INTERESTING INFORMATION CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
CONFIRMING BIBLICAL TRUTH
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
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
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
HAVE YOU BEEN “SHUT IN”
When the Lord drew Noah into the Ark, The Bible says Noah “went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in."
The Lord who had drawn them in now closed the door on them. That “shut Door” was a symbol of closure, Safety, and God’s deliverance.” They were saved, and “shut into Heaven! (Gen.7:16 Footnote to the Nelson Study Bible, NKJV)
CHRISTIAN MUSIC VIDEO
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF ELIJAH
Robin Mark
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – " Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless
hope” - Doug Bolton
INTERESTING ARTICLE SUMMARY
· The days of Noah and the days of Lot: A prophetic parallel
· The fall of Damascus: Prophetic implications and the End Times
· The Bible Lives Forever
· A LIVING HOPE
INTERESTING ARTICLES
THE DAYS OF NOAH AND THE DAYS OF LOT: A PROPHETIC PARALLEL
Charisma News – Jan. 5, 2025 -- When Jesus spoke about His eventual return, He referenced two historical periods—the days of Noah and the days of Lot. These comparisons serve as profound prophetic warnings about the state of humanity and the world before His Second Coming. By examining these areas, we gain insight into the societal conditions, moral decay, and spiritual apathy that will characterize the last days. Let us explore what Jesus said and delve into the characteristics of Noah’s and Lot’s times as described in Scripture.
The Words of Jesus
In Luke 17:26-30, Jesus said:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”
Through these words, Jesus highlighted the complacency and preoccupation with daily life that characterized these eras. The warnings serve as a call to vigilance and spiritual readiness for His return.
The Days of Noah
The story of Noah’s time is found in Genesis 6:1-8. Humanity had reached unprecedented levels of corruption and wickedness. The Bible describes this period as a time when “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).
Characteristics of Noah’s Era
1. Moral Decay: The people in Noah’s day were consumed by self-interest and materialism. Similar to Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy 3:2-4, they were “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Today’s culture mirrors these traits. The rise of social media has amplified self-obsession and the relentless pursuit of personal validation. Just as in Noah’s day, the spiritual apathy and moral degradation are evident.
2. Demonic Influence: The mention of the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1-4 points to the unnatural union between fallen angels and humans. This corruption of God’s creation symbolizes the rebellion and lawlessness that permeated society.
In modern times, the influence of dark spiritual forces can be seen in the normalization of practices and ideologies that distort God’s design. Technological advancements like genetic engineering and transhumanism raise ethical and theological concerns, echoing the mingling of “iron and clay” described in Daniel 2:31-44.
3. Disregard for God’s Warnings: Despite Noah’s preaching of righteousness, the people ignored God’s warnings. This parallels today’s indifference to the gospel and the rejection of absolute truth.
Lessons from Noah’s Time
The ark symbolizes God’s provision for salvation. Just as Noah’s family was saved through the ark, believers are offered redemption through Jesus Christ. The challenge is to live righteously in a world increasingly hostile to God’s ways.
The Days of Lot
The account of Lot’s time is found in Genesis 19. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, lived in Sodom, a city notorious for its sin and rebellion against God. The characteristics of Sodom’s society provide further insight into the conditions preceding Christ’s return.
Characteristics of Lot’s Era
God’s Judgment and Mercy
Sodom’s destruction serves as a reminder of God’s judgment upon unrepentant sin. Yet, His mercy is evident in the rescue of Lot and his family. Similarly, God offers salvation through Christ to all who turn to Him in repentance and faith.
Parallels to Modern Times
The conditions of Noah’s and Lot’s days bear striking similarities to our world today:
Moral Corruption: Societal values increasingly stray from biblical principles.
Spiritual Apathy: Many prioritize material success and personal gratification over spiritual growth.
Warnings Ignored: Prophetic voices are often dismissed or ridiculed.
Transhumanism and the Image of God
One striking parallel is the rise of transhumanism. This movement’s pursuit of human enhancement through technology raises concerns about tampering with the Imago Dei—the image of God in humanity.
Theological challenges include:
Alteration of God’s Design: Radical changes to human biology risk undermining God’s creation.
False Promises of Salvation: Transhumanism’s hope for immortality through technology contradicts the gospel’s message of eternal life through Christ.
The Church’s Response
In these times, believers are called to:
1. Live
Righteously: Like Noah and Lot, Christians must remain faithful amidst a
corrupt world.
2. Proclaim the Gospel: The Church is tasked with sharing the
message of salvation and calling others to repentance.
3. Discern the Times: Believers must recognize the signs of
Christ’s return and stay spiritually vigilant.
4. Cling to God’s Word: Scripture provides the foundation for
navigating the challenges of the end times.
A Final Call to Readiness
The days of Noah and Lot serve as sobering reminders of God’s judgment and mercy. As the world grows increasingly similar to these eras, the urgency for spiritual readiness intensifies. The ark and Sodom’s rescue illustrate God’s provision for those who trust in Him. Through Christ, we have the promise of salvation and eternal life.
Let us heed the warnings of Scripture, stand firm in our faith, and shine as beacons of hope in a darkening world. Just as Noah and Lot bore witness to God’s truth, we too are called to be faithful in proclaiming the gospel and living for His glory. For the day of the Lord will come, bringing both judgment and redemption. May we be found ready when He returns.
THE FALL OF DAMASCUS: PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS AND THE END TIMES
Charisma News – Dec 10, 2024 -- The collapse of the Syrian government and the end of Bashar al-Assad’s regime is not only a geopolitical turning point but a moment of profound prophetic significance. For believers who examine global events through the lens of Scripture, the situation in Syria—and particularly in Damascus—demands our attention.
A Biblical Perspective on Damascus
Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, occupies a central role in biblical prophecy. Isaiah 17:1 declares, “The burden against Damascus: ‘Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.'” This prophecy remains unfulfilled for the time being, but the unraveling of Syria’s stability suggests the fulfillment may be imminent.
“Damascus is a city that the Bible predicts will be decimated (Isaiah 17:1). Widening out from the city itself, we can also see that Syria, which has been a bitter enemy of Israel since 1948, isn’t mentioned among the nations in the future war of Gog from the land of Magog described in Ezekiel 38. Ultimately, what we learn relating to the nation to Israel’s north is that Damascus must fall. This will contribute to Israel being strong, safe, and prosperous. It is then that the enemy will attack from the north.”
This striking insight connects Syria’s fall with the eventual strengthening of Israel. According to Ezekiel 38, Israel will stand as a safe and prosperous nation before an invasion from the north led by the Gog-Magog coalition. This scenario reveals Damascus’ downfall as a key piece in the prophetic puzzle.
The Political Landscape and Israel
The relationship between the United States and Israel plays a critical role in shaping the fulfillment of these end-times scenarios. Tsarfati’s call for a strong U.S. administration echoes sentiments shared by many Christians:
For Israel to finally be safe and to prosper, we not only need a victory in our present wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, but we need a friendly US administration to expand the peace circle and stand strong against the axis of evil. This certainly seems to be the direction we are heading.
The stark contrast between the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations is evident in their respective stances toward Israel. President-elect Donald Trump was celebrated for his strong support of Israel, exemplified by the Abraham Accords and the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. His administration’s policies strengthened Israel’s regional alliances and security, aligning with the biblical vision of Israel’s prosperity.
Conversely, the Biden-Harris administration has adopted a more cautious approach, which some critics argue has emboldened Israel’s adversaries, and this weakness may have even led to the Oct. 7 massacre by the terror group Hamas. A poll by Israel’s Channel 12 revealed that 66% of Israelis preferred Trump over Kamala Harris, reflecting a strong sense of alignment with Trump’s policies. This preference highlights a growing recognition within Israel of the importance of U.S. leadership in securing peace and prosperity while combatting the terror elements that would see their nation destroyed.
A Call for Biblical Discernment
As these events unfold, Christians are called to exercise discernment. The prophetic texts within the Bible are not merely historical; they are our guide for navigating the complexities of the present age. The increasing deception in the world, whether through political maneuvering or spiritual disinformation, highlights the necessity of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul warned of the perilous times to come in 2 Timothy 3:13, stating, “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” In light of this, we as believers must ground ourselves in Scripture, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit while remaining vigilant to the attacks of the enemy.
The collapse of Damascus, the shifting political tides and the alignment of nations all point to the urgency of understanding biblical prophecy. Now more than ever, we must prepare our hearts and minds for the days ahead, standing firm in our faith as history moves inexorably toward its God-ordained conclusion.
THE BIBLE LIVES FOREVER
Christian Headline News - Oct. 27, 2011 -- In May 2011, the English-speaking world celebrated the 400th anniversary of the most important piece of literature ever penned in the English language. It's the King James Version of the Bible, published on order of his Majesty King James I, in May 1611. More than any other publication, the Authorized Version of the Bible has influenced the standardization of language among English-speaking peoples of the world. It's also the best selling book of all time in any language.
Most people presume that since the King James Version has been around so long, it's now in the public domain.
Vaughan Williams, the renowned English composer, often set passages from the Authorized Version to music. He allegedly did this out of his great love and respect for the King James Version. But in an interview, years after his death, his widow, Ursula, was asked why Williams, who professed to be an agnostic, used the Bible so often in his compositions. With a twinkle in her eye, she replied: "Because it's out of copyright! No royalties!"
It turns out that's not true. In honor of the KJV's 400th anniversary, London's
newly reconstituted Globe Theater—Shakespeare's old home stage—scheduled a
series of actors to recite the entire King James Bible from the stage between
Palm Sunday and Easter of 2011. But a few days before the presentation, the
director received a bill for payment of a substantial royalty fee for the
privilege of reading it publicly. The British Crown actually owns the copyright
to the King James Bible, which has been renewed upon the accession of each
succeeding monarch since King James himself. So the queen, through the auspices
of Cambridge University Press, was sending him a bill, according to BBC
Music Magazine.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). This
we certainly believe and confess to be true, but the paper and ink belong to
the Queen. In 1874, John Richard Green wrote, in A Short History of the
English People, "No greater moral change ever passed over a nation
than passed over England in the 16th century. England became a people of the
book, and that book was the Bible. As a mere literary monument, the English version
of the Bible remains the noblest example of the English tongue. But far greater
was its effect on the character of the people. The whole temper of the nation
felt the change. A new conception of life and humanity superseded the old and a
renewed moral and religious impulse spread through every class.”
Two hundred years later, a new nation was born out of that "renewed moral and religious impulse," a nation, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
The Bible is more than just a book. Paper and ink can be bought and sold,
language changes, and nations rise and fall, but, as Isaiah 40:8 says,
"The word of our God will stand forever." It is the firm foundation
upon which to build our labors, our loves, and most certainly our lives.
A LIVING HOPE
Jesus' work on the cross banishes fear and guarantees our future.
Related Scripture
1 Peter 1:3-5, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,’John 10:11-18 ’Mark 16:19, Genesis 16-19 1 Peter 1:3-5
The city of Corinth was characterized by many forms of ungodliness. Believers there had once been like their fellow citizens—filled with greed, envy, wickedness, deceit, and anger. But now they were new creations, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and adopted into the family of God. The “Corinthian lifestyle” no longer matched who they’d become in Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul was reminding the believers not to be influenced by their culture or old patterns of thinking. The apostle was not warning them that they might miss out on the kingdom. Rather, he was encouraging them to abandon their old ways and behave as who they really were—children of God.
We, too, can trust that salvation is permanent. We could never redeem and heal ourselves, so Jesus willingly did the work on our behalf (John 10:11-18). Then, God raised Jesus back to life and brought Him to heaven. Now our Savior reigns there at His Father’s right hand (Mark 16:19). It’s important to understand that the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross is the basis for our salvation. This awareness banishes fear and fills us with hope.
What God has accomplished—pardoning our sins, giving us a new nature, and adopting us into His family—no one can undo. That gives us a living hope to sustain us all our days.
In Touch Ministry
PRIOR ISSUE
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
1/1/2025
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
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HAPPY NEW YEAR
FAITH, HOPE, LOVE
Faith in God leads believers to place their hope in God’s promises. Restoring a right relationship with God then prompts believers to restore their relationships with others. Love for God demonstrates itself in love for others. Christians are exhorted to faith, hope, and love through three commands: “Let us draw near”, “Let us hold fast”, and “let us consider” (Footnote: Heb. 10:19-25 NKJV)
"AND IT CAME TO PASS"
http://www.heritagechurchmckinney.com/messages/And%20It%20Came%20To%20Pass.mp3
Pastor Len Mclaughlin- Heritage Church, Mckinney, Tx
You will enjoy and find this interesting – Pass it on to your Homebound Family and Friends
CHRISTIAN MUSIC VIDEO
The Love of God
Gaither Vocal Band
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – " The cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God - Oswald Chambers
INTERESTING ARTICLE SUMMARY
· Agnostic Archaeologist discovers evidence for the “Virgin Birth”
· Artificial Intelligence and the mind of God are alike?
· Controversy erupts as Pope Francis inaugurates activity with Baby Jesus on Palestinian symbol
· GIVING JESUS FIRST PLACE
INTERESTING ARTICLES
AGNOSTIC ARCHAEOLOGIST DISCOVERS EVIDENCE FOR THE VIRGIN BIRTH
Charisma News – Dec.15, 2024 -- Of the four Gospels, Luke gives the most detailed account of the nativity and mentions Mary 12 times, more than any other biblical writer. In addition to the birth of Christ, he also gives special, detailed attention to the birth of John the Baptist, and many see his gynecological interests to be a result of his training as a physician.
Agnostic Oxford professor and archaeologist Sir William Ramsay thought he would scientifically prove Luke to be a bogus, unreliable writer by retracing Luke’s account of Paul’s travels in Acts. However, after years of retracing Luke’s account of Paul’s travels and doing archaeological excavations along the way, Ramsay completely reversed his view of the Bible and first-century history.
He Sets Out to Disprove Luke
Ramsay, considered one of the greatest archaeologists of all time, was a product of the skeptical, German higher criticism of the 19th century. According to these critics, the New Testament was written in the second century by individuals far removed from the events described and, therefore, filled with inaccuracies, myths and legends.
Ramsay set out to prove these theories, which he taught and had become accepted as facts in much of academia. However, after many years of archaeological research, he became convinced that Acts was written in the first century by Luke, the traditional author, and he acquired a very high regard for Luke as a historian. He wrote: “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense; in short, this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians” (Hyatt, “Christmas is for Real,” 10-11).
In 1896, Ramsay began publishing his discoveries in a book titled “St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen.” The book caused a furor of dismay among the skeptics of the world, for its affirmation of the biblical record was totally unexpected. The evidence was, in fact, so overwhelming that many atheists gave up their atheism and embraced Christianity.
Over the next 20 years, Ramsay published other volumes showing how he discovered Luke to be accurate in the tiniest details of his account. In his book, “The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament,” he wrote, “You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment” (Hyatt, 11).
To cite just one example, Luke’s use of the term “politarch” to describe officials in Thessalonica was widely considered to be a bogus term since it was unknown in all other ancient literature. But in his archaeological excavations, Ramsay uncovered the term no less than five times in ancient carvings in the city, demonstrating beyond doubt the authenticity and reliability of Luke’s authorship.
The evidence piled up and became overwhelming. Ramsay eventually gave up his agnosticism and came to faith in Christ. He concluded that if Luke was this careful to get right the most minute facts about words, dates, roads, waterways and different cultures, then he could also be trusted to have gotten his facts right about the supernatural things he described, such as the virgin birth.
Indeed, at the beginning of his Gospel, and just before describing the angel’s visit to Mary, Luke says he has utilized eyewitness accounts of the events described. The detail Luke presents about the virgin birth does indicate that he has derived his information from a primary source, either Mary herself or someone to whom Mary had relayed the intimate details of the event.
More Affirmations
The famous Oxford historian A.N. Sherwin-White carefully examined Luke’s references to 32 countries, 54 cities and nine islands, finding not a single mistake. The noted New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce pointed out that where Luke has been suspected of inaccuracy by modern critics, archaeology has again and again proven Luke to be right and the critics wrong.
The evidence begs the question that if Luke was this careful to get his facts right about names, places, events and dates, can we not be confident that he was just as careful to get his facts right concerning the more important things about which he wrote, such as the virgin birth of Jesus Christ?
Charles Wesley, the Anglican cleric and Methodist revivalist, believed so and wrote his magnificent hymn, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” after hearing London church bells ringing as he walked to church one Christmas day. He wrote,
Hark! The herald angels sing/”Glory to the newborn King.
“Peace on earth and mercy mild/God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise/Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim/”Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE MIND OF GOD ARE ALIKE?
The Christian Post – Nov, 30, 2024 -- Our grandson Connor made a very interesting comment when he was a little boy. His parents (our daughter and son-in-law) were praying for him when he was fighting some minor illness, asking God to heal him. When nothing happened, he said, “Jesus doesn’t have enough hands to heal everyone.” That was his childlike way of explaining why he wasn’t healed. Jesus only had so many hands with which He could touch the sick. He couldn’t get to everyone.
As much as we can smile at his childlike and innocent faith, we too can limit God in our thinking. After all, isn’t it difficult for us to comprehend the fact that right now, all around the world, God is listening intently to every single one of His children praying in a host of different languages, giving full attention to each one? We may affirm with our heads that we believe this to be true, but do we really grasp the reality?
Do we really believe that, as I write these words and as you read them, God knows every thought that every human being is thinking (and has ever thought), that He knows every single thing that every human being (and angel and demon) is doing (and has ever done), and that He is interacting with our words and thoughts according to His plan at this very moment?
It is truly mind boggling, completely beyond our understanding. But isn’t that the very essence of omniscience, which is literally “the state of knowing everything”?
Recently, while using AI, I got the tiniest glimpse into the vastness of the mind of God.
In short, we know that we can ask our AI bot a complex question in almost any language, and we get a virtually instant, detailed response. (AI has to be checked because it can be unreliable, but when it is accurate, it is stunning.)
My Ph.D. from New York University was in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures (with a focus on ancient languages), I have enjoyed asking Claude, my most frequently used AI bot, some very technical Semitic language questions.
Then, I’ve asked Claude to translate his answer into another ancient dialect, and voila, a second later, there it is. I am always incredibly impressed.
The knowledge base of these AI bots is incomprehensibly large, their ability to flow from language to language absolutely stunning, and their speed in responding truly breathtaking. What’s more, one million of us could ask one million questions to the same AI bot at the same time and we would each get a personalized, instant answer.
How much more, then, does this apply to the mind of God?
How much more does this apply to the one of whom Paul wrote, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33–36).
As human beings, we can be impressed with the size of a really big person (“He’s more than 7-feet tall!”) or a really big building (“It’s 200 stories high!”) or a really big mountain (“Everest is massive!”).
How different is God’s perspective!
“Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing” (Isaiah 40:15–17).
Yet at the same time, He knows the number of the hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30) and before a word is even on our tongue, He already knows it (Psalm 139:4).
And as massive as planet earth is to us, it is less than a grain of sand in the scope of our galaxy, which itself is unfathomably large. Yet scientists have discovered more than two trillion galaxies so far. We cannot begin to comprehend what this really means.
Yet God knows every star in every galaxy (in fact, He created them) as well as the tiniest, nearly invisible microbe that the world’s most powerful microscope can barely see.
What’s more, this infinite, transcendent God cares about us deeply, even telling the people of Israel in the Old Testament that when they suffered, He suffered with them (see Isaiah 63:9). (At this point, all comparisons to AI cease.)
More remarkably still, He came into our world in the person of His Son to die for our sins — how unimaginable! — and through His Son He says to us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
How mind boggling is that?
CONTROVERSY ERUPTS AS POPE FRANCIS INAUGURATES NATIVITY WITH BABY JESUS ON PALESTINIAN SYMBOL
Charisma News – Dec/ 09, 2024 -- Once again, Pope Francis finds himself at the center of controversy, angering Israeli officials and Christians worldwide with a provocative act that many view as a dangerous distortion of biblical truth.
On Saturday, the Pope attended the inauguration of a nativity scene that depicts the baby Jesus lying on a keffiyeh—a traditional Palestinian scarf symbolizing national identity and commonly worn by Hamas terrorists. The scene was presented by Palestinian officials and designed by Palestinian artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi from Bethlehem.
A Political Statement Disguised as Art
The keffiyeh-draped nativity scene, titled “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024,” is displayed in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, separate from the traditional nativity in St. Peter’s Square. The event was attended by Palestinian dignitaries, including Ramzi Khouri of the PLO, who praised the Pope’s “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.” Pope Francis, in his remarks, called for peace and decried war and violence but did so without directly addressing the context of ongoing conflicts involving Israel.
This display is more than an artistic choice—it is a political statement suggesting a revisionist narrative that frames Jesus as a Palestinian. This trope, previously invoked by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in 2013, is deeply troubling to those who hold to the Bible’s clear teaching that Jesus was a Jew, born of the tribe of Judah.
Unbiblical and Dangerous
The depiction of Jesus in association with Palestinian symbolism directly contradicts Scripture. The Bible leaves no doubt about Jesus’ Jewish identity. Matthew 1:1 opens the New Testament by affirming Jesus as “the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” His lineage, culture and practices were unequivocally Jewish, as evidenced by His participation in Jewish feasts and His teaching in synagogues.
In John 4:22, Jesus himself declared, “Salvation is of the Jews.” By linking Jesus to Palestinian identity through the keffiyeh, this nativity scene not only distorts historical and biblical truths but also fuels a narrative that undermines Israel’s legitimacy and misrepresents the Christian faith’s origins.
A Call for Discernment
This act by Pope Francis is not merely a cultural misstep—it is a dangerous theological error with significant implications. By allowing such a depiction, the Pope risks aligning the church with narratives that distort biblical truth to fit political agendas. This is not the first time the pontiff has stirred controversy, either. His reluctance to unequivocally condemn Hamas’ atrocities and his statements on Israel’s actions being potentially genocidal have already strained relations with the Jewish community.
For Christians, this moment demands vigilance and discernment. The apostle Paul warned in Galatians 1:8, “But even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than the one we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” The Bible must remain the ultimate authority, and any attempt to reshape its narratives to align with worldly ideologies must be rejected.
A Call to Repentance
Pope Francis must recognize the harm caused by such actions and repent for allowing political influences to distort the church’s representation of Jesus Christ. This is a critical moment for the global Christian community to reaffirm its commitment to biblical truth and reject any attempt to reshape the Gospel message for political gain.
Christians worldwide need to pray for the Pope and all leaders in positions of influence, that they may seek wisdom from God and align their actions with Scripture. In an increasingly polarized world, we must hold fast to the Word of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to discern truth from deception.
GIVING JESUS FIRST PLACE
When the Lord is our priority, we can have His joy and strength while facing whatever life brings.
When Christ has first place in our life, we will experience many blessings. These include . . .
A Quiet Spirit. As we turn our attention to the Lord and meditate on His Word, He “leads [us] beside quiet waters,” where we find rest for our soul (Psalm 23:2). A quieted heart and mind make us better able to discern what God is saying to us.
Paul’s life demonstrates what it means to give Jesus first place. Because he made Christ the Lord of his life (Galatians 2:20), the apostle knew joy amid trials and received the strength to face turmoil and difficulty. These blessings will also be ours when we give highest priority to our relationship with Jesus.
Related Scripture, Philippians 2:9-11 Psalm 23:2 1 John 1:9 2 Peter 1:3 Galatians 2:20 Luke 17-19
In Touch Ministry
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2Cor. 13:14)
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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