What have Paul Keith’s video and Mary Magdalene got in common?

Posted on Tuesday, 4 November, 2014 by Richard Barker

To God alone be the glory for this true story…

Join me as I meander along my musings and, as we wend our way, watch out for.:

a modern movie and its location
a medieval English abbey
a lost Renaissance painting
a legendary epic voyage
the earliest Christian letter
a new appreciation of prayer.

Except for the first, the rest took me by surprise the weekend before last. As pieces of an ‘invisible jigsaw’ they’d fallen into view like fresh snow.

Our long weekends off from weekday busy-ness start on Fridays, and a couple of Fridays ago we enjoyed strolling around Chichester city centre in warm sunshine. Eventide, we relaxed by catching up on an iPlayer movie recommended by our eldest daughter…

‘THE WAY’

This movie written and directed by Emilio Estevez is most engrossing and stars Martin Sheen (aka ‘West Wing’s US President Bartlett) as an irascible American doctor, Tom. He goes to southern France after losing his son (Emilio Estevez) who had an accidental death after having set out on “The Way of St. James” (see map).

Rather than returning to the States, Tom wants to honour his son by completing the journey on his behalf. But he doesn’t expect the profound impact this trip has on him. The Way tells the story of his near-500 miles hike to Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain.

The route is one of many to one of the oldest of pilgrimages sites in Europe. I recalled learning about its connection with Reading Abbey upon researching the abbey’s history Founded in 1121 by king Henry I, this English abbey was also one starting place for the Camino de Santiago, and is reputed to have the remains of St James’ hand as a relic. (My researches began in my office overlooking the ruins of the abbey’s mill, and are as copied here.)

So this movie had a personal, albeit indirect, relevance – but more was to come on the ‘morrow…

LOST PAINTING FOUND

The very next morning I found buried inside Saturday’s paper some interesting facts about a ‘centuries-old art history mystery’ –

Caravaggio’s original ‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ has been discovered in a private European collection, the world’s leading expert on the Renaissance master has claimed.

The Telegraph: photo credit La Repubblica

Although the 1606 painting has been copied several times, historian Mina Gregori says the original has finally been found. The Telegraph’s Andrea Vogt says this expert won’t reveal which country it is in but can confirm that when she first saw the 100 by 90cm oil on canvas in the owners’ home, she had no doubt. Andrea reports, Gregori called the find a “marvellous addition” to the art world. The 80-year-old scholar and authenticator said seeing the original with her own eyes was a career highlight: “I think after all these years, I deserved it”.

This article rang a bell deep in long-forgotten memories of my pre-Christian interests because:

The painting refers to the legend in which Mary, living as a hermit in a cave in southern France near Aix-en-Provence after Christ’s death, was overcome seven times a day by “the delightful harmonies of the celestial choirs”.

That reference, especially about an ecstatic trance, would connect with remarks I was yet to hear on the third day, and thus start seeing a part of this ‘invisible puzzle’. But we should first consider the importance of this biblical person.

Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus alive after his burial in the garden tomb and so many, including Pope Benedict, regard her as an “Apostle to the Apostles”. She was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus brought back from the dead and was to later become Bishop of Cyprus. This family are reputed to have been of royal blood and owned estates in and around Jerusalem as well as at Magdala near the Sea of Galilee, where the younger sister Mary lived and is said to have fallen into a sinful life. Jesus is thought to have frequented one or other of their premises whilst travelling with dozens of disciples.

This blessed woman became deeply devoted to Jesus after deliverance – no wonder she later sat wrapt in His teaching instead of helping her sister. On that need Jesus remarked, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42 emphasis added).

Hence, Mary Magdalene is patron of contemplatives and Caravaggio’s painting reflects an outcome of her desire and her Master’s promise.

(Thank you to ‘Joe Catholic’ for also pointing out Mary is a model for penitent sinners. Also see this informative rebuttal of modern Catholic biblical scholarship.)

Next, I dived into my library and dug out a book bought in 1971 during my investigations into early Church history.:

THE COMING OF THE SAINTS

This book by John Taylor, first published in 1906, is replete with source references and combines history and legend to portray the earliest Christian missions into western Europe (Spain, France and Britain). It helped me – a non-believer – learn about the early church’s transmission of Jesus’ original teachings. In my story, I explained my desire to find out why churches were not doing what Jesus had done, as promised in John 14:12, as well as how much of His teaching had been lost.

The editor of this book’s 1967 reprint answers complaints about mixing written records and local legend, saying the book shows they substantiate one another and dovetail together. “Of particular interest are the references culled from churches founded by the saints who were companions of our Lord during His ministry”, maintains Gladys Taylor.

She writes her namesake gathered evidence from a pilgrimage made to the French churches, and other countries, and thus produced impressive proof of their antiquity.

From top: grotto cave of St Mary Magdalene; church of Les Saintes Maries; crypt of St Martha at Tarascon (J Taylor 1901)

One chapter summarises the Life of St Mary Magdalene complied by Rabanus Maurus (776-856 AD) – a manuscript copy of which is lodged in Magdalen College Library, Oxford. In his closing years he was Archbishop of Mayence (Mainz, Germany).

First however, I needed to re-remind myself of the book’s main thesis. Its first chapters examine the known historical events, and those behind the scenes, at the close of and after Jesus’ life. Taylor thus adds detail to scripture’s narrative and he posits a list of disciples additional to the apostles, deacons and the family of Jesus. In addition to considering the ‘home-base’ of Capernaum, he lists names of followers from the house on Mont Zion and the city of Jerusalem, and towns of Bethany, Emmaus and Jericho.

Then Taylor covers some early missionary journeys not covered in Acts of the Apostles, noting Dr Luke’s historic account does not refer to the evangelical mission in Sardinia and Spain of John’s brother James. The only reference to James after Pentecost is his death at the hands of Herod in Jerusalem in 44 AD (Acts 12:2). His remains are said to have ended up centuries later back in Santiago de Compostela. Hence, pilgrimages to his shrine, as mentioned above.

Persecution following Apostle James’ martyrdom led to the dispersal of many disciples from Jerusalem. (This was about 10 years after that led by Saul of Tarsus.) Tradition of Provence, southern France, has a number of them being bundled into a boat without oars or sails somewhere near Mount Carmel and set adrift. They’re reputed to have been Lazarus, Joseph of Aramathea, Maximin (leader of disciples after the apostles, and friend committed to the care of the Magdalene) as well as a favoured four: Martha and Mary, Mary wife of Cleopas and a third Mary (Salome) and others.

However, I was interested in checking John Taylor’s reference to the correct James at Jerusalem. Was it John’s brother, or Jesus’ brother James who later led the Jerusalem church and wrote a brief epistle. It is James’ historic ruling at the first Church council that enabled non-Jews to associate with the Church without having to comply with the Mosaic laws their Jewish brethren had before coming to Christ.

So to clarify, I wasn’t so interested in Mary Magdalene as wanting to check out what Paul wrote to the Galatian churches about his post-conversion history. I recalled mention of church leaders he met when in Jerusalem, as well as Luke’s account of those meetings (Acts 15)

Written circa 50 AD Paul’s letter is the first and therefore the oldest, canonical Christian document and earlier than the Gospels. Therein Paul tells what he did, where he went and how he learned the Gospel of Jesus by direct, personal revelation; that is, not from any original disciple or apostle:

¹³For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it….¹⁵But when it pleased God…¹⁶to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) ²¹Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. ²³But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they glorified God in me.

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. ²And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. (Emphases added)

SUNDAY VIDEO SESSION

The next day, Sunday, we wanted more teaching and chose to watch the Paul Keith Davis and James Levesque video discussion I’d blogged about.

In arguing for the supra-natural abilities and dimension required to bring in the harvest that meets the heart of God, “as it is defined in scripture”, Paul Keith maintains this is for those who walk with God in realms of glory and demonstrate the supra-natural. He defines and explains this relating it to Jesus’ own ability (from 27:00 on video).

Then he tells of his mis-perception of Jesus’ prayer life (at 30:35) and surmising what it had been like after a long day ministering and teaching and travelling on foot – and then go pray and spend hours in prayer…thinking,

“…what a disciplined life!” says Paul Keith.

“No, you totally misunderstood My prayer life!” the Lord said.

“He said, “My prayer life was My reward!”

“The Lord’s been showing me how, at the end of the day, after He did everything He was supposed to do, He went out into the wilderness and He was released into the Presence of the Father!

“Just think about that for a minute…after a hard day could you go pray 5 hours…? No? Think of it as this:

“James, go spend 5 hours standing before the throne of God, go spend 5 hours in the Presence of your Father – let Him download on you, let Him refresh you, restore you.

“That’s why Jesus could pray all night! He lived under an open heaven and when He went to pray – as soon as He quieted His flesh – He was standing in the Presence of His Father, standing before the throne of God, getting refreshed and learning what the Father wanted to reveal.”

An exceptionally instructional and fascinating teaching. At 41:30 he considers this was how apostle Paul spent lengthy periods with the Lord before he ever met any disciples and apostles and moved into any ministry.

Consequently, having considered that the day before I was ready for what he said!

CONCLUSION

This insight on Jesus’ prayer life is the common denominator between the discussion on video and Mary Magdalene, who spent lengthy periods immersed in God, as had Jesus.

Paul Keith’s insight doesn’t detract from but enhances the model prayer Jesus gave his disciples, as recorded in Matthew 6:5-15. And it magnifies Jesus’ personal prayer to our Father in John 17. It’s no wonder this Mary went so deep yet so high in contemplative ecstasy – will we?

(Remember to, “First seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” – Matt 6:33).

Furthermore, from apostle Paul’s explanation this kind of intimacy was the norm in the earliest years of “The Way”, as the fellowship was known before the term “Christian” was coined at Antioch. (See Acts chapters 18-24, especially vv 24:18 and 22.)

Also, Paul Keith later refers to the event on the road to Emmaus, about which and without any prior intention I’d inserted a remark just before publishing the latest blog before that weekend!

Therefore, that weekend is yet another example of ‘God-incidence’ (footnote refers).

By the way!

A couple of days later upon opening up my Bible to find where I’d got to, I found at the second turn the beginning of Luke chapter 8 staring up at me. There from the left-hand column just beside the volume’s spine I just couldn’t miss these words:

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, ²and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities — Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, ³and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

Later, upon reviewing and adjusting the draft of this piece, I decided to refer to the first name for the group of believers as followers of the way of Jesus Christ; the way of life He taught and demonstrated as “The Way, The Truth and The Life”.

Then when I’d done and re-read the draft I realised I’d gone FULL circle – starting with the movie ‘The Way’ I’d ended up by including scriptures on ‘The Way of Jesus’ !!

Furthermore, an email arrived about that time which opens as follows.:

Truth, we find, is stranger than fiction. Some things that happen to us when in relationship with Christ no writer could make up. And I am amazed continually at what our God does in my life and in this world…(continue here)

Could the Lord be getting our attention to pray the way He does?

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Footnotes:

Image: Flying puzzles by Nokhoog Buchachon, courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.com

Jesus & Mary fable:

My pre-Christian activities made me well aware of stories around Le Tresor Maudit, the cursed treasure of the Knights Templars, said to have been hidden for centuries but discovered by a parish priest. He spent a fortune on re-decorating a church in Rennes-le-Chateau and building a tower, both of which were dedicated to St Mary Magdalene.

Readers may know of it through bestselling The Da Vinci Code, which is based on serious research published in 1980s as The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail. This source’s authors referred to fables about Jesus and Mary’s relationship, which I’m reliably told were then used as a deliberate advertising ploy for marketing purposes.

Consequently, that earlier book became a bestseller. The businessman who gave me The Invisible Hand (see Welcome) sold mail-order books and he told me his own copywriter had worked with HBHG authors and so he knew about its publisher’s sales slant.

Years later, I learned of another reference work by an expert on royal genealogy who claimed the fables were correct. But his analysis of scripture was unreliable, as I could demonstrate in his misquoting The Secret Gospel of Mark. Therefore, how could his claims hold water? (Details on this blog at The Magdalene Legacy – a Critique.)

God-incidence:

I refer to coincidences that are more than serendipity (happy, fortuitous chance events) as ‘God-incidences’, for they seem to have been arranged with a clear purpose in mind. We may not always know the reason but there’s a distinct thread connecting two or more events that are closely related in time: an “aha” moment

Frequently I’m amazed by those which involve scripture and occur one day after another and sometimes even 3 or 4 consecutive days, and always from different sources. I liken God-incidence to completing a jigsaw puzzle and it seems the Lord is stressing the importance or relevance of something. So they get my full attention, as happened in the above account. (See main menu for fuller exposition.)

Paul Keith Davis: Jesus’ prayer life for the ‘new season’

Posted on Wednesday, 29 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

“The Bride is making herself ready and we need to prepare the way of the Lord…”

I invite you to spend an hour watching another free webinar listening to men of God as they discuss fascinating topics. ‘Eavesdropping’, or sitting around the table with them as they chat, is an easier way of learning than hearing a sermon. ‘Steel sharpens steel’ as they share and develop their ideas – and our own understanding grows too!

After Paul Keith introduces his friend James Levesque, they open by talking about 18th Century Christian activities in New England, their relevance to God’s call upon James in his then dysfunctional life, and how the Church is to change for its ‘new season’.

One topic is the major harvest of souls Bob Jones prophesied and Paul Keith clarifies what he said, as well as expanding upon some material previously covered on this blog (see tag).

Half way through, Paul Keith shares an awesome personal insight from the Lord about what happened during His daily times with Father. It’s a profound lesson on getting into a deeper intimacy, one of the blessings of which should enable us to portray Jesus as He really is, as well as conveying His authority.

This discussion points the way for the Church to progress beyond its out-dated forms to demonstrate the supernatural gospel. In my humble opinion, these prophetic men bring insights that encourage believers in these increasingly difficult days.

Be mightily blessed as you watch and ruminate on these matters and much more…

Info: Paul Keith, WhiteDove Ministries – James Levesque, Engaging Heaven Church.

2nd update to warning about loss of ‘British values’

Posted on Monday, 27 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

Last week I updated a post referring to a Muslim scholar’s warning to defend our British values. This was to note a possible reaction to the ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal of ‘Islamising’ state schools, by downgrading a school not complying with a new norm of ‘tolerance’.

I’ve now read a lot more about this skullduggery from Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education. Its quasi-autonomous role in national government enables it to report direct to Parliament and is supposedly independent and impartial. Its function is the inspection and regulation of services that care for and provide education and skills for children and young people.

Today, the influential blog on ‘God & Politics: Christianity & Conservatism’ – Archbishop Cranmer – speaks out most strongly against the increasingly fascist stance of that ‘Non-ministerial Department’.

This reminds me of the arrogant political interference in the NHS of prosecuting nurses who prayed for the sick, as mentioned here, and attempts by the Advertising Standards Authority to prohibit praying for the sick in public spaces. These were high-profile issues I often wrote against only months after launching this blog (ASA tag refers).

Back to the matter in hand – for anyone who missed it here’s the post in full.:

On Monday 13th October I referred to the scholar known under the pen-name ‘Ibn Warraq’ and related his warning to Western intellectuals, “to cherish and defend their Western values and freedom”, to that day’s House of Commons motion in support of Palestinian aspirations of statehood.

There was also another directly connected item. It was mentioned in closing, as copied below, but is now in need of updating in view of a suspiciously related development.:

“By the way, let’s not overlook Islamist infiltration in British schools, as revealed by former police counter-terror chief Peter Clarke in Trojan Horse ‘just tip of the iceberg’!“

UPDATE: “Christian group warns ‘British values’ rules imposed after ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal leading to schools with a religious ethos being marked down by inspectors for failing to promote ‘tolerance’.”

That strap-line opens John Bingham’s (Telegraph’s Religious Affairs Editor) article, Christian school downgraded for failing to invite an imam to school assembly.

I hope the only connection may be my over-active imagination – but it’s certainly ‘fishy’! Does it smell to you?

Now the latest:

UPDATE 2

OFSTED go on the offensive against faith schools by Gillan Scott (deputy editor, Archbishop Cranmer blog) plus latest of 3 items this weekend from Adrian Warnock, Has UK government breached Human Rights Act in recent school regulations?

The latter makes a most crucial point about freedom in quoting the opinion of Queen’s Counsellor John Bowers:

In terms very reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, Bowers argues these regulations have as their goal “how children are to think and express themselves and how teachers should encourage them to do so.”

This is the root of why inspectors have been asking children questions about their own personal beliefs as a way of catching out schools. Schools should not be judged on what a random selection of their children privately think and believe. It seems outward demonstrations of love and respect towards others we disagree with is no longer enough. Children, and their teachers must toe the line and believe whatever the government tells us we should believe. There is nothing tolerant about that.

Be sure to read Adrian’s post in full, as well as UK Independent Christian school releases details of government closure threat posted on Saturday and this from Friday, Is UK government body harassing Jewish and Christian schools?

Hence, the great danger of Britain being steered into becoming a fascist state!

In his conclusion, teacher Gillan hits the nail right on the head:

This is not setting out the promotion of British values at all: it is bloody-minded, religiously-illiterate and insensitive bureaucrats forcing their ideas of how religion should bend to the will of an intolerant form of equality upon schools, the vast majority of which do an outstanding job of teaching their pupils to respect all people irrespective of race or beliefs. (Emphasis RB)

This news sheds light on the deep woes Ofsted caused a friend who was a diligent and highly respected governor of an excellent local Co’E primary school in Berkshire.

If Palestine becomes a state, will Christians return to Bethlehem? Part 1

Posted on Thursday, 23 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

“In 1992 Bethlehem was 92% Christian, now it is only 8% Christian.” (Mordechai Ben-Menachem 14 October 2014)

That surprising claim led to the header’s question. I’d put the lid down on blogging about the possibility of Palestinian statehood, but both new points need addressing after they cropped up over the weekend.

And another’s important: what’s the proper Christian perspective? This will cover some essential theology which, with my earlier post on the 1967 war, could give my readers, believer or not, some fresh insights.

The Church of the Nativity at Manger Square, the oldest standing church in the Holy Land ; courtesy Obethlehem.com

Bethlehem is, after all, the birth-place of Jesus Christ. His yet-again dispersed followers would need a special reason to take the immense trouble of returning home. Perhaps after a period of complete cessation of hostilities? That would need miraculous changes in human nature – not impossible – plus dismantling of extensive demonic strongholds.

Personal visitations of Jesus to individual Jews and Muslims continue and many more are becoming secret believers since this email of November 2010 about them, for God is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh in these latter days.

My answer to my question is, “No, I think not; not until Jesus returns!” – as He himself promised He will do. But as He’s already putting in private supra-natural appearances then one could suggest that, after a fashion, He’s already ‘returning’ (eg. the Emmaus road encounter of Jesus in ‘another form’ – Mark 16.12 and Luke 24:13-35).

I offer no apology for temporarily continuing with the Palestinian issue because it’s closely connected with ‘the apple’ of the Lord’s eye – Jerusalem – as revealed in His Word (see Zecharia 2:8) Also, major events over recent years point inescapably and unequivocally to prophetical scriptures foretelling what’s happening, or soon about to, in this ancient city sacred to three major faiths.

The Christian exodus

The opening quotation is from an in-depth interview with William Koenig, accredited Christian journalist at The White House and published in last week’s ‘Eye-View’ report.

As a scientist technologist, former researcher/lecturer at Ben-Gurion University who is professionally engaged in systems/software engineering, and prolific author of books and professional papers in various areas, Mordechai should be a well-informed person. His reference to Bethlehem was only one point in a wide-ranging conversation covering such topics as 1,400 years of Arab colonisation, ethnicity, Egypt, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Islam.

Nevertheless, his claim needs checking.

Wikipedia refers to 1948 and 1967 censuses showing Christian/Muslim demographic ratios as 85%:13% and dropping to 46%:54%. The Palestinian Authority’s 1997 census doesn’t distinguish between the religions but in 2005 and 2009 the Christian percentage falls to 40% and then 15% (sources uncited).

Referring also to Daniel Pipes’ wealth of knowledge, I found he started a report in 2001 with a specific reference to Bethlehem, viz:

“The ‘Middle East Quarterly’ begins its eighth year with its first issue devoted to a single topic—that of disappearing Christians in the Middle East.

“The transfer of power of Bethlehem from Israel to the Palestinian Authority just before Christmas 1995 inspired a spate of articles on Bethlehem’s diminishing Christian presence. They noted that a place not long ago 80 percent Christian is now but one-third Christian. For the first time in nearly two millennia, the most identifiably Christian town on earth has lost its Christian majority. The same changes have taken place in two other famously Christian towns, Nazareth and Jerusalem….”

His article has several updates to 2012, but perhaps the increasingly frequent news of persecution has made it difficult to incorporate subsequent events. Some posts on this blog tagged ‘persecution’ indicate the enormity of this issue.

On the other hand, last month in Christian Arab presence in Bethlehem in Crisis, Arab Daily News reported as follows:

“Today, according to Christian activists who are struggling to survive in Bethlehem, the Christian population there has been eclipsed by a growth of both Muslim refugees who are relocating to avoid the persecution by Israel in Hebron and by the increasing number of Israeli Jews who are taking Christian lands to build exclusively jewish-only settlements.”

After remarking about the hostility of Muslim Arabs and their activists and then quoting a Christian activist’s email, the reporter Ray Hanania writes,

“As both Israeli and Muslim activist groups grow, the Christian voice has remained stagnant and almost insignificant. Christian speakers are invited to speak at Muslim and Jewish organization events more as a political statement. Jews invite Christians to their conferences in order to use the Christians as a criticism against Islam while Muslims also invite Christians to their conferences in order to use the Christians as a criticism against Israel and Zionism.”

Ray’s well-balanced article is worth taking the time to read. He examines the issues in some depth, noting that the Christians are manipulated and muted by both Islamist and Jewish factions against their opponents. Also, the troubles and their significant effect upon tourism have made it very hard to sustain a living.

Consequently, he admires the campaign by George Sleibi to encourage support for the Christian community in the Holy Land, “in response to the growing regional Israeli-Palestinian conflict and decline of the Christian minority”. He is affiliated with a group of denominations’ informative website OBethlehem.com, which covers the challenges facing Christians. Ray quotes him as saying,

“The Christian presence in the Holy Land is declining daily. Currently, the Holy Land’s Christians comprise only 2% of the population. The continued emigration of Christians as a result of ongoing instability is having a negative impact on their presence in the land where Jesus was born, crucified and resurrected. Should this trend continue, an important spiritual destination, shared by billions throughout the world, will become nothing more than a museum, as the indigenous Christian community who represent the Christian presence in the Holy Land cease to exist.”

Alarming, yet in the light of a just-published study we appreciate the possibility of Ray being cautiously circumspect (see Study: self-censorship rife among Palestinian reporters).

Here’s one instance of the effect the Israeli-Palestinian troubles had upon the birth-place of Jesus Christ.

Bethlehem hostage crisis

Canon Andrew White was called by Yasser Arafat, and later by the Israeli government, to act as intermediary for the 39-day siege of The Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, during April-May 2002. It was the result of homes in the predominantly Christian town of Beit Jala having been forcibly taken by Palestinians for firing rockets and mortars the short distance down and across a valley into the Jewish new town of Gilo.

“As expected”, writes Canon White, “The Israelis responded by sending in helicopters to destroy the homes (the militants’ positions) from which the missiles were fired. Once again Christians were caught in the middle“ (emphasis RB).

The militants then retreated to Manger Square, took control of the Church of the Nativity and took hostage of clergy and worshippers. PM Ariel Sharon and Arafat refused to climb down and international diplomacy was brought to bear in finding countries which would accept 13 leaders into permanent exile and 26 others for trial. (As they went to Gaza no trial was held.)

Again in that November 2010, I referred to this event and quoted Canon Andrew on the difficulties in the three faiths agreeing on the historic Alexandria Declaration, as coming from

“…the Christians who often feel they have to be even more Palestinian than the Muslims, to show they are committed to the cause.”

This declaration was one of the first initiatives to bring together Christians, Jews and Muslims in pursuit of peace in the region and the first major event of 2002 in which Andrew took a leading and pivotal role.

Andrew had no wish to be ordained because he’d qualified and was practising as an anaesthetist, yet felt God was calling him into the Church of England – and it was later confirmed by a prophetic word, as below!

He became very interested in Judaism and rabbinical studies during his theological education. This gave him the opportunity to take further his interest in international affairs, especially in the Middle-East. So he travelled around those parts and became acquainted with various leaders, as well as in Cambridge.

Although ordination in 1990 involved London parish work, his involvement in Jewish-Christian relations continued along with a new interest in Islam. To the surprise of his vicar, Andrew even had regular audiences with the Pope to brief him on his work and contacts in the political and diplomatic areas soon developed.

An aside: I was going to describe Andrew White as Archbishop of Canterbury Carey’s emissary in the Middle-East. But upon checking his biographical The Vicar of Baghdad, I was surprised to find a mutual connection with one of our church leader’s mentors.:

“On a second visit to Jerusalem, between graduation from Cambridge and my ordination, I was instructed by an ultra-Orthodox rabbi to go and see a woman known as Sister Ruth Heflin, who ran a very charismatic and rather American church called the Mount Zion fellowship. She proved to be the most forceful person I have ever met. Indeed I was scared of her. At the end of the first meeting I attended, at her house in East Jerusalem, she came up to me and started to prophesy over me.

“She had never met me before and knew nothing about me, but she declared that my calling in life was, “to seek the peace of Jerusalem and the Middle East”.

“At that stage, I couldn’t make any sense of this (and I certainly had no idea that ‘the Middle East’ might include Iraq) but what I did understand was that her home was filled with the glory of God as I had never experienced before.” (As our local sister can verify!)

To be continued in Part 2 with interesting references to several Palestinian Christians.

The real reason for the Israel-Palestine issue and anti-Semitism

Posted on Thursday, 16 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

Then the Lord will go forth
And fight against those nations,
As He fights in the day of battle.
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east. (Zecharia 14:3-4 NKJV)

Only 12 MPs were wise enough to vote in the House of Commons against an opposing 274 (not a full House). As recorded in the Hansard transcript, they voted just before 10pm on 13th October 2014,

“That this House believes that the Government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution”.

That’s fine and all well and good on the face of it BUT it’s utterly farcical. As with many thousands elsewhere, these 274 have been well and truly fooled.

The factual evidence follows below.

This blog’s totally unplanned focus this week is on what’s, in essence, a critical issue.

Few in my opinion know why it’s critical, or the real reason for the prolonged hostility over Israel’s existence and complete lack of a solution to the territorial disputes.

The real reason is; it’s Satan’s objective to thwart God’s purpose, as stated in His above Word given to Zecharia 2,500 years ago. That is, Satan seeks his own self-preservation!

In Zecharia’s prophecy the Lord is to appear in that Middle-Eastern location and thereby bring about the next phase of Satan’s downfall. (The first was when Jesus died and rose from the dead, thereby redeeming humanity from Satan’s authority and thus enabling us to be reconciled to God, our Father.)

The foretold scenario is ‘The Day of The Lord’; the start of which is described in the 12th chapter of the book of Zecharia, as mentioned in Exactly as prophesied….

The Lord foretells in verse 10,

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

In A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days, Messianic rabbi Jonathan Bernis explains how the feast of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) relates to Jesus’ return and then exclaims,

The clarity of this prophecy is astounding! It declares in detail the day when Jewish people, and specifically the inhabitants of a Jerusalem under Jewish control, recognise that Jesus, whom they previously understood to be the God of the Christians and whom they denied since the days of their ancestors two thousand years ago, is in fact Yeshua, the promised Messiah of Israel. (Page 215)

That is, the Jewish people will have to have returned to live in as well as have control of Jerusalem and thus be in place for Jesus to visit. Chapter 14 answers any question that this event may be just a supra-natural, spiritual or subjective vision by referring explicitly to an objective, tangible presence. That is, Jesus will have physically descended onto the Mount of Olives.

To avoid this happening Satan must therefore ensure there are no Jews in Jerusalem, or its vicinity. In the absence of Jews, Jesus’ return would be pointless and thus not happen. So Satan could possibly avoid his decreed fate, remain ‘safe and sound’ on earth and not imprisoned to be eventually thrown into the ‘lake of fire’. As Jonathan states,

I cannot reiterate enough that anti-Semitism is nothing more or less than Satan’s attempt at self-preservation.

So, Satan is the source of all Jew-hatred, whether it comes from any biblical or modern nation; or from historic Christian churches, as it has for centuries; or from ancient Islam and its modern terrorists. All have been duped and used by the enemy of mankind.

To show the validity of my thesis we need only to look at the history of anti-Semitism and global hatred of the modern state of Israel; especially the disingenuous tactics of the Palestinian leadership, as indicated in Nick Gray and Joel Rosenberg’s reports here and here. But there’s even more tangible evidence for my claim.:

Map of Palestine

Three years ago, in blogging on PM Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly, I referred to Palestinian leader Abbas’ visit to the UN seeking recognition of Palestine as an observer state to the UN. That post shows the model of the land of Palestine Abbas brought to them. I wrote,

When the PLO were permitted to open up diplomatic missions the map displayed on their flags and literature depicts their proposed state as being the whole territory between the Mediterranean, Lebanon, Egypt and the river Jordan – ie. excluding Israel… (emphasis added)

Now they have official Observer Mission status, its website’s ‘About Palestine’ displays a Declaration of Independence which claims Jerusalem as their capital. Deeper down that menu is the ‘PLO’ entry which shows the map of Palestine and Israel as Palestinian territory.

A few days ago I cited Michel Gurfinkiel’s statement that the Oslo Accords and ‘Road Map’ of 2003 explicitly requested the Palestinian Authority to direct its public education towards a pro-peace attitude. Abbas has never complied with that requirement.

Here’s the latest evidence that Palestinians have not – and will never – change what they teach about their supposed state:

Thank you to Palestine Media Watch for publishing this item from Fatah Facebook that shows children learning “Palestine cannot be divided”. It heads a page of documented examples, PA depicts a world without Israel, and explains this one as follows:

‘The text was accompanied by a photo of a teacher pointing to a map of “Palestine” replacing all of Israel drawn on the blackboard, with the explanatory text rejecting Israeli jurisdiction over Israeli cities: “Acre, Haifa, Jaffa, Ramle, Safed, Beit Shean, were and will remain Palestinian cities”.’

So how can any two-state solution ever be negotiated? Parliament’s motion, therefore, is rendered meaningless and needs flushing down the pan, where it belongs!

France

On Tuesday French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was reported as saying that Paris would recognize a Palestinian state if negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel fail. However, French MP Meir Habib responded by stating France is making a grave mistake,

“Europe and France specifically refuse to recognize the reality and think that if they recognize a Palestinian state, the conflict will end. When will they wake up? The free world must unite and realize that recognizing a Palestinian state without negotiations at this time is a grave mistake that will be costly for Europe”.

Israel

A priest has appealed to the UN and told them to ‘end the witch hunt’ against Israel, as reported by religio-political blogger Archbishop Cranmer,

‘Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Greek Orthodox Priest in Yafia, near Nazareth, appealed to the UN Human Rights Council last month, urging them to end their “witch hunt” on Israel: “In the Middle East today, there is one country where Christianity is not only not persecuted, but affectionately granted freedom of expression, freedom of worship and security,” he testified. “It is Israel, the Jewish state. Israel is the only place where Christians in the Middle East are safe.”

‘And he testified further, confirming that some 120,000 Christians have been killed in the Middle East every year for the past decade: “That means that every five minutes a Christian is killed because of his faith,” he said. “Those who can escape persecution at the hands of Muslim extremists have fled. Those who remain, exist as second – if not third-class citizens to their Muslim rulers.” And he warned: “It is time the world woke up to the fact that those who want to destroy the Jewish state are signing the death warrant on the last free Christians in the Holy Land”. (Emphasis added)

Anti-Semitism in Church

Hold onto your seat here. I’ll be brief and assume you are aware of the Church’s stance against Jewry, especially since the time of Constantine and the Council of Nicea in 4th Century. This was soon followed by the false doctrine of Replacement Theology which originated in Augustine’s seminal work ‘City of God’. This doctrine assumes the Church has replaced the Jews as God’s chosen people and that He’s turned His back on them. This teaching opened the door for over 1,500 years of harsh persecution from so-called Christians.

Proper recognition of the Jews special relationship with God came from Puritans and Non-conformists of Cromwell’s time in 17th Century. They recognised the importance of the Jews returning to their home land and eventual acceptance of Jesus as Messiah, as foretold in Zecharia.

Today, however, anti-Semitism is continued by the World Council of Churches. It also has a key role in mobilizing the BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) movement in churches. The WCC promotes and works closely with Palestinian Liberation Theology, and it founded the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI).

William Koenig’s Eye View From The White House dated 20 June 2016 gives a wealth of detail on this deeply disturbing anti-Semitism within so-called churches:

“By claiming that the Jewish people “occupied” Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem the global Christian organizations have sided with the Islamic worldview”.

Of many indictments, he cites:

EAPPI frequently uses inflammatory and demonizing rhetoric against Israel and engages in (BDS) campaigns. It presents a one-sided Palestinian narrative, promotes the “right of return,” ignores terror attacks against Israelis, and blames Israel entirely for the conflict.
EAPPI is an important resource for pro-Palestinian activists in various denominations worldwide as “sending organizations (several US/UK examples!!)
A number of European governments, plus the US and Canada, provide funds for these church-based efforts to delegitimize Israel. These tax-payer funds are disbursed as grants to church-based humanitarian NGOs, which then transfer these funds to highly politicized pro-Palestinian NGOs — including Christian groups that promote BDS, the one-state solution and, in many cases, anti-Semitic supercessionist, or replacement, theologies within mainline churches worldwide.
The WCC, an ecumenical body, which claims to represent 590 million Christians worldwide and based in Switzerland, sponsored an event supporting the partition and Islamization of Jerusalem. The “World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel” [began] 22 Sept 2013. (See EXPOSE: Christian Fatwa Against Israel).

Thank the Lord that His shaking and sifting of churches will deal with this falsehood.

[Awaken Your Might – credit; James Nesbit www.jamesnart.com]

Exactly as prophesied: nations set on collision course with God

Posted on Tuesday, 14 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

After yesterday’s vote in Parliament recognising Palestine, as in The Independent, it’s time to recall the Lord’s opinion about the heart of that land. Then we’ll consider a news round-up indicative of our whereabouts on His prophetic timetable.

First, here’s what the prophet Zecharia was told about the future ‘Day of the Lord’ – ie. a specific period in which the Lord deals with humanity’s rejection of and rebellion against Him, and its focal locality in and around Jerusalem:

Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. In that day”, says the LORD, “I shall strike…

“It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zecharia 12:1-3, 12, NKJV courtesy Blue Letter Bible)

Let me quote examples of relevant current events so we can check this out.

First, the header to Bill Koenig’s World Watch Daily this morning:

The nations of the world are on a collision course with the God of Israel.

Bill’s website provides the following subheads with brief covering comments, followed by some on the conflict with ISIS:

Koenig’s fellow watcher and past co-author, John McTernan, reports on these Biblical issues and unequivocally states his opinion in yesterday’s posting. Under the header The Battle for Jerusalem Has Begun, he quotes Zechariah 14:2 “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle…” and comments:

“The world is now gearing up to force a Palestinian state upon Israel with Jerusalem as its capital. November 16, 2016, is the target date set for this.

“Based on this, there is NO doubt, in my mind, that awesome wars are upon us, and God is about to unleash incredible judgments upon the earth. Look how this threat to Israel is taking place at the exact time Ebola is loose amongst the nations! (Emphasis RB)

“The judgments will match the pressure and attack on Israel. This is not off in the future it is here NOW. The time to judge the nations is about to begin.”

John covers the latest material under As the Nations Have Done to Israel and refers to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call to scrap settlements, plus his claim that the ‘occupation’ of territories led to the recent Gaza war!

He also blogs As the EU Has Done to Israel stating,

“The European Union is aggressive against Israel as Jew hating seems to be in most of the Europeans’ DNA. They are now following the path of the Nazis in the 1930s while this time it is the Hard Left united with the Muslims.

“Europe right now is on the verge of an economic meltdown at the very time the EU is trying to economically destroy Israel.” (Emphasis RB)

To back-up his claims John cites:

Readers keeping abreast of these matters will recall I often quote Elliott Abrams’ take on the Middle-East. He’d supervised US policy there under the Bush administration and served as the president’s deputy advisor on the region.

Elliott’s latest blog, A word from Mr Erekat, ably demonstrates that the top Palestinian negotiator with Israel, Saeb Ereket, cannot get his facts straight – not the first time his integrity has been called into question.

The Independent’s report upon yesterday’s parliamentary vote is well-balanced and covers some important points, but the completely clueless naivety of UK politicians is mind-boggling. It is utter folly!

Sweden

There again, as Michel Gurfinkiel taunts in an article on Sweden’s vote, maybe it’s, “far-fetched to expect most political leaders to be thoroughly knowledgeable of the issues… of international affairs; or to expect them to be particularly rational and ethical”.

Michel is founder and president of a French think-tank, the Jean-Jacques Rousseau Institute, and his paper came to my attention through the same source as yesterday’s post on Phyllis Chesler’s interview with Ibn Waaraq – Middle-East Forum.

He makes valid points about the nature of this ‘state’ that all parliamentarians should have born in mind (emphases added):

To be recognized, a state needs a clearly defined population, a clearly defined territory, and an effective government that can maintain law and order. None of the above is true of “Palestine,” whatever the current meaning of that word.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) — an autonomous authority established in 1994 according to a Declaration of Principles between the state of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (the Oslo Accords), and the closest thing to a “state of Palestine” – does not effectively rule the West Bank and Gaza, the two distinct territories that pass as “Palestinian territory.” As an effective government, the PA should be able to maintain law and order there. Everybody knows this is not the case in Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas and Islamic Jihad since 2007. Yet this is hardly the case in the West Bank, either.
One must ask how the two-state solution can work if one of the considered states – the Palestinian state-to-be — is openly opposed to it. Hamas and Islamic Jihad clearly say they will never recognize Israel. The nominal PA government and Fatah say they will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state – implying their strategy is to turn Israel into a bi-national state.
Abbas’ PA has never directed education towards a pro-peace attitude. The PA was explicitly requested to do so by the Oslo Accords and the subsequent road map to peace in 2003.

His short paper also looks at the pivotal effects of an increasing Muslim population in Sweden and he concludes,

“Doubtlessly, similar situations will arise in more EU countries, including major countries like France, bringing about further confusion and further political and geopolitical nonsense.”

The United States

The once world-leading nation has sown its own undoing through the anti-Israel stance of its president Barack Obama. With her adroit analysis Caroline Glick surgically dissects Netanyahu’s statements and policies. After extracting and revealing Obama’s game-plan with Iran as inimical to Israel’s best interests, she looks at Secretary-of-State John Kerry’s continuing treachery.

Machiavellian Kerry, as ever dangerously incompetent, ignores and seeks to scuttle the new Middle-Eastern alliance of Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other anti-jihadist Sunni states established to protect themselves. Deaf to what Netanyahu repeatedly stressed at the UN General Assembly (as here), according to ‘ne-plus ultra’ analyst Caroline,

“…by bringing Qatar, Hamas’s principal Sunni state-sponsor, into the mix. Kerry is reportedly trying to organize a regional peace conference that would coerce Israel into accepting the so-called Saudi Peace Initiative from 2002. That initiative would require Israel to surrender to all the PLO’s territorial demands and accept millions of foreign, hostile Arabs into its shrunken, indefensible territory.

“In light of Obama’s absolute commitment to the anti-Israel, PLO-centric policy model for dealing with the Palestinian rejection of Israel, for the next two years there will be no change in US policy on the issue.”

Readers who are particularly interested in the finer nuances of the Israel-Palestinian issues will find her article is well worth reading.

It will be interesting to see how USA’s plans for the ‘peace process’ will unravel – even so far as the US falling away and being excluded as its authority and power vanishes – for I believe the Lord will bless and encourage the new regional alliance as a means not only of protection from ISIS, but also of peacefully resolving the Palestinian situation.

These events get even more interesting in the light of scripture and the urgency of the words given to Neville Johnson about changes for this new Jewish year over 2014 to 2015 (see point 7 here).

Indubitably, we’re living in Biblical days as they accelerate to fulfil holy prophecy.

Saturday morning news related to ‘battle stations’

Posted on Saturday, 11 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

A rare opportunity in the midst of another outbreak of heavy rain to be quickly online and post links to some of this morning’s news that may have a bearing upon recent prayer calls. Perhaps you could join me in digging into these over the weekend?

Charles Moore talks to retiring GCHQ director Inside GCHQ: This is not blitz Britain but...

Boris Johnson: “Thousands of terror suspects being monitored on our streets…”

The Commentator: Iran, ISIS & Britain: weakness at a cost

[Hand Pressing News Icon, credit Watcharakun at Freedigitalphotos.net]

Battle Stations!!

Posted on Friday, 10 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

URGENT CALL TO PRAYER

Another admonition from Dr Clifford Hill for Christians to weigh, consider and pray.

It is noteworthy that Wendy Alec’s A Vision for Great Britain refers to the Lord saying, “I am raising up…a mighty army of My people who will gird themselves up for battle”.:

National Crisis

The Prime Minister recalled Parliament to deal with a national crisis as the Islamic State advances towards Baghdad, beheading and slaughtering innocent civilians who do not accept their version of Islam. But is bombing the right answer to these fanatics?

We are already a nation under judgement since the passing of the ‘Same-Sex Marriage Bill’ last year in a pathetic attempt to redefine marriage which is part of God’s act of creation. You cannot tamper with God’s laws without bringing judgement upon the nation.

God may be using these Islamists as the “Rod of his Anger” to bring judgement on our godless society. It is this possibility that greatly disturbs me and causes me to cry out to the Lord for help and guidance. God has sent many warning signs which have all been ignored by both church and state.

Warnings

For more than a year now I have been hearing warnings of severe judgement. We got
very close to the total breakup of the United Kingdom through the Scottish Referendum
where a ‘Yes’ vote would have resulted in the crumbling of the social foundations of the
nation.

God responded to the vast amount of prayer from faithful believers calling for mercy in the midst of judgement. But instead of coming before God with prayers of thanksgiving our political leaders recalled Parliament and simply engaged in human arguments of how to face the enemy which may bring violence to our shores and destabilise the whole of the Middle East and lead to a Third World War which would bring untold disaster to the whole world. They do not understand the spiritual nature of the war we are facing. Why did none of them – not even the Archbishop of Canterbury – call for prayer?

Blind Leaders

Are all of our national leaders in both church and state so utterly blind that they cannot see that we are on the very brink of disaster? The Chancellor of the Exchequer has warned that the economy of the nation is still increasing the national debt every day that takes us closer to bankruptcy. The day of reckoning will surely come – he knows that! And so do most of our politicians! But they dare not say so! They go on with measures simply designed to postpone the day of reckoning which will surely come unless there is a total change of policy. So what should we do?

The answer is “Repent and believe!”, which is the message that both John the Baptist and Jesus took to Israel. The leaders of Israel did not heed the message and disaster followed. his is what will happen to Britain if we do not heed the call to repentance for the mess we have made in the nation by flouting the word of God!

When the Babylonian army was attacking Jerusalem God spoke to the Prophet Jeremiah, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfil my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity” (Jeremiah 39.16). God is saying a similar word to Britain today. Like the King of Babylon we have also been “weighed in the balance and found wanting” (Daniel 5.27). The only thing that can save this nation today is to turn to the Lord in repentance and call upon him for help

Silent Church

Why do we not hear the word of the Lord from the church in this time of national crisis?
Our church leaders are like those in Isaiah’s day who were blind to the things that were
happening around them and they were said to be like “mute dogs who could not bark!”
(Isaiah 56.10). So they were unable to give warning of danger.

That is the pathetic state to which the church in Britain has fallen. They are still saying “Peace, Peace” when God is saying “There is no peace!” The enemy is at the door! Mobilise the believers to intercede for the nation!

The Last Call!

Judgement day for Britain is close. But there is still time to cry out to God for mercy and
warn all those who still call themselves Christians, however nominal, to turn to the Lord
in prayer on behalf of the nation.

The word of the Lord to Jeremiah applies to our nation today, “This is what the Lord says: look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions” (Jeremiah 18.11). This may be the last call.

Dr Clifford Hill,

Issachar Comments Papers – expounding biblical concepts on the world scene today. October 2014 Issachar Ministries

Israel’s leader holds another Bible study in his home.

Posted on Thursday, 9 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

Here Joel refers to Bibi Netanyahu’s increasing interest in the Bible. No doubt this has been encouraged by his good friend Dr Mike Evans of the Jerusalem Prayer Team, who recommended him to PM Begin for his first political position, as here. (See prophecies about his premiership here.)

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hosted another Bible study at his official residence on Sunday evening. (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)

The epicenter is on fire. Radical Islamic jihadists are pressing their offensive in Syria and Iraq. Iran continues marching towards nuclear weapons. Hezbollah briefly attacked Israelis on her northern border yesterday. U.S.-Israeli relations are frayed. Anti-Semitism is rising.

And amidst all his national security briefings and strategy sessions, Israel’s premier is studying the Bible.

Indeed, one of the most interesting but least known aspects in the life of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is that he has developed quite an interest in studying the Bible in recent years. The premier was not raised in a religious home growing up. But as he has gotten older, he has developed a noticeable curiosity in the ancient Scriptures.

Netanyahu occasionally quotes the Bible in major speeches (such as the time he spoke at Auschwitz and said Ezekiel 37 had come to…

View original post 990 more words

Call to pray for the UK – part 3

Posted on Tuesday, 7 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

It would be well to consider an aspect of the words received by Oladapo Ogungbade, as in part 2, before proceeding to read the other communication I received that day. Also, we may come to appreciate any relevance of something seen at the weekend.:

Komatsu; credit Scott Lee, USA

At last Saturday’s mentoring day with Christian International Europe (CIE), Dr Sharon Stone mentioned that Chuck Pierce and Mike Bickle were also meeting in England. She referred to the ‘spiritual synergy’ of these meetings and immediately I was struck by an open vision right in front of me in the assembly hall of Windsor Boys’ School.

‘Hovering’ in front of me and ‘through’ the seats, my eyes about level with the top of its track and towards the rear, was a dark blue version of the massive dozer shown above. But this one was much bigger! Its height, width and length were over 3/4 those of the hall and its very tall blade-end stood towards the stage where the team was praying.

Within minutes I heard it start up with a deep-throated roar and I could imagine smoke bursting out of its vertical exhaust, like those huge American trucks. (NB: the difference between voluntary mental imagination and involuntary visual/auditory impressions.)

This may signify that, in response to the meetings and prophetic words, declarations and intercessions aligned with His will, the Lord’s host will bulldoze through all demonic opposition. Also, It could mean they’re getting ready to clear away rubble after He has shaken and demolished ungodly human institutions and activities.

Part 2

In the last post I said its warning of a ‘coming disaster…attack’ upon the UK may have a connection with what Dr Stone gave in 2013 about our “having won a battle we didn’t continue on to win the war”, as well as with what Chuck Pierce saw for 2015 (here and here respectively).

Also, in checking through 2005 links and replacing broken ones with copy documents I’ve revisited Chuck’s call for 40 days prayer that finished the day before the terrorist attacks on London Transport, and associated reports from Watchman Network. It’s this battle to which Sharon referred, and doubtless more lives may have been lost but for the intercession.

In view of the present military offensive against ISIS in which we and other nations are now engaged, then the word received by Oladapo may possibly refer to any proposed retaliation on our territory. Therefore, it is to be taken as a serious warning.

On the other hand, it may also warn of disaster coming as a result of political and/or legalistic actions within the UK. Also, as it was received earlier this year, it may well refer to the referendum on Scottish independence and leaving the UK.

Here’s my notes from last November with Sharon Stone’s remarks. Remember, her approach to prophecy is to seek Kingdom solutions:

‘…Christian leaders worldwide are well aware of the increasingly aggressive advance of secular humanism and its antichrist spirit. Many consider it worse than the Islamist aims of establishing a global caliphate.

‘Sharon stresses, however, that whoever those involved in the conflict may be, “We love all people. We’re talking about the spirit and the agenda” (ie. entirely different things). “You’re mature enough for me not to have to teach upon that…it’s a spirit that has an agenda against God’s agenda! Just because issues are politically incorrect to deal with…it wouldn’t be wise for us to let it simply pass by.

“Now God says the battles are going to be in Great Britain. Let me tell you why I believe its going to be here: where there are great battles there are great victories!

“So God’s not saying, I’m choosing you as a place of war, I’m choosing you as a place of conflict, because I don’t like you…No, the Lord says,

“I’m choosing you as a place for victory, so that the victory won here has an ability to be a victory that affects other nations!”

“Do you hear this? Not just for England, or for Great Britain. So what God is doing is He’s setting up His own agenda that we might have a victory here that releases us to deliver other nations, and puts us back into a functioning position of where our true identity is.

“And we’re not talking about something that takes 10 years to come to pass any more (as with other things) but we’re talking about the next two and a half to three years! Those who have ears let them hear!”

Encouraging words, are they not? Especially if the vision of the huge bulldozer is also taken into account. And another lady who strongly moves in the prophetic brought most encouraging words from the Lord back in July 2005, right after that terrorist outrage. It is those which arrived on the same day as Oladapo’s call to pray for the UK’s future we will look at next >> (or a 4th part).

Call to pray for the UK – part 2

Posted on Friday, 3 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

On Monday I read a couple of communications about prophecies for Britain, and within which I sensed a connection. In particular, the first also related to what had come (but remained unread) from Dr Clifford Hill in the 1st part of this post – and with his earlier call to prayer over Scotland about deception.

In particular that first item also bears a warning that has a possible connection with what Dr Sharon Stone gave in 2013 about our “having won a battle we didn’t continue on to win the war”, and what Chuck Pierce saw for 2015 (here and here respectively).

The other communication is not only relevant in that aspect but it also brings strong encouragement for prophetical prayer. Also, it’s already included within this blog’s Library but I will comment separately upon it next week.

Here’s the first prophetic piece by Oladapo Ogungbade:

PRAY FOR THE UK’s FUTURE

A friend put up a post about the England and Scotland referendum recently and made an allegory out of it. This quickly reminded me of the things God told me about the UK in a Word of prophecy at the beginning of this year, which are listed below:

1. Matthew 24:5, 8, 12-14 KJV

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. All these are the beginning of sorrows. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;

– ‘Many shall fall prey to many deceptions, which is The beginning of sorrows for them, and because iniquity shall abound they shall respond to God lesser, but for the believers they shall rejoice and enjoy God, the gospel shall be preached in a higher dimension and with greater intensity…’

2. Jeremiah 33:15 KJV

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

– The message of righteousness will be preached more and many will receive/ understand it more…

3. Matthew 14:25 KJV

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

– In the 4th quarter of the year there shall be miracles like never seen before…

4. Matthew 13:25 KJV

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

– If people are not attentive/firm and fervent, there will be robbed of their miracles and blessings.

Among other things He told me about a coming disaster for the UK (either peculiar to Scotland, Wales or England or all of them together I do not know); He told me that we Christians have the responsibility to pray for this nation for its protection.

The Lord made me understand that in a few years ahead, ‘there is an attack coming on the UK (either physical or spiritual I know not, God knows), it will be devastating and claim lives (either physically or spiritually I know not) only prayers for the land can avert it! It will be a time of sorrow for many and shedding of tears but the Faith-full will endure/abide’.

On 16th July 2014, the Lord spoke to me again about the matter thus:

Isaiah 22:3, 8 NLT

All your leaders have fled. They surrendered without resistance. The people tried to slip away, but they were captured, too. Judah’s defences have been stripped away. You run to the armoury for your weapons.

– The nation of UK is in need of the prayers of Christians, there’s danger ahead of this nation if the believers don’t pray.

– The leaders of this nation are going to make some mistakes very soon and only the prayers of Christians will prevent this. If the decisions are made it will affect not just the people but Christians (including leaders) at large (Prov 22:8).

– Asking for God’s wisdom for them will ensure they are guided aright (Prov 24:2,3).

I’m sharing this because the Lord will have me share it with Christians residing in UK so as to pray and avert the plan of the enemy for the nation of the United Kingdom.

Please share with as many people as you can and much more please pray for the peace and protection of the United Kingdom (Psalms 122:6-8).

Oladapo Ogungbade

Delight of God Ministries

Continued in part 3 >>

Call to pray for the UK – part 1

Posted on Friday, 3 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

In last week’s follow-up to his warning of a ‘Judgement Day for Britain’ because of deception over Scotland’s voting, Dr Clifford Hill strongly urges our deep caution against falling back into old ways, and to be fully alert to the activity of a spirit of division. He believes this may be the last opportunity for the church to overcome that ungodly spirit by a spirit of love and concern one for another, as written below:

SAVING THE UK

I have a picture of Christians in churches across the land giving thanks to God for hearing their prayers, and politicians in Westminster dancing for joy, because they believe the nation has been saved from the social and economic devastation of the breakup of the United Kingdom.

This is what the Lord says to the people of the United Kingdom who are rejoicing that the people of Scotland have saved the Union by voting ‘No’ in the Referendum. Do not think that you are now safe to do as you like and return to your old ways. The word given to the Prophet Jeremiah at a critical point in the history of Israel is relevant to Britain today:

“Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, ‘We are safe’ – safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 7.9–11).

There is a spirit of division that has been driving the nation for 40 years bringing divorce to millions of marriages and untold suffering. It has brought Britain to the very brink of disaster. But that spirit is still active in the nation and will bring division to every region of the country unless the institutionalised injustices of the past are dealt with.

The great debate that began in Scotland will encompass the whole United Kingdom and will bring division in every region and every community unless a new spirit of love and concern for each other replaces the spirit of division and divorce. The commandment of Jesus to his disciples was to love one another as he has loved us.

This is the opportunity for Christians to be creatively involved in changing the direction of the nation away from greed and corruption and self-centred interest to caring for one another. It may be the last opportunity for the church in Britain.

Dr Clifford Hill

Issachar Ministries – see also URGENT CALL TO PRAYER: BATTLE STATIONS!

New way (or proper way!) of attending church?

Posted on Wednesday, 1 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

Hinting at science catching up with scripture? And some are moving from theory to practice…

By grace through faith in Jesus, believers may enter the ‘heavens’ whilst alive, as the apostle Paul states from his personal revelatory experience. His sublime letter to the church in Ephesus and everywhere else opens,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…

He proceeds to state God knew us individually before the Creation, and that His plan was to adopt us as His children after our being purchased back from Satan through Jesus’ sacrificial death and the shedding of His sinless blood (ie. our redemption).

Then, in praying “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding being enlightened”, Paul gives his reason for this; “That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe”.

Paul continues with explaining how God does this, thus implying that we can exist in another ‘dimension’ whilst living in ordinary time and space.:

“according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ²in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them…”

Selah!

New King James Version is courtesy of Biblegateway.com with my emphases added.

Thank you too to Revivo and pastor Lindi for sharing this cartoon on Facebook.

Holy fire from southern to northern hemispheres

Posted on Thursday, 25 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

“I saw the globe and I felt like I was looking at the south pole and there was this flame underneath the south pole – and I saw people south of the equator praying and I saw their prayer coming up on the north side of the equator and I saw revival fires coming. And the Lord said…”

“When I was walking into this room I saw the Fire of God pass through..”

Upon hearing Dale Mast make that last remark it confirmed my quick open vision of a 12-15 feet high wall of waving red, orange and yellow flames stretching across the front of the low platform he’d just stepped onto. Dale was behind that ‘invisible wall’.

This was at Dr Sharon Stone’s recent mentoring day after she introduced her long-time friend/mentor Dale Mast. He went on to teach about Moses and David in connection with Jesus’ ministry and stressed the importance of our having a good friendship with God, one like reluctant servant Moses had grown into. Dale chuckled over how Moses may have sought the privilege of visiting Jesus whilst on earth, and so explained, “Friendship brings greater access than faith!”

Dale said prophets should back up what they hear with prayer and intercession to bring it to birth. Quoting Habbakuk 3, he pushed that we don’t want to just read it, we want to live it, we know what God’s done but want Him to do it again in our generation. Saying there are different levels of revelation Dale shifted up a gear into prophetic mode,

“Do you know why you in front of me are alive now? It’s because you’re perfectly matched to what God’s going to do in this generation…You were called to make a difference – in this generation – and I believe this:

“There’s something’s coming out of the prophetic movement – even out of the UK – there’s coming a voice that will literally cause it to go over many flags of the nations. And just like there was the anointing that the UK had that went over many, many nations, I believe there’s something that God is going to release that’s going to go to many nations.

“I just saw a little prophetic picture. I want to share this; it’s sort of interesting:

“I saw the globe and I felt like I was looking at the south pole, like there was this flame underneath the south pole – and as it was hitting…I saw people south of the equator praying, and I saw their prayers coming up on the north side of the equator to this hemisphere – and I saw revival fires coming and the Lord said…”

“There’s prayers coming up out of the southern hemisphere that are literally going to release fire into the northern hemisphere because they have a mantle of intercession”.

“And I also believe that there’s certain things that are being released in the realm of the Spirit. When I was walking into this room I literally felt like I saw the Fire of God pass through. It moved through and some of you are going to experience the wind of the Spirit in a very unusual way…”

In his stimulating teaching about Jesus and the throne of David, Dale focused upon the change in David’s identity that entering the ‘Holy of Holies’ of intimate relationship with God had brought him.

Another prophetic picture was of the river of God getting ready to run through this land again and of the Lord saying,

“This is going to be a time to think and drink! I’m refreshing the anointing that has been dormant.”

Dale then became very specific for this training session on what the Lord is asking of us personally as a prerequisite to what He will do nationally. We’re headed for challenging and exciting days…

It’s fascinating how this meets the concepts of a name/identity change and preparing for advance implied by the Hebrew understanding of this new year 5775, as herein. And I’m quietly amused over my musing on revival and ‘down under’ and Joanne Rolston’s quip – seems you’re right Jo 🙂

Image credits:

Dale Mast by Branchmill Photography Gallery
‘World on Fire’ by Danilo Rizzuti courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net

The Year 5775: The Year of Advance

Posted on Thursday, 25 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

Thank you Melissa for another excellent explanation, and to Victoria Heard for a prompt to visit her site – and Ephesians 1 once again turns up! This is well timed for what I was about to blog but got delayed!

Defining Words

ayinhey [For returning readers, the first part of this post is a rehearsal of prior research.]

Sundown on Wednesday, September 24 marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year. For the Jewish community, this is a time of reflection, purification and hopeful contemplation of the future. Not unlike our Western New Year’s celebrations, Rosh Hashanah is a time of recapping or regrouping in order to strategically move forward.

For the past month, I’ve heard the following declaration in my spirit. “God is on the advance.” Knowing this was somehow relative to the word for the year 5775, I could not wait to delve into the research you are about to read. While synthesizing the information, crystal clarity came on just how He will move in the days ahead. Prepare yourself for what will be a year of reorientation and permutation.

Shall we begin?

Remember, the Hebrew alphabet doubles as…

View original post 2,052 more words

Sundown today Rosh Hashana – start of a new year

Posted on Wednesday, 24 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

‘Tomorrow’ or rather at sundown today 24th September is the ‘head’ of the Jewish New Year 5775, and which is regarded as starting The Year of Advance.

Yesterday and tonight, our church has Randy DeMain, after having been the guest at our Isle of Skye associates’ Glory 2 Glory conference, bringing his fascinating Ephesian’s 1:3 perspective upon scripture. See the video on the last link for a flavour of his teaching – it opens with two scriptures I’ve been contemplating lately!!

Randy taught about a revelation that, when considered collectively, Psalms 111 to 117 may relate to the Lord’s seven spirits (Isaiah 11), thereby bringing insights into His plans for 2011-2017 and the means by which He will bring them about.

So it’s appropriate that, in referring to the Jewish New Year, I herewith quote Randy’s newsletter for this month and close by noting some relevant prophetic words. He writes:

“It is the first of 3 connected feasts and celebrations unto the Lord followed by the Day of Atonement, then the feast of Tabernacles. The New Year begins the celebration of the end the previous year’s harvest cycle, and the beginning of a new harvest cycle. Many westerners have thought that the Jewish New Year is like our new year that commences January 1st.

“That is somewhat true in that the New Year for Israel is followed by the Day of Atonement, a time of personal reflection and purification to prepare oneself for Tabernacles and a blessed new harvest season.

“However, the New Year begins in the 7th month, not the 1st month, which occurred at the day of Passover, so it has a deeper meaning and purpose.

“On the 7th and 49th year, the land is given rest, debts retired and lands restored. I can’t help but wonder if this is what the Lord is doing in this nation that has a long and deep spiritual heritage. Restoring their identity, their land and retiring their debt?

“I am going to be in Scotland for several days in the middle of this month to speak about revival and the more glorious church that is arising. Please pray the will of the Lord will prevail through the times of ministering and the messages I bring.

“For the rest of us. This month has already seen a harvest moon. Next month will be the second blood moon on October 8th, the beginning of Tabernacles.

“Therefore, this is the month to set your sights on the new harvest season ahead, prepare our plows and harvest equipment, for the harvest shall surely be great. One day the Lord Jesus will fulfill the last fall feast, just as he has the spring and summer feasts of Passover and Pentecost!

“Therefore, we must be diligent to bring in the full harvest between Pentecost and Rosh Hashanah so the ingathering will be the fullness of the intended harvest.

“Happy and prosperous New Year! Randy” (Kingdomrevelation.org)

Notes:

An Invitation to the Threshing Floor by Dr Sharon Stone and Bob Jones’, “It’s about the Harvest – look at your hands!”, as well as this blog’s Harvest tag.
Israeli’s prepare to celebrate their holiday, and farmers for a sabbatical year.

How should we pray for ISIS?

Posted on Wednesday, 24 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

Definitely ‘Amen’ to the canon’s closing prayer. His conclusion isn’t so much theologically sound as wise because, imo, it’s directly relevant to this brand of Sunni Islam’s end-time doctrine in hastening the end of the world by global conflagration.

Today’s Scottish Vote – beware of deception

Posted on Thursday, 18 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

In his News for September Rev Dr Clifford Hill issues a deeply felt warning about today’s voting in Scotland.

It has been circulating privately for intercession but may also be read on Issachar Ministries website. It just so happens that its opening, prime scripture also featured in what we heard this morning in a video on effective prayer from Anne Graham Lotz in Jerusalem. In view of this, I’m posting Dr Hill’s call for your prayerful consideration:

JUDGEMENT DAY FOR BRITAIN – A Call to Prayer

A spirit of deception is sweeping across Scotland that threatens to bring disaster, not only upon the people of Scotland, but upon the whole United Kingdom.

The first phone call Monica and I received on returning home from a three-day prayer retreat last week was from one of our Prayer Partners up in the Highlands of Scotland who said she has been repeatedly receiving a word from the Lord both in sleep and when she is awake – the word is the writing on the wall seen by Belshazzar –

“MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPARSIN” – “Your days are numbered; you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:25-26).

This tied in completely with the words of warning I had been given from Ezekiel 33 that if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people he will be held accountable.

This is the word of the Lord to the people of Britain today,

“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!” (Ezekiel 33.11).

God has been warning our nation for 40 years that he would shake all nations and that Britain was facing disaster unless there was repentance and turning. He has sent many signs and prophetic words which have been ignored.

In 1980 I published a book, Towards the Dawn, saying that all the pillars of society in Britain would crumble unless there was repentance and turning. Today, we are on the brink of catastrophe: the pillars of society are crumbling – the family, the economy, the church – all are being shaken as corruption and abuse are exposed; the bankers, the politicians, the police, the social services, the journalists, and the celebrities.

Now the nation is on the edge of disaster – if Scotland votes “Yes” on 18 September the people of Scotland will pull down the whole house around them. They have got good cause for wanting to be free from rule by Westminster but if they vote for independence all the main institutions of society will collapse. In the lifetime of many still living, Great Britain has lost her Empire, the Commonwealth is crumbling and now the very existence of the United Kingdom is threatened.

In 1911 the Mother Barbara Prophecy foretold the great shaking of the nations that is now taking place. “Not one country will be without trial but do not be frightened of anything you will hear. An evil will shortly take Russia and wherever this evil comes, rivers of blood will flow… In the last days Germany will be divided in two. France will just be nothing. Italy will be judged by natural disasters. Britain will lose her Empire and all her colonies and will come to almost total ruin, but will be saved by praying women. America will feed the world but will finally collapse….” (more information here).

Last year Britain crossed a red line in passing a law to re-define marriage which is part of God’s creation and judgement became inevitable. But amazingly God still loves this nation! He is promising that if the faithful remnant will intercede before him now, total disaster can still be averted. The Lord is calling his watchmen to blow the trumpet and intercede on behalf of the nation. The time is short to mobilise the prayers of the faithful, but it can be done. Pray now most urgently that the United Kingdom does not collapse with all the ensuing chaos which will follow.

Rev Dr Clifford Hill

[Author of over 30 wide-ranging books, journals, studies and audio resources, including some written jointly with his wife, Rev Dr Clifford Hill MA BD PhD is a sociologist and theologian. His pastoral ministry has been in inner-city areas of London, a long ministry in the East End, Senior Lectureship in Sociology of Religion in London University as well as founding one of the largest urban mission organisations in Britain, and Prophetic Word Ministries. This had an extensive international ministry from 1982 to 2005 with its flagship magazine Prophecy Today.]

God has used Britain to do great things but now man seeks to tear us apart

Posted on Wednesday, 17 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

Gillan’s guest blog by Ciaran reinforces the earlier post on Justin Abraham’s visions of the UK and that, “We will need the strength of Scotland for what’s coming”.

Prophetic points to ponder on 9/11

Posted on Thursday, 11 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

It was about this time of day, around lunchtime here in England,13 years ago when a consultant at the office where I worked gasped at what she saw on her pc monitor – the first video footage of the horror that had happened about an hour ago in New York. An aircraft ploughing into one of the twin towers in New York. If I remember correctly, it was soon followed by live news feed of the second adjacent atrocity. You know the rest in that day of world-changing infamy.

My readers may have read Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s novel The Harbinger. I trust those who are unfamiliar with it will bear with me in not summarising it. Some are of the opinion there’s a need to be aware of possible inaccuracies as far as scripture’s concerned, as advised in a couple of supposedly ‘discerning’ reviews here and here. Yet facts prove a theory, as born out for Cahn’s unusual message.

Although I haven’t yet read his book I must convey interesting points he made in a God TV programme I’d recorded and was catching up with.

I’d missed the beginning of The Harbinger Continued but it caught my attention because friends we’d seen on holiday had recommended the book. Rabbi Cahn spoke about the replacement to the Twin Towers in connection with Isaiah 9:10 judgement. The new one is to be higher and stronger than before and to show the world, as an embodiment of America, that it stands defiant. The new tower became controversial and its completion got delayed until after Cahn’s book was published. (For photos see NY Daily News.)

It was fascinating to learn about the background to this book, and a lot of confirmatory material and the way it turned up.

In The Harbinger a date is given to the ‘mystery’ of Ground Zero – April 30th. In fact, it’s the day the tower broke the height ‘barrier’. That mystery, claims Cahn, continues and is linked to various American issues he names. Furthermore, he later realised the Isa 9:10 passage, or ‘Harbinger Scripture’ was linked to Genesis 11’s Tower of Babel.

After his book was out he learned that a photographer had found a Bible buried in the rubble of Ground Zero. Blown apart and charred with only one page showing, the man took a photo before being whisked out of danger. Later, upon looking at the picture he broke down weeping, for this is what he read that was buried in those remains:

‘Come let us build for ourselves a tower.’

Then 7 months after publication something came out in the news causing people who’d read the book to gasp, including himself Cahn claims. And he says he didn’t believe it, “No that’s too much, too much!”. He describes what he’d seen on TV reports:

“President Obama, the leader of America – remember leaders are important in this ‘mystery of national judgement’ – he goes down to Ground Zero. He is shown the tower – the last of ‘The Harbinger’ is going up.

“They present him with a beam from the tower that’s going to be the highest beam on the tower. The final beam that’s going to crown all the nine ‘harbingers’. It will mark the highest elevation of ‘the harbinger’. And that beam is significant, as the tower’s all about the height – and this was to be the crown of it all, of the vow: ‘we will rebuild’.

“(Obama) came there to write words on the beam of the tower to crown the tower. He can write anything he wants. What he writes in modern American prose is the ancient ‘vow of destruction’ of Isaiah 9:10…on the crowning beam as the highest words in America…The president writes…

‘We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger’.

“It repeats the ancient defiant vow that ascends to heaven that led to ancient Israel’s destruction.

“AND although not written in future tense as the Hebrew was, and as in his first major speech to Congress, but done in the present tense, America is doing it…(explains Hebrew)

“And Obama adds two extra words at the start, which makes it the same length of eight words in the Hebrew – yet in both the fourth word is ‘rebuild’, all done in the president’s ignorance of scripture!

“So now the words are on ‘The Tower of America’.”

Daily Bible Readings

Particular points I wish to ponder lie in what he said about the date itself, which are not in the book. Jonathan Cahn calls it ‘the third manifestation’ and he had no idea at all about it when writing the book.

He mentions that God used various supernatural ways of getting his and warnings to Israel’s leaders. Apparently the origin of Cahn’s was in a stranger’s prophetic word, “The Word goes forth”. Now he asks,

“Is it possible that God was actually sending this word, that it would fall upon the nation (as at the start of in Isaiah 9)?

“Is it possible that God was sending this word and this connection between Isaiah 9:10 and September 11th, to fall upon America in a massive way that had nothing to do with The Harbinger – even taking place before it became a book?

“Is it possible that He wanted this connection to go forth on a massive scale?

He goes on to refer to the popular One-year Bible, which is available in every version of the Bible.

“For every day there is an appointed scripture so that in one year you’ll read through the whole Bible. If you go to the One-Year Bible – any version – open up to the scripture of ‘the harbingers’; Isaiah 9:10 – the scripture that identifies the beginning strike of judgement upon a nation – you will look and you will see a date above that scripture.

“The date above Isaiah 9:10 is September 11th – in every One-Year Bible – for every year!

“The Bible itself is marking the beginning of national judgement as September 11th!

“It’s identifying the attack as September 11th!”

Now consider what a Greek lady who acted as amanuensis, or scribe, to Jesus wrote in 1991 – like Apostle John had been in writing to seven churches in Revelation 2&3.

Forewarning of Sept 11th 1991

On that date 10 years to the day before the Twin Towers attack in New York, Vassula Ryden was with the Lord. She records in The Foundations of the Earth Will Rock:

Jesus suddenly changed tone and, after waiting a few seconds, with a tone very grave that left me in awe said:

“…the earth will shiver and shake – and every evil built into Towers ² will collapse into a heap of rubble and be buried in the dust of sin! above, the Heavens will shake and the foundations of the earth will rock!”

This profound, prophetic word closes with Jesus’ call to

“…repent and ask the Father to relent; soon, very soon now, the Heavens will open and I shall make you see,”

Signed, “The Judge”.

Please note that, following the New York attack, Vassula adds,

“I want people to be careful how they interpret this message. Interpreting prophecy is not easy, unless it is given through the light of the Holy Spirit. This apocalyptic message should be interpreted in the following way:…” (as in the letter’s footnote 2).

May the Holy Spirit be with you in this…

PS: Thank you Tony for reminding me of your dream about The Freedom Tower with its many comments. The tower is now known as 1 World Trade Centre.

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Category Archives: Christianity

What have Paul Keith’s video and Mary Magdalene got in common?

Footnotes:

Jesus & Mary fable:

God-incidence:

Paul Keith Davis: Jesus’ prayer life for the ‘new season’

2nd update to warning about loss of ‘British values’

If Palestine becomes a state, will Christians return to Bethlehem? Part 1

The real reason for the Israel-Palestine issue and anti-Semitism

Exactly as prophesied: nations set on collision course with God

Saturday morning news related to ‘battle stations’

Battle Stations!!

Israel’s leader holds another Bible study in his home.

Call to pray for the UK – part 3

Call to pray for the UK – part 2

Call to pray for the UK – part 1

New way (or proper way!) of attending church?

Holy fire from southern to northern hemispheres

The Year 5775: The Year of Advance

Sundown today Rosh Hashana – start of a new year

How should we pray for ISIS?

Today’s Scottish Vote – beware of deception

God has used Britain to do great things but now man seeks to tear us apart

Prophetic points to ponder on 9/11

Footnotes:

Jesus & Mary fable:

God-incidence:

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