When we invite Jesus into His entitled place as Lord of our life then everything falls into its proper place. So I suggest a starting point to prepare for what He’s doing in the New Year is to contemplate and realise His many ancient and eternal titles, as prophesied and fulfilled in holy scriptures: Continue reading
Originally published herein 12 years ago with my gratitude to Revd Elizabeth Knifton for this compilation shown during her chaplaincy at Acorn Christian Healing Foundation and offered for everyone’s edification (copyright unknown).
May the Lord bless you with personal revelation of His Living Word.
Written early this month we hit a few glitches, yet Neil is timely in view of Keir Starmer’s unwise appeasement of barbarians in recognising a Palestinian state (covered to a quick extent with links on this blog’s Telegram, from this item.) Note Neil’s perspective is not only from scripture but also that of a retired brigadier; also that emphases are mine:
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
INTRODUCTION
Joel 3:1-3 “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.”
The timing of this “trial” means it must be the same event, referred to as the “Sheep and Goats” judgement by Jesus, in Matthew 25:31-46.
Furthermore, it endorses the conclusion that when Jesus talks about “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” He must mean His Jewish “brothers and sisters” (“brethren” in some translations).
This is a clear example of the differing outcomes for those who bless Israel and for those who curse Israel. As Genesis 12:1-3 states:
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
From Joel’s prophecy, we see that dividing up God’s land is, in effect, cursing Israel.
A BRITISH PERSPECTIVE – Are we a SHEEP or a GOAT Nation?
Before answering that question, I want to look at a series of events that occurred
towards the end of World War 1, and which I am certain reveal the consequences of
blessing Israel: the dates are significant, as is the heart motive in the decisions made.
In June 1917, General Allenby, a devout Bible believing Christian, was appointed
commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF – a British Army group which
included multi-national allied forces). The EEF had been repelled in attempts to take
Gaza (which was held by German and Ottoman Empire forces) in March and April 1917.
On or about Tuesday 30 October 1917, the cabinet of our predominantly Christian
Government agreed the proposal to support the establishment of a national home for
the Jewish people. [RB; was this decision significant in turning the tide militarily, as well as spiritually?]
On 2 November 1917, the British Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour, issued the “Balfour Declaration”; a letter declaring British Government support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.
On 2 November the third battle of Gaza began.
On 7 November the victorious EEF took over the town of Gaza.
On 11 December 1917 General Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot and took over the city, without a shot being fired. In light of the successes and rapid advance of the EEF, the German and Ottoman forces had decided not to defend the City, but rather to withdraw into the Judean hills.
[RB: Gen Allenby entered on foot because he wouldn’t ride a horse over ground his Lord had walked upon. A few more details will appear in the Addendum.]
In September 1918, after a delay caused by the need to divert men from the EEF to
reinforce the Western Front during the German Spring Offensive, the EEF took Megiddo, then Damascus and Aleppo.
On 30 October 1918 the Ottoman Empire agreed a peace treaty with the Allies.
Obviously, a huge amount of detail is excluded. However, I am convinced that this series of events clearly illustrates that the blessing of Israel resulted in a reciprocal blessing.
At that time, we were definitely a Sheep Nation!
DIVIDING UP MY LAND
Tragically, Great Britain and the League of Nations reneged on their promises of support. In the early 1920s, some 72% of the land, originally earmarked as the intended homeland for the Jewish people, had been given to other interested parties.
Sadly, the British Government was heavily involved in dividing up the land and, after
World War 2, did everything it could, short of warfare, to prevent the establishment of
a Jewish Nation.
Nevertheless, miraculously, and against all the odds, Israel became (declared itself) a
Nation on 5 May 1948, albeit only in a fraction of the land area destined in Numbers 34,
which God gave, as an everlasting covenant, to His chosen people, Abraham and his descendants through Isaac. The nationhood status of Israel was immediately recognised by the USA.
CONCLUSION
So, Israel is a Nation and, since 1948 has survived, and continues to survive, wars and
appalling attacks. Obviously, the Israel economy is under considerable strain.
Nevertheless, its military successes and economic resilience are truly miraculous.
Meanwhile, Great Britain has lost an empire and been in a slow decline which, in recent
years, is gaining momentum. Our secular government now recognises Palestinian statehood, and in so doing is defying God.
We are now definitely a Goat Nation!
Neil Mackereth
NEWS:
Palestinians have had several decades to prove they can establish a viable, flourishing, peaceful nation. SO logically, they have neither the will nor intention of doing so!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/20/starmers-middle-east-madness-in-recognising-palestine/
[Finished during a brief gap between meal and house group and published at 19:17!]
Am amused that Old Testament patriarch Abram was only a couple of years younger than me when the Lord instructed him with a MIGHTY promise for the whole wide world. As written in the 12th chapter of the Book of Beginnings:
“Get out of your country, from your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Even when the Moabites instructed the diviner Balaam to curse the Israelites, the Lord spoke through him to bring a stunning contrary word, and which the modern state of Israel cited in its military operation ‘Roaring Lion’ against Iran (Numbers 24 NKJV)
“God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones and pierce them with his arrows.
9 ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
Amplified: “Blessed [of God] is he who blesses you [who prays for and contributes to your welfare] and cursed [of God] is he who curses you [who in word, thought, or deed would bring harm upon you]”.
My fellow End-times author AS cited the above scriptures and writes me as follows;
“Starmer should be very careful about his responses to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, for the sake of all of us:
Joel 3:2, 12, 17, 21: I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.
“Let the nations be roused, let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.
“Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.
Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.”
Zacharia 12:3-4: “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord.
OUR GOVERNMENT NOT STANDING WITH ISRAEL BUT SIDING WITH THOSE WHO CURSE IT, HAS PUT THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE SAME PLACE!
Not only failing to deal with anti-Semitic, pro-Palestine violence but also complying with the demands of those who endorse Hamas’ prime-evil barbarity, for Britain’s Prime Minister to recognise a state of Palestine in September unless Israel complies with a series of conditions based upon outrageous lies, puts our nation spiritually into a worse place than we’re in – but accords with the prophecy of the Lord overturning Britain.
YET, thank and praise You Lord for signs of Revival…
My personal Facebook and blog’s Telegram channel (has Preview screen) cover this news with many entries, for example along with other screenshots:
Read the remainder of the Ambassador’s 5-page letter here.
Adrian Blomfield writes,
‘Hamas leaders could be forced to leave Gaza after Middle-Eastern states united behind a new plan to end the 22-month-long war.
Qatar and Turkey, two of the group’s main patrons, have thrown their weight behind a French and Saudi peace initiative that sharply increases pressure on Hamas to disarm, surrender power and accept exile.
Senior Gulf officials said the rare display of regional unity could isolate the movement to the point where it has no option but to comply.
“We genuinely believe we have a shot at this,” one diplomat said. “Hamas is in a corner. They don’t have much choice.”
Israel’s long and bloody war in Gaza has left Hamas so enfeebled that Arab officials believe there is now a “golden opportunity” to deliver a final blow…’
Continue reading at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/30/hamas-could-be-forced-into-exile-by-arab-states/
Let’s pray this will align with the Lord’s plans, for “blessed are the peacemakers”.
FORTY YEARS FROM WATCHING IRAN’s REHEARSALS OF ATTACKING ISRAEL, WE SEE ISRAEL DEFENDING ITSELF BY DIRECT ATTACKS UPON IRAN.
Biblically, number “40” is particularly pervasive and connected to the fulfilment of God’s promises, not all of which are positive; often associated with judgement, testing and trials; of which many are listed within Biblical Viewpoint website.
In my Bio Info’s sub-head ‘Grabbed By An Invisible Hand’ I recount a life -changing event of about forty years ago (mid 1980s) when I was not yet born-again as part-time editor/publisher and trustee of a New Age group in London. My immediate predecessor and who operated a mail-order book business said, “As you’re interested in prophecy, you may like this!” and gave me The Invisible Hand by Victor Dunstan (published by his Megiddo Press, 1984).
This gift claims the Bible holds coded and plain-text details of prophecies relating to the 20th Century British Mandate in Palestine, and gives historical details of the Mandate.
Now it just so happened (my first ‘God-incidence’) that whilst watching a documentary about the then current Iraq-Iran war, I casually flicked through the book and noticed references to the significance of Jerusalem.
So you can imagine my absolute amazement upon hearing the narrator on TV describing the footage being shown of “Elite units from opposing forces rehearsing an attack upon Jerusalem”
Despite being at war, they’d united to practise storming and ‘liberating’ the holy city of Jerusalem!!
So I watched what claimed to be a video of such an attack – my jaw dropped! Wouldn’t yours?
This book must be taken seriously; so it immediately grabbed and got my attention! Also, it introduced me to Jewish and Muslim history as a background to Church history, and devoid of theology and jargon.
Consequently, I became more alert to Middle-Eastern and globally related events, which suggest things may not be as they seem at first glance – or as reported in the media, and definitely not the BBC!
I was amazed to learn many modern events are of Biblical significance. Utterly bemused, therefore, I began to watch as events unfolded – occasionally and slowly at first, but rapidly and accelerating after the new Millennium, or ‘3rd Day’ since Christ, got under way.
Dunstan estimated all the prophecies would come to a climax in 1992 with Russia being the lead villain against Israel. However, he didn’t foresee the collapse of communism in 1989! Yet that year proved pertinent because the ‘Middle East Peace Process’ had just got under way in October 1991 and led to the Oslo Accords of 1993.
Furthermore, Victor accurately foresaw the resurgence of Islam as a militant force:
‘We are about to witness a mighty and almost unbelievable upsurge in Islam. Though we see the first signs of an Islamic-revival (it) has a long way to to go but it’s going to go that ‘long way’ very quickly.’ [‘The Invisible Hand’, page 198.]
Consequently, his seminal book has received a number of mentions during the course of my writing and which may be found under Invisbl_Hand tag.
NOTIFYING FRIENDS OF THE DANGERS
Not long after hearing “This is ALL about to be fulfilled!” upon opening my Bible in 2008 I began emailing friends on the ‘Endgame’ having begun and on ‘Not Many People Know’, and in May 2009 those two-part posts rammed home with Today’s Importance in History, wherein I write (copy email):
‘...Altho’ our gaze as believers is toward heavenly Jerusalem, it’s right not to overlook our God of Israel’s heart for actual Jerusalem and His covenant people. His intention and warning to the nations given through Zechariah (ch 12) still apply – and Ezekiel 38 opposition is moving into alliances. Hence, the world’s continual concern with Jerusalem and Israel.
Today, that storm comes to a climax as Prime Minister Netanyahu meets President Obama to discuss the latter’s 2-state solution for the Middle-East.
You may know that this involved attempts to turn the Arab world and Europe against Israel, and to appease Iran – even to ‘blackmailing’ Israel over its nuclear defence! (It’s reported Obama wanted to be able to use Iran’s territory for supplying US troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan.)
Also, there’s been dismay in Cairo and Riyadh over his courting the terrorist mentors in Teheran. No wonder Egypt and S.Arabia – both kept militarily informed by Israel – and five Gulf emirates turned a deaf ear to Pres. Obama’s secret (and 3rd) delegation seeking hundreds of billions dollars investment in US and global economic stimulus plans! It’s reported, however, that over the weekend a political furore gripped Washington and frayed Obama’s key policies.
The Bush and Obama administrations’ misguided intentions are to establish a terrorist-run nation within the ancient home-land of Judea/Israel. The consequences for USA in betraying its ally Israel could be severe, as when Bush wanted to trade land for peace (as collated by William Koenig, the Christian accredited White House correspondent). The Lord gave detailed warnings of judgement in Nov ’99 which included not only last year’s collapse of stocks but also the betrayal of Israel by Western allies!’
Over a dozen private emails on Iran were to follow before I was impelled to launch this blog three weeks after asking Is Netanyahu Signalling a Pre-emptive Strike? My aim was to alert the wider public – with now over 220 more items.
One of the earliest posts gives a clear warning of the global danger off the Iranian regime:
Also, we kept an eye on the geopolitical aspects of the Gog-Magog alliance of which the ‘101’ posting precedes this present post and is part of the ‘wheels-within-wheels’ series, Richards Watch Goes Full-circle: 5 – Iran’s Anti-Israel Ambition
SO let’s close Part 1 with what prophet Jeremiah heard, as in the 49th (7×7!) chapter of his book on the ancient name of that nation in the location of Persia, or modern Iran:
34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Behold, I will break the [l]bow of Elam,
The foremost of their might.
36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds
From the four quarters of heaven,
And scatter them toward all those winds;
There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies
And before those who seek their life.
I will bring disaster upon them,
My fierce anger,’ says the Lord;
‘And I will send the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 I will set My throne in Elam,
And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the Lord.
39 ‘But it shall come to pass in the latter days:
I will bring back the captives of Elam,’ says the Lord.”
The above title just dropped into mind within seconds of awaking at 6.50am as I gave my day to the Lord. Mulling that over just before reading today’s Sanctuary diary, that ‘drop’ expands into ‘Jesus is the Resurrection-Radiance of God’s Glory!’
Since the reprise of He is Risen! – Time and Quantum effects in Jesus’ Resurrection, followed by a new post with video links relating to The Shroud of Turin I’ve wanted to write this to plug science into scripture, especially following subsequent Saturday Men’s Breakfasts started to study the Book to the Hebrews – and now ‘God-incidentally’ AS I TYPE, this song on the subject of my focus – and the link to which I’d already inserted at a mid-point of this new post as my very first action – begins to play on this pc:
Nearly 30 years ago I highlighted this awesome declaration in Hebrews in my then new NIV Insight Bible purchased for ministry training:
Moreover, in his quoting prophet Jeremiah’s hearing the Lord’s instruction as a potter moulded clay, David Strutt profoundly likens it to his actions in creating a painting:
‘If the clay inspired the prophet and he has troubled to explain to us what he saw, so indeed it may speak powerfully to us as a prophetic illustration. If we have seen the potter’s skilful hands coaxing a thing of beauty out of a chunk of mud, so we can see that God acts so (emphasis mine). I have never made a pot but I do paint and, when I do, it arises from a vision I have seen in my mind’s eye.’
He goes on to explain how he endeavours to bring forth the vision into reality, but on occasions something may not work and so needs erasing with turps.
Thus, today’s mediation confirmed what was in my own mind: that modifying the original ‘drop’ by combining ‘Resurrection’ with ‘Radiance’ is not out of order. I’d indeed heard well and it was and is again being expanded, now into a triple ‘R’:
‘Jesus is the Resurrection-Reflection-Radiance of God’s Glory!’
In Part 2 we connect this into scientific findings…
Reference: The Lord Hands Out FIVE Jigsaw Pieces on Daniel 9 :
“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…” (Mark 13:14 – emphases mine – re Dan 9:27 NKJV)
As ‘the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy’ (Rev 19:10) then His instruction is indubitably prophetic about this sign appearing sometime in the future. Thus, Jesus not only confirms the accuracy of the angel Gabriel’s prophecy to Daniel but also bears His witness to its coming true, and establishing it according to the principle of Deut 19:15.
In heeding that warning, nearly forty years later Jesus’ followers wisely fled Jerusalem when Titus’ huge Roman army besieged and destroyed the city and temple.
As told in Bio Info, the Lord had put this book in my hand and validated its content by what was being shown simultaneously on BBC. Its author Victor Dunstan examines the time-scales of Daniel’s prophecies and the ‘Abomination of Desolation’.
He cites Gibbon’s ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ regarding the outcome of the six months’ siege of Jerusalem (636-7 AD) during Muslim attacks against the Christian Byzantine empire and conquest of The Levant.
Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, agreed to surrender on condition he submit direct to the Caliph Umar in person:
‘After signing the capitulation, (Umar) entered the city without fear or precaution; and courteously discoursed with the Patriarch concerning its religious antiquities. Sophronius bowed before his new master and secretly muttered, in the words of Daniel, “The abomination of desolation is in the holy place!”
Three decades later the Islamic shrine and Dome on the Rock mosque was completed upon a wing of the ruins of the Temple Mount. Victor emphases – it still STANDS there!.
Sadly, in ignoring the scriptural and historic validity of the Jews and nation of Israel then ‘RT’ aligns itself with endemic racial and religious hatred of anti-Semitism.
‘Wheels-within-wheels’ continue as we see the Iranian wheel has turned for President Trump’s attention. It began turning in my emails of 2009 and gathered momentum with Iran’s frequent annual rehearsals of attacking Israel in order to liberate Jerusalem and to begin the shiite Muslim End-times return of their hidden 12th Imam.
In Grabbed By An Invisible Hand section of my Bio Info I recount how the Lord showed me in mid-1980s the Biblical significance of Israel vs Iran. Recent years have displayed how that regime has extended its ambitions through several terrorist proxy armies.
Here’s the latest as headlined at Word Watch Daily:
ANNEX TO ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’
I want to whet your appetite by looking at some amazing examples of fulfilled prophecy from recent history. I will do this using ten Scriptures that prophesy the re-establishment of Israel as a nation.
This momentous event happened in 1948 – thousands of years after the prophecies were given and recorded. I will provide brief comments and approximate dates in my discussion of these parallels:
1. “I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God. – Amos 9:14-15 (written 760 BC)
The prophet Amos, writing some 2750 years ago, foresaw the return of his dispersed and exiled people to their homeland. The short-range fulfilment occurred in 536 BC, after the Jewish people got deported to Babylon (“The Exile”, is considered in more detail in ‘SIGNS’) were allowed back to the land of their forefathers. This was the more immediate fulfilment. But Biblical prophecy often contains a dual focus – an immediate or shorter term fulfilment in history and an ultimate or longer term fulfilment at the culmination of history.
The long-range fulfilment of this prophecy happened in 1948 when the Nation of Israel was miraculously re–established, leading to an ingathering of Jewish people from their two thousand year Diaspora (dispersion throughout the world). Note that the prophecy makes clear that they will not be displaced again. [Emphasis RB]
2. “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, `Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord‘.” – Ezekiel 37:10-14 (written 580 BC)
Once again there is an immediate and an ultimate fulfilment contained within the same prophecy. Ezekiel, prophesying in the 6th century BC, foresees the revival of the Jewish people as a nation. At the time they were languishing in Babylon (now in Iraq). But within fifty years the Jewish people – numbering about 50,000 – were allowed back to their own land and to the site of the ruined Temple in the sacked city of Jerusalem. By the turn of the century the new Temple had been built and the nation had been resurrected through the work of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
However, in AD 70 Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed once again, this time not by the Babylonians but by the Romans. Once again the Jewish people were exiled from their homeland and scattered across the globe as displaced people living as minority groupings in many countries.
How the Jewish people didn’t die out completely is a miracle! Ezekiel foresaw this and predicted an even greater miracle – the resurrection of the Jewish people in the End Times. This occurred when Israel re-established sovereignty in 1948, three years after the end of the Holocaust, during which it is estimated that one in three Jews was killed by the Nazis. It seems to me that Israel was brought back from the dead!
3. “Before she goes into labour, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labour than she gives birth to her children.” – Isaiah 66:7-8 (written 700 BC)
This prophecy is quite remarkable in its accuracy, although this should not be startling given that God inspired the prophet who decreed it! The description of a woman giving birth before going into labour is a very apt analogy for what happened on 14 May 1948 when modern Israel was “born in a day”, only to face the onslaught of its enemies. On that day, the United States recognised Israel’s sovereignty. The United Nations mandate expired, ending British control of the land. Over a 24-hour period, foreign control of that part of Palestine ceased and Israel declared its independence as a nation. Israel was born in a single day!
As Ezekiel prophesied, the labour pains followed. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Saudi Arabia attacked Israel within hours. Israel’s declaration of nationhood had triggered a war. On 15th May 1948, Azzam Pasha, the Secretary General of the Arab League, said: “This will be a war of extermination and a momentous massacre which will be spoken of like the Mongolian massacres and the Crusades.” Others made similar comments during the war of 1948-49, and during the 1967 and 1973 wars, and the rhetoric continues. Nevertheless, Israel survives!
4. “And say to them, `This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms” – Ezekiel 37:21-22 (written 580 BC)
When this was written Israel had been divided into two kingdoms – Israel in the North and Judah in the South. The original undivided kingdom was formed from the federation of twelve Israelite tribes that occupied Canaan in the time of Joshua (an area roughly corresponding to the Levant, a historical geographical region which covered what we now know as Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, west Jordan and south west Syria). This kingdom was first established under King Saul (c 1050 to 1010BC), consolidated and strengthened by King David (1010 to 970BC) but divided into northern and southern kingdoms after the death of King Solomon (970 to 931BC).
Why did this division occur? The ten northern tribes rebelled against Solomon’s son and successor Rehoboam (931 to 914BC) while the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal. The ten rebellious tribes became Israel (the northern kingdom), the two loyal tribes became Judah (the southern kingdom).
Once again we see both a shorter-term and a longer-term fulfilment of this prophecy. While the shorter-term fulfilment occurred towards the end of the 6th century BC, when the scattered Jewish people returned from their bleak exile in Babylon, the longer-term fulfilment occurred in 1948 when Israel was reborn as a single nation and the dispersed Jewish people began to return to what they term Ha Aretz, the Land. Although the people only occupied a fraction of the area of the former “Land of Canaan”, we can still see remarkable resonances between Ezekiel’s words in the 6th century BC and events in the Middle East in the twentieth century.
5. “However, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when men will no longer say, `As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, `As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers. – Jeremiah 16:14-15 (written 600 BC)
This promise, of the restoration of the Jewish people to their homeland, was not only fulfilled in the time of the return to Judah in the 6th century BC. It was also fulfilled in the twentieth century, and its fulfilment continues!
After 1948, Jews have returned to Israel, after nearly 2000 years of dispersion, from as far afield as Russia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Africa and many other continents and nations.
It seems Jeremiah was operating with both an immediate and an ultimate prophetic vision.
6. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. – Ezekiel 34:13 (written 580 BC)
Once again this occurred both in the 6th century BC and in the 20th century AD. Since 1948, millions of “exiles” have returned to Ha Aretz.
7. “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: `He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ – Jeremiah 31:10 (written 600 BC)
It is in our own times as it was in Jeremiah’s (6th century BC): God is watching over the re-established Nation of Israel. Israel has survived and succeeded against enormous odds.
8. “You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.” – Leviticus 26:3, 7-8 (written 1400 BC)
The day after Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon invaded. The combined population of those countries was more than 20 million at that time whilst Israel had fewer than 1 million. Even so, Israel won and increased its size by 50 %.
Similar examples of memorable victories against enormous odds can be seen in the 1967 “6 Day War” and the 1973 “Yom Kippur” war.
9. Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. – Deuteronomy 30:3-5 (written 1400 BC)
Israel is amazingly prosperous, in relation to its size, as evidenced by this quote from a Jewish newspaper of 5th July 2011:
“Very few countries have managed to grow and prosper so quickly in 60 years, from a standard of living of $3,100 per person in 1948 to today’s $25,000; from a country of 600,000 residents to 7.3 million; and from an orange exporter to an international high-tech power”.
10. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land’. – Ezekiel 36:19-24 (written 580 BC)
This scripture is very significant, particularly for those who wonder why God would re-establish and watch over the mainly secular state of Israel. The reason is because He said He would. It is for His name’s sake (for the honour of His name).
The Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting covenant, which God will fulfil, not for the sake of His unruly people Israel but to show the world He is God, His name is holy, and He always honours all He has promised and, of course, there is more to come!
THE MIRACLE THAT IS ISRAEL
So there you have it! Ten Scriptures from the Old Testament, written between 3500 and 2500 years ago, all of which predict the unforeseen and improbable return of the Jewish people to the Land and the prosperity that would greet them when they did. All this is nothing short of miraculous!
If you’re new to Neil’s writings you may wish to read this introduction. The above Annex is from chapter 1 of his book SIGNS: The Significance of Biblical Prophecy (review).
We continue from Memorable motifs on Mark 13..., which led into The Lord hands out FIVE jigsaw pieces on Daniel 9 with three confirmations on Dan 9:27, then to a footnote on the Bible’s first references to ‘The Day of the LORD’ in Obadiah 15.
Last Sunday evening’s Carols by Candlelight at 3Counties Vineyard was hosted by Helena and Andrew Carter, and to which he’d already announced,
‘We are theming the evening around “A New Dawn”. That the coming of Jesus marks a new dawn for the world and that as we welcome His gift of eternal life and come to Him, we enter a new dawn, a fresh start, a new birth.
This year we are focusing on Malachi 4:2: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.”
Andrew begins speaking briefly at 38:30 minutes citing the first two verses of the last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament at Malachi 4 (quotation provides the whole for context, NIV, emphases mine):
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.
Thus, the Lord foretells an especially significant time when all evil will be removed from the earth. It will be global, whereas the day He describes to Obadiah specifically relates initially to His dealing with Israel’s enemies, not only in ancient times but also currently :
“The day of the Lord is near for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
your deeds will return upon your own head.
16 Just as you drank on my holy hill,
so all the nations will drink continually;
they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been.
17 But on Mount Zion will be deliverance;
it will be holy, and Jacob will possess his inheritance.
18 Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame;
Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him.
There will be no survivors from Esau.”
The Lord has spoken.
Jesus confirms that prophecy a few centuries later in His parable of the wheat and tares sown by Him and by satan respectively, as explained at Matthew 13:40-43:
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
All this takes us full circle from 16 years ago when sensing the Lord saying, as recounted in my email The Endgame Is Now In Play:
“This is ALL about to be fulfilled”!
“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…” (Mark 13:14 – emphases mine – re Dan 9:27 NKJV)
NO such thing as coincidence! WOTTA-WEEK of God-incidents last week was! And which metaphor better describes it: The Lord’s full hand pointing out certain things, or His dropping them like pieces of His Invisible Jigsaw ??
It’s remained uppermost in mind, as though the Lord began pointing (index finger) at Mark 13’s reference to ‘the abomination of desolation’ in Book of Daniel, then (middle finger) I shared a reference whilst a friend brought a related prophecy, next another published an article, and finally I got the ‘thumb’s up’ from a third friend telling me of currently studying Daniel!
However, as with many previous postings let’s examine these five-fold indicators like jigsaw pieces being dropped and placed into the bigger picture, which we don’t yet see in its entirety:
1st PIECE – 8th Dec:
As reported with Adam Harding Willis’ spectacular sermon notes of Dave Wright in my Memorable Motifs’ on Mark 13, Jesus’ above prophetic statement is cited. At video’s 55:25 time-point Dave notes that Daniel’s prophecy at Dan 9:27 was initially fulfilled in BC168 when Antiochus Epiphanes (‘God manifest’) set up an altar to Zeus in and upon the Temple’s altar and sacrificed a pig thereon, thus desecrating the Almighty’s most holy sanctuary.
For history see Antiochus Epiphanes—The Bible’s Most Notoriously Forgotten Villain – Biblical Archaeology Society NB: Hanukkah (lit.“rededication”) is eight-day festival beginning on 25 Kislev, celebrated the Maccabees’ recapture of the second Temple from the Syrian Greeks, and its rededication, marked by the miraculous kindling of lights on a menorah or chanukiah. Only one small jug of oil was found for fuelling the lights and expected to last just one day – but they burned for EIGHT days!!
As ‘the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy’ (Rev 19:10) then His instruction “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not, then…” is indubitably prophetic about this sign appearing sometime in the future. Thus, Jesus not only confirms the accuracy of the angel Gabriel’s prophecy to Daniel but also bears witness to its coming true, thereby establishing it according to the principle of Deuteronomy 19:15.
Our church team leader’s message closed by urging us to consider:
2nd PIECE – 9th Dec:
As that question would be discussed in Home Group I took a seminal book The Invisible Hand (1984) on geo-political history of the Holy Land to cite its reference to a later appearance of ‘The Abomination’.
As recounted in Bio Info, the Lord had put this in my hand and validated its content by what was being shown simultaneously on BBC. Its author Victor Dunstan examines the time-scales of Daniel’s prophecies and the ‘Abomination of Desolation’.
He cites Gibbon’s ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ regarding the outcome of the six months’ siege of Jerusalem (636-7 AD) during Muslim attacks against the Christian Byzantine empire and conquest of The Levant. Its Patriarch agreed to surrender on condition he submit to the Caliph Umar in person:
‘After signing the capitulation, he entered the city without fear or precaution; and courteously discoursed with the Patriarch concerning its religious antiquities. Sophronius bowed before his new master and secretly muttered, in the words of Daniel, “The abomination of desolation is in the holy place!”
Three decades later the Islamic shrine and Dome on the Rock mosque was completed upon a wing of the ruins of the Temple Mount. Victor emphases – it still STANDS there!.
3rd PIECE – 11th Dec:
I noticed Veronika West reports a “9th hour” vision experienced on 9th December of America and “Daniel 9, a stitch in time”.
As I’d already started drafting my post on Mark 13 and its reference to Daniel 9, as well as including the “abomination” remarks on Caliph Umar’s from The Invisible Hand, then in sharing Veronika’s post I noted the God-incidence, as shown herein.
Veronika does not refer in any extent on the content of Daniel 9 but we know it’s prime matter is the intense intercession and deep penitence for and confession of his and his people’s sins and rebellion.
He record’s the Lord’s response in sending the angel Gabriel to give him assurance and give him understanding of a the vision of an awesome Seventy ‘Weeks’ to “finish their transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy” .
So Veronika’s hearing the Lord, “I say again, for this is the Ninth Hour! Yes! Daniel 9 — For a Stitch in time shall save nine!” may well mean His answering intercessory prayers for America!
4th PIECE – 13th Dec:
John Barber, friend and author of Prophets of the Bible, posts in his series on Daniel’s four visions: (Daniel 9) Daniel’s Seventy Weeks
5th PIECE – 14th Dec:
Chatting with Andrew Milne as he prepared food at his and his wife’s party, I asked about his study for Masters in Divinity course and he mentioned reading Daniel and an exegetical exposition on Daniel 9’s prophecy of 70 ‘weeks’!!
We have a similar stance on the Holy Spirit gifting of prophecy and recognise its lack of appreciation by scholars of ‘classical interpretation’ hinders a full understanding.
CONCLUSION
My New Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible’s very helpful footnotes also cite the ‘Classical Interpretation’ of Dan 9:26-7 and close its three paragraphs on that, as follows:
‘The classical approach does not, however, rule out antitype fulfillment of the broader principles in Jesus Christ, in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, nor in the last days’ rampages of the Antichrist. Daniel’s language is clearly eschatological at points, denoting a multilevel prophetic fulfillment. See note on Obad 15.’
SO, IS THE LORD POINTING TO OBADIAH 15?
‘For the Day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; and as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head.’
‘Note: …The word ‘day’ occurs 11 times in vv 8-14. Now it becomes the day of the LORD, a season of judgement and divine justice upon all the nations around Israel. The OT looked ever forward to this time.’ [Emphases as published therein.]
Therefore, has The Day Of The LORD arrived??
End-Times Briefing 20: The Great and Fearful Day of the LORD – Chris G Bennett
Image Credits, courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
When Roy was leading worship at Winchester Vineyard, Hampshire, one cloudless warm Summer’s evening and sang ‘Rain down’ we all saw a huge raindrop appear on his microphone! He was amazed and chuckled loudly whilst continuing to sing
SO, NEXT...
This was received by our sister in Christ and posted last Friday on Ignite Ireland Ministry 
Above is as published on His Kingdom Prophecy and Veronika then refers to this of 9th November last : GOD’S APPOINTED TIME FOR TRUMP wherein she writes:
Thus she refers also to the prophetic word of 16 July 2024, AMERICA: A VISION OF TRUMP AND A BURNING BUSH (UPDATED). Please be sure to read both in full.
For several weeks I’ve recalled the ‘Owl’ timings, which God-incidentally begin in 2016 when the Lord nudged me to monitor exposures of political rot and corruption):
PPS (19/12) insertion:
NB: Time does not refer to Trump as ‘former president’ or as ‘president-elect’ – and see this published at 6 am on Saturday morning 14th December here in UK:
Iain Hollinghead’s excellent 15-page article’s introduction reads,
‘For Britons used to a rapid transition of power following the defeat of a prime minister, the long period between the election of an American president at the beginning of November and the inauguration at the end of January is an odd spectacle.
This year, it has been made even stranger by the contrast between an outgoing incumbent for whom the term “lame duck” seems a generous moniker and an energetic incoming president-elect who is the first candidate to win non-consecutive terms in 130 years.
“The president-elect doesn’t take over for six more weeks, but – magically – he has already made America great again,” joked a column in the Washington Post last weekend, mocking Donald Trump for his claims to have stopped migration through Mexico, turned the US economy into the envy of the world and brought peace to the Middle East.
However, it is undeniable that Trump is already having an influence on world affairs, both directly and indirectly, from Tel Aviv to Tehran, Riyadh to Riga, the Californian State Legislature to the Chinese Politburo. Whether exploiting a brief window of opportunity, accelerating existing policies or laying the groundwork for a new world order, leaders and lawyers are frantically second and third guessing the “known knowns” and “known unknowns” of the 45th and 47th president to put themselves in the best possible position for the new year.
Using only the levers of social media, a visit to Notre-Dame and a reputation for predictable unpredictability, this is how Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” has re-established himself on the world stage, long before his feet are under the desk in the Oval Office again.
His Donald Trump US President World Changing (url) is well-worth taking time to read.
DRONES
Those aware of the claims of Trump’s being a ‘wartime President’ and consequential continuity of powers as Commander-In-Chief may appreciate this ‘DON(ALD) SHOT’ (US date format month-day-year):
On Sunday Veronika posted Clones, Drones, UFOs – Trains, Planes & Automobiles
‘Okay, so you might think I’m crazy — but last night as I was about to get into bed, when suddenly I heard, ”Watch and Pray! For many will speak of Clones, Drones and UFOs — and Planes, Trains and Automobiles!”
YES! Crazy — but that’s what I heard. A strange sentence that came almost like a riddle!
When I heard it, I felt an urgency to Pray, and The Holy Spirit immediately reminded me of a powerful Prophetic Warning I received back in the Month of August.
At the time of receiving that Word, what was highlighted at the time was that God was speaking to both “Names, Places and Timing”!
I don’t believe It’s a coincidence that The LORD should highlight then in August, a Movie that takes place at Christmas time.
Hence, I believe that The Spirit of Revelation is speaking yet again at this Festive Time, giving us a Warning to be Watching and Praying, as there are plans of the enemy looking to find there moment of manifestation in the Earth realm.
There is that Word, published here on HKP on August 8, 2024: “Trains, Planes and Automobiles“
Throughout this year’s studying of the Gospel of Mark at 3Counties Vineyard church in Hammer, Haslemere, I’d been looking forward to how our leadership would teach upon Chapter 13 ‘The Destruction of the Temple & Signs of the End of The Age’ (NIV).
Last Sunday, 8th December, it was a delight how team leader Dave Wright not only taught but also finished of with a most apposite, serious question to consider. Pens and paper were handed out for us to jot our thoughts, and use for later discussion at house groups, as shown below:
Dave shared photos of Jerusalem taken during his and Rowena’s pre-war visit to Israel and which made his tackling eschatology personally poignant.
His closing emphasis upon Jesus’ instruction to all His followers about the signs of the End-times and repeated injunction to “Watch!” echoes what I shared 15 years ago to friends and a few church leaders by email, as herein.
Moreover, it acts to confirm a few thoughts in recent months to reboot my prime focus and take it up a level – then the very next day by way of God-incidental confirmation our sister in Northern Ireland receives a Vision over Manhattan relating to harvesting and judgement, which I link in the previous post to Matthew 13’s wheat and tares parable!
Therefore, I encourage you to carve out twenty minutes to play the above video as well as muse upon the meditational ‘mind-map’ of sermon notes provided by courtesy of Adam Harding Willis:
Adam Harding Willis has always been passionate about creativity. His journey began as a teenager, freelancing in design for his home church, The Coign, in Woking. He later studied Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins in London, specializing in animation. After a challenging personal experience in his late teens, Adam recommitted to his faith, which continues to guide him today. After graduation, Adam worked at a London marketing agency, where he honed his motion design skills.
Consequently, he founded Wonderstory® as a Christian animation studio specialising in creating explainer-animations for Christian organizations and ministries worldwide. Some examples are to be found at https://wonderstory.net/
I invite those who may be unfamiliar with the importance of the Jewish people and state of Israel in our heavenly Father’s purposes to read my dear friend’s incisive article, for which I express my admiration and gratitude:
ISRAEL IN THE END TIMES
Background
At its opening, the Bible quickly moves to the fall of man, brought about by satan’s lies and trickery. Then follows God’s sovereign selection of Abraham and his descendants, as His chosen people, and His everlasting covenant with them. The Bible continues with how the Jews became established in Israel, and the story of their triumphs, failures, trials and tribulations. The Old Testament (OT) prophets predicted the First Coming of Jesus and the events of His life, death and resurrection. The New Testament (NT) describes how Jesus accurately fulfilled those OT prophecies. The NT provides details about the work of the apostles and disciples in spreading the Gospel, evangelising Gentiles and establishing churches.
At its close, the Bible describes a time of great tribulation, before Jesus returns and satan is defeated.
All the prophecies relating to the First Coming of Jesus were fulfilled. That is miraculous (supernatural) and has huge implications for our appreciation of the many prophecies concerning the Second Coming of Jesus. If the “First Coming” prophecies have been fulfilled, we can be certain that prophecies concerning his Second Coming will also be fulfilled.
The Significance of Israel
One of the key events predicted in both the OT and NT, is the restoration of the Nation of Israel. Jesus said that this would be a sign of the times, i.e., of the End Times, the climax of history. The events surrounding and following the restoration of the Nation of Israel, and the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland in 1948, were accurately prophesied in extraordinary detail in many scriptures, written thousands of years before the events took place. In reality, the 1948 restoration was a response to the “never again” cry after the Holocaust. However, it transpires that “never again” did not mean the Jews would never again be persecuted. What it does mean is that the Jews have determined that never again will they be led to their
slaughter like unsuspecting sheep!
The endurance of Jewish customs, practices and traditions, which they maintained whilst scattered throughout the world for nearly nineteen hundred years, is an
incredible phenomenon. It is, quite frankly, a mystery and a miracle that the Jewish people and their national identity survived. Since 1948 they have, with God’s help, successfully defended their Nation from several attacks by seemingly much more
powerful enemies. Now, in 2024, they are again fighting for their survival.
Why Israel Has to Survive
Why has Israel survived, and why must it survive? The answer, in part, to this vital question can be found in the oft neglected NT chapters 9 to 11 of Romans, which focus on the importance of the Jewish people. The author, the Apostle Paul, was himself Jewish and loved the Jewish people, longing for them to see what he had come to understand – that Jesus is the Son of God and their Messiah. He hoped and prayed that the Gentiles in the churches he founded would recognise and understand that the Jewish ancestry of Jesus, and the history of the Nation of Israel, are foundational and essential elements to the Christian faith.
It is to this history and destiny that the Apostle Paul refers in Romans 9-11. Paul points out that the Jewish people are God’s chosen people. They are the nation whom the Father adopted out of His great love. And although Israel appears to have failed to fulfil its destiny, that does not mean that God has in any way decreed that His adoption of Israel is null and void. As far as Paul is concerned, once adopted, always adopted. God has made an everlasting covenant with His people Israel. The church has not replaced Israel.
By God’s grace, Gentile believers in Jesus are like wild olive branches that have been grafted into the cultivated olive tree – a tree made up of faith-filled Israelites since the time of Abraham. Gentile believers are now a part of faithful Israel’s story. Indeed, we cannot and must not separate ourselves from that story.
In this time of grace, the Gentiles can hear and respond to the Good News about Jesus and come to enjoy the blessings of the promises given to Israel, not least the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Paul speaks about a time when the Jewish people – his own people – will no longer be blinded by their unbelief about Jesus. Vast numbers will see the Deliverer from Zion (Jesus). The veil will be lifted from their understanding and they will then know that Jesus is their Messiah. As Paul prophesies in Romans 11:26: “All Israel will be saved.” Jews will come to believe in Jesus in such numbers that we will be able to say that the nation of Israel as a whole has been saved.
In summary: there is a time-frame in which,
(a) the Gospel is preached primarily to those who are not Jewish “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in”; i.e, until the number of non-Jews who confess Jesus as Lord is complete. That number, and the date when it will be reached, is known only in heaven.
(b) Until that time, there is a remnant of faithful Jews who are chosen by grace (Romans 11:5); these are Jewish people who have chosen, like Paul, to confess that Jesus is Messiah and Lord. When the full number of Gentiles has come in, Paul was certain that circumstances will be such that the Jewish remnant will turn from godlessness and
look upon the one whom they pierced and weep in repentance. There will be a great move of the Holy Spirit among the Jewish people – so great that we will be able to
joyfully declare the fulfilment of the prophecy: “All Israel will be saved!”
The Devil’s Rage
Hopefully you can see why the Jewish people had to survive. In spite of being exiled from the Land that was promised to them by Almighty God, in spite of expulsions
from other alien lands that they inhabited thereafter, in spite of periods of intense and violent persecution in many different places over thousands of years, in spite of the “Final Solution”, the appalling, demonic onslaught of the Holocaust (Hitler’s murder of 6 million Jews, in his attempt to obliterate them), the Jewish people have survived!
And, as already discussed, three years after the end of the Holocaust, part of the Promised Land was miraculously restored to the Jewish people: Israel was re-established as a nation, and Jews have returned from dispersion (the Diaspora).
Why has this enduring vindictiveness been so intense? Because satan knows what the Bible says, albeit he is blinded to the reality that he cannot win. He has been desperate to prevent or postpone the establishment of appropriate (prophesied)
conditions for the Second Coming. That is why the Jewish people have been subjected to sustained attempts by the forces of evil to wipe them out.
How it must torment and anger satan that the Jewish people have, against all the odds, survived his various onslaughts. Furthermore, satan’s seeming successes have proved to be failures. How he must have wailed when Jesus rose from the dead. How he must have wept when Israel was restored as a nation in 1948. And, above all, how he must be howling today as this tiny Nation is so vigorously and effectively responding to demonic atrocities perpetrated by Hamas and built on by Iran and its other proxies.
The End-Game
Satan is now provoking unprecedented world-wide genocidal hatred of the Jews. Many of the world’s leaders, and millions of people supporting the “Palestinian cause”, cannot see, or refuse to accept (are denying the truth), that a fundamental tenet of radical Islam is the destruction of Israel and the extermination of all Jews. Radical and apocalyptic Muslims see “ethnic cleansing” of Jews as a religious duty. Any compromise or appeasement with such blood thirsty and diabolical fanatics, however tempting the short-term gains may appear, would lead to disaster.
Satan is continuing his endeavours to ensure that there is no Nation of Israel to which Jesus can return. Things are getting ever more intense and chaotic, and satan certainly appears to be succeeding in rallying the world against the Jews. However, it is clear from Biblical prophecy that God foreknew the things we are witnessing. He has given us all the information we need to read the “signs of the times” and to stand firm in the knowledge that Victory is assured. Our certain hope is in the truth of the Word of God: He will deal with the enemies that surround Israel (Zechariah 12) and Jesus will return (Matthew 24, Revelation 1 et al), and He will take His throne in Jerusalem, as King of Israel; albeit there will only be a remnant of the Jewish people (Zechariah 13:8-10).
Then “never again” will truly mean NEVER AGAIN
Jesus says “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Neil Mackereth is the author of SIGNS – The Significance of Bible Prophecy and click for an introduction and for his many articles on Richard’s Watch
We now publish this blog’s 100th posting on the Gog-Magog Alliance with this from All Israel News of Turkey’s President Erdogan’s call for the official creation of an alliance to overthrow God’s sovereign nation of Israel.
It echoes what Old Testament prophet Ezekiel recorded from the Lord in two chapters (38 & 39) about a confederation of hostile nations that attack His people, but victorious superiority of Israel all for the Glory of God to be seen before all nations. NB, it refers to the Jews as living in peace and safety without any protection, which has yet to be achieved since its creation in 1948!
By the way, All Israel News latest (the Lord’s hand in action??):
11:14 – 6.1 earthquake shakes eastern Turkey and northern Syria
An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 hit eastern Turkey, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Center. The quake took place about 30 km (18 miles) south of the town of Baskil, at a depth of 9 km(5.6 miles) below the earth, the EMSC reported.
Readers may recall my several occasional references to satan’s strategy of thwarting Jesus’ return to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14.4) by removing the Jews from Israel, as posited in Paws-4-Thought: Devilish plot to avoid The Lake of Fire.
I’m very pleased to read David Reagan, founder of Lion & Lamb Ministries, takes the same posture in his insights into Zechariah’s prophecies about Israel and other nations, and most importantly on the ancient and modern history of Jews in their homeland. Note the start and close of his opening observations to his 5-page article, followed by sub-heads and few extracts (underscoring added)
‘On Friday morning, September 27, I saw Bible prophecy being fulfilled before my very eyes as I watched Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on television address the General Assembly of the United Nations. It happened as he approached the podium to deliver his address. As he walked forward, two-thirds of the delegates got up from their seats and walked out. Netanyahu was left with an almost empty auditorium to speak to.
The specific Bible prophecy this event reminded me of was written by the Hebrew prophet Zechariah 2,500 years ago. Speaking of the end times, he prophesied that God will “make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12: 3, emphasis added)….
…For over 40 years, I have been teaching that in the end times — in accordance with Bible prophecy — all the nations of the world will turn against Israel. In response, American Christians have reacted in disbelief, arguing that our nation would never turn against Israel. But today, the streets of our largest cities and the campuses of our major universities are filled with violent anti-Semitic protestors (sic) demanding that our nation abandon Israel in support of two of the world’s most vicious terrorist organizations.
How can this be explained?’
A Spiritual Anomaly
‘…The Bible makes it very clear that Satan knows Bible prophecy (Revelation 12:12). Satan can read the signs of the times, and he therefore realizes that the time he has left before Jesus returns is running out fast. He has, therefore, shifted his evil actions against the Jewish people into high gear because he is determined to annihilate them before the return of Jesus. Why? Because the Bible says that a great remnant of the Jews will be saved when Jesus returns (Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 9:27), and Satan is determined to keep that prophecy from being fulfilled…’
Current Anti-Semitism
‘…The Bible says that Satan is the “Father of Lies” (John 8:44). And lies are what he is using to generate hatred of the Jews worldwide and here in America. As proof, consider the current lies he is using to incite hatred of Israel:
A Forgotten Truth
Fulfilled Prophecies Before 20th Century
Fulfilled Prophecies During 20th Century
Jewish Prophecies Yet To Be Fulfilled
The Messages
‘Let’s conclude by considering the messages we can draw from the Bible concerning Israel in End Time Prophecy…..(5 in number)’
Conclusion
‘One final thing: What is the message of Israel in Prophecy for you and me? What is its meaning for the Church?
I would contend that it proves that God is faithful to keep all His promises, and that is a very important message for the Church, for God has made a lot of promises to us.
He has promised that at any moment, Jesus is going to appear in the heavens to take His Church — both the living and the dead — out of this world. Then, while He pours out His wrath on an evil and unbelieving world in the Tribulation, believers in Heaven will receive rewards for how they used their spiritual gifts to advance the Lord’s kingdom. After all the rewards have been distributed, we will enjoy the greatest feast in the history of the cosmos — the wedding feat of the Lamb, when the Bride of Christ (His Church) celebrates its union with the Bridegroom (Jesus).
When that feast is concluded, we will return to earth with Jesus and will witness His destruction of the Antichrist and his forces, after which we will celebrate His coronation as King of kings and Lord of lords. Believing Jews will serve in his government in Jerusalem. Glorified Gentiles will be distributed worldwide to reign over those in the flesh (those saved during the Tribulation and who live to the end of it). We will have the privilege of witnessing the world enveloped in peace, righteousness, and justice as the waters cover the sea.
And at the end of the Lord’s thousand-year reign, we will live forever in our new, eternal bodies in a New Jerusalem on and New Earth in the presence of our Creator and Jesus. Maranatha! (1 Corinthians 16:22).’
PLEASE READ IN FULL > https://harbingersdaily.com/during-netanyahus-un-address-i-saw-bible-prophecy-being-fulfilled-before-my-very-eyes/
Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s grievance of Obama courting Iran and terrorists!
Further to my earliest email 15 years and 222 posts ago, as above, and this years’ End-times Briefing 21 documenting Iran’s rehearsing the ‘liberation’ of holy Jerusalem, as well as recent posts on its failed direct attack upon Israel followed by God’s holy word on Jerusalem and His protection, you’ll be aware of their second attempt overnight 1st-2nd October.
It was a great blessing that almost 200 missiles failed to kill any Israelis but the only tragic fatality was a Palestinian in Jericho.
Here’s Amir’s report on Telegram from a fellow Israeli
“I really don’t think you understand the absolute miracles that we witnessed last night here in Israel. In fact, I am sure you don’t. Let’s break this down.
Israel has three air defense systems, each one of them a technological wonder and that’s not me saying it. That’s Dr. Gold who basically invented the Iron Dome who told me that. The level and sophistication of the Iron Dome is simply unparalleled.
But the Iron Dome only knows how to detonate short range rockets or missiles within a 70 km range, give or take.
Then Israel has the David’s Sling system. That knows how to deal with mid range missiles up to approximately 300 km.
Then we have the Arrow system that literally detonates missiles that can fly outside of the earth’s atmosphere. That has a range of about 2,400 km!! 🤯
Last night, as Iran rained down ballistic missiles on Israel, all three defense systems were activated and implemented to perfection.
The chances of all of these incredibly complex systems working in unison as flawlessly as they did last night, are basically non existent.
If one thing went wrong, if one of those ballistic missiles hit an apartment building, a shopping center, or an army base, we would now be burying hundreds of Israelis.
And all of that is not even the biggest miracle.
A few hours ago, I got a WhatsApp message from a good friend who is a senior executive at Microsoft and who wasn’t exactly a God fearing Jew. Until yesterday.
Here is what he wrote me.
“If you’re looking for miracles man – last night I started believing. Missiles hit all around me but none of them hit my house or any house, for that matter.”
He elaborated some more and shared info about the missiles that he watched land just meters away from very strategic places in Israel, to say the least.
Each one of those defense systems is, in and of itself, pretty miraculous, but what is even more insane is the low casualty numbers from the rockets and missiles that we’re NOT intercepted.
Where did those missiles go? I’ll tell you where. They landed in sand, in water, and in “Empty spaces”.
Have you been to Israel? It’s a microscopic country. What empty spaces? Where are these empty spaces? 🤷♂️
How have hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles all either get detonated by miraculous systems or totally miss their mark and land in empty spaces causing zero casualties and minimal damage?!
How??
Listen, I get it. This thought process begs the question, where was God during the horrible terrorist attack yesterday? Where was He on October 7th? Where was He during the holocaust?
All valid questions that require a very serious nuanced conversation.
But if you know anything about what had to happen last night and throughout this war in general, for such a low number of casualties, you’ll know that what we witnessed last night was the equivalent of God splitting the sea right before our eyes.
Guess what. When God split the sea, there were those who didn’t believe it was a miracle and didn’t jump in. And there are also those who feel the need to explain it naturally. Ok, that’s fine.
You don’t want to call yesterday an act of God? That’s your choice, but like my Microsoft friend, if you look at these events objectively, you’d have a really hard time seeing those hundreds of deadly missiles land in empty spaces and not see the hand of God.
Last night was an incredible display of the collaboration between two of the powers that protect the Jewish people: The IDF and Hashem.
Last night will go down in history right alongside many of Israel’s accomplishments in this war including the beepers and the unprecedented low ratio between combatant and civilian, as a military operation the likes of which the world has never seen. Ever!
Last night will be analyzed by military strategists and experts for generations.
Last night, we witnessed history.
Last night we witnessed open miracles.
Last night, we witnessed God in all His glory watching over His children.”
(Hillel Fuld on X)
Let us keep praying for the Lord’s protection upon His ancient Covenant people.
PS (22:10)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/02/brink-world-war-3-only-israel-can-stop-it/
Although published a few months ago Mark Davidson provides a useful situation report on how the ‘Four Signposts’ in the Book of Daniel, together with Psalm 83, may apply to the Shiite Islam war against Israel that began with the barbaric genocidal massacre on October 7th a year ago. Read about it in The Second Signpost Is At The Doorstep.
I published Rev Maurice Murillo’s above forthright articles on scripture and politics and now, in revisiting Romans 13 for your weighing, I recount what I believe the Lord has opened to me regarding this rather contentious scripture on God and governments.
Many cite it for letting politicians have free-rein in governing any society, for we’re expected to pray for those in authority over us. In my humble opinion it can be a ‘cop-opt clause’ for not taking issue over any deliberately ungodly – even demonic – policies and laws! The New King James Version, courtesy of BibleGateway, reads as follows::
13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will [a]bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Do you notice the distinct caveat of what Godly government is supposed to enact? When rulers permit evil then they are acting against the Almighty’s purposes, thereby enabling the spiritual usurper to take charge, are they not? History demonstrates that part of satanic strategy of global domination is to thwart those purposes as well as to show that holy writ doesn’t always hold.
The letter was written circa 56 AD by Apostle Paul from Corinth in Greece to believers in Jesus living in Rome and is recognised as the definitive statement of Christian doctrine taught by His fellow apostolic leaders. Much as I’d like to expand upon that background, I need to be quite brief in view of today’s maintenance schedule.
DANIEL 4
Mulling over the events upon which I’d blogged and chatted with our men’s Bible group last week, before heading for the Sunday service I checked my study Bible’s helpful notes on Romans 13:1-7. In particular I noticed and looked up ‘See Dan 4:32’ on ‘The authorities that exist are appointed by God’ and which reads (emphasis added):
‘And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven [j]times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
It was appropriate to understand that in context, so I read the whole chapter about king Nebuchadnezzar’s written declaration to his people about a dream and his need for an authoritative interpretation. He accepted prophet Daniel’s interpretation, which closes with the dream’s purpose and his own strong recommendation at vv 26-27 (emphases added):
“And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Twelve months later the king was proudly admiring the results of his building the great city and palace of Babylon, BUT:
31While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! …”
This account of the judgement that fell upon that ancient Babylonian king reminds me of what happened to Joe Biden during his insisting on running for a second term: 
But as well known, the Democrats led by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi perpetrated a ‘soft coup’ for last week’s national conference and its nomination of Vice President instead of Joe Biden as candidate for this November’s election!
INSIGHT ON ‘WATCHERS’
Now, notice how it reiterates the words in the preceding verse 13; ie 31 transposed!
13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried [a]aloud and said thus:…
‘Watchers’ are referred to in The Book of Enoch, one of the non-canonical books of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (or Apocrypha) that underpin New Testament writings. In fact, 1 Enoch comprises 107 ‘collections’ the first 36 of which is entitled ‘The Book of the Watchers’ !!
CONFIRMATION
Therefore, during most of that morning’s service I just could not but reflect upon what I’d found. So it wasn’t easy to focus on the teaching about Mark 8:22-30 – even though it was entitled ‘Blind vs Seeing’! WOW, how apposite and yet there’s an even higher level – that of of ‘seeing’ in and from heavenly realms.
Then the very next day upon launching Facebook, up popped an exceptionally specific prophetic confirmation about ‘judgement’, as in the next post (scheduled for the midnight hour!)…
In view of a recent debate about End-times prophecy I’m reiterating this blog’s stance, as published more fully in Precedence of Prophecy and Theology of Politics (21.12.22). This matter is not covered in Introduction To Prophecy located in the About Prophecy hub. Continue reading
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