Tag: prophecy

Posted in hail, prophecy

A little known prophecy in Job

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m sure you have read (and admired) the following verse from Job a million times. But have you ever considered the prophetic aspects of this powerfully packed scripture? Job 38 is the climactic chapter where God speaks to Job about His own sovereignty over creation, time, and over all the peoples of earth.

EPrata photo

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?” (Job 38:22-23)

Have you ever noticed the phrase, “the time of trouble”? Other translations say reserved for “the time of distress”. You will also notice the reference to “the day” of battle and war. These are standard phrases referring to the days of the wrath (Tribulation). (For example, Jeremiah 30:7, Obadiah 1:14, Joel 2:11).

God has used hail before in judgment and He will do so again. In the past, He used hail during the plagues He sent to Pharaoh, in themselves pictures of the Revelation judgments of the coming Tribulation.

“The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field“. (Exodus 9:25)

The future judgment will contain another plague of hail-

And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. (Revelation 16:21)

Gill’s Exposition says of the Job 38 verse,

Of hail we have instances in Scripture, as employed against the Egyptians and Canaanites, Exodus 9:25; and of a reserve of it in the purposes of God, and in prophecy against the day of battle with antichrist, Revelation 16:21.
And though there are no instances of snow being used in this way in Scripture, yet there is in history. Strabo reports, that at Corzena and Cambysena, which join to Mount Caucasus, such snows have fallen, that whole companies of men have been swallowed up in them; and even armies have been overwhelmed with them, as the army of the Gauls and such quantities have been thrown down from mountains, on which they have been lodged, that towns, towers, and villages, have been laid prostrate by them and in the year 443, a vast snow destroyed many.

I am so awed by prophecy. The (probably) oldest book of the Bible, Job, (~2000 BC?) contains a prophecy that is parallel to the last book of the Bible, Revelation (~90AD). God has His plan and who can thwart it? He has set aside some for eternal condemnation and others for eternal joy. He has stored aside His wrath to be unleashed upon them, and hail will be part of that stored-up unleashing. He is precise and will do what He says and it will come to pass to the perfect degree.

The Bible is awe-inspiring in its presentation of our God, who authored it and revealed to us what He wants us to know. Part of that knowing is seeing His prophetic mind and His plans come to pass. I praise Him for all His plans, ways, perfections, prophecies.

Posted in theology

The Gospel and prophecy are intertwined

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest GOOD NEWS ever delivered to men and to a man or woman. Jesus Christ is the greatest Person ever to walk the earth. His message of sin, judgment, atonement, repentance, and peace is the best news a person could ever hear.

Most people on earth do not believe this.

The Gospel is the GOOD NEWS of Jesus. Is judgment good news? No, but is a necessary part of the PRE-good news. We must understand our condition from the moment of birth to the moment of death, with the knowledge that we are born sinners. (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Sinners cannot live with a holy God. In fact, our sin enrages Him. (Psalm 7:11). We are transgressors on His earth, (James 2:9) His wrath abides on us, and our end will be a just punishment in hell.

But God.

Continue reading “The Gospel and prophecy are intertwined” →
Posted in theology

When Jesus returns…

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

One of my top favorite verses in the Bible is Acts 1:11. It says,

and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

That one verse does so much! It finalizes Jesus’ work on earth- His ministry, His death His resurrection, and His ascension, an important part of the Gospel. He resumes His exaltation in glory. His ascension physically proves His departure from earth, where not long after, Stephen saw Him standing beside the Father. Finally, the verse makes the promise that He will return.

He will return! We Christians cling to that promise of a sure future with Jesus. It is a joy to think on.

Acts 1:9 says He was taken up in a cloud, and in verse 11 He will return the same way. But there is more to His return than the simple vertical up and down.

By my count, He actually makes three stops.

First he returns with his witnesses (us). He is on His horse and leads us down from heaven. The armies of all the world are assembled ready to make war against Him who is called Faithful and True. This is at Armageddon.

Armageddon: Revelation 19:19, And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army.

Zechariah 14:3-5
Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.

Revelation 17:14, They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.

Next, He rescues the huddled Jews who had fled across the wilderness at the start of the Tribulation (perhaps) to Bozrah/Petra.

Remember in Matthew 24:15–16 when Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about ‘when will these things be?’ and Jesus replied, known as the Olivet Discourse? He said that when the “abomination of desolation” occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation, those in Jerusalem should flee Judea into the surrounding wilderness areas to the east, which is in the direction of Edom where Bozrah/Petra are. He protects them-

Revelation 12:6, Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for 1,260 days.

In that verse, we learn that there is a specific location God had prepared, to which they flee. At some certain place, the Jews run to and are secured for the duration of the Great Tribulation. It’s not unreasonable to think that ‘place’ they flee and remain is at Petra throughout the Tribulation. God nourished the fleeing Hebrews in the Exodus with manna and quail andwate from the rock. He could do it again for the remnant at Petra, or if not Petra, whatever place it is that they hide.

On that day the LORD will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them on that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them. 9And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:8-9)

Many people interpret that the place where they are protected and nourished is Petra, the rose red city carved into the rock. It’s also interesting to note that in Daniel 11:41, there is one region in the entire world that never falls under the Antichrist-

He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab, and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.

Edom, Moab, and sons of Ammon are the lands to the east (where Jesus said to flee to) and the southern end is Petra. We do not know for sure but it makes sense that when Jesus said flee to the mountains, knowing Petra is such a protected enclave, that they would go there.

Richardprins / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0

When Jesus returns, Isaiah notes in his future prophecy that Jesus’ clothes are bloodstained. Perhaps from slaying those assembled at Armageddon. Then He rescues His hiding remnant at Petra.

Isaiah 63:1-3
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained.

Revelation 19:13– He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Revelation 14:20- And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

Finally, after those two things are accomplished, Jesus stands on the Mount of Olives, His physical presence once more touching earth.

Zechariah 14:4-5,

Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. 4On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south. 5And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!

So to sum up, return and slay those at Armageddon, rescue the remnant at (perhaps) Petra, and stand on the Mount of Olives. There are a variety of verses scattered across many of the Old Testament and New Testament books, which makes it hard to interpret, but that to me is the general sequence.

Whatever the details, the Lord Jesus will return. Zechariah 14:9 makes this glorious prediction!

And the LORD will be King over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.

What a day that will be!

Posted in genesis 3, prophecy, satan

Prophecy: satan’s defeat

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I can’t wait for the day when satan and his demons howl in pain and anguish, knowing they are finally, completely defeated.

They know what’s ahead. The demons in the man from Gadara begged not to be put into the abyss. (Luke 8:31). In Mark 1:24 the man with a demon in the synagogue shouted to Jesus asking if He had come to destroy them. (Mark 1:24).

Be encouraged by the future prophecy of satan and his demons’ defeat!

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10).

Sin, death, and hell will be no more. Take comfort, friends!

Posted in theology

What are the Terrifying Secrets of Revelation’s Seven Thunders?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS
The Seven Thunders in Revelation are mentioned but John is ordered to seal them. They remain mysterious, possibly indicating terrifying judgments. While speculations abound, their essence reflects God’s authority and terror due to the already-delivered wrath and more wrath to come. This essay emphasizes the chilling reality of the future Tribulation and urges readers to share the Gospel before these events unfold.

What are the terrifying secrets of the seven thunders? I don’t know. No one knows.

100_2097moon at sunset pixlr red sky
EPrata photo

Revelation 10:1-4, I saw another strong angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was on his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; 2and he had in his hand a little scroll, which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; 3and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. 4When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them.“

The Seven Thunders seem to be a part of the series of judgments in the Book of Revelation. I say “seem to be” because the words were not allowed to be written down, so we cannot be sure that they specifically are judgments. However, coming in sequence after the Seal and Trumpet judgments, and before the Bowl judgments, it seems that the mysterious Thunders may be judgments too.

Given that thunder is the voice of God in judgment, it furthers the notion that these mysteriously sealed instructions may be judgments. They were actual words, because John heard them. They were something that was uttered, and could have been written down intelligibly, except that John was ordered not to.

John MacArthur wrote of the Seven Thunders in his book Because the Time is Near:

The seven peals of thunder did not merely make a loud noise, but communicated information that John was about to write. In obedience to God’s commands, John had already written much of what he saw in his visions. Later in Revelation, John would once again be commanded to write what he saw in his visions. (14:13; 19:9; 21:5).
But before John could record the message of the seven peals of thunder, he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”Whether the voice was that of the Father, or Jesus Christ, or an angel is not revealed. The command, however, clearly originated with God. The reason John was forbidden to record the message is not revealed. It may be that the judgments were simply too terrifying to be recorded. Any speculation as to the content of their message is pointless. If God wanted it to be known, He would not have forbidden John to write it. They are the only words in the book of Revelation that are sealed.

Let’s focus in on the “too terrifying” part of the reasoning here. In all the apocalyptic movies I’ve ever seen specifically related to the Tribulation, they are all uniformly sanitized. In other words, the horrific reality of the Tribulation as depicted in the Bible’s Book of Revelation was visually watered down to be as non-reflective of the reality of a cellophane wrapped hamburger meat at Publix is compared to the blood, filth and messiness of a low-rent butchery. And even that is not reflective of the reality of what is coming.

The non-Christian apocalyptic movies movies I’ve seen, Threads, The War Game, and It’s A Disaster, were harrowing and soul-searing. Their real depiction of nuclear or nerve gas apocalypse stayed with me for a long time. The War Game was commissioned by the BBC in 1965 to specifically illustrate the horrors of nuclear war. WHen it was completed and shown to the Commission, the BBC Board found the movie too realistic to be released. For twenty years it languished in a closet until released in 1985. Yet even that film doesn’t go the distance of what the reality of the Tribulation will be like in terms of nuclear horror and death. People just do not understand what it really means when Jesus promised it to be a time of distress exceeding even the time of the Flood. (Matthew 24:21). And remember, that was a time when everybody on earth horribly died. (Except 8 people).

So here is Oliver B. Greene in his Verse-By-Verse Study of Revelation, on the Seven Thunders’ terror:

Thunder is the voice of the Lord in judgment (I Samuel 7:10, Psalm 18:13). The seven thunders “uttered their voices.” (John assumes that the readers already have Some knowledge of these seven thunders.) In Revelation 4:2, 3 John saw a throne encircled by a rainbow, and here in chapter ten we see the same rainbow. In Revelation 4 John saw upon the throne One who was to look upon as a jasper and a sardine stone, and “out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices.” In chapter 10, we have the same thunder, sounding out a message of God’s fury and judgment.

Personality is attributed to these “seven thunders.” Everything is in sympathy with the Lamb of God. These mighty thunders utter messages that are intelligible . . . they speak words. John heard what they said – and when the time comes in reality, the seven thunders will speak literal words that earth’s dwellers will fully understand. It will be a message in tones of thunder. We use a public address system to amplify voices when we want to be heard – but God needs no amplification. He can speak like mighty thunder – and He WILL when the time comes!

At the beginning of these marvelous visions, John was commanded to write in a book what he saw and heard – past, present and future. But when the thunders spoke, John was given another command. He was about to write – but a voice from Heaven said: “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not!” The seven thunders must have given a terrible message. Already set before us are blood, tears, famine, heartache and heartbreak; killing, misery, hail, fire, burning mountains, demon monstrosities, men begging to die and unable to do so. Surely what John was forbidden to write must have been beyond human imagination and understanding! There is no need to speculate on what the thunders said. Your guess is as good as mine; but you may rest assured that the message had to do with God’s last gigantic, unheard of, indescribable judgment, when God “lowers the boom” in utter destruction.

Will YOU be on earth when the seven thunders speak? You are the only one who can answer that question. If you are born again you will NOT be here – but if you are not born again, you may be here. Read John 1:11-12, 3:16-18, 3:36, 5:24; Romans 10:9-10, 10:13, 10:17; Ephesians 2:8-9; I John 1:9. Read these verses, hear what they say; receive them – and you will not be here when the seven thunders utter their message of destruction. You will be with Jesus.

A foreboding sky. EPrata photo

Imagine a message that exceeds the terror and blood of all that had already previously been spoken. Or if that was not the case, imagine a message that was so tremendously powerful it needed to be sealed from our tender brains until the moment they would be spoken during the Tribulation.

Prophecy is supposed to motivate us to witness, and yet the reality of the judgments of souls in rebellion to God is omitted from the message of the Good News when liberals or ashamed people share it. How terrible that it’s omitted so often these days, when the days are coming that many will be living it!

May this essay motivate you to read Revelation, to pray for wisdom and understanding of the coming days, to receive the promised blessing for having read it, and for its words to be a catalyst in your heart for the lost who are under that very “boom” Greene mentioned, soon to be lowered…

Share the Good News today.

Posted in theology

Could AI Explain the Antichrist’s “Resurrection”?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Synopsis: A thoughtful reflection on Revelation’s “fatal wound,” exploring whether the Antichrist’s resurrection is literal, counterfeit, or technologically fabricated through AI deception, while ultimately affirming Christ’s sovereignty, victory, and eternal promises.

Continue reading “Could AI Explain the Antichrist’s “Resurrection”?” →
Posted in encouragement, Uncategorized

Advent: Thirty Days of Jesus, Day 2; He will come!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Thirty days of exalting Jesus through selected verses with pictures representing the prophecy, life, death, resurrection, and Second Coming of our Savior.

We are in the flow of verses that prophesied his coming.

thirty days of jesus verse 2

Day 1: The Virgin Shall Conceive

Ligonier: A Shoot from Jesse’s Stump: Devotional explains-

History tells us this is exactly what happened, with David’s royal dynasty all but dying out as a result of God’s judgment of His people through Assyria and Babylon. Nevertheless, Isaiah also saw that while the Davidic line would seem to be dead, life would remain within the stump. A shoot—life barely detectable at first—would emerge. But once this shoot went forth, it would become a mighty tree.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Isaiah 11:1 says-

 He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the grass of the field (Dan. 4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job 14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ’s birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to begin his estate of humiliation.

In Lockyer’s book All the Named Men of the Bible: Jesse, it says,

Jesse —jehovah exists or firm. The son of Obed and father of David, and grandson of Boaz and Ruth, and an ancestor of Christ (Ruth 4:17, 22). Jesse had eight sons and two daughters by different wives (1 Sam. 17:12-14, 25). Isaiah speaks of “the stock of Jesse,” a phrase indicating that it was from Jesse the Messiah would come. The humble descent of the Messiah is contrasted with the glorious kingdom He is to have (Isa 11:1).

Further Resources

Ligonier: A Shoot from Jesse’s Stump

“This is the famous text that foresees a shoot coming forth from “the stump of Jesse,” a shoot whose reign would destroy all evil and bring peace to the earth (Isa. 11:1–11).”

Posted in theology

Strengthening Your Spiritual Armor: A Pep Talk

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS

I discuss the necessity of spiritual discernment, wisdom, and readiness in today’s challenging times. Believers should be rooted in scripture, cherish their relationship with Jesus, and remain vigilant. Encouragement, kindness, and sharing faith are crucial as we navigate difficulties, anticipating Christ’s return and the opportunities to reflect His love amidst despair of the lost.

Continue reading “Strengthening Your Spiritual Armor: A Pep Talk” →