MEANING OF THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION PART FIVE

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The fifth church letter is the Letter to Sardis, representing “martyrdom” in the Pattern of Seven Events (Olivet Discourse) and Year Five of Daniel’s 70th Week prophecy.

The name of the town of Sardis comes from the Greek word SARDIUS which is an orange-red gemstone. Similar related gemstones are SARDONYX and SARDION, which is also called a carnelian. The Sardonyx is especially interesting because it is white streaked with red. What a perfect picture of the faithful Church; the pure (white) will be streaked with red (martyrdom.)

Because the Church has missed the end-time prophetic meaning of the Letters to the Seven Churches, the meaning of this symbol has evaded them as well. But when you understand the true nature of the Letters to the Seven Churches, the symbols come into focus.

These gemstones appear throughout the Bible. The Sardonyx and the Sardius appear as foundations for the walls of the New Jerusalem. Sardonyx is the fifth foundation (Fifth Year of the 70th Week?), and the Sardius is the sixth foundation (Rev. 21:19-20). Does this imply that the martyrdom of the saints that occurs in the Fifth and Sixth Years of the 70th Week are foundations the New Jerusalem is built upon? It is an intriguing theory. The Throne of the Most High himself is pictured as being like Jasper and Sardius in appearance as well. In Revelation 21:11, we are told that the Glory of God is like a stone most precious, like Jasper, that is as clear as crystal. God is so pure. His Throne isn’t a white stone streaked with red like the saints of the Fifth Year; his throne is clear as crystal with the red stone of sacrifice (Sardius), obviously referring to Jesus’s sacrifice. The first mention of Sardius (Law of Primacy) appears in Exodus where God requests a first fruits offering of Sardius stones as part of making the sanctuary. This meaning is incredibly similar to the idea that the foundations of New Jerusalem will include Sardonyx and Sardius stones. The dwelling place of our Lord rests on the sacrifices and martyrdom of his people. Then the passage concludes with this promise: “And I will appear among you.” Jesus doesn’t return until the first fruit of martyrdom of his people.

THE HISTORIC SARDIS: In the sixth century BC, Sardis was the capital of the Kingdom of Lydia. The Lydians discovered the secret of separating gold and silver and producing metals of incredibly high purity. Isn’t this also a perfect picture of what will occur during the Fifth Year of 70th Week? Jesus will use the “furnace” of great tribulation to refine his Bride like fine gold and silver. Jesus chose the symbol of this town with divine precision. Also, before this advancement by the Lydians, merchants were never sure of the value of a coin. The purity of the gold and silver made coins minted in Sardis the standard currency worldwide. Sardis is known as the birthplace of modern currency. Will the fifth year see the birth of digital currency in the lead-up to the Mark of the Beast?

In the fifth letter, the Letter to Sardis, Jesus says, “Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. (Rev. 3:3) A “thief in the night.” Jesus is saying that if churchgoers do not wake up, He will come as a thief to them as well. Indeed, we need to wake up! He is going to overthrow the world systems of wealth (Sardis) and false religion (Babylon/Baal/Islam), and only the faithful will be awake to anticipate it.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF JESUS IN THE LETTER TO SARDIS: Jesus describes the attribute of himself this way to the Church living through the Fifth Year of the 70th Week: “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this.” (Rev. 3:1). The seven spirits of God are most likely the seven angels who stand before the Throne of God and are Jesus’s servants going to and fro throughout the earth. We saw in that discussion that these seven angels blow the seven trumpets and pour out the seven bowls that constitute the Wrath of God. The “eyes” of Jesus that burn like torches. By using this symbol, Jesus is encouraging us to know that despite the great tribulation of the Church, Jesus sees and knows what is occurring and has his angels ready to avenge the persecution of his saints.

The opening of the Fifth Seal is a parallel passage that describes the Fifth Year of the 70th Week. At the fifth seal, we see the saints beneath the Altar of God crying out: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (Revelation 6:10-11) Notice that the saints are asking when God will avenge their martyrdom, just as the reference to the seven spirits of God is a reference to God’s coming wrath. I also notice with particular interest the mention of “white robes.” After the Letter to Sardis, those who “overcome will thus be clothed in white garments” (Rev. 3:5). This is yet another perfect fingerprint identification that the Letters to the Seven Churches and the Seven Seals are two different prophetic views of the same events.

The second attribute of Christ found in this letter is that he holds the seven stars. The “stars” refer to human messengers given to the churches to help convey Jesus’s message in Revelation to them. If the seven Spirits of God give us encouragement of the coming end of the Beast system during the Wrath of God, the seven messengers (stars) help the churches interpret Jesus’s revelations so they can be overcomers. This understanding of Jesus’s revelations will never be more needed than during the Great Tribulation, before the resurrection/Rapture, followed by God’s Wrath on earth.

THE CONDITION OF THE CHURCH OF SARDIS: Viewed through the lens of an intended prophetic view of the Fifth Year of the 70th Week, it is a mostly dying church: “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard, and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Revelation 3:1-4

The Fifth Year is the year of decision. Churchgoers will stand up for Jesus and face persecution and martyrdom or will commit apostasy. In Matthew 24, Jesus says the love of “most” will grow cold. To me, that means most will commit apostasy. That is why, at the end of this passage, Jesus says the Church has only a few people whose garments aren’t soiled. As the Fifth Year progresses, more and more of the true believers will lay their lives down for Jesus and His Word. By the end, the majority of those claiming to be “Christian” but who have committed apostasy will vastly outnumber the dwindling number of true believers. This is why Jesus says to this Church that they have a reputation for being alive, but they’re really dead. The Sardis Church is a mostly dead and dying Church. The true believers are mostly martyred. They are physically dead. The apostates still physically alive are, however, spiritually dead and dying. Jesus instructs them to wake up because he is coming soon. What does the command to “wake up” mean? Jesus’s main teaching on the sleeping Church is the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Jesus taught that “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all (all ten!) got drowsy and began to sleep” Matthew 25:5. Strikingly, Jesus taught that the entire church would be sleeping at some point before his return.

The fact that Jesus inserts the instruction to “wake up” into the Letter to Sardis tells me that the Great Tribulation is the “midnight cry.” However, it appears that for some, even the Great Tribulation won’t wake them up.

Paul taught on this same subject in the section of scripture about the Rapture: “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they (non-Christians) are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labour pains upon a woman with a child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness, so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 1 Thessalonians 5: 2-6

Paul is teaching us that we will know the approximate timing of Jesus’s return. Jesus also provided the chronology in the Olivet Discourse. He taught that the Church would go through tribulation before his coming and see other signs.

The closing statement of Jesus in this fifth letter, the Letter to Sardis:

“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels“. Revelation 3:6

Jesus says he will not erase their names from the Book of Life. This implies that at some point, some people were written into the Book and then later erased. Were these never born-again believers? Is this the Great Falling Away, the Great Apostasy? I believe it is. I think the greatest majority of the Great Falling Away occurs during the Fifth Year of the 70th Week. When faced with the choice of physical death in this life or apostasy, unfortunately, most churchgoers will choose apostasy.

In the next post, we will look at the sixth church, the Church of Philadelphia, which God rescues before He pours out His wrath upon the Earth.

TIMING OF GOD’S COMING WRATH

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Imagine how the disciples felt when near the end of Jesus’ ministry He told them, three times, He was going to die and now He had just told them the temple would be destroyed. It was all bad news so the following conversation between Jesus and the disciples is understandable. Fortunately, Jesus gave them and us incredible details on what will take place before His second coming to Earth and it is not good news for believers because the world will be like it was before God poured out His wrath upon the Earth, the first time with Noah’s Flood.

“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 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 rumors 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 24:3, 9-14

This is one of the reasons that for me the Bible is the word of God and therefore the true history of the world. It does not paint a “pretty picture” of the end as most “made-up” stories do.

GOD APPOINTS LEADERS

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Just as God appointed Italy’s new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, its first female prime minister (see recent post “Italians Made Wise Choice“), whose focus is on protecting the institutions of God, family, and country, we now have the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss pledged “wholehearted” support for the Jewish State during a speech at the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) conference on Monday.

“I am so pleased to be here for the first time at the CFI event as your prime minister,” Truss was quoted as saying by the Jewish Chronicle.

“As you know I am a huge Zionist, I am a huge supporter of Israel, and I know that we can take the UK-Israel relationship from strength to strength.”

Prime Minister Yair Lapid meets with UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, September 21, 2022, 

“In this world – where we are facing threats from authoritarian regimes who don’t believe in freedom and democracy – two free democracies, the UK and Israel, need to stand shoulder to shoulder and we will be even closer in the future,” she said.

Truss stressed that her country’s support for Israel is “absolute” and “wholehearted,” while adding that the UK and its allies would ensure that Iran “will never…get a nuclear weapon.”

During a meeting with Prime Minister Yair Lapid last month, Truss mentioned that the UK is weighing moving its embassy – which is currently located in Tel Aviv – to Jerusalem.

God reestablished Israel as a nation back in 1948 as part of His “end times” plan and He has used leaders like Trump and now Truss to support His plan. We know from Biblical prophecy that Israel will suffer greatly under the Antichrist and as many as 2/3 of the population killed or deported but ultimately Jesus will return to rescue His nation at the battle of Armageddon and set up His Millennial Kingdom in a completely restored Jerusalem.

“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

WHAT IS NEXT ON GOD’S AGENDA FOR THE MIDDLE EAST NATIONS?

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Iranian TV Report about IRGC Navy’s new Martyr Soleimani Patrol Ship with Anti-Aircraft capabilities.

Iran claims it’s one of only three countries in the world to have a vessel of this type.

The report featured a brief interview with IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, and it said that the Martyr Soleimani has a helicopter pad and classified defense systems that include vertically-launched anti-aircraft missiles, enabling the vessel to provide anti-air cover for missile-bearing speedboats.

The report compared the Martyr Soleimani to trimaran boats used by the U.S. Navy, and it said that Iran is one of only three countries in the world to have a vessel of this type. In addition, the reporter said that the Martyr Soleimani has been deployed with the IRGC Navy’s southern fleet and that U.S. CENTCOM has admitted that Iran has air superiority in the Persian Gulf and that this makes Iran the “ultimate power in the region.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials declared that they are unsure Iran’s nuclear program is ‘exclusively peaceful’ after Tehran refused to answer requests for details on nuclear material at three undeclared sites. Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Bible reveals a great deal about the nations that will be ruling in the last days before Jesus returns. One of the nations is Iran. In Daniel 8, Iran is the Ram that seeks to establish itself as the leader of the Muslim middle east nations. Iran has certainly been doing that, particularly with its proxies. There has been an increase in the size and capabilities of militias supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (Iran’s paramilitary organization responsible for foreign operations) in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen collectively. Iran is working to establish a land bridge across the region.

Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, an Iraqi militia trained by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

What we should be watching for next is Turkey (Sunni) the Goat of Daniel 8 to come against Iran (Shiite) and exert its dominance, in its efforts to reestablish its previous glory as the Ottoman Empire. It must be remembered that 85 to 90% of Muslims are Sunni and it is important to recognize that the rise of Turkey as a global power does harmonize with Bible prophecies related to what will take place in the Middle East before the return of Yeshua. In Ezekiel 38-39 Ezekiel specifically predicted that Turkey would become one of the primary geopolitical enemies of Israel in the last days. Gog is the “chief (rosh) prince (nasi) of Meshech and Tubal” as found in the ESV, NIV, HCSB, TLV and JPS translations of the Bible. In Ezekiel’s day, Magog, Meshech and Tubal were all located in what is now modern Turkey.

“And the ram (Iran) had no power to stand before him (Goat/Turkey), but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat 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.” Daniel 8:7-8

Note the revived Ottoman Empire does not survive long. It is broken up into four entities out of which the Antichrist ( the Little Horn of Daniel 8) emerges. The One World government that is birthed by the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and the E.U will not countenance a revived Ottoman Empire.

“Then the goat 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, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.” Daniel 8:8-9

We are blessed to know that God is in control of not only current events but of the future events that will unfold exactly as revealed in the many “end times” Biblical prophecies.

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

BIBLICAL PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED IN OUR TIME

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The following two paragraphs have been extracted from an article entitled “AFGHANISTAN: A name that will live in infamy” by Dr. Richard Land, BA (Princeton, magna cum laude); D.Phil. (Oxford); Th.M (New Orleans Seminary). Dr. Land served as President of Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 until July 2021.

“The great American “bugout” from Afghanistan — a betrayal revealing a level of incompetence from our American military, security and political establishment is both breathtaking and incomprehensible. This collection of buffoons and pretenders has just presided over a national humiliation that will reverberate around the globe with truly legally dangerous consequences extending for the entire life span of virtually all currently living Americans.

This fully preventable foreign policy debacle is a humanitarian and security disaster which has generated potentially horrendous conflicts across the globe that will now be very difficult to contain or prevent.”

America’s flight from Afghanistan will embolden jihadists around the world -The Economist August 28th 2021

Radical Muslim extremists will be emboldened by the “level of incompetence of our American military, security and political establishment” to quote Dr Land.

Exactly as prophesied, in the “end times” all of the nations surrounding Israel (Muslim nations) are intent on its destruction which will eventually lead to the “Time of Jacobs Trouble” when Israel is invaded by the Antichrist (Gog).

Numbers 24:7 and Ezekiel 38-39 prove that Gog is the Antichrist and that he will be defeated by Jesus

Of all people that God would give an “end times” prophecy to, it is hard to conceive Balaam, or is it, God often uses the most unlikely people for His purposes.

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star (Jesus) shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre (King) shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” Numbers 24:17-19

“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; His king (Jesus) shall be higher than Gog (Agag) and His kingdom shall be exalted… He shall eat up the nations, His adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces.” Numbers 24:5, 7, 8

It is only in recent years with the aid of teachers such as Travis Snow and Nelson Walters that I have come to realise how much of Ezekiel is “end times” prophecy.

“Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” Ezekiel 38:14-16

The following four paragraphs are taken from Travis Snow’s book ,The Passover King: Exploring the Prophetic Connection Between Passover, the End Times, and the Return of Jesus. I can highly recommend it to you.

also available as an eBook on Amazon

Once we grasp that Gog is the Antichrist, and that he first made his appearance in Numbers 24, it is hard to argue that Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 could take place at any other time than the beginning point of the Great Tribulation (halfway through Daniel’s 70th week). We know from Daniel 9:27 that the Antichrist turns on Israel halfway through Daniel’s 70th week, which consequently leads to a period of unparalleled distress and suffering in Israel (cf. Dan. 12:7-13).

So when we compare Scripture to Scripture, it can be argued that Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 is a more detailed description of the events described in Daniel 9:27 and 12:7-12, which are also tied to the period of time Jeremiah called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7; cf. Zechariah 12:3;14:1-2).

In simple terms, Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 is what happens after the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, which then starts the timeclock of Israel’s final 3 ½ years of suffering and exile before the return of Jesus. Since Gog is the Antichrist, and since it appears from Daniel 9:27 that the Antichrist will establish a false peace treaty with Israel during the first half of the Tribulation, it is not possible that his invasion of Israel could occur before the midpoint of the 70th week.

Iran Proxy and Sanctions Map Dec 2020

From previous posts you will know that I believe we are already seeing the “end times” prophecies in Daniel 8 unfolding in our time with Shia Iran (the Ram) with its proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and al-Ashtar Brigades “charging westward and northward and southward”

“I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.” Daniel 8:4

Next major prophesied event will be Sunni Turkey (the Goat) of Daniel 8 will subjugate Shia Iran (the Ram) and attempt to re-establish its Ottoman Empire.

GREATEST BIBLE PROPHECY EVER

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Seems like an outrageous claim, but it is hard to discount the case made by Nelson Walters, a friend and a man I greatly admire. I am confident you will agree this is another great video from Nelson. It’s on an amazing prophecy which reveals that we are living in Biblical end times with Jesus return less than 100 years distant. Nelson mentions the early church father, Barnabus, but I would include Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Lactantius. They all held to the sexta-septamillennial construct which is that the days of creation are prophetically one thousand years (with the Lord one day is as a thousand years). Hence, six thousand years of earths history is followed by the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. At the end of which will be the destruction of this earth, the second resurrection and the White Throne Judgement. The new heaven and new earth will then herald the start of the eighth thousand year of man’s history and eternity with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This Scripture from 2 Peter is such an important “end times” pointer.

“That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they wilfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men.
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:2-8

 

BIBLE PROPHESIES “END TIMES” CATASTROPHES

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Even before this coronavirus outbreak, the global economy was really starting to slow down.  Economic numbers were absolutely dismal all over the world, and many experts were warning that we were right on the verge of the next global recession.

Now that this outbreak has erupted, we definitely have much more momentum in a downward direction. Very challenging times are ahead, although most people still don’t understand what is happening.

We are moving into a time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken.  The global financial system is on the precipice of utter disaster, we we witnessing great civil unrest and political shaking all over the world, the drumbeat of war grows louder and louder, weather patterns are going absolutely crazy and seismic activity is on the rise all over the planet. For born again, Bible believing saints, as events unfold exactly as predicted in God’s Word, it is confirmation that our Heavenly Father’s plan for Jesus to return and rule and reign on this planet for 1000 years is on track and not too far distant. Saints are you preparing to rule and reign with Jesus in the Millennium?

Japan’s biggest contraction in more than five years adds to escalating concerns among policymakers about the length of a likely recession in the world’s third-largest economy as the impact of the coronavirus and a plunge in oil prices causes markets to slide and the yen to gain.

Japan’s gross domestic product was already contracting badly in 2019. It had shrank at an annualised pace of 6.3 percent from the previous quarter in the three months through December, 2019. Economists surveyed had predicted a fall of 3.8 percent, flagging the adverse impact of a sales tax increase, weak global demand and typhoon disruption.

Consumer spending fell 11.1% after the national sales tax was raised in October to 10% from 8%. During the same month,Typhoon Hagibis ravaged a large swathe of the country.

Capital spending declined 14.1% and exports slipped 0.4% due to the fallout from the U.S.-China trade war.

“I’m getting ready for another contraction in Japan’s first quarter. There just aren’t any positive factors to build a positive growth forecast,” said Mari Iwashita, chief market economist at Daiwa Securities Co., flagging her view that the economy is likely falling into recession.

“There is a good chance of Japan’s economy falling into a recession,” Yoshiki Shinke, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, said before Monday’s data was released. He flagged the risks of supply chains being affected if the outbreak was prolonged.

The coronavirus is taking a toll on the number of Chinese tourists to Japan and manufacturing activity due to the economy’s close ties with China, prompting some economists to forecast a contraction lasting two quarters.

The following is how Zero Hedge summarised the recent economic data that we have seen come out of China…

While not perfect, and certainly not a comprehensive view of what is really taking place “on the ground”, the above data is a useful real-time indicator of how the people in China perceive the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, and one thing is abundantly clear: as the pandemic spreads further without containment, and as the charts above flatline, so will China’s economy, which means that while Goldman’s draconian view of what happens to Q1 GDP is spot on, the expectation for a V-shaped recovery in Q2 and onward will vaporise faster than a vial of ultra-biohazardaous viruses in a Wuhan virology lab.

As far as the coronavirus is concerned, the key will be what happens to the number of confirmed cases outside of China.  Over the past week that number has roughly doubled, and if that keeps happening every week we will soon have a full-blown global pandemic on our hands.

LAST DAYS PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IS ESCALATING

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GOD”S WORD TELLS US CHRISTIANS WILL BE PERSECUTED IN THE LAST DAYS

If you are being used by God to bring many to Christ then you can expect to be the focus of Satan’s minions to stop you and discredit your efforts.

What has happened to Torben Sondergaad of The Last Reformation movement is stark evidence of the extent of the persecution coming our way. You need to watch this video. The following short summary by Torben should get your attention.

I have waited many months to share this with you. This is somehow the hardest and most emotional video I have ever done. But it is also a big relief to finally get this out. Yes, we are seeking Asylum in America, and I would like to share some of the crazy things that have happened in the last six months. We have experienced a crazy and organised persecution from many sides – a persecution that ended up with us leaving Denmark with 8 suitcases, in order to not go to jail, or lose our kids. Later, even going through a spiritual battle like never before, ending up in a hospital, thinking I was going to die. But it has also been a time with fasting and a closeness to Christ that I have never experienced before… How God has come to us, again and again, when we couldn’t take any more… How a man I didn’t know gave me a lot of money in an airport, and how we saw very strong miracles!

BIGGEST ANIMAL DISEASE OUTBREAK ON PLANET EARTH

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Fox News Flash: Top Headlines for June 6th, 2019

This is the biggest animal disease outbreak we’ve ever had on the planet,” Dirk Pfeiffer, a veterinary epidemiologist at City University of Hong Kong and swine fever expert, said. “It makes the foot and mouth disease and [mad cow disease] outbreaks pale in comparison to the damage that is being done. And we have no way to stop it from spreading.”

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China is the epicentre for this outbreak, and it is also home to half of all the pigs in the world. Actually, to be more accurate, I should say that it used to be home to half of all the pigs in the world. In a normal year, China slaughters approximately 700 million pigs. But according to Rabobank, that number will be down 30% this year due to this outbreak. To put that into perspective, that 30% loss in production is equivalent to Europe’s entire annual pork supply, and almost 30% larger than U.S. annual pork production.

We have never seen an animal disease outbreak like this before, and it is rapidly getting worse. African Swine Fever, also referred to as “pig Ebola”, has already wiped out millions upon millions of pigs and it continues to spread to even more countries. There is no vaccine, and there is no cure, and so essentially, we don’t have any way to stop this disease. At this point, the only solution is to kill all the pigs wherever the virus is found and desperately hope that it doesn’t spread anywhere else. But that approach clearly hasn’t been working, and according to a recent Fox News report, this epidemic has now become the “biggest animal disease outbreak we’ve ever had on the planet”

Jesus on the “end times” prior to His return: “And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8) that lead up to the final seven years (70th week of Daniel) prior Jesus return and His Millennial reign on this earth.