prophecy – Page 61

gnosticism, gnostics, prophecy, secret knowledge

Gnosticism is alive and well…and gaining. Introduction

Posted on September 7, 2012 by elizabethprata

In studying Colossians it occurred to me that an exploration of Gnosticism would be a good idea. We started studying the book last night at church, and I get so worked up over the Gnostic doctrines that influenced and polluted the church at Colossae, and affect us today, that I became almost inarticulate with anger. I hate Gnosticism. HATE. IT.

I get very upset because I see so much Gnosticism in this day coming in through many of the most popular teachers, and I’m not talking about the slick, money-grubber false preachers we can easily identify on TV as cranks, but teachers and preachers even in the Southern Baptist Convention who have huge followings. It hurts me so much to see precious brethren drawn away, because it is all so unnecessary.

In his essay, “Gospels, Gospels Everywhere? Gnosticism and the New Testament Canon”, Mark A. Pierson wrote, “For once Christians fail to defend their faith effectively, the new Gnosticism pounces, equipped with convoluted responses that many lay people are incapable of dismantling.”

Irenaeus wrote in “Against Heresies, Book 1, which was a detailed attack on Gnosticism: “Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced (ridiculous as the expression may seem) more true than the truth itself.”

So true! Gnosticism is difficult to dismantle it because it is so subtle, it sounds Christianese because scriptures are used (though not correctly), and there is no one smoking gun statement or creed one can point to and say ‘AHA! False!” If it was so easy to dismantle, I suppose the first century Christians at Colossae under Epahras and Paul’s preaching would have spotted it!

So I decided to write a 7-part series. The first part is this one, the introduction. I’ll define Gnosticism and list 6 elements that comprise this false doctrine. Then each succeeding part will individually explore each of the 6 elements in more detail. I’ll also name names, share book titles, and provide quotes from modern day Gnostics, so you know who they are and we can uncover their works of darkness.

So, in Colossians Paul wrote from jail to the believers at Colossae about man-made doctrines that were taking them away from their sure foundation of the faith: Jesus alone. Colossians 1-2 are especially poignant. Paul dealt with Gnosticism again in Galatians, and it is believed 1 John 4 was addressing the problem of Gnosticism, also. There is another mention in 2 Timothy 3 and again in 1 Timothy 6. It was a huge problem for the first-century church. It is a huge problem for us today.

What is Gnosticism?

Strong’s Concordance defines Gnosticism as “Gnosticism” is literally, “the cult based on having special, personal knowledge”.

It is seeking of knowledge apart from God, secret knowledge that will provide salvation to those few who found the secret. Gnosticism (the ‘g’ is silent), is from the word Gnosis. Wikipedia defines “Gnosis as the common Greek noun for knowledge. In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word’s meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies ‘spiritual knowledge’ in the sense of mystical enlightenment.”

In other words, Gnostics seek spiritual enlightenment apart from God’s word. Gnostics seek enlightenment from visions, dreams, experiences, traditions of men, rituals, and philosophies. (Col 2:8). They believe they have the power or insight or luck to find and draw out mysterious knowledge that will put them on a better path or a higher path or a more spiritual path to heaven, and thus get closer to God.

They could not be more wrong.

Gnosticism has been around since the Garden, and is directly one of the reasons for the Fall from grace. Genesis 3:1-6 has the story.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”

Satan said, ‘if you eat the fruit, you will KNOW’ (be wise, have insights, Gen 3:4-5). Yet Eve already had the word of God as delivered through Adam. She had the direct Presence of God as she walked and talked with Him. But people fall for satan’s trick every day; saying, if you do this – read this – listen to this, you will KNOW.

Satan melded the truth and lies when he conversed with Eve. He said that if she ate, she would not die. He was right- she did not die … physically. But she did die spiritually. Satan said to Eve that she would know good and evil, and this was true, but not profitable for her. He omitted the penalty for disobedience. And the entire conversation was one where satan intimated that God was holding out on the humans, but satan had the key to the good stuff.

Gnostics in Pauls’ day used the same tactics to draw away the Colossians. Gnostics use the same tactics today. Gnostics will mention scriptures, refer to scriptures, twist scriptures, but Gnosticism’s foundation is not ON scriptures. The Forerunner Commentary explains, “more than what was contained in Scripture, Gnostics valued what they experienced, what elders told them, or what they learned from “angels,” astrology, or chemistry (alchemy).”

In Colossians 1:9, Paul wrote:

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”

His use of the word ‘knowledge’ is “epígnōsis (from Strong’s 1909 /epí, “on, fitting” which intensifies 1108 /gnosis, “knowledge gained through first-hand relationship.”

An intense first-hand relationship is where the knowledge comes, and that relationship between the penitent/disciple/ servant of Christ and Christ is the foundation of Christianity. Christianity is not an institution, it is a relationship.

A first-hand relationship with Jesus is such a wonderful basis for knowledge. That word ‘know’ in Colossians 1:9 is different from the word “know” (gnosis) as applied to Gnostics. Strong’s again-

1108 /gnṓsis (“applied-knowledge”) is only as accurate (reliable) as the relationship it derives from. For example, the Gnostics boasted of their “applied knowledge” gained by their personal spiritual experiences – and it was (is) disastrous!”

In 1 Timothy 6:20, Paul wrote, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”’ and Paul here used the word pseudōnumou gnoseos, meaning, what is falsely called knowledge.

Not all knowledge is good. Just knowing stuff doesn’t make a person more spiritual or better than the next guy, if the knowledge is from personal experience, man-made doctrines, or other sources apart from God’s revelation to us through the bible and His creation. (Special revelation, and general revelation.)

Another major part of Gnosticism is the Gnostics’ abhorrence of flesh, or actually, matter. They hated the material so much they disbelieved Jesus came in the flesh, was not actual matter. Forerunner Commentary explains, “Gnostic Christians borrowed the idea of redemption through Christ, but rather than believing that He redeemed them from sin, they believed that He would redeem them from matter – that is, from the flesh, which they considered to be inherently evil. At the core of Gnosticism is the belief that knowledge, typically secret knowledge – knowledge from angels, from the stars and planets, from the ancients – was the path to holiness and salvation. They believed that the path of redemption was through knowledge, and that the worst evil was ignorance. Thus, they did not endeavor to overcome sin, but ignorance.”

Zondervan’s NIV bible lists 6 elements that comprise Gnosticism. They are:

1. secret knowledge,
2. asceticism,
3. depreciation of Christ (lowering Him in name and in glory),
4. strict rule-keeping, ceremonies, or rituals
5. worship of angels,
6. and reliance on human wisdom and tradition.

Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll write on the secret knowledge, a main element of Gnosticism, and who among those teachers and preachers and writers today is promoting it.

The best knowledge is from God. As Proverbs 2:5-7 tells us

“then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”

Blessings!

Gnosticism series
Introduction
Part 1: Secret Knowledge
Part 2: Asceticism
Part 3: Depreciation of Jesus
Part 4: Ceremonies & Rituals
Part 5: Worship of Angels
Part 6: Human traditions
Conclusion

god-given, hate speech, jesus, prophecy

A time of encouragement

Posted on September 6, 2012 by elizabethprata

What a day. There was a 7.9 earthquake at Costa Rica (later reduced to a 7.6) which sparked a Caribbean-wide tsunami warning for a while.

There is a report of propaganda artwork from street vendors at the Democratic National Convention directly likening Obama to Jesus.

There is the DNC’s floor fight using God as a political football to keep the term God-given in their party platform and to keep pro-Jerusalem language in it too.

There is a report of 100 Muslim delegates at the DNC, a quadrupling in number since 2004.

There is a video of a FL DNC Jewish Chairman who says any friendship with Christians is a false friendship, because the fundamentalist Christians only want Jews converted and slaughtered so the Second Coming can be ushered in.

I would include links but I really want to personally avoid this news and I don’t want to promote it. If you’re interested, google the terms and you’ll find plenty. These news items were from today.

I find this news sickening, upsetting, and an omen of how close we are to the rapture. So rather than go into detail about the news, which should be obvious in its import, I’ll go straight to the blessed Hope, which is Jesus, His Spirit who inspired the Word, and our Holy Father who providentially holds us in His hand.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10).

Is there any better place to be than His righteous right hand?? No.

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Is there any better way to act than that? No. And the best part is that acting that way is not up to us, but we have the Spirit to help us in His power be loving and self-controlled!

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

If you are in Jesus, the Lord God loves you! Did your read that verse slowly? He is in our midst! He saves! He rejoices over His children! He calms and quiets us by His love! And He sings exultantly over His people. I have a hard time visualizing God singing loudly over His people but the bible says He does, so there ya go. This is not because we are so great, but before the foundation of the world He loves us whilst we were still sinners. His glory is shown through His salvation to sinners.

Be encouraged. God, Jesus, The Spirit who are our Triune God is at work in every corner of the earth and every point of heaven. And in that work, He is mindful of you and me, down to the hairs on our head and our innermost thoughts. His Day will right all wrongs. Meanwhile, all we have to do is love Him and walk in His ways, praying ceaselessly for strength and love, and He will give it.

jordan, molech, prophecy

Jordan has a great role to play in the end times

Posted on September 5, 2012 by elizabethprata

Jordan has a very interesting and important role to play in end times prophecy. We often focus on Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, etc because of they’re always in the secular news and because their prophetic ends are easier to determine, being for the most part contained in one book of the bible. The prophecies about Jordan are scattered between the Old Testament and the New, and piecing together what is in store for them is takes more study. But it is worth it.

Now, I know I will not do it justice here, there is a lot and I’ve only scratched the surface. But isn’t that the great thing about the bible? There are always more pieces to study! New revelations the Spirit will deliver and more wisdom of the word He will supply. And as always, be sure to study these things yourself, to see if they are true.

Jordan is a pretty new country. It was created in 1922 as a UK protectorate after WW1 when the British carved up parts of the Middle East as spoils of war from the losing Ottoman Empire. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 decreed that the UK recognized the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. However at the last moment, Britain reneged on their promise and only a fraction of the bounded land that was supposed to go to a new Zionist state actually went to it, most of it going to create the new state of Trans-jordan in 1922. And it was 31 years later and after a bunch of Arab uprisings that Israel finally declared herself a state in 1948. After capturing the West Bank area of Trans-jordan during the 1948–49 war with Israel, Abdullah took the title King of Jordan, and he officially changed the country’s name to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in April 1949. The following year he annexed the West Bank.

The Jordan of today can be said to be three biblical nations. From north to south we have Ammon, Moab, and Edom. If you remember, in Genesis 19 when Sodom was smote with brimstone for its homosexuality, and Lot and his two daughters fled to Zoar, the daughters thought the three of them were the only living beings left in the world. They got their father drunk and lay with him, incestuously and wrongfully. They each got pregnant, and the result was Ben-Ammi, the father of the Ammonites, and Moab. (Gen 19:37-38). Esau is Edom (Genesis 36:1). Edom also became known as Idumea in the Greek.

Amman is the capital of Jordan and is the largest city. Like Damascus, it is considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. That is why, when we read Jeremiah 49:2 the prophecy calling for Amman to become a desolate heap, we know it is a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.

“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.” [note that the ancient name for Amman was Rabbah]

Ezekiel 25:1-7 also contains a prophecy against Ammon-

“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord. For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

The prophecy continues with a judgment against Moab, and a judgment against Edom. So from north (Ammon) to central (Moab) to the south (Edom) the nation that is currently called Jordan will be no more, and given to Israel. This is re-stated in Jeremiah 49:1-3:

“Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad, and his people settled in its cities? Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will cause the battle cry to be heard against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall become a desolate mound, and its villages shall be burned with fire; then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him, says the Lord. Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his officials.”

This prophecy is especially exciting. First, note that the King of Jordan and the Hashemite Kingdom is Abdullah, who is a 41st generation direct descendant of Mohammad. Jordan is 92% Muslim, and with the King claiming to be direct descendant of the false “prophet” Mohammad, it is false god central! Secondly, note the the mention of Milcom in the Jeremiah 49:3 verse. Milcom is another name for the false god the people worshiped at that time, AKA Molech. Molech is the false god the people sacrificed their children to, the one whom God called the “detestable god of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:7). The child sacrifice of Molech-Allah continues- Are not Muslim boys trained as suicide bombers? Are not Muslim girls sacrificed into marriages while still children? Molech-Allah is still claiming his children in this day and age, isn’t he?!

Verse 3 of the Jeremiah verse contains a promise from God that when Ammon is reduced to a heap (Jeremiah 49:2) Molech (Milcom) “will go into captivity with all his priests and officials”. Does that mean we can interpret that Allah will be defeated and Islam come to an end in the last days before Jesus returns? I hope so!! In any case, it is exciting to think of the day when God will be acknowledged as the only God!

Another interesting prophetic piece is that Jordan is prophesied to be the only nation to escape the conquering of the antichrist. (Daniel 11:41-42). Perhaps this is because when the abomination of desolation comes upon the Jews, and Jesus had told them to flee, He said to flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:16). The mountains near to Judea are the mountains at Petra, the rock city where the Jewish remnant will be nourished for the remaining three and a half years of the Tribulation.

Revelation 12:14 tell us that “the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.”

Scholars believe that place the remnant will flee to over the mountains and in the wilderness is Petra, the practically impregnable fortress at the southern end of Jordan, in old Edom. (See map). They believe this because at the last day, when Jesus finally returns, He comes from Bozrah. Bozrah means sheep fold. Bozrah is mentioned in this verse from Isaiah 63:1 as being in Edom:

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”

When the Lord returns, He lands at the Mount of Olives. His feet touch down and the mount is split in two. (Zech 14:4). He also goes to the Valley of Har Megiddo, where the battle of Armageddon is taking place. (Rev 16:16; Rev 19:19). But He also goes to Bozrah to rescue His remnant. I don’t know where He goes first and second and third, but by the time He comes from Bozrah, His clothes are stained red with blood. (Isaiah 63:1)

Barnes Notes says of the Isaiah-Bozrah verse:

“Who is this – The language of the people who see Yahweh returning as a triumphant conqueror from Idumea. Struck with his stately bearing as a warrior; with his gorgeous apparel; and with the blood on his raiment, they ask who he could be? This is a striking instance of the bold and abrupt manner of Isaiah. He does not describe him as going forth to war nor the preparation for battle; nor the battle itself, nor the conquests of cities and armies; but he introduces at once the returning conqueror having gained the victory – here represented as a solitary warrior, moving along with majestic gait from Idumea to his own capital, Jerusalem.”

Our Jesus is a solitary warrior, solitary because there is no other! He returns victorious to conquer the enemies and restore His remnant to their place! He has been aiming toward this moment since before the foundation of the world! And Jordan is one nation that He uses mightily, first as a judgment for the sin of cursing His people and their land, second as a place saved out of the antichrist’s hand so that Israel will no longer have a malicious neighbor pricking them as thorns (Ez 28:24), third as the place where He will finally dispense with Molech, the “detestable god of the Ammonites” and his clerics and priests, and fourth as the nestling place where His people are nourished and saved during the holocaust of the Great Tribulation!

Keep your eyes on Jordan. That nation figures prominently in God’s glorious plan!

prophecy, sovereignty

Back to Basics: The Importance of Prophecy

Posted on September 2, 2012May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

As the time draws nigh, people less and less look to prophecy as a legitimate study of the bible. They dismiss the prophetic, are skeptical of it, or simply ignore it. The silence of the pulpits is resounding, and the ignorance of the people is disheartening.

I’d like to spend a bit of time in encouraging us all to study the word, and not to ignore the prophetic. Lambert Dolphin wrote,

“A major portion of both the Old and New Testament is devoted to prophecy- nearly one third of the Scripture. Only four of the 66 books of the Bible are without prophecy-Ruth, the Song of Solomon, Philemon, and 3 John. Even the shortest book of the Bible mentions prophecy (Jude 14, 17-18, which refers to Enoch and the second coming of the Lord). Out of the Old Testament’s 23,210 verses, 6,641 contain predictive material, over twenty eight percent. Out of the New Testament’s 7,914 verses, 1,711 contain predictive material, over 21 percent.”

Joel C. Rosenberg wrote an essay this weekend titled Rediscovering The Power and Purpose of Prophecy. He makes four main points,

“Unfortunately, many pastors, priests and ministry leaders here in the U.S. and around the world are not teaching Bible prophecy — as I see it, there are four major reasons for this.”

–First, many pastors don’t teach prophecy because they have a lack of belief in the power of God’s Word.
–Second, many pastors don’t teach prophecy because they have a lack of knowledge of — and sound training in — Bible prophecy.
–Third, many pastors don’t teach prophecy because they have a fear of being lumped in with “prophecy nuts” and those who peddle sensationalism.
–Fourth, many pastors don’t teach prophecy because they have a lack of understanding of the times in which we live and the increasingly close return of Christ.

Illustration above, “God judging Adam” Genesis 3, William Blake, C. 1795

Rosenberg fleshes out each of the points, and promises that a second part to the essay will be posted soon.

Prophecy is the very Word of God, spoken by His mouth to His servants. (Revelation 1:1, Luke 1:70). Before the Word was written, He spoke it. The first prophecy was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden as He related to them the curse of the Fall from Grace, but promised a Messiah. (Genesis 3:15).

Then the Prophets came, as they had since the beginning, (Luke 1:70), and God told them to write down the words. (Habakkuk 2:2, Exodus 17:14, Jeremiah 30:1 & 2 for example).

Poor Jeremiah. God spoke to Him and Jeremiah spoke to the people. Then God told Jeremiah to write the words down. Jeremiah did. However, Jeremiah’s words from God were so ill-received that King Jehoiakim burned the scroll of everything that had been written. The King burned it bit by bit as Baruch read it. The LORD then told Jeremiah to write it all over again, a monumental work, and this time God added words that cursed the king. (Jeremiah 30). God’s word will not be denied.

So prophecy was and is the word of the Lord, whether spoken as it was in the Old Testament or written as it was then and it is now. It will be spoken again, in the Tribulation, when God sends His Two Witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days. (Revelation 11:3). Illustration, James Shaw Crompton, of Habakkuk 2:2, “I will stand upon my watch”

Prophecy is extremely important, we are told many times. 1 Thessalonians 5:20 warns us not to despise prophesyings. For example, in 2 Peter 1:19 we are told it is “a sure word.” This is because almost nothing else illustrates His sovereignty more than prophecy. How so?

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” (Numbers 11:23). He delivers His word and tells us to test it, watch for it. This is because His Word is sure and God knows it will come true.

Pastor Jim McClarty discussed the Irresistibility of God in his 2009 sermon delivered at the Sovereign Grace Bible Conference. He made several wonderful points during his exciting 1 hour sermon, but his second point is the one I’d like to bring to you now. He said,

“God’s irrestibility is demonstrated in prophecy. Prophecy is a risky venture. There are no other major religious pieces of literature in the world that contain the amount of prophecy that the bible does. It’s one of the most unique characteristics of the bible, and it is chock full of prophecy. The reason it’s risky is, you can check it.” (Numbers 11:23, Deuteronomy 18:22).

People often think that the Old Testament times were heavily prophetic all the time. They believe that miracles happened every day and that God talked to the prophets every minute. It is not so. The miracles we read about in the Old Testament were spaced far apart, years, decades, centuries, even. After Micah, there were no prophets for 400 years, until John the Baptist came, and John performed no miracles as Elijah or Moses did. For most of the generations in the OT, they read the scrolls, listened to the priests, and lived lives in submission to Holy God and were waiting for their Messiah to come.

Illustration, Jeremiah, “The Lord’s word came to me again” Annie Vallotton.

In our day, we read the pages of the bible, listen to the pastors, and live lives in submission to the Messiah who has come- and will soon come again!

I love prophecy. The LORD put me here during one of the most heavily prophetic times in the history of the world, to be part of the generation that will be raptured. I see it unrolling before my eyes. Now, people can get carried away. Mr Rosenberg was right that there are nuts who run away with prophecy predictions and claim to hear a word from the Lord as Jeremiah or Elijah did. Fortunately, as Jim McClarty said, we can check the prophecies in the bible. We can rejoice that our Holy God not only is the creator of the universe and the author and architect and finisher of our faith, but His word is sure. He is sovereign and that means, according to Rev. Matt Slick at CARM,

“Sovereignty in relation to God means that God has the absolute right to do with His creation as He desires. Some verses that support this are as follows: Psalm 115:3, “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” Isaiah 46:10, “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure;”

Faith in God is always trustworthy, even when answers to life’s issues and traumas do not always arrive. We must trust God in spite of what we see. But when we do see, as in prophecy coming true as written in the pages of His word, we rejoice that He is in control and our faith will prosper us.

“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20).

israel, lake turns blood red, prophecy, supervolcano

News blurbs: US scales back military exercises with Israel, supervolcano found under Hong Kong, lake turns blood red

Posted on September 1, 2012May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Some news blurbs for you.

Why don’t today’s pastors teach or preach bible prophecy? Joel C. Rosenberg looks at 4 reasons. (The bible says that in the latter days, men will not want to hear solid bible preaching or God’s word in any form. 2 Timothy 4:4; Isaiah 30:10 are two examples.)

Lake in France turns blood red, excessive salt said to be the cause. This Daily Mail article has lots of photos. The red lake sure does look eerie. (Rev 16:4 shows us that in the Tribulation all the world’s rivers, lakes and streams will turn blood red, either because of “natural causes” like excessive salt, or literally with blood, or simply as a miracle of God.)

Stennis departing for deployment as seen from Fort Casey.
Photo courtesy of Barbara Johnson. Stennis FB page

USS Stennis has shore leave cut short, is sent back to the Persian Gulf four months early, due to rising tensions. Stennis is taking the Mobile Bay and Carrier Air Wing 9. (Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 that wars and rumors of wars will characterize the last days. Even so, the end is not yet.)

The Times of Israel reports that the long-planned and once delayed massive military drill with Israel, due to start this October, has been vastly reduced by the US. Time Magazine first reported this, and quotes an Israeli military official, “Basically what the Americans are saying is, “We don’t trust you,” a senior Israeli military official is quoted by Time as saying.” (In the last days, Jerusalem would be a burden to the entire world. Zech 12:2-3. In the very end, all nations will come against Israel. Zech 14:2).

Yikes. Super-volcano found under Hong Kong
Krakatau a mere firecracker compared to thankfully-dormant discovery
“Hong Kong geologists have revealed for the first time the full extent of an ancient supervolcano with a diameter of 18km sitting beneath the former British colony. The giant ash monster is thought to be of the same collapse caldera type as the infamous Krakatau volcano which killed tens of thousands and literally rocked the world when it blasted open near the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra in 1883. The discovery … is one of only around 50 such volcanoes in the world…”

People stand on large hexagonal columns of volcanic rock, southeast of Hong Kong
in this handout photo released August 30, 2012.

(Revelation 6:12 says that in the Tribulation, the sun will be darkened and look like sackcloth. This is similar to when the sun turned dim and looked like bloody sackcloth when Iceland’s volcano Laki erupted in 1784 and again in 1815 when Mt Tambora erupted. Tambora was an explosion that was actually more devastating than 1883’s more famous Krakatau eruption. Tambora is in the Indian Ocean, and its explosion caused the weather in 1816 to turn bizarre. “Spring came but then everything seemed to turn backward, as cold temperatures returned. The sky seemed permanently overcast. The lack of sunlight became so severe that farmers lost their crops and food shortages were reported in Ireland, France, England, and the United States.” (source).

Krakataoa’s volcanic dust thrown into the atmosphere affected the weather around the world for at least two years. Note that Laki, Tambora, and Krakatau are not even super-volcanoes. A super-volcano is a volcano capable of producing a volcanic eruption with an ejecta volume greater than 1,000 km3 (240 cu mi). This is thousands of times larger than most historic volcanic eruptions. For example, Krakatau’s eruption emitted ‘only’ 25 km3.

Though scientists are still finding supervolcanoes and various lists differ, this one seems to be the most stable. Interesting that three of the world’s 6 or 7 supervolcanoes are in the US

US – The Yellowstone Caldera
US – The Long Valley Caldera in east central California
US – Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico
Sumatra – Lake Toba
New Zealand – Taupo Caldera
Japan – Aira Caldera

Imagine in the Tribulation when the super-volcanoes go off and all of Hong Kong is vaporized in a moment. This news from the Krakatoa eruption is sobering. “Weeks after the eruption large pieces began drifting in with the tides along the coast of Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa. Some of the large pieces of volcanic rock had animal and human skeletons embedded in them. They were grisly relics of Krakatoa.”

This NOVA article says, “A supereruption is to all eruptions that have ever occurred in recorded history like a bolt of lightning is to a static spark in your sweater.”

One can begin to see how the prophesied Tribulation death toll of first a quarter of the earth and then a third of the earth will rack up quickly.

Hal Lindsey reports tonight of the four global spheres of power that are integral to last days prophecy.

1. Eurozone/Revived Roman Empire (Dan 2 & 11)
2. Gog-Magog/ Russia (Ezekiel 38-39)
3. King of the East/Asian world power (Revelation 9 & 16).
4. King of the South/ Muslim nations along 10-40 belt. (Daniel 11:40-45).

5. United States- is the 5th sphere of power currently in play which is rapidly declining into oblivion and will play no role in coming prophetic events. Our distancing from Jerusalem and treasonous acts against Israel along with the rising terror attacks in the US, increased natural disasters, monetary issues and famines/drought are part of the prophecy itself. We curse Israel, we are cursed. All who try to lift Jerusalem from its place will be dealt with. (Genesis 12:3; Zechariah 12:3). It is NOT a coincidence that our acts against Israel are causing the woes upon the nation now.

Here is Hal Lindsey this week:

esther, for such a time as this, last days, prophecy

How does "For such a time as this" have meaning for us today?

Posted on August 31, 2012 by elizabethprata

I’m just in awe of the Lord these days. I sit stunned, day after day, at the prophetic news coming alive. There is no doubt that we are living in the last days, the end of time. There is no doubt that the events we are seeing are the very ones that were prophesied to occur just prior to the second return of Jesus Christ.

Therefore in addition to studying the prophesies and watching for His return as we are commanded, we also should ponder His plan and providence of His decision to station us here, now, for such a time as this.

Mordecai said to Esther, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Now, we do not all have the terrible privilege of being the vehicle from which and through which God Himself brings deliverance to an entire people, as Esther was, but we do need to be mindful of the weight of time and the fact that God deliberately chose to put us here in this time, now. Do we take the time to thank Him? To ponder our role in these last days? To ask and seek His face as to why and what it is He wants us to do that is particular to this time, as opposed to other centuries He could have elected us to dwell in?

Gill’s Exposition of the Bible explains of the Esther verse, “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? he intimates that he believed that the providence of God had raised her to that dignity, that she might be an instrument of saving his people in the time of their distress; and this he said to encourage her to make the experiment.”

Isn’t that phrase, “God raised her to that dignity” a wonderful and at the same time, a terrifying thing to consider? We each have a dignity to perform in His name and for His name.

Wesley’s Notes goes further:

“We should every one of us consider, for what end God has put us in the place where we are? And when an opportunity offers of serving God and our generation, we must take care not to let it slip.”

For what end, my Lord and my God? For what end do you seek to have me serve in these last days?

And my favorite, Matthew Henry’s Commentary punctuates the Esther verse with this comment:

“We are prone to shrink from services that are attended with peril or loss. But when the cause of Christ and his people demand it, we must take up our cross, and follow him. When Christians are disposed to consult their own ease or safety, rather than the public good, they should be blamed. The law was express, all knew it. It is not thus in the court of the King of kings: to the footstool of his throne of grace we may always come boldly, and may be sure of an answer of peace to the prayer of faith. We are welcome, even into the holiest, through the blood of Jesus. Providence so ordered it, that, just then, the king’s affections had cooled toward Esther; her faith and courage thereby were the more tried; and God’s goodness in the favour she now found with the king, thereby shone the brighter.”

Yes, we are prone to shrink from service that carries with it dishonor, persecution, or even death. But shrink we must not do! We are put here for a service to Him that will allow Him to shine His goodness all the brighter.

There is no doubt that we are enduring terrible pressures of the days. Sometimes it feels that our shoulders seem unequal to the task of carrying them. But then,we do not have to carry these pressures! The Lord’s yoke is easy and His burden is light, if we but cast our cares upon Him. His shoulders will carry the world’s government (Isaiah 9:6). He carried the cross on His shoulders on the way to Calvary, and He placed all the sins of the people on His shoulders while He was ON that cross. He seeks and finds one lost sheep whilst the other 99 are grazing on the hill, and when He finds the lost one, puts it on His shoulders and carries it home to much rejoicing. (Luke 15:3). He can bear all things. And through Him, we can bear the days, too.

And what days they are! Let’s take a look at some news:

MIDDLE EAST

Egypt broadens Sinai campaign to root out terror
“Egypt’s military said on Wednesday it would broaden its offensive against militants in the Sinai Peninsula, a campaign that has raised concerns in Israel about the movement of heavy armor into the area near its border. Disorder has spread in Sinai since President Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow last year. Analysts say Islamists with possible links to al-Qaeda have gained a foothold. This has alarmed Israel.”

Israelis to ‘lose’ 300 meters to Sinai security
The IDF is set to issue orders that would convert an area of 300 meters within the Sinai border into a closed military zone
“Israelis will soon be banned from approaching too close to the Sinai border. A report on Army Radio Thursday morning said that the IDF was set to issue orders that would convert an area of 300 meters within the Sinai border into a closed military zone, which only soldiers and security personnel would be able to enter. The order would apply even to areas where the Sinai border fence is in place. The fence, much of which contains electronic sensors to detect intruders, is about three quarters complete.”

Iran doubled capacity of bunker enrichment plant, ‘significantly’ hampers inspection, IAEA charges
“Iran has effectively shut down a probe of a site suspected of being used for work on nuclear weapons development while doubling the number of machines it could use to make the core of nuclear warheads at an underground bunker safe from airborne attack, the UN nuclear agency said in a report Thursday.”

An IAEA report said the Fordo [nuclear] plant has around 2,000 centrifuges installed, compared with around 1,000 in May. This is terrible news. Joel Rosenberg has an essay tonight titled,

“Inside the debate: Should Israel Strike Iran in the next 10 Weeks? What Netanyahu, Barak and their critics are thinking“

Iran has repeatedly said they plan to wipe Israel off the earth. Iran’s top officials and its theocratic clerics believe with all their heart that doing so is an Allah-given right, duty, and responsibility to show Allah their seriousness in preparing the way for the final Imam to arrive.

Israel has repeatedly said “Never again,” this is their national motto. Yesterday Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Iran a “disgrace” to humanity, during a meeting Wednesday evening with the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Germany, David McAllister. “Seventy years ago, six million of our people were destroyed in an act of genocide. The world pledged ‘never again’ . . . It appears that many among the international community haven’t learned anything.” Netanyahu said that the Iranian “regime denies the Holocaust and is working to destroy the Jewish state. This regime oppresses its people, takes part in the butchering of innocent Syrians, and calls for death toAmerica, death to Israel.”

So sadly, “Never Again” will prove to be a hollow motto. Jesus said regarding the abomination of desolation, and as for the Jews in Jerusalem, “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22).

Prophecy students know that ‘Never Again’ will soon change to “Not again!!”

PESTILENCE

Great rampaging diseases are prophesied to occur in the Tribulation. Disease will be one of the methods Jesus uses to judge the world and bring widespread death. (Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:8).

Right now, did you know that one of the worst outbreaks of West Nile virus to ever hit the United States is happening, and is continuing to expand?

4 dead so far as West Nile disease becomes epidemic in Michigan
“West Nile disease — a mosquito-borne illness — has reached epidemic proportions in Michigan, particularly in older suburbs that ring metro Detroit and Grand Rapids, state health officials warned Wednesday. Michigan’s 80 cases this summer, including four deaths, rank the state as the sixth highest in the nation with the problem, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

West Nile Virus Cases Hit 1,590; Death Toll at 66
“Reports of West Nile virus infection in the country now total 1,590, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday – an increase of more than 40 percent in one week alone. CDC officials also reported during a Wednesday afternoon teleconference that 66 people have died from the disease so far. Of all of the cases reported thus far, 889 – or 56 percent – are classified as neuroinvasive, meaning patients develop meningitis, encephalitis or paralysis. These figures represent a striking increase from last week’s report of 1,118 cases”

2,900 Yosemite visitors warned about possible exposure to deadly hantavirus
“About 2,900 Yosemite National Park visitors from around the world who stayed in Curry Village this summer have been notified about possible exposure to hantavirus, a mouse-borne illness that can develop into severe and often-fatal respiratory disease. People who stayed in the cabins from June 10 through Aug. 24 have been notified by e-mail or letter about possible infection, Yosemite National Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb told CBSNews.com. In addition, visitors who were planning on staying in the tent cabins in Curry Village at Yosemite have been re-booked in other locations, while the 91 cabins undergo sanitation and retrofitting.”

John MacArthur believes that the prophecy will be fulfilled via rodents. He preached on “The Grim Reality of the Last Days,” saying “Luke 21 also adds there will be plagues, terrors and great signs from heaven. You want plagues, how about the black death, 1300’s in Europe, carried by rats, killed 60 percent of the population of Europe in excess of a hundred million people. How about 40 million plus in the great influenza, the early twentieth century. Great signs from heaven, terrors, fires, diseases, heat, cold, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, drought.”

Well, we have all that now, including diseases, and in the Tribulation diseases will run away from being managed through medicine and bring death along for the ride.
————-

DROUGHT

Isaac rain may bring some drought relief

Praise the Lord, I hope it does!!!

“As Hurricane Isaac continues to pound the Gulf Coast with rain and wind, meteorologists say the storm could provide some much-needed hydration in parts of the country hit hard by drought. Isaac will bring “soaking downpours” to parts of Arkansas, Missouri and other Central states into the weekend, according to AccuWeather. The rain will arrive too late for summer crops, such as corn and soybeans, which were damaged by the hottest July on record. But the moisture could reach far enough westward to benefit some of the upcoming winter wheat crop, according to Dale Mohler, a meteorologist at AccuWeather.”

————————
CULTURE

Girl, 10, charged with manslaughter in Maine

What a horrible thing!! Society has surely degeneration’s too far when children are [allegedly] killing babies!

“PORTLAND, MAINE (AP) –— A 10-year-old girl was charged Thursday with manslaughter in the death of an infant whose mother said had ingested medication and been suffocated. The girl, who is not being identified, is the youngest person to be charged with manslaughter in Maine in at least 25 years. The infant, Brooklyn Foss-Greenaway, of Clinton in central Maine, had been left overnight with an adult baby sitter in nearby Fairfield.”

———————–

Back to Esther. When Mordecai tells Esther she may have been put here for such a time as this, what Mordecai is really doing is affirming Divine sovereignty. “He affirms divine sovereignty. He affirms his confidence in the revelation of God that he would preserve his people. But he also understands that Esther can perish and he can perish and many other Jews can perish if she doesn’t act. … The invisible hand of God is evident everywhere” in the Book of Esther and His invisible hand is everywhere in the world today. No one, no matter how they attempt to destroy the people of God and the purpose of God, can succeed because God’s covenant love for Israel will be fulfilled, is being fulfilled. And the message for you is this. While you’re going through life and trying to make sure you fix all the little pieces of your life, understand this: that there is over and in, above and below your life a divine architect ordering every detail. And if you belong to Him and are in the covenant of His love, He is accomplishing His perfect will. And you can rest in that, you can rest in that.”

“The Lord is still on the throne. These are challenging times, challenging days to live in. You can become pretty distressed about the way things are going, the way things are going in the world is chaotic, disconcerting, troubling, disturbing, distressing, some ways frightening. Not so in the kingdom. The divine architect is ordering our lives, those of us who belong to Him and are in covenant love with Him. He is ordering our lives to His eternal glory, every part. How wonderful to live in that confidence” (source)

brawley, prophecy, quake swarm

Brawley, Southern California quake swarm update

Posted on August 28, 2012 by elizabethprata

“Earthquakes continue to shake the south end of the Salton Sea late Sunday in a seismic swarm that experts say is seen only twice a decade. “Our system is choking on so many earthquakes,” she continued. “This area of California is deep soils, and we do not get as precise data as we do over the rest of the state, and that makes our data a little less precise.” The scientist went on to say that it is all perfectly normal, it actually is a “classic swarm.”

But the scientist below in a different article said they don’t understand why these swarms come and go, or in this article, why the faults act differently north of LA than they do south of the Salton Sea.

Earthquake swarm puts California areas on edge
“A magnitude-4.2 earthquake rattled communities 100 miles east of San Diego on Monday night, despite observations from earthquake experts that a series of small to moderate earthquakes seemed to be slowing down and getting smaller in magnitude. … The seismic activity is not unusual, but scientists have puzzled over the cause. The last significant swarm occurred in 2005, when a thousand quakes, the largest at magnitude-5.1, shook the south shore of the Salton Sea. In 1981, a cluster of quakes hit a region five miles to the northwest of Sunday’s sequence, with the largest measuring a magnitude-5.8. The region was very active in the 1960s and 1970s.”

“They seem to light up and turn off for reasons we don’t understand,” USGS seismologist Susan Hough said.”

Photo Caption: El Sol Market on Main Street in Brawley, Calif., was hit hard by the earthquakes that hit throughout Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012- AP Photo/Imperial Valley Press, Brandy Ronek.

Every day we have a perplexed scientist roaming around his office with his hands in his hair, saying, “I just don’t understand.” Do a search for ‘perplexes scientists’ like I did. I got these results, some from this month and some from earlier in this year:

Surge in Squid Perplexes Scientists
Mysterious black hole type perplexes, bewilders
Mysterious nodding head disease afflicts young Ugandans, perplexes scientists and residents
Strange gamma-ray objects perplex scientists
Dozens of Stranded Dolphins on Cape Cod Shores Perplex Rescuers

This perplexity of not understanding why there is suddenly a difference in regular planetary orbits, anomalies in weather cycles, earthquakes in diverse places, and odd behaviors of man and animal will only increase. Luke tells us,

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,” (Luke 21:25).

The sea and waves roaring is not meant to be understood literally but as an image of the peoples in great distress and yelling in uproar as calamity after calamity rushes down on them like waves crashing upon the sand. The same metaphor is also used in Isaiah 8:7-8, and Revelation 18:15.

The word perplexity is from the Greek aporeo, and it means “at wit’s end, at a loss, in difficulties, perplexed.” These occurrences where no one can figure out why they are happening will only become more difficult to figure out…until they are all at their wit’s end and at a loss.

Meanwhile the quake swarm at Brawley continues. The Imperial Valley Press reported yesterday, Brawley acts fast as quakes roll. San Diego Union-Tribune reports, “Schools are closed and residents of Brawley are being asked to conserve water as the town of 25,000 people braces Monday for what could be more earthquakes following a Sunday filled with some serious shaking.”

That’s our Lord, some serious shaking, before the judgment. Will you listen? He loves you, and wants you to come to repentance.

end time, jesus, locusts, prophecy, revelation, sounds of the apocalypse

Booms in the foothills a mystery

Posted on August 26, 2012 by elizabethprata

There is a report from Drudge about more sky booms, but this time people hear them coming from the ground. Previously, people in other locations have reported them coming from the sky. There have been so many booms, from so many places around the globe, for so long, that the name “Sounds of the Apocalypse” is widely recognized as the name for this phenomenon. I have reported on these booms myself many times. Do a Google search for sky noises, or booms, and you’ll see how many times they have been heard around the world.

In one post, I explored that the noises could be leak-through spiritual warfare in the heavenlies ramping up and used the verses in 2 Kings for support text (here). I also wrote about the possibility that it was leak-through from the throne room, and used support text from Ezekiel 1:24a, here. Thirdly I mused that it could be a fulfillment of a Jeremiah verse, here, this being the verse from Jeremiah-

“A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 25:31).

I’ll propose a fourth theory. Just as we do not know what is happening in the heavenly realms now, apart from what is written in the bible, we do not know what is happening in hell, or in Tartarus (the lowest gloomy dungeon where the fallen angels are being kept (Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4). I wonder do the noises from hell leak-through to us here on earth? Are the fallen angels sensing the nearness of the day when they as the Revelation 9 locusts will be released and they make a great rushing sound?

“And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.” (Rev 9:1-3).

When that happens, and it has not happened yet, don’t you think it would make a great noise? Yes, it does, and the bible tells us how great a noise they make:

“In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.” (Revelation 9:7-9).

When an orchestra warms up before the concert, they make a cacophonous sound as each individual musician tunes his instrument. Then the conductor raises his baton and at once, they perform in harmony and in like movements. It is the same with an army. As each soldier jockeys his armor into position, there is a rumble and a noise as the preparations go on, which gets louder and more cacophonous as the moment nears when the Commander raises his hand to begin.

Before a football game, don’t the fans, in their excitement, stomp their feet and pound the bleachers, making a great racket?

The “wondrous strange” thing about the coming of the prophesied locusts is that they have a king.

“They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.” (Revelation 9:11). Yet Proverbs 30:27 tells us locusts have no king. So the Revelation locusts are no ordinary locusts. Are they demons? Yes. They have a form and they have faces and they have armor and they have a sting of a scorpion even though they are called locusts.

John Phillips wrote, “Picture what the world would be like if we were to open the doors of all the penitentiaries of earth and set free the world’s most vicious and violent criminals, giving them full reign to practice their infamies upon mankind. Something worse than that lies in store for the world. Satan cast out of heaven is now permitted to summon to his aid the most diabolical fiends in the abyss to act as his agents in bringing mankind to the footstool of the beast.”

Are the locust-demons in the pit pounding their bleachers and rattling their chains and yelling as they sense the Day approaching where they will be let out to destroy the earth and its peoples? I don’t know. Only God knows. The possibility of it reminds me of the famous quote from Hamlet. Upon seeing a ghost (demon) Horatio said to Hamlet, “O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!”

Hamlet replied, “… There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

The thing to remember about these booms is that what we see is not real. The life we are living is not the full story. There is more, much more, in God’s realms than we see and experience. Paul said,

“as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Here is the report from Drudge. This time, the booms are coming from the ground, but they are not earthquakes. Or sonic booms. Or mining. They simply don’t know what they are.

Source Of Loud Boom In Foothills A Mystery
EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) – People from all over El Dorado County say they’re hearing loud booms several times a week, but there are many theories on what is causing them. “I thought it was thunder,” said one person. “It’s definitely not thunder; too consistent. I thought it was just mining,” said another person. “I always considered them to be sonic booms from flying aircrafts for years,” said Loring Brunius, owner of Sierra Rock Diamond Quarry. People who live near Pleasant Valley say their days have been interrupted by loud booms, shaking the floor beneath them. “You can feel it in the ground, no question about it. But no one’s been able to figure out why,” said Pleasant Valley resident Peter O’Grady. “I tend to hear somewhere between four to six of these things during the weekdays usually between 11 p.m. and 2 p.m. “Boom, boom, boom, boom just like that,” said Lorren Gonzales, who lives near Pleasant Valley.”

Blurring the lines between humans and robots

Posted on August 25, 2012 by elizabethprata

I posted on Friday about a robot that has been developed which recognizes its own reflection. I’d mused on the implications of this, within the concepts of artificial intelligence, the location of the seat of consciousness, and recognition of sin and evil in ones’ self. The nearer implication is the use of computers and artificial intelligence during the Tribulation when a one world commerce system is prophesied to be in place. The greater implication is the use of robots (droids and drones) in hunting humans and other evil uses. The greatest implication is man’s Tower of Babel, and how far God will allow humankind to go in making a conscious creation.

Is it a coincidence that today I found a short (under 2 minute) Youtube video about the most human-looking robot ever created, and the discussion by its maker about where the seat of the soul is? In this video, the Japanese Professor who created a doppelganger robot says that it is because of their unique spiritual beliefs that they blur the boundaries between humans and robots. He says, “It’s a question of where the soul is. Japanese people have always been told the soul can exist in everything and anything. So we don’t have any problem with the idea that a robot, too, has a soul.”

The implications of this are enormous. More portentous, in my humble opinion, than the inflammatory rhetoric that will spark a Middle East war imminently. When man makes a human looking robot, declares it has a soul, and sends it forth into the world (as the Professor in the video said he does) we have truly reached a moment when man supplants God as sole creator. God said in Genesis 11 in response to man’s Tower building and claim of a “name”, “this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” (Genesis 11:6b). The Tower was built satisfy the spirit of man. God knew man needed Himself to satisfy the spirit, and He wasn’t being a big party-pooper when He dispersed the people and confused the languages. “[N]othing they do will be impossible for them” means they will embark on a downward spiritual and societal spiral that will only lead to death, because they were doing it apart from Him.

Secondly, God is the only name. Man has no name. Man is the clay, he is the creation. God is the Creator, with all power and authority. Therefore God’s name is holy and perfect.

“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11).

“And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ” (Ezekiel 38:23

Man will never be allowed to share God’s glory apart from God, it is His alone. Psalm 84:11 declares that He may share His glory, but it is not man’s to claim, neither by “making a name” nor by creating creatures with “souls.”

Watch and be stunned:

PS: robot is called a “doppleganger robot.” Doppleganger is a German word for “double walker” , or a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune.

ahmadinejad, Hal Lindsey, iran, muslim, prophecy

Iran is getting closer to the bomb and closer to attempting to wipe Israel from the earth

Posted on August 25, 2012 by elizabethprata

I enjoy Hal Lindsey’s video report each week. He brings a credibility and a gravitas to the prophetic issues that I find refreshing. He also has away of synthesizing various news reports into a picture that no one else reports and is always illuminating. In short, he’s knowledgeable.

This week was particularly so. I found that the first segment, the 17 minutes he spent bringing us up to date on the Iran-Israel situation, was FULL of interesting insights. I won’t steal his thunder but I’ll mention only one thing that struck me.

The ‘hate Israel-wipe them out’ rhetoric from Iran is rising to a more obvious and frequent level than even Hitler’s was just prior to the Holocaust. More on that in the video. It occurred to me though as Lindsey was describing the diaspora, that the LORD has brought about a see-saw situation.

Prior to 1947, the Jews were dispersed all over the world, while Muslims were fewer in number than they are today and were concentrated in the Middle East. It would have been impossible to “wipe out the nation of Israel” (Psalm 83:4) because the Jews were embedded in nations all around the world and to wipe them out they’d have to start a war or a pogrom in every nation. Sure, there were pogroms and holocausts which attempted to do that very thing, but if Hitler had succeeded in wiping out the Jews in Germany, there were still Jews in the US, Australia, Russia, Norway, etc.

Now the situation is turned around. The Jews are concentrated in Israel and more are pouring in every day. The Muslims are concentrated in the Middle East of course, but their numbers are growing exponentially all around the world. Muslims are in the US in great numbers (just ask the Dearborn MI neighbors), France, Africa, China, Russia, and the Balkans among other places.

When Iran’s President Ahmadinejad says they can wipe out Israel with one storm, when the Ayatollahs say they will wipe the cancerous tumor that is Israel from the world and wipe out the Jews, when they say they long for even one nuclear bomb to drop on Israel, they have a better shot at fulfilling their hateful rhetoric now more than at any time previously.

Except that The Holy God of Israel is the protector of His people the Jews and they will never be wiped from the earth. All Israel will be saved, the remnant will acknowledge Jesus and be blessed with national salvation at the end of the Tribulation. (Zechariah 8:13; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 45:17).

However, the situation is dire and getting darker by the day. The stream of messages even in just this month regarding the Muslims’ intent to wipe out the Jews and the nation of Israel are serious and should be taken seriously. God did not include Psalm 83, Isaiah 17, and Ezekiel 38-39 in the bible for no reason.

Please do watch the first 17 minutes of this week’s Hal Lindsey Report, it is heavy with prophetic insights. Lindsey makes a guess about what Israel’s intention may be in how to deal with Iran, and I think Lindsey is completely right about it. You’ll understand if you watch. The second segment deals with the terrible times and God’s promises, which is also a comfort.