“For some reason, ordinary Ukrainians themselves aren’t noticing any genocide. In the Kharkiv region, they’re welcoming our soldiers like real liberators,” she said.

“People are coming out with Russian tricolors onto the streets where our military kit is,” she continued. “The people of Kharkiv are accusing not the Russian army of genocide, but the Ukrainian armed forces.”

Military pundit Dmitry Drozdenko said: “A full-scale multi-level war is underway with the collective West.”

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy took this threat seriously, warning that the world should “prepare” for Russian leader Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in his invasion of Ukraine – and urged air-raid shelters and anti-radiation medicine to be readied for the potential calamity.

Here;  Russian TV declares, “World War Three” has begun (israel365news.com)

Of course Putin controls everything their press tells their people.  There is no free speech in Russia.  Reporters who report the truth in Russia may disappear or be found dead.

However, we have concluded that this story isn't quite as simple as "Russia=bad.  Ukraine=good."

There are reports that the Ukrainian military has been turning its guns on Ukrainian people.  Or blowing up a hospital but then blaming it on the Russians.  And who is the Zelenskyy that the world should all at once be fawning over him like he's a super-hero?  No doubt he is a graduate of Klaus Schwab's World Economic Forum.

So do we trust what he is saying?  Or is the world all be drawn into a massive world war that may involve nukes?

Jesus said if he didn't "cut those days short, no flesh would survive."  Could we be on the literal edge of "those days"?  If so, the rapture is even closer.

Are We Standing on the Edge of The Great Tribulation?

 There sure seems to be quite a few signs of the Great Tribulation that are manifesting all at once.  We can see them all happening in the news TODAY.   Remember, there are NO SIGNS of the imminent rapture.  But there are signs that we can see today that are foreshadows of events that will reach their climax during the final 7 years.  

After two years of global turmoil, people are starting to realize we aren't going to "return to normal." We've endured a global pandemic, widespread social unrest, vaccine passports, and compounding global supply chain issues. Now, we have a major war in Eastern Europe, fuel and food price inflation, and rumors of an impending global financial crisis. Everywhere you look, it seems as though the end is near. Is it? What does the Bible say? How close are the end times, the Tribulation, and the rapture of the church?

Fortunately, we don't have to guess. Jesus Himself told us how to recognize the general timeframe of His return. When the disciples said, "Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age" (Matthew 24:3), Jesus told them a number of things to look for. He then said, "When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I'm right at the door" (Matthew 24:33). He also said, "When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!" (Luke 21:28).

This means the #1 indication Jesus will return soon is all the signs appearing together. Both Jesus and the prophets told us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It's the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs is confirmation our generation will witness the Second Coming - not according to me, but according to Jesus.

The Hour is Late

Keep in mind, these signs haven't always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He's right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). So despite the skeptics and naysayers, Jesus is coming, and ours is the generation that will witness His return. The convergence of all these signs confirm it. 

Are We on the Verge of the Tribulation?

For many years now, we've seen the convergence of the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Now, in 2022, we see a specific alignment of events that could lead to the outbreak of the Tribulation at any moment. These specific events are identical in nature to the events the Bible says will occur during the Tribulation. Whether or not these events are merely a preview of the events to come, or the actual events the Bible describes for the Tribulation, remains to be seen. However, keep in mind these events will roll out in the midst of the very season when Jesus said He would return. 

So what are these possible Tribulation events in the making? Here are just a few:

Central Bank Digital Currencies - Over the past couple of years, central banks have openly discussed the introduction Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The central banks wield power over some of the largest economies in the world - the United Kingdom, Canada, China, the European Union, and the United States. Despite these public discussions, conventional wisdom says the rollout of CBDCs remains years in the future. The conventional wisdom is wrong. China has already released a digital yuan, and recently released digital yuan wallets for both Android and iOS smartphones. 

In March, President Biden signed an Executive Order titled "Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets." The order requires federal agencies to submit to the President within 180 days:

"a technical evaluation of the technological infrastructure, capacity, and expertise that would be necessary at relevant agencies to facilitate and support the introduction of a CBDC system should one be proposed. The evaluation should specifically address the technical risks of the various designs, including with respect to emerging and future technological developments, such as quantum computing." 

By September 2022, this technical evaluation will be complete. Then, have no doubt about it - once the next crisis hits, the U.S. will roll out its own CBDC to replace the dollar.

Why does this matter? CBDCs will be centralized, government-controlled programmable currency. This means if the government decides it doesn't like you for whatever reason (think Canadian truckers), they can cut off your access. In other words, you won't be able to buy or sell. Sound familiar? The Bible says the Antichrist will implement this same system. Those who refuse the mark of the beast will be unable to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17). We're now on the verge of a global rollout of a technology identical in ability to the mark of the beast technology the Bible says will dominate the world during the Tribulation.

World War III - The Bible says there will be a World War III (Revelation 6:4), and we're much closer to it today than when 2022 started and probably the closest we've been since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Every day seems to bring a new escalation between NATO and its allies and Russia over the latter's invasion of Ukraine. NATO has sanctioned Russia, is providing arms to the Ukrainian resistance, and many of its members have called for direct intervention in Ukraine. 

Even if NATO avoids a direct military conflict, all it takes is for Russia to make one mistake which leads to a deadly strike in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania (all NATO members bordering Ukraine), and all of NATO will be obligated to respond. A full-blown war between Russia and NATO means World War III and the likely use of nuclear weapons. In 2019, the U.S. ran a war game to simulate what would happen in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The result was nuclear war with over a billion people dead. It's a stark reminder that, at any moment, the war in Ukraine could escalate into World War III.

Hyperinflation - In 2022, inflation has become a serious problem for almost every major economy in the world. The March 2022 headline inflation number for the U.S. was 8.5% - the highest since 1981. For the EuroZone, it came in at 7.5%. In Germany, wholesale prices rose 22.6% year-over-year. EU natural gas prices increased six-fold. Global oil prices rose 67%, wheat prices doubled, and corn prices went up 50%. Fuel and food riots have erupted in Peru, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. And unrest is brewing in countless other countries as well. 

Could we be on the brink of hyperinflation? Maybe. Maybe not. But the Bible says the whole world will one day experience hyperinflation. When that happens, an entire day's wages will only buy enough food to barely survive (Revelation 6:6).

Global Famine - As we entered 2022, the world already faced a major food crisis, both in terms of supply and price. Since then, the situation has only gotten worse. The Russian invasion of Ukraine cut off Russian and Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea. Together, they account for 12% of all global calories consumed. The sanctions against Russia have compounded ongoing supply chain issues, and many countries have banned agricultural exports. Add in poor harvests, rampant fertilizer shortages, and an avian flu plague destroying millions of chickens and turkeys, and it becomes clear we're heading toward the worst food crisis in modern times.

In fact, it's worse than that. Famine is coming on a mass scale. We simply aren't going to grow enough food in 2022. The result will be a biblical famine. The only question is whether it will be one of the famines Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:7 or the Tribulation famine of Revelation 6:5-8.

Jesus is Coming Soon

If the world stage is now set for the Tribulation, how close must the rapture be? The Bible says the rapture will take place before the Tribulation. Jesus promised His church, "I will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth" (Revelation 3:10). If you're reading this and you're a Christian, your time on this earth is short. Your race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) is nearing its end, so make sure to finish well. 

Live a holy, godly life as you look forward to the day of His coming (2 Peter 3:11-12). Take advantage of every opportunity to spread the Gospel. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). The day will come when you will lose the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. So do it now while you still can. Jesus is coming soon.

Here;  Are We On The Verge Of The Tribulation Described In The Book Of Revelation? (prophecynewswatch.com)

It is exciting to think about!!  We hear a distant trumpet that gets louder and louder.  If we happen to be close to where people are buried we may see graves of Christians break open and their bones instantly take on flesh as they rocket into the sky.  Then those of us who are still standing in our human bodies will exchange our mortal flesh costumes for immortal flesh costumes!  And it will happen faster than we can blink.

With Resurrection Sunday just happening and reminding all of us that Jesus died with mortal flesh.  But he resurrected with immortal flesh.  He was the FIRST FRUITS (first example) of what will happen to all followers of Christ.

Encourage each other with these words.

Digital Currencies Will Drive the Next Industrial Revolution

 Do you think we are getting ever closer to the day when all humans will need some type of mark to access the financial markets?  A day when cash will become obsolete?

This next article doesn't come from a prophecy website but from a Financial Advisor site the sends me emails almost daily.

We are at a historical moment, she said, and about to adopt a new standard of money and a new financial system. That last happened in 1834, when British moved from “tally sticks,” which were a primitive physical record of assets and debt, to paper currency.

The British government was in debt and introduced paper money to pay it off. That scenario parallels the challenges facing the U.S. and its mounting fiscal deficits, she said.

“We are doing the same thing now,” Malmgren said. In Britain, it led to the Industrial revolution. “We are the same point, with blockchain or something like it and digital money.”

Not only will digital currencies be transformative, but they will also happen at breakneck speed, according to Malmgren.

Buckminster Fuller documented that the growth of information in 1900 was doubling every century. By 1945 it was doubling every 20 years, in 1980 annually, and in 2020 it doubles every 12 hours, she said. “Images are driving our society, and in the future, we won’t look at paper annual reports.” Apple glasses, she predicted, will “put us in metaverse spaces where we experience an annual report.”

Here;  Pippa Malmgren – Digital Currencies Will Drive the Next Industrial Revolution - Articles - Advisor Perspectives

Please remember that for the past 2000 years Bible readers had no idea HOW it would be possible for the whole world to be on one financial system or HOW it would be possible to have to take a mark in order to buy or sell anything.  But now we know!!

The Bible also told us that in the very last days KNOWLEDGE WOULD INCREASE.  As she points out in her talk, human knowledge is now doubling every 12 hours.

This is UNPRECEDENTED!  All followers of Christ should take some time every day to "look up!" because our redemption by Jesus Christ is certainly drawing near.

Maranatha!!  Come Lord Jesus!

In Fairness of War, Russia Could Target USA

 It would be considered fair play to attack a weapons shipment coming into a country you are at war with. Israel could attack Iranian shipments coming into Syria.  USA could bomb supply chains in Cambodia that were supplying Viet Cong with supplies.  And Russia could attack US and NATO targets that are supplying weapons to Ukraine which will be used to kill Russians.  This event could significantly expand the war.

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But the Biden administration’s new commitment, both in weapons and in timely delivery and training, has prompted a rebuke from Russia, as the Washington Post’sKaren DeYoung reported on Thursday.

“We call on the United States and its allies to stop the irresponsible militarization of Ukraine, which implies unpredictable consequences for regional and international security,” a formal diplomatic note delivered from the Russian embassy to the US State Department warned. 

The Post reported that the note could mean Russia intends to begin attacking weapons supplies coming into Ukraine; thus far, Russian forces have not done so, although they consider weapons convoys legitimate military targets. It’s also not outside the realm of possibility that they could attack weapons depots outside Ukraine’s borders, according to George Beebe, the former CIA director of Russia analysis. 

“There has been an assumption on the part of a lot of us in the West that we could supply the Ukrainians really without limits and not bear significant risk of retaliation from Russia,” Beebe told the Post. “I think the Russians want to send a message here that that’s not true.”

https://www.vox.com/2022/4/17/23028437/weapons-shipments-ukraine-howitzers-helicopters

Here is another article on the topic.  Putin warns USA of "unpredictable consequences" for backing Ukraine.

Russia warns Biden of "Unpredictable Consequences" for backing Ukraine (israel365news.com)

Dollar About to Dethroned as Reserve Currency?

 We have been blogging about the US Dollar quite a bit lately. Since winning WWII we have had an incredible advantage of being able to sell bonds to finance trillions of spending and we own the printing press so will never default on interest payments.  But out of control inflation and mismanagement could take this privilege away.  Could it happen soon? Today Rapture Ready wrote on this same topic which I will post in its entirety below.

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Is the Dollar about to Be Dethroned as the World’s Reserve Currency?

The dollar has been the world’s reserve currency since the U.S. and its allies agreed at the 1944 Bretton Woods conference. According to the International Monetary Fund, the dollar’s share of global reserves stands at 59%, far above the euro at 20.5%. After the euro, there’s a steep drop to the No. 3 slot, which is occupied by Japan’s yen at 5.83%.

What really cements the dollar as the world’s reserve currency is an agreement reached with Saudi Arabia. The U.S. promised to protect Saudi Arabia if it would require that all oil sales be made in dollars. If a nation wants oil from the kingdom, they would have to go to the F.X. market and buy dollars. The majority of global oil sales—around 80%—are done in dollars.

As the world’s primary reserve currency, the U.S. enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” that goes along with that, such as interest rates that are lower than they might otherwise be and the government being able to fund budget deficits in perpetuity.

The U.S. has a massive shortfall in trading with the rest of the world. The U.S. goods trade deficit reached a record $1.09 trillion in 2021—an increase of $168.7 billion (18.3%) from the 2020 trade deficit—according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. In 1991 our trade deficit was only $28 billion. There is very little concern about the deficit because we can simply print the money to pay for our imports.

We do export a lot of goods and services to our trading partners. In December of 2001, the value of our exports was $228.1 Billion, but we imported $308 Billion worth of stuff, leaving us with a deficit of $80 Billion.

Over the years, the quantity of dollars has built to a huge amount. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of $8 trillion dollars. It would be very natural to assume that the $1 dollar bill has the highest quantity in circulation. There are actually more $100 bills in circulation than $1 bills.

The dollar has been slowly losing its status as the reserve currency. After peaking at 73% of all currency transactions in 2001, the dollar has been in constant decline. The one thing that is preventing a collapse in the dollar is that no other currency is set to capture the world’s reserve currency title.

One of the greatest dangers to the dollar is inflation. High levels of inflation are eating away at the purchasing power of the dollar. Once people realize what is happening, they will use their dollars to buy hard assets like gold, silver or real estate.

Another reason for nations to back away from the dollar is sanctions. The U.S. has frequently used the dollar to punish rogue nations. Over the years, the White House has increasingly turned to economic sanctions to punish other nations. In the 90s, there were about 20 sanctions issued every year. In 2021 there were over 100 sanctions issued. One explanation for the massive increase in the number of sanctions is the start of issuing them against individuals.

Russia is currently the top target because of its invasion of Ukraine. Putin has been very crafty at avoiding sanctions. He sold off all of Russia’s holdings of U.S. bonds and purchased large quantities of gold, which has no financial loyalty to any nation.

The latest move by Putin is to require all purchases of Russian commodities to be made in rubles. This is very clever because many nations need Russian natural gas, oil, and fertilizer. By forcing them to buy rubles, Putin will gain access to foreign currency.

China is making moves that may harm the dollar. It is in active talks with Saudi Arabia to price some of its oil purchases in yuan. This move would dent the U.S. dollar’s dominance of the global petroleum market.

Because America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy, it is very likely that the U.S. is going to suffer a financial meltdown or some other calamity. If the Antichrist is able to control the world’s financial centers, the Mark of the beast will clearly become the world’s reserve currency.

“He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev 13:16-17).

Tens of Millions of Americans Live in a Desert

 We love going to Arizona in February when it’s cold in Minnesota.  While there we swim in the pool, shower, flush toilets and enjoy the green grass of the golf courses all around.  Millions of other Americans like it so much that they have built houses and moved there.  Here’s the big problem with that;  the entire area is a desert.  And when the desert has a drought that doesn’t change the fact that people still want to swim and flush their toilets.  What would happen to America if millions couldn’t flush their toilets anymore?  There houses would become instantly worthless and they would be forced to relocate. Hmmm....that would be disruptive.

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Tanya Trujillo, the Interior's assistant secretary, warned if Lake Powell drops below 3,490 feet (1,063 meters), it will produce electrical grid uncertainty for the western part of the US, potentially affecting up to five million customers across Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.  

"We're in crisis management, and health and human safety issues, including production of hydropower, are taking precedence," said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. 

The record low water level also comes as researchers have found the US West has been experiencing some of the driest conditions in more than 1,200 years. 

Over the decade, drought conditions have worsened. Several major Californian reservoirs have dried up, forcing people to evacuate their boats and causing hydroelectric plants to shutter due to insufficient water supplies to spin turbines. 

Reservoirs across California are well below their historical averages (as of Apr. 14). 

https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/feds-weigh-emergency-actions-lake-powell-hits-historic-low