THE END DAYS! - FOOTSTEPS OF THE MESSIAH!

[nChrist]

Mystery Babylon ... What's The Mystery?
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps Of The Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

    Where Are They Coming From?

    OK, so we know where the basket is going, but where will the stork-women be taking it from? According to many scholars the woman in Zechariah's basket is the woman from Revelation 17, Rome. At the end of the age, after all its true believers have been whisked away in the Rapture, the religious system currently headquartered in Rome will be returned to Babylon from whence it came, to be absorbed into antichrist's one world religion. (The European Union will also be absorbed, but into antichrist's one world government, bringing the world's political, commercial, and religious power together under one central authority.)

    Zechariah's visions followed Babylon's defeat by the Persians. And almost from his day to ours, Babylon was a forgotten city. Although Alexander the Great later lived and died there, his plan to dredge a big harbor to lure Persian Gulf boat traffic to Babylon was never implemented. After his death a natural harbor was found on the Tigris River and soon became the regional center of commerce Alexander had envisioned. The city that grew up around this harbor was named Baghdad. Although only about 62 miles (100 km) away, Babylon slowly faded into obscurity dwindling to as few as 10,000 inhabitants. It was never again a center for government, commerce, and religion, but neither was it ever destroyed as Revelation 17-18, Isaiah 13-14 and Jeremiah 50-51 all prophesy. These events are still in our future.

    Babylon Re-born

    As I indicated earlier, Saddam Hussein has spent millions restoring ancient Babylon into a ceremonial city, perhaps unknowingly preparing it for its final role in world events. Since the Lord is committed to doing all that He's promised (Isaiah 46:8-11), when the time is right the basket symbolizing the world's wickedness will be set in the place prepared for it on the plains of Shinar. And then the ancient City of Babylon will once again become the world headquarters for the three great evils of mankind's design:

    Government which enslaves men politically;

    Commerce which enslaves us economically; and

    Religion which enslaves us spiritually.

    Does the City of New York deserve to be judged? Absolutely, along with the rest of America, and most of the world for that matter. But is New York the Mystery Babylon of Revelation 17-18? I hope this article has persuaded you otherwise. But to be sure, become a Berean and search the Scriptures daily to see whether these things be true. (Acts 17:11) 05-16-04

[nChrist]

An In Depth Look at the Modern Equivalent to Biblical Names in Ezekiel 38
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Many of the nations we hear about in today's news existed in ancient times but under different names. By using the ancient names for the countries He prophesied about, the Lord made possible the use of scripture to interpret scripture. Much of the information below can be gained by referencing Genesis 10, the so-called Table of Nations, in a good study Bible. Learning the modern names of the nations whose founding families are listed there really helps connect Bible prophecy to current events.

Gog

I believe that Gog is a supernatural being (showing up in the battle of Ezekiel 38 and the final battle at the end of the Millennium) perhaps Satan's counter part to Michael the Arkangel. There is an obscure reference in the Septuagint translation of the Book of Amos in 7:1 to a Gog, King of the Locusts, for what that's worth. You won't find any hint of this in translations rendered into English from Hebrew. You can only get there from the Greek (Septuagint) translation. But with no connection to any physical territory or people as there is with Magog and the others named in Ezekiel 38, and with Biblical appearances so far apart in time, there's good reason to believe that Gog is a non-human character, one of Satan's own.

Magog

In contrast, there are over 130 historical references tying Magog to the ancient Scythians (they defeated Saul at the battle of Beth Shean and nailed his body to the gate of the city). The Great Wall of China was known as the "Ramparts of Magog" in ancient times and was built to protect China from Magog. Some see a striking similarity between what's known about the Scythians and the Mongol Hordes of Genghis Khan. Magog was a son of Japeth and inhabited central Asia. His children, the Scythians, are the ancestors of today's Russian people.

Meshech and Tubal

These two were brothers of Magog and are linked to the same general area, but more likely with the Turkic people. Josephus associated Meshech with Cappadocia, home of the ancient Hittite Empire in Eastern Turkey.

Persia

This one's easier because the name changed to Iran in our memory.

Cush and Put

These two were sons of Ham and brothers to Mizraim (which means "two Egypts") and Canaan. Narrowly they are called Ethiopia (Cush) and Lybia (Put) but both were in possession of much larger territory in the past. The word Cush has a Hebrew root meaning black, and can be representative of the black races of Africa, while Put can represent the north part of the continent; Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, etc. Note that all are sons of Ham and therefore not Semitic. The common denominator among African nations is religion (Islam) not race (Arab).
___________________________________

[nChrist]

An In Depth Look at the Modern Equivalent to Biblical Names in Ezekiel 38
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Gomer

Another son of Japeth and brother to Magog, Gomer inhabited the Rhine and Danube valleys, and can be associated with Eastern Europe of today.

Beth Togarmah

Beth means house in Hebrew. Togarmah was a son of Gomer. The Armenians of today call themselves the House of Togarmah. The Turks (but not the Kurds, who are the ancient Medes of Media-Persia fame) are also included.

Sheba and Dedan

These two are first mentioned as grandsons of Cush in Genesis 10:7. Later, in Genesis 25:3, we read of two grandsons of Abraham's named Sheba and Dedan as well, born to Jokshan, a son of Abraham and his 2nd wife, Keturah. It's not clear which pair of grandsons is being referenced, but commentaries none-the-less identify these two as probably representing the nations of the Arabian Peninsula, notably Saudi Arabia.

According to archaeologists W. F. Albright and Wendell Phillips, Sheba was on the southwestern edge of the Arabian Peninsula across the Red Sea from present-day Ethiopia. The Queen of Sheba visited Israel in the time of Solomon. Sheba is also known in history as Saba. The Sabeans conducted trade in spices with the other peoples of the ancient world.

Dedan was probably the habitat of the Arabs on the northern part of the Arabian Desert, which is modern-day Saudi Arabia. The ancient capital of Saudi Arabia is still called Dedan on many maps today.

Tarshish

Tarshish was a son of Javan, who settled the area of Southern Greece. There are three schools of thought where Tarshish is concerned. One view locates Tarshish to the East, accessible from Solomon's great seaport at Ezion Geber on the Red Sea. Since Javan and his family traveled north and west from Babel at the confusion of tongues, it seems unlikely. Large sea going vessels were often nicknamed "Ships of Tarshish" and more likely this is how Tarshish came to be linked with Ezion Geber, since both Solomon and Hezekiah built such vessels there. Others see this as a reference to ancient Tartessus, a seaport in southern Spain, near Gibraltar. Still others recall the sea going navies of the Phoenicians, who operated Ships of Tarshish out of nearby Cadiz and sailed as far north as England for tin, a metal used in the making of bronze and other alloys, which they mined in Cornwall. Some believe that the name Britannia is actually derived from a Phoenician word meaning "source of tin." If so, since the ships of Tarshish brought tin to the ancient world, this reference could be to Great Britain making the "lions" (KJV) or "villages"(NIV) of Tarshish Great Britain's colonies, of which the US is most prominent today. The fact that the lion is a symbol of the British Empire lends support to this view.

Summary

Again, it's instructive to view the common motivator as religion, not race. Some years ago, an editorial in the Jerusalem Post outlined the "Arab" plan as being composed of two phases. Phase one was to gain as much as possible through the inexpensive negotiating process while simultaneously weakening Israel and strengthening the Moslem coalition. Phase two, after no more negotiated gain can be made, is to go to war for the rest.

[nChrist]

The Table of Nations
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

This is a work in process. Over the years I've collected bits of information from here and there as I've studied Genesis 10 and Ezekiel 38-39.

Frequently the Lord used these ancient names to identify countries to be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy. Learning their modern identities is often helpful in relating these prophecies to current events.

Genesis 10:1-32

1. This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons, who themselves had sons after the flood.

2. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, (Eastern Europe, and along the Rhine and Danube valleys) Magog, (Georgia, Russia) Madai, (Medes, now Kurds, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan) Javan, (Greece) Tubal, and Meshech (Turkey and The Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union, S. E. of the Black Sea) Tiras.. (Etruscans now Italy)

3. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, (Germany) Riphath (a corruption of this word translates into Europe) and Togarmah. (Turkey again as well as Armenia)

4. The sons of Javan: Elishah, (Sicily) Tarshish, (England or perhaps Spain) Kittim (Cyprus) Rodanim. (Rhodes).

5. From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.

6. The sons of Ham: Cush, (Black Africa) Mizraim (Egypt) Put (Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, North Africa) Canaan (Phoenicia, now Lebanon, and the nations Israel defeated in the Promised Land)

7. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah Sabteca. (These may represent the Black African nations) The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. (The people of the southern Arabian Peninsula. Abraham also had 2 grandsons by these names through a son born to his 2nd wife Ketura. Sheba in known in secular history as Saba home of the Sabeans and Dedan was the ancient capitol of what's now Saudi Arabia)

8. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth.

9. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD."

10. The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar.

11. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah

12. and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

13. Mizraim (Mizraim means two Egypts and refers to both Upper (south) and Lower (north) parts where these people lived) the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,

14. Pathrusites, Casluhites (Philistines) and Caphtorites. (Crete)

15. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, (The following tribes are all mentioned as either Canaanite or Amorite nations who inhabited the promised land)

16. Jebusites, (original inhabitants of Jerusalem) Amorites, Girgagotcha2es,

17. Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, (possibly became the Chinese, see Isaiah 49:12)

18. Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.
________________________________________

[nChrist]

The Table of Nations
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Later the Canaanite clans scattered

19. and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. (The land of Lebanon, Israel, and western Jordan)

20. These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

21. Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber (this name is the root of the word Hebrew).

22. The sons of Shem: Elam, (Persia, now Iran) Asshur, (Assyria, now Syria) Arphaxad, (North Eastern Iran) Lud and Aram. (Damascus, also Syria)

23. The sons of Aram: Uz, (the land of south western Jordan) Hul, Gether and Meshech.

24. Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber.

25. Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; (when the continents as we know them were formed) his brother was named Joktan.

26. Joktan (Joktan means "of no account." His sons probably settled in the Arabian Peninsula) was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

27. Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

28. Obal, Abimael, Sheba, (Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, probably Yemen)

29. Ophir, Havilah and Jobab.

30. The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.

31. These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

32. These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood. (Genesis 10:1-32) Please see also my commentary on Ezekiel 38-39, (An In Depth Look at the Modern Equivalent to Biblical Names in Ezekiel 38 ) for further information on the countries also listed there.

[nChrist]

My Kingdom is Not of This World
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

I know I've departed from my usual bible study format for several weeks now, but with recent world events I've been led to focus on their relevance to Ezekiel 38-39. As you know I believe the battle described by Ezekiel there is the next major event on God's prophetic timetable and may trigger the Rapture of the Church. There certainly were some interesting developments again this week. I'll list them and offer comment from the perspective of Ezekiel 38-39 where appropriate. I haven't seen any report on some of these in the main line media, and think their occurrence is noteworthy.

Airliner Crash In The Black Sea

A Siberian Airlines jetliner with mostly Israeli passengers exploded and crashed into the Black Sea this week shortly after taking off from Tel Aviv. An attempt to blame the explosion on a stray Ukrainian surface to air missile has not worked and terrorism is the most likely cause. In a highly unusual situation Israeli Prime Minister Sharon harshly accused the US of sacrificing Israel in an attempt to appease the Arab world, comparing Israel to the situation of Czechoslovakia prior to WW2. The US reacted angrily and Sharon back tracked. Turns out both Russia and Israel had agreed to attribute the cause of the Siberian jet crash to terrorism, but the US found out and talked them out of it, advancing the Ukrainian missile theory as a plausible cover. President Bush didn't want to give the Israelis cause to mount a punitive attack against the terrorists and take the world's focus off the impending US attack against Afghanistan. It was this demand by the US that really prompted Sharon's comments, especially since it came right on the heels of the admission that US policy supports the creation of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its shared capital. Of course in the grand scheme of things, Sharon's right. All the nations of the world will eventually line up against Israel (Zechariah 12:3)

Retaliation In The US

Speaking of the US attack on Afghanistan, nearly every expert in the world agrees that more violence on US soil (both coasts this time) will follow our retaliation against bin Laden. Our response to the recent terrorism was anticipated by bin Laden and counter attacks were planned even in advance of the one on the World Trade Center. Experts believe the terrorists are already in place and await only our move on Afghanistan. Soon there will come a backlash as US civilian casualties mount and the idea surfaces that they're due to our support of Israel. This will be an erroneous assumption since bin Laden sees the US as the single greatest obstacle to radical Islam's goal of world domination, but that notion won't wash in our politically correct world. Being mostly secular humanists, Americans aren't ready to see the religious implications of this war, so blaming Israel will be the acceptable alternative.

Syria On The UN Security Council

Syria, claimed by 5 successive US presidents to be a state sponsor of terrorism will likely be voted on to the UN Security Council for a 2 year term tomorrow. The US will abstain from the vote but make no effort to block the appointment. We're hoping Syria will "change its spots" according to a State Dept. Spokesperson. No word yet on what the US will require of Syria to sit this one out, but Syria is in current violation of every provision of the Security Council's recently issued anti-terrorism declaration. Syria is missing from the roster of countries Ezekiel lists in his anti-Israel coalition, so maybe the State Department is right. Watch this one.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

My Kingdom is Not of This World
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Arafat Warned

Yassar Arafat was warned this week by Colin Powell to either start keeping his commitments or face a shift in US policy. About time. The current broken promise of a cease fire is the 6th Arafat promise that Israel has honored without much more than a merely symbolic and very temporary reduction of violence in return.

And Two Of The Most Alarming Developments

   1. Russian President Putin and US President Bush have agreed to bring tactical nukes onto the battlefield. Russia is already set to use them in Chechnya against bin Laden backed rebels there, and the US will use them in response to any chemical or biological attack on US troops or if its deemed the only way to avoid massive US casualties. And...

If My People Who Are Called By My Name

This currently popular passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 is being widely misinterpreted in the church today and smacks of replacement theology (appropriating promises made to Israel by the Church). Nowhere in the Bible does God promise to heal or preserve America. In fact a strong case can be made that He never mentions the US at all. It's a measure of our arrogance that causes us to presume He does. The passage is spoken to Israel, and His promise to heal their land is a core value of Jewish eschatology. Israel is the world's first and only Theocracy; a nation whose King is God. Israel is the only nation in history whose political boundaries and national existence are inextricably woven into their theology, and are promised by God to be eternal in nature.

So where does that leave America? Well the Bible does speak of temporary revivals in gentile nations that delays judgment upon them. The Book of Jonah describes such a case (read the Book of Nahum for the ultimate outcome). The US is a nation founded upon Christian Principles and has been blessed accordingly. The fact that we've abandoned these principles makes us ripe for judgment. Perhaps prayer and revival can delay that judgment, perhaps not. Maybe it's already begun. As Christian Americans we should not confuse patriotism for our country with faith in the promises of our God. The only place on Earth we're told to ask peace for is Jerusalem. The peace promised to the Church comes in the rapture, when we're removed to our real home.

What Country Do You Come From?

Remember that our Lord, speaking of His Church said that it was "not of this world." It's another, perhaps ultimate example of things in the Old Testament being external and physical, and pointing to counterparts in the New Testament that are internal and spiritual (read The Law is Only a Shadow). It is true that as Christians we are a people called by His name, but not all of us (perhaps not even many) are Americans. The Church as a Kingdom knows no earthly boundaries and our permanent dwelling place is not in this world. Our home is the New Jerusalem, the Jerusalem that is above and is free (Galatians 4:26) whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10). God will deal with America as He sees fit. Our prayer is not that He should save America, but that He should forgive our sins and save our souls, that we may dwell in His Kingdom forever. And in the time left to us here that we should be empowered to help Him bring as many as possible with us when He calls us to our real home. Better hurry, you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

[nChrist]

There's a New Day Coming
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. (Zechariah 14:1-9)

In view of the escalation of fighting in Israel, another look at how (and when) this conflict will end is in order. Let's take these nine verses individually.

1) A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. The phrase "day of the Lord" begins as a reference to the time of The Great Tribulation and is progressively narrowed down to the actual day the Lord arrives on the Mount of Olives to establish His Kingdom. The plunder spoken of is the city itself, Jerusalem, and the phrase "among you" literally means in your midst or in front of your faces. It appears the city will be divided yet again, and by foreigners, perhaps in the course of negotiations to end the current conflict.

2) I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. The phrase "all the nations" points to a time in the future when all Israel's allies will have abandoned her. Many place this time after the Rapture of the Church, when the Christian influence that keeps the US and some other western countries allied with Israel will have disappeared. If so the reference is to the time of the Great Tribulation

But it is also possible that even some nations who consider themselves friends of Israel will act in such way as to betray her, in the name of peace for instance. The current "peace plan" being floated by Saudi Arabia is a good example. The world is so desperate for any idea that will bring peace that this plan, initially offered as nothing more than a PR gesture by a country that has finally had to admit that most of the 9-11 terrorists were Saudis, and that it was Saudi Arabian money that purchased the cargo of arms bound for the Palestinians and intercepted by Israel, has received favorable attention from almost every government, even those friendly to Israel. It calls for Israel to return to pre 1967 borders in exchange for recognition by the Arab world. These borders are militarily indefensible for Israel, and yet this proposal is being hailed as a genuine step toward peace. Israel's pre 1967 borders, by the way, went thru the center of Jerusalem and so 1/2; of it was actually in Jordan. A return to pre 1967 borders would again divide Jerusalem. Is this what is meant by 1/2; of the city going into exile? Or is this a reference to the flight of believers from the city at the start of the Great Tribulation? (Matt. 24:16-21) Time will tell.

3) Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. This is a clear reference to the Lord's role as Israel's real commander-in-chief just as He was through out the Old Testament.

4) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. The Lord in this reference is King Jesus, returning just as He said He would, to the very spot from which He left (Acts 1:10-11). His return triggers an earthquake that creates an East / West cleft as the Mount of Olives is split in two. The geological fault line along which this split occurs has been discovered and runs from the Mediterranean east to the Dead Sea. Its presence prohibited the Intercontinental Hotel (now called the Seven Arches Hotel) from being built on the brow of the Mount of Olives as originally planned. It was re-located to the south and built on more stable ground where it stands today.

5) You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. The cleft creates a route of escape for those fleeing the battle. They will flee in fear for their lives, just as their ancestors did in the ancient past (Uzziah reigned from 792-740 BC in the time of Isaiah). The phrase Holy Ones is used 13 times in the Bible: 6 times its translated saint, 4 times holy and 3 times holy ones. Most evangelical scholars conclude that this reference includes both perfected saints and angels.

6-7) On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. The absence of light from the Sun for even a day would normally cause freezing temperatures, but this day is unique in all of creation: warmth without light. The fact that evening brings light is reverse to all we know, but Revelation 21:23 explains that in New Jerusalem there is no need for the Sun or Moon for the Glory of God gives us light. Perhaps the same is true here. By referring to daytime, nighttime, and evening this verse describes a 24-hour period of time. The actual day the Lord arrives.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

There's a New Day Coming
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

8 ) On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. Ezekiel 47:1-12 explains that fresh water will flow constantly from under the south end of the Temple and will fill the newly created valley with water that becomes a great river flowing west to the Mediterranean and East to the Dead Sea. A line drawn due west from the place on the Mount Of Olives where Jesus departed would pass through the Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount. If so the earthquake triggered by the Lord's return will destroy the current Temple Mount and place it at the bottom of the great river. Only a Temple constructed some place other than the Temple Mount would survive to provide the necessary water on the Day the Lord arrives. (read The Coming Temple)

9) The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. Reminiscent of Philippians 2:9-11, this verse tells us that eventually there will be peace in the Middle East and indeed the whole world, for the Prince of Peace will have become King of the whole Earth. Until then mankind will struggle in vain, grasping at one false hope after another, because if the truth be known the very existence of Israel is a cause for war in the Middle East.

But the Lord promised that after He re-gathered His people to Israel for the 2nd time He would never disperse them again (Isaiah 11:11 & Amos 9:11-15). This re-gathering began in 1948 and continues to this day. One day soon He will reveal himself to them and to the world in an undeniable way (Ezekiel 39:1-7) drawing every living Jew to Israel (Ezekiel 39:28 ) to re-establish His covenant and re-build His Temple.

But a false messiah will emerge and lead the world astray again. He will stand in the Temple proclaiming himself to be God and millions will be deceived (2 Thessalonians 2:4). For a time it will appear as if peace has come, but while people are saying "peace and safety" destruction will come upon them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:3) as the Lord returns to defeat this usurper and those who have joined him. Then The Lord will finally be King over the whole Earth, having taken possession of that which He redeemed with His own blood, shed on Calvary's cross. If you listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

[nChrist]

The Powerful Delusion
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
Commentary by Jack Kelley

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure - the Mahdi (divinely guided one) - is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Iran could trigger the kind of global conflagration he believes will be necessary to set the stage for the Mahdi's return.

The Mahdi is said to have gone into "occlusion" in the year 941 AD, at the age of five. In other words he vanished, literally. Shiite Moslems believe he will reappear at the end of the Age. This reappearance will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed. After a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace.

This is obviously similar to Christian eschatology. Indeed, the Hidden Imam, as he's also called, is expected to return in the company of Jesus. Iran's dominant "Twelver" sect believes the Mahdi will be Mohammed ibn Hasan, regarded as the 12th Imam, or righteous descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims to have communicated with him.

Mr. Ahmadinejad believes that his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, is to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance." Some people working closely with Ahmadinejad believe this could happen within the next two years.

Portions of the above were excerpted from recent World Net Daily and UK Telegraph articles and give us a glimpse into the motivation underlying Iran's current hard line. But there's more.

"Signs and wonders" lie behind this messianic fervor. Listen as Ahmadinejad himself explains what happened during his recent speech at the UN. He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn't the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven.

"On the last day when I was speaking, one of our group told me that when I started to say 'Bismillah Muhammad,' he saw a green light come from around me, and I was placed inside this aura," he says. "I felt it myself. I felt that the atmosphere suddenly changed, and for those 27 or 28 minutes, all the leaders of the world did not blink. When I say they didn't move an eyelid, I'm not exaggerating. They were looking as if a hand was holding them there, and had just opened their eyes - Alhamdulillah!"

"Ahmadinejad's "vision" at the U.N. is strangely reminiscent and alarmingly similar to other statements he has made about his personal role in ushering in the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah," the reports conclude.

He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Daniel 9:27)

The Prophet Daniel spoke of a seven-year rule by one who brings about Earth's final judgment over 1000 years before Mohammed fashioned the religion we know as Islam. And as is the case with Shiite beliefs, Daniel's ruler apparently arrives on the heels of a great battle between the forces of good and evil as well. How else would he be able to use the promise of peace to deceive the world? (Daniel 8:25)

According to Revelation 13, this ruler and his false prophet force the world into a common religion, killing all who resist. Shiites agree, insisting the religion will be Islam, and that in the process all the Jews and Romans (Christians) will be put to death.
_____________________________________

[nChrist]

The Powerful Delusion
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
Commentary by Jack Kelley

Good News And Bad News

The prophecies are similar to the point of being scary. In fact the only discernable difference lies in one fact. Whereas Daniel and other Biblical figures who prophesied of this coming ruler viewed him as the ultimate expression of evil, indwelt by Satan himself, Shiites see him as a force for good, ushering in a glorious age of worldwide Islamic rule.

This difference is the sprouting seed of the powerful delusion Paul spoke of in 2 Thessalonians 2:11. He said that during that last seven years the world will experience a total reversal of perception from that of its Judeo-Christian past. Consider these two passages from the Revelation as confirmation.

Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"(Revelation 13:4) The dragon is Satan and the beast is the anti-Christ.

Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. (Revelation 16:10-11)

As they clearly show, the End Times world will worship Satan and curse God. This reversal of perception is the product of a heresy called the Luciferian Doctrine. Simply put it holds that Lucifer, the angel of light (in Latin, Lucifer means light bearer) is desperately trying to bring mankind through his final phase of evolution, the spiritual phase, into the Utopia he longs for, but is being thwarted in his efforts by the evil Adonay (from the Hebrew Adonai, which means Lord) who wants to destroy man. As you can see, it's the exact opposite of the truth.

This doctrine will permeate the One World religion of Daniel's 70th Week. Because of the dramatic manifestations of supernatural signs and wonders during that time, the last vestiges of the godless secular humanism will finally die. Satan, who during our age has been content with giving anyone but God credit for the Creation of Earth and Man, will begin demanding credit for himself. And having refused to love the truth, man, who needs to believe in someone greater than himself, will be fair game for this lie.

The Luciferian Doctrine explains the difference between Shiite eschatology and Bible Prophecy. The god of Islam is not the God of the Bible, after all, and besides man, there's only one other created being who aspires to be God.

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD." (Amos 8:11) The man who doesn't stand for something will fall for anything, the saying goes, so after the church disappears and the famine of God's word prophesied by Amos takes hold, there'll be a real longing for something to believe in on Earth. The Luciferian Doctrine will fit the bill nicely, especially when its two leading proponents, the anti-Christ and the False Prophet, will seem to have such supernatural power.

Mahmoud The Zealot

The introduction of religious zeal, counterfeit though it may be, into world events is the most dramatic proof since 1948 of the nearness of the end. In the final days of Communism, when folks thought Gorbachev was the anti-Christ, they overlooked the absence of this critical component. Coming from the perspective of the Modern Rationalism of the 50's, where God wasn't very real anymore, the godless Soviet enemy seemed sufficient to fulfill prophecy. And yet, the Bible speaks of powerful spiritual contention at the end. After all the final battle is fought and won in the spiritual realm. It just takes place on Earth. It's clear that the end of the age has to include intense, conflicting, spiritual components.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a religious zealot of the first magnitude. By his statements, it's clear that he believes his Mahdi is coming soon, and that he has been chosen to have his country ready to receive him. An old Islamic saying goes, "When the students are ready, the teacher will come." And he himself recently declared, "We don't shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world." A man with that kind of zeal, given the kind of power he has, will not hesitate to plunge the world into chaos to hasten the day of his lord.

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7) But remember this, dear friends. Before the powerful delusion can truly take hold, the truth has to disappear. The repository for truth in this age is the church, so when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28 ) If you listen closely, you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 2-5-06

[nChrist]

Signs of the Times ... Times of the Signs
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
Perspective by Jack Kelley

The Pharisees and Saducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, "When evening comes you say 'It will be fair weather for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the signs of the sky but cannot interpret the signs of the times." (Matthew 16:1-3).

Events are moving at such a rapid pace just now that it seems appropriate to stop again and bring you a summary of the week from a prophetic viewpoint. We should closely watch these "signs of the times", because it's becoming more and more obvious that we are living in the "times of the signs".

Run-up To War

Get ready, be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. (Ezekiel 38:7-38a)

Every person alive on the planet (everyone who doesn't hold a high executive or diplomatic office in Israel or one of the Western Countries, that is) knew exactly what would happen from the day the Israeli government first announced its intention to withdraw from Gaza. And it has.

Thursday, June 14, 2007, world news and intelligence sources reported that Hamas has gained control of Gaza and all of its border crossings with Israel and Egypt. Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abbas has dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency.

The west's "voice of moderation" among the Palestinians has been dealt a serious blow. Don't get me wrong, the PA is every bit as committed to Israel's demise as Hamas, and its Fatah terrorists are every bit as deadly. But they've convinced western diplomats that they're more open to dialog than Hamas in an effort to keep the money coming in.

And come in it will. In an attempt to put the best face on things, the US has indicated it will now lift the boycott on aid to the PA as a reward for forming a new government without Hamas. And Israel is rejoicing that it has a "peace partner" once again. Nonetheless, Israel now also has a strong neighbor on its southern border publicly committed to its total annihilation by any means possible. Additionally this neighbor has the unqualified support of Iran, a nation with the expressed intention of wiping Israel off the map.

By now it should be clear to everybody that Iran will not stop until it has Israel completely surrounded. Some on site observers believe that Hamas will be ordered into the West Bank next, where they'll continue their fight until they've gained total control of all of the Palestinian Territory.

At the same time Iran, with help from Syria, will obtain similar control on Israel's Northern border by marginalizing the Lebanese government and treating Hezbollah as Lebanon's de-facto military. The next step in this process is to have Hezbollah confront the UN forces who've been stationed there to keep them away from Israel's borders. They're betting that the UN will back down, again. That will give a revived and strengthened Hezbollah free reign in southern Lebanon where 20,000 Russian and Iranian rockets, missiles and tank killing RPG's are stockpiled, many more than before the war last summer.

It's Deja Vu All Over Again

Some days it looks like the run up to WW2 all over again with Iran in the role Germany played then. Just like Germany did, Iran makes its intentions clear, backs them up with action, and the world stands by debating over what the Iranians really mean. Iran has thumbed its nose at the US, the UN, the EU, Israel, the IAEA, and just about every other group you can name, and so far they've all backed down.

And now after a lengthy delay Russian Pres. Putin has decided to deliver nuclear fuel rods to Iran to power up the Bushier reactor. He decided to release them after promising he wouldn't in order to punish the US for announcing plans to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. (This week Pres. Putin made a public display of offering the use of an operational Russian radar station in Azerbaijan as an alternative. The problem is, while it could detect any launch by Iran, it couldn't detect one by Russia. Get it?)

And the special incentive Iran had to pay to finally get the fuel rods they contracted for? $765 million more in Russian arms had to be bought and delivered to Syria, for use in the coming war. As you read this, the fuel rods are sitting in a ship off the coast of Iran waiting for the final payment. So Pres. Putin does only something he's contractually obligated to do, but does it in such a way as to embarrass the US and collect a $765 million bonus check from Iran. That's a good day's work. Several international news sources have verified and reported all this but it has yet to hit the mainstream US media.
___________________________________________

[nChrist]

Signs of the Times ... Times of the Signs
Ikvot ha'Mashiach (Footsteps of the Messiah)
Perspective by Jack Kelley

It's A Done Deal

It's not surprising then to find most official voices in the Middle East talking about war in the Summer of 2007 as a fore gone conclusion. In their minds the only remaining question is how to get it started in such a way that Israel gets the blame.

Now this coming war is not the battle that Ezekiel prophesied 2500 years ago, but I believe it will put the finishing touches on setting the stage for it. Following this war, a time of peace will be forged, but like each one that came before, it will be built on lies and false promises that will serve only to lull Israel into a false sense of security, making Ezekiel's Battle possible.

And then when the time is right, a Moslem coalition led by Iran and armed by Russia, and including countries from Central Asia, North Africa and Eastern Europe, will storm into Israel from the north over the Golan Heights (Ezekiel 38:5,6,8 ). God will use this event to reveal Himself to the world as Israel's protector by decimating the attackers (Ezekiel 39:2-4). In the process it appears that the unthinkable will happen. Nuclear weaponry will be used not only on the battlefield but also against Russia and at least Europe, and perhaps the US (Ezekiel 39:6, 9-10). And when the dust settles, the world will also be astonished to find that millions of believers, from just about every nation on Earth, have inexplicably gone missing without a trace.

The Man With A Plan

In the aftermath of these twin disasters a charismatic leader will emerge with a 7 year plan to bring peace to the Middle East and indeed to all the world (Daniel 9:27). The provisions of this plan will include a Temple for Israel, which the Jewish people will have demanded after realizing that it was the Lord Who defeated their enemies. They will renew their (old) covenant relationship with Him and Jews from all over the world will return to Israel (Ezekiel 39:28-29). Thinking this leader to be their Messiah, unbelievers will accept him as the object of their worship, and those who reject him will be ostracized from society and even hunted as fugitives (Revelation 13:15-18 ). In the middle of this 7 year period, he will stand in the new Jewish Temple and publicly proclaim that he is God (Daniel 9:27 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

At this point, 3 1/2 years of the most devastating war ever seen will commence, threatening to annihilate mankind completely (Matthew 24:15-22). But before that can happen the Lord will return with His Church, (Matthew 24:29-31) rid the earth of all unbelievers (Matthew 25: 31-46), bind Satan (Revelation 20:1-3) and begin His 1000 year reign (Revelation 20:6). It's probably not time to note all this in your day timer just yet, but it is time to recall the Words of the Lord, "Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or hour" (Matthew 25:13). These are the times of the signs. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 06-17-07

[nChrist]

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture
by Kent Crockett

Our fellowship as Christians is not based upon the timing of the rapture, but upon the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Some have accused those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture as "escapists," trying to avoid all trouble or persecution. On the contrary, the Church always has been and always will be persecuted as long as we are in the world, but this is not the same as the wrath of God poured out during the Tribulation. We believe the rapture occurs before the Tribulation because scriptures overwhelmingly support a pre-tribulation rapture, as opposed to the amillennial, post-millennial, and post-tribulation theories.

We can't be dogmatic over something that hasn't occurred yet. Whenever He comes is His will, which should be sufficient for whatever position you hold. In the meantime, God has given us scriptures to examine. The following is a list of scriptural proofs that indicate the rapture will be Pre-Tribulation.

16 Proofs for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture


Proof #1: Revelation 19:11-21 doesn't mention a resurrection.

The rapture is a resurrection of those "in Christ" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ). Isn't it a little bit odd that Revelation 19:11-21, which is the clearest picture of the second coming of Christ, does not mention a resurrection? The rapture will be the biggest event since the resurrection of Jesus where hundreds of millions of Christians will be resurrected and translated, yet there isn't any mention here. Don't you think it deserves at least one verse? The rapture isn't mentioned because it doesn't happen at the second coming.

Proof #2: Zechariah 14:1-15 doesn't mention a resurrection.

This is an Old Testament picture of Jesus returning to earth at the second coming. Again, no mention of a resurrection.

Proof #3: Two different pictures are painted.

In the Old Testament, two different pictures are painted of the Messiah: one suffering (Isaiah 53:2-10, Psalms 22:6-8, 11-18 ) and one reigning as King (Psalms 2:6-12, Zechariah 14:9,16). As we look back on these scriptures, we see they predicted two separate comings of the Messiah: the 1st coming as a suffering Messiah and the 2nd coming (still future) as a reigning King.

In the New Testament, we have another picture added. Again, we have two pictures painted which dont look the same. These two different descriptions of Jesus coming point to two separate events we call "the rapture" and "the second coming."

Proof #4: The Known Day and the Unknown Day

Concerning the return of Jesus, the Bible presents a day we can't know and a day we can know. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 says the Jews will have to wait 1,260 days for the Lord to return. The 1,260 days begins when the Antichrist stands in the Temple and declares himself to be God (Matthew 24:15-21, 2 Thessalonians 2:4) This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven year Tribulation (Daniel 9:27). The Antichrist has authority to rule for 42 months, which is 1,260 days (Revelation 13:4) and will be destroyed by Jesus at His second coming (Revelation 19:20, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ). The known and unknown days must happen at different times, meaning they are two separate events.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture
by Kent Crockett

Proof #5: A door open in heaven (Revelation 4:1)

The door in heaven is opened to let John into heaven. We believe John's call into heaven is prophetic of the church being caught up at the rapture (see proof #6). In Revelation 19:11, heaven is opened again, this time to let the armies which are already in heaven out. This is the Church, which has been raptured at a previous time, following Jesus out of heaven at the second coming.

Proof #6: "Come up here." (Revelation 4:1)

A voice called for the apostle John to "Come up here," and immediately he was in heaven. This could be a prophetic reference to the rapture of the Church. The words "Come up here" are spoken to the two witnesses who are killed in the middle of the Tribulation, who are resurrected and ascend into heaven (Revelation 11:12). Therefore, the phrase "Come up here" could mean the church is raptured in Revelation 4:1. The word "church" is mentioned 22 times in Revelation 1-3, but is not mentioned again until Revelation 22:17.

Proof #7: The 24 elders have their crowns.

After John is called up into heaven, he sees the 24 elders with their crowns (Revelation 4:4-10). We know that Christians will receive their rewards (crowns) at the rapture (2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Pet. 5:4). We will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14). The elders couldn't receive their crowns unless the resurrection (rapture) has taken place.

Proof #8 Holy ones are already with Jesus in heaven (Zechariah 14:5, Revelation 19:14)

The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, follow Jesus out of heaven at His second coming (Revelation 19:14, Zechariah 14:5, Col. 3:4). These are not angels because Revelation 19:8 tells us the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. In order to come out of heaven we first have to go in, indicating a previous rapture.

Proof #9: Kept from the hour of testing (Revelation 3:10)

Revelation 3:10 says we will be kept out of the hour of testing which will come upon the whole earth (the Tribulation). Some have wrongly believed "keep" means to keep through, or protect through the Tribulation. Suppose you approach a high voltage area with a sign that says, "Keep Out." Does that mean you can enter and be protected? No, it means you are forbidden from entering the area. But this verse also says He will keep us from the hour of testing. It is not just the testing, but the time period. If a student is excused from a test, he still may have to sit in the class while others take the test. But if he is excused from the hour of testing, he can go home. The Church will be called home before the hour of testing.

Proof #10: Angels don't resurrect people when they gather them for judgment.

When the angels are sent forth to gather the elect at the second coming (Matthew 24:29-31), some have wrongly interpreted this as the rapture. There is one huge problem with this interpretation. If we are resurrected at this time, why would we need angels to gather us? In the resurrection, we will be like the angels (Matthew 22:30), able to travel in the air at will. Obviously, these people who are gathered are not resurrected, therefore it can't be the rapture. No one would claim the wicked are raptured at this time, yet Matthew 13:39-41, 49 says the angels will not only gather the elect, but also the wicked. This gathering is not a resurrection.
___________________________________