Is Imminence Essential for the pre-Tribulation Rapture ?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by dknezacek

Is it possible that the idea of a pre-Tribulation rapture is correct, while the doctrine of imminence is not? Is it possible to divorce the pre-Trib rapture from imminence? Is it possible they never really belonged together, in the first place?

Most bible commentators, and scholars, if they are pre-trib also believe in the imminent return of Christ. I began with this philosophy, and held it for many years, however, during the research for The Spirit of Prophecy, I began to see that these two ideas do not necessarily depend on each other. In fact I have come to believe that linking them together can be counter-productive.

I have found at least five references to a pre-Tribulation rapture in the Old Testament (maybe 6), but for the sake of brevity, will only discuss a couple here.

13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. 15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. 16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:12-20)

The pertinent verses of this passage are 19-21, but notice 13-18. These verses speak of Israel having failed the Lord during their dispersion over the earth. The reference to being “with child” is a clue that this passage is an End Times passage. The fact that they have “brought forth wind” is an indication that they have been wasting their time, and it is not a reference to Rev. 12. The fact that Israel has “not wrought any deliverance in the earth” is an indication that God is going to recall them, like a defective product, back to their place of manufacture. This is the return of Israel, shortly before the beginning of the Tribulation.

In verses 19-21 we have the exact same chronological order found in 1 Corinthians 15:52, with a little more detail. In verse 19 we have the resurrection of the saints, denoted as “Thy dead men”. Note the lost are not “His”. In verse 20 we have His people entering into their chambers, in Heaven, while the indignation goes by, aka the Tribulation period.

If a day with the Lord is as a thousand years,(2 Pet 3:8, Ps 90:4) then the “little moment” is the seven years of the Tribulation itself, and the “indignation” is God’s wrath against the sinners who won’t repent, when the judgments of Revelation are revealed against them.

Jude 1:14, Mark 14:62, Matthew 24:30, and Revelation 19:14 speak of Jesus returning with the saints, like clouds. Isaiah 26:20 can not be the same event, for at that time the saints remain in heaven inhabiting their “chambers” which Jesus referred to as “mansions” (John 14:2). Jesus cannot return to earth with the saints, and have them remain in Heaven at the same time. Only God can be in two places at once!

Paul, in Romans 10:19, referring to Moses, told us that God intends to use the Church to make Israel jealous. He was referring to Deuteronomy 32:21:

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. Deuteronomy 32:21

One day I was lying in bed, thinking of what Paul had said, not even realizing that he was quoting Moses, and I thought “It’s been almost 2,000 years, and Israel isn’t jealous!” In an instant the answer came to me; “The Rapture!”

For nearly 2,000 years Israel has NOT been jealous over the Church. They have been angry…very angry…but not jealous. Think about it. You don’t get jealous unless you see someone else receive something you think belongs to you, or that you deserve as much, or even more. Israel has no reason to be jealous over the Christian church. Christians have hard times, they work, they get robbed, and sick. While Christians go to Heaven when they die, this is something Israel cannot see, and therefore have no reason to be jealous about.

Israel will not become jealous until they see God do a favour for the Church. When they see God take the born-again Christians to Heaven, then they will begin to understand that they missed something! There would be no purpose for God to make Israel jealous as He tosses them into the Lake of Fire! Everyone in that predicament will be jealous. No, the only answer to the jealousy of Israel, is the pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church.

This jealousy is meant to cause Israel to turn to Christ, and they will! At least 1/3 of them will turn to Him, and survive to go into the millennial reign. It might actually be a larger number who do get saved, but many of them will be killed by the Antichrist.

It therefore becomes apparent that God has planned the rapture of the Church, as a pre-Tribulation event, from the very beginning of creation! It was not an afterthought! This also means that Israel, and the Church, are separate entities. God never replaced Israel with the Church!

Satan, on the other hand, has been working very hard to provide an alternate explanation for the rapture, so those left behind won’t feel too bad about it. Jews and Gentiles who believe his lies will be deceived, and lost.

There are at least four other places in the Old Testament where a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church is in view. These, along with several New Testament references are covered in chapter 2 of The Spirit of Prophecy, so I won’t go into greater detail here. My point is that the pre-Tribulation rapture is indeed a bible teaching that can be found throughout the bible. Proof for this doctrine comes from the bible itself, and does not depend on any other doctrine such as “imminence”.

The Problem of Imminence

The doctrine of Imminence says that the rapture of the Church could occur at any time since His ascension, without any warning. This means NO prophecies need be fulfilled, NO signs need occur before the rapture.

Thomas Ice says of Imminence:

“Imminence in relation to the rapture has been defined as consisting of three elements: “the certainty that He may come at any moment, the uncertainty of the time of that arrival, and the fact that no prophesied event stands between the believer and that hour.””

This doctrine can be destroyed, if at any time there is even one prophecy that must occur before Jesus returns. This is rather flimsy ground for a biblical doctrine to stand on.

In John 21:18-19 Jesus told Peter of the death that awaited him when he was old. Is it possible that Jesus could have returned before Peter got old and died? It doesn’t matter that the gospel of John wasn’t written until after Peter’s death. What matters is that Jesus said it! Had He returned before Peter’s death, Peter would not have grown old and died, and Jesus would have been a liar!

Thomas Ice makes light of this fact in his article and I don’t think he understands the seriousness of the issue.

Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred around 70AD (Luke 21:24). Is it possible that He could have returned before Jerusalem was destroyed?

Bible scholar, Grant Jeffrey, has discovered that the year 1948 was actually predicted in the Old Testament as the year that God would restore the nation of Israel;

Prophecy: Old Testament: Ezekiel 4:3-6 (Written: between 593-571 BC)
(In this Bible passage, Ezekiel is asked by God to symbolically act out the 430 years of punishment) … “Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel . “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel . “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah . I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.”

Fulfilled: 1948: In Ezekiel 4:3-6, the prophet said the Jews, who had lost control of their homeland, would be punished for 430 years. This prophecy, according to Bible scholar Grant Jeffrey, pinpointed the 1948 rebirth of Israel . Here’s a summary of Jeffrey’s theory:

1. Ezekiel said the Jews were to be punished for 430 years because they had turned away from God. As part of the punishment, the Jews lost control of their homeland to Babylon . Many Jews were taken as captives to Babylon .

2. Babylon was later conquered by Cyrus in 539 BC. Cyrus allowed the Jews to leave Babylon and to return to their homeland. But, only a small number returned. The return had taken place sometime around 536 BC, about 70 years after Judah lost independence to Babylon .

3. Because most of the exiles chose to stay in pagan Babylon rather than return to the Holy Land , the remaining 360 years of their punishment was multiplied by 7. The reason is explained in Bible’s book of Leviticus. (Leviticus 26:18, 26:21, 26:24 and 26:28). In Leviticus, it says that if the people did not repent while being punished, the punishment would be multiplied by 7. And, by staying in pagan Babylon , most exiles were refusing to repent.

4. So, if you take the remaining 360 years of punishment and multiply by 7, you get 2,520 years. But, Jeffrey says those years are based on an ancient 360-day lunar calendar. If those years are adjusted to the modern solar calendar, the result is 2,484 years.

5. And, there were exactly 2,484 years from 536 BC to 1948, which is the year that Israel regained independence. (Found at Israel’s Messiah)

If God actually intended Israel to be restored in 1948, is it possible that Jesus could have raptured the Church at any time before that date? Things like this don’t happen by chance, for God is in control of these events! Since He had planned them to occur before the rapture of the Church, then they MUST occur before the rapture, even if He did not tell us that they would.

If Jesus said there would be signs before His return, then it is not possible for Him to return before those signs take place.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28

In verses 25-27 Jesus gives us signs of the End Times including His return, but here He tells us that we are to “look up” when these things begin to come to pass. In other words we will see something. This does not mean that the Church will be here for the Tribulation period itself, for anyone who “lifts up his head” at that time will have it cut off! (Rev 13:7, 10) This is not for Tribulation saints, the “redemption” here is the rapture of the Church.

In Matthew 24:3-6 Jesus spoke of signs of the End Times, including “wars and rumours of wars” and false teachers. There have always been false teachers in the world, but here He is warning us of false teachers being an epidemic in formerly sound churches.

The “wars and rumours of wars” He is speaking of are not just any wars. From that day until this, the world has seen precious little peace. There are always wars, and rumours of wars, going on. Does this mean that it will be “business as usual” up until the day of the rapture? To some it may appear that way, but that is not what He means.

Jesus always pointed His followers to the Old Testament Scriptures. (Mat 22:29, Mark 12:24, Luke 24:27, John 5:39, 46, etc.) He is doing the same here. What He meant by “wars and rumours of wars” is a reference to biblically prophesied, End Times wars.

Since Jesus was referring to Old Testament prophesied wars, being a sign of His coming, then it is not possible for Him to return until these wars occur. Check through housetops to find descriptions of these wars, or read The Spirit of Prophecy.

Now, some may accuse me of saying “my Lord delayeth His coming”, but is that what I am saying? I am actually saying that God has a set time for all the biblical prophecies to be fulfilled, though I don’t know exactly when those events will occur. Jesus said something very similar, regarding the subject of prophecy, shortly before He ascended to Heaven:

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:7

Paul told us that the rapture of the Church will not occur before the Antichrist is revealed. I contend, though, that this does not mean the Church will go through the Tribulation period. It is entirely possible that the Antichrist will be revealed to true Christians shortly before the rapture, so they will have time to warn their friends and family;

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. II Thessalonians 2:1-4

Post-tribulationists like to use this passage to say that the Church will be here during the time the Antichrist rules the world. This passage does not say that, however, it only says that we will be here when he is revealed. As you continue reading you will see that he is revealed after the rapture (v6-8). This is not a contradiction, but only shows that there will be a dual revealing. First to the Church, and then to the world. By the time the world begins to understand, however, the Church will be gone and they will be left behind, to go through the Tribulation.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

The Church is in the position of the Lord’s prophets, today. I believe the true Church will be privileged to see and understand, who the Antichrist is, and then will be whisked away, in the rapture, before he can do them any harm. Understanding who the Antichrist is, then, would be a sign of imminent rapture. Am I looking for Jesus? Yes! Am I looking for the Antichrist? Yes!

God has a set time when all the End Times prophecies will play out. Now, if the two days spoken of in Hosea 6:2 are the same days Peter spoke of in 2 Pe 3:8, and the evidence is that they are, then the events of Revelation will not be complete until after 2,000 years past the Lord’s ascension!

Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

When did God leave Israel, and return to His place? Was it not at the ascension of Jesus Christ, some 40 days after the resurrection? His return is related to these two days. Therefore, since the subject here is Israel, He can’t return to rescue them until after the two thousand years are up, in the third day! Though the rapture of the Church could still occur before that time, it must be very close to that date, if not after it.

If Jesus could not return for at least 2,000 years, then His return was not imminent for the first 2,000 years of Church history!

What is it that those who say Jesus’ return is imminent are actually saying? They are saying that Jesus could have returned the day after He ascended, but He didn’t. He delayed it! “Every day He doesn’t return is a day he has delayed His coming!” This is a serious problem for those who believe in the imminent return of Christ! Matt 24:48 indicates that those who think this, will end up compromising, living for the day, and suffering destruction!

What of the verses commonly used to teach an imminent return of Christ?

1 Thes 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Tim 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

There are others, but they are much the same, so this sample should suffice.

First, note that none of these verses say that there won’t be signs before the rapture. 1 Thes 5:6 tells us to “watch”. Now if there are no signs before the rapture, there is nothing to watch for, and the passage is rendered incomprehensible!

1 Tim 6:14 tells us to obey the commands set out earlier in the chapter. It says nothing of whether there are signs or not. We are to continue obeying the Lord whether or not there are signs, and Tribulation saints, after the rapture of the Church, will still be commanded to obey.

Titus 2:13 tells us to watch for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. If there were no signs before the rapture, there would be nothing to watch for. It follows that he is telling us to watch for the signs of imminent rapture.

James 5:7 does not mean that there won’t be signs before the rapture. The final remarks may well be a reference to Luke 12, below. Many Christians have already stood before the Lord, and they weren’t raptured!

The day is coming when His return will be imminent, but until that day, we need to be witnessing for Jesus, studying the Scriptures, and watching for the signs!

The True Doctrine of Imminence

There actually is a true biblical doctrine of imminence. It is found in the words of Jesus in Luke 12

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

This then, is the true doctrine of imminence. You or I are not promised to live out this day. Tonight we could be standing before God, or in Hell awaiting judgment! Our exit from this life is imminent, and we therefore ought to be seeking the Lord while He may be found!

Yes, the rapture of the Church is a pre-Tribulation event, but it is not imminent until the biblical signs are observed, but thank God, those signs will occur shortly before the end of the Church age! Keep watching!

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, I Thessalonians 5:9

Posted in Christian Doctrine, Prophecy, Prophecy | Tagged church is not Israel, imminence, Israel, old testament rapture, old testament rapture passages, pre-tribulation rapture, rapture, rapture in Old Testament, Thomas Ice, Tribulation Period | 2 Comments

Iran’s Threats

Posted on February 5, 2012 by dknezacek

“The Zionist regime is a cancerous tumor and it will be removed” said Iran’s supreme leader Ayatolla Kamenei in a televised address to a prayer service at Tehran University, on Friday February 3, 2012

Kamenei went on to note that Iran has helped Hamas and Hezbollah, terrorist groups, in their fight against Israel, and stated that Iran would provide support for any “nation or group that wants to confront and fight against the Zionist regime.”

The world is so used to such threats that it fails to take them seriously. Well, the Americans do take them seriously, and back down for fear of reprisal. The rest of the world appears to be on-board with the Iranian regime, or is too scared to stand up to them.

An old proverb that bears repetition is “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it”.

Along a similar note, the infamous book by Adolf Hitler, “Mein Kampf”, is a best seller in the Muslim world, as well as the fraudulent “Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion”. Just like the Nazis, the Muslim world brags about its plans to destroy Israel, and just like Chamberlain, the western leadership doesn’t believe them. It is very clear that these people have not learned any lessons from history.

War is coming to the Middle East. This is unavoidable, and I fear for these people. This is not a game.

The bible predicts at least two major End Times wars between Israel and the Muslim nations. The Psalm 83 war describes an attack on Israel by her Arab neighbours, excluding Turkey, Iran, Russia, Ethiopia (Sudan?), and Libya. The Ezekiel 38-39 war will occur a few years later and includes the rest of the Muslim nations, plus Russia.

These two biblical wars are not the Tribulation, and Armageddon, but are actually a prelude to those events, which will occur near the end of the Church age.

In the mean time these two conflicts will decimate the Muslims. It’s almost like they can’t stop themselves, like they are following a script which will result in their own destruction, and they can’t see it, or don’t believe it.

The Psalm 83 conflict is not imminent today, for the simple reason of the statements above by Kamenei. If the Arabs were to attack Israel today, they would be joined by Iran. A war in which Iran and the Arabs attack Israel together is not prophesied until Armageddon. At that time, however, they will be joined by the rest of the world. Should there be a conflict in which these nations are allied against Israel, it will be merely a precursor to, and not actually either of these End Times wars.

Just recently Russia has been supplying arms to Syria, and has vetoed a UN resolution calling for a regime change in Syria. Very clearly Russia is still supporting Syria, still another indication that the Psalm 83 war is not quite imminent. This situation could reverse itself quickly, so stay tuned…

What appears likely, is that either the US, or Israel, alone, or with some other nations, will destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities, to such an extent that when the Arabs go after Israel, Iran will sit it out. It would not surprise me if Saudi Arabia cooperates with Iran’s enemies during the upcoming strike. This might explain why they won’t join together during the Psalm 83 conflict. Still, the recent presence of Iranian navy ships in a Saudi port would indicate that a rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran, is still some time away.

The bible says that God desires that every one would be saved, but at the same time it indicates that those who refuse His offer of forgiveness, and reconciliation, have nothing but judgment awaiting them. God calls Israel “the apple of my eye”, and nowhere indicates that this promise is nul and void.

7 “Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. 8 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 2:7-8

Note that Israel had already been judged, and taken into captivity, when this was written. God’s anger, and judgment, does not nullify His promises. At the same time, He never promised that every person born as a Jew would go to Heaven. When it says “all Israel shall be saved” it is referring to a specific group… the 1/3 of Israel which survives the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and Armageddon (Jeremiah 23:6 , Zechariah 13:8, Romans 11:26).

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

Israel has given God many reasons to change His mind about them, but He never does. He knew they would rebel, long before he made his promises to them. Because he knows all things in advance, He never needs to say “I’m sorry”. Those “Christians” who say that God has replaced Israel with the Church, are liars, insulting God with their dominionist statements. Their situation is not much better than the Iranian Mullahs, and perhaps even worse!

Think about it; to say that God didn’t know Israel would rebel, when he made His promises to them, is a denial of his omniscience! To say that God needs the Church to take over the world, before Christ can return, is a denial of His omnipotence!

God says that the End Times will be characterized by Christians who are not only lovers of their own selves, and “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (II Timothy 3:5) Churches that deny God’s power to bring about the kingdom of God on earth, by Himself, and instead claim they need to do this work for Him, are the kind of Church that will support the Antichrist when he shows up!

This same attitude can be seen in groups as disparate as the Catholic Church, the New Apostolic Reformation, Communists, Shiite, and Sunni Muslims. Many reformed, and evangelicals, also hold the same type of ideology, and are gradually shifting away from their former reliance on God.

Sorry for drifting into theology, but the fact is that the events we see on the news today, have a direct relationship to theology, like never before!

Dan Knezacek is the author of The Spirit of Prophecy

See the following links for more information

Anti-Semitism

Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion

Mein Kampf: Best seller in Muslim Bangladesh

Mein Kampf a Bestseller in Turkey

Rajjpuut’s Folly: Mein Kampf: A 2011 Best-Seller? Obama an anti-Semite?

The Arab/Muslim Nazi Connection

Posted in Christian Doctrine, Prophecy, World Events | Tagged ezekiel 38 39, Gog Magog war, hitler mein kampf, Iran's Threats, Iranian Nukes, Israel, protocols of the learned elders of zion, psalm 83, Psalm 83 war | 1 Comment

Canadian Shame – Friends of Sabeel

Posted on February 2, 2012 by dknezacek

I read Mark Tooley’s recent article Anti-Israel Christians Ponder Divestment with increasing alarm. It is inconceivable, to me, that real Christians would view Israel with hatred. While I know, and have stated so in The Spirit of Prophecy, that professing Christians will one day crown the Antichrist, I just didn’t want to believe that they would be on his side this early.

I decided to do my own research, and so went to the Canadian Friends of Sabeel website. The first thing I noticed was the inflammatory rhetoric on their home page, reflecting the language of the Kairos Palestine Document.

“In this historic document, we Palestinian Christians declare that the military occupation of our land is a sin against God and humanity, and that any theology that legitimizes the occupation is far from Christian teachings because true Christian theology is a theology of love and solidarity with the oppressed, a call to justice and equality among peoples.”

Since when do “Christian” churches have the right to declare Israel’s right to occupy the land that God gave them, as a “sin”? This is really quite amazing, since the bible, that these people claim to believe, actually says that the Antichrist will succeed in removing the Israelites from that land for a short period of time.

It is a historical fact that the land that these people claim as theirs, was occupied by Israel only two thousand years ago. The land commonly referred to as “the West Bank” was originally known as Judea and Samaria. Judea is named after Judah, the founder of the tribe of the same name, from whence the Jews derive their name. The Roman emperor Hadrian, wanting to erase history, renamed the land “Palestina” after the second Jewish revolt in 135 AD. His reason was that the Philistines were Israel’s greatest enemies, and therefore he named the land in their honour.

Those who continue to call the Israeli Arabs “Palestinians” are continuing this Roman lie!

When the Jews were exiled into the rest of the Roman empire, the local Arabs moved across the Jordan river and have lived there ever since. These Arabs are from the biblical tribes of Edom, Moab and Ammon, and their ancestral homeland is really just across the Jordan river.

God actually anticipated this situation. Here’s what He says about it:

1 “Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? 2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD”. Jeremiah 49:1-2

Please note that Rabbah of the Ammonites is the ancient name of Amman, Jordan. Since the day that Jeremiah wrote the above, Amman has never suffered the destruction prescribed here. Amman is today one of the oldest continuously-occupied cities in the world.

The “Palestinians” have never had sovereignty on the land of Israel. The last indigenous nation to have a government on that land was Israel! Since the expulsion of Israel, by Rome, there has never been an independent nation on that land, until 1948.

The land that the Friends of Sabeel call “Palestinian land”, was a part of Jordan until 1967. Before that it was part of the British Mandate, and before that it was under the Ottoman Turks for 500 years. Before that it was controlled by various empires, including Rome, but the “Palestinians” never had sovereignty over it!

It is true that the Philistines had sovereignty in the small south west corner known today as the Gaza strip. David, the future king of Israel, actually lived with the king of the Philistines for a time. Their territory was only in that small corner, and never extended to Judea and Samaria, nor Jerusalem. Not only this but God Himself has given the land of the Philistines to Israel.

For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. Zephaniah 2:4-7

Israel is the only nation on earth that has been given a deed to their land from God Himself. This explains why the nations of the world are so against her. If the bible is true, then not only does Israel get the land God promised them, but the nations themselves deserve an eternity in the Lake of Fire! If the bible is true, then not only does Israel get the land, but the Saviour from Israel, Jesus Christ, is the only way to God, and is the very one who will judge the nations!

As I said earlier, the Antichrist will succeed in expelling the people of Israel for a very short time. These “Friends of Sabeel” will no doubt rejoice at that time, but I can assure you their rejoicing will be short lived. Jesus Christ Himself will personally restore the land to the people of Israel, and the armies of the Antichrist will suffer the greatest military defeat in the history of the world! If these people are Christians, then Jesus Christ will indeed return bringing God’s wrath against (professing) Christians!

5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. 6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. 7 And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. 8 For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. (Isaiah 34:5-8)

Note: “Idumea” is the Greek form of Edom, the tribe descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother, which makes up about 1/3 of the inhabitants of the nation to the east of Israel today. Jeremiah 48-49, and Ezekiel 35, also elaborate more about the Lord’s displeasure with this nation. (Don’t worry about the reference to “unicorns” it could actually be a reference to the demons that lead those people.)

The phrase “the controversy of Zion” is so current it could come from today’s headlines. No, God will not allow the nations to divide His land. His promises are irrevocable! Interestingly, God actually does have a promise for these people, but it doesn’t include a Palestinian state:

14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. 16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people. 17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 12:14-17)

When you attribute things to God, which He doesn’t attribute to Himself, you have created a god in your own image, which is idolatry. This is precisely what this Kairos Palestine Document does. God gave the land to Israel, and He never changed His mind. When they say “it is a sin for Israel to occupy their own land” they are putting words into the mouth of the Lord. I can assure you, this has not escaped His notice.

Because thou (Edom) hast said, These two nations and these two countries (Israel and Judah) shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: Ezekiel 35:10

Read the whole passage, in context, I can assure you it is very relevant to the situation we are discussing.

Some people are offended that Israel’s main right to the land is based on the bible. “How relevant is such an old document to today’s world?” they ask. I actually think God relishes the situation. It gives Him the opportunity to show that something He inspired, some 3,000 years ago, is not only relevant today, but will be for all eternity!

God’s Word is more important to Him than even His name, which is very important, by the way:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalms 138:2

These “Friends of Sabeel” are actually fighting the God they claim to worship! They need to repent before it is too late! You can’t be a friend of God, and fight Him and His Chosen People at the same time.

As I continue to read the Kairos Palestine Document I am continually shocked at the hatred, lies, and blatant propaganda, it contains. Their use of Scripture is entirely out of context. I will do a more in-depth analysis of that document at a later time.

In the mean time, Shalom!

Dan Knezacek

HADRIAN’S CURSE –– THE INVENTION OF PALESTINE

Posted in Christian Doctrine, Prophecy, World Events | Tagged canadian friends of sabeel, friends of sabeel, Israel, jerusalem, Palestine, palestinian propaganda, palestinians | Leave a comment

The Timing of the Ezekiel 35 War

Posted on January 31, 2012 by dknezacek

Bill Sallus, in an article entitled Ezekiel 35, the Arab-Israeli War Before Ezekiel 38 states that he believes the war described in Ezekiel 35 will occur before the war of Ezekiel 38. In short, he makes the claim that this war appears to be the same as the Psalm 83 war.

Unfortunately, because he is using newer bible versions, the reading of Ezekiel 35:5 has changed significantly. The AV rendering is as follows:

5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

The relevant phrase is “in the time that their iniquity had an end“, which is very different from the ASV he had quoted which says “in the time of the iniquity of the end;” This slight change can subtract years from the interpretation of the text. Note that Bill also quoted the NKJV which reads the same as the AV in this verse.

The AV and NKJV rendering actually times this war during the latter half of the Tribulation period and not in the early part, nor before it. Israel’s iniquity has not yet come to an end, and will not, until they receive Jesus as their Savior, during the latter half of the Tribulation period, when they flee the Antichrist. Note that “in the time of their calamity” is also a reference to the latter half of the Tribulation period, “the time of Jacob’s trouble“.

I think it is dangerous to be searching through new versions of the bible, trying to find renderings that fit more along the lines of our preconceived ideas. It is better to stick with a literal version, like the AV, and allow the Word of God to mold our understanding. I can’t say the AV is perfect, but I can say it is without significant error, which is something I can’t say about any modern version.

How do I know that the older version is correct? Verse 14 tells us:

14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.

The whole earth will not rejoice until the millennial reign of Christ. Thus confirming the timing at the later part of the Tribulation, and Armageddon itself. The desolation of Edom takes place at the return of Christ, and goes on throughout the millennial reign.

Furthermore, the bible predicts that Edom, and all of the descendants of Moab and Ammon, will participate in Armageddon, so its demise must be during and not before that event. Jeremiah 25:15-33 is a passage that describes the nations of the earth coming against Israel, and Edom is in the middle of them.

15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. 16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. 17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me: 18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; 20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, 21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, 22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea, 23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners, 24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert, 25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, 26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. 27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. 29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. 30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. 32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. 33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Jeremiah 25:15-33

The world has never seen a war in which all the nations of the earth participate. Notice also that at this battle God is bringing Judgment against Jerusalem as well as “ all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth“. This must be Armageddon, for the final battle at the end of the Millennium will not include Edom, for these passages and many others describe the fact that Edom will no longer exist at that time. See Obadiah 1:18.

Zechariah 13:8 tells us that 2/3 of Israel will die during Armageddon. This is a judgment of the Lord. The 1/3 that is left will turn en-mass to Jesus, and be delivered, but don’t ever let anyone tell you that the Tribulation will be a safe time for Israel. It is God’s judgment against her, and the whole world, and it is precisely this judgment that will result in the largest harvest of souls the world has ever seen. It is not referred to as “The Time of Jacobs Trouble”, for nothing!

Good times, and prosperity, do not bring us to God, but bad times and judgment do! For this reason we know that the prosperity “gospel” being taught by people like T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, & etc, cannot come from the God of the bible.

At the final battle, at the end of the millennium, God does not bring the nations against Jerusalem, it is Satan by himself. (Isaiah 54:14-15) The final battle is not God’s judgment against Jerusalem, therefore this battle, of Jeremiah 25, can only be Armageddon, and Edom is in the thick of it. Therefore we know that Edom’s demise is the result of this battle, and not prior to it.

I would therefore time Ezekiel 35 during the latter half of the Tribulation, during Armageddon. Ezekiel 38-39 will occur at the end of the Church-age, shortly before the beginning of the Tribulation itself. An in-context reading of Scripture must conclude that the Ezekiel 35 war actually comes after 38 in chronological order.

I do agree with Mr. Sallus, that the Psalm 83 war will occur before the Gog/Magog war, but I believe that they both will occur during the waning years of the Church Age, and not during the Tribulation.

The Psalm 83 war is imminent, I believe, and the evidence is that both it, and the Gog/Magog conflict, are Church Age events that will actually set-up the world for the Tribulation, and Armageddon.

This subject is covered in much more depth in The Spirit of Prophecy, along with many more End Times related subjects.

Posted in Christian Doctrine, Prophecy | Tagged Armageddon, Bill Sallus, end times, Ezekiel 35 war, prophecy, religion | Leave a comment

Netanyahu’s Options

Posted on January 26, 2012 by dknezacek

I found this political cartoon on Arutz Sheva, the Israel National News website, that illustrates the situation that Netanyahu is facing right now. So many of our western politicians seem to think “if you’re nice to Iran they will be nice to you”.

This western dream will turn into a nightmare if someone doesn’t do something about Iran’s drive toward nuclear weapons. The Iranian leadership has a faith in the twelfth imam, the Imam Mahdi, and talking with them plays into their hand. This is a game they have been playing with the west for at least seven years now.

The Imam Mahdi, they believe, will take over the world and usher in the world-wide Caliphate. They actually don’t care if they, or their own people, die, just as long as Islam advances. In fact the Twelvers have a belief that if they cause chaos in the world, it will hasten the coming of the Imam Mahdi!

Our western leaders fail to see the difference between the Chinese and Russians, who had the bomb during the cold war, and the modern regime in Tehran. They point to the government in Pakistan, who are also Muslims, have the bomb and haven’t used it. I think the difference is that the Pakistani government don’t appear to be Twelvers, not yet anyway.

Netanyahu’s option is essentially; A non-nuclear war now, or a nuclear war later. Which would you chose?

Netanyahu faces a "catch 22" situation

Ahmadinejad has prayed publicly, at the UN, for the return of the Mahdi. He is not shy about his devotion to this person. While he publicly denies that he wants to start a war, it is undeniable that the predictions about the arrival of this person focus on a major international conflict.

An interesting quote from a Muslim website concerning the Mahdi:

 (Mundhir al-Jawzi) said: I heard (Ja'far al-Sadiq) say: "Before the
    coming of the one who will rise (al-qa'im), peace be on him, the people
    will be chided for their acts of disobedience by a fire which will appear
    in the sky and a redness which will cover the sky. It will swallow up
    Baghdad, it will swallow up Kufa. There blood will be shed and
    houses destroyed. Death (fana) will occur amid their people and a
    fear will come over the people of Iraq from which they shall have no
    rest."

As I stated in The Spirit of Prophecy, I expect that several Arab capitals will be destroyed during the Psalm 83 war. I would expect that it is likely that Baghdad will be destroyed at that time, and it looks to me like the Twelvers will be looking for the arrival of the Mahdi at that time. I expect that war will result in the coming of a pseudo-Antichrist, a decoy or three, to whom the world will point to and say “that’s the Antichrist!”

Some point to the fact that Christians are awaiting the return of Christ, and the Apocalypse, so how are our beliefs different than Ahmadinejad’s? Here’s the difference, Christians believe that Jesus Christ will bring in His own reign. He doesn’t depend on us to create the kingdom of God on earth. This view of Islam has more in common with the New Apostolic Reformation, and the New Age movement, than it has with true Christianity.

For more information see:

Iran’s Nukes, the Twelfth Imam, and Apocalyptic Martyrdom

Imam Mahdi, the twelfth Imam

“Our revolution’s main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi”

For more information on biblical Eschatology (the study of End Times) see The Spirit of Prophecy, by Daniel Knezacek.

Posted in Christian Doctrine, World Events | Tagged Armageddon, imam mahdi, netanyahu's options, the twelfth imam | Leave a comment

China and India Opting Out of Iran Sanctions

Posted on January 24, 2012 by dknezacek

According to a Debka report from January 23, India has signed a deal with Iran to buy Iranian oil using gold instead of dollars. China is set to follow suit.

These two countries are thus opting out of the US led embargo against Iran, intended to stall Iran’s nuclear program. Turkey is also refusing to go along with the embargo. Russia is also quietly in talks with Tehran, to pay for oil in currencies other than the US dollar.

India and China account for 40% of Iran’s oil exports of 2.5 million barrels per day.

Now, it doesn’t take a stock analyst to figure out that this type of deal will have an effect on the value of both gold, and the dollar. Gold will go up, and the dollar will slump.

It doesn’t take a military analyst, either, to figure out that sooner or later something’s going to give. Iran is working feverishly toward producing their own nuclear weapons, with the stated intent to use them. They have learned well, from Libya’s experience, that countries without WMDs get attacked.

This week the EU voted for sanctions against Iran beginning on July 1, and the US has imposed sanctions against Iran’s third largest bank. Why July, and why the third largest bank, is the mind-boggling question. Why not the Iranian central bank? It appears the leadership of the west has traded sanity for lunacy! Our leaders are a bunch of Neville Chamberlain clones! Following such failed policies is guaranteed to lead us into war!

Sanctions have a checkered past, as for effectiveness against dictators, and putting them off for six months, and then not making them complete, is a sign of weakness that the Iranians can’t escape noticing.

It is very clear that the west is not serious in their support of Israel. Either that or they are trying to encourage a Middle East war.

All this is playing into the bible’s End Times scenario. There will be wars in the Middle East. They are unavoidable. These wars are serving to align the nations into the two camps described in the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 passages. These two major End Times invasions of Israel are looming on the horizon.

For more information on these wars, and their timing, read The Spirit of Prophecy, by Dan Knezacek.

China and India opting out of Iran Sanctions

Posted in Prophecy, World Events | Tagged India China gold for oil, ineffective sanctions, Middle East War, sanctions against Iran | Leave a comment

Code Orange Controversy

Posted on January 22, 2012 by dknezacek

On Monday January 16^th, I sat down to watch Matt Chandler speak at the Code Orange revival conference at Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, on Apprising Ministries website. I was actually very surprised. Apprising Ministries is a discernment ministry that usually focuses on bad news. They have done a lot of good work exposing the errors of the Emerging/Emergent church and the New Apostolic Reformation, and I expected a clip exposing more error from that camp.

What I got was a clear, powerful, gospel presentation! I kept listening and waiting for a big error and all I got was truth. By the time it was done all I could do was say “Praise the Lord” even Steven Furtick’s church can’t stop the gospel!

Truthfully, I can’t endorse everything that Mr. Chandler is involved with, but what I saw in this presentation was the simple truth of the gospel. There were some hints of Calvinism, but really what he was talking about is the one thing that all blood-bought, born-again Christians have in common. Calvinists, Arminians, and Biblicists, all look to the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross. Without the gospel of Jesus Christ, you actually can’t have Christianity, or salvation!

The next day I went back to the Apprising post to check on what they are saying about it, and this is what was showing instead of the video:

Amazing! A clear, accurate, powerful presentation of the gospel and Elevation Church won’t allow it to be presented on YouTube?

What happened? According to a twitter post from Geoff Schultz, an Elevation Church staffer, the ministry team at Elevation decided that they would rather “focus on Jesus”!

Here’s a screenshot (courtesy of Apprising Ministries) of Schultz’ Facebook wall:

Must be another Jesus!

I can tell you this; The Holy Spirit is all about pointing people to the cross of Jesus Christ! He would never lead any church to suppress a sermon like this! Must be another spirit!

It appears that the incident is because Matt Chandler made some remarks about Elevation Church that were mild rebukes of that organization. I didn’t hear anything that I considered offensive, and I really didn’t hear anything that I would characterize as a rebuke at all. But, maybe I’m a little thick that way. What was said was done in a loving manner, but pride often gets the better of people, even Christians.

As Matt Chandler said “It’s not about you, It’s about Jesus!”

Chris Rosebrough, of Pirate Christian Radio, has done an excellent commentary, and follows it up with the complete sermon by Matt Chandler.

See the following link at Pirate Christian Radio here

Unfortunately for the attendees, since Matt Chandler was one of the first of the conference to speak, and because of all the narcissistic preaching of the others, most will forget this important sermon.

I watched some of Stovall Weems speak on Wednesday night, and I must say I don’t understand why he has 10,000 people attend his services. Actually, maybe I do understand. He makes them feel good about themselves. He tickles their ears.

I’m sorry, he makes me nauseated. He gets the crowd all worked up, and then slips in little heresies, and they don’t seem to notice. His reference to tithing is a problem. The tithe was meant for Israel, and was not commanded for Christians. Christians are the body of Christ. Christ indwells us through the Holy Spirit, which is a totally different relationship to God, than Israel ever had! We are not under law! An excellent book on tithing, every Christian should read is Tithing, Low Realm, Obsolete, and Defunct by Matthew Narramore.

When heresies like this are repeated frequently in Christian Churches, the repetition dulls our senses. We hear it so often that it sounds Christian. But it isn’t! This isn’t to say that it doesn’t work. Of course it works, that is why they keep on doing it. Fill the coffers by making the congregation feel guilty. This way you don’t actually have to be faithful to the Word of God, and church becomes a business!

The truth is that every born-again Christian is a child of God. We want to give because we want to be a part of our Father’s business, but the bible specifies no minimum nor maximum percentage. If you are saved you will reap proportionally to what you sow, and if you are not saved, giving to the church will not save you! When so many Churches teach so many errors, we are left with the question; is it, or is it not, the Lord’s business?

I am having a hard time with this guy. He says that Jesus is so attractive that living a spiritual life is easy? Putting the flesh to death becomes easy when we get infatuated with Jesus? Why then, did Paul say “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24) I don’t think anyone was ever more infatuated with Jesus than Paul! No, dying is not easy, and Christians have to die to self daily. We aren’t always successful.

“God likes you” says Stovall Weems. As the author of Do Not Be Surprised said, “this place will be full of narcissistic preaching”. She was right. There is no hint in Scripture that God “likes” us. There is ample evidence that we were all born as objects of His wrath, deserving only Hell and judgment! “Love” and “like” are two different things. The bible was written to show us that God loves us, wretched, miserable, unlikeable creatures, and desires to save us from the doom we so richly deserve.

It is about Him! It is His love that is so remarkable.

For those who receive the salvation He offers everyone, God will change us so we look like His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. When we are like Jesus, when we have put off this corruptible body, then God may actually like us, but that won’t happen while we live in fleshly bodies on this earth.

I have been in conservative churches, and in more liberal ones, and I am getting more, and more alarmed. The doctrines I see being taught in both kinds of churches are more similar than they are different, and they are less and less bible based.

In chapter 3 of The Spirit of Prophecy I examined the modern trend of Christian apostasy. That chapter was just an overview, the tip of the iceberg if you will. The rot is spreading fast. This is a sign of the soon return of Jesus Christ!

Is Steven Furtick Suppressing the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Steven Furtick Has Code Orange Sermon Of Matt Chandler Pulled

CODE ORANGE REVIVAL: TO FOCUS ON JESUS, WE CUT THE ONLY SERMON THAT POINTED PEOPLE TO HIM

Posted in Christian Doctrine, World Events | Tagged Code Orange revival, Steven Furtick Matt Chandler, tithing | 2 Comments

Gaps in Prophecy vs. the Gap Theory

Posted on January 14, 2012 by dknezacek

In my last post I alluded to the fact that prophetic passages often have gaps that can span several millennia. After making that statement I realized that these gaps may have provided some rationale for the popular Gap Theory of creation.

Do the gaps in prophetic passages have any relation to the modern “Gap Theory”? The Gap theory is a reaction of compromise to the Uniformitarian views of Hutton, Lyell, and Darwin, of the nineteenth century. One might argue that since there are gaps in prophetic passages, that God may have placed similar gaps in passages of historical narrative, like Genesis 1. Is there any truth to this hypothesis?

First, lets examine some prophetic passages and see if there are gaps there.

Jesus, when speaking of fulfilment of prophecy actually does show us that there can be gaps in these passages and they can even show up in the middle of sentences;

Luke 4:17 “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

Notice the end of verse 19. Now compare that to the original passage of Isaiah 61;

1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;”

Notice that Jesus stopped in the middle of a sentence. The little word “and” comprises a gap of at least two thousand years. The day of vengeance of our God is a reference to the Tribulation period, which will occur immediately before Jesus’ return to set up His millennial kingdom on earth. This hasn’t happened to date, and is a yet future event.

This phenomenon is not limited to Isaiah 61, but can be demonstrated in other passages of Scripture.

Zechariah chapter 11 as a prime example of a prophetic passage which skips through several different prophetic time periods in one chapter. Verses 1-2 appear to be referring to the Psalm 83 war, an End Times war.

1 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 2 Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

Verse 3 appears to refer to another war, possibly at another time. Usually the word “Jordan” in Scripture refers to the river, but this passage may actually be a reference to the modern nation. If this is the case it could be a reference to the Psalm 83 war, but I personally think it goes ever farther in the future to Armageddon itself:

3 There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

Verses 4-6 appear to refer to the time Israel was scattered among the nations. A skip back by several thousand years. While it could be a reference to the Tribulation, the fact that the Lord says “I will not deliver them” would seem to indicate a skip back to the scattering of Israel among the nations, shortly after Isaiah’s time:

4 “Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. 6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them”.

In verses 7-10 the prophet appears to be taking on the identity of the Antichrist! The three shepherds he, cut-off in one month, appear to represent the three kings the Antichrist destroys in Daniel 7:8, and the breaking of the covenant in verse 10 appears to refer to the time when the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, in Daniel 9:27. While it could possibly still be connected to the scattering of Israel, yet God does not break His covenants. This makes me think of another person.

7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. 8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. 10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

Then in verses 12-13 we have a beloved prophecy about Jesus and his betrayal by Judas, a prophecy that skips back some two thousand years from the previous verses.

12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

In Verse 14 the prophet goes back even farther in time to the split between Israel and Judah which occurred long before Isaiah was born, unless it is prophetic of another split in Israel in the future, which I doubt. I would think that it is more likely a reference to the fact that many Israelites did not join up with the Jews, but went to other parts of the world, like Pakistan and Afghanistan, and converted to Islam.

14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Then in verses 15-17 the prophet once again goes forward in time to concentrate on the Antichrist. This time he focuses on a wound the Antichrist will receive, where he loses the use of one arm, and his right eye is blinded. This appears to be the result of the fatal wound he receives in Revelation 13:3-14. Evidently, when the Antichrist is “resurrected” he will be crippled from that time on.

15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. 17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Here are the related passages from Revelation 13.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live

So, this chapter has some 5-7 jumps backward and forward in time! My point is that it really is impossible to understand prophetic passages without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The human mind can’t follow the skips and turns, and u-turns, that many of these passages take, not without help anyway.

So do these provable prophetic gaps mean that there could actually be similar gaps in Genesis 1, between the creation days?

I don’t think so. God views all of history at once and so this would explain why prophecy skips around a lot. It is viewed from God’s perspective, watching all of history as a whole. Historical narrative is written from the perspective of one who is watching the events described in time, as it happens. In other words historical narrative must be chronological. If there are gaps the author will tell us about them.

The life of David is a good example of a historical narrative with gaps. You can read about David’s life in the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, as well as many of the Psalms. If you read continuously you could read everything recorded about David’s life in one day. The bible only records the highlights of his life, but there were many years of normal, day-to-day business of life, which is not recorded.

So how do we know how long David lived? It tells us;

4 “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.”

Any gaps in the story of David’s life fit within the seventy years he lived.

So, once again, how do we know that there aren’t gaps in the Genesis 1 account of creation? Moses tells us;

“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:11)

When reading the Genesis account there are no gaps in the narrative. Using the plain-sense, literal understanding of the passage one would never understand that there were gaps, because the author did not intend for His readers to see gaps there. Moses did not see gaps there, and no-one, until Lyell and Hutton, ever saw gaps there either.

Every day is delineated by the phrase “And the evening and the morning were the first day.” In other words God defines “day” as a time period with one evening and one morning. There is no room in Genesis one for gaps, or for million-year-long days.

Besides this there are other impossibilities there which would indicate gaps are impossible. In verses 9-13 we have the water running off the land and the creation of plants, during day three, then in verses 14-19 we have the creation of the sun, moon, and the stars, in day four! If there was a million, or billion year gap, between these days you would have plants existing for millions of years without the sun. Now that is a miracle!

Of course since God created light on day one, and the sun and moon on day four, the light for the morning and evening on the first three days would have had to come from God Himself.

So let’s think about the scenario that the Gap theorists, and other Old Earth theorists want us to believe. The earth existed for millions, or perhaps billions, of years, with God playing around on its surface, really without any plan. Giving life to an amoeba in one place, and tweaking a gene here, and there, in a lackadaisical fashion, really without plan or purpose. Given the amazing progress of the human race in the last hundred years, the God of this view is not very intelligent. Actually I guess I’ve strayed into the territory of the theistic evolutionists.

The Gap theorists would have us believe that God spent a day creating stuff, and then waited millions, or billions, of years before doing something else. What a lazy God! Work a day, and spend a billion years taking a holiday! The dream of every trade-unionist!

While attempting to harmonize the large number of fossils in the rock layers with Scripture, this theory attempts to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. The vast majority of the fossils are explained by the Genesis flood, which was a world-wide flood. Not only is rapid burial and fossilization the best answer to the vast amount of fossils, it is the only answer that makes any sense. Animals that die and are left on the surface are eaten and disintegrate in a very short time. Rapid burial in a mineral rich environment is the only explanation that fits the facts. In other words long ages are not necessary.

The other problem with this idea is that, at the end of the creation week, God said: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Gen 1:31) If the garden of Eden was built on the bones of billions of dead creatures, God’s statement would have been a lie. This is a problem Gap theorists, Day Agers, and Theistic Evolutionists have in common. How could it be “very good” for God to have built His creation on the bodies of billions of dead things?

Furthermore, God’s statement that all that He had created was very good, also applied to the angels. This means that Lucifer had not yet fallen. Those who postulate a pre-human civilization on earth have nothing to stand on.

The bible is also very clear that death was brought onto the earth by man. If animals had existed and died for billions of years without the presence of man on earth, then these statements are a lie, and God can’t blame death on man. This is the whole point of the attacks on the creation account. Satan wants to undermine the gospel of Jesus Christ. By destroying the foundations he is able to destroy the entire building, in the minds of those who believe him.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12)

“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” (1 Corinthians 15:21) (Adam brought death upon us, Jesus brings life)

Paul’s statements above, indicate that he accepted the literal, plain sense understanding of Genesis 1, which means that not only did he understand that sin and death came from Adam, but he didn’t see gaps in the record either. There was no death of any creature, before Adam sinned.

These ideas are actually a fulfillment of prophecy themselves. 2Tim 3:5 says this about many professing Christians of the last days, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away“. These people, while allowing that there might actually be a God, degrade him to less than human status with their theories and hypotheses. This is the God who spoke the world into existence, and is the master programmer of DNA. He doesn’t need us to create the “Kingdom of God on earth”, he is quite capable of doing it Himself!

Getting back to our original question then; Do the gaps in prophetic passages have any relation to the modern “Gap Theory”? The answer is that it is a misapplication of demonstrable gaps in prophetic passages, that do not apply to historical narrative passages.

For more information on Creation, Evolution, and other related origins theories, see the following links:

http://www.icr.org/

http://creation.com/

http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Written by Dan Knezacek

Posted in Christian Doctrine, Prophecy | Tagged Creation Evolution, Gap Theory, Genesis 1 interpretation, Prophetic Gaps vs. the Gap Theory | Leave a comment

Signs of Imminent Rapture

Posted on January 6, 2012 by dknezacek

Before I even began thinking about writing The Spirit of Prophecy, I had a keen interest in biblical prophecy for many years. One of the things I noticed was that, with all of the various schemes, there were always things that didn’t fit. One common view says that Jesus will rapture the Church without any warning. Other views say that the rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation, with lots of warning. The different views can all point to scripture passages that seem to support their contentions.

A true view on any subject in Scripture, however, must harmonize the whole bible, and not pit one part against another. To be fair, none of us knows everything, and there are always questions.

Studying Jesus’ words of Matthew 24:6, I noticed that one phrase, in particular, seems to be frequently ignored “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet”

What we need to be ask about this phrase is “Why would Jesus’ disciples be troubled by wars and rumours of wars?” The world has gone through two thousand years of almost constant warfare, from that time until this. While Christians don’t like war, it doesn’t trouble us in a spiritual sense.

Jesus’ inclusion of this command should indicate to us that there is something different about the wars that He is referring to. Christians could be troubled by the wars in question, not because they are wars per sé, but because these wars resemble the Tribulation period.

If Christians are “not objects of wrath”, then they should not go through the Tribulation period, which is God’s wrath against mankind. True Christians won’t of course, but Satan is free to make other wars look like the Tribulation, if he can. This is key to understanding this passage, and much of End Times prophecy! While Satan is on a leash, he is not an automaton, and he is very intelligent. Never underestimate your enemy! God has a purpose in allowing Satan’s deceptions to continue.

Luke 21:28 is a related passage: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”

Some will say that the context of this statement is the return of Christ at the end of the Tribulation period, and at first glance it appears to be the case, however Scripture often skips backward and forward within prophetic passages. The clue that this is a skip backward is the phrase “when these things begin”. He is going from talking about the end to talking about the beginning.

Tribulation believers will not only see the beginning of the End Times, they will also see the ending of them, those who are not killed by the Antichrist, that is. Believers who “lift up their heads” during the Tribulation period will have them cut off! Therefore we know that the people in the passage are Church age saints who see the wars and rumours of wars Jesus spoke of in Matt. 24.

Yes indeed, there are signs before the rapture! When Jesus says “Watch” he is referring to these signs.

The redemption spoken of in Luke 21:28 is the rapture of the Church, and not His return in glory, which He had just spoken of in the previous verse. The “end” is His return in glory, but the End Times will begin during the Church-age, even before the rapture of the Church.

Even in Joel we see that there are three passages that talk about the sun being dimmed and the moon looking like blood, before the Tribulation.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” Joel 2:31

If we define the entire Tribulation period as the Day of the Lord, then this phenomenon must occur before the Tribulation actually begins, i.e. during the later part of the Church-age. The question then becomes, does God define the entire Tribulation as the Day of the Lord? I believe He does, and also that it extends all the way to the end of the millennial reign of Christ, and the destruction of this present earth.

Even if He only defines the last 3 1/2 years as the Tribulation, this phenomenon could still occur during the Church-age. The word “before” is rather open-ended. It will occur sometime before the Day of the Lord, perhaps even several years before. I am convinced that Joel 2:31 is referring to the same events that Jesus is referring to in Matt. 4:6 and Luke 21:28, at least two prophetically significant wars that occur during the winding-down of the Church-age.

As I studied the wars of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39, I realized that there is a real possibility that nuclear weapons could be used in at least one of these conflicts. While scripture does not say exactly when the Isaiah 17:1 destruction of Damascus, will occur, it is obviously an End Times event. The evidence is that the Psalm 83 conflict will be the war that ends Damascus, and I also think this same war will likely see other Arab cities destroyed in like manner. Isaiah 19:18 speaks of an Egyptian city being known as “the city of destruction”. Could this be Cairo, and could it occur during the same war? I think so.

Zechariah 11:1 speaks of the cedars of Lebanon being destroyed by fire. No doubt this is a euphemism that also includes Hezbollah, and other terrorists of Lebanon. The previous chapter, verse 10, speaks of the returning Israelites having to go to Lebanon because there is not enough room for them in Israel or Gilead. Well, they can’t go there today, but once 11:1 is fulfilled there will be nothing to stop them. Is Zechariah 11:1 a reference to the same Psalm 83 war? I think so.

I also think that after the Psalm 83 war, Israel may well give up her nuclear weapons, because of world pressure. The world will say that “Since Israel now has peace with the Arabs, there is no reason for them to keep nuclear arms”. I think Israel will agree, because they will indeed have peace with the Arabs, a peace that will actually work for several years.

It may actually be a pseudo-Antichrist, from Europe, who convinces Israel to give up their nuclear weapons, by promising them protection should they need it. He’ll likely be the same guy who helps broker a peace deal at the end of the Psalm 83 war. Now, wouldn’t it make sense, that the Russian-Iranian coalition might make a preemptive nuclear strike on the European headquarters, if they thought a European army might stand in their way when they attack Israel?

Hmm, If Rome was destroyed in a nuclear blast, that also destroyed a charismatic European leader and the pope at the same time, wouldn’t most Christians interpret this as fulfilment of Revelation 17-18?

Here’s another thought; The bible says nothing about the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If Rome is not Babylon the Harlot of Revelation 17, then God is not obligated to tell us anything of her demise. If she is destroyed in a peripheral event surrounding the Gog-Magog war, it is of minor prophetic consequence, but the interpretation of her demise could have dramatic consequences!

Where will the Catholic Church move its headquarters? Babylon, perhaps? Will this destruction lead the religions of the world to unite to prevent such destruction from occurring ever again? With Rome destroyed will protestants feel safe in uniting with the remnants of the Catholic Church? Many protestants only believe that Rome needs to be “reformed”, after all!

I expect this scenario will play itself out during and after the Gog-Magog war, at the end of the peace following the Psalm 83 war.

Where are the Arabs in the Gog-Magog account? I think we actually do see the Arabs in Ezekiel 38-39, but not as combatants. Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish appear to be Arab entities. Notice that they say to the invading armies “Are you COME to take a spoil?” In other words the invading armies have to come through the territory of these nations and they don’t have the means to stop them, so they just register a diplomatic protest and allow them through. Probably as a result of their peace with Israel, their armies will be very small, and no match for Iran, Russia, and Turkey.

If the destruction of Damascus occurs before the Gog-Magog war we will see the Syrians relocating their capital. I think they will choose Tartus as their new capital, which is their most important port on the Mediterranean. This would explain the reference to Tarshish. It is not the Tarsus of Turkey, for that would give us the unlikely situation of having Turkey participating in a war, which one of her own major cities protests against.

It is this same Arab/Israeli peace that is referred to in Ezekiel 38:8 & 11, and it is this lack of nuclear arms that will cause God to directly intervene on Israel’s behalf during this war. They will be finally learning to lean on God and not on their own weapons, but salvation for Israel as a whole, will have to wait for the Tribulation period itself.

A detailed study will show that the final re-gathering of Israel in Ezekiel 39:25 is also spoken of in Isaiah 27:12-13. Note that the Isaiah passage speaks of a trumpet associated with this final gathering of Israel. The evidence is that this is the same trumpet Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 15:52 relating to the rapture of the Church. Since the book of Revelation had not been written at the time Paul wrote, he could not have been referring to anything in that book.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (Isaiah 27:12)

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:52)

This is the last trumpet for the dispersion of Israel, and the same trumpet that calls the Church home. God will now deal with the nations through Israel and not the Church, anymore.

This would mean that the rapture will occur after the Gog-Magog war, but before the real Tribulation begins! Both the Psalm 83, and Ezekiel 38-39, wars are actually Church-age wars!

For more information see The Spirit of Prophecy by Daniel Knezacek.

Posted in Christian Doctrine, World Events | Tagged Antichrist, Counterfeit, ecumenical unity, rapture of the church, rapture timing, signs of the rapture, Signs of the times, Tribulation Period | 4 Comments

Denver International Airport and the New World Order

Posted on January 3, 2012 by dknezacek

Roof line of the Denver International Airport

As I did my research for The Spirit of Prophecy, I came up with the idea that it is in Satan’s interest to produce a pseudo, or decoy, Tribulation period. Furthermore it also appears that this idea provides an explanation for much of the End Times prophecies in the bible.

At the time this seemed like a minor discovery, but in hindsight it appears to be one of the more significant ideas I have ever come across.

In Jeremiah 16 God told Israel that He would bring one Tribulation upon them, after he brings them back to the land.

Jeremiah 16:18 “And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.”

At first glance it may appear that I am saying something unbiblical. That God will bring two Tribulations upon Israel. This is not the case. I am saying that the first one is a Church-age war, not Armageddon, and after this God will bring the real Tribulation upon Israel, and the whole earth.

This is why I have called it a “Pseudo-Tribulation”. It is a fake, designed to lead Israel and the world to accept the Antichrist at the time when they expect their messiah to appear. Actually it is a real fulfillment of prophecy, but when it is interpreted as Armageddon, it becomes a trap!

For years I had heard reports of New Age prophecies that explain-away things like the rapture of the Church. That “space aliens” would transfer those unable to transition into the “new paradigm”, into another dimension for “retraining”. Satan has been anticipating the rapture for some time, and is busy providing an alternative explanation.

The New Age has frequently made prophecies that echo the biblical End Times prophecies. Even Hitler’s “Thousand Year Reich” was a counterfeit of the millennial reign of Christ, spoken of in Revelation chapter 20.

Some months after The Spirit of Prophecy was published, I was surprised to find that the artwork in the Denver International Airport seems to confirm my thesis. As you view these pictures from vigilantcitizen.com you will notice that they parallel the biblical scenario of world chaos (the Tribulation), world war with an Antichrist-like person (Armageddon), and then, after his death, the rebirth into a New World Order of peace and safety, for the survivors (the millennial reign of Christ).

You will also notice that these murals only show these events occurring once, like the biblical account. Jesus, however, told us that the sign of the end would be “wars and rumors of wars”. It is my belief that this phrase encompasses this pseudo-Tribulation period.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matt 24:6)

Let me ask you this; Since the world has seen almost 2,000 years of continuous warfare, why would Jesus’ followers be troubled by just another war? Why would He make a point to tell them not to be troubled? The answer is rather simple; Christians could easily be troubled by these things, because they look like the Tribulation period itself!

Have you ever asked the question “Why would New Age pagans make predictions that are so close to the truth?” The answer is rather simple. So simple that most have missed it! They are referring to a counterfeit Tribulation, Antichrist, and Armageddon!

Many people living in those days will begin to say “Maybe we were wrong, the rapture isn’t pre-trib after all.” When the rapture actually does occur, shortly after the Gog-Magog war, these same people will be saying “That wasn’t the rapture, those people were taken in judgment, because they were not ready to participate in the kingdom of God on earth, the New Age!”

A careful study of the Tribulation period, in Revelation chapters 4-19, will reveal what the actual Tribulation really will look like. You must interpret these passages literally. The creatures described are not helicopters, or some other man-made creation. They are supernatural judgments from God, and probably demonic. When the Euphrates river dries up, to allow the kings of the east to cross into Israel, it is because of a major drought, and not because some dams are closed!

Allegorical interpretations of Scripture always lead to dangerous conclusions! It is a literal historical book, and was meant to be taken literally, unless the context itself indicates that allegory is used. This principle applies even to the prophetic passages.

It is no wonder that New Age leader Alice Bailey, believed the Christian Church would lead the world into the New Age! “Christians” who see this counterfeit, and believe it is the Tribulation, will indeed be ready to accept, and support, the Antichrist!

Now take a look at the artwork from the Denver International Airport, and see if you can find the parallels:

A Horse from the Apocalypse

Pale Horse of the Denver Airport

Most airports have aircraft as gate guardians, but Denver has the pale horse of the Apocalypse, complete with glowing red eyes.

The death of the current age

Here we have the death of the Church age. You see all kinds of animals stuffed in glass boxes, and three girls representing various races and faiths, lying in coffins. You also see a forest on fire, and a city burning in the background. Evidently the Church has fulfilled its purpose and must be gotten rid of.

Close up of Judeo Christian girl

This girl with a yellow star of David, and clutching a bible is symbolic of the end of Judeo-Christian civilization.

A New Age view of Armageddon

This military person represents a dictator who comes to take peace from the earth. The implication is that this is the Antichrist, but the evidence is that he is just another counterfeit. The dove, of course, represents peace, and is being slaughtered by this dictator.

New Age view of the Millennium

The New Age of Peace and Safety. The dictator of the previous mural is now dead, and the children of the world are coming together, bringing their weapons to a German boy who is pounding them into tools.

The Happy Children enter into the New Age

All the children are happy because everyone else is dead, and the world is no longer overpopulated. Who is the mystical person in the middle? Sinister Sites seems to think it is Jesus. I think it is the false prophet of the book of Revelation. The mythical plant that everyone is staring at is the Antichrist. The artist doesn’t know who he is just yet, so he draws him symbolically, as a life-giving plant. Notice the animals that were dead in a previous mural are now alive again.

Just as Jesus is the source of life, and eternal life, the Antichrist will attempt to duplicate Jesus’ abilities. The world will worship him because they think he can give them life.

Happy kids and their "plant"

Some of the websites I viewed talk about a series of underground buildings, apparently costing billions of dollars, buried at the site. Reports surfaced as early as 1995 that there was an underground complex at the DIA, and many have speculated that it is some kind of prison system for dissenters. Others try do debunk these ideas, stating that it is just the underground railway system between the terminals.

I don’t know if there is any truth to the rumors. One thing I do know, however, is people don’t spend billions of dollars on concentration camps, and they especially don’t bury them underground. It’s far easier, and cheaper, to put a bullet in your head and put you underground. If there is anything besides the underground railway system down there, in keeping with the theme of the artwork of the DIA, it is likely some sort of bunker system for certain people to hide in while the “Tribulation” is going on above ground.

I use quotation marks around “Tribulation” because I am certain the tribulation period the murals speak of is not the Tribulation of the book of Revelation. As I have documented in other posts, and above, the biblical wars referred to in Psalm 83, and in Ezekiel 38-39, are Church-age wars that appear to form the framework of a false Tribulation period. Don’t get me wrong, they will be true fulfillments of prophecy, it is the interpretation of them that presents some problems.

Alien propaganda mural

This last mural appears to show life being “seeded” on earth by aliens, and the two alien heads at the top appear to be watching us. This is the logical conclusion of the evolutionary hypothesis. Evolution has utterly failed to explain the origin of life on earth, and so this is their back-up explanation. All it does, though, is put the problem off into outer space where it can’t be tested. Who gave the aliens life, in the first place?

In chapter 9 of The Spirit of Prophecy I tackled the idea of aliens and UFOs, and demonstrated that every “close encounter” with these beings is actually a close encounter with fallen angels. The idea that aliens “seeded” life on earth is an attack on the bible, and is right in concert with the basic philosophy of the evolutionary hypothesis. This idea will result in the armies of the world attempting to fight-off Jesus Christ when He returns.

There are many more pictures from the Denver International Airport that you can view on Sinister Sites and other blogs. My point in including them here, is just to show that Satan is very busy working on his counterfeits. These counterfeits do indeed appear similar to the real thing. The whole point of Satan’s counterfeits is to confuse the world in order to cause them to support his man, instead of the God/man Jesus Christ.

Soldiers around the world learn the tactics of their most likely enemies, as a part of their training. Christians ought to know the tactics of their enemy, without falling into his trap.

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” II Corinthians 2:11

Posted in Uncategorized, World Events | Tagged Antichrist, Armageddon, Denver International Airport, Occult art, Tribulation Period | 8 Comments

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