BIBLE REPLETE WITH END TIMES WARNINGS

Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings, Revelation is the book of consummation. In it, the divine program of redemption is brought to fruition.

What I have just realised is that the books leading up to Revelation, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 & 3 John and Jude, all provide an amazing progression of teachings that warns us and prepares us for what will unfold in the days ahead, in the “end times”. We can’t say that God did not warn us.

JAMES:

First of all, James warns us that faith without works is no faith. Faith without works is dead and dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work, it must produce; it must be visible. Without faith, we will not be able to endure the trials to come. Strong faith will face trials head-on and develop endurance. Faith understands temptations. Faith obeys the Word of God. It will not merely hear and not do. Faith produces doers. This is the faith we will need to face the prophesied intensifying persecution.

1 & 2 PETER:

In 1 Peter: Peter warns us that the persecution we will endure in the end times will cause growth or bitterness. Christians will only conduct themselves courageously when they know Jesus Christ and His calling on their lives.

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:7

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange is happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12

In 2 Peter: Peter warns the church of trials to come from inside and outside. He warns of false teachers peddling damaging non-Biblical doctrine. They scoff at the thought of Noah’s flood (judgment) and Jesus’ return and judgment.

“You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this, first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 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 3:2-6

1 JOHN:

John warns that in the “end times”, two major stumbling blocks will be falling in love with the world and falling for the alluring lies of false teachers. We see both happening in our day. John stresses that God is light, love, and life and that if we are to walk in the light we must regularly confess our sins allowing the blood of Christ to continually cleanse us.

2 JOHN:

John warns Christians about the coming falling away, the apostasy that Jesus warns us of in the “last days”.

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God.” 2 John 1:7-9

3 JOHN:

John supplements his warnings in 2 John by comparing a false teacher, Diotrephes, and a true loving teacher, Gaius. To avoid the dual dangers of false teaching and division within the church, believers must practice the dual virtues of love and discernment. Both are necessary.

“I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 1:9-11

JUDE:

Jude shows us what will be necessary when apostasy arises. Fight, contend do battle when the apostasy arises when false teachers emerge and when the truth of God is attacked.

“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Jude 1: 17-21

Jude also reveals an amazing “end times” prophecy given by Enoch:

“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain the advantage.” Jude 1:14-16

After giving the apostles incredible detail in the Olivet Discourse of events that will precede His second coming Jesus told them, see I have told you beforehand be on your guard.

“But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.” Luke 13:23

What more warnings do you need to prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming?

Jesus coming to earth with the Saints who were raptured prior to the wrath of God being poured out with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements.

10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR HOSTING A HOUSE CHURCH IN IRAN

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

A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH

Albert Wolters concisely and persuasively demonstrates that God’s plan for righteous humanity to live on and reign over an uncursed earth was not thwarted by Satan or by man’s sin. God never revoked or abandoned His original great commission for us to rule on a perfect earth to His glory. The last chapters of the Bible promise that His original design—as revealed in the first chapters and greatly enhanced and magnified through Christ’s work—will indeed be fulfilled on the New Earth. Having fallen on mankind’s coat-tails, Earth will rise on our coat-tails—resurrected humanity will occupy and rule a resurrected earth. This is the full gospel of the Kingdom, and it is vital to a biblical worldview, which alone explains the Bible’s description of Christians as those who are “looking forward to a new heaven and new earth.”

Al Wolters writes, “[God] hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of his hands—in fact, he sacrifices his own Son to save his original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ; we are reinstated as God’s managers on earth. The original good creation is to be restored.”

Moreover, prior to the White Throne judgement and the new heaven and the new earth, the promises God made to Israel that their Messiah will rule and reign from Jerusalem over all the nations will also be fulfilled in Jesus during His Millennial reign after the battle of Armageddon and Satan is bound in the Abyss for 1000 years.

“And He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20: 2-3

“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 20:4-5

To my knowledge, Albert Walters does not address Jesus’ Millennial reign prior to the White Throne judgement. Nevertheless, Albert’s other penetrating insights help us to stop redefining the gospel in narrow and shallow, and individualistic terminology and assumptions that discredit the breadth and depth of God’s redemptive plan.

Regardless of theological leanings, anyone reading this book will undoubtedly find it a treasure trove.

UNDERSTANDING MYSTERY BABYLON

Dr. Nelson Walters is a leading prophecy teacher through his popular YouTube channel. He is also a regular speaker at conferences, and the author of such books as, Are We Ready For Jesus, Revelation Deciphered, Rapture: Case Closed? and the revolutionary 70 Times 7.

Jake McCandless of Prophecy Simplified (Connecting end-times prophecy with everyday life) interviews Nelson on the events unfolding with the World Economic Forum and the United Nations and how this could lead to the One World Government prophesied in Scripture. They also discuss its relevance to Mystery Babylon and the appearance of the Antichrist. This is new Revelation for Nelson and certainly for most of us that hold to the Antichrist coming out of a Muslim nation.

REMINDER OF JESUS SOON COMING RETURN

In an emotional address before the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council this week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the U.N. world body was worth less than “a hill of beans” for its inability to act decisively in deterring Russian atrocities in his nation. The U.N. charter commits itself to maintain international peace and security but again has shown utter incapability to preserve world order. Russia sits as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and has since the organization was founded in 1945.

Outside the United Nations Building in New York City stands a famous statue of a man with a hammer beating a sword into a plowshare. The name of the statue is “Let Us Beat Swords Into Plowshares.” It’s a symbol of peace. The concept is taken from the book of Isaiah which speaks of a time to come when Jesus Christ returns to earth to establish the Kingdom of God. Nations shall go to Jerusalem to learn the ways of God. It says,

“He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” Isaiah 2:4

This should be a reminder to all world leaders that Jesus Christ is coming back to earth to establish His Millennial Kingdom. Jesus will rule and reign on this earth with resurrected Saints for one thousand years. Satan is bound in the Abyss for that time but at the end of the thousand years, he is released and sadly is still able to deceive a multitude of people.

“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.” Revelation 20:7

The Bible is replete with fulfilled Biblical prophecies both about Jesus first coming to earth and many more about His soon coming return to earth. To my mind, these Biblical prophecies should be enough to convince any reasoning skeptic.

CELESTIAL SIGNS WILL SIGNIFY JESUS RETURN

In Acts 2, the apostle Peter explains that a new period in redemption (i.e. the beginning of the church age) occurs at Pentecost with the Spirit’s supernatural outpouring. But a lot of interpreters miss that Peter’s citation of Joel 2, and its celestial disturbances event linked to the great and magnificent Day of the Lord, gives us a clue to the completion of the church age.

Jesus confirms the same celestial signs in the Olivet discourse (Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) signaling His return to raise believers from the dead and to rapture the remaining Saints prior to pouring out His wrath on the unrepentant with the Trumpet (Rev. 8,11) and Bowl judgments (Rev.16).

Peter’s citation:

Joel 2:31

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

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 2:17-21

Jesus Olivet Discourse:

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 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 24:29-31

Isaiah

Look, the LORD’s day of judgment is coming; it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, destroying the earth and annihilating its sinners.  Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine. I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants. I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold, and people more scarce than gold from Ophir. So I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, in the day he vents his raging anger.” Isaiah 13:6–13

In Revelation 6 we see the same celestial signs linked to the sixth seal and the announcement that the great day of their (unrepentant) wrath has come.

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth… Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”” Revelation 6:12,16

It is at the trumpet blast of the seventh seal that the rapture occurs and John sees the Saints before the throne in their new bodies praising God the Father and Jesus.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

GOD GIVES US AMPLE WARNING PRIOR TO JUDGEMENT

Like the people in Noah’s time who laughed and mocked as he built the ark, the end of this age will come when the overwhelming majority are unprepared.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:37-39

Full sized replica of Noah’s Ark built by Answers in Genesis, Williamstown Kentucky. Johan Huiber also built one in Holland.

Knowing this first of all, scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 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 3:3-6

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

MYSTERY BABYLON’S ROLE IN THE END TIMES

As the previous post revealed the events unfolding in our time identify Mystery Babylon and its role in the end times? Initially, Mystery Babylon is seated on the Beast and is in control of it. Mystery Babylon is a great city and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:8, back then when it was part of Nimrod’s Kingdom it was a combination of cities. Mystery Babylon is an empire but it must have a capital. Will its capital be in New York which is the headquarters of the United Nations or perhaps the globalists might decide a new location is more appropriate like the new smart city in construction now, NEOM might be its capital.

500 billion dollar megacity in Saudi Arabia

Even prior to the Antichrist we learn that Mystery Babylon persecutes and kills Christians

“And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:5-6

The harlot, Mystery Babylon rides the Beast but the Beast (Antichrist) turns against Mystery Babylon.

“Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” Revelation 18:10

MYSTERY BABYLON OF REVELATION BEING REVEALED

The United Nations is about to become the One World Government ruled by global billionaires. A new stakeholder paradigm of international governance is necessary says the World Economic Forum and the United Nations. Will this be Mystery Babylon of Rev 17-18? Nelson believes it will and that we can now see that Mystery Babylon is not the Beast but initially controls the Beast. The Beast system follows the One World Government.

The World Economic Forum is driving this process right now with help from Bill Gates and the Rockefeller Foundation. Most western governments know it and don’t oppose it. Once it assumes power, how does the United Nations match the biblical prophecies of Mystery Babylon? What will be its capital city? Watch this Nelson Walters video to discover our future.

JESUS SECOND COMING – PART 2

If you have not watched Jesus Second Coming Part 1 which was posted several days ago can I suggest you go and take a look at this video before you watch the one below. Nelson presents four proofs that Jesus second coming to earth is a series of events beginning with the rapture of the Saints to heaven and ending with Him coming to earth with the Saints to defeat the Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon and establish His Millennial Kingdom.

However, a number of Scriptures show Jesus on earth during the year God’s wrath is poured out on an unrepentant world. The fact that Jesus’ white robe is already stained with blood when He leads the Saints to earth should give us cause to see if other Scriptures provide an answer to this puzzling fact. Isaiah 63:1-4 does in fact provide the answer

“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19:13-15

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples, no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.
” Isaiah 63:1-4

There is so much more to Jesus’ Return than just his glorious appearance in the sky. What surprising events happen in the year AFTER Jesus returns? Will a number of these events occur on the 7 Feasts of the Lord? Are these events linked to the Second Exodus from Egypt? And His defeat of the Antichrist? Watch this Nelson Walters video to find the biblical clues to the year after Jesus’ Return and the beginning of his reign.

(Be sure to also watch “Jesus Coming on a White Horse is NOT the Same Event as His Coming on the Clouds https://youtu.be/F2UOfGhWdV4)