The Legacy of Temple Mount

02 Saturday Jan 2016

Tags

Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset, Mahmoud Abbas

News Flash from Jerusalem!

Really? You might be thinking. What’s so new about a news flash from Jerusalem, when Jerusalem, itself, is a daily flash point? And you would be right; another media story from this contested city would not be much different than a few thousand gallons of water pouring over Niagara Falls every second. Of course, that’s an exaggeration, but only for dramatic effect. Millions of people have paid good money to watch the spectacular cascade of water over Niagara Falls. Likewise, millions have been mesmerized by the incessant flow of events from the Middle East, from Israel, from Jerusalem, and especially from Temple Mount.

Earlier this week five Knesset Members from two of the more conservative Israeli political parties introduced legislation that calls for freedom of religion throughout Israel (worship and prayer) for all religions, including, of course the Jews. Which is a profound paradox, as you would think that Jewish citizens, of what many people consider and call the Holy Land, have the legal liberty and religious right to worship and pray wherever they choose.

But they don’t.

This bill pertains to every sacred site in Israel, to include the hotly disputed Temple Mount and its current status quo. For those not quite up-to-date, status quo technically means that only Muslims can worship on what is the holiest site in Judaism and ostensibly the third holiest place in Islam. The Jews have restricted access to Temple Mount; but, under no circumstances are they allowed to pray or exhibit any signs, whatsoever, of worship.

Despite the recapture of ALL Jerusalem by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, the Israelis relinquished East Jerusalem, which includes Temple Mount, to Jordanian control. Subsequently, Jordan extended governing authority of East Jerusalem and the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority, but Jordan continues to maintain jurisdiction over Temple Mount. Palestinians are permitted to worship on Temple Mount (Al Aqsa to the Muslims), but not Jews or Christians.

This would be absolutely no different than the United States, for example, conceding jurisdiction of the Statue of Liberty to the British, years after we won our independence from them in the Revolutionary War; then maintained that freedom by defeating England in the War of 1812.

In fact, it was this so-called status quo that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas falsely accused the Jews of violating by reason of Jewish desecration (or intent to desecrate) of a sacred site that Abbas claims, “ Is ours … everything (meaning in all of Israel) is ours. The Jews have no right to desecrate them (holy sites) with their filthy feet and we won’t allow them to.”

It’s crystal clear to anyone who has any objectivity at all and knows what is actually taking place in Israel, that this “filthy feet” reference to the Jews was a disgusting inflammatory caricature of the Jews designed to incite Palestinian violence to protect Al Aqsa from Jewish “desecration,” which is a euphemism for preventing any Jewish presence whatsoever on Temple Mount.

Immediately afterward Palestinians began the “lone wolf” terrorist attacks on Israelis all over Israel, but primarily in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rightfully and accurately refuted Abbas’ blatant lie with factual visual evidence that the Israelis are not defiling the Temple Mount or any other holy site in Israel. That Israel will continue to honor and maintain the “status quo,” of Temple Mount. He has reminded the entire world that Israel is a democracy which will continue to guarantee the freedom of religion to all citizens of Israel, including the non-citizen Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Ironically, however, this democratic religious freedom excludes Jewish worship on Temple Mount.

An Ingenious Piece of Legislation

Which makes the Knesset bill all the more intriguing and controversial; not just for the Arabs but for the Israeli government and particularly for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his staff. This legislative proposal is both legitimate and shrewd, as it seeks to politically or constitutionally affirm the principle of religious freedom in Israel, while dramatically changing the Temple Mount “status quo” that the Israeli government is determined to honor; if, for no other reason than to maintain some semblance of peace with the Palestinians. However, it’s all too evident that it doesn’t much matter what the Israelis do to minimize confrontation with the Palestinians over Temple Mount; the Palestinians always find a way to incite conflict even if it means lying about Israel’s actions and intentions with regard to holy sites in Israel.

At present there is no provision in Israeli law, as such, that actually pledges protection of freedom of worship and freedom of access to holy sites. There is only the aforementioned pragmatic maintenance of the so-called status quo to keep Jews and Christians from any act of worship, especially prayer, on what the Arabs also call Haram al-Sharif—The Noble Sanctuary. Thus, it is the Israeli police that guard Temple Mount and enforce Jordanian restrictions to all non-Muslims to access this holy site whenever they choose and certainly not to worship while on Temple Mount.

If passed, the bill would enhance the existing law of religious freedom in Israel by, “protecting the holy places, (allowing) freedom of worship for all religions with free and fixed access, so that this fundamental right will be defined by law and will result in freedom of worship anywhere and to anyone.” That this exercise of religious freedom is, “…a basic right in a democracy,” as stated in an explanatory note attached to the bill, itself.

Hence, a daunting dilemma if the bill is passed: Can and will the actual exercise of religious freedom based on the inherent democratic liberties for all citizens in Israel supersede the status quo of Jordanian/Palestinian Arabs to restrict such rights just because Israel previously granted jurisdiction of Temple Mount to Jordan? If implemented, the bill would be a stunning reversal of the extremely ill-advised decision by IDF General Moshe Dayan to return Temple Mount to Arab control after defeating several Arab nations in the Six-Day War.

As much as I love Israel and ardently admire the Jewish people, their government, and the IDF, the choice to give East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount back to a people that possessed no territorial or ownership or legacy rights in the first place was the worse decision ever made by Israel.

IDF General Moshe Dayan (left) with Ariel Sharon (former Prime Minister of Israel)

From an American perspective or a Western point of reference, the bill would be akin to an expansion of citizenship privileges, much like the American Bill of Rights. Or similar to a constitutional amendment that seeks to right an inherent wrong, such as American’s 19^th Amendment that legalized a woman’s innate right to vote. It would restore the God-given, intrinsic freedom of religious rights for all Jews (and Christians) living in Israel of which they were wrongfully and illegally deprived. All for the sake of a politically correct agenda that attempted to placate Palestinian Arabs (Muslims) into a peaceful co-existence that has proven to be practically non-existent and virtually implausible in the first place.

Once again I repeat what has been said in several prior Eye of Prophecy articles, something that is abundantly apparent to anyone with any sense of what the real problem is between Jews and Arabs. It is not, repeat not, an issue of Israeli settlements or so-called occupation in portions of East Jerusalem or the West Bank. And certainly not in the Gaza Strip since Israel removed all of its citizens in 2005. It is not a matter of a Palestinian State alongside of the already existing— legal and internationally acknowledged—Jewish State of Israel. Most Palestinians do not even want a state of their own, unless it completely replaces the State of Israel. It is not Palestinian deprivation at the hands of Israelis (the majority of Palestinians know they’re better off politically and economically within Israeli jurisdictions); there is no such thing. It is not a territorial dispute over any particular part of Israel, even including the Temple Mount. All of these factors are not reasons; they are excuses for Arabs to vent their hostilities against Jews in Israel.

Rather, it is: Ancient animosity toward and outright Arab hatred of Jews anywhere, but especially in Israel. It is a rigid refusal to acknowledge that Israel even exists or that the Jews have any right to ANY part of the land at all. Which is why when several Arab nations couldn’t defeat Israel in war, they resorted to terrorism or lies or both. The latest lie is that the Jews intend to take over Temple Mount completely and refuse Arabs access, all the while “desecrating” Muslim holy sites. If, however, Israel completely renounced all rights to East Jerusalem or the Temple Mount, it still wouldn’t be enough to appease the Palestinians. They would continue their aggression and not give up their propaganda, BDS, and terrorist tactics until there wasn’t a single Jew left in Israel. An Israel without Jews is their true agenda.

What Will Israel’s Prime Minister Do or Say if the Bill Passes

How would Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respond to the Palestinians, to Middle East Arabs, and to the watching world? How could he explain the paradox between his vowed protocols of compliance with current Arab imposed status quo restrictions to Jews and Christians on Temple Mount, and a new Israeli law that grants unrestricted and enforced rights of all peoples to worship freely on Temple Mount and all holy sites within Israel? In that regard, Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly extolled the Israeli ideal of democratic freedoms throughout Israel.

Once again using the United States as an example or any free democratic country in the world for that matter: What if Americans were not allowed to even bow their head in silent prayer beneath Abraham Lincoln’s statue in Washington D.C? Or a Parisian forbidden to visit the Eiffel Tower except on Mondays and Thursdays, because only Germans were allowed access during the rest of the week?

Obviously, passage of the bill would provide an endless supply of political and (perhaps) actual ammunition to both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to affirm what they already claim is Israel’s true intention to change the status quo.

With thousands of others, I am an admirer of Prime Minister Netanyahu; however, to predict what he will say or do if his own government passes this legislation would be speculation at best.

But I would like to think he would do the following:

Reaffirm his passionate love for Israel and his people that he has voiced in the past concerning Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel. This Holy City of the Holy Land will not be divided politically, religiously, or geographically. Constitutionally, there will no East and West Jerusalem.

That he will staunchly support the Israeli Knesset’s decision to grant and enforce religious freedom to all of Israel, including and especially to Temple Mount in Jerusalem. That this decision is predicated on not just religious, but also political freedom that must take lawful precedence over the current exclusionary and discriminatory practice of allowing people of only one religion (Islam) to worship on Temple Mount.

I would hope that Prime Minister Netanyahu would cite the legitimate and internationally recognized prerogative of a nation to claim or reclaim land won in the bloody sacrifices of a rightful, justified war of self-defense and survival (as opposed to unjustified war of aggression against another nation such as Germany’s attack on Poland and other European nations or Japan’s unprovoked assault against China and the United States in World War II). Thus, because of Israel’s victories in the wars initiated by a coalition of several Arab nations (War of Independence 1948; Suez War 1956; Six-Day War 1967; and the Yom Kippur War 1973, Israel has a fundamentally minimal right for her citizens to live in all of Jerusalem and Israel (if they choose) and certainly to worship on Temple Mount.

Picture of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu

Once again, try to imagine the United States allowing England full administrative control of the eastern half of Washington D.C after victory in the Revolutionary War, or ANY TIME THEREAFTER.

Once Netanyahu reminds the world of national sovereignty and administrative authority extended by virtue of victory in war, particularly over disputed land, he would go back historically even further. He would mention a precedent not available to any democracy or republic on earth, including the United States of America. And certainly not available to Muslim nations, the vast majority of which usurped the land in which they live by aggression and by force. He would defer to the land ownership rights by virtue of national and racial legacy to Israel given by God, himself, to the Jews as a perpetual heritage. Beginning with Abraham, the father of Ishmael, through whom God would also make a great nation, i.e. the Arab nations.

To this day, Moslems still revere Abraham as their ancestral patriarch, but only as Abraham’s heritage applies to Ishmael, not Isaac. Yet the Scriptures are indisputably explicit: Abraham’s son, Isaac, would be the ancestral child of promise, not Ishmael. Thus, the divine deed to Israel belongs to the Jews, not the Arabs. God knows they have enough land as it is in the Middle East.

Abrahamic Covenant

Listen to the Lord’s renewal of the permanent land covenant that he had earlier made with Abraham:

“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:7-8).

Subsequently, this covenant would be affirmed with Abraham’s son Isaac, not Ishmael as claimed by Islam. (See Genesis 26:1-6). Later the covenant was again sworn to Isaac’s son, Jacob … eventually passed down through the twelve sons (tribes) of Jacob whose name God changed to Israel. Thus, the land of Israel became a Jewish legacy over 2,500 years before Islam became a religion through its prophet, Muhammad.

As periodically stated in Eye of Prophecy articles and by several others, there is not one single reference to Jerusalem in the Koran; whereas there are hundreds of passages in the Bible naming Jerusalem. How can Muslims possibly explain that away? If they insist that Jerusalem (or any part of Israel) belongs to them and Temple Mount (Al Aqsa) has become their third holiest site, then they best use some other argument than the “holy” text of the Koran. Which leaves them with no contemporarily viable or historically reliable defense at all.

The only other possible (indefensible) arguments are:

Religious or Historical Possession/Occupation: This premise is easily refuted by both Biblical and secular historical accounts and archeology. Israel as a nation with Jerusalem as its capital and Temple Mount the very center of Judaism existed long before Muhammad arbitrarily selected the moon-god Allah and himself as the founder of Islam. Likewise with the Bible, both Old and New Testaments pre-date the Koran by hundreds of years.

Contemporary/Recent Generational Right of Control by Virtue of Population: Also, easily rebutted. Arabs did outnumber Jews in what was previously called Palestine (a name given to the land by a Roman Emperor to replace Israel as the rightful name of the nation) for a few hundred years. Even then, Arabs living in Palestine were subjects of the Ottoman Empire. However, by 1967, Jewish population in Israel easily exceeded the Arab populace. As 2016 begins, the Jews far outnumber the Arab Palestinians. Moreover, there was absolutely no (so-called) Palestinian rule of Israel before the United Nations approved Nation-status to Israel in 1947, then declaration of Israel’s Statehood in 1948. And certainly not since Israel’s return as a sovereign country in the international family of nations.

Until 1967, the so-called West Bank (Judea, Samaria) was controlled by Jordan, the Gaza Strip by Egypt, and the Golan Heights by Syria. As noted, Israel, assumed authority over these territories by virtue of her victory in the 1967 Six-Day War. Subsequently in 1994 (after the Oslo Peace Accord), the Palestinian Authority was established to govern the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Gaza eventually taken over by the terrorist group Hamas in 2006. For security and strategic reasons, Israel maintains control of the Golan Heights.

So, please, someone explain to me and especially to those who are confused about ownership and occupation rights within Israel and the “disputed territories” of the West Bank and Gaza Strip: On what historical, cultural, racial, or political platform and on whose national or international authority can Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (or any Palestinian) claim that any part of Israel “belongs to them,” let alone Jerusalem and especially Temple Mount?

Obviously I’m being facetious when asking someone to explain this to me … only because I’d like to think that I’ve done my homework (countless hours of study/research of Scripture and history, and keeping abreast of current events in the Middle East). But I’m quite serious about those, including many Americans, who support the Palestinian cause because they really don’t know (or perhaps don’t care to know) the real history of Israel or the rest of the story of why Arabs have become today’s Palestinians. Whereas, just a generation ago if you were referring to a Palestinian, you were talking about a Jew, i.e. Jewish residents of Palestine (now once again rightfully called Israel).

The Legacy of Jerusalem and Temple Mount

Legacy is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as: “something received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.”

Getting back to what I think Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would say or do if this remarkable “Temple Mount bill” passes as the law of the land.

He would rightfully remind his people (particularly Israelis who prefer not to risk confrontation with Muslims and, therefore, oppose Jews ascending Temple Mount); Christians, especially those who doubt Jewish rights to live and worship anywhere in Israel; the Palestinians and the Arab world; Muslims everywhere, and the whole world—that it was Mount Moriah (Temple Mount) where God tested the love and loyalty of Abraham, by ordering Abraham to sacrifice the child of promise, Isaac. That the Lord rewarded Abraham’s faithfulness by sparing Isaac and graciously providing a ram in his place for the sacrifice.

Accordingly, “Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means: ‘The Lord will provide’). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:14).

What would be provided? A place where God’s very presence would dwell, and did for hundreds of years. A place where all people could ascend to worship the true and living God, bringing their offerings of praise and sacrifice. A once and for all sacrifice of the Jewish Messiah, himself—for the past, present, and future sins of his chosen people and of all peoples. With this same Messiah returning first to the Mount of Olives, then Temple Mount and Jerusalem to rule and reign forever. To draw all peoples to himself and to his Father, the God of Israel and of the nations.

In short, as a result of Abraham’s obedience, God promised: “And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:18).

Then the Prime Minister would call to memory King David’s passionate desire to build a beautiful Temple to God, one that would be permanently located in Jerusalem to replicate but also replace the Tabernacle with an even more glorious place of worship. This temple would demonstrate to all of Israel and the surrounding nations that Jerusalem was God’s chosen city, where he would dwell among his people … a city that God loves above all other cities. Jerusalem would be the Holy Capital of the Holy Land of Israel.

After David captured Jerusalem and began building the City of David, the Bible tell us, “And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him” (II Samuel 5:10).

Then, “And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel” (Verse 12).

The Prime Minister would correctly contend that God’s blessing on and through King David remains to this very day, despite hundreds of years of exile from Israel leading to great persecution of the Jewish people. No less than God’s repeated affirmation of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob … the land of Israel as a permanent inheritance for the Jews. For these reasons alone, through God’s divine providential purpose, Israel was miraculously reborn as a sovereign nation. She is here to stay.

But there’s more. King David’s dream came true when his son, King Solomon, built the magnificent Temple on Mount Moriah (Temple Mount) long before any Muslim shrines were built on this holy mountain of God. As was the second Temple assembled by the Jewish exiles who returned from Babylon seventy years later … over 1,000 years before the religion of Islam began.

Model of Solomon’s Temple

He would appeal to the United States and the nations of the free world that the blessings promised by God to the Gentiles can only be realized in and accomplished through a strong, stable, and secure Israel who truly wants peace within and without her national boundaries.

He would stir our enthusiasm over the global significance of Temple Mount not only to Jews, not exclusively for Muslims, but for the whole world from God’s prophetic promise through the prophet Isaiah:

“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name … I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel” (Isaiah 56: 6-8).

Because of Benjamin Netanyahu’s respect and stated appreciation for the contributions to and support of Israel by (evangelical) Christians, he would bring to mind that Jesus of Nazareth repeated these same words, “My Temple will be a house of prayer…” (Luke 19:46).

He would repeat more words from the prophet Isaiah, scripted in granite on a retaining wall located on First Avenue in New York City, just across from the United Nations General Assembly Building:

“…They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

In keeping with his plea that the whole earth recognize the past, present, and future right of Jews to possess and pray on Temple Mount, but to also share that privilege with people from many nations, Benjamin would also convey the entire context of this inspiring prophetic passage from Isaiah. A prophecy that is beginning to unfold in our generation:

“In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all—the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’ For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares…” (Isaiah 2:2-4).

Summary

Will it happen? Is it possible? Can the Knesset representing the incredible diversity of Israelis, Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, Liberal, Secular, Agnostics, (Muslim) Arab-Israelis—some who support a rebuilt Temple or at least freedom of worship on Temple Mount even without a third Temple, and some who don’t—pass this law amidst such dissent, even from their own people?

If passed, will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provide law enforcement support of Jewish access to Temple Mount to pray and worship, perhaps with justifications as proposed in this article? Would he dramatically defend the God-given right of every Jew to every square foot of land in Israel, especially to their most sacred place of Temple Mount? After all, the Prime Minister has unequivocally declared that Jerusalem will not be divided nor any part of this great Jewish city become the capital of a Palestinian State.

And just a few days ago, Benjamin’s reaction to the death of yet another victim of Palestinian “knife terrorism” (dying three weeks after being repeatedly stabbed); this time relating to another Jewish holy site located in Hebron, Israel. Said Prime Minister Netanyahu at the beginning of his cabinet meeting:

“I wish to send my condolences to the family of Genadi Kaufman. Genadi was a gardener at the Tomb of the Patriarchs. He was stabbed in a murderous attack a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, he did not recover … This morning as well, I say to all those who would uproot us from the Tomb of the Patriarchs—except for a few years in the previous century, we have been there for almost 4,000 years and we will stay there forever. You cannot defeat us.”

He is also keenly aware of the potential consequences through adverse reaction of Palestinians should Temple Mount status quo actually be changed … not by Palestinian bogus claims of desecration, but by perfectly legal and legitimate legislation applicable to all of Israel.

But, then, how much more volatile can the situation get? How much more animosity can the Palestinians display than what they’ve shown through murder of Israelis, because the Arabs have been duped by their leaders into thinking that the Jews have already “desecrated” Temple Mount?

The Prime Minister also said in November, 2014—shortly after Rabbi Yehuda Glick was shot four times (he survived and is active again) for the Rabbis’ ardent support of a rebuilt Temple and unimpeded Jewish access to Temple Mount: “It is easy to start a religious fire; it is much more difficult to extinguish it.”

Which as Jewish author Ruchama King Feuerman succinctly commented earlier this year in her article posted in the online Aish.com site: “Whether he is aware of it or not, Netanyahu is in line with mainstream rabbinical Diaspora ideology, which is the way Jews have been functioning since Roman times. A Jew does not ask for too much, a Jew does not grab…”

She then states: “And yet, and yet… Who cannot be pained and outraged to see Jews hounded on their sacred land? Does one need reminding that Judaism’s holiest spot on earth isn’t the Kotel—it’s the Temple Mount! Sometimes I want to cry out: Enough with this humiliating passivity. If we don’t claim this land as ours, it may be lost forever.”

She concludes by saying, “But then the words of our sages return to me, as they must. One isn’t permitted to force the hand of the Messiah. For now, one cannot pray there. Instead I yearn to see our Temple rebuilt, and Jews from the four corners of the earth coming to pray there as a unified people. May we see this speedily in our days.”

My personal response: Well, said Ruchama, extremely well said. However, I strongly believe that Jews should resume praying on Temple Mount now (and forever more).

It’s clear in her article and other writings that she, too, longs for Messiah’s coming. As do I and so many other Jews and Christians. That he will make all things right, straighten all crooked paths, including the path to Temple Mount.

Whether now or when he returns, without the Prince of Peace, Yeshua haMashiach, genuine everlasting peace is impossible anywhere in the world, most certainly in Israel and on Temple Mount.

Things to Ponder

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever: We are living in the Omega generation, the generation that will see the return of Messiah Jesus. The end time signs are overwhelming in frequency and clarity.

God’s discipline of his special possession, the Jews and Israel, ended after the worst affliction they have ever suffered … the Holocaust. The Lord called them back and they were reborn as a people and as a nation, with their ancient language restored. Gentile domination of Jews and Israel ended in 1967, when Israel reclaimed ultimate authority over all of Israel. All of Israel belongs to them.

So let them walk up the ramp from the Western Wall, touch and kiss the sacred ground, and worship on Temple Mount when they choose.

Listen to the words of the prophet Zechariah, who writes about the last days in which we are living, the days of Israel’s restoration.

“I will strengthen Judah and save Israel; I will restore them because of my compassion. It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries. The people of Israel will become like mighty warriors, and their hearts will be made happy as if by wine. Their children, too, will see it and be glad; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. When I whistle to them, they will come running, for I have redeemed them. From the few who are left, (from the Holocaust) they will grow as numerous as they were before. Though I have scattered them like seeds among the nations, they will still remember me in distant lands. They and their children will survive and return again to Israel” (Zechariah 10:6-9).

The chapter concludes with: “By my power, I will make my people strong, and by my authority they will go wherever they wish. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Zechariah 10:12, italics for emphasis).

Do you agree (with God)? Wherever they wish includes Temple Mount!

A Trilogy of Terror

26 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

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Tags

trumpet judgments, Wrath of God

Christmas … More Than a Baby in a Manger

What a joyous time of the year! Believers in Jesus as Messiah and Savior and unbelievers alike celebrate Christmas, which is more than just a tradition. It is a vital and vibrant fact of life, and has led to a way of life for hundreds of millions from every language, race, and country. World religions are, for the most part, confined to certain races, regions, and nations. The Christian faith is truly universal. Even those from the major religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism, to some extent or another, sense something special about this holiday (Holy Day) though it’s been over 2000 years since the birth of Jesus Christ. That’s because his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven is Timeless.

His is truly the Greatest (true) Story ever told, but it only begins with Christmas.

Though it has been increasingly secularized by those who don’t believe in the reason for the season; when they light the lights of Christmas, they representatively point to the Light of the World. When they exchange gifts, they express the greatest gift ever given—the sacrificial death of God’s Son for our sins.

Yet millions upon millions who celebrate Christmas continue to see the Christ-child only as a baby in a manager. As precious and meaningful as the birth of Jesus is to the Christian faith, so many forget or prefer not to remember that his birth was only the beginning of his life, death, and resurrection from the grave to accomplish the magnificent plan of God’s salvation for the human race.

The gospels and epistles are replete with his words of truth, life, and hope; but also words of warning of the great tribulation and coming judgment. As do most of the Old Testament prophets. What many preachers and teachers have said is true: Jesus and Scripture talk more about hell than heaven. More about sin and its awful consequences than the salvation that will forgive those sins and pardon the penalty imposed by God. But for a purpose: To demonstrate that, as awesome as God’s love is for every individual and for the Jewish nation as a whole, God’s justice must be administered or the world as we know it would inevitably self-destruct. Imploding from within by the destructive consequences of sin that produce the evil that results in the explosion of terrorism and war caused by terrorists and tyrants.

Indeed, it is vital to know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of a Virgin, as his birth fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (7:14) and Micah (5:1-2) for the coming Messiah. That he was born a Jew from the lineage of King David (genealogy in Matthew 1), to validate that he was the child of promise descending from Abraham’s son, Isaac.

Yet, the vast majority of dozens of Bible prophecies pertaining to Messiah relate to who he is and what he does as fully man and fully God. None more so than the following:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

As with all Scripture, there is reason for the syntax (sentence structure, order, and arrangement) of verses and passages, including this Messianic prophecy, written some 2,700 years ago.

A Child Born … A Son Given To Us

This amazing announcement through Isaiah of the coming Messiah begins with, “For a child is born to us…” This is not only a logical place to begin (birth), but even more so an affirmation of what other prophets had said and would say … that the Messiah would be a man. As opposed to an angel or merely some cosmic force that will awaken and assert itself at the end of days, hopefully to triumph over the forces of evil. If you’re wondering, then yes: That was a direct hit on the new Star Wars Movie, The Force Awakens! I’m sure it’s a great movie, but Messiah Jesus is our force. As God the Son, he neither slumbers nor sleeps. And, soon, he will spring into action!

After that little digression, we can get back to wishing everyone a Merry Christmas because this time of the year is, indeed, a wonderful remembrance of the Christ-child born to us so long ago. He was born in Bethlehem, Israel; not in a galaxy far, far away. But Jesus’s birth did originate from a conception never before and never again experienced. This miraculous birth was, indeed, the coming of the Messiah, “…whose origins are from the distant past” (Micah 5:2).

But we must not stop there, as many people do. We should not leave baby Jesus in the manager as though the only reason for celebrating Christmas is to remember his day of birth, glorious as it was. If we stop there, then we might as well not read the rest of Isaiah’s powerful prophecy that comes after, “For a child is born to us….”

Also notice to whom the child is born. He is born, “to us.” Every person on this earth ever born has worth and meaning, but that value as part of humanity is first and foremost to the person’s parents and family; not to or for the entire human race as such. Not so Messiah Yeshua. He was born to “us”; to all peoples of the world—past, present, and future.

Not only was the Christ-child born to and for the whole human race, Isaiah continues by saying, “…a son is given to us.” Throughout Scripture, Messiah is referred to as the Son of God, Son of David, and Son of Man; and, in terms of God’s timeless plan unfolding chronologically, in that order.

King David refers to Messiah as both man and God … the Son of God, David’s Lord. Specifically, see Psalm 2 and 110. For a detailed expansion of this magnificent truth, please see Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, Does God Really Have a Son, Part I & II, posted 10-31 & 11-7-15.

There are other Bible passages, both direct and implied, that Messiah would be divine, including the passage we’re examining in Isaiah. Through his spectacular return from the dead, Jesus proved beyond any doubt that he was the Son of God and God the Son (David’s Lord). Moreover, God’s Son was given to “us,” for a specific reason and purpose. (Such as found in John 3:16).

Scripture is also replete with evidence that the Messiah will be from tribe of Judah, specifically through the lineage of King David, thus the Son of David. Although Messiah, the Son of God, is from the ancient past (Micah), he would arrive on this earth from the Jewish nation—called out and set aside by God as a people through whom the Lord would bring Light into a world full of spiritual darkness.

Jesus the child grew up to be the Son of Man. He often referred to himself by this term, which further affirms that the Son is given to the entire human race. Son of Man is tantamount to Son of Mankind … Savior of the World. The implication is crystal clear: Jesus, the Son of Man is unique, exclusive, one of a kind. No other person has been fully man and fully God. No one else could possibly qualify to become God’s substitutionary sacrifice to satisfy the God imposed penalty and judgment for our sins. Yet this exclusive salvation, the one and only way to God, is inclusively available to all who believe and receive Jesus as their personal Savior.

From a child born to us and a son given to us, Isaiah’s sweeping prophecy that spans the ages of time fast forwards to, “the government will rest on his shoulders.” Scripture tells us (Old Testament looking ahead) that all nations of the earth would be given to Christ as his rightful inheritance. That he will exercise authority over the entire earth, and the world’s government (singular) will “rest on his shoulders.”

Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Isaiah goes on to say that this son given to us, who will bear the welfare of all peoples of the earth on his shoulders, will be called (meaning that is who he is): “…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

And, “He will rule with fairness and justice … for all eternity.” (Verse 7).

Isn’t that whom people all over the world are longing and hoping for? One man whose reign is supreme, but one who governs in justice, fairness, goodness, kindness, compassion; one whose reign will bring permanent peace to this earth. Not a despot or a group of “religious” anarchists that use terrorism as a means of subjugation and forced loyalty to a religion of death. Or other religions that offer no certainty of life after death or of one’s ultimate destiny.

Unlike Biblical salvation that says we can know beyond any doubt: “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (I John 5:13).

The Son of God, Son of David, and Son of Man will be called Wonderful Counselor. That is exactly who he was and what he did during his brief time on this earth. His words of eternal life and everlasting truth were, indeed, wonderful, as were his many miracles of healing. He gave counsel that astonished even the elite religious leaders of his time; wisdom of which thousands who listened to him were in awe, both those who believed that he was the Messiah and those who did not believe. And he will do so again upon his glorious return; but this time as the Lion from the tribe of Judah, rather than the Lamb of God who willingly gave up his life for our sins.

Messiah Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, but also the Mighty God. That title is what today’s Part III article will focus on because the Mighty or Almighty God is the title used in Scripture, especially the book of Revelation, Such as: “…Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations” (Revelation 15:3).

After Mighty God, comes Everlasting Father which affirms Jesus’s declaration that he and his Father are one … his divinity. Though separate Persons in the magnificent Trinity, they are also One God. As Mighty God and King, Jesus will crush the ten-nation confederation led by the Antichrist and the vast armies of the Kings of the East in the final battle of Armageddon.

The last majestic title ascribed to Messiah (Jesus) is Prince of Peace. For that is exactly who he is and will be and what he will do after he wages a righteous war to rescue Israel from her enemies and the entire world from self-annihilation. As King of all kings, he will, indeed, be the Prince of Peace on earth throughout the Millennium and then all Eternity.

Mighty God

The Lord has many names, but two in particular portray his Omnipotence (all-powerful): El Elyon (Most High God) and El Shaddai (Almighty God). God has displayed his power throughout the ages when and where he chose, mostly through supernatural events that set aside the natural laws of physics. For example, the ten plagues against Egypt and Pharaoh. And the greatest miracle of all: Jesus resurrection from the dead.

As indicated in last week’s article, we need to fully comprehend that Jesus came into this world to declare the truth of God’s salvation (through Jesus, the ultimate Truth) and to destroy Satan’s kingdom of evil manifested through the wickedness present in the four corners of our planet. In its place will be the resplendent Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

That is why the longest message given by Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount which described all of the characteristics of the Kingdom of God (on earth) in great detail. This is the glorious Kingdom Age that will govern the earth during the Millennium. The second longest message given by Jesus comprises two lengthy chapters in Matthew’s Gospel (Chapters 24 & 25) in which he describes the signs and events directly preceding and then including the Tribulation.

For these reasons and because we are living in the last of the last days, this year’s Eye of Prophecy Christmas trilogy is focused on the terrorism so rampant throughout the world, almost exclusively at the hands of Islamic radicals. Yet, tacitly supported and condoned by mainstream Muslims. But also the terror that will terrorize the terrorists as a result of God’s judgment on those who: (1) persecute and kill Jews and Christians; and (2) all those who reject God’s gracious and everlasting life-giving redemption in and through Messiah Jesus.

Let’s examine some of the incredible catastrophes that will instill Holy Terror in the hearts and minds of unbelievers … those “who belong to the world.” Beginning with a verse quoted in the first two articles of this Eye of Prophecy trilogy, Terror, Terror, Terror!

“Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, ‘Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets’” (Revelation 8:13).

This astounding announcement to the entire world was made by an eagle, which takes place after the 4^th trumpet judgment and immediately precedes the 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th angelic trumpets. There’s no indication that the eagle is symbolic, as is the case with other images in the book of Revelation where metaphorical comparisons are made with words such as, (looked) like and as (though). But whether the eagle is real or a symbolic representation of say an airplane is not the issue. The fact remains that the Lord is warning the entire world that what has happened up to this point in the Great Tribulation will pale in comparison to what remains.

The eagle shouts this apocalyptic admonishment almost exactly half-way through the twenty-one catastrophes that the earth will experience from the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgements … of which there are seven each. I’m convinced that this global proclamation will track chronologically with the twenty-one judgments; it will occur approximately half-way through the Tribulation, with the last 3 ½ years experiencing the full wrath of Almighty God.

Let’s first look at the seven seal judgments.

The Seven Seals Are Broken

The seven seals of the heavenly scroll could only be opened by Christ Jesus. Because of who he is and what he has done for the whole world through his redemptive sacrifice on the cross, only he is qualified to break the seals and, by doing so, allow malevolent rulers and their armies to release the full measure of violence on the earth and rebellion against God.

“You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

The first four seals are the most well-known: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. As a direct result of treachery (false peace), then war, famine, destruction, and death never before seen on such a scale, approximately one-fourth of the earth’s population will perish. Moreover, this is man-made carnage.

The fifth seal is directly linked to the preceding four seals, in that it depicts Christian tribulation saints (Jew and Gentile), “who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony” (Revelation 6:9).

The sixth seal results in a great earthquake (one of four catastrophic earthquakes during the Tribulation) in which, “…The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood … The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places” (Revelation 6:12-14).

The seventh seal brings another mighty earthquake in which, “thunder crashed, lightning flashed…” (Revelation 8:5); but the seventh seal also signals the appointment of seven angels to blow the seven trumpets which is the next phenomenal phase of the Great Tribulation. By strong implication, this thunder and lightning will be the most dramatic display of lightning and thunder ever seen before. And it very well could be just what the order of the words state, i.e. thunder first, then lightning. To demonstrate that God has complete control over nature, to the extent of reversing the normal physics of: lightning first, then thunder. Every bit as extraordinary as the sun turning black and the moon blood-red.

However, for the most part, the seven seals and the first four trumpet calamities will be a combination of man-made disasters (war, famine, plagues) and natural disasters; albeit with unparalleled scope and severity dramatically and destructively heightened by the beginning of God’s supernatural intervention.

This conclusion is corroborated by the first four trumpets that will destroy and disrupt one-third of:

Grass and trees of the entire earth set on fire (Revelation 8:7).
Salt water in the oceans and seas turning to blood, killing one-third of ocean life and destroying one-third of the ships (Verses 8-9).
Fresh water in rivers and springs supernaturally polluted (inland water), resulting in the death of many people from drinking the water (Verses 10-11).
The light of the sun, moon, and stars darkened resulting in utter darkness for one-third of both day and night (Verse 12).

As terrible as these trumpets are, they are only a partial demonstration of God’s providential power, so identified by the numerical impact that only one-third of the earth, sun, and moon will be affected.

The seven seal and first four trumpet judgments will include all peoples to give them more than enough incentive and opportunity to choose the true Messiah, Jesus, over the false Messiah (Nero), even at the pain of death. Most of the tribulation saints will die in the carnage of the four horsemen and at the hands of Antichrist (Nero), and some in the trumpet (first four) disasters.

However, beginning with the fifth trumpet judgment, it’s clear that the shock and awe of what’s happened to date has worn off of those who, “belong to the world;” a phrase used several times in Revelation of the people who have hardened their hearts much like Pharaoh and most Egyptians prior to the Exodus. Despite the overwhelming evidence that God is directly intervening in the affairs of men, billions will still believe the lie that either Antichrist or their national leaders (kings of the East) will save them and usher in Utopia. Conversely, the vast majority of those who will bravely accept the true Messiah (Jesus) as Lord and Savior, will have already done so by this stage of the Tribulation.

Which is why the fifth trumpet judgment signals a dramatic shift in the nature and extent of what is to come. Which is also why God uses an (talking) eagle to get the attention of the entire globe. The triple Terror that is to come with the last three trumpets, followed by the unbelievable horror and destruction inflicted by the seven bowl judgments is beyond anything the most creative science fiction writer could ever imagine. For those left behind at the Rapture, it will be all too real.

The First Terror Begins

“Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1). Time/space does not permit quoting the rest of the fifth trumpet passage, but the result was unimaginable pain caused by (what John metaphorically describes as) locusts that are clearly demons released from the Abyss—which is the same place from where the beast-king, the Roman Emperor Nero, will suddenly appear to the amazement of the world (Revelation 17:8).

The agonizing pain caused by the “sting” of these demons will torment for five months, “only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads” (Revelation 9:4). Meaning the 144,000 Jews and the tribulation saints will not be touched by these demonic forces from the Abyss. However, unbelievers will, “…seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!” (Verse 6).

As we will read later, God avenges the blood of his people by spilling the blood of those who kill Jews and Christians, but this tormenting sting of death without dying is also God’s revenge on those who have persecuted and will literally torture God’s people before and during the Tribulation.

Yet, this is just a warm-up to what will happen next when the sixth trumpet is sounded.

The Second Terror Is Unleashed

Another demonic army numbering 200 million will be released to wreak incredible havoc and death on the earth. To the implausible extent that, “One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur…” (Revelation 9:18). As calculated in the Eye of Prophecy article, Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation, posted 6-6-15, this one-third will result in approximately 1.6 billion deaths. Although this massive catastrophe is permitted by God (to allow evil to run its course), it is not directly at the hand of God; rather it is straight from the gates of hell.

Once again we can reliably conclude that the vast majority of those killed are unbelievers for two reasons: (1) the fifth seal yielding the already stated premise that most tribulation Christians (who chose Messiah Jesus after the Rapture) will have already died or been killed by now.

(2) The fact that: “But the people who did not die in these plagues (meaning the 6^th trumpet) still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God … And they did not repent of their murders of their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21).

To further affirm the premise in last week’s article, the above verse unmistakably demonstrates one of the two reasons for God’s second world-wide judgment of mankind (the Great Flood being the first): Which is to eliminate evil and man-made terrorism, but also to give people the opportunity like never before to turn to God and his Messiah for salvation. Revelation Chapter 9 is the first of three times during the Great Tribulation that people refused to repent (change their minds about and toward God) because they loved the wickedness of their sins and rebellion.

When the seventh trumpet is blown initiating the third Terror, it is again directed toward unbelievers because it is a terror that will usher in and include the final seven bowl judgments that are also, as we will see, designed to punish those who continue their defiance of the true and living God and rejection of his Messiah.

The Third Terror Strikes

“The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is quickly coming. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: ‘The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever’” (Revelation 11:14-15).

And then, “…It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth” (Verse 18).

For the tribulation saints who have not yet died at the hands of Antichrist, this will be a time of great rejoicing and gratitude. They will shout with the host of heaven: “…We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come…” (Revelation 11:17-18).

In the seventh trumpet judgment which begins the Third Terror, we have the third of four great earthquakes during the Tribulation, along with a “terrible hailstorm” (Revelation 11:19).

We see that the remaining bowl judgments are directed exclusively against the unbelievers, this time to specifically include Antichrist and his ten-nation coalition. Preceded by another trilogy of warnings that involves three mighty angels, with the first angel shouting to, “the people who belong to the world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ‘Fear God … Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge…’” (Revelation 14:6-7).

The second angel shouting: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality” (Verse 8). Please refer to Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, The Woman and the Beast I through VI, published October and November, 2013, for detailed information as to the identity of Babylon (the seat of Roman Catholicism in the great city of Rome). Refer also to Revelation 17 & 18.

The third angel shouting: “… Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark … must drink the wine of God’s anger…” (Verses 9-10).

Finally the seven bowl judgments that exponentially expand the magnitude of God’s final wrath poured out on those who stubbornly refuse to listen to God’s global warnings, both verbally and by means of catastrophic disasters never before seen by mankind, nor ever will again. Briefly in order, the bowl judgments are:

“…Horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue” (Revelation 16:2).
Everything in the sea dying … as opposed to just one-third in the trumpet judgment (Verse 3).
Fresh (inland) waters becoming blood, but not just one-third of them. Once again we see this judgment executed against unbelievers, because an angel proclaims, “…You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward” (Verses 5-6). Followed by, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just” (Verse 7).
A massive solar flare in which people were, “burned by this blast of heat.” But again, “…they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory” (Verses 8-9).
I’ll quote the fifth bowl judgment: “Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. His subjects ground their teeth in anguish, and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (Revelation 16:10-11).
The sixth bowl judgment is that which precipitates and includes the final battle of the ages, when the rulers of the world (Kings of the east) join with Antichrist and the False Prophet to, “…battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14). “And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon” (Verse 16).
The seventh and final of God’s judgments is the most awesome and destructive of all. It is so devastating as to literally boggle the mind, one that is incomprehensibly stunning in scope and severity. No movie ever made or picture painted or story told or song sung could adequately describe what will take place.

We must simply defer to the Bible, and do the best we can to grasp the enormity of it all.

Read with me:

“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, ‘It is finished!’ Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath. And every island disappeared, and all the mountains were leveled. There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm” (Revelation 16:17-21).

Great cities all over the world reduced to rubble. Unthinkable!

Every island on earth swept under the sea by titanic tsunamis. Unimaginable!

Majestic mountains razed to the ground. Inconceivable!

Yet, what was it that caused the people who remained to once again curse God? None other than the hailstones! Which, by implication, exceeded the unfathomable devastation of this world-wide earthquake itself.

Things to Ponder

When an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to the shepherds, “…the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!’” (Luke 2:9-11).

Indeed, a child has been born and a son has been given to us. The shepherds were terrified, but only because of the angel’s sudden dramatic appearance and the brilliance of the Lord’s glory that surrounded them. Immediately they were reassured and their terror was gone.

Not so with all those who sadly, ever so tragically, deny that Jesus is Messiah, Son of God, Son of David, Son of Man. Many will experience the terrible terror of the Tribulation, the eternal horror of dying in their sins without Messiah Jesus as their Savior.

Listen to the words of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary:

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:31-33). And, “…he will be called the Son of God” (Verse 35).

Soon, very soon those who know Messiah Jesus as personal Savior will shout with the host of heaven:

“…All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

“Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!” (Revelation 1:5-7).

Baruch haba beshem Adonai. (Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord).

“He (Jesus) who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’ “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Terror, Terror, Terror (Part II)

19 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

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Judgment, Justice, Life, Truth

Terror and Truth

Perhaps you’re wondering why a sequel article on terror and terrorism is being posted instead of a more seasonal theme about Christmas. Or even why the first article (Part I published last week) couldn’t wait until this wonderful time of the year had run its cheerful course … what with the lovely lights, delightful decorations, marvelous meals, and gracious gifts given and received. Why dwell on such a seriously somber subject at such a festive time in the lives of billions the world over?

Well, for the record, there was a timely Eye of Prophecy article posted last Holiday season entitled Merry Christmas, What’s It All About? Published 12-20-14. And the year before that, The Wonder of It All, posted 12-21-13. If you’d rather read those articles, then by all means do so. I think both are quite good, but then I’m a little bit partial! So, why focus on the repulsive reality of today’s terror-filled world anytime, let alone this joyous time of year when we celebrate the birth of the Christ-child? Isn’t there enough media bombardment of gloom and doom before and after Christmas?

There is an answer, which is the same reason for the season that we celebrate Christmas in the first place, none other than Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach). As meaningful as it is to revere the miraculous arrival of Messiah Jesus through his Virgin Birth, we also need to remember the real reason that he came to this earth. We revel in his glorious arrival as fully God and fully Man, but we also need to grasp God’s ultimate providential purpose for this child born, this son given (Isaiah 9:6) to the human race. It is a plan that determines our very destiny, individually and collectively as human beings. It is above all else:

TRUTH! (Including the truth about the terror experienced just before and during the Great Tribulation).

Jesus, himself, spoke often about such truth. Right up to the time of his crucifixion, which began with an unlawful, unjust trial devised by the Jewish religious leaders to falsely condemn him to death. Listen to the words of Jesus in response to the interrogation by the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate:

“…Actually I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true” (John 18:37).

Angels announced this magnificent birth: “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11).

Jesus not only proclaimed truth, he claimed that he is Truth (John 14:6). That he is the only way to God, the only means of redemption and deliverance from the coming judgment of God on a wicked world. That this salvation would bring life … everlasting life with God in heaven.

Repeatedly during his ministry on this earth, Jesus said that he spoke the words of truth given to him by his Father, the true and living God. And that his miracles confirmed that he was not only the Son of God, but God the Son. Of himself, Jesus used the awesome, holy name of God … I AM (Yahweh). With the greatest miracle of all: His resurrection from the dead!

Said Jesus to the Jewish Pharisees: “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” (John 8:58).

To those who believed in him, Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Free from what? Scripture is abundantly clear in many passages: The truth of redemption purchased by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus’s death on the cross will set us free from the penalty of our sins, which is eternal separation from God in hell. It will protect us from believing and following the lies of Satan and those who embrace those lies, including many religions and religious leaders. And in these last days, our redemptive position in Christ will spare us from the soon to come apocalyptic terror of man-made carnage and of God’s wrath on the earth.

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever” (I Thessalonians 5:9-10). Yet, this assurance is only for believers in Messiah Jesus.

Of the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus said: “…for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father … If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God … For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him … for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God” (John 8:39-47).

If these words from Messiah are applicable even to religious leaders, they certainly are true for all peoples.

Later the Apostle John gives us a companion reason why Jesus came into this world. By declaring the truth of Biblical salvation which is only available in and through Christ Jesus, and with Jesus being the very essence of that truth, John states: “But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8, italics for emphasis).

Satan’s Strategy

From the very beginning, Satan declared war on God and the human race. Satan hates the truth of God’s salvation through Messiah Jesus, and his strategy is summed up in Jesus’s description of him as, “a murderer from the beginning” and “a liar and the father of lies.”

Satan’s tactics are twofold:

Covertly, through lies that distort, degrade, and deny the truth of God’s sovereignty in creating the world and of God’s magnificent plan of redemption to deliver mankind from the penalty of rebellion (sin) against God. This salvation is frequently spoken of in Scripture, and can be summarized by the following passage:

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Ironically, the greatest deception is through religion, i.e. man-made religions like Islam that erroneously teach good works as a means of pleasing God or somehow earning their way to heaven. Which in reality and practice entails all religions and cults (including Roman Catholicism), except Christianity which is not a religion. Not a religion because the truth of the Good News tells us that God, through Christ, did for us what we could not do for ourselves … redemption and forgiveness of sins. No one has done enough or can do enough to merit a divine pardon for any and all transgressions against God. Moreover, we sin because we’re born with a sin nature … a built in propensity to do what is wrong, inherited from our original ancestors, Adam and Eve.

Think of GEICO. They sell insurance and make commercials. That’s what they do! Now think of the Energizer Bunny. Until we are changed by the spiritual rebirth in Christ, we keep on sinning and sinning and… That’s what we do.

As believers who have been redeemed by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new life has begun!” (II Corinthians 5:17).

2. Overtly, through violence (the ultimate of which is murder) to eliminate some; and to suppress, oppress, and terrorize others into complete submission to whatever or whoever is terrorizing them. Hence, the anti-Semitic subjugation of and genocidal attacks against Jews from the birth of the Jewish people to this very day; and the equally diabolical persecution and killings of reborn (spiritually) Christians from all nations, including Israel, since the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan—and the tyrants, religions, nations, and ethnic groups of people who deliberately or unwittingly align themselves with Satan’s agenda—employs terrorism to forcefully coerce submission and loyalty. Thus, the terror of terrorism has a purpose. It’s clearly evident that today’s terrorists are systematically dispensing fear and horror through brutal persecution and ruthless killing of innocent people. This terror is utilized for, “a cause.” It is to establish a Muslim kingdom over the entire earth. Or with non-religious governments, such as Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, to deify the State as supreme over the lives of its people. But it’s also terror for the sake of terror … an end unto itself. Because, if their gruesome goals are achieved, they will continue terrorizing people to solidify submission and to discourage dissent.

Who Are The Guilty?

The characteristics and attributes of God as conveyed in the Bible are extraordinary and explicit.

Such as: Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Immutable, Perfect, Alpha, Omega, Life, Light, Truth, Holy, Righteous, Patient, Just, Fair, Faithful, Merciful, and Savior.

Because of who he is, the Lord freely offers: Grace, Forgiveness, Redemption, and Everlasting Life. Man was created in his image. In that regard, God displays the same emotions as we do. But his character and emotions are pure; flawlessly expressed and perfectly relevant to every situation in which he proactively or reactively responds to people and events. Feelings such as: love, hate, compassion, and anger.

When God first revealed himself to Moses from the burning bush, he identified himself by name … I AM. A name that contained and conveyed his very essence or glory … the Timeless, Everlasting God. Subsequently, God granted Moses’ request to look upon God’s glory, but with conditions. Moses could not look directly at God’s face or Moses would die. Instead, he gazed upon the afterglow of God’s glory. Here’s what happened:

“Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty…’” (Exodus 34:5-7, italics for emphasis).

Who are the guilty and why (when) cannot God excuse their guilt? That question will be answered, but not until we expand on the first part of this awesome announcement by God to Moses: “I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Well over a thousand years later, the Jewish Apostle John wrote about the incomparable love of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; who was also the God of Moses, King David, the prophets, and subsequently of all those who believed and received the Son of God (Messiah Jesus) as their personal Savior and Lord.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (I John 4:9-10).

Moreover, the Son of God, Messiah Jesus, is the picture-perfect, “visible image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). “For God in all his fullness (attributes, essence) was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself” (Colossians 1:19-20).

John goes on to say in his epistle: “And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love” (I John 4:13-16).

Then the Apostle John simply but profoundly states: “…God is love…” (Verse 16).

Those (believers) who have placed their trust in God’s gracious provision for redemption and forgiveness of sin through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, will have everlasting life. Furthermore, they need not fear the, “great and terrible day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31).

John goes on to say:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face him with confidence….” (I John 4:17).

Holy Terror

Said God through his prophet to Israel and about the Gentile nations: “Yes, says the Lord, I will do mighty miracles for you, like those I did when I rescued you from slavery in Egypt. All the nations of the world will stand amazed at what the Lord will do for you. They will be embarrassed at their feeble power. They will cover their mouths in silent awe, deaf to everything around them. Like snakes crawling from their holes, they will come out to meet the Lord our God. They will fear him greatly, trembling in terror at his presence” (Micah 7:15-17).

Listen now to the remarkable similarity between the prophet Micah’s end time prophecy and what those left behind will experience, just a short time after the soon to come Rapture and Great Tribulation:

“Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb (Messiah Jesus). For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” (Revelation 6:15-17).

The terror that comes from God is truly a Holy Terror. Although God’s judgment is meant to destroy all that is wicked and perverse, the actual terror is intended by God to demonstrate that he is the Sovereign God. This terror (fear and awe) comes from the very presence of God, from the very thought of God’s holiness and righteousness. From the very idea that he is true and just and fair in all that he is and does. Most of all that God’s salvation is available to all who willingly believe and receive Christ as Savior and Lord. But for those who reject so great a salvation, only judgment remains. Thus, God’s Wrath serves a dual purpose: to judge evil, but also to traumatically and dramatically get the attention of many. For those left behind after the Rapture, that is (unfortunately) what it will take.

Even Moses experienced this terror. Once again, referring to Moses encounter with the Most High God at the burning bush: “When Moses saw it he was amazed at the sight. As he went take a closer look, the voice of the Lord called out to him, ‘I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with terror and did not dare to look” (Acts 7:31-32).

Yet this was not the terror of impending judgment, rather of obvious respect for and awe of God’s holiness. The result of such an awesome encounter with God was that Moses would devote the rest of his life to serving a holy, but loving and merciful God.

But for those who reject God in general and God’s Son, Messiah Jesus, in particular, a Bible passage quoted in last week’s article bears repeating:

“Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to God. Terror will grip them, terror like they have never known before. God will scatter the bones of your enemies. You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When God restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice” (Psalm 53:4-6).

Terror from Divine Justice and Judgement

God is Love, but he is also Just … Justice. Both of these attributes exist equally in and with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Many people emphasize one of these attributes above the other, but they must be kept in balance. However, most people prefer not to talk or even think about God’s (perfect) justice, which by very definition and expression must include judgment and retribution.

On this earth, we expect and endorse justice for those among us who refuse to abide by the law of the land. To overlook or capriciously excuse those who rob, defraud, falsely testify, assault, persecute, and murder is to create anarchy and injustice—the likes of which would cause society and government to collapse. No less and even more so with the Lord. “…Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right” (Genesis 18:25).

“…For the Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness” (Psalm 98:9).

God is perfectly loving, but he also is perfectly just.

“For I, the Lord, love justice…” (Isaiah 61:8).

And, “The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring with plants springing up everywhere” (Verse 11).

One more: “The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble!” (Psalm 99:1). Then, “Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel” (Verse 4). And, by obvious implication … the whole world.

Furthermore, God’s justice administered through judgment is perfectly pure and profoundly proportionate. It’s from the Law of Moses that Roman law and now Western law derives the standard that: Punishment must fit the crime.

During the last days (the Great Tribulation soon to come), we read many times of the righteousness, holiness, truth, and justice exemplified through the judgments administered by God and by Messiah on an unrighteous, unholy, lying, and unjust world.

Such as:

“…You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward … “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just” (Revelation 16:5-7).

And, “…Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed” (Revelation 15:3-4).

Against the rulers of this earth (both secular and religious), those whose actions deceive and terrorize their enemies but also their own people, Scripture declares through King David:

“Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry, ‘and free ourselves from slavery to God.’ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury” (Psalm 2:1-5).

Later, King David warns: “Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 2:10-12).

According to Scripture, God’s judgment is exceptionally harsh against those in illegitimate or legitimate authority—rulers, leaders, judges, religious factions (like ISIS) who mislead, suppress, oppress, and otherwise terrorize others into submission. Those who are perniciously proud of their wickedness and audaciously arrogant toward God and others.

“Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land” (Psalm 58:1-2).

King David continues in this passage: “Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord! May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands” (Verses 6-7).

David concludes with: “Then at last everyone will say, ‘There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth’” (Verse 11).

Listen to the Psalmist speak of God’s justice: “O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans. ‘The Lord isn’t looking,’ they say, ‘and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.’

“Think again you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes? He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?” (Psalm 94:1-10).

(*Note: Recently, it was discovered that ISIS has begun to murder children who are disabled or deformed, much as Nazi Germany did during World War II. How hideous is that? But what about government sponsored abortion in the United States? Is that any different?)

In the context of God restoring and protecting Israel in the last days by means of divine judgment (including the justified terror that it brings) on those who seek to destroy God’s people, both Jew and Gentile, contrasted to the terrorism dispensed by wicked people, Scripture states: “The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it” (Psalm 94:14-15, italics for emphasis).

Then, a rhetorical question: “Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—leaders whose decrees permit injustice?” (Verse 20).

It is a foregone conclusion, a certainty that God will judge evil and wickedness, most assuredly those who terrorize and murder innocent men, woman, and children. His anger will be most intense against those who seek to destroy Israel and the Jews. But also those who persecute and kill believers in God’s Anointed One, Messiah Jesus.

Summary

Returning to our question: Who then are the guilty? Whose guilt will not be excused by God? Who are they that will suffer the wrath of God poured out on the earth as foretold by the prophets and as depicted graphically in the book of Revelation? Who are those among the masses of people already passed from this earth who will rise to perpetual separation from God in the Lake of Fire, instead of everlasting life in heaven? Is it only the brutal sadistic terrorists or every-day murderers … the most wicked among us? Is it only evil tyrants like Adolph Hitler and Osama bin Laden, and their deplorable culprits in crime?

Does anyone on earth have the right to determine who is guilty of breaking God’s laws and falling short of his standards? Or judging whose sins are greater, or who should deserve more punishment, or no punishment at all? Will anyone be able to stand before God and declare they are innocent because of all the good things they’ve done. Or demand (or even request) leniency because the wrong things they’ve done aren’t nearly as bad as other people’s transgressions? Or plead ignorance because they didn’t fully realize the gravity of and consequences for their actions? Or argue that they shouldn’t be so severely penalized just because they didn’t make a decision to accept God’s gracious offer of pardon through what his Son did for them?

The true and living God says, no.

Scripture says: “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with underserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood…” (Romans 3:21-25, italics for emphasis).

For you see, we are all guilty. We are all born into sin, and the wages of that sin is death (Romans 6:23). That’s right … we actually earn death. That’s one wage that we all wish we weren’t paid. But we earned it, we deserve it. Scripture also tells us there are two deaths; one that we can’t escape (physical), but one that we can be rescued from … spiritual death or eternal separation from God. In the Bible, death does not mean annihilation; rather, it means separation. That’s what happens when we die, the spirit is separated from the body.

The spirit of every person ever birthed, is born dead … unable to fellowship, love, serve, understand, or even communicate with God. Furthermore, the moment we commit our first sin, we are subject to God’s justice and judgment. Essentially then, we are born under judgment.

Most people don’t think that way or grasp its significance, because we contemplate in terms of innocent (even if we’re not) until judged guilty. But because God needs no court or jury or judge (he is all of those), and because he is timeless, he has already passed judgment on all human beings. Thus, we are all guilty from the very beginning of our lives. How do we know that to be true?

“And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” (John 3:36, italics for emphasis). Obedience in this passage refers to believing in/on the Son of God and his sacrificial death on the cross. Previously, the Apostle John records that Jesus had said that the (only) ultimate thing God really requires of anyone is that they believe and receive his Son.

Did you catch the italicized words? The only way to remain in or under anything (in this case God’s judgment) is to already be in that condition in the first place.

BUT, God has provided a way out. He will pardon our sins and set aside the guilty verdict for, “anyone who believes in God’s Son.”

The moment we accept Christ as our personal Savior, God declares us not guilty. The charges are dropped. The sentence is commuted. The prison doors are flung open and we can run out, then keep on running right to the gates of heaven, where we will spend a glorious eternity!

Things to Ponder

The ultimate terror is that described by Jesus when speaking to the Jewish religious leaders:

“You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (John 8:23-24).

There is nothing as tragic as dying without acknowledging and accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. That is what Christ meant by “dying in your sins.” That is the terrifying fate of the extraordinarily wicked on this earth; but also for those who prefer to do it their way. Those who insist on clinging to self-righteousness, to self-merit, to working their way to heaven; to being their own judge of how good they are, especially by comparison to others.

Scripture tells us often that God’s justice is absolutely true and unequivocally equitable. There’s no doubt that there will be different levels of punishment throughout eternity, for those who have rejected Jesus Christ.

Confirmation of this came from Jesus, himself, when he (again) chastised the Jewish religious leaders: “Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished” (Mark 12:40). And that was one of the less serious things Jesus said about the Pharisees.

But that’s little consolation when the fact also remains: All who have not made a decision for Jesus Christ will end up in the same God-forsaken (literally) place … the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:13-15).

You don’t want to go there!

(We’re going to need a third article to finish. Please tune in to next week’s Part III of Terror, Terror, Terror!)

Terror, Terror, Terror! (Part I)

12 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

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9/11, Pearl Harbor, terrorism

Terror, Terror, Terror!

Earlier this week, news sources all over America once again paused to headline December 7^th, 1941 … the horrendous attack on Pearl Harbor. This was the 74^th anniversary of what United States President Franklin Roosevelt would (the following day) broadcast: “…a date which will live in infamy.” A day when, “the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

It was a terrifying assault that, for the moment, struck terror in the lives of Americans. That anyone could or would dare attack the shores of this great country, let alone wreak such destruction on our naval fleet and kill 2,400 US servicemen, was unthinkable. But we gathered ourselves together; we rebounded with the resounding resolve of a “sleeping giant” (the words of Japanese Admiral Yamamoto). Eventually the United States crushed the nation whose people—long before terror and terrorism became every-day terms—believed they could cripple our military beyond recovery; and terrify America traumatically enough to keep us from interfering with their Pacific conquests, to negotiate some form of settlement on their terms, or to think we could possibly win a war against Japan and the Axis Powers.

For baby boomers out there, do you remember the movie released in 1970 about the audacious attack on Pearl Harbor? The film was called Tora! Tora! Tora! The Japanese word, tora, literally means tiger. However, the Japanese military used the term as an acronym for two Japanese words totsugeki raigeki, which means “lightning attack.” Tora, tora, tora … Attack, attack, attack.

For me and for purpose of this article, the Japanese word Tora sounds a lot like Terror. That’s not a far stretch when you imagine the lightning quick attack of a tiger on its target. If the prey is a human being, the attack can be that much more terrifying.

Terror is rampant throughout the world, garnering almost daily headlines as cold calculated acts of terrorism grow in frequency and severity … each with a chilling reminder of 9/11.

Murder is murder no matter who does the killing; it is the foulest most brutal act of one human being against another. Therefore, is there any difference between terrorism (terrorists who kill) and otherwise random killings by those we normally consider either deranged or morally anesthetized when they take a human life? The answer is an absolute, unqualified, “Yes.” Moreover, it’s vitally necessary that we distinguish between the two, otherwise we won’t know how to reactively and proactively respond. If we conclude that terrorists have the same mindset as common criminals or every-day murderers, then we will miss or ignore their ulterior motive. We will fail to see that terrorism and terrorists—whether members of a terrorist group or lone wolf murderers that otherwise support the ideology of Islamic terrorists—kill for a “cause.”

We Need to Define Terrorism

Webster’s Dictionary defines terror as: “a state of intense fear, a frightening aspect (of invasion), a cause of anxiety.” Terrorism is defined as: “the systematic use of terror, as a means of coercion” (italics for emphasis). And to terrorize is to: “fill with terror or anxiety, to coerce by threat or violence.”

Those who commit these sudden, unprovoked, cruelly inhumane, blood-thirsty acts of ruthless violence are rightfully called terrorists. Invariably their victims are defenseless (soft targets) and their intention is to advance a callous cause, which is why today’s terrorism is, indeed, systematic. Frankly, there aren’t enough adverse adjectives in any language to adequately describe the depraved mentality, hardened hearts, and wicked acts of these people. Except, perhaps, Evil. But even that word has been used so often of what’s taking place on this war-weary, terrified globe that it is losing its meaning and impact.

Terror(ism) is essentially an ideology that is carried out by those whose belief system (religious or otherwise) seeks to eliminate or, at the very least, subjugate those of another race, culture, religion, or belief system that the terrorists consider to be inferior or irrelevant and unworthy of even occupying the same space (land).

In today’s world, the ism that breeds terrorists who seek to terrorize their enemies (perceived or real) into submission by killing innocent people is none other than Islam. If I’m being politically incorrect, then please identify even 10% (make that 5%) of terrorist acts in the past twenty years that were committed by those who were not Muslim. Guilt by association, confirmed by the identity of those who rape, pillage, and murder Jews, Christians, and even fellow-Muslims, the new breed of terrorists and terrorism is almost exclusively linked to the Islamic religion.

Terrorism, by today’s meaning and practice, stems directly from a heinous higher cause, carried out by those who possess a diabolically distorted higher calling. In this case to, by Jihad (holy war), establish a Middle East then world-wide Islamic Caliphate that will either eradicate or suppress their rivals … primarily Christians and Jews.

Does it really matter to the families and victims of terrorism and to all of us who are horrified at the seemingly incessant bloodshed in the name of Islam that the majority of Muslims do not resort to violence? Actually, it’s sad that this question is pragmatically rhetorical. But it could be a non-rhetorical probe with a better answer if the greater majority of Muslims would condemn these atrocities. Such as the massive condemnation by Christians everywhere of the man (so-called Christian) who attacked the Planned Parenthood office in Colorado. It could be a question that doesn’t even need to be asked, if so-called mainstreams Muslims would do something about the merciless killings committed by the “radical” among them.

If, however, only 5% of Muslims are radical, that’s still equates to some 750,000 militant Muslims in the world. It only took two seemingly “mainstream” Muslims (husband and wife) to kill fourteen innocent people in San Bernardino, California just a few days ago. Mainstream in the sense and context of their work, family, and community life in San Bernardino, California. Were they “radicalized?” Of course they were. But then so was Islam’s prophet, Mohammed, who devised, dictated, and delivered (carried out) Islam’s combative creeds and bellicose beliefs.

It’s now quite evident that these two Muslims despised Israel, the Jews, and were ideological followers of ISIS. Because the media at large has generally down-played it, a lesser known fact is that the husband, Sayeed Farook, hated a Christian co-employee, Nicholas Thalasinos, who staunchly supported Israel in general and Messianic Jews in particular. Mr. Thalasinos was also outspoken about Islamic terrorism, to which Farook took great exception. Just a short time before Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, launched their murderous rampage, she pledged loyalty to ISIS, which (as you may recall) also claimed credit for the horrific attacks in Paris just a few weeks ago.

(Photo of November 13, 2015 Attacks on Paris)

Farook had previously threatened Nicholas Thalasinos by saying, “Christians and Jews deserve to die,” and that he (Nicholas), “was going to die.” Just a couple of hours before Farook and his wife returned to the Social Center and opened fire on innocent defenseless victims, he had a heated argument with Nicholas. Consequently, I don’t know how much clearer it can be as to the motive for the (terrorist) attack that killed Nicholas and thirteen others. Because of their weapons and munitions found in their home, it’s also evident that they had planned to act sometime, probably more methodically. However, the argument with the Christian co-worker who loved Israel and the Jews became the trigger point excuse for Farook and his wife.

Islam and Muslims … An Agenda of Peace or War?

In italics, the following is an excerpt from an Eye of Prophecy article entitled, A Religion of Peace? Part I, posted on 4-11-15.

Is Islam a religion of peace, as we’ve read or heard world leaders and religious figures proclaim dozens of times, particularly since Muslim terrorists and Islamic terrorism have exploded (pun intended) on the world stage in the past few decades? Not even close. Instead, the religion of Islam—as categorically contained in and confirmed by the Koran—compels (for example) all Muslims to: “Fight those among the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) who do not believe in Allah nor the Last Day, who do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger (Mohammed) have forbidden, and who do not embrace the religion of truth (Islam)…” (Koran 9:29).

And, “Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever you find them—seize them, besiege them, and make ready to ambush them” (Koran 9:5).

These are but two of several Koranic commands to subjugate and kill the infidels, which are primarily Jews and Christians, but ultimately anyone who doesn’t yield (submit) to Islam’s demand that the entire populace of earth be subjects of an Islamic Caliphate … a Muslim political and cultural structure of world-wide domination.

And yet there is an incredibly immature (false) premise widely held by global heads of state that Islam is inherently a religion of peace; that only a very small minority of its followers are militant extremists bent on annihilation of Israel, destruction of the United States, and domination of the entire world.

Did you know that the Arabic language doesn’t even have a word for peace? In fact, Islam means submission.

Our own United States President has often recapped this pervasive belief … that Islam is basically peaceful. That it does not promote conversion by force. That extremist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Boko Harem, al-Qaeda, and ISIS, do not represent the real tenets of Islam.

The San Bernardino massacre and many other “long-wolf” attacks taking place mostly in Israel are unequivocally Muslim terrorism. The terrorists have an undeviating association with and are direct products of Islamic ideology; with the primary prevailing objective that of destroying Israel in particular, and killing Jews and Christians in general. As opposed to random murders or mass murders (killing four or more people) which occur far too often in the United States, but are rarely associated with a specific, identifiable “cause,” as such. Yet, when investigated, evidence was disclosed in many of these random attacks that the killer(s) had targeted either Jews or Christians. Although terrorist groups, especially ISIS, are branching out and expanding their targets to other nations like Russia (224 killed from a bomb on a Russian plane over the Sinai Peninsula) and France (130 killed in coordinated attacks), they are doing so because both countries are fighting against ISIS strongholds in Syria.

But the fact remains: The professed goal of ISIS is to be the first (rather than other terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda or an entire nation like Iran or other Arab and/or Muslim countries) to wipe Israel from the face of the earth by establishing an Islamic Caliphate in Iraq and Syria, close to Israel’s borders. Directly, indirectly, invariably, inevitably, and ultimately Muslim global terrorism and Palestinian lone-wolf terrorism is aimed at Jews and Israel. And, by default, whoever gets in their way by supporting Israel. There are a few exceptions: In Africa the Muslims are directing their terror mainly against Christians, as the Jewish population is very small in African countries.

Here, I would like to present an excerpt from Part II of the Eye of Prophecy article, A Religion of Peace? Posted 4-18-15.

If anyone attempts to, for example, compare the Crusades with Muslim terrorism in order to establish a position of moral equivalency between the two, then it’s imperative that they first contrast the Crusaders with true Biblical Christianity. This was done at some length in last week’s Part I article in general terms, but with a specific historical example of the Israelites conquest of the land of Canaan … the Land of Promise given to them by the true and living God.

Then an equally insightful comparison between Muslim extremists and the doctrinal decrees of the Koran that unmistakably demonstrate a causal connection, i.e. Islamic creed carried out in gory detail by militants who view themselves as mainstream Muslims … enforcing the will of Allah on all who are not ready or don’t want to submit to the regulations and requirements of Islam and the Koran. And what can a so-called moderate Muslim say or do in response to such cruel enforcement? The gloomy conclusion is … not much. Fortunately, there are a handful of Muslims who have spoken out boldly against Islamic violence. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Because to unduly criticize the implementation of Sharia law (by force or otherwise) is to confront the Koran itself, which is tantamount to challenging their god Allah.

In that regard, contemporary Muslims are much like ordinary Germans during the rise of Hitler’s Third Reich, a rogue government and ideology that began with but a handful of fanatics. The average German did virtually nothing to condemn (or even to complain about) the intensely increasing violence against the Jews at the hands of a relatively small band of Nazi thugs. Slowly but surely, mainstream (actually should be called mid-stream or fence riders) Germans ignored, then condoned the round-up, interment, and transportation of Jews to work camps where millions were shot, starved, hung, and gassed. Although Germans didn’t necessarily celebrate in the streets as modern-day Muslims do when Jews (and others) are murdered by terrorists, they, nevertheless were silently complicit in the “final solution” of the Jews.

No less in today’s world are mainstream Muslims complicit because the vast majority of them refuse to condemn or otherwise do anything about the ongoing slaughter of Jews and Christians all over the world, particularly in the Middle East. In fact, it’s worse than the complicity of Germans before and during World War II. As indicated, Muslims have celebrated over many of the terrorists attacks of the 20^th and 21^st century; particularly when those killed are Jews, Americans, and Europeans that in some fashion support Israel and/or fight against terrorist groups like ISIS.

Who can forget Palestinians dancing in the streets as they celebrated 9/11? Recently, some Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan set off fireworks to celebrate the mass killings in Paris. Muslim Palestinians in Israel always honor those who maim and kill Israelis.

The Real Issue … The Actual Source of Terrorism

One more excerpt from A Religion of Peace? Part II in summary of that article and to further expand the theme of today’s article, especially in light of our own President, Barack Obama, previously comparing Muslim carnage in today’s world with the Crusades of long ago:

Thus, the Crusades and Inquisitions were disastrous distortions of Christian conduct and callous misrepresentations of God’s Word. And those who wish to cite these historical deviations as equivalent examples of militant Islam do not understand true Christianity and/or the historical facts of exactly who or what was responsible for these calamitous episodes of Christendom. Nor, conversely, do they comprehend that the fanaticism of Muslim radicals is not an aberration of Islam. Because the Muslim god, Allah, through the Koran, explicitly commands Muslims to maim and kill all infidels, which Mohammed specifically identified as Jews and Christians … also Muslims who beg to differ or dare to dispute the violent tactics of Muhammad and subsequent generations of his followers.

Anyone with any objectivity about these issues can see that the Koran and Hadith (collection and commentary on Muhammed’s sayings), provide the fuel that ignites the fires of every terrorist group and nation. As just one example of many: The so-called moderate Palestinian Authority of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) headed by their “tolerant” President, Mahmoud Abbas, celebrate and glorify the Palestinians who bomb, beat, stab, shoot, and run over innocent Israelis. If the killing of Jews results in death of the Palestinian “martyr” the families are given monthly stipends to compensate them for the “honorable and glorious death” of their son or daughter. Often their picture is posted throughout the West Bank or Gaza Strip as a Palestinian hero. After all, the death of a Jew or Christian is not only condoned, but actually directed by Islam’s “holy book,” the Koran.

I have written often about the real problem between Arabs and Jews, between Palestinians and Israelis. And it is NOT simply an issue of alleged Israeli occupation or settlements or activity on Temple Mount or other fundamentally false and historically inaccurate accusations constantly hurled against Israel by the Arabs and also by Western nations who continuously support the absurdly unjustified United Nations sanctions against Israel.

The REAL problem is a long-standing animosity of most Arabs and outright hatred by many Muslins (Arab, Persian or otherwise) of the Jews in particular and of Israel in general. In part, due to unfounded and irrational support of the “Palestinian cause,” Antisemitism has once again reared its ugly head in nations the world over, including European and Asian countries, and even in the United States … particularly on university campuses.

It is not a question of even one square mile of land in Israel or of a two-state solution (that many Palestinians don’t want in the first place, because they innately know they’re better off under Israeli administration) or of any other kind of self-governing autonomy such as the corrupt, inept Palestinian Authority. In fact, most Palestinians prefer the terrorist leadership of Hamas, which blatantly vows to kill Jews and eliminate Israel from the face of the earth. Even the so-called moderate leader of the Palestinian Authority, President Mahmoud Abbas, has become more militant with such inciting rhetoric as not permitting, “the filthy feet of the Jews to step foot on Temple Mount.”

The whole world knows, but many are unwilling to admit it: This incitement from the most recognized leader of the Palestinians (a microcosm of Muslim society in general) has led to the lone-wolf attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians alike. Most of these attackers are young, a few under the age of fifteen. Sadly, Palestinian children are expendable to their parents and to their leaders. Their actions clearly confirm the premise that former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir suggested: The Arabs hate the Jews more than they love their own children.

Whether ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Hamas, the militants among the Palestinian Authority, and even mainstream Muslims, their tenet and tactic is terrifyingly transparent: Fewer Jews (or Christians) … less problems. No Jews … no Israel. So terrorize and kill the infidels until they change their Jewish ways and shrink from their Christian beliefs.

As terrible and terrifying the inexcusable atrocities of terrorism can be for unsuspecting, unprepared, and defenseless individuals going about their daily lives, terrorism is not even close to being the greatest threat facing Israel, Europe, America, and the free world. Rather, it is the powder-keg hot and cold civil conflict taking place within nations like Syria, the Ukraine, and African countries. Or the imminent eruption of wars between long-time rivals such as North and South Korea, India and Pakistan, China and Taiwan and others.

(Destruction in Syria)

Worst of all, it is entire rogue nations like Iran and an Arab Confederation which seek Israel’s annihilation, the collapse of the United States, the disintegration of European countries, and the dissolution of other democratic countries such as Canada and Australia and a few South American nations.

Summary

As much as we need to accurately define and identify the real terrorists of the world and as diligent as we need to be in planning the best course of action to eliminate terrorist groups such as ISIS, the greater need is to prepare for the global Terror to come. It is none other than the Great Tribulation foretold by Messiah Jesus when he said: “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (Matthew 24:7-8).

He went on to say: “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (Verses 21-22).

As terrifying as it is and certainly without minimizing the horrendous results, the terrorism perpetrated by today’s terrorists affects dozens, hundreds, or thousands. Perhaps even tens of thousands. But this will pale in comparison to the catastrophe prophesied by Jesus, by the Apostle Peter, by John of Revelation, and by several Old Testament prophets. The Bible has been 100% correct in prophecies fulfilled to date. Scripture is equally accurate concerning the prophetic developments unfolding now and those that will take place in our near future.

The terror of (in) terrorism that we know today will explode exponentially into an awful apocalypse that we can’t even comprehend or imagine. It is the terror of malevolent tyrants and evil empires forming alliances that will threaten their own survival, but also the extinction of the human race.

It will begin soon after the glorious Rapture of believers by our Risen Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus. This miraculous event will bring terror to tens of millions left behind. The trauma of this terror will compel many to realize what happened and call on the Lord to save them. But many who will be saved by the Grace and Mercy of God will die for choosing the true Messiah.

Tens of millions of others will rejoice and celebrate at the removal (some will call it a cleansing) of all those “intolerant, narrow-minded Christian bigots.”

For a brief time the terror will subside when an emperor from the ancient Roman Empire suddenly appears on the scene (from the Abyss). Many will be amazed at his “miraculous” return from the grave. He will promise them paradise on earth, but people must first give him their complete loyalty to the point of worship. All the while he will blaspheme the true and living God and the true Messiah, Jesus, boasting that he (Nero) is God and Messiah. The peace promised by this enormously evil man will abruptly end.

“While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape” (I Thessalonians 5:3).

The terror will return and abject fear will intensify beyond description for billions left behind. The source of this horror will originate from two opposite sources:

Malevolent empire-like coalitions such as the Gog/Magog alliance, the Antichrist-led ten nation confederation, and the mighty kings of the east will generate terror not only for billions of civilians, but also for the soldiers in those military alliances. There will be a loss of life on an unprecedented scale.

See, Eye of Prophecy article, One Ring to Rule Them All, published 11-21-15. Also, Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation, posted 6-6-15.

The second source is one that many people the world over don’t like to think about, prefer not to talk about, or choose not to believe at all. It will be the topic of next week’s Part II article. This terror is different. It is a terror to end terror. One from which there is no escape, whatsoever; unless you believe and receive the only One who can and will put a stop to the massive destruction and death that will follow for those who believe the lies and false promises of the Man of Lawlessness, more often called the Antichrist.

This new terror is pure terror that comes from what is true and right, fearsome but fair. It is a terror than billions of ungodly, unloving, uncaring, unrepentant, and just plain wicked people will experience like never before.

We’re talking about the Wrath of God. Poured out on those who, “…did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:21).

(Depicting the Wrath of God)

It is the terror of God’s justice through judgment that will vindicate all those who have been persecuted and killed for believing in him and his Son; judgment for all who have rejected Messiah Jesus, the one whom God chose to bring salvation to the world through the highest price ever paid … Christ’s death on the Cross. The righteous for the unrighteous; the just for the unjust.

“Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster; and their reign of terror will come to an end” (Proverbs 22:8).

Things to Ponder

The Bible tells us not only about the terror that originates from evil men and the source of that evil, Satan; but also the righteous terror that comes from God who is far greater and possesses infinitely more power than Satan, than the nations of the earth, their governments, and their leaders.

Halfway through the Great Tribulation, the incredible death and destruction already experienced by those left behind at the Rapture will have just begun in scope and severity.

Don’t miss next week’s article, as we examine some dramatic details of what will bring greater terror to the earth than has ever been experienced or ever will be again.

Terror, terror, terror is only for unbelievers.

For believers in Messiah Jesus: “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13).

It is the hope we have for a glorious future, given to us freely by God’s great love expressed in the greatest gift ever given—Messiah Jesus and his sacrificial atonement for our sins. Apprehended by simple faith (trust) in so great a salvation.

More Than One Messiah?

05 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

≈ 1 Comment

How Many Messiahs Are There?

People everywhere are growing so very tired of incessant terrorism, mass murders, poverty, greed, oppression, inequality, deprivation, political corruption and ineptness, and other seemingly unsolvable problems that plague this worn-out weary world. To some extent or another, billions all over the world are fervently hoping for and expecting a Messiah or what many call a Messiah figure to usher in a Messianic Age.

What will characterize that Age, who the Messiah will be, and what he will do varies profoundly from one religion or world-view to another. What if a messiah or even two messiahs appeared from each belief system?! With instant global communication and rapid transportation, is our swiftly shrinking world big enough for multiple messiahs?

Actually, how can there be more than one Messiah? It begs a similar question: How can there be more than one God? When, for example, the God of the Bible unequivocally proclaims to be the one and only true and living God. As does Islam assert Allah to be the only god. How can you have more than one God or Messiah (or no God at all for the humanists and secularists) if each creed claims ultimate authority? Competition between messiahs defeats the very idea and purpose of one man uniting the world and establishing peace, liberty, and justice for all. More than one (true God and Messiah) means that the others are false gods or messiahs.

What kind of scenario would unfold if there was more than Messiah? The answer is self-evident: confusion and conflict between the messiahs and those that follow them.

Webster’s Dictionary defines messiah as, “1a: the expected king and deliverer of the Jews b: Jesus. 2: a professed or accepted leader of some hope or cause.” Even in a secular context, these three definitions are remarkably correct. Both Biblical and secular history confirm the chronological accuracy in which Webster defines messiah.

First, because the very word, messiah, comes from the Hebrew word, Mashiach, which is the term used in the Old Testament (anointed or chosen one) of the expected king and deliver of the Jews. All through the Old Testament, beginning with the first book of Genesis, the prophets wrote about Messiah and heralded his coming.

The second definition is simply one word: Jesus; because he is the author and cornerstone of the Christian faith. Because he fulfilled dozens of Messianic prophecies through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven, he fully qualifies to be not just a messiah, but The Messiah.

The third and final definition of messiah is: “a professed or accepted leader of some hope or cause.” Which accurately describes a messiah mentioned in Islam’s Koran, but also all (false) would-be messiahs mostly typified by evil tyrants such as Hitler and Stalin. Both were adored by millions of their people, many of whom actually deified them; like the ancient Roman Emperors. Moreover, Islam’s messiah and his purported appearance in the near future has become a catalyst for rogue nations like Iran and Muslim terrorists groups to hasten his arrival through jihad and world upheaval.

We’re going to examine the intriguing Two-Messiah theory proposed by many (not all) Jews, especially the Orthodox among them. However, we need to first reestablish a premise that I have alluded to in some prior Eye of Prophecy articles:

Premise: There are many things that distinguish the Christian faith from all religions.

Religions, such as Islam or Judaism—which is (still) based on the Law of Moses but absent the Levitical sacrificial system. Although the God of the Bible is the same God for both Jew and Christian, there is a distinction between the two in the very nature of God. Most know that difference: Christians have embraced the New Covenant (of Grace) prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah, and believe in the Triune God … Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

However, there are monumental, irreconcilable dissimilarities between the God and Messiah of the Bible and Allah—the god of Islam along with their Muslim messiah. With three components in particular that separate and elevate the God of the Bible infinitely above the god of Islam and other gods or messiahs of any belief system.

(1) The astounding miracles performed by God and by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, during his some thirty-three years on this earth. To wit: dozens of healings such as restoring sight to a man born blind, turning water into wine, walking on water, feeding thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, and many more. The most astounding and significant of these supernatural miracles was Jesus rising from the dead … a historical fact confirmed by hundreds of witnesses.

(2) Biblical Salvation alone is based on God’s Grace demonstrated by the gift of His Son to die for our sins, as opposed to a system of Law and Works to gain God’s favor. The Gospel is freely offered to all (inclusive), but is available only to those who personally believe and receive the atoning redemption purchased by Jesus—Son of God, Son of David, Son of Man—on the cross (exclusive). Christianity is the only belief system that announces a Savior to bridge the otherwise irreversible and impassable gap between God and man caused by man’s rebellion (sin).

(3) Hundreds of prophecies: Some fulfilled during Old Testament times, others in and through Jesus of Nazareth, and still others in the last 100 years or so; including but not limited to the astonishing rebirth of Israel and return of Jews to Israel from all over the world.

The Lord is God … There is No Other

No other religion or cult or creed or religious leader, certainly not Islam nor Mohammed, did or can do what the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and his divine Son, Christ Jesus has done and will do. Likewise with secular despots through the ages with a messiah-mindset claiming to be a god, or god-like, or messiah figure. Down through history, no religion, gods of that religion, or their religious leaders—or any who would feign to be a messiah—have dared to answer the challenge of the true and living God.

Read with me God’s declaration: “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols. Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens” (Isaiah 42:8-9).

Now let’s listen to the Lord’s reassurance to Israel and challenge to all religions and their man-made gods and false messiahs: “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: ‘I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!’” (Isaiah 44:6-8).

When the God of the Old and New Testament and his Messiah (Jesus) declares that the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is the only true and living God, it is crystal clear that this is an absolute, eternal statement. Unreservedly, the Lord backs up this claim with fulfilled prophecy, which categorically allows no room to consider that all religions are equal … that there are “many paths” to God.

In that context permit me to quote an excerpt from my second book. In italics, as follows:

…if a specific religion or religious leader asserts that their/his god is at least like the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God issues a challenge: “Let him step forward and prove to you his power.” Then God intensifies that challenge when he dares any other god, or man who is promoting that god, to step up to the plate and do as God has done, i.e. explained (foretold) the future. Essentially, the Lord is asserting: You want proof, check out that everything I say comes to pass.

Later in this same chapter (Isaiah 44) beginning in verse 26, God says: “But I carry out the predictions of my prophets! By them I say to Jerusalem, ‘People will live here again,’ and to the towns of Judah, ‘You will be rebuilt; I will restore all your ruins!’ When I speak to the rivers and say, ‘Dry up!’ they will be dry. When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem;’ he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’”

That is exactly what happened nearly two hundred years later, after a remnant of the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon and in Persia. The Persian ruler Cyrus authorized the Jews to return to Israel. Within a few decades the returning Jewish exiles restored the Temple and then rebuilt the walls and the city of Jerusalem. Remember when Isaiah made this prediction, Cyrus had not yet been born! (Out of the Abyss, pages 13-14).

Therefore, for sake of time/space, we’re going to dismiss out-of-hand these so-called messiahs (past, present, or future) such as the one found in the Koran or any number of other messiah-types as found in world governments or religious cults. Jesus, himself, said there would be false messiahs, particularly during the end-times. With the most appalling, audacious, and vehemently anti-Christ (false messiah) of all … the return of the (little horn) ruler prophesied by Daniel, the man of lawlessness spoken of by the Apostle Paul, and the beast-king of Revelation. None other than the revived Roman Emperor, Nero—the Antichrist, who will be the final false messiah.

Instead, we’re going to focus on a prevailing premise that comes from a long-standing Jewish belief that there will be two Messiahs appearing during the last days.

Why Two Messiahs in Judaism?

Last week’s Eye of Prophecy article (Messiah’s Arrival … On Whose Authority?) discussed the controversial edict recently issued by a large group of Jewish rabbis … that God is now obligated to bring the Messiah, the sooner the better. Included in my article were references to Jewish traditions and axioms unfortunately taking precedence over Scripture, itself.

There’s another ancient rabbinical tradition that has regained prominence in today’s exceptional enthusiasm for Messiah’s arrival. That of the two-Messiah theory. Why? Because the vast majority of Rabbis and many other Jews simply cannot and do not accept the Biblical evidence that one Messiah is both (1) the suffering servant who would die for the sins of Jews and Gentiles alike; and, (2) the same Messiah who will return as the Lion from the Tribe of Judah to rule and reign from Jerusalem forever.

Consequently, from the first or second century B.C. and especially in the first couple of centuries A.D., observant Jews have postulated that there will be two Messiahs. The first to come from the lineage of Joseph, son of Jacob (a descendant of the tribe of Joseph). They speculate that this messiah will lead the armies of Israel against their enemies but will fall victim (die) during the battle with God/Magog of Ezekiel 38 & 39. He supposedly represents or depicts the staff of Israel from the house or family of Joseph.

The second messiah is the ultimate Liberator who will lead Israel to final victory and redemption, and will usher in the Messianic Age. He will be from the lineage of King David, one who represents the kingly scepter of Israel.

Once again, because time/space doesn’t permit in this article, but also because of many other Eye of Prophecy articles (and vast amounts of writings from other authors), I won’t elaborate on the many passages of Scripture as well as history to support overwhelming Biblical evidence that Yeshua is the one and only Messiah. And that he is indisputably both King David’s son (descendant) but also King David’s Lord, the Second Person of the Triune God. (See Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, Does God Really Have a Son? Part I & II, posted on 10-31 and 11-7-15).

We will, however, look at one passage that (like so many others), Jewish religious leaders have alarmingly and ill-advisedly overlooked, or minimized, or dismissed, or simply rejected outright; because it conflicts with their rigid refusal to recognize Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. Their first messiah dies but not for the sins of the people, nor would he be resurrected and return as the Jewish Savior-King. Accordingly, there must be two messiahs to fulfill and reconcile what seem to most Jewish rabbis as otherwise contradictory prophecies throughout Scripture. But the prophecy we are about to examine imposes a prophetic time-line on Messiah’s revealing that refutes any two-Messiah theory and also the prevalent Jewish belief that Messiah is still to be revealed … for the first time.

An Incredible Prophecy to Dispel the Two-Messiah Theory and/or Rejection of Jesus

In this absolutely amazing passage that I’ve occasionally quoted in certain Eye of Prophecy articles, with varying emphasis depending on each article’s main topic, we find a prophetic announcement of the actual time in history that Messiah would appear. Read with me the astounding prophecy given by the angel Gabriel to Daniel:

“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes … After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple…” (Daniel 9:25-26a).

As indicated, much has been written about this remarkable time-dedicated prophecy, including the Eye of Prophecy article entitled, An Incredible Time-Lapse Prophecy, posted on 1-18-14. Yet, the primary purpose of that article was to serve as a lead-in to the subsequent Eye of Prophecy articles, Seven Times Seven to the 4^th Power, Parts I, II, III. With the primary emphasis on the shocking (literal time-based) prophecies of God’s discipline of Israel—seven times over, four consecutive times, as foretold in Leviticus Chapter 26. The prophetic calendar began its countdown after the Jews returned from Babylonia captivity and ended in 1967 with the miraculous recapture of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. At that point in God’s providential plan, the Gentile domination of Israel and the Jews ended; because the Lord’s discipline of Israel had run its full course over the exact number of years foretold by God (7 x 7 x 7 x 7 translated to actual years on the Jewish calendar).

Likewise, this remarkable prophecy in Daniel that we just read can be converted into Jewish calendar years and days from the time that the Persian King Artaxerxes decreed the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in 445 BC to the 483 years (sixty-nine sets of seven) when the Anointed One comes. This calculation leads us to the exact day in 32 AD when Jesus of Nazareth rode on a donkey (predicted by Zechariah) into Jerusalem and was hailed as King Messiah, the Son of David, exactly 173,880 days elapsed … 483 years. Thanks to the Christian historian/author Sir Robert Anderson, a Scotland Yard Detective, for explaining this incredible prophecy in his book, The Coming Prince.

Just as spectacular and significant is the part of this same prophecy that says the Anointed One (Messiah) will be killed and then (subsequently) a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the Temple.

In other words, the Messiah would appear BEFORE the Jewish Temple (the second Temple, because Solomon’s Temple had already been destroyed when Daniel received this revelation) was torn down (by the Romans). This took place less than forty years after Jesus was crucified, arose from the dead, and returned to heaven. Also, Jesus, himself, predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the second Temple.

(*Note: I refer to this passage, along with other passages, to also document and demonstrate that Nero is the Roman ruler who ordered his armies under General Vespasian and Titus to march on Israel and crush the rebellion that had begun in 66 A.D. Thus, he is the king and ruler of Daniel 7 and 9; the man of lawlessness in II Thessalonians; and the Antichrist beast of Revelation 13 & 17, who will reappear from the Abyss soon after the Rapture).

There is absolutely no ambiguity or question that the Messiah would come before the second Temple was destroyed. That’s exactly what Daniel Chapter 9 is telling us. Moreover, this could not possibly refer to the third Jewish Temple that will be rebuilt (hopefully in the near future), as there’s no indication, whatsoever, in Ezekiel, that this third temple will also be destroyed. Just the opposite; it will stand forever.

Not only is there only one Messiah, Daniel’s time-lapse prophecy convincingly predicted that the (2^nd rebuilt) Jewish Temple would be destroyed by the armies—Roman, as confirmed by the sack of Jerusalem in 70 AD belonging to a ruler—(Nero ordered Vespasian and Titus to launch this campaign against Israel) who would orchestrate this calamity AFTER the death of the Anointed One … the Messiah.

Although this specific prophecy in Daniel Chapter 9 doesn’t disclose the fact that Messiah would also arise from the dead, many other passages of Scripture prophesy the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Messiah; then confirm/fulfill those prophecies with the written historical account of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament Gospels.

Later the Apostle Paul and other writers would consolidate the remarkable events during Jesus’s life on earth into epistles that further elaborate, explain, and defend the accuracy and validity of the prophetic fulfillment of Messiah’s first appearance to mankind … the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world. Followed by the passionate anticipation for Messiah Jesus return to earth as the Lion from the Tribe of Judah whose second appearance will usher in the Messianic Age so desperately longed for by Jews the world over; and, of course, by believers in Yeshua … both Jew and Gentile.

Summary

Oh so many objections that Jesus is the Messiah, especially from God’s own people, the Jews; whom he calls his special possession … the very people to whom God originally revealed himself, his attributes, and his Word. Through whom all the nations of the world were to be blessed. Through whom the light of the world was to come, Messiah.

Here is an excerpt from last week’s Eye of Prophecy article:

I fully realize and sincerely appreciate the fervor that many Jews have toward God, particularly the observant among them and especially concerning the Messiah. But as the Apostle Paul said to the believers in Rome, both Jew and Gentile:

“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God” (Romans 10:1-4).

It is no different today, with millions of God’s chosen people, the Jews, still holding onto good deeds, righteous conduct, and tradition after tradition to gain favor with God, and to hopefully be accepted by the Lord into and throughout eternity. To the tragic point that their traditions, especially the Rabbinical rulings or decisions (often with disagreements among rabbis, themselves), become more dominant and decisive than Scripture, itself.

It is good that so many Jews—the Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Liberal among them—are once again longing for their Messiah to come.

It is also so very tragic that so many still refuse to see the clear evidence found in the Torah and Tanakh (Old Testament) of who the Messiah is and when he would appear. To hang onto the Old Covenant of Law as their source of salvation, when the New Covenant is already here—has been for nearly two thousand years. The Covenant of Grace and Redemption authored and sealed by Messiah Jesus, by shedding his precious blood as a once for all payment and pardon for our sins … if we only believe and receive Christ as personal Savior.

But one day (soon) all that will dramatically change. It’s already changing, attested to by thousands upon thousands of Jews the world-over who have embraced Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. Because Jesus is Messiah!

And though many will mourn out of remorse and guilt (Zechariah 12) when Messiah Jesus returns in power and great glory (Matthew 24), Israelis in Israel and Jews in the nations will one day shout, Baruch haba beshem Adonai. “Blessed is he (Messiah Jesus) who comes in the name of the Lord (God the Father).”

Jesus proved beyond any doubt that he was/is the Son of God by rising from the dead, with a glorious eternal body. Who but God could do that? Who else but Jesus could possibly be the Messiah? The historical record of his birth, life, death, and resurrection were precise fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies from the Psalms and many of the Prophetic books, such as Isaiah, Micah, and Zechariah.

As one indication that our Jewish friends (most slowly, some more rapidly) are considering Jesus as Messiah is the increasing conciliation and friendship between Israelis and Christians who support Israel (such as myself). We’re not at all reluctant to be called: Christian Zionists.

Listen to the words of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commenting on the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) gathering of over 5,000 from many nations during their conference to celebrate Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) in Israel this past September:

“Israel has no better friends around the world.”

And Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat said about the event and the Christian Zionists:

“Not everyone in the world seeks the best for Jerusalem. There are people who challenge our history. Sometimes, we feel alone … Your friendship is warming our hearts. I want to thank you for your prayers and your unprecedented support and passion.”

Yet, all we who love Israel and the Jews are really saying is what the Jewish Apostle Paul said long ago, but still so very relevant today: “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved” (Romans 10:1).

Israel’s final redemption will come and it will come soon, but not like they expect. Not by or through good deeds or right thinking or obligatory observance of holy days. That is and will be a result of their salvation, not the source.

When Messiah returns, what a glorious time that will be for God’s chosen people. And equally wonderful for us Gentiles who have been branches grafted into the spiritual tree of Israel (Romans 11:17-24). Why? Because:

“Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it” (Romans 11:12).

Did you catch that? Not if, but when.

Things to Ponder

Nowhere in Scripture is there any indication, either direct or indirect, that there will be two messiahs. One obvious reason is that God’s many prophecies of the coming Messiah are, by default, meant to be logically and clearly understood as one Messiah. It’s a foregone conclusion that only one Messiah would appear; thus, no indication whatsoever that there is or could be more than one Messiah. Moreover, as mentioned in several prior Eye of Prophecy articles, Scripture couldn’t be more clear that Messiah is indisputably Divine, i.e. Son of God and God the Son.

King David, himself, said so.

There are several Bible passages declaring the divinity of Messiah, while simultaneously demonstrating that there will be only one Messiah. But none more so than one of my all-time favorites:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, italics for emphasis). Grammatically and contextually, it is crystal clear that the child and the son are one and the same.

On whose shoulders will the government rest? Answer: His shoulders … the only one.

Who will be called Mighty God and Everlasting Father? Answer: He … the only one.

In this joyous time of the year when some celebrate Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) and others Christmas, and still others revere both holidays, we once again rejoice in the Good News of the Gospel. We remember the life-changing gift from heaven … a child born, the Son given.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them … I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! … Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased’” (Luke 2:8-14).

None months earlier another angel appeared to Joseph and said: “…Joseph, son of David … do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!

Praise, honor, glory, power, and majesty belong to our great God and to his majestic Son, Messiah Jesus!

Messiah’s Arrival … On Whose Authority?

28 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by garybowers in The Rapture

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Jewish Council, Rabbis, Second Coming

Who Determines When Messiah Will Appear?

The Time Has Come for God to Reveal the Messiah, Says Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi.

This is the headline of a November 13^th article posted by columnist Rivkah Lambert Adler in the on-line news source Breaking Israel News.

Your reaction to what the author labels a “surprisingly under-reported story” might be: (1) The Chief Rabbi is simply imploring God to bring Messiah to Israel soon, because this is the passionate prospect of rabbis and Jews in Israel and the world over. (2) Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi is saying that God is obligated to reveal Messiah … the sooner the better.

If you chose option number two, you would be correct!

The author, Rivkah Alder, continues but with clarification that Rabbi Shlomo Amar, who issued the proclamation, is one of several chief rabbis who hold to the concept (teaching) that, as expressed by Ms. Adler: “…God must bring the messiah and expedite the ultimate redemption (of Israel). The ruling was delivered during an all-night spiritual gathering of rabbis from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, and a recording of the moment was posted to YouTube (in Hebrew).”

With the clear connotation that God really has no other choice but to comply with this ruling.

The pronouncement was delivered at the conclusion of an annual conference held by the Chabad-Lubavitch society in Brooklyn, New York, in which some 6,000 Rabbis and Jewish leaders attended from over 75 countries around the world. In reporting this event and the extraordinary ultimatum that invoked/reminded God of his responsibility to respond to the virtually unanimous consensus of a large cross-section of Judaism’s religious leaders, Ms Adler writes:

“During this spontaneous gathering … Rabbi Berel Lazar, one of Russia’s two chief rabbis, reminded Amar that 25 years ago, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the last head of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, who passed away in 1994, had asked Amar to issue a psak din (a formal rabbinic ruling) on the issue of the redemption of the Jewish people. Twenty-five years later … Amar agreed that the time had come to rule that God must hasten the arrival of the messiah.”

Said Rabbi Amar: “We hereby rule according to the demand of the audience—we see the plaintiff but can’t see the defendant—that God Almighty speedily bring an end and reveal the Moshiach (messiah) in front of our eyes in actuality.”

Although it was late in the evening, Rabbi Amar’s invocation produced a chorus of “Amens” from the audience. Immediately they began singing, “We want Moshiach now! We don’t want to wait!” According to the article’s author: “These words come from a song that Lubavitch children are taught to sing from a very early age.”

Breaking Israel News is one of a few Jewish internet news and/or religious sites that have recently published several columns pertaining to the exponentially growing hope for Messiah’s arrival in Israel; thereby, to accomplish Israel’s ultimate redemption and to rescue them from their many enemies. Accordingly, BIN has quoted several Rabbis who have commented (with varying degrees of agreement, disagreement, and some prophetic inconsistency) on Messiah’s imminent appearance. Whether the religious or even secular interest in Messiah’s arrival is at least somewhat based on Scripture or not, I have identified this remarkable trend as one of the phenomenal consequences of the twelve modern-day indicators that clearly signal the last days of the end-times. Please see the Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, Look Up, Redemption is Near Part I & II, posted 7-11-15 and 7-18-15.

It Is Not Kept In Heaven!

However, even the Messianic oriented BIN site was apparently astounded by this audacious announcement, as reflected in Ms. Adler’s final probing remarks:

“How is it possible that a rabbi, even one of the chief rabbis of Jerusalem, can make a ruling in Jewish law that obligates God? Breaking Israel News posed this question to senior Chabad Rabbi Uri Kaploun who said, ‘All that comes to mind is the axiom in Chazal (the Jewish sages) that Lo BaShamayim Hi (it is not in Heaven); once the Torah was given, the earthly court makes the rulings, and the Heavenly Court is, as it were, bound by them.’”

Astonishing! Is Rabbi Kaploun’s reply correct? Is it legitimate? Is the axiom quoted by the Rabbi—obviously supported by many other Rabbis and Jewish leaders—found somewhere in the Bible; specifically in the Torah, which is the first five books of the Old Testament, considered superior even to the rest of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) by most Orthodox Jews?

Either Breaking Israel News didn’t feel qualified to challenge this stunning verdict nor the explanation given as to its justification; or they chose not to, as it undoubtedly would result in a much longer article than intended on the subject. Most likely it was a combination of the two.

Photo of Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Council

If there is an answer regarding the Biblical authenticity and accuracy of the rabbinical premise (axiom) that warrants such a bold edict, would you like to know what it is? If your answer is, No, then there’s really no reason for you to continue with today’s Eye of Prophecy article! But if you want to know more about Messiah and whether God is obligated to reveal him because the Heavenly Court is bound by decrees of the (Jewish) earthly court, then stay with us.

The answer is both yes and no. Yes, the axiom (one of hundreds of extra-Biblical traditions and commentaries handed down through the ages by Jewish Rabbis primarily recorded in the Talmud) is derived from a passage in the Torah. No, it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an accurate application (interpretation) of the passage that purportedly transfers God’s authority to men, be it a rabbinical council or not … especially not the timing of Messiah’s arrival (return).

The passage is found in Deuteronomy, and contains what the Rabbi would only describe as “the axiom” which has been given precedence by Jewish sages as the traditional rendition down through the ages over the clear content and intent of the text, itself.

The Biblical setting is just a very short time before the Israelites would finally (after forty years of wandering in the wilderness because they refused to trust the Lord their God) enter the Promised Land. The entire book of Deuteronomy contains a “refresher” course of God’s laws and requirements beginning with the exodus from Egypt, in order for his people to be blessed and remain in the land. In summary of the first twenty-nine chapters filled with reminders of his people’s obligations to him, the Lord through Moses declares:

“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.

“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commandments, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy” (Deuteronomy 30:11-16, italics for emphasis).

Moses then summarizes this magnificent message that God said was not (no longer) confined to heaven (to God alone); but a message that had, indeed, been liberally and lovingly given to his people. One that could immediately and logistically be placed in their hearts and expressed by their lips … if only, they would trust and obey the Lord their God.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

It was faith (trust) in God’s Word (commandments) and the Levitical sacrificial system of shedding innocent blood for forgiveness of sins that would lead to obedience. This principle (message) had been clearly demonstrated by God through Abraham long before the Law was given through Moses to the people.

“And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6).

Who Is Obligated to Whom?

Whereas, I’m certain that the 6,000 Jewish Rabbis/leaders who attended this conference and many other Jews who share the same convictions were respectful toward God in their enthusiasm for Messiah’s (immediate) appearance; they, nevertheless, misunderstood, misapplied, and inappropriately substituted the real meaning of this stirring passage of Scripture with one of their traditional interpretations.

Read the passage again. Where do you see or how is it possible to conclude that God is obligated to send the Messiah based exclusively on their presupposition that the Lord (apparently) relinquished heavenly authority to the Jewish leaders (earthly court) when God gave them the Torah? Or, for that matter, that God must comply with any ruling—whether found in the Torah or not—of chief Rabbis that once consisted of seventy members of the ruling body known as the Sanhedrin?

The context of this passage is crystal clear. Both prosperity and continued presence (existence) in the Promised Land of Israel and life everlasting depended upon whether the people trusted and obeyed God; thereby, choosing life. Or abandon the Lord their God and go their own way; thereby, choosing the horrible alternative, death. Since it was already all too evident that everyone must die physically, the text is referring to the eternal spiritual destiny of the people, but also their continued right to live collectively as a nation in the land. For sure, the Abrahamic Covenant was unilateral … God’s promise that (invariably or inevitably) the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants was in perpetuity.

But equally evident is that the people would suffer the ultimate penalty of God’s judgment (curses rather than blessings) if they rebelled against the Lord and rejected his commandments. This was a foregone conclusion; so much so that several passages in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, warning Israel about the consequences of disobedience, are written as though they had already happened. It was not a matter of if, but when. In fact, Moses subsequently announces this (directly from the Lord) when he in the frankest of terms states: “For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are … I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and will turn from the way I have commanded you to follow. In the days to come, disaster will come down on you, for you will do what is evil in the Lord’s sight, making him very angry with your actions” (Deuteronomy 31:27-29).

The Law was given to establish God’s standard of holiness and right action expected of his people, for their own good and welfare. It was also intended to show them than no one, absolutely no one (including the most religious priests or rabbis) could or would keep God’s laws. The Lord’s incredible patience gave them hundreds of years to prove to him and themselves that they could keep God’s Word. But they couldn’t … they wouldn’t.

Thus, God exiled them to Assyria, to Babylon, and ultimately to nations the world over in the disastrous Diaspora when the Romans ransacked Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the second Temple, thus ending the Sacrificial system of atonement.

But by that time, God had initiated the New Covenant that he promised to his people (and the whole world), a covenant purchased and sealed with the innocent blood of God’s very son, Messiah Jesus. Yes, the one and only Messiah, who many refused to recognize, then and now.

Many Eye of Prophecy articles have included Biblical and historical evidence to validate the birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. As have countless other books, articles, messages, commentaries, and the testimony of millions of believers the world over—including thousands upon thousands of Messianic Jews and their life-changing, destiny-altering personal decision to believe and receive Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord and Savior.

As clearly reflected in some Eye of Prophecy articles, my love and passion for Israel—the Jewish people’s physical return to their God-given land and their soon-to-be nation-wide spiritual restoration to their Lord when they fully recognize and acknowledge Jesus as Messiah— constrains me to express this compassion by sharing the truth of the source of their salvation.

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time” (I Timothy 2:5-6, italics for emphasis).

Listen to the writer of Hebrews (New Testament) who quotes Jeremiah’s prophecy of this New Covenant when he contrasts the Old Covenant with the New; thus providing a reason for this more excellent Covenant:

“But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

‘The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors … They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel … I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts, I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Hebrews 8:6-10, italics for emphasis; see Jeremiah 31:31-34).

At God’s appointed time (just the right time in history) Messiah came to this earth as the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world. At just the right time, Messiah Jesus will return to this earth as the Lion from the tribe of Judah to make all things right on this weary, war-torn, terror-filled earth.

But Yeshua HaMashiach (Messiah Jesus) will come when he and God the Father chooses … when least expected, with the day and hour known by no one until it happens (Matthew 24 & 25).

Misdirected Enthusiasm

Jesus recognized this and bluntly told the Jewish religious leaders in words of what we would call, in today’s jargon, tough love. We know Jesus loved his people more than we can imagine; not only because of what he constantly said (words of love and life) and did (miracles of healing and helping) but most of all because he died for them to save them from their sins.

Said Jesus: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition … You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own traditions” (Mark 7:6-9). Jesus then provided an example of how the Pharisees and Sadducees and teachers of the law didn’t even keep the law of honoring their father and mother.

By quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus was also referring to our central passage from Deuteronomy Chapter 30 regarding God’s primary message to his people—forgiveness and righteousness is graciously given if they would only choose to trust the Lord … choosing life over death. For to trust is to listen and obey. Moreover this message had been freely and generously extended to them from heaven and could be readily understood in their hearts and expressed with their lips.

Returning to Romans Chapter 10, the Apostle Paul makes the same connection when he continues:

“For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, ‘Don’t say in your heart, Who will go up to heaven (to bring Christ down to earth)’ … In fact, it says, ‘The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.’

“And that message is the very message about faith that we preach. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved … Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:5-13, quoting Joel 2:32).

This is what the New Covenant, the Good News of the Gospel, is all about. Faith, not works. Trust in God’s Word which is revealed in both Old and New Testaments (Covenants), not traditions. We can joyfully celebrate (remember) traditions such as Sukkot (Festival of Shelters) but we are not to trust in them for salvation … being made right with God. Any more than Abraham was made right with God hundreds of years before the Law was given, by anything other than believing and trusting in the Lord God.

Of anyone, the Apostle Paul would know. Before his amazing life-changing and destiny-altering encounter with the Risen Messiah (Jesus), Paul says about himself:

“…I want you to understand that the gospel I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I could proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles…” (Galatians 1:11-16).

Like the Apostle Paul, and hopefully as much like my Messiah and Savior Jesus as possible, I, too, have a deep concern for Israel’s physical and spiritual restoration, and share their great expectation for Messiah’s arrival. Which is why I write so much about Israel’s miraculous rebirth and other remarkable events that unmistakably point to the imminent return of Messiah.

That they would as Jesus said: “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation (redemption) is near!” (Luke 21:28). Indeed, many Jews—Orthodox, Reformed, Conservative, and Liberal—are eagerly looking for their redemption. But, adapting from the words of the song, “They’re looking in all the wrong places.” If only they would look to their own prophets (Scriptures) and to the New Covenant (Testament); they would find their Messiah, who is Yeshua … The Son of David, The Son of Man, and the Son of God.

But there are times like today’s Eye of Prophecy post, that I’m also compelled to challenge rabbinical traditions substituting for or taking precedence over the Bible, as well as misuse of Scripture itself. We find both of these occurring in this misguided rationale for the ruling based on the equally erroneous supposition that God’s Torah message to his people was tantamount to God relinquishing (heavenly) authority to the earthly court; which, in turn, mandates God’s compliance with such rulings.

I’m sure the Rabbis have the utmost respect for God. That they did not willfully intend to usurp God’s divine authority by telling him that it is time for Messiah to appear, especially or exclusively because (they think) such authority was given them to make such a ruling. Rather, they mistakenly reverted back to an axiom that was inaccurate in the first place, much like the one the Roman Catholic Church has copied/borrowed from Judaism: that the religious hierarchy is empowered to issue decrees and rulings that directly or indirectly contradict Scripture. That traditions created and added by Jewish religious leaders (elite) and later the Roman Catholic clergy (Vatican) supersede even the Bible itself.

Neither Deuteronomy Chapter 30 nor any of the Torah conveys that kind of authority at all. It’s just the opposite. It’s everyone’s responsibility—including (especially) those in authority—to listen, to comply, to respond, to make a decision whether to trust and obey God or not … to choose life or death. To opt for blessings or curses. And this mostly certainly means replacing the Old Covenant with the New; because God, himself, as already done that through none other than the Messiah.

Bring in the New

Now that the Old Covenant has been exchanged for the New Covenant, that Grace has replaced Law, to exercise the choice of believing in a Messiah who has already arrived; thereby, choosing God’s eternal pardon for their sins and assurance of live everlasting with the Lord and the host of heaven.

Do I and millions of other believers ardently anticipate the imminent return of Messiah Jesus to establish his glorious kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace (Shalom)? Indeed, we do; but only because of what the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, tells us. Not because of an Orthodox Jewish ruling that requires God to act accordingly.

Yet out of admiration for the sincere enthusiasm expressed by Jewish Rabbis and many Jews (and Gentiles), I truly hope that they are right about Messiah’s any moment (re)appearance. On the other hand, I earnestly hope and pray that they will acknowledge Yeshua as their Savior now, before it’s too late … before he returns as both King and Judge.

With respect and love for the hearts and souls of these Jewish Rabbis and for Jews everywhere, I must caution them: Be careful what you wish for. It’s true that Messiah will bring redemption to Israel; in fact, he already has done that individually … to every Jew and Gentile who places their personal trust in his once and for all atoning sacrifice on the Cross.

The national redemption spoken of in Scripture and often mentioned by observant Jews in today’s world will come at a great price, identified in Scripture as Jacob’s troubles, during the ruler’s march against Israel (Daniel 7, 9, 11, and graphically depicted by Zechariah 11 through 14). So great a salvation will be available only to those who recognize and accept the one whom they (for they are the same as their ancestors) pierced, as prophesied by Zechariah.

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died” (Zechariah 12:10).

Pay special attention to the pronouns in this remarkable prophecy. Who is speaking (“then I…”)? “I” is the same “me” whom they pierced. Messiah is speaking. This is referring to none other than Jesus of Nazareth who was nailed to a cross and “pierced” for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5, NASB).

Things to Ponder

A member of the first century Jewish Sanhedrin (religious ruling body of seventy) by the name of Nicodemus came after dark one evening to learn from the greatest Rabbi of all time. He began the meeting with these words:

“Rabbi … we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you” (John 3:2).

Jesus of Nazareth replied to Nicodemus: “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (Verse 3).

When Nicodemus asked what Jesus meant by being born-again, Jesus explained it to him. Included in this enlightenment is perhaps the most well-known verse in all of Scripture, Old or New Testament:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

This esteemed member of the powerful Sanhedrin became a believer in Jesus; because he set aside his traditions long enough to listen. He opened his eyes, ears, and heart to the written and Living Word of God, and realized that Jesus is the Messiah. This belief would be conclusively confirmed when Jesus arose from the tomb where Joseph of Arimathea, another member of the Jewish High Council, and Nicodemus had buried him.

The tomb is empty to this day!

“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying…’” (John 11:25).

What about you?

Do you believe?

Who do you say that Jesus is?

“One Ring To Rule Them All….”

21 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by garybowers in The Antichrist

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Tags

Global alliances, Little Horn, Nero

“One Ring to Rule Them All….”

Do you recognize the quote from which this Eye of Prophecy article draws its title? Have you read the book or watched the movie?

Does it ring a bell?

It comes from the second bestselling novel ever written, with some 150 million copies sold. But don’t be all that self-conscious if you haven’t read the book (or watched the movies). Because if you are embarrassed, think how much more so I am for never (to date) having read one of the greatest American novels of all time, Gone with the Wind. However, I have seen the movie … several times! Also, I am relieved to say that I’ve read the bestselling novel of all time, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (200 million copies sold).

And, of course, the bestselling non-fiction book of all time (by far); The Bible.

Okay, if you haven’t got it yet, I’ll give you a clue, with the last few lines of the poem from which the title comes. These lines were inscribed on this potent ring:

One Ring to rule them all,

One Ring to find them,

One Ring to bring them all

And in the darkness bind them.

In the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

Yes, I see some hands waving wildly … now you’ve got it.

The novel: The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Actually it’s a Trilogy, as one book would be far too long. They are: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King. Followed decades later by three award-winning movies of the same titles, directed by Peter Jackson.

The evil ruler Sauron forged the all-powerful ring in the fires of Mordor; he would stop at nothing to regain the lost ring and use it to return to absolute power over Middle-Earth. Among other influences, the ring could merge the real world with the shadowy underworld of wicked spiritual forces. Only the ring (bearer) could unite the forces of evil rulers and kingdoms into a cohesive colossal confederation that, left unchecked, would conquer the world.

Fortunately, there are those like the hobbits, elves, good wizards, and honorable men and women who love justice, righteousness, and peace. Those who are willing to give up comfort, tranquility, security. Those who would give their very lives to halt the relentless rampage of terror, power, and world conquest.

It’s the stuff legends are made of; as are other classic works of fiction that seek to depict the past, present, and future real-life conflict between good and evil, heroes and villains. That successfully mirror and depict the factual rise and fall of kings and kingdoms. Although Tolkien’s fictional masterpiece effectively represents and reflects the timeless struggle of good and evil, there is an all-too real Mordor-like Kingdom with a king wearing a signet ring that will soon appear on our 21^st century global stage. With him will be ten kingdoms and their kings who will yield themselves and their nations to his miraculous Christ-like sudden appearance from a 2000-year old grave. The ten kings will figuratively and very possibly literally kiss his ring of power, the ring worn by Roman Emperors who ruled them all.

I have written much about this legendary reappearance return of Antichrist who is none other than the soon-to-be Revived Roman Emperor, Nero. Extensive Scriptural and historical documentation is provided in my non-fiction book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666? But also in several Eye of Prophecy articles such as, Reappearance of the Beast, posted 9-21-13; The Legendary Return of Nero (4-4-15); A Beast by any Other Name is Still a Beast, I, II, III (March, 2015).

Today’s article will focus on the ten kingdoms (and whoever the ten kings of those kingdoms might be when the Rapture takes place), with the soon to follow return of Nero from the Abyss. (Revelation 17:8). Those who have read Out of the Abyss or even a few Eye of Prophecy articles are aware that I rarely engage in much, if any, speculation. Instead, the theme/subjects of these writings are based on historical and Biblical evidence (facts). If there is any conjecture (what if), it is derived from historical and contemporary events that logically, reasonably, and feasibly fit into the Biblical prophecies that give us extraordinarily strong clues, but not necessarily specific details.

In that context, I will issue a disclaimer that the identity of the ten nations (kingdoms) presented in this article most certainly is supposition, as no one knows with absolute certainly who they will be. If, however, we subscribe to the premise that I and many other students of Biblical prophecy endorse—that the return of Messiah Jesus is as imminent as it has ever been because we are living in the last of the last days—then this speculation is as Scripturally sound as can be.

In other words: If Christ were to return today or even in the next few months or years, select identification of these ten nations would be as viable as any time in history. I believe you’ll see that the choice of these kingdoms is based on Scripture, reasonable deduction, and a cogent correlation of what is taking place in today’s world.

So here we go!

Introduction of the Ten Kingdoms and Kings

Some 2,500 years ago, the Lord gave to Daniel the first and perhaps most amazing prophetic disclosure of these ten kingdoms and their kings, in the context of what is also the initial introduction to the Antichrist in Scripture. The ten kings are referred to as horns and immediately follow Daniel’s (now famous) vision of the four beasts which are the world empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Read with me the description of the last beast:

“Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong … It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. There of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn … was boasting arrogantly” (Daniel 7:7-8).

When compared to another startling revelation given to John as one of many spectacular visions he saw some six hundred years later as recorded in the book of Revelation, Bible scholars (including me) understand that the little horn is Antichrist and the ten horns of Daniel 7 and Revelation 17 are one and the same—kings and their kingdoms aligned with Antichrist (Nero) during the Great Tribulation.

At Daniel’s request, someone standing near the throne of God (which was also part of this astounding vision) explained the meaning of Daniel’s visions. Continuing in Chapter 7, we read:

“…This fourth beast is the fourth world power (Rome) that will rule the earth … Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people (Jews) of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time (3 ½ years)” (Daniel 7:23-25).

In Out of the Abyss, you’ll find compelling evidence to explain and confirm that the “sudden” appearance of the little horn (Antichrist) and his “difference” from the other ten kings fits precisely with Nero and his abrupt reappearance from the Abyss. And the reason he is so different is because he doesn’t arrive (reappear) on earth by natural birth, as would be expected of a modern-day born Antichrist.

There will not be a Revived Roman Empire during the Tribulation, meaning one that is a reproduced replica of the once mighty realm of the Caesars. Instead there will be a Revived Roman Emperor, whose dominion will be Roman in appearance (because of the fact that he is a once great Roman Caesar), and will be a confederation of six powerful European nations plus one non-European kingdom, plus three other dominant nations that will, through force and threat, become part of this ten-kingdom unification.

In Daniel Chapter 7 we learn that the Antichrist will subjugate three of the ten countries, with the obvious implication that seven of the ten kingdoms will willingly submit to his authority. The end result will be all ten kings yielding themselves and their kingdoms to the beast-king Antichrist, who initially captures their loyalty because of his astonishing return from the dead (actually the Abyss).

As indicated, I have covered this in great detail in Out of the Abyss and past Eye of Prophecy posts, i.e. clear evidence that all-embracing allegiance to the beast by people from every nation and language will be a direct result of his god-like reappearance from the grave (Revelation 13:3-4). This is more of a religious following, but NOT a one world religion. The political and military power wielded by Nero will be centered in the ten kingdoms, but this will NOT be a one-world government as many postulate. Please see Eye of Prophecy articles, One World Government and One World Religion, published 2-28-15 and 8-15-15, respectively.

Second Scriptural Disclosure of the Ten Kings/Kingdoms

Actually there are two more revelations of the Antichrist beast (who is a man) and his ten-nation coalition, as found in Revelation Chapters 13 & 17. They follow closely with each other and are both part of similar apocalyptic visions seen by John. The beast rising from the sea in Chapter 13 has seven heads and ten horns with each horn bearing a crown. These ten horns are the same horns called kings in a subsequent vision of the beast (Antichrist), which also has seven heads, as recorded in Revelation Chapter 17. As fully documented in past articles and Out of the Abyss, the seven heads (also called kings) were historical Roman Caesars, with the ten horns (kings) exclusively future … during the Great Tribulation.

Said the angel to John:

“The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment (meaning during the relatively short time of the Tribulation) to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give him their power and authority. Together they will go to war against the Lamb (Messiah Jesus), but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him” (Revelation 17:12-14).

Thus, when we compare and complement the ten kings/kingdoms of Daniel 7 with Revelation 13 and 17, we see that Antichrist’s empire will not be a one-world government; rather, it will politically and militarily consists of ten nations. Albeit, modern-day dominant countries … but still just ten. Yet, the leaders and people of these ten nations will be endorsed by a cross-section of people all over the earth who have already begun to worship Nero for one and only one reason: his perceived supernatural return from the dead.

Although those who take the mark of the beast will be many in number, they won’t be able to overthrow by force the governments of the countries in which they reside. Let’s determine why and why not by examining some of the world’s nations, including the pre-Rapture and post-Rapture alliances of which they consist … which is what we see developing prophetically in today’s world and will accelerate abruptly after the disappearance of hundreds of millions of (all) believers at the Rapture.

Three End-Time Major Alliances of Nations

Let’s see if we can logically and deductively identify the ten kingdoms that will comprise Antichrist Nero’s political and military machine. By process of Scriptural elimination, let’s first ascertain which of today’s nations will NOT be among these ten nations, to better and more accurately accomplish this objective.

Scripture is sufficiently clear to demonstrate that there will be three main coalitions of nations during the Great Tribulation, one of which will directly oppose the little horn and his ten kingdoms. All three will march on Israel (Middle East) at one time or another during the Tribulation. Because it will take Nero most of the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation to fully consolidate his base of power and sphere of influence, the third of these coalitions will ignore him and make their own assault on Israel, soon after the seven-year Tribulation begins.

*Note: All of the nations mentioned in these three alliances are the more conspicuous nations in today’s world. Prominent in terms of not just population, but also economic and military significance. Other smaller, less influential countries throughout the world will either choose sides or remain neutral; thus, their economic, military, and political participation and contribution will be nominal.

Gog/Magog Alliance

Much has been written about this end-times campaign against Israel, including last week’s and several other Eye of Prophecy articles. For purpose of this week’s subject, we simply want to reference the main countries participating in this attack, as directly or indirectly identified in Ezekiel 38 & 39. All of these nations will be devastated by the Lord, himself, as they march against God’s special possession, Israel. The Antichrist and his ten-nation federation will, I’m convinced, be among those who simply watch and wait to see what happens when Russia and its allies invade Israel. (See Ezekiel 38:13).

The Main Nations: Russia, Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Libya. To also include what is described in Ezekiel as other counties (secondary) that most likely will include the Ukraine, some of the “stan” nations such as Kazakhstan. Also Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. These nations, I believe, will once again be part of the Russian sphere. Possibly, to include Pakistan and Afghanistan.

As indicated in last week’s article (and others), the Gog/Magog invasion is NOT the same as the final tribulation battles known as Armageddon.

Alliance of Eastern Kings (Nations)

In addition to the Gog/Magog nations doing their own thing, and to Biblically demonstrate that there will be no such thing as a one-world government (headed by Antichrist or anyone else) during the Tribulation, there are two passages in Scripture that clearly indicate Antichrist Nero and his ten-nation confederacy will face a formidable alliance of substantial power.

First from the book of Daniel speaking of the king of the north (Antichrist): “He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall…. He will conquer many countries, and even Egypt will not escape … But then news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy and obliterate many. He will stop between the glorious holy mountain and the sea (which is the valley of Megiddo) and will pitch his royal tents. But while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and no one will help him” (Daniel 11:41-45).

Remember, the Antichrist king of the north (Nero) will be in control of the military might of the ten nations and their kings (Prime Ministers or Presidents) during this time and place described by Daniel. When we combine this passage from Daniel Chapter 11 with Revelation Chapter 16, we establish the connection between the, “news from the east and north” that will alarm Antichrist and cause him to redirect his armies toward this threat. Let’s examine the passage from Revelation:

“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance” (Revelation 16:12). This is the next to last tribulation judgment that will pave the way for a head-on clash between the Antichrist-led alliance and the massive armies of the kings of the east.

The Main Nations of the East: Geographically, it’s relatively easy to identify the “kings of the east” as, China, Japan, North & South Korea, Indonesia, and quite likely India. Less weighty counties in this alliance very well could be Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and even the Philippines.

Revelation 16:12-16 strongly suggests that the actual confrontation between Nero’s confederation and the eastern alliance of nations won’t last long, and will abruptly end when these two conglomerates and rulers of other nations collectively unite their forces against Christ, himself. At this point late in the Tribulation, there will be a brief semblance of a global military union that will dare to fight against Jesus Christ and the armies of heaven.

“And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name, Armageddon” (Verse 16).

But for those who are convinced that there will be a One-World Government during the entire Tribulation period, how can you have such a government unless virtually all nations, especially the most powerful countries are part and parcel of that unified governmental and military system? The answer is: you can’t. Scripture is more than sufficiently clear to show that the major nations on earth will belong to one of these three alliances; with other smaller, less significant countries supporting in some fashion one of these alliances, or attempting to remain neutral.

Third Alliance … The Ten Kingdoms Controlled by the Beast-King (Antichrist)

Before we can determine with at least some measure of assurance which ten nations will willingly (seven nations) and reluctantly (three countries) surrender their governments and military to Antichrist, we must once again establish the biographical and geographical origin of the Antichrist, himself.

As already indicated in this article, and as previously documented in my book, Out of the Abyss as well as other Eye of Prophecy articles listed earlier, there is abundant evidence in Scripture combined with events of the 1^st Century to convincingly confirm that the fifth Roman Emperor, Nero, was the little horn, ruler, and king prophesied by Daniel. And the man of lawlessness alluded to by the Apostle Paul; and the beast-king of Revelation revealed to John.

In John’s second vision of the beast, the angel explained the mystery of the woman and the beast. Let’s look again at this astounding disclosure. Said the angel to John: “The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon (abruptly, suddenly) come up out of the bottomless pit … And the people who belong to this world (those left behind after the Rapture) … will be amazed at the reappearance of the beast who had died” (Revelation 17:8, italics for emphasis).

The amazing revelations given to John, including the history and future of the Antichrist in Chapters 13 and 17, took place just a few years after Nero’s reign ended in 68 AD. The verse we just read clearly indicates that the beast had been alive and had already died BEFORE John saw the beast. Furthermore, this beast (Antichrist) would come up out of the Abyss—which would, in the clearest language possible, be a (future tense) reappearance of the beast who had died.

From where did Nero and all the Roman Emperors rule and reign? Easy answer: Rome, Italy. To what does Italy and twenty-seven other countries belong in today’s world? Another easy answer: The European Union. When the Common Market increased to ten European countries years ago, many prophecy scholars equated it with the ten nations who give their authority to Antichrist.

But then the Common Market morphed into the European Union which now has a total of twenty-eight signatory nations. That doesn’t mean, however, that all of these nations will necessarily align themselves with Nero upon his astonishing return (from the dead, as the world will see it); or that Nero would automatically choose more than ten kings and kingdoms (nations) that Daniel 7 and Revelation 17 clearly state will be the core of his (European) coalition. More (countries) is not necessarily better. There can be as much or more unity and cohesiveness concentrated in ten powerful nations than in twenty, or thirty, or however many. There would be less language barriers, less cultural differences, less number of people and governments to argue with or galvanize into a strong centralized cohesive force.

Although Nero could very well establish his sphere of influence from the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, his initial reappearance will be in/at Rome. Where else would it be? His amazing return from the underworld as a Revived Roman Emperor would lead him immediately to Rome, from where he and the mighty Roman Emperors ruled for centuries. But this will not be a revival of the ancient Roman Empire. The only thing resembling such an empire will be a Roman Emperor. Italy is an integral part of Europe and the European Union, which consists of territory much larger than even the ancient Roman Empire.

Whether by immediate surrender of their government and military to Nero or by Nero “persuading” certain nations to align with him, he will seek out only the strongest of these countries … in terms of population numbers, economic stability, and military might. In fact, the current EU does not actually have a centralized military as such.

It’s readily apparent that only a handful of current European nations possess the population, wealth, and military capacity to transcend the majority of nations within the European Union. In fact, I’m convinced that only six of these nations (that collectively dwarf the remaining twenty-two countries of the EU) will eagerly agree to give Nero, all, “their power and authority” (Revelation 17:13). The seventh kingdom that will voluntarily surrender its allegiance to Nero may surprise you, if for no other reason than it’s not part of Europe. We’ll get to that shortly!

Another reason that the six nations in particular and the EU in general will follow the Beast is because nearly 50% of Europeans who claim religious affiliation are Roman Catholics. As many Bible scholars believe (including me), the woman on the beast in Revelation 17 is the Roman Catholic Church headquartered in none other than Rome. Please see the Eye of Prophecy six-part series entitled, The Woman and the Beast, posted in October, November, 2013.

The Six Nations of Europe Aligned with Antichrist

First, in order of population rounded off to millions:

Germany: 81 million (1^st)

France: 66 million (2^nd)

United Kingdom: 65 million (3^rd)

Italy: 61 million (4^th)

Spain: 46 million (5^th)

Belgium: 11 million (9^th)

Total of 330 million (close to the current population of the United States). Representing 65% of the total EU population of about 508 million.

European Union Rank in Military Might:

United Kingdom: 1^st

France: 2^nd

Germany: 3^rd

Italy: 4^th

Spain: 11^th

Belgium: 14^th

*Note: Belgium is selected over Poland (38 million population and a higher military rank) for several reasons, but the most notable is that the EU headquarters is in Brussels.

Thus the six EU nations who very likely will be part of Antichrist Nero’s confederacy are: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium. With the remaining EU countries not a member of Nero’s “inner circle” but those who undoubtedly will serve as mercenaries in his armies and contribute financially as much as they can or will be commanded.

The Seventh Kingdom to Willingly Yield

Based on two extremely significant factors, I believe that the seventh kingdom voluntarily aligned with Nero and the other six (European) and three unwilling members will be:

An Arab Coalition Known as the Persian Gulf States: Headed by Saudi Arabia and comprised of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, and Kuwait (Seven in all!). Though they will provide some military assistance, the more obviously substantial contribution from this Arab kingdom that will unify as one entity is that of … you guessed it: Money. The combined oil wealth of these nations is staggering—just what Nero needs to fund his ten-nation Leviathan that will do battle with the kings of the east, with Israel, and inevitably Messiah, himself.

The two factors or reasons for including this Arab coalition as one kingdom are found in Scripture and in the contemporary phenomena of what’s happening all over Europe, but especially in the six nations selected.

Scripture: Referring to the Antichrist, the prophet Daniel tells us: “Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew…. Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward” (Daniel 11:38-39).

I’ve written about this at some length in my book, Out of the Abyss. Time/space in this article does not permit; suffice to say that this god referenced in Daniel is, I firmly believe, the god of Islam, Allah. Nero will feign allegiance to Islam and the Muslim agenda to generate as much support as possible from Islamic sources … in this case primarily from the wealth of the Muslim Gulf States.

The Astonishing Increase of Muslims in Europe: Hardly a day goes by without media focus on the refugees pouring into Europe; but also the years of Muslim immigration to Europe, especially to the six EU nations identified as soon-to-be members of the Antichrist’s massive merger.

So, we now have seven of the ten kingdoms in place, which leaves the three countries who will be forced to join the monstrous alliance of the beast. However, once they become part of Nero’s fold, it’s logically evident that they will be a formidable addition to the ten-kingdom league, and will do so with increased enthusiasm.

Are you ready?!

The Three Remaining Nations Will Be: Australia, Canada, and The United States.

“Really … the United States?” you question. Yes, Canada and Australia, too.

Why?

First and foremost, each of these countries are fiercely democratic and independent. They will not readily join forces with what they undoubtedly will perceive as totalitarian, nor a tyrant no matter how enthusiastically he will be welcomed by a world in chaos and confusion. However, the United States, and to a lesser degree Canada and Australia, will experience a substantial loss of population when millions are taken in the glorious Rapture.

Which is the primary reason that the United States will not be able to economically or militarily do anything about the Russian-led (Gog/Magog) invasion of Israel soon after the Rapture. Nor will America, Canada, or Australia pose any obstacle to the enormous bloc of eastern nations. And certainly not to Nero’s agenda of establishing a powerful dictatorial ten-kingdom federation to include these three countries that, though considerably weakened, will still exert an impressive influence on this global scene of temporary anarchy. The natural resources and technology of these three countries would be enticement enough for Nero.

As independently self-sufficient as these three nations are and still will be (to a lesser extent), they also will not want to lose their standard of living and Western way of life … all of which will have been shaken to the very core by global upheaval caused by the sudden disappearance of hundreds of millions the world over.

Consequently, America, Canada, and Australia will inevitably yield their political, economic, and military allegiance to Nero and the other seven nations. They will succumb to what will probably be extensive economic sanctions and daunting military threats against them. Their capitulation to Nero’s invitational-style demand (please join us … or else) to enter his coalition will be reluctant at first; but then they will participate enthusiastically when they see the astounding accomplishments of Nero’s early program to pacify Europe during the first year or so of the Tribulation.

*Note: It’s also quite possible that select countries from Central America (Mexico) and South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru) will merge with the United States and form a national coalition of “The Americas.” If so, it will still be just one of the ten nations (kingdoms) aligned with Nero.

As mighty as the six European nations aided by the Arab Gulf States will be, when you include these three weakened, but still formidable and viable nations, Nero will field an economic and military giant that even the mighty Eastern kingdoms will not take on. Not, that is, until the very last days of the seven-year Tribulation. Furthermore, the Russian confederacy of Gog/Magog will pose no threat to the Antichrist, as this alliance will be destroyed by the Lord, himself, soon after the Rapture.

*Note: There will actually be a 4^th coalition, headed by the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43); however, this alliance will be easily and quickly overwhelmed by Nero and his ten nation kingdoms. The text strongly suggest that this southern threat will be led by Egypt, with what’s left of Ethiopia and Libya (after the Gog/Magog defeat) and most likely other African nations, such as the Sudan, Nigeria, and Algeria … perhaps South Africa.

Things to Ponder

Once again, I must issue a disclaimer (acknowledgment) that the selection of these ten kingdoms is part speculation, but also part logical application of Scripture to contemporary global developments.

However, I firmly believe, for example, that identification of Nero as the Antichrist and other Biblical prophetic applications found in some Eye of Prophecy articles (such as the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11) are much more than mere theory. In fact, Revelation’s author John, and accordingly all believers, are challenged to ascertain the mysterious identity of the beast and of the woman. (Revelation 13 & 17).

Thus, the vast majority of prophetic studies—correlations, connections, clarifications, counsel, and conclusions found in the book Out of the Abyss and Eye of Prophecy articles—are based on sound application of Biblical passages and historical and contemporary events. Read them for yourself, and decide.

There are also many (most) passages of which the meaning is crystal clear and the prophetic fulfillment will most certainly come to pass.

Such as: “But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him” (Daniel 7:26-27).

From the context of that passage and other passages relating to it, we know beyond any doubt that the Lord will conquer Antichrist and his ten-kingdom coalition, as well as all rulers and nations who would vainly oppose the everlasting Kingdom of the Most High God.

The Russians Are Coming!

14 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by garybowers in Current Events

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Gog & Magog, ISIS, Syria

The Russians Are Coming!

If you vaguely recognize the origin of today’s article title, then you probably are not a Baby Boomer; however, you do watch more than just old blockbuster movies. If you immediately recall the title, then you are undoubtedly a Baby Boomer, because the movie was released in 1966, during the Cold War days. You may also remember that the full name of the film was: The Russians are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.

The title was repeated to underscore the fact that the film was primarily a comedy, i.e. the misguided and hilarious panic reaction of small-town America when a Russian submarine captain wants to get a better look at America but accidentally grounds the submarine on a sandbar off the coast of a (fictional) New England Island. The captain sends a nine-man team ashore to find something mechanized to free the submarine; but, the Americans assume that they are being invaded by the big, bad Russians.

This movie was released just four years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Some of the starring actors were: Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters, and Theodore Bikel.

In the more serious context of today’s Eye of Prophecy article, the film was ironically directed by a well-known Jewish director, Norman Jewison. Though Jewison’s film portrayed the Russians in a more favorable light, the animosity and distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States then is still all too real between Russia and America today.

The Cold War Is Warming Up Again

Who would have ever imagined the Russian Bear establishing its lair and the American Eagle building its nest in the same country? For those of us old enough to vividly remember the Cold War encounters between the Soviet Union and the United States of America, it is unthinkable that military forces consisting mostly of air force and special operations from both nations are now entrenched in Syria, fighting alongside each other against a common enemy? Alongside, not in the sense of joint military action (that will never happen); rather, conducting airstrikes against rebel groups attempting to overthrow Syrian President Assad and his regime.

Since the US led-coalition entered the Syrian Civil War in 2014, they have flown over 2,500 airstrikes. Russia joined the fray just two months ago (September), and her planes have already launched nearly 1,700 sorties throughout Syria. As a result, dozens more civilians have been killed and another 120,000 displaced from their homes. But then, what’s another hundred thousand refugees when some ten million have been uprooted from their homeland in the past four years!

But who is bombing whom? Who supports what and whom (and why) in this bloody civil war, with over 250,000 killed, including many non-combatants? Trying to answer these questions and make sense of what’s happening is like trying to solve the Rubik cube or assembling a one-thousand piece puzzle with most of the pieces exactly the same shape and color.

The United States Air Force, Special Ops, and other Military Advisors (no boots on the ground) and our main allies, France and England, are there to do battle with ISIS. But they also support the rebel groups (plural) trying to overthrow the repressive Syrian government. Some of these rebel factions clash with each other. Fighting with and for the corrupt and brutal Syrian Government is the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, supported by Iran, with government forces and Hezbollah also fighting against ISIS.

Enter Iran’s ally Russia, which also backs the Syrian regime of Basher al-Assad, to ostensibly join the battle against ISIS. Which is supposedly one reason that the United States hasn’t vigorously resisted Russia’s intervention … we have the common enemy of ISIS. That, and the political and military embarrassment of the United States that its training and support of select rebel armies has not exactly been a success.

Russian Planes Over Syria

Consequently, the US Coalition and Russia have agreed to coordinate their bombing campaigns so as not to occupy the same air space at the same time, and risk an inadvertent incident between their pilots. All the while, US President Obama and Russian President Putin are barely on speaking terms due principally to the crisis created by Russian involvement in the Ukraine and Crimea. Yet, there is enough mutual respect (fear) of each other that either side, with a couple of minor exceptions, is not going to force the issue of who they support and who they bomb.

Which is why the United States objected merely in an obligatory manner to Russian airstrikes against rebel units supported by the US, soon after Vladmir Putin sent his military to Syria. Which is also why Russia abruptly switched targets to mostly include ISIS; thereby, appeasing President Obama who (mildly) objected to Syrian rebels being targeted. Either way, as long as Russian and American bombs hit ISIS camps, everyone is happy.

Already Russia has paid a hefty price for its publicly pretentious purpose of helping the world get rid of ISIS. The latest evidence is now quite convincing that the Russian commercial plane crash on October 31^st that killed 224 people (mostly Russian) was a direct result of a bomb planted on board by one of the ISIS cells in the Sinai Peninsula. How and to what extent Putin will react or retaliate has yet to be determined.

Return of the Russian Bear

What makes this absurdly complex but dangerously volatile situation in Syria so remarkably end-times in its unfolding is the continuing political and military rise of Russia to global prominence; which has resulted in Russia’s unopposed arrival in Syria. Moreover, Russia’s resurgence as a major player on the world stage is a prelude for the Biblical Gog-Magog prophecy to be fulfilled with the invasion of Israel. I have written about this astonishing prophecy in several Eye of Prophecy articles, with varying points of reference and emphasis.

The following excerpts in italics are taken from one of those articles, Beware of the Bear, posted 3-22-14. The first two paragraphs of that article mention former US President Ronald Reagan and his influential role that led to the eventual dismantling of the Soviet Union. The next paragraph in that article begins with President Reagan’s now famous demand.

Some of you may remember: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” The Russian President complied, resulting in the reunification of East and West Berlin; also, the end of Soviet dominance of East Germany, which had become like a vassal state to Russia. Soon to follow was the break-up of the Soviet Union, in which most of the 14 satellite states that comprised the Russian Sphere declared their independence from the mother land. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was no more. The principal nation of Russia converted to (still is) the Russian Federation. Many of these peripheral countries became independent states, such as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldavia, Uzbekistan (and all the other “stan” states), and the Ukraine.

The American eagle flew proudly over the Russian bear, and spread her wings to protect and defend the nations that embraced democracy. The United States regained her status as the world’s only superpower. The Soviet Union seemed to implode from within … suffering from all the ills of economic collapse, political corruption, and social disarray. Virtually overnight, her status as a superpower vanished. Many politicians, social scientists, economists, religious leaders, and even evangelicals believed the once mighty Russian bear was dead.

Students of prophecy shook their heads in disbelief, questioning whether their analysis of the Ezekiel 38 & 39 Gog, Magog attack on Israel could possibly be accurate. Many students of the Bible reexamined the Scriptures to determine if, “the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2) and, “Gog” ruler of the land of Magog would, in fact, be the ruler of the nation that comes against Israel, “from the distant north” (Ezekiel 39:1). Had they been wrong all this time? Russia couldn’t even lead itself, let alone a great multi-national army as Ezekiel so graphically portrays in Ezekiel 38:9: “You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them (Israel) like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.”

The Beware of the Bear article then shifts to Vladimir Putin’s rapid rise to power. The article continues:

We see, now, that the Bear was not dead, but in a state of prolonged hibernation. Due mostly to the leadership of one man, Vladimir Putin, the people from the mother land of “the distant north” once again proudly wave the Russian flag. Recently, Mr. Putin voiced his opinion that the greatest calamity of the 20^th century—indeed of modern history—was the disintegration of the Soviet Union. In no uncertain terms, he was implying that this catastrophe even exceeded the monumental disasters of World War II, including the unthinkable, unimaginable tragedy of the Holocaust. But, then, with autocrats such as Putin, we must consider the source. For many, it is crystal clear what Putin intends to do: Whatever the cost, he means to rebuild the once mighty Russian empire and reestablish its preeminence among the global family of nations.

In a little over twenty years, Russia has emerged economically, politically, and militarily as a force to be reckoned with; in large part due to Vladmir Putin’s ominous, but remarkable rise to prominence and power. After serving for 16 years as a KGB officer, Putin eventually became Russia’s President in 2000, serving in that position until 2008. (Many countries have a president, however, their highest position of leadership is that of prime minister. In Russia, it’s just the reverse … President first, then Prime Minister).

Photo of Vladimir Putin in a Headline by a Pro-Russian Online News Source

Another Stunning Gog/Magog Development

Russia’s incursion into Syria is not about ISIS … that’s only a pretense. Some political and military experts accurately ascertain that Russia’s presence is a show of commitment to and support of the Assad regime. But, had Russia entered the Syrian conflict for that or any other stated objective than their purported contribution to end the growing threat of ISIS, neither the Western allies nor Israel would have condoned Russia’s military bases in Syria—a country which has been the most avowed enemy of the Jews, with the possible exception of Iran.

One Important (Real) Reason for Russia’s Entrance into Syria

This past August, a startling discovery was broadcast, but not necessarily by major news media throughout the world. From the very competent but lesser-known online newsletter of Israel Hayom, which consists of several daily articles from staff and guest journalists, an article was posted on August 31^st, 2015, with headlines that read: Supergiant natural gas field discovered off Egypt’s shores.

Early in the article, we read that: “Italian energy group Eni SpA announced Sunday it had discovered a ‘supergiant’ natural gas field, potentially the largest known gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, off the Egyptian coastline, predicting the find could help meet Egypt’s gas needs for decades to come.”

Just a couple of months earlier, Egypt had signed a two-billion dollar agreement with this Italian company for exploration of energy reserves in the Mediterranean, but also in the Sinai and the Gulf of Suez.

According to estimations, the gas-field named Zohr was found about 120 miles from the Egyptian coast and may hold more than 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which could, “eventually prove bigger than the Leviathan and Tamar fields combined.”

*Note: The estimated potential yield of the Leviathan field is 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Of the Tamar reserve, some 8 trillion cubic feet.

For Israel, who holds the rights to Leviathan and Tamar, the newly discovered Zohr field will produce intense competition in the natural gas industry. However, the Israeli government still has not officially endorsed the “framework” for commencement of drilling in the Leviathan gas field; although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters are optimistically confident that the Leviathan project will be soon approved and underway.

Israel’s National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources Minister Yuval Steinitz said about this incredible Zohr exploration: “The discovery of the huge natural gas field off Egypt’s shores is a painful reminder that while Israel ‘fell asleep at the wheel’ and has taken far too long to approve the natural gas framework (referring to Israel’s gas fields), the world is moving forward in a way that can affect our exports.”

Steinitz also said, “We have to approve the gas framework without delay and advance Israel’s natural gas industry.”

In my opinion, it is absolutely no coincidence that Russia moved into Syria just a few short weeks after the Zohr natural gas discovery was publicized. Which is one of the two real reasons why Russia wants to be and will be a major player in the Middle East—from this time forward to the short and getting shorter time of the Day of the Lord, the catalyst of which is the Rapture, followed by the Seven Year Tribulation.

What better way than to: (1) establish a pre-coalitional (Gog/Magog) base of operation in Syria on Israel’s northern border; (2) create an economic and political partnership with the soon to be rags-to-riches nation of Egypt … on Israel’s southern border.

Major Reason/Motive for Russian Presence in the Middle East

These two stunning developments—discovery of the Egyptian natural gas field and Russia’s inroad in Syria—are two more significant in-place pieces of the Gog/Magog prophetic puzzle. But as end-times relevant as they are, both are a means to an end … a secondary goal of Gog’s ulterior intention and ultimate objective.

Although Russia is a major producer and exporter of oil and natural gas, the leader (Putin) of this aggressive bear of a country wants more … more natural resources, more global clout, more economic power, and more land. But Russia and her current Gog/Magog allies, chief of which is Iran, covet one thing above all else: ISRAEL.

Covet in the sinister sense of destroying the Jews and taking over the land of Israel.

Leviathan Natural Gas Field

In an Eye of Prophecy article entitled Gog, Magog, and Leviathan, published 1-3-15, on the matter of the (yet undeveloped) Israeli natural gas fields and their prophetic implication, I’d like to present some excerpts from that post to further expose the actual reason for Russia’s sudden interest in the Middle East. As follows:

In ancient literature and oral tradition, and as occasionally referenced in Scripture, Leviathan was a large mythical sea creature or even a real-life behemoth that was virtually indestructible by man or nature or anything except God himself. Not unlike the modern-day Loch Ness Monster legend.

The prophet Isaiah refers to this monstrosity by its name, and what will happen to it in the last days, telling us that, “In that day the Lord will take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan … He will kill the dragon of the sea” (Isaiah 27:1). Whether this creature actually existed is not the issue; rather the emphasis is on its symbolical representation (depicted in ancient Aramaic literature as a seven-headed monster) of all that opposes God.

From Ezekiel and other prophets we learn that this opposition will be a Satanic led coalition of nations as presented in the Gog/Magog invasion and subsequently in the ten-nation confederation that gives itself wholly to the Antichrist. The emphasis in the symbolism of Leviathan is that of: ENORMOUS.

The discovery of these gas fields off the coast of Israel is nothing short of amazing. For several reasons, two of which are: (1) Proceeds from the sale and distribution of these natural gas fields could increase Israel’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) substantially. In the eyes of global economic powers including the Arab Cartel, it could level the playing field to the extent that Israel would become self-sufficient in natural gas consumption while cutting into the proceeds of surrounding Arab countries. It could change the financial dynamics of the entire Middle East, by making Israel a major player in the competitive field of energy production.

(2) It provides and confirms the Biblically predicted incentive for Russia and select Russian allies to launch a colossal campaign against Israel as found in Ezekiel’s prophecy. Before discovering and developing these natural gas holdings, Israel offered a variety of exports to maintain a favorable trade surplus, but nothing like what these natural gas fields could accomplish. And, thereby, attract the attention of other nations, both friend and foe.

Let’s read again what exactly it is that appeals to Russia enough to actually strike Israel. Listen to the boast of Prince Gog from the land of Magog to his cronies and against the true and living God: “I will go to those formerly desolate cities that are now filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder, for the people are rich with livestock and other possessions now….” (Ezekiel 38:12, italics for emphasis).

First: As most know, the Jews have returned to Israel from exile in great numbers. This has been emphasized in several Eye of Prophecy articles as well as a myriad of other articles by both Biblical and secular scholars and journalists. Indeed, it is a matter of common knowledge to anyone who knows just a little about what’s happening in Israel and the Middle East.

Second, what does Scripture say that Gog/Magog will covet in Israel? Livestock … perhaps literally but more so figuratively representing the prosperity of a nation. But even more so, Russia, Iran, and other nations in this evil, greedy confederation will crave a vast amount of gas and oil and other tangible goods that are by-products of hydrocarbon fuel … vast amounts of plunder, other possessions, including silver and gold purchased with the currency of such wealth.

Until recently, Russia wouldn’t have thought twice about Israel’s possessions. In the past, Russian officials rarely said anything about Israel and certainly didn’t go out of their way to court Israel as an economic or political neighbor. However, they could always be counted on to vote in favor of whatever sanction of the day against Israel had been proposed by countries of the United Nations hostile toward Israel … of which there are many (most). By and large, however, Russia’s animosity toward Israel remained relatively silent and unobtrusive. Until now.

In the article entitled, Gog, Magog, and Leviathan, I go on to explain that, in the past few weeks, (which now would refer to the latter part of 2014) Vladimir Putin had begun to publicly criticize Israel on such things as Jewish settlements in so-called occupied land of the West Bank. President Putin had jumped on the international band-wagon of slandering Israel by trumpeting the cause of the Palestinians voiced by (most countries of) the United Nations concerning Israel’s alleged oppression of the Palestinian Arabs.

Continuing with another excerpt from that article:

Yet the height of irony, if not hypocrisy, is that Russian political and economic officials have been subtlety and secretly (as much as some things can be secretly suppressed) reaching out to Israel with proposals of mutual benefit to both countries, particularly economic benefits. Why is that? The consensus answer from political and economic experts seems to focus on only one factor: Russia’s keen growing interest in the vast gas and oil reserves recently discovered by Israel, especially the offshore findings!

Which leads to a secondary but equally significant motive for Russia to overrun Israel with Muslim countries in tow: First, take Israel. Second, take over your Arab or Persian allies and their oil and gas fields! It’s a classic historical paradigm in which a strong country sometimes will turn on its confederates, after the ally helped the host country defeat its enemies and/or after a treaty was signed. In fact, that’s exactly what will happen between Russia and her allies (read all of Ezekiel 38 & 39); only they will turn on each other BEFORE they accomplish their diabolical objective. They won’t know until it’s too late, but the Gog/Magog campaign will be: Mission Impossible! But not until they utterly terrify Israel with one of the most massive invasions ever attempted. A Leviathan attack!

Summary

Although Egypt is not specifically identified as one of the Gog/Magog nations who will join the Russian and Iranian confederation against Israel, she assuredly will be among the “many others” (Ezekiel 38:6). Meaning other countries (mostly Muslim) that will trail along with Russia in its epic, but disastrously doomed campaign against Israel.

Listen to what the Lord says to Gog through Ezekiel: “Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud” (Ezekiel 38:7-9).

This prophetic word from God Almighty is both a taunt and a challenge to Gog, ruler of the land of Magog (Russian leader of Russia). Furthermore, the distant future written by Ezekiel some 2,500 years ago is NOW. All these things are falling swiftly into place before our 20^th & 21^st century eyes.

As previously indicated, almost single-handed Vladmir Putin has restored the fortunes of the collapsed Soviet Union, and reestablished the fighting capacity of the Russian Bear. Unwittingly, he has fulfilled God’s prophetic challenge to: get ready. To be prepared. To keep all the armies around you mobilized. That’s exactly what he’s doing in Syria; he’s getting his military prepared and keeping them ready with real war games, not just simulated exercises.

What he doesn’t know is that the Lord is setting him up, his country, and all nations who will align themselves with Gog of Magog for a great fall. For a defeat so devastatingly and divinely miraculous that all the nations of the earth, especially Israel herself, will know that, “I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38:16). And, “In this way, I will demonstrate my glory to the nations…” (Ezekiel 39:21).

“And from that time on the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God” (Verse 22).

Moreover, this awesome defeat of the Gog/Magog alliance will be accomplished exclusively by God, himself … without the need for Israel to defend herself. Israel’s fighting won’t take place until the last few months of the seven-year Tribulation, in the final war to once and for all end all wars … the even greater battles of Armageddon. At that time Messiah Jesus will fight alongside Israel and rescue the Jews from annihilation at the hands of the Antichrist (Nero) and his confederation of nations.

“On that day the Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be (fight) as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them! For on that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:8-9).

But first will come the Gog/Magog campaign. God gave this warning to Gog/Magog (Russia) through Ezekiel: “…Gog, I am your enemy. I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army…” (Ezekiel 38:3-4).

And, “Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am your enemy, O Gog, ruler of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north. I will knock the bow from your left hand and the arrows from your right hand, and I will leave you helpless. You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains … You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 39:1-5).

Although the Gog/Magog assault against Israel will entail a vast military alliance rolling down on Israel like a perfect storm, it’s evident now that Russia will prepare for this massive invasion through its recent unopposed military infiltration of Syria. The Russian Bear has been drawn to its prey by the lure of riches and power in the Middle East.

Some students of prophecy think the assault will take place just before the Rapture, others at the end of the Rapture, by equating it with the final battle in Megiddo (Armageddon). It would take at least one, probably two articles to document and explain the fact that the Gog/Magog campaign against Israel is NOT the same as the final assault against Israel led by the Antichrist, known as Armageddon. There are numerous differences between these two apocalyptic events, as presented primarily in the books of Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation.

As documented in prior articles, I’m convinced the Gog/Magog invasion will take place within a year after the Rapture, some six years before Messiah Jesus returns.

Whenever it will take place, on the authority of Scripture, this warning is issued: Beware Russian and Persian Bears. Do not defy the true and living God, His Messiah, and their special possession, Israel. The trap you set for Israel will become a bear trap.

Please refer to more details of the Gog-Magog invasion in other Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, The Omega Generation (published 2-15-14); Alliances Against Israel (9-20-14); and Russia & Iran Versus Israel (10-4-14).

Things to Ponder

The pieces are rapidly falling into place. The modern-day alignment of Gentile nations identified in Scripture against Israel is one of the twelve end-times signs that are taking place in the 21^st century or have already occurred in the 20^th century. These milepost signs are listed in Eye of Prophecy articles entitled, Look Up, Redemption is Near Part I, posted 7-11-15 and Part II published 7-18-15.

“…And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).

The time is soon, so very soon when Jews and Gentiles alike who have believed and received the atoning sacrifice of God’s Son, Messiah Jesus, will be among those who shout when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet:

“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

But ever so sadly, those left behind who have chosen this world and rejected so great a salvation freely given by the grace of God will recoil in terror and dismay at another loud shout from the heavens:

“It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ…” (Revelation 12:10).

Said the Jewish Apostle Peter to the Jewish high priest and other religious leaders who demanded to know by what power or whose authority Peter and John had healed a crippled man:

“Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12).

Does God Really Have a Son? … Part II

07 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

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Epiphany, Moses, Preincarnate Christ

God in Human Form

Such a troubled world we live in. And it’s not getting any better. Poverty, disease, oppression, ethnic conflict, and wars have been the scourge of mankind from the beginning of time; but since the First World War they have increased exponentially on a global scale.

Before the First World War which was labeled the War to End All Wars—because no one could imagine that it would ever be repeated—combat casualties were seldom counted in more than tens of thousands. But the predictable progression of technology coupled with the relentless regression of morality resulted in the horrifying military and civilian deaths in World War I and World War II that were measured in the tens of millions. With millions more wounded and displaced from their homes, right up to the estimated 10 million refugees from today’s slaughter in Syria.

As if the incredible increase in the sophistication and destructive power of conventional armaments and munitions in just twenty years’ time from World War I to World War II (tanks, ships, planes, submarines, small arms) wasn’t enough; by the end of the second world war, we found a way to harness and unleash the fearsome fission and fusion power of the atom itself.

Indeed, the atomic bomb brought a swift end to the Pacific War against Japan; and as accurately calculated by both military and civilian experts, actually saved hundreds of thousands of Allied and Japanese lives that would have been lost through additional weeks or months of conventional warfare.

Subsequently, nuclear arsenals of some of the world’s major powers have ironically served as a deterrent to flash point incidents that could trigger a third world war, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis between the United States and Russia in 1962.

But now this nuclear cloud hangs ominously over every man, woman, and child on the planet. How long can the apocalyptic potential of a nuclear war be restrained? Especially, if a rogue nation like North Korea decides a first strike is worth the risk. Or an equally rogue nation like Iran develops and uses nuclear warheads to accomplish its sworn agenda of eliminating Israel from the face of the earth?

Like never before in the history of the human race, the world we live in is on the precipice of an unparalleled cataclysmic catastrophe that could shatter mankind beyond recovery. With regard to such magnitude of destruction, according to the Bible there is both bad news and good news.

The warning of this world-wide disaster comes from Jesus Christ, himself, speaking of the Great Tribulation: “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive…” (Matthew 24:21-22).

But there is good news. Continuing with the last part of Matthew 24:22, Jesus says: “But it (the Tribulation) will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.”

Messiah Jesus, Son of God

Jesus assures us that the human race will survive. He can make that kind of guaranteed promise because he, himself, will intervene. He can and will do that because he is, in fact, God’s Messiah and God’s Son, as affirmed in last week’s article based on three (of several) astounding passages in the Old Testament … Psalm 2 and Psalm 110. And, Genesis 1, which announces the plurality of God (Trinity) when it says: “Let us make human beings in our image to be like ourselves” (Genesis 1:26).

First, a couple of excerpts (in italics) from last week’s article regarding the Lord God declaring that the Messiah (King) is, indeed, God’s Son.

Then the passage states, “For the Lord declares: ‘I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain’” (Psalm 2:6). The chosen king is the Messiah and the context pertains to the end-times reign of God’s Messiah.

Listen to the astonishing response of the King (Messiah) as he refers to The Lord—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (God of the Bible). The King speaks:

“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He (the Lord) said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession’” (Psalms 2:7-8, NASB).

The first Me is the King; the second Me is the Lord (God) … the King’s Father.

Then from Psalm 110, the amazing statement by King David that there is another Lord to whom the Lord God (God the Father) speaks. As follows:

“The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1, NASB).

Who is my Lord? To whom is David referring … who is David’s Lord?

Frequently King David speaks of the Lord, his God. Meaning the one true and living God of Israel. But here David proclaims that the Lord God is talking to another Lord, who is (also) David’s Lord. We know this second Lord is the Messiah because of what the rest of the chapter tells us concerning Messiah’s rule and role as the Scepter of Zion and the judge among the nations. But the crucial component of this magnificent passage is that the Messiah is (also) David’s Lord (my Lord) who is inherently equal to The Lord (God); but with a different role or position or expression of that deity.

Then later a summary of these two passages plus Genesis Chapter One:

The Triune Personage of Almighty God is not three separate gods. He is One God in Three Persons. This plurality is plainly present in God’s first introduction of himself in Genesis.

Nearly all Jews who know anything at all about their heritage and chosen place in God’s created universe agree that Messiah comes from King David’s lineage of the tribe of Judah. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it was none other than King David, himself, who spoke of Messiah—God’s Royal Son—as David’s Lord!

In the very first book of the New Testament, the Jewish Apostle Matthew provides a meticulous, but amazing genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth … descending from King David. From there, the remainder of the New Testament (Covenant) gives us convincing historical records that Jesus, himself, claimed to be this Messiah—Son of God, Son of David, Son of Man. Fully God and fully man. Furthermore, he validated these claims with many marvelous miracles, teachings that astounded even the most educated and religious Jewish leaders, and most of all his spectacular resurrection from the dead.

The Jewish Apostle Paul, who had a personal salvation encounter with Messiah Jesus while Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest, imprison, and possibly execute Christians, later wrote to Titus: “…while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (Titus 2:13).

It was plainly evident to Paul that Jesus Christ was not only the Son of God, but also God the Son. And that Messiah Jesus would return as King to fulfill the hopes of believers, Jew and Gentile alike, for peace and justice in an otherwise hopeless and unjust world.

Moreover, Jesus frequently referred to God as his Father. The purpose of these statements was to further affirm and clarify that God is One God in Three Persons, and that Jesus was God the Father’s Son, thus, the appointed Messiah. But also to emphasize the fact that God the Father was exclusively Spirit. Said Jesus to the woman at the well: “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). It was Jesus who became God Incarnate … God in human form. Because it was necessary that Jesus’ blood be shed as a man; a propitiation for every person who would believe … satisfying God’s requirements through the Law that innocent blood must be spilled as a redemptive atonement for mankind.

With the exception of thousands of Jews who believed and received Yeshua as their Lord and Savior in the first three hundred years or so after the birth of Christ and hundreds of thousands of Messianic Jews in today’s world, most Jews tend to think only of Jesus as a post-Old Testament person who started a new religion, as recorded in the New Testament.

Consequently, they are under the impression that when a Jew leaves Judaism and becomes a Christian, that he or she undergoes a conversion (converts) to Christianity. That simply isn’t what happens. Nor is it true of a person converting from say, Islam to Christianity. Biblical salvation through believing and receiving Jesus as Messiah Lord and Savior is not a conversion from one religion to another. As said several times in prior Eye of Prophecy articles: Biblical Christianity is not a religion—unless Roman Catholicism and the cults are considered.

Instead, Biblical (God’s) salvation is a personal relationship with God available through personal trust in the once for all sacrificial atonement of Jesus’s death on the Cross. It is simply believing and accepting what God through Messiah Jesus has done for us; that which we could not do for ourselves through all the requirements of religion or man-made privileges of race, e.g. membership, maintaining religious rituals, good works, or innate worth by virtue of being born into a particular race or religion.

Jesus of Nazareth proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he was Divine (God the Son) through his supernatural signs and wonders, with his own resurrection from the dead the most amazing miracle of all. That is an authentic historical fact, affirmed by hundreds who saw him after he arose from the dead.

Moses wrote about the plurality of God, which later became known as the Trinity. King David attested to the truth that the Lord God called another (Person) Lord and that this Lord was God’s Son. Micah prophesied that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but that his origin was from the distant past … from eternity.

The prophet Isaiah said that He (Messiah) “…was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins … All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6). Once again, the personal pronouns used by Isaiah are just that … personal. They cannot possibly refer to Israel, if for no other reason that Israel cannot and does not qualify to atone for its own sins.

Let’s look at another magnificent prophecy from Isaiah that Messiah is God, who would come to the earth in human form. In this sweeping timeless (to God) announcement, we find both the first advent of Jesus Christ (as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53) and his second advent (return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God).

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Well into the Great Tribulation we read what will happen: “Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens: ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ…” (Revelation 12:10).

Old Testament Appearances of Messiah (Jesus)

In addition to Old Testament descriptions of the coming Messiah, some of which have been examined in last week’s and this week’s article, there are also several spectacular sightings of Messiah in the Old Testament—what a handful of scholars (including me) refer to as the Pre-Incarnate Epiphanies of Jesus Christ.

I firmly believe that the purpose of these amazing personal appearances of God in the flesh was to proactively and prophetically reinforce the written predictions about the Messiah … as David’s (other) Lord and God’s Royal Son. As well as to correlate with and be a prototype of the actual (final) birth of Messiah, i.e. born of a Virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit. Fully man and fully God. The Old Testament pre-Incarnate appearances gave God’s own people, the Jews, a wonderful preview of the greatest coming attraction of all time: God’s Son in human form.

To prepare Israel and the nations for the greatest event of human history: That God the Son was born in Bethlehem, lived among his people, was crucified, buried, and rose the third day; and is now seated at the right hand of God until the appointed day of his magnificent return to the earth in that same resurrected and glorified body in which he will rule and reign forever from Jerusalem.

Time and space will permit identification of only three of these Pre-Incarnate appearances.

However, before we examine each one, it is vitally important that we understand this basic premise (fact) that will be supported by these examples: God the Father is Spirit and ONLY Spirit. Thus, each of the Epiphanies depict God’s Son, Jesus Christ; as only he is the express image of God in human form. (Colossians 1).

Another important thing to remember is that God’s angels often take on human form throughout both the Old and New Testament. However, two significant factors enable us to determine whether these men are angels or the Messiah, himself. (1) The context and events of what is taking place including Scripture stating that The Lord is speaking (2) Whether or not the actual people involved in the encounter refer to the angel as Lord, or as just an angel (messenger).

Abraham and the Three Men

Many know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible entailing Abraham’s passionate intercessory plea that God withhold his judgment for the sake of just ten righteous people. This event begins with: “The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent… He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby…” (Genesis 18:1-2).

As the passage tells us, this was not the first time that the Lord appeared to Abraham. Nor was it the first time that God took on the form of a man. That occurred when Abraham met the mysterious King of Salem. Several scholars including me believe that this man, Melchizedek, was none other than the Pre-Incarnate Messiah (Jesus).

In the book of Hebrews we read the account of Melchizedek first recorded in Genesis.

“This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him … The name Melchizedek means ‘king of justice,’ and king of Salem means, ‘king of peace.’ There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God” (Hebrews 7:1-3).

In Hebrews Chapter 5 and later again in Chapter 7, the author quotes Psalm 110, which we examined in last week’s article as a pivotal passage in which King David makes this astounding statement: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies…” (Psalm 110:1).

But what I didn’t quote last week (saving it for this week’s article) is what else David wrote about the other Lord who the Lord God, himself, referred to as Lord. King David continues his dramatic disclosure of what God (the Father) declares about the second Lord (God the Son):

“The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow; ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4).

There’s absolutely no ambiguity or confusion as to what David is saying, especially when you combine Psalm 110 with Psalm 2, and other passages such as Micah 5.

The author of Hebrews summarizes by saying: “There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven” (Hebrews 7:23-26).

Returning to the story of the three men who visited Abraham, the context is crystal clear: Abraham knew that two of the men were angels, but the third was the Lord, himself. Why can we say that with utmost certainty? Because in the written account by Moses, he refers to this man as, The Lord. Moreover, Abraham addresses him as Lord. He also said: “…Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25). Then later Abraham says, “…Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?” (Verse 31).

Therefore, in light of the Biblical evidence that God is Spirit, the intriguing question before us is whether God (the Father) appeared to Abraham as Melchizedek and later as one of the three men at Abraham’s tent as The Lord (who said to my Lord); or if he was David’s (my) Lord to whom The Lord was speaking (Psalm 110).

Especially to Jews and Judaism, would the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, himself, actually appear in bodily form? Likewise: Is it possible for a human being to look at/on the Most High God (El Elyon, in Hebrew) and live? According to what God told Moses and the Israelites, to gaze on God’s glory (God, himself), meant certain death. Which is why the Lord shielded the brilliant, but lethal light of his Holiness from the Israelites in a dense cloud or pillar of fire.

Let’s look at another stunning person to person encounter with the Lord God, as experienced by Abraham’s grandson, Jacob.

Jacob Wrestles with God (Literally!)

Before we examine the extraordinary account of Jacob’s wrestling bout with Divinity, let’s review Jacob’s first personal episode with God as he was fleeing from his brother, Esau. You remember the story:

“Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night … As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants” (Genesis 28:10-13).

Then the Lord proceeds to review and renew his covenant with Abraham and Isaac to Jacob, which is the everlasting promise that the land (Israel) would be given to the Jews in perpetuity. In this amazing scene, Jacob saw God, himself; although it was through a dream, not a face to face meeting, as such. That would come some twenty years later during Jacob and his family’s return to the land of Canaan (later to be called Israel). Read with me:

“During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ ‘What is your name?’ the man asked. He replied, ‘Jacob.’ ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob,’ the man told him. ‘From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.’ ‘Please tell me your name,’ Jacob said. ‘Why do you want to know my name?’ the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means ‘face of God’) for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared’” (Genesis 32:22-30).

So much could be said concerning this astonishing event, such as why God would even engage Jacob in a physical wrestling match, and let Jacob win. However, in summary, there is no doubt, whatsoever, that the man was the Lord, himself … not an angel. With Jacob breathing a sigh of immense relief that he had physically touched the Lord, and had seen God face to face and lived to tell about it.

But how could this be? How could this be the God whom not even Moses could look on face to face and live? Scripture tells us that God spoke to Moses face to face, but that clearly is a figurative way of saying it was (what we would call) a person-to-person or one-to-one communication. We know this to be true because every time that Moses entered the Tabernacle or met The Lord on Mt. Sinai, God enshrouded himself in a dense cloud to protect Moses from God’s lethal glory.

The text is quite evident that this was not a dream Jacob was having; it was remarkably real. Consequently, it could not have been God (the Father) who literally wrestled with Jacob. Thus, if we accept the unmistakable evidence of Scripture that God appeared in human form (as God’s Son, the Second Person of the Trinity) throughout the Old Testament, then why is it so difficult to believe that Jesus of Nazareth is God’s final incarnate appearance (once and for all)?

Moses & the Seventy Elders

Did you know or remember that God actually appeared in human form on Mount Sinai? I think many students of the Bible often overlook that amazing account. This was over four hundred years after Joseph, then Jacob and his family, took up permanent residence in Egypt. By and large, the Israelites had forgotten about their Lord—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was time to be reintroduced to the God of Israel, who would continue with his plan to bring salvation to the world through the Jews, inevitably and specifically through the Jewish Messiah, Jesus.

Did you know that the Ten Commandments (along with other features of the Mosaic Law) had been given directly by God to Israel even before Moses ascended Mt. Sinai and received the stone tablets upon which the “finger of God” wrote the Ten Commandments? You can read about that in Exodus Chapter 20. In fact, when God delivered the Commandments to the people, his thunderous voice so frightened them that they pleaded with Moses: “…You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” (Exodus 20:19).

Prior to that God had given explicit instructions to Moses that the people were not to ascend Mt Sinai or even touch the mountain—upon the pain of death. But then the Lord made a temporary exception that Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders could accompany Moses in a climb up the mountain; for the express purpose of meeting with God to worship him and to celebrate the Covenant that all the people had agreed to, “…do everything the Lord has commanded” (Exodus 24:3).

Listen to the short, but stunning description of what transpired:

“Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain again. There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!” (Exodus 24:9-11).

Later, God again veiled his presence in a dense cloud of fire and smoke on the mountain. God called (and spoke) to Moses from within that cloud.

Although Moses doesn’t provide a detailed description of “The God of Israel” in this scene, it is fully obvious that who/what they saw was a man, in human form. Why can I say that? Because the passage says, “under his feet…” with the clear connotation that they were the feet of a man. In fact, with the exception of animal’s feet, what other kind of feet could they be?

Yet we also know that Moses, himself, was not allowed to look on (the face of) God directly. That fact is inescapably evident from the equally well-known story of what happened when Moses subsequently pleaded with God to, “…show me your glorious presence” (Exodus 33:18).

Do you remember the Lord’s reply? He said: “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you … But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live … Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen” (Exodus 33:19-23, italics for emphasis).

Moses wanted to look directly (face to face) upon the glory (the very essence) of the Lord. But under no circumstances would God permit this. Instead, the Lord God (Father) allowed Moses to gaze on the afterglow of God’s glory, but not directly facing God.

Therefore, we need to again pose the question: Why would God make an exception and allow Moses and a group of more than seventy Israelites to stare directly at him and survive? When, in, fact, God would not even allow Moses to look privately at the uncovered “face of God,” and live. Or a better question: Was it an exception at all?

There is only one explanation.

Which is the same answer for all of the Old Testament appearances of God in human form: It is not God (Spirit) the Father, but rather God the Son who physically appeared to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses and the elders. And later to Joshua, Gideon, Daniel, Zechariah, and others. Then to arrive for the final time in human form as Jesus of Nazareth. But this final appearance was different, as Christ lived among us for some thirty-three years. It was much more than just a brief (here now and then gone) but nevertheless significant epiphany for specific reasons as recorded in the Old Testament. With the providential purpose to demonstrate that God would appear in human flesh once and for all.

This would be accomplished exclusively by David’s Lord, the Royal Son of God … the Messiah who is both David’s Lord and his corporal descendant through the tribe of Judah!

Things to Ponder

The wonderful words of God’s angel have reverberated through the entire world for two millennia: “…I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:10-11).

Said another angel to Joseph: “…do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus (Yeshua), for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

“All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23, quoting Isaiah 7:14).

To the Jewish and Gentile believers in the city of Colosse, the Apostle Paul writes:

“…May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God…” (Colossians 1:11-15).

Said Jesus to the people: “…Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him)” (John 6:45-46).

One of Messiah’s disciples, Philip, said to him: “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied. Jesus replied, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!’” (John 14:8-9, italics for emphasis).

A few days later, after Jesus had arisen from the dead, the so-called doubting disciple, Thomas, would express what all the disciples beyond any doubt knew to be true. When Thomas saw the risen Messiah and the still visible wounds in his hands, feet, and side, he exclaimed:

“My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Does God Really Have a Son? … Part I

31 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by garybowers in Prophecy in General

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

King Messiah, Light of the World

In The Beginning

I can’t imagine being blind, can you? Or deaf, but if I had to be one or the other and could choose, I would not choose blindness. I am immensely grateful for my eyesight and seriously sensitive, as I’m sure you are, to those who have lost their sight. I hold great respect for those who have adjusted to this difficult disability through the tedious process of learning braille, and trained themselves to do all the things that those of us who can see take for granted in our everyday lives.

As much as we empathize with those who cannot see, we wouldn’t want someone who is blind leading another blind person through one of the busy intersections of Mesa, Arizona, my home city. It just isn’t a safe thing to do. And certainly not one blind person leading another who is blind along (for example) a majestic but unguarded edge of the Grand Canyon, also in Arizona.

Yet, spiritual blindness is ultimately far more dangerous than physical, because it literally is a matter of everlasting life or death. According to the Bible our eternal destiny is determined by our response to God’s offer of salvation. Even more specifically to the living Word of God, Messiah Jesus, who Scripture says has brought the Light of God’s salvation to the entire world.

The Jewish Apostle John began his Gospel with this incredible introduction of Jesus, whom hundreds of millions down through the ages have believed and received as God’s prophesied Messiah Savior to both Jew and Gentile. Listen to these remarkable words of truth:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:1-5, NASB).

Despite miracle after miracle and despite profound words of wisdom through parables and plain teachings, the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and certainly not the Son of God. Even in the face of substantial Biblical evidence, the very idea that God has a Son is still heretical to Judaism. In spite of actual proof in their own Scriptures (Old Testament) of the eternal existence of Messiah, they simply could not and would not see who Messiah really was/is.

Time after time the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to trap Jesus into saying or doing something contrary to the Law of Moses, including dozens of pious laws that they had added to the Torah.

On one of these occasions, “Jesus replied, ‘And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God’” (Matthew 15:3). He then goes on to use a specific example of how the religious leaders desecrated the commandment to honor father and mother.

Jesus then said to them: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God’” (Matthew 15:7-9).

Later, Jesus’s disciples said to him: “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” (Verse 12).

Jesus replied, “…They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch” (Verse 14).

Undoubtedly, some of these ditches are as big as the Grand Canyon! Or, perhaps, to coin a phrase: The blinder they are, the deeper they fall.

Israel’s Partial Blindness

Some twenty years later after Jesus arose from the dead and returned to heaven, the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome about this blindness. He states: “…Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of the Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved….” (Romans 11:25).

I quoted this verse in last week’s article, but the textual emphasis in today’s article is that of blindness (to the truth of God’s salvation). Whether the word is hardness of heart (hard heart) or blindness as found in the King James Version, the meaning is the same … a spiritual blindness or a calloused heart caused by repeated rejection of Jesus, the author and mediator of the New Covenant foretold by Jeremiah.

Paul goes on to say: “Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy” (Romans 11:28-31).

Although I certainly don’t have anything close to the full measure of compassionate love that Messiah Jesus, the Apostles Paul or Peter or John, and I’m sure many others have for their Jewish brethren; anyone who has read just a few of my Eye of Prophecy articles will clearly see my passion for Israel and the Jewish people. This enthusiasm includes an ardent anticipation of the physical return of the Jews to the Promised Land and for their spiritual restoration, both of which have begun in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. But as the Apostle Paul observed in the first century, so it still is today: Many of the people of Israel are enemies of the Good News…

With the exception of Messianic Jews the world over, what is it that the vast majority of Jews cannot or will not see, hear, and believe? What is the primary cause of their spiritual blindness that the Old Testament prophets predicted would befall them? Why do they dismiss out of hand the claims of Jesus Christ to be the only way to God, which he validated with his miraculous resurrection from the grave?

As written by several authors, including me, the obvious reason offered by the Jews, themselves, relates to their rejection of Christianity as the perceived illegitimate child of Judaism BECAUSE some persecution of the Jews in the last 2,000 years has been at the hands of (so-called) Christians. If they are referring to the Roman Catholic Church and some true believers who have wrongfully supported the deceitfully erroneous concept of Replacement Theology (the Church has symbolically or spiritually replaced Israel), they are fairly accurate in this association.

However, if they consider Hitler and his Third Reich as being Christian in principle or practice, they have mistakenly lumped this evil regime with true Christian believers. Nor, for that matter, was Germany anything resembling a (so-called) Christian nation. The Third Reich deliberately distorted Christianity to, in part, provide a warped rationalization for genocide. It was and will forever remain the most diabolical Big Lie about what true believers in Jesus Christ are and represent. So, when you combine Fascist Nazi Germany with Russian Communism (or even the Russian Orthodox Church which was also a cultic deviation of the true Church), and the Roman Empire’s (which hated Christians as much or more than the Jews) devastation of Israel leading to the Great Diaspora, what you get is a Satanic effort to eliminate the Jews through various cults and godless nations that were anything but true Christianity.

Nonetheless, there are several prominent Rabbis in Israel and throughout the world who recognize the genuine concern and care that (particularly) evangelical Christians bear for Israel and the Jews, including me. So much so that a well-known Israeli Rabbi, Yechiel Eckstein, founded an organization that has grown significantly in the past couple of decades, called The International Federation of Christians and Jews. Whereas, Rabbi Eckstein appreciates the cooperation and contributions made by so many Christian supporters of Israel, he stops far short of acknowledging Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Which is representative of Israel’s partial blindness.

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Notwithstanding the misguided animosity that many Jews display toward Christianity, there is a deeper, more spiritual, and even theological motive for them to reject the New Covenant as recorded and presented in the New Testament.

Most Jews, whether Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, or even Liberal, believe in a Jewish Messiah who will one day (soon) bring redemption to Israel, rescue them from their enemies, and usher in an era of everlasting peace. But few Jews (again, with the exception of Messianic Jews) believe that their Messiah is Divine. Certainly not the Son of God as claimed by Jesus Christ and millions upon millions of people who have received him as their personal Savior … including tens of thousands of Jews.

The biggest objection to Jewish belief in Yeshua (Jesus) as Israel’s Messiah Savior is that he cannot possibly be the Son of God. Why? Because the religious leaders of Judaism contend that God does not have a Son, nor can he possibly be a Triune God as The New Testament Scripture so clearly teaches … One God as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. According to most Rabbis and observant Jews, whoever Messiah will be and whatever attributes he will possess, he will not be deity, as only God is Divine.

Several Bible Scholars, including me, have frequently pointed to the historical evidence of the birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ specifically fulfilling dozens of Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. First to arrive as the Lamb of God Redeemer in the first century and establish the Kingdom of Heaven in the hearts of men and woman the world over; then to return as King of kings any day now to usher in the Everlasting Kingdom of God on the earth.

In this article, however, we will examine Biblical evidence to affirm that God does have a Son and that the Son is co-existent with and equal to God, the Father. Moreover, that this Son of God is, indeed, The Messiah. Although there are more (chiefly, Isaiah Chapter 53), we will look at just three Old Testament passages that provide credible (actually incredible because of the remarkable revelatory disclosure) confirmation of this truth. Sadly Jews, especially the Orthodox have missed this or deliberately suppressed or twisted the evidence of their own Scriptures.

Psalm 2

Nearly all Bible teachers, whether Jewish Rabbis or Christian scholars, recognize this Psalm of David as one of the Messianic prophecies. This becomes especially evident in the second verse: “The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one” (italics for emphasis). The word anointed means divinely chosen or appointed.

Listen to the astonishing response of the King (Messiah) as he refers to The Lord—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (God of the Bible). The King speaks:

The first Me is the King; the second Me is the Lord (God) … the King’s Father.

In this and other similar passages, most Jewish rabbis or scholars contend that the personal pronouns that clearly refer to the Son (King) apply to the nation of Israel. In this fashion, the attempt is made to explain away the notion that God is speaking to his Son or the Son to his Father, God. Whereas there are a handful of passages in which Israel is referred to as a son or daughter and occasionally personal pronouns he, him, she, and her are utilized, the contextual setting of those passages clearly show that God is speaking to or about Israel as a nation.

Not so in this text and other passages in which the antecedents and grammatical syntax of the passage plainly are NOT referencing Israel. Although God sometimes refers to Israel as he or she, Scripture does not use the personal pronouns I or me for Israel, as though the nation Israel was speaking in the first or second person. Furthermore, the Anointed One is referred to as the Lord’s King (My King). Israel once had many kings, but Israel itself was not nor will ever be God’s King. In fact, that makes no sense at all.

The King announces that “He” (The Lord God) has made (declared) the King, God’s Son. In this passage the word or concept Begotten linguistically, intrinsically, and contextually means a coronation or divine selection. An analogy would be the birthright of a Jew’s oldest (in this case only) son.

As expressed in the New Living Translation from which I normally quote, “The Lord said to me (the King), ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father’” (Verse 7).

Then later in Verse Twelve of the NASB: “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

Time/space does not permit in-depth elaboration, but there’s simply no way that the personal pronouns in verse twelve or any other verses in this chapter apply to Israel as a nation. The text and context refer to God’s Son, who is the King; hence the Messiah.

Psalm 110

In this equally famous passage, King David is unmistakably speaking about two Lords, with the clear connotation that they are equally divine; as is the correlative fact that the second Lord in this passage is one and the same as the Son of Psalm Chapter 2. Read the words of King David with me:

“The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1, NASB).

Who is my Lord? To whom is David referring … who is David’s Lord?

Frequently King David speaks of the Lord, his God. Meaning the one true and living God of Israel. But here David proclaims that the Lord God is talking to another Lord, who is (also) David’s Lord. We know this second Lord is the Messiah because of what the rest of the chapter tells us concerning Messiah’s rule and role as the Scepter of Zion and the judge among the nations. But the crucial component of this magnificent passage is that the Messiah is (also) David’s Lord (my Lord) who is inherently equal to The Lord (God); but with a different role or position or expression of that deity.

Read it again: The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at My right hand…”

Did you know that Jesus often quoted or referred to the Hebrew Bible, what Christians classify as the Old Testament? Messiah Jesus cited the passage we just read when he asked the Jewish religious leaders a question. Prior to that some Sadducees had once again tried to trap Jesus with what they thought were questions too difficult for him to answer, as found in Luke Chapter 22. Time/space in this article doesn’t permit a lengthy description of the Jewish religious leader’s question or challenge to Jesus or his answer. You may want to read it for yourself in Luke 20:27-38. But listen to the reaction of the religious leaders to Yeshua’s reply:

“Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. And then no one dared to ask him any more questions” (Luke 20:39-40, italics for emphasis).

The religious teachers had their chance to entrap Jesus and failed once again. Now it’s the Lord’s turn, and he challenges them with an inquiry about the identity of the Messiah. In the very next verse we read:

“Then Jesus presented them with a question. ‘Why is it,’ he asked, ‘that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet. Since David called the Messiah, Lord, how can the Messiah be his son?’” (Luke 20:41-44).

Scripture doesn’t record their answer. With the unmistakable inference that they had no answer, because they could not answer this profound question! Why couldn’t or wouldn’t they answer the question?

(1) Despite what their own Scriptures said, they refused to believe that there was anyone else the Lord God (The God of Israel) would call “Lord,” other than himself. (2) For that reason Messiah’s arrival through David’s lineage would be a natural birth only, as the idea of Messiah being God’s Son (therefore, existing before David) was simply incomprehensible to them … again, despite the irrefutable evidence of God’s Word. Which is why Judaism cannot accept and still denies the supernatural Virgin birth of Messiah Jesus.

Psalm 110 fits perfectly with Psalm 2, but also with other passages such as:

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past” (Micah 5:2).

This verse specifically predicts the geographical place of Messiah’s origin, but much more than that. It tells the Jews and the whole world that Messiah is from the distant (timeless) past, with the convincing connotation that Messiah is Divine … God, himself, in human form.

And, where was Christ Jesus born? Easy answer: Bethlehem. In fact there were two villages called Bethlehem at the time of Yeshua’s birth. Scripture is so amazingly accurate in its prophecies that the smaller of the two villages was identified … Bethlehem Ephrathah!

What ancient origin and how distant is his past? Well, let’s take a look!

Genesis Chapter 1

Read with me one of the most powerful but provocative (primarily to Judaism) passages in all of Scripture:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.’ (Genesis 1:26, NASB, italics for emphasis). Not once, not twice, but three times God refers to himself in the plural; no less in the very first book of the Bible. Jewish and Gentile Christians alike often refer to this incredible creation account to further affirm the New Testament references to Messiah Jesus and the Holy Spirit as part of the Triune God … The Godhead. That all Three in One were active in creation of man in their image.

Us, our, or ourselves of Genesis 1 are patently plural.

Jewish scholars attempt to refute this obvious fact by saying that the plural (we, us) was sometimes employed by kings or other royalty to denote majesty. Whereas that is true with regard to some historical records, it is rarely true of Scripture. Almost always the kings of Israel spoke in the first person, as does God, himself. It would take considerable research (of which time doesn’t permit for this article) to determine how many times, if any, that the Lord uses We or Us when speaking to his prophets, but I can safely summarize that at least ninety-nine percent of the time, the singular pronoun is utilized.

Except that is, for the very first chapter in Scripture that provides the monumentally significant fact that God is our Creator. Up front, the Lord wants us to understand that He is the one and only God, but that He is also a Triune God. Don’t ask me or any Bible scholar to adequately explain that. It is simply too much for the human mind to grasp. But since when does human intellect alone fully explain even half of the mysteries of the universe, let alone the inscrutable concept of a Triune God. We haven’t even yet figured out gravity. We know that it exists only because it must exist to explain why heavenly bodies stay where they are and why we don’t go spinning off into space. We know gravity exists only because of what it does. We have no clue where it came from, any more than we know where wind originates.

There are analogies like the sun: God the Father is the sun itself; God the Son is the light of the sun; God the Spirit is the rays of the sun. Or the three forms of water … liquid, solid, and gas. But they are inadequate metaphors. I think the closest we can come to at least a limited understanding of this otherwise unfathomable paradigm is ourselves: The body, soul, and spirit … indivisible yet separate facets of (a human) being.

In fact, when God refers to his plurality in the Genesis account of creation, he relates to the creation of man in God’s image.

I’m sorry, but it is an extremely weak argument to suggest that the plurality of God in the Genesis account is merely a way of God underscoring his majesty. In fact, the Lord doesn’t need to stress his majesty at all, as it’s all too apparent by the very fact that he is the Creator.

If that were the case, why didn’t the Lord refer to himself in the plural when he gave the Law to Moses at Mt. Sinai, or on other tremendously important events throughout the Old Testament, such as the parting of the Red Sea? Moreover, I believe there is an absolutely obvious reason why the Lord rarely (if ever) refers to himself in the plural following the Genesis account. Once God disclosed the profound truth that he is God (the one and only God) who created the universe and all living things including triune man/woman, there was no need to continue the plurality when referring to himself.

Although Moses, who wrote the Torah (first five books of Scripture) didn’t wholly understand the plurality of God’s existence because the Divinity of Messiah wouldn’t be revealed until later, it was or should have been understood that the Lord’s very essence consisted of the awesome Three in One God, who created man in that same plural image.

Actually, the first reference to Messiah is also found early in the book of Genesis: “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Anyone who has even limited knowledge of the Bible will recognize that famous passage. It is God (the Father) passing judgment on the serpent (Satan) for deceiving the woman, who in the context of this event was a representation of (later to come) Israel. The “He” is none other than Messiah who would come from/through Israel (offspring), and who would be wounded by Satan (Jesus death on the Cross), but would then strike a fatal blow to Satan … conquering death itself.

Not until we get to the New Testament and the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, do we find several references to the Triune Godhead, although the word Trinity is not actually used. And there is certainly no ambiguity whatsoever: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are intrinsically and irrefutably declared to be One God in Three (Divine) Persons.

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else (he is from the distant past, Micah 5:2), and he holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:15-17).

And, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross” (Verses 19-20).

Summary

The Triune Personage of Almighty God is not three separate gods. He is One God in Three Persons. This plurality is plainly present in God’s first introduction of himself in Genesis.

Stay tuned to next week’s Part II article as we present more stunning evidence from the Old Testament of specific appearances of God in human form. But since the Bible is crystal clear that no man can look at/on God (the Father) and live, the only logical and rationale explanation is that these Epiphany appearances were none other than God’s beloved Pre-Incarnate Son, Yeshua.

Things to Ponder

Indeed, blindness is a tragically sorrowful condition of the human race. Physical deprivation of sight and spiritual absence of light in the world are conditions of fallen humanity. Whether physical diseases and disabilities or whether the spiritual disease of sin that leads to death, there is really no hope for mankind apart from God’s redemptive remedy. God created us to have fellowship with him, to live in a perfect paradise of light and peace.

He gave us free will to choose him, his plan, and his ways and continue forever in that perfectly created condition. But we chose to go our own way by abandoning his plan for eternal happiness and rejecting his truth that would otherwise keep us safe and secure from sin and its horrible consequences … to allow the evil already introduced by Satan to infiltrate our minds and hearts.

We made God in our image….

The horrific result: Darkness.

Jesus is Light.

The Jewish Pharisees absurdly accused Jesus of being a sinner because on the Sabbath he healed a man born blind! This awesome miracle begs the question: Who was really blind?

This humble, common man born blind profoundly replied to the Pharisees: “I don’t know whether he is a sinner … But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25).

Then the Pharisees cursed the man and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from” (Verse 28-29).

The man replied: “Why, that’s very strange! He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? …Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it” (Verses 30-33).

Concerning the inherent spiritually blind condition of all people, including all religious leaders, Jesus said:

“My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light…” (John 12:35-36).

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eyeofprophecy … watch and wait

~ "For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus" (Rev.19:10)

Author Archives: garybowers

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