We are NOW at an exceptionally significant time in history – one where international events are being aligned with elements of biblical prophecy.

As the Lord Jesus Christ instructed His first and subsequent followers,

“Learn this parable from the fig tree: when you see its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near – at the doors!…

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

“Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming – in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning – lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping! And what I say to you, I say to all, ‘Watch!’.” (Mark 13:28-29, 33-37)

Serious students of prophecy will be well aware of scripture and be monitoring events but those who are new to such matters may like to know and learn more.

Therefore, I can highly recommend a new book by Neil Mackereth, whose thoroughly interesting End-times courses I attended in mid-late 2011 at the Winchester Vineyard Church.  His sessions included videos by Dr Chuck Missler and David Pawson, both of whom I’d read something. So after a 50-mile round-trip on a Monday evening I always came away satisfied with having had a hearty scriptural meal.  Those were the days I kept being nudged inwardly to ‘go public’ with my regular emails to church friends on events relating to End-times.

I’m privileged to have read an early draft of my friend’s book, shown below. Neil’s easy-to-read narrative conveys his fascination with the subject. Thus the inquisitive keep reading… For example, I learned an amazing connection between where Jesus said Satan lives and has his throne (Rev 2:13) and the Nazi hatred of Jewry. (See related discussion thread at https://tpuccio.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/pray-for-the-safety-of-your-family/)

Also, the glossary of terms is an excellent reference tool for everyone interested in Christian prophecy. As a matter of ‘coincidence’ I was about to blog about atomic Iran after last week’s news. Also, I thought it would be a good time not only to comment about its recurrence in my writing but also to help readers unfamiliar with prophecy. If I could somehow do that they’d be able to grasp why current events are significant. But that would be a huge divergence and take too much time.

So going to bed last night, I jotted the above opening (in red) to today’s intended post.

News of Neil’s book project arrived on Monday and I planned reading the revamped version this weekend. Then during last night, I realised it was probably the answer to my plan but as there was no descriptive summary I’d need to copy and paste something from within the book. It must have been a ‘God-incident; because Neil realised he’d sent me an early cover without any ‘blurb’.

So he did that first thing this morning. Then I notice it too opens with a derivative of the same word I’d jotted to open this post – LOL! His book’s back cover reads:

‘World events and the Bible’s forecasts show such an astonishing correlation that the alignment cannot be ignored. It’s extraordinary that most people, including many Christians, are totally unaware of the miraculous convergence between biblical prophecy and past and present events. Why is that?

‘Written in plain English, SIGNS will equip and empower you to look for and understand the signs of the times. It will:

• explain why we are blinkered to the amazing accuracy of fulfilled biblical  prophecy;
• confirm that prophecy is being fulfilled today and, by extrapolation,
• show that we can be “more certain” that prophecy will continue to be fulfilled until the very end of the age.’

Neil is a retired Brigadier with a background in communications and administration. He and his wife Jenny serve on the leadership team of Winchester Vineyard Christian Fellowship and are involved with various local, national and international compassion ministries. In recent years Neil felt called to teach on biblical prophecy and eschatology and that calling led to writing this book, about which the award winning and best-seller author Dr Mark Stibbe remarks,

“SIGNS is an absorbing and accessible introduction to what the Bible teaches about the climax of history and the end of the world. Arguing that contemporary events may be a fulfilment of biblical prophecy, SIGNS contains compelling and sometimes startling illustrations from recent and current history, including today’s war against terrorism. I guarantee at the very least this will challenge you.”

SIGNS may be bought from Amazon by clicking this direct link and, looking inside, note the full Contents of Neil’s excellent book.

UPDATES

1. Learn what was to happen next, as told in IF, I hadn’t got out of bed…
2. Read Paul Luckraft’s Meet the Author: Neil Mackereth, author of ‘SIGNS’

PERSONAL CONNECTION

Recent developments on Iran vex my spirit and keep moving around in my mind.

Could the Lord be drawing my attention to them because of a pattern of peculiar personal situations where I took particular notice of Iran-related events – even by having them put right in front of me like a jigsaw piece being dropped into place!

They get flagged up like warning posts along West Wittering beach or furlong markers on a race course.

Welcome briefly recounts how I became aware of the huge role played by Iran in ‘The Last Days’ as foretold in the Bible. Now and again during the course of my writing I refer to Iran in connection with the ‘Ezekiel 38 alliance’, otherwise known as ‘Gog and Magog’ per Rev 20.

Let’s look at those warning flags:

1. Mid-1980’s joint-rehearsal of storming Jerusalem by Iranian-Iraqi elite units during Iran-Iraq War! (refer to Review 2 – Iran and Nuclear ‘Fix’).
2. Obama begins secretly appeasing Iran early in his presidency (email 18 May 2009).
3. July/Aug 2010 – Iran’s nuclear reactor goes live, Supreme Leader reports having been visited by the Hidden Imam about his violent return (email 19 August 2010).
4. Nov 2011 – referred to 1 above in ‘Welcome’, introductory post launching this blog.
5. Nov 2013 – 1 above repeated by Iranian troops in drill ‘Towards Jerusalem’ exactly 2 years to the date I blogged about it in ‘Welcome’. (Invisible Hand Reappears).
6. Mar 2015 – the Lord asked, “How many months since that blog you wrote about Iran?” and on checking am prompted to expect developments of nuclear deal 4 months later, ie this July (Review 2 – Iran and Nuclear ‘Fix’). The reference was to my asking if my triple warning about Iran had disrupted my internet’s blogging connection in Nov ’13.

In the next few posts we’ll look more closely at the prophetical-historical significance of the geo-political upheaval overtaking the Middle-East, starting with Jewish prophecies – AND the July timing!

[Flying puzzles by Nokhoog Buchachon, courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net]