THE INTERESTING INFORMATION CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
CONFIRMING BIBLICAL TRUTH
10/16/2024
SECTION 1 – INTERESTTING INFORMATION WEEKLY ARTILCLES
SECTION 2 – SUMMARIES/BOOK REVIEWS/SPECIAL ARTICLES/CHRISTIAN LINKS
Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
10/16/2024
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
DE
“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
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
PRIOR ISSUE
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
10/9/2024
NETANYAHU ADDRESSES THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
TO SET THE RECORD STAIGHT!
CHRISTIAN MUSIC VIDEO
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
Feature Chris Tomlin
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – JESUS - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) ”
INTERESTING ARTICLE SUMMARY
· Are you saved and justified through Faith?
· Is the IDF committing terrorist acts against Hezbollah?
· Can a vote for Trump be morally justified
· THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
INTERESTING ARTICLES
ARE YOU SAVED AND JUSTIFIED THROUGH FAITH?
The Christian Post – Oct. 6, 2024 -- When it comes to your standing before God and whether or not you will get into Heaven, the grade you give yourself doesn't matter. It all comes down to whether or not you have been declared “not guilty” in the eyes of Almighty God. Well, have you?
You may think, “Wait a minute, Dan. What are you talking about? How could anyone ever be declared 'not guilty' before God?” I am glad you asked.
You probably realize that each one of us is guilty of breaking God's commandments in thought, word, and deed. If you are uncertain about this basic fact, I encourage you to begin keeping track of every time you entertain an evil thought, speak in a sinful manner, or behave in a way that goes against God's perfect standard. The reality is that each one of us has a list of infractions a mile long.
You may be tempted to think, “But my sins are not as serious as the sins of others.” If you have deceived yourself in this manner, then allow God's Word to pierce the false narrative you are embracing. You see, “Whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). And each one of your sins is enough to separate you from God today, tomorrow and forever. Eternal separation from God and unrelenting agony is what people experience in Hell.
Our natural response to this disconcerting biblical teaching is to attempt to perform enough good deeds in hopes of offsetting our many sins and shortcomings. This approach, while popular, fails miserably. It would be like trying to climb Mount Everest with your feet bound and your hands tied behind your back, while naked, with a wind chill of 30 degrees below zero. How far would you make it up the 29,000 ft. mountain?
The only solution for our sinfulness is to be justified before God. But how does this happen? It certainly does not occur by attempting to earn our justification. You see, “No one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather, through the Law we become conscious of sin” (Romans 3:20).
So, are you attempting to justify yourself before God by your deeds, or are you relying upon Christ's sacrifice on the cross as the payment for your sins? Do you have faith in Christ, or faith in yourself? I hope you realize that you are not capable of saving your soul, no matter how hard you may try to do so. Each one of us is guilty of sin before Almighty God. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).
The great reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) was plagued with guilt until he came to understand and believe the Gospel. Luther said, “Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that ‘the just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17). Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into Paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before the ‘justice of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul (Romans 1:17) became to me a gate to Heaven.”
Believers in Christ are justified before God through faith. Think of it this way: When I am justified, God sees me “just if I'd” never sinned! You are guilty, but you are declared, “Not guilty.”
John Cooper on why he doesn't hold back from speaking the truth despite backlash
Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was known as the “Prince of Preachers.” Spurgeon said, “Saving faith is an immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of God's grace.”
The Apostle Paul wrote to believers: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). And once saved by grace, believers immediately begin to live for the Lord. The very next verse states, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Ephesians 2:10).
When you are declared "not guilty" and given the free gift of everlasting life in Heaven, you respond to God's grace by seeking to honor the Lord with your thoughts, words and deeds. While good works cannot save our soul, they are the fruit of a life that is connected to the Vine.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Justification happens on the front end of your relationship with Christ. Your justification is complete the moment you are converted through faith in Christ alone. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the lifelong process whereby a believer grows stronger in faith and more active in good works. Spiritual maturity takes place over time as a believer becomes more like Christ.
Where are you today on your spiritual journey? Are you saved and justified through faith in Jesus? If so, are you becoming more like Christ every day?
What a joy for you and I as believers in Jesus to be declared “not guilty” in the eyes of our Heavenly Father! After all, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). And so, rejoice and be glad if you are a child of God! Your sins are forgiven, and Heaven is your eternal home!
IS THE IDF COMMITTING TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST HEZBOLLAH?
The Christian Post – Oct. 3, 2024 -- An Israeli soldier prays standing in front of a Merkava tank on the outskirts of the northern town of Kiryat Shmona near the border with Lebanon on October 8, 2023. Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel said they traded cross-border fire on October 8, as Israel fought the Shiite movement's ally Hamas on its southern flank a day after militants from the Palestinian group stormed its Gaza frontier. | JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images
There is a Talmudic dictum that states, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first” (b. Sanhedrin 72a). This is part of a discussion of the laws of self-defense, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited it with reference to the targeted killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Was this a right and fair application of this Talmudic principle? And did Israel rightfully follow this same principle in the pager attacks on thousands of Hezbollah operatives? Or is Israel engaging in acts of terror?
When it comes to Nasrallah, this was not a matter of someone coming to kill you. This was a matter of someone who was already responsible for thousands of deaths, both Israeli and Arab.
As Netanyahu said in his speech in Hebrew after killing Nasrallah, “‘The one who rises to kill you — rise and kill him first.’ The State of Israel has eliminated the arch-terrorist Hassan Nasrallah. We have settled accounts with the man responsible for the murder of countless Israelis and many citizens of other nations, including hundreds of Americans. Nasrallah was not just another terrorist. He was the terrorist.”
Indeed, even Al Jazeera news noted that other Arab nations viewed Nasrallah as a terrorist, and after his death was confirmed, there was celebration in different parts of the Arab/Muslim world, including the countries of Lebanon, Syria, and even Iran. (Note that Nasrallah studied in Islamic seminaries in Iran and Hezbollah, like Iran, is Shiite, making celebrations there even more significant.)
A Lebanese speaker and columnist wrote, “As a Lebanese, this is one of the happiest days in Lebanon’s history. As a Middle Easterner, this is one of the most transformative days for the Middle East. As a human being who holds peace before my eyes, this is the most important day for our region.”
And throughout the Middle East, videos were posted of dancing and singing in the streets, along with the traditional handing out of sweets and candies. Muslims were celebrating what Israel was able to do.
Even President Biden, who is trying not to alienate Arab American voters, referred to Nasrallah’s killing as “a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians,” noting that, “Nasrallah and Hezbollah ‘were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror.’”
More broadly, Steven Simon noted that, “With the confirmed assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah ... it is clear now that the entire senior command echelon of Lebanese Hezbollah is dead.
“That includes the Radwan commander, in charge of operations against Israel on the ground along the Blue Line, and his key subordinates. Also the top IRGC Quds Force people assigned to Lebanon. Add to this, thousands of Lebanese Hezbollah operatives who rated a company pager are out of action, blind, mutilated or dead.”
What, then, of Israel’s targeted pager and walkie-talkie attack on these Hezbollah operatives? Was this a justifiable act of self-defense, or was it a mass terrorist action?
Let’s remember that Hezbollah set up operations in northern Lebanon directly bordering Israel more than 40 years ago, with the goal of terrorizing Israeli citizens. They have done this for decades, now owning the largest arsenal of any non-state army in the world. At this very moment, more than 80,000 Israelis have had to evacuate their homes due to Hezbollah’s rocket and missile attacks.
And remember that, on October 8, just one day after the Hamas massacre, when the nation of Israel was suffering devastating losses and deep corporate shock, Hezbollah began a fresh bombardment of its own from the north, one that has not ceased over the months.
Hezbollah and Nasrallah have also resisted Israeli attempts in the past to separate from Hamas with the goal of brokering a peaceful coexistence between Israel and Lebanon. Not only so, but they have brought terrible suffering to the Lebanese people, setting up their military operations in the midst of communities.
When it comes to those targeted in the pager and walkie-talkie attack, those owning them were Hezbollah operatives, all of whom had sworn themselves to the destruction of Israel.
Had they been taken out in normal military operations by Israel, most commonly, through IDF air strikes, there would likely have been thousands of civilian casualties as well. In the case of the exploding devices, while there were, quite tragically, some civilian casualties, including the death of some children, the number of those casualties was massively lower than would have been the case through normal military operations. And surely, in the eyes of the Jewish nation under constant, deadly onslaught, this precise wounding and killing of terrorists was morally justifiable, fully and completely.
Contrast this with the effects of an errant Hezbollah rocket that landed in a Druze village in northern Israel, killing 12 children who were playing soccer.
This is the murderous recklessness of this dangerous terrorist organization, one whose powers have been massively curtailed by Israel in recent days.
That’s why the overwhelming consensus of those responding to my poll on X — at a ratio of 20 to 1 — said that Israel was not guilty of terrorist activity when it exploded the pagers of Hezbollah members and assassinated Hezbollah leader Nasrallah.
CAN A VOTE FOR TRUMP BE MORALLY JUSTIFIED?
Charisma News – Sep. 27, 2024 -- In my 2020 book, “Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?,” I devoted an entire chapter to the question, “Does Character Still Count and Does Morality Still Matter?” Four years later, that question is still relevant, especially for Christian conservatives. They (or, we) cannot possibly vote for Kamala Harris for a host of reasons. But can we, in good conscience, vote for Donald Trump?
Back in 1998, in response to the candidacy of Bill Clinton, the Southern Baptist Convention drafted a resolution in which it was stated clearly that “that moral character matters to God and should matter to all citizens, especially God’s people, when choosing public leaders.”
In keeping with this, the resolution urged “all Americans to embrace and act on the conviction that character does count in public office, and to elect those officials and candidates who, although imperfect, demonstrate consistent honesty, moral purity and the highest character.”
How do we reconcile this with our support for Trump (and I write this as a two-time Trump voter)? Does he, “although imperfect, demonstrate consistent honesty, moral purity and the highest character”? Hardly.
How, then, can we justify our vote for him?
Many have answered, “We’re electing a president, not a pastor (or priest). We’re voting for a commander-in-chief, not a spiritual leader.”
But is this how we felt in the days before Trump? Did we use this same reasoning when Bill Clinton was running for president? Weren’t we saying that character counted and morality mattered? And haven’t we been known as “Values Voters”? What “values” would those be? Didn’t we once call ourselves the “moral majority”?
The SBC resolution stated, “Tolerance of serious wrong by leaders sears the conscience of the culture, spawns unrestrained immorality and lawlessness in the society, and surely results in God’s judgment.” Do we still believe that today? Or have our own consciences become seared?
The resolution also affirmed “that moral character matters to God and should matter to all citizens, especially God’s people, when choosing public leaders.” But today, when concerned Christians point to Trump’s questionable morality, they are called legalists or shortsighted or religious or worse. What has happened to our moral convictions?
The book of Proverbs warns us about the deadly power of the tongue and about the damage a “fool” can do through his or her words. (In Proverbs, a “fool” refers to someone who is morally bankrupt rather than someone who is intellectually challenged.) The last thing a nation wants is a “fool” for its president (or king).
Why, then, vote for Trump?
When pressed further on this issue, the answer would sound something like this:
We still believe that character counts and morality matters, but things have become so extreme in America that we have to elect a street fighter, someone who stands up for our cause—not just for our good, but for the good of the generations to come.
In short, the battle we are fighting is an existential one, with our most fundamental liberties under attack. And, many of us reason, Trump, with all his shortcomings, is the best man for the job.
As Tucker Carlson said in December 2019, “If you’re wondering why so many Christians have been willing to support this president despite his personal life, this is why: It’s because whatever his flaws, he’s made it clear that he’s not the enemy of Christians.” Many a Trump supporter would say, “Precisely so!”
In harmony with these sentiments, when Franklin Graham was asked why he talked about politics more than his father did, he responded, “When my daddy was a child, they read the Bible in school.” (While I do not have the exact citation for this quote, a senior staff member of Graham confirmed its accuracy.) How things have changed!
But can we really look to Trump to fight for the things that are important for us? On Friday, Aug. 23, he posted on Truth Social that if he is reelected, his “administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.”
What? Here is an allegedly pro-life candidate using the misleading rhetoric of the pro-abortion camp (speaking of “reproductive rights” rather than the so-called right to abortion) and promising this “right” to women.
Talk about a deep betrayal of our values, also reflected in the GOP’s gutted 2024 platform, where the pro-life plank is virtually gone and all opposition to same-sex “marriage” has completely disappeared.
How, then, can Christian conservatives justify their vote for Trump?
Many would still argue that, despite his caving in on some of the issues most important to us and despite his many glaring character weaknesses, he will still do a better job on the economy, on securing our borders, on standing with Israel, on standing up to our international enemies. And so, overall, balancing out the pros and the cons, Trump is the better choice.
This could well be true.
But let’s stop pretending Trump is someone he isn’t. The cards are on the table for all to see.
In the end, though, it may all come down to this: A vote for Trump is, more than anything, a vote against Harris.
So, we can vote for Trump without being enamored by him, without being his defenders or apologists, and without being unrealistic in our expectations.
And if we do choose to vote for him, a choice that the vast majority of Christian conservatives will make, we must remember to keep our focus on Jesus and the gospel and to be sure that, to the extent Trump’s character deficiencies are a negative example, we distance ourselves from those deficiencies while setting the bar high in our lives and conduct.
We can vote for him without becoming like him.
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
God created each person with a thirst that is satisfied only in knowing Him.
Believers do many wonderful things for God. Sometimes, though, service can seem more important than the Master Himself. Hosea 6:6 makes God’s priorities clear: “I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” He wants our attention more than any gifts or works.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t press beyond an occasional good work or Bible reading. We ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudges about spending time in prayer. We worship out of a sense of duty. Does this sound familiar? If so, remember that your relationship with the Lord requires time and commitment but is immensely rewarding.
God instilled a thirst in us that won’t be satisfied except through Him (John 4:14). Paul made this passion clear when he wrote, “Whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).
We were created to have a relationship with God and to bring Him glory. Service and good works are a natural extension of that, but our foremost responsibility is to spend time with 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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