On Thursday night, September 1, 2022, President “Joseph” Biden was propped up behind the presidential seal in front of historic Independence Hall and gave the most bombastic, provocative, melodramatic and divisive speech that many may feel tempted to compare with Hitler. Personally, I did not watch it as I cannot stand the sight or sound of the man (much like Barack Obama). Or most any of them for that matter. But these two especially (how’s that for honesty). But for the sake of what God is doing in the earth and the incredible signs of warning that He is sending out to not only the born again Church globally, but also the lost world at large, this speech and the bigger picture of what it represents combined with its location begins to take on a life of its own prophetically speaking. It makes those whose spiritual ears are attuned and spiritual eyes affixed look at this event and recognize it for what it is – a God-given sign of what is shortly to come.

With the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence cloaked in a mellow-dramatic, yet ominous blood red, Biden backfired and stumbled his way through an attack on “insurrectionists” he labeled as “threatening American democracy, political norms, and the rule of law.” Watch the 18-second clip below.

Now, you and I both know that Biden is not even in charge of his cereal spoon when he dips it into his breakfast corn flakes in the morning, let alone the presidency of the United States. He is an obvious puppet with (what seems to be) a dementia-addled brain and is just not capable of performing such a task. Of course, it is entirely possible that his Luciferian globalist handlers are just putting on an act through him to sell a narrative to the gullible masses. Or are they just making fun of Christians and our belief system of the end of days? Or, as is their motto and occultic requirement, were they telling us what they are going to do before they do it? Or is it a combination of all of the above? One thing is for certain, you can bet your dying dollar that the third option always holds true with these Lucifer-worshipping, politician controlling modern-day genetic Pharisees that we call the Luciferian Illuminati, or globalists. This is their modus operandi.

As one commentary I read put it … “the entire imagery of Biden’s theatrical performance drew connotations of sinister authoritarian regimes ranging as Nazi Germany, the Empire of Star Wars, or the fascist regime of V for Vendetta.”

Some commentaries of this speech have said that this speech was a display of a weak regime projecting strength at a time of mass unpopularity and rising polling numbers of political opponents in pivotal midterm elections. However, for me, this is entirely too simplistic of a narrative to be taken seriously. This is the typical “left vs. right,” “Democrat vs. Republican” and “Us Vs. Them” kabuki theater puppet show garbage left for the unthinking to consume. I rather take the position that the Luciferian globalists are nearing the end game for the world and are on the verge of implementing their New World Order with the Antichrist at the helm of it, along with their human enslaving control mechanism that the Bible calls the “Mark of the Beast.” What you saw in the Biden speech can rightly be be thought of as fanning the flames of political violence against any rational thinking person who desires to see the country in which they live promote traditional values and a sane policy of national preservation. In other words, all ideas that come from the Christian worldview – the foundation of which the greatest nation in the history of the world was founded upon.

None of this is a surprise. We were told in Bible prophecy that persecution against Christians and all that Christianity stands for will be attacked during the days just before the Tribulation, while coming to its ultimate fruition during those coming dark years of judgment. How so you ask? How about people’s heads being cut off for identifying with Jesus Christ? …

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

If one calls themselves a conservative and endorse common sense policies that are beneficial to the stability and smooth function of a civilization i.e the nuclear family, morality and general goodness, then by association, you are identifying with Christian principles as this is what decent common human conduct and functioning of civilization rest upon. Christianity is what makes civilization civilization. If one takes out that pillar of civilization, then you’re left with chaos, disorder and the worst that fallen human nature has to dish out to its fellow human beings. In other words, the destruction of civilization and its institutions of good and excellence. It becomes a society that is not even fit for a dog to live in, let alone a human being of good will and decency.

Like another commentary put it … like the intimidating and slightly unhinged theatrics of Biden’s speech, they are all deliberate scare tactics, warnings to us all of what can happen to those who dissent. The spectacle of 87,000 newly minted IRS agents waiting in the wings is another part of that “shock-and-awe” campaign. 

Biden’s speech essentially labeled half of Americans enemies of the state. As I have said before, I think Donald Trump was/is controlled opposition for various reasons that I won’t go into here. But for the sake of the subject matter of this article, by labeling Trump and the MAGA Republicans a danger to America, it was really a Pharisaic Luciferian declaration against Christianity itself. In an earlier article, the case was made that ever since Bill Clinton emerged onto the scene as President, the beginning of the rise of the spirit of Antichrist was put into a more visible patterned motion that signaled the fact that the world had truly embarked upon the beginning of a process of what will eventually be the appearance of the Antichrist (see here). For those who study the Satanic elite, you will notice that the colors they present are a Satanic red and dark/black color mixed in. Who can deny that this is what we saw last night with Biden looking very Hitleresque in his presentation. This is not to say that “Joseph” Biden is the Antichrist (obviously), but that the “spirit” of Antichrist and persecution against Christians is drawing ever so close as we approach the Tribulation period.

Now, why am I writing “Joseph” Biden’s name as “Joseph” rather than just calling him “Joe” like most do? There is a reason for that – and as we shall see, the reason is prophetically very enlightening. As we all know, “Joseph” Biden was Barack Obama’s Vice-President before becoming President himself after Donald “Trump.” Previously in a couple of articles, I covered the fact that the United States of America took on the Egypt theme starting in 2009 when Barack Obama was installed as “President” of the United States. Because this point is so very important to the punch point of what we witnessed with the “Joseph” Biden speech on August 1, I shall repeat it here before proceeding forward with the rest of the narrative.

Ancient Egypt and Modern America Converge

By Divine orchestration and decree, ancient Egypt and the United States of America share a prophetic typology. This was demonstrated in the fact that the U.S.A. distinctly took on an ancient Egypt pattern beginning in the year 2009 with the placement of Barack Obama into the White House and the radical theme of “change” that came with him. From that particular year forward up until now, that theme has only intensified and gotten worse. For example, to demonstrate this Egypt/Pharaoh/tyranny/persecution theme as mentioned in the linked article, one of Obama’s first foreign speeches as president to the Muslim world was supposed to be in Indonesia, but he ended up going to Cairo, Egypt where he was hailed as the new “Tutankhamun,” or “king Tut” and king of the world. King Tut, as we all know, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who was the last of his royal family to rule during the end of the 18th dynasty during the New Kingdom of Egyptian history. They even made metal plaques of Obama’s face inside the headdress of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun (picture below).

They were regarding Obama as a pharaoh. Interestingly, when Obama went to Cairo and was touring the Egyptian pyramids, he happened upon a hieroglyph that looked like him. He even pointed it out in joking fashion, but it was quite interesting considering the prophetic emergence of the Egypt theme in vineyard America and its president number 44.

Significantly, in synagogues all over the world, a weekly Torah portion is read, or some might say, chanted. The Torah is known as the first five books of the Bible. A portion of it is always read weekly and every synagogue in the world is literally on the same page reading the same portion of scripture. The Torah portion that is called Schmot, which means, “names,” begins at Exodus 1:1 and goes through Exodus 3. This portion, of course, would contain the story of how a new king arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph and how he dealt treacherously with them and oppressed them, etc. That very Torah portion was read in synagogues all over the world the night of January 16, 2009 on a Friday night and was read through the following Friday night, which is January 23rd. This means that on January 20th, 2009, the Torah portion that was being read in synagogues all over the world included the verse that said …

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. (Exodus 1:8-10). 

Then the new king begins to institute new policies that are intended to bring the Hebrews, who are God’s people (those who have crossed over) under his subjection. He has no regard for Joseph and no regard for the policies of Joseph that brought Egypt to their place as the most powerful and most prosperous nation of the Earth. He wants to subject God’s people and he wants to do it shrewdly. So then the new king begins to institute new policies. By the time the majority of the people had figured out what was going on, it was too late. Of course, January 20 is the date that the new president of the United States is always sworn into office. This date in 2009 was the very day when Barack Obama was being sworn into office, at the very time Exodus 1-8 was being recited or chanted in synagogues all over the world.

God was not taken by surprise that this Pharaoh came to power in America. In fact, God allowed it. The next question that must be asked is, “Why did God allow it?” The answer is simple. The time that the promise that he made to Abraham was about to come to pass (Acts 7:17-18), which is that after 400 years, he would bring his seed out of Egypt and out of their Egyptian bondage. As the time drew near, the Hebrews, Abraham’s seed, were so entrenched in the culture that they were not prepared to go. This was a preparation phase being instituted by God for the Hebrews.

We have all recognized the dramatic change that has come at us since the time of president 44 on forward to this very day in 2022. Like in ancient Egypt, God allowed this king today in America to arise for his own spiritual purposes. It was the beginning of a preparation phase for the departure of the true, born again Church (those who have personally received Christ and belong to Him). It is a phase that continues from then to the very present. Now that he is out of office, one will notice that the bad tidings of what was taking place and happening to the nation has not gone with him and his taskmasters. Under Donald Trump and now “Joseph” Biden, the preparation phase has continued. The major point to be had is that it all started under the puppet Obama (president 44), continued under the puppet Trump administration (president 45) and is now intensifying under the “Joseph” Biden administration (hearkening back to the Pharaoh’s appointment of “Joseph” as the second in command during the famine in ancient Egypt. It is the same prophetic parallel.

During the great famine of Egypt in Genesis 41, we find out that “Joseph” was the leader over all of Egypt when the famine hit. In what is the prophetic irony of all ironies, the U.S.A. has a figurehead president named “Joseph” Biden. Further, in the story of Joseph leading ancient Egypt during the famine, we read of an economic collapse of the “money” …

“And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year” (Exodus 47:13-17).

In other words, a currency collapse. Today, under “Joseph” Biden, there is much talk of an approaching economic/currency collapse of the U.S. dollar that would have shock-wave effects to the entire world, bringing about added famine. This is exactly the scenario presented to us in Revelation 6 and its ominous description of the appearance of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Included in these four descriptive horses are a massive and deadly famine that strike the earth on the heels of the appearance of the Antichrist (the white horse) and the black horse of severe hyperinflation and famine onto the world scene:

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand” (Revelation 6:5-6).

This narrative becomes chilling and very telling under a president with the same name as one of the most well known historical figures in biblical scripture and one of the most well known passages of economic collapse and famine in all of scripture. The prophetic parallels here are uncanny – and I might add – of no coincidence. Furthering this narrative is the highly recommended work done by prophetic expositor Lu Vega, who for good reason contends that America is now entering its 33rd Schmitta Cycle, thus foretelling the collapse of the Republic and its currency (see “Recommended Reading” section at the end of this article).

The Space Force Pharaoh Antichrist

“And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live” (Revelation 13:13-14).

When the Antichrist along with his False Prophet arise onto the world scene, the False Prophet will cause some type of supernatural fire to fall upon the earth – thus deceiving the earth’s inhabitants. It is with this thought in mind that I now take you to the story of the U.S. Space Force.

Some, if not most, have heard of America’s sixth military branch called United States Space Force organization. In January 2020, the newly created U.S. Space Force was announced by President Donald Trump. It advertised 35 jobs for its Pentagon offices. Initially, it received more than 5,700 applications. On April 18, 86 graduating cadets from the Air Force Academy won prized commissions directly into the new service, while Space Force recruiters were finding that they could choose among the best applicants across the Defense Department. Energized by a new golden age of space, and the emergence of orbit as a war-fighting domain, the Space Force has become a major aspirational target for people with space-related resumes.

Launched in the previous month of December, the branch’s stated mission is to provide space capabilities and to protect U.S. and allied security interests in space. It will also provide tactical support to ground combat units with surveillance, communications, and geopositioning data while seeking to deter adversaries from acquiring military advantages from orbit. It is growing out of the Air Force, the same way the Air Force grew out of the Army in 1947. However, many in the know who were sworn to secrecy (supposedly) in recent years have been spilling the proverbial beans about how far advanced this 6th branch of the U.S. military actually is. Some have said that it is years and years in advanced of the military we now know about. It is said that the technology in this branch of the military is capable of interplanetary travel – like something you would see out of Star Wars or Star Trek.

The testimony of those who were involved in such programs who were sworn to secrecy, such as the example of Randy Cramer – a soldier who reports that he spent 20 years as a Marine in the U.S. Secret Space Program (SSP), claims that “not only have humans made it to Mars in the past, but we have developed a secret space program and flotilla that operates in space.” His claim that the space fleet has technology far superior than anything available anywhere on Earth is quite believable these days considering that many have spotted and recorded glimpses of this technology floating above our skies at night at various times and locations, with two example seen in the videos below. These aircraft are what some are calling the USAF TR3B Triangle.

Now, here comes an even more interesting twist to this “new” space force. Apparently, just this year (2022), the United States Space Force has introduced a new unit that is tasked with providing “critical intelligence on threat systems, foreign intentions and activities in the space domain.” It is called Space Delta 18″ (Source). Now, take notice of the emblem of this new Space Force unit. It is a picture of an Egyptian Pharaoh looming over the top of the earth just below the 8-pointed star of Lucifer. In other words, it is a depiction of the Antichrist ruling the world under the symbol of a Pharaoh.

Will this type of otherworldly and demonic-type technology of the Space Force be the very mechanism the Apostle John described in conveying the False Prophet’s ability to “call fire down from the heavens” in Revelation 13? Without a doubt, if this type of technology will have something to do with it, there most certainly will be a demonic element and/or manifestation to the event.

So then, with the Hitleresque, Satanically-colored backdrop of the “Joseph” Biden speech on August 1 in the city of “Philadelphia,” USA, we can clearly see that the Luciferian globalists who control him are declaring their war against Christians and all that underpins America as a strong, first world functioning Republic. In my opinion, not just any Christians of any mainline Church, it is the end times era of the Philadelphian Church that runs alongside the Laodicean Church. Here, for the Christian novice or the non-Christian curious, an explanation of the Church of Philadelphia would be helpful in deciphering the clue that I believe God is sending to the world. In the book of Revelation chapter 3, the Church of Philadelphia is a Church that is promised to escape the coming judgment of the Tribulation period. In reading this passage, not only was the Apostle John referring to an actual church that existed back in his day, but demonstrably, these seven churches are also intended by God to be seen as prophetic pictures of the various stages of the Church Age since the time of Christ and the events, characteristics and theme that would occur and dominate each stage of time during the last approximately 2,000 years since Jesus instituted the Church (see this multi-part study on the Seven Churches of the book of Revelation with the first part here).

That being the case, Jesus promised the Apostle John that the Church of Philadelphia would escape the upcoming Tribulation …

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 3:7-13).

With America being prophetically connected to ancient Egypt in prophetic typology and being the end times nation that was also Providentially assigned the task of spreading forth the Gospel message, the message of the end times, the Rapture and return of Christ to the nations of the earth i.e. the Matthew 21 Vineyard prophecy, it is quite telling that the handlers of “Joseph” Biden (the Luciferian globalists) would pick Philadelphia as the city to give this dark, ominous and Hitleresque speech that was directed toward those MAGA-type Americans, which was really a threat to the Church without them actually saying it. Philadelphia is a city with a rich, spiritual history and heritage of Christianity and the founding of the nation. The picture to see here is that it was God’s sovereignty over man that allowed this to occur in this particular city. It was, I believe, a not-so-subtle message to the last days Church of Philadelphia that He is getting ready to deliver us from the threat of the rising beast system via the Rapture.

Also on a deeper level, realistically, these Luciferians were conveying a message from Lucifer/Satan himself in a not-so-subtle way. They (under the influence and control of the one they worship) not only strongly implied it by attacking the values that God Providentially instilled in this nation that made America great to begin with – the values that only come from true Christianity, but also MAGA Americans themselves – the very same America that takes on the prophetic function of the Church of Philadelphia in spreading forth the light of the Gospel message to the darkness of the world as America has always done throughout her history. This is to say nothing of the gradual destruction of the God-instilled institutions that have existed throughout America’s history as pillars of strength and stability that produce national prosperity.

As I’ve pointed out numerous times before on this blog site, America the Vineyard reached its 400 year prophetic cycle two years ago in the year 2020, which is based on the fact that the ancient Hebrews spent 400 years in Egyptian slavery before God brought them out and into the promised land (Genesis 15:13-14). I do realize that Exodus 12:40 declares the captivity to be 430 years rather than 400 . Why the discrepancy? See here for the details. But it would seem according to some that the 400 year figure seems appropriate in deciphering the prophetic parallelism of departure considering that 2020 saw the beginning stages or preparation phase of the New World Order under the guise of “Covid” and the tyranny that has sprung up from this con job. It suddenly arrived on the scene right when America hit the 400 year mark since the year that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock (see the “Recommended Reading” section further below).

Further, it is rather interesting that the Luciferian globalists have marked 2030 as the year for their “Great Reset” (New World Order). Ten years after the 2020 400-year cycle mark for Vineyard America takes us to 2030. This sorta highlights a timing hint and parallelism in the display of numbers, while the math itself would take us beyond 2030 if an actual 30 years were added to the 2020 figure. So, the particular parallelism of observing the 400 years since 1620 (year that the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock) and observing the actual declared and planned year that the Great Reset of the New World Order is set to be implemented (2030) appears to be more of a feature to be considered when observing this Egyptian captivity years discrepancy in figuring the year that really counts the closest in figuring a best case scenario of the Rapture timing, rather than the actual hard, basic math of 30 years added to the 2020 figure based on the Exodus account of 430 years for the captivity length. When looked at in this angle, this would seemingly correspond to the idea that the Second Coming would occur in 2029 or “2030” based on the fig tree prophecy of Matthew 24. Backing off seven years for the length of the Tribulation period, you would come to 2022 or 2023 for the Rapture. This would coincide with the conclusion of the 10th Schmitta cycle and the beginning of the 11th cycle – the biblical number for chaos, disorder and judgment. But at the end of the day, it is unwise to be dogmatic about a date for the Rapture, but wise to speculate on a year and possible month based on the observable evidence. This is what Jesus admonished us to do. We will have to wait and see about how this scenario plays out as there may be pieces of the puzzle not yet seen. On the other hand, we are getting insanely close whichever way it goes timing wise.

The Philadelphia Speech and God’s Sovereignty

By God’s sovereignty, given the other astounding prophetic signs that have appeared and the timing of the number of Israel’s Schmitta cycles that have suddenly come upon us here in 2022 going into 2023, He allowed this “Joseph” Biden speech to take place in Philadelphia as a sign to the Church that the time is quickly approaching when He is going to supernaturally remove us from the face of the earth – that is, all of those who have personally received Him through faith. Like the Hebrews of old from the pages of the book of “Exodus,” he is going to part the proverbial Red Sea as the still hidden Pharaoh Antichrist and his military aggressors descend upon the Philadelphian Christians of the Earth and call us home to the Promised Land. Just like those Hebrews of old were supernaturally assisted to cross over to the other side of the Red Sea, so too will we the Philadelphians be supernaturally assisted (in this case, snatched up) to cross over to the other side via the Rapture event before the Pharaohic army of the Antichrist (whose symbol the Luciferians proudly display in the logo of Space Delta 18) smashes us.

In closing, this is not to say that Barack Obama himself is the Antichrist – although it is possible. But this is to say that Barack Obama is likely a forerunner of the Antichrist much like John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus Christ’s first appearance. The same spirit that shall exist during the Tribulation when Antichrist rules and reigns seems to be the same spirit that has emerged in our day since Obama appeared onto the scene – and “Joseph” Biden, just like the “Joseph” that the ancient Pharaoh assigned to be his right-hand man over Egypt during the great famine of Egypt, is associated with it if by no other characteristic than by the symbol of bearing the same name as the Pharaoh-appointed right-hand man and the same theme of persecution that is engulfing America and the world just as it engulfed the Hebrews of old under the persecuting Pharaoh. It is now happening again at the exact time presently when “Joseph” is the figurehead president – president “Joseph” – a man who was under the Pharaoh-like “Trump” predecessor (1 Corinthians 15:51-54/1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) who represents ancient Egypt. It is clear that God is orchestrating the entire scenario as judgment is being prepared for the masses of humanity that will be left behind after the Rapture event takes place. The question now is … “Are you a Philadelphian?”

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

As has been thoroughly demonstrated, the divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading and Viewing:
THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN TIME AGES OF PROPHECY FULFILLMENT: CHURCH CANDLE 6 – THE AGE OF PHILADELPHIA

AMERICA THE VINEYARD 3: THE YEAR 2020 AND THE 400 YEAR PROPHETIC CYCLE

SPIRIT OF EGYPT: NUMERICAL GEOGRAPHICAL SYMBOLOGY – AURORA CINEMA SATANIC BLOOD RITUAL

BIDEN’S SATANIC SPEECH: LOST SOUL OF A DIVIDED AMERICA – ENEMIES OF THE STATE

FALL OF THE PHOENIX: 33RD SABBATH COUNTDOWN – ENCRYPTED JUBILEE PATTERN OF AMERICA’S DOOM

GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSES: DIVIDED STATES OF AMERICA – X MARKS THE PROPHETIC SPOT

GOD DAMN AMERICA: FALL OF SOVIET AMERICAN UNION – GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSES 2017-2024

GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE: AN AGENT OF NATIONAL DIVISION – DIVIDE AND CONQUER – NEW WORLD ORDER INITIATED?

But first, lets answer and make clear the biblical declaration of not only the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but also a refutation of the other arguments for a Mid or Post-Tribulation catching away of all those who have personally received Christ.

The Rapture event is prominently conveyed in two locations within scripture – although there are more than two. But for clarity sake, let’s give you the two most prominent that are often quoted …

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).

The word “rapture” comes from a Latin translation of the Greek word “Harpazo” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 which is translated in English as “caught up.” It literally means “to seize” or “to snatch away.” All who interpret the Bible in a literal sense believe in the fact of the Rapture and that it is distinct from the Second Coming of Christ. There are disagreements among some in the study of prophecy over exactly when the Rapture occurs in relation to the Tribulation period. The three primary views are a Pre-Tribulation view, the Mid-Tribulation view and the Post-Tribulation view.

In short, the Pre-Tribulation view holds that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation begins and that born again believers will be with Christ in Heaven to return to Earth with Him at the end of the Tribulation in the Second Coming event. The Mid-Tribulation view holds that the Rapture will occur at some point during the middle of the Tribulation Period and that born-again believers will go through the first half of the Tribulation period and be taken to Heaven at its mid-point. The Post-Tribulation view holds that the rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation Period when it has expired, thus born again believers must endure the Tribulation judgments and will be raptured simultaneously with Jesus’ return to the earth in the Second Coming event.

There is a fourth view concerning the Rapture of the true Church which has garnered attention through the years. It is not been widely taught for the most part since it has been largely unorthodox and is at considerable variance with the Scripture – that is, not until more recent years with the advent of prominent personalities in prophetic studies such as Perry Stone, John Hagee and other not so well known personalities. Some prophecy expositors also seem to be a bit wishy-washy with this doctrine. It is a view that has gained some following among those who are weak on knowledge of the Word of God and strong on experience and human view-point. This view is in direct contradiction to one of the most central and important doctrines of all, that of salvation by grace through faith alone. It is commonly called the “Partial Rapture View.”

There are some variations among its adherents, but generally it means the following: When the Lord Jesus comes to snatch away the true Church, only the spiritual believers will be taken. The carnal, or “backslidden” believers, will be left behind on Earth to go through the Tribulation along with the unsaved unbelievers. Most adherents of this view believe that the partial Rapture will occur before the Tribulation.

In the field of prophecy (eschatology) there is general agreement among most all in every view of the rapture timing that there will be a literal seven years of world Tribulation, that Jesus will return visibly and personally, that He will then set up a literal 1,000-year earthly kingdom over which He will rule, that mortals will repopulate the earth – which is to say, those who have survived the Tribulation period after having been left behind at the Rapture but receive Christ during the Tribulation and are allowed to enter the millennial kingdom. After this, these same mortals will have children who will then grow into adults and repopulate the earth, that there will be a final judgment at “the great white throne” at the end of the thousand years when all unsaved unbelievers of all ages past will be finally condemned, and that eternity begins after this.

In other words, what I have described above is a premillennial view of Christ’s return and the Messianic kingdom. All the pre, mid and post-Tribulationists are “premillennialists.” Post-Millennialists believe that the Church will overcome the world and bring the millennial period of peace and perfect environment to earth on its own. Then Christ will come at the end of history and receive the kingdom from the Church. This view flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during a period of pseudo-optimism about the Church’s missionary success and the effect of education on human nature. But World War 1 seriously shook this view, and World War 2 all but wiped it out. It should be noted that this view is founded on a gross mishandling of the prophetic Scriptures. The allegorical method of interpretation is used throughout this faulty view.

The term “amillennial” means no millennium, and proponents of this view believe there will be no specific period of Tribulation, no fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy about the Seventieth Week and no millennial kingdom. Jesus will simply come at the end of history, judge all people (believers and unbelievers), and start eternity. The only way one can arrive at this view is by using an allegorical method of interpretation. This means that one assigns to words a meaning other than that normally understood and accepted at the time of writing.

Amillennialists concede that if prophecy is interpreted literally (normally), grammatically, and historically, it will produce a pre-millennial view. The literal method allows for parable, allegory and figures of speech, but recognizes that the context will clearly indicate when this is the case.

Amillennialism has some dangerous side effects. First, it makes God guilty of not keeping unconditional covenants and promises made to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whom we call Jews today. For God not only swore that there would always be a distinct race of Israelites on Earth, but that there will be a true, believing remnant of Jews who will be established in a literal kingdom on Earth ruled by Jesus Christ upon His return to Earth. If you look up the following verses, you will see that the covenants depend upon God’s faithfulness alone, not Israel’s obedience …

1. Promise of the land: Genesis 12:7/ 13:15-16/17:7-8.
2. Promise of the land, a kingdom, and a greater Son of David (Messiah) as king: Psalm 89:27-37.
3. Promise of restoration to the land of Israel from worldwide dispersion and establishment of Messiah’s kingdom: Jeremiah 31:31-37/Ezekiel 36, 37, 38, 39 and so forth.
4. Promises that a remnant of the Israelites will be saved: Romans 11:25-29/ Zechariah 13:8-9/Isaiah 10:20-22.

This is only a sampling of passages, but it shows how Solemn God’s covenants with the Israelites are. The restoration of the State of Israel in May of 1948 is a literal confirmation of these promises. That said, the reestablishment of Israel in Jesus’ prophecy of the fig tree in Matthew 24 as a sign that He is getting ready to return to Earth is THE key prophecy that all other end times prophecy and signs of the end time generation leading to the Rapture itself are hinged on. One other prophecy found in the book of Matthew chapter 21 is also an absolute key piece of the prophetic puzzle that had to be in place in order for the fig tree itself to be established – and that is the establishment of the United States of America beginning in 1620 and the Pilgrim’s landing at the Plymouth Colony as the fulfillment of the transplanted Vineyard prophecy – the vineyard that Jesus mentioned would be taken from ancient Israel – the original Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) – and temporarily given over to another nation. Of course, as we all know, this prophecy would find its ultimate fulfillment in 1776 with its declared independence from England/Great Britain after the American Revolutionary War.

Some would contend, based on 1 Peter 2:7-9, that the true born again church is this nation that Jesus spoke about in the Matthew 21 Vineyard prophecy as the Apostle Peter does, indeed, refer to the true Church as being a “nation.” However, due to the particular word used in Jesus’ prophecy of the word “nation” in His Vineyard prophecy of Matthew 21, it becomes highly credible that he was referring to a specific group, nation or race of people. There are several uses of this Greek word “nation.”  One is “genos,” which means “a race” or “kind.”  The second word or use of nation in Greek is allophulos, which means “another tribe” “foreign or of another race.” The use of this word can be found in Acts 10:28.  But the third and most common word in the New Testament for nation is “ethnos,” meaning a nation or people.  This is the particular rendering of the word “nation” that Jesus used in his prophecy of the vineyard in Matthew 21 when he dramatically stated that he would take the kingdom of God, or vineyard, from Israel and give it to another nation.

When looking at America’s true and quite peculiar history along with its geographical anomalies, it becomes very evident and substantial that America is, indeed, the nation that Jesus prophesied of when saying this new nation would bring forth the spiritual fruits of the kingdom of God before His return. In fact, the evidence for this is so strong and powerful, the only ground I could, or would, give on this view to any skeptic would be to say that, at the very least, America is very strongly connected to this prophecy – if not the direct fulfillment of it. As we all know, America is known worldwide as a nation that has carried forth the message of the Gospel message with its missionaries and other forms of spreading forth the Gospel message across to the nations of the earth for the winning of souls into the kingdom (the spiritual fruit that Jesus mentioned in his Vineyard prophecy) (the details of this Vineyard prophecy can be seen in a previous article here).

All of that is to say that there are key and critical events of history and recent history that are now in place there weren’t in place before that discredits the critic and skeptic of the Rapture, the Tribulation and the Millennium (otherwise known as the Amillennialist) with a decisiveness.

A Meeting In The Air

It is very important to note that “we will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). There is a major point of controversy between the pre-Tribulationists and the Post-Tribulationists over what happens next.

The Post-Tribulationist says that after meeting the Lord in the air we will immediately return with Him to the earth. They agree that all believers alive at the time will be instantly transformed into immortal bodies. But since this event, in their view, occurs in connection with the Second Coming, believers will meet the Lord in the air only to return immediately with Him back to Earth. In thoroughly examining this scenario, major unanswerable problems surface with other scriptures that deal with events that immediately follow the Second Coming. Let’s now take a look at one of those problems.

To The Father’s House

Pre-Tribulationists believe that a very important personal promise of the Lord is fulfilled when we meet the Lord in the air. As Jesus taught the disciples at the Last Supper, He sought to comfort and reassure them concerning His imminent departure with this promise …

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Let us make several observations about this prophecy.

First, Jesus specifically makes this promise to born again, saved believers in the Church. For His whole teaching at the Last Supper (which has been designated “The Upper Room Discourse) emphasized the revolutionary new privileges that would come to each believer when He ascended to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to take up permanent residence within them. It is these very privileges that make the age in which we live unique and vastly distinct from God’s previous dealing with Old Testament believers in general and Israel in particular.

Second, Jesus gives a very specific location around which the whole prophecy revolves. Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you,” and that place is specifically “His Father’s house.” We know from passages like Psalm 110:1 that when Jesus left and ascended, He went to God the Father’s presence and took a seat at His right hand. Jesus continued and said that as certainly as He was going to the Father’s house to prepare a place for us, that He would come again and take us to that place to be with Him.

Third, Jesus gives us the specific time that all the above will be fulfilled. It will be at the time He returns for the true Church, for He says, “I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am [in the Father’s house], there you may be also.” If Jesus is building us a dwelling place in the Father’s house, and if we are to go there when he comes for the Church, how could He be speaking of an event that occurs simultaneously with the Second Advent (Second Coming)? For at that time, Jesus is specifically and personally coming to the earth (see Zechariah 14:4-9).

If the Post-Tribulationists are right, then Jesus is engaged in a futile building program. For when He comes to the earth in the Second Coming, He will rule out of the earthly Jerusalem for 1,000 years. Sine He says He is going to come in order that we may be with Him where He is, we would have to be with Him here on Earth. Do you see the problem? The dwelling places in the Father’s house would be unused. And worse by far, Jesus would be guilty of telling us a lie. For as we have seen, He is coming for the purpose of taking us to the Father’s house at that time.

Post-Tribulationists do not keep this passage in context when they say that Jesus does not promise that upon His return He will take believers to mansions in the Father’s house. Instead, they say that He promises, “Where I am, there you may be also.” This makes Jesus’ whole promise ridiculous. Why would He speak of preparing a place in the Father’s house for us if He didn’t mean that His return was to take us there? With all due respect, Post-Tribulationists have violated a basic principle of interpretation here; i.e. to keep verses in context. The passage is clear to the simple folk. It takes real determination to find Post-Tribulationist’s interpretation in this passage.

The Post-Tribulationist make a truly novel allegorical interpretation of John 14:1-3. There is absolutely no indication in the context that the dwelling places He is preparing and His return to take us there are allegorical as the Post-Tribbers would have it.

Later, Jesus does promise that He will be with us spiritually through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that we will experience a mystical union with Him personally, but the context is very clear that this is what is literally meant (see John 14:15-26 and 16:7-25).

Putting It All Together

1. The Rapture was unknown until it was revealed to the Church by the apostles, especially Paul.
   
2. All believers living when the Rapture occurs will not experience physical death.
   
3. The Rapture will occur in two stages – the dead who are in the graves or somewhere else who had received Christ while alive will be raised first. Then, we who are alive and remain will suddenly get our glorified bodies when the Trump sounds, and then at an unknown period of time later (hours or days) we will be caught up into Heaven to meet the previously resurrected dead in the air as well as meeting with Christ Himself.
   
4. At that time, we will be taken into God the Father’s presence to temporary dwelling places that the Lord Jesus is presently preparing.

The False Post-Tribulation Narrative – Answering The Tribulation Terminator Rambos

With these prophetic themes in mind, let us see how the post, mid and pre-Tribulations answer the question of “Who will populate the coming Kingdom?”

The Post-Tribulation view faces the greatest difficulty in answering this question for the following reasons.

• The scriptures specify that only believers who survive the Tribulation will enter the Millennial Kingdom.

• Those surviving believers must be mortals with unresurrected bodies.

In the Post-Tribulation scheme for the Rapture, the Rapture occurs simultaneously with the Second Advent (Second Coming) of Christ at the very end of the Tribulation. Since in the Rapture every living believer on Earth will be instantly translated from mortal to immortal, from where will the believing survivors come from? The only survivors left in mortal bodies after the Rapture would all be unbelievers.

Furthermore, if the Rapture occurs simultaneously with the Second Advent, how could there be a judgment immediately afterward? The Rapture would have already separated the sheep from the goats. As we have seen, the Lord divides the survivors into two groups. The sheep He calls the “righteous,” which are those who have personally received Christ apart from any good works or behavior. It is by grace through faith – and faith alone, not works or behavior. They have eternal life and enter the Kingdom as mortals. The goats are cast directly into damnation after judgment (Matthew 25:46).

Some post-Tribulationists ineffectively try to answer this dilemma by saying that some of the unbelievers will believe immediately after the Rapture, when they see Jesus returning to the earth. But this is impossible because the basis upon which the Christ will evaluate such faith genuine faith is determined by how they treated “His brothers” (literally Jesus said, “these brothers of mine” (Matthew 25:40) during the Tribulation. It is not a “last-second” faith that He speaks of in either Ezekiel 20:33-39 or in Matthew 25:31-46.

The vast majority of Post-Tribulationists do not attempt to answer these questions related to who will populate the Kingdom. Most of them do not get into the fine points of the prophetic scriptures. They rather content themselves by taking potshots at the Pre-Tribulationists, contending that Pre-Tribulationists base their belief on wishful thinking and hearsay rather than on careful study of the scriptures.

Answering the Mid-Tribulation View

Most Mid-Tribulationists would have no problem with their system answering who would populate the the Kingdom since according to their view, the Rapture occurs at the middle of the Tribulation and many could be saved afterwards. There is one exception, however. Some Mid-Tribulationists themselves into a corner when they say that not one person will be saved after the Mid-Tribulation Rapture. The question that should be posed to their view is the same question, “Who will populate the Kingdom?” According to that view, there will only be unbelievers on Earth during the last half of the Tribulation and at the Second Coming. Therefore, there would be no need for separating the sheep and the goats, and thus all cast into everlasting punishment.

Furthermore, there could be no Millennial Kingdom because there would be no mortal believers, nor any mortals for that matter, left to enter the Kingdom. One of the Mid-Tribulationist’s major premise for establishing the mid-Tribulation view is that the wrath of God only falls upon the second half of the Tribulation, not the first. However, the wrath of God falls on man primarily in the spiritual realm in the first half of the Tribulation, and in the physical realm in the second half. We are not to believe that God’s wrath is expressed only in physical judgments are we? Indeed, the terrible judgment that God sends upon the world through the unrestrained, deceptive miracles of Satan are far worse because they will send men and women’s souls to Hell (2 Thessalonians 2:9-13).

God will deliver us from both His wrath in the spiritual and the physical sphere because He will come for us before the Tribulation begins.

The Pre-Tribulation Answer

The Pre-Tribulation view has no problem answering who will populate the Kingdom. Nor does it have a problem harmonizing the judgments at the end of the Tribulation.

• The Lord will rapture all those who have personally received Him into their hearts through faith before the beginning of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (the Tribulation period).

• The Antichrist will be revealed and will take over the ten-nation confederacy.

• He will sign a covenant with the leader of Israel, the False Prophet, which begins Daniel’s Seventieth
  Week (the Tribulation).

• Around this same time, God will send the two prophets/witnesses (Moses and Elijah) and will seal the 144,000 evangelists.

• They will have a great harvest of souls, although most will be martyred as revealed in Revelation 7:9-17). Incidentally, God says these martyrs are killed during “the Great Tribulation,” which as we know is the second half of Daniel’s final week (Revelation 7:14). (This also disproves the Mid-Tribulationist’s contention that no one will be saved during the Great Tribulation).

• The Lord returns to Earth and judges the Jewish and Gentile survivors separately.

• The believers of both groups go into the Kingdom, while the unbelievers who have rejected Christ are cast into the punishment of Hell. Believers from the body of Christ will enter the Millennial Kingdom, but will do so in immortal bodies as priests and co-rulers with Christ.

The OceanGate Omen and the Judgment of the Titans

With the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the true, born again Church firmly established, lets now take a look at one of the several signs that have recently emerged indicating that the Lord is getting ready to rapture home to Heaven all those who have personally received Him to spare us from the darkness that is quickly descending upon the earth.

In what is certainly a Providential sign of extremely bad things to come, on August 30, 2022, OceanGate Expeditions released a new, high-resolution video of the RMS Titanic wreckage in 8K resolution, revealing an astonishing level of detail and colors of the vessel that sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in the early morning hours of April 14, 1912. The new video footage can be seen below.

Some may find it incredible to imagine that God would speak to the world of his soon return and pending and imminent judgment through a shipwreck. However, as I and others have covered several times in previous articles, not only does God do so, but Bible scripture is replete with such examples throughout history wherein God spoke to individuals and nations through such signs. This phenomenon has been ongoing in recent years and picking up intensity as recently as earlier this year of 2022 as you will see scrolling back through some of my previous postings on this site. In fact, in the very first article published on this site, the astounding prophetic signs of connection that the story of the Titanic has with the passage of the highly publicized and visually dramatic prophetic significance of the Hale-Bopp comet of 1997 and its connection to the year 2017 was expounded upon here. God can use whatever vehicle he chooses. One of many such examples in biblical scripture can be seen in the story of Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22 …

“And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay.

Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth” (Numbers 22:21-39).

Like the story of Balaam’s donkey, He will find a way to get his message out to those who are listening with spiritual ears. Although today the Lord may or may not do this in modes and methods that He used to, He does now do so in methods that the modern world will understand and will be able to relate to based upon the modern culture and reality. Or in a way that I like to say it … “He will get up in your breakfast corn flakes and show Himself real.” Not only to an individual person, but also to a culture or the world at large so that the masses of humanity will take notice that He is still real and He is still in charge and sovereign over all the affairs of man. He has a way of making things modernly relevant and personal through the things that the present world can identify and relate to, not just in the stories of times gone past. However, make no mistake, the biblical record is the narrative of reality on which all current and future observational events must be discerned upon. Now, when considering and observing the newly released footage of the Titanic shipwreck, lets first understand the following information about the name “Titanic,” which was shared in the first article.

The name Titanic is derived from the word “Titan”. In Greek mythology, the Titans were a group of large beings who tried to overthrow the gods of Mount Olympus (Titanic’s sister ship was the Olympic). They were eventually defeated and cast down and consigned to the lowest region of the underworld (this should sound familiar). The compartment of the underworld in which they were confined was called “Tartarus,” which is the word that the Apostle Peter, under the Divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, uses to describe where some of the fallen angels are housed until the time of Judgment (2 Peter 2:4).  These angels are the ones that co-habited with human women. (Genesis 6:2, 4) An interesting fact here is that “Atlantis,” the fabled utopian civilization of antiquity, is also associated with the Atlantic and, in fact, supposedly disappeared under the ocean after a violent earthquake.

For centuries, explorers and historians have tried to determine if there was such a place, and, if so, where? Some of the places that are believed to be the ancient Atlantis are the isle of Crete, the Canary Islands, the Scandinavian Peninsula, and, believe it or not, AMERICA. Could it be?

It is here where we need to make a crucially important point. As I have been constantly pointing out on this site, America is either the direct fulfillment of the Matthew 21 Vineyard prophecy or closely connected to it (see that article here). In scripture, the God referred to the ancient nation of Israel as His “Vineyard.” However, in Matthew 21, Jesus makes the proclamation that the Vineyard is going to be taken from them (temporarily) and given to another “nation” that would produce the fruits of the Kingdom of God as required since Israel failed in doing so. In the aforementioned and linked article, powerful evidence exists that America is indeed that nation of the end times that would fulfill this mandate of Jesus.

Now, with that in mind, consider these bizarre facts… The word Titan is closely related to the name “Titus.” “Titus,” as you will recall, was the man who, in 70 A.D. (note this date), destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. Josephus records that, for years, signs were pointing to the destruction of Jerusalem, yet people refused to believe that God would allow it to happen. The only people who were known to escape this tragedy were those Christians who heeded the words of Jesus (Luke 21).

As shared in the first article, the movie TITANIC opened just before Christmas of 1997, very close to the day that comet Hale-Bopp disappeared from sight. Just a few weeks later, the movie was declared to be the largest grossing film of all time. That announcement came during the Hebrew month of Tevet. The Hebrew root of this name is probably related to tava, which means “TO SINK!”

As also shared in the first article, for several weeks thereafter, TITANIC remained on top at the box office. As the “70th” Academy Awards approached, the talk of the town was whether TITANIC would steal the show. It did. The movie won “eleven” Oscars. So, what is important about all that information?  Shouldn’t we find it at least interesting that TITANIC, the ship that was built by the “White Star Line” came on the scene about the time that the “White Star” of the Hale-Bopp comet left the scene? Isn’t it strange that TITANIC won all this acclaim at the “70th” academy awards? Could this possibly be an allusion to the year 70 A.D. when “Titus” destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in ancient Israel? It should be noted that one of first ships to receive a distress call from R.M.S. Titanic was the ship “MOUNT TEMPLE.”

Keeping in mind America’s prophetic parallel to ancient Israel as the modern Vineyard and its aforementioned possible connection to “Atlantis,” the fabled utopian civilization of antiquity, which is also associated with the Atlantic and, in fact, supposedly disappeared under the ocean after a violent earthquake, this newly released footage of the Titanic should be ringing our alarm bells right about now concerning the destiny of America and her fate since it shares the parallel of ancient Israel. Especially considering not only its already demonstrated prophetic Balaam-like sign as it relates to the Hale-Bopp comet, but also considering the fact that the world is approaching the sign of the 11th Sabbath Cycle since Israel’s reformation in 1948 in fulfillment of the fig tree prophecy of Matthew 24. The number 11 in biblical meaning is associated with chaos, disorder and judgment. Consider that this footage was released just before the start of the month of September – the very month of the Feast of Trumpets … a feast that has heavy biblical connotations for the Rapture event. Not only that, but keeping in mind that the movie “Titanic” won “11” Oscars at the Academy Awards. What are the odds of that happening by chance? Pretty darn slim.

Before continuing on with this amazing prophetic sign, it should be acknowledged that there is a conspiracy that surfaced regarding whether or not the Titanic was really the Titanic. The conspiracy goes that a ship named Olympic was the first of three ships to be built, and as the line’s namesake, it was considered the lead ship. Its maiden trip was widely heralded, and its first few voyages were unqualified successes. But on just its fifth voyage, the vessel ran into serious trouble. A ship named Hawke collided with the Olympic and made an unexpected turn. Caught off guard, the two ships crashed. The Olympic was able to limp back to port, badly wounded. A trial would later hold the White Star Line responsible for the incident. Below is a picture taken of the tear in the hull of the Olympic after the Hawke incident.

After the crash, conspiracy theorists claim that the Olympic was an economic disaster. The lawsuit meant repairs would not be covered by insurance, and it was drawing no money while sitting around the docks. So, the company made a switch: its newly built second ship would take on the name Olympic, while its damaged older ship would be re-purposed to be the Titanic. Eventually, the true Olympic (now secretly operating as the Titanic) would be scuttled in an accident from which the White Star Line could collect an insurance payment befitting a brand-new ship—all while the ship originally built as the Titanic would have lived on. The only thing that ruined the plan was an iceberg, or as some would posit, deliberate sabotage because there were politicians on board the Titanic that were against creating the Federal Reserve, therefore, it was deliberately sunk. Some have allegedly and conclusively debunked the Olympic/Titanic switcheroo/name replacement theory. However, the more important point that should be made is that, in foreseeing how someone may attempt to debunk this amazing prophetic sign, the point should be made clear that even if the Titanic name really was swapped out with the Olympic name, the fact that they put the name “Titanic” to what was really the Olympic would bolster the prophetic sign of the sinking of the ship all the more. It would demonstrate that God is in control of the affairs of man – no matter how small the action. The point of the matter is that “a” ship named Titanic sank and the new footage has been presented – and the fact that “a” ship (whichever ship it really was) bore the name “Titanic” and that approximately 1,200 people died. That is the meat of the prophetic sign. 

So, is it a God-appointed Balaamic-type prophetic sign of the approaching Rapture event and judgment of the Tribulation to have a company called “OceanGate” Expeditions release this footage of the Titanic at the dawn of the “11th” Sabbath Cycle? Given the previous signs in more recent years that have emerged showing us that the end of the Church Age is quickly coming to a close, my conclusion is yes, it is. The evidence highly suggests it. Are we witnessing God’s subtle, but seemingly obvious, Balaamic allusion to the “gate” (Ocean Gate?) that will be opened so that the “gods” of Greek mythology (what the Bible refers to as Fallen Angels” and “Nephilim”) can be released upon the earth during the Tribulation as referenced in Revelation 9?

Interestingly, last year (2021), the OceanGate kicked off what’s intended to be a yearly series of visits. It completed it’s “5th” mission to the Titanic in August of that year – just a few months before the Balaamic prophetic sign of the William Shatner lift-off into outer space occurred (see the prophetic significance of that event here). Biblically, the number 5 is the number of grace. The Church Age from Christ to the Rapture is known as the Age of “Grace.” This year, in September of 2022 (this month), it will have been “5” years since the much talked-about and publicized Revelation 12 Rapture sign in the heavens occurred. Interestingly, the Shatner lift-off to outer space aboard the Blue Origin Rocket was delayed one day – echoing back to the biblical concept of a year for a day – thus, last year’s OceanGate completion of the “5th” trip to Titanic signaling the passage of “one more year” (year for a day). This year, they have again completed a mission to the Titanic and released pictures and video – just before the lift-off of the Balaamically prophetic Artemis Orion rocket is set to launch into outer space to the moon (see the prophetic significance of that event here). Is part of the Titanic footage a Providentially timed release showing us a sign of the aforementioned fabled Titans of Atlantis in Bible prophecy? As you may well know, the Atlantic Ocean is the location of the Bermuda Triangle with all of its strange occurrences over the years. As you also may well know, the “Atlantic” Ocean is the ocean wherein the Titanic sank.

Giants Vs. Titans and the Return of the King

Significantly, coming up on September 11, some may be aware of a certain football game that will take place in the “Nissan” Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on … wait for it … September 11, 2022. Quite a “coincidence” that we would suddenly have a very prophetic sign emerge in the Titanic footage being released by the “OceanGate” Exploration company just before the arrival of the “11th” Sabbath Cycle in September and have a “Giants Vs. Titans” game airing on the very day that, itself, is of prophetic consequence. There are probably many prophetic roads that one could go down with this, but let me point out something of spiritual significance that took place on September 11, 2001 during the false flag attack on the World Trade Center Towers in New York City. I have pointed this out a few times before on previous postings, but it bears repeating here since it is so consequential in the prophetic signs that are emerging surrounding this date- namely a “Titans,” Titanic,” September “11” and number “11” theme.

It should be noted that 9/11 holds a very distinct place in the book of Revelation. The place of which I speak is none other than Revelation 9:11, wherein we see the mention of the evil demonic spirit of Abaddon/Apollyon which will rise from the bottomless pit to the earth and shall act as the “king” over the other demonic locusts that will ascend with him and inhabit the Antichrist …

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon” (Revelation 9:1-11).

This demonic spirit will eventually enter and control the Antichrist after the true Church has disappeared in the Rapture event. Many may remember the strange and downright creepy face that emerged out of the smoke just after the plane struck the tower.

If this isn’t enough to curl the hair on the back of your neck around your tonsils, then brace for impact at this next sign. Player Derrick Henry, who is touted as the “king,” is apparently making his “comeback” for the Titans and his return is being hailed as the “Return of the King.” Yes, that’s right … “Return of the King.” Not only that, his Jersey number is “22.”

Thanks to commenter Brandon in the comment section below, he has pointed out that the quarterback for the game (Ryan Tannehill) sports the number 17 jersey. One of the basics of football is that the most important position on the field is a quarterback. Only the quarterback touches the ball on every offensive snap, and only the quarterback is the triggerman for the passing game. No other player can do more to win—or lose—a professional football game. In simple mathematics, if one subtracts 17 (quarterback) from 22 (running back), you get the aforementioned number of Grace – the number 5 (the Church Age is called the Age of Grace). Furthermore, in Hebrew (the original language of the Bible) Ryan’s name means “little king.” Could this be a prophetic allusion to the “little horn” of Daniel 7:8 – which is a prophetic reference to the Antichrist? …

“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:8).

22=”Return of the King” (player Derrick Henry).

17=Year of the Revelation 12 Rapture Sign and the Great American
Eclipse (player Ryan Tannehill).

5=Biblical number of Grace (Church Age) and number of years from the
Revelation 12 Rapture sign until now (September 2022 – Feast of
Trumpets).

It is a rather convenient and prophetically eye-opening picture we have forming here. Is this a God-given clue that the Rapture will occur before this year (2022) is over? Or is it a clue to the fact that 2022 is a pivotal year in Bible prophecy that will lead to the Rapture occurring in an upcoming year?

There are two ways of looking at this obvious prophetic hint from on high regarding the “king” sign. First, the foremost obvious is that Jesus Christ is called “The King” in scripture. He is referred to as such when he returns for the second time in the well known passage in Revelation 19 …

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords” (Revelation 19:11-16).

However, notice also that the evil demonic spirit of Apollyon/Abaddon that emerges from the Bottomless Pit in Revelation 9:11 (the same date/day that the Giants Vs. Titans game will take place on – September 11) is also described as a “king” over the hordes of other demonic spirits/creatures that emerge from the Pit. Could this be what the Lord is hinting at since the theme of this month is Giants, Titans (Titanic) and the number 11? Or do both apply? The Lord may be telling us that He is coming soon as “King,” but it also may be an allusion to the “king” of the Bottomless Pit.

Interestingly, as previously mentioned, the Giants Vs. Titans game will be played in a stadium called “Nissan.” Bible scholars will recognize that name to be a Hebrew name that refers to the first month of the Jewish Calendar. It is the month of the Feast of Trumpets. Interestingly, the Strong’s Hebrew Concordance of the Bible has this word “Nisan” as H5212. The Hebrew base word is נִיסָן. Its literal meaning is “their flight” (source). This should make one sit up and take notice considering that the world witnessed a powerful prophetic sign in the aforementioned 2021 “lift-off,” or “flight,” of William Shatner in the Blue Origin spacecraft in 2021 that seemed to display some rather peculiar Rapture connotations pointing to this year. Also, as I type this on September 3, 2022, this is the very day that the Artemis Orion Rocket will “Lift-off,” or take its “flight” into outer space and attempt a moon landing. If it is scrubbed like it was the first time, presumably, it will eventually launch at some point this year. Again, as mentioned, the Artemis event seems to display an obvious Rapture connotation as well. If not this year, then soon.

In these two “lift-offs,” we seem to have a “flight” theme taking place in conjunction with an emerging precarious world situation that is looking like global famine (Revelation 6) is soon to break out, a global collapse of fiat currency, mass power outages as the energy supply is intentionally being halted and destroyed, the Mark of the Beast technology being readied for implementation, World War 3 with Russia and China, the continuously increasing cost of living dramatically threatening living standards throughout the first world, etc. When the Rapture event occurs, those who have personally received Jesus Christ as Savior will take their “flight” home to Heaven.

Is the Lord further hinting to us that “something” is going to occur in the month of “Nisan,” perhaps the Rapture? Perhaps something else of spiritual significance that will occur that is going to signal to us the nearness of the Rapture and the Tribulation?

As sufficiently demonstrated in the first article, the Hale-Bopp comet certainly displayed the characteristics of a God-sent sign of the coming Antichrist and global judgment. Curiously, the comet found itself prophetically intertwined with the story of the Titanic in a Providential end time sign-filled thread. The Bible’s documented history of these mythological Atlantean Titans has seemingly, and curiously found their way into a modern prophetic sign of the end of days through the story of the Titanic. Tellingly, the logo for OceanGate’s Titanic exploration displays the word “Titan” at its bottom with what looks to be an “eye” peering out at us.

Titan fallen angels/Nephilim under the water in the Atlantic Ocean? Perhaps in another dimension? Does this explain the strange and creepy events taking place with the Bermuda Triangle? Soon, those very same so-called “Titans” will be released upon the earth once again to torment mankind as so vividly depicted in the book of Joel …

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:1-11).

The question is … “Are you paying attention?”

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

As has been thoroughly demonstrated, the divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading and Viewing:
RAISING HELL WITH CERN AND SATURN
THE HALE-BOPP COMET AND 2017: A DRAMATIC SIGN OF THE COMING GLOBAL JUDGMENT

Previously, we explored chapter 7 in our on-going trek through the book of John. Here, we shall continue on with that journey by exploring chapter 8 and the subject of Jesus’ profound declaration that He is the “light of the world.”

In John 7,8 and 9, the Apostle John tells us about the Savior’s ministry during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Chapter 7 covers His movements during the seven-day festival, while chapter 8 and 9 cover the eighth day, known in Judaism as Shemini Atzeret. On that day, which happened to be a Sabbath, Jesus forgave a woman caught in the act of adultery (chapter 8) and healed a man born blind (chapter 9).

As we open chapter 8, the seventh day of Sukkot had just concluded with the Hoshana Rabbah (the Great Hosanna) rituals. Two events made the seventh day special: (1) the circling of the altar seven times instead of just once while carrying the four species and reciting the hoshana prayers, and (2) the beating of the willows. Pilgrims have been camping out in make-shift booths around Jerusalem for a week. Those who lived in the immediate vicinity would finally get to go back to their comfortable homes. Thus, we are told in John 7:53 that “… every man went unto his own house.” For the pilgrims who came from distant provinces, however, it was a different matter. Only one verse later (John 8:1), we are told that “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.” Perhaps He went there to see His disciples who had been staying there in makeshift booths during the week. Thousands more also spent another night camping out in order to spend that extra day around Jerusalem.

Early the next morning, Jesus returned to the Temple and began to teach. Religious activity normally began before daybreak. A person was designated to stand on the roof of the Temple and await the morning light. When there was enough light to see Bethlehem, five miles south, he would signal the priests below to offer the morning sacrifice. It is likely that Jesus entered the Temple just before daybreak and began teaching as the dawn commenced.

According to Jewish custom, pilgrims were invited to tarry one more day for the observance of Shemini Atzeret. The Hebrew term Atzeret means, “gathering” (Numbers 29:35) or “to hold back.” This eighth day is said to be God’s invitation to tarry an extra day and visit with God. Prophetically, the seven days of Tabernacles represent seven thousand years of human history. The beating of the willow branches on the seventh day represents the final “day of judgment” in the seventh millennium. This eighth day, in which observant Jews are to linger with God, represents a day that will never end. We can see this prophecy fulfilled in John’s description of the descent of the Holy City, New Jerusalem (Revelation 21) at the beginning of the eighth millennium.

It should be pointed out that the story of the eighth day is given in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel. The prophetic significance of Shemini Atzeret looks forward to the conclusion of “time” as we know it and the beginning of eternity. Furthermore, as has been pointed out many times, in order to keep the idea that biblical scripture displays the fingerprint of Divine Providence in its structure and composition, the reader should be reminded that the meaning and theme of each individual letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to the subject matter and theme of its respective chapter number in the book of John. That being the case, John’s eighth chapter corresponds to the meaning of the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, ח chet, the symbol of transcendence.

The Hebrew Letter Chet

The letter ח chet lines up perfectly with this 8th chapter of the book of John in theme/subject matter. It seems that the Hebrew alphabet is divided into sets of seven letters each, similar to the octaves on a piano. This eighth letter, ח chet, takes us to a new level of experience. It represents transcendence, divine grace and eternal life. It is on a plane above nature – the metaphysical or divine. Just as Shemini Atzeret looks forward to a day that will never end, ח chet stands for Heaven, where there is no night, only eternal day, or shall we say, eternal “light.” The number 7 stands for spiritual perfection, but the number eight stands for a metaphysical level above spiritual perfection. That is, it is a perfection that only God can bestow.

It is said that the ה hay and ח chet are interchangeable in some cases. Both refer to the divine presence of the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew term halelim, spelled with a ה hay, is translated “praise,” but the same word chalelim, spelled with a ח chet, is translated “redemption.” These two Hebrew letters seem to represent the two Advents of the Holy Spirit – coming once as the earnest (down-payment) of our inheritance, and coming back to complete our inheritance in the Holy City New Jerusalem in Heaven that shall one day come down to Earth in the future. This offering of a new beginning through the 8th letter ח chet can be easily discerned in the redemption and offering of a new beginning for the woman taken in adultery in ח chet’s corresponding chapter number – chapter 8.

The Woman Taken in Adultery

“And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:3-11).

A small group of Scribes and Pharisees (perhaps half a dozen or so) interrupted Jesus’ teaching by bringing the woman and accusing her of adultery. Such accusations, even if true, were sure to disrupt any congregation. However, I think that Jesus expected them and was probably teaching some related subject that fit the occasion. He may have arrived at a place in His teaching where the arrival of the woman with her accusers could be used to illustrate His point. In any case, Jesus was never caught off guard. He was in complete control of every situation. It is likely that the congregation had been prepared to understand what was going on when the Scribes and Pharisees arrived.

Camping out for a week among thousands of other pilgrims offered opportunities for temptation. The fact that she was caught in the act implies that she and her lover may have been found in a sukkah or booth. Had they been in the privacy of a house, they might not have been caught. Note that the man was not brought with her. Perhaps she was coerced for the purpose of trying to trick Jesus. Had Jesus agreed that she should be stoned, He could have been accused of breaking Roman law that forbade Jewish executions. However, had he disagreed with the Mosaic Law, He could have lost the confidence of those He taught. We are told that many believed on Him that day – and as such, received eternal life.

Notably, some versions of the Bible leave this story out. It is said by some that the earliest known manuscripts did not include John 7:53 through 8-11. However, there are several reasons to believe that the passage is authentic. The story was listed in the third-century Apostolic Constitutions as biblical grounds for accepting penitents who had been disciplined by the church. Furthermore, the story was believed to be authentic by such early church theologians as Jerome, Ambrose and Augustine. Augustine reported that some men who were “weak in faith” wanted to leave the passage out of Scripture because they were afraid their wives would use it to justify immorality. Instead of answering their question audibly, Jesus stooped down to the ground and began to write.

Silence prevailed for several minutes. The rest of the congregation was silent with anticipation of what was about to happen. After the persistence of her accusers, Jesus finally arose and invited them to cast their stones, but only if they were not guilty of the same sin. As if He was confident that they could not comply, He turned His back to them, stooped down to the ground and continued His writing. One by one, from the oldest to the youngest, they dropped their stones and slipped away. Jesus did not stare them down, so to speak, and force them to make a decision. They simply slipped away while the Savior was not looking.

Over the centuries, theologians have offered various suggestions for this remarkable strategy. Some think that Jesus was listing the sins of the accusers in His writings in the dirt. Others think He may have written the name of the man who seduced her. The first notion would have kept Jesus quite busy. The second suggestion would have alerted the accusers that He was aware of their scheme. Whatever it was that He was writing kept the Savior writing for several minutes. Separately, given that Jesus was God in the flesh, it is also an intriguing possibility that by the act of writing in the dirt, He was also showing the Jews that He was indeed the one that formed Adam from the dust of the Earth during the creation story back in Genesis.

Writing with His finger reminds us of the two tables of the Law known as the Ten Commandments, written by the finger of God. Perhaps Jesus was asserting the fact that He was the one who wrote those Ten Commandments in stone. This is an intriguing possibility given the fact that we know Jesus was God who came to Earth in the flesh. Silent … silent for how long, we do not know. At this point, it should be noted that this theme is repeated in the same chapter of the book of Revelation – the Apostle John’s other book. As has been mentioned in a previous postings, the subject matter and theme in each chapter of the book of John mirrors the subject matter and theme in its corresponding chapter in the book of Revelation, thus showing us the divine Providential fingerprint of God on the structural design of both books and on the biblical text. There, in Revelation chapter 8, the saints in Heaven are silent for a half and hour, just as the event of Jesus’ silence is seen in John chapter 8 as He was writing in the dirt …

“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).

In John 8, no stones were cast at the adulterous woman because the Scribes and Pharisees were not worthy. But in Revelation 8, one who is sinless – one who is worthy – takes fire from the altar and casts it into the earth …

“And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake” (Revelation 8:5).

John’s corresponding chapter in Revelation 8 brings us inevitably to the time of His divine judgment. In these passages, the Savior is revealed as both the Lawgiver and the Judge. He was the one who gave the Law to Moses, and He will be the one to carry out its judgment. Note that He asked, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you, go, and sin no more” (John 8:10-11). Some theologians say that Jesus did not specifically forgive her, but simply did not render a judgment at that time, thus giving her the opportunity to turn her life around. By telling her to “go, and sin no more,” He was not condoning her sin, but was agreeing to wait.

Because of Jesus’ teaching in the following verses, it is probable that she believed on Jesus as Savior – thus bestowed with eternal life along with the others (verse 31). Jesus gave the congregation an alternative to sinful living. He told them that He was the giver of divine illumination – the spiritual “light of the world.” Here, it is important to note that Jesus also never gave the impression or statement that “living right” is enough to be forgiven of anything to inherit eternal life. Throughout scripture – including Jesus’ own statements – eternal life can only be received through faith i.e. belief on Him as Savior, not works or right living of any amount.

The Light of the World

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Notice that John often associates “light” with “life.” In the introduction to this Gospel, John told us: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Today, scientists may gather the various ingredients for a living cell, but they cannot produce life. A cell may seem essentially the same after it dies, but cannot be revived. Simply speaking, scientists cannot create life in a test tube or anywhere else for that matter. Life emanates from somewhere beyond this realm we call time/space and seems to contain the properties of light.

In recent years, various scientific experiments have noted that all living cells give off light. In 1964, a Nobel prize was given to the inventor of the Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). It was used to shield the interference of the earth’s electromagnetic fields, and thus make it possible to measure the weak electromagnetic fields of living cells. It was discovered that all living things emit actual light. The discovery was reported in the Brain Mind Bulletin: “The cells of living things give off coherent light – ‘biophotons.’ This light is different from what is known as ‘bioluminescence, which we see in fireflies. Biophoton radiation ranges from infrared to ultraviolet. Growing cells radiate more intensely than fully developed ones. Dying cells also show intense photon emission” (Brain Mind Bulletin, volume 10, number 14, August 19, 1985, page 1).

Years ago, Karl S. Kruszelnick, reporting for ABC News, reported that in the 1980s, Japanese companies began to make super-sensitive detectors that could pick up really weak light signals. In fact, to kick-start a Bio-Optics industry, in 1986 the Japanese government threw billions of yen into a five-year Biophoton Research Program. Soon, dozens of scientists all across Japan started finding these weak bursts of light being emitted from living things as varied as insects and fruit.

They found that injured plant seedlings (that had been cut) pumped out masses of photons as they were cut. Masaki Kobayashi, a physicist at the Tohoku Institute of Technology, Sendai, Japan, discovered that cancer cells pumped out photons at the rate of 1,400 photons per square cm per minute – about 35 times higher than non-cancer cells.

But a biophysicist, Guenter AlbrechtBuehler from the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, thinks that these bunches of photons of light are much more than just a cry of distress. He thought that while they could be a scream of pain, they could also be a method that cells use to talk to each other. After all, (presumably) we still do not know how cells in a growing embryo talk to each other to work out where they go, and what they should do. Of course, ever since the massive genetic manipulation taking place since the Covid con and the globalist’s deadly so-called “vaccine” injections that have now been shown to manipulate human DNA, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that they have figured the whole matter of cells out these days. Back in the 1980s, Fritz-Albert Popp, who was then lecturing at the University of Marburg in Germany, did an interesting experiment with cells and light. When he separated some cells with an opaque barrier, the cells merrily and randomly squirted out photons of light. But when he removed the opaque barrier, the cells started to squirt out their photons in time with each other.

The fact that the cells became organized to give off photons “in time with each other” suggests the possibility that light may have a certain intelligence in displaying such an obviously designed function – designed not from the ridiculous notion of random chance in evolutionary process, but intelligent design from “someone” or “something” outside of our time/space continuum. Of course, we know that to be God himself. But even for the scientific world and the discipline of science and just plain observation, this should scream Jesus – the “light” of the world.

Karl Kruszelnicki also noted that photon detectors are still primitive – (at least at the time this experiment was done) that they can only pick up about 20% of the photons generated. He said: “Once we develop detectors that are cheap enough to be affordable, and efficient enough to pick up 80% of the photons, then maybe we could see real medical uses for this Light of Life …”

He used the term “Light of Life” and even capitalized the phrase. It seems that he may have taken the term straight from the Bible. Who knows.

It is possible that everything in this universe is comprised of light. Radio waves are simply very wide light waves. Sound waves are even wider. There seems to be a frequency to everything. Though not yet proven (at least to my knowledge), the building blocks of matter may be intricately connected to light waves. We are told that electrons whirl around protons and neutrons. Combinations of these make up all of the elements that form matter. Sound waves narrowly tuned can bring down a bridge or break a glass, meaning that the matter that makes up the bridge or glass may contain a frequency that when harmonized with a certain sound waves can cause sympathetic vibrations. For this reason, armies always break rhythm when marching across a bridge. Jesus is the Light of the World. He brought everything into existence; gives life to cells; and keeps the universe percolating in its present state.

Among the crowd that day were some of Israel’s finest theologians – the Pharisees. They questioned the validity of His claim to being the Light of the world …

“The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come” (John 8:13-20).

The Mosaic Law required the testimonies of two witnesses to validate a claim. Therefore, the Pharisees told Jesus that His testimony alone was not enough to validate His claim. In their minds, to be believed, Jesus needed the testimony of another. This argument was presented earlier in John 5:31-47. There, Jesus said that He had several witnesses to validate His deity and mission. In addition to John the Baptist, Jesus said that His work (miracles) bore witness … the Scriptures (prophecy) bore witness … Moses wrote of Him … and finally, God the Father testified as to the true nature of the Son. In chapter 8, Jesus said that the Father was His second witness. His message was so powerful that no one dared to arrest Him. However, anger boiled in the hearts of the Temple authorities.

Who Are You?

“Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who are you? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father” (John 8:21-27).

One again, Jesus tells the group that He is going away and that they cannot come. We understand that to mean that the Savior was going to return to Heaven. This occurred in the opening chapter of the book of Acts. However, on that day the people could not comprehend such a statement. Some questioned whether Jesus might kill Himself. On the previous day, some of the Jews wondered if Jesus was going to leave the country, tour the world and teach the Gentiles (John 7:35). Remarkably, they were more right than wrong. Jesus did return to Heaven, and since then, the Gospel has gone out around the world – to the Gentiles.

When they heard Jesus say that He was not of this world, but rather from Heaven above, they asked Him, “Who are you?” It is as if they could not make up their minds about His messianic claims. They asked Him to tell them plainly if He was the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus replied that He had already told them, and that His message had never varied from the beginning of His ministry. Still, they could not understand. They just could not comprehend His relationship with the Father. They didn’t know who it was that sent Him.

Jesus Foretells His Crucifixion

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him” (John 8:28-30).

The Savior’s statement about being “lifted up” shows that He knew about the future, and signified by what means He would die. Though, under Roman rule, capital punishment was suspended, the Jewish method of execution was stoning. However, with the Romans came crucifixions. When Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He referred to being “lifted up” (John 3:14), and again, here, He speaks of being “lifted up.” This is an obvious reference to Roman crucifixions.

Jesus referred to His Father, and that He only taught the things that the Father had taught Him. Some in the crowd realized that He was speaking about God the Father and believed on Him. For them, Jesus had a word of admonition:

Freedom In Christ

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:31-36).

When Jesus told them that they can be free, some (probably unbelievers) took exception, saying that they were the off-spring of Abraham and were subject to no man, when in fact, they were servants of the Roman government. To clear up the metaphor, the Savior explained that He was referring to the spiritual condition of Adam’s progeny. That we are all in the state of sin and can only be set free from its bondage through faith in Christ wherein the spirit of a man/woman gets recreated from its state of death (sin) into a state of regenerative life – eternal life.

Abraham’s Seed

“I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word” (John 8:37-43).

Not all of the group attending the session was plotting the Jesus’ death, but some were. Those are the ones to whom the Savior speaks in verses 37-43. He said that they were not Abraham’s children, implying that though they were from the lineage of Abraham, they did not share his faith. They were not the spiritual seed of Abraham. To counter the comment, the Jews hurled an accusation at Christ, implying that He was born of fornication when they said that they were not born from such an illicit relationship. In verse 48, they accuses Jesus of being fathered by a Samaritan. To the Jews, this was intended to be an insult. The Samaritans had immigrated from Iran centuries before and had intermarried among the northern tribes. Since Jesus was from the northern province of Galilee, they naturally assumed that He must have had descended from a Samaritan lineage. These argumentative Jews claimed that God was their Father, but Jesus countered by telling them that the devil was their spiritual father:

The Devil’s Children

“You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (John 8:44-51).

The entire conversation centered around Jesus’ claim of Deity. The Pharisees and Scribes could not bring themselves to believe this. The more Jesus explained His position, the more angry they became. The unbelieving Jews thought they had trapped Jesus because He said that anyone who believes in Him can live forever. They were now convinced that He was demon possessed …

“Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:52-58).

Their argument against Jesus’ offer of eternal life was that righteous Abraham was dead. Jesus countered by saying that Abraham rejoiced to see the First Advent of Christ. Perhaps He was saying that Abraham was still alive – living in an eternal state. Furthermore, Jesus explained that He also existed in this eternal state before Abraham was ever born. He said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” This was a profound claim. Jesus lived in Heaven before taking up temporal residence as the baby from Bethlehem. He was an eternal being living temporarily in a human body. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The unbelieving Jews picked up stones to cast at Him. Perhaps they picked up the very stones that had been dropped by the adulterer’s accusers. They were ready to stone Him.

Jesus Disappears

“Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:59).

Jesus simply disappeared before they could stone Him. He withdrew Himself from their view and simply walked through the crowd. To go “through the midst of them” implies that He walked toward the angry mob. Had he done so in a normal manner, the crowd could have captured Him. But, if He vanished from their sight and walked through their bodies, He demonstrated His deity.

As we shall see in the next chapter, Jesus met a man born blind as He exited the Temple compound. In this chapter, He forgives a wayward wife, and in the next chapter, He heals a man born blind. These are prophetic scenarios of what will happen after His return. He will forgive the bride/wife of spiritual infidelity and will open the spiritual eyes of all men and women. Quite clearly, these troubled Jews were acting out of spiritual blindness. It will not always be this way. Someday, we who now see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12) will finally understand the mind of God.

“YOU WILL DIE IN YOUR SINS:” THE ONLY WAY INTO HEAVEN – WHAT YOU MUST DO TO RECEIVE IT

In the all-important matter of the destiny of one’s eternal soul after the inevitable event of physical death falls upon a person, Jesus’ statement in this 8th chapter of John wherein He said to the Pharisees, “if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins” should be an absolutely sobering one for the average Christ-rejecting person. Although He was speaking to the Pharisees at the moment He stated it, it was not a truth pertaining just to them. He was revealing a truth that applies to all of humanity – to each and every individual past, present and future.

Notice that Jesus did not say, “If you do not stop committing acts of sin, you shall die in your sin.” He equated spiritual death with unbelief toward Him being the Son of God and refusing to personally receive Him into a person’s heart as the propitiation and cure for the un-regenerated state of death of the human spirit/soul. Unless a person comes to a place of belief toward Christ, the state of sin and death will remain the condition of the spirit/soul of a person. It is a condition that Jesus warned will send a person to condemnation in the afterlife. Another way of seeing this profound statement from Jesus is that if you die in a state of unbelief toward Him, your sins are not forgiven and cannot be forgiven once the soul enters eternity – thus, you have “died in your sins.” Both ways of looking at this statement are equally true.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

He gives us the story of Sukkot (a Hebrew term for “booths” or “Tabernacles”) – the seventh festival in the cycle of Jewish Holy Days. Jews observe Sukkot for seven days during their seventh month – Tishri 15-21.

John demonstrates how the Feast of Tabernacles is a prophecy of seven-thousand years, concluding with the millennial “day of the Lord,” which will be the approaching one-thousand year reign of Christ and His kingdom upon Earth after the rapture and seven-year Tribulation judgment period have occurred and are finished. Note in the context of this chapter that the Jews looked for Jesus for several days. Jesus made His first appearance “about the midst of the feast” (verse 14), corresponding to His first coming at the end of the fourth millennium.

At the close of His dialog with the Jews on that day, Jesus announces that He is going away …

“Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come” (verses 33-34).

He hides out for the next few days, prompting the Jews to wonder where He has gone. Then, He returns on the last day of the festival, setting forth a prophetic scenario by which one could expect His second coming in the seventh millennium. His message on that day caused many to believe that He was the Messiah. The entire story alludes to seven-thousand years of world history. As a side note for those who would fancy the propaganda narrative of mankind existing for millions of years as has been traditionally taught in universities and all sorts of propagandized media, this one typological prophecy alone -amongst the mountains of other biblical evidence – proves otherwise. We are presently in the dawning years of the seventh millennium, and, since Revelation 20 tells us that Jesus will reign for a thousand years, He will be coming very soon.

Note that Israel was to dwell in booths for seven days to remind them of the wilderness journey. However, the bigger picture encompasses an entire 7,000 years of human drama. We were all put on this earth temporarily for the duration of seven millennia. Earth is not the permanent home of the human race. Of all the Jewish festivals, this is the only one that will continue to be observed by all nations during the millennial reign of Christ …

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16).

It is obvious, therefore, that this festival is a prophecy, not only of Israel’s wilderness sojourn, but that of all nations … for all time.

The Rituals of Fire and Water

As we understand it, the seven days of Creation are prophecies of seven-thousand years (see here). Likewise, the festival of Sukkot is also a microcosm of seven millennia. During the days of the Jewish Temple, on the evening of the first day, a huge fire was lit in the courtyard that could be seen for miles. This corresponds with the first day of Creation, in which God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Take a look at what Dr. Alfred Edersheim wrote in his classic work “The Temple: Its Ministries and Services as They Were at the Time of Jesus Christ“…

“At the close of the first day of the feast, the worshippers descended to the Court of the Women, where great preparations had been made. Four golden candelabras were there, each with four golden bowls, and against them rested four ladders; and four youths of priestly descent held each a pitcher of oil, capable of holding one-hundred and twenty log, from which they filled each bowl. The old, worn breeches and girdles of the priests served as wicks to these lamps. There was not a court in Jerusalem that was not lit up by the light of “the house of water-pouring” (page 187).

Furthermore, he writes …

“The light shining out of the Temple into the darkness around, and lighting up every court in Jerusalem, must have been intended as a symbol not only of the Shechinah which once filled the Temple, but of that ‘great light‘ which ‘the people that walked in darkness‘ were to see, and which was to shine ‘upon them that dwell in the land of the shadow of death.” (Isaiah 9:2). It seems most probable that Jesus had referred to this ceremony in the words spoken by Him in the Temple at that very Feast of Tabernacles: ‘I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life‘ (John 8:12)” (page 188).

Edersheim mentions that this ritual of “Light” was held in “the house of water-pouring,” thus tying the two rituals together. Every night, the lamps were lit, and every day, a processional was made to the pool of Siloam to fetch a pitcher of water, which was poured out upon the altar …

“The festivities of the Week of Tabernacles were drawing to a close. ‘It was the last day, that great day of the feast.’ It obtained this name, although it was not one of ‘holy convocation,’ partly because it closed the feast, and partly from the circumstances which procured it in Rabbinical writings the designations of ‘Day of the Great Hosannah,’ on account of the seven-fold circuit of the altar with ‘Hosannah;’ in John 7 verses 2 and 7. And ‘Day of Willows,’ and ‘Day of Beating the Branches,’ because all the leaves were shaken off the willow boughs, and the palm branches beaten in pieces by the side of the altar.

Eldersheim further writes …

“It was on that day; after the priest had returned from Siloam with his golden pitcher, and for the last time poured its contents to the base of the altar; after the ‘Hallel‘ had been sung to the sound of the flute, the people responding and worshipping as the priests three times drew the three-fold blasts from their silver trumpets – just when the interest of the people had been raised to its highest pitch, that, from amidst the mass of worshippers, who were waving towards the altar quite a forest of leafy branches as the last words of Psalms 118 were chanted – a voice was raised which resounded through the Temple, startled the multitude, and carried fear and hatred to the hearts of their leaders” (The Temple, page 185).

Interrupting the water-pouring ritual, Jesus declared …

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:37-39).

Among those attending the ceremony, some wanted to seize the Savior and kill Him. They sent Temple guards to arrest Him, but they returned empty-handed, saying, “Never man spake like this man” (verse 46). Well, I guess not. He was only God incarnate. Jesus said that He was the prophetic fulfillment of the “water.” Later, in John 8:12, He explained that He was the prophetic fulfillment of the “light.”

The Theme of Zayin

For those students of the Bible who are unaware of a certain phenomenon, the meaning of each letter in the Hebrew alphabet correspond with the subject matter and theme found in each corresponding chapter indicated with the same chapter number in the book of John. Thus, this phenomenon displays a Divine hand of supernatural origin guiding the writer of the book, as so with the other books of the Bible. The theme encountered in this chapter (chapter 7) alludes to the meaning of the 7th letter in the Hebrew alphabet, ז zayin. According to research conducted by Michael Munk in his book “The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet”, ז zayin is the symbol of spirit, sustenance and struggle …

“The numerical value of ז zayin is seven. As such, it denotes the spiritual values that were the purpose of Creation. God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh, as it were. In the words of Maharal, the physical world is represented by the number six – the number of days in which it was created – but Creation was not finished until there was a seventh day, a day of rest from the mundane, a day of involvement with the Godly. The Sabbath remains the eternal reminder that the vast and mighty universe cannot endure unless it is continuously permeated by the spiritual aspects represented by the seven, which is symbolic of God’s own essence” (page 104).

ז zayin also represents the focal point of our struggle to cope with life. It is said that around man, who is the center or focal point of it all, six directions constantly struggle with him: up, down, before, behind, right and left. In the center stands the individual represented by the ז zayin. Though storms may rage around us, we can be content, even as the Sabbath stands for rest. Prophetically, the ז zayin looks forward to the Great Sabbath Rest in the aforementioned seventh millennium when Christ is ruling and reigning on Earth after the rapture and seven-year Tribulation judgment has ceased. 

The ז zayin also represents a weapon. Though that may seem strange, we must remember that we sometimes need weapons to defend ourselves and win whatever struggle comes our way. Particularly, we know that the kingdom of Heaven will emerge from the soon coming battle of Armageddon. Therefore, this letter  ז zayin, as a weapon, has a place in God’s arsenal. 

John 7 and Revelation 7

In John 7, Jesus observes the Feast of Tabernacles, the last of the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. And in Revelation 7, we see a multitude of saints standing before the throne of God with palm branches in their hands. This is a ritual taken directly from the aforementioned Temple service performed during the Feast of Tabernacles. Eldersheim describes the Sukkot ritual …

“It has already been noticed that, according to the view universally prevalent at the time of Christ, the direction on the first day of the feast to ‘take the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook,’ was applied to what the worshippers were to carry in their hands. The Rabbis ruled, that ‘the fruit of the goodly trees’ meant the aethrog, or citron, and ‘the boughs of thick trees’ the myrtle, provided it had ‘not more berries than leaves.’ The aethrogs must be without blemish or deficiency of any kind; the palm branches at least three handbreadths high, and fit to be shaken; and each branch fresh, entire, unpolluted, and not taken from any idolatrous grove.”

Eldersheim continues …

“Every worshipper carried the aethrog in his left hand, and in his right the lulav, or palm, with myrtle and willow branch on either side of it, tied together on the outside with its own kind, though on the inside it might be fastened even with gold thread. There can be no doubt that the lulav was intended to remind Israel of the different stages of their wilderness journey, as represented by the different vegetation – the palm branches recalling the valleys and plains, the ‘boughs of thick trees,’ the bushes on the mountain heights, and the willows those brooks from which God had given His people drink; while the aethrog was to remind them of the fruits of the good land which the Lord had given them. The lulav was used in the Temple on each of the seven festive days, even children, if they were able to shake it, being bound to carry one. If the first day of the feast fell on a Sabbath, the people brought their lulavs on the previous day into the synagogue on the Temple Mount, and fetched them in the morning, so as not needlessly to break the Sabbath rest” (The Temple, page 181). 

In the ancient Jewish Temple, the palm branches were to be shaken during the daily ceremony of pouring out the water at the base of the altar and reciting: “Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments commanding us concerning the waving of the palm branch.” This is also stated in “The Jewish Holidays” by Michael Strassfeld (page 130). Each day, the people would march once around the brazen altar and wave their branches in all six directions, corresponding to the six directions mentioned in the meaning of the ז zayin’s focal point – up, down, ahead, behind, right and left. On the seventh day, they would march around the altar seven times, then beat the branches on the pavement until they were broken completely. Today, Jewish congregations march around their synagogues reciting the blessing and shaking the branches. A similar ritual is described in Revelation 7 …

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10).

The praise of the saints in Revelation 7 is quite similar to the rituals recited by Torah-practicing Jews. I think John was demonstrating the connection between the Feast of Tabernacles theme in John 7 and the reality in Heaven in Revelation 7. 

The Unbelieving Brothers

“His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:3-5).

John devotes his Gospel to the task of convincing us to believe in Christ. Be reminded that he wrote:

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).

In the course of that project, he tells us that Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him at first …

Jesus had managed to grow up as a normal child, though He was the Son of God from birth. Had he shown supernatural powers as a child, He would have had His family scared to death. He would have had the entire community plotting to kill Him. He could easily have become a threat. 

For example, there is a fictitious story concocted in the Middle Ages that as a boy, Jesus did not like a certain teacher and caused her death. There is a story that He took a lump of mud and created a bird. If He had actually done such things, He would have petrified the entire community. Jesus managed to be so normal, even His brothers did not detect His deity. 

Mary knew … and kept the secret. She remembered all too well that Herod the Great had tried to kill her baby. When she was ready to introduce Him to the world, she asked Him to turn water into wine. As far as we know, that was the first miracle. Yet, it was done in such a manner that none of the wedding guests knew that Jesus was responsible for the new wine, but the servants only. 

As the miracles increased, His brothers came to believe. But at this point, John had recorded only a few miracles. His second miracle, telling a father that his son would not die, could have been perceived as a guess, because Jesus did not go to the son and touch him. His third miracle, healing a man at the pool of Bethesda, was done so privately that even the recipient of the miracle did not know the name of the man who healed him. Feeding 5,000 people may have seemed like a magic trick to His brothers. As far as we know, they may not have been present at any of His miracles to date. 

Now that it was time for all Jewish men to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, they taunted Jesus to go and present Himself … if indeed, He was the long-awaited Messiah. They tell Jesus that they have heard about these secret miracles, but have seen none of them. They say that Jesus’ disciples deserve to see a verifiable miracle. “If you do these things [we’ve heard about, but not seen], show yourself to the world!” (verse 4). Jesus avoids the controversy and tells them that His time has not yet come. 

Jesus Stays Behind

“Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee” (John 7:6-9).

Jesus had definite plans to go up to the feast, but He did not want to go with His brothers. It was for their protection that He waited a few more days, explaining to His brothers that He was a “hated” man. Had He accompanied His brothers on the trip, they might have suffered the wrath of the Temple authorities as well. He gave them time to get to Jerusalem before He headed out. 

The Secret Journey

“But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:10-13).

Jesus made a secret trip to Jerusalem. How this was possible is not clear. He could have performed a miracle and been there in the blink of an eye. It was not necessary for Him to spend three days on the road. In fact, had He done the road routine, He could have been recognized. From the context, it seems that He made the trip alone. Even His twelve disciples did not accompany Him. 

He was the talk of the feast. Everyone was looking for Him, private conversations included talk of Him, but no one talked openly about Him for fear of the Temple authorities. They must have been publicly denouncing Jesus as a rogue and a charlatan. 

The Savior’s First Appearance

“Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?” (John 7:14-19).

On the fourth or fifth day of the festival, as if from out of nowhere, Jesus gathers a crowd in the Temple courtyard and teaches some theological concepts. It may have had something to do with the wisdom of the Hebrew letters because the Temple authorities thought that He had never learned “letters.” Whatever it was, we learn that it was so profound that some of those who knew Him wondered how He could be so brilliant, having never attended Judaism’s schools of theology. Little did they know that Jesus was the author of not only the Hebrew alphabet, but also the very ground they stood on and the sky they were looking at!

I do not think that this passage is suggesting that Jesus had never had any elementary training in how to read. There must have been a school for children in Nazareth, most likely connected to the local synagogue. Furthermore, Mary would have seen to her son’s formal education … and His brothers as well. Perhaps He may have gone through the formality of education for the sake of appearing as a normal man, but with Him being the very incarnate God of the Universe (God the Son) walking among men, I cannot imagine that He actually needed it as a normal “human being.” According to Luke 4:16: early in His ministry, Jesus read from the Isaiah scroll in the synagogue of Nazareth. Therefore, we know that Jesus could read. 

Some Temple official must have asked Jesus how He could know such things because Jesus explained that His teaching (doctrine) was divinely ordained in Heaven. Furthermore, Jesus said that any Torah-practicing Jew should be able to tell that He spoke the truth. 

But then, Jesus accused the official and His entire group of not keeping the Mosaic Law. They violated the Law by plotting to kill the Savior. Jesus knew it and they knew it. They tried to deny it, but Jesus knew their thoughts. 

The Argument Heats Up

“The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:20-24).

When accused, try to shift the blame onto the accuser. That is exactly what they did. When confronted with their little plot, they accused Jesus of being demon possessed.

Jesus refers back to His last visit when He healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. He knew that incident was on their minds. So Jesus defended His actions on that Sabbath by reminding the Temple officials that they, too, practice a “work” on the Sabbath – the work of circumcision. Jesus was saying, “You wound a man on the Sabbath and I make a man whole. Which is more honorable? Let us be fair in our judgment! Seek the mind of God and judge righteously!”

The Savior’s Royal Credentials

“Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me” (John 7:25-29).

Others attending this heated discussion recalled hearing a rumor that the Temple authorities were plotting to kill Him and wondered how they could be such cowards in His presence. Jesus was speaking boldly and with confidence. No one could trick Him, or get Him to lose His temper. Jesus was in complete control of the argument. 

Some of the people thought that anyone they knew had to be incapable of being the Messiah. To them, the Messiah had to be completely mysterious, having no genealogical history. Jesus is not speaking metaphorically here. He is plainly saying that God is His father, having produced His physical body through a miraculous virgin birth. He is saying, “You think you know me? You know my mother. You know my step-father, but you do not know my true father, I know Him and I am from Him. He sent me.” 

For Jesus to say that the Heavenly Father “sent me” implies that He was fully aware of His pre-existence. He remembered His life, thoughts and actions in Heaven before His incarnation and subsequent birth in Bethlehem. 

His Predicted Ascension

“Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come” (John 7:30-34).

During this visit to the Temple “about the midst of the feast” (verse 14), John records the Savior’s rejection. Prophetically speaking, this rejection was fulfilled at the first coming of Christ. After being rejected, the Savior returned to Heaven from where He came. His ascension is recorded in the opening verses of the book of Acts.

Speaking of His future plans, Jesus now predicts His upcoming absence. He tells them, “I go unto Him that sent me” (verse 33). Jesus tells them that they cannot come where He is going. If He had planned to stay on this earth, in this time/space continuum, they could have found Him. But Jesus was going to leave this world for a place where they could not come. 

Where Will He Go?

“Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? (John 7:35-36).

The crowd could only think in terms of this world. Therefore, they considered the possibility that He might travel around the world, perhaps even teaching Gentiles. They wondered what kind of a strange statement this was that Jesus said. They knew that, if Jesus simply traveled around the world, some of them might be able to follow. 

Jesus walked away from the astonished crowd and did not return until the last day of the feast. During this time, the Gospel has been preached to the Gentiles, just as verse 35 implies. Bear in mind, Sukkot is a festival for all nations. Seventy bullocks were sacrificed on behalf of the Gentiles during this week. Zechariah 14:16 reminds us that all nations will observe Sukkot during the Messianic kingdom. 

This last day represents the seventh millennium. For two-thousand years, Jesus has been missing from Earth. Man has been unable to traverse the spheres and find Him. However, He will return, just as He did on the seventh and final day of the feast. 

The Last Day of the Feast

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39).

It is the last day of Sukkot. No one saw Him come up to the Temple, otherwise, a crowd would have gathered around Him. Perhaps He simply appeared … or stepped out of the shadows, so to speak, in order to make His startling announcement. He interrupts the priest who is about to pour a pitcher of water at the base of the altar in the Temple courtyard. The congregation has marched around the altar seven times. 

Once the water is poured from the golden pitcher, they will beat the pavement with palm branches until the palms are in shreds. Prophetically, I think they are about to act out the battle of Armageddon. But Jesus interrupts and declares that He can offer eternal life through the Holy Spirit, typified by the water that is about to be poured out. 

Both the fire in the courtyard by night and the water in the courtyard by day represents the Holy Spirit, as John mentions in verse 39. Joel predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit twice, as typified by the early rain and the latter rain (Joel 2:23-29). We know that the Holy Spirit was poured out in the second chapter of the book of Acts, but this scene indicates that the Holy Spirit will be poured out again during the Tribulation Period. 

It seems that some of the people recognized this as a prophecy, as we are told in the following verses. 

The Division Among the People

“Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him” (John 7:40-43).

Some suggested that Jesus was “the” prophet predicted by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). Others suggested that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Michael Strassfield writes, “Sukkot marks the end of a passage of time. It thereby anticipates the messianic end of days for all people” (The Jewish Holidays, page 146). For this reason, some of the people taking part in the ceremony understood the prophetic significance of the occasion and recognized Jesus statement as messianic. Strassfield continues: “The sukkah as a temporary structure open to the winds of autumn cannot help but remind us of the Jewish people’s prototypical alien – the wandering Jew? Are not the forty years in the desert – the period Sukkot commemorates – the archetype of our 2,000 years of wandering?” (page 147). The prophecy is there, suggested by the disappearance of Jesus during the days from “the midst” (verse 14) of the feast until the “last day, that great day of the feast” (verse 37).  

However, others continued to doubt, saying that the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem. He would certainly not come out of Galilee! That blind attitude is so typical of people today. They become convinced of some preconceived notion and nothing can dissuade them.

Speaking With Authority

“And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knew not the law are cursed” (John 7:44-49).

The chief priest was in on this attempt to arrest Jesus. He and a group of Pharisees approached the Temple guards and demanded to know why they did not arrest Him. They had previously been given orders to do so. Their only explanation for not capturing Him at the moment was that they were enamored by His bold statements. No one ever talked like Him before. He said and did the things that they had long expected of the Messiah, prompting the Pharisees to ask the Temple guards if they had been deceived by this man. Certainly, no Pharisees had believed on Him! Right? Wrong! Nicodemus speaks up. 

Nicodemus Speaks Up

“Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house” (John 7:50-53). 

It was a weak defense. Nicodemus must have known that he was butting up against a proverbial brick wall. His fellow Pharisees had made up their minds. Jesus was a menace and no one could persuade them otherwise. Sounds very typical of their descendants today as they devise and construct their plot for the New World Order and the destruction of Christianity through eventual implementation of the Noahide laws through the power of the one they worship … “Lucifer the Light.” Their only argument against Jesus was that He came out of Galilee. So, if they had known that He was born in Bethlehem, would that have made a difference? Probably not given the evil spirits that were using them. 

With that, the festivities were over and all the whos went home to who-ville and fell a-snooze. On this day, they did not go to their booth or sukkah where they had lived for the past week. They went “every man … into his own house” (verse 53).  

Just as the Sabbath closes the ordinary week, the seventh month (Tishri) concluded Israel’s calendar of festivals. Edersheim writes: This feast closed the original festival calendar; for Purim and [Hanukkah] ‘the feast of the dedication of the Temple,’ which both occurred later in the season, were of post-Mosaic origin” (page 178). 

Conclusion

As we shall see, in the next chapter, though the Feast of Tabernacles was officially over, another day was called for in their calendar – Shemini Atzeret, an eighth day of assembly. God asks those who made the journey to the Temple to stay with Him just one more day (Numbers 29:35). Also, a ninth day was added (Simhat Torah), in which the reading of the Torah is completed and started over again for the coming year. As we shall see in the following chapters, John has Jesus lingering in Jerusalem for several weeks – through Hanukkah. 

Recommended Reading:
THE END AFTER THE END OF 6,000 YEARS: HAVE WE ENTERED THE 7,000TH YEAR?

WILL THE WORLD END AT THE END OF THE 6TH MILLENNIUM?

When the average person who holds no particular allegiance or faith to the idea of a God who exists in Heaven, they may comically imagine in their heads some sort of grandfatherly figure with a white bushy beard lurking in Heaven shooting out thunderbolts upon the earth. In part, traditional Hollywood movies, paintings and story telling may have something to do with this comical/traditional image of God. In reality, lightning is indeed associated with God. As the world nears the end of the Age and toward divine judgment as per what we read in the Bible’s prophetic end times text, we can expect to see God send forth some selective judgments and warnings to the world that Christ’s coming again for the born again body of Christ in the rapture event followed by the judgment of the Tribulation period is drawing near. Such was the case, I believe, in this unfortunate White House lightning strike.

In what may be a bad omen of things shortly to come, four people (two men and two women) were struck by a lightning bolt near the White House in Lafayette Park … on Barack Obama’s birthday. Initially, two were killed and two were seriously injured in this unfortunate event.

Approximately 1-2 days later, the third person died from their injuries. In examining the details of this event, some very prophetically interesting clues begin to emerge – clues that seem to contain an allusion to the rise of not only the Antichrist of Biblical scripture, but seem to also contain identifiable hints that the rapture itself is about to occur. The Antichrist is thusly revealed in two of several key passages below …

“I am come in my father’s name, and you receive me not:  if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive” (John 5:43).

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Revelation 13:16-18).

For the biblical novice or new Christian who may not be aware of prophetic matters, when discussing the subject of the end times, it is first important to establish that we are in the end times based on the 1948 fulfillment of the reestablishment of the Matthew 24 fig tree – the nation of Israel – of which, the Luciferian globalists had a hand in recreating. But nevertheless, it is a stunning fulfillment of end times prophecy. Without this prophetic puzzle piece having not fallen into place, then we could not rightfully say that we are yet in the end times. But ever since then, we have been on a countdown to the fulfillment of Daniel’s 70th week called the Tribulation – which will be seven years of judgment upon Earth in which the prophecies of the book of Revelation will be fulfilled. Since that key date of 1948, prophetic fulfillment and last days signs have exponentially increased. By all indications, it appears that the year 2022 into 2023 may be key years to watch due to the Schmitta year/Sabbath cycle prophetic patterns of history. While is likely not possible that we will know the exact time of the occurrence of the rapture and start of the Tribulation, and perhaps not even the year, we have entered a very high watch time for its sudden arrival. The signs are indeed pointing us directly there. Jesus did tell us to “watch” for its arrival. He also even admonished to “watch for the signs” … and indeed, God is sending the world plenty of signs.

When discussing the subject of the coming Antichrist as seen in the pages of scripture, there is probably not a more enigmatic mystery to try to solve. When deciphering from whence the Antichrist of Revelation 13 will spring forth, we discover that the Antichrist springs forth from the lineage of the Seleucid dynasty, which extends down through to the royal houses of Rome:

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26).

Here, we have an indication that the Antichrist will indeed be Roman. In light of this fact, it would seem to indicate a contradiction of scripture in light of the Bible’s indication that the Antichrist will spring forth from the tribe of Dan. The tribe of Dan is well established in the pages of biblical writ and history as being a tribe that is associated with idol worship. In fact, the Bible well establishes the idolatry of the tribe of Dan. This is one reason it is not mentioned among the 12 tribes in Revelation chapter 7 and is the lineage of the Antichrist. The Antichrist sets himself up as a god in the Jewish Temple and his beast as an idol, which he causes the false prophet to worship and commits the ultimate idolatry and abomination. There is another reason Dan is not among the twelve tribes of Israel. Genesis 49:16 tells us that Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. The word used for judge means to act as a judge, minister judgment, requite, vindicate, govern, contend, strive, to be at strife or quarrel. Dan will judge his people meaning that the Antichrist will be from the tribe of Dan and will cause them the greatest hardship by acting as a judge for his people causing their judgment. Genesis 49: 17 continues …

“Dan shall be a serpent by the way and adder in the path that bites the horses heels so that its rider shall fall backward.”

There are more examples of scripture that could be cited revealing his Danite connection, but for the sake of the subject matter of this article, lets keep this aspect of the narrative short, sweet and to the point. So, in combination with the Daniel 9:26 passage, all the biblical indications are that the Antichrist will come from more than one background. He will be Jewish and “of the people that destroyed the Temple“(Roman). Keep in mind that the Roman army also used foreign fighters in their military from what today are Muslim nations. Although most of the Roman army was indeed Roman, a minority of it were conscripts from Islamic lands they conquered. The Roman Empire was far-flung across the then-known world back then.  

At this point, you may already be surmising that my conclusion is that Barack Obama is the Antichrist of biblical scripture. But in fact, you are incorrect. I have long thought that whomever eventually shows up on the world scene who may display some compelling and prophetic clues as to the identity of the Antichrist while the Church body of believers are still here pre-rapture may, in reality, be the forerunner of the Antichrist – much like John the Baptist was a forerunner of the arrival of Jesus Christ during His first Advent. The Apostle John tells us that John the Baptist was “sent from God,” using the Greek preposition “para,” meaning that John had come “from beside” God, giving him more significance than if he had simply been sent “by” God. 

In like manner, I highly suspect that just before the arrival of the Antichrist, someone will arise onto the world scene that displays some rather peculiar prophetic anomalies, clues and hints that may signal to some that he could be the actual Antichrist, but in reality, will be the Antichrist’s forerunner announcing his arrival. As we shall discover, Barack Obama displays some rather peculiar and telling prophetic indicators of such. Although I cannot be dogmatic in saying that Barack Obama is not the Antichrist (he may indeed be), nor can I be dogmatic in saying that he is. It is here where I will jump off onto the subject of Barack Obama.

The Idolatrous “Bamah” High Places

In Ezekiel 20:29, you can see the “high places” of idolatry that brought on Israel’s judgment. Guess what the name of those “high places” were? They were called “Bamah.” These idols that they were worshipping were demonic entities… and they were called the “Bamah” high places. You may be surprised to find out that Barack Obama fits all the required background to fulfill this role. I’m not sure Obama is the Antichrist or not (leaning toward doubt), but these “Bamah” high places and Obama himself being on the world scene may be indicative, or a biblical clue, that he just may possibly have something to do with the rise of the real Antichrist. Obama does have a Danite background for lineage, as well as all the other biblical requirements. Think idol worship when you think of the tribe of Dan, for this is Dan’s history and continuing reality. Also, think the “Bamah” high places of idol worship of Ezekiel 20:29. This is where the modern UFO phenomenon comes in as our government and the governments of the world are associating with these entities. Who knows. But most definitely, a Danite Antichrist is accurate. The Bible is very clear on that.

Further still, when reflecting on the overall theme of the “spirit” of Antichrist, it makes perfect sense that Obama “could” be a pattern of what is to come in the real Antichrist that will step forward. In the end, a prototype forerunner may be what we are looking at with these “Bamah” high places.

With that thought in mind, lets go to Luke 10:18 and observe the words of Jesus for a further clue that the “spirit” of Antichrist is continuing to rise and may soon show itself incarnate in fulfillment of the Revelation 6 rider on the white horse prophecy …

“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

As most of us are aware, the New Testament text was written in Greek and then translated to English. However, Jesus originally spoke these words in Aramaic, which is the most ancient form of Hebrew. As most are also aware, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. Thus, in modern Hebrew, Jesus would say that he saw Satan falling from Heaven (or the heavens) as lightning from the “heights” or “the heavens.” Interestingly, from the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary the words for “lightning, “”heavens” or “heights” from Hebrew in word number 1299 is “baraq.” It is a primitive word which means “to lighten,” or “lightening,” and to “cast forth.” In the Strong’s word number 1300, we see the word “lightning,” or by analogy “a gleam” or “a flashing sword” or a “brightness or glittering.”

So, lightning, or a flash of light, is pronounced “Baw-Rawk.” With this in mind, consider that the book of Isaiah is the source of understanding for the Christian concept and understanding of Satan – or “Lucifer” as Isaiah names him in Isaiah 14:12-19. Specifically, in verse 14, Lucifer, or Satan, is credited with saying the words, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most high.”  In the verses of Isaiah that refer directly to Lucifer, several times it is mentioned that Lucifer has fallen from the “heights” or the “heavens.” The Hebrew word used in the text for the “heights” from which Satan fell is Strong’s Hebrew word 11:16, which is pronounced “Bam-maw.” Hearkening back to the aforementioned “Bamah” high places, the word “Bamah” is most commonly used to refer to a high sacred place – as well as to the height of the heavens or the clouds. In Hebrew, the letter “Waw” or “Vau” is often transliterated as a “U.” Some scholars use the “O” in transliteration. It is primarily used as a conjunction to join concepts together. So, Baraq “O” Bam-Maw or Baraq “U” Bam-Maw in Hebrew poetry, similar to the style written in Isaiah, would translate literally as “lightning” and “the heights or heavens. Or lightning from the heights or skies. The word SATAN is satan in Hebrew. It is a direct translation pronounced with a different emphasis on the letter pronunciation.

With that in mind, going back to Jesus’ prophecy in Luke 10:18, if spoken by a Jewish rabbi today who would be influenced by the poetry of Isaiah, he would say these words in Hebrew. He would say this prophecy as “I saw Satan as Baraq “O” Bam-maw fall from heaven.” Again, this is not to suggest that Barack Obama is the Antichrist, but that he may be a forerunner, or pattern, of the real Antichrist that will emerge in the soon future, much like John the Baptist was a forerunner and announcer of Jesus Christ’s arrival on the scene. There are many prophetic expositors who are convinced that Barack Obama is indeed the Antichrist. In looking at the peculiar prophetic clues concerning this man, one really cannot fault the person for thinking as much. Only time will tell, but at the very least, he may indeed be the Antichrist forerunner if not the Antichrist himself.

The “42” Lightning Strike Rapture Code Omen

As previously mentioned, the number of people involved are four (two men and two women) who were struck by lightning near the White House in Lafayette Park. Initially, two were reported injured along with the two that were reported killed. Given our discussion thus far concerning the Luke 10:18 passage its Hebrew translation possibly implicating Barack Obama’s name associated with lightning, have we just witnessed an omen of things to come in end times prophecy – namely, the soon appearance of Antichrist on the world stage … whoever he is? Is it indeed Barack Obama? Or is it someone who shall follow Barack Obama much like John the Baptist was a forerunner announcing Jesus Christ’s arrival on the scene?

This is not the only time that lightning has struck the White House. As seen in the picture below, it also happened in 2011 when Obama was still in office.

Interestingly, the lightning strike occurred on Easter day – a day that celebrates and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. Tellingly, Obama ignored and never even acknowledged Easter on that day, but never seemed to overlook Muslim holidays. But fortunately, no one was killed unlike this time around.

Between the two lightning strike occurrences, the passage of 11 years have taken place. The number 11 turns out to hold a prophetically significant meaning in biblical scripture. It is a number that is known to represent chaos, disorder and judgment. Interestingly, the world is now approaching the end of the 10th Sabbath cycle in Bible prophecy since the reestablishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 – which fulfilled a major end times prophecy. The year 2022 marks 10 Sabbatical weeks since Israel became a nation in 1948. The number 10 relates to earthly kingdoms and judgment.  The new one (11th Sabbath Cycle) will begin later this year. As we know, the approaching seven-year Tribulation Period will be a time of judgment on the earth beginning with the rise of the Antichrist on the symbolic white horse in Revelation chapter 6.

One glaring, yet exciting, reality when it comes to the study of the Antichrist and his eventual arrival on the world scene is that prophetic scripture reveals to us that all of those who are “born again” in Christ will supernaturally escape his rise to power and from the judgment that is to come upon the earth after his rise. For the novice or curious passer-by, we shall again cite the ever-important passages that give us a vivid account of the rapture of the true, born again Church that can be seen in the divinely inspired revelation of Paul the Apostle as he tells us of this most exciting event in the following verses of scripture:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9).

Here, we see the unmistakable narrative that there are a certain group of people in the world’s population that shall escape. When it comes to signs of the end times that the Lord will be sending to the world that this event is fast approaching, an important concept to remember concerning the fulfillment of future events is that history is going to repeat itself in Providentially ordained identifiable patterns within scripture. We see this concept stated without mistake in the book of Ecclesiastes …

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us”(Ecclesiastes 1:9-10).

“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

In the latest of these four aforementioned linked articles above, I mentioned the concept that God raised up America and prophetically patterned this nation after ancient Israel and is the fulfillment of the Vineyard of Matthew 21 (see here). Thus, what occurred in ancient Israel will play itself out in America in some identifiable prophetic patterns and signs that point us to the past. In turn, these future prophetic events will then effect the whole entire world since the United States in ensconced in the fabric of the current world order. In essence, so goes America, so goes the world.

With this “repeating pattern” in future prophetic events concept planted firmly in your mind, we go back to the initial two deaths and two injuries (4 total) involved in this tragic lightning strike event. Prophetically speaking, it is rather interesting that “4” people were involved in this incident and that these four people are separated or demarcated with the number 2 (two dead and two injured). This observation inserts the number “42” into the equation. To begin, the number 4 in scripture is associated with the theme of a door. In Revelation 4:1, the Apostle John is called through a door that opens in the heavens – a typological representation of the rapture …

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1).

As has been covered before in previous articles on this site here, here, here and here, the number “42” holds prophetic significance in relation to the rapture event. Keeping in mind the prophetic concept of history repeating itself, it is in the story of the supernatural disappearance, or “rapture,” of the Old Testament prophet Elijah in 2 Kings chapter 2 that we see this number “42” appear.

In short, after the rapture of Elijah occurred, we see “42” young Israelite men appear on the scene and begin to mock Elisha concerning what just happened to Elijah. Just before his disappearance, by decree of the Lord, Elijah transferred his office and function of prophet to Elisha – who was walking beside him when he disappeared, or was “raptured.” As a result of these “42” young Israelites mocking Elisha, two she-bears emerged from the woods and mauled and killed all 42 of them. In short, we have the number “42” associated with the Old Testament picture of the rapture. Seen in this lightning strike in front of the White House wherein “4” people were effected with “2” killed and “2” injured (the number 42), we seem to have an ominous sign and picture of what is shortly to come given the fact that, prophetically speaking, the world has now arrived in the biblical end of days. For those who have personally received Christ as Savior, it will be an exciting event. But for those left behind and do not make it in the rapture, this lightning strike in front of the White House is an ominous portent of what is to shortly come. It appears that the Lord was sending a stern message. Will 42 important people soon be killed in America just like 42 mocking commoners in ancient Israel were killed for mocking the prophet of God over the rapture of Elijah? As we are all aware, America and the West are at severe odds and conflict with Russia – which holds the symbol of the bear – hearkening back to the two she-bears in the Elijah rapture story.

The Third Victim Dies – The “43” Rapture Code

Unfortunately, yet prophetically, a third person who initially was only injured passed away a day or so later. Here, the equation takes on an even more interesting, and yet significant (in my opinion), prophetic picture. When we take the number 4 for the number of people affected and the total of people who ended up dying (3), we then go from a coded number of “42” to “43.” How prophetically could that be significant?

It turns out that when we go to scripture, specifically in Matthew 1:17, there are a total of “42” generations from Abraham to Christ. We then observe that the Church is generation number “43,” a continuous and unending generation. If one looks at the day of Atonement in the Old Testament liturgies of the Jews, which was Yom Kippur, this was the day that the high priest would go in once a year and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant, on the veil and on the four horns of the altar. According to Alfred Eldershine who wrote a book titled “The Temple” wrote that the priest would sprinkle the blood of the bull on his finger once down and seven times up. Then blood from the goat would be sprinkled once down and seven times up for sin atonement as seen in Leviticus 4. On the day of Atonement, atonement for sin was completed and the assignment for atonement was finished after the blood had been sprinkled a total of “43” times.

This proves to be quite interesting for the fact that from Abraham to Christ was a total of 42 generations. Then the Church is the 43rd generation from Abraham to after Christ. This means the atonement of Christ was complete and settled. He is now at the right hand of God in Heaven making intercession on behalf of all born again believers in the body of Christ, or the true Church.

The Importance of Vineyard America’s President 43

This is where it is crucial for the reader to understand that history repeats itself prophetically because God’s prophetic system is set up and designed to go in circles or cycles. When you start out in a circle, you eventually come back to the starting point in a full circle. God reveals the end of things by encoding them in the beginning of things. Many have said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed while the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. The future is hidden in the past. Prophetic history will repeat in cycles. This is the way that time itself was designed to operate. In Isaiah 46:10, we read that this is indeed the case …

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10).

This passage of scripture is deeper and richer in meaning than just saying that God knew the future from the beginning, which itself is true of course, but what we are also seeing in this passage of scripture is the fact that God is saying that “out of the beginning” or “what is going on in the beginning” he has declared the end. In short, if you want to understand what is going to happen at the end, one must first understand what happened in the beginning. This narrative ultimate gets into the reality of linear thought as opposed to cyclical thought. Most of us are trained to think in terms of linear thought in the progression of time. It is the way that man looks at things. It is a timeline. However, if one goes to scripture, one will see that everything works in cycles because God does not look at things the way that man does …

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

When one looks at the progression of time and it’s prophetic future the way that man chooses to, then the big picture will easily be missed. This is why it is crucial that if you wish to have an understanding of how God is going to bring about the future, you must look at it the way God looks at it as revealed in scripture.

If one imagines a circle, or cycle if you will, there is a starting point. As you move around that circle as you come to the end of that circle, you are now at the beginning. This illustrates that the beginning is the end and the end is the beginning. If we want to understand what is going on now, then we have got to go back and understand what has already happened. A good illustration is an apple seed or any seed. Within that seed is the tree, the root of the tree, the trunk, the branches, the leaves the fruit and the very seed that is going to be contained within that fruit. Here in this illustration, you can see that the progression of the seed ended up back into the display of the seed within the fruit at the end – the very seed that is going to be contained in that fruit when it was produced. It all comes full circle, or shall we say, full cycle. Where was it? It was all contained right in the very beginning. When one goes to examine that tree with it’s branches, it’s fruit and it’s foliage, you know that all of this at the end came forth from the beginning – the seed. This will be crucial to understand when deciphering the prophetic happenings regarding America and the peculiar emergence of prophetic signs as it relates to it’s completion of a 400 year cycle, all pointing us to the end.

Ultimately, the circle of time will complete and, as we say, come full circle. The book of Acts paints the picture as such regarding “the restitution of all things” …

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).

Let’s take a quick look at Ecclesiastes to enrich the concept that history repeats itself:

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). 

“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

Another point that should be made is that the smaller cycles within the circle fits within the larger cycle, which in turn, fits into an even larger cycle etc. All of these cycles are working together interdependently. Ultimately, what are they saying to us? First, the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. That everything moves in cycles. When one cycle is complete, simultaneously, another cycle is initiated. These cycles are like ripples in a pond moving outward.

As they move outward, where are they ultimately taking us to? Again, we go back to Acts 2 and the “restitution (or restoration) of all things.” All things, if you will, come in full circle. If you believe that we are living in the last days and you want to get a grasp, or a pulse, on what is happening right now, you must interpret it from the book of Genesis in conjunction with the end times book of Revelation and other scripture in other books of the Bible that deal with the end times.

Here is where a quite fascinating evidence of history repeating itself can be seen. For example, if you were to go back to the story of Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings chapters 16-22, you will find the prophetic patterns of what happened during America’s 42nd presidency under Bill and Hillary Clinton. It is the only place in scripture where it is stated that they lived in an “Ivory House” (White House) (1 Kings 22:39).

Ahab (a man) was the leader, but the woman (Jezebel) was really running things behind the scenes. I think we all remember the situation with Hillary Clinton in that administration don’t we? You then have the woman (Jezebel) signing papers in Ahab’s name (1 Kings 21:1-16) while in President Clinton’s administration, you had the Rose Law Firm scandal involving documents.

During Ahab and Jezebel’s rule of ancient Israel, you also had a land deal in which an innocent man named Naboth died. In the Clinton Administration, you had the White Water Scandal involving a land deal in which Vince Foster was found dead under very suspicious circumstances. It kept going to the point where scripture reveals that a “lying spirit came against him” and deceived him (1 Kings 22:20-23). Of course, President Clinton was accused of lying to the grand jury. A spirit of lying surrounded the Clinton administration. From there, it keeps going to the point that when Ahab no longer resided in the “Ivory House,” Jezebel herself ended up remaining there in that “white house.” Of course, Hillary Clinton went on to become Senator and ended up in an “Ivory tower” so to speak. She even ran for President, or for the White House, two times and lost both times. So, there is that pattern there as well. This is to drive the point home that scripture declares the end  from the beginning.

We now take note that Israel had 42 kings before it was invaded and taken into captivity by the aforementioned Babylonian Empire. During it’s 42nd and final king (king Zedekiah) it started to see trouble brewing in Babylon. It saw the nation divided and Jerusalem invaded and destroyed. King Zedekiah marked the completion of 14 generations from King David (Matthew 1:17). Interestingly enough, under America’s 42nd president, we began to see a pattern play out with Bill Clinton’s dealings with Saddam Hussein of Iraq (the land of ancient Babylon that took Israel into captivity).

 

In fact, Baghdad is not far from the ruins of ancient Babylon, home of Nebuchadnezzar. During the reign of president 42 in the White House, Clinton dealt with Saddam Hussein. Hussein became a “thorn in the flesh” of the 42nd president. Babylon under Hussein was an enemy of America during that time as the spirit of Babylon again emerged. Another interesting side note to this prophetically peculiar parallel is the fact that the previous king of Israel, Jehoiachin (king number 41), also had dealings with Babylon as he was carried away into exile by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon and imprisoned. King Jehoiachin (number 41) was only king for a few months when he was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. In like manner, America’s 41st president George Bush only saw one term and not a second term. As we all know, president Bush (President 41) also dealt with the territory of ancient Babylon with operation Desert Storm.

 

Bush’s reign was short like Jehoiachin, with both bearing the same ruler-ship number – number 41.

You will also note that King Hussein of Jordan died while the 42nd President Bill Clinton was in office. According to Jordanian newspapers, Hussein was the 42nd descendant of Mohammed, the founder of Islam.

 

This means that the Islamic religion entered it’s 43rd generation of leaders in Jordan while the vineyard America inaugurated it’s 43rd president, which saw the “war on Islamic terror” begin after the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Since the number 42 also refers to completion, it relates to the 42nd American presidency. Clinton’s administration ended a millennium. Although the new millennium was celebrated at the start of the year 2000, the new millennium actually started in 2001. Therefore, the 42nd President concluded the old millennium, and the 43rd president began the new millennium at his inauguration on January 20, 2001.

When the 43rd president of vineyard America was placed into office, it marked the beginning of the end of a 40-year prophetic cycle – a cycle of unbelief. In 30 A.D., Jesus predicted that the Temple would be destroyed and the Jews would be scattered. Forty years later in 70 A.D., it happened. In Psalm 95, a generation of unbelief is revealed to be 40 years …

“Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways” (Psalm 95:10).

We know that Jesus upbraided his generation for their unbelief, which caused the Lord’s allowance of the Temple’s destruction and the judgment on national Israel to begin. In 1967, Jerusalem was a divided city. The Jewish people regained the Temple Mount area, the Western Wall, the Mount of Olives and the Kidron Valley. They had reunited Jerusalem to make it the capital of Israel. That was a major fulfillment of prophecy for the reason being that we read in Psalms 102 that when the Lord builds up Zion, then he will appear in his glory …

“When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory” (Psalm 102:16).

From 1967-68 to 2007-2008 was a 40 year cycle. An important side-note to understand here is that the reason that the two years are used instead of just saying 2007 is because the Jewish calendar comes in earlier than our calendar. So, this prophetic cycle just so “happened” to conclude on the very year that saw the 400th year anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, the very first colony of the vineyard (Matthew 21). So, from 1967-68 to 2007-2008 was a 40 year cycle. The Gentile nations are now falling into severe unbelief. Once, Christianity from the West was welcomed, whereas now, those nations rise up with a hostility, and in many places, with the sword against Christianity and against Americans themselves. Some have even said that when a missionary would show an American passport, they would be welcomed with hospitality and a genuinely warm and sincere welcome, whereas now, in many places, they would get spit on and threatened. The major prophetic point that is to be gleaned from this is that the number 43 is prophetically very important. It is important for Israel, for the Day of Atonement and for America the vineyard.

Keeping in mind that the Church is the 43rd continuous and unending generation, it should be quite interesting to anyone who has any spiritual sense about them at all that the year 2007-2008 was prophetically very significant. It saw the ending of the 43rd presidency of the United States, the vineyard whose God-ordained assignment it is to spread forth the gospel message to the nations of the world. The number 43 is prophetically important and prophetically significant as we’ve already seen with the priest sprinkling the blood in the Tabernacle a total of 43 times as noted.

To further demonstrate the prophetic importance and significance of this prophetic time frame, we should now take a look at the interesting and peculiar final vote tally during the George W. Bush and Al Gore election to the presidency. As we can all remember, the election of 2000 was the most controversial and hotly contested election in the history of America. Court battles between the Bush campaign and the Gore campaign carried on for a considerable time before Bush was declared the winner. As a side note, I am well aware that the occupant of the presidency is selected by the global Luciferian elite beforehand and not by actual vote. But the “official” kabuki theatre final vote number in Florida that was so hotly contested and would “decide” the winner after the court battles between Gore and Bush ended was 930. That number is significant because the first man Adam died at 930 years of age. Interestingly, this number surfaced during president number 43. This number 43, as previously discussed, happens to be the number of the Church generation before president 44 kicked in. In scripture, Jesus Christ is given the title of the “second Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15 …

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:44-48). 

Immediately after Jesus Christ is revealed to be the second Adam in this verse of scripture, we find the narrative diving directly into the well-known passage revealing the rapture of the true Church from the earth at the end of the age …

“And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (verses 49-53).

How interesting it is that the number of years that Adam lived should show up at the 43rd presidency of Vineyard America in the final vote tally that decided it’s outcome. The reason for this is simple. God was showing us that the world was entering into a very  important prophetic season that is leading to the soon return of the second Adam for the true church in the rapture event. This is starkly confirmed given that Christ is named the second Adam in the well-known passage of the rapture. Of course, after pointing something like that out, it should also be noted that Christ is called the second Adam because Adam is a prototype, or picture, of Jesus Christ himself. Adam took the fall for Eve in the Garden of Eden just as Christ took the fall for the future Church; 43 being the church generation since God counts time by covenants.

We also saw a culmination of sorts in America’s dealings with the territory of ancient Babylon under President George W. Bush with the 2003 invasion of Iraq – a prophetic pattern that first emerged under president 41 and continued under president 42 as previously discussed.

The year 2007-2008 was an important marker for the ending of a prophetic 400 year cycle for vineyard America. By logical deduction, we should have started to see a transition taking place after the exit of president 43 and the beginning of the 44th presidency. Alas, we started to see exactly that. An important fact to take note of at this point is that after Adam, there was a prophetic shifting, or transition, that took place from after the death of Adam into the seasons of Noah. Jesus himself reveals that the end times just before his return will be like the “days of Noah …

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39). 

By logical deduction, we should have started to see a shifting, or transition, begin to take place under the 44th presidency that would signal the beginning of the preparation phase for the departure of the church into Heaven via the rapture event. We started to see exactly that.

With the number “43” so significant to the Church Age, the rapture and the 43rd presidency of Vineyard America, it is rather ominous and yet interesting that we should see this number emerge in such a dramatic and unfortunate incident in front of that very same White House after the initial “42.” 

From 43 (Church Age Generation) To “56”

Consider that two of the people who were killed were a senior couple who were celebrating their “56th” wedding anniversary. This piece of information turns out to be prophetically telling. The year was “56 A.D.” when, as part of his “3rd” evangelistic journey, the Apostle Paul traveled from Macedonia to Troas where he had to resurrect a man back from the dead who had been killed from falling out of his chair – plunging down from the 3rd loft to his death when he had fallen asleep during one of Paul’s long late night messages (Acts 20:6-11). Did you notice the number “3” pattern in that story? He fell from the “3rd” loft. Paul’s “3rd” missionary journey. A total of “3” people died in the White House lightning strike with “4” people affected in total – thus the “43” number for the Church connected to the rapture event. Further, he came to Troas in “5” days (the number of grace) and he stayed there for “7” days (the biblical number of completion and perfection). As revealed in Paul’s aforementioned rapture passage, the wording reveals that “those who are “dead” in Christ will be resurrected first while those of us still alive will receive new bodies before being raptured. Further, the man died because he had “fallen asleep“ during Paul’s evangelistic message. When those of us who are alive and remain get our new bodies just before being raptured, Paul tells us that “we shall not all sleep.” Those who are “dead in Christ” and resurrected first are referred to as being “asleep.” Let’s read the passage again …

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). 

Here, in this lightning strike incident, it seems we have the number “56” pointing us to the rapture of the “dead” in Christ and those of us who “shall not sleep” such as the sleepy fellow that Paul had to resurrect from the dead. 

Further, the husband of this couple owned a dry-wall business before retirement, which has to do with building things. As we know, building things involves carpentry. Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete form-work, etc. Jesus was a carpenter. Meanwhile, the wife of the elderly couple was a retired teacher who was “75” years old. This proves to be quite interesting, and in my humble opinion, quite significant as Abram (later Abraham), at 70, leaves his hometown of Ur with his wife Sarai (later Sarah) and his entire family. The family lives in the city of Haran until five years later, Abram’s father Terah dies. It is at this moment that Abraham, at age “75” in 1885 B.C., is called by God and told to travel to Canaan …

“And the Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house into a land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation . . . And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1 – 3).

The calling of Abraham is one of the greatest events of the Old Testament. It is from this point forward that the narrative in the Bible primarily focuses on the history of Abraham’s descendants. It is through the covenant of Abraham (the covenant of Grace) that salvation of the human soul through faith in Christ rests upon. The Church Age is known as the “Age of Grace,” which will end at the rapture. The Revelation 12 rapture sign occurred in 2017 (the year that Donald “Trump” came into the office of President of the U.S.A. (Trump = the rapture). Counting forward “5 years” from then (the number for “grace” in the Bible) until now (2022), we suddenly see a lightning strike take place that displays some rather peculiar prophetic hints – as well as a divine warning.  

In looking at the details of the one survivor of these four affected by the lightning strike, she was working for a nonprofit advocacy group called “Threshold” Giving. As we are aware, a “threshold” represents a “door.” In Revelation 4:1, we see the description of a door open in Heaven as the Apostle John is caught up through that door – a picture of the rapture when the current Church Age ends. Further, the number 4 itself represents a door in scripture – there were four affected by the lightning strike. It appears that she is of Greek origin (the New Testament is originally written in Greek). She was born in 1994. In Strong’s Greek Bible Concordance, 1994 means “to turn,” “to return” or “come again/come back.” In the first instance, God requires anyone who will inherit eternal life and make it to Heaven to “turn” to Christ for salvation. In the second instance, it is obvious – hinting at the “return” of Christ. One cannot help but get the strong impression that God was pointing His finger at the “Greek” Strong’s Concordance in a massive hint drop. Her husbands name is “Achilles” – which means “pain.” She is in “pain” and scripture reveals the Tribulation Period and the signs leading up to it as a time of “birth pains” that will birth the return of Christ. It is a “birthing” process. Amazingly, the pain she felt for a few days after the incident was described by her mother as “unbearable” pain and making her “feel like her stomach is on fire.” The stomach area is where the obvious signs of a pregnant woman ready to birth a baby is located (obviously). This is the exact sign that we saw in the heavens in 2017 referred to as the “Revelation 12 rapture sign.” It involved the moon under the feet of the constellation Virgo and was clothed with the sun. Amazingly, the “king” planet Jupiter (the Child) ended its nine months circling within the womb of Virgo and finally exited east past her feet.

As stated previously, from the Revelation 12 sign until this year, it will have been “5” years – the biblical number for “grace.” The Church Age that has existed since the time of Christ that shall be raptured into Heaven is commonly called and known as the “Age of Grace.” Further still, when she was struck by the lightning, it was her birthday – just as it was Barack Obama’s birthday. This would seem to give yet more legitimacy to the prophetic hints being dropped here – first the rapture seen in the prophetic connotations surrounding her, then the rise of the Antichrist with Obama likely being the forerunner of the Antichrist or Antichrist himself (My guess is the former).

Her husband was planning on “picking her up” shortly – as in, Christ is going to “pick up those of us who are born again in the body of Christ shortly” when the rapture occurs. We are going “up” into Heaven. He had “dinner plans” for him and her after he was going to pick her up. Upon the arrival of all born again believers into Heaven at the rapture event, the great banquet feast with Christ will occur.

Further still, her heart literally stopped and she was “raised from the dead” and her survival is now being called a “miracle.” At the return of Christ during the aforementioned rapture verse, the “dead in Christ” are going to be raised first just before the living are raised into Heaven.

As you can see, God does nothing haphazardly in sending the world a wake-up call – in this case, a deadly lightning strike with prophetically significant numbers, which in turn, displays some rather peculiar prophetic end times connotations. The warning message that God seems to be sending the world here is that the rapture is about to occur and the Antichrist will soon arrive on the scene.

The Barack “61” Lightning Code

Interestingly, in addition to the White House area lightning strike that effected 4 people on Barack Obama’s birthday, lightning struck the clock tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on the very same day (see here).

Interestingly, as most know, it is said that Barack Obama has Islamic roots. Putting the picture together, one could realistically say that God is telling us that the “time” (the strike on the clock tower) for the “rapture” (the strike in front of the White House that displays a curious “42” pattern from the 2 Kings chapter 2 rapture narrative) is near. Although lightning has struck the Mecca clock tower a few times before in previous years, the fact that it would do so again on the same day as the front of the White House also got struck on Obama’s birthday is, in my opinion, very telling. Previously, I’ve reported on the peculiar “41” code sign that began to emerge last year related to this number’s seeming clue to the 41st chapter of the book of Genesis and its documentation of the famine that hit ancient Egypt in the days of the reign of the Pharaoh and “Joseph” (see the “Recommended Reading and Viewing” section further below. It is interesting that now, a most dramatic omen has occurred showing us “42,” the number after “41.” Add to this a “Trump,” as in, Donald Trump (the Trump that shall sound when the rapture occurs), and you have the makings of a really bad sign for the world – and a blessing signal for those “born again” in Christ. Say, don’t we have a president by the name of “Joseph” who was Obama’s Vice-President?

One cannot help but be reminded of Zechariah 9:14 …

“And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south” (Zechariah 9:14).

Here, we can see the theme of lightning being associated with the sound of a trumpet. As we know, a trumpet will sound at the rapture event and the Lord shall stand “in the clouds” or “in the heavens” [over them] as the rapture occurs and call those in the body of Christ on Earth home to Heaven.

Keeping in mind that this lightning strike occurred on Obama’s birthday, it is noteworthy to point out that Barack Obama turned 61 years of age on the day this lightning strike occurred. When one looks at Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, the KJV translates Strong’s G61 as “a catching or hunting/that which is taken in hunting/of fish- a draught or a haul.” Importantly, Jesus himself told His disciples and those that are converted thereafter to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18-22), meaning to go out and hunt or fish for the souls of men and women by presenting the Gospel message of salvation through Christ to them. Christianity is likened to fish and possesses the symbol of a fish.

Further, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon Strong’s New Testament number 61: ἄγρα means the following:

ἄγρα, (ας, ἡ (ἄγω); (1) a catching, hunting: Luke 5:4. (2) the thing caught: ἡ ἄγρα τῶν ἰχθύων ‘ the catch or haul of fish’ i. e. the fishes taken (A. V. draught), Luke 5:9.

When the rapture occurs, the net that caught all the souls (the fish) of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior will be hauled in.

Further still, in Exodus 19:16, we also see lightning associated with a trumpet as God descended and Moses ascended the mountain, which is an Old Testament prototype picture of the rapture …

“On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled” (Exodus 19:16).

Notice that it occurred on the “third day.” Here, in the year 2022, the White House lightning strike, containing some intriguing prophetic signs/clues of the approaching rapture (the number “42”), has occurred at a time when the world has now reached that prophetic third day in which the end of the Church Age has arrived (see more on the prophetic importance of the “third day” in this article here). Further, the lightning strike occurred at 6:50 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). Prophetically speaking, the world has now reached the end of the “6,000th year” of man upon Earth before judgment is set to strike (possibly representing the number 6 in the hour of the lightning strike. America has a total of “50″ states (possibly representing the minute marker in the time of the lightning strike).

But keep this in mind – just seven days earlier (the number 7 is the number of perfection and completion in the Bible), 72 nations participated in worshipping 72 Satanic idols in a televised Luciferian ritual while celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay creepily stalked frightened lambs.

For those of us who are in Christ, the rapture awaits as we escape the wrath to come. As for the asleep and unsaved world, it is far down the road toward judgment – and it is reaching its end.

In the meantime, we wait and we watch.

WHITE HOUSE LIGHTNING STRIKE OMEN UPDATE 1:

The Mar-A-Lago/Elias 2071 Rapture Omen

August 8, 2022

In what can be considered as yet another ominous portent of events to come in our immediate future, the Mar-a-Lago estate owned by Donald Trump has (supposedly) just come under an “unannounced” (wink, wink) “FBI Raid” (wink, wink). As many may be aware, much of what we see as “breaking news” in the media are really nothing more than scripted theater to create a narrative in the minds of the masses with a targeted end result. In fact, according to some expositors, it is nothing more than ritualistic occultism in play – complete with the orchestrated numbers. It is a safe bet that Donald Trump was not at all “surprised” by this turn of events as he is controlled so-called “opposition.”

Prophetically speaking in relation to the White House lightning strike omen, this proves to be yet another nod from on high that our time here is growing short and that judgment is around the bend for the left behind world – and the Mar-a-Lago raid’s prophetic significance centers on a man named “Marc E. “Elias.” First, “Elias” is simply the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name “Elijah.“ The Elias referred to on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:3 [Matt. 17:3], as the footnote states, is the Old Testament prophet Elijah the Tishbite.

Recalling the earlier importance of Elias/Elijah in the Old Testament’s 2 Kings 2 rapture narrative and the striking blow upon the “42” mocking young Israelites over his rapture into Heaven, we seem to have yet another rapture omen playing out in these end of days Vineyard America in conjunction with the White House lightning strike. First, the supposed “raid” occurred just “4” days after the White House lightning strike – which itself affected “4” people. This reminds us of the Revelation 4:1 rapture typology.

The “4th” letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter “dalet.” Its numeric value is the number 4.

The pictogram or symbol behind the shape of the letter dalet is a doorpost or lintel.  The word for door in Hebrew is “delet,” or door.  The word “dalet” in Hebrew is spelled with the letters “dalet,” “lamed” and “tahv” pictured below.

The word for a door or gate in Hebrew is “delet, also spelled with a “dalet,” lamed” and “tahv.”  In this instance, though spelled the same, is pronounced slightly differently.    “The dalet also alludes to dahl, pauper, who knocks on doors begging for alms … The shape of the dalet is like that of a door with it’s lintel spreading right and left, and it’s doorpost reaching up and down.”  So, the idea in view with this fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is clear.  It is a door or gate.

Not just an entrance way, but a barrier that can be opened and must be opened in order to enter.  When one opens a door or gate, you pass through what was a barrier.  You leave one area and you “cross over” and enter another area.  How magnificent it is, then, to look at Revelation 4 (the number of the dalet) and see in verse 1 the picture of the rapture of all those who are born again in Christ into Heaven as we leave this world behind and escape God’s judgment upon an unbelieving world …

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. …” (Revelation 4:1).

Further still, let’s take a look at the position that the letter dalet holds in the Hebrew alphabet.  It is the 4th letter.  It is on the 4th day of creation that God created the sun, moon and stars.  God placed them in the heavens to give light on the earth and to separate the light from darkness.  On day 1, God had created light.  God separated the light from the darkness.  On day 2, God separated the waters below from the waters above.  On day 3, God had commanded that the waters below be gathered into one place, separated from dry land.  But on day 4, God commanded that the sun, moon and stars be set in place in order to separate the light from the darkness.  In this idea of separation from one space to another, you are either in one space or in the other.  You cannot see what is on the other side, but you can see the means of crossing over to the other side.  You have to approach the door, reach out and open it.  When it opens, one can cross over.  You choose to recognize the door and you choose to approach the door.  Jesus said the following words …

“I am the door, if anyone enters through me, he will be saved” (John 10:9).

Jesus was not speaking randomly.  He was saying plainly that he is the means of crossing over from dark to light.  From death to life.  He is the door.  Jesus was alluding to things written about in the Old Testament.  When Israel came out of Egypt, they had to take some of the blood of an innocent sacrificed lamb and apply the blood to the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses they lived in …

“And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it” (Exodus 12:7).

When the angel of death saw the blood, he passed over the house and the Israelite family inside under the blood was spared death.  Psalm 118 is a Messianic Psalm.  It speaks of Jesus …

“Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation” (Psalm 118:19-21).

The term salvation is the Hebrew name for Jesus.

The sun, set in place on the 4th day of creation, is a sign pointing to Jesus.  Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets.  Malachi in Hebrew means “my messenger.”  His final writings say ..

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall” (Malachi 4:1-2). 

On the very same day of the supposed Mar-a-Lago raid, a man with the last name of “Elias” came forth onto social media like the corrupt blood-thirsty hound that he has been proven to be and began salivating at the possibility of disqualifying Trump from holding future office as President.

In the law, section 2071 has excited the imagination of some of the corrupt establishment because of a line that states that a convicted party can “be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.

Critics such as “Elias” were not particularly interested in whether Trump might have some suspended misdemeanor sentence. Rather, even before learning if any evidence of criminal conduct was found, critics turned to the ability to use the charge to disqualify Trump from future office. Notably, “Elias” was Hillary Clinton’s campaign lawyer who was a critical player in pushing the false Russian collusion claims in the Steele dossier. In addition to accusations that he may have lied about the funding of the Steele dossier,  “Elias” has been sanctioned in court for his conduct.

With that fact in mind, lets take a look at the prophetic tell-tale signs in this orchestrated event to lead us in the direction of where the Lord is pointing his finger to. As you will recall, after the ascension, or rapture, of “Elias”/Elijah into Heaven, the 42 mockers began mocking Elisha over “Elias’s” rapture. Today, “4” days after the lightning strike on the White House, we have a corrupt lawyer named “Elias” verbally attacking a “Trump” [Trump = rapture] at the possibility of disqualifying him. The narrative involves the theme of an unjust attack against Trump, who’s name represents the rapture – just as the mocking attack against Elisha occurred amidst his report of “Elias” being raptured and the “42” mocking Israelites were mauled by two she-bears.

Further still, notice the U.S. code law that “Elias” posted to his twitter account – it is code 2071 – which bears the defining words of “Concealment,” “Removal” or “Mutilation.”

This is the sequence of events that occurred at the rapture of “Elias.” “Elias” was “concealed,” “removed” and then, a “mutilation” of the “42” mockers occurred. In like manner, those in the true body of Christ will be “concealed and removed at the rapture and a mutilation of some kind will take place after the Church’s removal from Earth. When looking at the Bible Strong’s number “2071,” the number of the U.S. Law code cited by “Elias,” we see the following words displayed … “should be,” “shall come to pass” and “may have.” It appears as though the Lord, through this ominous sign, is telling us loud and clear – “IT SHALL COME TO PASS! SOON!”

Speaking of the two she-bears that emerged after Elijah’s rapture, as if right on cue, at the same time that the Mar-A-Lago “Elias” sign occurred/was occurring, we saw Russian Spy Planes Enter Alaska Air Defense Zones In 1st Since Ukraine War: NORAD. I do not have to remind most of you that Russia’s emblem is the bear. In Luke 1:17, we have the story of John the Baptist (a forerunner of Christ) going before Jesus “in the spirit of Elias” to prepare the way of the Lord. A “preparation” phase takes place.

To have this remarkable, yet ominous, rapture omen emerge at a prophetic “4” days (Revelation 4:1) after the White House lightning omen struck is a remarkable signal from on high that, for those of us in Christ, our time here is growing crucially short. For the left behind world, God is signaling of rapidly approaching judgment. The storm of the Tribulation is almost here.

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

Let’s be frank: when Christ Jesus comes back [SOON], He’ll be kicking ass and taking names. NOW is the brief opportunity to take the FREE GIFT of total forgiveness, eternal life, and everlasting joy in His presence forever. But the opportunity is ending… and SOON…

“HOW WILL WE ESCAPE, HAVING NEGLECTED SUCH GREAT SALVATION?” (Hebrews 2:3).

The demonstrably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading and Viewing:
THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT OMEN

A TIMELINE THAT JUST MIGHT FIT

BREAKING PROPHECY ALERT: SPIRIT OF THE BEAST RISING – “PEACE AND SECURITY” BEAST STATUE APPEARS OUTSIDE OF U.N. HEADQUARTERS

BREAKING PROPHECY ALERT: THE THIRD DAY – SIX STONE WATER POTS AND THE PHILADELPHIA “41” VINEYARD RAPTURE SIGN

This chapter records the miracle of feeding five-thousand people with five barley loaves and two small fish. The event is so significant to the life and ministry of Christ that it is recorded in all four Gospels. In this chapter, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (verse 35). To demonstrate the significance of the metaphoric bread, He compared Himself to the manna that their forefathers ate in the wilderness. Jesus explicitly says that the manna prophetically pointed to Him.

In applying the heavenly “bread” to Himself, Jesus taught that He was “from heaven.” Though born of human flesh, He previously existed in a place not of this world. He came down from Heaven itself …

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:32-33).

His existence in another realm, prior to His birth in Bethlehem, brings us to the meaning of the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and its connection to the story in this sixth chapter. For those who have not been following along this far, or are unaware of the concept, the meanings and themes of each letter of the Hebrew alphabet correspond and match the theme and subject matter to each corresponding chapter in the book of John respectively. The sixth letter corresponds to the sixth chapter in a display of Divine authorship as the Holy Spirit stewarded John’s thought process, thinking and physical handwriting in this book – as occurred with all other books of the Bible.

The Hebrew Letter Vav

The Hebrew name of this 6th letter (vav) is the word for “hook.” In the Palmyra Aramaic alphabet (A.D. 137), the vav was drawn in the shape of a question mark without the dot beneath it – the classic appearance of a hook! In the Square Hebrew (A.D. 100-400) the vav looked like a hook also. In the Phoenician Hebrew found at Carthage (300 B.C.), the vav was drawn like a spear with a hook or barb. All three variations are in the shape of a barb or hook.

The modern appearance of vav also looks somewhat like a hook. The flame-like appendage at the top of the letter is said to be a  י yod, standing for the metaphysical hand of God – something not of this world.

But the stem that descends from the  י yod depicts the fact that the One who stands at the right hand of God in Heaven came down to this world. 

Therefore, the vav depicts Jesus, the One who can reach up and take hold of the hand of God and also reach down and take hold of the hand of man and bring us back together again. 

In Genesis 2:4, which says, “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth …,” we notice that the Hebrew תוֹלְד֧וֹת toledot (translated as “generations“) is written with two vavs. But after the fall of Adam, in Genesis 5:1, which says, “This is the book of the generations of Adam …,” we notice that the תוֹלְד֧וֹת toledot is spelled with one vav missing. Our hook or connection with Heaven disappeared, so to speak. However, in Ruth 4:18, the messianic lineage from Judah to David is given, in which the תוֹלְד֧וֹת toledot is written once again with two vavs. The missing vav was returned to the lineage of the Messiah. It is clear, therefore, that the vav refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is our connection to Heaven as he, like the vav hook, reaches down, and up, to connect us to God and Heaven. 

For that reason, vav is said to mean: “completion, redemption and transformation” (Michael Munk, The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, page 94). These attributes reflect the ministry of Jesus. 

Furthermore, the vav is used as a conjunction in sentence structure, usually translated as “and.” Grammatically, the vav links words, phrases, sentences and even paragraphs together. It is the link connecting Heaven and Earth. That is one reason why Jesus could say that He came down from Heaven. 

The vav has a numerical value of six. Michael Munk writes …

“The physical world was completed in six days and a complete self-contained object consists of six dimensions: above and below, right and left, before and behind … the Jewish nation, too, is complete, self-contained, unique; that is why the number six is so prominent in the story of its growth to nationhood. At the Exodus and the giving of the Torah at Sinai, the census of the Jewish nation was 600,000, corresponding to the 600,000 letters in the Torah” (page 94). 

Ancient Jewish scholars believed that the six days of Creation represented a prophecy that all things will be completed, redeemed and transformed at the close of six-thousand years of human history. Remarkably, in this generation, Israel has returned to the status of nationhood; the United Nations is preparing the world for global government; and Christians are looking for the Second Coming of Christ – first in the rapture event phase, then returning with Him at the Second Coming after the Tribulation Period of judgment has concluded. 

In his classic book Number in Scripture (page 150), E.W. Bullinger observes that six is the number of man since he was created on the sixth day. Interestingly, the serpent was created on the sixth day, which would conceivably be the reason why six became the number of the Antichrist. John’s sixth chapter contains 71 verses, making it the longest chapter in the Gospel (book of John). Perhaps the Holy Spirit wanted John to tell us … “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66), followed by the revelation of the evil inclinations of Judas Iscariot as a prototype of the future Antichrist. 

This chapter contains the first of seven metaphors, in which Jesus equates Himself with the Mosaic identification of the great “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). In John’s Gospel, these seven metaphors seem to produce a menorah design. They are:

1. “I am the bread of life” (6:35).
2. “I am the light of the world (8:12 and 9:5).
3. “I am the door” (10:9).
4. “I am the good shepherd” (10:11).
5. “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25).
6. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6).
7. “I am the vine” (15:5).

In each of these metaphors, Jesus reveals a Divine characteristic. In time, we shall look at the other symbols: “light,” “door,” “shepherd,” “resurrection and life,” “way … truth and life,” and the “vine.” When we get to chapter 10, we shall examine the servant lamp of this menorah design: the “good shepherd.” It seems that all of these metaphors revolve around the shepherd, who “… gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). 

When the soldiers entered the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said, “I am.” It is right then that John records the following …, 

“As soon then as he had said unto them, I am, they went backward, and fell to the ground” (John 18:4-6). 

The King James English translation added “he,” printed in italics, but it is not there in the Greek. It was translated in the KJV as “I am he” only for clarity. Jesus actually said, “I AM!”  The sheer metaphysical power in that statement knocked those soldiers off their feet. Throughout this Gospel, John emphasizes the deity of Christ. Jesus is the Son of God and God, the Son! We can say God incarnate in human flesh. 

The Third Passover 

“After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh” (John 6:1-4). 

The Passover was near, during which time, the Jews observed the “festival of Unleavened bread” in commemoration of that “bread from heaven” (John 6:31). Some have suggested that these five-thousand men could have been preparing to make the journey to Jerusalem for the celebration at the Temple. That could account for the fact that Jesus referred to them as “men,” implying that a few women were present. 

This is the third Passover recorded in John’s Gospel. It seems to conform to the third of four cups served at the Passover table – the cup of Redemption. The various themes of the four cups are given in Exodus 6:6-7 …

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6-7). 

Reviewing briefly, the first cup, called “the cup of Sanctification,” represents the time when God called Abraham to be the father of a chosen people (“I will bring you out …”). The first Passover in John’s Gospel has Jesus cleansing or sanctifying the temple.

The second cup, called “the cup of Thanksgiving,” commemorates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (“I will rid you out of their bondage …”). The second Passover in John relates the story of Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, who had been afflicted for 38 years. 

The third cup, called “the cup of Redemption,” reminds Israel of God’s deliverance by the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, giving Israel the courage of lions. The following blessing, recited just before drinking the third cup around the Passover meal, depicts this theme …

“Fear [the Lord], you – His holy ones – for there is no deprivation for His reverent ones. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek [the Lord] will not lack any good. Give thanks to God for He is good; His kindness endures forever. You [God] open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, then the Lord will be his security. I was a youth and forsaken, with his children begging for bread. [The Lord] will give might to His people; [the Lord] will bless His people with peace.” 

In passing, we might note that John depicts Jesus as both the Lamb of God and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

This cup commemorates redemption as Israel sets out on its journey toward the Promised Land (“I will redeem you …“). As we shall see, the sixth chapter in John’s Gospel follows the theme depicted in this cup. Ultimately, this third cup of Redemption speaks of Jesus on the cross, delivering us with outstretched arms, as depicted in the verse, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” (Exodus 6:6). I shall have more to say about this third Passover cup as we consider the 71 verses in this chapter. 

The fourth cup, called “the cup of Completion,” speaks of the future resurrection (“I will take you to me for a people …”). The story of John’s fourth Passover takes up five chapters (13-17). However, John’s entire Gospel seems to be a metaphoric recounting of the prophetic significance in the four cups of Passover. 

Five Loaves and Two Fishes 

“When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” (John 6:5-9). 

According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, this event occurred shortly after the execution of John the Baptist. John’s disciples retrieved his body and buried it, then went to Jesus and explained what happened. Luke tells us that Jesus had recently sent His twelve disciples on a preaching tour throughout the country, giving them power to perform miracles of healing, and that they were also returning with news of their journeys.

Mark tells us that Jesus invited John’s disciples to accompany Him and the twelve to a “desert place” (Mark 6:31) where they could rest for awhile. They launched a private boat to take them across the Sea of Galilee to a secluded place for rest and relaxation. However, throngs of people saw the Savior leave and set out to find Him. Perhaps news of John’s death had angered many Israelites, who were nurturing thoughts of overthrowing Herod and replacing him with Jesus. Perhaps many men had followed Jesus’ disciples from their recent preaching tour, having witnessed the miracles. And, perhaps the political climate in the country, along with the fear of Roman rule, caused them to want to hear what Jesus had to say. The Synoptic Gospels record the story in Matthew 14, Mark 6 and Luke 9.

Eventually, the crowds became enormous. We are told that Jesus spent the day teaching them. Toward evening, one of His disciples suggested that He dismiss the people, so they could get something to eat in nearby villages. But the Savior told the disciples to feed them, and asked Philip how they might buy bread for the crowd. By this time, some 5,000 men had gathered. The feasibility of feeding such a crowd was entirely out of the question. Their treasury amounted to about 200 small coins (called denarii) – far from enough to feed so many. The KJV “penny” was actually a denarius, a small coin, usually silver, about the size of an American dime, but worth a day’s wages in buying power.

Andrew knew only of a lad with a small supply of food for personal needs, probably prepared by the boy’s mother. He had only five barley loaves and two small fish. But the Savior knew about the lad beforehand and asked Philip how they might feed the people in order to control the situation and bring about this spectacular miracle.

The Miracle of the Loaves

“And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would” (John 6:10-11).

Mark explains that the Savior requested the crowd sit down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Luke mentions only groups of fifty. The logistics of distributing the food is simplified when we realize that if they gathered into groups of fifty and one-hundred, then there were less than a hundred groups. to feed. Perhaps volunteers from each group helped the disciples distribute the loaves and fish. In any case, Jesus fed 5,000 men with a handful of bread and fish.

How did He perform such a miracle? Jesus was the Creator of the universe. Anything was possible for Him. Unlike normal man, Jesus could work at the molecular or atomic level of Creation. Atoms contain protons, neurons and electrons – even fish. Although modern science cannot comprehend the process, it must have been easy for the Savior to take the DNA patterns of the bread and fish and simply multiply them. DNA strands are comprised of atoms, and contain a formula for converting atoms into bread or fish. Though modern science can explain the technology that comprises bread and fish, Jesus could actually work with its … (shall we say) … “programming level,” creating enough food to feed the multitude.

This miracle tells me that Jesus can feed multiplied billions of people without having to grow crops. If, during the millennial reign of Christ on Earth after the Tribulation Period, Earth’s population grows exponentially, Jesus has the ability to feed them all. Nothing is impossible for Him.

The Prophecy

“When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world” (John 6:12-14).

After the meal, Jesus instructed the disciples to gather the leftovers, which amounted to twelve baskets full – all from only five loaves of bread and two small fish. The other Gospels concur, but also tell about Jesus feeding another four-thousand people shortly thereafter, in which seven baskets of left-overs were collected.

These numbers are part of a prophetic scenario that lay out the current dispensation of Grace, the quickly approaching Tribulation period and the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ thereafter – in that order. The “five” in the five loaves of bread speaks of grace. Further, the Church Age (often referred to as the Dispensation of Grace) began at the “fifth” millennium after the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus said that he would make the disciples “fishers of men,” meaning they would be ones to catch the souls of men with the “hook” of the Gospel message (the letter vav). After them, it is what all who would become Christians are instructed to do – to become fishers of men.

The two fish would represent the passage of 2,000 years in the current Dispensation of Grace since Christ ascended back to Heaven wherein souls are brought into the Kingdom of God through the individual personal acceptance of the Gospel message.

The “four” in the account of four-thousand more people being fed thereafter seems to stand for the millennial reign because the number four is the number of the kingdom. Interestingly enough, the number 4 is also connected to the rapture of the Church as the Church Age ends in Revelation chapter 3 and the rapture occurs in chapter 4 verse 1 …

“After this [after the Church Age in chapter 3] I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither [representing the rapture], and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” [emphasis added] (Revelation 4:1).

The number 4 is also the root number of the passage of 4,000 years since the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden until the time that Christ arrived on the scene by coming to Earth to minister for a few years and ascending back to Heaven after the crucifixion.

The number 12 in the number of twelve baskets left over to feed those additional 4,000 people could refer to a couple of things. In Heaven, there will be 24 elders around the throne of God after the rapture – twelve to represent the Old Testament saints and twelve to represent the New Testament saints. The number twelve is also the number of government in scripture.

The number “seven” for the remaining number of baskets leftover from the feeding of the additional 4,000 people likely represents the 7th millennium wherein Christ rules on Earth for the 1,000 year millennial reign of Paradise on Earth after the Tribulation has ended. The number seven is also the number of completion – it is God’s perfect number in scripture.

This miracle prompted thoughts that Jesus was the fulfillment of a Mosaic prophecy …

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15).

Indeed, Jesus was that prophet. John takes the opportunity to remind us of that.

Walking on Water

“When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went” (John 6:15-21).

After the evening meal, Jesus dismissed the crowd, told the disciples to set sail across the Galilee, and went up into a nearby mountain to be alone. The disciples may not have understood what Jesus was doing, but the events present a prophetic scenario. Sending His disciples on a preaching tour, followed by feeding five-thousand people shows us that Jesus would institute the dispensation of Grace with His great commission to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15), and calling upon believers to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). The fish became the symbol of the early church, and the bread is symbolic of Jesus “the bread of life” (verse 35). Jesus’ departure into the mountain is prophetic of His ascension back into Heaven.

The twelve disciples setting sail upon Galilee is prophetic of Israel going through the coming Tribulation Period.

A “furlong” was comprised of about 400 cubits (just over 200 yards) or about an eighth of a mile. Therefore, twenty or thirty furlongs represented only between three to four miles … across a lake that is thirteen miles in length and eight miles in width.

They had rowed close to four miles out into the lake from Tiberias, which was about four miles northwest of the southern tip, making them about 5 miles from their destination when the storm hit them. Matthew tells us that Jesus came walking on the water during the fourth watch of the night, sometime after 3 A.M. and before morning light. Therefore, the storm must have raged for several hours.

The Savior’s appearance upon the stormy sea is prophetic of His return to rescue Israel during the battle of Armageddon. Walking upon the water, thus defying gravity, is prophetic of His appearance in clouds of glory in the darkened sky over Jerusalem when the sun refuses to shine and the moon turns to blood.

Matthew tells us that Peter, a fisherman who had lived for years around the unpredictable Galilee, requested that he, too, might walk on that water; and Jesus bade him “Come” (Matthew 14:29)! For a short distance, Peter actually walked on the water with Jesus.

Let us not focus upon his lack of faith, but on the fact that Peter is the only human being ever to walk on water, outside of Christ. It is prophetic of either the rapture of the Church or our return with Christ in glory.

When Jesus and Peter stepped into the boat, another miracle occurred. Suddenly, they were teleported to their destination. Immediately, the storm was over and the disciples found themselves at the shore – from the middle of Galilee to the shore – in a split second. There was no time for the storm clouds to recede and the waves to calm down. No, it was immediate, as if they had traveled through a time warp into the future, skipping the process of winds receding and clouds dissipating. Arriving at their destination, after having rowed only three or four miles, was no small miracle.

Soon after this incredible experience, Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus and the disciples went into Lebanon, near Tyre and Sidon, where they met a Gentile. This lays out a prophetic scenario that the Gentiles would be given the Gospel during the dispensation of Grace, and indeed, that has been the case.

As far as we know, the Syrophenician was the only reason why Jesus traveled into Lebanon. He healed their daughter and returned to Galilee. The next thing we read about is the feeding of four thousand people. This completes the prophetic scenario with a view of how things will be for the world during the millennial reign of Christ.

Now, back to the story in John’s Gospel. It seems that before Jesus left for Lebanon, He had harsh words for the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 15). In John 6, Jesus preaches His most unusual sermon. His message was misunderstood, causing many people to turn from the Savior and walk no more with Him.

The Unholy Motive

“The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed” (John 6:22-27).

The traditional sites for the feeding of the five-thousand include a terrazzo tile floor depiction of the basket with five loaves and two fish in the ruins of a Byzantine church on the northwestern shore of Galilee, while others have chosen the open fields beyond the northeastern shore near the plains where the Jordon River enters from the north.

However, according to John, the miracle of feeding five thousand people took place near Tiberius on the southwestern side of Galilee. Tiberius is located about four miles up from its southern tip. John has them landing in Capernaum, while Matthew and Mark have them landing in the “land of Gennesaret” (Matthew 14:34 and Mark 6:53). Luke does not relate the story to us, but skips from the feeding of five thousand people to another time and place.

We should note that Matthew and Mark record their destination as the “land of Gennesaret.” It is entirely possible that the “land” or territory could have included the entire region bordering the upper western and northwestern shores of Galilee. Capernaum would have been in the land of Gennesaret, since John goes to some length to explain what happened there.

As we shall learn in verse 59, that morning, Jesus entered the Synagogue at Capernaum and began to teach. However, the people had several questions preoccupying their thoughts. Some of the people coming from Tiberius noticed the ship, in which the disciples embarked without the Savior, docked at the port of Capernaum, and began to wonder how Jesus was able to get there by morning light.

Technically, His presence there seemed impossible. However, when the people began to press Him for an answer, He changed the subject, telling them that their motives for seeking Him were impure. He told them that they were not interested in spiritual matters, but in eating well. Jesus urged them to seek that spiritual sustenance that brings eternal life.

The True Bread from Heaven

“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst” (John 6:28-35).

Jesus had told them to “labor not” as those who work for bread that perishes, but rather that they should labor “metaphorically” for a “metaphoric” bread – one that could provide eternal life. So, they replied with a question about how they should work to obtain this eternal life. Jesus responded by telling them simply to “believe” on Him. Well, how about a sign – something they could see, feel and touch? They missed the message entirely. They thought Jesus was going to give them a special physical labor or religious exercise. Instead, Jesus told them that the manna pointed to the Messiah. The physical manna merely taught a spiritual lesson about eternal life. Salvation cannot be obtained through a process of good works or law keeping. Eternal life can only be received by grace through faith in Jesus. We cannot work for it. We can only believe.

I Came down from Heaven

“But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:36-40).

Jesus told the people that they simply did not believe. Anyone wishing to add religious works to their believing simply does not have the kind of faith that saves. He assured them that anyone who really believes could be saved. He will not refuse any sincere soul. However, as the Savior quickly pointed out, their motives were impure. They had seen the miracles and wanted more miracles. They didn’t really want to take care of the eternal destiny of their souls, but rather, they wanted to oust the Romans and establish an earthly kingdom of plenty and prosperity. Jesus wanted, and longed for them to simply believe. He even promised a future resurrection if they would only believe.

Teaching in the Synagogue

“The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” (John 6:41-42).

Jesus knew what they were thinking. He heard their thoughts as though they were saying them out loud with their mouths. Furthermore, He could comprehend them all at the same time. Sure, some whispered to others, but most of them simply thought these things: “We know him. He comes from Nazareth, a community not far from here. We know his family. How dare he say he came down from heaven!”

At this point, Jesus complicates the situation even further …

“Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:43-52).

Jesus told them that a person could not be saved on his/her own. A person cannot even comprehend this concept of “believing” unless God opens his or her heart and mind to it. Now, if anyone should have had the capacity to believe, it was the Jew. The Jews had been taught to practice the Mosaic covenant from childhood. The history of being those whom the Lord chose to work through and reveal Himself to and through had been drilled into them – by their parents, religious teachers and culture. They knew all about Creation, Adam’s sin, Noah’s Flood, the call of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, etc.

The Jewish mind was never cluttered with such things as Greek philosophy, fables and idolatry. The Jew was taught about the sufferings of Joseph, the unbelief of Joseph’s brothers, the heartaches of Egyptian bondage and the liberation of the nation through the leadership of Moses. The Jew had every teaching that one could hope to have – in order to comprehend spiritual concepts. Yet, their upbringing was not enough. Something spiritual had to occur in the heart and mind – something that a person could not conjure up on his own.

Without divine assistance, one cannot understand the use of biblical metaphors. Jesus quoted the prophets who said, “They shall all be taught of God” (verse 45). No amount of teaching by man is sufficient if God does not first open one’s heart to love, or one’s mind to understand the difference between what is true and what is not, then that person, however intelligent, will continue in his/her hatred and wickedness.

Furthermore, Jesus said that belief in the prophets was a prerequisite to believing in Him. The Apostle Paul taught that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). If we are to win the lost and bring redemption to the soul, then we must teach the word of God. However, in the end, if God does not open the heart and mind, no amount of teaching will cause one to “believe.” This is not a mental ascent, but a spiritual revelation. This is what it takes to be saved.

At this point, Jesus became even more esoteric. He referred to this divine comprehension in terms of “eating!” Remember the meal they had last evening? It was a teaching tool …

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum” (John 6:53-59).

To the natural man, this is the most outrageous statement of Jesus’ ministry. However, divine reasoning teaches us that Jesus was taking the metaphoric significance of the bread to its ultimate limit. Until bread is eaten, it does no one any good. Jesus is not asking us to eat literally eat His flesh and drink His blood in some sort of crazed evening meal of an ancient version of a zombie apocalypse, Nor is He teaching that we must partake in eating unleavened bread and grape juice to obtain eternal life. He was referring to His upcoming death and resurrection as the means of redemption – the ultimate payment for sin. He must die and rise again. Without His death on the cross of Mount Calvary, we have no hope of eternal life.

For a person to mentally comprehend the significance of the Savior’s death and resurrection is the same as eating His flesh and drinking His blood – not from a literal perspective, but from a spiritual one.

These people did not know that Jesus had come for the express purpose of dying and rising again. The execution of John the Baptist was, in itself, a prophecy – a glimpse into the future of the Savior’s destiny. But these people did not know why Jesus came. Therefore, they could not understand such talk. They understood the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. It would die for their sins that year, and they would cook and eat it. They had to eat at least one bite, or their sins would remain. But they did not understand the spiritual significance of eating that lamb. It was little more than a superstition to them. They did not understand that the eating of the lamb ritual was a picture of the future Messiah, Jesus Christ, and His declaration that unless you eat of “HIS” flesh and drink “HIS” blood, one will not obtain eternal life. However, in the end, eating part of the lamb would not give them eternal life. Nor did eating the manna in the wilderness keep their forefathers from eventually dying. Jesus told them that every person who ate the manna in the wilderness was dead. We must understand that this sermon was meant to explain the price that only Jesus could pay for eternal life. It had nothing to do with this temporal life, nor of some mysterious fountain of youth-type concept.

Essentially, only Jesus was qualified to give Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, of which their forefather’s ritual eating the Passover Lamb was only a divinely ordained picture of the future reality. In other words, a prototype that was not meant to be the ultimate solution of the forgiveness of sins, but only a picture of the future ultimate solution found in Christ’s sacrificial death upon the cross. To be saved, we must comprehend the fact that Jesus Himself was the ultimate and only sacrifice for the propitiation of an individual’s sin forgiveness. In the end, Jesus simply wanted the people to understand why He was going to die on the cross and be resurrected a few days later. To understand or comprehend the reason for Jesus’ suffering is the same as partaking of the nourishment it affords. In other words, eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

Many Walked Away

“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:60-65).

The synagogue of Capernaum must have been full of people that day. When Jesus said that they should eat His flesh and drink His blood, they took it as a ridiculous statement, a hard saying as scripture expresses it, thus missing the point entirely (personally, when I’m in a humorous mood and I come across that statement in scripture, I can’t help but have a massive gut laugh bomb as I imagine a bewildered disciple in cartoon form reluctantly chowing down on Jesus’ arm with wide confused eyes as Jesus looks on with approval). Jesus knew that they were offended, and said something like this (paraphrasing) …

“Suppose, I decided not to die for your sins after all. Suppose, I called the whole thing off and ascended back into Heaven right now – in front of this whole congregation? Please understand that I am not talking about physical things, like actually cooking me and eating my flesh like a crazed lunatic with even crazier disciples. The flesh has no profit or ability to give eternal life. I am simply using a physical metaphor to teach a spiritual lesson. The spirit gives eternal life, not the flesh! My flesh is destined to die on the cross. Nevertheless, when I rise again, you will be able to obtain eternal life. Listen to my words. That is where the power lies. I am talking about a mental understanding, not a physical consumption of food.”

However, many of the people could not grasp the meaning of His message. Acknowledging this, Jesus said that they could not comprehend, unless the Father opened their understanding. Verse 66 replies …

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

These people were “disciples.” They were not people who were merely curious about Jesus. They had actually accepted the idea that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. However, instead of looking to Him for eternal life, these people were looking for a political Messiah who could deliver them from Roman rule, just as Moses had delivered their forefathers from Egypt. They did not feel the need for eternal life. After all, they were God’s chosen people, right! They weren’t lost! Or, so they thought. Their hope for national deliverance was shattered that day. They simply shook their heads and decided that Jesus was not interested in the things that concerned them. Turning to the twelve, Jesus asked if they, too, were thinking about leaving Him …

“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve” (John 6:67-71).

Peter replied that they had no plans to leave with the others. He said that their small group understood that Jesus was the “Christ” (the Messiah) and the “Son of the living God!” In other words, they understood His deity and His message about “eternal life.”

The Judas/Antichrist Number 6 Chapter Theme

Upon hearing this statement, Jesus told the disciples that He had personally chosen them, and that still, even one of them was a devil (demon). John tells us that Jesus was referring to Judas Iscariot, a trusted insider and selected treasurer, the one who kept the bag with 200 denarii, nearly a year’s wages for a man.

Judas Iscariot now becomes the prototype of the Antichrist of Revelation chapter 6 – with chapter 6 of Revelation being the parallel chapter of John chapter 6 and its presentation of Judas Iscariot, a chapter corollary phenomenon that occurs throughout both books chapter by chapter – a phenomenon that bears witness to the Divine inspiration of the Bible.

Interestingly, we see the parallel of Judas being a treasurer and the fact that the Antichrist will institute the Mark that all will have to take in their hand or forehead, without which, no one will be able to buy or sell. Both are connected to the theme of treasury, money or economy. He (Judas) claimed to be a believer, gaining the confidence of Jesus’ most loyal supporters. He “talked the talk,” and no one knew that he did not mean a word of it. Soon, a world leader will rise to prominence within a claim that he is Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. He will promise to bring peace to the Middle East, and will be so convincing that most will think that he can actually save the world from all the evils that beset them.

Later, Jesus will refer to Judas as the “son of perdition” (John 17:12), which, in the Greek language, denotes the son of Apollos, the favorite god in the pantheon of Greek deities. Apollos was the god of Hades. We would call him “the devil.” Interestingly, this is the demonic spirit called the “King of the Bottomless Pit” from Revelation 9 that will inhabit the Antichrist. It is believed by many (with good reason) that the CERN project will be either directly or partially responsible for opening up the Bottomless Pit and letting loose this demon spirit of Apollyos (Apollyon) (see here). Just recently, on July 5, 2022, the scientists at CERN once again activated the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) and began particle beam collisions at the most powerful energy release yet since its existence (see here). Keeping in mind the number 6 chapter correlation between John and Revelation (Judas and Antichrist), the LHC power volume was turned up to 13.6 TEV as mentioned in the above-linked previous posting of CERN’s live-stream.

The number 13 in the Bible is symbolic of rebellion and lawlessness. The dragon, a symbol for Satan, is found 13 times in Revelation. Satan is behind all rebellion against God. The number 6 is rich with meaning – 666 will be the number of the Mark of the Beast in Revelation 13. The Antichrist is introduced, however, in chapter 6.

The 6:6 Chapter/Verse Pattern

It is here that it should be pointed out that, in addition to the chapter 6 correlation of Judas and Antichrist, you will notice that this 6th chapter of John sees Jesus introducing the subject of Judas in verse “67.” Taking the two numbers together (chapter number and first verse number), you get “66” (John 6:67-71). In the previous article, it was brought out that the Sphinx in Egypt not only stands 20.22 meters high (2022), but when translated to feet, you end up with 66.34 feet (see more detail in the article here).

Here, we see the theme of two sixes as it seems to reflect the two sixes of John 6 and Revelation 6. How so? Again, the sphinx sits in front of the Great Pyramid, which Isaiah 19:19-20 declares to be an altar and sign to the Lord. It is here in 2022 (hearkening back to the height of the Sphinx) that we see global food shortages and mass deliberately orchestrated wheat problems beginning to surface that will only get much worse in the days ahead. Given this fact, we can logically correlate the ominous sign of the rise of global food shortages in 2022 to the rise of the chapter 6 Judas with the chapter 6 Antichrist. It is no small coincidence that Jesus should be introduced as the “bread of life” in the 6th chapter of John given that the 6th chapter of Revelation tells us of not only the rise of Antichrist on the symbolic white horse, but that also on the heels of his rise, we see global famine strike the earth using the language of “wheat” and “barley” (the bread theme) as severe inflation and economic collapse stalk humanity …

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6: 5-6).

It is here that we see yet another glimpse of the Divine inspiration of scripture as the introduction of wheat surfaces in both books’ 6th chapters as God purposefully leaves His fingerprint on the sacred writ of scripture. It should be noted that this phenomenon of correlating themes and subject matter occurs with every chapter between both books as documented in many previous articles as well. The message we see being Providentially displayed here is that, as humanity rejects the “bread of life” [Jesus] and refuses to eat of His flesh for the gift of eternal life, we see the physical earthly bread and food disappear during the Tribulation Period in Revelation 6 as humanity starves in judgment due to inflation. So, am I saying that the Tribulation Period and the Revelation 6 judgment will begin in 2022? No, not necessarily. What I am saying is that it (in my opinion) is likely no coincidence that we are seeing the nascent beginnings, or shall we say “birth pangs,” of this judgment beginning in this particular year due to the aforementioned scriptural number clues. On the other hand, perhaps the rapture and this judgment will indeed begin this year. The main point I would wish to make here is that we are, at the very least, seeing the signs.

Continuing further with this 6:6 chapter/verse theme, you may recall above that we reviewed the third Passover recorded in John’s Gospel. It seems to conform to the third of four cups served at the Passover table – the cup of Redemption. We reviewed the fact that the various themes of the four cups are given in Exodus 6:6-7 …

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6-7). 

Notice, yet again, the emergence of a 6:6 chapter/verse number theme of a rapture i.e redemption from the world being displayed with the words “I will rid you out of their bondage” (Egypt = a type of the world in which we see a famine under Joseph involving the wheat/bread of life theme), “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” and “I will take you to me.” The “stretched out arm” language being employed by the Lord hearkens back to the aforementioned concept of the missing letter vav (the hook) that was returned to the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as He reaches down and connects us to God the Father as the “hook.” This statement occurs in the same numbering pattern in a book that contains the Egypt/famine of bread theme in the very same chapter number and verse that displays a 6:6 pattern (Exodus 6:6-7) – hearkening back to the John 6:67-71 Judas/Antichrist theme. As we know, scripture tells us that the Jews/national Israel will receive the Antichrist. Furthermore, as we all are now aware, the years 1967 and 1971 (John 6:67-71) were historically significant years for Israel. The 1967 six-day war that saw them recapture Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel and the 1971 year of decision for war with Israel by Anwar Sadat was made that led to the Yom Kippur Egypt/Israeli war in 1973. As we can see, there are exactly 71 verses in John 6. Given these patterns, we can see that there seems to be a much more intricate and Providential structure here than first meets the eye.

The Judas/Antichrist theme continues within yet another 6:6 chapter/verse numbering pattern mentioned above which actually starts in John 6:60-65:

“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:60-65).

In verse 60, we see the start of the Antichrist/rejection of Christ pattern first emerge when some of the disciples began to verbally show a departing spirit from Jesus by displaying confusion and unbelief at his words. Only one verse separates the two 6:6 patterns – the aforementioned verse 6! That would be John 6:66 …

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66).

To sum it up, we have the Sphinx with encoded numbers of 20:22 meters (2022) translated into 66.34 feet while an emerging shortage of wheat/bread (the John chapter 6 “bread of life” theme) that will eventually lead into the Revelation 6 famine of wheat/bread/food is now emerging onto the world stage here in 2022. By default, since this means that the famine arrives on the heals of the rise of the Antichrist in this Tribulation judgment, the Antichrist himself cannot be much further away from arrival along with the emerging famine of the “bread of physical life.” And let’s not forget about the aforementioned 6:6 redemption/rapture theme seen in Exodus 6:6-7 as we think about the Sphinx height of 20.22 meters and 66 feet. I think by now, you can see the picture that has emerged in what I thought was going to be a practical non-end times related message of the bread of life. But perhaps the Lord had other plans for this article.

In closing, was Judas actually the son of the devil in the same sense that Jesus was the Son of God? Jesus called him a devil (demon). Did He mean by this that Judas was not human? Is it possible that there are people around us who are not earthlings – not of human origin? It is an interesting thought, and in the last few years of modern history, evidence is gathering that the elite are controlled by these entities that some in the know reveal to be physically manifesting as “Reptilians” (see here) and also those that look human to some degree. These are the forces of the dark side of the supernatural that the Apostle Paul refers to in Ephesians 6:12 …

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

But that is a story for another time.

DRINKING THE BLOOD AND EATING THE FLESH OF JESUS: YOUR ONLY WAY INTO HEAVEN – WHAT YOU MUST DO TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death.

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).

• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …

• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading:
PROPHETIC STORM: JERUSALEM DECLARATION

RAPTURE TYPOLOGY IN ACTS 9: DRAMATIC ESCAPE FROM DAMASCUS

THE 9TH OF AV AND GOD’S SABBATICAL CALENDAR

A PATTERN WITH A HOLE

THE GOOD YEARS

Now, that’s my kind of intrigue. Sound fanciful and in the realm of otherworldly intrigue and fantasy? Many interesting and entertaining scripts for a movie could be written around that one idea alone. It certainly would burn a hole in my wallet to go see it. Although these days, I have a foul taste in my mouth for anything Hollywood. I actually wouldn’t give them 10 cents of my money. Not a snowballs chance in Hell (pardon the pun) that this will ever happen.

Well, Vomitwood Hollywood aside, hold onto your britches because it is about to get gnarly in here. What if I told you that many are claiming that the sphinx closing its eyes actually happened in real life recently, as in, just a few months ago this year (2022) in the month of May? Supposedly, they did – and the closed eyes were filmed on camera (see video below). Of course, as everyone already knows, the eyes of the Sphinx are normally always open. As everyone also already knows, the Sphinx is made of limestone and things made of limestone just do not move by themselves in this manner.

Honestly, I’m trying really, really hard to squint and contort my eyeballs in every way imaginable to see if I can see those eyeballs in the sockets, but gotta tell ya – not seeing them. They do indeed look to be closed. Is it possible that the angle the Sphinx is being filmed from at this time of day is casting a certain type of shadow that makes it look as though they are closed when they’re really open? Not seeing it so far. How about you?

Right away, I can already hear the protests of those who would immediately jump to the words, “Ridiculous!” “That kind of thing just doesn’t happen!” Or, “You’re watching too many movies and you must not have heard of picture manipulation or photo-shop!” Well, to the contrary. I don’t watch movies anymore, and yes, I have heard of photoshop. Normally, I would agree that those kinds of things just do not happen, only in Vomitwood movies, a children’s story or in photoshop. However, notice I said it was “filmed” on camera. Along with the pictures came the actual video footage. Although I am not an expert or even a novice at how to go about manipulating video, there are many who are saying that it would be incredibly difficult to manipulate 7 minutes of video to make it look like the Sphinx eyes were closed. It appears right now that all of the evidence is telling us that this was not a deliberate manipulation of a person with technological know-how attempting to deceive the masses. Although there are some hard-core skeptics who will claim that this is so regardless of any evidence to the contrary because it violates their ingrained perception that “otherworldly” things just do not happen, it would seem that the evidence regardless is against them. Many in the mainstream press and websites are seemingly working hard to try to convince everyone that it has been debunked, when in fact, it has not.

On the other hand, lest you think that I am completely sold on the idea that this really happened, you would also be mistaken. I am not. I am merely trying to get to the bottom of it like everyone else while at the same time recognizing that it would not be beyond the pale for God to send the world a message such as this in order to get people’s attention. Lest we forget, the Bible gives us many examples of events that occurred in the past that defy reason and logic. For example, God spoke to Balaam through a donkey in Numbers 22. Explain to me how a donkey talks to someone in human language in the natural (it just doesn’t happen). Unless, God were behind it. He caused the Son of God to be born of a virgin woman (how the heck does that happen in the natural eh? – unless God was behind it, which he was). The Lord also caused the prophet Jonah to be swallowed by a whale – and said whale vomited him out of his mouth on the shores of Nineveh to warn the city of impending judgment. There are more examples that could be given, but I will assume that you get the idea.

Prophetically speaking, in the case of the eyes of the Sphinx mysteriously and unexplainedly closing its eyes, it is not beyond reason that the Lord would do something such as this also – especially considering that the world now finds itself on the cusp of judgment. It makes perfect sense that he would once again perform an unnatural act to wake the populations of the earth from their spiritual stupor given what is at stake.

“IF,” in fact, the Lord caused the eyes of the Sphinx to close, there is ample biblical reason and a mountain of perfect biblical sense and scriptural concept for Him to drop a massive hint such as a closing of the eyes of a monument in such a prophetically telling location on Earth – and it is for this reason that I maintain an open mind and will attempt to present that very biblical notion that an event like the closing of the eyes of one of the most recognized wonders of the world makes perfect scriptural sense. Again, personally, I’m not sure whether to believe this or not. If I were not scripturally literate and just your average person on the street with no biblical knowledge whatsoever, I would assign this story to the tin-foil hat category, or even chalk it up to some prankster trying to get clicks on a video or some other reason. However, no one can (yet) convince me that it did not happen either, even though I maintain a healthy dose of mild to medium skepticism. If it should prove to be a hoax and not real, then I will likely delete this article from my blog as I would see no reason to keep it up.

Then there are the just plain bizarre ones that will take you on a video tour to Egypt to “prove” that the eyes are indeed open and that the whole thing is just a photo-shop or something else regardless of the fact that what they are showing us is clearly the opposite. Take for example the video below of the tour guide from America with his tour guide company who went on a trip to Egypt to meet with a client. Before meeting with the client/customer for a personal tour, he decided to make a trip by himself to the Sphinx to “investigate” and prove that the eyes were/are, in fact, open. After filming the Sphinx, he confidently tells the viewers that the eyes are indeed open and that it was all either a hoax, photo-shop or some other deceiving light anomaly. However, when watching his tour video, you can clearly see that the eyes are closed!

Honestly, and no offense to this individual, but my first thought when he supposedly “proved” that they were closed was, “Man, what is this guy smoking?” “Is he high or did someone just slip a hallucinogen in my ice water when I made a trip to the mailbox before sitting down at my computer to watch this video?” Clearly, the eyes are closed. But yet, he is looking into the camera with a straight face and attempting to tell us that they are indeed open. They clearly were not (unless it was indeed that pesky shadow of that time of day making it appear so on video, which perhaps, is possible). It may well be that to him, they clearly appeared open. Herein lies some uncertainty. Many in the comment section of his video agreed that they, in fact, look closed. Part of me started to think that this tour guide qualifies as one of those who fall into the aforementioned category of no matter what sits before their eyes in front of them, they are going to say the exact opposite.

I have read comments from those in videos and on social media who claim that they were there at the Sphinx, in person (particularly Egyptians who live in the country) and were first-hand witnesses that those eyes of the Sphinx were indeed closed. Were they lying through their teeth? I suppose it is possible. Although I have read a comment or two that a blur can be seen over the eye areas as the phone camera pans in and out of the shot, I personally do not think that this is what we are seeing. It is not that obvious, at least for me. Could it be what has become known as a “deep fake” video? Given my lack of knowledge on how that technology works, I cannot say for sure that it is. Nor can I say for sure that it isn’t.

The Biblical Case for a Telling Sign – It Makes Prophetic and Practical Sense

Here, in this section, let’s go on the assumption that this was a real, supernatural event from the Lord and that He is trying to send a message of warning to the world of approaching judgment. As we do, lets take note of a biblical concept of eyes being closed and judgment falling. If you are a Christian/born again believer, you may already know where I’m going with this. If you are not and are curious, this will hopefully begin to make a whole lot of sense to you. First, lets start with a little bit of history. As we all are aware, God raised up the ancient nation of Israel to be a nation that would declare to the world the reality of God – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Not just any god. He used that nation to represent Him and declare His glory. In fact, the Lord referred to ancient Israel as His “Vineyard” …

“Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?  And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.  For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry” (Isaiah 5:1-7).

But as you may be aware, eventually, the Jews periodically fell into unbelief and would start the abominable practice of worshipping other gods. The Lord would eventually judge that nation for this practice. Of the instances that this happened to them, the last of these types of judgments were when the Romans invaded and scattered them to the nations of the earth in 70 A.D. and again in 135 A.D. But in relation to the subject of eyes closing, lets refresh ourselves on why God judged them. In short, He judged them for their rejection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. There was a spiritual blindness of who Jesus Christ really was that saturated the nation, which resulted in God’s judgment of that nation. This blindness would continue even up to the present – even though God has brought them back to the ancient homeland in fulfillment of end times Bible prophecy in 1948. This is referred to by Jesus as the prophecy of the fig tree in Matthew 24. Today, although there are Jewish believers who are born again Christians in the body of Christ, largely, the nation and the vast majority of its people remain in unbelief – or said another way, their eyes are closed and they are spiritually blind.

When Jesus walked the earth before He gave them over to the Roman dispersion of A.D. 70, He promised to take the Kingdom, the Vineyard, from them and give it to another nation that would produce the spiritual fruits of the Kingdom of God. We see from scripture and history that Gentile nations (non-Jewish nations) are the nations that have been producing the fruit of the Kingdom of God for the last approximately 2,000 years since Christ ascended back to Heaven and the Holy Spirit descended in the Upper Room in Acts 2. In fact, the Apostle Paul mentions the fact that God has blinded their eyes in order for the Gentiles to believe on and receive Jesus Christ. Paul likens this to the Jewish branches being broken off of the Olive Tree and the Gentile branches grafted in. Tellingly, he uses the language of them being “blinded,” i.e. closed eyes for the benefit of the Gentiles being grafted into the covenant …

“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (Romans 11:7).

“(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day” (verse 8).

“Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy” (verses 10-11).

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (verse 25).

Here, we can see that the Jews are likened to being “blind,” as in their spiritual eyes closed and being in the damnable state of unbelief, for the sake of the Gentiles being brought in to saving faith and belief. The language of eyes being closed is equated to spiritual unbelief in Jesus Christ as the Savior/Son of God. When reading the whole chapter, immediately we see Paul warning the Gentiles not to boast, for if the Gentiles fall into unbelief i.e. their spiritual eyes become closed, they too will have their branches broken off from God’s blessing and be judged. Then, the original branches will be grafted back in to the Olive Tree.

Now that we have come to the end of the Church Age of the Biblical end times, we now see the Gentiles have fallen into mass unbelief, i.e. spiritual eyes have closed. And just like God did with ancient Israel when their spiritual eyes closed and they fell into unbelief, God judged them. Now that God has brought them back to their ancient homeland in 1948 as a fulfillment of the Fig Tree prophecy, it is indicative of the fact that God is getting ready to judge the entire world (the Gentile world – and to an extent, unbelieving, regathered and reinstituted Israel itself) for its closed eyes of unbelief.

Now, hopefully you can understand why this “possible” sign of the closed eyes of the Sphinx begins to make prophetic and practical sense (“if” this [what appears to be] supernatural occurrence really did happen).

The Egyptian Legend and the “End of the World”

According to early mythology if the Great Sphinx closes its eyes; several events will follow and will change the world in the coming period. Or in other words, it is said, based on this legend, that the eyes closing will mean that the end of the world is nearing. “IF” this event actually did occur, then what would be the message that the Lord is trying to convey? According to believers in the legend, it means the end of the world and great change. But what of the more accurate message within that message?

In the story of Jonah, God came to Jonah and told him to go to the city of Nineveh and preach repentance to them and warn them that if the city did not repent, it would be destroyed in 40 days. As the story goes, Jonah did not like the Ninevites and rebelled against what God wanted him to do and fled in the opposite direction toward Tarshish to flee from the presence of the Lord. However, God brought a storm (Jonah 1:4–16) that put the ship in danger of breaking apart. The sailors fearing for their lives threw Jonah into the sea for fear of what the Lord would do to them because of him and threw him into the sea at Jonah’s request, realizing that what was occurring to the boat was his fault. Once Jonah was sent overboard, the storm dissipated.

Then, God sent a giant fish (often assumed to have been a whale) swallowed Jonah and he was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, at which time the fish spewed Jonah onto the shore near Nineveh, likely in full view of the Ninevites (Jonah 1:17; 2:10) in order to motivate him to preach the Gospel message to that wicked city of impending judgment. It is believed that God used the belief of the Ninevites to open them up to the Lord’s message of repentance and belief in the God of the Israel. As we know, the Ninevites repented and were spared judgment. But the 64,000 dollar question is, “What in the world could Jonah have possibly said that turned them from their paganistic beliefs/practices and turn them to the real God of the universe – the God of the Bible?

The answer seems to be found in the fact that history presents a fascinating detail about the Ninevites. The Assyrian empire became extremely great and powerful with Ninevah as its center, all the way until its final destruction by the Chaldeans and the Medes. Nineveh was located in a very desirable place, east of the Tigris River in a very fertile plain. The ruins of Nineveh are located on the outskirts of what is today the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, on the east bank of the Tigris River. Nineveh was also famous in the ancient world because it was a center for the worship of Ishtar (Astarte) the fertility goddess. In the New Testament Jesus commended the inhabitants of Nineveh for repenting at the preaching of Jonah, while condemning the Jewish leaders for resisting His own message. The city was engaged in extreme wickedness. The punchline of their story is the fact that they worshipped a god called Dagon, and Dagon was a fish god. He was often depicted as a man wearing a fish, or as a half-man, half-fish creature. Dagon was also worshipped by other ancient people, including the Philistines (Judges 16:23–24; 1 Samuel 5:1–7; 1 Chronicles 10:8–12). We know that the Ninevites worshipped Dagon because of archeological finds—images depicting Dagon found in the remains of their palaces and temples. With this in mind, if the Ninevites saw a man being spewed out of the mouth of a giant fish, it is plausible that they would have believed him to have divine origins, and would have been persuaded to listen to anything he had to say, and to obey his words, which is exactly what the Bible tells us happened (Jonah 3).

An ancient historian by the name of Berosus adds even more validity to Jonah’s story. He tells the tale of Oannes, a mythical fish-man who came from the sea and gave the people wisdom. Scholars relate this story to the Babylonian water-god Ea, or Enki, but Berosus used the name “Oannes” which would have been the Assyrian / Ninevite translation of the Greek name “Ioannes” which the Hebrews translated as “Jonah.” So, naturally, when this guy gets spewed onto their shores with this particular name “Jonah” who was teaching wisdom, it greatly got their attention because it fit with their belief system. So, what was God doing? He was getting their attention (and drawing their attention) to who He really is through their personal belief system! He did so by causing a man named “Jonah” to be spewed out onto their shores – a man who, to them, was the “fish god” of their belief system. He was quite literally wearing a fish when he “made it” to their shores just as their belief taught them would happen.

Fast forward to May, 2022. We now have the eyes of the Sphinx in Egypt “allegedly” closing. What is the legend of the Egyptians? Yes, you know where I’m going now presumably. The legend is that when the eyes of the Sphinx closes, the end of the world is nearing – and in reality, it really is ending. However, the Egyptians (and the world for that matter) are blind (eyes closed) to the fact that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven and that He is going to bring judgment (the seven-year Tribulation) to all of those who have rejected His grace and mercy for salvation. These will be they who have been left behind after the rapture occurs.

The Great Pyramid of Egypt: A Sign To The Lord in the End of Days

Prophetically speaking, there probably could have been no other more appropriate place for the Lord to send such a message of spiritual blindness as the land of Egypt. There is an eye-opening prophecy from the book of Isaiah chapter 19 that tells us that the Pyramids of Egypt will be a great sign and witness to the Lord in the land of Egypt in the end of days, but I shall now quote the whole of Isaiah 19 to show that the theme of judgment will precede the time when the Lord shall become known to Egypt as expressed in the Great Pyramid as a witness to the Lord in verses 19-22 …

“The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded. And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do” (Isaiah 19:1-15).

“In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.” (verses 16-25).

Many Bible scholars often mention the fact that this “altar to the Lord” is none other than the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

It is also agreed among many Egyptologists that the Pyramids were not built by the Egyptians, as the pyramids long precede the Egyptian empire. In fact, evidence exists that the pyramids precede the Great Flood of Noah, and indeed, endured through the Great Flood as evidence of ridge marks caused by its waters are seen on the Sphinx and in the Great Pyramid itself. So, the pyramids and the Sphinx are an altar and witness to the Lord. The Great Pyramid could not really be a “witness to the Lord” if it had been built by the Egyptians as they were idol worshippers and not worshippers of the God of the Bible. When looking at the body of the Sphinx, everyone can see that it is a lion. Interestingly, Jesus Christ is referred to in scripture as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” in Revelation 5:5. It is thought by many Egyptologists that the Sphinx did not always have the face of a Pharaoh, but originally had the face of a lion.

According to this theory, the statue was later re-carved to be modelled on Khufu. To early Egyptians the lion was a much more potent symbol of power than the human face. Given that the monument already has the body of a lion it makes sense to the experts that it also originally had the face of a lion. During Egypt’s early history lions inhabited the wilds of Giza and surrounding areas.

In scripture, ancient Egypt is a prophetic type/prototype of the world. As it was noted in a previous article titled AMERICA THE VINEYARD 3: THE YEAR 2020 AND THE 400 YEAR PROPHETIC CYCLE, we will recall that America distinctly took on an Egyptian theme beginning in the year 2009 and has persisted in that pattern on forward to the present day. As explained and revealed in the first part of that “America the Vineyard” series, America’s prophetic assignment from the very start has been the nation to present the light of the Gospel to the nations of the world according to Jesus’ prophecy of the Vineyard in Matthew 21. “IF” the occurrence of the eyes of the Sphinx closing is real and legitimate, it would seem to me that the message that God is sending to the world (represented by Egypt) is one of ominous portent – a message of coming judgment. As explained, the sign of the eyes being closed on the Sphinx seems to be speaking of the lost, Christ rejecting world, through personal will and choice of each and every individual, are no longer able to see and understand the Gospel message of salvation through Christ – which will end in judgment. With America having taken on the parallelism of ancient Egypt in addition to fulfilling its role as the head of the nations while performing its prophetic assignment of shining forth the light of the Gospel message to the world, this event (if authentic) portends that the time of seeing and understanding the Gospel message of Christ has come to an end. This is God, perhaps, closing the eyes of the world in judgment due to willful unbelief and rejection of Jesus Christ – the message that Vineyard America as the new “ancient Egypt” if you will, is shining forth. As you may recall, this is exactly what he did to ancient Israel before sending judgment through the Romans because of their willful rejection of Him …

“He hath [blinded their eyes,] and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them” (John 12:40).

The whole 9th chapter of the book of John is devoted to the story of when Jesus healed the eyes of the blind man. But Jesus said something within this chapter before healing the man’s eyes that is very telling:

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:1-5).

Here, the event of the blind man’s eyes being healed is in conjunction with Jesus’ statement that He is the light of the world. Further still, in chapter 9 of the book of John, we see the theme of blindness being connected to unbelief and judgment …

“He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:36-39).

Ominously, we see the concept that, as an act of judgment as a result of man and woman’s personal choice, God the Son can, and does, officially spiritually blind the willfully Gospel/Christ rejecting person. He can do this to entire nations as He did with ancient Israel. In the end of days after the Church Age has ended, he will do so again to the entire world. Nothing Jesus ever did was by accident or happenstance. There is an intention behind every event of Jesus’ ministry. Here, physical blindness is presented in the context of Jesus’ declaring Himself the light of the world. Jesus was teaching a powerful lesson here. The destiny of man’s soul is dependent upon the eyes to see the glorious light of the Gospel. This again takes us right back to the phenomenon of the Sphinx closed eyes – a very ominous portent.

Pursed Lips of Famine: The Meat of the Word

In looking at the image of the Sphinx, the big story is the closed eyes. But few, if any, are talking about the fact that the lips/mouth of the Sphinx also appear to be different. The lips look pursed, unlike before. If indeed they are pursed (and I’m not just seeing things and need a doctor’s visit), this phenomenon seems to go hand in hand with the closed eyes as it also has to do with the saving Gospel of Grace found in Jesus Christ. In chapter 6 of the book of John, Jesus likens himself to the “bread of life” and his flesh to “meat” …

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (John 6:47-58).

Of course, Jesus was teaching us another very important and crucial lesson here. When Jesus was talking about eating his flesh and drinking His blood, He obviously was not talking about the disciples grabbing his arm and chowing down for a dinner feast. Food and the act of eating is a physical representation of the spiritual. Without physical food, the body will die. So too without eating the meat of the word of the Gospel, which is Jesus Christ, the soul/spirit will remain in a state of death and move on to a place of damnation called Hell and then finally, later on down the prophetic timeline, die its second death at the Great White Throne Judgment – a judgment for the unsaved, Christ rejecting person.

And so now, quite interestingly, in addition to the eyes being closed, we find the lips on the Sphinx looking somewhat more pursed than before, possibly God sending an ominous indication of an approaching lack of spiritual meat in the earth. Ominously, here in the year 2022, food is now in the beginning stages of being scarce as many experts and economists are talking seriously of a deliberately orchestrated severe famine getting ready to strike the earth. Interestingly enough, the Sphinx is 20.22 meters high – the very year in which this closing of the eyes and what appears to be pursing of the lips of the Sphinx just so “happens” to occur in. In some nations, many are already having a tough time with food scarcity. In a previous article, I made mention of the fact that “The Economist” magazine – a globalist mouthpiece – made mention of the fact that there is a famine of food approaching. On their cover, they displayed a picture of wheat with the kernels in the shape of human skulls.

This is what they have planned for the left behind world i.e those who miss the rapture.

In keeping with the theme of the pursed lips of the Sphinx, we also find that Jesus referred to Himself as the “water of life” when he spoke to the woman at the well in John chapter 4 (see a previous article in the book of John study series here). It is no surprise then that we now see multiple ominous reports that the water supply globally and here in the United States is drying up as drought descends over the face of the earth, which in turn will affect food-growing capacity.

It is becoming quite obvious that the American world order is about to give way to the New World Order. In effect, he is signaling that he is getting ready to remove the Church as our work here is done. America may have reached the moment in time where she has fulfilled and completed her assignment. The prophetic connection that exists between ancient Egypt and America is very telling given America’s prophetic assignment – the eyes of the world (Egypt) are now closed to the message that the Vineyard (America) has been shining forth since its beginnings. As the world rejects the meat of life, Jesus Christ, the obvious manifestation that follows will be a physical famine of food. This is what we see in Revelation chapter 6 and the rider on the Black Horse of Famine as he rides forth across the earth …

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6).

Is this the ominous portent of what we are seeing in the pursed lips of the Sphinx? Further, when America reached the year 2020 (the 400 year Egypt cycle), the beginning of the end of the Church Age began as we saw the nascent beginning stages of the New World Order with the Covid deception, the ensuing vaccines and the growth of tyrannical behavior from governments across the globe – even in traditionally free democratic societies. As Jesus preached the Gospel in Samaria for two days (the first time he preached the Gospel to Gentiles), we can see a number 2 pattern emerge (see a previous article in the book of John study series titled THE WOMAN AT THE WELL AND THE TWO-DAY RAPTURE CODE?. Since the time of Christ and the descending of the Holy Spirit to begin the Church Age, two millennial days have passed as seen in the passage of approximately 2,000 years. In the year 2020, the prophetic year of the beginning of the end of Vineyard America’s assignment according to the 400 year cycle found in the ancient Israelite’s time spent in Egypt before God brought them out, we saw the banner year in time that marks the beginning of the end of the Church Age before Jesus raptures the Church home to Heaven, or said another way, gives us our “Exodus out of Egypt i.e. the world. Again, this statement is evidenced by the fact that we saws the nascent beginnings of the implementation of the New World Order under the Covid/vaccine deception as Vineyard America entered its 400th year since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, the year beginning the process of freedom to shine forth the light of the Gospel message of Christ to the world.

If we continue on with the number 2 pattern and move forward two more years later after 2020, we of course come to 2022 – the year that [suspiciously enough] is encoded into the height of the Sphinx of Egypt. It is the year that is looking suspiciously rapturesque according to what is taking place in the world with the arrival of the Schemita cycle, approaching food shortage, inflation, etc. So, is it just a coincidence that this closing of the eyes and pursing of the lips of the Sphinx occurred not only in the month of May, but as previously mentioned, also in the year 2022 in light of the fact that the Sphinx is 20.22 meters high? Given that the Sphinx has the body of a lion guarding the Great Pyramid, an altar to the Lord, the height of the Sphinx strikes me as prophetically significant and that the Lord may be dropping us a clue to tell the world something major about the year 2022! Is it that the rapture and the start of the Tribulation will occur in 2022? Is it a clue that 2022 will, perhaps, not be the year of rapture and judgment, but be a pivotal year leading up to the real year soon after in 2023 or 2024? Is it a Providential clue that, due to the Sphinx closed eyes and seemingly pursed lips, 2022 will be the year when the world enters a darkening situation on food availability – perhaps the increasing and intensifying precursor to the global famine of Revelation 6?

To reiterate and highlight what can be considered a prophetically significant fact about this alleged incident is that it was the month of May when this closing of the eyes of the Sphinx allegedly occurred. This is the exact month in which the aforementioned sign of the fig tree prophecy occurred in 1948 with the reestablishment of the nation of Israel as a sign of the end times.

Further, it seems to make sense (at least to me) that since America’s founding at Plymouth is connected to the “2nd” Hebrew letter “beit,” a letter that curiously displays itself in the shape of this particular peninsula on America’s geography, a letter that holds the meaning of duality (2) and marriage, it seems to me that it is a high probability that we are seeing this “2 pattern” play out as a wedding (duality) will (possibly) take place when the bride of Christ is raptured to Heaven – quite possibly this year in 2022.

Again, given the prophetic connection in pattern that America has taken on with ancient Egypt being a symbol of the world, it might be premature to dismiss the possibility that the sphinx did indeed close its eyes. It is quite possible that the closing of the eyes of the Sphinx is a phenomenon being manifested in the physical to display a highly and very profound spiritual message – a message that is very, very serious in regards to the destiny of the world and those who dwell therein. Given the fact that, over and over again throughout scripture, we see Old and New Testament stories and seemingly non-consequential events having profound spiritual significance, one can only come to the conclusion that we may well be witnessing the Lord’s supernatural and spiritual closing of the eyes of the world to the Gospel message as he gets ready to unleash judgment upon it. Given the theme of the number 2 with marriage and the Plymouth peninsula’s resemblance of this letter in America’s founding, this is also signaling the departure of the Church (the bride) to the groom (Jesus) in the rapture event wherein the wedding will take place for us in Heaven.

As I point out quite often, it always seems to come back to America and its founding purpose when we observe the prophetic patterns and signs of the end of the Church Age play out. The USA is such an integral and important piece of the prophetic puzzle that you cannot get around it. It is always there staring us in the face whenever we see prophetic signs emerge such as this. She is ever in the background as the underlying theme that is holding the rest of the prophetic structure erect.

I Pet Goat 2: An Illuminati Blueprint for Upcoming Events – A Closed Eyes Double Entendre

As has been thoroughly documented, the Luciferian globalists make it known what they are going to do before they do it. For those unfamiliar with the I Pet Goat 2 animation, many have rightfully noted that this animation piece seems to be an Illuminati declaration of their plans for a global government and the events leading up to it. Many of the events/themes seen in the video have curiously come to pass already with more to come – and what they have made known to us does not bode well for America and the world. For a full viewing of the animation can be seen below.

Many thanks to commenter Sheila B2 from the Revelation 12 Daily blog site for pointing out some of the following curious prophetic signals from this animation piece. As Sheila B2 pointed out, in the animation piece, the Antichrist arrives on the scene in an Egyptian style boat with his eyes closed (pyramid on his forehead) and they stay closed from the 5:53 minute marker when they suddenly flash open at the 9-minute marker and the 1st spire or monolith collapses behind him before the whole structure crumbles. This seems to have been a clue to the Notre Dame Cathedral fire back in the year 2019 before it happened. The prophetic implications behind that event are staggering to say the least (see here).

It is rather interesting especially when considering that this Sphinx phenomenon has surface in conjunction with the abortion ruling fall-out and the CERN project commencing their particle beam collision for the first time in 3 years (see the previous posting concerning that issue here). Interestingly, both of these events seem to be represented in the I Pet Goat 2 animation video with the Shiva dance and the old lady in the tower while the Antichrist character’s eyes are closed – yet again, hearkening back to the closed eyes of the Sphinx in the Great Pyramid/Giza complex. Interestingly enough, you do see the display of the Great Pyramid in the video as all of this is going on. And all of these events (Georgia Guide-stones, CERN, etc. have surfaced in the past month since the Sphinx was first reported with its eyes closed.

It seems that we have a double entendre of meaning taking place with the closure of the Sphinx eyes (again, if this was a true event that really did occur). First and foremost, if this is not somehow a hoax or a trick of lighting, this would very likely and conceivably be God signaling to the world that blindness has come upon the Gentile nations of the world (Israel included, but yet will be grafted back into the Olive Tree of belief at the Second Coming of Christ) which will end in judgment while signaling that the true born again believers in the body of Christ are one hair-breath away from being raptured home to Heaven. This is in conjunction with what the Illuminati, Luciferian globalists are planning as per the I Pet Goat 2 video. The Lord will allow them to carry out their plan to a certain point for His own purposes. Eventually, God will put down Satan and his earthly proxies as their beast kingdom gives way to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ at His Second Coming with the saints. As Sheila B2 aptly said, as we do this in anticipation of Jesus Christ’s Return, we know they are doing the same thing in anticipation of their false messiah’s arrival – the Antichrist.

In closing, I do have to say that at first glance and even delving further into the story, this story strikes me as ludicrous on one hand, but on the other, I am well aware of the prophetic sense and Providential common sense this would make given that God has indeed done these kinds of things in the past according to the biblical account. Especially at pivotal moments in history. Part of me is almost cringing that I have even given this [what seems to be] ludicrous story serious thought enough to have posted an article about it. On the other hand, I know better than to just dismiss it given the fact that video footage is notoriously very difficult to manipulate (so it is said). But here is what strikes me as significant even if this story is some kind of clever hoax – the height of the Sphinx is 20.22 meters high as previously mentioned. It is the year 2022 and it is guarding a monument that scripture declares to be a “sign to the Lord” in the end of days. Even without the authenticity of this strange eyes closing story, the 20.22 meter height of the Sphinx alone should cause us to sit up and take notice given the unfolding world events we see taking place here in 2022. This fact alone, in and of itself seems to be a dramatic omen, or shall we say a timing code of sorts.

Also consider the fact that since the Great Pyramid is generally accepted to be mentioned in Isaiah 19 as an altar and witness to the Lord, the Sphinx guarding the pyramid has the body of a lion (Jesus is the lion of tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5 – the number 5 is the number of years from the Revelation 12 sign in 2017 to the current year of 2022, while at the same time being the biblical number for grace). Additionally, 20.22 meters translates into 66.34 feet. The number 6 is the number of man, and thus, the number for the Mark of the Beast is 666. The numbers 3 and 4 are indicative of a possible coding to tell us that the Church in 2022 is about to transition from the Church Age in Revelation 3 into Revelation 4 and its picture of the rapture in verse 1 i.e “Come up here” …

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1).

“But wait, there are only two sixes in the Sphinx height, not three for the “666” connotation,” one might say. Well, given that the 3 and 4 at the end height of the measurement would have to do with a time transition (Church Age to rapture), the fact that we see only two sixes in the height and not three is likely indicative of time itself. Man (the first six) is given 6 thousand years of reign on Earth (the second six) and then transition from the Church Age to the climax resulting in the rapture and ensuing Tribulation wherein the Mark of the Beast will be instituted. This way, the concept of a time coding allusion of the Sphinx height numbers is consistent in the whole display of the measurement, not just to the numbers 3 and 4, which would make sense if there is indeed a Divinely placed numbers coding taking place here. Furthermore, in line with that Divine coding notion, the 66 feet height number of the Sphinx in this time coding display seems to also be hinting at Isaiah 66 itself, in which Israel is declared to be reborn as a nation in one day in fulfillment of last days prophecy. As we all know, Israel was reborn as a nation in literally one day in 1948 ….

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:7-8).

Further still, if you add up the numbers in that pivotal year of 1948 (1+9+4+8), you arrive at the number 22 (2022).

It seems we have an interesting 2022 time convergence and coding taking place in the Sphinx. Is the Sphinx a witness to the fact that the year 2022 will see the lion of the tribe of Judah [Jesus Christ] return for the Church? Whether the rapture is this year or not is inconsequential to the overall prophetic picture playing out on the world stage. Whichever year the rapture is slated to occur, be assured of this one thing. It will come and it is soon to come – this is a promise of the divinely inspired writ of scripture. According to that same writ, we can know the signs to watch for and positively make a determination to know when it is near.

That said, if the rapture were to happen today, are you ready to go up to meet the Lord in the air along with the rest of the body of Christ in order to escape the things coming upon the world? If not, may I suggest you hurry to make your calling and election sure. Time is swiftly running out. Not everyone is going to go in the rapture event. To find out how, keep reading below.

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

The demonstrably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

Important to note here is that although the Bible notoriously tells us that if you call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved, it is first a precondition, or requirement, that you first meet the required condition of belief upon the one who died for humanity’s sins. God is looking at the heart. The prayer prayed is the outward manifestation of the inward belief and trust upon Christ that causes one to ask him for forgiveness and salvation to begin with. In other words, if I did not believe in Christ but whispered the sinner’s prayer anyway, it does not make me suddenly saved and on my way to Heaven. It is not the prayer itself that is saving anyone. It is the belief and attitude of the heart that caused said person to pray the prayer that saved the person to begin with. This what the Apostle Paul means when he says that those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is exactly the process that transpired with the thief upon the cross who was crucified with Jesus and asked him just before death to remember him in the kingdom. It was his initial belief and trust in Christ for salvation that caused his calling on him for salvation. It is the same process with the aforementioned tax collector who called on the Lord for mercy.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading and Viewing:
A PATTERN WITH A HOLE

To reiterate, today’s event at CERN does not mean that these demonic beings are going to start emerging from the Bottomless Pit right now today, as that is an event that occurs after the Rapture, but here is the Live Stream of this event. As an interesting side note, today’s collision of beams will occur at 13.6 TEV. The number 13 in the Bible is symbolic of rebellion and lawlessness. The dragon, a symbol for Satan, is found 13 times in Revelation. Satan is behind all rebellion against God.

The number 6 is rich with meaning – 666 will be the number of the Mark of the Beast in Revelation 13. The official logo of CERN appears to be a swirling 666 as can be seen in the thumbnail image of the CERN Livestream video below. The number 6 is representative of the 6th millennium – which the world finds itself at the end of currently before the 7th kingdom reign of Christ.

The number 6 is also the number of man. CERN is the birthplace of the internet a.k.a. the World Wide Web (WWW). Interestingly, the Hebrew equivalent of the English letter “w” is the letter “vav,” which has the numerical value of the number 6. So the English “www” transliterated into Hebrew is “vav vav vav” or 666.

Hearkening back to the previous article and the Rockefeller’s involvement in the creation of a New World Order, would you guess that the Rockefellers are involved in the massive transfer of money from the United States to fund the CERN project?

In previous particle beam collisions that CERN has conducted, images of the collision were released that contain what many believe to be the faces of demonic entities.

Given the aforementioned biblical numbers mentioned above involved with this particular particle beam collision, one cannot help but suspect that there is a deep, dark and sinister event taking place here.

As the saying goes, where there is smoke, there is usually fire.

Recommended Viewing:
WHY IS CERN CONTACTING EVIL SPIRITS

“Countless people will hate the New World Order and will die protesting against it” (H.G. Wells – THE NEW WORLD ORDER, 1939).

“The United Nations is the greatest fraud in history. It’s purpose is to destroy the United States.” (John E. Rankin, a U.S. Congressman)

“The age of nations must end. The governments of nations have decided to order their separate sovereignties into one government to which they will surrender their arms.” (U.N. World Constitution)

According to World Book Encyclopedia, wars are almost always fought over economic issues.  Whatever the reasons given for war, the underlying cause is almost always money.  “The causes of war may be selfish, base or even wicked, but the reasons stated are usually lofty and noble” (World Book, Vol. 21, p.22).  Politicians may offer great speeches that engender patriotism for family and country, but the public will seldom be told the real causes for war. 

“Some economists and historians think … that in a worldwide depression every country tries to protect itself at the expense of other countries.  Each nation wants to cut down unemployment at home, and tries to make sure that little is bought from abroad which could be made by it’s own workers at home … It is sometimes called a way of exporting unemployment …” (World Book Encyclopedia, v. 21, p. 22).  One way to export an economic depression is to put the people to work against a perceived enemy.  Years ago on a nationwide telecast, Senator Clarence Long gave a somewhat profound assessment.  He said, “It’s a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.”  

WAR AND CONSPIRACY

Is war caused by conspiracy, or is it just an accident of history?  Is man so depraved that he cannot live in peace, or is the love of money the root of that evil we call war?  There are those who deny any connection between the bloodletting of another.  They contend that there is no truth to the conspiratorial theory of history, that the theory is nothing more than that – just a theory.  Just what is the case?  Has there ever been a war without a conspiracy?  Conspiracy – one of the darkest words in the history of humankind.  Yet, there is hardly a single page of the past which does not partially reveal the deadly eye of conspiracy at work.  It was a conspiracy that directed Brutus against Ceaser on the Ides of March.  It was a conspiracy that plotted the betrayal of West Point by Benedict Arnold during the American Revolution.  It was a conspiracy that led John Wilkes Booth to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on Good Friday, 1865.  The past record of man is burdened with accounts of assassination, secret combines, palace plots and betrayal in war.  The tenet of conspiracy has been a dominant force throughout history going back to the very dim mists of the eternal past when Satan orchestrated a conspiracy to usurp the throne of God.  Can it be said that all of man’s conspiracy eminates from this very source? 

In 1963, the nation was held spellbound by the testimony of a gangster, Joe Valachi, as he exposed the inside workings of the international crime syndicate known as the Cosa Nostra, or the Mafia.  No matter how carefully conspiracies are organized, eventually they are exposed because someone on the inside goes to the authorities and talks.  The same is true with political conspiracies.  Americans have repeatedly asked why some of the richest people in the United States, both inside and outside the government, aligned themselves with leftist policies that would appear to be the path of their own destruction.  And if there is a conspiracy at work among these men, why hasn’t someone exposed it?

Tragedy and Hope

The answer is, someone has.  Dr. Carroll Quigley, a professor of history at Georgetown University, who also taught at Princeton and Harvard Universities, is the author of the widely used textbook, Evolution of Civilization.  In addition, he was a member of the editorial board of the monthly periodical, Current History.  He was a frequent lecturer and consultant for such groups as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the Brookings Institute, the U.S. Naval Weapons Laboratory, the Naval College, the Smithsonian Institute and the State Department.  Dr. Quigley was also closely associated with many of the family dynasties of the super-rich.  He was, by his own boast, an insider with a front row view of the world’s money power structure.  When Dr. Quigley wrote his 1,300-page book of history entitled Tragedy and Hope, it was obvious that it would never be read by the masses.  It was intended for the intellectual elite. 

To such a select readership, Dr. Quigley cautiously exposed one of the best kept secrets of all time.  But he also made it quite clear that he was an extremely friendly apologist for this group and that he fully supported their goals and purposes.  In his book, he said that the international bankers remain different from ordinary bankers in distinctive ways:  First, they were cosmopolitan and international.  Second, they were close to governments and were particularly concerned with the question of government debts.  Third, he said their interests were almost exclusively in bonds.  Fourth, they were fanatical devotees of the necessity of creating inflation.  And fifth, he said they were equally devoted to secrecy and the secret use of financial influence in political life. 

It may seem strange that Dr. Quigley would make such statements when it is clear that he warmly supports the goals and purposes of the international banking network.  But if that is the case, why would he want to expose this worldwide conspiracy and disclose most of its secret operations?  Obviously, disclosing the existence of a mammoth power network which is trying to take over the world could not help but arouse the resistance of millions of people who are it’s intended victims.  So why did Quigley write his book?  Dr. Quigley feels that it is now too late for the little people to turn back the tide.  In a spirit of kindness, he is urging us not to fight a power that is already established.  Throughout his book, Dr. Quigley assures us that we can trust these benevolent, well-meaning men who are secretly operating behind the scenes.  They are, he claims, the hope of the world, and all who resist them represent “tragedy” – thus, the title of his book, Tragedy and Hope.  Dr. Quigley wrote …

“I know of the operations of this network because I have studied it for 20 years and was permitted for two years, in the early 1960s, to examine it’s papers and secret records.  I have no aversion to it or to most of it’s claims and have, for much of my life, been close to it and to many of its instruments … In general, my chief difference of opinion is that it wishes to remain unknown … ” 

Dr. Quigley points out that, during the past 200 years, while the masses of our world were gradually winning their political freedom from monarchies, the major banking families of the world were nullifying the trend toward representative government by setting up new dynasties of political control (behind the scenes) in the form of international financial combines.  These banking dynasties had learned that all governments  – whether they be totalitarian or democratic – must borrow money in times of emergency, and that by providing such funds from their own private resources (with strings attached), they could bring both kings and democratic leaders under their control. 

Dr. Quigley identified this group simply as the “International Bankers.”  These are not the same as the local commercial bankers with whom we deal in everyday life.  International bankers deal not with the general public, but with the industrial giants of the world, with other financial institutions, and especially with governments.  The key to their success has been to control and manipulate the money system of a nation, while letting it appear to be controlled by the government.  The net effect is to create money out of nothing, lend it to the government, and then collect interest on it – a rather profitable transaction to say the least.  International Jewish banking interests have set about to establish a one-world government and a new one-world monetary system.  In these days, we are seeing the fulfillment of that ancient prophecy – “the mark of the beast.”

THE BANK OF ENGLAND

In 1694, international banker, William Paterson, obtained the charter of the Bank of England and the power over England’s money system fell into private hands.  In a boastful mood, Paterson said, “The bank hath benefit of interest on all monies which it creates out of nothing.”  Two hundred thirty years later, Reginald McKenna, British Chancellor of the Exchequer said …

“The banks can and do create money … and they who control the credit of the nation direct the policy of governments and hold in the hollow of their hands the destiny of the people.”

In 1946 England’s labor government revoked the charter and nationalized the Bank of England.  Officially, it became a part of the government.  It is important to note, however, that as late as 1961, Lord Cromer of the banking family of Baring, was named governor of the bank, and the board of directors included representatives of Lazard, Hambros and Grenfell.  Nothing had changed except for outward appearances for the benefit of the uninformed.  Turning to the United States of America, Dr. Carroll Quigley tells us in his book, Tragedy and Hope …

“The structure of financial controls created by the tycoons of ‘Big Banking’ and ‘Big Business’ in the period of 1880-1933 was of extraordinary complexity, one business fief being built upon another, both being allied and semi-independent associates, with the whole rearing upward into two pinnacles of economic and financial power … one, centered in New York, was headed by J.P. Morgan and Company, and the other, in Ohio, was headed by the Rockefeller family.  When these two cooperated, as they generally did, they could influence the economic life of the country to a large degree and could almost control it’s political life, at least on the Federal level.”

In the United States, it was inevitable that international banking interests would attempt to establish the same kind of private monopoly over the money system that had been achieved in England, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.  The same formula would be used:  Make it look like a government operation, but keep the control in private hands.  John D. Rockefeller had purchased the Chase Bank, and his brother William had bought the National City Bank of New York.  The Rockefeller Chase Bank was later merged with the Warburg’s Manhattan Bank to form the Chase-Manhattan Bank, one of the most powerful financial combines in the world today.  Acting in concert with the Morgan banking dynasty, they spent untold millions of dollars to promote legislation that would grant to them a private franchise over this nation’s money system.  To sell this scheme to the voters, the monopolists created the propaganda line that the proposed banking law somehow would work against the monopolies.  Politicians took up the cry, “Banking reform!” and “Down with Wall Street!”  And then, to make it look convincing, the financial tycoons publicly pretended to oppose the measure – all the while, they were financing it behind the scenes.

THE FEDERAL RESERVE

On December 22, 1913, the Federal Reserve Act was passed into law.  The Federal Reserve System came into being, and with it, total control of the nation’s money fell into private hands.  The Federal Reserve System is totally responsible for creating money in the United States.  The Treasury prints only what the Federal Reserve tells it to print.  The far greater amount of check-book money is also determined by this group.  Yet, it is not a government agency and is entirely beyond the reach of the American voter.  The Federal Reserve Bank is not “Federal.”  It is not a government institution.  It is as federal as Federal Express, a private company.  Dr. Quigley revealed the goal of this operation as nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole.  This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert by secret agreements arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences.  The apex of the system was to be the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland – a private bank owned and controlled by the world’s central banks, which are themselves private corporations.  Each central bank sought to dominate it’s government by an ability to control treasury loans, to manipulate foreign exchanges, to influence the level of economic activity in the country and to influence cooperative politicians with economic rewards in the business world. 

Dr. Carroll Quigley’s aforementioned book, Tragedy and Hope, lays out the whole sordid story of how the super-rich who own and control the international banking houses took away private ownership of gold and silver and set about to establish a fiat money system – of course, for the “good of all mankind” (wink, wink).  World government and world economy go hand in hand.  It is impossible to control one without the other.  Upset the financial interests of the super-rich in a country, and they control the political power to bring about a war.

IRAN BECOMES OUR ENEMY

When the oil fields of Iran were stolen from their true owner by the Ayatollah Khomeini, pressure was put on men in high places to go to war with Iran.  Somebody wanted his oil fields back, but our nation did not go to war with Iran.  Instead, we let our hostages sit in captivity for 444 days.  Eventually, however, that flow of oil from Iran was stopped.  Oddly enough, it was stopped by Iraq, who went to war with Iran, over what surely has to be a thinly veiled excuse, an age-old border dispute.  In my own personal opinion, the original owner of those oil wells may have determined that the Ayatollah Khomeini was not going to get his oil.  Therefore, under the pretense of a border dispute between Iraq and Iran, those oil fields were blown up.

IRAQ CAPTURES KUWAIT

When Saddam Hussein, strongman of Iraq, captured the oil fields of Kuwait in August 1990, the United States mounted the most impressive war machine seen in modern times.  After six months of military build-up, with the help of 28 nations, we drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait.  What was so important about 900 oil wells?  We were never told.  George Bush, as we all know, was president at that time.  It is now known that George’s father, Prescott Bush, had his connection with Brown Brothers Harriman and the International Banking Cartel.  George was a self-made millionaire and did not look to his father’s connections for his wealth.  He was an oil man.  So where were his oil wells?  In Texas?  Guess again … his oil fields are in the Middle East – in Kuwait. 

The late J.R. Church once revealed that while attending a Bible prophecy conference in Corpus Christi, Texas back in the 1980s in which he was one of the speakers – shortly after Ronald Reagan and George Bush were selected (cough! cough! … I mean … elected) – Bush’s campaign manager for that part of Texas took J.R. to task for some of the information he revealed concerning Prescott Bush and his connection to Middle East oil and the Brown Brothers Harriman and the International Banking Cartel.  During the course of their conversation, she revealed how that George Bush was a self-made millionaire and did not look to his father’s connections for his wealth. According to J.R., when he asked how he made his millions, she replied that his oil fields are in the Middle East – in Kuwait.  As most informed people know of the International Banking Cartel, the Bush dynasty is well a part of it.  Indeed, it is a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.

THE REAL WINNERS

When the war – any war – is over, the participants have gained nothing, but the nations are scores of billions more in debt to the International Banking Cartel, which may have been the reason for the war in the first place.  Their plan is to destroy our money through inflation; get everybody mortgaged, then one morning we will wake up to find that the bank has foreclosed on the government.  The value of the dollar will be cancelled and a new money will be issued.  It will be an international money. 

Decades before President George H.W. Bush introduced the “New World Order” (NWO) into the American vernacular, the Rockefeller family and their minions were making plans to expend America’s post-World War 2 power to bring about such an order.

One of the methods that we now know the globalists are using is the strategy of order out of chaos. This is a strategy that has been in the works for a very long time. In the post-Covid world, the staggering number of admissions openly talked about by the globalists in preparation for a New World Order a.k.a. “The Great Reset” can no longer be denied.

Rope-A-Dope Stage Theatre

Yes, indeed, it is all stage theatre – but a theatre that will have very deadly and destructive results in the final transition and destination for humanity. To put it simply, Putin and Russia, along with China and the rest, are all controlled by the NWO (New World Order) as well. As writer Brandon Smith correctly notes, as with many political leaders, Vladimir Putin will sometimes talk like he is anti-globalists, but his relationships tell another story. In Putin’s first autobiography, titled “First Person,” he discusses with fondness his first encounter with New World Order globalist Henry Kissinger as a member of the FSB (formerly the KGB). As Putin rose through the political ranks, he maintained a steady friendship with Kissinger, and to this day, they have regular lunches and Kissinger has been an adviser to multiple branches of the Kremlin.

Tellingly, Putin and the Kremlin have also kept a steady dialogue with the World Economic Forum, the invention of the now notorious globalist Klaus Schwab. In fact, only last year Russia announced it was joining the WEF’s “Fourth Industrial Revolution Network” which focuses on economic socialization, Artificial Intelligence, the “internet of things” and a host of other globalist interests which will all lead to worldwide technocracy and tyranny.

Again, the Russian government is NOT anti-globalist. This claim is nonsense and always has been. I would attribute the fantasy of Russian opposition to a steady stream of propaganda and what can be called the False East/West Paradigm – which is the fraudulent notion that the globalist agenda is a purely Western or American agenda and that countries like China and Russia are opposed to it. If you look at the close interactions between the east and the globalists, this idea completely falls apart.

It’s important to understand that most conflicts between the East and the West are engineered conflicts and the leaders of BOTH SIDES are not really at odds with each other. Rather, these wars are Kabuki Theater; they are wars of convenience to achieve covert ends while mesmerizing the masses with moments of terror and calamity. American/Western technology (both military and otherwise) have consistently been transferred to America’s declared foreign “enemies” for a very long time and continues to this very day. For anyone who has doubts about this fact, I highly recommend they read the thoroughly researched and evidenced works of professional historian and economist Antony Sutton, who quite accidentally stumbled onto the facts surrounding the globalist conspiracy and went on to expose their habit of playing both sides of nearly every war over the past century from the Bolshevik Revolution to WWII and onward. At the Hoover Institution, he wrote the study Western Technology and Soviet Economic Development (in three volumes), arguing that the West played a major role in developing the Soviet Union from its beginnings until the then-present year of 1970. Sutton argued that the Soviet Union’s technological and manufacturing base, which was then engaged in supplying North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, was built by United States corporations and largely funded by US taxpayers. Steel and iron plants, the GAZ automobile factory, a Ford subsidiary in eastern Russia, and many other Soviet industrial enterprises were built with the help or technical assistance of the United States government or US corporations. He argued further that the Soviet Union’s acquisition of MIRV technology was made possible by receiving (from US sources) machining equipment for the manufacture of precision ball bearings, necessary to mass-produce MIRV-enabled missiles.

When reading and watching the media, both mainstream and independent, we are constantly barraged with the nauseating narrative of the newly labeled “good guys” i.e. Russia vs. the newly labeled “bad guy” i.e. America and the globalist-run West. The fact is, the Luciferian globalists are running both sides. A recent article (here) is just one of the many examples of this nauseating and deceiving narrative being thrust into the public consciousness.

In the course of researching this subject matter, one might inevitably come across a book titled Prospect for America: The Rockefeller Panel Reports. It was the product of a 1956 Rockefeller Brothers Fund effort known as the Special Studies Project, and it lays out the blueprint for the multilateral / multipolar New World Order that is currently materializing around us.

In the aftermath of World War 2 and the resulting formation of the United Nations (which the Rockefellers were instrumental in creating and funding), the Special Studies Project, directed by Henry Kissinger, was formed to carry out two apparent tasks:

1) to create an action plan to bring about the “elite’s” long-sought world government within the existing postwar environment, and

2) to spin the agenda in such a way that it could be sold to the American people as being in their best interest.

Upon completion of their work, the Special Studies Project’s various panels compiled their reports in an incomplete, sanitized, and heavily spun book, the above-mentioned Prospect for America. The book spells out how to sacrifice the national interests of the United States for “helping to shape a New World Order” (page 35).

To begin our journey through the Rockefeller plan for the NWO, let’s start with their definition of the Old World Order (OWO).

The 13 Empires Of The Old World Order

On pages 163-164 of Prospect For America, under the heading “The Nature of the Problem: Disintegration of the Nineteenth Century Political System,” we can read the following …

“A sound United States foreign economic policy must be based on accurate assessment of the world in which it must operate. The central political fact of our time is the disintegration of the international system that dominated world affairs almost until the outbreak of World War 2. Until the turn of the century, thirteen empires ruled the world. The neutrality of the Western Hemisphere – as of many regions today – depended on the existence of an equilibrium maintained by other states. This balance of power saw to it that most transformations were relatively minor; they did not threaten, or seem to threaten, the survival of the states composing the international system.

The nineteenth century international system, for all its failings, provided order, rationalized administration, and arrangements for economic exchange. It supplied a form of answer to the increasing interdependence of societies. Europe was the world’s principal manufacturer and the principal user of raw materials. She was the world’s primary banker and source of capital. People, goods and money moved with relative freedom from country to country; and Europe’s banks financed the exchange of goods. The gold standard maintained by a central banking policy of the principal powers made for a kind of common currency. The internal stresses of the imperial system began to be apparent during the nineteenth century and became conspicuous in 1914. World War 1 led to the collapse of the German, Austrian, Turkish and Russian empires. By 1955, most of the remaining imperialist systems had dissolved. The nineteenth-century system of empires, as a means of maintaining world order, arranging world economics, and settling international disputes has collapsed.”

So after having consolidated power over most of the world through empire building, the Occulted Powers (OPs) faced a problem. Empires, by their very nature, are territorial, competitive and nationalistic, and are not amenable to submitting to outside control as would be required for world governance.

Clearly, these old structures would need to be demolished and replaced by newer, more malleable structures in order to finish the global consolidation. For this reason, the OPs fomented and financed the two world wars to break down the old empires and create international chaos from which a New Order could be birthed.

At the end of each world war, the OPs immediately planted the seed of global governance, but the seeds didn’t germinate as expected. From page 164, we read …

“Twice within a generation, the United States has been instrumental in bringing a world organization into being: the League of Nations in 1919 (though the U.S. refused to join) and the United Nations in 1945. In both instances the impetus was the belief that the interdependence of nations, demonstrated in two catastrophic wars, had to find an institutional expression. In each case, high hopes were not fully realized because the formal institutions of the world organizations were designed to achieve more than the consensus of existing shared aspirations was prepared to support.”

De-spinning the last sentence statement, they are basically saying that the nations were insufficiently motivated to hand over sovereignty to the globalist institutions. So to overcome this lack of “shared aspirations,” the OPs fostered the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

By threatening some nations with Soviet aggression and others with American aggression, they compelled the nations to band together and join sides for protection. The members of each side were then pressured to increase economic and defensive cooperation to fend off the menace of the other side.

Those who were programmed to believe they lived in the “people’s (communist) world” cooperated to block aggression from the “imperialist world,” and those who were programmed to believe they lived in the “free world” cooperated to block aggression from the “Soviet sphere.” From page 180, we read the conclusion …

“While the Soviet threat from the field of foreign economic policy is potentially formidable, it must be seen in its proper perspective. It is menacing to the degree that the cohesion of the free world is inadequate“.

The selective economic program of the Soviet Union is politically effective primarily to the extent that weak countries must face the strong Soviet economy alone. If these countries are part of larger groupings, they will be able to resist pressure more easily and able to negotiate on a more nearly equal basis.

The Soviet effort is impressive primarily because the free world has failed to develop a workable structure within which the industrialized and newly developing regions can cooperate in fulfilling the aspirations of their peoples. We must contribute to the growth and cohesiveness of the community of free nations, not merely because we wish to prevent an expansion of the Soviet sphere, but because we want to cooperate in bringing about a new international system dedicated to peace, to human dignity, and to respect for national independence.”

In the United States, people were programmed to believe that fending off the “Red Menace” was a matter of life and death. From page 162, we read the following …

“Our participation in world social and economic progress is important from the point of view of our own economy and that of the free world. It is crucial from the point of view of our survival and the survival of freedom everywhere.”

But the Cold War, just like the current crop of engineered conflicts raging about us (ISIS, Ukraine, and the China Seas), was all about forcing nations into groups and groups into a world order. Once it had served its purpose, the Cold War was ended in order to allow the two sides to be merged under the NWO. From the The New York Times, here are some key excerpts …

>>> President Mikhail S. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union ended an exhausting transcontinental visit to the United States today with an appeal for a radically changed system of global alliances…

Rather than strengthening defense, he asserted, alliances of the future should be designed to foster an international unity that would ”protect the environment, combat hunger, diseases, drug addiction and ignorance”…

The Soviet leader said his second summit conference with Mr. Bush had helped move the United States and the Soviet Union ”toward a new world”…

”For a new type of progress throughout the world to become a reality, everyone must change,” Mr. Gorbachev added. ”Tolerance is the alpha and omega of a new world order.” <<<

And as one would expect, Prospect for America offers a glimpse of what Gorbachev and Bush’s New World Order will look like.

The New World Order

On page 26, we’re told what the OPs and their globalist minions are hoping for…

“The hoped-for result in peace in a world that is divided into smaller units, but organized and acting in common effort to permit and assist progress in economic, political, cultural and spiritual life. Such a community must facilitate the freest and fullest access by everyone to the thinking of everyone. It must allow for the widest diversity of ideas, social structure and forms of expression compatible with the functioning of the community. It would presumable consist of regional institutions under an international body of growing authority – combined so as to be able to deal with those problems that increasingly the separate nations will not be able to solve alone.”

Take note of how the passage says “combined so as to be able to deal with those problems that increasingly the separate nations will not be able to solve alone.” Here they are telling us that they’ll be purposefully creating increasingly difficult problems to compel the nations to accept the NWO. We’ve certainly been witnessing that, haven’t we?

As for the NWO structure itself, we’re told that it will “consist of regional institutions under an international body of growing [to the point of total control] authority.” Elsewhere in the book, we’re told that the NWO will also include functional structures for matters that require management beyond the regional boundaries. So let’s delve deeper into how such a structure would look and operate:

1) At the top is the “international body of growing authority.” Needless to say, this is the United Nations. From page 33, we read the following …

“In addition to participating directly in the development of two regional groups, the United States has participated fully and from the start in the United Nations, the international organization that today holds out the reasonable hope of being able to take over more and more functions and to assume increasingly large responsibilities. In supporting the spirit and letter of the Charter, the United States has shown that it gives more than lip service to the indispensable world order that, as we have seen, is basic to the American consensus. The U.N. is proof of our conviction that problems which are of world-wide impact must be dealt with through institutions global in their scope.”

From page 33, also note …

“The U.N. stands, finally, as the symbol of the world order that will one day be built.”

From page 35 …

2) Below the UN will be the “regional arrangements” …

“Policies to promote the vitality of our economy are only the beginning of our task. They must be taken concurrently with measures that make the interdependence of nations a source of mutual strength. It is impossible for the United States to deal creatively with 80 sovereign nations solely on a bilateral basis. The most natural multinational arrangements are frequently regional. In many parts of the world, geography combines with common history to provide the basis for common objectives and fruitful cooperative efforts” (page 189).

Here are the ten UN development regions:

And page 190 spells out how the regional arrangements will manifest themselves…

“It is not possible to describe the precise form that regional arrangements should take in all parts of the globe. They may involve joint efforts to achieve economic development, common markets and free trade areas or functional arrangements like the European Steele and Coal Community. Fully developed, they imply a joint accord on monetary and exchange arrangements, a common discipline on fiscal matters and a free movement of capital and labor. We believe that this regional approach has world-wide validity. Because the particular adaption will be different for each region, the structure will have to be worked out by each region through consultation. We feel the United States should encourage the development of such regional structures in all areas of the free world. We have tried to develop the outline for Western Hemisphere unity in section V as an illustrative case.”

Free trade agreements, joint economic development institutions, exchange agreements — this all sounds very familiar, doesn’t it? So when an East versus West propagandist tries to sell you the idea that the BRICS Development Bank or a Chinese/Russian currency swap deal demonstrates nations trying to free themselves from the New World Order, just remember this passage. Russia and China are following the NWO script to the letter, but I’ll get back to this point a little later in the article.

3) Below the UN will also be…

“Regional arrangements by themselves cannot supply the entire structure of a free world economy. Some problems and opportunities cut across regional lines; other should be dealt with on a world-wide basis. Three of the most important functional challenges – the problem of primary commodity products, the new vistas of science, and the role of international financial institutions – will be discussed here” (page 191).

One example of a functional arrangement is the BRICS alliance. It cuts across regional lines and gives form to the dialectic clash between Anglo-American bankers and BRICS bankers which will birth the NWO. Another example is the International Monetary Fund, which will manage the new global reserve currency after the engineered East versus West drama has climaxed.

With the planned structure of the New World Order laid before us, let’s have a look at how the Rockefellers planned to get America to join in.

The NWO As America’s Grand Objective

Prospect for America goes to great lengths to make the counterintuitive case that building a global government is in America’s best interest. It starts by implying that nation-states are somehow outmoded by the fact that they trade with each other, and then it offers the false choice of floundering by engaging in no trade at all…

“The nation-state as it was conceived in the sixteenth century and as it has existed throughout the modern age is now transforming itself. In this report, it has been necessary to talk in terms of nations as if they were still the solid entities, watertight and sovereign, that traditional theory describes. In fact, they have not been that for a long time. The growth of the modern world has seen the interdependency of nations and communities increase to a point where independence, at least in the sense of self-sufficiency, is seriously eroded. If the United States were to be confronted with the necessity of existing apart from the trade of the world, apart from its intellectual and spiritual currents, and the support of allied and kindred nations, it would quickly realize that independence can be pushed too far” (page 60 – [Prospering by Engaging in Trade managed by the NWO]).

“The challenge, then, is to build a new structure that will make possible the fulfillment of the basic purposes of humanity. The well-being and prosperity of every nation will depend to an increasing degree on its participation in a complex of nations designed to awaken human aspirations. No country – not even the United States – can meet the expectations of its people or continue to grow merely by developing and using its own resources alone” (page 161).

They conveniently fail to mention that there are many other options besides resorting to either of those two extremes.

Kissinger and Company also make the assertion that building the NWO is the “grand objective” of America’s foreign policy, and that the effectiveness of U.S. policy will be judged by how well America fosters the global institutions. Also note how the passage assigns the US to the Western Sphere. The planners had another nation in mind to lead the Eastern Sphere (China) …

“Such, in broadcast outline, is the image of the world whose building the United States sees as the grand objective of its foreign policy. It is not only by desire that the United States seeks such a world, but by necessity. It is not only by the old standards of “national interests” but because the United States cannot hope to become its fullest self except within an environment where new needs are met by new institutions.” (page 26).

“The image of an ideal world, sketched in the foregoing pages, is not drawn out of thin air. It has already begun to take shape. The British Commonwealth of Nations forms one of the earliest and most significant of modern groupings; the French Community forms one of the most recent. In two areas in particular, we see regional associations vitally related to American policy: these are the Western Hemisphere and the Atlantic Community. At the same time, the United Nations provides a vigorous example of a growing institution at the world level. The effectiveness of American policy will be judged in large part by the degree to which it succeeds in helping to keep these existing associations – regional and universal – in sound health and on the path to progress”

“There are other areas, such as Africa and Asia, where regional life is taking on new forms. But in these the United States does not have the same degree of responsibility as it does in the American and Atlantic Communities. Here the United States is able to exert direct influence; its leadership and active help form important ingredients in the developing situations. Results in these areas will demonstrate to the world what as a people we value and are really seeking” (page 27).

The book then goes on to offer specific ways America can sacrifice its national interests to build the global government.

The De-industrialization of America

On page 173, we see the genesis of the economic policies that have brought the American economy to ruin as the globalists make the case for unilaterally removing the trade barriers that protected America’s economy from competition with foreign slave labor …

“A great deal depends therefore on developing an international structure which reflects the interdependence of countries, large and small, industrialized and less developed. Europe and Japan, together with the United States, supply most of the machinery and equipment and capital investment required by the less developed countries for their industrialization. The less developed countries in turn supply an increasing percentage of the raw materials and commodities required by the industrialized nations. It is necessary to establish a structure that gives effect to this partnership. An essential component will be an increasingly liberal United States trade policy, which will permit other nations to sell in American markets.

Kissinger and Company also make the case that we shouldn’t economically defend ourselves since it might create “impediments to the progress of others”…

“The recent tendency for American exports to decline in relation to imports and the significant symptom of the drain on United States gold indicate how the world economic system is changing. The United States will need to make significant adjustments to such a developing situation; the important thing is that these adjustments be made in a way that does not thwart economic growth elsewhere in the world. The degree of our support of defense establishments in other countries can well be reexamined now that many of these countries have achieved a substantial economic revival. But the main answer to such a symptom as the drain on gold is not in policies of withdrawal or protectionism; it is in maintaining efficient standards of production and enlarging our rate of growth.”

“The long range interest of the United States is in economic growth throughout the world. It wants the continuing prosperity of its allies in the advanced Western countries; more than that, it wants the other areas of the world to develop both agriculturally and industrially to their fullest potentiality. Measures taken by the United States in response to domestic economic situations must be looked at carefully in the light of such impediments as they may create to the progress of others” (page 75).

And to give Americans a taste of what’s coming, page 75 also drops this little hint…

“The United States, in short, is challenged to conduct itself as to bridge over in every possible way the potential cleavage between East and West. It is deeply concerned that East and West not draw apart through lack of understanding or through failure to see clearly the underlying interests that are held in common by the two great sectors of the globe. The way we order our life at home is an important factor in weaving the broad unity; so are our specific relations with individual countries. We can hope for bonds of friendship and ties of interest with the East; we must not let emotion or differences of ideology close the door to such possibilities of better relations with the Chinese people as may arise in years to come. Standing for freedom and the essential dignity of man, the United States cannot see itself cut off from any continent or country.”

As it turns out, America did indeed lay itself down as a bridge to pull China into the NWO. We did it by luring them in with a great deal of our national wealth through lopsided trade and outsourcing.

And this brings us to the subject of the BRICS…

The BRICS Role In Erecting The New World Order

Prospect goes on to address the status of those nations that were “freed” by the engineered collapse of the Old World Order…

“Twenty new sovereign nations have come into being since World War 2. More will undoubtedly emerge in the next decade. While fulfilling their aspirations to national sovereignty, these nations face new problems. At a moment when the pressures of the contemporary period compel greater and greater interdependence, the newly independent nations are tempted or driven to erect self-sufficient economies, which tend to restrict the broad markets essential for industrialization. One system of organizing the international order has been destroyed without replacement by another. The diverging forces of nationalism must be balanced by converging forces seeking to bring about a free association of nations so that political, social and economic cooperation can transcend national boundaries. Simon Bolivar, the great Latin American liberator, expressed this principle of interdependence of free nations more than a century ago. He saw that as the young republics of the Western Hemisphere achieved their independence, some new system of free association would be needed” (page 164).

If we remove the spin from this passage, it tells us that the new nation-states’ drive to achieve true independence must be “balanced by converging forces.” And what form did these “converging forces” take? The globalists employed hot & cold wars and insurgencies, trade conflicts, and “economic hit men” to make life unbearable for any nation-state attempting to be independent. All this strife forced such nations to reach out to international institutions for “help” (which came in the form of military occupation or debt bondage).

Only in the arms of the globalist institutions would such nations find any peace…

“They certainly do not possess them in a day when even the most firmly established states find many insufficiencies within their own borders and a constant necessity to enlarge the definition of their interests. In a deep way, emerging states seem to recognize the inadequacy of their avowed goal. Even while they affirm their nationalism, they grope toward those larger groupings in which alone they can hope to find their needs met.”

“The new nationalism may thus be a halfway house. It may provide a point in the line of the rapidly evolving development of the former colonial peoples. But it is not a resting place where men can hope to build viable communities for themselves and for their children” (page 61).

When the Prospect For America book spoke on page 60 of what animates such peoples, Prospect wrote the following …

“The modification of the nation state has been confused by the fact that the aspirations of peoples all over the globe are today finding expression in the slogan of nationalism. What animates these peoples is a resolve to emerge rapidly and conclusively from the era of colonialism. They are going somewhere, but it is a real question whether they are going where they think they are.”

Why China? Why would the Illuminati, whose home base is in Western Europe, have the Chinese front the public face of their New World Order? A clue to their motivations and strategy can be found in this article, titled “Colonial Elite Rules China for the Illuminati.” In it, the author states…

“The Chinese people would revolt against overt foreign domination, but embrace their place in the NWO if they believed they were in control.”

The Chinese have suffered greatly at the hands of these globalists through their capture and control of the West, as has much of the world. As a result, the Illuminati would have trouble roping many nations into a Western-led New World Order, especially the nationalistic Chinese. Since you can’t have a truly global order without the most populous nation on Earth, the Illuminati seem to have opted to use their own legacy of destruction to their advantage. Their two-part strategy to do so is as follows:

1 – They set up a China-centered alliance as an opposing force to the Western alliance.
This part of the strategy was hinted at in the mainstream press in this 2002 UPI article, titled “China Wants Its Own ‘New World Order’ To Oppose US Version.” It is common practice for the Cabal to use opposing forces to achieve their ends, and they always make sure they have influence or control over both sides.

2 – They have been driving the world public into the hands of the Chinese alliance.
How have they approached this, you ask? They have widely publicized a heinous New World Order planned by the Western Powers while simultaneously publicizing a benign New World Order planned by China and its allies, thus establishing danger from one side and safety from another.

They have instigated outrageous and provocative action, both economic and military, by the Western powers (this adds a new insight into the open-for-all-to-see Wall Street / City of London criminality and recent Western military boondoggles in Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, and Syria).

They have broadly exposed damaging information about Western nations, especially the US. This is the motivation behind Wiki-Leaks, Snowden, and a thousand smaller disclosures. And after Snowden outed the NSA’s activities to the general public, where did he run to hide? First to China (Hong Kong), then to Russia. So what is the psychological message? China and Russia (the BRICS alliance) are where you run for safety from the evil US, its Western allies, and all their horrible behavior.

It is really very simple: the Illuminati built a rabbit trap (in the BRICS alliance) that looks like a nice, safe hole to hide from danger. Now they are beating the bushes (with the Western powers) to drive the rabbits toward the trap.

Clearly, the globalists took into account “the aspirations of peoples all over the globe… to emerge rapidly and conclusively from the era of colonialism” in their planning of the NWO. It is for this reason that the BRICS alliance was formed and the NWO was designed in a multi-polar fashion. They want the oppressed peoples of the world to join together and see themselves beating the West. And they want them to believe that the Illuminati’s multi-polar New World Order represents their final victory over oppression and ascension to equality, when it is actually just the beginning of a new phase of subjugation and their fall into equality as global serfs.

With the Rockefeller plan for the BRICS New World Order laid out before us, let’s take a look at how it was implemented.

China: Building up the False Savior

Major moves towards building the New World Order outlined in Prospect for America began in the late sixties…

1969 – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) introduces the Special Drawing Right, the planned replacement for the US dollar as the global reserve currency.

July 1971 – former Special Studies Project director Henry Kissinger held secret meetings in China to lay the groundwork for their introduction onto the global stage. Here he is with Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai (a.k.a. Zhou Enlai) during the visit.

August 1971 – President Richard Nixon takes America off of the gold standard, which was the first major explosion in the dollar’s demolition as the global reserve currency (to make way for its replacement by the globalists’ SDR sometime around the early 2020s).

February 1972 – Nixon visits (and “opens”) China. Here he is with Chairman Mao.

June 1973 – David Rockefeller Sr. visits China to start working out implementation details for what is to come. Here he is meeting with Premier Chou En-Lai.

So what was set in motion by these events? By 1978, Deng Xiaoping took power and “developed ‘Socialism with Chinese characteristics’ and Chinese economic reform, also known as the ‘socialist market economy,’ and opened China to the global market.” An interesting view on the hidden dynamics behind this development is offered in the above-linked “Colonial Elite Rules China for the Illuminati” article…

“Wang Hao, a historian at the China Institute of International Studies, has recorded that Mao’s deputy Zhou Enlai met David Rockefeller in June 1973:

‘When meeting David Rockefeller, Zhou said to him that it was necessary to find appropriate methods conducive to the development of the trade between two sides under different political systems.’ The corporate-communist merger began when Deng Xiaoping came to power in the late 1970s and introduced his market reforms with the slogan ‘to get rich is glorious.’ However, after 30 years of Maoism his regime was hopelessly ill equipped to run a market economy. They turned to the wealthiest Chinese tycoons in Hong Kong for guidance. The most powerful HK tycoon is Li Ka-Shing, the richest Asian in the world and an Illuminati insider.”

(For Fritz Springmeier’s write-up on the Illuminati Li family, click here.)

This helped put in place a Chinese elite that “is a merger between the Communist leadership, Hong Kong tycoons, and the criminal Triads. All three factions derive their power from Illuminati collaboration.”

Needless to say, globalist coordination with China and their BRICS partner Russia has continued unabated to this day.

So while the front page news has blaring headlines about the supposed conflict between West and East, you’ll find the truth a little deeper in the paper: that all these political types work for the same bosses and are actually buddies behind the scenes. Don’t be distracted by the public puppet theater. There is no “Eastern bloc nations striving against the Western-led New World Order” reality taking place here at all. It’s all kabuki theatre designed to deceive and heard the gullible masses into the Satanically inspired New World Order with as little awareness and resistance from the masses as possible. Aware or not, the masses will be dragged into this emerging hellish order that is now breathing down our collective neck. This new order, of which the BRICS nations are a part of, is controlled by the very same globalist Lucifer worshipping cabal that controls America and all of the West. 

Again, to re-emphasize, make no mistake about it, the end results of the various nation’s complicity with the string pullers of the New World Order will have very real and very deadly consequences for the world. There are many moving parts such as their plan to plunge the world’s militaries into war, populations into famine, disorder and chaos to deconstruct the current Americanized Old World Order. We can now see this nightmare begin to pick up momentum with a pre-determined outcome. 

Ultimately, the globalist string-pulling on the American-led West, Russia, China and the various allied nations will result in the fulfillment of the Bible’s end-time prophecies – one of which appears to be a Russian attack on America. This is a prophecy that I like to refer to as the “bear rapture” prophecy based on a prophetic typology seen in the Old Testament’s documentation of the disappearance, or rapture, of Elijah that was followed by an attack of two she-bears. This Old Testament prophetic motif does much in giving credence to the Gog/Magog exchange of fire found in the war of Ezekiel 38 & 39. I have previously written about this prophecy multiple times, which can be read here, here, here and here. This is what the globalists want – and ultimately, they will get it for a certain amount of pre-ordained time until Divine Providence finally steps in and upsets their apple cart. But first, as the prophetic biblical scripture reveals, it’s judgment ahead for all of left behind humanity.

Behold, A Black Horse: The Chaos of Deliberately Engineered Food Shortage

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6). 

After the rapture of the Church takes place, a devastating judgment that God will allow to be unleashed upon the world’s Christ-rejecting population will be a severe famine that will have torturous and deadly consequences. It is the Black Horse of Famine. 

Kissinger once said: “Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.” US strategy deliberately destroyed family farming in the US and abroad and led to 95% of all grain reserves in the world being under the control of six multinational agribusiness corporations. Of course, these corporations are controlled by the globalists elite. 

One of the more concerning events we see emerging onto the world stage is inflation along with food shortages. There are many voices in the know who are warning that soon, America and many other nations of the world will not have enough food to eat as the price of Diesel fuel skyrockets and explodes to a level that will begin to put trucking companies out of business and will no longer be able to deliver food to any of the grocery stores. This goes for pretty much any other product delivered by truck that we all take for granted. A good example of this is what has taken place in Sri Lanka, as the citizens there are facing mass starvation as Sri Lanka’s prime minister has warned of a food shortage while the island nation battles a devastating economic crisis. 

We are also hearing about the crisis (albeit deliberately engineered) of food fertilizer shortages, devastating droughts that are withering crops in the United States and farmers are warning about supply shortages just as global fertilizer prices have tripled, and we are being warned that this is going to have a catastrophic impact on food production all over the world. Of course, the nauseating mainstream media seems to be completely ignoring these emerging catastrophes (no surprise as they also are controlled by the globalists). There seems to be many moving parts to this (deliberately engineered) crisis, but suffice to say, things are not looking good on the food front – at all. Many are forecasting that it is all going to start to hit the fan later this year (2022). Only time will tell whether this will be the case or not, but if current happenings are of any predictor, we are soon going to see some hard times – if not a complete collapse of civilization.  

Recently, “The Economist” magazine, which is nothing more than a globalist mouthpiece, ran a story titled “The Coming Food Catastrophe.” The cover of the magazine displayed a picture of wheat on its cover with human skulls embedded into the wheat kernels.

As most of us who are attuned to the red pill reality are aware, these Luciferians whom we identify as globalists are compelled by requisite to tell the masses what they are going to do before they do it. No doubt, this picture and news piece was an intentional display of their evil activities and plans. We often see them do this in our entertainment as well, as their occult symbology gets paraded around at virtually every half-time show of a major football game. We see it in Hollywood and various forms of entertainment. We can also see their fingerprint in societal catastrophes such as the September 11, 2001 so-called “terrorist” attack on New York City and the Pentagon. There is an obvious wicked, spiritual element to their methods and madness – and it all ultimately centers around the worship of Lucifer a.k.a. the devil and, as he is also known, Satan. They see him as the “good guy,” whereas the God of the Bible, in their thinking, is the “bad guy.” It is now becoming obvious to even the most minimal of awake persons that they fully intend to use the method of global famine and starvation for their agenda of global depopulation. This agenda is clearly spelled out on what many people have heard of as the “Georgia Guide-stones” (see video in the side bar of this site further above).

The Deliberately Orchestrated Chaos of Social/Cultural upheaval: The Visual Manifestation of Demonic Forces

If there were ever an institution that needs to be done away with, it is the abominable and legal practice of murdering babies – an institution we refer to as “abortion.” However, as can be seen taking place at the time of this writing, violence and social hostilities are now ensuing because of this overturning of legalized murder. Many, including myself, are very skeptical of the purpose that they let this institution go back to the decision of the states. While a good thing, we should also be skeptical of the purpose they suddenly decided to let this law be overturned considering their (globalists) plan for social chaos and upheaval wherein they can take down the United States and implement their global government system. It all makes perfect sense. Through public institutions of learning and media, we have had a whole generation of people deliberately brain-washed of the acceptability of murdering babies, but to then suddenly overturn a federal law taking it away would predictably result in chaos instigated by those same brain-washed masses.

In fact, I would have no doubt that they are all paid to protest, riot and cause general instability within the social fabric of America by the same globalist-run institutions for their nefarious purposes. How many remember the bricks that were being deliberately left on street corners during the George Floyd riots? Recently, at least ten pallets of bricks were mysteriously left in front of the Republican National Committee headquarters, just blocks away from the US Supreme Court Building. We have “supposedly” had death threats against judges and general chaos as protests have ensued.

Here is where it must be pointed out that the New World Order will be more than just power-hungry politicians looking to control the world. I’ve often said that the global government will be fueled and powered by literal and actual evil, dark demonic forces. It will ultimately end up with a leader over it called the Antichrist, whom many claim will be the physical manifestation of a demonic entity in human form. There is much evidence to corroborate this as the shadow government behind the scenes are working with demonic entities. It is a subject that goes down a deep, dark rabbit hole, but suffice it to say, it is going to be a beast like no other beast before it as the prophet Daniel reveals in Daniel chapter 7 (see here).

Lest there be any doubt about the demonic forces behind this emerging chaos and world government system, it has been shown in various images and video footage that demonic entities have been seen manifesting themselves during these pro-abortion protests. Recently, a quite shocking moment occurred when an unedited screen-grab from a video of pro-abortion protesters outside of Justice John Roberts’ home appears to show a demon in the crowd.

The video from which the screen grab was taken can be seen below.

The Gateway Pundit news website originally ran the story and reportedly confirmed that two women were seen walking together, but the resulting screen-grab showed a demon manifestation. In fact, watching the raw video footage, one can see the demon in the live footage as it turns its face away from the camera as the camera approaches her/its direction. In the video below beginning at the 6:58 mark, this incident is discussed.

One of two likely explanations for this is that this was not a person at all, but a demonic entity able to pose as a human, thus those who were standing around her probably only saw a regular-looking person. In a different picture of the same supposed “person,” it looks totally human. We do know that demons have the ability of masquerading in different forms other than their true form. The second possibility is as the two commentators in the video discuss – that this woman has a demonic entity residing within her. We do know that people can become possessed by demonic spirits by willingly giving themselves over to evil or engaging in evil occultic practices.

In another incident during a mass pro-abortion protest in New York, footage was captured of a dark, demonic entity moving swiftly among the crowd.

As we enter the final closing moments of the Church Age, or the sixth Dispensation called Grace, the veil that separates our reality from the dark side of the supernatural appears to be thinning as the Holy Spirit, more and more, lifts his presence and allows the manifestation of dark, supernatural forces to be seen by the eyes of man. More and more these days, it appears that people are seeing evil manifest itself into our realm more frequently than ever before.

During the coming Tribulation Period, we see a disturbing description of entities that shall manifest themselves in physical form as they run across the face of the earth to torment left behind mankind.

As discussed in a previous posting, it is more than likely that CERN is able to take the DNA of the remains of the “Nephilim” (Giants of old) that God destroyed in the flood of Noah and unite them with the evil spirits that they intend to let through the portal that the CERN project will open mentioned in Revelation 9.  Take notice of an end times prophecy from the book of Joel indicating the resurrection of the evil Nephilim, or giants, of scripture.  Imagine in your mind the horror show and fear that will come upon all mankind while these beings, infused with the evil spirits of the opened bottomless pit, run forth across the face of the earth during the Tribulation period described from the book of Revelation. The prophet Joel describes the horror …

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.  The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.  They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:1-11).

As an interesting side-note, CERN is set to crank up its power to full capacity for the first time on July 5, 2022 – one day after America’s birthday (July 4, 1776). Whether an event will visibly and overtly occur as a result of this is anyone’s guess, but it may be that something sinister occurs in the background as a result that will not be immediately seen. As for surprises and the New World Order, would you ever guess that the Rockefellers are funding the CERN project?

As we can see, the Luciferian elite who run the nations behind the curtain of our reality are involved in far more than just deliberate geopolitical engineering to destroy the nation-state and bring about the New World Order/global government seen in their creation of the BRICS order nations and the deliberate and on-going destruction of the current system. It also involves a dark and heavily demonic structure as its foundation. These are the dark, demonic and evil forces that the Apostle Paul revealed in Ephesians 6 …

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

It is these forces that are directly influencing and, dare we say, directly controlling those at the top of the New World Order pyramid. Some theologians refer to these entities as the “Reptilians.” Ultimately, it is going to lead to the installation of the Antichrist over this rapidly emerging system covered in the first half or so of this article. The Apostle Paul, under the Divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, revealed as much when he made the following very telling statement …

“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19).

The LSV (Literal Standard Version) reads “under the power of the evil one.” As the Luciferian globalists get closer and closer to implementing their end-game plan for a world government as discussed in the beginning of this article, it is important to keep in mind the absolute supernatural evil that is controlling the rise of this system. However, make no mistake about it, it is the Lord himself that is allowing these evil forces and their earthly human proxies to go ahead with their plan – with each stage of the plan set to God’s perfect timing. They can do nothing unless the Lord allows it.

COVID-19 (Certificate of Vaccination Identification)

With the rise of the Covid virus deception, many have noted that the ensuing so-called “vaccinations” have some disturbing physical properties contained in them. Some have called these injections “operating systems” containing nano-technology and DNA altering properties. As you can well see from the slides below, it appears as though some type of electrical circuitry is forming within the blood of a person who took the Covid-19 so-called “vaccine” shots.

One might even say that it looks like some type of computer board circuitry. The picture was taken from various other slides that can be seen from this video here. When the word “COVID” is spelled backwards, you get the word “divoc.” Divoc appears to be a Hebrew word that means “spiritual possession” or “possessed by an evil spirit.” As per usual, all of the liberal, anti-Christian so-called “Fact Checker” propaganda pushing websites and other mainstream propaganda establishment sites try to debunk this idea. They will claim that “Divoc” is not a Hebrew word, that the closest existing word in the language is the aforementioned “dibbuk,” which is sometimes spelled “dybbuk” in English. Translated into English, DIVOC becomes DYBBUK. However, according to Yoram Bilu, a professor of anthropology and sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, dybbuk has a sinister connection to spiritual possession. There may or may not be something there, but it is interesting to say the least. At the end of the day, we do not need it to be so to make the conclusion that there is an evil and very demonic agenda afoot with these Covid “vaccines.”

Iron Mixing with Clay As World Government Emerges

When the prophet Daniel interpreted the dream of the wicked king of the ancient empire of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, concerning the statue of a man that came to him via a dream during his sleep, he made an interesting statement about iron mixing with clay in the end of days. The story is as follows …

“And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay” (Daniel 2:40-43).

Here is Daniel’s own description of the statue’s iron legs and it’s feet of clay. 

It is the fourth, or Roman, kingdom. Peculiarly, the prophet Daniel mentions the fact that “they” shall mingle themselves with the seed of men. Who is this mysterious “they” mingling with the seed of men that Daniel spoke of? From reading the text, we see that they are unable to “cleave one to another.” This certainly rules out the traditional interpretations of marriages of nobles to commoners, or unbelievers to believers for that matter. What is being described is the systematic effort to mix an already-fired brittle clay vessel with iron.  This symbolizes the futility of the mystery group’s efforts to genetically integrate themselves with the seed of men.  According to the prophecy, they will try, but they will ultimately fail.

After the masses of people have taken the so-called Covid-19 “vaccines,” many have demonstrated the fact that they are taking on the signs of magnetism, wherein certain metal objects will stick to them. As previously mentioned, it has now been revealed that these nefarious operating systems that are being called “vaccines” contain graphene oxide – which, among other things, demonstrates the function of magnetism. The graphene oxide reportedly self-assembles into bio-circuits by harvesting elements (such as iron) from human blood. Here, we see a striking echo of the prophecy of Daniel when we read that iron will attempt to mix with human clay in the final world government beast system of Daniel 7 – represented in the feet and toes of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

What happens when, somewhere, these Luciferian globalists try “flipping a switch” as it were and activate a certain frequency that interacts with this graphene-laced operating system that has been injected into the masses? This is where the picture begins to take on a very sinister and horrible picture. It seems that the “they” of Daniel’s prophecy can be considered an attempt by Satan’s kingdom to enter into and corrupt the seed of man. Said another way, demonic entities are gaining a foothold into human beings by laying the groundwork of bio-tech through their earthly human proxies. These so-called “vaccines” are much more than just the physical aspect. They involve a dark spiritual undertaking as well. This is the likely reason that we read in the book of Revelation that those who take the Mark of the Beast cannot then be saved and inherit eternal life by receiving Christ. They will be destined for damnation because they now identify with the beast and are no longer technically human, or fully human. It is here that I wish to make an important point. The so-called “vaccine” injections themselves are not the Mark of the Beast. However, it is quite convincing given the sinister evidence that it is the foundation ingredient that will somehow interact with the actual mark, whatever the actual mark will be.

When the fifth angel sounds his trumpet of judgment upon the earth during the Tribulation, a judgment that will open the bottomless pit – out of which the demonic locusts will emerge and torment mankind for five months – specifically, those who do not have the mark of God in their foreheads. These are the Christ rejecting masses who refuse to receive Jesus as personal Savior whose soul/spirits remain in a state of death due to willful and deliberate rebellion against God and his payment/propitiation for sin – Jesus Christ. The Apostle John reveals that these masses of earth’s inhabitants will wish to die, but cannot …

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter” (Revelation 9:1-12).

Death will escape them. When observing the evidence of the nefarious intent behind these horrific “vaccines” and their content, it starts to become obvious that “they” are intentionally injecting things into human bodies in order to prepare the body to receive the Mark of the Beast. One can realistically say that this whole process is making it easier for demons to gain access to people. Could we realistically say to “turn them into demon-possessed zombies?” I think we can. Given this, it sheds some new light on the reason why the multitude of tormented people will be crying out for death but shall not find it. It is also the likely reason why Jesus said that men’s hearts will fail them with fear when observing the things that are coming upon the earth …

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).

His specific words here are rather interesting. Notice he says that men’s hearts will fail them for looking after those things that are “coming on the earth” [emphasis added]. In Revelation 9, the aforementioned demonic locusts will ascend from the bottomless pit “onto the earth” and torment people. This is likely what Jesus was speaking of when he said those words. It is a known that those who have encounters with demonic entities experience an overwhelming, supernatural fear that goes beyond any kind of fear they have felt before. According to Jesus’ words, this is the kind of fear that causes men’s hearts to melt, or faint, in terror. Immediately after he says those words, he mentions the “powers of the heavens being shaken” that results in this action of the demonic locusts coming upon the earth. The powers of the heavens spoken of here are none other than the powers, principalities, and the spiritual wickedness in high places that the Apostle Paul speaks about in the aforementioned Ephesians 6:12 passage.

America’s Role in the Rise of the New World Order Beast

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:1-6).

Here, right away, you can see the absolute demonic nature of this rising world government beast system. It is much darker, demonic and sinister than most dare think. As was shown earlier in this article, America is the nation that is being used by the Luciferian globalists to bring about the emerging global government beast system.

In the New Testament, the identity of the god Apollo, repeat-coded in the Great Seal of the United States as the Masonic “messiah” who returns to rule the earth, is the same spirit—verified by the same name—that will inhabit the political leader of the end-times New World Order.

We know this figure will be none other than the Antichrist – fueled and inhabited by the Osiris/Apollyon/Abbadon demonic spirit. In fact, many speculate that the Antichrist will not just be a person inhabited by a demonic spirit, but rather, he will only look human. Above the all-seeing eye atop the pyramid of the American one-dollar bill, you will notice the words “Annuit Coeptis,” which translated means “He (God) has approved our undertakings.” On the other side of the seal, you see the words “E-Pluribus Unim” – which means “out of many, one.”

This takes us back to the aforementioned book Prospect For America that we have looked at in the beginning half of this article and the globalists statements and intentions mentioned in that book for the creation of a New World Order. In fact, you will see the words “Novus Ordo Seclorum” on the seal below the Great Pyramid and the all-seeing eye of Lucifer. This word means “New World Order.”

In the mythology, Horus is the son of Osiris – represented by the all-seeing watchful eye of Lucifer on the dollar bill. According to key Bible prophecies, the Antichrist will be the progeny or incarnation of the ancient spirit, Apollo. Second Thessalonians 2:3 warns …

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [Apoleia; Apollo]” (emphasis added).

Revelation 17:8 likewise ties the coming of Antichrist with Apollo, revealing that the Beast shall ascend from the bottomless pit and enter him …

“The Beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the Bottomless Pit, and go into perdition [Apolia, Apollo]: and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the Beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:8).

Among other things, this means the Great Seal of the United States is a prophecy, hidden in plain sight by the Founding Fathers for more than two hundred years, foretelling the return of a terrifying demonic god who seizes control of Earth in the new order of the ages. This supernatural entity was known and feared in ancient times by different names: Apollo, Osiris, and even farther back as Nimrod, whom Masons consider to be the father of their institution.

It may be a surprise to many, but thanks to the research of scholar and theologian Thomas Horn, an occultic “raising ceremony” is performed in the Temple Room of the House of the Temple, the headquarters of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in Washington D.C.

This ceremony is conducted when members reach the 33rd Degree of Scottish Rite Free-masonry. This ceremony is based off the belief that the spirit of Osiris (which is a chief demonic spirit mentioned in Revelation 9) can be raised from the Underworld and “installed” in the reigning king or President. According to Horn, this is why the U.S. Capitol Dome is laid out so as to face the Obelisk known as the Washington Monument, as well as other puzzling architecture in government center.

This strange ceremony is performed without public knowledge in the Temple Room at the inauguration of every U.S. President. This ritual is a direct reenactment of what occurred in ancient Egypt as the attempt was made to incarnate the spirit of Osiris into the Pharaoh. It should never be forgotten that these rituals have real, tangible dark demonic power. It is here that it should be mentioned that the year 2009 was the year when America took on a distinct Egypt theme with the rise to power of U.S. president Barack Obama, as covered previously in the third installment of the three-part “America The Vineyard” series (see here). As you may already be aware, even the President’s limousine is named “the beast.” This is no accident as this name “beast” for the American president’s limousine first surfaced in the year 2001 – the year that saw the globalist’s intentional destruction of the Twin Tower in New York City in an act of mass occultic ritual sacrifice – among other purposes. As I’ve pointed out in previous postings, the date of 9/11 holds a rather peculiar place in the Bible. In Revelation 9:11, we see the aforementioned spirit of Osiris (Abaddon in the Hebrew and Apollyon in the Greek) rising up out of the bottomless pit as the king over the demonic locusts as quoted above in the Revelation 9 text …

“And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon” (Revelation 9:11).

As shared in previous postings on this site, when the attack on the Towers took place, it became news that a demonic looking face emerged from the smoke of the second tower approximately two seconds after the second plane struck the second tower (pictured below).

What are the odds that this attack would occur on a date that would produce the image of a demonic face mirroring the Bible passage numbers from the book of Revelation wherein the demonic spirit of Osiris emerges into the earthly realm of existence? The good enough answer is that the odds are not in favor of coincidence.

The Great Divine Purpose of America – A Double Entendre

Going back to the Great Seal of the United States and its logos Annuit Coeptis – “He (God) has approved our undertakings,” E-Pluribus Unim – “out of many, one” and Novus Ordo Seclorum – “New World Order, many may see a contradiction that this nation was founded as a Christian nation. These two views of America have caused much confusion among many. In a previous posting, an avalanche of conclusive evidence was presented that America is the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy of the Vineyard in Matthew 21. The idea is that America is a nation that God raised up for the unique purpose of closing out the Church Age with the shining forth of the Gospel message of Christ to the nations of the earth. As I’ve said many times in previous postings, America has done exactly that in its history and has continued to do so up until this very day. To many, this would seem to be a contradiction of a supposed “Christian nation” given the occultic purposes and designs enshrined in our currency, the layout of Washington D.C. and the obvious and admitted destination that the usurping globalists are taking America down the road to. However, this is where God has allowed a double meaning and double purpose to exist when it comes to America’s existence and its giant footprint that it has wielded on the world stage.

Given America’s identification and purpose in Bible prophecy i.e. the Vineyard of Matthew 21, I would contend that the other and first/foremost meaning, or entendre, of the Annuit Coeptis – “He (God) has approved our undertakings” phrase is Providentially and purposefully conveying the message of the Vineyard assignment aspect that this nation was created and raised up by the Lord for. Although the phrase itself may have been intended by the Luciferians for the purpose of announcing the New World Order to come that America would give birth to, it is my contention that this phrase is also directly (and firstly) reflecting its Matthew 21 Vineyard purpose – by Divine Providence. This is no accident and of no “sole” doing of Satan’s proxy tools. God did indeed “approve the undertakings” of the men who gave this nation its founding through the right people at the right time. The people who seeded the nation going back to the Plymouth Rock landing on the Mayflower were indeed those who sought to practice Christianity without the interference of government – although there may have been the “evil element” side who came over also. Thus, the Lord also allowed for its other purpose to be used for by the “evil element.”

The E-Pluribus Unim – “out of many, one” phrase is most certainly reflective of the Apostle Paul’s words when he stated that, in accordance with the Gospel message, “all are one” in Christ …

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

Yet again, I say this too is no accident. I think the fingerprint of God on this nation is once again subtly shining through here. The message that America has always been known for is the message that declares these very words – it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Novus Ordo Seclorum – “New World Order” phrase, in addition to representing the obvious intention of an approaching New World Order, is also most certainly reflective of the idea that America’s Matthew 21 Vineyard purpose was indeed a new order for the earth that emerged under the tremendous sway of the light of the Gospel that she suddenly started to shine forth to the nations of the earth since the days of the landing at Plymouth Rock on forward. America became known worldwide as the “Christian nation,” and indeed, it was and still is. But especially in the early years to the very recent past. America gained the status of the world’s most glorious nation because of the Gospel. God blessed it with the bright, inventive and entrepreneurial population that he did for the purpose of the Gospel. It enjoyed the enormous wealth and freedom in order to do so – also of Divine Providence and appointment …

“… where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

It rose to hold tremendous sway over the nations of the earth. In effect, it was indeed a “New World Order,” an American order, that came along when this nation was established in 1776, the foundations of which were being laid going back to the days when it was a colony of Great Britain before 1776. Indeed, the foundation of America’s purpose was already laid well before 1776 through its European peoples/heritage. God was preparing her for her ultimate destiny – and that destiny was that she would declare the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to the world. On this day, the 4th of July, America’s Independence Day, Americans should be ever-thankful to the One who allowed us to live, experience and be a part of prophecy by allowing us to be born in this great, purpose-filled nation – a nation that holds a Providential purpose that no other nation shares. When we harbor a thankful and praise-filled heart toward God throughout the days of our lives, amazing things and prayers answered begin to come into your life. Being an American is one obvious and tremendous purpose to be thankful for. Think about it …

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful to him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5).

Yes indeed, America seems to hold a duality of purpose orchestrated by the Providential hand of God. That much is clear and, backed with the obvious evidence, is beyond dispute.

The Final End of the Approaching New World Order

In closing – and circling back to the BRICS and the New World Order, of which the Luciferian globalists are using America for, when observing the ongoing conflict between Russia, the United States and the NATO nations of the West, always remember that the leaders of these allied BRICS nations are not really opposed to the rulers of the New World Order … they are in league with them and putting on a show of opposition. This emerging new order is more dark and sinister than most realize.

There is a conspiracy in this world determined to set up a one-world political and economic system through which every citizen on planet Earth will eventually become a slave.  It is a very real conspiracy, and who is behind it?  His name is Lucifer … and his system – Mystery Babylon The Great – will come to a cataclysmic end as seen in Revelation 17 and 18 – but not before the personal destiny if each and every human soul is forced to make a choice concerning her. Regrettably, many will choose her, this system, over the salvation that the God of the Bible offers …

“And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men” [human slaves]” (emphasis added) (Revelation 18:11-13).

It is here that the elephant in the room should be addressed. To many, it is not a comfortable one to address, but it is what it is. Many an author have noted the Jewish flavor to this international conspiracy. In previous articles, this aspect of the conspiracy was addressed here, here and here.

When the biblical book of James is examined, one finds an end times prophecy about the “rich men” that control the earth. Today, we call them the “globalists” who are in control of the world chessboard, laboring to destroy the nation state and America to form a one world government accompanied with all of it’s evils including the placement of the Antichrist over this system. James singles out these Luciferic occultists and declares that God is going to judge them and their evil system when he writes the following:

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:1-8).

Here, the Lord singles out these “rich men” who rule the earth – yes, even the globalist-created BRICS alliance – in their mad pursuit of a Lucifer-controlled New World Order. Their plans will be met with scorn and, in the end, judgment from Heaven at the return of Christ. This prophecy hearkens back to the aforementioned dream of Nebuchadnezzar as the image of the statue is destroyed by a stone that falls from Heaven as it strikes the feet of the statue – the iron and the clay. The stone is identified to be that of Christ’s kingdom as it shatters into pieces and destroys the beast kingdom in the end.

Man’s kingdom is then replaced by Christ’s kingdom as utopia on Earth is once again reestablished for 1,000 years. That said, for the curious passer-by who may be new to this information, there is a promised escape from this horror show to come – the beginnings of which we now see emerging with the openly declared rise of the globalist puppet BRICS nations. It is a supernatural escape for all of those who put their personal trust in Jesus Christ and personally receive him for the forgiveness of sins through faith alone. This coming event is known as the rapture of the true Church of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in this grand escape, I would suggest you keep reading below to learn more about how you too can be a part of this most exciting event. If not interested, well, good luck with those demonic locusts and the Antichrist.

THE RAPTURE AND YOUR ESCAPE FROM THE COMING JUDGMENT

The demonstrably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

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THE UKRAINE CONFLICT IS JUST A SIDE-SHOW AND WE ARE THE TARGETS

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PROVIDENCE: JEFFERSON AND ADAMS DIED ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

We are taken to Jerusalem for an unnamed festival where Jesus heals a man at the Pool of Bethesda. Temple authorities are furious that Jesus did this on a Sabbath. When confronted, the Savior tells them that after resting on the seventh day of Creation, God the Father now works on the Sabbath, and gives Him authority to work as well. His dissertation only makes them even more determined to kill Him.

The Divinely Orchestrated Pattern Between John 5 and Revelation 5

To begin this study, it should reiterated that the various themes in each chapter in John’s Gospel (book of John) appears to be associated with its corresponding chapter in John’s companion book – Revelation. It becomes obvious to the spiritually attuned and observant believer that the Holy Spirit led John the apostle to follow the same literary design in writing both his Gospel (the book of John) and the book of Revelation. Though neither book originally had chapter divisions, both books follow an outline of subject matter in each chapter that correspond to each other chapter by chapter in each book. 

In the course of His conversation with the Jews in John 5, Jesus tells them that God the Father has given “all judgment unto the Son.” We shall dwell upon this theme when we come to verse 22. Suffice it to say, Jesus is designated as the dispenser of all judgment (John 5:22), and in Revelation 5 (its corresponding chapter), Jesus receives the seven-sealed scroll, which contains instructions for judgment. In each case, Jesus is designated as the Judge. The two chapters cover the same theme.

The Hebrew Letter ה Hay

Accordingly, each chapter also follows the meaning of the corresponding letter number of the Hebrew alphabet. This chapter (chapter 5) follows the meaning/theme of the 5th Hebrew letter ה hay. According to rabbinical sources, ה hay is the symbol of “divinity, gentility and specificity.” The ineffable name of יְהוָֹה Yahweh contains two ה hays, the first one alluding to divinity and the other alluding to gentility. Therefore, in this chapter, we will see that Jesus is both divine and gentle. Divine, in that He could heal the infirmity that plagued a man at the Pool of Bethesda with a word. Gentle, in that He had compassion upon the one who could never get to the water on his own.

The Hebrew letter ה hay denotes specificity by appearing at the beginning of a word. In English, it is translated “the” as a way of being specific. For example, in Genesis 1:1, we are told that God created “the” heavens (הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם ha-shamayin) and “the” earth (הָאָֽרֶץ ha-eretz). In each case, the ה hay specifies which “heavens” and “earth.” In this chapter of John’s Gospel, because of the use of the Greek language in the earliest manuscripts, we cannot see the specific use of the Hebrew letter ה hay. But we can see that Jesus is the specific “Son” because He calls God, “Father” …

“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:17-18).

One cannot get more specific than that. In the ineffable name of יְהוָֹה Yahweh, יָהּ Yah stands for the Father, whereas וֹת Weh seems to represent the Son. Jesus is quite specifically the Son of God. Note that ה hay is used twice in יְהוָֹה Yahweh, once for the Father and once for the Son. Combined, they make up the one name of יְהוָֹה Yahweh, setting forth the concept that the Father and the Son are co-equal.

It is said in historical writings, such as the Talmud, that God used the ‘ yod and the ה hay in Creation. These two letters form the Divine name ה’ Yah. With the ה hay, God created this world, and with the ‘ yod, He created the world to come.

Pronouncing the ה hay requires no movement of the tongue or lips. It takes little effort to exhale and produce its sound. The simplicity and ease with which this letter is pronounced corresponds to the ease by which God created all things. He simply spoke the worlds into existence. Psalm 33:6 says …

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

The power of God’s “word” is demonstrated by the ease with which Jesus healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda, saying, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk” (John 5:8). When confronted by the Temple authorities, Jesus explained …

“For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will” (John 5:21).

Obviously, the ה hay embodies the very essence of the Holy Spirit. It is the letter of the Spirit. The breath with which it is spoken is indicative of the Spirit, whom Jesus said moved like the “wind” (John 3:8). The Greek word for “breath” is πνεῦμα pneuma, also translated, “Holy Spirit.” When the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, the people saw what is described as “a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2).

When God changed the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah, He did so by adding the ה hay to each name, symbolic of the Holy Spirit, the agent of Grace – and the divine power of the Abrahamic covenant. This can be seen in the healing of the paralyzed man, who could not save himself. Note that Jesus did not ask him if he believed. He did not tell the man who He was. Jesus asked him, “will you be made whole?” The man did not answer directly, but complained that he had no one to put him into the pool. The healing was by grace, and grace alone.

Later, Jesus met him in the Temple and told him “sin no more, lest a worse thing come to you (John 5:14). It seems that his infirmity was associated with some kind of wayward living, all the more pointing to healing by grace. Such is the nature of the ה hay. Now, let us observe the occasion of John 5.

John 5: The unnamed Festival

“After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 5:1).

Theologians have suggested various possibilities that this unnamed feast might be either Pentecost, observed around Sivan 6 (June); or Tu ‘b Av on Av 15 (August); or Rosh Hashana on Tishri 1 (September). However, it is generally thought to be the second of four Passover festivals in John’s Gospel. The mention of the sheep market lends to the likelihood that the feast was a Passover – the time for sacrificing sheep. If so, there are four Passovers in John that correspond to the four cups of the Passover ritual. It seems to me that it had to be a major festival to bring Jesus to Jerusalem.

The Four Cups of Passover

The first Passover (John 2) represents the “cup of sanctification,” as seen in Jesus cleansing, or sanctifying the Temple. Its meaning takes us back in history to the cup Melchizedek offered to Abraham. The patriarch was sanctified, or set apart, for the purpose of delivering a covenant of Grace to the human race.

The second Passover (John 5) speaks of the “cup of Thanksgiving,” as seen in the grateful man made whole after suffering for 38 years. Its meaning takes us back in history to the Exodus, followed by the Hebrews’ forty years in the wilderness. Actually, after receiving the Law, building the Tabernacle, and failing to enter the Promised Land from Kadesh-barnea, the Israelites spent the next 38 years in the wilderness.

The third Passover, as we shall see in John 6, represents the “cup of Redemption,” as seen in the miracle of feeding the 5,000, and in Jesus’ statement, “I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). The “cup of Redemption” corresponds to the Savior’s death on the cross for our redemption.

The fourth Passover, as seen in John 13-17 corresponds to the “cup of Completion” and speaks of the relationship between Jesus and believers. The high note of this theme comes in John 17:23, “I in them, and you in me …” It also alludes to the future resurrection, as depicted in Christ’s statement, “I will come again, and receive you to myself …” (John 14:3).

The Pool of Bethesda

“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had” (John 5:2-4).

The story of the pool and its troubled water is found nowhere else in scripture or, for that matter, in any other first-century writing that I am aware of. Even Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, does not mention it. Only the Apostle John tells us about this pool and the unfortunate people who languished there.

In looking at this portion of scripture and the account of Jesus healing the handicapped man, many have assumed that, because of its lack of mention elsewhere in scripture, the pool of Bethesda was connected to a short-lived rumor that caused the blind, halt and withered to hope for a healing that may not have existed. Some have even suggested that perhaps the money-changers and the sheep salesmen, who operated in this area, concocted a rumor that someone was healed in its troubled waters in order to drum up more business – that it would be cruel for an angel to periodically trouble the water, and then only heal one person who had the strength to make it to the pool ahead of the others. Such a concept would only engender strife among those who could least endure it. Many commentaries agree that John was merely reporting a common belief that brought the blind and infirm to the pool, but was not lending credibility to the story. These commentaries contend that he only tells us about the pool because the Savior went there for the express purpose of healing this certain man.

However, while it is tempting to dismiss this as wishful desires among the people, John doesn’t say that it was reported that an angel stirred up the water. He states it as a fact. Because this healing is not mentioned in other historical documents before or after this time, it is assumed that these healings only occurred for a short period of time, around the time of Christ. Here is where Bible translations come into play.

There are some poor versions which don’t include John 5:4, but the problem is that all versions do include “The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me”” (John 5:7). That statement by the sick man makes no sense if verse four was not in the original. Thus, a version called the “Revised Standard Version” testifies against itself.

The reason the Revised Standard Version dropped this verse is not based on true contextual evidence but because the translators on its committee had a strong bias against miracles. It is this same version that they reworded Isaiah 7:14 to say “young woman” instead of “virgin.” They typically took the non-miraculous direction on the least possible suspicion that an alternative reading was possible.

Excavations have discovered a pool near the church of Saint Anne, just north of the Sheep Gate and Temple area that seems to fit the description. Speculation has it that the pool was fed by an underground spring that periodically troubled the water.

There are several Aramaic terms that may have provided the original root for the translation, “Bethesda.” Most modern writers have suggested that the actual name was Beth Chisda, meaning “House of Mercy.” Some think it may have been Beth Istebha, “House of Porches.” Others think it was Beth Zeytha, “House of the Olive.” Still others lean toward Beth Asutaha or Beth Asyatha, “House of Healing.” Dr. Alfred Edersheim, in his book, The Temple, suggested that the second part of the name (Beth Esda) was a Greek term for “getting well.”

Some say that the apocryphal name of Raphael, an angel not mentioned in the Bible, was associated with medicine. However, if healing miracles were common there, some historian should have written about it. Since the pool was associated with the sheep market, some have suggested that the sheep were washed there. If so, the pool would have been a rather nasty place. But the people who gathered there were desperate. There was no place else for them to turn. Physicians had given up on their maladies.

The Healing

“And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath” (John 5:5-9).

Why was this man healed and no others? Perhaps a godly saint had been praying for this man’s healing. It seems as if Jesus was on a particular mission of mercy. He did not just happen to be there. John tells us that Jesus promised, “If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14).

Just as this man had been afflicted for 38 years, we should note that all of us, entering adulthood around the age of 20-21, will spend the next 40 years in the crucible of testing. We all must face our wilderness experience. That is God’s plan for all of mankind. This is the answer to the age-old question, “Why do the righteous suffer?”

The Apostle Paul tells us that all suffer, the wicked and righteous alike …

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also [saints as well as sinners], which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22-23).

Paul concluded …

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

As we journey through this veil of tears, we can pray for deliverance. But we must all be tested. That is God’s plan for every person. Someday, we will understand. Paul wrote …

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Jesus went straight to the man and asked, “Will you be made whole?” Though the poor man seemed to be on the brink of despair, we should note that he was still there. He was determined to persevere until he received healing. However, he felt abandoned: “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool.” He may have felt alone, but quite possibly, someone was praying for him. Jesus did not choose this man by chance. Nothing that Jesus ever did when on Earth was ever by chance.

Without any further conversation, Jesus simply told him, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole.” Healing came instantly. The man felt new life in his limbs. Startled, he got up, turned to pick up his pallet, and Jesus walked away.

It Happened on a Sabbath

“And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place” (John 5:9-13).

As we can see from the text, He probably turned back to thank the Savior and discovered that He had slipped away in the crowd. The poor man didn’t even know who his benefactor was. So, to express his gratitude to God, he entered the Temple precincts. After 38 years of suffering, he probably didn’t realize that he was violating Temple law by carrying his pallet on the Sabbath, that is, until Temple authorities stopped him.

During Bible days, the Jerusalem Temple had guards posted at all entrances to ensure compliance with the Mosaic Law. In this passage, they are called, “the Jews.” We do not know whether they were simply part of the priesthood, Pharisees or members of the Sanhedrin court. Had they been mere guards, the resulting controversy might not have occurred. Animosity was growing against Jesus. Rather than asking the man who healed him, they wanted to know who had told him to carry his bed on the Sabbath. The poor man could not give them the name of his healer. He was merely going to the Temple out of gratitude for the miracle. We should note that the Jews were not interested in how the man was healed; only that he had violated the law of the Sabbath.

Throughout the four Gospels, we are told of several healings on the Sabbath. These healings have prophetic implications that the Savior will heal all diseases during the Great Sabbath – the seventh millennium when Christ shall rule and reign on Earth after the Tribulation has ended. In reading of the millennial rule and reign of Christ with the saints/body of Christ, we read the following concerning healing during this approaching time for all who enter the kingdom still in their mortal flesh …

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2).

Those who receive Jesus and get saved survive the Tribulation and enter the Millennial Kingdom will still be in their flesh – as well as those who are born to them and grow into adults. They will all still be in physical, mortal and corruptible flesh, unlike the dead in Christ and those who were still alive when the rapture had occurred seven years prior who received their glorified bodies. As we can see from Revelation 22, healing for ailments will apparently be needed even during the millennial reign of Christ on Earth – and these special trees put there by the Lord will apparently do the job of healing the nations.

A Word of Caution

“Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).

The poor man would not be deterred. Though he probably complied with the Temple authorities and put down his pallet, he proceeded to go into the Temple courtyard to give thanks to God for his healing. By this time, Jesus was also in the Temple area. The Savior met him and said, “Behold, you are made whole!” It seems that Jesus was saying something like, “Look at you! You look great!”

After Jesus’ word of congratulations, He had a word of caution for this man: “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man might have been startled to hear those words. Perhaps some secret sin had caused his malady. Or, perhaps an unsavory lifestyle had led to his infirmity and he was relieved to know that Jesus had forgiven him. Whatever it was, Jesus cautioned him to not return to that iniquity.

“The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day” (John 5:15-16).

Being grateful for his healing, he returned to the Temple authorities and told them that Jesus had done this marvelous thing for him. However, instead of being impressed with the miracle, they were angry.

Remembering that Moses said, “Whosoever does work therein [on the Sabbath] shall be put to death” (Exodus 35:2), they determined to kill the Messiah! These mad men searched the Temple area until they found Jesus and confronted Him with their ridiculous charge.

Jesus Asserts His Deity

“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” John 5:17-18).

Jesus reminded them that God, having rested on the seventh day, did not abandon His creation, but continually works and watches over it. He said, “My Father works!” God is not on vacation. He is actively carrying out His heavenly agenda. Like the CEO of a great corporation, God is busy.

But there was no reasoning with these stubborn hearts. They were furious that Jesus had called God “Father,” and they perceived that, by doing so, Jesus was making Himself equal with God. Indeed, Jesus was, and is, equal with the Father. But Jesus, co-equal member of the Trinity, the Creator of this universe, the author and finisher of our faith, and the visible member of the Godhead, then explained a theological phenomenon that is as difficult for us to understand as it was for the Jews …

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel” (John 5:19-20).

As the Jews were blind to the Deity of Christ, so it seems that many Christian theologians are also blind to His self-humiliation. In this passage, Christ explains something that He imposed upon Himself – the Son became a servant. Physically speaking, I cannot imagine how Christ would have done this – except to say that perhaps He confined His omnipresence into bodily form. However, He was still in complete control of all things in Heaven and Earth. There is nothing about omnipresence that He could not control. He still had omnipotence (all power) and omniscience (all knowledge).

The Apostle Paul explains Jesus’ seven-fold self humbling followed by a seven-fold heavenly exaltation …

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Paul explains that this was the “mind” of Christ:

1. He knew that He was Deity, “the form of God,” and not for one minute did He think of Himself as anything less than equal with the Father.
2. However, He “made of himself of no reputation.” He was willing to be born in a stable, live in virtual poverty, and wear simple clothes.
3. He “took upon Him the form of a servant.” He sought to serve, rather than be served.
4. He was made in the “likeness of men.” He lowered Himself below the status of angels and was born of human flesh – born of a virgin.
5. He was “in fashion as a man,” and allowed Himself to experience temptation, feel hunger, be tired, etc.
6. He “humbled himself” by giving His time for the betterment of others. He healed the sick, and even raised the dead.
7. He “became obedient unto death,” offering Himself to die for the sins of the world. He willingly laid down His life (remembering that this was a necessary thing in order to satisfy the perfect justice of God – a price that man could not pay). No man could take His life from Him. He took our place in death that He might offer us eternal life for those who are willing to personally receive and accept Him.

We cannot comprehend how this is possible for “God of very God” to humble Himself in this manner. We only know that the Apostle Paul told us to think like this. We are mere humans, and though we (only those who have personally received him) have been adopted into the family of God through the blood of Christ, we should maintain a godly humility that, under normal circumstances would beggar the imagination. We receive glory through suffering. How can such a thing be true? We do not have to understand it. It is true, nevertheless. Believe it. Because Jesus humbled Himself and suffered the shame of the cross, God the Father gave Him a seven-fold exaltation …

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

The temporal suffering of Christ brought Him eternal glory.

1. God has “highly exalted Him.” He sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.
2. God has given Him a name which is above every name.” His name is the ineffable name. In the Old Testament, the highly exalted name was יְהוָֹה Yahweh. But after Calvary, the name of Jesus, or the Hebrew Yeshua, meaning “salvation,” became the exalted name. We are told, “There is none other name under Heaven given among men, wherby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
3. The Father has determined that “every knee should bow” in recognition of His authority.
4. Everything “in Heaven” acknowledges His Lordship.
5. Everything “in Earth” acknowledges His Lordship.
6. Everything “under the Earth” – those in the regions of Hell will acknowledge His Lordship.
7. Every knee shall bow and every tongue will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11).

Those aforementioned Jews in the Temple will someday confess His Deity …

“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will” (John 5:21).

Someday, at the voice of Jesus, the dead will be raised. Jesus has the power to heal, as demonstrated at the Pool of Bethesda, and the power to raise the dead, as demonstrated through the resurrection of Lazarus. But, in the future, Jesus will raise the believer with a new immortal body. After reigning upon the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ will raise the lost and damned – all those who have rejected Him – for the judgment of the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15).

Jesus Is the Supreme Judge

“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:22-23).

This theme runs throughout not only John’s Gospel, but also throughout his other work – the book of Revelation as well. Jesus is the great Judge of all time – during both His First Advent and also during His Second Advent. But in John’s Gospel, the Judge willingly takes the place of the accused and suffers His own sentence against the human race. It seems that every event in this Gospel draws us inexorably toward the crucifixion in chapter 19.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus tells the disciples that He must suffer and return to Heaven, from whence He will send the Holy Spirit. For the saints (those who have received Christ), the Spirit will indwell, instruct and comfort. But for the rest of the world, the Holy Spirit will “reprove” (convince and convict) the unsaved of sin, righteousness and judgment …

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:7-11).

By taking our punishment upon Himself, Jesus thwarts Satan’s diabolical plan. The “prince of this world” cannot succeed in ruining the human race. Jesus told His disciples that after the Holy Spirit comes (Acts 2), He will convict the lost, unsaved person of his/her unbelief, teach the message of the ascended Christ and snatch the souls of men and women from the grip of the prince of this world.

• In John 1, Jesus judges the nation who “received him not” (John 1:11), and the righteousness of Nathaniel, “in whom is no guile” (John 1:47).

• In John 2, Jesus judges the money-changers and merchants who sold “in the Temple” (John 2:14-16).

• In John 3, Jesus judges Nicodemus who is “a master of Israel and does not know these things” (John 3:10).

• In John 4, Jesus judges the Samaritan woman for living with six men and offers forgiveness. Then He judges Galilee, saying, “a prophet has no honor in his own country” (John 4:44).

• In John 5, Jesus judges the man healed of an infirmity as He tells him, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14). He judges the Temple Jews who “sought to slay Him” (John 5:16).

• In John 6, Jesus, Jesus judges the motives of the people who “seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled” (John 6:26). We are told, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66).

• In John 7, Jesus judges the Temple crowd who said, “You have a devil [demon] (John 7:20).

• In John 8, Jesus judges those who want to stone the woman accused of adultery: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). He judges the woman with heavenly insight: “Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

• In John 9, Jesus judges the man born blind as being not guilty: “Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents” (John 9:3). Then He judges the Pharisees for their unbelief: “For judgment have I come into this world, that they which do not see might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39).

• In John 10, Jesus repeats His judgment of the Jews: “I told you, and you believe not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But you believed not. because you are not of my sheep” (John 10:25-26).

• In John 11, Jesus judges death by raising Lazarus. The Pharisees conspired against Him: “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death” (John 11:53).

• In John 12, Jesus judges Judas for complaining about Mary anointing His feet with expensive ointment: “Let her alone: against the day of my burying has she kept this” (John 12:7). Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the angry Pharisees say: “Behold, the world has gone after him” (John 12:19).

• In John 13, Jesus judges the one who is to betray Him: “He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18). He announces His betrayal: “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you shall betray me” (John 13:21). He says to Judas, “That which you do, do quickly” (John 13:27). He says to Peter, “The cock shall not crow, until you have denied me three times” (John 13:38).

• In John 14, Jesus tells the disciples, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you; for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me” (John 14:30).

• In John 15, Jesus tells His disciples, “They hated me without a cause” (John 15:25).

• In John 16, Jesus tells them, “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time comes, that whosoever kills you will think that he is doing God a service” (John 16:2).

• In John 17, Jesus prays, “Those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12).

• In John 18, Judas betrays Jesus. Peter denies Him. The mighty Judge of the universe allows Himself to become the accused and stands trial before Annas (verse 13), Caiaphas (verse 24), and Pilate (verse 28). Pilate offers to free a prisoner, to which the people cry, “Not this man, but Barabbas” (John 18:40).

• In John 19, a crown of thorns adorns the head of the King of the Jews. Pilate hears Jesus say, “You could have no power at all against me, except that it were given to you from above: therefore he that delivered me to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11). The people judge the Savior: “Crucify him” (John 19:15). Jesus is nailed to the cross … and gives up His life for us (John 19:16-30).

Yes, Jesus is the Heaven-sent Judge who gives Himself as the substitute for the guilty:

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

When Christ returns, as depicted in the book of Revelation, the Judge will finish His work. He will win in the end. His intended foe is not the human race, but His great adversary – the serpent. We are the serpent’s victims, and Jesus is the Heaven-sent Son who rescues us.

The Promise of Eternal Life

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (John 5:24-27).

The only God-ordained giver of eternal life is Jesus. The only heavenly-appointed one who can raise the saints from the grave is Jesus. The life-giving qualities of God the Father have been invested in the Son, because He came from Heaven, entered the womb of Mary and was born with human flesh. Therefore, Jesus replaces Adam as the federal head of the human race. He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

The Guaranteed Event of a Future Resurrection

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:28-30).

Every judgment issued by the Lord was true and accurate. He knew the hearts of all those given in John’s Gospel – Nathaniel, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the afflicted man by the pool of Bethesda, the woman accused of adultery, etc. And He also knew the hearts of the moneychangers, the Pharisees, those who plotted His death and Judas – who betrayed Him. Jesus knew them all. His judgment was just. He will raise the saints just before bringing the judgment of the Tribulation period, and raise the lost after the millennial reign of Christ on Earth and the final rebellion of the unsaved. He can do these things because He is Deity.

In Defense of Deity

“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not” (John 5:31-38).

According to the Mosaic Law, two witnesses were needed to establish a matter. Therefore, Jesus said, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true” (verse 31). Jesus was not saying that His witness was a lie, but that it was insufficient unless corroborated by a second witness. As we see in verses 32 and 34, Jesus mentions another witness on His behalf. This witness was not John the Baptist, though Jesus mentions how the Temple authorities were willing to accept John’s credentials. They were willing to believe John’s testimony. John was well liked and they enjoyed his popularity. It was John who testified that Jesus was “the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Jesus was saying that there was a greater witness on His behalf than John. The miraculous works of the Savior are testimonies to His credentials. Furthermore, God the Father had testified on His behalf. God spoke from Heaven on the occasion of His baptism. But, Jesus explains that the Jews had neither seen the Father, nor heard His voice. Therefore, they refused to believe.

John records another “voice from heaven” incident during the Savior’s Triumphal Entry. Jesus said …

“Father, glorify your name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:28).

But the Jews failed to hear that testimony as well. They continued to plot His death. Jesus said that they did not have the spiritual capacity for believing Him …

“And you do not have his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you do not believe” (John 5:38).

Lacking the Love of God

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you” (John 5:39-42).

Jesus challenges the Jews to search the Law and the Prophets, where they could find hundreds of testimonies on His behalf. He lays the charge at their feet. He renders a judgment against them for simply not wanting to believe Him. If they had the love of God in them, they would have been willing to believe and honor Him.

The Prophecy of the Antichrist

“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:43-47).

Looking into the future, Jesus predicts the coming of the Antichrist – “in his own name” (verse 43) – and that he will be received and honored.

Finally, Jesus tells them that He will not accuse them before the Father because Moses had already passed judgment upon them. He said that Moses had predicted His coming. Moses wrote …

“The LORD thy God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of thy brethren, like unto me: unto him you shall hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15).

He said they did not believe the writings of Moses, nor would they believe Him. Thus, the chapter ends with the great Judge rendering a verdict against the Jews who sought to kill Him.

YOUR ONLY ENTRANCE TO THE COMING KINGDOM REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

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