God's Holy Mountain

”Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”    Isaiah 56:7  NKJV

Some of the news from the Middle East lately surrounded an unannounced visit by Prime Minister Netanyahu to the country of Jordan for a meeting with his counterpart King Abdullah II where he discussed, among other things, tensions on the Temple Mount.  I believe most everyone by now understands that the area in Jerusalem known as the Temple Mount is by far the most contentious piece of real estate in Israel.  As many subjects I have had the opportunity to study over the years, by far the most intriguing is this particular site and it's importance not only to Israel, but to God Himself. To many, there is a firm belief that God ordained this exact piece of real estate to be the most important to be found in the entire world.

While it appears that things have settled down a bit, the truth is that tensions on the Temple Mount run high and it never takes much to produce an explosion of emotion.  Yet might this simply be the calm before the real storm?  I enjoy reading quotes in the news from both Islamic and Jewish officials arguing over the Temple Mount, especially when they choose to use the term “ownership”.  From conversations I have had, I often wonder why more people fail to notice this subject never is officially addressed.  In the prophecy of Isaiah, it seems to me that God chooses to address this very argument by four times stating exactly who the real owner is.  Of the Temple Mount, God says “My holy mountain”, “My house of prayer”, “My altar”, and “My house”.  I think you could make the case here that He settles the ownership issue rather emphatically if not completely.

Yet in spite of the hostility by those opposed to an place of worship for the Jews, the Bible makes it very clear in many places, including the Isaiah passage, that there soon will be a rebuilt Temple in Israel for worship and for sacrifice.  I am sure most will recall this passage from Daniel referring to the coming desecration which will occur in the Temple by the antichrist at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

”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 9:27  NKJV

Paul the Apostle also refers to this same event in his letter to the Thessalonians.

”Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”                                                2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  NKJV 

So if there obviously will be a rebuilt Temple sometime in the near future, it seems logical that as watchers we should be sensitive and cognizant of any and all developments surrounding the Temple Mount and the movement to allow the Jewish people a place to worship.  How soon might all of this play out?  Since the passage from Daniel clearly states the temple will exist at the middle of the seven year tribulation, it follows construction must begin at or near the beginning of that seven year period of time and if that is the case preparations should have most certainly already be in place.  Most scholars believe that it is the antichrist who manages to convince all parties to agree to the construction of the future Temple in Israel.  Considering how close many feel we are to the start of the tribulation, it seems inevitable that we would begin to see the Temple Mount in the news with regularity.

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that in recent years there have been numerous steps taken and preparations made for the rebuilding of the temple. The instruments for sacrifice and worship have been constructed, the garments for the priests to wear have been made, and those who have been identified as being descendants from the tribe of Levi are even now being trained to serve as priests. The one drawback here though may be that it is reported that only a small minority of Jews are interested in rebuilding the temple on the Temple Mount. Many believe there is no way that Israel would attempt to start rebuilding the temple at this point in time especially considering the situation that exists with the Muslim Authority which controls the Temple Mount. It is only if a situation exists where the vast majority of the Jews want to rebuild, and the government is unafraid of retaliation that this rebuilding could occur. So what could happen to produce this feeling in Israel today?

I believe the answer can be found in the events of Ezekiel 38,39 where we are told of the conflict referred to as the Gog Magog War. I think the most telling part of this prophecy is to be found in the revelation that it is God Himself that intervenes to protect and save Israel from the invading armies of Gog. When Israel sees that they have been saved by Divine intervention, I believe they will at that time want to rebuild the temple to give thanks to God. Of course, this is also the time where the Antichrist will enforce an agreement which will allow that rebuilding to take place. The stage is set for the next war to begin and the only question before us is "when"? 

Every week we are treated to more and more signs that our deliverance is close at hand. If you have never made the decision to accept the gift of eternal life offered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ I urge you to do it today.  Simply tell God you accept His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and turn your life over to His control.
  

Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Keep Watching.

Beyond Coincidence

“And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”  Genesis 6:6. NKJV

No less than three times this past week I have come across articles referring to a poll in which people stated their belief that we are indeed living in the end times.  It’s safe to say that this encourages me greatly, not only in that it is so gratifying to hear that others see what I see, but also to know that much of the world recognizes that what is happening now is most certainly not “business as usual”. 

Many will recognize this verse above from the book of Genesis where God’s feelings are revealed as He looked at what had become of the world that He had created.  A question I believe we all should be asking at this present time is do you think it is possible God is feeling exactly the same as He did in Noah’s day?  If so, then it should not surprise anyone that the possibility of God’s judgment may well be right on our horizon.

As much as most of us may strongly dislike the times we find ourselves in right now, there is no arguing the fact that opportunities to share the gospel have increased exponentially right along with our troubles.  Yet if so many believe that we are, indeed, living in the end times, it also follows that we must necessarily believe that the Second coming of Jesus is closer than it has ever been.  After all, we have been warned by Jesus Himself that we would know when His return is near if we but simply watch for the signs.  

“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”  Matthew 24:33-35  NKJV

While there are a great many reasons that I personally believe we have arrived at the time Jesus told us to watch for, I want to share just one of those reasons with you today in the hope that you will be as encouraged as I am.  As always, I want to make it clear that I am not a prophet, nor am I predicting anything to occur, but simply choosing to share something I found which gives me a reason to hope for His soon appearance.

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  2 Peter 3:8  NKJV

In Judaism, there is a belief that God’s plan for this world will mimic the days of creation in that those six days will equate to six thousand years for the completion of His plan, with one day of one thousand years (the seventh day) as a “day” of rest.  Many Jewish rabbis have long said that the Talmud teaches that the Messiah must appear at or before the end of the sixth day, or six thousand year period of time.  Whether or not this is true waits to be proven but it does present us with an interesting question and a very immediate conjecture.

Most Bible teachers I have studied under agree that there were approximately two thousand years from creation to Abraham, and another two thousand years from Abraham to the day that Jesus of Nazareth presented Himself as the long awaited Messiah.  That being said, it follows that there could be another two thousand year period from Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah and His second coming at the end of this age.  In order for us to try and make any sort of calculation based on this equation, however, we need a firm point in which to start and this is where things become complicated.

I believe I am safe in saying that the date of Jesus’ birth and death has been the subject of debate for the past two thousand years. While the adage “agree to disagree” is the best way to describe the debate, one thing is perfectly clear, most all of the arguments seem to agree that His birth occurred somewhere between 4BC and 1AD with HIs death and resurrection some 33 years later.  Scholastically speaking, I am probably the last person whose opinion should be considered but for what it is worth I will share my thoughts on the subject and why I believe it might be worthy of our immediate consideration.

Most believers know and understand that just two days before Passover and His betrayal, Jesus laid out the plan for this age in what has become known as the Olivet Discourse.  As He began, He made a prophecy of the coming destruction of the Temple, which obviously came as quite a shock to the disciples when they heard it.  Not surprisingly, exactly 40 years later the temple was destroyed by the Romans and burned to the ground.  I say not surprisingly simply because many students of the Bible understand that the number forty is used most often as a sign of punishment or judgment.  So why do I believe this is so important?  

You recall I said that to consider exactly when Jesus was born we need a starting point, and as the destruction of the temple in 70 AD is a historical fact, I personally believe it proves to be that needed starting point.  Here is how I see it; if we accept that forty is a number of judgment, then Jesus made this prophecy forty years earlier than 70 AD which would place His crucifixion in 30 AD.  If we subtract His lifespan of 33 years we arrive at a birthdate in the year 3 BC which falls perfectly into the period of time many believe He was born.  Yet while this might possibly answer the question as to when Jesus was born, let me explain why there might be an application of this knowledge that will have a major impact for the Church today.

It is my belief that based on this equation, Jesus was born in 3 BC.  It also follows that I believe that Jesus was crucified and rose again in 30 AD.  This is where things could get interesting.  Based on the rabbinic belief in the six day of creation/ six thousand year time period of this age we can make the following calculation. If you add two thousand years to 30 AD you arrive at 2030 as the time of Jesus' Second Coming.  Subtract 7 years for the tribulation period and we arrive at 2023 as a start date for that terrible time of trouble.  Somehow I can’t help but think that this is beyond coincidence.  Looking at this equation and looking at the state of the world today one can’t help but believe that our time on this earth is quickly coming to an end.

As I have long believed and subscribed to the “Gap Theory” which teaches that there is a gap of time between the rapture of the Church and the beginning of the tribulation, you can see why I am continually looking up and expecting to hear our call to come home at any time.  Only time will tell if the tribulation will start sometime this year but I think it goes without saying that many believers today would not be at all surprised if it did.  If you have never made the decision to accept the free gift of eternal life provided by Jesus’ death and resurrection I encourage you to do so today.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sins based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that by praying a prayer just like this one;

 

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."  

Keep Watching.

Stand Fast, or Go with the Flow?

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”              Revelation 3:10-11  NKJV

“Any dead fish can go with the flow’”. Have you ever heard that saying?  As funny as it may sound, I believe it might be the best description of where the Church today finds itself in respect to the world around us.  I don’t believe there is any passage in the Bible more applicable to the Church right now than this verse from Revelation where Jesus commends and instructs the Church at Philadelphia.  It describes perfectly the situation the Church today finds itself in with regards to how the world views it, especially as they attempt to change God’s laws and punish those who choose not to conform to their agenda.

“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

“Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed”                Isaiah 10:1  NKJV

I must confess that I am not at all surprised that at this time, especially in this country, believers are beginning to come under attack for their faith and be vilified and persecuted for choosing to acknowledge God’s laws as the standard for our beliefs and actions.  Never in my memory can I recall such a time as we as believers face right now, where the world considers us to be an intolerant, prejudiced people. The level of vitriol and hate speech focused on Christians today is alarming to say the least, and the speed in which this world is becoming more and more like the days of Noah is breathtaking. Fortunately for us, this is a subject God had much to say about. 

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you."  John 15:18. NKJV 

“It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”  Psalm 118:8. NKJV

“Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”  2 Corinthians 6:17. NKJV

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.”                                                   1 Corinthians 16:13-14  NKJV

For those who follow sports, an ongoing argument that many participate in surrounds the debate “do great teams win with offense or defense"? I'm sure most would say both, but it is a question that many fans enjoy arguing about, simply because there are those who love watching a great offense and others who would rather watch a great defense. In the fight against Satan which all Christians participate in, God tells us exactly how we can win and that is with a good defense.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”                  Ephesians 6:10-13  NKJV

One of the most important points Paul makes here is in verse 11 where he tells us that what is expected of us as believers is simply to "stand". He repeats this in verse 13 where he tells us that after doing everything, we stand firm. In his way, God is telling us through Paul that all He expects from us is to play defense. We next see in verse 14 that we are told we can stand firm if we remember those parts of God's armor we have already put on when we made the decision to follow Christ. Those parts were reminding us of the truth of Christ in which we believe, remembering our position before God thanks to the righteousness of Christ, and resting in the peace that is ours from the knowledge of the first two which was promised to us in the gospel of Christ.

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”                                Ephesians 6:14-17  NKJV

In verse 16 Paul introduces us to the most practical piece of our armor, the one that we will need to use the most, and that is the shield of faith. Now personally I like this picture because to me, it realistically illustrates what Satan is trying to do to us as believers, and the way he tries to attack. An arrow is not all that large, and if one is coming straight at you I expect it is pretty hard to see. Also, arrows fly at an extremely fast speed and are pretty quiet. You can look at an arrow as the first of the stealth weapons, because the first time you hear them is when they hit you, and obviously by then it's too late to do anything about it. Most important, though, is the kind of arrow Satan uses. It's not your everyday arrow, but a flaming arrow which not only wounds you, but starts a fire that will continue to burn until put out.

As a result, God tells us that we need to take up the shield of faith. Have you had the opportunity to watch a movie that illustrates the use of a shield to defend against an attack by arrows?  I know I have seen a few that have done a great job showing what it must have been like to be in a battle like that. You have an army marching forward, carrying their shields which are almost as big as they are tall, and the opposing army launching their arrows. As soon as they fire, the opponent kneels down and hides behind their shields as thousands of arrows fall from the sky. As the attacking army continues to fire their arrows, the defending army simply waits behind their shields until the advancing army is out of arrows, and then they begin their attack. God tells us something in verse 16 that I think is very critical for us to remember. He says that if we take up the shield of faith we “will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one”.  Not some, ALL. This is what most of us would consider to be a winning defense!

Since we know we can win with God's help, it is also important to understand what these arrows will look like so we can recognize the "stealth" attack by Satan. I think the clue is in how God describes them when He says they are "flaming". Obviously a flaming arrow will start a fire, which then burns until put out. How does Satan "burn" us inside? I think these arrows will have two characteristics no matter what form they may come in. Remember they are coming from Satan, and we already know his method of attack. Satan wants us to doubt the truth from God in which we have believed, so first of all these flaming arrows will come out of our own thoughts. It's a sneak attack that seems to come from nowhere when we begin to doubt what we believe in.

Also, they will attack our position in Christ, the faith in Him that we have, which has already been described in the first pieces of armor we put on. You see, the key to overcoming a good defense is to first create doubt in the mind of your opponent that he is capable of defending himself. That works in any sport you can think of, as well as our fight against Satan. The trouble with doubt is that if you allow it to have its way with your mind, the effect will be to make you turn away from the conflict.  Sadly though, many do not understand that running away from a conflict only makes you a better target!

What is important to us to understand is the difference between what we believe, and the shield of "faith" which we are instructed to take up. What is faith? The best answer I can give you is that faith is "acting" on your belief. You see, belief is one thing, but taking action by making the decision to stand fast, demonstrates your faith. Faith is always action. The fact that you may have doubts proves that you have faith. So apply your belief to everything, every situation you find yourself in, and you will be demonstrating faith and defeating Satan and his arrows. We need to be "active" believers, Christians DOING not just believing, and we can best do this by standing firm in our belief in God and His commands.

Most of what I have read in the past few months agrees with the idea that this fight is only going to get worse.  Individual Christians, and the Church as a whole, must choose to either stand for the faith, or go with the flow. I truly believe God is orchestrating the events we see as the world fast approaches the time of His return for the Church.  Fortunately, we have Jesus’ promise that He is “coming quickly” to take us away before the judgment of the world. The question for us all is will we stand and fight?  God’s command to us as believers is to “hold fast” rather than going with the flow.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to allow Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by simply praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered all of us by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.

Keep watching.

What Will 2023 Bring?

“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."    Daniel 9:24. NKJV

While the New Year commonly produces the desire to make resolutions, it also appears to stimulate many who study prophecy to make predictions of what may occur in the the coming year.  As I have often said before, I am not a prophet nor do I seek to be one, most likely because of what the Old Testament states is the penalty for being wrong.  I do, however, study intently the geopolitics of this world with an eye to biblical prophecy and the relationships between nations which the Bible clearly reveals will exist before God once again chooses to deal with the nation of Israel.  The signs of Israel’s seventieth week approaching are all around us and it is my belief the Church could be raptured at any moment making way for God’s judgment to begin.

With that said, I am more than willing to share where I think we are at present and my feelings on what might occur in the coming year.  

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places."  Matthew 24:6,7  NKJV

When I consider this passage where Jesus speaks of the signs of the end of the age, His comment on wars immediately focuses my attention on the wars that the Bible clearly tells us will occur.  Most teachers and scholars, if not all, agree that these are Psalm 83, Isaiah 17, and Ezekiel 38,39.  While there is some discussion on the possibility that the passage from Psalm 83 is simply what some describe as an “imprecatory” prayer, I believe that it does accurately predict and refer to the situation which exists between Israel and it’s enemies at this very point in time.

Much has been written in just the past few months concerning the formal alliances and relationships between all of the nations listed in these prophecies and it is becoming increasingly clear that all of the pieces are in place to witness their fulfillment.  I believe strongly that we are about to see these things occur in the coming year, and my reasons for that can be explained rather simply.  Once upon a time I was introduced to archery hunting by a friend and given the opportunity to shoot at a target with his compound bow and hunting arrows.  I was immediately struck by how much strength it took to draw the arrow back, much less how difficult it was to hold it while trying to aim at the target. 

While possibly over-simplistic, the truth as I see it is that just like my trying to hold back the arrow, given the state of readiness to act against Israel it seems almost inevitable that these conflicts must occur shortly.  The rhetoric, the strategic placement of weaponry, the alliances, and even the preeminent threats of a nuclear option by both Iran and Russia seem to point to a very imminent fulfillment.  Throw in the newly elected government of Israel which has been described often this past week as “hawkish” and you have the perfect recipe for the conflicts described by the Old Testament prophets.

The second thing that Jesus talks about is the discord between nations and kingdoms.  I believe most would agree that we are witnessing a massive disconnect between the nations of the world which, until just the past few years, were considered friends and allies.  My personal opinion is that the European Union is quickly becoming a failed attempt to create a superstate of nations working towards a common good.  The truth is, I have never personally believed that any nation on earth would be willing to put aside it’s own interests for the sake of others for any length of time.  

I believe we should all remember as well that the one world government of the antichrist will fracture from discord as he tries to consolidate power in order to rule the world. This is why I believe we are seeing the emergence of the WEF as a power to be reckoned with in order to produce the reality described by the book of Revelation.  My feeling is that this coming year will see extraordinary rapid movement towards the stated goals of the WEF.

The third reality Jesus mentions is famine along with pestilences.  Somehow I don’t believe I need to say much in order to bring these to your attention.  Many of us had hoped that the events of the past few years were behind us but yet again we are starting to see the warnings of another pandemic and the possible return of the restrictive mandates we all came to hate.  It seems as if not a week goes by where we hear about another coming strain appearing that we need to prepare for.  With all due respect, those who somehow felt this world could return to some semblance of “normal” were sadly mistaken.  

Jesus’ words make it clear that not only will things not return to the way they were, they are going to get worse.  Famine is certainly not a word many would consider applying to this country yet I am hearing and reading of hardships being experienced by many, as well as more and more shortages and empty shelves in stores.  The news is full of predicted food shortages for this coming year, and my own personal shopping habits have had to change because of unavailable staples, a situation which has never happened before.   I believe this year will not only see more of the same but continue to get worse as Satan’s plan for this world unfolds.

Finally Jesus explains that natural disasters such as earthquakes will become more severe and common.  As I mentioned last week, I believe it is safe to say that this is one of the “good” signs in that it is a distinct possibility it is a reaction of this earth to the presence of Jesus as He returns for His Church.  In just the past few days an earthquake prediction research firm has released a warning of an imminent earthquake in the San Fransisco Bay Area possibly reaching 7.5 in magnitude.  Accurate or not, the signs are certainly present that all of what Jesus told us to look for is happening before our very eyes.  Will this year be the year of the big one?  I believe strongly that it will, in more ways than one.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, confessing to Him you are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and accepting the free gift of salvation provided by His death and resurrection, I urge you to do it today.  The signs of God’s approaching judgment are all around us and the rapture of all true believers could happen at any time.  Simply pray to God and ask for the free gift of salvation available to all who truly believe, and you have His promise of eternal life with Him.

Keep Watching.