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Why do the Heathen Rage?
Photo credit: Monasosh: During Egypt’s “Days of Rage”; The sign reads, “Down with Omar Suleiman, Israel man”. Omar Suleiman is Egypt’s top intelligence chief. He was appointed vice-president by Hosni Mubarak on January 29, 2011. Suleiman has an anti-Islamist view and is sympathetic toward Israel.Why do the Heathen Rage?
Rebellion is refusing to humble oneself under the authority of God.
Psalm 2, Acts 4
by Craig C. White
Throughout the Middle East and northern Africa the nations are exercising their “Days of Rage”. It has been widely proclaimed by the media that the nations are fighting to establish democracy. While some hope for democracy; Rage is induced by a different impulse. King David illuminates this timely question. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?”
Psa 2:1-12 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Why do the Heathen Rage? Let’s take this one verse at a time.
Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
The LORD’s anointed is Jesus Christ. The baptism of Jesus and his anointing with the Holy Spirit is recorded in all four gospels. This anointing of the Holy Spirit and the witness of God’s own voice prove that Jesus is the Son of God. We also have the following report of an eye-witness, namely John the Baptist. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Mar 1:9-11 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Psa 2:3-5 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Why do the Heathen Rage? Here is the answer to our question. The heathen declare they will remove any authority or accountability that God the father or his Son have over them. This is of course impossible. God laughs at their opposition. Created earthly powers cannot compare with his power. They are too far inferior. God is above everything and separate from his creation.
Rebellion is a certain type of sin. It is more insidious than sexual immorality or murder or theft. Rebellion is refusing to humble oneself under the authority of the one true God. The result of rebellion is everlasting punishment.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The nations rage in order to break accountability to God. This vain rage results in Israel’s sore distress. In “the day of the Lord”, God will break the yoke that the heathen has placed on the neck of Israel. Israel will no longer have to bend to international pressure to give up their land or defend their right to exist.
Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
Psa 2:6-9 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
After the “heathen rage” God places Jesus upon his everlasting throne in Jerusalem and gives him great honor. All nations are put under the authority of Jesus Christ. They are his to rule and judge forever.
Psa 2:10-12 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Kings, Presidents, Governors listen up! When Jesus is king on Earth; he will reign with an iron rod. He will not tolerate dissent. My advice is that you begin serving him now.
Who are the “heathen”? What does the original Hebrew term go’ee or goyim mean? “Goyim” is commonly translated as nations, heathen, or gentiles in the English Bible. According to “Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries” the root of go’ee refers to a massing of people, nations, animals, or locusts etc.
go’ee, go’-ee
Apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: – Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
In Joel’s three short chapters, God warns Israel that a nation is coming against them who are like locusts. There are a lot of them and they leave a path of destruction. Babylon partly fulfilled this prophecy in 608-585 B.C. Babylon attacked Judah on three different occasions. Joel’s prophecy also refers to a future invasion just prior to “the great and the terrible day of the Lord” (Joel 1:15, 2:1, 2:31, 3:14). Palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, and caterpillar are all referring to types of locusts.
Joe 1:4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. 5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. 6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
The locusts look like horses with teeth of a lion!
Joe 2:4-5 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
The description of the locusts in revelation is nearly identical to that in Joel.
Rev 9:7-11 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
So, according to the root definition of the Hebrew word “goyim” and the prophet Joel, the “heathen” will invade Israel like locusts.
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? “ After the death and resurrection of Jesus the apostles Peter and John remember King David’s question.
Act 4:25-28 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
In Acts 4 the heathen rage and put Jesus to death. Perhaps heathen today reason they can accomplish this again. They forget that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. God raised him up, because it was not possible that death could hold him (Acts 2:24).
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Christ’s death does not satisfy King David’s prophecy. The heathen are raging again. This time God will place Jesus upon his everlasting throne in Jerusalem.
Psa 2:6-9 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
God asked the question, “Why do the heathen rage?”. Today the world is answering that question. They say that the heathen rage for democracy. Of course they are giving the wrong answer. God knew they would. He gave the question “Why do the Heathen Rage?” as a sign of the end times. The heathen are raging and we are very close to Christ’s coming for his church, the Great Tribulation, and most importantly the establishment of Jesus Christ’s kingdom on Earth.
Read “Why do the Heathen Rage?” in my bookThe Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist
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What shall be the sign of thy coming?
Earthquake, Canterbury, NZ. Photo credit: Martin LuffWhat shall be the sign of thy coming?
Earthquakes or the Antichrist?
Matthew 24
By Craig C. White
Many Bible teachers say that there will be earthquakes and wars before Jesus Christ returns for his Church. They say that these signs are the beginning of sorrows mentioned in Matthew 24:8. Well hold on just a minute. Are these signs meant for the Church or do these signs precede Israel’s terrible time of trouble?
In Matthew 24 Jesus is asked the question “what shall be the sign of thy coming?” Which coming is he describing? Is he describing his coming to gather Church age believers, or is he describing the period before he comes to rescue the nation of Israel and set up his throne in Jerusalem?
Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
First it is important to understand who Jesus is talking to. He is talking to his disciples. It is important to note that they are all Jewish. They are all looking forward to God establishing his kingdom on earth. It is also important to note when the message was given. It was given by Jesus before his death, and before the gospel was preached to the gentile nations. This message was given before the Church was established.
Then it is important to carefully examine the message itself. Are there clues to which group of people Jesus is prophesying about? Yes, there are very clear indications that Jesus is prophesying about the trails of the Jewish people during the Tribulation period. So Matthew 24 should not be used to illustrate the signs of the rapture of the Church. Also Matthew 24 should not be used to prove that the Church will participate in the Tribulation period.
The gospels are very important since they record Jesus Christ’s genealogy, standards of righteousness, forgiveness of sin, miracles, fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah, and Christ’s death as payment for the worlds’ sin. The message of the four gospels is to be understood by Church age believers. We should also understand that most of Jesus’ teaching, parables, and prophecy are specifically directed to the nation of Israel. Jesus was sent especially to seek and to save the lost sheep of Israel.
Mat 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
It is sometimes difficult to know who is being addressed in the New Testament. Is Jesus talking about the nation of Israel or is he talking about the Church? A rule of thumb is that Jesus was sent to the Jews first and primarily. The gospel of the coming kingdom of God was preached first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Jesus primarily taught the nation of Israel. The four gospels were written about Jesus’ life and ministry. They primarily address the nation of Israel. Of course, there is plenty of teaching to be absorbed by Church age believers. The disciples taught the Jews first and then went out to the other nations. The epistles to the churches were written specifically to Church age believers!
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Let’s take a quick look at Matthew 24. I know that preachers and prophecy buffs like to identify natural disasters as signs of Jesus’ return for his Church, but these signs were written about the nation of Israel during the Great Tribulation. They are signs of Jesus’ second coming to defeat Israel’s enemies and set his throne in Jerusalem forever.
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
So who is Jesus talking about? As we will see, “the beginning of sorrows” in verse 8 above are not signs that Church age believers should be on the lookout for. Instead, they are events that will happen during the first part of the Tribulation period. Jesus is talking to and about the nation of Israel here. In verse 9 below Jesus tells his Jewish disciples that “ye shall be hated of all nations”. The word translated as “nations” is the Greek word “ethnos”. It is often translated as “gentile”. Ethnos refers to non-Jewish nations. It doesn’t refer to all countries in the world. It refers to all families or people groups. In practical terms it refers to old world nations that came from specific families; like the Greeks, Turks, Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, Saudis, Jordanians, and many more. So in verse 9 Jesus isn’t saying that Church members will be hated, but that the nation of Israel will be hated by all their surrounding nations.
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
In the verses below Jesus isn’t addressing the Church, but he is warning Jews during the 7 year Tribulation period. Many Jews will disregard God and his promises to Israel. Many Jews will be killed. But those who trust God to the end will be saved. Please read my commentary titled “The Last Jews in Jerusalem” in my book “Israel’s Beacon of Hope”.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
In Matthew 24:14 below we can see that Jesus is talking about the Tribulation period. The Tribulation period is a seven year span designated for God to show his displeasure for Israel’s rejection of him. In Matthew 24:14 the gospel is preached in all the world. This happens during the Tribulation period as described in Revelation. So we can see that Jesus is addressing people that live during the Tribulation period.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The following verses are obviously addressed to Jews living around Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Judea (region around Jerusalem) are called by name in verse 16. So it is very clear that Jesus is describing the coming trials of the nation of Israel, and not the signs of the rapture of his Church.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
If that isn’t enough evidence that Jesus is describing Israel’s Great Tribulation, then look at Matthew 24:21 below. This is the verse that we get the term “Great Tribulation” from.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Today the Church is suffering at the hands of the nations, but the nation of Israel is scheduled to suffer 7 years of tribulation. In Matthew 24 Jesus is explaining the trials that Israel will suffer during the Tribulation period. The beginning of sorrows in Matthew 24:8 are the events of the first part of the Tribulation. After the abomination of desolation in Mat 24:15 the worst part of the Tribulation begins (Dan 9:27). It is called “great tribulation” in Matthew 24:21. The second part of the Tribulation lasts 3 ½ years or 42 months or 1260 days (Dan 7:25, Dan 12:7, Rev 11:2-3, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14, Rev 13:5).
The Tribulation Period is designated to exercise God’s indignation towards the nation of Israel, not for the trying of the Church. The 7 year Tribulation period is the same as the seventieth week prophesied by Daniel (Dan 9:24). It is a 7 year period of trouble for the nation of Israel, not a time for trying the Church. Jeremiah calls the Tribulation “the time of Jacob’s trouble” not the time of the Church’s trouble. The Tribulation period is primarily designed for Israel’s chastisement.
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
In 1 Thessalonians below the dead in Christ are raised from the grave. Those “in Christ” are Church age believers. They are “caught up” or taken by force up into the sky. The gathering of Jews will happen differently as we will see. Please read my commentary titled “The Rapture Day!” in my book “God’s Great Expectations”.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Below, the elect are God’s chosen people (Deu 7:6). They are the people of Israel. The people of Israel will be raised from the dead at the end of the Tribulation period. They won’t be taken into the sky. They will walk back to the land of Israel on foot.
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Isa 11:11-12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
God will make a roadway for the Hebrews to return to Israel. God will dry up the Red Sea, and the Euphrates, and Tigris Rivers to make roadways for the resurrected Jewish believers to cross over. In Isaiah 11:15-16 below Jesus dries up the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea (that is the tongue of the Egyptian sea)! He will also dry up the Nile, Euphrates, and Tigris rivers in order to make a way for the resurrected Hebrews to cross over them! Please read my commentary titled “Aliyah Israel Arise Return” in my book “Israel’s Beacon of Hope”.
Isa 11:15-16 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
We have looked at the signs of Jesus’ coming to gather Israel. So what is the sign of Jesus’ coming to gather his Church? Well there isn’t one specific event that triggers the Rapture but we are instructed to understand Old Testament prophecy in order to recognize the Tribulation as it approaches! The Rapture will happen before the Tribulation.
In 2 Thessalonians below, Paul is addressing the Church in Greece which was comprised largely of Gentiles, not of Jews. Paul calls them brethren in Christ. So Paul is describing the Rapture of the Church in verse 1. The believers in Thessalonica were worried that the Tribulation was beginning. They were worried that the Rapture had not yet happened! Paul told them that two Old Testament prophecies must take place before Jerusalem’s great tribulation began. Those two events were the falling of Satan from heaven to earth and the revealing of the Antichrist as he sits in the temple in Jerusalem. I think that these two events actually happen during the first half of the seven year Tribulation period. Paul was assuring the Thessalonians that the Tribulation had not yet begun. Paul was assuring the Thessalonians that they would escape the terrible time of trouble on earth. Please read my commentary titled “The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist” in my book of the same title.
2Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
In 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 below Paul says that the Church members in Thessalonica will be saved from the coming tribulation. The word “salvation” in verse 13 isn’t describing deliverance from sin, but it is describing physical rescue from God’s wrath on earth during the Tribulation.
2Th 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are two other verses that indicate that Church age believers will escape from the wrath of the Tribulation period. These people have already been saved from sin. Salvation here is the rescue from physical harm during the Tribulation on Earth.
Rom 5:7-10 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Again physical rescue or “salvation” comes to people who already believe!
If you are still on earth when you see most of the old world nations at full scale war with each other and also hear of famines, and disease outbreaks, and earthquakes happening all over the world, then you are in trouble. You have entered the beginning stages of the Tribulation period. It is High Time to Awake!
Read “What shall be the sign of thy coming?” in my book God’s Great ExpectationsRead The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist in my book The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist
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The Church should not look for the beginning of sorrows.
Earthquake, Canterbury, NZ. Photo credit: Martin LuffWhat shall be the sign of thy coming?
Earthquakes , or the Antichrist?
Matthew 24
By Craig C. White
Many bible teachers say that there will be earthquakes and wars before Jesus Christ returns for his Church. They say that these signs are the beginning of sorrows mentioned in Matthew 24:8. Well hold on just a minute. Are these signs meant for the Church or do these signs precede Israel’s terrible time of trouble?
In Matthew 24 Jesus is asked the question “what shall be the sign of thy coming?” Which coming is he describing? Is he describing his coming to gather Church age believers, or is he describing the period before he comes to rescue the nation of Israel and set up his throne in Jerusalem?
Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
First it is important to understand who Jesus is talking to. He is talking to his disciples. It is important to note that they are all Jewish. They are all looking forward to God establishing his kingdom on earth. It is also important to note when the message was given. It was given by Jesus before his death, and before the gospel was preached to the gentile nations. This message was given before the Church was established.
Then it is important to carefully examine the message itself. Are there clues to which group of people Jesus is prophesying about? Yes, there are very clear indications that Jesus is prophesying about the trails of the Jewish people during the Tribulation period. So Matthew 24 should not be used to illustrate the signs of the rapture of the Church. Also Matthew 24 should not be used to prove that the Church will participate in the Tribulation period.
The gospels are very important since they record Jesus Christ’s genealogy, standards of righteousness, forgiveness of sin, miracles, fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah, and Christ’s death as payment for the worlds’ sin. The message of the four gospels is to be understood by Church age believers. We should also understand that most of Jesus’ teaching, parables, and prophecy are specifically directed to the nation of Israel. Jesus was sent especially to seek and to save the lost sheep of Israel.
Mat 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
It is sometimes difficult to know who is being addressed in the New Testament. Is Jesus talking about the nation of Israel or is he talking about the Church? A rule of thumb is that Jesus was sent to the Jews first and primarily. The gospel of the coming kingdom of God was preached first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Jesus primarily taught the nation of Israel. The four gospels were written about Jesus’ life and ministry. They primarily address the nation of Israel. Of course, there is plenty of teaching to be absorbed by Church age believers. The disciples taught the Jews first and then went out to the other nations. The epistles to the churches were written specifically to Church age believers!
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Let’s take a quick look at Matthew 24. I know that preachers and prophecy buffs like to identify natural disasters as signs of Jesus’ return for his Church, but these signs were written about the nation of Israel during the Great Tribulation. They are signs of Jesus’ second coming to defeat Israel’s enemies and set his throne in Jerusalem forever.
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
So who is Jesus talking about? As we will see, “the beginning of sorrows” in verse 8 above are not signs that Church age believers should be on the lookout for. Instead, they are events that will happen during the first part of the Tribulation period. Jesus is talking to and about the nation of Israel here. In verse 9 below Jesus tells his Jewish disciples that “ye shall be hated of all nations”. The word translated as “nations” is the Greek word “ethnos”. It is often translated as “gentile”. Ethnos refers to non-Jewish nations. It doesn’t refer to all countries in the world. It refers to all families or people groups. In practical terms it refers to old world nations that came from specific families; like the Greeks, Turks, Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, Saudis, Jordanians, and many more. So in verse 9 Jesus isn’t saying that Church members will be hated, but that the nation of Israel will be hated by all their surrounding nations.
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
In the verses below Jesus isn’t addressing the Church, but he is warning Jews during the 7 year Tribulation period. Many Jews will disregard God and his promises to Israel. Many Jews will be killed. But those who trust God to the end will be saved. Please read my commentary titled “The Last Jews in Jerusalem” in my book “Israel’s Beacon of Hope”.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
In Matthew 24:14 below we can see that Jesus is talking about the Tribulation period. The Tribulation period is a seven year span designated for God to show his displeasure for Israel’s rejection of him. In Matthew 24:14 the gospel is preached in all the world. This happens during the Tribulation period as described in Revelation. So we can see that Jesus is addressing people that live during the Tribulation period.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The following verses are obviously addressed to Jews living around Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Judea (region around Jerusalem) are called by name in verse 16. So it is very clear that Jesus is describing the coming trials of the nation of Israel, and not the signs of the rapture of his Church.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
If that isn’t enough evidence that Jesus is describing Israel’s Great Tribulation, then look at Matthew 24:21 below. This is the verse that we get the term “Great Tribulation” from.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Today the Church is suffering at the hands of the nations, but the nation of Israel is scheduled to suffer 7 years of tribulation. In Matthew 24 Jesus is explaining the trials that Israel will suffer during the Tribulation period. The beginning of sorrows in Matthew 24:8 are the events of the first part of the Tribulation. After the abomination of desolation in Mat 24:15 the worst part of the Tribulation begins (Dan 9:27). It is called “great tribulation” in Matthew 24:21. The second part of the Tribulation lasts 3 ½ years or 42 months or 1260 days (Dan 7:25, Dan 12:7, Rev 11:2-3, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14, Rev 13:5).
The Tribulation Period is designated to exercise God’s indignation towards the nation of Israel, not for the trying of the Church. The 7 year Tribulation period is the same as the seventieth week prophesied by Daniel (Dan 9:24). It is a 7 year period of trouble for the nation of Israel, not a time for trying the Church. Jeremiah calls the Tribulation “the time of Jacob’s trouble” not the time of the Church’s trouble. The Tribulation period is primarily designed for Israel’s chastisement.
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
In 1 Thessalonians below the dead in Christ are raised from the grave. Those “in Christ” are Church age believers. They are “caught up” or taken by force up into the sky. The gathering of Jews will happen differently as we will see. Please read my commentary titled “The Rapture Day!” in my book “God’s Great Expectations”.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Below, the elect are God’s chosen people (Deu 7:6). They are the people of Israel. The people of Israel will be raised from the dead at the end of the Tribulation period. They won’t be taken into the sky. They will walk back to the land of Israel on foot.
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Isa 11:11-12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
God will make a roadway for the Hebrews to return to Israel. God will dry up the Red Sea, and the Euphrates, and Tigris Rivers to make roadways for the resurrected Jewish believers to cross over. In Isaiah 11:15-16 below Jesus dries up the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea (that is the tongue of the Egyptian sea)! He will also dry up the Nile, Euphrates, and Tigris rivers in order to make a way for the resurrected Hebrews to cross over them! Please read my commentary titled “Aliyah Israel Arise Return” in my book “Israel’s Beacon of Hope”.
Isa 11:15-16 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
We have looked at the signs of Jesus’ coming to gather Israel. So what is the sign of Jesus’ coming to gather his Church? Well there isn’t one specific event that triggers the Rapture but we are instructed to understand Old Testament prophecy in order to recognize the Tribulation as it approaches! The Rapture will happen before the Tribulation.
In 2 Thessalonians below, Paul is addressing the Church in Greece which was comprised largely of Gentiles, not of Jews. Paul calls them brethren in Christ. So Paul is describing the Rapture of the Church in verse 1. The believers in Thessalonica were worried that the Tribulation was beginning. They were worried that the Rapture had not yet happened! Paul told them that two Old Testament prophecies must take place before Jerusalem’s great tribulation began. Those two events were the falling of Satan from heaven to earth and the revealing of the Antichrist as he sits in the temple in Jerusalem. I think that these two events actually happen during the first half of the seven year Tribulation period. Paul was assuring the Thessalonians that the Tribulation had not yet begun. Paul was assuring the Thessalonians that they would escape the terrible time of trouble on earth. Please read my commentary titled “The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist” in my book of the same title.
2Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
In 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 below Paul says that the Church members in Thessalonica will be saved from the coming tribulation. The word “salvation” in verse 13 isn’t describing deliverance from sin, but it is describing physical rescue from God’s wrath on earth during the Tribulation.
2Th 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are two other verses that indicate that Church age believers will escape from the wrath of the Tribulation period. These people have already been saved from sin. Salvation here is the rescue from physical harm during the Tribulation on Earth.
Rom 5:7-10 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Again physical rescue or “salvation” comes to people who already believe!
If you are still on earth when you see most of the old world nations at full scale war with each other and also hear of famines, and disease outbreaks, and earthquakes happening all over the world, then you are in trouble. You have entered the beginning stages of the Tribulation period. It is High Time to Awake!
Read “What shall be the sign of thy coming?” in my book God’s Great ExpectationsRead The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist in my book The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist
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Rabbi Yehudah Glick and the new temple
Rabbi Yehudah Glick and the new temple
The courtyard will be given to the nations
By Craig C. White
Temple activist Rabbi Yehudah Glick has just been appointed to the Israeli parliament known as the Knesset. Rabbi Glick is a leading figure in the establishing of a new Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Glick wants all religions to worship together on the Temple Mount. Some in Israel say that this is Bible prophecy fulfilled. They may be right but not in the way that they think. The Bible says that there will be a Jewish temple in Jerusalem during the coming Tribulation period. Animal sacrifice will resume for a time but then the Antichrist will invade Jerusalem and end the sacrifices and defile the Temple. This begins a three and one half year period of terrible suffering in Jerusalem and Judea called Jerusalem’s great tribulation in Matthew 24:21.
The Prophet Daniel says that the Antichrist will make a seven year term treaty with Israel regarding temple sacrifice. In the middle of the seven years the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices.
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The construction of a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is a sign of impending doom for Israel. Rabbi Glick and his associates claim that a new temple will usher in an era of peace and prosperity for Israel. They reference Isaiah chapter 9 to make their claims of coming peace. This is what the verse says in The Israel Bible™.
“That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth perform this.” Isaiah 9:6 (The Israel Bible™)
Unfortunately Rabbi Glick and the Jews have rejected the true meaning of this verse. They have edited Isaiah to serve their own desires. Isaiah identifies the birth of a divine Prince who will rule in Jerusalem forever. This ruler is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will return after the seven year Tribulation period in order to save Israel from Rabbi Glick’s folly. Here is Isaiah 9:6-7 from the King James Bible.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Like I said before the Antichrist will make a seven year agreement with Israel regarding temple sacrifice. So who is the Antichrist? Since 2009 Rabbi Glick has been working with Turkish government officials as well as Turkish religious leaders to gain Islam’s approval for the building of a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Glick told Turkey’s rulers that Jews and Muslims worship the same god and that the new temple would be open to all religions. Glick along with his Rabbi friends, as well as the Turkish Imams all agreed that a new temple in Jerusalem will usher in lasting peace and prosperity for Israel and an era of peace among all nations. Turkish President Erdogan is the Antichrist. He is the “chief prince” of Turkey mentioned in Ezekiel 38:2-3. Ezekiel chapter 38 describes Erdogan as he leads an invasion into northern Israel. On this occasion the God of Israel will turn back the Turkish led invaders. Lately Erdogan has threatened to take the Golan Heights away from Israel. Also Turkey and Israel have been struggling to finalize a reconciliation agreement since 2010. Perhaps the failed Turkish led invasion into the Golan Heights is the event that finally causes Erdogan and Israel to conclude a peace agreement. Rabbi Yehudah Glick has arrived in the Knesset to ensure that a new temple is part of that agreement.
The Bible says that there will be a temple in Jerusalem during the Tribulation. Rabbi Yehudah Glick says that the temple will be open to all religions. The book of Revelation says that the courtyard of the temple will be trampled upon by the nations.
Revelation 11:1-2 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
This is the beginning stage of the tribulation period temple in Jerusalem and the seven year peace treaty among Erdogan and Israel. I think that the Church will be taken away before the Tribulation begins. We may not be here to see this seven year agreement signed. The Resurrection and Rapture, and the Tribulation are very near. It is High Time to Awake!
Here is a video of Glick talking to Turkish religious leader Adan Oktar in 2009 saying that the God of Israel and Allah are one and the same
Read this article on the Jewish Press Temple Mount Activist Rabbi Yehuda Glick Talks Peace in Turkey
Read this article on Israel News Does Newest Knesset Member Yehudah Glick Fulfill Jerusalem Prophecy of Zachariah?
Read my Bible commentary titled Peace Peace
Find out what you must know about the end time in my BIG Book of Bible Prophecy
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Syria threatens Israel
Syria threatens Israel
It’s 734 BC all over again
By Craig C. White
It’s High Time to get serious about Bible prophecy. You will only get one shot at this. Jesus will appreciate it if you understand what is going on when he comes.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has threatened to bomb Ben Gurion Airport if Israel continues to attack the Syrian army and Hezbollah terrorists in his country.
In 734 BC Israel asked Assyria to help fight against Syria. After Assyria conquered Damascus they then promptly invaded northern Israel. It’s in your Bible! I wonder if this time Israel will ask Turkey to fight Syria near Israel’s northern border. The Bible compares the Antichrist to the ancient Assyrian kings because the Antichrist will do the same things that the ancient kings did. Turkey is poised to conquer Syria and to invade the Golan Heights of Israel. That’s right. Turkish President Erdogan is the Antichrist. The Resurrection and Rapture, and the Tribulation are near!
According to Jeremiah 49:23-27 Turkey will attack the northwestern cities of Hamah and Tell Rifaat and then destroy Damascus. According to Ezekiel chapter 38 Turkey will lead the forces that are now fighting in Syria into northern Israel. According to Nahum chapter 1 Jesus Christ will return in the air with a fiery fury to scorch the Turkish led invaders in northern Israel, southern Syria, and southern Lebanon.
It’s High Time to Awake! Read my commentary titled Will Israel ask Turkey for help fighting Syria in the Golan Heights?
Read this article on Hamodia: Assad: We’ll Attack Ben Gurion Airport If Israeli Raids Don’t Stop
Read my book The complete guide to Syria in end time Bible prophecy
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The world wants to take the Golan Heights
The world wants to take the Golan Heights
Ezekiel 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
By Craig C. White
World governments have their sites on the Golan Heights in northern Israel as they seek a diplomatic solution to remove Syrian President Assad. They are trying to negotiate a deal that would give the Israeli portion of the Golan Heights to Syria. Turkey, the US, the UN, and the EU are all onboard.
According to Jeremiah 49:23-27 Turkey is the obvious candidate that will conquer Syria and destroy Damascus. Turkish President Erdogan wants to remove Assad from Damascus and then install a Muslim Brotherhood ruler over Syria.
The Bible compares the Antichrist to the ancient Assyrian kings because he will do the same things that the Assyrian kings did. The Assyrian kings conquered Syria and then invaded northern Israel. Turkish President Erdogan is ready to do both of these things.
Turkish President Erdogan is the Antichrist. Even before the Turkish Army had entered Syria he already had intentions to take the Golan Heights. This Turkish lead invasion into northern Israel is described in Ezekiel chapter 38. It is known as the battle of Gog and Magog. Turkey will lead Iran, Libya, and Sudan into Israel. All of these nations are already fighting in Syria and Iran has already fired missiles into the Golan Heights. Every nation that is mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 38 is already involved in the Syrian war. God will cause these armies to retreat from Israel using torrential rain, disease, and God will cause these armies to fight against one another.
The world has declared its desire to take the Golan Heights from Israel. Israel has already defended the Golan Heights against Iran (Hezbollah as well as the Iranian Army) and Libya (The Free Syrian Army, also known as the “moderate rebels”). Turkey will conquer Syria, destroy Damascus, and then lead the forces that are fighting in Syria today into the Golan Heights.
Today there is increased fighting on the Golan Heights. Iran and Hezbollah are fighting Libyan Al-Qaeda rebels (AKA the Free Syrian Army). The Syrian Army is preparing a major offensive.
Ezekiel chapter 38 describes Turkey as it leads Libya, Iran, and Sudan into Israel.
The handwriting is on the wall. Christians and Jews should recognize the events of our day. It is High Time to Awake.
Read this article in the New York Times Israel Will Never Give Golan Heights to Syria, Netanyahu Vows
Find out what you must know about the end time in my BIG Book of Bible Prophecy
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We should expect to see a visible sign in the heavens as Satan hurls though space towards earth!
We should expect to see a visible sign in the heavens as Satan hurls though space towards earth!
By Craig C. White
There are three battles called “Gog and Magog” in the Bible. We know that Satan is on earth deceiving the nations to attack Israel for two of them. The first battle of Gog and Magog is described in Ezekiel chapter 38 and seems to be forming in Syria now. The second battle of Gog and Magog is described in Ezekiel chapter 39 and happens at the end of the seven year Tribulation period. Ezekiel 39 describes the same battle as the battle of Armageddon. Before the battle of Armageddon, Satan is cast out of heaven to earth.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
The third battle of Gog and Magog is described in Revelation chapter 20 and happens after Jesus Christ rules on earth for one thousand years. Satan is let out of hell before that battle begins!
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Every battle of Gog and Magog represents the collective rebellion of the original nations of the old world (IE: primarily the nations from northern Africa to India). These are the Islamic nations of today.
So if Satan will be on earth to lead the nations into Israel during two of these battles; then we should expect Satan to be on earth during the first battle of Gog and Magog. We should expect Satan to be cast out of heaven and to fall to earth like lightning before Turkey leads the forces that are now fighting in Syria into the Golan Heights of Israel!
Jesus said…
Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
The King of Tyre is compared to Satan.
Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Satan is still in heaven.
Jesus said this just before he went to the cross
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Rev 12:7-12 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Satan had already fallen from his initial state of glory but was traveling between heaven and earth during the time of Job.
Job 2:1-2 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
We should expect to see a visible sign in the heavens as Satan hurls though space towards earth!
According to 2Thessalonians; two events must happen before the Rapture of the Church or at least before the Tribulation begins. These two events are a “falling away” (or the falling of Satan from heaven to earth) and the revealing of the Antichrist with blasphemy against the God of Israel and his son Jesus Christ, and also with fake miracles.
2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
We should expect to see a visible sign in the heavens as Satan hurls though space towards earth!
Read my book The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist
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Turkey to rebuild Ottoman era naval base at Suakin, Sudan
Turkey to rebuild Ottoman era naval base at Suakin, Sudan
Stirs fears of a revived Ottoman Empire
By Craig C. White
The Prophet Daniel describes the Antichrist as he attacks northern Africa by many ships. Daniel says that “Egypt will not escape”. Today Turkey is building a large naval personnel carrier, and now has plans to build a naval base on the Red Sea coast of Sudan. This is a good position to launch an attack on Egypt. Turkish President Erdogan intends to reinstate ousted Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi back into power in Egypt within the next couple of years. Will your candidate for the Antichrist invade Egypt by many ships? Mine says that he will. Turkish President Erdogan is the Antichrist.
Daniel 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
Read this article on Reuters: Turkey to restore Sudanese Red Sea port and build naval dock
Read this article on Al-Monitor: Erdogan’s Ottoman dream causes storm in Red Sea
Read my commentary titled Egypt shall not escape
Read my BIG Book of Bible Prophecy
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Turkish Army has begun its conquest of Syria!
Turkish Army has begun its conquest of Syria!
Bible prophecy unfolding
By Craig C. White
I hope that you all have noticed! This week the Turkish army has been pouring into northern Syria. Turkey aims to remove the Kurdish military forces from the Afrin region of Syria and also from the city of Raqqa. Turkey wants to eliminate the threat that the Kurds will create an autonomous Kurdish State inside of Syria next to the Turkish border.
If you will remember Raqqa was the ISIS capital and stronghold in Syria. The U.S. supported Kurds spent the past year fighting against ISIS in Raqqa. The battle for Raqqa was long and difficult leaving the city in ruins. Now that ISIS has been eliminated from Raqqa, the Kurds control the city.
You might wonder why Russia hasn’t objected to the Turkish attack on these Kurdish controlled towns. Turkey has convinced Russia that the Kurds now possess sophisticated U.S. arms. So Russia and Iran have now accused the U.S. of stoking the ambitions of the Kurds to create a separate Kurdish nation inside of Syria. The U.S. has countered by accusing Russia of acquiescing to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government.
Turkish President Erdogan told a meeting of his AK Party that Operation Euphrates Shield “drove a dagger into the heart of the game played in Syria” by the Kurds.
“We will soon also destroy one-by-one the other nests of terror in Syria, starting with Afrin and Manbij,” he vowed.
“Those who stabbed us in the back and appear to be our allies… cannot prevent it,” he added, apparently referring to the US. The nations are disquieted over Syria.
Now for the important Bible stuff. The Prophet Jeremiah predicts the Turkish conquest of Syria. Jeremiah 49:23-27 describes the Turkish Army as they invade the northwestern Syria cities of Hamah and Tell Rifaat and then destroy Damascus. The Turkish Army is sweeping the Afrin region from the west eastward. Tell Rifaat is on the eastern limits of the Afrin region and is the key Kurdish controlled city there. Expect to see the fiercest fighting as the Turkish Army nears Tell Rifaat. In Hamah the Syrian Army is fighting and winning against the Turkish supported rebel groups in the nearby Idlib province.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Jeremiah lists the city of Hamah first. So I think that we will see the Turkish Army moving towards Hamah before Jeremiah’s prophecy ensues.
Jeremiah says that after Hamah and Tell Rifaat hear evil reports then the residents of Damascus will flee and Damascus will be destroyed. Afterwards I think that Turkey will then lead the forces that are now fighting in Syria into Israel. As a matter of fact I think that Jesus will return to cause these invaders to retreat and also to gather Christians.
I have been warning people about the Turkish conquest of Syria for the past several years but the Prophet Jeremiah has been warning us for the past 2,600 years. It is High Time for the nation of Israel and for Christians to Awake!
Read this article on the BBC: Syria war: Turkish forces mass near Kurdish areas
Read my commentary titled Rapture fuse is lit!
Read my commentary titled The nations are disquieted over Syria
Read my book The complete guide to Syria in end time Bible prophecy
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Jeremiah 49:23 is beginning!
Jeremiah 49:23 is beginning!Turkey is threatening Hamah and Tell Rifaat
By Craig C. White
Turkish Army is now threatening the northwestern Syrian city of Hamah and Tell Rifaat like Jeremiah predicted. Believe it or not this is the most important world event that Christians should be watching today.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
The Turkish Army is advancing towards the Afrin region of Syria from the west in Idlib. The Turkish Army is also amassed in Azaz just to the north of Tell Rifaat. Tell Rifaat is located twenty five miles to the north of Aleppo. Turkish President Erdogan says that Tell Rifaat is his main objective in the Afrin region. Tell Rifaat is called Arpad in Jeremiah 49:23.
Click map to enlarge
Turkey is also ratcheting up aggression in Hamah. This week the Syrian government is claiming that Turkey is helping rebels in Idlib to attack the Syrian Army in Hamah. The nations are beginning to be disquieted over Syria.
Jeremiah says that after Hamah and Tell Rifaat hear evil reports then the residents of Damascus will flee and Damascus will be destroyed. I think that Turkey will then lead the forces that are now fighting in Syria into Israel. I think that Jesus will return to cause these invaders to retreat and also to gather Christians.
Read my commentary titled Rapture fuse is lit!Read my commentary titled The nations are disquieted over Syria
Read this article on ABC news: Turkey says it will oust Kurdish militants from Afrin, Syria
Read this article on Reuters: Syrian state media says Turkey helped rebel attack
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High Time to Awake 