10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR HOSTING A HOUSE CHURCH IN IRAN

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The Revolutionary Court of Tehran has sentenced an Iranian-Armenian Christian man to 10 years in prison for establishing a house church, which the judge called “propaganda contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam,” according to reports.

Saba Kord Afshari is just 22 years old. In August 2019, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to 24 years in prison for opposing the compulsory hijab.

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Afshari, sentenced Anooshavan Avedian, 60, to 10 years of imprisonment, alongside two others who are members of his house church — Abbas Soori, 45, and Maryam Mohammadi, 46 — both of whom are converts to Christianity, Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.

Article 18, a U.K.-based organization that promotes religious freedom in Iran, reported that Soori and Mohammadi received a range of non-custodial punishments, including a fine of about $2,000 (500 million rials) and a 10-year ban from membership in social and political groups as well as a two-year exile outside Tehran. In addition, they must regularly report to the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence.

The three were convicted on the charge of “organizing and running an Evangelical ‘Zionist’ home church with the intention to act against national security” and “maintaining satellite dish and receivers.”

They were first arrested in August 2020 when about 30 intelligence agents raided a private gathering at Avedian’s home in Narmak are in northeastern Tehran, but their case came to light only recently.

The agents confiscated all the Bibles and communication devices with passwords.

In Tehran’s Evin Prison, the three were subjected to psychological torture during several intense interrogation sessions.

Judge Afshari pronounced Avedian guilty of “establishing and leading an illegal group with the aim of disrupting the security of the country through education and propaganda activities contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam, through the dissemination of false claims … as well as contact with foreign countries, or organisational guidance from abroad.”

The Christians’ defense was met with “disrespectful remarks toward their character, and insults to their faith,” according to Article 18, which also said that over the past decade, authorities in Iran have closed down nearly all churches that offered services in Persian, the national language, or insisted they teach only in the ethnic minority languages.

The Islamic Republic is ranked as the ninth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List. 

“Converts from Islam to Christianity are most at risk of persecution, especially by the government and to a lesser extent by society and their own families,” it says.

“The government sees the growth of the church in Iran as an attempt by Western countries to undermine Islam and the Islamic regime of Iran. House groups made up of converts from Muslim backgrounds are often raided, and both their leaders and members have been arrested, prosecuted, and given long prison sentences for “crimes against national security.”

The Muslim religion is an antichrist religion and Biblical prophecy reveals the Antichrist (Little Horn) arises out of one of four Muslim nations when the revived Ottoman Empire is broken up (perhaps by the U.N. or Russia) into four nations.

“Then the goat (revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host” Daniel 8:8-11

END TIMES PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN MOZAMBIQUE ESCALATING

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A report released this month by Save the Children, Plan International and World Vision showed how the extent of the conflict in Cabo Delgado, Northern Mozambique has worsened in the last 12 months and how children are suffering disproportionately. 

Violent attacks by Islamic rebels in the Cabo Delgado province have led to the deaths of more than 2,838 people, including over 1,400 civilians, though the actual number is expected to be higher. 

Amy Lamb, director of communications for Open Doors, told The Christian Post that the “fresh wave of violence” in Mozambique has had a “devastating” toll.

Lamb said that for the first time, Mozambique was added to the World Watch List as being among the most persecuted countries “because of the fresh wave of violence coming into Mozambique primarily driven by radical jihadist extremists.” A March attack on Palma, a town in the northeast of Mozambique, led to an estimated 67,848 displaced people as of June 4. 

The south-eastern African country is home to about 17 million Christians, which is over 50% of the population. Lamb said it’s also home to one of the fastest-growing evangelical populations in the world. 

Mozambique
A volunteer sings with children during activities directed toward the healing for displaced children that witnessed atrocities in northern Mozambique, at a displacement settlement in Metuge on May 21, 2021.

“Because of [the rise in Christianity], we’re seeing jihadist groups including those who are affiliated with the Islamic state, with al Shabab, with Boko Haram, al Qaeda,” Lamb explained. 

“It’s just organizing together in order to expand their territories throughout the African continent, and their goal is really to eradicate Christianity from this territory and, unfortunately, in some ways, it’s working,” she continued. “Even specifically from this northern part of Mozambique, an estimated 800,000 people have fled the region, and those who remain, including women, children, families, are facing starvation even if they’re spared from … violence.” 

“Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” 1 John 4:2-3

What we are seeing is prophesied by Jesus as the “end times” signs prior to His second coming to earth this time to rule and reign the nations from Jerusalem. Saints we need to be aware that we will be on the earth during the time of tribulation. There is no place in heaven for lukewarm Christians. God will purify His church before the wrath of God is poured out on an unrepentant world.

“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.” Matthew 24:9-13

Jesus does appear in the heavens and we are told all the world will see Him. He sends out His angels to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth. but He does not come to earth at the time of the rapture of the Saints.

“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:30-31

TURKEY’S ROLE IN THE END TIMES

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Under Erdogan, Turkey has put Islam back in place of secularism and is asserting itself once again as the dominant Muslim nation as it was in the days of the Ottoman Empire.

The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by Osman Ghazi and consistently grew from 1299 to 1683. The first 10 rulers of the Ottoman Empire were considered the most successful kings. Of particular note was Suleiman the Magnificent. It was during his reign that the Ottoman Empire rose to its peak of power and domination.

The Ottomans proved their strength in the Battle of Djerba in 1560. During the naval battle the Ottomans inflicted 10-20 times as many casualties as they sustained from the Christian alliance’s navy. The path was open for another attack on Malta.

The Great Siege of Malta was the major turning point for the Ottoman Turks. The Knights of Malta led by Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Valette played the lead role.

Queen Elizabeth I stated, “If the Turks should prevail against the Isle of Malta, it is uncertain what further peril might follow to the rest of Christendom.”

The rulers of numerous Christian realms and military orders soon put aside their differences, partially inspired by the Siege of Malta, and formed the Holy League. The Holy League went on to win a decisive victory against the Ottomans at the Battle of Lepanto six years later. And the Knights Hospitaller, later the Knights of Malta, still have their headquarters on the island to this day.

The Ottoman period spanned more than 600 years and came to an end only in 1922 after WW1 when it was replaced by the Turkish Republic and various successor states in southeastern Europe and the Middle East.

The popular Turkish reaction to the reconversion of Hagia Sophia (known as Aya Sophia in Turkish) cannot be explained without reference to these historical facts. The attempt by the “Christian” allied powers to carve up the Turkish homeland in addition to detaching the non-Turkish portions of the Ottoman Empire and dividing them up among themselves have been strong reminders for the Turks over generations of their loss of greatness. The transformation of Hagia Sophia from a mosque to a museum was perceived as a part of this loss that needed to be remedied.

The mosque of Hagia Sophia was a major symbol of the Ottoman victory over the Byzantine Empire in 1453 and an emblem of Turkish pride. Ataturk’s decision to turn it into a museum to display its dual Byzantine and Islamic heritage was an attempt to demonstrate both a break from what he considered to be the decrepit Ottoman past and to establish Turkey’s credentials as a “civilized” nation in the eyes of the West. But, this decision had been resented by the religiously observant Turkish masses imbued with the combined spirit of Islam and Ottomanism.

Thus, the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, which it had been for close to five hundred years, as a move to revive his dwindling popularity appeared an attractive and relatively costless proposition to Erdogan. However, such a move cannot succeed in a vacuum for it would not work if it did not touch a vital chord in Turkish hearts. That the decision would appeal to a large majority of Turks is the gamble that Erdogan has taken and there is sufficient evidence to conclude that it has worked.

WILL THIS BE MYSTERY BABYLON OF REVELATION?

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Saudi Arabia has announced plans to build NEOM, a new, futuristic city in the North-West of the country that is built upon principles of renewable energy, technology, community, diversity, and modern architecture.

NEOM hopes to be the most advanced city in the world someday. According to the discoverNEOM.com’s press release, NEOM will be so advanced, it’s possible that the robots may outnumber humans.

On October 24th, Prince Mohammad bin Salman announced the Mega City NEOM. The name NEOM means “New Future” and comes from two words and two languages. First is the Greek word NEO meaning New and then the M stands for the Arabic word Mostaqbal, meaning Future. It will operate as an independent economic zone – with its own laws, taxes and regulations. NEOM will be massive, at over 10,000 miles or over 26,000 km, it will be more than 33 times larger than New York City and a little less than Massachusetts. Located in the North-West corner of Saudi Arabia, NEOM loosely connects the 3 continents of Africa, Asia and Europe and hopes to be a leading global hub, 70% of the world’s population will be able to reach it in under eight hours.

Phase one is due for completion in 2020, with the final brick laid in 2025

The location of Neom in Saudi Arabia.

The harlot city of Revelation 17–18 is described as sitting in a desert. Of course, Saudi Arabia itself sits upon the great Arabian Desert.

Today, the most violent jihadist terrorist organisations in the world find their ideological roots in Saudi Arabia. Whether we are speaking of al-Qaeda (global), ISIS (Syria, Iraq, Libya, Sinai), the Taliban (Afghanistan), Abu Sayyaf (Philippines), Lashkar-e-Taiba (Pakistan), Jabhat al-Nusra (Syria), Al-Shabab (Somalia), or Boko Haram (Nigeria), they are all Salafi groups whose ideological roots extend directly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its first export is not oil but radical Islam.

When we study the picture the Scriptures paint of the great harlot, we discover that, rather than feeling any guilt for the blood she has spilled, instead she is proud, intoxicated, and lusting for more. She flaunts and raises her golden cup high, enticing the inhabitants of the world to partake of her maddening wine and the immorality of her false religion. Who better fits that description than Saudi Arabia and its barbarous national, and now increasingly global, religion: Islam?

“And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand.” Revelation 20:4

In Saudi Arabia, if someone leaves Islam to become a Christian, he or she may be legally beheaded by the government.

The last-days Babylon will be an importer of, among other things, “slaves and human lives” Revelation 18:13

Saudi sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan rather brazenly declared that “slavery is a part of Islam.” He is a member of the Senior Council of Clerics, Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body, and of the Council of Religious Edicts and Research; he is the imam of the prominent Prince Mitaeb Mosque in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh; and he is a professor at Imam Mohamed Bin Saud Islamic University.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia perfectly matches the biblical description of the great harlot Babylon.