End-times Briefing 4: expert’s excitement – More are coming to know this…

This post, one of my first blogs in November 2011, later featured on the Home page to inform visitors of the acceleration of prophetic fulfillment, as may be inferred from the links to confirmatory events two years later:

As you may have gathered from my Welcome, I’m into eschatology – the theological study of the destiny and judgement of nations and all people, even angels!  It’s about  ‘The Last Days’, as in the ancient Torah’s description: Acharit Hayamin, ie. ‘Last of the Years’, and were regarded as the years immediately following Jesus’ ministry. They’re more popularly known in Christian circles as the ‘End-times’.

Come with me to one of my favourite video classes where (the late) Dr Chuck Missler is asking his students, “Why Eschatology?”

“It is very practical”, he answers himself and explains:

“Apparently, we’re being plunged into a period of time about which the Holy Bible says more than any other period – including the time when Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee!

“Now that’s a preposterous statement – and I challenge you to challenge my statement! To do so you need to do two things:

1  Find out what the Bible itself says about this and – this is a bit harder,

2  Find out what’s really going on – but you won’t get that on the ten o’clock news!

“Fortunately, thanks to the internet, the alternative press and to talk-radio you can do some homework and find out what really is going on. The more you do those two things the more you’ll understand why many scholars are extremely excited about the horizon we’re moving into – because it all deals with the return of Christ to rule earth.

“It really is remarkable how controversial this topic is, but there are:

  • over 1800 references in the Old Testament to this event – 17 Old Testament books give prominence to the event.
  • over 300 references in the New Testament – 216 chapters in 23 of its 27 books give prominence to this primary issue: the return of Jesus to rule on earth.

“You may not believe what the Bible says, but what’s utterly astonishing is that so very many claim to believe in Jesus yet have no grasp of the idea Christ is to literally return and rule!”

I respect Chuck for frequently stressing that we shouldn’t take what he says as ‘Gospel’ but always do a ‘Berean check’ per Acts 17:11; that is, to search the scriptures to find out whether or not his ideas line up with them. Also, I admire his public apology for admitting that, having long taught about an anticipated Middle Eastern war from a certain scriptural stance, he’s gained a better understanding from other passages. So Chuck explained why he’d changed his mind.  For more information visit his website at Koinonia House.

What are we to do when mainstream news doesn’t help?  To find out click Not on The 10 o’clock News. [Since blogging this in 2011, heavily biased news has proliferated as a psychological warfare dictating news and denouncing non-MSM as disinformation with intention of governments curtailing independent journalism.]

PS: (20.3.24) From Behold Israel re post-October 7th 2023 Atrocity:

Footnote:

The following posts are just a few examples among many of subsequent eschatalogical developments since Chuck’s video:

Continue reading End-Times Briefings 

End-times Briefing 3: the ‘What?’ of Watching > Signs!

So far we’ve considered the Who, Why and When we’re to watch. Now to the rationale of this blog, as stated in its title’s strap-line, ‘Looking for the signs of Jesus’ return‘ and we examine what Jesus told us to look out for:

WHAT?

Omitting Jesus’ prediction of the destruction forty years later of the Temple in AD70, here’s a selection of signs stated in the first Gospel (Mark 13), and as augmented by Matthew (chapter 24) and Luke (chapters 17 & 21) plus insertion of Paul’s first and follow-up letters to believers in Salonika, to whom he stressed the origin of his teaching;For this we say to you by the word of the Lord…

    1. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations [‘ethnos’ – people groups], and then the end will come.”
    2. Disciples will stand before and councils, rulers and kings, beaten in religious assemblies:
    3. Many will come in Jesus’ name, saying, “I am He,” and will deceive many.
    4. Wars and rumours of wars – nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom: “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet
    5. “And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven ; All these are the beginnings of sorrows.
    6. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by nations all for My name’s sake.
    7. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another…Brother will betray brother to death – a father his child – children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death and…
    8. “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
    9. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
    10. SO, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’, spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not (let the reader understand!), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” [This refers not only to the Roman standard placed in the Temple’s Holy of Holies but also to profane objects or person therein at any time (including its mount?)]
    11. “…in those days there will be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
    12. “And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days….
    13. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it for false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
    14. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven…’and the dead in Christ will rise first,
    15. ‘then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up [‘harpadzo’ = rapture] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…’
    16. ‘You know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety” then sudden destruction comes…’
    17. ‘Let no one deceive you…for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first (Apostasy), and
    18. ‘the man of sin (lawlessness) is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped,
    19. ‘so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God…
    20. ‘The coming of the lawless one is according to the workings of satan with all power, signs and lying wonders, and
    21. ‘with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they didn’t receive a love of the truth, that they might be saved…
    22. ‘For this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie (!!)…’
    23. “As it was in the days of Noah, so also in the days of the Son of Man: “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
    24. “Likewise as it was in the days of Lot…on the day Lot left Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
    25. “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife: Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
    26. “I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
    27. “After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. (“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars…of heaven will fall and the powers of the heavens be shaken”)
    28. “and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
    29. men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth...
    30. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
    31. “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
    32. “Then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” [The Rapture]

Jesus said, “Take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Details from The Apocalypse, the book recording ‘the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants’ penned by His apostle John, will follow later.

IS THE END NIGH?

Not necessarily! I’m not of the alarmist brigade because, in my humble opinion, Jesus is coming back for a bride who’s ‘made herself ready’, which I understand to be a church that has been restored to move fully in the ‘greater works’ – one that has arisen with the glory of the Lord appearing over her and piercing the ‘thick darkness covering the peoples’ (see Revelation 19.7, Acts 3.21, John 14.12 and Isaiah 60.1-2). YET, it may be just over the horizon!

There’s clear indications this preparation is already happening through many ministries. Jesus did say, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16.18).

On praying to our Heavenly Father, He instructed us to petition, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” (Matt 6:10).

The Lord’s Kingdom rule has yet to come in its fullness so, in my opinion, a reworking – even a significant sifting or pruning – may be necessary as the Lord finishes building his Church and believers make themselves ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Next, in End-Times Briefings read an expert’s extremely excited opinion in Briefing 4…

Notes:

The above listing covers prophecies from the New Testament only, but not completely. For my blogs on prophecies from the Old Testament visit Bible Updates, Daniel, Ezekiel and Gog-Magog links.

  1. Regarding Daniel’s prophecy on the Temple see Notes to About Watching
  2. Sign #5 – see Fulfilled Prophecy #34 on quakes within hours of prophetic word and on increased activity around the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.
  3. Sign #10 – for an incisive opinion read What Not To Watch For In The End-Times.
  4. Sign #15 – an interesting clarification of ‘watch’ regarding pre-Tribulation rapture theories at Nelson Walter’s What Does ‘Watch’ Mean?
  5. Sign #16 “when they say” – the theme of the UN’s Year 2017-18 is ‘Together for Peace, Dignity, Safety  & Respect For All’, as outlined in Three Prophetic Jigsaw Pieces.
  6. Sign #17 – the great falling away from faith by church leaders has already begun, as may be seen under this blog’s Apostasy tag.
  7. Sign #21 – the acceptance of same-sex marriage, in defiance of biblical teaching, and its ‘wedded’ association with Sign #20 should put the holy fear of God in folk!
Credits:
  • Scripture from New King James Version; copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.
  • Header photo of Lookout Tower over entrance to Alcazaba, the Citadel, Malaga, Spain.

End-times Briefing 2: the ‘When?’ of Watching > NOW!

Knowing the ‘who’ and ‘why’ for watching for the End-times, we must consider timing:

WHEN?

Jesus’ major End-time teaching was given immediately after leaving the Temple with some of His disciples and He foretold its complete destruction, which was fulfilled about 40 years later with the infamous Roman siege of Jerusalem.

Jesus on the Mount of Olives:

As He sat on the nearby Mount of Olives, two sets of brothers (Peter & Andrew, James & John) asked Jesus to expand upon that prophecy, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” (see Mark 13, Luke 21, Matthew 24).

He answered in some depth, and by examination of the details we can conclude that not only does Jesus describe later events in that First Century but also those of a much later time, one yet to come but which is now at the door!

So Jesus did – but didn’t – tell them precisely “when”.

In talking of that future time however, He tells them a parable about the appearing of leaves on a fig tree – which many believe refers to the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel.:

“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it (or ‘He’) is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place..But of that day and hour no-one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is…Watch therefore…I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:28-37 NKJV emphasis mine)

Other passages of the New Testament imply that He, or Holy Spirit, subsequently gave those leading disciples, and Saul of Tarsus who became Apostle Paul, further insights on the approximate timing of those signs, as below:

Peter Preaching in the Temple:

Soon after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and the Holy Spirit falling in flames of fire upon the prayer group of about 120 believers (Acts 1:!5), Peter and John went to the Temple at the hour of prayer. You may recall the account of their stopping to heal a lame beggar “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” – it led to everyone heading for the Solomon Portico to become ‘filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him’!!

Peter was then inspired to preaching about it not being either him or John who’d done the healing, but faith in Jesus’ powerful name and he reminded them about how badly the leaders had dealt with Him. So Peter called all the people to:

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since time began…” (Acts 3:19-21 – my emphasis.)

So there’s a huge contribution followers of Christ have yet to make across all spheres of society towards such restoration – we’ve hardly started; not to mention both human and demonic opposition – but however do we restore ‘all things’? We must conclude that only The Almighty is able to bring about the ‘restoration of ‘all things’ – and doubtless in the manner Zecharia prophesied to governor Zerubbabel:

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord of hosts. (Zech 4:6 NKJV)

Although we need to beware of false prophets, Acts 3:21 implies that the Lord will keep His prophets informed of His intentions in bringing this about (Amos 3:7). Hence the important relevance of contemporary prophecy.

Paul Writing to the Thessalonians:

We know from Acts and accounts in Paul’s Epistles that this Apostle to the Gentiles was blessed with visions of and revelations from Jesus Himself as, for example, in the main scripture quoted by ‘pre-Tribbers’:

‘For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
‘For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.’ (1 Thess 4:15-17 NKJV)

‘But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.’ (1 Thess 5:1-5 NKJV – emphases added)

As modern history attests, Palestinian/Gazan leaders have been defiantly intransigent over any so-called ‘peace plan’ with Israel and, like Iran and Hezbollah, want to wipe Israel off the face of the map! Even so, let’s keep watching!

Note: UN’s theme for 2017-18 was ‘Together for Peace, Dignity, Safety & Respect For All’, as outlined in Three Prophetic Jigsaw Pieces.

20th CENTURY ‘KICK-START’

Although our focus is upon New Testament prophecy, we must not overlook not only that Jesus taught the parable of the ‘Fig Tree’ but also within our lifetime Old Testament prophecies of the future of the Jewish people were fulfilled by the stunningly rapid establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 – as recounted below:

Ten Scriptures Prophesying Israel’s Rebirth – Neil Mackereth

With Jerusalem no longer being “trampled down by Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) after the 1967 Arab-Israel war, that earlier date of 1948 could be regarded as ‘kick-starting’ the fuller aspect of the End-times.

Next, in Briefing 3 we consider what we are to watch out for that’s yet to come…

[Click for listed links to End-Times Briefings]

[Image by courtesy of Elaine Tavolacci https://awordinseason.info/]

End-times Briefing 1: the ‘Who?’ and ‘Why?’ of Watching

In view of current events it’s time to reconsider the End-times foretold in the Holy Bible.

The mini-series published in February 2018 and filed in the main menu for reference purposes was preceded by a couple of re-blogs referring to one of eight eschatological scenarios – that is, on the pre-Tribulation Rapture. Along with a theology blog’s debate, I was prompted to expand upon one of this blog’s earliest entries – ‘Why Watch?’

So now, lets’ reconsider the ‘Who, Why, When and What’ of our watching:

WHO?

Messiah Jesus Himself is the WHO and is thus the basic reason we should be watching for. because He instructed His followers to do so.

YET the ‘Who’ includes you, me and everybody alive – including unbelievers! SO, If you’re not familiar with who Jesus really is and the fact we can be in a close, loving relationship with Him, then dip into my question: “Do You Know Jesus?”

WHY?

For me, a totally unexpected and very spectacular, life-changing event in 1989 made watching very personal and connected into relevant, directive scripture. (Years later I realised that it was truly a blessed foretaste in every way of His ‘Second Advent’.)

Then in 2008, wanting to check Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13, I opened my Bible and IT EXPLODED! as I heard:

“This is ALL about to be fulfilled!”

Thus impelled, in February 2009 I began emailing friends and church leaders on current events and prophecy in The Endgame Is Now In Play, wherein I write:

‘Jesus urged His disciples to look out for and observe signs of the times. Regarding their questions about His return at the end of this Age, the earliest Gospel account has Jesus stressing 7 times, Watch…be alert…on your guard (Mark 13). Matthew 24 reports Jesus saying 4 times, Watch…and when you see…” followed by the parables of the burglar (Jesus coming “like a thief in the night”) and of the virgins > “Don’t be caught napping!” (is the Church still asleep?).
Luke’s account has,
“Be always on the watch…” at Luke 21:36 and chapter 12 (NIV) has sections on watchfulness and interpreting the times. In each Gospel Jesus commands, Learn the lesson of the fig tree…”. Also, the Apostles went on to give more indicators (Acts 3:20-1, Hebrews 12:26-7, 2 Peter 3, 2 Timothy 3 and the first and second letters to the Thessalonians).’

It’s claimed that for every OT prophecy about Jesus Christ’s birth and life there’s seven to eight times as many about His eventual return or ‘Parousia’, also called ‘The Second Advent’ or ‘Second Coming’. I’m of the opinion the likelihood of that event in our lifetime is rapidly increasing !

Jesus stressed the great importance of His return. Eg, His instruction to the four who’d been with Him from the outset of His mission is given at Mark 13:33-37 (NKJV):

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

Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming – in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning – lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping! And what I say to you, I say to all, ‘Watch!’.”

That’s why I’m watching and, believer or not, you too are included, as is implicit in Jesus’ admonition: “I say to ALL…

So, watching for Him is and always has been THE ‘inclusive’ activity – and one with divine warrant!

How Can We Be Sure?

You may object and say, “But even if that’s an accurate quotation it’s only guesswork”. That is, prophecies don’t always come to pass. First, in synopsis only, I offer this key to foretelling the future.:

We’re privileged to learn what Almighty God has decided is to happen. He shared his plans with a select number of ancient sages, or prophets, over a long period that started 29 centuries ago, and several centuries before Christ. Amidst extensive instructions He told the prophet Isaiah:

“For I am God and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand and I shall do all My pleasure’…” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV)

In fact, some years before Isaiah the first of the ‘writing prophets’ had received a distinct word about God’s intention to divulge His plans. This is recorded in Amos’ scroll at the seventh verse of the third chapter (in modern notation):

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

MOREOVER, 10 OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED OVER TWO MILLENIA LATER WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL IN 1948, as Neil Mackereth writes in his two-part article’s Annex published on 4 April 2025.

Next, in Briefing 2 we learn about when we’re to be watching for whatever’s coming >>

[Click for listed links to End-Times Briefings]

God-incidents, GPS and Deut 19:15 witness law – “four makes sure!”

Timing is everything, especially for holy scripture’s prophecies and contemporary prophetic words coming to pass – as well as input from Holy Spirit by means of God-incidents and Global Prophecy Signals. Also, as when just passing incomplete jigsaw puzzles we’re surprised to spot pieces that will slot into those already laid, it ‘just so happens’ with ‘pieces’ of the Lord’s Invisible Jigsaw. Continue reading

End-times Great Apostasy in Rome; pope versus the faithful

Further to the two-part report on papal apostasy confirmed by a sign from heaven on the pope’s birthday, when lightning struck a statue of Saint Peter at a Catholic church near his home diocese Buenos Aires, the co-founder and CEO of LifeSiteNews John-Henry Western writes a profound, shocking short paper upon more proof of the pontiff’s heretical leanings:

Click to read in full:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/pope-francis-has-declared-war-on-faithful-catholics/

It is a veritable ‘must-read’ about the pope’s strong support of abortion (child sacrifices to the false-god Molech) and thus empowering so-called Catholic Biden to threaten US Supreme Court Justices attending his abysmal speech on the disastrous state of the Union (click image to read and watch clip):

Biden Threatens Supreme Court Justices to Their Faces (Video)

End-times Great Apostasy in Rome confirmed by sign from heaven! – Part 2

Continued from Part 1, and in case you may have missed comments by Tony thereon he prefaces them; “Because of the nature of the vision I would ask that all who read it take it to the Lord in prayer and see what He speaks to your heart.”  The first has a similar theme to the statue struck by lightning (hence my underscoring):

A READER’S NIGHT VISIONS

11 Mar 2018 –  Doorway of Evil Opened

I had a vision yesterday where I saw the current pope. He was in a room by himself and what would seem a room only he knew about. There was a large door in the room in front of him. I noticed that he had a large gnarly-looking skeleton key in his right hand. I watched as he used it to open this door and when he did I saw many demonic beings fly out.

10 Jan 2016 – The Roman Church

“I had a dream 01/10/16 where I saw, who I believe to be, the current Pope. He wasn’t standing addressing the crowds as I’ve seen on many occasions; instead, he was seated on the Papal throne. The throne was at the top of St Peters Basilica with the Pope seated upon it. Then I saw the building begin to implode with the Pope and his throne disappearing first within the building so that he disappeared from view. Then the building itself began to crumble in upon itself until there was nothing left. I don’t remember seeing rubble from the collapse of the building.”

EXPLOSIVE FURORE!

The document Francis issued the day after his birthday 6 weeks ago today, and on which lightning struck and broke off the keys held in the right-hand of a statue of St Peter near the pope’s home in Argentina, as reported in Part 1, brought immense indignation globally – on top of preceding Vatican actions against, even censorship of, priests and bishops. Archbishop Vignano, on whom I’ve blogged many times, isn’t alone but may be the most outspoken on this latest issue:

https://www.lifesitenews.com/episodes/servants-of-satan-archbishop-vigano-responds-to-pope-francis-blessings-for-homosexual-couples/

Archbishop Viganò Calls for Swiss Guards to Arrest Pope Francis and Cardinal Responsible for Pornograhic Book

A GOD-INCIDENCE!

Moreover, please note, I never expected it to have personal relevance to my Roman Catholic upbringing, as recounted in “You shouldn’t be at our school!”, together with a recent insight on my birth gained at the Nativity service played by children at 3Counties Vineyard church. SO, I had plenty to brood upon, but more was yet to come.

A fortnight ago, a brother at church told me about having a poignant dream on New Year’s Eve and I agreed it’s possibly of especial import because of the date. I was reminded of when Pope Benedict died on New Years’s Eve 2023 being most significant. So I mentioned the great upheaval that’s being happening in that church, as indicated in my posts about Pope Benedict.

On the intervening weekend I was very surprised to receive a message from Laszlo, a neighbour who knows we attend a church but who’s unaware of my blogging, and wherein he asks, “Hi Richard, please listen to this. What do you think?”

In my investigations into prophecy since learning about a visionary’s warning fifty years ago to President John Kennedy not to visit Dallas I came across the accounts in 1917 of some children in Portugal being astonished to have apparitions in which Jesus’ mother Mary gave them prophetic messages. Being concurrent with the Russian Revolution she requested prayers for the conversion of Russia and its return to the Christian fold.

Therefore, it’s not being an unfamiliar topic I found the half-hour video easy to follow and took particular note of how the narrator gives an intriguing nuance into the first four verses of Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians and the Son of Perdition being seated on Peter’s throne! – for reference: BibleGateway’s Douay-Rheims version.

RELATED NEWS  Continue reading

End-times Great Apostasy in Rome confirmed by a sign from heaven! – Part 1

Just can’t resist mixing metaphors of a lightning strike having supra-natural after-strikes like snowing jigsaw pieces!  I’d intended blogging this news quickly after posting on Richard’s Watch Telegram on Thursday 4th January but a long weekend intervened – and then more was to follow (in Part 2). Not for the first time does delayed blogging actually slot into what the Lord is doing! (Hence a hint at Part 2!!)

LIGHTNING STRIKES St PETER STATUE

‘Multiple journalism outlets have confirmed that lightning demolished the keys and blessing hand of a statue of St. Peter in Argentina on December 17, Pope Francis’ birthday and the day before the publication of the Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans endorsing homosexual “blessings.”

Source > https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/lightning-st-peter-statute-pope-francis/

NEXT DAY’S NEWS FROM THE VATICAN, ROME:

Source > https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-pope-francis-publishes-norms-for-clergy-to-bless-homosexual-couples/

COUPLE OF CONTEMPORARY PROPHECIES

Veronika WestUpdate on The Beginnings of Sorrows For Nations ,18 Sept 2022 closes:

“…See!  For The Nations shall yet be shaken in a greater way in the days ahead, and for those who think they are infallible and untouchable, shall suddenly fall and never recover!

I say, look to what will take place in Rome in the days ahead!

Yes Rome!  For the head of the serpent spirit shall be cut off, and all its demonic tentacles shall be fully exposed for the eyes of the world to see.

For when My Stone of Retribution flies, giants will fall, and when My Sword of Justice falls, heads will roll, for great will be their fall, in the fall that is to come!”

Chris Reed Praying for 2024 and Beyond, 17 Jan 2024

On February 16, 2019, I saw a devastating earthquake hit the nation of Italy. It was a sign of the shaking happening in Rome and the Vatican. I share this now because I believe this will be the year. The time the earthquake happens will be close to the time this shaking happens in the Roman Catholic Church. This should not surprise us given that the current pope just gave priests and bishops the right to bless same-sex couples. This physical shaking will be a sign of institutional shaking.

Continue reading at Part 2 (29 January)

End-times Great Apostasy – making God in our image!

This is one of the two aspects of this matter on my mind when I was blessed with the insight of God’s Word being His ‘Battle-Plan’. Revd Franklin Graham remarks about it on his Facebook as follows (emphases and linkage mine):

‘The Methodist Church in the United Kingdom has released its own “Inclusive Church Language Guide” that urges ministers and church-goers to avoid using words such as “husband” and wife” (and more) because those terms can be “hurtful” and “offensive.” Shame on the Methodist Church. These are Biblical terms—and marriage between a man and a woman is Biblical truth. The word “wife” is used in some 360 verses in 38 books of the Bible. They are in essence trying to edit what the Word of God says and teaches to be more appealing to the changing whims of culture.We are warned against that in Scripture. As Christians, we aren’t called to avoid what might offend people—we are called to share the Truth of God’s Word that can guide and direct us through every step of life.’

UN-BIBLICAL ‘BLESSINGS’

Let us not forget that in 2021 this body voted by 254 to 46 to allow same-sex marriages, requiring a change to the definition of marriage to be “a lifelong union in body, mind and spirit of two people who freely enter it”.  This is completely contrary to and at odds with what the saintly founder of Methodism, Charles Wesley, taught – and is utter heresy! Continue reading

End-times Great Apostasy – confirmed by word from the Lord

I’m delighted to find Chris G Bennett posted this on his Facebook yesterday:

FALLING AWAY

I see one or two prophecies talking about many things being pointers to the end-times. One of the things I don’t see is any reference to the great falling away, or loss of faith, prior to Christ’s return for the rapture or the second coming. The Lord pointed this out to me the other day and said, very simply, “Have you ever had a look at this?”

Only one mention is made in scripture, in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, of this virtually ignored subject. So many either ignore it altogether, or they brush over it and try to pretend it’s of little or no consequence! Yet there it is, in plain sight for us all to see, to mark, note, and inwardly digest.

Here it is –

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.”

One question, simply,

‘Has not the present state of much of the church amply confirmed that “the falling away” has well and truly started and is progressing at an alarming rate?’ So much so, indeed, that many churches are unrecognisable as Christian churches, but rather resemble more as self-righteous glee clubs, full of gossip and other even less sanctified behaviour!

But the Bible tells us that unless this comes first, then other end-time events cannot happen! So God is not surprised nor dismayed nor even appalled as we so often are! He may be sad at the extent of our sin, but never surprised nor dismayed. Another important point to bear in mind – the falling away must happen BEFORE the other end-time events, and there’s never a timeline laid out in biblical prophecy. However, other end-time signs as in Matthew 24 and elsewhere in Thessalonians, all agree in their pointing to this particular time that we’re in today.

The present falling away is unprecedented anywhere in history – the signs are there for all to see – all of which are declared by scripture as being abhorrent before God, an abomination – yet the church daily goes against scripture and Gods law in so many ways!

  • Abortion/child sacrifice
  • Same sex marriage
  • No heaven – no hell
  • L.G.B.T.Q./Trannies
  • Unsaved & unrepentant clergy

False doctrines; e.g. Replacement Theology, Hypergrace, the twisted Word of Faith / Prosperity gospel, the fallacy that women are not speakers or leaders, and more … (I realise this incomplete list may cause contention but – so be it! I don’t want an argument so: Please just scroll on by!)

Even recently, the Methodist Church probably caused Wesley to turn in his grave again when they came out against the term “husband and wife” in favour of “partners”!

So, call the intercessors again! Yes, call the intercessors, and join them too, to wage spiritual war on the false gospel, on the ‘tolerant’ church, on the ‘live and let live’ communities.

We cannot ignore the falling away any longer. It’s not going anywhere unless we do something about it, and if we don’t do something about it, then God will but we will not like it when He does!

I don’t hate anyone, but I hate sin, even though I’m not innocent either. I love all of Gods creation, even the unlovable and hateful ones. All I can do is love and leave the rest to God. As Billy Graham famously said, “It’s God’s job to judge, Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and my job to love!”

CGB

RB: So encouraging after having posted 70 items on this grave issue that the Lord has told a friend to check it out! The primary topic of both Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church is that of the Lord’s return and Paul spells out what will happen just prior to that dread yet awesome supra-natural event – and God’s permitting and dealing with it all!!

How to overcome our spiritual adversary – Revelation 12:11

New King James Version courtesy of BibleGateway.com

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

12 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Satan Thrown Out of Heaven

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they [a]did not prevail, nor was a place found for [b]them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,

 “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.12 Therefore rejoice,  O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

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Bible Update PS: just as Holy Spirit told Paul on End-times

Further to the Bible Update on Paul’s letters to Timothy on what Holy Spirit told him about End-times and how they describe today’s evil:

Visit Richard’s Watch Telegram for more prophecy-related news

Bible Update: events and human behaviour show End-times are here, as foretold by Apostle Paul

Drawing the previous post to a conclusion with reference to Dr Jan Halper-Hayes’ most important point, as made at the close of her discussion with Steve Schultz, wherein she cites 2 Timothy 3:1, as in this screen-shot, I add “The full chapter describes precisely today’s widespread anti-God wokeness”.

Dr Jan quotes the Amplified Bible translation of Apostle Paul’s letter written about 1,960 years ago, the first verses of which chapter read (emphasis mine):

Difficult Times Will Come”
But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.’  [BibleGateway.com]

My New Spirit-Filled Life Bible defines the Greek ‘chalepos’ as follows and note: ‘The word describes a society that is barren of virtue but abounding with vices‘!

A couple or so years earlier Paul had conveyed to his disciple Timothy what the Holy Spirit had told him prophetically:

‘But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning]…’

This introductory background clearly foretells today’s great apostasy not only in many main-line denominations but also, according to his announcement this week, by the one who’s supposedly a successor to Apostle Peter presiding in The Vatican, Rome!

Lastly in case you may not have seen, please note the valuable contributions added to the previous post, especially Tim Shey on the City of London’s financial history and his inclusion of these links:

The Deathbed Prophecy of King Edward the Confessor, 1066

A History Lesson: Colonel Isaac Barre

The modern-day restoration of Israel in her weakness – Chris Moyler

Publishing my friends Neil Mackereth’s and Chris Moyler’s comments on Israel stimulated them to further thought, in what’s been an intensely busy period.

Chris says, “I wrote it all so fast, completely from the hip, in two quick sessions. I have it, completely unedited as a document (but) am currently putting in the foundations for our new extension. Pure crazy, but the LORD is most definitely in it. Chris”

He raises A QUESTION….

“Are Christians interested in the scriptural basis for the support of modern day Israel?

I don’t think so. Maybe just a few……. I presently find myself up against a wall of disinterest.

My aim in writing about Israel is NOT that we should pontificate about her, but that we should have a sound scriptural underpinning to our prayers. i.e. that our prayers should not be weak and general, but bold and purposeful-prayers of great clarity.

Your thoughts please???? Chris xx”

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Modern Israel and Paul’s letter to the Romans – Neil Mackereth

The previous post with Neil’s covering email refers:

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISRAEL – SOME COMMENTS ON ROMANS

After 2000 years of study, it may seem unlikely that there will be any truly new insights in our examination of Biblical prophecy. It is possible, however, that some truths will only be revealed at the appropriate time “But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end” (Dan 12:4).

There was much that the disciples did not understand until Jesus was crucified, rose again and ascended into Heaven. In similar vein, much of Isaiah is clear to us now, after the cross, but must have been mysterious for the 800 years before Jesus was born

The OT is full of promises and prophecies that show that God has a special relationship with Israel and that they would be “the power in the land”. However, certainly in worldly terms, Gentiles appeared to take over the position of favour on the earth. Prophecy indicates that, in due course, God’s relationship with His chosen people will be restored. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written” (Rom 11:25, 26 (KJV)).

“The fullness of the Gentiles” should not be confused with “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24): one refers to spiritual blessing, the other to earthly power. It may be that Jerusalem will not be free of Gentile involvement in its affairs until Jesus returns to take David’s throne. The very expression “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” shows something will change, and implies a difference between Gentile believers and Israel. Is there a counter in Heaven – the numbers mounting while Satan watches, without knowing the target figure?

In Romans 11, Paul (the “Apostle to the Gentiles”) reasons that branches of the Abrahamic “tree” have been broken off and Gentile branches (believers) grafted in. The tree, whose roots Gentile Christians share, is essentially Abrahamic. Note that Paul never considered himself as having ceased to be a Jew, nor as having moved into a new religion, nor did he ever disparage his Jewish pedigree. Jesus as Messiah was for Paul the full expression of Judaism. Later (Rom 11:13-14) Paul added that, despite his calling as the apostle to the Gentiles, the ultimate motivation of his ministry was the salvation of his fellow Jews (Rom 10:1)

The Biblical predictions (prophecies) of a restored Israel are amazing, and the re-establishment of the Jewish nation in Israel, fulfilled in 1948, is even more so. The survival of national identity in dispersion, which the Jews maintained for nearly nineteen hundred years, prior to the rebirth of Israel, was a phenomenon in itself

Continuing in Romans 11 we see that this hardening will stay “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in;” and Paul adds, “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob, and this is My covenant with them.” (Rom 11:25-27). Does this mean that Israel will be brought within the blessings of the Gospel of Grace (the New Covenant), or that the Jews will be blessed on a different principle (the Abrahamic Covenant), or a bit of both? I really don’t know. Certainly, there is a remnant saved by grace: “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom 11:5, see also Rev 12:17)

As mentioned above, the OT clearly shows that the Jews enjoyed a special relationship (blessing). Jesus confirmed the patriarchal promise: “Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” (Rom 15:8, 9). We can understand that the Cross broke down the barrier and levelled all distinctions. As to righteousness “there is no difference, for all have sinned;” (Rom 3:22, 23), as to mercy “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him.” (Rom 10:12). However, the promises to Israel are very specific. If there is “no difference”, can God give blessing on a principle, which seems to imply that there is a difference? In other words, the expectation of certain promises to Israel would appear to be inconsistent with the concept of “no difference”!

Romans 11 indicates that Gentile believers and Israel now enjoy the same privileges. Nevertheless, it is part of the same revelation that although grace comes to the Gentile just where he is, it does not confirm him as a Gentile, but gives him a new nationality as a citizen of the Kingdom of God; for in the Church “there is neither Jew nor Gentile.” (Gal 3:28. Contrast with John 4:22, “Salvation is from the Jews”). The promises to Israel, on the other hand, imply that blessing will reach the Jew as a Jew, i.e., recognizing his national position and endorsing his special relationship under the patriarchal covenant. Jesus will return to Jerusalem and take His throne as King of the Jews

The New Testament opens with the record of the genealogy, birth and ministry of Jesus as “the Son of David, the son of Abraham;” (Matt 1:1). Jesus was “a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth” (Romans 15:8). The angel told Mary that the son she was to bear would be King on “the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever” (Luke 1:32,33). The question the Magi asked: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matt 2.2) appeared to be a confirmation of Jewish expectation

In both Daniel and Matthew, Jerusalem is the focus for End-Time events and that confirms the necessity and huge significance of the re-establishment of Israel and the re-unification of Jerusalem. The history of the Jews is a record of miraculous events: their escape from Egypt, their ordeals and God’s provision on the journey to the Promised Land were miraculous. Their successes and failures, conquests and captivities, their whole history is interwoven with miracles. The seventy years from Jesus’ birth to the dispersion of the Jews were full of remarkable events and prophetic fulfillment. From that time until 1948, however, there seems to have been a lull, as far as Biblical prophecy is concerned. We can now see the miracle of Jewish survival in dispersion. This is a new era: the very existence of modern Israel is the miraculous and essential ingredient for the next stage of prophetic fulfillment

In summary: “God has not cast away His people Israel” (Rom 11:1,2 KJV). In the Acts of the Apostles, Jerusalem was the centre for God’s people on earth, Gentiles were then admitted, “grafted in”. Initially, the Church was essentially Jewish. The Apostles taught in the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1, 5:42). Their testimony was in line with the old prophecies (Acts. 3:19-26.), and even when the Christians were scattered by persecution, the Apostles remained in Jerusalem.

Those Christians who left Jerusalem evangelised only among the Jews (Acts. 8:1, 4, and 11:19). Peter had to be persuaded to go among the Gentiles (Acts. 10), and that was not popular within the Church (Acts. 11:2-18). Over the centuries the number of Gentile believers grew and the Jewish membership fell away. In Israel today there is a remnant “who obey God’s commandments, and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 12:17); Jews, and yet Christians; Jews who believe in Jesus, the One whom secular and non-messianic Jews will continue to reject, until He appears.

It is my personal view that there are two courses to the fulfilment of End-Times prophecy:
  1. The church (which includes messianic Jews) will be raptured, and…
  2. The remnant of Israel will then come to recognize who Jesus is, a conviction of sin, repentance and be saved.

Neil Mackereth, 15th November 2023

The Day of The Lord – today’s verse puts ‘global warming’ in its place!

Holy Writ, as we well know, puts ‘global warming’ mania well and truly ‘in the shade’:

It’s highly appropriate for assessing our placing on the Almighty’s Timeline that we check the lead-in verses at BibleGateway.com (emphases mine):

The Day of the Lord

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance…’ (cont’d in Verse of the Day) 

https://www.space.com/aurora-alert-solar-flare-eruption-cannibal-cme-november-30-december-1

Anglicans’ apostasy is a clear sign Jesus’ Second Advent is getting close!

In ‘Looking for the signs of Jesus’ return’ since hearing “This is ALL about to be fulfilled”, one sign in particular continues to be blatantly obvious: the trans-sexual lobbying across church denominations with offensive flags of incomplete rainbows displayed in churches in support of ‘Pride’!  Most repugnant!

It’s one thing to apologise for the way ‘trans’-people have been treated by churches, but another to bow the knee to their selfish demands, deemed as ‘progressive’.

To any thinking Bible-believer it’s just one part of the fallen one’s strategy of attacking the future Bride of Christ to bring great internal division together with divergence from – as well as twisting! – God-given scripture of the Bible.

That source is as plain as a pikestaff in its usurpation of the sign God gave of His first Covenant with humanity – the seven-coloured rainbow.

Nevertheless, in view of my history I’ve been pleased to find churches of various styles have grown greatly in brotherly appreciation, despite the increasing satanic attacks.

Fallen by being kicked out of heaven, the hater of humanity’s main strategy has been to beguile church leaders into being ‘progressive’ instead of standing firmly upon the Word of God. Such reprobate leaders have led their churches into….

The Great Apostasy

2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…

… 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2Thess 2)

That’s New King James Version. The Classical Amplified adds to verse 3 ‘[unless the predicted great [b]falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come]’- footnote [b] ‘A possible rendering of the Greek apostasia is “departure [of the church]“.’

Thus, the foretold falling away doesn’t so much refer to non-churchgoing public turning away from believing in our Father God and Jesus Christ as regular believers choosing to leave behind any belief and deliberately departing from the faith.

In the brief background to my Theological thoughts on salvation and apostasy I refer to ‘lost salvation’ as a topic for Saturday Men’s Bible study. In our online chat and saying the Lord had poked me to blog on it, I added my hope of getting a Deuteronomy 19:15 two-witness confirmation as soon as possible.

Indeed, I thought confirmation emerged with Friday’s news of Justin Welby’s apology for what was wrongly taken as a personal slight by the lead advocate in his Church’s move towards liturgical accommodation of trans-sexuality.

However, the usual personal confirmation was yet to come in Sunday morning’s service. A congregant with top diosecan connections briefed me about the disastrous outcome of last week’s Anglican General Synod.

CORRECT TRANSLATION

In last Thursday’s Theological thoughts on salvation and apostasy I refer to the interlinear Greek translation for ‘Falling away’ but noted a friend heading up Prophetic Releasers for UK Revival had commented upon my Facebook version of the previous day’s Bible Update: ‘Great Apostasy’ of Pope and Anglican leaders.

Geoffrey informs me the Literal Standard Translation of the Bible, a major revision of Robert Young’s Literal translation, posits an alternative “that puts a completely different outlook on this verse and the sequence of the departure (rapture) in future events”. He cites verse 3 as:

“do not let anyone deceive you in any way, because if the departure may not come first, then the man of lawlessness may not be revealed – the son of destruction.”

In my opinion, omitting any reference to ‘apostasia’ (falling away) makes the translation too ambiguous and unclear in what we expect of Holy Spirit-inspired revelation. What’s more, it’s just conjecture because the scriptural prophecy is actually being fulfilled in tandem with verses in other books.

So here’s A E Knock’s Concordant Method interlinear Greek translation, as published by Scripture4All, following this Introduction:

Click image for link to read in full

SCHISMATIC GENERAL SYNOD

Now, in catching up with my church friend’s recommended reading from the CEEC (Church of England Evangelical Council) it is abundantly clear the CoE is now moving into DEEP SCHISM

Some CEEC leaders’ comments (emphases mine)

  • “For many in the Church of England a line was crossed this week that we prayed and hoped would not happen.”
  • “We believe these proposals are being pursued without adequate provision and protection for those holding to the biblical, historic and global majority Anglican view on marriage and sexual intimacy. This underlines the failure of leadership by the archbishops and divided House and College of Bishops.”
  • “CEEC regrets that these changes will cause deep division in PCCs and parishes, deaneries and dioceses the length and breadth of the country, in the same way that the Bishops and General Synod are divided.”
  • Above from report of 17th November > https://ceec.info/responding-to-the-15-november-2023-general-synod-decision-looking-forward/
  • Next from report of 12th October https://ceec.info/ceec-welcomes-bishops-dissenting-statement/
  • “It is not very often that bishops from the House of Bishops express their dis-ease at something being proposed by the rest of the House. The statement is significant because of what it says.
  • “First, they name the deep disagreement that exists within the House of Bishops.  To publicly acknowledge the depth of disagreement is significant, given the seismic changes the House of Bishops is pursuing.”

Also, in Premier Christianity’s opinion piece CofE leaders are ‘walking together’ into sin. It’s a bad joke, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre and Christian Concern, Andrea Williams, points out the bishops’ disingenuity

‘It is being widely reported that the Church of England’s governing body, General Synod, has backed trials of services blessing same-sex relationships. The Guardian says “services to celebrate gay marriages could be held within weeks”.

‘The CofE leadership are often at pains to claim that these services – and the prayers within them – only “ask for God’s blessing”, and that they don’t directly bless these relationships or sexual activity within them.

‘This is straight out of the CofE playbook: deceptive language that allows the de- facto approval of sin while pretending they’re not contradicting the Church’s doctrine of marriage. All this nuance is lost within minutes of the vote as media outlets report that these ‘blessings’ are going ahead.’

FOOTNOTE:

This post is an interim update before proceeding with theological thoughts on believers’ possibly losing their salvation, and alternatively to the Lord’s glorious promise of our personal salvation

Bible Update: ‘Great Apostasy’ of Pope and Anglican leaders

First, let’s remind ourselves what the Holy Spirit told Apostle Paul around 50 and 64 AD, as in his respective letters to the church in Thessalonica and to his disciple Timothy, as in New King James Version (courtesy BibleGateway.com, emphases mine):

2 Thess 2 > Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of [b]sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits [c]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the  [d]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [e]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.’

NB. Those closing verses should generate a righteous fear of the Lord in everybody!

1 Tim 4 > Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/13/church-of-england-dedicated-ceremonies-for-gay-couples/

The Existential Threat to Israel – Part 3: A War of Survival – Neil Mackereth

Hot on the heels of Part 2 my retired soldier friend and author of Signs: The Significance of Bible Prophecy submitted this afternoon (images added): 

THE  EXISTENTIAL  THREAT  TO  ISRAEL  PART 3 – A WAR OF SURVIVAL

Introduction

This is a very critical time in the history of modern Israel. I believe that decisions
made in the next few days will determine whether the Gog and Magog war (Ezekiel
38) is precipitated or if, alternatively, there will be a victory of sorts in Gaza followed
by a period of peace. The latter may seem the more attractive outcome; however,
there is no doubt that the Gog and Magog war is coming.

As I said at the end of Part 2, the situation is changing as I write. What is more, it is
difficult to get accurate real-time information. I am deeply distressed by the
polarisation that is developing; and by the BBC reporting, which seems intent on
encouraging that polarisation. [RB. It’s exceptionally badly biased pro-hamas support was noted 9 years ago in my Call for Clarity on Israel and Gaza!)

The media must bear some responsibility for the imbalance in reporting that, I believe, is encouraging mass intolerance and demonstrations, in support of a movement many of the partakers know very little about. Watching recent news reports, I am reminded of scenes from “Kristallnacht” in Germany in 1938, when marauding mobs roamed the streets attacking Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues.

RB: In his frequent on-the-ground updates Amir Tsarfati gives this informative link to a virtual Mapping the October 7th Massacres

The Dilemma Facing Israel

In any military appreciation of a situation, it is always wise to seek to assess, and try
to better understand, the situation from the enemy’s point of view. That requires a
working knowledge of their motives, intentions, strengths and weaknesses, and
tactics; and, in particular, what they must be stopped from doing, whatever the cost.
The leaders of Israel face an almost impossible dilemma.

Some key factors affecting their decision making:
  • Iran, and its proxies, are motivated by a deeply flawed genocidal Muslim
    theology.
  • Israel is losing the propaganda war – and putting Israel, and Jews world-wide,
    in great jeopardy.
  • Every effort must be made to rescue the hostages.
  • Hamas uses the Gaza population as a human shield and hides its operational
    headquarters, weapons and munitions etc., in tunnels under hospitals,
    schools and such like.
  • Hamas pays no heed to the “rules of war”.
  • World opinion, and the need to maintain the support of allies, may limit flexibility (hamper operations).
  • Iran is likely to have the ability to build and deliver nuclear warheads, within
    weeks. The thought of that capability, being in the hands of radical Muslim
    fanatics, is frightening.
  • Hezbollah has over 100,000 fighters, is far better equipped and trained than
    Hamas, and has at least 100,000 rockets, many of which are sophisticated
    precision (targetable) missiles, plus drones and anti-tank, anti-aircraft and
    anti-ship missiles.
  • If Hezbollah where to attack fully now, Israel is mobilised and ready; if they don’t,
    Israel has to ask why not?
  • Possibilities (What Ifs): Perhaps Iran’s strategy involves the drawing out of the IDF, and the loss of Hamas and Gaza citizens may be viewed as a necessary sacrifice (collateral damage) to achieving their ultimate goal (explained in Part 1, radical Muslims do not have a western mind-set). Or perhaps Iran wants to delay an attack, in order to complete its nuclear weapons programme.

Summary

For Israel, “victory” in Gaza (and only Gaza) could lead to a false peace and, as a
consequence, to the demobilisation of reservists. The battle fatigued reservists would return home (and back to work) and start to relax. If Hezbollah were then to launch a full-scale attack, i.e., shortly after IDF demobilisation, the challenges for Israel would be immense.

God is revealing the true nature of the society in which we live, and it is alarmingly bad. The liberals, who took control of the madhouse decades ago, do not understand what they have unleashed. Their view that most, if not all, people are motivated by logic, reason and self-interest is flawed: there are some who will never enter negotiations with honest intent.

Iran and its proxies are driven by a deep pathological hatred of Israel and are committed to a radical Muslim theology that demands the annihilation of all Jews.
Similarly, the “Palestinian Cause” has always been a cover for the expulsion of Jews
from Israel, and has never been about sharing the land.

Why are the blood-chilling genocidal statements made by anti-Israel leaders and clerics, that show their true motives, never broadcast by the mainstream media?

Conclusion

Israel is fighting a war for its existence against a genocidal enemy. Whichever way things go, it seems inevitable that Israel will be vilified and, by association, all Jews world-wide will suffer.

Undoubtedly, one of Satan’s objectives, in his attempts to undermine God’s redemptive plan, is to stop the fulfillment of Biblical End-times prophecy. To that end, he is seeking to annihilate all Jews so that Jesus has no Jewish Kingdom to which to return and rule. The Bible shows that he will fail.

We may appear to be in an unstoppable downward spiral to disaster, but God’s plans
will not be thwarted. It has never been more important to understand the signs of the
times, watch for the fulfillment of prophecy, and to be ready. JESUS WILL RETURN.
Halleluiah!

RB’s ADDENDUM:

ON THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE OF GOOD vs EVIL

Read in full at https://www.printfriendly.com/p/g/cGq6Ne

PS. View more prophecy-related news at Richard’s Watch Telegram channel.

PPS (22:10)

Cont’d: ‘…to the international media – this is how the terrorist organization Hamas takes fuel from the hospitals in the Gaza Strip, at the expense of the humanitarian needs of the residents of Gaza.

The exposed conversation between the commander of the West Jabaliya battalion of Hamas and Gazati, with the participation of the director of the Indonesian hospital, is further proof of Hamas’ cynical use of humanitarian resources in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the conversation confirms that the terrorist organization Hamas controls the existing energy resources in the Gaza Strip and chooses to channel them for its operational needs at the expense of the needs of the civilian population.’

The Existential Threat to Israel – Part 2: Gaza in Bible history and prophecy – Neil Mackereth

Continuing from Part 1 and, in view of its direct relevance, again I head up my friend’s exposition with this from Behold Israel channel:

THE  EXISTENTIAL  THREAT  TO  ISRAEL – Part 2

Gaza

I was surprised to discover that Gaza is mentioned at least 20 times in the Bible. The
only positive reference I could find was the story, in Acts 8, where Phillip evangelises
and baptises a man who is on his way to Gaza.

For the most part, Gaza is referred to as a place where the leaders and people (e.g.,
the Canaanites and the Philistines) hated God and the Israelites. The Israelites, in
Judges 1, were ordered by God to conquer Gaza, which they did.

The prophets Amos (1:6-7), Zephania (2:4) and Zechariah (9:5) wrote about the
wickedness of Gaza and the judgement that God would bring upon its inhabitants.
I will return shortly to the question of whether the current calamity in Gaza has end-
times significance.

The Palestinian Cause

The Palestinians have shaped a widely accepted narrative, about their history and
situation, which is based on lies. They have been so successful in convincing the
media to promulgate their version of history, that any attempt to challenge the
accuracy of their fabricated story is now seen as race hatred and/or Islamophobia.
Comments that the region has been “Palestine” for 2000 years, and that Gaza has
been confined and its people oppressed by colonialist Israel, are simply not true.
These entrenched views are well-nigh impossible to correct.

Rather than reiterate what others have said, I recommend the comprehensive and
well-researched articles posted on “Richard’s Watch”: Conversations and corrections
over history of Palestine and Israel – 1 of 2  and 2 of 2

Also, a “Prophecy Today” article, which lays bare some very uncomfortable facts about the true intentions of Radical and Apocalyptic Islam: Cutting Through the Fog of War

In a nutshell, the land (about 10 times the size of current Israel) was given by God to
the Israelites over 4000 years ago. Roman Emperor Hadrian crushed an Israeli
revolt in 135 AD and renamed Israel (Judea) Syria Palistina, in his attempts to
subdue Jewish nationalism.

The truth is that, after they began returning to Israel and the state consequently being established in 1948, it was to a very small area of their homeland.

In researching these topics: I have noted that many sources of information, including
the UN, have sanitised (adjusted or omitted) parts of the History of the region.

The tragedy of the false “Palestinian” narrative is that many compassionate people,
with a heart for the disadvantaged and social justice, do not understand the full
history of the movements they support: the people of Gaza need to be freed from
Hamas (see Part 1). Hamas have no interest or concern for the well-being of the
people they use as their human shields in Gaza, and who they exploit for propaganda
purposes.

Prophetic Significance

Returning to the question of Gaza’s prophetic significance. There are a number of
biblical prophecies that need to be borne in mind, by anyone who is intentional about
marrying past prophecies with contemporary events. Time will tell whether we are
witnessing Matthew 24 “birth pains”, or further along the End-Times time-line. Some
relevant prophecies:

  1. Damascus will be in ruins (Isaiah 17:1)
  2. There will be wars and rumours of wars (Matthew 24:6-7)
  3. Gaza will writhe in agony (Zechariah 9:5)
  4. False teachers and prophets will lead people astray (2 Peter 2:1-2)
  5. Earthquakes, famines, plague and pestilences will intensify (Luke 21:11)
  6. Travel and knowledge will increase greatly (Daniel 12:4)
  7.  People will prefer fantasy to reality, myth to truth (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
  8. The Jews have returned to their Biblical homeland (many prophecies); however,
    not all of the Jews have returned, and only to a fraction of the “Promised Land”.
  9. The desolate land (Israel) will (has) become fertile and fruitful—Zechariah 7:14.
  10. Things will be as they were in the days of Noah and people will be proud,
    unforgiving, lovers of self, lovers of money and pleasure (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
  11. For any communication on end time prophecies the message, and the
    messenger, will be mocked and ridiculed (2 Peter 3:3-4).
  12. The whole world will see Jerusalem as a problem (Zechariah 12:2-3).
  13. Christians will be persecuted and martyred (Matthew 24:9).
  14. Many will turn away from the Christian faith (Matthew 24:10).

Where Are We?

I am not sure, but what I can say is that we are not yet in the Ezekiel 38
Gog and Magog war. Some reasons: Russia (Magog)and Iran (Persia) are
not directly involved; Israel is not alone (weapons, equipment and
diplomatic support coming from other nations); Christians have not been
raptured (?)(!). However, the situation could alter very rapidly.

I had thought I would be able to “conclude” at this point. Not so, even as
I write I begin to hear and to realise that things are far more fragile than
I had originally believed. Israel is fighting for its very existence, and I will
explain why in Part 3.

RB Footnotes:
  1. Part 1’s PS screenshot refers to ‘taqiyya’; the doctrine of deception about Islam to avoid attacks. Read more at ‘Islam Question & Answers’ via Google search.
  2. The Jewish rebellion had lasted 60 years and Rome humiliated them by renaming the province after their centuries-old enemy.
  3. In A Call for Clarity on Israel and Gaza posted in June 2014, I noted over 11,000 genocidal rockets had been launched against Israel since it left Gaza nine years earlier. The number must now at least be double that and each attack is logged in Rocket & Mortar Attacks Against Israel by Date (2001-date) at the Jewish Virtual Library
  4. JVL’s History Wing contains a detailed history the Jewish people and the land.
  5. Prophecy TodayUK has published several excellent articles on recent events. I was disappointed, however, when its manager wanted to close our contact upon requesting their removal from the organisations listed in my paper of 2020 on The State of Prophetic in the UK.