Brian is a well known Bible teacher with a particular emphasis on Biblical end time events. Believing that these events are already underway, he believes that the Rapture of the Church to glory is imminent. Brian and Gilly (pic here with Bethan)travel throughout the UK and he also teaches in Europe and the USA. Although they are regularly in fellowships and churches who know them well, they are most happy to visit new venues to bring the message of the Gospel and the nearness of Christs return.
Joel C, Rosenberg –www.flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com.
Is Putin the biblical figure known as "Gog"? Make no mistake: the Russian-Iranian strategic alliance that I’ve been writing about for the last several years has deepened to the point where Moscow is now unequivocally and quite openly backing the mullahs in Iran.
“Russia warned Israel on Wednesday that attacking Iran would be disastrous and played down the failure of a U.N. nuclear agency mission to Tehran, saying there is still a chance for new talks over the Iranian atomic programme,” reports Reuters.
‘Of course any possible military scenario against Iran will be catastrophic for the region and for the whole system of international relations,’ Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told a news conference. It was one of Russia’s starkest warnings against resorting to force, an option Israel and the United States have not ruled out if they conclude that diplomacy and increasing sanctions will not stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.’
I hope Israel understands all these consequences … and they should also consider the consequences of such action for themselves,’ Gatilov said. ‘I hope a realistic approach will prevail, along with a sensible assessment.’”
The big question now is this: Will Vladimir Putin win his bid to become Russia’s President again during the March 4 elections, and would Putin then directly threaten Israel with retaliation for an attack on Iran? So far, Russia hasn’t gone so far as to threaten a military response, but it’s not out of the question.
The latest poll shows Putin in a commanding lead to regain the presidency, with 58.6% support, compared to Gennady Zyuganov, the head of the Communist Party, who has 14.8% support. And Putin in recent years seems itching to rebuild the Russian military (something he promised again just this week – he’s called for a $770 billion upgrade of Russia’s military), strengthen his alliances throughout the Islamic world, and give the West a black eye.
He’s explicitly running his campaign on anti-Americanism, for example. He’s close to the Iranians. He’s defending the Bashar al-Assad, the butcher in Damascus. He’s growing closer to the Turks, as they become hostile to Israel. Putin hasn’t directly threatened Israel, but he’s backing all of Israel’s worst enemies and could find himself drawn into a war to prove his alpha-dog machismo.
Another question I’m getting asked these days: Is Putin “Gog,” the evil leader described in the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39? It came up during my recent speaking tour in Florida, and in a talk I gave to a group on Capitol Hill last week?
Thus far, my answer remains the same — Putin is certainly “Gog-esque,” but it is too early to speculate on whether he is actually the biblical figure that will rise to power in Russia (known in Ezekiel’s prophecy as “Magog”) in the last days and build an alliance with Iran (“Persia”), Sudan (“Cush”), Turkey (“Gomer”), Libya and Algeria (“Put”), the countries of Central Asia (“Beth Togarmah”) to attack the State of Israel from “the north” (probably via Lebanon and Syria).
That said, it is fair to say that geopolitical events over the past decade — and certainly over the past year or so — have been moving on a trajectory consistent with the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. That doesn’t necessarily mean we will see the prophecies come to complete fulfillment in our lifetime or soon, but we cannot rule out the possibility.
For the moment, the major need is to keep mobilizing people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and to keep asking the Lord to help us get ready for the next war that comes, be that a really bad geopolitical war (ie, an Israeli first strike on Iran, or vice versa), or a prophetic war (ie, the War of Gog and Magog). One way or the other, it would seem that war is coming. The handwriting seems to be on the wall. Dare we allow ourselves to be unprepared?
Jude, Enoch, and the Hybrids, by Ron Graham from Rapture Ready.
The response to my commentary “Hybrids” was phenomenal. There were many questions, but the main question was whether or not I believe hybrids are living among us today. I will attempt to answer that question and many more throughout this commentary.
“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”Genesis 6:12. The worst case scenario was coming to fruition. God was about to destroy the population of planet earth including every beast with more water than they could have ever imagined possible. Were they clueless as to what was coming? “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” 2 Peter 2:5. It’s interesting that the Apostle Peter points out that Noah was a preacher, yet Noah’s preaching obviously had no effect on the rest of the antediluvian world.
There seems to be little difference in the mindset of today’s populous as we review and compare the events of that antediluvian world. There’s little notice by today’s societies of the events that parallel the ancient past. Most don’t even believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob let alone a flood that wiped out billions. Students of prophecy are increasingly warning the world that now is the time to prepare for their eternal destination as humanity is currently living in these very precarious end times, but are they listening?
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”Matthew 24:12. Here we’re confronted with the sad but quite serious reminder that in the last days because of thriving wickedness the love of many will grow cold. The phrase “wax cold” comes from the Greek word “psychō”, which means to blow cold. Metaphorically the phrase “wax cold” is used in the sense of waning zeal or love. Jesus warns us that the love of many will vanish in the final days of planet earth. The tragic results of humanistic, atheistic “we evolved from pond scum” teachings that have permeated societies for decades have certainly taken their toll. What we are witnessing in our society today has been encroaching on us for many years. Is the waxing cold of the human heart finally coming to a crescendo? Or is this the onslaught of a soulless generation of hybrids being unveiled? A little food for thought.
“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.”Daniel 12:4. The seal has been removed from Daniels book and knowledge is increasing. I believe that some of that knowledge is buried in Jude’s epistle – a little one chapter book that really packs a wallop.
Before you read any further, I must interject that if you have aligned yourself with the wrong interpretation of the book of Genesis chapter 6 you will misinterpret the book of Jude. When we understand the truth that a corrupting influence invaded humanity at that particular point in the time/space continuum (the antediluvian world), we can then anticipate and prepare ourselves for what’s coming. The similarities of that ancient world and ours today are striking.
I will summarize Jude’s little epistle. Occasionally I’ll insert the Greek word and the deeper meaning behind that word for emphasis as we seek the revealing of God’s truth.Jude begins his epistle with an admonishment. We are to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. There’s a good reason for this as Jude is going to take us on a journey into a very evil world – a world of the malevolent supernatural. He’s going to be referring to the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ, but he will also take us back in time.
Concerning those last days something very wicked is going to raise its ugly head and our faith will be attacked – aggressively. To Jude it’s a future event; but to us today the event is here. Jude is adamant that wickedness will be so invasive that we, the saints of God, will find it difficult but necessary to earnestly contend for our faith. The original Greek word used by Jude for the phrase “earnestly contend” is “epagōnizomai” which means “to contend about a thing, as that of a combatant”. Jude suggests that we move into this combatant mode with renewed zeal. How do we do that? Guns and knives will not suffice against the supernatural, nor will they do much good against a generation of enhanced Hybrids. You might want to take a moment here and study Ephesians chapter 6.
Jude points to a certain something coming upon the scene in the last days. In the King James Version of our English Bible we read “certain men” crept in “of old”, “ungodly men”. According to the Greek word “tis”, which is rendered in English as “certain”, these were not necessarily men. As you will see throughout the entirety of Jude’s epistle he’s speaking of something quite different than mere men. They were “of old” which points to another era of humanity’s past. They were ungodly, which when we look at the original Greek word we find it means they held no reverence for God. If they weren’t men what were they?
They crept in stealthily and craftily. When we read that word craftily it should remind us of Genesis chapter 3 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made” Genesis 3:1. The Hebrew word for “subtil” means “subtle, shrewd, crafty, sly”. Sound familiar? It should, Jude is referring to the same type of “being”. You might be asking yourself why is Jude referring to “beings” of the past. He’ll get to that directly.
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4. Jude is not referring to false teachers as many Bible teachers promote, but to “beings” of old who rejected the grace of God and turned that grace into unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence, which is their nature.
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Jude 1:6-7. Jude references the antediluvian period by explaining what happened to the angels who were involved in that first incursion into our world. They were punished for their wickedness by God and are currently held in chains until the judgment. It’s interesting that Jude lumps Sodom and Gomorrha in with those fallen angels of Noah’s day.
When we realize that Satan cannot be working alone in this world as he is not God, we can then come to grips with the fact that he still has an innumerable army of fallen angles ready to do his bidding. It’s not hard to then come to the conclusion to which Jude is guiding us; fallen angels will again participate in the same kind of corruption the others were involved with before the flood.
Genesis chapter 6 tells us that “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” Genesis 6:4. The words “and also after that” remind us that the evil of that era would continue. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrha had become extremely wicked because the same kind of supernatural malevolent incursion occurred then as in the pre-flood world.
The mention of going after strange flesh is another obvious allusion to the antediluvian world. Jude is speaking of the lust-filled attitude of fallen angels. Men, too, had given themselves over to fornication and went after strange flesh. The Greek words “heteros sarx” (strange flesh) speak of various types of flesh, not all human, and following the context of his epistle Jude is reintroducing us to a “being” that is not human. With the Greek word “sarx” we see Jude referring to the animal nature, animalistic cravings. Jude speaks of the complete corruption of the body, while participating in extremely egregious sexual activity. The men and women of Sodom and Gomorrha, as well as the surrounding cities, had completely corrupted themselves through the wicked influence of fallen angels..
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha was sudden and final, their fall didn’t just occur overnight. The wickedness that brought down all those cities took generations of corruption. There must be no misunderstanding here; Jude is not speaking of false teachers leading their congregations astray. Just so there is no confusion, Jude continually reminds us to whom he is referring.
They are brute beasts, living creatures whose vocabulary is nothing but blasphemies uttered continually, and yet they have no intimate knowledge of who or what they are blaspheming. They are senseless as they continually corrupt themselves in all their ways like animals who know not sin. They are prideful, soulless beasts. The corruption of the human race is their agenda. They are like a spot that spoils everything, like leaven it permeates the whole of whatever it is put into. This spoiling leaven destroys lives by diminishing then eliminating the love people have for one another. Jude explains that these “beings” are void of feelings, void of any good intentions; they are without natural love and affection. They are essentially the walking dead.
Jude is warning the last daysChurch of evil so reprehensible they must be prepared for combat. He explains that these beings are living and growing wild and savage in the fields or woods; some will resemble men but they are animals, fierce and boorish, rude, full of violent passion, vehement, furious, and uncontrollable. They are tossed to and fro by their raging restless passions, foaming out like refuse worthy of the fire and nothing else. Their actions are shameful, yet they have no shame. They are disgraceful and have no honour. Who are they? They are the progeny of fallen angels roaming the land without fear of where they are heading.
Jude’s quote from the book of Enoch is very telling. The evil that had spread throughout the antediluvian world in Enoch’s day was cause for him to be given insight into the future last day’s events prior to the judgment.He saw the Lord Jesus coming with an innumerable number of His saints to execute His judgment on all the ungodly fallen angels and their ungodly progeny – along with all humankind who’ve rejected the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Then Jude reminds the Church of the words of the Apostles that these things would occur in the last days; that these animalistic brutes would once again invade humanity and corrupt the populous of earth through their sexual escapades. These beings, being void of spirit, would inhabit the earth for a season but would ultimately perish forever in the fires of Hell.
I believe the hybridization of the human genome is the key to the ever increasing wickedness that has been with humankind for thousands of years, and it continues unabated today. Without a doubt we can trace this phenomenon back to the antediluvian world. There is no indication that humanity today has even the slightest concept that this progressive and very aggressive co-mingling of beings of two distinct dimensions is occurring – other than the constant talk of transhumanism, which by the way seems to be a road many are willing to take. In the antediluvian world this corruption didn’t just happen over a period of a few decades but was actually initiated during Adam’s day, at least a thousand years prior to the flood. The last days began in the time of the Apostles; this wickedness that we see escalating today has been stealthily (craftily) increasing for thousands of years.
What we think we know from mankind’s past has deceived many into rejecting the truth of scriptures. It’s time to embrace God’s truth and re-evaluate our own understanding of the events of the antediluvian world. Never mind how it makes you feel, feelings can be deceiving. The truth is, what happened during the pre-flood era has returned in our day and is burgeoning.
What these supernatural beings began in humanity’s past is simply a continuation of the contamination of that pre-deluge world – what they’ve been planning since the serpent deceived Eve. These “malevolent beings” are bent on fulfilling their leader’s ultimate goal, the conclusion to human existence. Their modus operandi is to steal, kill, and destroy. They are the fallen angels, they are here, and they are intertwined with humanity for a reason, to beget an ungodly progeny of hybrid (Nephilim), fully demonic, soulless beings. They aren’t necessarily appearing as giants these days but are actually being developed to look like humans, so much so that we can’t easily tell them apart from the rest of humanity. At least not until they begin to demonstrate superhuman traits.
These beings are beginning to expose themselves to the scrutiny of the public’s eye in ways we would never have imagined. I was reading a book, “The Cosmic Chess Match” by L.A. Marzulli, in which he includes a very interesting video link http://documentaryheaven.com/madness-in-the-fast-lane/. Take the time to watch it as it is both frightening and enlightening. Is this event an isolated occurrence? Probably not.
We are witnessing the unfolding of prophecy. For the saints, it won’t be much longer. The clouds of war are amassing, the armies of the prince of the power of the air are at the door, all the players are set, and the end is in sight. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” 2 Peter 2:9.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham.
Ron is pictured in the gallery at the bottom of this page. Click on his photo and you will be taken to his "Rapture Ready" page, where he has written many more excellent articles worthy of your attention.
See also his splendid piece on "THE RETURN OF THE NEPHILIM" also published further down this blog.
My wife Gilly, my mother Kathleen, and I have just enjoyed a tremendous weekend in South East Wales, meeting many new friends, and also re-acquainting ourselves with many old friends and supporters!
On Friday evening, the 17th February, I made my speaking debut at the new Pontypool branch of the PWMI, as they opened up their new Zion church in Talywain for the first time. There were prayers of dedication from Pastor Arthur Wicks from Pontypridd, and Rev Byron Jones from Herefordshire, and my message on "From The Cornerstone To The Capstone" seemed to be well received by the audience of approx forty saints of God. The praise and worship was led by Jane Woodford, from Newport, who got out of her sick bed to help us celebrate the opening of this new facility.
Please pray for Neville and Hazel Stephens who organise both the Newport and Pontypool branches of the PWMI. They have recently purchased this new Zion church in Pontypool, rather than see it converted into two modern new homes. As well as a new platform for PWMI meetings, they also want to use the church for many other Christian activities in the Lord's service, and would appreciate your prayers for the guidance of the Lord in this new venture in His name.
On the Saturday we took a treble seminar at Nancy Williams' delightful 17th century farmhouse in Bassaleg, near Newport, based on my new booklet, titled "THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY REVEALED-A Return To Babel". If you have been following my blog, you will notice that I have just completed a seven segment feature on this subject, and we have now produced it into booklet form following splendid help from our good friend Keith Cline, who did all of the typesetting and arrangments for printing of this piece. Please contact me or Keith if you would like a copy. This was our fifth visit to Nancy's in the last three years or so, and we always receive a very warm welcome there.
The meeting area was very full, the fellowship was excellent, and many people stayed on for further food, fellowship, and fun. The meetings were recorded by Keith (as was the one at Pontypool), and they will be available for purchase on DVD very soon.
The weekend concluded with the Sunday morning service at the City of Refuge Church in Bassaleg, where once again, the joint pastors of Tony Spearing and Ron Crahart made us all feel very much at home
This service was also recorded, and will also be available soon. For full details please contact Keith Cline from Bristol, and you can obtain DVD copies by writing to him at keith.cline@talk21.com.
Many thanks to everyone who made the three of us feel "one of them" in every way, and also to the many people who travelled many miles to be in attendance at the three venues. We normally visit South Wales twice a year, and will look forward to our next trip in the not too distant future.
We will keep you posted on this blog, but if you want to know what is happening in the South Wales area, you can obtain all of the information of what is developing in the valleys from Neville Stephens, the Secretary of the Newport and Pontypool branches of the PWMI on his blog at http://www.propheticwitnessnewportbranch.blogspot.com/.
The generation which has observed the post WW2 world has seen, amongst many changes, the shrinking of the planet to become the "Global Village" and the accelerating growth of the phenomena we call globalism. As mankind has been propelled together by warfare, pulled closer through huge developments technologically and politically manoeuvred and deceived into monetary and political unions, the pace of "one world-ism" has increased exponentially and a single World Government looms near.
The World Wide Web ties everything together and facilitates instant communication at all levels, from the domestic chatter of families spread abroad, to the secret signals of clandestine Intelligence outfits or Terrorist organisations. As far as the Internet is concerned the world is one place.
The words "Multinational Corporations", which were unknown during our childhood, are now common currency in all languages. And the organisations they represent own most of the world’s large commercial trading enterprises. Furthermore, these Corporations, linked with International Banks, have structures of ownership and control whose tentacles reach right down to the High Street, and often share a common denominator in their institutional shareholders. Ownership of these shares is truly international with the Chinese Government, Middle and Far East interests taking ever higher stakes. From McDonalds to Rio Tinto mining the same companies operate within, and influence the governments of, many countries of the world.
But it is not only the fields of commerce, finance and banking which have been internationalised. Charities and the Voluntary Sector, Non-Government Organisations, Media, the Arts and even Sport now operate on an international level. The Olympics and the "World Cup" immediately come to mind, but from golf to tennis and Formula One to Ping Pong, sporting endeavours transcend borders. The soccer "industry" sees an international pool of players; long gone are the days when a local club was filled with the players born and bred within the city environs. The mind of the population is slowly and subtly seduced towards a borderless world just as George Soros’s "Open Societies" organisation desires.
It appears to be that there has been a deliberately constructed policy to have nations INTER-dependant on one another for resources. Despite huge tonnages of un-mined coal in the UK most of our supplies are now imported. Much of the manufacturing of the UK, and increasingly also the USA, has been shipped East, with China having the lions share. Britain holds major power when it comes to the Financial Services and London is becoming a centre for large financial transactions conducted under Muslim Sharia Law. No one nation can survive alone, independent and self-sufficient. All must be party to regional trading and supply arrangements and these are subject to centralised global control, or, at least, the significant influence of internationalists. The International Monetary Fund, World Bank, the Eurozone and the G20, etc, combine to exert a controlling influence of the monetary and fiscal policies of the majority of nations the world over.
We are seeing the active final preparations for a united yet diversified world, ready for a closing "crisis event" which will be used to usher in the new order of global finance and governance , producing a single president, a "Captain" capable of solving humanities crises and giving the desperately sought leadership. The Global Elite sees Utopia within their grasp....the kingdom of God but excluding God, His Son, His Word and His righteousness. A prosperous, peaceful Global Governance based on humanism is their goal.
And it always has been, as successive generations of so-called illuminated leaders and opinion formers have passed on their Godless vision from the days of Adam Weishaupt the 18th century founder of the Order of Illuminati (for more information check him on Wikipedia). What Bible scholars know as the reign of the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, "that Wicked", the Anti-Christ has never been more likely than in our immediate future. The mystery of iniquity that was already at work when the Apostle Paul penned the second letter to the Thessalonians has, after two more millennia of covert operations, come to the point where the enemy of God and His people can brazenly display his intent and bring his nefarious plans to a crescendo.
So what of the immediate future? The relentless and irrevocable stampede towards a sustainable world under a single sovereignty, controlled by a sole all-powerful leader, will undoubtedly continue. The circle of technological development further facilitating global unity, which in turn stimulates new technology, will also continue to revolve. Scientific progress which is now uninhibited by a Godly morality and the limitations of Biblical behaviour, will take man into unknown and dangerous spheres from which YHWH has protected His creation ever since Babel.
The realm of trans-human development, combining the human DNA with that of other species and even plant life, in total disobedience to Genesis 1:"according to its kind”, will escalate. The final outcome of this is likely to parallel the Genesis 6 Nephilim and will warrant, and receive, final Divine judgement. No doubt the Large Hadron Collider on the Franco-Swiss border will feature highly in these last days. This international project [CERN], the largest piece of scientific equipment of all time costing approximately £7 billion, was dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva in 2004 and a large statue of it is outside the main buildings.
Although presented as the lord of the dance of creation, Shiva is in fact the god of destruction known in Hebrew as Abaddon and Greek as Apollyon. Compare this with Revelation 9:1-12 and comments from CERN officials about encountering the unknown and "this is where science ends and religion and philosophy begin" take on a different meaning. God’s injunction in Genesis 11: "...now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language....." was essentially for man’s benefit.
The unity of thought and word which God has allowed in these days will bring man and Lucifer’s rebellion to a final head and ensuing judgement will be unavoidable. The sin of the global "Amorites" will be full and complete [Genesis ] and their removal is inevitable. We are on the very edge of the Tribulation time.
The current tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East both internally in Arab States and between Israel and her Ishmaelite neighbours, Iran and the wider Muslim world will shape the next series of prophetic events and may be the trigger mechanism which initiates the conflagration ushering the final detailed stages of World Government. The future roadmap for the believer is the Word of God. However events shape up in the world, our security rests in the faithfulness, love and care of our wonderful Triune God and His eternal promises..."I will never leave you or forsake you", Deuteronomy 13:6 and Hebrews 13:5.
LOOK UP YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR.
MARANATHA,
BRIAN.
For those who have missed the previous six chapters, the whole feature of seven segments is re-produced further down this blog. It will also be published in booklet form in the near future.
Select fighters being described as 'Soldiers of Imam Mahdi'.
By Reza Kahlili
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has held several secret meetings with his economic and military advisers in recent days to prepare for the possibility of war with the United States. Sources report the preparations are to include the execution of those Iranians who oppose the regime.
Khamenei has been heard to say that the coming of the last Islamic Messiah, the Shiites’ 12th Imam Mahdi, is near and that specific actions need to be taken to protect the Islamic regime for upcoming events. Mahdi, according to Shiite belief, will reappear at the time of Armageddon.
Selected forces within the Revolutionary Guards and Basij reportedly have been trained under a task force called “Soldiers of Imam Mahdi” and they will bear the responsibility of security and protecting the regime against uprisings. Many in the Guards and Basij have been told that the 12th Imam is on earth, facilitated the victory of Hezbollah over Israel in the 2006 war and soon will announce publicly his presence after the needed environment is created.
According to SepahOnline, sources within the Vali’eh Amr, the revolutionary forces in charge of the supreme leader’s protection, report that Khamenei held several meetings in recent days at which the leader instructed his advisers to tighten the grip on anyone who opposes or might oppose the regime in case of war.
These actions include investigations of every person or group that was pro-regime but now hold opinions contrary to regime policies. Also being created is a list, to be presented to Khamenei, to decide the fate of any opponents.
It also was decided that those political prisoners who will not repent will be executed, the sources said.This action also was taken by the founder of the Islamic regime in 1988, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
In the book, “A Time to Betray,” it is documented when Khomeini announced the campaign, he said, “If the person at any stage or at any time maintains his (or her) support for the opposing groups, the sentence is execution. Annihilate the enemies of Islam immediately.” The fatwa led to the execution of thousands of innocent men and women of all ages in a very short period.
The list of actions by Khamenei includes investigation of private business owners. If records show that at any time in the past they have not supported the Islamic regime, their businesses and belongings could be confiscated.
Journalists, writers and publishers who are deemed to be against the regime would be arrested and punished. Even high religious authorities who do not fully support Khamenei will be put under surveillance and dealt with if they become outspoken about the direction of the country.
Several journalists already have been arrested in the past week. In a recent speech, Khamenei hinted of a warlike environment and warned those clerics who might doubt his direction of the country that their survival is tied to the survival of the Islamic regime. Many Iranians who resent the regime resent the religion it promotes, so even opposition clerics might not fare well should the regime fall.
The plan by the leader calls for total control of Tehran, the capital where the presence of the Basij and Hezbollah militias would be quite visible so that no one would dare to challenge the regime.This news comes in light of the formation of the “Removal Committee,” which secretly would eliminate all deemed as opponents, even within the military and the government.
Khamenei’s extraordinary measures are based either on an understanding that war could be imminent or that the regime has decided to announce it has nuclear capability and is getting ready for a possible reaction from Israel or America.
Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, an influential cleric and a radical Twelver, previously had stated that Khamenei ascends to the sky every year to take direction from Imam Mahdi, and sources close to the cleric have disclosed that Khamenei has been ordered by Imam Mahdi to continue with the nuclear program despite worldwide objection as it will facilitate his coming. Last March, a Iranian secret documentary, “The Coming Is Upon Us,” was revealed to depict Khamenei as the mythical figure who creates the environment for the reappearance of Mahdi by leading Iran to destroy Israel.
Israel told visiting US Gen. Dempsey that Obama would get no more than 12 hours notice before an attack on Iran, the London Times reports. By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu Israeli officials told visiting USS Chief Joint of Staffs Martin Dempsey that it would give President Barack Obama no more than 12 hours notice if and when it attacks Iran, The London Times reported Sunday. The Netanyahu government also will not coordinate with the United States an attack on the Islamic Republic, according to the report, the latest in a number of suposed scenarios concerning cooperation or lack of it between Jerusalem and Washington. It is left to speculation whether the rumors are based on facts or are leaked by officials to mask the possibility of secret military coordination.The London Times said its sources explained that that Israel fears that President Obama would try to torpedo an Israel attack if more notice were given because he is concerned that Iran will respond by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a rise in the price of oil that could cripple Western economies. If the attack were to occur in the next 10 months, it would put President Obama in a tight spot on the eve of his bid for re-election. President Shimon Peres told Dempsey, "I am sure that in this fight [against Iran] we will emerge victorious. It is a fight that does not belong exclusively to the United States or Israel, but a global struggle to create a safe world for all peoples.” Dempsey, on his first official visit to Israel, was wined and dined by Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gants, who went so far as to arrange an IDF orchestra rendition of a song made famous by Frank Sinatra, one of Dempsey’s favorite singers. Dempsey tried to play down the postponement of what was billed as the largest-ever joint military drill between the Israeli and American armies, involving thousands of U.S. Army soldiers.Published reasons for the delay have ranged from budgetary constraints, logistical problems to a signal from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that he distrusts President Obama’s commitment to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.Dempsey maintained that the delay, which was announced by Israel, will give both countries more time to prepare and “achieve a better outcome.” The top American general left Israel on Friday, before the Sabbath began.
Shalom Friends. As we have shared with you many times, the Isaiah 17-Psalm 83 War is not just words in Scripture, it is now clearly on the horizon. Many people do not want to contemplate or believe that such a massive Biblical war is possible in their life time; however if you understand and read the Scriptures, and look at how God has positioned the nations surrounding Israel, it is no longer conjecture, it is a fact of life.
Today, Israel is faced with a simple choice; wait for Iran to get the bomb, allow them to detonate it over Tel Aviv where millions of Israeli's will die, while the land will be covered with radio active fallout, and you have a second Holocaust; or attack Iran and try through every means possible to stop them from developing a nuclear weapon, and preventing a second Holocaust.
This war will change the world, the way we live, and the way people live all across the planet. The second thing that will change is the coming persecution of Jewish people and Christians who love and support Israel and the Jewish people. In this war, Israel will be forced to use nuclear weapons when thousands of rockets and missiles fall on their cities and population, threatening the existence of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The year 2012 is going to be a Biblical game changer for all of us. So please pray for God's grace on Israel, America, and the the UK.
Thousands of US Troops Land in Israel:
The incoming American soldiers are officially categorized as participants in Austere Challenge 12, US & Israeli troops the biggest joint US-Israeli war game ever held. The maneuver was originally designated Juniper Stallion 2012. However, the altered name plus the comment heard from the exercise's commander, US Third Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, during his visit two weeks ago, that the coming event is more a "deployment" than an "exercise," confirmed that Washington has expanded its mission. The joint force will now be in place ready for a decision to attack Iran's nuclear installations or any war emergency.
Our sources disclose that it was decided at the last minute in Washington and Jerusalem to announce the forthcoming Austere Challenge 12 on Thursday night, Jan. 5, ahead of the bulletin released by Tehran about another Iranian naval exercise at the Strait of Hormuz to take place in February, although its 10-day drill in the same arena only ended Mon Jan 2nd. However, that phrase was omitted from the British minister's remarks at a news conference, following a last-minute request from Panetta, signifying the Obama administration's interest of keeping a low profile on plans for attacking Iran. Tehran too is walking a taut tightrope. It is staging military's maneuvers every few days to assure the Iranian people that its leaders are fully prepared to defend the country against an American or Israeli strike on its national nuclear program. By this stratagem, Iran's ground, sea and air forces are maintained constantly at top war readiness to thwart any surprise attack. The joint US-Israeli drill will test multiple Israeli and US air defence systems against incoming missiles and rockets, according to the official communique. Debkafile's military sources add that they will also practice intercepting missiles and rockets coming in from Syria, Hizballah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
It will not be the first time a US aircraft carrier docks in Israel for joint operations with the Israeli Air Force. On June 9, 2010, the USS Truman dropped anchor opposite Israel to test a joint deployment against Iran and its allies. The carrier and its air and naval strike force then staged joint firing practices with the Israeli Air Force over the Negev in the South. Washington and Jerusalem are doing their utmost to present a perfectly synchronized military front against Iran: American officers are stationed at IDF command centers and Israeli officers posted at the US European Command-EUCOM. At the same time, debkafile's military sources disclose that full consensus has not been reached on every last particular of shared operation against Iran, should one go forward.
The early release was decided in consultations among US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and the two army chiefs, US Gen. Martin Dempsey and Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz. British Defence Minister Phillip Hammond, on a visit to Washington, was brought into the discussion. The handout circulated to US correspondents from Hammond's talks in the US capital affirmed that Britain stands ready to strike Iran if the Strait of Hormuz is closed.
Thousands of US troops began descending on Israel this week. Senior US military sources told debkafile Friday, Jan. 6 that many would be staying up to the end of the year as part of the US-IDF deployment in readiness for a military engagement with Iran and its possible escalation into a regional conflict. They will be joined by a US aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions with Israeli Air Force jets. The 9,000 US servicemen gathering in Israel in the coming weeks are mostly airmen, missile interceptor teams, marines, seamen, technicians and intelligence officers.
In the current geo-political climate of globalisation, observed on one hand, and the extreme international tensions between nations on the other, it is an appropriate time to examine the Scriptures to see how the living God of the Bible deals, and has dealt with, the gentile nations.
There is a clear start point in Genesis 10 with the incident at Babel where God divides the human race into parts by breaking up the unity of speech and thought that had hitherto prevailed. Mankind had been one complete and cohesive race but after Divine intervention they not only spoke differently between differing "family" groups, but they became separate nations, cultures, sub-cultures and races.
This was not God "getting His own back" because of mankind’s rebellion towards Him but rather an act of mercy and grace. Uninhibited human rebellion accumulates evil and leads to a speedy judgement. By dividing the race God applied a restraining mechanism on human behaviour and upon Satan’s underhand influence and control.
The breakdown of communication between men resulted in a slowing of their command and control, disrupted their education and development of technology, and replaced co-operation with competition. Delaying the inevitable judgement gave time for repentance, forgiveness and a relationship with YHWH God Himself.
Had God not held back mans unified development, then the headlong charge by the human race into universal rebellion and worldwide wickedness under Lucifer’s guiding hand would have brought the conditions that we see today and a world ripe for judgement, indeed, for The Judgement.
But our merciful God, in His limitless love for mankind enforced a separation of cultures which not only slowed down technological advance but kept the organisation and execution of global governance outside of mans reach. Throughout history, and still today, the offer of forgiveness and acceptance by Him was always available.
There was always an alternative and unifying culture available.....that of Heaven upon Earth by submission to Him and living according to His Word, spoken initially through Hebrew prophets and then personally by His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The alternatives were typified by two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon, the latter a development of Babel in subsequent generations, giving two distinct cultures, God’s and Satan’s. (An interesting reference work is "The Two Babylon’s" by the late Alexander Hislop and available as a free download at www.ulitmatebiblereferencelibrary.com).
God’s own plan of redemption, designed to nullify Lucifer and mans rebellion, was set to a timetable, here on planet Earth, and involved the personal presence and ultimate sacrifice of His Son and the calling of a forgiven, cleansed and redeemed community of saved human beings. Judgement was delayed, not abandoned.
But when God’s plan of Redemption has run it's pre-determined course (read Acts & Acts -32), then He will allow apostasy and rebellion to come to a head for a final conclusion. The amalgam of mans wickedness and Lucifer’s desire to rule them through his substitute for Jesus Christ, will quickly bring the whole race to a critical mass where divine judgement is unavoidable.
Inexorably, global unity without God becomes global unity against God, and against any man or woman, Jew or Gentile, who seeks to obey and follow God’s Word and His Son Jesus, King of Israel and King of Kings. This ultimate rebellion has been restrained by God’s division of the world, but now, (for around the past 100 years), we can see a controlled and ever increasing relaxation of that restraining hand.
In our immediate future, the Tribulation, a relatively short season of Global Governance, One World Religion and Culture contained within a movement of "unity in diversity", a single world currency/financial & monetary system and a universal sense of peace and safety supported by prosperity will be allowed to thrive.
The World will be consumed with a hedonistic lifestyle, and delusion and dominance by Lucifer will intensify with wicked lawlessness as never before. With Restraint and the Restrainer removed, Sin will become full and God’s judgement will fall on all who refuse Him, but except the Global System and its Leader. And it all began at Babel.A more detailed study of the Genesis 10/11 passages will follow soon in part two of this series.
PART TWO.
After God’s judgement by worldwide flood on the human race (and a judgement on the fallen angels of Genesis 6 who exacerbated the wickedness then on earth), there was a new beginning through Noah and his sons and their subsequent descendants. A mass population explosion took place and mankind began to develop socially and technologically. Genesis chapters 10 & 11 record these events and also show the emergence of a single and successful ruler....Nimrod.
This, man, a great-grandson of Noah through Ham, was a warrior and rebel against the Almighty God. His name in the Scriptures, Nimrod, meaning the Rebel may have been an insulting reference to him by Moses and his given name was probably Gilgamesh. The Hebrew scholar, Josephus, records Nimrod and Gilgamesh as one and the same.
The scripture, "a mighty hunter before YHWH ", should correctly translated read, "a mighty warrior in the face of YHWH". He was vehemently opposed to God. Pagan historical records and folklore of the Middle East present Gilgamesh in the context of a post-flood record as an evil, anti-God tyrant who was debauched, perverted, violent and two thirds man/one third god.
He is also classified as a giant in terms of physical stature. It MAY be that the genetic aberration of the Nephilim of Genesis chapter 6 were passed down via Ham's wife and Canaan ("cursed be Canaan”) and surface later in Nimrod. Genesis chapter 6 gives warning of a later scourge of Nephilim in verse 4, " also afterwards ", and the accounts of Josephus and other ancient writers equate the violence and corruption of Nimrod’s day with that of the pre-flood apostasy and wickedness.
Nimrod is the founder of Babel, Genesis 10:10 "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech.....", and the Tower therein has clear occultic connections, in addition to its faithless asphalt protection against future flood, in contradiction of God’s rainbow promise of Genesis 9:13.
Genesis 10:25 states, "To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg (meaning division), for in his days the earth was divided....." and this Semitic descendent of Noah is only two generations further down the line than that of Nimrod on Hams side.
It is likely that any division of the earth had been but a short time before his birth, for it to be the event that is reflected in his given name, and the longevity still working in human life at this time makes it entirely possible that division in Nimrod’s day at Babel is referred to here. There are scholars who believe that this is also a Biblicalhint at the post-flood continental drift at a pace of tectonic plate movement unheard of today.
Genesis 11:1. "Now the whole earth had one language and one speech". Speech here, literally one lip, refers to the sounds made by humans, their accent and the commonly held use of words. One language refers to the content and shared meaning of the words and illustrates that there was one culture and one way of thinking and expressing thought.
There was a single concept of "God", a common understanding of history and philosophy and a sense of a people without divisions or sub-cultures...note: "the WHOLE earth", so Nimrod was effectively the king of a one-world government and a type and shadow figure of the soon to come "Antichrist”.
Genesis 11:2. “And it came to pass as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the Land of Shinar and they dwelt there.". the "east" in Bible typology speaks of apostasy. This is east of Eden the direction of departure, and where the cherubim and flaming sword guarded Eden’s entrance(Gen ).
It was also signified as a place of departure by Cain who,"went out from the presence of YHWH and dwelt in the land of Nod (Wandering) on the East of Eden". Already the post flood world was using its unity to be independent from God, a state which takes no time at all to become rebellion against God as led by Nimrod.
The use of the geographic description Shinar, immediately makes us think of Zechariah 5: 5-11, where, in the last days a home is made for "wickedness", typified by a woman in a basket topped with a lead lid and transported by two fallen angels. This is the home base for iniquity and its Mystery...the dominance of global rule ofthe human race by the rebellious Lucifer, through his leading earthly appointee.
The phrase "and they dwelt there" is not just an innocuous statement of residence. The clear inference is of a people who have put down their roots in planet Earth and are without godly and Heavenly aspirations. This world is their HOME. Gods people are nomadic, just aliens and strangers passing through in service to their King and awaiting the upward call and the descent of the HolyCity.
Earth-dwellers are found in Luke 21:35 as those who are not standing before the son of Man, the Lord Jesus, in the last days and therefore are subject to a coming judgement on "those who dwell on the face of the whole earth".
Revelation similarly condemns to the hour of trial (the Tribulation), "...the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth". This concept of dwelling conveys the permanence and attachment which unregenerate humans have to this world, its systems of politics and religions, its material goods, accolades and positions, pleasures and lusts and, of course its god, mammon, behind which Lucifer hides. This is the place where judgement from God falls.
Next week we'll do as many verses as I can manage and look at the wider concept of City building.
PART THREE.
”Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake (them) thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar (Genesis 11:3 NKJV).
We see in this verse that man-made activity is preceded by communication, i e:" They said... Come let us ". Spoiling their communication will hinder cooperation and slow down their work together making "bricks", which represent that which comes from mans ingenuity and not form relying directly on Gods provision.
Later in Scripture we see the same principle in Egypt (and the enslavement of the Israelites) but here we see a deliberate rebellion and despising of God’s promise to Noah, given in the rainbow.
They are using bitumen/asphalt to waterproof their construction of baked bricks against any future flood and what they do is thorough. It is noteworthy that mankind has to be encouraged to apply diligence in the things of God, but when it comes to his own fleshly projects and rebellion, he is thorough.
There was no faith in the Word of God, publicly emphasised by the rainbow in the sky, and departure from it, apostasy, leads to "rebellion which is as the sin of witchcraft". This quote is from 1 Sam.15:23 and what we see in Genesis 11:4 is a direct fulfilment, as the proposed tower is fully intended for occult purposes as we shall see later.
”And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top (is) in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis11:4. NKJV).
Once more the human race issues a call to a working unity and begins a very practical opposition to God’s plan: "let US build OURSELVES a city......". Remove from the word of God, and the result is always the same.....Godless building of cities leading to anti-God (anti-Christ) towers and edifices.
To understand mans relationship with the concept of "cities" we must invoke the law of first mention and look at Genesis 4:16-17 (NKJV). The scene is set by the introductory phrase "Then Cain went out from the presence of YHWH and dwelt....." which speaks for itself.
Now on his own, Cain builds a city and names it after his own son, starting a dynasty and establishing his own rule, perpetuating a family name. At Babel, the beginning of the kingdom of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10), the same self-centered ambition applies. As has been emphasised above, it is for self, and the verse continues to echo this sentiment :"let us make a name for ourselves." We will briefly detour and apply the "city building ambition " to our own lives and ministries.
Hebrews clearly instructs the true believer that we have no continuing city, that is, no enduring dwelling on earth. We are not "earth-dwellers". Our permanent home is the HeavenlyCity prepared for us by God Himself, for which we wait. Any other "construction" by man is not only pointless but faithless.
Yet even today, within the Church, man persists with building programmes both literal and metaphoric. The concept of growth, development, "planting" and building has replaced the God given agenda for the church, that of true soul winning and discipling.
Denominational expansion, particularly that of the "New" churches and ministries of the late 20th century, has become the goal for many churches. As we will see, Cities soon become Empires. We must beware those whose agenda is the growth of their personal influence, ministry and their organisation.
The question to be asked is this: "Is this a result of moving out of the presence of the Lord?" (Gen 4:16) and are people being truly re-born by the Spirit of God, showing radically changed lives through this ministry? Or are we seeing organisational expansion resulting from man-made bricks and building, with an external rendering of evangelicalism?
Throughout history we observe mans obsession with moving and grouping in cities. City states quickly grow into Empires: Babylon, Nineveh, Greece and Rome! And equally quickly cities become centres of darkness and depravity leading to the building of all sorts of Towers.
Men love towers. From Babel onwards they are a sign of our ingenuity, strength and wealth. They aim for the sky in a declaration of mans ability to engineer and construct bigger and better as time passes. From parish spires to the turrets of great Cathedrals and Abbeys; from Blackpool to the Eiffel, the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, the PetronasTower in Malaysia and the EmpireState to our own famous "Gerkin" these buildings serve "to make a name for ourselves". Significantly the European Union has modelled the European Parliament building on the impression of the original Tower of Babel as envisaged by the artist Brueghel in 1563. Co-incidence??!! I think not.
In Genesis 11:4 the "Tower" ambition of man is nothing short of reaching to the heavens. This was to be a structure to touch the forbidden realm of the spiritual, in full defiance of Gods judgement as displayed on the world by the flood. This is a ziggaraut designed for astrological, occultic contact under the leadership of Nimrod whose prowess moves him to be "a mighty warrior in the face of YHWH". Rebellion is at the root of this activity and Nimrod (a rebel against God /anti-christ type) is leading a united mankind to the unseen realm of the fallen angels with false demonic religion and spirituality. Un-redeemed mans uncontrolled iniquity always leads back to satan himself. This "mystery" persists throughout human history
Not only does mankind, away from God, want to establish an immortality by naming things after themselves (all of us in Christian ministry take heed!) but, in direct disobedience, they do not want to be scattered over the earth as God commanded both Adam and Noah (Gen 1: 28 & 9:1). Rather than walk with God by faith, man chooses "safety in numbers", grouping together in corporate disobedience, advancing the cause of Self and his own name.
It is always wise to keep our own name discrete and our personal profile low as we serve the Lord Jesus. Seeing our name in print, appearing on television / DVDs, or having our photograph splashed in the Christian media always presents a danger to the flesh as they appeal to that old chestnut...PRIDE! There is no room for celebrity status within the body of Christ for the Crown rests on one place only.... the Head of the Body. God has given only one Name and He does not need Joe Bloggs Ministries, or BRIAN GEMMELL MINISTRIES, either to successfully draw attention to his Word.
In Florida, USA, I once drove past the entrance to a very large and plush estate and property which had a large sign proclaiming "The Benny Hinn Worship Centre". My wife remarked "that seems about right"!!!! Our flesh is subtle and starts small but can end up with an Empire of Self, and we may not even notice.
PART FOUR.
Genesis 11: 5 is an amazing verse, the full impact of which is oftenoverlooked ....."But YHWH came down..."just as before in Genesis with Adam and later in chapter 18 en route to the judgement at Sodom, the Almighty God visits the planet in person and makes note of mans activities and behaviour. This is the great God whose eyes roam to and fro across the earth, who sees all things from heaven, but here He chooses to come down in an apparently covert mission amongst mankind and see for Himself, at mans level, both the city and the tower.
We have examined the building of both but it is good to re-emphasise that "city building", unsanctioned by the Lord, inevitably leads to the construction of fleshly self-aggrandising towers. Such activity does not go unnoticed by God and always results in a premature termination. The unfinished nature of the EuropeanParliamentBuilding speaks volumes. Whether it be self centred Christian Ministries or the towering political edifice which is the European Union, God has allowed the seeds of their own destruction to be contained within and, in His perfect time which suits His ultimate plan, they will be incomplete before destruction.
Verses 5, 6 and 7 give us an insight into the just and merciful workings of our faithful God. Divine examination is God's creatorial prerogative. In Babel He finds a city that men built setting the direction for future history! Men built, and did not seek or involve their Creator, (who is building a city which is to be received by those who, like Abraham, have faith in Him, Hebrews 11:10 &16) but rather followed in the way of Cain. (Genesis 4:16-17; and Jude:11). The next verse (v.6) appears to have YHWH speaking in Heaven in the aftermath of His earthly visit, for verse 7 issues a call for a second, and plural ,visitation to earth..."Come, let US go down...".
The comment from the Lord after the examination of men’s independent and Godless works concerns a source of the problem: the unity of the human race and the glue which holds them together, the"one thought" i.e: common culture and communication. Under Divine rule Unity is a blessed thing built, but away from God, mans unity strengthens his resolve against God’s plan, order and rule. God also sees the future and the ultimate system of anti-christ rule that will surely and inevitably follow. Babel is "WHAT THEY BEGIN TO DO". And, concerned about the long term good of his creation and creatures, He sees that anything man proposes to do can and will be done. "..now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them". Where will it end????? Cloning, cross-species breeding, Space travel in the second millennium...etc.
Under Divine rule this would have been (and one day under the rulership of the Lord Jesus, it will be) a wonderful thing. But under a rebellious human rule it would be Lucifer/Satan who would call the shots in rising against the Almighty God, using all the available resources, know-how and technology to war against the Kingdom of God. Divine retribution on both races, human and fallen angelic, would be swift and final. However God, in wonderful grace and mercy, has another plan which will give time for human repentance and redemption...He will divide and confuse, thereby exercising a restraint on the rise of evil to that critical mass which inevitably brings deserved and irrevocable judgement. Wickedness is constrained, judgement is delayed, redemption is made possible, God will have His will on earth as it is in Heaven.
The Scriptures record the endless pursuit of political and military dominion by the Gentile nations throughout Old Testament times up to the rule of the Roman Empire which was still extant at the time of the Lord Jesus and for several centuries after. Each succeeding empire advances Godless culture, and society sees technological developments used to exert mans independence from God, and consistently persecutes the people of God be they Jewish or Christian.
Whether it is Babylon, Greece or Rome, growth and land-grab by military might and the exploitation of human and natural resources serve to increase the wealth, influence and control of their leaders. They always expand until internal corruption weakens them and a bigger bully comes along and steals their sweeties (candy to American blog readers!!).
But the retarded pace of the growth of these empires and the restrictions on the scientific, social and technological development of them, and their offspring in subsequent centuries, has allowed the Word of God to prosper and travel all over the world. Indeed, some of these developments have been used by the Lord to aid the spread of His Good News; for example koine Greek, the commonly understood language of Alexander's Greek Empire, or the wonderful roads of Rome stretching across Europe, trodden by the feet of the Apostle Paul and many others.
By not allowing evil to come to the point where it was "full" as in the case of the Canaanites/Amorites (in Genesis ), God gifted to mankind Time....... time for repentance. Acts17: 26 states that"...He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings" (emphasis mine). Because God's marvellous grace is free and limitless, that is infinite. Time stands as a sentry. And in that time grace is available. If there was no restriction on the entry to infinite grace then universalism would be true, because the infinity of that grace would reach all eventually.
But that is not the case. Acts 17 goes on to say in verse 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him....". Man is given time, beginning, middle, end, so that he should seek for, and find the Lord. Elsewhere several Scriptures assure us that those who seek Him will find Him. It is so for individuals and it is so for the Race as a whole. There is an end to Divine pleading, an end to the time given in which "God commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained and He given assurance of this to all by raising from the dead"(Acts 17: 30/31). The "appointed day" is on our near horizon.
So, in anticipation of the fast approaching conclusion of this Gospel era, God allows mankind to move towards a unity that at the right time will cover the whole earth. Genesis 11 shows us Gods interjection into rebellious humanity and the combined work of the Godhead ("Let Us"), bringing confusion by destroying universal communication. That God is sovereign over mans mouth is decreed in Exodus "Who has made mans mouth ?.................Have not I, YHWH?".
Remember too, that the Lord Jesus totally submitted His mouth to the Father's will and only said what He heard from the Father. A single language unites, gives unity of understanding and purpose and simplifies the chain of command that gets things done. Division of language throughout history has slowed down ungodly progress and stopped things "getting done" ....until NOW!! Our next session will cover Gen. 11:8-9 preparing us to study the current Global unity, the simplifying of modern communication all in readiness for the "great and terrible day of the Lord YHWH".
PART FIVE.
One of the great uniting features of the Industrialised World was the British Empire and the subsequent spread of the English language to almost every part of the globe. Part of the script from Wikipedia gives a clear impression of the influence of the Empire. "At its height it was the largest Empire in history, and for over a century, it was the foremost global power. By 1922 it held sway over 458 million people, one fifth of the worlds population.......and covered almost a quarter of the worlds total land area".
As the centuries moved on, God in His great wisdom, allowed a controlled unifying of populations under the British Crown to accomplish His purposes with respect to Israel as the end of the gentile age appeared on the horizon. It was a time of tremendous prosperity for the United Kingdom and set the foundation of current globalism that is carried forward by the Anglo-Saxon/American Elite today.
Running parallel was the rise of Zionism and practical steps which resulted in the State of Israel being re-founded in 1948. Tragically, for "Great" Britain, deceit, obstruction and downright opposition by the elite Establishment of the country towards the prophetically signalled reformation of Israel, resulted in the accelerated shrinking of an Empire on which "the sun never set", down to the homelands and a few distant small islands. (The strong showing in UK polls for Scottish nationalism seems to herald that the reduction of size and influence is not yet complete.)
But English speaking globalism was not over. The United States of America, at the forefront of financial expansion and wealth creation in the 20th century became the most powerful political/industrial/financial/military force that the world has seen so far, and its political will and power increased its global reach throughout that century.
Several strands of events which are of interest to the prophetic Bible scholar can be seen to draw together.
The ongoing Reformation continues in Victorian times addressing such subjects as, New Testament church structure, as opposed to the then current structures of the main Denominations in Christendom; the covenants of God with Abraham and the Ancient people of God, looking at their continued future under His blessing and greater detail and teaching on the Second Coming of Jesus. The latter subject included the re-discovery and popularising of the truths concerning the translation of the true Church, colloquially known as the "Rapture". It is important to note that the teaching about this miraculous removal of the church from the earth was not a product of the 1800's but had been documented as far back as the writings of Ephraim the Syrian, 306-373, and by the Reformation scholar and theologian Dr John Gill, 1697-1771, to name but two adherents.
At the same time there was an evangelical movement amongst Jewish people in Great Britain and America during which many came to a living faith in the Lord Jesus as their personal Messiah. In the UK this was spearheaded by various missionary organisations, the Mildmay Mission and Christian Testimony to Israel being noteworthy. The Mildmay Mission estimated that in the latter part of the 19th Century over quarter of a million Jewish people found a living faith in Jesus.
On another parallel, the Zionist movement slowly but surely gathered pace. Although Jewish people were always to be found in the land of Israel, and in Jerusalem, the scant regard that the Ottoman Empire had for the Holy Land enabled the steady legitimate purchase of parcels of real estate by them and numbers grew. Visionaries like Theodore Herzl, aided by the evangelical Christian Reverend William Hechler, pressed forward with political and diplomatic pressures resulting in the First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland, in 1897.
Herzl said that within 50 years the state of Israel would exist again. He was right. And some Bible scholars knew that he was right. For instance, the Rev.H.Grattan Guinness had concluded from the study of Scripture that Jerusalem would be released from the Ottoman Empire by the end of 1917, (published in his book, Light for the Last Days, in the 1880s), and that Israel would be reborn in 1948. (The details of the latter information can be found in "The Guinness Legend" by Michelle Guinness, available both new and second hand, from Amazon).
At this time three other relevant movements will be briefly noted.
1. LIBERAL CHRISTENDOM. The rise of the works of so-called "Higher Critics", largely German theologians who did not accept that the Bible was the Word of God and subjected it to an extremely liberal and non-literal interpretation. Apostasy, which automatically follows, lays the bedrock for the liberal infiltration of today’s church, and begins the movement against literal interpretation of God’s Word, especially that which is miraculous, prophetic, dispensational and relating to His unconditional covenants to Israel. Replacement Theology is set to prosper.
2. DARWINISM. Although "evolution" is only a theory, as stated by Darwin himself, we can see its universal influence in all disciplines, and throughout the World, from its early mid-19th Century beginnings. It has now become a global philosophy and way of thinking, almost a reversal of Babel.
3. MARXISM. Again from beginnings in the mid-1800s this anti-God philosophy and system covers the planet in various guises. The use of the "Marx" title has lost much credibility and is being quietly dissolved but the political decision making which it inspires, still afflicts the globe from China to the Obama Administration in the US, from Cuba to the Government of Norway.
All of the above combine to bring about the globalising world we live in today. The God of Israel, King of the Universe, whilst still exercising control and restrain via division can be observed allowing a greater adhesion of the peoples, and especially of the LEADERS, of our nations leading towards a world-wide unity and a Planetary Union.
The availability of foreign travel over the same period of approximately 175 years has increased vastly, particularly for those living in the Western Hemisphere who have the greatest sway in world affairs. The increase in news media through radio, television and now the internet serves to strengthen ties between people, globalise art and culture and expose the population to the same mind-numbing influences the world over. Even new software which automatically translates languages in real time serves to overturn the consequences of the Divine division revealed in Genesis 11.
The previous liberalism of the 20th century, which greatly affected western educational systems, has now produced a political leadership, and an intelligensia, who think in terms of "internationalism" and do not have a strong sense of national sovereignty. The World Wars of the last century have not only produced unifying global organisations and institutions, (League of Nations, United Nations, EU, World Bank, IMF, WWF, International Court of Justice, International Court of Human Rights, European Parliament, North American Union{proposed}, International Bank for settlements, UNESCO, Nato....etc,etc!!), but a mindset which looks for "countries without borders."
Such a way of thinking is actively promoted by the subsidiary educational institutions of the UN, and by Foundations such as the Lucis (formerly Lucifer!) Trust, the Foundation for Inter-religious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue, begun by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope) and Hashemite Prince El Hassan Bin Talal. A similar philosophy emanates from the American Council of Foreign Relations and George Soros's, Open Society Institute. These organisations are continually and professionally indoctrinating the younger elements of our society, from politically aware teens and youth to post-graduates, getting hold of the minds of the next generation of opinion formers and political leaders.
But fear not...our God has an irresistible timetable and events will finally combine to suit and effect His purposes. We can see in recent history, that given a little release for restraint, the human race speedily uses the space to turn against God and his people, both the soon-to-depart true Christians and the future people for Jesus' earthly rule, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel. However until the Lord has called in "the fullness of the Gentiles", the next phase of His plan will not commence, (Romans -27). When God has completed calling out of the Gentiles a people for His name, Acts 15:14-18, then the full release of restraint will take place and uncontrolled mankind will display the abject rebellion of which they are capable and from which they have been held back since Babel.
PART SIX:
Developing Global Unity Indicates That Judgement Is Near.
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12
[Note verse 6: "what is restraining" (the thing restraining), and verse 7: " He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way"]
In the above passage, verse 6 refers to an inanimate "what", or "that which", holds back, referring to the mechanism and power that causes restraint, and the next verse refers to the person exercising that restraint. That "Restrainer" is the Holy Spirit of God. His removal which is stated in verses 7-8 clears the way for the public revelation of the lawless one, the Anti-Christ.
Since the Incarnation there has always been a Divine Person, One of the Trinity, permanently resident on planet Earth. Before His departure to Heaven the Lord Jesus breathed into the eleven apostles and said "receive the Holy Spirit". Ten days later, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended, immersing the one hundred and twenty disciples who were in the upper room....... and the Church was born.
The Temple, the permanent dwelling of God the Holy Spirit on Earth, is the Church of Jesus Christ, specifically, within the bodies of its members, the truly born-again believers. This is a condition which continues today, and will do so, until the Church is removed at the Rapture. The final prayer of Scripture, found in Revelation , is a joint call by the Holy Spirit and the Church..." The Spirit and the Bride say Come". Here we see the Spirit of God empowering prayer in the Church and calling through the Church simultaneously.
During the church age God has exercised authority and restraint by heeding the Spirit inspired prayer of His people. One unique feature of the Church, and the time of her sojourn on earth, has been thepermanent presence and activity of God the Holy Spirit in our midst. No longer coming in visitation to this globe, as at Babel, Sodom, and to the great saints of Israel but residing here, throughout the world, in the church. When, finally, the pleading of Revelation is answered, the Holy Spirit and the Church will depart...be taken away!
A typological example of this is seen in Genesis 24 when Rebecca is escorted home to Isaac by the un-named servant of Abraham (a separate essay on this subject will be posted soon).
It is God Himself who exercises power and authority over the demonic world and Lucifer. In Jude 9 the Archangel Michael deals with the enemy by saying "the Lord rebuke you". The Lord God alone has held the Mystery of Lawlessness at bay but has involved the Church through her Spirit inspired prayer life, communicating with Him and participating in His work of restraint.
The instruction to pray for kings and those in authority being a case in point. When the "Restrainer" is removed, that is the departure of the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit from Earth at the Rapture of the Church, then the full force of wickedness is unleashed and the unrestrained plans of Satan and man for a self-governing worldwide empire will come to fruition. There will be NO resistance to the objectives of globalism, one-world culturalism and governance, and a pagan, "New Age" religious hysteria will then sweep the planet.
The dividing control of the Holy Spirit having been removed means that the field is open for every foul spirit to wreak havoc throughout the Babylonian (Babel) System. But it will fall under the judgement of Almighty God as described in Revelation 18. The current accelerating unity of global commerce and banking, of political institutions and the organs of world government backed with a merging of cultures and ever-increasing multi-faith policy in religions indicates that Divine intervention and judgement is approaching.
From Nebuchadnezzar/Babylon through the Greek and Roman Empires via those of Spain, Britain or Nazi Germany to the present day, mankind has tried and failed to achieve global dominion and unity and to present the world with a leader who could hold together the promised, impossible utopia. The Church had learned from Scripture that "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand", and in the latter of these Empires, the Church prayed; the Holy Spirit restrained; and God divided His enemies! (including the UK for its resistance and obstruction of his Word regarding the restoration of Israel).
But the prayers of believers which are led by the Holy Spirit are not only to be in tune with the plan of God but also with His timetable found in the chronology of the Bible. The period of the "closedown", or "consummation" (RSV) of the age, that is of the Age of the Church and the Gospel of Grace, is marked by the unity of mankind and the eventual reversal, albeit temporary, of Babel. One indicator is found in all three synoptic Gospels..." nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom" heralding World War.
Last century saw the FIRST world war and from it a great leap towards global unity in the form of the League of Nations, followed by the London Economic Conference of 1933. Notably. the latter was attended by 600 delegates from 66 nations and was described in the popular media of the day as the first world get-together since the Tower of Babel! On the religious front the organisations which would eventually in 1937-38 form the World Council of Churches begin the process of amalgamation. But the globalising progress was insufficient and too slow for the Illuminist and International Masonic masters of the 20th Century and another global event was orchestrated, viz world war 2!
An outcome of the Second World War was the United Nations, and the plethora of satellite organisations which now accompany it. This has facilitated even greater unifying developments in every facet of life through the globe, as observed by the population, firstly through the lens of terrestrial television and now by satellite TV/internet/i-phone/and whatever-comes-next!
The 20th Century really has seen the beginning of the irreversible "End-Game" of prophetic fulfilment. Accelerating throughout the past hundred years, the on-going unity of the human race signals impending judgement from Heaven. This has been accompanied by a steady departure from Biblical truth in the beliefs and practice of human behaviour the world over, particularly within the so-called "Christian" West. The apostasy within Christendom has paralleled an anti-Christian, multi-faith polemic which dominates humanist and internationalist thinking.
Despite a growing world unity, violence fills the earth and is reported daily in our media. The current evidence (2012) of international relations indicates that a third world war is a real possibility right on our immediate horizon. No doubt the Illuminist Elite require a further "Order out of Chaos" event to bring their nefarious plans for One World Government to final fruition.
The scene is set and the culminating events could precipitate overnight. What God delayed at Babel. He will execute on modern day Babylon, a judgement on the globalist system of commerce, religion and governance which acts as a "mighty warrior in the face of God". Centuries of defiance and outright rebellion against YHWH, His Son and His Word, will bring their own forewarned consequences. Fighting back or hiding in underground bunkers is not a viable option as the power and severity of His righteous, destructive judgement removes all that resists the coming Kingdom of God, the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
PART SEVEN:
FUTURE GLOBALIST INTENTIONS.
The generation which has observed the post WW2 world has seen, amongst many changes, the shrinking of the planet to become the "Global Village" and the accelerating growth of the phenomena we call globalism. As mankind has been propelled together by warfare, pulled closer through huge developments technologically and politically manoeuvred and deceived into monetary and political unions, the pace of "one world-ism" has increased exponentially and a single World Government looms near.
The World Wide Web ties everything together and facilitates instant communication at all levels, from the domestic chatter of families spread abroad, to the secret signals of clandestine Intelligence outfits or Terrorist organisations. As far as the Internet is concerned the world is one place.
The words "Multinational Corporations", which were unknown during our childhood, are now common currency in all languages. And the organisations they represent own most of the world’s large commercial trading enterprises. Furthermore, these Corporations, linked with International Banks, have structures of ownership and control whose tentacles reach right down to the High Street, and often share a common denominator in their institutional shareholders. Ownership of these shares is truly international with the Chinese Government, Middle and Far East interests taking ever higher stakes. From McDonalds to Rio Tinto mining the same companies operate within, and influence the governments of, many countries of the world.
But it is not only the fields of commerce, finance and banking which have been internationalised. Charities and the Voluntary Sector, Non-Government Organisations, Media, the Arts and even Sport now operate on an international level. The Olympics and the "World Cup" immediately come to mind, but from golf to tennis and Formula One to Ping Pong, sporting endeavours transcend borders. The soccer "industry" sees an international pool of players; long gone are the days when a local club was filled with the players born and bred within the city environs. The mind of the population is slowly and subtly seduced towards a borderless world just as George Soros’s "Open Societies" organisation desires.
It appears to be that there has been a deliberately constructed policy to have nations INTER-dependant on one another for resources. Despite huge tonnages of un-mined coal in the UK most of our supplies are now imported. Much of the manufacturing of the UK, and increasingly also the USA, has been shipped East, with China having the lions share. Britain holds major power when it comes to the Financial Services and London is becoming a centre for large financial transactions conducted under Muslim Sharia Law. No one nation can survive alone, independent and self-sufficient. All must be party to regional trading and supply arrangements and these are subject to centralised global control, or, at least, the significant influence of internationalists. The International Monetary Fund, World Bank, the Eurozone and the G20, etc, combine to exert a controlling influence of the monetary and fiscal policies of the majority of nations the world over.
We are seeing the active final preparations for a united yet diversified world, ready for a closing "crisis event" which will be used to usher in the new order of global finance and governance , producing a single president, a "Captain" capable of solving humanities crises and giving the desperately sought leadership. The Global Elite sees Utopia within their grasp....the kingdom of God but excluding God, His Son, His Word and His righteousness. A prosperous, peaceful Global Governance based on humanism is their goal.
And it always has been, as successive generations of so-called illuminated leaders and opinion formers have passed on their Godless vision from the days of Adam Weishaupt the 18th century founder of the Order of Illuminati (for more information check him on Wikipedia). What Bible scholars know as the reign of the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, "that Wicked", the Anti-Christ has never been more likely than in our immediate future. The mystery of iniquity that was already at work when the Apostle Paul penned the second letter to the Thessalonians has, after two more millennia of covert operations, come to the point where the enemy of God and His people can brazenly display his intent and bring his nefarious plans to a crescendo.
So what of the immediate future? The relentless and irrevocable stampede towards a sustainable world under a single sovereignty, controlled by a sole all-powerful leader, will undoubtedly continue. The circle of technological development further facilitating global unity, which in turn stimulates new technology, will also continue to revolve. Scientific progress which is now uninhibited by a Godly morality and the limitations of Biblical behaviour, will take man into unknown and dangerous spheres from which YHWH has protected His creation ever since Babel.
The realm of trans-human development, combining the human DNA with that of other species and even plant life, in total disobedience to Genesis 1:"according to its kind”, will escalate. The final outcome of this is likely to parallel the Genesis 6 Nephilim and will warrant, and receive, final Divine judgement. No doubt the Large Hadron Collider on the Franco-Swiss border will feature highly in these last days. This international project [CERN], the largest piece of scientific equipment of all time costing approximately £7 billion, was dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva in 2004 and a large statue of it is outside the main buildings.
Although presented as the lord of the dance of creation, Shiva is in fact the god of destruction known in Hebrew as Abaddon and Greek as Apollyon. Compare this with Revelation 9:1-12 and comments from CERN officials about encountering the unknown and "this is where science ends and religion and philosophy begin" take on a different meaning. God’s injunction in Genesis 11: "...now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language....." was essentially for man’s benefit.
The unity of thought and word which God has allowed in these days will bring man and Lucifer’s rebellion to a final head and ensuing judgement will be unavoidable. The sin of the global "Amorites" will be full and complete [Genesis ] and their removal is inevitable. We are on the very edge of the Tribulation time.
The current tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East both internally in Arab States and between Israel and her Ishmaelite neighbours, Iran and the wider Muslim world will shape the next series of prophetic events and may be the trigger mechanism which initiates the conflagration ushering the final detailed stages of World Government. The future roadmap for the believer is the Word of God. However events shape up in the world, our security rests in the faithfulness, love and care of our wonderful Triune God and His eternal promises..."I will never leave you or forsake you", Deuteronomy 13:6 and Hebrews 13:5.
LOOK UP YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR.
MARANATHA,
BRIAN.
We hope to produce this featured article in booklet form in the near future.
