Signs of the Times

[HisDaughter]

cont....

Here we have a clear example of a prophecy about the end times that could never be understood apart from historical developments.

3) The Two Witnesses — Revelation 11 reveals that two great witnesses of God will preach in the city of Jerusalem during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Then, in the middle of that terrible period, the Antichrist will kill them.

We are further told that their dead bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 1/2 days and that all the people of the world will look upon them. How could that be? Prior to 1957 that prophecy was not understandable in natural terms. There was just no way that all the people of the world could look upon two dead bodies in the streets of Jerusalem.

All that changed on October 4, 1957 when the Russians sent up the first satellite called Sputnik. Today, 52 years later, our planet has many man-made satellites circling it, making possible all sorts of instantaneous communication.

When those two prophets lie dead in the streets of Jerusalem, all someone will have to do is point a TV camera at them, send the signal up to a satellite, and all the world will be able to look upon them. Once again, modern technology has made an ancient prophecy understandable for the first time.

4) The Nation of Israel — Revelation 12 focuses on the nation of Israel. It makes clear that in the middle of the Tribulation Satan will motivate and empower the Antichrist to annihilate the Jewish state and its people. A remnant of the Jews will flee into the "wilderness" where they will be supernaturally protected by the Lord (Revelation 12:14).

At the time the book of Revelation was written, Jerusalem had already been destroyed by the Romans and the worldwide distribution of the Jews had begun. Until the 20th Century, there was never any prospect that the nation of Israel would ever exist again. There were, of course, prophetic scholars who pointed to the many promises in Scripture that say the Jews will be regathered in the end times and the nation of Israel will be reestablished once more. But people laughed at these scholars and wrote them off as "dreamers" who were out of touch with reality.

Then, on May 14, 1948 the "dream" came true. The independence of the nation of Israel was proclaimed, and the Jewish state came back into existence for the first time in almost 2,000 years.

All the end time prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures make it clear that the Lord will return when the Jews are back in the land (Ezekiel 37) and back in their capital city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12). Jesus emphasized these two events in His teaching. He pointed to the reestablishment of the state in his fig tree parable (Matthew 24:32-35), and He stressed the importance of the reoccupation of Jerusalem in His Olivet Discourse (Luke 21:24). He stated point blank that when Jerusalem is no longer under Gentile control, all the end time events would take place. Jerusalem ceased to be under Gentile control on June 7, 1967.

The central piece of the end time world political puzzle is now in place for the first time.

5) The Image of the Beast — Revelation 13 says that the Antichrist's religious leader, the False Prophet, will make an image of the Antichrist that will appear to come alive and speak. This trickery will amaze most of the world's population and will cause many of them to give their allegiance to the Antichrist.

What is the explanation of this event? Many have concluded that Satan will empower the False Prophet to give the image life. But Satan does not have the power to create life. Satan is a liar and a deceiver.

So, again, how can the False Prophet give an image life? I don't see any way for him to do it apart from modern technology. The illusion can be created in several ways through the use of modern robotics or holograms.

In 1967 I took my family to Disneyland. We went into a theater where we saw a man who looked exactly like Abraham Lincoln get up out of his chair in stage center, walk to the edge of the stage, grab the lapels of his jacket, and proceed to quote the Gettysburg Address. When he finished, a lady behind me exclaimed, "Wasn't he a good actor!" He was not an actor. The "actor" was a robot.

That was forty years ago. Think what could be done today with the advances that have been made in robotics and computer technology.

A couple of years ago the Dallas Morning News reported that the governor of Texas had "appeared" at a technology conference being held at the University of Texas at Dallas. Actually, the governor's appearance consisted of a three dimensional hologram that was projected from his office in Austin, Texas!

I recently shared this hologram story at a Bible prophecy conference. When we opened up the session to questions, a man in the audience made the point that the hologram technology was nothing new. When I asked what he meant, he replied, "They've been doing that for years on Star Trek. Haven't you ever seen them stand on a special platform and say, 'Beam me up, Scotty'?"

6) The Mark of the Beast — Another prophecy in Revelation 13 that is dependent on modern technology is the famous one that states the Antichrist will control the world's economy by requiring people to bear his mark or name on their hand or forehead in order to buy or sell anything.

Again, how could this be possible before the invention of laser and computer technology combined with the positioning of orbital satellites?

Such technology is already greatly advanced. In the year 2000 when I was in London, I discovered that taxis in that city were being tracked by satellite. Semi-trucks here in America are being tracked in the same way. Veterinarians are advertising that they can implant microchips under your pet's skin. These chips can be read by a scanner in the event your dog or cat gets lost. It will only be a matter of time before a more advanced chip will enable your pet to be traced by satellite.

cont...

[HisDaughter]

cont...

We have almost become a cashless society, with most purchases being made by credit card. The problem with the cards is that they can be lost or stolen. A good solution would be to use a laser to put your credit card number on your hand in such a way as to be capable of being read by a scanner.

The point is that for the first time ever the technological tools are in place for the Antichrist to exercise control over the world's population.

7) The Euphrates River — Since all good prophecy teachers always have seven points, let me add another modern day sign from the book of Revelation.

As I mentioned previously, in chapters 9 and 16 we are told that an army of 200 million led by "the kings from the east" will march across Asia toward Israel during the Tribulation, most likely in revolt against the Antichrist. Revelation 16:12 indicates that this army will be held up at the Euphrates River until its water is suddenly dried up, enabling them to cross and proceed to the Valley of Armageddon.

Now, the Lord could dry up the water of the Euphrates River without any trouble at all, just as He parted the Red Sea for Moses and dried up the Jordan River for Joshua. But I think it is very interesting that this can now be accomplished over night through natural means. In 1990 Turkey completed the construction of the massive Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates, and they in fact cut off the flow of the river in order to fill up the lake behind the dam. This action almost resulted in a war with Iraq.

Other Unique Signs

The list of modern day signs given above is not an exhaustive one. They are simply some that I have pulled from the book of Revelation. There are others that are unique to our day and time that can be found in prophetic scriptures outside the book of Revelation. Let me just mention a few.

The first that comes to mind is the acceleration of life. In Daniel 12:4 we are told that the speed of transportation and the volume of knowledge will vastly increase in the end times. We have witnessed the fulfillment of this prophecy in our life time. When the 20th Century began, the vast majority of people were still traveling the same way they had been since the dawn of human history — namely, walking and riding a horse. Today we have autos, bullet trains, supersonic airplanes, and space ships. And all of this developed in only 80 years!

Similarly, the growth of knowledge has been overwhelming. Technical knowledge is doubling every two years. One edition of the New York Times Sunday edition contains more information than the average person in the 19th Century was exposed to in a life time! Through the World Wide Web, I can almost instantaneously access research resources all over the world. With the click of a computer key, I can go to the Vatican Library, and from there to the Library of Congress, and from there to the Jerusalem Museum.

The growth in communication speed is breathtaking. In the 19th Century it would have taken months for the news of the recent Mumbai terrorist attack in India to reach the United States. Even during the first half of the 20th Century it would have taken several days to a couple of weeks. But today, the news arrives instantaneously. Consider the years it took to reach a market audience of 50 million people: Radio, 38 years; Television, 13 years; Internet, 4 years; I-Pod, 3 years; and Facebook (an Internet sharing community), 2 years. That is truly exponential acceleration!

Spiritual Signs

Some of the most exciting signs that are unique to our day and age are spiritual ones. In Joel 2:28-32 we are told that there will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the end times, right before the return of the Lord. This chapter also tells us that this outpouring will occur after the Jews have been regathered to the land of Israel (Joel 2:18-28).

The nation of Israel was re-established in May of 1948. One year later the ministry of Billy Graham took off like a rocket, resulting in the Gospel being preached to more people than ever before in history. This important development was followed by the birth of the Charismatic Movement and the explosive growth of the Pentecostal Movement, both of which put an emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit and the importance of worship.

Spontaneously, all over the world, the Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11) began to be resurrected as churches returned to Davidic praise worship. This movement accelerated in the early 1980's when the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem started a yearly celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. Thousands of Christians came from all over the world, and many were introduced to Davidic worship for the first time. They took the concept home with them in their hearts and introduced it to their churches.

In like manner the Holy Spirit has empowered world evangelism. Seventy per cent of all the missions work done by the church in its two thousand year history has been accomplished since 1900. Seventy per cent of that has been done since 1948, and 70% of that has been accomplished in the last ten years! In other words, the proclamation of the Gospel is on an exponential curve.

Much of the modern increase in missions outreach is due to technology, through the use of radio, television, movies, satellites, and the Internet. In April of 1996 Billy Graham preached a sermon that was broadcast to 200 countries in 40 different languages. It is estimated that 2.5 billion people heard or saw the message. The presentation was followed-up with the distribution of 445 million pieces of literature in over a hundred languages.

"The Jesus Film" produced by Campus Crusade in 1979 has been shown to over 6 billion people worldwide. Based upon the Gospel of Luke, the film has been translated into over 1,000 languages and is currently being shown in almost every country in the world by more than 2,500 teams.

The "10/40 Window Project" has focused the attention of Christians to pray for the success of evangelistic efforts in the area across Africa and Asia from 10 degrees latitude north of the equator to 40 degrees latitude north of the equator. Of the 55 least evangelized countries, 97% of their population lives within this geographical window.

The result has been a great harvest of souls. More Muslims have come to Jesus in the past twenty years than in the previous one thousand years.

What we are witnessing in missions outreach is a fulfillment of Jesus' words when He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father" (John 14:12). The accelerated success of missions worldwide is also a partial fulfillment of a prophecy Jesus spoke in His Olivet Discourse: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come" (Matthew 24:14).

The Uniqueness of our Age
After reviewing the prophecies listed above, I don't think we need any handwriting on the wall to indicate to us that we are living in a unique age. Historical developments and technological inventions are making it possible for us to understand many end time prophecies for the first time.

Even the phenomenal success of Hal Lindsey's book, The Late Great Planet Earth, is a modern day sign of the times. Keep in mind that this book was the number one best seller in the world, with the sole exception of the Bible, for ten consecutive years, from 1970 to 1980 (as authenticated by Time Magazine). What was it that the Lord told Daniel? — "Seal it up to the end of time when those who have insight will understand."

The bottom line, my friends, is that we are living on borrowed time, because Jesus is coming soon!

[Barbara]

Hi grammyluv!! How are you?
Thought this was an interesting story for this thread:

"ABC's Alien Invasion Drama 'V' Is Too Real for the Obama Administration"
News Real Blog, Nov. 25, 2009

When I first heard liberals howling about anti-Obama messages in ABC's new sci-fi drama 'V' - I rolled my eyes...Any resemblence between the 44th president and 2 faced space lizards had to be coincidental...at least, that's what I thought before Sean Hannity aired clips from the new show.
...Hannity hightlights a scene in which an attractive, smooth talking 'V' representative sits down for an interview:
"V: Be sure not to ask anything that would paint us in a negative light.
Host: Excust me?
V: Don't ask any questions that would portray us negatively.
Host: This is just how it's done, I swear I'll be fair.
V: You'll need to be more than fair if you want to proceed. We can't be seen in a negative light...We want to provide complete medical services to all.
Host: You're talking about universal healthcare?
V: I believe that's what you call it, yes.
          Cont'd...

[Barbara]

Cont'd...
    Just prior to this TV interview, we learned that the smooth talking humanoids called the "Visitors" or simply "V", are really horrid, reptillian monsters who have taken human form in order to decieve all mankind. We further learn that these Reptillians plan to annnihilate all mankind under the guise of helping all mankind.
     Suddenly we see these deceptive reptilians announcing Universal Health Care, and we know that their real plan is to destroy all humans on this planet. Fast forward to Obama's proposals for Universal Health Care being sold on the same basic premise as the "Vistitors" are selling their massive health care plan, and you can easily make the connection.
    Obama's positive spin on his Universal Health Care might prove to be just as deadly to Americans as the health care of the "Visitors".
     No opponent of Obama's health care plan could have delivered such a body blow to his Fascist health care proposals. I was frankly speechless when that dialogue popped out! I guess that gov't censorship has not yet started.
     However, not so fast! Political repercussions over this type of dialogue seem to be unfolding. This shows producer has been demoted!
     "Naturally when a show debuts to huge ratings and mostly great reviews, the producer's career is golden. Not this time.                                        Cont'd...

[Barbara]

Cont'd...
Apparently the network...decided to replace the show runner Scott Peters before the pilot even aired. Peters has been demoted to the shows exec-producer, a largely honorary title..."
     Furthermore, last night, at the end of "V" the network stated that the series will resume in March, 2010. Evidently, it will take that much time to rewrite the script to conform to the new 'politically correct' guidelines.
     Now, let's examine another incidence in which the dialogue of "V" might have offened the Federal Gov't.
Last night, in the segment "Its Only the Beginning", the visitors spokeswoman, Anna, announced that the "V's" were going to begin offering a free innoculation to all humans in order to improve their health. Anna said that people could think of this vaccination as a 'vitamin supplement.'
     However, we learn that the real agenda behind this vaccination was to kill humans by the millions. As the FBI agent and her partner track the clues, they discover that the "Visitors" really plan to mix this deadly "vitamin supplement' in with the humans own seasonal flu vaccinations!"
     The FBI agent lament that humans are so easily decieved and vulnerable, because we have been conditioned to meekly accept vaccinatios --- even demand them--- for every slight illness which we face. This agent simply feels that humans are vulnerable because they are gullible and predictable.                                Cont'd...

[Barbara]

Cont'd...

Wow! We who oppose Swine Flu vaccination...could not have found a better way to warn people. This TV movie is warning people that they cannot blindly accept the promises of a government. This warning is especially pertinent when we realize that it is dedicated to the full goal of a New World Order..."

The above is very interesting...I'm sorry I didn't see the show!
     

[Shammu]

"ABC's Alien Invasion Drama 'V' Is Too Real for the Obama Administration"
News Real Blog, Nov. 25, 2009



"V: Be sure not to ask anything that would paint us in a negative light.
Host: Excust me?
V: Don't ask any questions that would portray us negatively.
Host: This is just how it's done, I swear I'll be fair.
V: You'll need to be more than fair if you want to proceed. We can't be seen in a negative light...We want to provide complete medical services to all.
Host: You're talking about universal healthcare?
V: I believe that's what you call it, yes.
          Cont'd...

Yes I watched the show and yes, it reminds me of Obamanation too.

I did like the original "V" better, corny, goofy, and silly yes. The original "V" also had a pretty good moral storyline.     But that is just my .02¢ worth...........

[Barbara]

Ten Students Suspended for "Kick a Jew" day in Florida
Jerusalem Prayer Team

:We expect anti-semitism to rear its ugly head in the radical Islaamic madrasses of Iran and Saudi Arabia. We've grown accustomed to pictures of Palestinian schoolchildren chanting "death to Israel". We've learned by bitter experience that hatred of the Jewish people is not a thing of the past. We don't expect to see it right here in America...but it is growing.

Ten middle school students in Naples, Florida, were suspended after taking part in what they called "Kick a Jew Day". School authorities assured worried parents that they were taking the incident seriously, and would institute "sensitivity training" and encourage students not to be bullies. "You have Jewish students being singled out, harrassed and assaulted," David Barkey of the Florida anti-defamation league told the Naples Daily News. And Rabbi James Perman, of Temple Shalom in North Naples, called the situation "alarming".

Didn't everyone say "Never Again" after WWII? 

[Soldier4Christ]

Didn't everyone say "Never Again" after WWII? 

Yes, and we heard those same words in regards to our Soldiers after Viet Nam. It is wonderful goal but with so much inheritant hatred it is not one that we will see until the return of Jesus.

[nChrist]

Ten Students Suspended for "Kick a Jew" day in Florida
Jerusalem Prayer Team

:We expect anti-semitism to rear its ugly head in the radical Islaamic madrasses of Iran and Saudi Arabia. We've grown accustomed to pictures of Palestinian schoolchildren chanting "death to Israel". We've learned by bitter experience that hatred of the Jewish people is not a thing of the past. We don't expect to see it right here in America...but it is growing.

Ten middle school students in Naples, Florida, were suspended after taking part in what they called "Kick a Jew Day". School authorities assured worried parents that they were taking the incident seriously, and would institute "sensitivity training" and encourage students not to be bullies. "You have Jewish students being singled out, harrassed and assaulted," David Barkey of the Florida anti-defamation league told the Naples Daily News. And Rabbi James Perman, of Temple Shalom in North Naples, called the situation "alarming".

Didn't everyone say "Never Again" after WWII? 

I'd like to know what insane thoughts these 10 students are using to arrive at their hate. Whatever it is, it's warped.

[Barbara]

Warped is right, blackeyedpeas!!!! What my dad fought against in WWII is all coming back again 

Here's another 'warped' event...

Newsmax.com

Schools Complain Over Supplies with Obama Logo
Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, 4:21 pm

COLUMBIA, Mo -- Several Missouri schools are complaining about notebooks and pencils with designs similar to the logos from Obamas campaign. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that complaints from unhappy officials at 3 Missouri schools have prompted the supply company responsible for the materials to travel across the state recalling notebooks and pencils.

     The design at issue includes a picture of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Above the coins is the phrase "CHANGE" and underneath it reads: "WE CAN BELIEVE IN". Below the words is a circle used by Obama's campaign in which the top half is blue and the bottom is red with 3 white lines passing through it.
     
     At least one notebook and pencil with the design have been purchased from a school supply machine at a Columbia Elementary school! Two families have complained about the design, and principal Mary Sue Gibson said she planned to complain to the supply company."         

[Soldier4Christ]

Warped is right, blackeyedpeas!!!! What my dad fought against in WWII is all coming back again 

Here's another 'warped' event...

Newsmax.com

Schools Complain Over Supplies with Obama Logo
Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, 4:21 pm

COLUMBIA, Mo -- Several Missouri schools are complaining about notebooks and pencils with designs similar to the logos from Obamas campaign. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that complaints from unhappy officials at 3 Missouri schools have prompted the supply company responsible for the materials to travel across the state recalling notebooks and pencils.

     The design at issue includes a picture of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Above the coins is the phrase "CHANGE" and underneath it reads: "WE CAN BELIEVE IN". Below the words is a circle used by Obama's campaign in which the top half is blue and the bottom is red with 3 white lines passing through it.
     
     At least one notebook and pencil with the design have been purchased from a school supply machine at a Columbia Elementary school! Two families have complained about the design, and principal Mary Sue Gibson said she planned to complain to the supply company."         

More indoctrination in the schools.

[nChrist]

This indoctrination stuff is impossible to stomach. In my opinion, all parents should stand up and say NO! to all of it in any form. I also firmly believe that all Christian parents should organize their lives so that changes can be made if homeschooling becomes necessary. FIRST, all parents should know ALL that is going on in public schools. This is a duty we have to our children. It could easily become a necessity to use alternatives to public schools. All parents should be educating themselves and preparing for those alternatives. START NOW AND BE READY!

[Barbara]

Amen blackeyedpeas!

    As homeschoolers ourselves we're very aware of this administration's hostility toward those of us who believe in Jesus Christ and want a Christian upbringing for our children. We get law updates from our homeschool legal defense team often, and know that things are moving very fast toward outlawing homeschool, just as they did in Germany. It is disgusting! We've lost our country but they cannot take away our faith or what we've already taught our children!!!!!!!!!

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!!!

[Barbara]

More 'Signs of the Times' from Bill Koenig, a believer in Jesus Christ, a White House reporter, and the author of 'Eye to Eye':

"...The most recent major hurricane seasons were 2004, 2005, and 2008 - the three years the President G W Bush Administration was actively pursuing the dividing of the land of Israel. Dr. Gray is one of the top hurricane experts in the world.
     Interestingly, Tropical Storm Ida began on Nov. 4, 2009, 48 hours after Hillary Clinton met with Arab leaders in Morocco on Nov. 2 - and 24 hours after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Nov. 3.
     On Mon. Nov 2, Clinton praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for taking "positive steps" towards peace talks with Israel, while suggesting that Israel could do more. Her remarks came amidst criticism from the Arab world that she had sided with Israel by calling their offer to limit, but not halt, settlement growth an unprecedented step forward.
     Ida hit the southern Gulf Coast on Nov. 9, the day Netanyahu met with Obama at the White House. Ida then moved up the east coast of  the US.                   
                        Cont'd...