Category: prophecy

Posted in fallen angels, genesis 6, nephilim, prophecy

The Nephilim and the Fallen Angels: Part 1

Posted on by elizabethprata

There is a strange doctrine spoken of in the bible, in Genesis 6, and alluded to in several other places in the Old and the New Testaments. The doctrine is also prophesied to occur again in the last days. Strange as this one is, it behooves us to pursue doctrines in good faith, to learn what the Word may be saying to us. It involves the Fallen angels, women, and the Nephilim, their ungodly offspring.

That the fallen angels came to earth and mated with women, is a certainty in my interpretation, though others try to make it into what the scriptures say it’s not but by so doing twist the scriptures to adhere to their pre-suppositions. I always take the plain meaning when it is presented. Here is what the verse says, you decide-
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” (Genesis 6:1-2)

In the next verses God determined to destroy all living matter on the earth, except for Noah, who had found grace with the LORD.

Could it be? Fallen angels mated with women, took them, actually, and offspring were born? But angels can’t have sex, you say. They cite Mark 12:25, or Matthew 22:30: “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” The verse says they do not marry, not that they cannot. Angels are eternal, and eternal beings have no need to make more of themselves. They’re eternal. Unless they have an evil goal in mind, that is.

The Genesis verse continues, “There were giants [Nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” (Genesis 6:4-5, NKJV)

The NIV and King James use Nephilim instead of “giants”. Who were these “mighty men”? One was Goliath, a giant for sure, along with his brothers. (1 Samuel 14:4;2 Samuel 21:18-22 KJV). Og, King of Bashan was another. “For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was an iron bedstead; it is in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. Its length was nine cubits and its width four cubits by ordinary cubit.” That means his bed was 18′ X 8′. (Deuteronomy 3:11). Raphaim, from which their tribe was named, means giant, from the Hebrew Rapha.

The giants were on earth in the Land shown by God to Joshua. He and the 12 spies saw that the grape clusters were so large they had to be carried by two men (Numbers 13:13) and that the Anakites were there. Anak means long necked giant and in Deut 1:26-28 & 2:10-11 we learn that they were descended from the Rapha.

There are many other examples, but it seems that the fallen angels of the earliest days of humanity on earth, took women, and the women bore children who were hybrids, half human and half celestial. The women were killed in the flood and the angels who did this were rounded up and jailed in chains in the lowest abyss (Tartarus) until judgment (Jude 1:6) If you know your pagan religions, and later the Greek and Roman mythology, this factual event that the bible describes is represented in mythology of the ‘gods’ who came to earth and took women, producing half-celestial, half human hybrids, such as Hercules.

“The rout of the fallen angels”, Illus to Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. By Wm. Blake

Some examples from Greek mythology are Antiope, the daughter of the Boeotian river god Asopus. Her beauty attracted Zeus, who, assuming the form of a satyr, took her by force. Zeus was busy, he also took Leda while disguised as a swan, and he took Semele as a smooth seducer. Zeus took Alcmene by transfiguring himself into the image of her husband. Zeus resorted to deception to get at Callisto. Callisto had taken a vow of chastity as one of the women who served Artemis, but He came to her disguised as Artemis, and when she let down her guard Zeus raped her. Zeus came to Danae as a shower of golden coins. Neptune took Aethra by force. The satyrs chased everyone.

In ancient mythology, the ‘gods’ who came down from the heavens could enchant, seduce, transfigure, and take all the women that they chose, who later bore hybrid children endowed with supernatural powers and who were giants. In mythology Hercules and Perseus are two examples. In the bible, these were Og, Goliath, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, who were the children of Anak; and many others individuals and tribes of giants who were mighty men of renown. You see the parallels.

The Fallen angels under the direction of Satan attempted to corrupt the bloodline of the people whom Jesus said would spring forth the savior. They were successful enough so that by the time of the Flood, the intents of people’s hearts was only evil, continually. Noah was perfect in his generations, meaning, his bloodline was untainted by the genetic corruption the fallen angels were wreaking. God judged all humans and all of the fallen angels who had done this, but spared Noah and the other 7 because they had found grace. The fallen angels didn’t stop, though. After the Flood, there was a second infestation of the Nephilim, resulting progeny of the fallen angels and women whom they chose (“…and also after that” Gen 6:4). These tribes, several of which I mentioned above, were active in the Land until David. After David wiped out the last of them, this particular kind of assault on humanity seems to have sunk into the recesses of myth and cultural memory. Until, perhaps, the Tribulation.

There have been many books written on the subject. It seems to fascinate, and I admit it fascinates me too. I’ve written about the Nephilim and genetic modification here, and UFOs and the Nephilim here. Also about the Nephilim and vampires, here. Patrick Heron wrote a very good book, “The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse.” At the link, you can read the introduction and the first chapter, buy the book, or download it on iTunes. Chuck Missler preached on it in a series, here.

I’ll write part two next, in which I discuss the current vampire obsession, and examine whether it is related to the Nephilim after all. There are some scriptures in the New Testament that the Spirit gave me interesting and deeper insight into, and have investigated and which may well be alluding to the third irruption of these fallen angels and their progeny, the mighty men of old, men of renown. I’ll share those with you next time for your consideration.
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Posted in creation, genesis, prophecy, revelation

If Genesis is creation, is Revelation UNcreation?

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’ve been reading the Creation verses a lot lately. Genesis 1 is wonderful and it fascinates me completely. I am also listening to John MacArthur’s series on Creation and last night I heard him explain the verses relating to Day 3. I think it is so important to be thoroughly familiar with the Creation verses because they are under such assault. The Spirit has impressed me with this, and when I read in the local newspaper an opinion piece by the founder of the paper that he believes evolution and creation are co-existent, I couldn’t let it go. Rather, the Spirit wouldn’t let me let it go. I wrote a response, and still, the Spirit wouldn’t let go.

Part of what I wrote was this: “First, science and the bible are at odds on the point of creation. There is no scientific process that has, can, or will ever confirm the creation of the world. It can’t. Creation was not a scientific event, it was a supernatural one.”

Christian, don’t worry about defending the bible against science. It is our job to witness to His holiness against sin.

I continued listening to the sermon, and MacArthur got to the part about seeds. The earth was made fully mature. Adam and Eve were grown adults. The trees were mature and bore seeds and fruit from the first moment. So did plants. (Genesis 1:11). MacArthur said,

“One of the great, great wonders of the world is the science of seed dispersal. I watched an entire video on that just absolutely astonishing to see how God designed seed dispersal, not the least of which is accomplished by birds in your own yard, sometimes even attempted on your car and on your head. Pre-fertilized seed dispersal is very efficient.”

How DO seeds disperse, I wondered. Wikipedia explains, “Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, … There are five main modes of seed dispersal: gravity, wind, ballistic, water and by animals.” I started to think about the Tribulation and the verse in chapter 8 came to mind.

“The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.” (Rev 8:7). The earth is judged and that includes the vegetation, which He created on Day 3. Hmmm, grass and vegetation die in this, the First Trumpet Judgment.  But the verse later in Revelation came to mind also,

“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.” (Rev 11:6). If wind is one of the major ways seeds are propagated, then after the vegetation is burned up then there is very little chance that new growth will occur, especially of no wind if blowing “on any tree”… or its seeds. And when the Two Witnesses cause no rain to fall upon the earth for three and a half years, (Rev 11:6) then that diminishes the chance for new growth all the more.

Michaelangelo’s Creation of Adam, detail, Sistine Chapel

It occurred to me then, that Revelation could be seen as the orderly progression of UNcreation. Do the seven days of Creation match in reverse the seven years of Tribulation? Not exactly but in general. Revelation depicts judgment to be sure. But what a synchronicity that the first book of the Bible reveals how Creation was made, and the last book depicts its unmaking. On Day 1 the Light turned on, and ‘immediately after the tribulation of those days’, the sun, moon, and stars give no light” in other words, the lights are turned off. (Matthew 24:29-31). Heaven is made on Day 2, and in Rev 6:14 heaven is rolled up as a scroll. The sea creatures die. The land creatures die. The people die. The sun, moon, and stars fall.

The people know it is God, that He exists, and that He is exerting His power over them. In Revelation 16:9 they curse God on account of the plagues but they refused to repent and glorify Him. Those on the earth who rebel and deny His creative power will watch a slow and excruciating dismantling of creation, plank by plank. This is judgment indeed.

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Posted in prophecy, sex in graveyard

Sex in the graveyard? "rolling over in the grave", literally

Posted on by elizabethprata

Before I get serious today with a post I’m working on, here is a story out of New Jersey that skitters over to black comedy and at the same time is just sad.

Woman is injured in Hamilton graveyard by falling tombstone during ‘extracurricular activities,’ police say

Note: photo not of the graveyard in question.

 “HAMILTON – A woman who may have been engaged in sexual activity in a township cemetery Tuesday evening was injured when a tombstone fell on her leg, police said. The 39-year-old woman was not badly hurt, and the administration of Ahavath Israel Cemetery declined to press charges, according to police. The woman was with a male friend in the graveyard off Cedar Lane just before 7 p.m. visiting the grave of a relative. When the two engaged in some “extracurricular activities,” one of the grave markers rolled onto the woman’s leg, Capt. James Stevens said. The woman was taken by ambulance to Capital Health Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police did not know the extent of her injuries. Cemetery management was contacted, but no criminal investigation of the two was launched after the administration decided not to file a criminal complaint.”

What about the family of the person’s grave that they defiled? I hope they file charges. And I wish they would release the name of the woman and the man.

Here is a rhetorical question. We know the answer already. How does the visitation of a dead relative, an activity that usually evokes emotions of sadness, melancholy, reminiscence, tragedy, etc, flip over to instant and wanton sexual gratification? It’s just gross and monstrous to think that people would have such little self-control that they decide then and there to engage in such activity instead of concentrating on the purpose for which they arrived in the first place. Ugh, in a graveyard no less. In normal times such mixtures of activities and places remain far apart from each other, but as we skid headlong into the Tribulation, we can see the results of Paul’s warning.

Perilous times will come:

“…for they will be unholy, unloving, without self-control…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” As we see society breaking down piece by excruciating piece, Paul’s warnings along with Peter’s, Jesus’ and others show us how far from propriety, holiness, and self-sacrifice we have come. Thanks to the nature of sin, there is still a long way to go. But praise the Lord, we won’t be here to see it. Frankly, I’ve seen enough already.
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Posted in egyptian cleric proposes slavery, prophecy, revelation

Slavery in the Tribulation? Muslim cleric proposes it as solution to economic woes

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’ve always been puzzled by a verse in Revelation. LOL, more than one verse, but this one really gets me. At the fall of Babylon, we see in the threefold woes that are uttered, that a healthy economy in luxuries had been ongoing. Far from the economy being dead, as many suppose, it traded in all the world’s luxuries as if nothing untoward was happening. The rich still exist but the poor comprise most of the world. We also know that the economy is massively different, being under the control of one man, the Beast (antichrist) as revealed in Revelation 13. But the rich still buy things. We know from Revelation 6 that many are not rich but are really are devastatingly poor, unable to even afford more than a loaf of bread which equals a whole day’s pay. For the rich, they keep on keeping on with their consumerism of ridiculously luxurious items. Except for one particular luxury item in the verse at the end:

Revelation 18: 9-13
Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall
“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’

“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.”

I could not understand how this could be, though I believe it totally because God’s word is inerrant. But I had thought slavery was pretty much stamped out. There is indentured servitude in informal form, and children sold as sex slaves. But organized slavery today, though it exists is the smallest number than it ever has been in history, is rare. 12-27 million people are purported to be slaves today. Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations, according to Wikipedia. But then again, I don’t know why I am surprised that slavery as indicated in the Revelation verse would not be a going boom to the economy. It is the natural end to the philosophy of Darwin, and simply an extension of abortion and euthanasia. There is no regard for life if you adhere to those philosophies or engage in those activities. Life means nothing. Further, the bible tells us that life will mean less than nothing:

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. (Mark 13:12)

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Jesus said, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12). Lawlessness here in this verse translated from the Greek is ‘sin’ or total and complete disregard for God’s laws. People who totally dismiss God will be more liable to disregard the soul of the person inhabiting the body, and just kill it. Or sell it. It’s an “it,” not a person. Then today I read this:

Egyptian Cleric: Poverty Can be Solved by Selling Humans ‘Like Groceries’
“Over the past week, a video has surfaced featuring prominent Egyptian cleric Salafi Shaykh Abi-Ishaq al-Huwayni. In a translation posted by Al Mutarjim on his blog Translating Jihad, al-Huwayni is quoted as advocating jihad (he says it’s “a real pleasure”) and encouraging listeners to ease financial problems through the capture and sale of human beings (he says they can be sold “like groceries”).”

Here is a translation from the video which is at the link. Sounds like he has thought long and hard about this. I mean, he has a mini-economy in people going on there in that twisted head of his:

Here’s the translation in copy form:
“We are in the era of jihad. The era of jihad has come over us, and jihad in the path of Allah is a pleasure. It is a real pleasure. The companions (of the Prophet) used to compete to (perform jihad). The poverty that we’re in—is it not due to our abandonment of jihad? But if we could conduct one, two, or three jihadist operations every year, many people throughout the earth would become Muslims. And whoever rejected this da’wa, or stood in our way, we would fight against him and take him prisoner, and confiscate his wealth, his children, and his women—all of this means money. Every mujahid who returned from jihad, his pockets would be full. He would return with 3 or 4 slaves, 3 or 4 women, and 3 or 4 children. Multiply each head by 300 dirhams, or 300 dinar, and you have a good amount of profit. If he were to go to the West and work on a commercial deal, he would not make that much money. Whenever things became difficult (financially), he could take the head (i.e. the prisoner) and sell it, and ease his (financial) crisis. He would sell it like groceries. Of those who are–” and the video is abruptly cut off.

I am writing about that verse for the first time, and inevitably the Spirit gives deeper understanding each time I read it. But for now, we take at face value that there will be an economy in human commerce in the Tribulation. Slavery. Dead ahead.
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Posted in laodicean church, prophecy, regeneration, repent

Where’s the beef?

Posted on by elizabethprata

Remember this Wendy’s commercial from the early 1980s?

I used to love Clara Peller, who was a breakout hit for several years in the ad cycle. Good for her.

In the world in general there is a steep decline in civility, modesty, and behavior that would comport with what the Lord advises is pure living. With all the millions of Christians claiming that they are Christian, you would think that there would be more modesty, cleaner language, more purity, stronger families, and higher regard for Godly things. There is a terrible disconnect and it all has to do with transformation.

Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us that we have a bodily transformation to look forward to: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

But before we get there, 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us that after submitting to the Lord, our transformation of mind and spirit is an ongoing process- “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”[emphasis mine]

We would expect such an ongoing transformation. When we first believe, He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell our body. A supernatural occurrence begins to start the transformative process- the transfer of a divine being from heaven to our flesh. If you really mull through all the ramifications of this, it is mind-blowing. God sends a part of His very self to be planted inside our body which then works as an engine of transformation to His likeness.

Paul reiterated the transformative process in Romans 12:2- “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Our minds AND our bodies are being transformed by the Spirit into Jesus’ likeness.

What this looks like on the ground is a slow or a fast but a visible process where people eschew the same activities, recreation, language, and thoughts they had before. A beer-drinking, porn consuming, profanity laced man will become a gentle, moral, and upstanding husband or bachelor. Initially, the transformation is hard for the new believer but it gathers speed and becomes easier as His holiness spreads in us like a tapestry being enlarged, thread by thread. After a while, we notice that our eyes can’t stand the same television shows, books, movies, and computer activities we used to enjoy. We notice that not only has our own language cleaned up, but hearing it from others is jarring. Not only do we notice that our character is being transformed but being around unbelievers is a strain as the things they say and do hurt our gentle soul because they are an affront to God. Friends drop off, new ones are made. You begin to eagerly look forward to church, not counting it as a trial but a joy. The Spirit is transforming you.

When you repent, you renounce yourself. You allow Christ to become in you more fully every day. Now, reformation is not regeneration. Reformation is a fleshly effort in our own strength to change our ways. Due to our sin nature, permanent reformation is impossible. We will fail. If we could reform ourselves to the extent necessary to become acceptable to God, then we would not need Jesus.

Regeneration means we are being knit by a divine, supernatural process into a new creation. But it doesn’t happen spontaneously. When we are saved, we are always saved. But are we growing? The writer of Hebrews acknowledged that even after some lengthy period of time, some Christians were not growing. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Hebrews 5:12). They should have been strong enough to have been teaching others at least the basics (‘first principles’) by then, but were disappointingly still ingesting milk and not strong meat!  Do a self-check. Are you still on milk of the Word and not the meat?

When I say that regeneration is not spontaneous I mean that it takes effort of the Christian to apply himself to the process. Once you are saved you are always saved, but as for growth to produce good fruit, if the new Christian never reads the bible, never or rarely attends strong worship or listens to bible preaching, never studies, haphazardly prays, or only occasionally does any deeds, they won’t grow. They may have heard the word, but they are not doers of the word- in the aforementioned things.

James 1:21-27talks about being a doer. “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

This is the age of the Laodicean church. There are many who are hearers only and worse, what they prefer to hear is false doctrine that tickles the ears. They are not growing, and in truth, many of them are even deceived as to their natural state. Thinking themselves saved, they are not. If you never confess your own sins, thinking that your initial confession and forgiveness covered it all forever, you will not be regenerated. James urges us James 5:16, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” We all sin daily but if we confess daily then we are purified and the gratitude for this purification makes us submit even more to the Spirit’s work in us. It is a cycle.

Jesus said that there are true disciples and false disciples. (Mt 7:21-23). Many won’t make it into the kingdom, they will realize too late that their hearts deceived them. Check yourself. It is pretty simply really. “WHERE’S THE BEEF?” Do you have a fluffy exterior, big and laden with condiments, but if you peek inside, is there little to no meat? Has there been spiritual fruit borne of your deeds lately? Or not? If not, there is a problem.

Take another look at the commercial. Except let this script run through your mind:

“It certainly is a big church.”
“It’s a very big church.”
“A big, busy church.”
“It’s a very big, busy…[lifting the top to peer at what is inside]…church”
“Where’s the Gospel?”
“Some churches give you a lot less Gospel on a platter of tolerance.”
“Where’s the beef??”
Announcer extolling solid doctrine, un-watered down and meaty.
“Where’s the BEEF?? I don’t think there’s anybody back there.”

I hope you are asking yourself the important and ever-pertinent question- where’s the Gospel? Look at your church. Look at yourself. Are you on meat? Do you feel yourself being regenerated, part of an everlasting cycle of doing, hearing, growing? Or not? Ask yourself now. You don’t want to find out you belonged to a Laodicean Church when it is too late to change the outcome…

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Posted in police brutality, prophecy, secret morgue, tribulation

Handcuffed, body slammed, & arrested for dancing. Also, secret morgue

Posted on by elizabethprata

The people who say they are looking forward to an earth after the rapture with Christians gone are completely deluded about what kind of world it will be. It will be a world with no restraint against sin, with evil running rampant. Paul describes it this way, and his words can’t even approach the terror of these upcoming days:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

People will be accusers and slanderers, and also truce-breakers. No relationship outside the home, as in business or professions, will survive mutual distrust, accusation, slander, and oh, yes, blasphemy. They will break treaties, and throw away promises, written and oral. No language, promises, verbiage or contracts will be sacred in the business and professional world.

The familial world will fare no better. ‘Without natural affection’ means unloving toward kindred and close family members. Mothers and fathers hating their children, children unloving toward parents. In the Tribulation passage in Mark 13:12, Jesus explains further: “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” When a society breaks down that far, it indeed has broken down fully. Being on earth at that time, of thorough civil, no-holds-barred breakdown, is to me a fate worse than death. Nowhere will a person be able to turn for respite, care, love, or safety.

In government and politics, the world will be similarly dysfunctional. Oppression will rule the day. We are told of an antichrist who will take over, at first by flatteries (Daniel 11:21; 11:32). He will upset kings and take them over then take over the rest of the world. After he gains the world, he oppresses it by forcing all to take a mark of worship to himself, without which they cannot participate in the economy. (Rev 13:16-17).

With the progression of these verses and the awful picture they show you can clearly see that individual, family, professional, political, governmental relations are all corrupted in their entirety. Restraint is gone, brutality reigns supreme. This state of being will not come upon the world all of a sudden, even though the difference between pre-rapture world and post-rapture world will be abruptly different. The decline began long ago but as birth pangs that Jesus said would characterize the end of days, they increase like a stone rolling down a hill until the momentum is prevalent and unstoppable. These next clips and news excerpts show that oppression is here, in brutal form for what we consider today’s world but in post-rapture Tribulation world people will look back upon and it will seem seem by comparison almost benign and gentle. The platform for the verses to spring from have been well-developed and oppression is ready now to fly from the nest.

On May 5, a Pima AZ SWAT team stormed Jose Guerena’s home (with a warrant), kicked open the door, and fired 60 times. Twenty-two of those bullets entered Guerena’s body. He was a veteran who had served honorably in Iraq, and no drugs were found to be inside the home. His wife and child, however, were in the home with him. He had not fired at officers nor was his weapon ever taken off the safety position. Controversy of this event abounds in Arizona, and rightfully so.

On CNN, the reporters had interviewed two different people who survived the Joplin MO tornado who were looking for missing family members. In a follow up story it turned out that their family members had been in a morgue all along, but the two people only wound up knowing about their loved ones’ deaths because of back channels and from friends who had secret knowledge of who was in the morgue. Bizarre, I know. Many other family members are now clamoring to know about his secret morgue and want to know if their own family members are in it. So CNN went on a mission to find out and were summarily stopped by police. The reporter said it was a bizarre encounter with law enforcement, like trying to cross an international border without a passport. The action with law enforcement begins at :55 of this 1:55 clip but it is short enough to watch all the way through. Here is a partial transcript of what they found:

“There are some strange things going on here right now. The morgue, the morgue where these bodies are, is a secret morgue. It literally is a secret. If you call law enforcement and ask officials where the morgue is they will tell you we can’t say, it’s a secret. Families don’t know where the morgue is. The families who do know where the morgue is are afraid to tell us because they are afraid of getting in trouble.”

This next one really got to me, even after I had read the background and tried to understand the law and see both sides. I still hate it. Radio Host Adam Kokesh and several other activists participating in a flash-mob were arrested at the publicly-funded Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Their crime? Silently dancing, in celebration of the first amendment’s champion. Courts had recently upheld a ban on dancing at the Monument. I understand wanting to maintain decorum, but a law to suppress any and all behaviors that may lead to indecorous behavior is not the answer. Neither is the apparently overreaching and sometimes brutal enforcement of such laws here in America, or anywhere for that matter. It was very disturbing to see the arrests but worse was the fact that we have such oppressive laws now, and such wide latitude for applying them. The Founding Fathers surely didn’t envision this degree of minutiae and legal license to modify behavior to such a personal degree, did they? I mean, did they really have to body slam a guy? And the lineup of sitting, handcuffed men reminded me of the lineup of convicts in Iraq before they behead someone.

Here is Fox News article of the incident and then the disturbing video from Breitbart. (It is not graphic, only depressing)
“A group of people in Washington, D.C., protesting a recent court decision that says expressive dancing is the same as picketing and marching, were arrested for just that — dancing, MyFoxDC reports. A dance-in at the Jefferson Memorial led to five arrests and a violent clash with U.S. Park Police. The incident was posted on YouTube and appears to show officers using force to push the arrestees to the ground. MyFoxDC reports that a spokesman for Park Police says the agency is investigating complaints officers overreacted. Despite the court ban on dancing in certain areas of national monuments, the protesters say they plan to be back next Saturday at noon.”

In this instance, it looks like it did not happen in America, perhaps Spain or Portugal. I am not sure when it happened. The scene occurs on a soccer stadium field where a man holding a sign runs across an active game. Four security guards chase him down, sit on him, and handcuff him. While the four are huddled on the guy, one repeatedly beats the guy with his billy club. Horrified fans leave their seats and storm the field, chasing the security guys off. One falls down and is beaten in turn. I’m not condoning violence, but I was horrified to see such a dramatic level of force used against a man who had no weapon, was engaged in a usual prank, and was captured and subdued already. There was just no reason to beat him with a club.

The times in the Tribulation will be exponentially more brutal. An order of magnitude brutal. Anyone with a bit of power will use it for evil and not for the good. We see that power abuse now. Now let me say that I have respect for our local law enforcement and first responders. I am glad they do what they do and I know they do it with the public health, welfare, and safety in mind. Millions of good police officers work through every day with their lives on the line. But the fact is, we see more of an encroachment toward toward bullying as we creep ever closer to the day when restraint will be abandoned and Tribulation will be here.

In one sense these items may make it hard to trust Jesus to the level that is necessary for salvation. A person seeing how power is abused over and over from small people to the highest on earth- kings and presidents- must be wary of the Christian’s call to submit to the absolute power of a Holy God. That is why we say you must have faith, not only in Jesus name and through His blood that He saved us and will forgive us our sins, but faith that His power is the highest also but the most gentle and loving. We trust that because He made us, and He knows us, that He wants the best for us and that only He knows that that ‘best’ is. No one else on earth by any name or in any powerful capacity, like a government or law enforcement position, knows what is best for us to the degree that Jesus does, and they never will. Trust HIM! He is the ultimate law enforcement official, the highest judge, and He will enforce all his laws in His court one day. Jesus can be your Defense Lawyer (Hebrews 7:25) or your Prosecutor. (Genesis 18:25). His love is such that you get to choose. I pray you choose Him, and not the antichrist. The times are bad now, and they will get worse, but in heaven with a gentle and just God, time will be no more but every moment will be wonderful. Join me.

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Posted in end time, prophecy, spiitual warfare, victory

Spiritual warfare is real

Posted on by elizabethprata

I was at some friends’ last weekend, at our Sunday School party at their home. After dinner we played a bible trivia game. Here is one of the questions:

“How many angels are named in the bible?” At first blush the answer seems easy. Can you guess? Pause.

Answer: Three. Michael, Gabriel, Lucifer. Most of the teams gave the answer as two, Michael and Gabriel. Those two are easy to remember, but we forget Lucifer, who is that old serpent, satan.

Luke 1:19 we read of the messenger angel Gabriel-
“The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.”

In Daniel 10:13 we read of Michael the warrior angel, who is an archangel-
“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.”

Paul reminds us of the hierarchies of angels, both good and fallen:
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Colossians 1:16)

Ephesians 6 is the famous chapter where Paul reminds us that we are in enemy territory here on earth, that the territory has a hierarchy, and that we are always at war, (whether we know it or not):
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

We often forget about Lucifer as an angel, his name means star of the morning, or shining one. Isaiah laments Lucifer’s fall from the high holy place of guarding God’s throne, to his low position of evil rebel destined for the hell (Matthew 25:41).

Hebrews and Revelation together show us that about a third of the angels fell with Satan. (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 12:3-9). Hebrews also reminds “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2). If angels visit us and engage with us on a personal and even intimate level (‘hospitality’ translated, “in one’s home”, “receive as a guest”) then who is to say that we are always visited by the good angels? Sometimes we are visited by the bad ones, too. Probably more than sometimes, probably we’re visited by them often.

I was in another friend’s home the other night, and I mentioned that Dr. David Jeremiah’s latest series is on spiritual warfare. She replied, “Oh! I don’t even like to think about spiritual warfare!” I was stunned by this, she being a seasoned Christian. I remarked that we are at war whether we like to think about it or not! Because of sin, the earth is a battlefield. Satan and his angels battle for souls every day. 1 John 5:19 tells us that the entire earth is under the control of the evil one. In Luke 4:5-6 satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and in one of the temptations, offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus didn’t rebuke satan for making that claim.

In Ephesians, Paul tells us to pray and to wear our spiritual armor. 1 Timothy 1:18 Paul tells Timothy to prepare for the battle. 2 Corinthians 10:2-4 describes the kind of war we Christians are in. There is war-like language all throughout the New Testament, referring to the fact that we ARE in a war. It is a spiritual war, but a war that has eternal consequences for each participant.

I was struck by the two incidents this week- the bible trivia question about Lucifer where it was so easy to forget he is really an angel, and the Christian who dismissed spiritual warfare topics as something unsavory she doesn’t like to think about. Christian, be aware that we are dwelling in enemy territory, and this is not our home. We are unwanted intruders. We are under attack all the time. Not daily, but frequently and constantly. We are attacked by demons, by our own sin, and by the curse of the world. We are in a war and that war will not be concluded for us individually until we die or are raptured. That war for all of us as a body in Christ will not end until after the 1000 year Kingdom when satan will be let out of the pit, will foment one last war and he will be squashed and sent to the lake of fire forever.

But remember an even greater truth. Unlike every other warrior who ever fought in a war, we know the outcome prior to the war’s end! We may be battling, but “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Jesus won the war for us, on our behalf and in obedience to the Father’s will. Jesus is the victor, and through Him we win the war. So, battle on in confidence, but never forget we are in a war. Semper Fi!

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Posted in 12th imam, iran, prophecy

Forget the rapture May 21, it’s now the Mahdi June 5

Posted on by elizabethprata

Verrrry interesting article about what is happening in Iran, spiritually. I’ve reported before that there had been a rift between President Ahmadinajad and Supreme Leader Khamenei. I suspected that the rift began with the accidental release to the West of a documentary film outlining Iran’s deeply-held eschatological (end time) beliefs. Of those beliefs, one analyst wrote, “The Shia Muslim Iranians view the current events in the Middle East as confirmation that their end time eschatology is correct. This confirmation is fueling their fervor and inciting them to further the final events to prepare for the arrival of their ‘Mahdi’. As we know from the bible, the true events will include terrible wars, including Psalm 83 war and Gog-Magog- the latter of which the bible says Iran plays the major role. The purpose of the film is to make the case that Iran is prophetically destined to lead the war against Islam’s enemies, which is as a prelude to the appearance of the Hidden Imam, also called the Mahdi, who brings the final victory for Islam and reigns over the whole world. It uses current events to argue that “the final chapter has begun” and the Mahdi’s arrival is imminent”, and the documentary they produced goes on to explain how and why. I wrote more about the documentary here and here.

Then in the last few weeks we have not heard about the rift between the President and the Supreme Leader, until today. and again the news has to do with their eschatalogical beliefs in the final days. Remember, Iran is a theocracy, and the Supreme Leader is supposed to be the final word on all matters, including and especially religious. The author of this piece is ‘Reza Kahlili’, the nom de plume for the CIA-infiltrated agent who was the person to obtain and release the Iranian documentary “The Coming is Near” to the west and has been analyzing and reporting on the fallout ever since. The article below is more fallout, with ominous prophetic indications.

Ahmadinejad’s Team Expects Arrival of 12th Imam … on June 5
“Increasing tensions between Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad intensified when hardline clerics exerted pressure on Ahmadinejad to obey the supreme leader as the ultimate authority. Those tensions were exacerbated with the arrest of over 25 of Ahmadinejad’s associates and loyalists, along with a high-level member of his inner circle. Supporters of the supreme leader are referring to Ahmadinejad’s group as “The Deviant Movement.” This “group” has announced that within the upcoming weeks a monumental event will turn the tide to their advantage. Based on a report from Iran’s Ayandeh, one of the officials within “The Deviant Movement” has informed his confidants that certain sources close to the “Mahdi’s Emergence Movement” have stated that an important event will soon change the course of operations to Ahmadinejad’s favor. According to interpretations offered by Ahmadinejad’s team, a high-ranking member of the Islamic Republic will meet with a climactic incident. This in turn will build up to the announcement of the “covert emergence” of the Twelfth Imam (or Mahdi) in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Hardliners critical of Ahmadinejad maintain that his team believes a covert emergence will commence on the 14th of Khordaad (June 5) in Medina, setting the stage for the announcement of the actual emergence in the next few years.”

“Certain accounts have chronicled that prior to the official emergence of the Mahdi, he will appear covertly in Medina, and during a period of one to three years he will lay the foundations for the actual announcement of his appearance. The Deviant Movement states that: “At the time of the covert emergence, his regent (i.e., the supreme leader) will be deposed from his position.” Previously, Ali Mottahari — a pro-supreme leader member of the Islamic Parliament — criticized Ahmadinejad:”

Ahmadinejad believes that the covert emergence has, in fact, occurred. Therefore, he acts like he no longer needs the supreme leader and that he can disobey him, as he is taking his orders directly from the Mahdi himself.

There is more at the headline link. Kahlili ends with this: “Since Ahmadinejad’s ascent to power, talk of the emergence of the Mahdi has increased. A number of hardliners, who are installed within the halls of the presidency, are attempting to utilize the Iranian and global situation to demonstrate the signs of the emergence of the Mahdi and to prove that the Rapture is imminent. As I revealed recently, a secret Iranian documentary, The Coming is Upon Us, details the last condition for the reappearance as the destruction of Israel and the conquest of Jerusalem by Ahmadinejad. He has been portrayed as the mythical figure in centuries-old Hadiths, Shoeib-ebne Saleh, the Islamic commander who attacks Israel in the End of Times and creates the needed circumstances for the reappearance of the Shiite messiah, the 12th Imam Mahdi. The question is: Will the rifts in the Iranian leadership push Ahmadinejad and his team to draw Israel into an unwanted war to prove that he is that mythical figure and to facilitate the Rapture?”

We know from prophecy that Iran will play  a major role in fomenting attacks against Jerusalem and Israel at large in the very last days. We know that the Arab world, with Obama behind them, are enemies of Israel who have sworn to wipe them off the map. “See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—” Psalm 83:2-5, a prophetic Psalm of the future, and that future is now.

Has there ever been a time when nations in a frenzy talked so much of the imminence of the Lord’s arrival? Has there ever been a time when the prophetic pieces were lining up so closely? Has there ever been a time when millions eagerly looked forward as much as they do now to the appearance of their particular deity of worship? No. Now is the time. And time is running out. Therefore “for He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION “–” 2 Corinthians 6:2

Now. Turn to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins, now. Forget rapture May 21. Forget Mahdi June 5. Today is the day of your salvation!

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Posted in cross, end of days, forgiveness, prophecy, sins

Jesus did not die for you

Posted on by elizabethprata

I am working on a couple of other blog entries, plus the weekly newsletter, but this comes to mind now and I felt compelled to write it. I hear all the time, “Aww, Jesus died for me. He died for my sins. Just for me.” Actually, He didn’t.

Jesus died because God required a punishment for sin, and that punishment was a spotless sacrifice. Jesus obeyed God to become that sacrifice. He chose to become God incarnate and He chose to die. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (John 10:18) and also John 6:37-40: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all … “. In this way, Jesus died for GOD. We are beneficiaries of His obedience.

I don’t know why God has it set up that a blood sacrifice is required to satisfy a sin-debt. We get a glimpse in Genesis and Leviticus, “But you shall not eat flesh with its life – its blood”. (Gen 9:4) “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Lev 17:11)

Jesus kind of did die for us. I was being provocative above 😉 If Adam and Eve had not fallen from grace then Jesus never would have had to incarnate to die on the cross, shedding His blood for OUR sin. But first and foremost Jesus died to satisfy His father, in the universe’s ultimate act of obedience and love. It is why Jesus deserves all the glory and all the praise.

I find it helpful to keep this perspective, because it keeps the spotlight off me, my sins, and my decision to accept the benefit of His work on the cross. I am sinner, yes. But it was His choice to do this for us that I praise and I am eternally grateful for. It keeps the spotlight on Him. Which is as it should be!
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Posted in end of days, end time, prophecy, tower of babel

Building a Tower of Babel in Argentina

Posted on by elizabethprata

Symbols matter. If they didn’t, why do companies spend so much time and energy on logos? Why are logos patented?Why do people go nuts when a famous logo is changed? Why it is called a “brand”?

Symbols add understanding to our lives. They are expressions of human nature, and they are found in all cultures over all time. Human communication depends on interpretation of letter and number symbols, and picture symbols themselves.

Handprints are the most common symbol in ancient rock art, depicting perhaps the original, “I was here” message. Aboriginal handprints have been interpreted to mean the spiritual imprint of the symbol-maker. In India, handprints are a symbol of protection and placed on the doorframe.

The bible is full of symbols. Clothing or garments represent character (Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 59:6). Oil represents the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 25:1-13) The fish was and still is a symbol denoting a believer lived there. The fish was also a Greek acrostic. The Greek word for fish was ixthus which was an acrostic spelling for Jesus as the first letter, the 2nd letter for Christ, the next two, God Son, and the final letter represented the word Savior. This spells “Jesus Christ is God’s Son, the Savior.”

I wrote a piece in October of 2009 titled “EU: end time symbols too blatant to ignore.” In it, I showed that here again, symbols are important and used for particular meaning. Choosing them also illustrates that the chooser was intending to convey a certain meaning, certainly because there are so many symbols to choose from. I always get soundly mocked by non-believers for saying this when I post a movie-symbolism piece, but Hollywood symbolism is picking up on satanic symbols left and right, fast and furious. I had written in the essay in Oct 2009 that choosing certain slogans and symbols of the EU is satan’s way of spitting in God’s eye once again.

If companies can have symbols, why not God? If God can have symbols, why not satan? If satan can have symbols, why not Hollywood? Symbols convey meaning, they are chosen for a reason, and they matter to the chooser, and they matter to God.

A certain Argentinian street installation artist finished her latest piece. It is the Tower of Babel.

link

Photo taken on May 6, 2011 shows the “Tower of Babel”, a creation made by Argentine artist Marta Minujin with thousands of books in languages from all over the world, at San Martin square in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The artwork was created to celebrate that the UNESCO nominated Buenos Aires as the World Book Capital 2011. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala)

There are many installation representations she could have chosen. She could have re-created a Gutenberg Press, certainly a revolutionary machine in the history of book-making and global dispersal of literature. She could have made a rocket symbolizing transport to outer reaches that books take you, the Huckleberry Finn raft, the whale of Moby Dick, the Round Table at Camelot. She could have made a cross, or the city of New Jerusalem. She did not. She chose the Tower of Babel, one of the most iconic moments in the bible of an ‘in your face’ disobedience.

Babylon becomes, in past history and in future prophecy, the fountainhead of false religion in all the world. According to Gotquestions’ summary,

“The Tower of Babel is described in Genesis 11:1-9. After the Flood, God commanded humanity to “increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Humanity decided to do the exact opposite, “Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth’” (Genesis 11:4). Humanity decided to build a great city and all congregate there. They decided to build a gigantic tower as a symbol of their power, to make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). This tower is remembered as the Tower of Babel.”

“In response, God confused the languages of humanity so that they could no longer communicate with each other (Genesis 11:7). The result was that people congregated with other people who spoke the same language, and then went together and settled in other parts of the world (Genesis 11:8-9). God confused the languages at the Tower of Babel to enforce His command for humanity to spread throughout the entire world.”

The Argentinian artist chose a symbol of open defiance of God’s command. Such choices have repercussions. Just as the people building the tower lived a consequence both physically and spiritually, people who choose to lift up unholy things instead of holy things will also suffer the consequences of their choices. This is not a fact that is appreciated or even absorbed by the unsaved-at-large, but it is absolute.

Romans 13:1-5 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

Or more to the point, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life”. (Gal 6:7-8)

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