Which Eschatology are you following? Part 2

Posted on February 9, 2013 by dknezacek

Last week I mentioned several Eschatological systems, but really didn’t elaborate on most of them.

I think it is plain that the Dispensational approach is the most biblically literal approach, and any problems with Dispensationalism are really the result of fleshly humans inserting their own understanding into the interpretation of Scripture. The idea that Old Testament saints were saved by keeping the law, would fall into this category.

When I speak of a “literal interpretation” of Scripture I am not denying that there are parts that were meant to be taken in an allegorical manner. It becomes apparent when reading and studying Scripture, which ones were meant to be taken literally and which have an allegorical interpretation. What I am really saying is the correct approach is the “plain-sense” meaning of the words, taken in the context they were given or intended.

One place, among many, where the Roman Catholic Church gets this wrong is the words of our Lord at the last supper;

17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said,Take this, and divide it among yourselves:18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:17-20

Think of the scene here; Jesus is standing at the table with his disciples. He is eating with them, and he gets their attention and makes this statement. He is still IN his body. His body had not been beaten at this time, and all of His blood was fully contained within His body.

When He passed around the matzoh and the wine, and they ate and drank it, they were not literally eating his flesh, nor were they drinking his blood. The law of Moses specifically forbade the consumption of any kind of blood;


For it isthe life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.Leviticus 17:14

The disciples clearly understood that this command was still in effect for later they repeated this command to the Church;


As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Acts 21:25

We can conclude then, that the disciples understood that Jesus’ statement that the wine was his blood, or the matzoh was His flesh was figurative, or allegorical, and not literal. The matzoh REPRESENTED His body, and the wine REPRESENTED His blood.

This is further reinforced by His statement “this do in remembrance of me.” In other words, He is not physically present in the elements, but is only represented in them.

What did He actually mean by saying “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”? (John 6:53) He actually answered this question just a few verses later: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)

Did you see that? The flesh profits NOTHING! If someone had eaten Jesus’ literal body, after He was taken down from the cross (and they did not!), they would have still been a lost sinner on the way to Hell! If someone had literally drank his blood they would still have their sins on them, and would have been heading for the lake of fire!

There is a reason Jesus is called the Word of God (John 1:1). He is synonymous with His words! What do you do when you eat a meal? You take in the food and it becomes a part of you! In the same sense, you eat the Word of God, the bible, and it becomes a part of you! You eat Jesus by reading His word, believing it, and then He becomes a part of you! Literally!

The Lord’s table is merely symbolic of what is going on inside of you!

So how does this have anything to do with Eschatology?

es·cha·tol·o·gy (sk-tl-j)n.

1. The branch of theology that is concerned with the end of the world or of humankind.

2. A belief or a doctrine concerning the ultimate or final things, such as death, the destiny of humanity, the Second Coming, or the Last Judgment.

[Greek eskhatos, last; see eghs in Indo-European roots + -logy.]

(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/eschatology)

To coin a phrase; You are what you believe.

Your eschatology says something of you, and your view of God.

Preterist eschatology states that everything in the bible’s end times prophecies were all fulfilled in the first century, specifically in the person of Nero and Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem. According to this philosophy there is nothing to look for, since it has already been fulfilled.

In order to believe Preterism you have to ignore the fact that Rome did not rule the entire world, nor even the entire known world. You have to ignore the fact that Rome did not impose an economic system where people were required to wear the mark of the beast in order to buy or sell.

The Preterist version of Armageddon does not have armies from China, Japan, Russia or America, but only from the various parts of the Roman empire.

Preterism teaches that, since now all the prophecies have been fulfilled, we must be in the “millennial” reign of Christ, right now! Since Christ is not physically here He must reign in and through the Church. What they do is interpret Scripture based on their eschatology, rather than form their eschatology based on the plain teaching of Scripture.

Amillennialism is in the same camp, believing that the Church must take over the world first, and then Jesus can return. Amillennialism believes that the reign of Christ is not a literal thousand years, but an undetermined length of time, in spite of the fact that Revelation 19 states six times that Christ will reign for one thousand years.

Going back to our discussion about the literal, plain-sense, interpretation of Scripture, you will see that these interpretations rely on spiritualizing, or allegorizing every passage that was meant to be literal. If a passage doesn’t say that something is “like” something else, if it doesn’t use the word “parable”, if the context does not demand an allegorical interpretation, then it was intended to be literal.

There are many dangers to these systems of interpretation. Preterism leads its adherents to discount any and all apparent fulfilments of prophecy, as being just “coincidence”. Amillennialism often teaches that the Roman Catholic church is the Harlot, and Rome is the Babylon of Revelation 17, therefore one need not look elsewhere for fulfilment of the relevant passages in Scripture.  (What if Rome was destroyed, say during the Gog and Magog war?  Would that mean the danger was past?  I don’t think so.)

Very often adherents of both systems teach that God has no Chosen People today, and that the Church has taken the place of Israel, and transferred all of His promises to Israel, to the Church! This leads to anti-Semitism, and has been the cause of much persecution of the Jews throughout history.

Dispensationalism shines in this respect, since taking the literal, plain-sense, approach to Scripture always leads one to accept the fact that God still has a plan for natural Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Yacov.

Preterism and Amillennialism’s greatest flaw is that they lift up man.  Ultimately God is dependant on the action of man.  In these systems God has to wait until the Church takes over the world before He can return.  Such an insult to Jesus Christ did not come from the pages of Scripture!  In Acts 1:7 Jesus plainly stated that His return and the restoration of Israel is precisely in the hands of God the Father, and He has the power to bring it about when He wishes, and the Church can not hasten, nor delay that day!

The allegorical approach to Scripture, practised by Preterists and Amillennialists, is probably the most dangerous aspect of these systems. In the end, this approach will lead these people to support the Antichrist in his rise, and quest for power. Ultimately, these people will be destroyed by the very man they vote for to be the ruler of the world!

Dispensationalism, on the other hand, being the most biblically correct system, has the most demonic opposition. Satan, knowing that he can’t always win by attacking from the outside, has infiltrated, even the best system. In fact God’s system would naturally be the one he would spend the most time working against. As noted above, the idea that people were saved by keeping the law before Christ came, is one of Satan’s attacks. The idea that “There are no signs before the rapture, so there is nothing to watch for” would be another. This idea promotes complacency, and is not Scriptural.

There are others. The only way you can be sure is to study Scripture for yourself. Read good books on eschatology, and I think the Spirit of Prophecy is a good place to start, but always check everything by the Word of God. The only book that is infallible is the Word of God itself, and be careful which version of that you read! Satan has been busy attacking the very words of the Word of God, of late. Read a literal translation like the Authorized Version, and avoid paraphrase like the plague!

Every time paraphrase is used it is used to insert the thoughts of the translator into the bible! Since 1881 every new version has more paraphrase than the one before! The most recent versions have dropped any attempt at accuracy and are almost pure paraphrase. The Message, by Eugene Peterson, probably tops the list as the most antichrist bible in history, but that doesn’t mean the others are good, just less bad.

The AV, while perhaps not perfect, has no serious errors, and can be trusted. You can read it with confidence that what you are reading is substantially what God gave the authors. This is the bible that stands as the standard against which all other bibles are compared. You may have to use a dictionary, and you certainly will have to read passages over and over repeatedly. Don’t think of it as a chore, however, but as a personal letter from God to you, and it will be a joy!

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More proof of Arab Nazism

Posted on February 6, 2013 by dknezacek

More proof that the Arabs are the Nazis;

Arab Nazis give the Hitler salute

Hezbollah fighters take an oath to continue the path of resistance against Israel during a parade in 2000. (photo credit: AP/Hussein Malla)

The western media continually compares Israel with Nazis, but saying it doesn’t make it true.

Since Haj Amin Husseini (The Mufti of Jerusalem, Yasser Arafat’s uncle) consorted with Hitler during World War 2, the Muslim terrorist groups have consistently acted with the same anti-Semitism as Hitler.

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Haj Amin Husseini and Adolph Hitler

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Amin Al Husseini at Nazi meeting in Berlin during WW II

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Muslim Nazi troops in traditional Muslim prayer (1943)

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Husseini inspecting Nazi troops

Here it is again in New York in 2012;

Here’s some more from WW2

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Palestinian soldiers giving the Nazi salute

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Don’t tell me that Israelis are Nazis, the Muslims are self-proclaimed Nazis. Those who encourage them are Nazi collaborators and enablers!

The evidence is rather compelling; The Nazis are back!  They have infiltrated our society, as a fifth column (ISNA, CAIR etc.), and as long as we keep on ignoring the danger in our midst, it will grow.

I want to leave the last word to the Word of God.  While not all Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, Mohammed was.  Search the internet for Mohammed’s genealogy.  It is Mohammed’s philosophy that empowers the Muslim Nazis of the world.

Here’s what the angel of the Lord said about Ishmael and his descendants;

Genesis 16:12 
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and everyman’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

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Which Eschatology do you follow?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by dknezacek

There are a myriad of End Times theories to be found among professing Christians today. There is Preterism, Amillennialism, and Dispensationalism, and then there are many sub-theories for each broad category. How do we know which one is correct?

One Christian told me that all the theories are from God. In short, he was implying that God originated all the theories so that He can chose which one works best when the time comes! What he was saying is that God Himself is not really sure which one He will use in the end, so he is leaving Himself some “wiggle room”, so if things don’t work out one way He will have another way out!

Let me ask you; Is this a description of the God of the Bible? Does God need “wiggle room” so he has a way out, in case things don’t work out right? Could God be behind contradictory theories? What does the bible say?

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. I Corinthians 14:33

The bible is clear that God had planned Salvation from long before He laid the foundation of the earth. (Revelation 13:8) He wrote our DNA at the time that he created man in the garden of Eden, and that DNA is only now beginning to be understood. When I say beginning, I mean that now, after some 6,000 years we have actually begun to scratch the surface of what DNA is, and what it does, but we are a long way from really understanding it.

God, however, spoke the world into existence, and He also spoke our DNA into existence, and long before he did that, He had a plan for Salvation and the human race. No. God does not need “wiggle room”. He has the power to bring about the end of History exactly as He had planned from the beginning. All the human, and angelic, plans aimed at thwarting God’s plan actually end up falling into God’s hands, and into His End Times plan.

So, back to my original question: How do we know which End Times theory is the one that will be carried out in the end?

The answer is rather simple, and yet incredibly complex; The theory that harmonizes all of Scripture is the one that God will carry out in the end.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:II Timothy 3:16

5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him Proverbs 30:5

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4

Many today rebel at the thought that we ought to follow the bible, because they think that they are smarter, and privy to more information, than the authors of the bible. They tell us that God would change if He knew what we know today, making themselves wiser than God!

They have forgotten that the Lord exists outside of time, and sees all of history spread before Him like a book, or a mural.


For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3:6

Since God knows the end from the beginning, there is never the danger that He will come across new information! He knows it all before it happens!

8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:Isaiah 46:8-10

God knew the end from the beginning, and wrote it in His book. We know, therefore, that everything we need to know is written in the bible. The problem is that it is written in such a way that it can be easily misinterpreted. Why would He do it this way? I think there are a multitude of reasons, among which is His desire to trap His enemies!

He could engineer History so that everyone would come to Him for salvation. If He were to show His glory, we would all come to Him on bended knee and beg Him to save us. The problem is that many would come to Him only because of His power, and because they knew He was the only choice, NOT because they love His character or His person!

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Matthew 13:14-15

Why would God not want them to be converted, especially when He says He is a God of love? I think it is because He is not willing to save anyone their own way. We come to Him His way, or no way. He does not desire to be used by religious men for their own financial benefit, or for their own gain. Men lift up themselves, but God lifts up Jesus Christ. His plan has everything to do with His character.

So which system follows the literal teaching of the bible the closest? The dispensational, pre-Tribulation rapture theory is the closest to the literal intent of the Author, in my opinion. I must add, however, that wherever dispensationalists stray from the literal interpretation they have made mistakes.

Many times dispensationalists have taken one verse and interpreted it based on their own understanding. When they have done this they have been in error, but this does not mean that the basic dispensational theory is incorrect.

When I was a youth I attended a Fellowship Baptist church in Barrie, Ontario. Our youth pastor, a dispensationalist, told us “Before Christ people were saved by keeping the law, but after Christ we are now saved by grace”. This teaching is common among dispensationalists, and is in error. I would hasten to add, however, that not all dispensationalists hold this view.

The New Testament is clear that keeping the law is impossible, and we are not able to save ourselves this way. Romans 4:21 is states emphatically that if it was possible that a law could have given us life, righteousness would have been by the law, and Jesus would not have had to die. As it is, Messiah had to die.

This being said, however, the bible does teach a pre-Tribulation snatch of the Church. Oh, but there will be hard times before the snatch. Times will be so hard that some will say “We are in the Tribulation!” Satan is working overtime to create a condition that resembles the Tribulation to a great degree. This is something that most dispensationalists have missed, although I understand that now some are coming around to the idea, that some of the Old Testament prophesied wars will occur during the Church age.

The Psalm 83 war and the Gog and Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39 are two wars that form the framework of a counterfeit Tribulation period. There will actually be several years between these events, which will form the time of peace spoken about in at the beginning of the Gog/Magog war in Ezekiel 38:8 & 11.

Satan needs to make you think that this time IS the Tribulation period, so that after it is over, and he introduces his Antichrist to the world, you will accept the Antichrist as “the Christ”, or at least as “a man of God”, and a peacemaker. I’m afraid that at this time, many dispensationalists will modify their theology thinking “We are in the Tribulation and the rapture has not happened yet, therefore the rapture must not be Pre-Trib”! This would be a mistake.

This is why I wrote The Spirit of Prophecy. It is to warn the world of Satan’s scheme to enlist professing Christians in his project to build the kingdom of the Antichrist. New Age authors have been outspoken in saying that the Christian Church would build the kingdom of “the Christ”, yet most pastors have missed this fact. When enemies of God say something like that, we ought to take notice. We ought to be watching to see what Satan is doing. As Paul said “we are not ignorant of (Satan’s) devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11), yet most Christian groups are blissfully ignorant of what Satan is doing in the world, and even in their church!

As it is Christian groups like Purpose Driven, Seeker sensitive, and Emergent Churches are marching in lock-step with these New Age groups. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that many otherwise conservative churches are not all that far behind! Because most churches, including Baptists, have an unbiblical leadership model, it only takes one man to lead the Church in the wrong direction!

So read the Spirit of Prophecy, but don’t trust me. Check everything by the Word of God. If I have made any mistakes, I would be interested in hearing about it, and why it is biblically incorrect. Use Scripture to back up your claim. Opinions have no validity, but Scripture is above all.

Up to this point a couple of readers have said they disagree with me, but both have failed to provide Scriptural evidence to support their point. Remember Christian tradition is still under, and subservient to, the Scriptures.

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Nazis in 1941 and in 2013

Posted on January 27, 2013 by dknezacek

This post originally had a link to a video of Palestinians giving Nazi salutes.  It has since been removed by Youtube.  This doesn’t mean that Palestinians don’t give Nazi salutes. They do but Big Tech doesn’t want you to know about it!

While the phrase “Never Again” is one of the mottos of modern day Israel, and it is indeed the wish of all civilized people that another Holocaust never happens… nevertheless it will!  There are fewer and fewer civilized people on this planet every day!

The bible tells us that during the time of Jacob’s trouble, also known as the Great Tribulation, the world will once again descend into anti-Semitic madness.  At that time 2/3 of Israel will die!

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. Zechariah 13:8

As recent events have shown, we are a large part of the way there already!  This video was taken on January 13, 2013, in Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel!  Even there Jews can’t walk unmolested!

While Israel is largely estranged from their God, they are still the apple of His eye!

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. Zechariah 2:8

While He has pronounced judgment against His people, make sure you are not an instrument of that judgment, for if you are you will suffer the eternal wrath of this same God!  You will be thrown into the eternal garbage incinerator, the lake of fire, and God will be satisfied!

Who are the neo-Nazis in this video?  They are Arab people who call themselves “Palestinians”, and who harbour a vicious hatred for the people of God.

Did you know that the bible has a statement regarding the ultimate fate of the people of “Palestine”?  I find this interesting since these people were known as Philistines during the Old Testament times, the King James translators used the word the Romans gave to these people; “Palestina”.  They anticipated the modern name they would call themselves, and knew that this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, but awaits the End Times;

 29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.  30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. 31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.  32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. Isaiah 14:9-32

(Don’t worry about words like cockatrice, and the fiery flying serpent, they are references to demons.  The “serpents root” is likely a reference to the Antichrist.  As Jesus is the root of David, so the Antichrist is the root of the serpent, or Satan.)

That’s right.  The UN may recognize Palestine as a nation, but God is going to dissolve this nation!  He has the ability to overrule the entire population of earth, and all the fallen angels that control our governments!

The truth is that only the inhabitants of Gaza and its surrounding municipalities were the real Old Testament Philistines.  Now they, along with the Edomite, Moabite, and Ammonite usurpers are claiming the whole land of Israel.  Their ancient hatred for their Jewish brothers will disappear with the people of “Palestine” in the not too distant future!

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The bondage of the tithe

Posted on January 19, 2013 by dknezacek

The following is a letter I sent to a friend who is teaching tithing to the church. The information presented is applicable to all believers, so I have removed all personal references and present this to anyone who is interested;

Dear friend,

First of all, I hesitate to send this to you. It would be easier to just walk away. I dislike conflict, yet seem to be drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

I have some thoughts regarding your statement that “Christians need to tithe”. First please understand that I am not against Christians giving to the Church, and to other worthy causes. I am against, however, setting up a rule that God did not apply to the Church. I am well aware that I am in the minority in this, but I can also say with confidence that the majority is ALWAYS wrong!

Have you ever considered what a born-again believer is? What is he or she in Christ? As I see it, and I believe as the bible teaches it, we are in a different age, or dispensation, than the pre-Christian believers of Israel. Don’t get me wrong, salvation has always been by grace through faith, not only for Abraham but even as far back as Adam. All the saints of all ages were saved the same way, but there is a difference in the status of Church-age saints. This is why Jesus said of John the Baptist;

11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11

John was ONLY born of a woman. He was not born-again of the Spirit, though he was a believer, and is in Heaven today. This is why Jesus emphasized “born of women”, John was from an age where believers were not permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The least Church-age believer is actually greater than Johanan the Baptizer. He spoke of that “least” believer in Matthew 5

19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

In this passage a person who breaks the least commandment, and teaches others to do so, is still IN the kingdom of Heaven. His righteousness comes from somewhere other than the law, v-20. This law-breaker has a greater righteousness than the teachers of the law, the Pharisees!

John was not, and never will be permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit. While he was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, he will forever miss the fellowship of the Holy Spirit all Church-age believers enjoy.

We are children of God, united with God the Messiah in a way that was unknown in ancient Israel. This is referred to as a mystery by Paul.

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones… 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:30,32

God’s dealing with the human race this way will end with the rapture of the Church. The Church-age will end the day of the rapture, and He will revert to the Old Testament paradigm. The Tribulation saints will have a similar status to John the Baptizer.

This status of the Church is exemplified in Jesus’ encounter with Peter over the Temple tax;

24And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?26Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 17:24-27

Jesus did not pay the Temple tax because He, or Peter, owed it, but because Peter had already said He would pay it. He was actually saying that as a child of the King, neither He nor His church owes taxes, as a subject.

Tithing for Christians cannot be taught unless this status of Christians is ignored, or misunderstood. Either way it is a problem.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Romans8:16

24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:24-27

When teachers say the Church needs to tithe they are saying that Christ needs to tithe, since we have put on Christ.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:17

27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:27-29

Clearly the writers of the New Testament had this in mind as they wrote about giving, because none of them ever said that Christians ought to tithe. If I am a joint-heir with Messiah, then do I owe a tax on that inheritance?

16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. II Corinthians 6:16

When preachers say that Christians need to tithe, they are saying that the Temple needs to tithe to something that is not the Temple.

The Holy Spirit came to the Church, and did not indwell Israel. The time that He would come was spoken of by Jesus in John 14;

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Another problem with this whole idea is that the law is very specific. We can’t just make it a general principle and then say “Obey the law”. The law says that certain persons were to tithe, and it was not a general rule for everyone in Israel.

Who was commanded to tithe? The tithe was for those who made their living from the land, in Israel, both of believers and unbelievers. Farmers, herdsmen, and beekeepers.;

30And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.

32And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. 33He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. Lev. 27:30, 33

17Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: Deut 12:17

22Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23And thou shalt eat before the LORDthy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORDthy God always. Deuteronomy 14:22

5And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. 2 Chron. 31:5, 6

37And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our groundunto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. Nehemiah 10:37

44And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. Nehemiah 12:44

5And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. Nehemiah 13:5

12Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. Nehemiah 13:12

The tithe was to be in goods, and not money. There was a 20% penalty for those who brought money instead of the fruit of the land (20% on the tithe, not on the whole);

And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. Leviticus 27:31

This was because the priests and Levites would have to take that money and use it to purchase the things the law required, food and animals. Those who are going to be faithful to the Old Testament tithe will have to receive grain, vegetables and animals.

Certain professions are conspicuous by their absence in the law of the tithe; fishermen, tradesmen such as carpenters, tinsmiths, tax collectors, and miners were not obliged to pay the tithe, though they still would bring free-will offerings, and sacrifices. If they grew herbs in a window box, they would have to tithe on that.

The Pharisees knew that the tithe was for the increase of the land, and so would tithe from their little gardens in their back yard, or window boxes. They were correct in this, but then they ignored the more weightier matters, like justice, mercy and faith. Matthew 23:23

Jesus, as a carpenter, was not required to tithe. John, Peter, and Andrew, as fishermen would not have paid a tithe of their catch. Can you imagine the stench by the time they got to Jerusalem from the sea of Galilee? I searched and there is nothing in the law about fishermen having to tithe. They were exempt! Matthew was also exempt, since he was a tax collector (Luke 5:27).

Do you think it is an accident that the Lord chose men like these to lead His Church? I think not. I think He specifically chose men like this because He knew they would not emphasize the tithe, and of course He made sure of that. Their focus was on the relationship we have with our Saviour. Even Paul, a Pharisee, who would be expected to emphasize tithing, never once said that Christians ought to pay it.

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Think about it, if tithing was mandatory then it is a necessity. Paul is saying that tithing is not a valid rule. What else did Paul say?

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. I Corinthians 16:2

Most pastors use this to promote tithing, but the tithe is not mentioned. In fact no percentage is mentioned at all. The church, either as a building or as a assembly is not mentioned either. They were told to set aside gifts “by him in store” in other words, they were to keep in in their own home until Paul came, not to give it to the assembly!

They were to exercise their own discernment and stewardship! This is something most pastors won’t tell you! Most will say “let us take care of your money”, something that is entirely unscriptural!

Most tithe teachers quote from Malachi 3. This passage is often used to manipulate people into tithing. I have heard many pastors quote from this to say those who don’t tithe are “robbing God”. I wonder how many ever study the passage in depth?

First of all, Malachi 3 is addressed to the priests. Secondly they were actually tithing. They were technically giving their 10%, so they were surprised to hear that they were robbing God. Here is what God says about their tithe:

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORDof hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORDis contemptible. 8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORDof hosts. Malachi 1:6-8

If you go back to the law of the tithe, (above in Lev. 27:33), you will see that the people of Israel were to tithe the tenth animal that passed under the rod, and were not to enquire whether it was good or bad. Obviously sick animals would lag behind the healthy so there would always be some of poorer quality taken in the tithe.

So what is the problem here? That tithe went to the Priests and Levites. They were to take the best 10% and give it to the Lord, but instead they were giving the worst 10%! They were tithing, and robbing God while tithing!

So how does this apply to the Church? It doesn’t, unless you are serving Him half-heartedly, or tithing, instead of making your entire substance available to Him, if He calls for it! That’s right, those who only give 10% have much in common with the priests of Malachi 3!

Ananias and Sapphira didn’t rob God. They did not have to give the entire amount they received for their land, to the Church. According to Acts 5 they did not have to give any of it! In other words, they did not even have to give 10%! Their sin was not in robbing God, or in keeping some of the money, but in thinking they could get away with lying to Him! They were showing contempt for God by lying to the Church!

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Acts 5:3-4

To say, as a blanket statement, that we are required to tithe, implies that this rule overrules the leading of the Holy Spirit! Are there churches, and pastors, who should NOT be supported by God’s people? Do you think that the members of Joel Osteen’s church should be tithing? I think they should leave, but certainly God is not in the preaching there, therefore he receives too much money!

The people at Saddleback church should not be tithing. If God’s people stopped giving to that church, wouldn’t that send a message to the leadership, that something is wrong?

These are two of the worst examples, but there are countless pastors who are living a life of compromise, and unfaithfulness, and luxury at the same time. I have met some of them! Teaching tithing keeps God’s people at a low level of spiritual maturity… babes in Christ!

Satan doesn’t mind tithing. The Catholic church teaches tithing, and as a result most protestants teach it also. It is a holdover from Catholicism. In fact the New Age, and Wicca also teach tithing!

If a ministry is truly of the Holy Spirit, does it then follow that members should tithe? I don’t think so. Sometimes God has special ministries He wants his children to be involved with, and He might want one person to give more, so someone else can concentrate on God’s mission for them. We are not all given the same ministry, nor are we all convicted the same in every direction. We are not all given the same gifts, but all gifts come from the same God!

If Christians were listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit wouldn’t they be giving sacrificially? And Joyfully? By teaching tithing, many pastors leave their flock with the idea that “I’ve done my part, and the rest is mine!” If I am a child of God, I will want to have a part in my Father’s business!

Tithe teaching also teaches the wrong reasons for giving. Christians teach that “if you don’t tithe you will be cursed”! Therefore some tithe so they won’t be cursed. This is actually a denial of Scripture;

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:Galatians 3:13

Others teach that if you tithe, God is bound to reward you. Again; the wrong motive! I have known some who tithed for a while, and ended up walking away from church and Christianity altogether. I know they were taught this idea, and it is totally wrong. They were taught that they would be financially successful if they tithed, so they tithed, even when they couldn’t pay their rent, or feed their children! God doesn’t owe anyone anything! He certainly doesn’t owe money to tithers! (No doubt they were not saved to begin with, but I am focusing on false teaching here)

It is only a small step to go from this to being like Steven Furtick, Oral Roberts, and the New Apostolic reformation, with their “seed faith” heresy. And, it is a heresy.

I have been in fundamentalist churches where the pastor said “Trust Christ, and your life will be great”. Implying that everything is great for Christians. This was not Jeremiah’s experience, nor was it the experience of some fifty million martyrs for Jesus. This is false advertising for Jesus! Yeshua Himself told us to “count the cost” (Luke 14:28-33), and those martyrs certainly found it worthwhile in the end, but it wasn’t fun while it was going on! They were looking for a better city, and not for a better life here and now!

Why would that pastor say something like this? The same reason that he teaches tithing. He is using the worlds methods, and has lost faith in the Lord’s methods. In the end it is counter productive. The world looks at us as being all about money! That very same pastor, one Leroy Pennell, of Heritage Baptist, Barrie, told me twice that “The church must be run as a business”. Obviously, to him it IS only a business!

I am writing this with a heavy heart. I am despairing that there is a faithful man in Canada. What is the difference if one man is right about the Sabbath, but wrong about tithing, while another is right about tithing, but wrong about the Sabbath? The Plymouth Brethren churches do not teach tithing, but they meet on Sunday. As I see it, there ultimately is no difference, one is just as unfaithful as the other.

In the mean time, I recommend you read “Tithing; Low Realm, Obsolete, and Defunct” by Matthew Narramore. While I can’t agree with everything he says, especially about the law, he is on the right track with regard to the subject of tithing. The more important subject is that the believer needs to understand our relationship with God. In this I am in complete agreement with him.

As for the law, it reveals God’s character to us. Therefore we should study it, while understanding that in Christ we have moved to a higher level. No one ever became spiritually mature without studying the whole Word of God.

The book is available on-line without charge.

Before I sign off, what is the real biblical percentage for the church? It is not 10%. It is actually 100%! Jesus said: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

He does not always ask us to give up 100%, but He does ask each of us to be willing to forsake everything we have and follow Him!

All means all, not 10%, but the amazing thing is that Jesus gives you the privilege of administering the funds He gives you. You are responsible for all the money the Lord entrusts you with, not merely 10%, therefore you have the right to decide what is done with it. Don’t abdicate your responsibility!

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Arabic to join Sumerian as a dead language

Posted on January 16, 2013 by dknezacek

During the Egyptian elections last year, one of the Muslim preachers, in support of Egyptian presidential candidate Mohammed Mursi, declared that there will be a global Muslim Caliphate, and its headquarters will be Jerusalem.

I was reminded of this recently, in a couple of posts, and yesterday, as I was reading Isaiah 11, I couldn’t help but notice that God has other plans for the world, and even for those who today follow the Qur’an, Islam’s “holy book”.

When reading about Islam, you often hear them say that Arabic is a “holy” language, and “you really can’t understand the Qur’an unless you read it in Arabic”. The second part may be true, since most Muslim terrorists read the Qur’an in Arabic, but there is nothing holy about the language.  Really it is a development of Hebrew, with many other foreign words in it, even in the Qur’an itself.

In the midst of the turmoil in the Middle East, especially Egypt, it is interesting to read End Times prophecies that relate to this nation. God has this to say about Egypt in the End Times;

And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. Isaiah 11:15

Some have speculated that the Egyptian sea is the Nile river. I don’t think so, for the Nile is noted next in the prophecy. Evidently the Nile will be diverted by an earthquake, so that its delta will be dried up.

What I am concerned with, however, is the phrase “the Egyptian Sea”. The Mediterranean Sea is not the Egyptian sea, for there are many nations bordering it. The only sea that is completely surrounded by Egypt is the Gulf of Suez, which is not properly a sea by itself, though it is a part of the Red Sea. If you look at a map of the area, ask yourself which language is primarily spoken on the shores of the Gulf of Suez, and the Red Sea?

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if the “sea” referred to here is the Nile river, the Mediterranean, or the Red Sea and/or the Gulf of Suez. The key thought here is not “sea”, but “Egyptian tongue”. What is the tongue, or language, spoken in Egypt today? What language is spoken by Egyptian sailors on any sea? That would have to be Arabic, wouldn’t it?

While some scholars might suggest that the language referred to here is the language of the Pharaohs, and thus already fulfilled, the context of the entire passage is the End Times, thus the language in question is a modern language, spoken during the End Times.  Though Arabic had not even fully developed when Isaiah was written, God knew that it would one day be the centre of the Middle Eastern controversy.

In fact God later inspired Isaiah to identify which language the Egyptians will employ to replace Arabic.

In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. Isaiah 19:18

The language of Canaan is Hebrew, or Ivrit. The other cities of Egypt may end up speaking Aramaic, or English, or some other African dialect, but it won’t be Arabic.

This prophecy is not only against the Egyptians, but against all who use this language on a daily basis. Notice that the prophecy is against “the tongue of the Egyptian sea”, not against Egypt per-se. Thus we can know that all the speakers of this language will one day soon forsake it. I mean Saudi Arabia on the other side of the Red sea, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Qatar, and Bahrain, etc. will all abandon this language, to the glory of God almighty!

Middle East map

Is the Red Sea, with the gulf of Suez, the Egyptian sea?

For some two thousand years, Hebrew was a dead language, with only a few Jewish rabbis, and bible scholars studying it. Soon, however, it will be the language of Messiah’s millennial kingdom, and Arabic will be the dead language, as dead as Sumerian!

The Arabs will one day soon attack Israel in the war prophesied in Psalm 83, and they will suffer complete and utter defeat. The world will be shocked at this development, but it will recover, and both the Arabs and Israel will prosper in the ensuing peace. The Arabs will largely turn their backs on the God of the Qur’an, who couldn’t come to their aid when they needed him most, but the other Muslim nations, like Iran, Turkey, Libya, & etc. being racists, will blame the defeat on the Arabs.

This will lead the the next war, the one found in Ezekiel 38-39. These nations, along with Russia, and others, will take their turn. This time Israel will not be able to defeat her foes by herself, and God Himself will intervene on their behalf. When the Muslim armies are destroyed by the hand of God in a tremendous earthquake, and celestial bombardment, the rest of the world’s Muslims will abandon their religion.

While I would hope that many of them would find Jesus Christ, I’m afraid many of them will look to the New Age movement. This will set them up for the reign of the Antichrist.

There are even dangers for those who follow various versions of Christianity, for there are false interpretations of the bible, and there is a popular New Age Christianity, and another Jesus!  To the extent that any Church has placed its traditions, or its leaders, over the written word of God, they have abandoned God, and are preparing to support the Antichrist!

Dan

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A woman on a beast – Five Euro notes

Posted on January 11, 2013 by dknezacek

This May a new series of Euro notes will be inaugurated.  This series will feature the Greek goddess Europa riding on the god Zeus, in the form of a bull.

Europa riding Zeus

The Greek goddess Europa will become the face of the euro

This image, taken from a 2,000 year old vase, is planned to be the basis of a series of euro notes throughout the EUs 17 member nations, beginning in May.

For most Europeans this is hardly newsworthy, and most will simply go about their own daily business, hardly noticing anything strange.

For bible prophecy buffs, however, the image of a woman riding a beast will make them sit up and take notice.  After all, Revelation 17, one of the central prophecy passages of the Tribulation period has the same imagery;

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:3

Of course this woman is sitting on a brown bull with only one head, and two horns, but for many prophecy buffs, this is good enough.  If you squint a bit, and say “woman on a beast” you can make it out to be fulfilment of prophecy.

That’s what Satan wants you to do!

When Satan unveils the real Antichrist, or Beast, being ridden by the Harlot of Babylon, he wants you to believe these are all things of the past, and the danger is past with them!

It is kind of like Satan is standing there in full view of the world, waving a flag, a euro-note shaped flag, and shouting “Look Here!  Here is your woman riding the Beast!  Here!  Right Here!  Look!  Looook!”

Back in the 1990s, I remember prophecy author Grant Jeffrey talking about proposed designs for the Euro, one of which had a woman riding a bull, exactly as the bills coming out this year.  This was long before the Euro was a real currency.  Rather than being prophetic, I think Satan was playing games with Mr. Jeffrey, and others.  Christians are often so eager to see fulfilment of prophecy that we have a tendency jump on the first thing that looks somewhat similar to familiar passages, rather than examine the details.

If this was really the woman riding the Beast, he wouldn’t be so obvious about it!  When she shows up, she and her ride, they won’t be so obvious.  In fact, when they take over control of the world, the world won’t know what hit them!

What I am saying is that, this is just another of Satan’s counterfeits.  This time, however, he seems to be going out of his way to make the world, or the church, believe this is IT!

For a long time now, the New-Agers, and Occultists, have been saying that the Christian Church will lead the world into the “New World Order”.  In order to get them to do this he has to get them to believe that the danger is over, and the New World Order of the Antichrist has been defeated!  Therefore he has to give them an “Antichrist” to defeat!

This is what is going on right now.  Satan is working on a stand-in for the Antichrist, someone you can really believe is the Antichrist.  This is what the world will witness in the next few years; Bad times, and a really Antichrist-like world leader, with a believable false-prophet.  They will also duplicate some of the other biblical prophecies, as best they can.  It will be only those who uncompromisingly believe the bible alone, who will see the deception.

It is the details that matter the most.  Every jot and tittle!  If they are not fulfilled exactly, it is NOT what it seems to be!

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Lebanon following Syria

Posted on January 9, 2013 by dknezacek

As I have been saying for some time, the violence in Syria is going to engulf the whole region.  I kind of thought that the Muslim Brotherhood would wait until Syria was in the bag, but it appears they can’t wait, and are stirring the pot in Lebanon as well.

Global Post is reporting this morning in Syria Spills Into Lebanon that Sunni/Shia tensions are threatening the uneasy peace in that country as well.

Sunni salafi sheikh ahmed al assir

Sunni Salafi Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir (second from the left) and Singer Fadel Shaker (right) pray during a funeral in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon, on Nov. 12, 2012. (Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images)

Note the name Ahmed al-Assir, I suspect we will hear more from this man in the near future.  Rising from obscurity to the highest profile spokesman for the Salafist branch of Sunni Islam in Lebanon, in the last two years, Mr. al-Assir asserts that Sunnis have suffered indignities at the hands of the Shias of Hezbollah and Syria, and Lebanon’s elected leaders are worthless.

It therefore follows that they will have to follow him, rise up against their elected leaders and kill their neighbours!  Oh yes, and commit indignities against them!

Does that sound like a recipe for peace to you?  Nor to me.

This is more of the same.  More of the same violence we have seen in Libya, Tunisia, Syria, and Egypt, and it will not end in Lebanon.  Of course Iraq is still suffering violence from both sides in the Sunni/Shia war.

There are already rumblings in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.  It is hard to say what will happen in Saudi Arabia.  They are already mainly Sunni, but I think the ruling family is too comfortable, and perhaps not willing enough to go after Israel.  (They remember what happened last time)  The same is true in Jordan, plus Jordan is too tolerant of minorities.

Ultimately this is leading up to the Psalm 83 war.  Some bible scholars think that the Gog/Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39 is next, but I must disagree.  The Psalm 83 war, and the resulting peace, in its wake, will set the stage for the Gog/Magog war, several years later.  There will be a time of peace, and prosperity, between these wars, that will see Israel’s security fence come down, and perhaps even the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

I’m not really sure how long this peace will last, but I think seven years might be a good guess.  It will be a real peace and the suicide bombings, and rocket attacks against Israel will be a distant memory.  In fact, I think the Arabs will resent the intrusion when the Russo/Iranian coalition comes after Israel. (Sheba, Dedan and Tarshish are Arab entities; Tarshish is probably Tartus, Syria)

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Ezekiel 38:13 

Right now, however, we are seeing the Psalm 83 confederacy struggling to come together.  They will succeed in creating this confederacy.  It must occur, because the bible is true.  Could it be delayed?  Only if it is in God’s will, but it will occur in His time.

As I have documented in The Spirit of Prophecy, both of these wars are late Church-Age wars, which will occur shortly before the rapture of the Church.

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Middle-East developments January 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by dknezacek

Today, Debka file is reporting that Assad is no longer interested in dialogue with the rebels in Syria.

Bolstered by 16 Russian warships, Assad nixes dialogue with “Western puppets”

With the support of Russia and Iran, and recent victories against the rebels, Assad may feel that he is seeing light at the end of the tunnel. He should be careful, that light may be the headlight of an oncoming train, the Muslim Brotherhood chew-chew!

As I have previously noted, the next prophetic Middle East war, found in Psalm 83, will not include either Russia or Iran, but it will include Syria. This would indicate that something will change the direction of the Syrian government in the meantime. Either Assad will be convinced to join the Muslim Brotherhood in an attack on Israel, or he will be deposed, and his successors will do it.  I think he’s too smart to join them, which leaves only one alternative.

Russian Large landing ship Novocherkassk heads for Tartus

Assad has a lot of reasons to remain loyal to Russia and Iran. They have supported his regime through thick and thin, therefore it is my belief that he will no longer be in control when the Psalm 83 coalition attacks. A defeat of Assad by the rebels, with the support of the local Arab nations, and the west, would be the best guess as to why Russia and Iran will not be a part of the Psalm 83 war.

Regardless of what human governments do, the Word of God, the bible, is always the final word on all matters of faith, science, and politics!

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Isaiah 2-4 an End Times passage

Posted on December 29, 2012 by dknezacek

Don’t you hate it when it turns out you are wrong about something? Me too.

I hate to print a retraction, because it reveals that I am human, and subject to the same faults and frailties as all other member of the human race.

In several of my posts, and in The Spirit of Prophecy, I had stated that Isaiah 3 begins in the ancient world, and ends at the Tribulation. I was wrong.

Isaiah 2 through 4 represent one vision the Lord gave to Isaiah, and it is one hundred percent about the End Times. The only thing ancient in the passage is the fact that it was written in ancient times.

My mistake was to repeat an idea I had seen in John F. Walvoord’s book “Every Prophecy in the Bible”. I had been somewhat disappointed in that book, because I could see that he had missed several prophecies, but I thought he was partially correct in his statements about Isaiah 3, that this was a prophecy that had been fulfilled in ancient times. I now believe that he is totally incorrect in his analysis of this prophecy.

The context for chapters 2 through 4 is set in the opening verses of chapter 2;

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Isaiah 2:1-2

In case we didn’t get it, he later emphasizes that this will occur during The Day of the Lord;

12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

For Christians, he states events that Jesus Christ Himself equated with the Day of the Lord.

And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Isaiah 2:19

Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us Luke 23:30

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; Revelation 6:15

Isaiah 3 begins with the little word “For”, which connects the previous chapter with that which is to follow;

3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Following this is an indictment of Israel for their many sins. These sins are not those of ancient Israel, but of modern Israel. I think that what had confused Dr.Walvoord, and many other scholars, is the fact that the language used is the type of description one would find in the ancient world. The reason is that the prophet saw the vision through ancient eyes. He had to describe what he saw in terms that he was familiar with, but the indictment is totally modern, and even future.

The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Isaiah 3:9

2011 Gay Pride Parade in Tel Aviv (Image http://israel21c.org/images/stories/travel/gay-pride-parade.jpg)

Why would I say that some of these indictments are yet future? Israel has not yet reached the level of depravity that will bring about God’s judgment upon them.

15 What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts. Isaiah 3:15

Occasionally churches in Israel are vandalized, but generally Christians are able to live unmolested. In fact, today Israel displays the most tolerance toward non-majority religions, anywhere in the Middle East, indeed they are more tolerant than most of the world! This is not describing a situation in the ancient world, nor in the modern world, but in the post-rapture world of the early part of the Tribulation period.

After the defeat of the Russo-Iranian coalition in the Gog-Magog war. After their supernatural win over the attacking armies, Israel will believe their religion is correct, and they will view God’s intervention on their behalf as evidence that this is so.

Some of them will view the rapture of the Church as further evidence that they were correct, and will use this as a pretext to persecute those Jews who place their faith in Yeshua ha Mashiach at that time. The wise ones will understand that the rapture of the Church has been because of His love, and will place their faith in the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua, or Jesus. They are the ones verse 15 refers to as those who are beaten.

In the midst of this situation God has words of comfort for His people;

10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

And a great warning for those who trust the Antichrist;

11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Jesus said that those who see the Antichrist set up the “abomination of desolation” in the Temple should flee to the hills, without even going into their house to gather provisions. (Matt. 24:15-20) The believing third of Israel will obey Him at this time, and be saved. The unbelievers will remember Hannukah, and the defeat of the first Antichrist, Antiochus Epiphanes, and will attempt to defeat the second Antichrist the same way. They will perish, but in the process they will provoke the world to attack on behalf of the Beast, in the war of Armageddon.

Isaiah 3 speaks of Armageddon this way;

25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. 26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

Many of the believing women in Israel shall flee as Yeshua told them to, but their men will stay behind to teach the Antichrist a lesson. It is the “manly” thing to do. As a result of this war, when Yeshua (Jesus) returns, the women who followed His advice will find that the majority of their men will be dead, and there will be a ratio of seven women to one man, at the beginning of the millennial reign of Christ! This is what Isaiah 4:1 is talking about, and it is a direct result of the events of the previous chapter.

And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

These women are not asking for illicit affairs, but for legitimate marriages. This is what it means to “be called by thy name”.

The “reproach” they feel is their inability to have children, because there are not enough men to go around. This word is used in the case of Rachel and Elizabeth for the exact same reason, the inability to have children, though in different circumstances. (Genesis 30:23, Luke 1:25) Can you imagine what it would be like to know you are going to live a thousand years on the earth, in the most wonderful time anyone has ever seen, and not to have anyone to share it with? That would be a reproach.

The answer to this dilemma is spelled out for us here, but most Christians discount it, because they have swallowed Roman Catholic morality. These families will marry in groups of seven women and one man, and look at the next verse. It tells us the political situation in the world at that time;

2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

The “Branch of the Lord” is none other than Jesus Christ, Yeshua ha Mashiach. He will be ruling the earth from Jerusalem at this time, and these people are 100% believers who have escaped the Antichrist, and have witnessed his demise at Christ’s hands! They would not come to these men to ask this question, without first clearing it with Jesus!

The chapter goes on to describe these people;

3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: 4 Whenthe Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

In chapter 3 the guilt of these people is described in verses 15-23. After this comes their judgment in verses 25-26, and now chapter 4 is describing the aftermath, and the great blessing for those who have turned to the Saviour. We have here a description of “holy polygamists” in Israel during Christ’s reign. This is not about the value of women, versus the value of men, it is about a loving and Holy God, and the concern He has for His creation.

The rest of chapter 4 continues with a description of the millennial reign. Every characteristic referred to here will only be fulfilled during the reign of Christ. Whereas, under Moses there was one pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, for the whole nation, now it will be upon every dwelling place in Jerusalem! Every house!

5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

There is one important End Times passage that makes a direct reference to Isaiah 4:1. It is a passage that many have mistaken, and have ascribed all kinds of meanings to. It concerns the early signs of the Antichrist; he will take over the world in a very similar situation to the early stages of Christ’s millennial reign. There will be a major World War, and many of the nations involved will lose large numbers of their soldiers in that war. In fact the bible tells us that only one in six soldiers who take part in the Gog and Magog war will return to the nations they came from. The rest will die in the battle.

1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Ezekiel 39:1-4

It is in the aftermath of this battle that the Antichrist will arise, as a Saviour, and a bringer of peace. Some of his early characteristics are noted in Daniel 11:36-37

And the king (the Antichrist) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

The desire of women is exactly as expressed by the women in Isaiah 4:1; To have a husband and children. In fact you can see this desire by studying biblical women like Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel, Leah, Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar, Lot’s daughters, the Shunnamite woman, and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t describe the women you know.  The western culture has confused most people about their role in society.

The nations involved in the Gog and Magog war are all Muslim nations today, with the exception of Russia. Those nations, like Iran, Turkey, and Libya, have always allowed men to marry more than one woman, even long before Muhammad came along. When the Antichrist refuses to allow them to continue with their long-standing practice, the western world, including many professing Christians, will think he is a “man of God”. The Antichrist will be put in place by the very people who are supposed to be on the lookout for him! The sign that proves he is the Antichrist, will be the very thing that makes them think he is a “man of God”!

When you read Isaiah 2-4 in context it is easy to see that it is entirely an End Times passage, and it is one of the most significant End Times passages.  It is the key to Daniel 11:37.

My mistake was to listen to the scholars, and not to check fully the whole passage. Had I done so, it would have made my case all that much stronger! In my defense, usually I read one chapter a day, and if I have a busy day I just might not remember the details of the passage I read the day before. This appears to be what happened, and since the major scholars had not realized that Isaiah 2 through 4 were one unit, and entirely concerning the End Times, I can at least claim that I did see the most important part of its End Times significance.

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