end time, gog magog, ottomans, prophecy, revelation

Will Islam be the final one world religion?

Posted on November 11, 2026 by elizabethprata

There is a difficult prophetic passage in Revelation, some say the most difficult. Revelation 17:9-11 says-

“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.” (Revelation 17:9-11)

Oh, boy, where do you start? OK, in the first phrase, it says ‘here is wisdom.’ To me, that means that the interpretation won’t be easy or obvious. It will take deeper study, but that it will be revealed to the one who seeks wisdom. James 1:5 makes that promise.

“The seven” past kingdoms (empires) are generally accepted to be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Media-Persia and Rome past and/or Rome to come, or perhaps someone else. “The eighth” seems to be the antichrist which is part of the seventh.

Photo by Anastasiia Soshalska on Unsplash

Remember that in Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue of the kingdoms (Dan 2:31-35), it was gold at the head, silver at the chest and arms, bronze torso and thighs, legs of iron and feet of a mixture of clay and iron. A side note, you notice two things of the statue’s metals: as they progress from head to toe, the metals become less expensive. Gold is the most precious metal, iron the least. Clay is worth nothing at all. But they also become stronger. Gold is the softest metal but iron is strongest.

The legs of iron are generally thought to be the split Roman empire. The Romans split their empire in 330AD when they allowed Constantinople to become a sister capital, and the kingdom was split east and west. (The feet of iron and clay are thought to the coming Tribulation kingdom.) So let’s look at Constantinople.

Now known as Istanbul, it is located in Turkey and is its largest city. Wikipedia says Istanbul has served as the capital of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). That’s a lot of empires!

Now to the original verse in Revelation. The verse says that there were/are 7 kingdoms. Some say the 7th is Rome, and some say that the 7th could be the Ottoman Empire. Note the last part of the Revelation verse, ‘the beast is the eighth AND is of the seven’ could be satisfied by a ruler from the eastern leg of the statue that was part of Roman empire but not Rome itself.

The Ottomans existed as an empire for 500 years, disappearing in 1922 with the cessation of the office of Caliph (Ruler of all Muslims). Some believe the 7th Kingdom of Rev. 17:10 is the Ottoman Empire. Did you know that Constantinople is also a city on seven hills? If the 7th kingdom turns out to be the mentioned city situated in Constantinople, its loyalty to Islam may well form into the final one world religion of Islam.

Islamic eschatology is remarkably like a photographic negative of Christian end time prophecies with the antichrist, satan, and false prophet (unholy trinity). Muslim al-Mahdi and the Christian antichrist are described in similar terms.

John MacArthur said in his sermon The Grim Reality of the Last Days, “If you know history that the western part of the Roman Empire basically dissolved and the east survived for a thousand years or more so that at the time of the New Testament, sixty percent of the Roman Empire was land that is now under Muslim control…at least 60 percent”.

And that was a figure given back in 2011, the figure is probably much higher now. North Africa & The Levant is nearly 100% Muslim today in 2026. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon were main provinces of the Roman Empire. Today, the majority of that total population is Muslim. Turkey also is 99% Muslim, which was also under the Roman Empire in Bible days.

“The vast majority of the Roman Empire in New Testament times is today under Muslim control and Islam is moving across the west rapidly in Europe, isn’t it? When you have a picture in Ezekiel 38, you have a picture of the Antichrist, Gog and you have the listing of eight nations, that will be a coalition for the Antichrist. All eight of those are Muslim nations, all eight of them. And they ring the Mediterranean to Libya. In Revelation 17:9 to 11 it says there were six kingdoms and then a seventh and finally an eighth. What is the seventh? Well there’s been a discussion about that, it well could be the Ottoman Turk Empire which lasted five hundred years and didn’t really fall until the modern era. The Turkish Empire was the last Caliphate which ended in 1923 and they’re waiting for the restoration when the Mahdi comes.” –end MacArthur segment from his sermon The Grim Reality of the Last Days

In today’s times, France particularly has seen a huge increase in Islam in just the last 10 years. Other influxes of Islam are occurring into Germany and the UK. As for France, Catholicism has declined by almost half, and Islam has grown to the 2nd largest religion in that country. Here are statistics from 2025:

A major concern of the report is the growth of the adult Muslim population from 0.5% in 1985 to 2% in 2000, 4% in 2009, 5.5% in 2016, and 7% in 2025. This makes Islam France’s second largest religion, with the steep decline in Catholicism from 83% (1985) to 43% (2025) and Evangelical Protestantism slightly behind at 4% compared to 1.5% in 1985. People with no religious affiliation have risen from 13% (1985) to 37% (2025). https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-news/as-frances-muslim-population-grows-so-does-its-support-for-islamism

Here in the US, Islam is also growing exponentially. According to this June 2026 article, the number of Muslims in the US stands “between 4 and 4.5 million, or close to triple its size in 2000.” Tripling in numbers in just 5 1/2 years is worth noting.

It is entirely possible that the growth we are seeing in the number of Islamic adherents could well figure prominently in the last of the last days Tribulation era. Revelation 20:4 indicates that Christians are beheaded for their testimony of Christ. This is an activity and a manner of execution Muslims have long employed toward what they call ‘infidel’.

In fact, their Book 46 Hadith 37 says “I swear by Allah, in whose hand is my soul, that the descent of the Son of Mary on you as a just judge is very near. When he comes, he will break the cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizyah; and the wealth will increase so much that no one will accept it.”

On an Islamic site we read an explanation of that Hadith what the average Muslim interprets it to mean:

“According to our belief, Jesus did not die; he was raised to the sky. He lives in the sky with his worldly body. As it is seen in the hadith, he will come down to the earth close to the Day of Judgment and do good things: He will compensate for the spiritual destruction caused by Dajjal (Anti-Christ). It is stated that when he comes, abundance and welfare will increase; his improvements will not be in the spiritual field only; he will realize economic improvements too.”

“Breaking the Cross means the abolishment of Christianity and its elimination. If it is considered that the church is behind the West, which is the source of the agony of humanity today, the abolishment of the church means the defeat of the West, saving it from egoism and making it attain real humanity. When the West, which dominates the world politics and economy, accepts the truth, the whole humanity will attain peace. For, the hand of the West is behind all of the social mischiefs and unrests that disturb people. This “Western hand” lies behind all of the agonies of humanity.“

As I mentioned, the characters in Muslim eschatology are similar to ours in Christianity, except opposite. There’s the daijal, Isa (named Jesus but bears no resemblance to the true Jesus), the mahdi, and Allah.

The following is a summarization of Islamic Eschatology, authored by Richard Sheposh, housed at EBSCO under Research Starters. These are short, encyclopedia type summary articles giving inquirers a foundational overview of certain research topics. This summary is the clearest I’ve read concerning the complicated mish-mash that Islam is, under its various denominations and changes over time.

In Islam, Jesus (Isa) returns, but not to establish a kingdom for Christians. It’s to judge and kill any remaining Jews and Christians, and to establish Islam as supreme under Allah.

Islamic eschatology, summarized

“The Mahdi is a significant messianic figure in Islamic eschatology, prophesied to emerge near the end of the world to combat injustice and establish a global Islamic kingdom. The Mahdi, which means “Guided One,” is expected to appear during a period of great turmoil, leading a revolution against an evil entity known as al-Dajjāl, who is often likened to the antichrist in Christian belief. Beliefs surrounding the Mahdi vary notably between Sunni and Shia Muslims; Sunnis anticipate a wise leader from the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad, while Shia Muslims await the return of the twelfth imam, a historical figure believed to have been in hiding since the 9th century.“

“In many traditions, the Mahdi’s appearance will coincide with the return of Jesus, referred to as Isa in Islam, who will play a critical role in defeating al-Dajjāl and affirming the supremacy of Islam. The Mahdi’s reign is thought to last between seven to nine years, during which he will unite Muslims and non-Muslims alike under Islam. After this period, a final judgment by Allah is expected to culminate in the end of the universe. The Mahdi’s role and significance within Islamic eschatology reflect deep theological insights and varying interpretations within the broader Islamic faith.“

DOES Revelation 17 allude to a final global kingdom on earth of Islam? Time will tell. In the past I’ve thought that Catholicism would be the One World Religion of the last of the last days. But lately with the growth of the satanic religion of Islam, and the strange protection of Muslims by liberals, I think in my opinion, it is entirely possible that Islam will reign supreme in the end, and is in fact is very probable.

theology

OK, you had me at kit!

Posted on November 10, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I was reading Ezekiel 9:2 and I came across this verse:

And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was one man clothed in linen with a scribe’s kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

OK, you had me at ‘kit’.

What IS a Scribe’s Kit? What does it contain? The fact that it was strapped to his waist indicates that it was portable.

A scribe was a man who wrote. Prior to the time of Ezra the Scribe, the scribes acted as secretaries of the state/king/pharaoh. (Esther 3:12). Baruch was scribe to Prophet Jeremiah. They prepared and issued decrees in the name of the king (2 Samuel 8:17; 20:25; 1 Chronicles 18:16; 24:6; 1 Kings 4:3; 2 Kings 12:9-11; 18:18-37, etc.).

The later Hebrew scribes taught the Law, and did so since Ezra the Scribe (who was also a priest) through to the time of Jesus and beyond to today.

The scribe’s job was to copy and recopy the scrolls, preserve them, and interpret them. When Jesus did the reading of the Old Testament at synagogue (Luke 4:16-17), He was handed a scroll. This had no doubt been copied by a scribe at some point. I wrote about A Day in the Life of a Scribe here.

Baruch was a scribe but also an amanuensis to Jeremiah. Not all amanuenses were scribes, but all scribes could be amanuenses. Scribes preserved the writings, sometimes edited, and taught as well as copied. Amanuenses were usually dedicated to one person and specifically and only write what the person dictated. They were in effect a recording device. Baruch for Jeremiah, writing down the prophecies. (Jeremiah 36:4), and later, Tertius performed that role for Paul, (Romans 16:22).

Speaking of Paul at the end of Galatians chapter 6 in verse 1, Paul write, “See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!” As Barnes’ Notes states, Paul took over from his amanuensis the conclusion of the letter in his own writing,

(1) A pledge to the Galatians that the Epistle was genuine, since it bore the marks of his own handwriting; and,

(2) It was proof of special affection for them that he was willing to undergo this labor on their account.

What was in a scribe’s kit?

If the scribe was to write on something hard like hardened clay, he used a stylus. If it was a soft material like papyrus, he used a sharpened reed as a pen. In The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land, we read:

The pen was made either of cane, sharpened to a fine point, or hard metal (Jer. 17:1; Job 19:24). This instrument permitted more rapid, cursive strokes (Ps. 45:1). The hardest end of the pen was its point (Jer. 17:1). It was sharpened with a penknife, also used for cutting papyrus and parchment (cf. Jer. 36:23).

The main writing pigment was ink. As this was much used in the writing of Jewish documents, the Mishna gives specific formulae for its preparation. Black ink consisted of soot, resin, olive oil and water. Rust in place of soot would produce brown ink, while the addition of a red pigment would give red ink. The ink was a thick sticky substance, so that the scribe could safely carry it in a inkpot in his belt (Ezek. 9:2). To make it ready for writing, water was added. The scribe kept his pens, penknife and inkpot in an inkhorn. Source: Negev, A. (1990). In The Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land.

They carried a long rectangular box to hold the stylus and pens, and an inkhorn. The inkhorn held either dried pigment to which water would be added, or a thick liquid substance as described above to which a small amount water would be added to make ready for use. He also carried a pen knife to sharpen the reed when it became dull, or to cut parchment or papyrus to size.

Easton Bible Dictionary, inkhorn and reed pen

International Standard Bible Dictionary. A palette, the container for the pens

From a Facebook page named “Connie’s Creations”, we read: “After some searching I finally found some examples of what a writer’s case may look like from Ezekiel 9:2. (Some translations say writing case, writing kit, writer’s inkhorn, scribe’s kit or scribe’s case)” and the photos below are her photos.

In Bible times if you saw a person wearing the writing kit from their belt (or over the shoulder) it immediately identified the person as a scribe. This meant they were learned and literate. Scribes and amanuenses were important, as the Word of God was intended by God to be written down and preserved.

We have kits today, gear, and other items that identify our professions. People who carry briefcases are usually executives or lawyers. People who wear a construction toolbelt can be identified as a tradesman. People who wear scrubs are identified as in the medical profession. In Bible times, wearing an inkhorn and palette showed you were someone involved with writing.

After reading about how the scribe needed to gather reeds, keep them sharpened, maintain his ink, keep refiling his reed with ink…phew it made me glad that ball point pens were invented! And computers.

Jesus said in Matthew 13:52, “And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure new things and old.”

Jesus was saying that He has taught the disciples as learners as the scribes were learners. They were now trained up and prepared. They were now scholars in the way that the Jews prepared the scribes to be scholars.

Yes, God’s words are a treasure! Little did they know at that moment that some of them would become scribes partnered with the Holy Spirit in writing the eternal word of God!

theology

The Ageless Bible has Wisdom for Every Person’s Age

Posted on November 9, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The Bible is incredible for teaching us all we need to know about godliness in honoring Jesus, and more incredibly, through every stage of life and both sexes. Whether you are a child, young man or woman, adult, mother/father, or aged, widow or single, it’s all covered.

I’ve always paid good attention especially to the verses that pertain to me in my stage of life. As I age, I tend to pick up more on the verses that mention old women, because, I am an old woman now! Here is one in 1st Timothy-

In pointing out these things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have been following. But stay away from worthless stories that are typical of old women. (1 Timothy 4:6-7).

Other translations say ‘old wives’ tales’. This Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary article by Anderson Douglas offers some insight-

New Testament References to aging persons in the NT focus on-
— the responsibility of children or the family of faith to care for dependent or disabled aging persons (Mark 7:1–13; Matt. 15:1–6; 1 Tim. 5:4, 8; James 1:27).
—The young are urged to honor the aging (1 Tim. 5:1–2),
—and the aging are encouraged to be worthy examples (Titus 2:2–3).
—Christians are expected to care for widows (Acts 6:1–7),

If you have been wondering as you age, how we can serve the Lord while retired, or with diminishing strength, eyesight, energy, or mental faculties, as the case may be, this last part in the article is encouraging!

—and the aging are expected to serve God as did Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna in Luke 1–2. Such service by the aging can bring blessings to their families, as did Timothy’s grandmother and mother (2 Tim. 1:5).

The biblical view of aging is unequivocally positive, though allowing for the possibility that an older person can be foolish (Eccles. 4:13). Generally older persons have a reservoir of wisdom and understanding based on past experience (Deut. 32:7). They can experience new family joys, even after many previous sad experiences (Ruth 4:13–17). Both youth and age have their unique worth; they are not in competition (Prov. 20:29). While advancing age results in diminishing strength (Eccles. 12:1–8), God’s grace and help are available to persons in each stage of life (Isa. 46:4). –end Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary article

Isaiah 46:4 says

Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will carry you!
I have done it, and I will bear you;
And I will carry you and I will save you.

From conception to death and beyond The LORD ‘carries’ His own! If you are old,

Zechariah 8:4 says, “The LORD of armies says this: ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the public squares of Jerusalem, each person with his staff in his hand because of age.”

What the Lord is promising here is that war took the young and the very old. People did not live out their days due to famine, pestilence, siege, and war. But later, they will. Barnes’ Notes says of the verse:

In In those fierce wars neither young nor very old were spared. It implied then a long peace, that people should live to that utmost verge of human life.

How often have we seen the aged sitting on the benches along the sidewalks of the cities, or in the parks, or on front stoops or porches. Porch sittin’ is a favorite past-time of the elderly.

Barnes’ Notes continues,

The man, whose staff is in his hand for the multitude of days – The two opposite pictures, the old men, Dionysius), “so aged that they support with a staff their failing and trembling limbs,” and the young in the glad buoyancy of recent life, fresh from their Creator’s hands, attest alike the goodness of the Creator, who protecteth both, the children in their yet undeveloped strength, the very old whom He hath brought through “all the changes and chances of this mortal life,” in their yet sustained weakness. The tottering limbs of the very old, and the elastic perpetual motion of childhood are like far distant chords of the [range] of the Creator’s love. (Barnes’ Notes on Zechariah 8:4).

Sometimes “the tottering limbs of the very old’ can make a person feel like they have nothing to offer the Lord, nothing left to give in their age or infirmity. I myself have been wondering that, as I look at retirement. How can I serve the Lord if I am not serving hIs little children?

Yet we read in Luke chapters 1 and 2 that Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna in Luke 1–2 served Him long and well. Timothy’s grandmother and mother (2 Tim. 1:5) Lois and Eunice brought blessing to their families and to the faith in the raising of young Timothy.

Older women are in fact charged with service, the older are to teach the younger as Titus 2:3-5 says. In 1 Timothy 5:5 we read,

Now she who is actually a widow and has been left alone has set her hope on God, and she continues in requests and prayers night and day.

Anna was the model here. If nothing else, an older woman can pray!

Older women seem to have some negative tendences, as mentioned in Titus 2:3, behavior which we must watch out not to drift into,

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

In the verse we see slandering/gossip and wine paired. Perhaps too much drink caused loose lips, when Jesus demands we display self-control and use encouraging words. How unfitting for an older woman or widow to be staggering around under the slavery of wine, with a loose and slandering tongue! We should know better!

Matthew Henry Commentary says, “Teachers of good things are opposed to teachers of things corrupt, or to what is trifling and vain, of no good use or tendency, old wives’ fables or superstitious sayings and observances; in opposition to these, their business is, and they may be called on to it, to be teachers of good things.“

Never fear as you age, dear sister. If your earnest desire is to serve the Lord, He will make it so. Older women in the Bible impacted their children & grandchildren, served the church, prayed, taught, served as a living model of holiness and wisdom. I’ll finish with a quote from Warren Wiersbe,

When it comes to the older women, Paul’s emphasis is on teaching: “teachers of good things.” Experienced, godly women are usually excellent teachers. The word teach in Titus 2:4 is related to the word translated “temperate” in Titus 2:2, and probably should be translated, “that they may train by making sober-minded.” It is not only that the older women should show the younger mothers how to keep house, but that they put within their hearts and minds the right spiritual and mental attitudes.
One of the strongest forces for spiritual ministry in the local church lies with the older believers.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 264–265). Victor Books.

theology

When satan spoke in the Bible…

Posted on November 6, 2026November 6, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Do you know how many times the Bible records when satan actually spoke to someone, and his words were recorded?

Three times.

He is a dominating figure and an overarching theme in the Bible, but for all that, this fallen angel only spoke three times that the Bible records.

Let’s take a look.

We all think immediately of the dramatic moment in Genesis 3:1-4, satan in the guise of the serpent speaks to Eve.

In Job 1:7, 9–11; Job 2:2, 4–5 satan speaks to God.

In Matthew 4:3, 6, 9 satan tempts Jesus while He is in the wilderness.

We know about satan from Isaiah 14 that Isaiah records satan’s inner desires, and from Ezekiel we see why Lucifer fell. We also know that Jesus said that satan spoke to Him regarding a request to sift Peter. But satan’s actual words bear looking at.

#1 Garden of Eden

**“Adam and Eve Are Driven out of Eden”** (also known as *The Expulsion from the Garden*) by illustrator **Gustave Doré**, published in **1866**

In the garden of Eden, satan questioned what God had said by slyly twisting it. ‘Did God really say you may not eat from any tree in the garden? This was a distortion. Yes, God commanded them about the fruit of the trees. No, God did not say whey could not eat from any, but could eat from all, except one. This forced Eve into a defensive position, and in defending God, she overstated the command.

Then satan simply contradicted God. God had said they will die if they eat of the Tree of Good and Evil. Satan said “No you won’t.”

So, bear in mind that those 2 methods worked for satan- distortion and contradiction.

#2 Job’s Righteousness

*Job Hears of His Misfortunes* (or *Job Hearing of his Ruin*) **Gustave Doré** for *Doré’s English Bible* (1866)

In the book of Job, satan found a righteous person and targeted him. Before God, Satan proposed that Job’s righteousness was conditional and temporary. That if circumstances changed, Job’s righteousness would vanish. He was saying essentially that God was bribing Job into righteousness. His charge against Job was also a charge against God.

Remember David’s lament, “against you and you only have I sinned.” Even though David committed adultery and murder, his ultimate sin was against God. Same with satan in accusing Job. Satan was also accusing God.

So, bear in mind that satan sows doubt by challenging a person’s affections and motives, and reduces God to heavenly Butler delivering the goods to a worshiper.

#3 Wilderness Temptation

**Gustave Doré** 1832 – 1883, The Temptation by the Devil, engraving — 1865

In the Wilderness Temptation, satan directly dealt with Jesus Himself. In Genesis he approached the humans directly. In the Job situation he accused a believer before God. Here, He went head to head against the Second Person of the Trinity!

Satan pinpointed a potential weakness. In the first temptation, Jesus was hungry, so satan focused on that, saying that Jesus could turn the stones into bread of He wanted.

In the third temptation (I’ll cover the second temptation in a moment), satan appealed to ego- perhaps seeing Jesus as ‘second fiddle’ under God’s authority…? Seeing that satan himself chafed under God’s authority perhaps he thought he could entice Jesus with that approach.

In the temptation, satan said that he would give Jesus all the authority and splendor in the universe…if he’d just bow and worship satan.

In the Wilderness Temptation, satan also used scripture to tempt Jesus in no doubt was a physical weakness- Jesus hadn’t eaten for many days! It is the only time that satan quoted scripture, and of course he distorted it. He referred to Psalm 91, saying in Matthew 4:5-6,

Then the devil took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written:

‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’;

and

‘On their hands they will lift You up,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.'”

He was misusing Psalm 91:11-12,

For He will give His angels orders concerning you,
To protect you in all your ways.
On their hands they will lift you up,
So that you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Saran did not present the entire verse. He omitted “to guard you in all your ways”. This changes the context to suggest a literal interpretation of physical protection, instead of the true meaning, which is obedient living under God. God’s intent is to protect those who humbly obey, but satan’s omission changed the verse into a self-exaltation. In other words subtly changing the focus to one’s self while inspiring a reckless confidence.

He did the same to Eve, subtly changing the focus of God’s words (which were not written down at that time).

Of course, Jesus saw through that immediately and challenged satan with rightly quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah”.

Subtlety works

We are told in Genesis 3:1 that satan is subtle. We have seen his subtleties in his tactics of contradiction, distortion, appealing to physical weaknesses, spiritual weaknesses, ego, and twisting scripture by omissions or ripping out of context.

Think of the demon-possessed slave girl in Acts. She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” (Acts 16:17). If the translation you read includes the definite article “a way” then that is obviously a subtle change from Jesus being the ONLY way to salvation. (Acts 4:12).

The main problem is that the demon possessed slave girl was widely known to have a spirit of divination. She made much money for her masters. For Paul to allow her to continue proclaiming God’s salvation with serpent tongue would give the wrong impression- that the Apostles were cooperating with or otherwise tolerating satanic influences. Nothing could be further from the truth.

So, we need to be aware of satanic influences in the teachers we follow, and do not tolerate them. They subtly twist God’s word, as we have seen satan himself do. Satan is nothing if not pragmatic, he does what works.

I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3).

We should seek wisdom from His word, and seek it from credible pastors, starting with our own. Be aware of satan’s schemes. They worked against humans all those centuries ago with Eve and they still work today. Here are a few of them we have seen in just the 3 times satan spoke in the Bible:

Distorting the word
Appealing to ego
Exploiting a spiritual or physical weakness
Denying God’s authority
Contradicting His authority
Sowing doubt
DECEPTION!

Further Resources

A good question concisely answered with insight and wisdom in 7 minutes-

The Strategies of Satan from Bible Study Tools

theology

Satan’s eloquence and the danger of his allure

Posted on November 5, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Halloween just ended. At school, I am the greeter, and of course the day before Halloween the children are allowed to arrive in their ‘book character’ costume. We see the usual policemen, firemen, princesses, and this year there were a lot of Spidermen. Even though I can usually figure out their costume, I always ask each child what they are dressed as, so they can tell me, and then I say ‘How fun!’ or ‘How cute!’ or “I like it!’

One little guy I really could not figure out. I asked. His answer? “The Devil.” I have no idea why a child would want to dress as the devil, but there you have it.

Admittedly, Lucifer AKA Satan AKA the Devil has fascinated many over the eons. He is a powerful figure. He is the most evil being in the universe. He is the cause of woe. He brought about war in heaven. Many demons AKA fallen angels have been written about, but few authors have tackled writing about the actual satan as a main character in a book. Probably a good thing.

CS Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters feature a demon instructing his nephew in the ways of evil to be used against a targeted Christian man. Mark Twain’s The Mysterious Stranger specifically introduces his main character named satan as a nephew of satan. Faust is about a high-ranking demon named Mephistopheles.

I hadn’t known about a Russian book called The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the early part of the 20th century. It features an incognito embodied satan posting as a professor. But books featuring satan as main character are few.

Satan has, though, has been written about in 2 famous books: by Dante Alighieri in a three-part epic titled The Divine Comedy. This is the book that features 9 circles of hell, deepening depending on how bad the sinner was, and the bottom has Lucifer trapped in a frozen lake- with Judas the betrayer.

Now we come to the most famous treatment of satan in literature of all: Paradise Lost by John Milton.

As all authors are, Milton was a product of his time. And those who read Paradise Lost at its publication were also a product of their time. The English Civil war had raged and the King had been executed. The Republic was established, and Milton was a staunch republican who was given a diplomat position in the newly established government.

Many people interpreted the themes in his epic poem (and epic here is the literary & classical sense of the word) as outgrowths of his political positions. Others were offended by Milton’s treatment of satan because his character was given a will, desires, thoughts, strategies- in other words, Milton treated satan like the being he is, not as a one-dimensional evil persona. Still others objected to how God was presented, which was a tyrannical, judgmental God. But since the focus of the book was on evil opposition to God in rebellion causing Man’s fall, God is severe on those themes- as seen in the Bible. Especially Jeremiah.

Milton turned the Epic standards for its heroes on its head by making Satan the central character, albeit as an anti-hero. He is presented as majestic (which tracks with 2 Peter 2:10–11, Jude 1:8–9). He is presented as having a will (Isaiah 14). He is presented as proud, vain, eloquent, cunning, and deeply tragic- as Paradise Lost progresses satan becomes physically weaker and his intellect decays (as sin will do to a person!).

I read the book this summer and I am glad I did.

The Bible’s presentation of satan as an evil being out to thwart God is mirrored so poetically in Paradise Lost. We know satan is cunning and subtle. We are not unaware of his schemes. His pride was his downfall. That Milton gave satan flowing, eloquent words is not a surprise, it is one of the features of satan that he can convince almost anyone of anything. (Ezekiel 28:15-16). After all, his feat of convincing a third of the angelic host to side with him and foment a war against God is well known.

I do look forward to the day when my own sin, thanks to satan tempting Eve & Adam, is permanently subdued. I can’t wait for ultimate justice to be served and the fallen angel Lucifer to be cast into the lake of fire. I’m thankful there are not many books that feature satan as a main character. Though I can’t say the same for TV and movies, sadly. Those abound, foolishly.

Though I do not dwell on satan as a character and don’t read books any longer with demons as characters, (except CS Lewis’ Screwtape). It’s no wonder that so few authors have taken on making satan himself a main character.

If you are going to read one book about satan vs. God, choose Paradise Lost. Dante’s Inferno is a Catholic view of sin and justice, which is unsuitable since their version of both is made-up.

And please, do not allow your children to dress as the devil!

theology

“Something big” is about to happen. (Somewhere… Sometime…)

Posted on November 4, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I was speaking with a much older lady the other day. She was saying that she is stocking up on water and non-perishable foods etc. because of the thing that is about to happen. I asked what is about to happen? She said something is coming. Could be the grid. Could be storms. Could be unrest. Could be war. No matter how many times I tried to pin her down on what “the thing” was or who was saying it, she just kept repeating the vague warnings. At the last she said it is from Facebook, and that is what “everyone” is talking about.

Another lady I spoke to said the same “That’s what everyone is talking about, everywhere.”

What? What IS the thing?

I did some digging. Apparently England started a “Be ready” campaign. England’s neighbors have for a long time been promoting a readiness attitude for their citizens in the face of temporary electrical or other disruptions. This is from their webpage:

It states that due to heavy reliance these days on technology and the increasing threat of technological disruptions, and due to weather disruptions, and given what we discovered about supply chain disruptions during the covid era, it makes sense to have a supply for yourself for three days. The campaign aligns with the European neighbors’ campaigns to try and dampen panic buying. Preparedness will help solve that.

That’s it.

Another thing we have seen during the covid era was how skittish and panic-prone the mass population is. This video discusses it-

The “Be Ready” campaign has morphed into a vague looming threat to a permanent way of life. Why?

Social Media.

Ladies, social media relies on clicks and likes to get their money. To justify advertising. To preserve its existence. A simple message to have food and water ready in advance of winter weather will not get as many clicks and re-posts as will a vague message of impending doom. That will get people talking as they try to fill in the gaps in information with their own conspiracies. And then circulate them ad nauseam to rile up everyone else.

Now from a biblical perspective, I just finished 52 chapters of Jeremiah, and I started Lamentations yesterday. God crushed Judah for persistent idolatry and rebellion. Absolutely destroyed it. The people were carried off to servitude in a pagan city. Others, simply slaughtered. If He did that to his beloved Judah, what do you think He would do to America? A country that revels in paganism, in-the-womb baby murder, perversity in homosexual lifestyle, tolerating false prophets in Jesus’ church? We do all the same things Judah did and worse.

If He chose to send an electro-magnetic pulse over Kansas which sends our country back to the 1700s, He is perfectly justified in doing that. If He allows the Democrats to win this mid-term election, where we would have squandered the chance He gave us 2 years ago to make better decisions, He’d be justified. The New Madrid fault waking up along with the Yellowstone supervolcano and literally splitting the country in half? Again, He’d be justified.

Something big is always about to happen. Hurricane Katrina, The Superstorm of 1993, Ice storm of 98, 9/11/01… those were big. Frankly if something really big was about to happen, 3 days’ food and water would not be enough. If you ever read William Forschen’s book One Second After about an EMP wiping out electricity and electronics in the US, you know that in the afternote interviews with sociologists, scientists, and psychologists, they said the author’s survival rate of 20% of the population was inflated. More like only 5% of the population would survive an event like that.

Something big is always about to happen, because we are a rebellious people due for judgment. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 24 be prepared for wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters and events in the sky as the lead-up to the Tribulation.

How to combat a discouragement and pervasive creeping fear:

1.Read the Bible. It contains all encouragement for a magnificent ending. Jesus is on His throne. He will not allow the guilty to go unpunished, and eventually all His enemies will be under His footstool.

2.Stay off social media if you are swayed by these vague warnings. Much of what is on Facebook especially is simply false. Same with TikTok. Twitter/X is rough on people with a lot of vitriol. Memes gain traction as truth, statements of concern turn into impending doom, things are regularly misunderstood. If you are not wise or discerning or careful, you’ll be susceptible to allowing these gloomy feelings into your heart and mind.

3.Read about Paul’s joy in whatever circumstance in which he found himself. Read missionary biographies. Adoniram Judson spent 6 hard labor years in Burma without a single convert, till finally one broke through and was baptized.

4. Be observant. Slow down and notice God’s design in nature and pray in thanks for it. Notice his mercies in your or another person’s life and pray in thanks for it. Slow down, breathe, list the spiritual blessings you have been given.

Social media is a tool, one that can be used perversely or one that can be used well. If you feel gloom advancing, or you are looking at your negative circumstances, do what you have to do to revive yourself and recalibrate to get your joy back.

theology

Growing in Grace and Knowledge From Milk to Solid Food

Posted on November 2, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m a public school teacher. I’ve taught elementary children for 26 years by the end of this school year. But not continuously. I started in 1983. I took a 20 year break in the middle, and resumed in 2010.

Education is very different now than it was- and so are the children. When I started, I was in an inner-city school in an impoverished, dying mill town. Despite that, children walked to school and survived (in Maine, in winter, in the snow). The parents expected them to learn and behave. Education was a stepping stone to a better life. The children tried hard, were eager for progress, and grateful for any tangible rewards.

Now, education seems to be not a stepping stone to a better life, but an obstacle to a lazy one. Many children are shockingly unconcerned about what the adults in the classroom tell them. The are present, but not absorbed. They don’t even face the 6′ screen, they play with their shoelaces or necklaces during story time, and are dismissive of homework.

We care about the children so much and mourn their sluggish attitude toward learning, wonder at their open defiance of the adults, and do our best to instill character traits that will stand them in good stead in life- or at least keep them out of jail.

I was reading Ephesians 4:14-15. Paul is speaking of maturing with the goal of attaining knowledge in maturity and a measurable stature:

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,

‘we are to grow up in all aspects’…

It occurred to me that there are so many verses which command us to grow. To train, walk, strive, persist, watch. Yes, the Spirit ultimately gives the growth, but he won’t if there is nothing we are taking in with which He will mold us. We are responsible for our learning.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Hebrews 6:1
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

As I survey the landscape of classrooms I pray that churches do not become like them. I pray that I myself do not become lazy or dismissive of the opportunity to learn more about God. Let’s always be eager for learning, pursue growth, be grateful for tangible rewards and not just ‘stuff’, like an expositing, solid pastor, your children, salvations, etc.

Don’t let church be an obstacle to an unconcerned, lazy life. No coasting allowed! How to do this? Here are some tips:

Read: and study the Bible regularly for spiritual food, daily if possible. We don’t always have time to delve deeply in a big study, but make sure your eyes are on His word frequently enough that the Spirit has something to work with. He won’t illuminate a dark room (brain) Add some light in there.

Pray: to God daily. Lay out your fears, needs, praises, petitions. He IS there. He will never forsake you. He listens, He is El Roi who sees. Ask Hagar, alone in the wilderness but God heard her plaintive plea. Develop your relationship with Him just as you do with your children, friends, colleagues through the Word and prayer.

Obey: to practice what God’s Word says. Piano players practice. Football players practice. Firemen practice. Of course Christians should put into practice when is gleaned from His word. Be doers, not hearers only. (James 1:22).

Fellowship: with other believers for friendship rooted and united in Christ, accountability, and love. We are one body.

Endure trials: with grace and patience, displaying to others and yourself the peace that passeth all understanding. (Philippians 4:7).

When I get home from school each day I review the day in my mind. What I could do better, what went right, how were the kids? Thinking on these things has sparked my thoughts to the same direction of church, which is MY education each week, and the Bible reading which is my education each day. I do not want to be shockingly apathetic, nor slide into an inattention that allows me to drift away, as Hebrews 2:1 warns. As I age, the verse that warns me not to become weary in the well doing comes to mind more often, lol. In due time, we will reap. In due time.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:8-10).

theology

Reformation Day: Martin Luther’s Conversion

Posted on October 31, 2026October 31, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

artist- **Greg Copeland**, created for Paul L. Maier’s children’s book, *Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World*, published by Concordia Publishing House

It’s Reformation Day! The famous day in 1517 when monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses titled “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” to the church door at Wittenberg Germany. Initially Luther was not seeking to break with the Catholic Church, he just wanted some answers about Indulgences.

Indulgences were (and still are) a sale of indulgences because he believed highly commercialized system of salvation that funded both local church debt and major papal construction projects. If a person paid money and had confessed their sin to a priest for forgiveness, the money was a surety that the person’s time spent in purgatory would be eased or entirely wiped out. Martin Luther objected to indulgences on three fronts:

-they turned salvation into a commercial transaction,
-they undermined true repentance, and
-indulgences preyed on the poor.

The money gained from this transaction paid for church repairs and the building of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) used people as salesmen to gain more from indulgences. One such was Dominican friar Johann Tetzel, who was aggressive in marketing tactics. These tactics deeply disturbed Luther. Tetzel, like any salesman, famously used advertising slogans to especially target grieving relatives who were worried about the finals state of their loved one. In RCC dogma, one can never be sure where a deceased person lands, heaven? Hell? Or purgatory (which doesn’t exist). Tetzel allegedly made up the slogan: “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”

As Luther tangled with the Church and eventually the Pope, he never received the answers he sought Tired of Luther poking holes in their dogma, the Pope excommunicated Luther.

Luther burning the Papal Bull that excommunicated him from the Roman Catholic Church. lithograph by H. Breul, c. 1874. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. 00297u)

What happened on Reformation Day?

Ligonier.org writes: On October 31, much of the culture will be focused on candy and things that go bump in the night. Protestants, however, have something far more significant to celebrate on October 31. It’s Reformation Day, which commemorates what was perhaps the greatest move of God’s Spirit since the days of the Apostles. But what is the significance of Reformation Day, and how should we consider the events it commemorates?

At the time, few would have suspected that the sound of a hammer striking the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, would soon be heard around the world and lead ultimately to the greatest transformation of Western society since the apostles first preached the Gospel throughout the Roman empire. Martin Luther’s nailing of his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation.

At the same time, Luther was becoming increasingly aware of his own sin. This is a grace of God, a working of the Spirit’s ministrations in a person’s soul. Normally, people are not that aware of their sin. The entire earth is sin, do the fish know they are wet? Do the birds know they fly in air? Our sin is similarly all around us and in us, we only begin to feel the weight of it when Jesus presses upon our conscience that we are actually in opposition to God. We no longer swim with the current but feel the current against us and begin to resist its push. This is a painful and tormenting time for a soul that is in agony.

Horatius Bonar wrote about Martin Luther’s conversion. The short treatment of the subject is here at Chapel Library. The first paragraphs are excerpted for you below-

Luther’s Conversion By Horatius Bonar

When first awakened to a sense of sin, Luther became unspeakably troubled. Once and again deep anguish took hold of his soul, and it seemed as if he would sink under it. On one occasion he had been conversing with a friend upon the things of God. No sooner had the conversation ended, than the truths of which they had been speaking struck home with awful power to the tossed soul of Luther. He left the room and sought the nearest chamber to give vent to the feelings of his bursting heart. He threw himself upon the bed and prayed aloud in agony; repeating over and over again these words of the apostle, “He hath shut them all up in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32).

Luther now began to try to make himself holy. He fasted for days together. He shut himself up alone in his cold cell. He passed many nights, sometimes for weeks, without sleep. He read, he studied, he prayed, he wept, he watched, he strove, but all in vain! He found himself as far from holiness and peace as ever! If ever anyone could have gained heaven by his own merits, Luther would have gained it.

To those around him, he seemed the holiest man alive. But the light of the law showed him that within all was vile. His soul cried out for rest, but he found it not, for he was seeking it not in God’s way, but in a way of his own. He wanted to be sure that his sins were forgiven him, for he felt that until he knew this, he could not have peace.

But his fear increased upon him, and he knew not what to do, nor which way to turn. He saw everything that he thought and did to be sin, and how could he rest until he knew that all was forgiven! His friends told him to do good works and that would satisfy the justice of God. Miserable comforters! –end Bonar excerpt

Read the rest at Chapel Library. Jesus did not leave us without hope. If you are wrestling with your sin, appeal to Jesus for forgiveness. You see that the layers the RCC wrongfully added to our access to Him are stripped away in the true faith. Yu do not need to go through a priest, to pay money, to listen to a Pope, or pray to Mary as a buffer. Go directly to Jesus! Hebrews 4:16 says,

Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (Romans 10:9).

Mercy and grace await you! Confess your sins and He in no way will cast you out,

Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. (John 6:37).

He is a true and faithful God, He loves His own. Even though Martin Luther had spent half his life serving the devil as a Catholic, Jesus forgave him of his sins and accepted him into the faith, AND used Luther to spark a global reformation to bring truth to millions. He will forgive you as well.

If you are already a Christian, confess and repent frequently, because we still sin. Honor and glorify Jesus our Savior and He will use you to further His plan and desires. Thanks to Martin Luther’s agony over sin, his questions, and his unshakeable standing on the truth, we are free of Roman Catholic dogma and free to go directly to Jesus on His throne. What an unutterable privilege!

encouragement, Uncategorized

The True ‘Wondrous Strange’

Posted on October 30, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS

In 1998, I drove to Maine’s Farnsworth Art Museum to see Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition, an eerie exhibition exploring dreamlike and unsettling imagery painted by the three generations of the famous Wyeth family. Reflecting later, I contrast the human imagination of the Wyeths with the true “wondrous strange” mystery of the Gospel—God’s unimaginable incarnation and redemption.

Continue reading →

theology

Sincerity won’t get you to heaven

Posted on October 29, 2026 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

1 Timothy 1:13 says, with Paul writing,

Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus…

Paul is not making excuses for his sin. The John MacArthur note in Daily Bible for October 22 says,

“1:13 I acted ignorantly in unbelief. Paul was neither a Jewish apostate nor a Pharisee who clearly understood Jesus’ teaching and still rejected Him. He was a zealous, fastidious Jew trying to earn his salvation, thus lost and damned. His plea of ignorance was not a claim to innocence nor an excuse denying his guilt. It was simply a statement indicating that he did not understand the truth of Christ’s gospel and was honestly trying to protect his religion.

His willing repentance when confronted by Christ (Ro 7:9; Php 3:8-9) is evidence that he had not understood the ramifications of his actions-he truly thought he was doing God a service (Ac 26:9).”

If Paul understood that his sincerity as a Jew in thinking he was doing something good for God wasn’t going to get him to heaven, in fact, that he was condemned, what of Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Wiccans, etc.? Sincerity in any faith outside belief in Jesus as the resurrected God-man will keep you in your default destination of hell.

Sincerity doesn’t get you to heaven.

But the foolish Children of Men do miserably delude themselves in their own Schemes, and in their Confidence in their own Strength and Wisdom; they trust to nothing but a Shadow. ~Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the hands of an angry God, sermon, July 8, 1741.

Paul was saying in that verse that he was earnest. We know he was knowledgeable of the Old Testament scriptures, for sure. He was zealous, usually a good thing in faith. (Though, there is good zeal and there is bad zeal). But his earnestness, zeal, and knowledge was leading him down a wrong path. He was in fact, a murderer.

His ignorance of the Gospel didn’t excuse him, either, from being on the road to perdidtion.

Trying real hard doesn’t get you to heaven. Being sincere about being a good person won’t do it either. When we pass away, we pass into eternity. There is life after life. Where will you spend it? In one of two places: hell, or heaven.

Tis everlasting Wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this Fierceness and Wrath of Almighty God one Moment; but you must suffer it to all Eternity: there will be no End to this exquisite horrible Misery: When you look forward, you shall see a long Forever, a boundless Duration before you, which will swallow up your Thoughts, and amaze your Soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any Deliverance, any End, any Mitigation, any Rest at all; you will know certainly that you must wear out long Ages, Millions of Millions of Ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless Vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many Ages have actually been spent by you in this Manner, you will know that all is but a Point to what remains. So that our Punishment will indeed be infinite. ~Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the hands of an angry God, sermon, July 8th, 1741

How DO we get to heaven?

And now you have an extraordinary Opportunity, a Day wherein Christ has flung the Door of Mercy wide open, and stands in the Door calling and crying with a loud Voice to poor Sinners; a Day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the Kingdom of God; many are daily coming from the East, West, North and South; many that were very lately in the same miserable Condition that you are in, are in now an happy State, with their Hearts filled with Love to Him that has loved them and washed them for their Sins in his own Blood, and rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of God. Edwards, ibid.

We poor sinners are due God’s just wrath. But Jesus came down from glory to live and preach and teach the everlasting Gospel to us.

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” (Romans 10:9).

but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. / He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:24-25).

Jesus absorbed all God’s wrath for sinners who will come to Him, substituting Himself for us and taking our punishment. Hallelujah, what a Savior!