The Invisible War

 

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”   Ephesians 6:12   NKJV 

If you have wondered in the past year or so just what is going on in this world I can assure you that you are not alone.  Not a day goes by now where I don’t receive a question along those lines as virtually everyone is wondering the same thing.  From the common individual all the way up to world leaders, we see decisions being made which many believe could be described as delusional to outright insanity.  While the world may wonder how this could all occur, as believers we should have no doubt about who is behind it, and especially how it is being orchestrated.

The apostle Paul makes it very clear in this passage from the book of Ephesians that our adversary in this life is not of this world that we can see, but the angelic world which surrounds us yet is invisible to our eyes.  Notice too that Paul informs us that there are numerous types of adversaries as well.  He says our struggle is, “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts.”  Yet in this passage Paul also explains why we are seeing our world fall apart all around us but we need to read between the lines to understand.

Paul’s warning is directed to us as believers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit when we made the choice to accept the free gift of salvation by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, as payment for our sins.  As a result, we enter a struggle against the forces of darkness in this world, and the plan that Satan has to eventually conquer it.  The point I think Paul is also making here is that while believers struggle, unbelievers do not.  In fact, the point can easily be made that Satan is using unbelievers to push his agenda in ways we may not even imagine.

Now to some, that might seem to be a rather harsh accusation, but let’s not forget the list of adversaries Paul gave us.  In other places in the Word of God we are given a glimpse of just how high and to what extent these powers can go.  Isaiah 14:3, Daniel 12:1, Ezekiel 28:12, all are examples of this.  Notice too, this passage from Daniel which I am sure many of you are familiar with.

“Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”   Daniel 10:12,13  NKJV

In the scriptures, when these supernatural powers are said to be “kings”, it is Satan to which God is referring to.  When these powers are called “princes”, the Bible is talking about one of Satan’s fallen angels.  So if we accept what we are being told here, the logical assumption is that Satan has angels called princes which exercise power and influence over every country and government in this world.  Their job, obviously, is to advance Satan’s evil plans in any way that they can, and that includes influencing the decisions of those in power who are not believers and are easily “deceived” into thinking they are doing good.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”    Isaiah 5:20  NKJV

Now if that seems a little hard to believe, for the sake of an intellectual exercise consider just the headlines of this past week and ask yourselves if there are any examples of evil being called good?  I personally was shocked to see how many could easily be labeled in just that way.  What I find even more shocking is how those who are deceived into thinking evil is good are so fast to label anyone who disagrees as the ones being evil.  Am I the only one who wonders how those who once demanded tolerance and respect are now so unwilling to practice what they preached?  Of even greater concern is how swiftly this world moving in the direction of being forced to do that with which we disagree.

One of the signs we are told to watch for which heralds the return of Jesus for His Church is the increase in persecution members of the body will suffer.  While most of us would tend to focus on governmental persecution of the organized church, we should all be aware that individual persecution by those who disagree with our beliefs will become even more prevalent as we approach the end of our time on this earth.  Every week I read stories of persecution and suffering being visited upon true believers, not only from strangers, but even from friends and family.  As painful as it is to contemplate, Satan will use anyone and anything, even those closest to us, to attack the faithful as we approach the rapture of the Church.

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”   2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV

 

Obviously what Paul makes clear is that the source of our comfort comes from God the Father, and we are responsible to pass that comfort along to others around us who are also in need.  Yet now that we know the source of our comfort, and the responsibility which comes with it, what do we know about the nature of that comfort?  As believers, is there a certain type of reassurance which we can use which we find is more effective than the sort of comfort the world might have to offer?  Again Paul comes to our rescue by telling the Thessalonians, and us as well, exactly what we need to hear to find comfort in the difficult times we find ourselves living in today.

 

“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. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”    1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV

 

There is an angelic battle taking place all around us and we are feeling the effects of it to a greater degree every day.  These battles stretch from the lowest of us all to those who reside in the pinnacles of government power.  Looking and watching for the rapture of the Church is where I find my comfort in these distressing times, and I hope by sharing these words with you that you will also find comfort.  If you have never made the decision to accept the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I suggest you do that today so you too can experience the comfort that comes from knowing you will spend eternity with our Father in Heaven.  All you need to do is simply pray a prayer like this and ask God the Father to make you one of His own.

 

Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

By doing so, you will have the assurance and promise from the God of this universe that you are saved from the judgment to come, and that He will be with you in your time of need.  Then you too can pass along to others the comfort which comes from knowing He is coming soon to take us home.

 

Keep watching.

Storm Clouds

 

“Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made."   Genesis 7:1-4 NKJV

I have probably mentioned a time or two how I find it interesting that if you choose to study the Bible, over time God reveals new things about old things you have studied in the past.  That proved to be true the past couple of weeks as I was studying the flood of Noah once again as I usually do this time of year.  The reason for that, of course, is we know from the account in Genesis exactly when the flood occurred and we are approaching that time once again.  What I noticed was an interesting coincidence I had somehow overlooked in the past and it has to do with this passage from Paul regarding the rapture of the Church.

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”    Romans 11:25 NKJV

 

 Scholars have noted that the phrase “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” is a term taken from the waterfront referring to a ship waiting to sail until all the crew has come onboard.  As I thought of that, I it occurred to me that God also waited until Noah and his family along with all of the animals were on board before He shut the door of the ark and prepared to sail so to speak.  Just a coincidence?  We will have to wait and see, but it would not surprise me in the least if God decided to judge this world for the second time on the anniversary of His first judgment.  That said, I want to share another article with you by Jack Kelley on the subject of the rapture and it’s timing.

 

No One Knows The Day Or The Hour

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

There are two popular phrases people use in connection with the End Times to discourage speculation about just when the Rapture might take place. One is “like a thief in the night”, and the other is “no one knows the day or the hour”. But is that what these phrases really mean?

Let me say from the outset that I don’t believe the day or hour of the Rapture can be known in advance by anyone on Earth because I don’t believe it’s set to happen on any specific day or at any specific hour. I believe it’s set to happen when a specific number of born again believers is reached, and I base that conclusion on my understanding of Romans 11:25.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

There are two Greek words in this verse that lend critical support to a proper understanding. The first is translated “full number”.  In Paul’s time it was a nautical term that stood for the predetermined number of sailors necessary to operate a ship. Until the ship had its full number of crew members, it could not legally set sail.  Sometimes ship captains who found themselves a man or two short when it came time to leave the harbor went through the water front bars late at night looking for drunken sailors they could kidnap.  When they had the number they needed they set sail immediately.

And the second, translated “come in” is also a nautical term that described the ship’s arrival at its intended destination.  We’ve all heard people say how much better life will be “when my ship comes in.”

By using these terms, Paul was saying that the hardening of Israel’s heart will not be fully removed until the Church reaches its predetermined number and arrives at its intended destination, which the Lord called “my Father’s House” in John 14:2-3.  It was a reference to the rapture.  There’s nothing arbitrary about God’s action here.  He has already determined the number and will take the Church to its intended destination as soon as it’s reached.  But as far as I can tell no one on Earth knows either the full number or the current number. All we can know is that we’ll be raptured when the full number of Gentiles has come in and it could literally happen on any given day. Then we’ll disappear, the blinders will come off Israel and the 70th Week will commence.

Now, back to the topic at hand. What do these two phrases mean and are they intended to discourage speculation about the timing of the Rapture?

Like A Thief In The Night

When you take out the duplications, this phrase appears 4 times in the New Testament. Let’s look at each one and see what it’s telling us.

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. (1 Thes. 5:1-4)

This is Paul’s only use of the phrase. It’s clear He was speaking of the End Times judgments that will bring total destruction upon the unsuspecting world.  While this time will come as a surprise to unbelievers, events leading up to it should not surprise us. He made no mention of the Rapture here.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)

Here’s Peter’s only use of the phrase, and again the reference is to the End Time Judgments, not to the Rapture.

Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Rev. 3:3)

John used the phrase twice, both times quoting the Lord. In Rev. 3:3 He was criticizing the church in Sardis, which in my opinion represents the mainline Protestants of today. He was reminding them that they’ve gotten away from His word and had better wake up and get back into it. Otherwise they won’t know when He will come to them. Notice the phrase “come to you” at the end of Rev. 3:3.  In the Rapture He comes for us, not to us, and we meet Him in the air. The people He’s talking to in Rev. 3:3 will not go in the Rapture, and if they don’t wake up, even the 2nd Coming will take them by surprise. (In verse 4 we see that not everyone in Sardis is asleep. There are a few among them who will be ready for the Rapture and will walk with Him in robes of white.)

“Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” (Rev. 16:15)

In Rev. 16:15 the world is well into the Great Tribulation, so the Lord’s warning is for Tribulation believers who will be responsible for keeping themselves saved during the most terrifying and dangerous time the world has ever known. When used symbolically, as it is here, clothing always stands for righteousness, and tribulation believers will be responsible for maintaining theirs.

No One Knows The Day Or The Hour

Now we’ll look at that other popular phrase, “No one knows the day or the hour”.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man“ (Matt. 24:36-37).

Let’s back up a few verses to make sure we have the proper context here.  After the Great Tribulation ends (Matt. 24:29) there will be various signs in the heavens. The sun and moon will go dark and the stars will fall from the sky. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear and all the nations will mourn.  After that they’ll see Him coming in the clouds with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30).  From both the context and the passage itself it’s clear that the day and hour the Lord was referring to in Matt. 24:36-37 is the 2nd Coming .

A few verses later, the Lord repeated the same thought, again in the context of the 2nd Coming.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matt. 24:42-44)

The Lord does not come to break into Satan’s domain at the rapture.  He calls us out of it.  And another few verses later.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:50-51)

There’s no way this can refer to the rapture because the things He described will not be done to unbelievers at the rapture. He’s speaking of the judgments that follow the 2nd Coming.

Then, for the fourth time in 28 verses the Lord said that believers on Earth at the time of the 2nd Coming will not know the day or hour of His return.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matt. 25:13)

This one is in the context of the parable of the 10 bridesmaids.

In previous studies I’ve shown that this parable can’t be about the church. The Church is the Bride, not a bridesmaid, there’s only one bride, not 10, and the banquet follows the wedding, it doesn’t precede it. There’s no way a newly married bride could be excluded from her own wedding banquet by a husband who claims he doesn’t know her. The parable is about tribulation survivors, 5 of whom are saved and enter the Kingdom and 5 who are not and don’t.

What’s The Point?

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing”. (2 Tim. 4:8)

I’ve searched the Scriptures in vain trying to find either of the above phrases used in connection with the Rapture. But I can’t find a single verse that does so.  As I’ve shown they all point to the Second Coming and they are all directed toward Tribulation survivors, not the Church.

What I did find is that the Lord rebuked the religious leaders of His time for not expecting Him.  He criticized the Pharisees for not being able to read the signs of the times (Matt. 16:2-4).  We’re admonished to be aware as well.  For example, the Lord commanded us to understand Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy (Matt. 24:15).  Paul warned us not to let events leading up to the Day of the Lord take us by surprise (1 Thes. 5:4), and as we see above He promised that the Lord would award a crown to those who longed for His appearing.  And why shouldn’t we long for His appearing? After all, the rapture of the Church is one of the most exciting things our Creator has ever done for His followers.  It’s not for nothing that we call it our blessed hope. Therefore, encourage each other with these words.  Selah 09-05-09

https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/no-one-knows-the-day-or-the-hour-2/

 

While we may never know exactly when, the Bible makes it clear if we watch we will recognize the time.  Personally, I see the storm clouds as the world becomes more and more like what Jesus described as “just like the days of Noah”.

Keep watching.

Where are We?

 

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you, but just as you visit here to see what God has laid on my heart, I also visit sites to read what other watchers have been led to share.  One of my favorites is Pete Garcia of Rev310.net. who also once wrote for the Omega Letter by Jack Kinsella which some of you may remember.  His article this past week struck a chord with me and I thought I would share it with you today.

Prophetic Ponderings

As of late, I’ve been wrestling with and pondering on, a number of topics pertaining to issues surrounding where we are in the last days. These are in no particular order.

First Thought: There is an idea that one can be both a sincere believer in Jesus Christ, as well as sincerely not interested in the Lord’s return. Now, most of these believers wouldn’t come out and say they aren’t interested in the Lord’s return, but they absolutely live that statement. To me, at least, this seems like two diametrically opposed belief systems that a) one could swear fealty and love toward someone, and b) also not looking forward for them to return. Seems crazy right?

Let’s put this into an example. I liken it to someone who claims to be a fan of a particular football team. Judging by their outward appearances, you would think they are a fan because they wear all their merchandise. They always manage to carve out time of their busy schedules to watch the games. They follow that up by either watching the sports channels or listening to the sports analysis on the radio. When at social gatherings, you can always find them talking about it with their friends. They might even be part of a “fantasy football” league. Imagine you have a friend like that.

Now imagine, as much as you think this person loves that team when given the opportunity to go to the game and sit front row at the fifty-yard line, as well as getting to meet the team afterward, this friend suddenly refuses to go. They can’t really say why they don’t want to go, they just feel really uncomfortable going. Now, knowing all this, would you say they were really a fan, or not?

Believe it or not, there are a lot of people in churches who are like this. Except I was far more generous in the description. In reality, it is more like said imaginary friend loves to wear the merchandise, but couldn’t care less about the game (or the team). Many in the church today love the thought of going to heaven someday, but they are in no hurry to get there.

Second Thought: Churches who refuse to promote conservative politics from the pulpit. I know a lot of churches today who refuse to address the issues of our day from the pulpit. For them, that is completely taboo. Now, typically, the churches who refuse to tackle the systemic issues average Christians have to deal with every day, like tax-payer funded abortion, LGBT agendas in entertainment and in the schools, political corruption, national debt, open borders, etc., seem to have no issues promoting socialist-progressive talking points.

They generally have no issues speaking out for making Christianity more diverse and inclusive, promoting some variation of critical race theory, and man-made climate change. But why is that? I mean, I know why they do those things (they want to remain culturally relevant and accepted), but why do they think they are doing God’s good work when the Bible clearly speaks out against those things. If I could parrot one of Dave Chappelle’s skits, it would be like a black man joining the Ku Klux Klan…it seems both counterintuitive and counterproductive.

However, when you ask any of these progressive pastors and preachers, they seem offended that you had the gall to call them on it. Why not speak out against government tyranny? The Black Robe Regiment did it and is largely why we live in a country called the United States of America today. Imagine if every God-fearing pastor/church pulled a John MacArthur and refused to shut down? Now, I know that we are at the end and the Laodicean Church is becoming the new normal, but I suppose, I just didn’t expect the churches to just roll over as quickly as they did.

Third Thought: The Apostle Paul’s calling. I find it interesting (and somewhat ironical) that one of, if not, the most prolific Bible expositor and Apostle of all time, was also a former Jewish Pharisee. Not only was Saul taught by the best (Gamaliel), but he was steeped in all things Jewish, so much so, he persecuted the fledgling church with great zealousness.

Now, this is the one whom Christ singled out on the road to Damascus and then designated to become Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Why Paul though? Why not one of the lesser-known disciples? I think about Paul (the subject matter expert on all things Jewish) going to some pagan enclave like Thessalonika, or Corinth, and teaching a bunch of recent Greek and Roman converts to Christianity (who knew next to nothing about the intricacies of Judaism) how Christ fulfilled the Old Testament perfectly.

On the flip side, I can see why and how Paul was such an effective warrior against Judaizers who were trying to mix the law with grace. I think his true passion was reaching his lost Jewish brothers and sisters (Romans 9-11). This passion of course then had to combat the damning legalism of Judaism, which is why we see this in his epistles to the Galatians and Hebrews (yes, Paul wrote Hebrews). On a side note, the reason I believe he wrote Hebrews anonymously, is that he had such a heart for saving his Jewish brethren, he didn’t want to taint the message by attaching his name to it (for fear many Jews would automatically have a personal bias against it from the outset).

Fourth Thought: Why we are the generation to see the Rapture. A lot of writers and teachers have given their lists as to why they think the Rapture is soon. I don’t want to rehash the long list of the signs of our time, but I want to focus on two verses.

 

1. Hosea 6:1-3

 

Come, and let us return to the Lord;

For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up,

That we may live in His sight.

Let us know,

Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.

His going forth is established as the morning;

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

 

We all know the passages that refer to the reality that to God, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is a day (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8). In other words, God exists outside of time therefore time is (as a construct) irrelevant to Him. Just like a multi-billionaire is not constrained by money, God is not constrained by time. However, from this passage, we get two specific numbers- two days, and the third day.

Historically, we know that Israel spent nearly two thousand years in diaspora (70AD-1948AD), and was brought back near the end of that second, thousand years. Now, if we added 2,000 years to the year Jerusalem was sacked (AD70), we would come to the year 2070 (49 years from now). I can already hear some of you groaning at the thought of that!

However, if we added 2,000 years to the crucifixion year (30-33AD-wherever you think it falls), we come to the year 2030 (or 2031, 32, 33). Now because the passage prophetically uses the language “the third day,” and that’s most famous connection with our Lord’s resurrection, I think we can safely assume we should start the countdown from the resurrection, not the sacking of Jerusalem.

So we have the promise given to the nation of Israel in Hosea that “after two days” He will revive us. If 2033 (for example) is the year that fulfills the two-day mandate, then after this year (2034+), will be the third day (or third thousand years since Christ’s crucifixion). Now, I’m smart enough to figure out the calendar discrepancies in all the changes between the Lunar, Jewish, Julian, and Gregorian calendars, but IF this is timed to the crucifixion, we can proceed with a great deal of confidence knowing that we are quickly approaching the two thousand year anniversary of our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Some of you might think I’m calling 2030-33 as the exact timing of the Lord’s Second Coming. I am not. I’m simply pointing out how that passage could be understood. Since I cannot see into the future and am limited to both the present and the past, we have to use what we have available to come to some reasonable conclusions. First of which, is historical precedence.

• From Adam to Abraham, was roughly two thousand years.
• From Abraham to Jesus, was roughly two thousand years.
• From Jesus to today, is roughly two thousand years.

Is it a reasonable assumption to think that Christ would not return on or about the two-thousandth year anniversary? I think it is very reasonable, and it ties into my second portion of scripture.

 

2. 1 Thessalonians 5

Interestingly, there are several contradistinction ideas in this passage that need to be looked at more closely. For brevity’s sake, I am not posting the entire chapter here…just the part to the discussion.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

First, Paul states here that he need not write to you (i.e., a very young Gentile Thessalonian church who most likely didn’t understand all the intricacies of the Jewish Holy Feast dates)…about the Day of the Lord because it would come like a thief in the night. But then he goes on to say this day (the day of the Lord) would NOT overtake them (us) as a thief, because they (and by extension, us) would see this day coming so as not to be overtaken as a thief (i.e., by surprise).

1. The day of the Lord phrase can mean both the general time of the 70th Week of Daniel, as well as the actual Day Christ returns at the Second Coming
2. So the Day of the Lord (i.e., the 70th Week), will come like a thief in the night upon the world- because they are not looking for it
3. We (watching believers) will not be surprised by this coming, because we will see this day (the Day of the Lord) coming from far off. Given the rise in interest in eschatology over the past many decades, I would say that qualifies
4. Thus the question remains; how exactly will we see this day coming?

Answer: I believe that the rebirth of Israel (see point #1) is the way we know we are in the season. The most famous season mentioned in the Bible is found in the Fig Tree Parable, in which Christ states in Matt. 24:32, “When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.” Well, what is summer? Summer is a season. Just as summer or winter approaches, we can see the signs around us telling us the season is getting ready to change.

But Paul also references the times, which through signs, will confirm the season through an intensifying series of rapid and painful transition points (birth pangs) ultimately escalating into a crescendo, which is the ‘fullness.’ In this passage, Paul refers to times, and we know there were four such times mentioned in the New Testament-

1. Times of ignorance: referring to the past before Christ came (Acts 17:30)
2. Times of the Gentiles: referring to the present order from Babel to today (Luke 21:24)
3. The fullness of the Gentiles: referring to the present, and culminating at a future point with the Rapture of the Church (Rom. 11:25)
4. Times of restoration: referring to the future millennial kingdom (Acts 3:21)

So we have seasons (presumably summer, given the background of the Fig Tree Parable). We can know we are in the season, by seeing Israel (the fig tree nation) back in her promised land, blossoming and thriving as she is in every possible way. This season is then confirmed by all the signs we see (i.e., technological, economic, societal, ecumenical, geopolitical, etc.) working to build up the coming antichrist kingdom for the seven-year Tribulation. I don’t know how much more needs to be built into it to reach this “fullness of the Gentiles,” but I think if the hammer dropped today, the antichrist could begin his reign soon after (between 1-3 years) with very little resistance.

Now the Antichrist’s kingdom (the Beast) is built upon three pillars: economic, governmental, and religious power. What resistance (roadblocks to a one-world government) the Antichrist would have meet governmentally and religiously, will be removed (off-planet) with the Rapture of the Church. What resistance the Antichrist will have meet geopolitically, will be dealt with through the Gog-Magog War (Ezekiel 38-39). This war effectively neutralizes the Gog-Magog coalition (Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Stan-nations), as well as neuters Islam as a theological and political force. Just these two events alone (i.e., the Rapture and Gog-Magog War) will make it much easier to fold their populations into the coming global religious and political system.

So we are in the season, seeing the signs, and are watching the day (Heb. 10:25) approaching. In this manner of things, what sort of people should we be? Fearful and anxious, or bold and fearless? We are literally, on the cusp of the great, divine, reset, where God removes His own from the earth and allows the foreordained events to unfold just as God said they would. How much longer do we have? It’s difficult to say with specificity because we won’t know the exact moment, but we will see this Day approaching.

Even so, Maranatha

https://www.rev310.net/post/prophetic-ponderings

"Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  And he brought them out and said, "Sirs what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household."   Acts 16:29-31. NKJV

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