The Rosetta Stone of Bible Prophecy - Nov 6

Leviticus 23 is without question the most important chapter in the Bible. Not Isaiah 53. Not Daniel 9. Not even the book of Revelation. These prophecy faves are meaningless unless you delve into Leviticus 23 first. This chapter contains in detail the seven feasts of the Lord and is a must read. The seven feasts of the LORD are:

1. The Sabbath
2. The Passover and Unleavened Bread
3. Firstfruits
4. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
5. Feast of Trumpets
6. Day of Atonement
7. Feast of Tabernacles
   

I have pasted the entire chapter below (in NIV format) for your consideration.

Johnny Cash

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

The Sabbath

" 'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.

The Passover and Unleavened Bread

" 'These are the LORD's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the LORD by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.' "

Firstfruits

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the LORD a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil—an offering made to the LORD by fire, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

Feast of Weeks

" 'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD. Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

" 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' "

Feast of Trumpets

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.' "

Day of Atonement

The LORD said to Moses, "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on that day. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a sabbath of rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath."

Feast of Tabernacles

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present offerings made to the LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work.

(" 'These are the LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by fire—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD's Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)

" 'So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' "

So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of the LORD.

Stick It Where The Sun DOES Shine! - Oct 22

I cannot help but think the next major crisis surrounding Israel will involve some kind of energy breakthrough. Will space-based solar energy be that breakthrough? The idea is simple enough: Have a bunch of photovoltaic mirrors reflect to a collecting satellite which sends it to a ground-based receiver who then feed such energy into the grid. Such a capital-intensive investment would need major government (meaning American) backing before it even gets off the ground. Not only is such an endeavor expensive, the technology and ingenuity involved will be daunting. I envision some bright bulb from Israel stepping onto the world stage to solve these technical dilemmas inadvertently setting the stage for the Gog-Magog battle foretold in Ezekiel 38-39. You can read the full Wall Street Journal article here. Here's a pasting of the relevant paragraphs.

Johnny Cash

SPACE-BASED SOLAR POWER

For more than three decades, visionaries have imagined tapping solar power where the sun always shines—in space. If we could place giant solar panels in orbit around the Earth, and beam even a fraction of the available energy back to Earth, they could deliver nonstop electricity to any place on the planet.


(Text for picture shown)
Sunlight is reflected off giant orbiting mirrors to an array of photovoltaic cells; the light is converted to electricity and then changed into microwaves, which are beamed to earth. Ground-based antennas capture the microwave energy and convert it back to electricity, which is sent to the grid.

The technology may sound like science fiction, but it's simple: Solar panels in orbit about 22,000 miles up beam energy in the form of microwaves to earth, where it's turned into electricity and plugged into the grid. (The low-powered beams are considered safe.) A ground receiving station a mile in diameter could deliver about 1,000 megawatts—enough to power on average about a million U.S. homes.

The cost of sending solar collectors into space is the biggest obstacle, so it's necessary to design a system lightweight enough to require only a few launches. A handful of countries and companies aim to deliver space-based power as early as a decade from now.

For Kendra - Sep 13

I'm always excited when a precious reader leaves a comment. It is a tremendous source of encouragement to me when someone thinks it important enough to address my blog.

Kendra commented on my The Number 666, 777 post the following (I took the liberty of correcting your syntax whilst leaving the grammar intact. I hope you don't mind):

I arrived here because I dreamed of the 777 actually from a dream. Its starts out with a Medusa form standing with in a room and I'm warned not to look or enter or I will turn to stone....but I enter anyway Medusa turns his head away and then I see 777 and I need to remember this such number not sure why.

Kendra, here's two passages that might be of help:

I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
(Joel 2:28)

Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.
(Revelation 12:12b)

While dreams are not trite - and far be it for me to trivialize your night visions - I don't place a great deal on what we dream at night. We get out of our subconscious minds what we consciously choose to put into it. A Christian will have visions, a Muslim will have visions, a Jew will have visions and so on. In all cases the dreams they envision are but reflections of the soul (that is, the subconscious) and nothing more.

Your 'Medusa' vision does intrigue me somewhat. I have quoted from the Book of the Revelation because Satan (both real and spiritual) and Medusa (born of Greek mythology) seem to parallel one another. Mind you that's a guess on my part. Perhaps you've seen the number 777 as well as your Medusa symbol somewhere in your travels and this all came together one night. Keep a personal dream diary by the bedside just in case. Bonne Chance!

Johnny Cash

The Ultimate Bailout - Aug 31

"Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."
(Revelation 18:2-3)

Who will come to America's aid when the money runs out? I do not believe this will happen during the Church Age. However, once Jesus comes for His bride (the church) America's preeminent global reign will cease. Not something I personally wish for, yet this must happen in order to facilitate the rise of the Antichrist and a one world government. The link to the original Front Page Mag article is here.

Johnny Cash

The Worst is Yet to Come
By: Vasko Kohlmayer
Monday, August 31, 2009

"Today, we're pointed in the right direction... While we've rescued our economy from catastrophe, we've also begun to build a new foundation for growth,” said President Obama recently.

Unfortunately, the president's declarations and all the talk about the green shoots by his acolytes in the media are merely wishful thinking. Far from rescuing it, the Bush/Obama stimulus has dealt a damaging blow to the economy, and one which will exert its harmful effects for years to come. We only need to take a quick look at the big picture to see why.

Last year the American economic system experienced major trauma as more and more banks, companies and individuals were brought to the verge of bankruptcy. In most cases their plight was caused by their inability to service their liabilities. Buoyed by the easy availability of cheap credit and loose monetary policy of preceding years, government, commercial entities as well as private persons had taken on unprecedented levels of debt. Paul Craig Roberts, formerly Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration, correctly points out that we lived in “a debt economy.” Writing in Journal Sentinel, John Torinus, a banker with experience in leveraged buyouts, described the astonishingly lax mindset that had come to dominate the whole sphere of borrowing:

The investment banks that crashed and burned were leveraged as high as 35 to 1. Their 3% equity base disappeared in a sinkhole of excessive debt... The excessive leverage went far beyond the investment banks. Home buyers could get insured or federally backed mortgages with 5% down or sometimes less. They were leveraged 20 to 1 or more. Credit checks were loose.

The cheap credit – which was made possible by artificially low interest rates – brought on the borrowing frenzy to a feverish pitch. Paul Craig Roberts observes:

The debt economy caused Americans to leverage their assets. They refinanced their homes and spent the equity. They maxed out numerous credit cards. They worked as many jobs as they could find. Debt expansion and multiple family incomes kept the economy going.

Toward the end of 2008 the overall debt level – public, commercial and personal – in the American economy was well over $50 trillion. This was three and a half times the size of the country's total economic output (around $14 trillion) and more than double the debt level of 2000. At over 350 percent, this made ours the most over leveraged economy in history. To put it bluntly, all of us – individuals, businesses and especially government – lived beyond our means. The American economy was over-leveraged through and through.

The racket held while the economy boomed. But once it seized, the over-indebtedness became unsustainable and things began falling apart. Describing this process, Nouriel Roubinini, one of America's leading financial commentators, wrote in Forbes:

Americans lived in a "Made-off" and Ponzi bubble economy for a decade or even longer. Madoff is the mirror of the American economy and of its over-leveraged agents: a house of cards of leverage over leverage by households, financial firms and corporations that has now collapsed in a heap.

Painful as the impending bankruptcies tsunami would have been, it would have ultimately delivered a remedy. In order for an economic system to remain viable, excessive indebtedness must be corrected and those responsible chastised for their misjudgment. It is for this purpose that the market evolved the institution of bankruptcy. Had it been left to unfold unimpeded, the process would have reduced the overall leverage and the economy would have eventually found itself on a sound footing once again.

The government, however, resolved not to allow the market do its work. In a misguided attempt to avert the necessary pain, it began propping up failing enterprises and individuals with more easy credit and direct cash injections. And even though it was initially advertised as a relatively short-term and targeted effort, the operation has been ongoing for nearly nine months while continually expanding in scope.

This approach is fundamentally flawed on a number of levels. To begin with, the government's actions interfere with the market's corrective forces. But the most obvious problem is that the government simply does not have the money to do this. It is ironic that even before it embarked on its “rescue” effort, the government itself was already more deeply indebted than the companies it sought to save. With some $65 trillion in total obligations, the federal government was, in fact, the most over-leveraged institution in America.

The rescue has unsurprisingly turned out to be a singularly expensive undertaking. So much so that the government's deficit at the end of this fiscal year will exceed the previous record by nearly a factor of four. At some 11 percent of GDP, this is also the highest peacetime deficit in American history when measured as a portion of the overall economy.

If the government's strategy – bailing out debt-ridden companies and individuals by enlarging its own astronomical debt – seems misguided, it is. There is an old truism that says you cannot get out of debt by running deeper into debt. And yet this is precisely what the government has been trying to do. This is why its approach will ultimately fail.

The authors of the latest Comstock Partners special report put their finger on the crux of the matter. Countering the conventional wisdom of the spend-and-stimulate Keynesians, they write:

We, however, don't believe that the U.S. massive stimulus programs and money printing can solve a problem of excess debt generation... If this were the answer Argentina would be one of the most prosperous countries in the world. This excess debt actually resulted from the same money printing and easy money that we are now using to alleviate the pain.

The bailouts reward bad management and irresponsible businesses practices and forestall the remedy the market is trying to administer. Contrary to what we have been told, all those injections of credit and capital do not contain a cure. Instead they are filled with the noxious serum of public debt whose toxic effects are slowly poisoning the whole system. The festering sores of the economic crisis have been only temporarily masked with government made bailout band aids, but those are no thicker than a dollar bill. The sickness will eventually break out again, but next time it will hit with greater intensity.

Our over-leveraged government can give out those lavish bailouts only because it can still borrow at low interest. But bond investors have been growing increasingly vocal in expressing their doubts about the government's ability to make good on its debts. It is only a matter of time before they start demanding higher bond yields. When that happens, borrowing will become prohibitively expensive. Saddled with an enormous debt and with no one to advance easy cash, the government will find itself in the same position as the companies it is trying to save today. When that moment finally arrives, there will be no one to finance the ultimate bail out. If you thought that letting a couple of big banks fail would have been bad, wait what happens when the federal government itself goes under.

Make no mistake: The worst is still yet to come.

Rust Never Sleeps (Ug99) - Jun 22

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
(Matthew 24:7b-8)

Found in Uganda in 1999 - hence the name Ug99 - this virulent fungus is threatening the world's wheat supply. You can read the original article here.

Johnny Cash


In a St. Paul lab, scientists race to defeat a wheat famine 'time bomb'
By Karen Kaplan
Los Angeles Times
Updated: 06/20/2009 10:45:26 PM CDT

The spores arrived from Kenya on dried, infected leaves ensconced in multiple layers of envelopes.

Working inside a bio-secure greenhouse outfitted with motion detectors and surveillance cameras, government scientists at the Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul suspended the fungal spores in a light mineral oil and sprayed them onto dozens of healthy wheat plants each day. After two weeks, the stalks were covered with deadly reddish blisters characteristic of the scourge known as Ug99.

Nearly all of the plants were goners.

Crop scientists fear the Ug99 fungus could wipe out more than 80 percent of worldwide wheat crops as it spreads from its home base in eastern Africa. It has jumped the Red Sea and traveled as far as Iran. Experts say it is poised to enter the breadbasket of northern India and Pakistan, and the wind inevitably will carry it to Russia, China and even North America — if it doesn't hitch a ride with people first.

"It's a time bomb," said Jim Peterson, a professor of wheat breeding and genetics at Oregon State University in Corvallis. "It moves in the air. It can move in clothing on an airplane. We know it's going to be here. It's a matter of how long it's going to take."

Although most Americans have never heard of it, Ug99 — a type of fungus called stem rust because it produces reddish-brown flakes on plant stalks — is the No. 1 threat to the world's most widely grown crop.

WORLD PRICE SPIKES

Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico estimates that 19 percent of the world's wheat — which provides food for 1 billion people in Asia and Africa — is in imminent danger. American breeders say $10 billion worth of wheat would be destroyed if the fungus suddenly made its way to U.S. fields.

Fear that the fungus will cause widespread damage has caused prices to spike on world wheat markets. Famine has been averted thus far, but breeders say it's only a matter of time.

"A significant humanitarian crisis is inevitable," said Rick Ward, the coordinator of the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project at Cornell University. "We are at a stage where the equivalent of Hurricane Katrina is offshore and we are shoring up the dikes as fast as we can."

The solution is to develop new wheat varieties that are immune to Ug99. That's much easier said than done.

RACE AGAINST TIME

After several years of feverish work, scientists have identified a mere half-dozen genes that are immediately useful for protecting wheat from Ug99. Incorporating them into crops using conventional breeding techniques is a nine-to-12-year process that has only just begun. And that process will have to be repeated for each of the thousands of wheat varieties specially adapted to a particular region and climate.

It's a race against time that pits Ug99 against the coordinated efforts of agricultural scientists from around the world.

More than 500 million acres of wheat are planted around the world, according to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization. "All the seed needs to change in the next few years," said Ronnie Coffman, a plant breeder who heads the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project. "It's really an enormous undertaking."

Stem rust destroyed more than 20 percent of U.S. wheat crops several times between 1917 and 1935, and losses reached nearly 9 percent twice in the 1950s. The last major outbreak, in 1962, destroyed 5.2 percent of the U.S. crop, according to Peterson, who chairs the National Wheat Improvement Committee.

The fungus was kept at bay for years by breeders who slowly and methodically incorporated different combinations of six major stem rust-resistance genes into various varieties of wheat. The breeders thought it unlikely that the rust could overcome clusters of those genes at the same time.

As an added defense, a key rust-resistance gene — known as Sr31 — was imported from a rye plant and was therefore completely unfamiliar to the invading fungus.

After several outbreak-free decades, it seemed that stem rust had been defeated for good. Nearly all the scientists who once focused on it switched to other topics, and the hunt for new resistance genes practically slowed to a crawl.

A new race, or strain, of stem rust was discovered on a wheat farm in Uganda in 1999. Scientists published a report on the fungus the following year in the journal Plant Disease.

"It didn't draw a lot of attention, frankly," said Marty Carson, research leader at the Cereal Disease Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "There's very little wheat grown in Uganda."

Researchers in Carson's lab confirmed that Ug99 — named for the country and year it was identified — had found a way to defeat Sr31. But scientists still saw little cause for concern.

Within a few years, the Ugandan stem rust had devastated farms in neighboring Kenya, where wheat is one of the biggest crops. Then it moved north to Ethiopia, Sudan and Yemen.

"There was a great deal of concern," Carson said. "Rust fungi are notorious for dispersing over very far distances in the wind."

FUNGUS IS MUTATING

To make matters worse, the fungus is becoming more virulent as it spreads. At least one version of Ug99 can defeat all six stem-rust-resistance genes, and several variants can defeat groups of them.

Now, the pressure is on to develop wheat varieties that are impervious to Ug99.

The first step is to identify Ug99-resistance genes by finding wheat plants that can withstand the deadly fungus.

Roughly 16,000 wheat varieties and other plants have been tested in the cereal disease lab over the last four years.

The tests have been conducted between Dec. 1 and the end of February, when the Minnesota weather is so frigid that escaping spores would perish quickly, Carson said.

These and similar efforts at a research station in Kenya have turned up only a handful of promising resistance genes, which crop breeders are trying to import into vulnerable strains of wheat.

Israel, Iran and Obama - Jun 16

'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia (Modern Iran - JC), Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
(Ezekiel 38:3-6)

Something interesting has just happened in Iran. A massive presidential election has taken place with the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being returned to office. Best to wait for the dust to settle before we can properly gauge what's really going on. Here's an interview with Dr. George Friedman (CEO of Stratfor) giving his assessment of the situation.

Johnny Cash

A Tree Falling In A Forest - May 4

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
(Daniel 12:10)

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.
(Hosea 4:6-8)

With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)

I'm sure you've heard this one before: If a tree falls in a forest and no-one hears it, does it still make a sound? Before you attempt an answer let me ask you something similar: If you tell the truth and no-one listens, did you still tell the truth? The answer is YES!

So You Wanna Be a Prophet?

I should caution you that the conditions of the job are bad and the pay is worse. The upside is spending eternity with God in glory. Still interested? Unsurprisingly, many turn away from such an opportunity when they hear of the personal sacrifices that need to be made.

Why We MUST Tell Others of God's Impending Judgement (And The Stony Silence That Usually Follows)

You must understand you'll never win a popularity contest at home, at work or in the blogosphere if you preach the message faithfully. Sin, hell and judgement are not popular topics of conversation at the dinner table. A wall of silence and hostility is often the net result of those who speak lovingly of God's hatred of sin and unbelief. If you want to preach it realize this world will turn you into the villain. 'It's doom and gloom!'. 'It's a negative message!'. 'Why do you want to see the world destroyed?' 'Why the hateful message?'. And so on and so on. You become the bad guy because you don't buy into the secular propaganda about 'saving the world'.

The Call To Repentance and the Humanist Response

So you preach the message of divine judgement falling on this world and what do you get? Right off the top, a wide majority will disregard your warning. A hurricane is headed this way but seeing as it's pleasant outside, why bother. The hurricane comes and by the time they realize their fatal error it's too late. Then there's a second group who do listen but take half-measures. A five foot dike isn't going to do the trick against a ten foot storm surge. The third group represents the minority that do take the appropriate measures and are fully prepared against the storm's onslaught.

So it is with us. Look, all God wants is for you to repent of your sins. We look at the bloody cross and the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. We believe and then we repent. The first group are those mockers and scoffers who willfully disregard any warnings. 'Life is good' they say. 'No need to repent!'.

The second group isn't much better. They take modest precautions but usually adopt a laissez-faire approach. These are the technophiles who believe that science and technology will save us. They share the same attitude as the rest of the godless utopians who've put their faith in practical atheism and fortune cookie philosophy. Others place their hope on Man (such as President Obama) or other flawed institutions (United Nations) to rescue them.

The third group are those serious-minded folk who truly understand the situation. They don't disregard the warning nor do they place their hope on Man's abilities. Their rock and their foundation is Christ. Eternity is theirs!

The Illusion of a New World Order

I truly believe a renaissance can be had if we repent first. Think of all the racial strife. Think of the war between men and women. Then think of the generational gap. The only thing that can bring peace to mankind is a return to Godly obedience. All attempts at creating a NWO has failed because it has forgotten to put Biblical knowledge at the center. The priests that Hosea speaks of are still with us today. These so-called progressives have appealed to the flesh (meaning our pride) and have sold us a raw bill of goods. Do not think Barack Obama is going to save us. On the contrary, the increasing move towards godlessness will only accelerate God's plan for dealing with an unbelieving world.

If you have not done so, please get saved today. The wicked do not understand but the wise will understand. The wisdom that Daniel speaks of comes from above, not from our experience and human emotion. Have you embraced this yet? This is the hour of your salvation!

Johnny Cash

A quick note here. My brief experiment with Google ads is over. A total of 2 clicks for a total of 31 cents tells me all I need to know. Also, thanks to Fred from Tampa for your most recent comment. You sir are a tremendous source of encouragement!

Armageddon - Part 2 - Apr 10

Some of you might have been taken aback by my most recent post. I want to be perfectly clear that I stand 100% behind what I said. My intention here is not to cause panic or undue alarm. Instead, we ought to be mentally and physically preparing for what is to come.

The Beach House and the Hurricane

Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.
(Isaiah 4:5-6)

Let's say you're living in a coastal house right on the beach. It's a slice of paradise and you love living there. You turn on the living room TV to watch the evening news. A major hurricane is directly headed your way. A mandatory evacuation order has been given by local authorities to seek shelter. What do you do? Do you scoff and laugh at such dire predictions? Or do you gather everyone together (including the cat) along with your belongings and legal documents and leave? YES! You evacuate and get out of the way!

Are You Prepared For The Upcoming Prophetic Storm?

Sadly, few are. We heed major hurricanes and other emergencies, be they natural or man-made. Do we heed the warnings of God in His prophetic Word? No we do not. Hurricanes lose strength and dissipate as they move inland. Volcanoes usually become dormant. Explosions, fires and chemical spills are contained. But by reading prophecy we discover the tribulation storm gets more intense, not less, as it progresses. What do we do with such an admonition? We laugh in the face of it and persecute all those who proclaim it.

The Negative Medical Prognosis

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(1 Cor 1:18)

Here's something you might be able to relate to. You (or one of your loved ones) comes back from the doctor with an unfavorable diagnosis. You might be dead in a year. Or you could live till a ripe old age. Would you sit back and wallow in ignorance? Or would you strive to learn as much as you can about your condition? Again, another no-brainer. Yet how few of us are aware of our sinful condition before a holy and loving God? Instead, we trust in our own goodness whilst forever leaning on our own understanding. It is only by acknowledging Jesus' sacrifice on the cross that we are spared condemnation.

Fear and Loathing Or Wise Counsel?

Faced with disaster our first instinct is to gather as much information as possible to make an informed decision. We'd evacuate the beach house. We'd do medical research and ask questions. Hurricanes change direction. Doctors can get it wrong. However it is the Bible, and only the Bible, that can predict the future with absolute perfect foresight. Why then the thin layer of dust on this majestic book? We don't know the mysteries of the Christian faith because we don't regularly feed upon His prophetic word.

If you're a Christian by the way, don't expect your church to lead you into a lengthy dissemination about His Second Coming. Most churches won't go near 'those' verses. God forbid we offend others by telling the truth! We place ourselves at a tremendous disadvantage if we fail to heed these divine warnings. For the believer, a full review is vital. For the unbeliever, repentance. It's the only way.

Johnny Cash

Armageddon - Apr 9

With this being Holy Week, I felt it appropriate to discuss Bible prophecy in greater detail. This is a subject that's been on my mind for some time. The word Armaggeddon appears only once in scripture:

Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
(Revelation 16:16)

Jesus Isn't Coming To Save The World!

I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Rev 19:11)

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. The remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
(Rev 19:20-21)

Which Bible Are You Reading?

I'm not talking about the King James Version or the New International Version. There are many who will choose to take issue with what the Bible says about judgement. Lest any individual things God's destructive power is only found in the New Testament, perhaps they should read this:

Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.
(Genesis 19:24-25)

God has not changed from the days of Abraham and Lot. Not one bit. It amazes how people are easily fooled by the 'love gospel'. God is love indeed, Amen to that! But what of His sovereignty and His pure and unsullied holiness? God could neither forgive nor save if He did not rule with absolute and unchallenged authority. His desire for all of us to be like Jesus stems directly from His holy nature. Sadly, few understand or recognize this salient point.

Ten Things You Must Know About Armageddon

• Man's devices (such as the UN) will not stop it.
• Philosophy cannot dismiss it.
• Politics will not prevent it.
  
• It will happen.
• It will be a literal event (just as D-Day or 9/11 was).
• It will be the most destructive day in all of human history.
• It will be unlike any other war or campaign. (Rev 19:13-14)
• No-one will miss its significance.
  
• No-one can slow it down.
• No-one can speed it up.

Anti-Christ's Army

The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
(Rev 9:16)

It will be sheer stark terror for those who have chosen to follow after the Beast and his False Prophet. Crammed in like sardines, mass panic in the ranks will ensue. With nowhere to go, the real Christ seals their fate.

A parting thought for all those mockers and scoffers out there. You know who you are!

"If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."
(Rev 14:9b-11)

Johnny Cash

Adolf Hitler - Apr 2

It is a fool who denies the existence and reality of evil as a supernatural source. The very name of the Hitler causes us to shudder. Yet how few of us know of the Nazi occult leanings within its echelons? The religious fervor the German people experienced when hearing Hitler's voice is not restricted to just the 20th century. The Anti-Christ to come will be like 'a hundred Hitlers' according to Pastor John MacArthur. Part two can be viewed here. A must see for all those who wish to understand.

Johnny Cash

State of the Union Address - Jan 6

As promised I will give my insight into what happened in 2008 and what that will mean in the upcoming year.

First and Foremost

I hope everybody survived the holiday season. Christmas is not unlike a roller coaster: A long wait leading to an exhilarated rush followed by an overwhelming desire to get off the second it ends. January is a time when many couples call it quits, whether they be married or unmarried. Nobody wants to be the Grinch by pulling the plug just before Christmas and New Year. Hence the reason why many delay the inevitable until January.

Man of the Year: Barack Obama

Of this there is little doubt. Although Michael Phelps had an unprecedented eight gold medals and the lovely Sarah (You betcha!) Palin made quite the impression, it is clear that President-Elect Obama is the man for 2008. Once President Obama assumes office, harsh realities will be front and centre. When looking at President Bush, it's clear that the office of POTUS ages a man like gasoline on fire. Mr. Obama is still a young man but even after four years (never mind the distinct possibility of eight), he will have a few grey hairs to show for it. Four years in the White House ages a man by at least a decade.

Musings on Democracy and the American Republic

Democracy is tyranny. How many of us know this rather salient political point? If 'rights' can be invented or nullified (and therefore abused) by a mere majority vote, how can that not be tyranny? Democracy was never meant to be an absolute, hence the reason why government powers must be curtailed. I think the Americans got it right. If more and more power is concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, liberty becomes endangered. Winston Churchill, never a shy man when it came to the art of bloviating, said it best:

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried (from time to time).

What Mr. Churchill was eluding to was the tendency towards dictatorship and as an indictment of Man's corrupt nature. It was never meant as a green light for the rich and the powerful to undermine a republic if that republic (meaning her government and her people) stands in the way of their internationalist ambitions. What I fear - with the liberal media being the chief enablers - is that's exactly what's going to happen. Many will interpret an Obama victory as a blank cheque to re-engineer America into their own humanistic and global worldview. A kind of secular-progressive jihad will be waged against America's Christian roots, a battle which will tear the world's most freest sovereign republic to shreds.

Peace In Our Time (Yes We Can? No We Can't!)

Gaza and Israel are once more in the crosshairs of the diplomatic world. The Palestinians in Gaza WERE given their land in 2005 and have been nothing but a constant thorn in Israel's side since. The godless Left, who never met a dictatorship they didn't like, has come roaring to the rescue. Not to the Israelis of course, but to the likes of Hamas! None of which surprises to those who keep a tab on the Left's movements.

This is an ongoing regional conflict in the Holy Land. We must remember however the danger is one of escalation. So long as the superpowers stay out it will remain a regional conflict. I've argued before that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is largely a static one. Neither side is capable of victory because of their overarching tactical familiarity with one another. There's no reason to believe this most recent military incursion by the IDF is going to any different. This is going to continue for some time minus the happy ending.

The End of History (The Marxist Dream That Will Not Die)

History will end all right. Just not in the way that people expect. Marx taught that capitalism will fade away to be replaced by a socialist new world order. The problem is it's not going to happen. The rise of globalism shows that capitalism is waxing, not waning. The Bible does not teach that things are going to get better, but rather the reverse:

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
(1 Thessalonians 5:2-5)

'The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night'. That ought to send a jolt of lightning to every liberal supporter. The expectation that history will come to an abrupt end the second Bush 43 leaves office is but pure fantasy. Not only will it not end, there's every reason to believe it will accelerate like never before. 2009 will be a year of destiny for Bible prophecy to converge on a mass scale. The theme for this year? FULL STEAM AHEAD!

Johnny Cash

A Nation In Distress - Nov 30

Below is the very lovely Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Swann in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.


If there's one thing I've learnt in my Christian walk is not to be afraid of either personal or geopolitical events taking place. God is in control, and He uses all things for His glory. The same God who places a righteous man in office is the same God who installs tyrants. I like to call it 'the mystery of history'. I've noticed recently the irreversible and accelerating slide towards the end of the age. I'd still feel the same way even if John McCain were elected president. All that would've achieved is to buy us some time. Yet the end result would still be the same.

There's Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself!

It's not Obama that concerns me, it's his followers. As I see it, the system guarantees disappointment. Many black Christian supporters will be less than enthralled as gay marriage moves to the front pages. The possibility of American military action against Somali pirates will cause black Christians grief as well. The pacifists will be horrified as American troops move from Iraq into the quagmire that is Afghanistan. Christian Zionists who voted Democrat will see more nonsensical 'Land for Peace' deals placing Israel in greater peril. Will Obama secure America's southern flank, disappointing the Latino vote? To hear from all these Kool-Aid Utopians, on January 20, 2009, America will be delivered from the Devil himself. On the contrary, it will be more like going from the proverbial frying pan into the fire.

America is a Mess (and there's little we can do about it)

If America cannot be found in Bible prophecy, what does that tell us? A nation that consumes more than it exports and whose citizens save nothing are destined for rocky shoals. I want to be clear on this. I don't wish to drag the new guy down. But there are some hard realities that need to be faced. The standard by where we are headed must be God's Word. It is considered an absolute amongst humanists that we can (if only we truly believe!), pull ourselves out of this mess through our own man-centered efforts. Yet the Bible paints a much darker picture:

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(Matthew 24:10-13)

I think its one of the greatest lies ever conceived. If all the 'isms' of the world have not brought us peace, why should we expect anything different? It's the very definition of madness: Doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result. I think the very reason why the humanist school of thought is so seductive is because of our pride.

Man's Most Prized Possession Is.....

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
(2 Timothy 4:3-4)

His overwhelming sense of self-importance. And what are the people's treasure? Their biases, their assumptions, their cultural norms and of course, their sensuality and common sense. None of it does us a bit of good if it keeps us from God. Ignorance and apathy is our lot. Civilization is walking the plank and few seem to notice or care.

A Surefire Antidote: Faith and Courage

If trials are to come upon us, what tools do we have at our disposal? The courage to believe in a living God will surely be our most effective testimony. I think many Christians will rue the fact that they failed to capitalize on this unique time in history. Should we become disconsolate and afraid? No, we must not be afraid. We should stand for what we believe in, no matter what the cost.

Johnny Cash

Taking It On The Chin - Oct 26

Ah yes, the end of the baseball season. Not only does the first snowflake sighting remind me of winter, the real clincher is when the final out of the World Series is recorded. As of right now, Philadelphia leads Tampa Bay 3-1 with Game 5 going tomorrow. I've noticed however that it's been more than baseball players that've been getting chin music more than recently.

America: Land of the Free. But for how long?

There's a definite case of schaedenfreude going around the world as America's finances look a bit wobbly. The Chinese are a prime example. The Russians have got their mojo back and are bumping up their strategic nuclear capabilities. I do fear that however assumes the White House will be walking into a hornet's nest. As Pat Buchanan notes: With U.S. markets crashing and wealth vanishing, what are we doing with 750 bases and troops in over 100 countries? Good question Pat. More importantly, how does this fit into God's plan? It is becoming more and more obvious that America's power is receding. Daniel's vision of a revived Roman Empire must mean that America must fall.

Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
(Daniel 2:40-43)

'The people will be a mixture and will not remain united' is the perfect description of Europe. It appears that a new financial order is taking root amongst the EU. A second Bretton Woods (named after a town in New Hampshire) is being proposed that would put greater oversight on American finances. I feel for those investors who've been good stewards of their money only to get hurt in this latest catastrophe. They diversified their portfolio, they've not made hasty decisions and yet still they take it on the chin. Nobody said life was going to be fair! If there's any lesson in this, it is that God and God alone is the only thing that guarantees a return on investment. The things of Man can often fail, such as his monetary policy.

On a Personal Note

I'm moving - again! - to another place in Brampton. This post may (or may not) be the last post for October. As soon as I get my internet connection going at my new place I'll be back at it once more. Therefore there will not be a post next weekend, perhaps mid-week after the election. So much packing to do! I dread moving day. I remember my time as a university student moving from home to Hamilton in September only to reverse the process in April. I definitely feel like a foreigner in a foreign land. When God calls me home, whenever that might be, it will be then and only then I can truly say that I'm home. In the meantime I'm just going to have to suck it up and deal with it on Saturday. Wish me luck!

Johnny Cash

777 and Bible Numerology - Oct 8

I was floored recently when I received my weekly update from sitemeter last Monday. On the 29th I had 389 visits (450 page views) and on the 30th I had 307 visits (354 page views). Now I know for a fact that my last post on the geopolitical tensions in Pakistan wasn't the reason for my recent upsurge in traffic. As you may recall, the Dow Jones fell 777.68 points when Congress rejected the $700 billion bailout. Naturally, people googled the number 777 to see what they came up with. Many came across this post I wrote on June 6th, 2006 (6/6/06):

The Number 666, 777 - Jun 6

In that post both Jesus Christ and the seven churches of Asia Minor (now Turkey) were represented as the number 777.

Was This Financial Catastrophe the Work of God?

Given the fact that the stock market took a precise beating to the tune of 777.7 if we round up, we come across some interesting parallels in the Book of the Revelation. There isn't three sets of seven judgements, but in fact four of them:

The Seven Sealed Scroll (Rev 6, Rev 8:1-5)
The Seven Trumpets (Rev 8:6-13,Rev 9, Rev 11:15-19)
The Seven Thunders (unknown) (Rev 10:3,4)
The Seven Plagues/Bowls (Rev 16)

So instead of a mere 777, you have four sevens to contend with. Taking into consideration that this just so happened around Rosh Hashanah, whose theme is judgement, I found an interesting thing about the date 9/29/08. By adding the numbers together we get 9+2+9+0+8=28. The number twenty-eight can also be represented as 7+7+7+7=28. Four sevens again!

So Deep It's Meaningless: An Academic Rebuttal

What does this all prove? Sadly, not much. No sane judge in a court of law would even consider such speculative line of thinking. Numbers, like language, can be manipulated to prove whatever an individual desires to prove. The truth of the matter is we have no idea whether God weighed in with His divine authority on September 29th. In matters of faith you will never find the bloody thumbprint or other hard evidence to prove your theory. Faith is not silly superstition. It is a mystery standing above and beyond simple human reason.

Here's What I Do Know

That through this God managed to give Himself the glory. Basing my assumption that the sitemeter stats are trustworthy, many now have been exposed to Christianity and the Bible's teachings. Imagine if ten percent of the viewers on Monday and Tuesday gave their heart to Christ because of me! That would amount to 69 new souls being added to the Book of Life by sheer accident! Again, I'll never know. Maybe nobody gave their heart to Christ. Perhaps my figure of 69 is but a fantasy. Yet for those who stumbled upon my blog they now have no excuse. None can plead ignorance before an omniescient Creator.

A Quick Update: 10,000 Visits and Counting

Actually, it's over 11,000. Keeping in mind that I added sitemeter later on it's hard to guess how many have seen this blog - or care to admit to it! I am encouraged greatly by the world-wide participation of those precious individuals who have perchanced the X-Def. As my computer troubles have finally passed I intend to post as often as time allows. So please be patient with me. Doing the Lord's work is never easy!

Johnny Cash

What Is The Bible's Primary Message? - Jun 29

The 'Love Your Neighbor' Command Isn't It

When asked by the Pharisees what the ultimate commandment was (in order to trick Him), Jesus replied:

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
(Matthew 22:37-40)

While certainly one of the most well known and important of Jesus' teachings, the 'love your neighbor' command is not His central teaching. Whether they be benign or malicious, most people simply miss the plain message of Jesus' ministry.

Is The Bible's Primary Message One Of Salvation?

NO! Atonement through the blood of Christ alone is the secondary message of the Bible. Hear me out: God isn't merely saving us from something (our condemnation), He's saving us for something. What is that 'something' that I'm referring to?

The Coming Kingdom of God (The Prophecy of the Sabbath)

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
(Matthew 4:17)

THAT is the primary message of the Bible. Jesus came to preach the coming of His millenial reign right here on Earth. That is what the sabbath is all about. It is the establishment of His throne on the Temple Mount in the city of God (Jerusalem) amongst the people of God (the Jews). Both the Pharisees and the Romans were terrified of Jesus. It was precisely this message of 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near' that got Jesus in trouble with the authorities, not the 'Love your neighbor' bit. His resulting sacrifice upon the cross was always meant to be a (crucial) stepping stone for those that wish to serve Him in His millenial reign.

Bible Prophecy and the Importance of Israel

I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
(Zechariah 12:2-3)

Another question to ponder: Why such hatred and animosity towards Israel and the Jews? God has a plan to bring the coming kingdom and Satan has a plan to derail it. If Satan can achieve his dream of a Jew-free ME, then God's plan has failed. If God plan succeeds (and it will), then Satan is defeated. All of this is contigent on the survival of the Jewish state of Israel. Satan's murderous plans is to eliminate the Jews from the Promised Land that God originally bequethed to Abraham. Right now it is Islam that is the main conduit of Jew-hatred. Not only will Islam meet it's appointed end, all those who oppose God's plan of redemption will go to their destruction as well.

Salvation is a Means to a Greater End: Eternal Employment and Service to the King of Kings

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:4a,6)

Some of you lucky sods out there have a really great job. Some like myself have a decent job that pays the bills but doesn't really rock our world. Others have jobs that they absolutely hate. Now imagine having the the greatest job on Earth. It could be travelling. It could involve artistic creativity. It could be engineering the coolest structures that the mind could conceive. In other words, it would be anything than what you're doing right now. GOD HAS A NEW JOB PERSONALLY RESERVED FOR YOU IN WAITING. It's yours and no-one else's. The unemployment rate in the kingdom of God will be zero. The job and the title that you will receive due to your loyal service to Him will exceed expectations far beyond what your puny mind can imagine. All believers will reign with Christ and be given authority to judge. How exciting! Rejoice, our redemption draws near!

Johnny Cash

Israel: An Appointment with Destiny - May 18

In the twentieth century, two massive events occurred in May. In 1945, the fall of Nazi Germany ended one of the most destructive wars in all of human history. Three years later on May, 14, 1948, the re-birth of the state of Israel shook the world and foreign governments.

Before we look at Israel's modern day rebirth, we must first look at the three captivities that Israel endured. The first two were regional in nature, the third captivity was worldwide.

The First Captivity: Egypt

Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt. (Exodus 12:40-41)

Here's the best part:

The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36)

To the very day the Israelites were driven out by the Egyptians. There was no escape here, they were pushed out! Moreover, they actually plundered the Egyptians prior to leaving and were laden with gold, silver and clothing. I don't know about you, but this absolutely blows my mind. The exodus happened to the very day that God promised to Abraham and were made rich with parting gifts in the process.

The Second Captivity: Babylon

This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. "But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever." (Jeremiah 25:11-12)

Notice the seventy year cycle. As I mentioned in 'Pentecost 2017', seventy years was often used to purify and sanctify God's people from sin. After King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jewish people to leave and go back to Jerusalem, a partial return in unbelief was the result.

The Third Captivity: Worldwide

The prophet Ezekiel was given an odd task setting the stage for the rebirth of modern Israel in May of 1948:

"Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel. "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. (Ezekiel 4:4-6)

So 390 days plus 40 days equals 430 years, seeing as one day symbolizes a year. Of those 430 years, 70 years was subtracted due to Israel's captivity in Babylon. That leaves us with 360 years of judgement. However, these years were multiplied by seven due to their unbelief:

If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. (Leviticus 26:18)

If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. (Leviticus 26:21)

Those 360 years is now multiplied by a factor of seven. 360 x 7 = 2520 Biblical years (comprised of 360 days each). Divide 907, 200 days (2520 x 360 = 907,200) by 365.25 (the solar year to which we are accustomed) and you get 2,483.778 calendar years. So from 606 B.C. to the spring of 536 B.C. was seventy years of captivity under Babylonian rule. God's people then partially return in unbelief according to Cyrus' decree.

According to our logic, we add 2,483.8 calendar years to the year 536 B.C. (keeping in mind there was no year between 1 B.C. and 1 A.D.) we get:

May 14, 1948.

Israel's third captivity comes to a close and modern day Israel is reborn, exactly right on time.

Kudos to Grant Jeffrey

You didn't think I could come up with this all by myself did you? My research is based on Grant Jeffrey's book Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny. To be precise, Chapter 3: Ezekiel's Vision of the Rebirth of Israel in 1948 is where all this information is found.

So is Israel's Rebirth Really an al-Naqba/Disaster?

It is for those that oppose the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As the star of Bethlehem heralded the First Advent, the Star of David on Israel's flag heralds the Second Advent. No wonder the unbelievers are terrified! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Johnny Cash

Pentecost 2017 - May 10

May - A Month to Celebrate

Not only does yours truly celebrate a birthday this month, Israel was also born in May sixty years ago. Ezekiel, a servant of God, gives us a prophecy of the rebirth of modern Israel:

They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.' " (Ezekiel 37:25-28)

Jesus Himself taught that when things start happening quickly the generation that sees all these things will be the one to usher in the millenial reign (aka the sabbath):

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:32-35)

Does the Fig Tree Represent Modern Israel's Rebirth?

This one is a real mystery. Some will say yes, some no. I do not believe Jesus was talking specifically about the modern-day resurrection of Israel in the above passage. I do however believe that Israel's rebirth signifies the beginnings of the close of the church age. Now the age of grace did not end when Israel came into being in 1948. But (and this is a big but), I believe it commenced the countdown to the end of this age. If seventy years is the average human life span (knowing that all generations overlap with one another), then 25,200 days (70 prophetic years each comprised of 360 days) from May 15, 1948 to the year 2017/5777 strikes me as a very reasonable timetable.

Why the Number Seventy? A Top Ten List to Ponder

In 1988, some Bible scholars believed that Jesus (the bridegroom) would come for His church (the bride). That was based on the forty years that the Jews spent wandering in the desert. The year 1988 came and went and we're still waiting. I think these well-meaning individuals were half-right. The start point was right but the period of time was too short. So why 70 years instead? Consider the following:

1) The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all. (Exodus 1:5)

2) It was seventy elders of Israel along with Moses who confirmed the covenant with God (Exodus 24)

3) The offerings given for the dedication of the tabernacle had one silver plate weighing 130 shekels (fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering). The other silver plate weighed seventy shekels. Each one of the twelve tribes of Israel gave this offering.

4) Gideon had seventy sons in all. All seventy died as a result of the sins of Abimelech. (Judges 8,9)

5) Seventy men of Beth Shemesh were killed by God because they looked into the Ark of the Covenant. (1 Samuel 6:19)

6) Seventy sons of the house of Ahab were killed by Jehu (2 Kings 10)

7) King Hezekiah purified the temple with seventy bulls (and rams and male lambs) as a burnt offering. (2 Chronicles 29:32)

8) The Babylonians conquered the Israelites and left Jerusalem desolate for seventy years according to Jeremiah's prophecy. (Jer 25:11)

9) The length of our days is seventy years. (Psalm 90)

10) Daniel was given the the prophecy of Seventy 'Sevens'. (Daniel 9)

The number seventy is better associated with God's judgement than forty. What we see here is a theme of sanctification and purification from sin. Seven is the perfect number, ten (or five) is the complete number. God's perfection is multiplyed by His completeness (7 x 10 = 70). If ever there was a finite number to describe Him, seventy would be it.

So why Pentecost?

The church was born on Pentecost (see Acts 2). The Law was handed to Moses on Pentecost (also known as Shavuot). It is the very day (on two separate occasions) where Jewish ethics and the Christian faith were married. If God wanted to get our attention by removing His church, there's no better day to do it than on Pentecost/Shavuot. The year 2017 is also the Hebrew year of 5777. If both the Lord and the church are represented by the number 777, does not the year 5777 strike us as terribly important?

Mind you, I have been wrong before. Only time will tell if I am wise or foolish.

Johnny Cash

(Added Jan 29, 2009)
Postscript: Shavuot or the day of Pentecost in the year 5777/2017 falls on the 6th of Sivan/31st of May. Just thought I'd let you know!

Asking God For Silly Things - Apr 13

God does not need to answer a prayer He's already answered. If God says 'Yes' we don't need to 'check in' periodically to see if He has forgotten. It then becomes a question of His timing. This is not a minor theological point. Many a Christian believer has stumbled on this most basic doctrine. Here's but a few examples:

In the beginning was the Word ...

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

God is not unfamiliar with our frailties and infirmities. Jesus felt the cold and the heat. He's felt the pangs of hunger and thirsted for water. He knows intimately all of our unglamorous body functions. He knows what it's like to bleed, suffer and die. We don't need to ask God to come down from His heavenly abode to teach us His ways. He has and we still reject Him today.

Eternal Life

Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16b)

We don't need to ask God for eternal life over and over again. If we have truly put our faith in Christ our redemption is 100% certain. Once saved, always saved. All of our sins (past, present and future) are forgiven. There's nothing Satan delights in more than planting the seed of doubt as to our heavenly estate. In a world gone mad, our salvation ought to reassure us and give us peace of mind. It shouldn't be a constant source of worry. Even when you have a bad day, God still loves you. Got that?

Victory Over Sin

While we were sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

We don't need to ask God to give us victory over sin. Our victory over sin was achieved at the cross. When we humbly come to Him, our sins are remembered no more.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Cor 15:51-53)

We don't need to ask God for victory over death. When Jesus rose from the dead on that first Easter Sunday he proved His mastery over physical death. In like manner we too shall be raised incorruptible on the Last Day. Like I said, it's simply a question of His timing.

The Millenial Reign: The Golden Age of Humanity

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:2-3)

Why do I choose this interesting piece of scripture? What does the creation account have to do with the millenial reign of Christ? Everything as it turns out. Bible prophecy is not one of doom and gloom. It is first and foremost a study of redemption. That is what the sabbath represents. Does God need to 'rest'? No! But we do. The sabbath was made by God for Man, not the other way around.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)

Jesus Is Coming. Look Busy!

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Will you perish as Peter warns? Will you be amongst those mockers and scoffers? Human history isn't finished yet. Ours is a story having a distinct ending engineered by God Himself. He has seen the end from the beginning. His victory is complete and certain. Hallelujah!

Johnny Cash

When Nations Die - Apr 10

Terrible Times in the Last Days

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

A Nation's Life Cycle

Nations and empires actually do have "life cycles." This has been studied by many historians throughout the years and they all have come to about the same conclusion: a lifetime of about two centuries. And they all seem to go through the same life cycle: "from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependence back again into bondage (Alexander Tyler, 1750)."

And the trend is definitely downward. The article can be found in its entirety here.


Race Relations in 2008

Are we better off now than twenty years ago? There will always be racist and ignorant people out there who will persecute certain racial, ethnic and religious groups without cause. I do not believe however that America (meaning the West) is intrinsically racist. Given that Man's ignorance isn't going away anytime soon, the question becomes 'Do those attitudes represent the fringe or the mainstream?'. In 1911, Booker T. Washington made this statement still eerily relevant today:

"There is (a) class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. … There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public."

Please read Larry Elder's article in JWR for proper context.

Evolution and Godlessness

Darwinism and Marxism have to be two of the greatest poisons infecting the minds of young people today. Again, I do not profess to be an expert. Heck, I didn't even take biology in university! But I will say this with authority: When God and faith is pushed out, darkness and superstition fill the void. A nation divided (and in rebellion to God's authority) cannot stand. When evolutionists resort to stormtrooper tactics to shut down debates on intelligient design you know you're in trouble. Genuine scientific debate is dead in modern-day acadamia. 'Toe the line or else' is the threat issued to those who dare suggest that God played a role in our creation.

Last Word

Thank you Kathy for your kind correspondance. I've signed your petition and I'm going to ask others to do the same. Life is indeed precious for these little ones.

Johnny Cash

The EU, NATO and Nicolas Sarkozy - Apr 2

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's rise has not gone unnoticed by us Bible scholars particularly as it concerns Europe. Daniel gives us this prophecy of a kingdom that has at least partially arrived:

After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7:7)

The move towards greater military integration is the third step that the EU is about to take (the first being economic and the second political). France's move to re-join NATO represents a giant leap forward in end-time prophecy.

Johnny Cash

Nicolas Sarkozy Speaking in London


EU, NATO: Sarkozy's European Defence Plan
April 2, 2008

Summary

French President Nicolas Sarkozy not only wants to return France to NATO’s fold — he also wants to bring the European Union and NATO closer together. His plan for European defense involves close cooperation, rather than competition, between the European Union and NATO. If he can drum up support for his plan at the current NATO summit, Sarkozy will be in a much better position to earn support from EU members during France’s EU presidency in the latter half of 2008.

Analysis

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s vision for future defense relations between the European Union and NATO has become clearer in recent days. In addition to France’s reintegration as a full member of NATO’s military command (a topic to be discussed at the April 2-4 NATO summit), Sarkozy will seek support, especially from the United Kingdom and United States, for bringing the European Union closer to NATO. He hopes to convert the old dream of an autonomous EU army into a specialized European force operating in tandem with NATO.
In the past, Europe has suffered from two divisive impulses that weakened its collective security. On one hand, European countries recognized the absolute need for protection provided by the United States and its creation, NATO. On the other, many countries felt a desire for self-reliance and freedom from U.S. interests. France, under the leadership of Jacques Chirac, hoped to take advantage of this latter impulse of U.S. resentment by creating the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), which was to rival NATO as Europe’s defender while serving as an instrument of French power.

Now Sarkozy is redefining Europe’s security and defense strategy in a distinctly post-Gaullist and post-Chirac way.

He first signaled a break from previous French policy when he announced that he would bring France back into NATO as a full member. (France withdrew from the integrated command structure in 1966, though it increased participation under Chirac.) Some NATO members might grumble that France is a Johnny-come-lately, but most will be happy to have France back in the fold.

In addition to rejoining NATO, Sarkozy’s administration has devoted press time to proclaiming France’s partnerships with the United States and United Kingdom as “beacons of freedom” in the world. With Germany’s reunification and resurgence spurring competition, France is attempting to realign its interests with the Anglo-American alliance. Because France is a formidable military power on the Continent, European defense is an area where it can strengthen ties with its Anglo allies while one-upping Germany. Also, by the same means, France can send a clear message to Russia about European self-sufficiency.

But such an alliance means France must revise its concept of European defense. An independent EU army that is both financially sustainable and strategically effective is highly unlikely to develop. The European Union currently sustains troops in Bosnia and Chad and will soon rotate troops into Kosovo to replace U.N. peacekeepers. But these forces have strictly defined missions, little flexibility, minimal rapid deployment capacity and few resources. To build a coherent and enduring fighting force for all of Europe would require funds that no EU member has to spare. And as they stand, few EU armies could make a significant contribution to a pan-European army in terms of materiel and personnel. Of 300,000 troops available from NATO members, 290,000 are already committed. Sarkozy realizes these inherent limitations for the European Union’s defense structure and has therefore conceded that the ESDP cannot — and should not — rival NATO for military dominance.

But Sarkozy expects some returns for his renewed devotion to NATO. After Sarkozy’s recent talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, it is clear what Paris wants from London in exchange: British support in transforming the old dream of an independent EU army into a special European component under NATO’s aegis. In particular, France needs British approval to build a European military command headquarters on the Continent.

The advantages of a coordinated EU-NATO defense policy are manifold. First, member states of both organizations would be able to consolidate their military spending. (Only a few members are spending NATO’s recommended minimum 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense.) They would also avoid the costly redundancy of paying for the upkeep of both NATO and the ESDP. Moreover, all parties — even countries such as Turkey, which are involved in NATO but not the European Union — will save money when the European Union and NATO stop intentionally obstructing each other, as when France interfered with NATO’s attempts to acquire transport aircraft, for example.

But the most significant advantage of a closer EU-NATO partnership would come from uniting the European Union’s trade policy and civilian policing capabilities with NATO’s military might. The combined efforts of these two organizations would be considerably more difficult for countries from Sudan to Iran to resist.

As compensation for France’s return to NATO — especially in the interest of building a unified Western power capable of reaching the farthest corners of the globe to intervene economically and militarily — the United States will probably agree to assist Sarkozy in creating a European substructure within NATO.

Inevitably, major budgetary problems will challenge France’s plan for EU defense. But if Sarkozy and his ministers succeed in drumming up support at the ongoing NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, Paris will be in a much better position to cajole EU members in July, when it takes over the rotating EU presidency. Then Europe can begin bridging the chasm that has divided its defense structures for decades.