INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
10/23/2024
Est. 1997
The following material is provided for information purposes only. Any conclusions or opinions formed should be based on the principles as outlined in Acts 17:11. The material is intended for use as a witnessing tool and to keep you informed so you will not be unaware (Luke 21:34) of what is happening according to Scripture’s
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“However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8b)
Ezekiel 34:2 “Shepherd, feed the Flock
IN GOD’S IMAGE
What is the image of God in man? The traditional view is that God’s image is certain moral, ethical, and intellectual abilities. A more recent view, based on Hebrew grammar and the knowledge of the ancient Middle East, interprets the phrase as meaning “Let us make man as our image.” In ancient times an emperor might command statues of himself to be placed in remote parts of his empire. These symbols would declare that these areas were under his power and reign. So, God placed humankind as living symbols of Himself on earth to represent His reign.” - Footnote to Gen. 1:26 Nelson Study Bible, NKJV)
URL- 7 REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
https://charismanews.com/culture/7-reasons-you-should-not-celebrate-halloween/
URL- ‘PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL WATCH OVER US’ – MESSIANIC SOLDIER TALKS ABOUT FIGHTING IN GAZA
CHRISTIAN MUSIC VIDEO
CHRIST OUR HOPE IN LIFE AND DEATH
KeithandKristyn Getty
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – “Death cannot separate those who are one in Christ” - OUR DAILY BREAD
INTERESTING ARTICLE SUMMARY
· Students speaking out after Kamala Harris mocks Jesus
· Prophetic significance of Sinwar’s death on first day of Sukkot
· Is this the most important prophetic event in recent years?
· Voting is a Biblical responsibility
· FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS
INTERESTING ARTICLES
STUDENTS SPEAKING OUT AFTER KAMALA HARRIS MOCKS JESUS
Charisma News – Oct. 21, 2024 -- At a rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Vice President Kamala Harris and her supporters openly mocked a Christian attendee who interrupted her speech by proclaiming, “Jesus is Lord.” Harris, who skipped a major Christian event in New York to attend the rally, was promoting her pro-abortion stance when the interruption occurred.
Her response, “I think you’re at the wrong rally,” was followed by laughter and cheers from the crowd, with Harris adding, “Try the smaller one down the street.”
This incident, described as a “disgusting display” by critics, highlights the growing divide between the Democratic Party and Christian values. On “FOX and Friends Weekend,” the two University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students involved in the protest shared their experience, recounting how they were heckled, pushed and eventually removed from the event.
One of the students, Luke Polaske, said, “I held [a cross] up in the air and waved at her, and she looked [me] directly in the eye, gave me an evil smirk.”
Grant Beth, the other protester, emphasized the importance of the moment for young voters, warning, “This is what you are going to get with a Kamala Harris presidency.” He argued that Harris’s actions reflect a broader disregard for Christian values, saying, “Jesus was mocked, His disciples were mocked and that’s OK. In reality, we did God’s work.”
The students’ account of being alienated and mocked by Harris and her supporters serves as a stark warning for those concerned about the direction of the country under her leadership. According to them, Harris’s decision to skip the Al Smith Memorial Dinner, a major Christian event, further solidifies her disconnect from the nation’s Christian population.
PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF SINWAR’S DEATH ON FIRST DAY OF SUKKOT
Charisma New – Oct. 21, 2024 -- One year ago, on the last day of the celebratory Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), the unthinkable happened, and a living hell was unleashed on the people of Israel. That was Oct. 7, 2023, a day that will live in infamy in the decades to come, a day that has still not ended for the hostages and the families of the victims. One year later, on the first day of Sukkot, Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the massacre, was dead.
To add to the poetic justice of the moment, Sinwar, who had eluded the best efforts of combined Israeli and American intelligence for more than one full year, was “accidentally” killed when Israeli troops exchanged gunfire with three Hamas terrorists on Wednesday in Rafah.
One of those terrorists, wounded in his right hand during the gun battle, ran into an empty building, which was then destroyed by Israel Defense Forces tank fire.
It was only afterward, on Thursday, when soldiers investigated the scene and found the bodies of these Hamas fighters, that they made the shocking discovery: This terrorist looked exactly like Sinwar!
The first day of Sukkot began on sundown Wednesday, and as the next day unfolded, the shocking news was being announced worldwide: It was very likely that Sinwar was dead.
By mid-evening Thursday Israeli time, the news was confirmed: it was a DNA match. Sinwar had been eliminated.
From everything I had read in the previous months, it was believed that Sinwar was living in the tunnels, surrounded by hostages, constantly changing his location to avoid detection.
More recently, reports indicated that he was either hoping for a regional war that could better his chances of survival or that he was resigned to his fate, knowing he would not make it out of Gaza alive. In that case, it was understood, many hostages would die with him.
There were also unconfirmed reports that he had sometimes dressed as a woman and walked the streets of Gaza, allegedly being sighted or even photographed, but none of that was confirmed.
The idea that he would be out in the open, engaging in a firefight together with other Hamas terrorists is almost unimaginable, yet that’s exactly what happened.
It reminded me immediately of the biblical account of the death of Ahab, a wicked Israelite king who went into battle without his royal robes, not wanting to draw attention to himself. “But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor,” (1 Kings 22:34a, NIV). Within hours, the king was dead.
The act was seemingly random, but since Ahab was destined to die under divine judgment, the arrow was actually guided by another hand. Is that what happened to Sinwar in Gaza?
Of course, the death of this mass murderer does not bring back any of the Israelis killed on or since Oct. 7, (including the hundreds of IDF soldiers). It does not assuage the pain of these agonizing, life-wrenching losses. Nor does it bring back any of the thousands who have died in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
But without a doubt, it brings a measure of retributive justice along with, hopefully, a crippling final blow to Hamas.
Not only so, but this is only the tip of the iceberg in Israel’s response to the massacre and the subsequent attacks from Hezbollah, Iran and the Houthis.
In recent weeks and months, Israel took out: 1) Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, along with his replacement and his replacement’s replacement; 2) Ismael Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, killed in what should have been the safety of his guest house in Tehran; 3) a number of senior Iranian military leaders; 4) thousands of Hezbollah operatives, either wounded or killed by the exploding pagers and walkie-talkies.
This is absolutely extraordinary.
It is true that Israel was guilty of systemic security failures on Oct. 7, opening the door to the massacre.
It is true that Israel was a nation deeply divided, that some of its military and security leaders had become either proud or complacent, and that some of the most radical elements of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing government were contributing to unrest in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), further stretching Israel’s security forces.
A number of Israel’s senior leaders have apologized for some of these failings, as the nation as a whole remains in the throes of war and corporate PTSD.
Yet Sinwar’s death is a beacon of hope for the nation and a reminder to the watching world that you pay a dreadful price when you seek to inflict murderous harm on the people of Israel. (Even as I write these words, Iran is still wondering how Israel will strike back in retaliation for Iran’s recent missile bombardment.) The terrorists and their allies are on high alert.
As for biblical prophecy, there is nothing in the Scriptures that specifically predicted the events of Oct. 7, or the death of Sinwar.
But it is fair to ask this question: In light of the timing of the massacre (the last day of Sukkot 2023) and now the announcement of Sinwar’s killing (the first day of Sukkot 2024), and in light of the many deadly blows inflicted on terrorist leaders and their followers in recent months, how would biblical authors describe these events? Would they attribute them to natural forces alone?
In my opinion, while the biblical authors would deeply lament the massive losses of Oct. 7, they would certainly recognize the hand of God backing Israel’s efforts since then.
I, for my part, would have a hard time differing with that assessment.
IS THIS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROPHETIC EVENT IN RECENT YEARS?
Charisma News – Oct/ 21, 2024 -- In a recent interview with The Counter Culture Mom Show’s Tina Griffin, Mondo Gonzales discusses what is potentially the most important prophetic event in modern history: Israel’s reestablishment in 1948. For Gonzales, this historic moment, when Israel was officially declared a state, aligns directly with Scripture and is one of the clearest signs that humanity is living in the “end of the age.”
“There’s no doubt that if you asked anybody who studies prophecy what’s the biggest sign of the modern times, it would be the reestablishment of the state of Israel,” Gonzales says. “God predicted it throughout the Old Testament that they would depart out of the land for a long period of time… and at the end of the age, He would bring them back.”
Gonzales points to key biblical passages, including Ezekiel 36-38 and Deuteronomy 30, that prophesy Israel’s return to the land. He emphasizes that this event sets the stage for what Christians believe to be the final chapter in human history—the return of Jesus Christ. “This is really what we’re looking for, for the Lord Himself to come back,” he adds, pointing to the culmination of God’s plan for Israel and the world.
However, Gonzales is clear that there is still more to unfold. He discusses The Great Tribulation, a seven-year period of worldwide strife, which will focus heavily on Israel as God seeks to restore the nation. “They are not in a place of salvation today… but that is going to change,” Gonzales says. “God’s going to clean things up, He’s going to save Israel, and then He’s going to restore the world to the way it should be.”
While many Christians are concerned about enduring the Tribulation, Gonzales firmly believes in a pre-Tribulation rapture. He assures fellow believers that while we may face challenges, we will not experience the final outpouring of God’s wrath. “There’s a lot of passages that teach us… even though we are exempted from this final wrath… I think things are going to get a little tougher for us before the rapture happens,” he shares. Gonzales acknowledges the suffering of Christians worldwide but maintains that the Tribulation period is specifically designated for God’s judgment, not for the church.
As the conversation shifts to the timing of these prophetic events, Gonzales avoids making specific predictions. He reflects on the 70-80 year period often considered a generation in biblical terms but cautions against setting concrete dates for Christ’s return. “I don’t set dates… but we are in the end of the age,” he says, urging believers to pay attention to the signs of the times.
Despite the uncertainties and potential hardships ahead, the Word of God reassures Christians that we have nothing to fear about the end times. “…In the world, you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I [Jesus] have overcome the world,” the Bible says in John 16:33. Jesus’ victory over sin and death is the ultimate assurance for believers as we navigate the challenges of the current age.
VOTING IS A BIBLICAL RESPONSIBILITY
Charisma News – Oct. 18, 2024 -- Saddleback Church Lead Pastor Andy Wood is encouraging Christians to take advantage of their freedom to vote, reminding them that their faith should guide their choices on Election Day.
As reported by The Christian Post, Wood emphasizes that Christians have a responsibility to engage with the political process and make informed decisions that align with biblical values. He urges voters to consider which candidate “more closely aligns with the Word of God” as they decide between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election.
Wood points out that millions of Christians are at risk of not voting, referencing data from pollster George Barna, which indicates that 32 million churchgoers could abstain. “This is problematic,” Wood says, noting that believers have a duty to participate in shaping society. “If you are a follower of Jesus, you have a responsibility in culture. …And this includes our vote.”
He also warns against voting blindly, encouraging his congregation to read and understand the policies of each candidate. “You can today, go home and download it and read it,” he says, referring to the platforms of both political parties. “Look at what they’ve done in the past. The best indicator of future performance is past behavior.”
Wood’s message highlights the biblical command that Christians are not just passive observers but are called to be the salt and light in a world in need of godly influence. By choosing not to vote, Christians are opting to sit on the sideline and remain in the shadows, rather than impacting the world in the name of Jesus.
In his sermon, Wood reminds his congregation that voting is an opportunity to glorify God. Citing 1 Corinthians 10:31, he says, “Whether you eat or drink or vote or whatever, you do it all for the glory of God.” By casting their vote, Christians put their faith into action and influence the culture around them.
Pastors across the nation are joining Woods by encouraging believers to trust in God’s sovereignty, no matter the outcome of the election, but to get involved nonetheless. “God causes kings to rise and fall. He is supreme,” Wood says. “Yes, your vote matters. Go and make a difference.”
FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS
Consistently spending time with the Lord brings joy to the believer.
When we fall in love, we want to spend time with the object of our affection. Falling in love with Jesus should be no different, but believers will often hurry through Bible reading and prayer. The result is a superficial faith kept alive by habit rather than worship. To attain lasting intimacy, we must approach the Lord with a sense of ...
Purpose: King David advised the leaders of Israel, “Set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God” (1 Chronicles 22:19). Likewise, if we desire intimacy with the Lord, we should approach spiritual disciplines intentionally. Before opening Scripture, for example, we can ask God what He wants to say to us. We can also pray to understand His ways—He loves answering that request.
Determination: Isaiah told Yahweh, “Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently” (Isaiah 26:9). Even when we might not feel like putting time into our relationship with Christ, we must determine to do so. Those who diligently seek the Savior experience His presence frequently in their worship.
Getting to know Jesus brings pure joy into a believer’s life. Giving God attention and spending time with Him are ways to show the Lord we love Him. God gives us His best; we should put forth no less in return.
(Psalm 63:1-11, 1 Chronicles 22:19, Isaiah 26:9, Mark 13-14, )Psalms 63:1-11)
In Touch Ministry
PRIOR ISSUE
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
10/16/2024
THE PRESERVATION OF CAIN
In Genesis Chapter 4, God puts a mark
on Cain that whoever kills him, the Lord
will bring retribution on them sevenfold.
The Lord has also has put a mark on Israel
indicating that those who come against
Isreal (in word or in dead) will be cursed and
will not enter the Kingdom of God. (Gen.12:3/
1 Cor. 6:9-11) (Footnote to the Nelson Study
Bible, NKJV)
CHRISTIAN MUSIC VIDEO
OH LORD WE THANK THEE
Jim Reeves
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – WARNING: Exposure to the
Son may prevent burning.
INTERESTING ARTICLE SUMMARY
· Islam’s connection to Jerusalem- Vs. Israel’s
· “Priestly” gene proves existence of biblical Jewish Priestly class
· A warning about the up-coming Elections
· THE BLESSINGS OF GOD’S PROMISES
INTERESTING ARTICLES
ISLAM'S CONNECTION TO JERUSALEM - VS. ISRAEL'S
Despite 1,300 years of Muslim Arab rule, Jerusalem was never the capital of an Arab entity.
Arutz Sheva -- Oddly, the PLO's National Covenant, written in 1964, never mentioned Jerusalem. Only after Israel regained control of the entire city did the PLO "update" its Covenant to include Jerusalem.
Overall, the role of Jerusalem in Islam is best understood as the outcome of political pressure impacting on religious belief.
Mohammed, who founded Islam in 622 CE, was born and raised in present-day Saudi Arabia, he never set foot in Jerusalem.
His connection to the city came years after his death when the Dome of the Rock shrine and the al-Aqsa mosque were built in 688 and 691, respectively, their construction spurred by political and religious rivalries.
In 638 CE, the Caliph (or successor to Mohammed) Omar and his invading armies captured Jerusalem from the Byzantine Empire. One reason they wanted to erect a holy structure in Jerusalem was to proclaim Islam's supremacy over Christianity and its most important shrine, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
More important was the power struggle within Islam itself. The Damascus-based Umayyad Caliphs who controlled Jerusalem wanted to establish an alternative holy site if their rivals blocked access to Mecca. That was important because the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca was (and remains today) one of the Five Pillars of Islam. As a result, they built what became known as the Dome of the Rock shrine and the adjacent mosque.
To enhance the prestige of the "substitute Mecca," the Jerusalem mosque was named "al-Aqsa." It means "the furthest mosque" in Arabic, but has far broader implications, since it is the same phrase used in a key passage of the Quran called "The Night Journey." In that passage, Mohammed arrives at "al-Aqsa" on a winged steed accompanied by the Archangel Gabriel, from there they ascend into heaven for a divine meeting with Allah, after which Mohammed returns to Mecca.
Naming the Jerusalem mosque "al-Aqsa" was an attempt to say the Dome of the Rock was the very spot from which Mohammed ascended to heaven, thus tying Jerusalem to divine revelation in Islamic belief. The problem however is, that Mohammed died in the year 632, nearly 50 years before the first construction of the "al-Aqsa" Mosque was completed.
Jerusalem never replaced the importance of Mecca in the Islamic world. When the Umayyad dynasty fell in 750, Jerusalem also fell into near obscurity for 350 years, until the Crusades. During those centuries, many Islamic sites in Jerusalem fell into disrepair and in 1016 the Dome of the Rock collapsed.
Still, for 1,300 years, various Islamic dynasties (Syrian, Egyptian, and Turkish) continued to govern Jerusalem as part of their overall control of the Land of Israel, disrupted only by the Crusaders. What is amazing is that over that period, not one Islamic dynasty ever made Jerusalem its capital. Mohammed died in the year 632, nearly 50 years before the first construction of the "al-Aqsa" Mosque was completed.
By the 19th century, Jerusalem had been so neglected by Islamic
rulers that several prominent Western writers who visited Jerusalem were moved
to write about it. French writer Gustav Flaubert, for example, found
"ruins everywhere" during his visit in 1850 when it was part of the
Turkish Empire (1516-1917). Seventeen years later Mark Twain wrote that
Jerusalem had "become a pauper village."
Indeed, Jerusalem's importance in the Islamic world only appears evident when non-Muslims (including the Crusaders, the British, and the Jews) control or capture the city. Only at those points in history did Islamic leaders claim Jerusalem as their third most holy city after Mecca and Medina.
That was again the case in 1967, when Israel captured Jordanian-controlled East Jerusalem (and the Old City) during the 1967 Six-Day War.
The Jewish Ties to Jerusalem
Jerusalem, wrote historian Sir Martin Gilbert, is not a 'mere' city. "It holds the central spiritual and physical place in the history of the Jews as a people."
No matter where Jews lived throughout the world, their thoughts and prayers were directed toward Jerusalem. Even today, whether in Israel, the United States or anywhere else, Jewish ritual practice, holiday celebration, and lifecycle events include recognition of Jerusalem as a core element of the Jewish experience. Consider that:
· -Jews in prayer always turn toward Jerusalem.
· -Arks (the sacred chests) that hold Torah scrolls in synagogues throughout the world face Jerusalem.
· -Jews end Passover Seders each year with the words: "Next year in Jerusalem"; the same words are pronounced at the end of Yom Kippur, the most solemn day of the Jewish year.
· -A three-week moratorium on weddings in the summer recalls the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 586 BCE. That period culminates in a special day of mourning – Tisha B'Av (the 9th day of the Hebrew month Av) – commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Temples.
· -Jewish wedding ceremonies – joyous occasions, are marked by sorrow over the loss of Jerusalem. The groom recites a biblical verse from the -Babylonian Exile: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning," and breaks a glass in commemoration of the destruction of the Temples.
Even body language, often said to tell volumes about a person, reflects the importance of Jerusalem to Jews as a people and, arguably, the lower priority the city holds for Muslims:
· -When Jews pray they face Jerusalem; in Jerusalem Israelis pray facing the Temple Mount.
· -When Muslims pray, they face Mecca; in Jerusalem Muslims pray with their backs to the city.
· -Even at burial, a Muslim face, is turned toward Mecca.
Finally, consider the number of times Jerusalem is mentioned in the two religions' holy books:
· -The Old Testament mentions 'Jerusalem' 349 times. Zion, another name for 'Jerusalem,' is mentioned 108 times.
· -The Quran never mentions Jerusalem – not even once.
Even when others controlled Jerusalem, Jews maintained a physical presence in the city, despite being persecuted and impoverished.
Before the advent of modern Zionism in the 1880s, Jews were moved by a form of religious Zionism to live in the Holy Land, settling particularly in four holy cities: Safed, Tiberias, Hebron, and most importantly – Jerusalem.
Consequently, Jews constituted a majority of the city's population for generations. In 1898, "In this City of the Jews, where the Jewish population outnumbers all others three to one …" Jews constituted 75 percent of the Old City population in what former Secretary-General Kofi Annan called 'East Jerusalem.'
In 1914, when the Ottoman Turks ruled the city, 45,000 Jews made up a majority of the 65,000 residents. And at the time of Israeli statehood in 1948, 100,000 Jews lived in the city, compared to only 65,000 Arabs.
Arab claims to Jerusalem, a Jewish city by all definitions, reflect the "what's-mine-is-mine, what's-yours-is-mine" mentality, underlying Palestinian concepts of how to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.
"PRIESTLY" GENE PROVES EXISTENCE OF BIBLICAL JEWISH PRIESTLY CLASS
“For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to serve in the name of the Lord, him and his sons forever.” (Deuteronomy 18:5)
Prophecy eNewsletter Update – Oct. 1, 2015 -- Scientists have discovered a gene which can be traced from the Biblical figure of Aaron, the first High Priest (kohen) of the Jewish people, to a segment of the Jewish population today which carries the priestly lineage.
The nation of Israel’s priestly class, which is passed down from father to son, began with Aaron (Exodus 28:1). Despite 2,000 years of diaspora, modern science has now proved that the Biblical concept of kohanim has genetic evidence which has allowed the priestly heritage to maintain its integrity, leading to speculation that when the Third Temple is built, modern-day kohanim will be fully qualified to preside over the rituals and rites of the Holy Altar.
Originally, the firstborn of Israel were intended to serve God after He saved them from the plague that killed all of the firstborn sons in Egypt (Exodus 11). When the firstborns participated in the sin of the Golden Calf in the desert (Exodus 32), they disqualified themselves from serving in the Jewish Temple. The tribe of Levi (the tribe of Moses and Aaron) refrained from the sin, so they took the place of the firstborns, serving in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple as musicians, guards, and in several other roles.
Aaron, the brother of Moses, was chosen to be the high priest, and his four sons were appointed after him. The title of kohen is patrilineal, passed from father to son. In some ways, despite various honors allocated to kohanim, this was not a desirable position. Serving in the Temple meant not receiving a portion of land in Israel and also included many restrictions. Priests are not permitted to marry divorcees or converts, and they are also forbidden from coming into contact with the dead, or from entering cemeteries. However, the position also brought certain benefits, such as receiving a portion of the tithes which were only permitted to the priests and Levites and their immediate families.
While it may sound a bit like science fiction, geneticists have verified the link which connects the present-day group of men classified as kohanim to the Biblical figure of Aaron, who lived over 3,000 years ago. Demographic studies have shown that kohanim have always represented approximately five percent of the total Jewish population.
According to Jewish law, Jewish identity is determined by the religion of the mother, but the priestly designation and tribal identity have always been determined by the father. Since the designation of being a Levite or Kohen is passed from father to son, the gene is found on the Y chromosome, which is inherited only from the father.
Genetically speaking, women have two X chromosomes, one from each parent. Men have an X chromosome inherited from their mothers and a Y chromosome inherited from their fathers. All direct male lineage shares a common haplotype, which, in the simplest terms, is a specific group of genes that the offspring inherits from one parent. Since Y chromosomes are passed from father to son, all kohanim males should, in theory, have almost identical Y chromosomes.
The Cohen hypothesis was first tested by Professor Karl Skorecki, himself a kohen of Ashkenazic descent, at the Rambam-Technion Medical Center in Haifa in 1997. He tested for two distinct Y chromosome markers (YAP and DYS 19), labeling it the J1 Cohen Modal Haplotype. A particular genetic marker on the Y chromosome (YAP-) was detected in 98.5 percent of the kohanim, and in a significantly lower percentage of non-kohanim Jews.
The haplotype was also found in other groups that had no clear connection to the Jewish people or the priestly heritage, but Jews had a significantly higher proportion of full haplotype matches. The source for the gene was clearly in the Middle East, as it was also found with a higher frequency among Bedouins, Jordanians, and Yemenites. It also became clear from the study that within the group identified as kohanim, there were several different lineages. The results have limited implications, though the correlation is undeniable.
Since it was found in both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews, the genome predates the split in the communities which occurred around 1000 CE. Based on the mutations found in the genes, scientists place the original kohen – the first common ancestor – at approximately 3,300 years ago, a timeline that fits neatly within the Biblical parameters of the lifetimes of the first priestly family.
There are many disputes surrounding the Third Temple, and much work to be done before it can become a reality. However, as hundreds of kohanim (Jewish priests) gather at the Western Wall on the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (Tabernacles) to bless thousands of Jews in a tradition passed down for millennia, the scientific proof of the legend of the Jewish priests shows that one thing is sure: the kohanim are here, and ready to begin work.
WARNING ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTION
Charisma News – Oct. 11, 2024 -- In a new prophetic message by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, Cahn unlocked some of the key areas that voters should consider when it comes to who they will cast their vote for in the upcoming election.
“One of two courses are going to be chosen for America. Never in modern times has the choice been so stark and so radical,” Cahn says. “And this is not about people. It’s about issues. The Democratic presidential and vice presidential ticket is the most radical, leftist ticket in history.”
Cahn then points out that Harris was ranked as one of the most left-leaning Senators when she was in the Senate.
“This is the most anti-life, pro-death ticket in American history,” Cahn says. “Though they tried to avoid saying it outright, both the presidential and vice presidential candidates are for abortion with no restrictions. Which means, in effect, abortion up to the moment of birth.”
Cahn further notes the dangerous policies of Harris that would eliminate restraints on abortion all across the nation.
“You see, Kamala Harris was faced with a bill dealing with babies, born alive in a failed abortion attempt. And it basically said the baby that is born, you can’t murder it. You can’t starve it to death. You can’t leave it to die. You can’t kill it. It was the born alive bill. And do you know what she did? She came against it. A bill that says not to kill a baby that is born. She was against it; she said it was extreme.”
Cahn points out the war Harris has raged against pro-life clinics that have worked to help mothers in caring for their children, even trying to revolt against the financials of these institutions for not supporting abortion. Harris’ stance on transgenderism and the spreading of the LGBTQ+ indoctrination to children is also something voters must be wary of.
“How dangerous this would be if this one becomes president of the entire nation?” Cahn asks. “This is gigantic. Because these are issues that are central in the Bible; issues of life, of murder, of blood of the innocent, of the defenseless, of children, of gender, immorality, of oppression and persecution of God’s people.”
While the Republican Party’s stance on these issues is not perfect, Cahn says they are still much, much more pro-life than the Democratic Party. Our hope rests in God and God alone for His will to be done. However, we must keep in mind that the kind of government we usher in will either allow for the continued spreading of the gospel, or it will seek to have the door of Christianity shut.
“God said to the prophet Ezekiel that He had appointed him [as] a watchman. And if he didn’t warn the people to sound the trumpet, God would hold him accountable for their blood,” says Cahn.
Now, in the same way as Ezekiel was held accountable, we must vote or be held accountable for standing by in the middle of darkness and evil. Voting is the action we can take to fight against the evil we are seeing in this generation.
THE BLESSING OF GOD’S PROMISE
The world around us is always changing, but that isn’t the case with its Creator. Consider God’s love: It’s not simply a trait He possesses but an attribute, an essential aspect of who He is. Everything He says and does flows from the truth that “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Since God is unchanging, we can rest in His promises. But that doesn’t mean we can expect life to always be easy. Though we’re sure of being redeemed and, ultimately, raised from the dead, Jesus did say life will involve tribulation. If the cost of following Him seems overwhelming, take comfort in this: You’ll never be alone. When you suffer, He’ll suffer with you.
God is always with us, within us. Even when we think He is absent, He’s right there and always been—it’s just that for some reason, our feelings don’t match the truth. So instead of asking if God is present to us, the better question is, Are we being present to Him?
In Touch Ministry
SECTION II - SPECIAL ARTICLES/ BOOK REVIEWS
IN THIS SECTION:
· WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE DIE? (WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS)
· WHAT’S IN A NAME?
· "BOB PIERCE - THIS ONE THING I DO" - A BOOKREVIEW/SUMMARY
· "THE HIDDEN CODES OF THE BIBLE" - A BOOK REVIEW/SUMMARY
· "SIGNS OF THE TIME” - A BOOK REVIEW/SUMMARY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE DIE?
By D.E. Davis
For Christians, we are told in Scripture in 2Cr 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. For those who turn away from God, we are told that they are eternally separated from God and go to a place called Hell. Rev 14:11 says that the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.
The question that everyone ponders is: What really happens after we die? Do we just lay dormant until the Lord takes us to be with him or until judgement is handed out at the Great White Throne as called out in Rev. 20:11? Are we conscience? Do we feel, touch, think, recognize loved ones, know what is happening around us? All questions that we have ask ourselves, no doubt, at some time in our life.
My own personal review of the Scriptures has led me to believe that after we die, even though our body may be dead and buried, our Spirit is alive and fully conscience. Chuck Missler likens this state of conscienceness to the software that runs the Computer; once the hardware goes, the software remains intact and available for further applications.
There are two illustrations in the Bible that makes it clear as to what happens after death, when we're in the spirit.
The first one is illustrated in the Luke account of Lazarus and the rich man in Chapter 16. After death, Lazarus, a man of God, is escorted into Abraham’s Bosom, a holding compartment in Hell for the Believers prior to the Cross. The non-believing rich man was "buried" and went into a separate compartment in Hell (Hades), apart from Abraham’s Bosom, where he was in Torment according to Scripture. Both were in a Spirit state; yet by the account, they could see each other and speak to each other.
The second account is in Revelation, where John is taken (in the Spirit) to Heaven to see those things that shall come to pass prior to the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth, or Second Coming (not the Rapture).
I had to conclude from the study, based on the following Scripture, that all of the senses we have here on earth will be with us throughout eternity, even unto death.
· THE ABILITY TO LOOK/SEE - Luke 16:23;Rev. 1:12;4:1,4; 5:1,2; 6:1,2,8,9; 7:1,2; 8:2; 9:1,17; 10:1,5; 13:1,2,3;14:1,6; 15:1,2; 16:13; 17:3,6; 18:1; 19:11,17,19; 20:1,4,11,12; 21:1,2,22; 22:8
· THE ABILITY TO HEAR - Rev. 1:10; 4:1; 5:11; 6:1,3,5,6,7; 7:4; 9:13,16; 10:4,8; 12:10; 14:2,13; 16:1,5,7; 18:4; 19:1,6; 21: 3; 22:8
· THE ABILITY TO BEHOLD ( to obtain knowledge of: understand: perceive) - Rev. 5:6,11; 6:5,8,12; 7:9; 8:13; 13:11
· THE ABILITY TO REASON - Luke 16:30
· THE ABILITY TO CRY (even though there will be no more crying in Heaven) - Rev. 5:4,5; Luke 16:24
· THE ABILITY TO SPEAK - Rev. 5:13; 10:9; 21:6,15; Luke 16:24, 29,30,31
· THE ABILITY TO FEEL/TOUCH - Luke 16:23, 24,25
· THE ABILITY TO REMEMBER - Luke 16:25
· THE ABILITY TO WONDER - Rev. 17:6
· THE ABILITY TO WRITE - Rev. 1:11; 10:4; 19:9
· THE ABILITY TO QUESTION - Rev. 7:13
· THE ABILITY TO TAKE (THE BOOK/ROD) - Rev. 10:8,9,10
· THE ABILITY TO FALL (ON KNEES) - Rev. 19:10; 22:8
· THE ABILITY TO STAND - Rev. 13:1
· THE ABILITY TO WORSHIP - Rev. 19:10; 22:8
· THE ABILITY TO PERFORM TASKS - Rev. 11:1
God has promised in 1 Thess 4:16 and 1 Cor. 15:52,53 that one day, we shall be reunited with Him in body and will be transformed and conformed to Him - in the twinkling of an eye. We are also told in Scripture that we shall see Him face to face- see the Lamb that was slain for you and me. We know by His Word, that we will Praise Him, Worship Him and Rule with Him.
One thing in the study that I found extremely fascinating was the difference in treatment between Lazarus and the non-believing rich man. Scripture says that Lazarus was escorted to Heaven by an Angel, but there is no indication in Scripture about how the rich man arrived at Hell. Could it be that God had a specific purpose why He chose not to tell us in Scripture?
Finally, knowing that others may have varying interpretations of these Scriptures, I strongly urge you to review the Scriptures yourselves to determine what you find as the truth according to God’s Word.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
For those who wish you had some other name because you don't like the name you were given, you had better think twice. It is most likely that the name your parents picked out for you was not their choice but God's choice. Let’ s face it, the word of the Lord is true. That's why in Eph. 1:4, God proclaimed that He had chosen us from before the very beginning of the world.
If you follow the Genealogy of Adam in Genesis, Chapter 5 (*) you will receive an insight into what importance God put in names - It's an exciting message:
Genealogy Meaning
Adam Man
Seth Appointed
Enosh Mortal
Kenan Sorrow
Mahalalel The blessed God
Jared Shall come down
Enoch Teaching
Methuselah His Death shall bring
Lamech The Despairing
Noah Rest, Comfort
Now let us look at God’s Plan for Redemption:
"Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest."
Let us now look at the Genealogy of Abraham (*):
Genealogy Meaning
Abraham Predestination
Isaac Called
Jacob Justified
Joseph Glorified
(*) Source: Chuck Missler’s Briefing package: “A Walk Thru the Bible”
WELL YOU SAY! BUT THAT WAS ALL OLD TESTAMENT AND WOULDN'T BE APPLICABLE FOR TODAY - WOULD IT?
Well, let us see.................. As a Christian, did God not choose you by name at the same time he chose Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph - before the very foundation of the world? If God had a purpose for their name, would you expect anything less for your name since He chose you at the same time?
As a Christian, You ought to thank God daily that you, by your given name, was written in the Lamb's book of life before the very foundation of the world and that you will be a partaker in all the promises of Rev 21:27.
Within the last couple of years, researchers have found many startling discoveries through the use of super computers, specifically, hidden codes that God supernaturally placed within the Hebrew text of the Bible. Over 2000 years ago, the names of historical and current leader’s names were placed in the Bible. Such names as Adolph Hitler, Eichmann, Arafat, Peres, Rabin, Rabin's murderer Amir, Ben-Zion Netanyahu, Saddan Hussein, George Bush, Schwarzkoph, Peter Arnet (CNN), Timithy McVeigh, Bill Clinton.
Do you think that God would limit His calling out to just those who had a highly visible historical impact on this world? There is no doubt that He had a purpose in doing this, if nothing else, just to get your attention that He is the Creator; that He alone knows the beginning from the end.
It is my firm belief that as we advance further with our computer technology and peel back the layers of the Hebrew text of the scriptures, we will make many more startling and exciting discoveries. One being that God has written each and every one of our names in His Word.
HERE IS WHAT GOD SAID: Isaiah 66:22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain."
BOOK REVIEW by D. E. Davis (September 1997)
BOB PIERCE -"THIS ONE THING I DO"
By Franklin Graham with Jeanette Lockerbie
It is amazing the worlds that open up to an individual, once the Power of the Holy Spirit comes upon him. Just three years ago, where once I was blind to Missions, to all the inspired men and women God has called to service and the multitude of people all over the world who have been saved, new worlds are ever opening to me to see how awesome the power of God is in our Christian lives.
Such was the power and strength of faith Bob Pierce had in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is difficult for me to even attempt to assess where God has put Bob along with other past great men of the faith, but from what I read about his life with Christ, he certainly had his eyes focused on Jesus! I personally feel inadequate and humbled to even put in words, my thoughts about this man. Bob was a man Blessed by God. I feel sad that I never had an opportunity to know him, but look forward to meeting him one day in heaven.
If ever there was a verse of scripture that represented Bob Pierce, it had to be the title of this book as taken from Philippians 3:13,14 ".......this one thing I do,....I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ."
Bob was raised in Los Angeles and at the age of 12, gave his life to Christ and was baptized in the Nazarene Church. "God simply called me to give my heart to Jesus, and I followed Him." He died in 1978 of leukemia but lived his life for Christ in between in between those dates as if Christ was coming tomorrow and he still had to witness to the whole world before dawn broke. Throughout his career, he dedicated his life mainly to Missions and over the years was responsible for founding such World re-noun programs as "World Vision", an organization dedicated to meeting the emergency needs in crisis areas such as Korea after the Korean war. During that time of need, he established a Korean Orphanage, serving over 30 thousand Korean war orphans. Bob was also responsible for starting the World re-noun Korean Orphan's Choir. As an outgrowth of "World Vision" he founded "World Medical Mission" which covered all emergency medical needs in countries all over the world which had no medical facilities. He was also founder of "Samaritan's Purse" and organization dedicated to funding World emergency need, no matter where they were. These organizations are still meeting the needs of those in crisis today.
If his work through these organizations was not enough, he became a United Nations War Correspondent during World War II; was Co-founder for "Youth for Christ"; and became a Motion Picture producer/Radio program host, author and a lecturer, but first and last, he always considered himself an evangelist! Even though Bob knew that he was "extraordinarily gifted by God, he was never impressed with himself - he considered himself just an earthly vessel, available at all times for the exclusive use of the Lord".
In his own words, he had "many flaws, failings but had abundant faith in God who lives and cares about people."
If I had to pick four areas of the Christian life that I feel truly represented Bob Pierce, they would be 1) Unwavering Faith, 2) Compassion for others, 3) Obedience to God and 4) Commitment to accomplish the Will of God in his life.
From the Beginning, Bob knew his calling was for Missions to the Asian Countries. His first mission led him through Hawaii to Hong Kong and eventually to China. Getting to China was his first big test of faith - he had no money, even for the first leg to Hawaii. Bob held the opinion that God knows ones needs already and if He has called you to a task, He will provide and enable you - just move out! He did just that and went to the L.A. airport that day without any money in his pocket. His faith paid off as God provided the funding for each leg of his trip just at the moment he needed it. This was the norm rather than the exception throughout his career as an evangelist. What ever it was, where ever it was, if God called, Bob would act no matter what the circumstance......he knew that God would always provide.....and He did!
Bob had a compassion for the spiritually and physically suffering of the world. "He was the friend of the little people, the forgotten, the hurting, the maimed, the unheard and the unsung". Bob's theme was "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God". It was Bob's personal belief that "wherever you find men and women who really love Jesus Christ, you find the compassion of Christ spilling out of them to meet human need." Over the years World Vision, Samaritan's Purse and other organizations like them; one in particular, Mission Aviation Fellowship Pilots (MAF), who flew Missionaries around the world in crisis situations, helped so many helpless and needy men, women and children. They knew first hand the healing power of God.
Bob dared it all to be obedient to the Lord's call. Once he had in focus the mission that God wanted him to accomplish, he followed in Faith to bring the unsaved to Christ. It was his opinion that " If you are an ambassador, act like one!"- no matter where you are. Bob would bring to memory how other great men of Faith were obedient even in the face of death. During World War II, a young South Korean Pastor, Mr. Im was mistaken for a North Korean Communist and imprisoned. During his internment, he would go around camp singing "Jesus Loves Me" and other Christian songs. He not only uplifted and inspired other fellow Christian prisoners to come together, he brought many more to Christ. Together he and another prisoner, Chaplain Voelkel, established a Bible Study where over 6,000 prisoners finished a six month Bible Study. Six Hundred (600) of those finishing the Bible Study became pastors and came back to Korea to preach the Gospel. In another instance, he related how a Korean school teacher was put to death in front of his students because of his faith and obedience to the Lord.
To be an ambassador for the Lord "is one of the greatest things that could ever have happened to anyone - to let God put a fish hook into you so deep that there is no way of ever getting off the hook."
"Bob did one thing all of his life, and that was to lead people to the foot of the Cross where they would put their faith in a risen Lord Jesus Christ. He lived every minute completely amazed that God could use him. No matter how much he was able to do in how many places, it was never enough." This was the kind of commitment Bob made to Jesus; "to commit yourself, give yourself away to God irrevocably, forever. Say to Him, go ahead and burn me up. Spend me. Eat me up. Use me for you Glory." And that's exactly what he did.
Being a man of God was not always easy for Bob and he paid a high price. In one measure or another he had to forsake his wife, his family, his Mother and Father, his brothers and sisters and other worldly possessions to follow Jesus. He not only lost his health, he lost his Daughter, Sharon, to death.
Committing your life to Christ in a Godless society is never easy; many times you feel like you may be the only one putting your life, your self image, your social acceptance on the line. As Bob came to realize, ". Someone has to go and pay that humiliating price of literally letting your ego be stomped on- not just pushed in and suppressed, but laid out there for people to stomp on. We need to do this by the grace of God with love and patience: sow the seed on rocky soil, nurture it, and maybe never be applauded."
Committing your life to Christ really comes down to this; What really matters
to you in Life?
On his death bed in the City of Hope, Bob left us this one message - "I don't care what you have attempted. What you have succeeded at, or what has been your work in Christ's name while you are here on earth - only one thing matters when you have reached the last step before you go to stand before Christ:
- Did you tell men and women who Jesus is?
- Did you bring them to some comprehension of His redeeming love?
- Did you make it plain to them that He alone can pay their way to heaven throughout His atoning death on the cross?"
Such was the life of a man of God, Bob Pierce.
HIDDEN CODES OF THE BIBLE
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ACT 17:11 - Exhorts you to daily review the scriptures to see if what is being said is true
References: Grant R. Jeffrey - "The Signature of God"- RECOMMENDED READING
Other reading: "The Hebrew Factor" by Yacov Rambsel
Prepared by D. E. Davis
Daniel 12: 4 - "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."
Here is undeniable proof, the third in the series, that every word, every letter and every punctuation in Bible text was put their by the inspiration of God. It gives new meaning to the words "increase knowledge". It's just one of the many signs, and without a doubt, the most exciting revelation that God said he would reveal to man in the "end time". As you will see, God has put his signature throughout the Bible, has revealed History before it ever happened, all through hidden codes that were supernaturally placed into text which was written over 2,000 years ago; which could only be found with today's computer technological advances. The codes are found in what scholars call "Equidistant Letter Sequences" or ESL. That is, each sequential letter in an encoded word or phrase was found the same distance apart numerically; The exact interval designed by God.
Actually, the discovery of hidden codes in scripture dates back to before WWI and it was not until 1988 that the use of computers were able to detect a significant amount of coding in scripture. Since then, the research that Grant Jeffrey and others have done has just exploded and new discoveries are happening every day.
Here is a summary of what has been found and outlined in Grant's book, referenced above. It is my understanding that he is in the process of writing another book to tell what he has found subsequent to "The Signature of God".
Luke 21:15 - " For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay (refute) nor resist."
Proverbs 25:2 - "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter."
THE SIGNATURE OF GOD
What follows is what most of the human race would find hard to believe. It unfathomable to think that the Hebrew Bible, containing 304,805 Hebrew letters, written by 40 individuals could contain hidden messages that if one letter was taken out of the text, one word was removed, the hidden message could not be revealed......yet the message has been sustained for over 2,000 years and has been revealed to man just as Jesus said it would be. Jesus has actually placed His name and other messages about Himself into text which proves he is the creator of all; King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
GOD'S SIGNATURE
God has personally signed scriptures throughout the Old and New Testaments in various ways. For example in the Old Testament, he has encoded his name, Jesus, in the following scripture:
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD FROM ANCIENT TIMES UNTIL TODAY
God has also encoded unbelievable detail about many of the things we read about and which touch our lives daily. For example, he outlines:
PLACES AND THINGS
· Gen. 2: 4-10 - The key word "Eden" was spelled out sixteen (16) times in the span of 379 Hebrew letters. The letters were all equidistant from each other.
· Gen. 2 - In this chapter which deals with the garden of Eden, scientists found encoded in the Hebrew text, Twenty-five (25) names of trees that were in the
Garden of Eden.
· Gen. 1:1 - Starting with the first appearance of the Hebrew letter "Tav", the word "Torah" was found every 50th letter.
· Ex. 1: 1 - Again, starting with the first appearance of the letter "Tav" and counting every 50th letter, the word "Torah" was spelled. Num./Deut. - In the book of Numbers the word "Torah" was found spelled backwards every 50th letter. In the book of Deuteronomy, "Torah" was found again spelled backwards, but this time every forty-ninth (49) letter.
NAMES AND EVENTS
· Holocaust
· Deut. 10: 17-22 - Beginning with the second to last appearance of the Hebrew letter "bet" in this passage, they found every Thirteenth (13) letter, the phrase "b'yam marah Auschwitz" which means "in the bitter sea of Auschwitz." Also encoded in this passage were the names of the other Nazi Concentration camp, "Belsen".
· Deut. 33:21 - Beginning with the letter (resh) that appeared in the Hebrew word "Yisreal," and counting every twenty-second (22) letter from the left to right they found the phrase "re'tzach alm" discribing the Holocaust, which when translated, means "a people cry murder, slaughter."
· Adolph Hitler
· Deut. 10: 17-22 - The word "Hitler" spelled out in Hebrew was found every twenty-second (22) letter.
· Deut. 33:16 - Beginning with the first appearance of the Hebrew letter "mem" and every two hundred and forty-sixth (246) letter from left to right you find that the coded letters spelled out the phrase, "Melek Natzim," which translates as the "king of the Nazis."
· Eichmann
· Deut. 32:52 - Beginning with the appearance of the first letter (aleph) and counting from left to right every six hundred and seventy (670) letters, the name "Aik'man" is spelled, which is the Hebrew form of the name "Eichmann."
· Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
· "Sadat occurred together with the name of the leader of the Moslem Brotherhood assassinating team that killed him.......it contained the year of his assassination, 1981, and the words "president," "gunfire," "shot'" and 'Murder".
· Desert Storm
· Beginning in Gen. 1:7 and continuing through the rest of Genesis, Grant Jeffrey indicated at the Prophesy Conference in Irvine,Ca. on 27 Sept. 1996 that they had recently found information in hidden code in scripture relating to Desert Storm. I believe more details will be available in Grant's next book.
· The French Revolution
· Gen. 39,41 - "Another passage in the Book of Genesis revealed a cluster of encoded words that deals with the French Revolution. The following words are clustered ogether" "Mapecha HaSarfatit" which spells "the French Revolution" in Hebrew, "Louis," the name of the French king, and the word "Beit (house of Bourbon,") his royal dynasty. In the same cluster were the following words: "Hamarseilles" (the name of the French anthem) and the word "Bastillia" (the infamous French prison for political prisoners........"
OTHER HISTORICAL INFORMATION
· Word pairs - "In their initial experiment, .......the scientists arbitrarily chose three hundred (300) Hebrew word-pairs that were logically related in meaning, such as hammer and anvil, or tree and leaf, or man and woman." ".....the researchers were astonished to find that every single word-pair had been located in Genesis in close proximity to each other."
· King David's Ancestors
· Gen. 28 - " Every one of the five Hebrew names of these ancestor of King
David (Pharez, Zerah, Boaz, Obed, Jesse) were found encoded at forty-nine (49) letter intervals, hidden within the text of Genesis 38".
· Famous Jewish Rabbi - "The Jewish people celebrate the memory of their famous sages by commemorating their date of death. Incredibly, the computer program found every single one of the sixty-six names of these famous rabbis embedded in the text of Genesis paired at significantly close proximity with their actual date of birth or their date of death."
IS THE HEBREW BIBLE UNIQUE TO GOD' S INSPIRED EMBEDDED CODES?
Grant points out that "The researchers attempted to reproduce these results by running the computer program on other religious Hebrew texts outside the Bible, including the Samaritan Pentateuch. .......the researchers could not detect word pairs in the Samaritan Pentateuch or any other Hebrew text outside the Bible. In fact, an exhaustive analysis reveals that no other Hebrew text outside the Old testament contains these mysterious codes, not even the Hebrew apocryphal books written during the four hundred years before the birth of Christ"
A WORD OF CAUTION
"No one can search the Torah using these codes to foretell future events. The reason is that it is impossible to extract the encoded information unless you already know what the future facts are." "The prophet Isaiah warned against false prophets and declared that only God can Prophesy future events accurately
(Isa. 46: 9,10).
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"Computer tapes are now available so that anyone with a computer can personally verify the existence of these codes beneath the text of the Scriptures.
As Christians, we can stand firm in the word and shout for joy. God has given us "the words and the wisdom that none of our adversaries will be able to refute or contradict", no matter how much they try!
PRAISE THE LORD!
SIGNS OF THE TIME
References: Grant R. Jeffrey - "The Signature of God"- RECOMMENDED READING
Prepared by D. E. Davis
June 10, 1997
Prelude
How do we know that Jesus is the one true God when there are so many religions, cultures and cults that claim that they serve the one true god? How about Buddha, Allah?
Scripture says that God alone knows the beginning from the end. The way that God establishes His authority is through Biblical Prophesy. There are over 500 prophesies that were prophesied over 2,000 years ago that have all come to pass. There are still some Old Testament that have yet have to be fulfilled (Daniel Ezekiel), but there has never been an event prophesied that has not come to pass in it’s time. 100% accuracy tells us that the God of the Bible is the only true God. No one else in the history of the world, living or dead, can make this claim.
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In Matthew 24:3, just before Jesus' ascension into heaven, the disciples of Jesus ask Him what would be the sign of His second coming. Over the centuries various groups have attempted to guess when Christ would return to the earth to claim His inheritance as promised throughout scripture. As we know, no one has been right yet!. God clearly states in Matthew 24:36 that no man, not even the angels, know the day or the time when Christ will return. Only God the Father knows.
This summary is clearly not another attempt to forecast this event. This summary does, however, attempt to provide an awareness of what is happening around you so that you will not be caught unaware. (Ref. Luke 21:34 and Matthew. 24:42).
ACT 17:11- Exhorts you to daily review the scriptures to see if what is being said is true.
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----------------------THE SIGNS OF THE TIME-------------------
Grant Jeffrey has done a wonderful job of providing critical information about events that are happening in this generation that all Christians need to know; Events that were prophesied over 2,500 years ago. Approximately 90% of the material contained herein was extracted and summarized from Grant's book. I highly recommend reading this book as it contains so much more that you will want to know.
THE REBIRTH OF ISRAEL
The rebirth of Israel was prophesied in several scriptures throughout the Bible. Isaiah 66: 8 predicted that Israel would be born again in "one" day. Ezekiel 4:3-6 and Levitcus 26:18 foretold the exact number of days that it would take Israel to re-establish themselves as a nation in the last days. ( The exact calculation can be found in Grant Jeffrey's book referenced above). On May 14, 1948, the Jews proclaimed their independence of the reborn state of Israel.....The exact day that was predicted over twenty-five (25) centuries ago.......No other ancient nation ever ceased to exist for a period of centuries and then returned to take its place on the stage of world history."
PRESENT ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
In Psalms 83:2-8, God inspired King David to predict that upon Israel's rebirth as a nation it would be immediately surrounded by their enemies. The modern names of those nations named in scripture include Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria....the nations that have now joined the Palestinians in their attempt to destroy Israel.
In Gen. 12: 3, God has promised to punish those nations that come against Israel. "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
RESTORATION OF THE HEBREW LANGUAGE
When Israel was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in approx. 562 B.C., Israel was no longer allowed to speak the Hebrew language, but had to learn the language of the Chaldeans. The Lord predicted, however, through Zephaniah 3:9, that he would restore a pure language to Israel so that they may "serve him with one consent". It was in the early part of this Century that the Hebrew language was revived from the dead language. Today, Hebrew is a living language to over 5 million Israelis.
THE FERTILITY OF ISRAEL
In Isaiah 27:6; 35:7 and Joel 2:23, the Lord prophesied through these prophets that the deserted, unproductive, barren land of Israel would once again become productive in the last days and that Israel would experience tremendous increases of rain. Ever since Israel has returned to the land, they have flourished in the land and now supply over 90 percent of the citrus fruit consumed in Europe. Rainfall has increased by more than "10 percent every decade for the last century and Israel has planted in excess of two hundred (200) million trees and transformed the complete environment of the Promised Land." According to the United Nations, Israel is now "the most agriculturally efficient land on earth."
THE UNWALLED CITY
Ezekiel 38:11 speaks of the future invasion of Gog and Magog (Russia) saying "And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of un-walled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates". Grant explains that "even army bases and Israel's settlements in the West Bank and Gaza have no walls today.........How could Ezekiel have known twenty-five centuries ago that the development of modern weapons such as bombs, airplanes and missiles, would have made walls and gates irrelevant for defensive purposes in the last days. In the ancient past even small villages as well as cities depended on walls for defense against invading armies."
PLANS FOR REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE
Revelations 11:1, 2 foretells of Israel rebuilding the Temple in the last days. There is much controversy between the Israelis and the Muslim's because the Dome of the Rock (Al-Aqsa Mosque) it is believed, sits on the very spot where the Temple is suppose to be built. In recent years, however, aerial Infra-red photography shows that this may not be the case. Ezekiel 44:14-18, tell about the sacred vessels and linen robes that must be used in the Temple. "The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has already prepared over 75 of the objects, vessels, and linen garments required for future Temple service.......over 500 men from the tribe of Levi have already been trained to fulfill the duties of Temple worship and sacrifice."
Update:
Just recently in the Washington Post on May 28, 1997, it was reported that a 10 month old heifer named "Melody" is the first red heifer to be born in Israel in over 2,000 years. "In ancient times, the ashes of a red heifer were mixed with spring water to purify high priests before they entered the Temple."
THE REBUILDING OF BABYLON
We know that the old city of Babylon (now called Iraq) will be built again in the end times because Isaiah 13:6, 19 foretells of its destruction. In Isaiah 34:8-10 it is prophesied that the rebuilt City of Babylon will burn for ever.
"As unlikely as it seems, the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein has spent over one billion dollars rebuilding the ancient city of Babylon and intends that it will become the center of their future renewed Babylonian Empire. Interestingly, the whole city of Babylon was built over an underground lake of asphalt and oil."
THE ANOINTING OIL
The prophet Daniel prophesied in Dan. 9:24 that the when Jesus returns, that the most Holy of Holies will be anointed with the anointing oil. "One of the five ingredients, afars' mon, was thought lost forever, when the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and the only two groves of afars'mon trees in existence were burned
to the ground. Incredibly, several years ago, archeologists in Israel found a clay flask buried near the Dead Sea caves filled with the ancient oil of anointing. Scientists confirmed that the oil is two thousand years old and is composed of the precise ingredients described in Exodus 30:25,26."
PESTILENCE/FAMINES/EARTHQUAKES
Matthew 24:7 prophesied that in the last days "For nation shall rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilence, and earthquakes, in divers (various) places." Grand Jeffrey writes regarding these matters:
· Pestilence - In 1991, the Central Intelligence Agency produced a report which "concluded that up to 75% of the population of Africa living in the area south of the Sahara Desert may become infected with AIDS over the next 12 years. This will mean the death by AIDS of over three hundred million people in Africa alone. In July 1991, the South African Medical Journal reported that a staggering 47% of black male and female blood donors tested positive for AIDS during 1989."
In Nov. 1996, the Associated Press reported that "Sexually transmitted diseases are diagnosed 12 million times a year in the United States - including a staggering 3 million cases among teen-agers".
· Famine - The United Nations today "claim that over thirty million in Africa are now at risk of dying from the most devastating famine in this century. The UN estimates that one billion people are in danger of starvation while another billion lack proper nutrition. North American food reserves (grain and corn) are at the lowest level in sixty years."
· Major killer earthquakes – “Major Killer earthquakes (7.2 or greater on the Richter scale) occurred only once per decade throughout history until our century. However, since A. D. 1900, the growth in major earthquakes has been relentless. From 1900 to 1949 it averaged three major quakes per decade. From 1949 the increase became awesome with 9 killer quakes in the 1950's; 13 in the 1960's; 56 in the 1970's and an amazing 74 major quakes in the 1980's. Finally, in the 1990's, at the present rate, we will experience 125 major killer quakes in this decade."
WORLD WIDE COMMUNICATION
In Revelation 11:9,10, it is prophesied that during the tribulation period, the antichrist will have the two witnesses that God sent killed and their bodies will lay in the street for three and a half days while the whole world watches.
Did not the whole world watch Desert Storm on CNN television? With all the technological advances in telecommunications, including the recent opening of the World Wide Net to our computer industry, any event happening in any part of the world can now be viewed while it is happening. The prophesy of the two witnesses could literally be fulfilled today. This could not have happened just 10 or 15 years ago.
INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL
Daniel 12:4 prophesies how much knowledge and travel will increase in the end time. "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end: Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased."
Today, it is estimated that "Human knowledge is growing so quickly that it literally doubles every twenty-four months." With the discovery through the use of modern "Super" computers by Grant Jeffrey and other researchers of the hidden codes that God supernaturally designed into the original Hebrew text of the Torah describing not only the history of the world in advance, but also verifying his Authority through His personal signature throughout his scripture, we realize that God chose this generation to reveal this unique aspect about himself.
It is also amazing that in this century, we have gone from horses to cars, from cars to supersonic spacecraft; not only can we now travel the world in a matter of hours, but in the case of the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery, we can now travel at speeds in excess of eighteen thousand miles per hour.
REVIVAL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Daniel 2:40-44 predicts that the old Roman Empire will be revived in the end times into a ten Nation alliance. We currently see the foundation being laid today through the European Economic Community. "In 1957, six (6) Countries signed the Treaty of Rome laying the foundation for the future United States of Europe.............Since then the Maastricht Treaty consolidated the fifteen (15) Nations of the European Union into the worlds first superstate." All it will take is the re-shuffling and/or the consolidation of Nations to bring this prophesy to a literal fulfillment.
ODDS THAT THESE PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED BY CHANCE IN THIS GENERATION
"In the Bible there are several types of generations. One generation is defined as the length of life of the average person - seventy or eighty years. However, a generation of governing is usually defined as forty years,...........During the last two thousand years since the days of Christ, there were fifty such forty-year generations. Therefore, the odds are one chance in fifty that any one of these specific prophecies happened by chance in our generation rather than some other generation."
"The odds that more than one event happening in our life time are:
"Another way of looking at this is that the chance that the prophets of the Bible correctly guessed these prophecies is also one in 97,500 trillion............in other words, it is simply impossible that men alone could
have written the Bible without the supernatural assistance and inspiration of God."
Matthew 24:32-35 - "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Luke 21:28 - "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
ANTI-CHRIST TO BE REVEALED
As of today, no one knows who the Anti-Christ is, but we do know what God has told us about him:
Many people try to spiritualize or say the events prophesied in the Bible are just symbolic. Any doubt about how God handles these prophetic events should have been erased on May 14,1948. God is literally fulfilling scriptural prophesy before our very eyes. Can we expect anything less for those few remaining prophesies for which He has promised the world; 1) the removal of the one who restrains the man of lawlessness/Sin (the rapture of the Church), 2) His second coming to take possession of His inheritance, 3) The millennial kingdom and 4) the new heaven and new earth.
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Ezekiel 33:6 - "But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."
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