BIBLICAL PROPHECY REVEALS COMING CHAOS AND TRIBULATION PRIOR TO JESUS TRIUMPHANT RETURN

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Fulfilled Biblical prophecies are proof the Bible is God’s Word that reveals not only the true history of His world but it reveals how He will end the story.

There are more prophecies about Jesus second coming to this earth to rule and reign for one thousand years than there were for His first coming to earth and there were more than three hundred of those that were all fulfilled to the letter.

That’s why biblical prophecy is so important. Each prophetic verse in the Bible is another brick in the tower of HOPE that God wants to build in our minds and hearts.

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Biblical prophecy never leads us down dark pathways. It leads us past chaos and tribulation to Christ Himself, who is over all victorious. Those without Christ will feel ill at ease when reading God’s plans for the future. But those who walk with the Lord should rejoice whenever our mind learns something more about the “glory which shall be revealed”

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:18-21

The writers of the Bible viewed the End Times as the opening curtain for the return of Christ, and they anticipated the scene.

Peter told us we should be “looking forward to these things”.

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace… take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14,17-18

And Jesus said,

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” Luke 21:28

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

Biblical hope is sure, certain, and inexorable—promised by the decrees of God, guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ, and confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

JESUS RETURN TO THIS EARTH IS NEAR

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When Jesus was asked by His disciples about the end times and His return to this earth:

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? Matthew 24:3

The following two paragraphs are just a sample of the detail Jesus gave them in His response entitled the Olivet Discourse.

“And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14

Jesus does not paint a “rosy/joyous” picture to attract followers. Why would anyone want to follow Him when this is their fate? It should challenge the sceptic as to Jesus authenticity. In addition, what Jesus prophesied is in fact unfolding in our time. Fulfilled Biblical prophecy proves the Bibles authenticity.

This idea that Jesus’ second coming is imminent is found throughout Scripture. The following scripture tells us not only to wait for Jesus second coming but also that He will deliver us from the wrath to come.

“and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10

This scripture reinforces that Jesus is coming again to deliver us from a time of affliction.

“and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.” 2 Thessalonians 1:7

The following two scriptures address the purpose of His first coming and the blessed hope we have for His second coming. The second scripture also covers His promise to deliver Israel from its enemies.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:11-13

“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28

Expecting Jesus to return should make us watchful, diligent in our faith, and eager to live holy lives in preparation to rule and reign with Jesus in His Millennial Kingdom.

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“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” Isaiah 62:1-2 The name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.” Ezekiel 48:35

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6

You need to start thinking about the role Jesus will assign to you during His Millennial reign on this earth. Remember, Jesus and the Saints will rule with a rod of iron. Satan is bound for most of the Millennium but God has revealed that he will be released at the end and he is able to assemble an enormous army from people who have been born during the Millennium to come against Jesus and the Saints. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;
who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:7-9

JESUS WILL RULE THE NATIONS FROM ISRAEL

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“My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the LORD God. “That is the day of which I have spoken” (Ezekiel 39:8).

When will God not allow His holy name to be profaned any more in Israel? Only after Jesus returns. When will God set His “glory among the nations”? When He establishes His kingdom (Millennial Kingdom) on this earth. When will the entire house of Israel come to know the Lord and experience a great outpouring of His Spirit? Only after the Second Coming of their Messiah.

What an amazing Scripture this is. God has unfinished business with Israel. The nation He established for His purposes. All the nations will know God is the Holy One of Israel. “Behold it is coming and it shall be done.”

“And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgement which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward” (Ezekiel 39:21).

It is amazing the detail God revealed to Ezekiel about what He will do with Israel in the last days.

“I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Ezekiel 37:21-22

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” Ezekiel 37:26-28

Look at this scripture which says unbelievers will learn why God has dealt harshly with Israel

“And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.” Ezekiel 39:23

And finally God explains He will pour out His Spirit upon the House of Israel when He has gathered them out from their enemies lands then Israel and the nations will know God is the Lord God of Israel.

“When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 39:27-29

In this post we have looked at what God revealed to Ezekiel. He revealed just as much if not more to Isaiah. It just confirms what was said to Ezekiel and the other prophets. Next post we will look at what Moses revealed to the nation about its future even before they went into the promised land.

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6

JESUS RETURN TO EARTH

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Expecting Jesus to return should make us watchful, diligent in our faith, and eager to live holy lives. We are not to get caught up in trying to guess the “day and hour” of these events. As Jesus Himself told us,

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” Mark 13:32-33

Even so, Jesus said that the signs of His return would give us a general idea and should cause us to remain watchful:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, know that it is near — at the doors!” Matthew 24:32-33

This is not all that Jesus had to say about the timing of His return. In Luke 21:35, He warned that His return would “come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth”. In Matthew 24:43, Jesus explains that he will come “as a thief in the night”. But note that these are warnings are given to people who have made this world their home and refused a heavenly citizenship. For believers, it’s a different story entirely:

“But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that the Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

For the same reason, God promises a special blessing for those who read, hear and keep the words of the book of Revelation. This blessing is not offered for any other book in the Bible:

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3

Joseph Lamb (1925-2013) was a pastor in the Chinese underground church. He faced severe persecution from the communist authorities and spent more than twenty years in prison. But the fruit of his ministry was incredible. Along with the efforts of many like him, there are now some 80 million believers in China. Consider what Lamb said about the second coming of Christ and the impact it has had on the growth of the Chinese church:

A demolished underground church in China

In the West, the church is not talking about Jesus return, it is too concerned with survival and compromise with the world and its values.

In China, the imminent return of Christ is the message the thought-police in China most want to censor. In fact, in many areas the police are registering modems and even fax machines in order to keep the end-times message of Christ’s return from being circulated.

You see, Chinese Christians believe passionately that Christ is coming again, not just someday — but ‘in this generation.’ The dragon knows he must stop this Apostolic message of hope. If somehow he can stop these New Testament-style Bible studies, he knows he will cripple Church growth in China…to the dragon [Satan]. the ‘most dangerous’ message on the Internet is the ‘Second Advent of Christ.’

In America, where pastors have the freedom to preach anything they please, thousands of churches never hear the message of the Second Coming. Not because they are forbidden by government, but because they were tricked by seminary professors into thinking it is ‘confusing’ or ‘not relevant for today’.

Satan uses different tactics in different cultures — anything that will produce silence on the Blessed Hope of Christ’s soon return. Why? Because there is no more spiritually motivating teaching in the entire Bible.

The saints will overcome. Not a word that Jesus spoke will go unfulfilled. God will honour every promise that He made both to Israel (Jeremiah 31:35-37) and to the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Jesus will return in glory, and He will reign victoriously on the earth. The price that He paid on the cross will be celebrated by all nations, and the redeemed will sit at His feet for eternity. Maranatha!

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.
~ Luke 21:28

“And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
~ Mark 13:37

A COVENANTAL COMMUNITY AWAITING THE DAY OF THE LORD

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The church of Jesus Christ is a community of redeemed sinners bound to their Lord and to one another in the bond of love known as the covenant of grace. God gives Himself to them with the Holy Spirit to be their God and takes them as His people.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26

The covenant promise to the Jews was spelled out in Leviticus. “And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.” Leviticus 26:12

Likewise, Christians belong to their covenant Lord: “None of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself…whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7–8). This also means that Christians are bound to one another and must think of themselves as part of a community. 

Paul expresses this truth using the language of the body in Ephesians 4:25: “We are members of one another.” We are therefore to take our covenant brothers and sisters into account in all aspects of our Christian living. The covenant community is no place for rugged individualists. We must constantly be asking, “How will this affect other believers?”

If we love our covenant brothers and sisters, we will seek what is best for them, especially their growth in grace. This can be done in a positive way by exhortation and mutual encouragement. The writer to the Hebrews, after speaking of the blessings of the new covenant that are provided by the blood of Jesus, has this stirring call for God’s people:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25)

What Day is drawing near? The Day of the Lord

“For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.” Obadiah 1:15

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?” Amos 5:19-20

“Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.” Joel 1:15

“The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Joel 2:31

“The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.” Zephaniah 1:14

Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord.” Zephaniah 1:18

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” Malachi 4:1

“And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2: 19-21

“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” 1 Thessalonian 5:1-3

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:10

All of the above Scriptures reveal that the awesome Day of the Lord is a time of intense judgement for unbelievers. However, Paul also tells us the good news about the awesome Day of the Lord: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8

We do not like to think about God’s judgement but Scripture is clear the time is coming when God pours out His wrath upon an unrepentant world

JESUS RETURN TO EARTH

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This is an another revealing video from Nelson Walters. I met Nelson many years ago now in the USA at an End Times Conference and for over a year he was a member of the Board for a ministry that I started several years ago. It was premature but its time is fast approaching. Sadly, I have jumped the gun on a number of occasions with projects God has given me particularly when I owned and managed Christian Press and Care & Share Products. Timing is so important and we need to get it right. Much like Abraham and Sarah, I have birthed Ishmaels not Isaacs. God is good and He has always given me a second chance as He will you if you mess things up. Back to Nelson, he is always willing to listen and work with others that believe they have been called to alert the church to Jesus Second Coming and all that God has revealed will unfold at that time. You will note in his videos he will always tell you when what he is saying is conjecture or his opinion and not supported by Biblical evidence.

SUMMARY

Will Jesus set foot on earth before the Battle of Armageddon? It is not what is commonly taught. So, what does God’s Word say? Perhaps because what we currently call the Second Coming is not a single event! Could Jesus arrive an entire year earlier to take His church to heaven but also to take part in pouring out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. Is this what Scripture calls the acceptable year of the Lord? In this video Nelson examine four proofs that categorically prove Jesus is on earth prior to mounting his White Horse and leaving Heaven to fight Armageddon. What is the meaning of Jesus’ robe dipped in blood and how is it related to this concept? How are the Days of Noah involved? And does Satan know about Armageddon prior to Jesus riding the white horse? Does the Bible teach a second Exodus? Nelson does a great job of taking us to the relevant Scriptures that provide the answers we need.

CHRISTIAN MATURITY

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“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11

This prayer by Paul is important because it outlines what spiritual maturity should look like. A Christian grows in proportion to His love for Jesus. Notice it also says our love should abound more and more. Moreover, Christian love is sacrificial, giving love. In addition to being abounding love, it is also discerning love. The heart and mind work together so that we distinguish what really matters, right priorities, striving for excellence but pure and blameless. Christian love must be rooted in wisdom from God’s Word if we are to love God and man in ways honouring to God.

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” John 6:22

Good works must be an outcome of our love for God “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Christ Jesus”. Jesus said it like this:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus made it possible for God, the Father to send the Holy Spirit to enable us to do good works, to “bear much fruit” and apart from being in Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit “you can do nothing“. How often do we quench the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and thereby grieve Him? I fear it is much more than we like to admit.

Finally this prayer acknowledges that Christ is going to return and that we should be pure and blameless for that day: “so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ“.

A GODLESS WORLD PRIOR TO JESUS SECOND COMING

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What happens when humans believe that the world began with a big bang and evolved over billions of years from single celled amoeba to the humans walking the planet today?

For me, It seems absurd that anyone can believe that something as complex, ordered and beautiful as the Cosmos came into being without any meaningful explanation and known mechanism to make it happen. Natural selection and mutations cannot do it and yet this is what is taught in our universities and schools. Moreover, our Creator has gone to extraordinary lengths to reveal the truth about Himself, ourselves and the Cosmos, as revealed by His actions in history, His prophets, His nation (Israel), His Word (Bible) and above all else through His Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The following is what we will see unfold as we move from truth to chaos.

  • From the conviction that God is Transcendent—above all and to Whom all must give an account, including governments to the belief that there is nothing Transcendent but ourselves and ultimately our rulers
  • From the freedom not to believe to enforced state or cultural religion
  • From churches to re-education centres
  • From schools pursuing knowledge to schools indoctrinating Satanically inspired nonsense
  • From the Bible as God’s revelation to us and the source of our formative worldview to the displacement of the Bible from public life
  • From constitutionalism to tyrannical edict and the emergence of The Antichrist
  • From healthy individuality to collectivism
  • From a free market economy to a state-controlled economy and finally the Mark of the Beast
  • From democracy to oligarchy through the elite establishments of Information, Entertainment, Academia, Politics, Corporations
  • From mature independence to socialist dependency
  • From a healthy respect for just law to a belief we are above God’s law.
  • From unity to fragmentation
  • From freedom of religion to bondage to the secular humanist religion of the state and then the false prophet
  • From Biblical family to state-determined family

This is the world Jesus describes prior to His second coming to earth to complete His covenantal promise to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that their Messiah (Jesus) will rule the nations from a restructured and renamed Jerusalem.

AROMA OF LIFE OR AROMA OF DEATH

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‘Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For to God we are the fragrance (the sweet smell) of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life – and who is sufficient for these things?’ 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

As we go about our daily business, walking in the works God has prepared for us, The Holy Spirit is with us and, if we seek and ask, He will be answering our prayers. Read the scripture again He is always leading us in triumph. This should be our experience and if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us the aroma of Christ is being diffused, released around us.  We may not be aware, but others pick up the scent for life or for death.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesian 5:2 or Philip 4:18

As we approach the time spoken of by Jesus in answer to the the disciples question: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3, we know from His response that in the “last days” the world by and large has turned away from God and therefore we are the aroma of death leading to death to them.

Is it any wonder then that Jesus tells us that Christians living at that time will experience intense persecution.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:9-12

Make sure you are one of the faithful: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13

LAST DAYS BEFORE JESUS RETURN

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As the world increasingly rejects God and His core values; “love God and love your neighbour as yourself “we are seeing the world descend into lawlessness much the same as existed during Noah’s day that resulted in God destroying all mankind except Noah’s family of eight people, four males and four females. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:37-39 that this would be the world’s condition just before He comes back, first to remove His people , His church, in The Rapture and before He pours out His wrath again on an unrepentant world.

The Ogdoad: Nun (Noah) and Naunet (Noah’s wife) , Deities of Chaos and Water

The archaeological evidence does indicate that the eight that came from Noah’s Ark who carried the sum total of all human knowledge, founded civilisation and outlived their descendants (Noah’s son Shem outlived Abraham) were deified in the pagan religions that arose after them.

All Egyptologists are well aware of a group of eight gods, four males and four females known as OGDOAD meaning eight.

The OGDOAD are also well known in later Ptolemaic and Roman texts where they play a role in Egyptian cosmological theology concerning the creation of the universe from a watery abyss.

The Benben stone which sits on the top of pyramids represents the primeval mound, the first land that appeared from the primeval ocean, called the Nun. It was upon this land that the eight ‘gods’ (OGDOAD) sprang into being; four males and their wives, headed by the chief god ‘Nu’ which is phonetically similar to Noah.

This archaeological evidence is of course further evidence that Noah’s Flood was a real event in history that totally changed the geomorphology of the planet and buried animals, sea creatures and forests that formed the fossils and fossil fuels we find today.

God’s Word also reveals that in the “last days” before His return, the world will deny the creation account, and that God judged the world with a worldwide flood, and that He will return to judge the world a second time.

“They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.” 2 Peter 3:4-6

Peter focuses on those who scoff at the idea of Christ’s triumphant return and the final judgment. Just as God once destroyed the world with water, He will one day bring His fire to it. In light of this, we should live in “holiness and godliness” as we await His return and the salvation He has promised to all believers. Peter probably wrote this letter about A.D. 67–68, shortly before his death.