March 16, 2011
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CURRENT PROPHETIC HEADLINES
3/16/11
3/15/11
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
NOTE: The commentary links below are NOT endorsed by Prophecy Update. They are listed because they relate to current events which MAY have prophetic significance.
Nearing Midnight: Yet Another Massive Earthquake – Todd Strandberg – www.raptureready.com
Much of northern Japan has been totally devastated by an 9.0 earthquake, the most powerful earthquake in the nation's recorded history. The worst previous quake was in 1923 in Kanto, with only an 8.3 magnitude. The earthquake is currently ranked as the fifth-most powerful seismic event to hit the world in the past century.
Because the trembler struck a modern industrial nation at 2:46 p.m., it will probably be history's most-documented earthquake. One geologist noted that there has never been aerial footage of a tsunami rushing over land. I was stunned to see a live feed of a 23-foot wall of water and debris washing away homes. Some of the waves traveled over 6 miles inland before dissipating.
I've written about earthquakes for years, and I know it will take months to figure out the full scale of the disaster. When last year’s Haiti quake was first reported, the death count was only 3,000. It later grew to over a quarter million. In Japan, several coastal cities have been nearly wiped off the map. Minami Sanriku had a population of 17,000, and 60 percent of its residents are now reported as missing.
Japan also may be facing a nuclear disaster on the scale of Chernobyl. A partial meltdown appears to have occurred at two nuclear reactors, and four other reactors are said to be unstable. If the core material escapes into the atmosphere, it will take decades to clean up the mess.
This year has already been a nightmare for the insurance industry. Insurers have lost billions from the Australian flood and the New Zealand earthquake. The Japan quake will only put further strain on the balance sheets.
The earthquake will be a huge blow to the global financial system. Japan has the third-largest economy, and it also has the world’s biggest public debt load. Since it was already at the doorstep of national insolvency, the quake may have made a financial Armageddon an eventual certainty.
The Japanese have nearly a trillion dollars in the U.S. Treasury. A large portion of these bonds will have to be sold to pay for reconstruction. The draw down could push our economy over the edge.
I've had several people ask me what this earthquake means for Bible prophecy. I think the quake has a strong link to prophecy because of how it fits with birth-pang warnings. Jesus predicted that the closer we get to the time of His return, the more frequent and intense the end-time signs will become. There will be more earthquakes, and more intense ones. Likewise, things like famine, pestilence, and war will increase in frequency and intensity.
"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs" (Mark 13:8 RVS).
It was just last week that I made mention of how deadly quakes are running off the scale. Normally, we could say by the frequency of earthquakes in the past that it will be many years before we suffer another super quake. The Rapture Ready Earthquakes Timeline shows that between 1949 and 1962, there was no major loss of life from seismic activity. Two other gaps that stand out are 1962 to 1970 and 1978 to 1985.
Some reports try to argue that large earthquakes are a natural occurrence. We do have large earthquakes each year, but they typically strike unpopulated areas. In recent years, these quakes have targeted populated areas. The Haiti quake was a perfect bull’s eye, with a 7.0 magnitude, a depth of only three miles, and a location only nine miles from the Haitian capital.
We now have had five years in a row with massive seismic events. It seems to me that God is slowly trying to get man's attention. The Lord is very patient, but He is no fool. Eventually, earth is going to reach the point at which the ultimate judgment will be poured out.
In the past few days, there has been an enormous surge in traffic to the RR site. This happens every time a big disaster strikes. I can tell from years of experience that many people are interested in prophecy only when things are active. Because the Rapture will come with no warning, we need to be watchful at all hours.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matthew 24:42).
"Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door" (NLT Matthew 24:33).
More on the prophetic nature of the Japan earthquake – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
The full statement that Japan made on March 11, 2010--one year to the day before the earthquake--was: "The Government of Japan deplores the decisions of the Government of Israel to give permission for the construction of 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem in addition to 112 units in West Bank just after the Israeli and Palestinian leadership's acceptance of the start of indirect talks. The Government of Japan does not recognize any act that prejudges the final status of Jerusalem and the territories in the pre-1967 borders. Japan demands that the plans should not be implemented." The Daily Jot incorrectly stated previously that Japan had done this Friday, but there is much more.
On March 1 of this year the Palestinian National Authority announced that it had signed an agreement with Japan to provide $32.5 million for a project of treating waste water in the Palestinian-occupied town of Jericho. It was reported as one of the biggest projects aided by Japan in the Palestinian territories to supply industrial areas with water. The PNA noted in the announcement that since 1993, Japan had given the PNA more than a billion dollars, including $40 million in developing the Jordan Valley area in the West Bank. The PNA said that the agreement is "vita, strategic and important to help the PNA finalize building the institutions of the future Palestinian state."
Japan is instrumental in helping build out a Palestinian state on the West Bank (traditional lands of Judea and Samaria), yet is critical and demanding of Israel for building housing units for its own citizens. On January 11 this year, Japan's Foreign Ministry said it "condemns the demolishing of a part of the Shepherd's Hotel in East Jerusalem with a view to constructing new housing units for Jewish people." A month later on February 10, Japan's Foreign Ministry said Israel's plan to build housing units for "Jewish people in Sheih Jarrah of East Jerusalem" is against efforts of the international community to resume peace negotiations. A month later, Japan is hit with a historic earthquake.
Daily Jot sources point out that the earthquake in Japan caused tsunami flooding in industrial areas, and the money Japan gave to the Palestinians was for wastewater treatment to supply water to industrial areas of a new Palestinian State. The United States also is guilty of giving billions of dollars to the Palestinians over the years. And the current US president is condemning the Israeli homebuilding as well. Keep in mind that Japan's fault-line is part of the infamous "ring of fire" where about 90% of the world's earthquakes occur. This includes the entire Pacific coast of America. Zechariah 2:8 says of Zion, "for he that touches you touches the apple of Lord's eye." Japan and America share the same "Fault" line. What is next?
Looking For Clean Safe Power – www.khouse.org
Clean, safe nuclear power seems a bit uncertain these days, with nuclear reactors exploding in Japan while the world watches in tense anticipation. A third explosion rocked the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant early Tuesday, spewing radiation into the air. Prime Minister Naoto Kan warned people within 12 miles of the plant to evacuate and those within 19 miles to stay indoors. As fuel prices rise at the pumps, and the anniversary of the Gulf oil spill looms next month, a desire for safer ways of producing energy tops many people's minds.
In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster blew a plume of radiation across Europe. Interestingly, Chernobyl means "wormwood" in Russian, (cf. Rev 8:11). There are fears that something similar might happen in eastern Asia, but the damage caused by the Japanese reactors won't likely duplicate the Chernobyl disaster. The Japanese reactors are housed in a protective container to deter radiation leakage. However, workers are struggling to keep the fuel rods at the Dai-ichi plant covered with water, and it appears the fuel rods are melting.
The current nuclear danger in Japan has certainly bolstered the position of those who fight against using nuclear power. The construction of Taiwan's No. 4 nuclear power plant is under attack by environmentalists and the nation's main opposition party due to safety concerns. East Asia is earthquake territory, and while the recent Japanese quake was one of the largest in recorded history, it will not be the last.
Professor Shih Hsin-min, of National Taiwan University's Department of Chemical Engineering, called for Taiwan to upgrade its nuclear plants' ability to withstand earthquakes. The Green Party spokesman Pan Han-sheng, on the other hand, just wants construction on Taiwan's fourth nuclear plant to stop altogether, declaring that Taiwan would "meet its doom" if it faced a nuclear accident like the one Japan is dealing with right now.
Use of nuclear power has not caused its share of problems. A stuck valve resulted in the partial core meltdown of Unit 2 at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, PA in 1979. Up to 481 P Bq (13 million curies) of radioactive gases were released. Yet, the majority of the world's 442 nuclear reactors operate without making much noise at all. Of the world's nations, the United States produces the most nuclear power with its 104 reactors, accounting for about 19% of its energy consumption. France uses its 58 reactors to produce 80% of the energy it needs. Nuclear power is pretty darn safe, considering that the majority of Japan's 54 reactors are doing okay, despite the country's having just suffered a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.
The problem, of course, is that while nuclear power plants operate just peachy most of the time, thousands or even millions of people can be harmed when there is an "issue".
The quest for better means of energy production continues. The cost of installing a photovoltaic system has cut in half since 2000, and the solar energy market has grown to $71.2 billion in 2010 from $2.5 billion a decade ago. As one drives across America, whether through Washington State or Texas, it is common to see dozens or hundreds of huge windmills jutting across the horizon. According to the LA Times, the wind industry is growing in sweeping leaps, from $4.5 billion in 2000 to $60.5 billion last year. Not everybody likes the windmills; they are despised as eyesores or accused of killing birds and bats, but they continue to sprout up like giant dandylions across the country. Clean energy is big business these days, with nearly one-fourth of all venture capital going into clean-technology ventures. That's a big change from 2000, when just 1% of venture capitalists dared to jump onto the "clean" wagon.
Then there's Scott Brusaw of northern Idaho, who is still working to develop his "solar roads" idea. Brusaw wants to replace the thousands of miles of blacktop roads in the United States with heavy duty roads made of solar panels. The idea is a great one, if it can work. The electricity generated by the roads would not only take care of all of America's energy needs, but would make the possibility of electric cars far more feasible since recharge stations could be set up anywhere along the roads. The roads could generate enough heat to melt heavy snow, eliminating the winter wear and tear on cars, drivers, and roads. Telephone and electric lines could be laid under the roads, eliminating the need for wires strung up on poles. Brusaw is filled with ideas.
The reality of solar roads is still a long way off, but Brusaw's got hope. In the fall of 2009, the US government gave him $100,000 to build solar panels for test driving. The government has just invited Brusaw to apply for a $750,000 contract in funding so that he can build and test a real solar parking lot.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and we need to find new and improved ways to produce energy. As we work to find an escape route from our dependence on foreign oil and look for alternatives that can keep us running smoothly, the Scott Brusaws of the world might just be our best bet.
The Coming Nuclear Meltdown – Joseph Chambers – www.pawcreek.org
There are 262 nuclear power plants in our world and every one of them is scheduled for meltdown. The Bible declares that every work of man will be burned up. This fact alone will make the seven years of the Great Tribulation “hell on earth.” As we watch the developments of nuclear meltdowns in Japan, we are witnessing a small scene of a coming worldwide time of sorrows. We have been warned so often in the Holy Bible, how can we doubt that it must happen? Apostle Peter, the first man to preach under the anointing poured out at Pentecost, wrote apocalyptic words, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (II Peter 3:10-11).
This is a clear picture of a worldwide judgment of all man-made schemes and works. The governments of men are never just and righteous. All of our designs and creations are limited by the fallacies of flesh. Our God is going to establish a kingdom of righteousness and perfection that we can only dream about. Words of men are imperfect to describe the glory of this coming Millennium Kingdom. Daniel described in His interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Daniel 2:44).
There cannot be a kingdom of Jesus Christ and His saints of all earthly history until this earth is a totally new world. Everything tainted by sin, and human failure must be eliminated. The earth will return to a pristine perfection that Adam inherited at creation. Nature will be free of all destroying elements. Glorified saints will rule with Jesus Christ as King of Kings. Enjoying a sin-free environment with a perfect system of life and government will be ours forever, even past the 1,000 year reign of Christ’s earthly kingdom.
Apostle Peter said, “. . . the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” These words leave little to imagine. It’s amazing to see that all through the Scripture the present earth is just as desperate for relief as we are in our flesh bodies. Paul said, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). The earthquakes, volcanoes, and storms are the screams of this sin cursed earth.
In Revelation, John saw – through a vision – the future picture of our world. He said, “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found” (Revelation 16:20). You can imagine John looking at the scene before him and searching for the lofty mountains he had witnessed in Northern Israel. They were missing and he sounds a bit surprised. But, the writers of the Holy Scripture had stated many prophecies with the promise of this new day. Isaiah had prophesied, “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed . . .” (Isaiah 54:10a).
Ezekiel connected present events that are occurring around our world with the same great truth, “So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground” (Ezekiel 38:20). Job promised the same, “He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots” (Job 28:9).
How many people will die during these seven years is debated, but it certainly points to an extreme multitude. Some suggest two thirds of all living persons at that time. Here is one vision of a massive number of fallen angels turned loose out of the bottomless pit to kill them, “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men” (Revelation 9:15).
One third today would be over two billion deaths. When you consider a multitude of Christians that are washed in the Blood of Jesus after the Rapture and then suffering martyrdom and being resurrected to stand before God’s throne, we know that death will be massive. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).
The kingdom of our future Millennium cannot be far away. No one should dare set dates, but we can see the handwriting in the newspapers and in the scenes on our media sites. Either we are near the horror of judgment or the scenes from Japan are fabricated. The very emotions in the dialogue from the world reporters carry a feeling of a countdown. Israel is facing a decision day with Iran’s war machine. Politicians act like helpless robots. The only crowd still unmoved is mainly the religious people that have rocked themselves to sleep with the language of their false prophets. With all the sorrows that make our hearts weep, we still know that the best is yet to come.
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Israel's seizure of arms shipment highlights rising unease about Iran - By Joshua Mitnick - www.jewishworldreview.com
Israel's naval commander said the shipment, seized on a merchant ship 200 miles off Israel's coast, contained missiles of 'strategic importance' to Gaza and accompanying Farsi-language manuals
EL AVIV — (TCSM) Israel Tuesday seized the merchant ship "Victoria" 200 miles off its coast, asserting that it had a "solid basis'' of suspicion that the vessel was ferrying arms shipments from Iran to Hamas in the Gaza Strip that were "intended to hit Israel."
The ship, which originated in Syria and was sailing to the Egyptian port of Alexandria, was diverted to the Israeli port of Ashdod following the takeover, which was met with no resistance from the crew. Israel's naval commander said that the shipment contained land-to-sea missiles of "strategic importance" to Gaza and accompanying Farsi-language manuals.
Though not the first time Israel has commandeered a weapons shipment to block arms to the Palestinians, the seizure comes amid rising unease in Israel that the turmoil sweeping the Middle East — especially Egypt — is creating an opportunity for Iran to widen its influence.
"The fact that Iran wanted to use an Egyptian port to unload the weapons is yet another clear indication that Tehran is trying to take advantage [of] the recent developments in the region, and Egypt in particular," says Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian expert based in Tel Aviv. "To Iran's leadership, the changes in Egypt have now made it into a new land of strategic opportunities in many areas, including Iran's support for Hamas."
The ship, which was flying under a Liberian flag, is German-owned and is operated by a French company, Israel said. Israel's army spokesman released a picture of what it said was weapons crates, but did not immediately provide details about the amount or type of weapons on the ship.
'IRANIANS ARE MORE CONFIDENT NOW'
The fall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak a month ago removed one of Israel's quiet allies in trying to block Iran's growing prominence.
In recent days, Saudi Arabia has dispatched troops to Bahrain in an effort to stabilize its island neighbor following democracy demonstrations by the Shiite majority there. Mr. Javedanfar said the Shiite unrest presents Iran with another opportunity to present itself as regional patron.
Even before the turmoil, Israel has watched warily as Iran gained footholds on its borders. Tehran sponsors Hezbollah, which is poised to take a lead role in Lebanon's new government, and has struck up an alliance with Hamas. It also cooperates with Syria.
"The Iranians are more confident now. The upheavals in the Arab world are very good for them," says Dan Schueftan, a political science professor at Haifa University and a former adviser to Israel's foreign ministry. "The Iranians are trying every way to arm the region, and except for Israel, nobody is trying to stop them. When Egypt is weakened, even if Egypt wants to help Israel, I don't think there is anyone in Egypt who can do it.''
IRANIAN REGIME'S STRENGTH LESS CERTAIN AT HOME
In the days after Mubarak's Feb. 11 resignation, Iran sent two frigates through the Suez canal en route to Syria. It was the first crossing of the water bridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean by Iranian ships in decades.
Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman called it a provocation.
However, former Mossad director Ephraim Halevy cautioned against knee-jerk reactions. Speaking to reporters last week, he called the Iranian ships "benign."
"You can only carry out an act of provocation if you let them be provoked," he said.
But while Iran may be taking a more aggressive approach regionally with Egypt cast into uncertainty, its improved strategic position outside its borders doesn't necessarily mean more power at home, says Javedanfar. That will depend on how effectively the Iranian regime handles the opposition movement that has been revived by regional protests.
Prophetic Tipping Point: The condition of the world relating to Israel – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
Whether you believe in a "spiritual" Israel or that Israel is certainly a physical place that is home to the Jewish people, you cannot deny that those who are pressuring Israel to give up its traditional Biblical lands to Arabs led by former and current Islamic terrorists are suffering tremendous political upheaval, natural disasters and financial catastrophes. These calamities are visible all around the world right now, bringing to mind the Zechariah 12:3 prophecy by the Lord: "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
The Middle East is on fire. A Palestinian terrorist brutally murdered an entire Israeli family. The once stable kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing unrest. Saudi and United Arab Emirate troops have been sent to the tiny country of Bahrain to quell protests there. Of course, there is Egypt and any number of other Arab/Islamic countries facing civil unrest that could lead to war. Libya is fully engaged in a civil war. In most all these cases, the popular cry from the people is freedom, but in reality, they are trading one type of tyranny for another. The Muslim Brotherhood, which was in Iran recently meeting with the Ayatollah there, waits in the wings to establish an Islamic Sharia government in most of these places.
Western nations face financial collapse. The European Union has had to take aggressive measures to fend off the actual bankruptcy of Greece, and many of the Euro-nations are experiencing tremendous financial and weather-related challenges. The United States is running record deficits, record debt, experiencing political unrest, is at war with Islam, and is still reeling from many natural disasters. Russia faces economic and political strife as well as Islamic terrorism. China is also experiencing political unrest, a great social class disparity in wages, and inflation--signs of things to come. And Japan, woe is Japan that has been pummeled with an earthquake, a tsunami and thousands of deaths.
All these countries have at least one thing in common: They have publicly and privately pressured Israel to give up its land for peace. For many years nothing seemed to be apparent that would lead the "world" to believe that there were curses on those who came against Israel. Those who know the scriptures could see it, but it still remains veiled to the world. The turmoil throughout the world--kingdom against kingdom, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences and famines--has seemed to converge at a tipping point. Ahead we will either see the tide of events ebb as do birth pangs, or we will see them escalate. If they continue to escalate, first, be not troubled, but also know these are the true beginning of sorrows.
Purim Time: Enjoy Something Hidden – www.khouse.org
The Jewish celebration of Purim is coming up March 19-20, and along with it, the fun of feasting on "hidden foods." In the Bible, Esther's true identity as a Jewess was hidden until the time she was able to speak up on behalf of her people, saving their lives. In the same way, Purim celebrants munch on foods that look like one thing on the outside but have a surprise filling. Persian Jews might enjoy gondi - a meatball filled with raisins and nuts in a sweet and sour sauce. Jews from Eastern Europe might gorge on kreplach, meat-filled dumplings or challahs stuffed with onions and poppy seeds. It's a time for Jews to celebrate God's providential protection in ancient Persia, as well as many many other times throughout the centuries.
The famed foiling of the wicked plot of Haman to blot out the Jews is, of course, one of the more dramatic narratives in the Bible. In addition to the many twists, there are also some surprises hidden behind the text itself. It is significant that the name of the book itself, Esther, means "something hidden"!
A Tale of Retribution
Orphaned as a child and brought up by her cousin, Mordecai, Esther was selected by King Ahasuerus to replace his queen, Vashti, when she was disgraced. Haman, the prime minister, persuaded the king to issue an edict of extermination of all the Jews in the Persian Empire (1 Sam 15:1-28). Esther, on Mordecai's advice, endangered her own life by appearing before the king, without her being invited, in order to intercede for her people (Est 4:16-17). Mordecai famously told Esther in verse 4:14, "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Seeing that the king was well disposed toward her, she invited him and Haman to a private banquet, during which she did not reveal her desire but invited them to yet another banquet, thus misleading Haman by making him think that he was in the queen's good graces. During a second banquet, Queen Esther revealed her Jewish origin to the king, begged for her life and the life of her people, and named her enemy (Est 7:3-6) - "this wicked Haman!"
Angry with Haman, King Ahasuerus retreated into the palace garden. Haman, in great fear, remained to plead for his life from the queen. While imploring, Haman fell on Esther's couch and was found in this ostensibly compromising situation upon the king's return. As a magnificent bit of irony, he was immediately condemned to be hung on the very gallows which he had previously prepared for Mordecai. ("Gallows" is the traditional translation. It actually involved being impaled upon a post rather than hung by a rope. It was the Persians that invented crucifixion, which was later so widely adopted by the Romans.)
The king complied with Esther's request, and the edict of destruction was then replaced with permission for the Jews to avenge themselves on their enemies.
The Feast of Purim was instituted by Mordecai to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews from Haman's plot to kill them. Our Jewish friends continue to celebrate this feast to this day, which is based on the events in the Book of Esther. Purim (from Akkadian, puru, "lots") is so called after the lots cast by Haman in order to determine the month in which the slaughter was to take place (Est 9:26; 3:7).
The Invisible Protector
It has been noted by many commentators that Esther is the only book of the Bible in which there does not appear the name of God, or any divine title, anywhere in the book. (Martin Luther favored eliminating it from the Bible on this basis.) However, the name of God does appear in a number of places if one knows how and where to look!
Hidden Acrostics
An acrostic can be a mechanism for including a hidden message. In the Book of Esther we encounter some remarkable surprises. The name of God is hidden no less than eight times in acrostics in the text. Four times it appears as an acrostic, the famed Tetragammaton, "YHWH" or "I AM" as at the Burning Bush. Also, Meshiach ("Messiah"), Yeshua ("Jesus"), and El Shaddai ("The Almighty"), also appear as equidistant letter sequences. (See our book Cosmic Codes).
As Gentiles, we need to remember that we are grafted into the true olive tree by the skin of our teeth (Rom 11:17-24). We must not forget that we were joined into what was a Jewish Church - with Jewish leaders, a Jewish Bible, and are worshipping a Jewish Messiah. Baruch HaShem. Bless His Name!
Deeper Roots
The more we look, the more we realize that there is still much more hidden; the entire drama has deeper roots. Haman was a royal Amalekite, a descendant of the very king Agag whom King Saul was supposed to have slain (1 Sam 15:1-28). If Saul had followed his instructions, there wouldn't have been a Haman. For Saul's failure, his kingdom was taken away. Mordecai, too, a key benefactor in the tale, was a result of David's having refused to take vengeance upon Shimei so many years earlier (2 Sam 16:5-13; 19:16-23; cf. 1 Kings 2:36-46). It was Esther's marriage to the King of Persia that ultimately led to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The story of Esther also appears to be an elegant anticipatory preview in the Old Testament of the Book of Romans (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:11)! Like so many books of the Bible, there are always surprises for the diligent student!
CNBC Bashes Watchmen Type Ministries - Armageddon Entrepreneurs: Who's Profiting From Fear? - www.cnbc.com
A successful entrepreneur is someone who sees a problem as an opportunity. So who would dare capitalize on the impending end of the world? Call them Armageddon entrepreneurs: preachers who view today’s headlines as crib notes signaling the world is approaching its final days.
These preachers scan news reports in search of events they say line up with biblical prophesies. The massive disaster in Japan last week gets instant analysis. Other natural disasters tie in with political unrest, rising oil prices, and civil wars. For many of these worriers, the big kahuna is Mideast turmoil. And that means they’re paying the closest possible attention to the latest events in Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and beyond.
Already, the first quarter of 2011 is a bull market for these end times predictors. RaptureReady.com — a website with a customized index predicting how close we are to the end — had its busiest February ever. And publisher Tyndale House has begun ramping up plans for new editions of its blockbuster “Left Behind” series.
Left Behind is a series of 16 novels dealing with predictions about the end of the world. It sold more than 65 million copies and spawned two feature films and two video games.
The series was due for a face lift, with new editions featuring new covers, said David Endrody, Tyndale’s vice president of sales. But with recent news, those plans were tweaked to reflect the latest headlines.
“We changed the back cover to a news headline approach to tie to today’s current events,” senior marketing manager Cheryl Kerwin said. “We also repackaged and updated the nonfiction [companion book] ‘Are We Living in the End Times?’ to reflect what is happening in the world today.”
Left Behind co-author Tim LaHaye has already been tying the disaster in Japan to his reading of the Bible: "The Bible tells us in Matthew 24 that one of the signs of the last days — one of the birth pangs to occur — is an increase in earthquake activity and intensity," he told WorldNetDaily.
Meanwhile, Tyndale House is reporting a bump in sales of its other titles. Take the works of just one end times-focused author. “The Twelfth Imam, Joel Rosenberg’s latest prophecy-related novel, is gaining momentum again after its initial release last year,” Endody said. “We were pleasantly surprised to find out that Joel’s Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem is totally sold out, over two months in advance of the event.”
It’s been a while since American pastors have shown this level of apocalyptic fervor. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, some suggested that event was a precursor for the return of Jesus to earth, and their belief that this would result in the end of the world. Just before the end of the last millennium, what with the inevitable heavy-duty calendar turn and the predictions of high-tech Y2K mayhem, interested believers were deluged by books, videos and conference invitations.
This latest wave of turmoil is prompting some pastors, like John Hagee of San Antonio, Texas, to use their websites to promote their ideas, along with links to materials for purchase.
Hagee is a popular televangelist and senior pastor of the 19,000 member Cornerstone Church. His website offers a DVD called “Financial Armageddon” for $12 and is signing up registrations for a prophesy seminar in Sacramento in April for $10.
Here’s a highlight from his most recent online newsletter, in which he analyses the uprising in Egypt. “Get ready! Planet earth is about to become the playground for the Anti-Christ and his New World Order. The church will be raptured before the Anti-Christ appears; and I believe he could be introduced in Europe at any time. Pray up! Pack up! ”
Some Christians guess about the return of Jesus based on Bible verses from Isaiah, Daniel, and particularly Revelation — all of which offer what could be clues about the end times.
(Only a small segment of Christians, of course, engage in these kinds of activities. Most point out that Jesus himself warned against trying to guess about when the end of the world will happen.)
Daniel Wojcik is an English professor at the University of Oregon and the author of “The End of the World As We Know It: Faith, Fatalism, and Apocalypse in America.” The current interest in the apocalypse follows a pattern, Wojcik said.
“Any time there is increased ‘activity,’ conflict, or upheaval in the Middle East, prophecy interpreters inevitably jump on current events as fulfillment of God's divine plan at the end of time,” he said.
But there are elements of this version that are different from past episodes, he said. Start with the 24-hour news cycle.
“As never before, one can find stories and images of apocalyptic crises, death, and destruction, as well as non-stop doomsday programming on television, all of which reinforce and stimulate end-time ideas,” he said.
And then there’s the Web.
“The increasing omnipotence of the Internet has contributed. With its limitless info and easy access to once-marginalized beliefs, apocalyptic ideas are everywhere,” Wojcik said. “Prophecy beliefs flourish online, and enclaves of doomsday weirdness thrive and fertilize the popular imagination.”
His favorite current doomsayer is a fellow named Harold Camping, who has predicted for several years that on May 21, 2011, righteous Christians will be lifted to Heaven — and then the world will be destroyed on October 21, 2011.
But Camping isn’t making a buck on his predictions. All the materials on his website can be downloaded for free.
RaptureReady.com, meanwhile, is racking up website page views. Its customized “Rapture Index” incorporates 45 factors — from the presence of “false Christs” to the incidence of floods — to produce a numerical index that supposedly indicates how close we are to the End Times.
The latest index is 180, not far from the all-time high of 182 on Sept. 24, 2001.
As founder Todd Strandberg wrote in his latest online analysis: “I’ve never seen a time when so many headlines are being ripped right from Bible prophecy.”
His interpretation of the Bible ties business instability closely to prophecies about the Last Days. “We think that the global economy will be saved by the Antichrist,” he said.
Strandberg started the site 24 years ago, in the days of green computer screens and 1,200 baud dialup modems. Traffic has gradually built over the years, but the past couple of months have been a bonanza, he said. In the last three months, RaptureReady’s traffic has risen 20 percent, according to Alexa.com.
His site offers books for sale and conferences to register for, but Strandberg says he doesn’t necessarily view increased interest in the end of the world as a business opportunity to be jumped on. “I never do anything different. I only pick up the fruit that falls my way,” he said. “I’ve always operated under the belief that the world will eventually come to this site.”
Surviving the dangers in these prophetic times – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
The recent events in the Middle East, Japan, Europe and in the United States have prompted much discussion among Bible-believing Christians about the end times. When events occur at such rapid pace--earthquakes, kingdom against kingdom, wars and rumors of wars, famine and pestilence--it is natural for the human being to look for answers. And while the world is taught that there is no God, that the higher power is limited only by the education of man's brain, many are seeking answers in vain. The one's with the answers must, as Christ said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
But if Christians are fearful, anxious and panicked about the events around them, their light will not be so strong to those who have no answers. We, as Christians grafted in to the root, must respond to these times with knowledge, wisdom and compassion. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Many have asked how to survive as we enter these times of accelerated prophecy. First and foremost, trust in God and call upon His name. Joel 2:32 says, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." You have nothing to fear. Be a Godly example. This is the first key to survival.
To survive, we also need to know God's plan. And God's plan is found only in the Bible--not what people say about the Bible, but the very word of God. Read the word. Know the chronology of events. Matthew 24 is a good place to start. Jesus begins his teaching of his disciples in verse 4, saying, "Take heed that no man deceive you." This is excellent and straightforward advice. Do not believe your government. It will lie to you in these days. Do not believe your politicians. They will lie to you in these days. Do not believe big name Bible teachers for as Jesus said in Matthew 24:11, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." You will know who to believe by knowing the word of God.
Also know that survival is not dependent upon governments. Our survival is in the hands of the one true God. Have faith in Him that He will take care of your needs. Jesus tells us the formula for survival in Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink?, or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." One other thing--don't be worrying about the rapture. Trust that God knows when to bring you home and occupy until He blesses you with such a joy.
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.
— Revelation 12:12
Charles Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities, opens with the words, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . . " That is how our world will be prior to the return of Jesus Christ: both the best and the worst will be happening at the same time. In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, Jesus paints a picture of the last days in which both God and the devil will be at work.
The good news is that people will be coming to faith in Jesus Christ. God says that in the last days, He "will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).
But here is the bad news: the devil will be seeking to undermine faith. We are told in 2 Timothy 3:13, "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Right up until the return of Christ, a spiritual battle will be raging. We will see the good and the bad, the godly and the ungodly together.
Revelation 12:12 says, "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." The devil will be busy in the last days. And he will be sizing up his opponents and varying his attacks and deceptions and ploys accordingly.
Sometimes the devil will attack in all of his depravity and wickedness, like a roaring lion. At other times he will attack more subtly, appearing as an angel of light. That is why we need to be on the alert and be aware of his tactics.
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“Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!” – Hal Lindsey
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Are the uprisings in the Middle East prophetic? - By Nathan Jones - Evangelist & Web Minister – www.lamblion.com
The Middle East is tearing itself apart politically as nation after nation topples its own government. In just three short months the world has watched in awe as street protestors have sent their oppressive dictators fleeing for their lives.
The match that lit the inferno was literal, as Tunisian vegetable cart vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze over his inability to be allowed to make a living. The riots that followed forced Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali just 28 days later to run for Saudi Arabia after 23 years of absolute power.
From there the fire spread to Egypt as emboldened rioters took to the streets, forcing a military coupe to oust Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from 30 years of crushing rule. Other nations followed like Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, and Yemen, all experiencing major protests. Lebanon's terrorist party Hezbollah had already dissolved their government. And now, Libya is in the middle of a blood bath as their rebels attempt to end madman Muammar Gaddafi's entrenched 42-year rule.
The world is watching this chaotic phenomenon in both fear of the future and in rejoicing over oppressive regimes falling. Hope is in the air that democracy and freedom will replace the old order. Fear is also tangible, as the specter of Islamic Sharia Law rises to choke the Middle East into submission to Allah.
Delving below the politics, students of Bible prophecy are pondering if these strange events can be found within Bible prophecy. With some trepidation, they also wonder how this could affect the timing of the Rapture.
Focus on Egypt
The biggest discussion right now among many students of Bible prophecy is over whether Egypt in particular is presently entering into some kind of prophetic fulfillment.
A February 2011 "Christ in Prophecy Journal" blog poll of 354 people looked to see where people believed Egypt stood in the prophetic light. As expected, 170 respondents (48%) wisely chose that it was too early to tell. Still, 71 respondents (20%) believe Egypt is experiencing Isaiah 19, 63 respondents (17%) believe we are witnessing the beginning of the Psalm 83 prophecy, and to a lesser degree some believe Ezekiel 38-39 or Daniel 11:40-45 are in order. Some even, after the close of the poll, suggested Ezekiel 29:12 is beginning.
What do each of those prophecies mean, and are they truly being fulfilled today? Let's take a look.
Isaiah 19
"I [God] will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian... I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them, declares the Lord..." - Isaiah 19:2a,4
While Isaiah's oracle against Egypt certainly sounds relevant for today with Egyptian rising up against Egyptian for or against Mubarak or the interim government, it is still up in the air whether they will be given a new tyrant to rule over them. It is indeed possible that the Muslim Brotherhood will gain power among the turmoil and place the people under strict Islamic law. Or, this could ultimately be talking about the coming Antichrist.
Clearly other parts of this oracle haven't occurred yet. Verse 5 tells of the Nile drying up and the canals (Suez?) stinking. Verse 18 tells of five of Egypt's cities being taken over so they "will speak the language of Canaan." Even more amazingly, the people will turn from their idols and "swear allegiance to the LORD Almighty" and "he will respond to their pleas and heal them" (verse 21-22). God will even go as far as building a road from Assyria (modern day Iraq) through Israel to Egypt and proclaim "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance" (verses 23-25).
Prophetically, it could be that Egypt has started on the path of Isaiah 19's prophecy which starts with Egypt's fall, but without a shadow of a doubt Isaiah 19 describes Egypt's final future in Christ's Millennial Kingdom. Along with Jeremiah 12:14-17, it is revealed that Egypt will make it into Jesus' Millennial Kingdom, populated by believers, and not living under any judgment.
So, is Isaiah 19 happening today? No, most likely not. This prophecy has all the markings of a yet future fulfillment happening during the Tribulation with its blessings ending up in Christ's Millennial Kingdom.
Ezekiel 29:12
"I [God] will make the land of Egypt desolate among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries." - Ezekiel 29:12
Are the Egyptians facing a desolation and scattering of its people for 40 long years? One would think so until they read on to Ezekiel 29:19 and 30:10 which shows that the Lord promised that He would "put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon." Historically then, although there's no archaeological record of this happening, we can take the Bible at its word that this event happened over 2500 years ago.
A slim possibility exists that there may be a future fulfillment of Ezekiel 29 as well. During the coming Millennial Kingdom, if any nation doesn't send representatives to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, they will then suffer drought (Zech. 12:16-19). The Egyptians are singled out in this warning, which suggests they could also see a 40-year exile during that period if they persist in their stubbornness, making Ezekiel 29:12 also yet future. I give this only a very slight nod of the head, though, because God's praise for Egypt during the Millennium recorded in Isaiah 19:23-25 would seem to rule out the harshness of exile.
That this prophecy isn't for today should be a huge comfort to those who have begun unnecessarily fearing an Egyptian 40-year exile possibly putting off the Rapture for another 40 years.
Psalm 83/Ezekiel 38-39
"With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you... the Hagrites [Egyptians]." - Psalm 83:5-6
Psalm 83 is a prayer calling down judgment and justice upon Israel's neighboring enemies. In Psalm 83, all the nations that are listed have modern equivalents to the nations that today surround Israel: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Gaza and Egypt. Israel has never fully subjugated those lands as the prayer calls, especially since they became a nation once again in 1948.
Ezekiel 38-39, called the Gog-Magog prophecy, foretells a coalition of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya, the Sudan and a number of other Islamic nations uniting together to try to destroy Israel and carry off her wealth. God stepping in to defeat this overwhelming army is nothing short of miraculous and would change the face of world politics as we know it. The Ezekiel 38-39 Gog-Magog Battle creates three main results: 1) The world knows God exists and protects Israel, 2) all of Israel's hostile Muslim enemy countries are defeated, and 3) Israel leaves its secular humanism to accept God (though not His Son until the end of the Tribulation).
Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 are bundled together here because noticeably absent from the Gog-Magog coalition are the countries that directly border Israel. It would appear Israel would have to deal with their hostile neighbors, possibly subjugating them, for the requirements of Ezekiel 38-39 to fall into place.
If anything happening in the Middle East today is fulfilling Bible prophecy, it is that we are witnessing this very day the formation of these coalitions. Iran has set up proxy states through Hamas and Hezbollah and whomever will come to power in Egypt and Jordan that are seething to wipe Israel off the map. Israel has the world's fourth largest army which could easily subjugate those neighbors. Israel could not defeat Russia along with Iran and Turkey coming from multiple fronts, and so God will have to step in just as He told Ezekiel He would.
The fall of these Middle Eastern governments today is removing any peace treaties made with Israel and solidifying the relationships between these Islamic nations against Israel. The danger level towards Israel is being kicked up to maximum and it's possible that any day soon could see a Psalm 83 scenario unfold.
Daniel 11:40-45
"He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt." - Daniel 11:42-43a
Earlier in Daniel 11 we get a stunning play-by-play of the ongoing battle between the dynasties of Alexander the Great's generals. These kings are consecutively labeled the "King of the North" (Syrian Seleucids) and the "King of the South" (Egyptian Ptolemies). This portion of prophecy was fulfilled in such jaw dropping accuracy in the decades following Alexander the Great that it's lead some to claim that Daniel was written after the fulfillments.
Starting with Daniel 11:36, the picture clearly becomes a prophecy about the future and describes the military campaign of the Antichrist in the Middle East that occurs at the end of the Tribulation. The Antichrist's preoccupation with persecuting the Jews and Tribulation Saints emboldens some of the nations under his control to rebel, and he's forced to deal with the King of the North (possibly Syria or one of the regions controlled by one of his 10 Kings) and the King of the South (possibly Egypt or another of his 10 Kings).
Egypt is certainly wrapped up in this prophecy, but it is very much a Tribulation-centric prophecy and not something we are seeing in today's headlines.
Summary
While it's still too early to fully tell what the outcomes of the riots in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries will produce, all prophetic indications pave the way for radical Islamic regimes to take over and end any peace treaties these nations have had with Israel. Unbounded by treaties, armed by Iran, and united by Islamic hatred of all things Jewish, all prophetic indications reveal that the nations surrounding Israel will attack in a Psalm 83 scenario, followed sometime soon after by an outer ring of Muslim nations which will attempt to destroy Israel based on Ezekiel 38-39's Gog-Magog Battle.
Most importantly to believers in Christ, the historic upheaval going on in Egypt and other Middle Eastern nations has no prophetic significance preventing or delaying Jesus Christ returning to Rapture the Church (Isa. 26:19-21; Mal. 3:17; Lk. 21:36; Jn. 14:1-14; I Cor. 15:51-58). Nothing has to occur for Jesus' imminent return for those He loves. Believers in Christ may see Psalm 83 come to pass, but if so we can praise God that according to the Bible we are not destined to be here to witness the escalating world conflicts (1 Thes. 1:10 & 5:9; Rom. 5:9; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:4; Rev. 3:10).
Are you under God's salvation, secure in the knowledge that though the world seems to be spinning out of control that God is still sovereign and is returning for you? Or, are you still rejecting God's love for you through His Son Jesus' gift of salvation, awaiting the horrors of these prophetic world events to unfold before your eyes (Jn. 3:36)?
If the latter, then don't live in fear. Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior today!
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