Tag Archives: #Jigsaw

The ‘invisible jigsaw’ or design implicit in the outworking of the purposes of God, as prophesied in the Holy Bible.

Enjoy puzzles? Then try this ‘invisible jigsaw’!

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Stretch your intellect and imagination to complete this jigsaw. Although invisible it’s not imaginary, because its material content really exists.

Divine data downloads as gently as snowflakes. As insights, or revelatory notions that drop into mind, they seem independent until sticking together like flakes. In fact, they get plugged in, a switch is thrown, the connection made and my inner light bulb starts flashing!

Then I perceive they’re really like jigsaw pieces.  Each fits somehow, somewhere, into an invisible jigsaw puzzle, the overall design of which is beyond my ‘ken’.  Last week’s  downloads do fit snuggly together!  Someone looking over my shoulder whispers what sequence I’m to slot them together. Only as I do that, like moving in faith, does a new, unseen design start to appear. I could almost handle it and discover its intricacies…

The challenge

Would you like to try this puzzle? It’s not as complicated as may seem at first. As in a ‘whodunnit’, clues need to be assessed to identify actors, locations, sequences of activities and inks before a crime mystery can be solved.

We’re avid fans of the tv series Death in Paradise set in the Caribbean. The climax always features Detective Inspector Goodman puzzling over the many clues garnered from investigations, as shown on the team’s whiteboard. Each episode, he stares for ages until getting a flash of inspiration on how the invisible threads link every piece together and solves the puzzle. He tests his theory by confronting suspects and the unequivocal solution enables the criminal’s arrest.

Shall we tackle our ‘invisible jigsaw’?

The Jigsaw Pieces

Our novel jigsaw is like a tapestry but we can’t see the design from our perspective underneath the fabric. We can see differently coloured threads and sewing according to instructions we grasp only that part of the tapestry in our hands. Yet it’s not impossible to guess the eventual design that’s being created.

In our jigsaw each piece displays information upon one or more obvious themes. These pieces are recent posts on this blog, as listed below with shorter titles and main themes underlined. Numbering helps us to see them (especially if the title isn’t obvious) and the connecting ‘lugs’ of the pieces.:

Like any pictorial jigsaw, we can fit most matching pieces together. First, we select the single numbers and put them down. Next, pieces with two numbers, or two lots of data and, where possible, we can connect one cluster with another and leave them on the ‘board’. As with a real jigsaw puzzle we see pieces that have bits of an image, fit them together and then connect with other images. It may help by drawing your own Venn, or ‘bubble’, diagram showing logical relationships.

Please note, we won’t get a completed jigsaw in this exercise, just joined pieces. Were we to look at previous posts we’d get more clusters joining up.

Can you see how we can fit them together? For example 2’s are about Bob Jones, 3’s and 4’s about Jesus and His Bride, 5’s about the recent flooding, etc..

But what does ‘8’ represent?  Can you solve that from the puzzle? If so, then please comment below. (Regret no prize other than that of satisfaction.)

The answer is hinted at in Paws 4 Thought and links what downloaded last week, like the pieces dropping out of the sky as illustrated above. In my opinion, it’s to do with the link between Dr Stone’s words about the threshing floor and an aspect of the new season the Church is moving into. But what, or who, is it?

See Parts of an ‘Invisible Jigsaw’ Point to a Bigger Picture for my illustrated solution to the above ‘puzzle’

Some may say it’s contrived to claim connections, or I’ve published selected material in a way that lends itself to being linked!  Let me assure you that, much as I prefer to write posts in an orderly manner, what’s in the pipeline often gets delayed because topical events are more relevant for publication, as on this occasion. I couldn’t get this item out in time for close-down last weekend. Nevertheless, what happened over that weekend was also to prove a piece of this ‘invisible jigsaw’!

It’s all like an open door, or rather a time-tunnel connecting a Biblical template with what’s soon to happen.  But just what is that template? More about that soon…and hope it’s not too big a tease?

Also, I will reveal how the unknown theme ‘9’ relates to the invisible hand behind our invisible jigsaw.

I trust that ‘grasping’ this puzzle’s pieces will develope a discernment of likely, hidden links between events.

Thank you

James Hughes knew nothing of my week-old plans on this puzzle but I’m grateful to him for unwittingly confirming that intention. I gave him a draft hardcopy of John Kilpatrick’s prophetic words and he said it’s all “like a jigsaw”. I laughed and confided my attempt at describing an invisible jigsaw in another item, to which he responded with 1 Corinthians 13 verse 9:

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away…13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. [NKJV per BibleGateway]

[Image of Flying puzzles by Nokhoog Buchachons: credit Freedigitalphotos.net]

A trio of ‘God-incidental’ prophetic prompts

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“Just go with the flow” was an oft-used quip of my youth. Now I’d add, “And see where I go!” for it seems the Lord has dropped me into the river of life flowing from under His throne (Ezekiel 47).

Maybe that’s a simple modern version of the scriptural truths sung in William Cowper’s hymn, God Moves In A Mysterious Way His Wonders To Perform, which I’ve mentioned now and again (eg. as in Is the Hand of God a sign…?)

Perhaps you’ve checked how the discernment and risk-taking needed to catch God’s timing, as in Prophecies for 2014, may apply in your own life? May I offer, in all humility, some encouragement by way of personal examples? Maybe the latest is a sign of what the Lord wants us to pay attention to?  Regular readers are aware of my views upon the validity of serendipity as a route-map in our walk with the Lord – as though we’re not alone in completing an invisible jigsaw puzzle.

That is, various means of communication come together and we gain a glimpse of a much bigger picture. Years ago I noticed that trains of thought followed by unbidden scripture would sometimes harmonise. The latter would confirm the first, or verses on the same topic could come from individuals but rarely at once, often on consecutive days. This could often be three days in a row of separate but resonantly similar words. (Of course, it’s not rare for simultaneous confirmations in Spirit-led meetings.)

In recent years this started to include electronic communications. However, since New Year this phenomenon has accelerated to bring the ‘coincidences’ in getting email and  other material of a personally relevant topic on the same day.

Also, the frequency of this has shot up dramatically in recent weeks!  And this would interfere with my plans to such an extent because I could sense the matter’s priority. That is, I’d come to recognise it may be a matter on the Lord’s hand, or what He wants to draw attention to. For instance – and many thanks to everyone concerned:

  1. Tony emailed about Anglicans modifying baptisms, about which I’d been thinking and had already received an email from someone in that denomination but who was unknown to me (blog 16 January refers).
  2. The postman delivered an article about which I was writing to Daryl because he ‘liked’ a blog of short prompts I’d left in draft – but I’d not published it in that state for I’d intended completing it later! (see 8 February).
  3. Yesterday, Mark commented on this blog’s Library about Wales but I didn’t have any opportunity to read other than approve it. That afternoon at house group we discussed a prophecy from Arthur Burt, which I checked upon returning home. I found it related to Wales and, only after having dug into this, did I read an email from Lynne covering what we’d been talking about in group!!

Today I wanted to continue the next part on the rabbi, the ex-PM and Gabriel, but in my blog’s reading tray was an item I knew needed re-blogging with a couple of my personal suggestions.  I never suspected Mark was already looking into those, as may be read in replies to this morning’s post!

SO today, it’s come in thick and fast! Also, each item has a very personal element.:

  1. Tucson is where Tony lives and where I visited my oldest cousin in 2008. Whilst there I learned about the Lakeland outpouring and subsequently began writing on the subject, which took me into covering End-Times material.
  2. I’ve been to the Bay area of California where Daryl lives, but the evening prior to his input I learned new things about a man who’d inspired me greatly – John Sanford. Not only did he have a similar non-Christian background to me but his books on healing and deliverance, as well as prophecy, encouraged my deep interest and training. Maybe that ‘opened me’ up for what was to happen in the morning? (I hope to cover the details of that evening soon.)
  3. Lynne’s material is connected with the seaside town in North Wales I went to as a very young boy. Also on item 3, I used to live in the same Surrey town as Mark!

Updates to Library of Prophecies

This prophetic word could be highly significant for us to appreciate and grasp. I have, therefore, inserted a brief note with link about Arthur Burt under 1934 in my Library for readers’ consideration.  

In addition, I’m grateful to Tony for having sent me a link to New Covenant Ministries’ Prophetic Word For Our Nation (ie the UK). I notice, however, that the 1987 one from David Minor was delivered in northwest USA.  Today’s ‘coincidence’ may indicate they are both relevant for today – as well as the fact of the 40 years difference between this and the conclusion of an earlier vision received by Smith Wigglesworth in 1947.

How say you, my friend?

[Image credit: Puzzle by Jannoon, Freedigitalphotos.net]

Confirmations of the reality of my visionary encounter

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[Our conversation over morning coffee continues with factual refutations of a claim of indoctrination…]

The waiter brings a tray of freshly ground coffee; an enticing aroma wafts around our window table. Taking my cup, I muse over how the Lord would like me to play our time: like a mental game of draughts/checkers or, even better, completing an invisible jigsaw?

Puzzle in Sky by Idea Go courtesy Freedigitalphoto.com

“It’s good you’re able to join us my friend and, to answer your good question about my ‘dredging up’ the past; it’s been necessary to revisit the launch of my blog. Why, you may ask? Maybe you read how its anniversary week got scrambled? Something I’d written about back in 2011 got repeated precisely on the blog’s 2nd birthday?”

“You mean the references to Jerusalem in Iran’s military plans?”

“S’right! That repetition amazed me – and don’t ask about their nuclear accord’s likely link with EU Recommendation 666! If you’d like to mull that over then check one of my earliest emails…” [See Not many people know…]

“I recall your confiding in me back then,” interrupts Steve, “You sure were slow making up your mind and moving from private emails into public blogging.”

“Right Steve. And when I eventually got down to it, I aimed to briefly tell my story in time for the start of Advent because it’s related to that. Yet, I’d never have dreamt how that timing fitted in with how it was to be repeated – maybe the Lord arranged for that to confirm the change was the right thing to do?..and done at the right time? After all, He’s the only real Time Lord. But don’t make me duck the question Steve…

Steve chuckles into his coffee, “You just can’t get away from that daft, dead duck!”

Grinning too, I continue, “After that weird…nay, uncanny ‘co-incidence’, I wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing anything else. I was open to hearing from the Lord on that score. He reminded me about two items put aside at the blog’s launch. The main one is held pending the growth in readership and the other, our topic, had been briefly tackled at the time elsewhere. However, I thought it may prove useful in addressing any cynical reaction to a later, fuller account of how I was set free. Also, it relates to the validations of that story, as promised two months ago.” [See The last day in my life…]

“Hold on, I find some of that hard to believe. Why would God be interested in obscure, minute details?  Couldn’t it simply be your own imagination Richard?”

Putting my cup down, “I understand what you’re saying my friend. I recall having heard in my youth someone claimed to be a Christian because of personal experience. I didn’t believe it because, if God does exist and is omnipotent, then He’d be remote and not be in touch with mere mortals. And, if Jesus had gone to join Him then the same would apply about Him. Anyway, isn’t that why Catholics pray to Jesus’ mother and dead saints; because they were ordinary humans? (None of which I did.)

“What I learned from the brotherhood I joined seemed far more rational and superior to religious nonsense. So, I became intellectually arrogant after accepting the existence of a supreme mind, to which all religions lead. I was taught how to attune and commune through meditation with this ‘cosmic’ mind, which wasn’t like the personal god of Judeo-Christianity. Now and then I’d muse over how such a non-personal being, both the source and goal of existence, could connect with human nature and our minds.

“But when the real Jesus confronted me and I learned He’s exactly as in scripture, then I was able to understand why and how the ultimate Father is very interested in our own well-being and details of our daily lives. So, to answer your point – He had something, or several things, to convey about that ‘coincidence’ to me – a ‘God-incidence’, as I’d say.

“Furthermore, such a grouping of related matters isn’t unusual. It’s happened previously about my blog’s launch – and that again was all to do with timing!

“Look at it this way: suppose you played a game of dice and started by rolling a double-six and then immediately did it again – twice!  The next time you go to the same table you repeat triple rolls of double-sixes right at the start, as before. If that happened at a real casino trickery would be suspected, would it not?  But we know such an oddity has actually happened. Logically, we could infer some sort of guiding hand or unseen intelligence behind those events, could we not?”

“Maybe Richard, I’m almost convinced. On the other hand your banging the drum about this may mean you don’t like that man’s idea of your dream and conversion all coming out of indoctrination as a child. I can see his point…if he’d read your description of your earlier life.”

“I see where you’re coming from my friend. As a Humanist he had difficulty grasping what my previous, totally different life-style had been like, especially with a working knowledge of the paranormal. To me, it made absolutely no sense to relinquish all that. It would have to take an exceptional event to top it and change me. Also, I’m sure he’d know some dreams can be so lucid it seems we’re more awake than when normally so. But no doubt he’d find it incredible to believe dreams can be controlled and changed!

“That’s why I likened the difference between us as his driving a dodgem car and my flying around and into orbit. Even so, I was grateful for his valuable contribution to the debate.”

“Ah, that’s where I came in. I wondered what you and Steve were talking about. Now I’ve got it – thanks.”

We take a few moments to relish our coffees before I resume…

“So it’s now time to revisit the lessons gained in that friendly debate. I think there’s good reason to put it to use in making a clear pointer to the existence of God in our lives, to encourage everyone to know why it’s vital to learn about Jesus and how to know Him personally.

“This year’s seen a growing number of readers who may not be committed Christians, or who may have a non-Christian perspective, as well as newer followers, maybe you too? – all of whom are warmly welcomed.

“What’s more, however, there’s an increasingly vociferous, if not hostile, anti-Christian  posture of secularism within society, as is clear from Gillan Scott’s popular UK blog on God and politics. I’ve found atheists and secularists can have very closed minds. This prevents honest discussion.”

“Oh, come on, perhaps they could say the same of you Richard.”

“Ok, here’s a couple of examples from my online debates: A supposedly open-minded investigator of the supernatural, who claimed evidence for ghosts, refused outright to check documentary evidence for divine healing I’d offered. Someone else, unfamiliar with the Bible and history had no framework for understanding spiritual gifts, although in a Christian community! She smacked me down for being arrogant in referring to facts about spiritual experiences – simply because her community never talks about them!! Obviously, an unusual sort of believers! Or are they?

 “Now let’s get to the hub of the matter and discuss data: facts that confirm my claims.

“By facts I mean something more concrete than coincidence or happy chance, or ‘God-incidence’ – facts that refute any claim of indoctrination, or of my imagination, being the cause of that life-changing dream or vision – my unsolicited, unsettling encounter with Jesus. Please bear with me a tad longer on these personal details…” 

[It may be helpful to read The last day of my life… for an appreciation of what follows.]

MORE THAN A DREAM – A VISITATION

“Some time was needed to gain a fuller understanding of that awesome visitation. It was so powerful it remains vividly etched in my mind nearly 25 years later!

“The event used two very personal aspects of my childhood to grab my attention. To be fair, they may support the claim of indoctrination. My adversary thought ‘the twitch upon a thread’ had the potential to cause my ‘Damascene conversion’.  But even if that were so, those hoary aspects show the event was related to past reality and not imaginary. What’s more, objective facts prove it wasn’t an entirely subjective dream!  And if it was imaginary of simply the result of early indoctrination how could it explain all consequent events such as being led to similar testimonials or invisible shackles being shattered?

“Intriguingly, both aspects are directly relevant to the 1st and 2nd Advents!  So, they couldn’t fail to enhance my interest in End-Times, instigated as it was only a few years earlier by The Invisible Hand – the starting point of my blog’s Iran-Jerusalem issue!

First Validation

“Inwardly I ‘knew’ the heavenly visitor was indeed Jesus, and that the impressive action was a foretaste of his promised return – His Second Advent or Coming, in all His power and glory:

2ndAdventDiagm_thumb.jpg“It reminded me of my favourite picture in mother’s Missal, or service book of the Roman Mass. It gave full details of every Sunday service throughout the year with a diagram representing its theme.  As a boy keen on astronomy I’d been fascinated by the picture for the First Sunday in Advent showing Jesus standing on clouds over a burning earth in the midst of sun, moon and falling stars. This portrayed events prophesied for the time of His return!

“The first objective confirmation, or validation, of the personal visitation came almost as unusually. During a healing retreat in 1995, one of the ministry team told me God would show me something after lunch. And that did happen after lunch!  Someone at my table took me aside afterwards to confide the Lord told her to show me a treasured photo.

christinclouds-lrg_thumb.jpg“This photo is said to have been taken from an aircraft over a thunderstorm. After the camera film was taken for development the developer apologised for its poor quality – he didn’t know this unusual image of clouds seemed to be of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, the facial features are hazy, not defined, BUT exactly like Jesus in my dream for I had not seen His face. [This is published by Bible Probe. I recall dark, hazy clouds at the foot of the image.]

“Upon seeing this photo my legs gave way – I could not stand but fell into a nearby chair! My companion said I went so white she thought I was going to faint or fall. Yet, just how did a stranger know to show me this photo?  I’d not divulged such a personal dream – she simply said, “It’s the Lord’s doing”.

“Therefore, in my opinion this may be regarded as an objective confirmation.”

Second Validation

“I was puzzled over the closing element of the dream-event. When I reached out towards Jesus’ feet to grasp His robe, it turned into the branch of a Christmas tree which toppled over as I touched Him.  And a fairy fell off the tree’s top and onto the floor!”

“How peculiar!”

“Indeed, but the event was the most fantastic Christmas present. It’s always an encouragement and help in time of need, no matter how dire.

CTree1“Some years passed before a fuller understanding came. In the dream, the corner of the room by the window was where the family Christmas tree used to be placed. So that corner was closely associated with Christmas. In painting pictures I’d put a blue stripe at the top of outdoor scenes to represent heaven, as some children did. But I’d also draw a small Christmas tree in heaven as being Jesus.

“Why?  It was quite logical to my child’s mind for I’d heard a TV actor mention “Jesus” whilst in between fir trees of his height. Taking the actor at his word I’d then draw Jesus as a fir-tree. Hence,  the heavenly visitor in my dream changed to reflect that memorable image.

“The dream’s dramatic closing signified the time had come to put away not only childish misconceptions but also false teachings and replace them with truth – the one who is the Truth in person.

“Everything pointed to a most intimate knowledge of my childhood. Now that may have come direct from my deep subconscious, as claimed in debate. But that just couldn’t explain 3 separate, objective confirmations from 3 different sources, human or divine.”

“Nor could it explain,” Steve volunteered, “The unexpected appearance of a UFO in the dream for I think you told me, Richard, you didn’t take those claims seriously. You’d done your homework and became quite cynical about UFOs.”

“Yes, that’s so. Sometime later, in a lucid dream, I gained an insight into possible UFO demonic activity. And so in the ’89 dream, I exclaimed to myself when one appeared and then realised I was dreaming. To avoid the necessity of explanation, I didn’t quote what I’d actually said because I’d referred to the UFO by using the name of Eric von Daniken, the author who’d introduced the idea our ancient ancestors as space gods. My dream had already opened into a higher realm, signified by looking through the window. After I saw the UFO and exclaimed, “Not that von Daniken nonsense!”, it brought further revelation but for which I wasn’t in the right place.

“Hence, my realisation of the truth of scripture and that I was not IN Christ Jesus. What an encounter, even though it went on to use intimate memories for reasons unknown to me at that moment. But back to the second validation…

“The visitation of Sept 1989 was validated in 1995, but more confirmations were yet to come!  Upon revisiting this story for this blog another 16 years later, I was surprised by a couple of insights that dropped into mind. One was tantalising: could the number of my childhood home (212) possibly be significant in pointing toward the coming year? That is, to 2012!  

“Such musing was confirmed by a numerical ‘coincidence’ at the first conference we were to attend in 2012.  The car’s odometer measured the ‘trip’ distance between home and the conference hotel as 212 miles!!”

[See Blog’s birthday and 2/12, 1st Sunday in Advent 2012 for further details.]

Third Validation

“Once again, timing proves critical in presenting another objective confirmation!  Again, had I not been writing about the visitation I would have missed the crucial linkage!

“If you read the installments of my journey into freedom you may recall I’d inserted a report on something pertinent that happened at that time in the USA. This came as a ‘new revelatory word’ from the Lord to Revd John Kilpatrick and began at 2:22am. This is numerically interesting and the word itself is directly relevant to my dream visitation in referring to the angelic host as well as in closing with Luke 21:28, namely:

But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.

“Here’s mother’s Missal for the First Sunday of Advent and you can now see how that scripture links into my personal visitation and what pastor John brought…”

[Page 69 on image refers; click to enlarge]

1stSundayAdvent

An ‘invisible jigsaw’ falls into place…

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How does one describe a conviction of seeing things falling into place?

Since 1st August I’ve been in the last 1/7th of my personal year. Genesis states that on the seventh day God rested from His work of creation. So we have the concept of a Sabbath day, whereupon its best to rest – as Jesus said, it’s designed for us. In past times, land was allowed 1 year out of 7 to lie fallow and recuperate

As a boy my personal 7/7th coincided with the main annual school holidays. Each new school year would coincide with my own new year.  In recent years I found it includes the Hebraic ‘head of the year’ or new year, Rosh Hashanah, and came to appreciate its special significance to all God’s people.

Whilst attending a Rosh Hashanah celebration the Lord blessed me with a continuous open vision as the rabbi taught us about creation. I’ve now realised the 3 subsequent  7/7ths have also blessed me with memorable insights as we approach and enter the holy ‘Days of Awe’.  In 2011 it involved a word about the Kingdom being set up in the UK and which had been declared that same day by Bill Johnson at a Revival Alliance Gathering – for details see Father, let Your Kingdom come.

RA 2012 - 1

Much more came at – and after – the Alliance meeting in late August 2012.  I’d hoped to  have had time to tell about it other than a passing allusion in Back to School, but not so.  The most memorable event was when the sound desk supervisor reported they’d had trouble monitoring the extra instruments and voices that suddenly came through the sound system!

RA - Martin SmithWe’d noticed mobile coloured spot lights up in the ceiling swinging rapidly in time to the worship too.  The invisible musicians can only have been an angelic host, as stated in  musician Martin Smith’s description. It is also covered in Anita Mathias’ report on Dreaming Beneath the Spires and RA 2012 Facebook page. For a full flavour of that ‘Spontaneous angelsong’  and superb worship times, visit Grace Media. [The footnote below has a link for this year’s  gathering.]

Author TE HannaThis year there’s much material to mull over, as hinted at the close of Jesus and Israel. Meanwhile, be blessed with some things that may prepare you for what I want to share since receiving Ian Clayton’s teaching in mid-August.  A lot of it is relevant to the church’s ‘New season’.  Theologian and blogger T.E.Hanna recently posted some short pieces  that plug into what I’m chewing over. So click onto these and check for yourself:

  1. “We are called to be revelators” – How Christianity Makes a Better Muslim
  2. “Our very design was to reflect the glory of the Great King throughout the midst of His creation” – 3 Glorious Reasons Why Heaven Misses the Point
  3. “We had all established our God-turf and drew a line in the sand. You would be accepted by us, so long as you first looked like us”  – The Myth of Unity: How What Draws Us Together May Actually Be Drawing Us Apart

TE has the gift of making theology easy-peasy so may I suggest you take time to read and have a handle for what I want to write about soon?

Finally and to clarify; the jigsaw that’s falling into place is a personal one and thus not the same as the worldwide Invisible Jigsaw I referred to a few months ago.

Images from ‘Revival Alliance 2012 Live’ cd are courtesy of Haven Church and details for Revival Alliance 2013 in November may be found here. Hand and puzzle pieces image is reproduced by courtesy of Anusorn P Nachol at FreedigitaIphotos.net

Note on Christian prophecy and The Apocalypse

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Digging into the difference of opinion noted in the re-post from Joel Rosenberg unearthed an interesting find – one connecting into what I wrote ten weeks ago today about the origin of this blog. I’ll say more about that later.

Some readers may have queried my covering comment to Joel’s post; (it) “includes opinions of a Bible teacher who thinks its prophecies have happened“.  This merely reflects the actual content of The Blaze interviews.

As Hank Hanegraaff’s online radio show is called ‘Bible Answer Man’, my remark may seem to question that title. Those reading the linked article would note journalist Billy Holloway’s statement that Hanegraaff has “a wildly different take on the matter” to that of Rosenberg for he, “rejected the notion that Revelation and other alleged prophecies apply to today’s world”.

How come? Aren’t both men Christians? A little elucidation is called for…

Doubtless both men meet the basic criterion for a born-again believer, as in the Spirit-inspired instruction of the apostles Paul and John:

…9 if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Chapter 10 of Paul’s letter to the Romans; New International Version)

16 For God so loved the world (that’s you, my reader) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (Chpt 3 of the Gospel according to John; NIV)

So, to have faith in Christ it isn’t absolutely necessary to believe everything in the Bible. In fact, some believers disregard prophecy and scholars have various opinions upon this topic and when, if at all, predicted events will occur. Also, are such things to be taken figuratively?  The widest divergence in opinion is over the Bible’s closing book – ‘The Apocalypse’, or ‘Book of Revelation’. In the original Greek this Book opens as follows.:

‘Apocalupsis iEsou christou…’

‘The unveiling of Jesus Christ (anointed one)’, per the Greek Interlinear Bible, or as the New King James Version translates it:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,  2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1)

John is thought to have been the closest disciple of Jesus, and could thereby personally attest to Jesus’ awesome origin, as in the first of three short letters to believers:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…(1 John 1)

The Apocalypse opens by stating its purpose: an unveiling of God’s plans that He gave to Jesus Christ, for sharing through his surviving first disciple several decades after he witnessed Jesus’ resurrection from death. This account tells how John acquired this information. He became Jesus’ amanuensis in writing exactly what Jesus dictated as personal letters to seven churches in Asia as a result of His having visited them.

White Door in SkyNext, John was caught up to God’s Throne Room in heaven where he heard and saw visions about what was going to happen shortly and in the distant future when the Age will be drawn to a close with the bodily return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign upon earth. John had to be reminded to write it all down!

NB: It is the only Book in the Bible to open with a blessing for all who read it and ‘keep’, or observe, what’s written therein, and closes with a curse (of loss of inheritance in the Kingdom) for anyone who tampers with its text and changes its message. The Book of Revelation is primarily for believers, not unbelievers.

In Unlocking The Bible, David Pawson defines this genre of literature as follows:

Unlocking The Bible‘Apocalyptic’ is history written from God’s point of view.  It gives the total picture.  It enlarges our understanding of world events by seeing them in the light of what is above and beyond our limited perception.  This gives us both insight and foresight…far beyond that of the normal historian.

He also gives this snippet:

God is working out his plans and purposes within time…He is the Lord of History.  But it is his pattern, which can only be discerned when he has revealed the missing pieces of the jigsaw. (Emphasis added)

(Now where did we come across that notion before?  See Invisible Jigsaw.)

He points out that the first characteristic of the ‘apocalyptic’ genre is that it’s basically moral. Secondly, that it’s often symbolical so the unknown can be communicated in terms of what is familiar, as in analogy or parable, because it involves not only information but also imagination. 

Interpretation of The Revelation

Thus, this complex ‘end-times’ revelation can only be understood with God’s overall purpose for humanity in mind. So, it’s not surprising that scholars are divided over the Book’s meaning and predictions for the end of 1st Century and any later events it may forecast for the world and the Church.

There are four main ‘schools’ of exposition based upon interpretations of when these predictions would be fulfilled, as below:

  1. Preterist  – during the first centuries AD with the decline/fall of Roman Empire
  2. Historicist – all centuries between the First and Second Advent of Jesus Christ
  3. Futurist – end of final century AD (held by early Church and evangelicals today)
  4. Idealist – any century AD, none in particular (treats the Book as spiritual ‘myth’).

We can now appreciate Hank Hanegraaff’s ‘preterist’ position that Revelation refers only to John’s days 1900 years ago and the persecutions that took place. But he fails to take the whole account into consideration because its closing chapters clearly refer to things that have not happened yet. For example, unprecedented global catastrophes, return of millions of deceased Christians alongside Jesus to overthrow Satan and rule upon earth, Satan’s final rebellion with many nations and demise in the lake of fire, the arrival of the ‘holy city’ and ‘wedding of the Lamb’!

So how are we to understand The Apocalypse? David Pawson suggests using the four ‘schools’  in conjunction for each of the three main time periods, the present, the near future and the far future (not ignoring the switching between earth and heaven).  Yet,

..the fundamental question is not ‘when?’ but WHY?

Pawson’s answer:

Not just to tell us what is going to happen but to get us ready for what is going to happen…Revelation is a ‘manual for martyrdom’…which is why this book becomes so meaningful to Christians under persecution. Maybe this is also why Western Christians in comfortable churches fail to find it relevant.

Structure of The Revelation

 “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.  (Rev 1:17-19 NKJV)

  • The Present:
  • chpt 1. Vision of the Son of Man, the one ascended Lord
  • chpt 2-3. Letters to seven churches (and for all churches)
  • chpt 4-5. Vision of heaven, the Lion of Judah and the Lamb
  • The Near Future:
  • chpt 6-11. Judgements, great tribulation, martyrs and two witnesses
  • chpt 12-16. Woman, child, dragon, beast 666, antichrist, false prophet
  • chpt 17-19. Fall of Babylon, Messianic judgement of Armageddon
  • THE RETURN OF ‘THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS’ 
  • The Far Future:
  • chpt 20. The Millennium, Satan rebels/defeated, Judgement, lake of fire
  • chpt 21. New heaven and new earth, the Bride, the New Jerusalem
  • chpt 22. River of Life from God’s throne, Tree of Life for healing the nations.

David Pawson explains that each future period has bad news and things get much worse, but the good news is that things will get very much better afterwards. Through it all Jesus encourages his people to ‘endure’ and ‘overcome’ until He returns.

First, Jesus tells the churches they must deal with internal problems if they are to face external pressures. Compromise in belief of behaviour, tolerance of idolatry or immorality, weaken the Church from within. (LESSON FOR TODAY!)

For the 2nd period He shows the worst that can happen but believers will not have to go through anything worse! “And the very worst time ahead will be at most a few years”.

Then, Jesus reveals the wonders that will follow in the 3rd period when all believers will be with Him.

Conclusion

On a personal note, what impresses me is the comparison of this closing book with the Bible’s first book, Genesis.  Revelation promises a full restoration not only for those who believe in God, to life with Him, but also and because of that for the earth too. The Tree of Life is a main feature in the garden of Eden, in the beginning, but through it Satan perverted Adam and Eve’s relationship with their fatherly Creator and so they lost and fell from their glory. In the end that usurper gets his just desserts, the saved return to living in the glory of God in the New Jerusalem and the Tree’s leaves bring healing to all people, as it is written.:

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21 NKJV)

This short blog can never hope to do justice to the Book of Revelation. It is an awesome subject but you may wish to meditate upon it yourself along with suitable aids such as in the links below.

Acknowledgements – thank you to:

  • David Pawson, for Unlocking the Bible and books & audio series here and here.
  • Neil MacKereth, for several in-depth courses at Winchester Vineyard church using Chuck Missler’s and David Pawson’s extensive teachings.

PS – click to read about what happened after writing the above post!

A break from blogging and a few points to ponder

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A brief word to thank every subscriber and visitor for dropping by and to inform you I’ve started refurbishing a sizable chunk of our ground floor (including relocating the weird phone wiring). I expect to be offline, therefore, for a couple of weeks but would like to offer some points you may wish to ponder, as am I…

First, after having posted Invisible Jigsaw I was struck by the exceptional suitability of that image because I’d written the piece and then thought a diagram would be useful – if I could find one!  In fact, my first wording had referred to the difficulty in finding such a ‘logo’, and that it was delaying launch of the blog. I didn’t have a specific date in mind, only knew I needed to get a move on as I’d sat on it for too long. (My testimony explains the relevance of launching the blog by December 2011.)

Courtesy of Thanunkorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.netAgain I didn’t expect to find anything like a glass jigsaw but dipped into Free Digital Photos’ website. Amazingly, I soon espied an exact match for the concept I’d just written about! Also, the image’s open but blank book reminded me about an insight that God has an as yet unknown book to follow the Book of Revelation, as though it’s beyond the Bible’s rear cover (as told herein). It describes the world when His Kingdom has been established in its awesome fullness with mankind’s saviour, Jesus Christ, reigning as King of Kings.

Also, it’s intriguing that I’d intended writing about Tony’s two dream/visions but didn’t get around to it until last week – which is when another reader, Sally, had already received a download of insights whilst completing an actual puzzle!  I appreciate the details Sally.

Upon return I’d like to comment about Paul Keith Davis and Bobby Conner ‘webinar’. What’s remarkable about those two friends is they are scripturally scrupulous as well as having supra-natural sight and sensitivity. Have you watched that video yet?

May the Lord be with you and keep you and your loved ones…

[Credit for the jigsaw image goes to Thanunkorn at Freedigitalphotos.net]

Invisible Jigsaw

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INVISIBLE JIGSAW was this blog’s original title, but the present one was impressed upon me for launching by Advent 2011 – yet it’s a good fit  for why I’m writing. But both titles  work, for God is working globally to perform His will: it can be likened to His placing massive, states-wide, jigsaw-shaped pieces onto the earth and dropping them into our times – like completing an invisible jigsaw puzzle.  He and the heavenly hosts are the only ones who can see it – unless we can penetrate the veil…

The name of this invisible jigsaw puzzle is, ‘Thy Kingdom Come!’

I’d forgotten completely about all that until a new-post advice for a contributor’s blog popped into my email’s in-tray.  This was the latest of Tony Puccio’s dreams/visions: When you come Together…The Body of Christ. Therein, he writes.:

1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV ‘What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.’

The Lord showed me a vision 02/26/2013 and in this vision I saw people gathered around an oval table. The table was low to the ground so that you had to sit on the floor. The people I saw sitting there around the table each had a piece of a puzzle. As they all worked together, the image  on the puzzle began to take shape and when they were finished, the picture was of Jesus Christ. He was the center of the meeting. Each one had to do his part in finishing the puzzle and it was not left to one person to do the work of the group. This is how real relationships are built and what church done Jesus’ way should foster.

This is church.

The only reason for the gathering of believers was to re-assemble the body of Christ with each part, ie., the foot, the hand, the eye, etc. doing its part so that the church, Christ’s body on earth may be edified and that Christ may be glorified.

They did not gather because of a charismatic leader, I.e., a pastor.

They didn’t gather because of church programs.

They didn’t gather because of the worship team.

I then rebogged that post with this comment:

This….was delivered by ‘God-incidence’ just now to my email’s in-tray.  It’s so very appropriate because, after waking this morning, I was contemplating how the Lord connects and reveals things to me as a thread or ‘train’ of scripture, teaching, thoughts and insights – but the idea of their also being pieces of a jigsaw dropped (appropriately) into mind!

A couple of days later Tony was given a follow-up, which is as follows:

I had a dream 02/28/2013. In this dream I saw a huge crayon. What was unique about this crayon is that it had no wrapper on it and the crayon had a multitude of colors the first being white.  This is significant because in light, white is the presence of all colors, and, we are to walk in God’s light and in so doing, But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. (John 1:7) Even though white is the presence of all colors in light it is the absence of all colors when it comes to pigment. 

I saw this crayon color everything white, pretty boring, I know. But the only way to get to the next color in the crayon was to totally use up the white. Even though the crayon contained all these colors white was the only on visible. I then saw the colors in the crayon separate and when this occurred things began to take on a whole new look. Colors were mixed and reds and whites became pinks, other colors were paired with each other and provided contrast. While the white in the presence of light represents our fellowship with one another and the Lord; the pigment represents the physical aspects of color. In fact, in pigment, white is the absence of color. I believe that the colors in this dream are representative of people’ s personalities and characteristics all of which were apart of the crayon but until separated into their respective individual colors they remained hidden from view.

In my previous posting, I mentioned people coming together each having a puzzle piece and that the completed picture of Jesus was dependent upon the cooperation of the individuals gathered. So it is with the crayon in my dream. We must realize that none of us have the capacity to draw and color the picture by ourselves. We need the cooperation of the body….a description of this provided by Oksana who blogs under the name Talitha Kum [and may be found in commentary to Part 1 on above link].

In my humble opinion, these are exceptionally significant and related to how the Lord is building His Church in this ‘new season’, as at the close of my previous post.  There are a few issues on this, however, which I’d like to address soon – perhaps over a cuppa?

[Jigsaw image is courtesy of Thanunkorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Is the ‘Petrus Romanus’ prophecy of God? – continued

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John 17 records that, after praying for His first disciples, Jesus asked His Father,

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;  that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me…”

It’s fitting for us to bear that prayer request in mind as we continue our conversation on the new Pope Francis and the alleged Malachy prophecies of the Popes.:

Fresh CoffeeAs we get a fresh Cuppa I introduce a friend who’d joined us at the start of our chat. Bill’s an itinerant preacher, teacher and author (of   Feasting on The Father). We met years ago at a weekend’s worship and fellowship in Portsmouth for those blessed by the Toronto Refreshing, or associated with the Toronto Airport fellowship. ln turn, I introduce Kenny,  who convened our chat, as well as a regular contributor to my blog, Tony from Tucson.

Bill and I have kept in touch and he admits to not being a great ‘end times’ follower. He tells us his priority is to,

“…follow the desire of my heart to go into all the world and disciple the nations. To see the church of which Jesus is the Head, grow in the reality of righteousness and holy, joyful separation from the spirit of this age and world. To see us become more blatantly passionate pursuers of King Jesus, passionate lovers and servants of one another and healers of a broken, fear-filled world. From this, I believe, will come the unfolding of the end times, however that unpacks.”

“Yes agreed,” I reply, “Along with many others I believe the worldwide Church is moving fully into doing the greater works Jesus indicated; and in our becoming ‘Sons of God’ at the same time persecutions intensify. We can’t be too literal and precise in dating end-times but simply watch for the signs, as Jesus said. [Luke 21:36]

“We both know many within the Roman church who are truly born-again, faithful lovers and followers of Jesus. Unlike a number of non-Catholics I’m not against Rome, the Papacy or its new …”

“My spirit,” interjects Bill, “Registers that despite all the man-made stuff, this beautiful, compassionate man is of God for this time, and I pray he grows in demonstrating the reality of the Gospel before the eyes of the world”.

“Amen!” we all say…

Kenny adds, “In your first mention of Pope Francis, Richard, you blogged about having read of this Roman Catholic prophecy in your ‘old life’. Tell us more!”

“Well I must admit,” I reply, “That and some other things have put me in a bit of a spot – an unusual one. And it could prove God wastes nothing in our lives, even our days as unbelievers. Everything gets redeemed. So here goes…

“In 1970s I read a book on the possibility of getting outside time. One chapter covered the Prophecies of the Popes, or visions that came to the Archbishop of Armagh, later canonised as St Malachy.  If it were an accurate prophecy, I guessed it would place the reign of the pope sitting at the end of his list as being about 60 years in the future. So, I probably wouldn’t be alive at that time. BUT the future has arrived – much sooner than anticipated. Hence, my personal interest. Also, my experience brings some insights for you.

“For those who’ve just brought their first Cuppa, let’s briefly…

“Recap…

“The whole thread of posts about the new Pope was triggered by a friend’s email which gave the 12th alert about God doing a new thing. I had a mental image of God putting a piece of an invisible jigsaw into place.  ‘Invisible Jigsaw’ was my blog’s original name!  But that didn’t happen ’cause I couldn’t find, or create, a suitable graphic design.

“Having been ‘redirected’ from what I’d intended writing, I had a distinct sense this ‘new thing’ may be related to the change in popes. Furthermore, I wondered how it might apply to St Malachy’s mottos. Then whilst writing, an insight suggested the Roman catholic church is to be returned to Jesus’ original purpose – back to the blueprint!  I had a sense, therefore, of a huge cycle but not returning to exactly what it was 1,980 years ago – more like a progressive spiral turn…

“So, what I was getting is radically different to anything sensationalist conspiracy or the  doomsday merchants presume the Malachy prophecies mean. After writing that blog, I was amazed to immediately come across an analysis that lent some credence to my notion…and more stuff came to open up a broader perspective…”

Bill leans forward, “Nevertheless, the first thing that struck me about Shane Schaetzel’s piece was the ‘error of isolation’. His emphasis on it being a catholic word for catholics alone flies in the face of us being one body, one people, one building, one bride…”

“Yes, that’s so, but maybe the fire in a Catholic in the Ozarks is that of a relatively new, fervent convert, as well as being brassed off with the sensationalist hype displayed in the video that opens his piece.  I didn’t bother watching it ’cause I wanted Shane’s own ideas and not be distracted.”

“I don’t want to cover Shane Schaetzel’s detailed examination of the prophecies in great depth, but here’s my ‘take’ on several points..:

Review

1. Shane is reasonably well-informed and tries to be objective. Some of his argument, however, is confused and biased by Roman Catholic exclusivity. He fails to understand non-Catholics’ interest in an ‘obscure’, ‘alleged’ and unverified prophecy. But in fairness, his claim of their inconsistency in rejecting the more legitimate aspects of Catholicism is quite reasonable.

2. I agree in his stressing context – ‘You simply can’t pluck out one particular prophecy, isolate it in a vacuum, and then come up with your own interpretation that has no connection to the overall narrative of all Catholic prophecies’.

There must be not only a witness in our own spirit of what is from Holy Spirit but also a confirmation, or thread, of similar from other prophets and fits the tenor of scripture. [For example, see review prophetic words on new move of God.]

3. To put the Malachy prophecies into proper context, therefore, Shane provides an example from 14th Century’s remarkable ‘Worthy Shepherd Prophecy’.

This speaks of an unexpected, major restoration for the papacy “by about twelve years after the millennium have passed”, and closes with reference to a renewal in faith and restoration of the Church. Shane also notes, “As coincidence would have it….They both coincide perfectly with the time period we have just entered”.

This priest displays unfamiliarity with God-incidence in a prophetical perspective! He does not grasp its importance and brushes it aside as simple ‘coincidence’.  ‘By the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established’ [Deut 19:15 NKJV] may also be applied to prophecy. This must have been in Paul’s mind when directing believers in prophesying, per 1 Cor 14:29-33.

4. After this consideration, Shane proceeds to discuss the attributes, character and work of ‘Peter The Roman’.  I’m especially interested in his perceiving a return of that church to its first purity, as surmised in my 4th point on Pope Francis – and which took me by surprise.  And this harmonises with prophecies about new, historical moves of God in Europe. [See prophecy #11 herein.]

5. I’ve commented on Shane’s blog about the Petrus Romanus prophecy’s reference to judgement, and he kindly replied. [Comments at the foot of his analysis refer.]

I disagree on two counts with his conclusion that an archbishop such as Malachy would have plainly stated the ‘dreadful judge’ is ‘Jesus Christ’, if that’s who he meant. First, the description ties in with and thus may allude to the scripture about all believers standing before the ‘bema’ judgement seat of Christ in 2 Cor 5:9-11, namely:

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. (NKJV emphases added)

Secondly, the reference reminds me of the Orthodox concept of Christ Pantocrator, or almighty judge. The typically Roman concept of a Christian secular leader rescuing the church is inappropriate, as may be surmised from Europe’s current state. Furthermore, the Malachy motto is about persecution, which accords with OT prophet Daniel’s ‘little horn’ waging war against, not judging, the saints. [Daniel 7]

6. Shane draws to a close by taking issue with ‘Fundamentalists’ and mainline media’s translation of ‘persecutione extrema’ as ‘final persecution’. He claims they’re wrong to do so:

It’s supposed to be translated as “extreme persecution,” but for some reason people are mistranslating it as “final persecution,” which changes the entire meaning of the text, giving the reader the impression that Saint Malachy was talking about the end times, when the Church is supposed to go under the “final persecution” of the Antichrist.  But that isn’t what this text says!

He implies they’re using Malachy’s prophetic motto to support their own particular brand of Biblical prophecy. Let’s look at the text again, courtesy of Wikipedia:

In perſecutione extrema S.R.E. ſedebit – Petrus Romanus, qui paſcet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus tranſactis ciuitas ſepticollis diruetur, & Iudex tremẽdus iudicabit populum ſuum. Finis. This translates as follows:

In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit – Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [i.e. Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End.

Shane also provides a photocopy of this part of the original for scrutiny purposes, and to make his point.  [I note this copy’s omission of ‘er’ from ‘pfecutione’, and correct printing of letter ‘s’ in its regular, medieval typeface.]

Now here’s where I part company with Shane.  As a child I hated Latin – got it at church and in class at grammar school. But I can now appreciate it and show Shane’s ‘coup de grace’ translation is, at best, not iron-clad and, at worst, incorrect. He attempts to use Latin to demolish end-times proponents’ claims that the Malachy revelations fit in with their eschatological opinion.

However, Shane mistakenly confuses the meaning of Latin ‘extrema’ by translating it from English, instead of from Latin. That is, he states ‘extrema’ means ‘extreme’ and, thus, is not the same as ‘final’, as supposed by Protestant eschatologists.

Now, Online Etymological Dictionary defines ‘Extreme’ as early 15c, from Old French extreme (13c), from Latin extremus “outermost, utmost, farthest, last”.  Oxford English Dictionary also has the origin of ‘extreme’ in Middle English, via Old French from Latin extremus outermost, utmost. [My pocket-size Collins Gem Latin Dictionary has the very same definitions.]  Can’t these translations of ‘extrema’ (feminine ‘extremus’) of ‘utmost’ and ‘last’ also be taken as meaning ‘final’?  Shane Schaetzel thinks not!

Therefore, ‘final persecution’ is a correct translation of ‘persecutione extrema’.

This does not change the entire meaning of the text, as he thinks, but gives legitimacy to an ‘end-times’ description. That is, the St Malachy prophetic mottos may well refer to the closing days of this era in history. [See comments on Shane’s blog about this point.]

Conclusion

“In my opinion, Shane Schaetzel’s analysis is worth perusal by students of eschatology. There is a seventh aspect over which he makes much ado that I want to address – ie. Catholic prophecies. In view of my earlier connections, I’d like to offer an insight or two over a Cuppa sometime soon.

“It seems we’re reaching a conclusion that the ‘Petrus Romanus’ prophecy could be of God…How say you?

“Perhaps we could discuss the other indicators on a later date?”

Breaking news on Ezekiel 38 alliance

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EXTRACT from two pre-blog emails (as in ‘About’):

FASCINATING how the Bible continues to be relevant for today!

If you’re familiar with Ezekiel 38 then maybe you’ve wondered if it relates to current events and what would come out of the melting pot – maybe the outcome would be different to what the holy prophet wrote? This could be inferred from the recent change in Turkey’s position regarding Israel, but there’s a good likelihood that’s only a temporary expedient in view of the existing close ties to Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s been secretly beavering away to produce nuclear weapons, as you may recall from William Hague’s announcement a fortnight ago. Here’s what DebkaFile wrote about Russian involvement, and gave our gov’t some credit:

Conspiracy Of Silence Over Four Iranian Nuclear-Capable Missile Tests

In early October 2010, Russian intelligence learned that Iran was about to begin test launches of missiles for carrying nuclear warheads. They reported this to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He then took three steps: He conveyed the information to US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and bound them to secrecy. With their pledges in hand, he used backdoor intelligence channels to persuade Tehran to refrain from bragging about its dramatic progress and keep the tests of the nuclear-capable missiles quiet in order to avert a world outcry against the violation of all their international commitments.

The Iranians bought the deal. In this way, the Russian leader raised a wall of silence around Iran’s advances towards ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and pre-empted condemnations, Security Council action, and other forms of American, European and Israeli action for keeping a nuclear bomb out of Iranian hands. This was the last straw – at least for the British government. Hague, in consultation with Prime Minister David Cameron, went public about what Iran was really up to with a statement to parliament.

[My emphases; 30 June report archived at http://www.debka.com/article/21076/ ]

Also, this morning’s on-line Jerusalem Post reports –

Russia Lays Out ‘Step-By-Step’ Approach On Iran – WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) – Russia on Wednesday laid out a “step-by-step” approach under which Iran could address questions about its nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions…The target is to hold the talks in Moscow the week of July 25, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Isn’t it fascinating that all four participants of the Ezekiel 38 alliance are intimately and concurrently involved in scripturally significant events?

Are the prophesied pieces of an ‘invisible jigsaw’ beginning to fall into place?

YET far better is the wonderful news of the Lord appearing to many in these areas, particularly in Turkey AND IRAN…more on this another time.

May He continue to bless you and keep you

Richard

Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 6:24 PM Subject: Re: Rewind re. Turkey

Hold on, back to square one? Well not quite…

Despite relatively welcome news in last weeks’ update, whilst tapping out its close I had reservations over the long-term likelihood of matters improving between Turkey and Israel. This is because the Ezekiel 38 alliance is not ancient but modern, as may be inferred from activities between Russia, Iran, Libya and Turkey. The last, with Syria, embraces the region of the ancient peoples of Meshech, Tubal, Gomer and Togmarah….

Now, Turkey’s PM Erdogan has stopped the reconciliation because the UN inquiry into those events has ruled favourably upon the legality of Israel’s blockade…Recriminations ensued but Western diplomats believe this won’t stop the two countries working together. Perhaps because Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama are hoping to pull off an Israeli-Palestinian summit in Paris for 2nd Sept? However, this important development depends upon concluding the Libyan war! (…archived report at http://www.debka.com/article/21091/) …

Update to…Change The World?

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COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’):

Friends – did a prophetic word pop into my previous mailing? (Also with some intriguing ‘synchronicity’, as below!)  Previously, after having written on a scripture, I didn’t know what to put and thought, “You know all about it Lord, so over to you”. Hence my wording below (now in red).

TODAY, scriptural confirmation has come via John McTernan, with full explanation! Please see today’s posting Elam/Iran in The Latter-Days – it’s engrossing reading, as is his second item Islam vs The Bible.

My previous was relatively brief to avoid taking up a lot of your time. That meant omitting many details, one of which is the reason for the pundits’ alarm. There had been talk of an imperative strike to take out the nuclear reactor. But that had to be executed before it went live to avoid woeful repercussions, as in the ‘Chernobyl incident’. [Over 600 fires in Russia have resurrected the radioactive perils arising from many nuclear incidents – see report.]

The reactor at Bushehr has become operational. On the previous day, Iran test-fired its latest missile (the words “Ya Mahdi” written on its side!), the US ‘reassured’ (!!) Israel that Iran is still a year away from making an atom bomb, and announced the resumption of Israel-Palestinian peace talks. (Debka, however, reported sources close to President Abbas quoted him as saying direct talks were not in the offering because a “big military surprise awaits the Middle East”!!  It’s known that all four armies in the region are on a full war-footing.) Furthermore, Israel’s hands were tied by a secret US-Russian deal!! [Debka report].

SO, presumably Obama thinks he must do something to earn that fatuous Noble Peace Prize endowed at the start of his office! BUT he’s thus tied USA into the Gog-Magog alliance of Russia, Iran, Turkey & Syria, (Ezekiel 38 refers) thereby fully confirming his own anti-Israel stance. (We can draw our own conclusions about the consequences for USA.)

AND HOW VERY INTERESTING that the question of Obama’s being a Moslem has blown up just in time for all these events! (You may recall my reservations on his professed Christianity in view of his Cairo speech and deliberate championing of ‘gay pride’?) The White House say his Christian belief is obvious – some pastors agree – BUT, whether Christian or Moslem, he ignores God’s holy word and His commands – YET, now his administration is turning America away from God and taking it back to ‘the days of Noah and Lot’, perhaps the Lord may be using Obama to bring about His purposes?

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Do I sense pieces of the Lord’s biblical ‘jigsaw puzzle’ falling into place? (At this very moment, as I write, my PC radio plays ‘Dies Irae’ (Day of Wrath) from Verdi’s Requiem Mass!! Now is that just coincidence or God-incidence? I’d stopped writing to get a coffee and share my thoughts with Nina before resuming with fresh idea about jigsaw. Had that not happened there’d have been no synchonicity – so I’m awestruck!)

May He be with you and your dear ones in these most fascinating times.

Richard

Previously:…Scripture instructs us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem – and that democracy’s leaders need the wisdom of the Lord.  Yet perhaps He may take alternative means of action to thwart the maniacs…?