There is a variant of Biblical theology taught by some well-known preachers known as Midrash! My understanding of that particular terminology is that it teaches whatever has happened in the past relative to the fulfilment of the remainder of the prophecies is sure to happen again.
For example, the instance of Noah and his family saved before the flood. Some exponents of scripture would like to believe that the same analogy is applicable to other scriptures.
In other words, what they are suggesting is that because there are certain events that have taken place in the past, a similar type of event is sure to take place in the future. In the instance of Noah, the argument is that because of the example of Noah and his family receiving a warning from God to build the Ark because of that warning he was rescued before the great flood began.
Therefore, with the assertion being that because Noah was told to build the ark before the flood began Christians will be taken up into Heaven before the Great Tribulation begins.
Those Christians are then calling that event a pre-tribulation Rapture, citing that what has happened in the past is sure to happen again.
The word Rapture immediately conjures up images of millions and millions of Christians suddenly floating up into the air and into Heaven to be with the Lord forever. However, the word Rapture is never ever mentioned anywhere in the scriptures, nor is the notion of Christians floating up into Heaven to be with the Lord forever.
There have actually been three events relative to certain individuals disappearing up into Heaven without having to die first. Jesus himself, Elijah and Enoch! Those are the only instances where it speaks of certain select people disappearing up into Heaven without having to die first in an event that could rightly be called a Rapture.
However, because there have already been those who have disappeared up into the Heavens there is no scriptural evidence, and therefore no guarantee whatsoever, that such an event is ever going to happen again.
However there may be a strong possibility that there are certain portions of the scriptures that have repeated themselves in perhaps more ways that what most of us mere mortals realize.
Nevertheless, there is still nothing that I can see which gives any real indicator that what we have seen in the past has any correlation that ties into future events, particularly with reference to the timing of the Day of the Lord, or the Second Coming. The facts of the matter are that there is no one who really knows the hour or the day for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are not three events, but two, with the second event occurring at the end of the seven years of tribulation. How those who profess to know the word of God see that there are three events is really beyond the pale. There is nothing of the kind is mentioned in the word of God.
The word Rapture immediately conjures up images of millions and millions of Christians suddenly floating up into the air and into Heaven to be with the Lord forever. However, the word Rapture is never ever mentioned anywhere in the scriptures, nor is the notion of Christians floating up into Heaven to be with the Lord forever - without of course having had to die first.
In fact, there was even one man who offered thousands of dollars to anyone who could show him a scripture were the scenario above of millions and millions of people floating up into the air and into Heaven was actually made mention of in the scriptures. However, there was no one who could because it simply is not there to begin with.
I still understand that the word Rapture is a substitute phrase for the Day of the Lord or the Second Coming. However the problem with substituting a word like Rapture into the scriptures when it is not there to begin with is that starts to create confusion. What we are then left with are all of the wild and totally erroneous theories that begin to emerge relative to the timing of the alleged Rapture.
Barry Smith was a wake up to this reality. Instead of the word Rapture, he preferred to say the Taking up of the Church.
There may be some, who are reading this and are saying that the Taking up of the Church and the Rapture are one in the same event.
Nevertheless, the reality of the matter is quite different for the reasons mentioned above.
The Taking up of the Church raises undertones of meeting the Lord in the air, just as the scripture said would be the case. On the other hand, the word Rapture raises associations of Christians suddenly being floated off the face of the earth and up into Heaven.
Notwithstanding that fact, there is nothing at all in the word of God that says there is ever going to be a Rapture in the most common sense of the understanding of the word described above.
Accordingly, instead of the word Rapture, I would prefer to use the terminology of the Taking up of the Church but having used that terminology I am still not referring to a Rapture.
WHY I AM NOT A DISPENSATIONLIST; John Nelson
Darby is recognized as the father of dispensationalism later made
popular in the United States by Cyrus
Scofield's Scofield Reference Bible. Charles Henry Mackintosh, 1820–1896, with
his popular style spread Darby's teachings to humbler elements in society and
may be regarded as the journalist of the Brethren Movement. CHM popularised
Darby more than any other Brethren author. As there was no Christian teaching
of a “rapture” before Darby began preaching about it in the 1830s, he is
sometimes credited with originating the "secret rapture"
theory wherein Christ will suddenly remove His bride, the Church, from this
world before the judgments of the tribulation. Dispensationalist beliefs about
the fate of the Jews and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Israel put
dispensationalists at the forefront of Christian
Zionism, because "God is able to graft them in again," and
they believe that in His grace he will do so according to their understanding
of Old Testament prophecy. They believe that, while the methodologies of God
may change, His purposes to bless Israel will never be forgotten, just as He
has shown unmerited favour to the Church, He will do so to a remnant of Israel
to fulfill all the promises made to the genetic seed of Abraham. I am not a dispensationalist;
it is unbiblical and thoroughly evil.
by NEVE GORDON
Recent raids on Gaza were not just about allocating more money to defense – they were also about war with Iran.
In response to the recent assassination of Zuhair al-Qaisi, the Secretary General of the Popular Resistance Committees in the Gaza Strip, along with another fighter, Palestinians fired rockets at southern Israel and the Israeli military launched air strikes at targets throughout the Strip.
Within hours, the media fanfare began. Israeli news outlets began glorifying the interception missiles by repeatedly showing images of an Iron Dome battery, often with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak standing in front of the defense system. Reporters continuously emphasized the Iron Dome’s high rate of success in intercepting the short-range rockets launched from Gaza towards Israel. One columnist characterized it as a “system that provides the goods, authentic Israeli brilliance, true pride”, while another columnist stated that this “weekend Israel took its hat off [to salute] Iron Dome”.
Initially, the government and security establishment claimed that “al-Qaisi was assassinated in order to prevent an attack that was in the final stages of preparation”. Two days after Israel carried out the extra-judicial execution, however, the claim that al-Qaisi presented an imminent danger dissipated.
On March 11, Ofer Shelah reported that “even from the statements made yesterday by the Minister of Defense one got the sense that the assassination was not about direct prevention: Barak clearly stated that it is not totally clear what was being planned, from where, and whether the attack had been foiled. From this, it can be assumed that the attack was more about deterrence”.
‘Planned escalation’
As the days passed, several commentators revealed that the assassination had been planned well in advance and that the military had made the necessary preparations, including deployment of the Iron Dome batteries. “A Planned Escalation,” read the title of one article in Yedioth Ahronoth and in the text, the analyst explained that the “IDF had prepared an ambush” for al-Qaisi. Yoav Limor, an “expert on military affairs”, wrote that in essence “al-Qaisi was alive-dead for over a week, and his assassination was delayed until the prime minister completed his diplomatic campaign in Washington, and until after the Purim Holiday and the weather cleared up”. Most analysts intimated that Israel knew that the assassination would lead to an escalation. And this, it almost seems, is what it wanted.
The question, of course, is why?
There are those who totally misunderstood Israel’s goals. Ma’ariv’s top political analyst Ben Kaspit called for an extensive attack against the Strip, portraying the residents of southern Israel as hostages of a “terrorist gang that has infested Gaza… [and] that can spray the whole south with rockets”. In his view Barak had stopped the IDF at the beginning of Operation Cast Lead ostensibly for humanitarian reasons, but fortunately the operation turned out to be successful not least because in its midst “the leaders of Hamas cut their beards and went down to the tunnels”. Kaspit concludes that it is now time to “complete the job”. “We need to understand,” he tells his readers, “that no one will clean Gaza for us… and terror, unfortunately, understands only one language.”
Judy Nir Moses Shalom, the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom, is not the most sophisticated thinker either. “I hope,” she wrote on her Facebook page, “that during the cabinet meeting a decision will be reached to enter Gaza and to liquidate all those responsible for the nightmare which the south is undergoing. Enough silence. The time has come to make Gaza’s passive residents suffer like [Israel's southern] residents.” As if this kind of beastly reaction was not enough, she also tweeted to her followers: “Have a good week. I hope that today it will be decided to demolish Gaza if the shooting does not stop. So that they will suffer too.”
Most analysts wittingly or unwittingly intimated, however, that there were other reasons for initiating the current cycle of violence, and justifying a major offensive on Gaza was not one of them.
Message for Iran
The majority of reporters and columnists served as the mouthpiece for the security establishment, calling on the government to allocate more funds to buy additional Iron Domes. Or Heller from Channel Ten is a good example. He asked his audience to “imagine how this cycle would have looked without the success of three Iron Dome batteries… imagine the tanks that would have had to enter Gaza’s mud… a fourth battery is on its way. What about a fifth battery? God is great and the budget is small. It is clear to everyone today that we need more and more Iron Domes.” Ofer Shelah from NRG put it succinctly: “The prime minister must decide unequivocally… that Iron Dome, like other defense mechanisms, is beyond the realm of the budget debate.” Another more reflective reporter pointed out that the Grad rockets “flying from the Strip serve as the best lobbyist for the defense budget”.
The recent attack is, however, not only about allocating more money to the military; it is also about Iran. The media continuously drew a connection between the Islamic jihad, which launched most of the rockets against Israel, and Iran. The IDF spokesperson pointed an accusing finger towards Teheran, claiming that it is transferring weapons and money to the Islamic Jihad. A couple of days later a headline in Yisrael Hayom declared, “Iran is Behind the Jihad’s Rocket Attack”. Hence, another objective was to show the Israeli public that Iran, by means of a proxy, had already begun attacking Israel.
Next, a link was drawn between Iron Dome’s success and the perceived Iranian threat. Ynet cited a military general who stated that the escalation is about Gaza today, “but I am not sure that this is the scenario for which I am preparing the fighters. There are threats from the north and threats from further away”. A columnist noted that Iron Dome’s effectiveness “helped demonstrate to everyone that the Israeli home front enjoys a relatively good defense today… Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran will have to reconsider their strategy of missile terrorism…”
Indeed, many analysts emphasized that only a handful of Israelis had been injured, but none fatally. The fighting, they accordingly claimed, produced relatively little pressure on the home front. Alon Ben David from Channel Ten summed up this perspective when he wrote: “There is no doubt that Iron Dome alongside the population’s exemplary behavior prevented casualties on the Israeli side and enabled Israel to come out of this cycle – I would say – with a sense of satisfaction. Twenty-two [combatants] were killed on the other side, and another three or four civilians; we have zero losses… under these conditions we can conduct a monitored [fray] that we initiate…”
Zvi Barel from Haaretz was one of the lone critical voices, providing readers some insight into Israel’s real objectives. He exposed the logic behind the Iron Dome’s glorification, claiming that it helps Netanyahu “sell” the planned attack against Iran: “After Iron Dome demonstrated its 95 per cent effectiveness, there is no better proof to Israeli citizens that they will not suffer serious damage following an assault against Iran. Escalation in Gaza is good for Israel, meaning for those who support attacking Iran”.
In a slightly different context and using Netanyahu’s duck allegory, Haaretz’s editor-in-chief Aluf Benn wrote, “what looks like a preparation for war, acts like a preparation for war, and quacks like a preparation for war, is a preparation for war, and not just a ‘bluff’ or a diversion tactic”.
The title Tsar is derived from the Latin word for emperor, Caesar. In comparison to the corresponding Latin word "imperator", the Byzantine Greek term basileus was used differently depending on whether it was in a contemporary political context and in a historical or Biblical context. In the history of the Greek language, the word had originally meant something like "potentate", it had gradually approached the meaning of "king" in the Hellenistic Period, and it came to designate "emperor" after the inception in the Roman Empire. As a consequence, Byzantine sources continued to call the Biblical and ancient kings "basileus", even when that word had come to mean "emperor" when referring to contemporary monarchs (while it was never applied to Western European kings, whose title was transliterated from Latin "rex" as ῥήξ, or to other monarchs, for whom designations such as ἄρχων "leader", "chieftain" were used.)
These are not going to be honest elections we must relent, "said Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, as he voted in Moscow. “Honest elections should be our constant motto for years to come.” This statement coming out of the mouth of the man who lead Russia into a New World Order during the time of former U.S. president Ronald Regan. What we are witnessing here with a statement such as that is hypocrisy in its highest form.
Because of his fraudulent re-election, what the world is looking at in the form of Putin is the supreme Czar of Russia, another puppet of the Global elitists as they go about setting up their insidious New World Order.
The only serious contenders in the race for the presidency were actually far worse than what he is, if that could ever be possible at all. In second place was Gennady Zyuganov, the head of the Communist Party, who received 17% of the vote. In third place was Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the anti-Semitic, fascist, ultranationalist, who received 7% of the vote. Accordingly, as these were not the type of men who would tow the party line and do as they were told it is quite easy to see why the Illuminati would have put Putin back into place.
In addition, some have been suggesting for a number of years that there is a very strong possibility that Putin could be the Antichrist. There is still one thing that we need to look at with that being the man in question, and what he is going to do from now on and what he has done in the past. That is going to be the only litmus test to determine if indeed Putin is the Antichrist. Alternatively, is this is just more fanciful thinking by those who have been brainwashed into thinking that he may be. As with everything concerned with the Bible Prophecies, no one really knows just how they are going to pan out until they actually eventuate.
Here is a slight whiff of paranoia; it may be a good idea to reconsider which search engine you favour? Google is not going to be able to monitor which websites the Internet user visits, but is also going to keep a record of the sites visited to be able to retrieve that information later on.
Not only that, when the same result could have been achieved with Wireless Broadband, the Australian government is in the process of spending a massive 50 billion dollars for a National Broadband Network supposedly to achieve higher Internet download speeds? A small box will be fitted to the side of the house of those with the NBN (and that includes everyone who has the Internet) so that the websites can not only be monitored, but can also be blocked without the permission of the Internet user. That fact in itself equates to total control of the Internet, which means that Australia is going to be the first country, apart from China, that is going to be subjective to this type power over the Internet user.
All of this is going on even before we mention smart meters. Once a smart meter is fitted to the side of the house the electricity supply to a house is going to be subjective to the on and off control of a central operator.
There is also a new and insidious Carbon Tax now being forced upon the consumer, which in itself is going to skyrocket electricity prices through the roof and deliberately destroy whatever manufacturing we have left in this country. So welcome to the New World Order.
Even though all of the above equates to nothing more than doom and gloom there is more bad news yet to follow. We now also have the infrastructure and technology in place for the Mark of the Beast. Accordingly, the mark is now being introduced through Mobile Phones with the camera facility on the rear of the phones being able to scan the microchip implant for the transference of payment for goods and services, and yet there are still some who are suggesting the end times is but yet hundreds of years into the future?
If ever there was a time right throughout the course of history when we needed the Lord to return it is right now more than any other time? God bless all.
Part 1
Quote: Former Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy will be re-appointed European Union President this week and be given the task of chairing regular eurozone summits, diplomats in Brussels said yesterday. The decisions are to be announced on the first of a two-day summit tomorrow, EU sources said. Van Rompuy’s two-and-a-half year mandate expires at the end of May. His role, which was created by the Lisbon Treaty – the EU’s new rulebook – is to chair and prepare leaders’ meetings and represent the bloc in meetings with other nations. Over the past two years, as Europe was plunged into its debt crisis, he has also informally chaired eurozone-only summit meetings. The fiscal compact, a budget discipline treaty approved in January and due to be signed at this week’s EU summit, has institutionalized that role by creating the position of ‘President of the Euro Summit’. End of quote: There were a few points that the late and great Barry Smith had said during the course of his lifetime's ministry that have hold particular relevance to the information presented above. One of those points was that the Antichrist would be appointed as the head of the Common Market, or the EU as it is known as on this day, as its president,. Of course, that has happened because the EU effectively now does have a president in the form of Herman Van Rompuy. Although it seems in the eyes of some Van Rompuy is not what they thought he was going to be. The likes of Nigel Farage has described him as having all the appearance of a damp rag and the charisma of a bank clerk, not that there is anything at all wrong with bank clerks. Barry Smith had also said that once Antichrist made his appearance good and decent people would put their complete trust in him and hand everything over to him, including their very souls. That also has just happened because of the bailout packages the EU has been subjective to of late.
Part 2
Remember also that we are told the Antichrist achieves his kingdom by flattery (or sweet-talk) and intrigue, meaning that the Antichrist is a trickster and a master of deception. If there is anyone out there who can decipher some of the statements that Van Rompuy comes out with then you are better than what I am. Both of those descriptions, describe Van Rompuy to a tee, and as that is the instance of the matter, events are falling right into place for the fulfilment of the remainder of the Bible prophecies. That is true particularly in the light of recent developments where Van Rompuys current tenure as EU president has extended for a further two and a half year term. Consequently, what we have now seen as a direct result of that extension is the promotion of Van Rompuy from the president of the Council of Ministers to the President of the Euro Summits. (See the aforementioned) Accordingly, it now looks like there will be more and more power given over to him as he moves further and further down to track to take over the running of the EU, lock stock and barrel. It now seems likely that his authority is going to reach such a degree of power that he will be announced as the president of the EU very shortly. What that means is that he will act with all the authority of the president of the United States without there ever actually having been a time when he had been subjective to the whims and fancies of the voters within the EU. There is a distinct difference though, while the president of the United States is nothing more than a figurehead who simply reads out prepared speeches, Van Rompuy will hold ultimate control over every individual within the sphere of the EU from the cradle to the grave as its unrivalled dictator. Just as the word of God has described what the circumstances would be like in these last days. Alternatively, is what I have said above really nothing much more than pure conjecture with the likelihood of anything mentioned above ever happening within the interim future as extremely remote as ever. With everything else mentioned here all that we are able to do it just wait and see how all of this eventually pans out in the end. God bless all.
Part 1
Most of us who have been making a study of Bible prophecies over a number of years, know that ultimately the EU is going to achieve a full monetary and political union that is going to produce the Antichrist. Now, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has told the Chinese public that the EU will become a fully-fledged “political union” after the current financial crisis has been completely resolved. He then went on to state that because of the current financial restraints within the EU the resolution to those problems was going to further integrate and complete the monetary union with a fiscal union and then as a result of those moves, a complete political union. That main objective is only a matter of time, but in spite of the EU, being the most diverse continent on the earth a political union will, and must be, achieved. EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy highlighted a clause in the joint summit communique which says the EU is willing to “swiftly” give China market economy status—a move that would help it sell more cheap goods to Europe. “It’s the first time we put this kind of agreement with this kind of language after an EU-China summit,” he said. -Euobserver.com, 14 February 2012: Europe is China’s largest customer. The EU represents the world’s biggest exporter and importer. According to Bible prophecy, Europe will continue to be the centre of the world. It is defined Biblically with these words, “Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces” (Daniel 7:23).
Part 2
I have noticed the use of the word "diverse." What does this diverseness consist of? Historically, a kingdom or any government operated independently for the well-being of its citizens; usually one ruler, one tax code, one language, with one goal for only its own people: peace, prosperity, and security. The European Union is different with that difference expressed within the general confines of their motto “United in Diversity.” The success of the EU is overwhelming, when one considers the fact that only 70 years ago; World War II devastated the continent. While economically as well as financially, the EU has been extremely successful, one thing is lacking a “political union.” However, it is only a matter of time before that complete Union is achieved and the EU becomes a complete government with one leader, who holds the ultimate reins of power, the Antichrist. Notwithstanding that fact, there are those who have been attempting to identify the Antichrist for a number of years, but most have failed in this quest. That is not to say that the quest for this knowledge does remain somewhat opaque, as it surely does? Just as soon as an individual thinks they have it all together in identifying the Antichrist there is someone else who comes onto the world scene who shatters those plans all together. However, there is really no one who is on the horizon that gives us a better example of someone the Antichrist maybe other than its first ever-elected full time president, Herman Van Rompuy. A virtual unknown before he came to prominence on the world scene after being appointed as the first ever full time president of the European Union Council of Ministers, a role that virtually holds power other than being able to address council meetings and EU summits. Van Rompuy is one to keep an eye on because as his current tenure as the president of the EU Council of Ministers has just been extended there is a very strong possibility he may line up as the president of the EU by being given more and more powers thereby equipping him to be the Antichrist. Needless to say, if the name of Van Rompuy were mentioned to the average person in the UK most would never ever have heard of him, let alone consider him the Antichrist. This seems to be just another one of the many and crafty plans of his master, Satan, start of slow and then work up to full momentum. God bless
Herman Van Rompuy is likely to be re-appointed president of the European Council at a European Union summit next week, an EU official has said.
A former Belgian prime minister, the 64-year-old was virtually unknown on the world stage when he was appointed as the council's first president in 2009.
But he has become highly regarded for his skills as a manager of negotiations among the national leaders - essential in an institution where unanimity is required for major decisions.
His term expires at the end of May. He can serve a maximum of one more two-and-a-half-year term.
An EU official said no objections were being heard to the reappointment.
Because of this latest news, here is one comment that I had made on one end times blog relative to that news. Yet there has been no reply to my comment, nor would I expect there will be, but only time will tell?
You have not posted the latest news flash that Van Rompuy is going to be re-appointed as the president of the EU Council of Ministers when there was a time when you had said that would never happen. Without prejudice, does that suggest that you are still in a state of denial relative to the possibility that he could be the Antichrist? Many who posted suggested Sarko could be the next one in line for the presidency of the EU; however, the likelihood of that now happening is almost nonexistent? Even though you never actually said so in so many words, there was even one stage when you appeared to think yourself that Sarko was going to be the next EU president, and now with this latest news this does not appear to have happened. What that also means is that Van Rompuy is going to chair the EU Summits, and that eventually he might receive ultimate power as the full time president of the EU, as per usual, only time will tell though? Now wait to see if Sarko is re-elected as I am now thinking that he will not be and that he was only there to ease Van Rompuy into the role as the first ever president of the E.U.
There is going to be a lot written over the next few days and weeks relative Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd's decision to resign that position citing that he was a destabilizing influence on the leadership on the Australian government over leadership issues.
With his ultimate ambition to obtain a seat on the UN General Assembly, it seems that with his latest trip to the U.S. he obtained just that and as a consequence used the excuse mentioned above as the pretext to offer up his resignation.
What that means is that Kevin Rudd is nothing more than a blatant liar.
Even if the Australian Prime Minister Ju-liar Gillard was to have a ballot on Monday over leadership issues, and Rudd contests that ballot it is doubtful he is going to have the numbers to be able to get up and effectively claim victory.
Certainly, he will not go to the backbench as he has already lined up a job with the UN, which of course means that there is then going to be by-election for his seat in parliament.
Of course, that also may mean that there are going to be others who are in the Rudd camp who will follow suite and resign their positions in the Australian Government forcing a general election.
Because of his actions, Kevin Rudd is one of the most despicable and dishonest politicians that we have ever had to misfortune to initially elect as an Australian Prime Minister.
His latest act of betrayal, not just to the Australian government, but also to the Australian people in general testifies to that reality.
Consequently, He is guilty of no lesser charge than treason and should be put on trial for being the criminal that he is.
As for the comments of his daughter on Twitter, by dropping the F bomb and then adding well-done Dad, all that she has shown with that type of remark is what a foul mouthed lot of grubs this family really is.
Please note that in the making of the aforementioned remarks, I hold no affiliation to any political party whatsoever. Consequently, there is no self-interest involved at all in any statement that I have made in the above.
By Jacob Prasch
As was not unexpected, the Israeli and Jewish media has picked up on "Messianic Jewish Leaders" joining forces with anti zionists cum anti Semites at the biased and distorted "Christ at the The Checkpoint" conference.
At this conference the fact that Israel has the best human rights record, the best women's rights record, and the best Christian Rights record in The Middle East will be virtually overlooked most assuredly.
The brutal plight of Arab and other Middle Eastern Chrtistians fromEgypt, to Iran, to Saudi Arabia and the worse plight of Evangelicals suffering for the Name of Christ will be likewise overlooked with attention focused on Israel instead in order to divert Christian attention away from the genocidal dilemma faced by the Body of Christ in The Middle East.
Israel's absorption of thousands of Lebanese Christians driven out of their homes by Hizbollah in Lebannon and Israel's absorption of tens of thousands of Moslem refugees from Darfur denied asylum by Islamic countries will also be ignored as one liar and Jew hating bigot after another takes turns attempting to turn anti Zionism into a Christian cause.
Above all we may rest absolutely assured that none of the pro Zionist Arab Christian voices such as Joseph Farra, Brigette Gabrielle, Walid Shoebat, or Kamal Saleem will be heard and neither will the voices of former Moslems turned to Christ such as Dr. Patrick Sookedho appealing for the rights of the Christians being persecuted in The Middle East be heard.
It is easier to kick Israel than to deal with the real issue.
We have seen supposed Evangelicals from Stephen Sizer, who is a slandering liar (which I can prove in court if he wishes to sue me in the USA where this statement will be web served from on USA website protected under the First Amendment) to the bible smuggler turned hypocrite Brother Andrew and the wife of the deceiver Bill Hybels who had a moslem cleric preaching in his church in Chicago all party to this hideous charade.
Now we have supposed Messianic Jewish participation. Richard Harvey, who has been described as a "liberal Evangelical" who has twice addressed Sizer's church among them. Over the years I have watched Richard Harvey compromise with everyone from theological liberals such as Ron Lewis to de facto anti Semites. Now the Jewish community knows it.
The damage being done to our witness and testimony for Yeshua to Israel and The Jewish people is obvious. Richard Harvey has no witness and no testimony to Israel or The Jews and I publicly denounce his shameful actions as reprehensible.
It is my conviction that the Messianic community and the cause of Jewish evangelism should disassociate from this traitor to his people and to the persecuted Body of Christ crying out for help while facing massacre at the hands of radical Islam while Richard Harvey does his phony religious theocratic two step with the enemies of Israel.
Neither I nor our ministry Moriel agree with all of the policies of The Israeli government towards Arabs or towards Christians, but we thank God at least one country in The Middle East, Israel, guarantees their human rights despite the warped demands of some ultra orthodox Jewish organizations to curtail them.
We also affirm our belief in the clear and unambiguous teaching of Jesus that The Jews must return to Israel & Jerusalem to set the stage for His return (Luke 21:24, Matthew 23: 37-39, Zecheriah 12: 1-10).
J. Jacob PraschMoriel Ministres (USA)
The unexpected death of Whitney Houston reminds us all that life is but a vapor-a brief stint of time that cannot compare to eternity.
The good looks of a Miss World, coupled with the God given talent of someone who had the voice of an angel when she sang, Whitney Houston had it all.
The wretch that I am, it is not for the likes of me to suggest just where Whitney Houston is going to spend eternity.
However, at the end she sang praises to the Lord as if she sincerely meant it.
Therefore, my prayer is that God will say to Whitney Houston well done thy good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord.
I would hope that statement would be applicable to everyone and not just in the instance of Whitney Houston because of what she gave to the world with her magnificent voice.
Whitney Houston became affiliated with gospel music at an early stage of her life as she cut her teeth singing church standards with her local New Jersey congregation's choir as a teenager, and then of course later went on to be as famous as what she did.
However, with her sudden and tragic passing of someone who was so famous it is a somber heart at this particular time that I would like to suggest that all those who yet are unsaved should reflect on their lives and ponder where they are going to spend eternity.
If you would now like to make sure that you are saved, you may do so right now and become a Born Again Christian by reciting the believers prayer of repentance in the privacy of your own home, as has been reformatted at the end of this page.
In Jesus Name Amen.
Events do not seem to be panning out all that well at the moment relative to Arab, U.S/Israeli relationships? The Pakistani High Commissioner to Britain has reiterated his country’s support for the Islamic Republic of Iran in case of an Israeli regime’s attack.
The Iranian president Ahmadinejad has quite recently made a statement to the effect of: "We have precise information that America wants to sabotage the Pakistani nuclear facilities in order to control Pakistan and to weaken the government and people of Pakistan."He added, The US would then arm-twist the UNSC "and some other international bodies as levers to prepare the ground for a massive presence (in Pakistan) and weaken the national sovereignty of Pakistan.
"It seems as if Ahmadinejad, whose is facing bit of a rough weather in his political space is now trying to strengthen his position by speaking out against the US. Alternatively, maybe, he is trying to further damage the US-Pakistan relation that has been on the boil ever since, Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The aforementioned may just have something to do with the recent announcement that by Pakistan that it is going to side with a nuclear Iran? That in itself spells big trouble for the likes of Israel if they ever had any intentions at all of ever attacking Iran?
Wajid Shamsul Hasan told the British The Sun newspaper that “Pakistan would be left with no option but to support Iran if Israel attacks it”.
“We wouldn’t like to be seen as part of Israel’s campaign against any country. If Israel attacks Iran, it will have an impact on Pakistan as well”, said the Pakistani High Commissioner to Britain.“
We will have to safeguard our own interests. We also have a Shia population in Pakistan who will not take it lying down”, he stressed.
The Pakistani official warned Britain to help stop the U.S. “Drone Wars” that are slaughtering hundreds of its innocent civilians. Wajid Shamsul Hasan said that his country’s relations with America are at their lowest ebb.
“Patience is definitely reaching exhaustion levels”, he said. Hasan said Pakistan backs the War on Terror waged by Britain and the US.
But, he urged British Prime Minister David Cameron to condemn US drone attacks on his country dubbing them as “war crimes” and “little more than state executions”.
“We know the damage – destroyed schools, communities, and hospitals. They are civilians – children, women, families. Our losses are enormous,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.“
I think time is running out until the Pakistan government can take a stand. They will have to at some stage take punitive actions to stop them. They have got means to take such actions to defend their own frontier and territories,” Hasan further added.
Hasan urged the British Prime Minister to convince the US that the drone attacks were counter-productive, making the American “the most hated people in the minds of the people in Pakistan.”
Now we have the announcement that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that Pakistan is strictly opposed to any U.S. attack on Iran and will stand by Tehran if Washington takes this extreme step.
Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai's is also realizing that even though he is a "friend" of the United States... that is actually kind of rough on your life expectancy because Yasser Arafat was a friend of the United States... now he is dead... Saddam Hussein was a friend of the United States... now he is dead... Osama Bin Laden was a friend of the US back when the Soviets were in Afghanistan... now he is dead... Qaddafi was a friend of the US only 2 years ago... now he is dead.
Kharzi's beginning to realize that being a friend of the United States is only good for shortening his life so he is going to be friends with somebody else... and he is going to side with Pakistan... AS WILL China.
Remember... Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state. Accordingly, we can then see that things are really deteriorating for the U.S and Israel. Particularly in the light of recent announcements that The leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas signed a deal in Qatar on Monday to form a unity government of independent technocrats for the West Bank and Gaza, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Furthermore, there is also news that the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had said last Saturday that the country would announce great nuclear achievements in the next few days. The "silk road directive" was the initial plan to economically isolate Iran.
What we have today, is the development of that plan gone very wrong.
War can break out where-one least expects it, like in Europe where old hatreds are building very rapidly. The Middle East is also on fire; Syria is the next staging ground for final globalist prize that is Iran.
Should either Israel or the United States decided to do the unthinkable and attack Iran, then what we may be looking at is a lot more than some kind of brief conflict in the Middle East? There now seems to be a lot more at stake going on right now than what Israel could ever have imagined with the possibility of a an attack on Iran turning into global event unimaginable more and more probable as each and every day passes by. Come Jesus come.
As the main aim of this site is to take the word of God at its literal meaning, that is where we must go to source out the facts as to whether or not the Rapture doctrine has any Biblical authenticity, or if it is otherwise nothing more than a man made doctrine.
I have searched and searched and yet there is still is really nothing at all that I can find in the word of God that says anything at all about some mysterious event known as the Rapture of the Church.
Therefore, there is no reason to argue over the timing of the rapture as there is never ever going to be a time when I am going to argue over something that does not give scriptural consideration as being truthful and factual.
If there were a Rapture, then those who argue relative to its timing would not have to do so as to its timing as it would be as plain as the nose on ones face. However, as there as there is nothing in the scriptures with which to indicate the timing of an alleged Rapture, there never going to be a Rapture at all when the Bible teaches the Day of the Lord, and not a Rapture.
Please, let us look at the facts as they present themselves without having to make things up as we go along. The "Rapture" is a relatively new doctrine that has not historically held by any reference by any segment of the Church prior to the mid 1800's.
There are so many others who choose to argue over the timing of the rapture (Day of the Lord) should not that be a true enough sort of an indicator that there is something that is quite amiss relative to this whole misguided doctrine.
We do not know when the Lord is going to return there are still those who think they can lay claim to having access to that very privileged information and then label it incorrectly as being a Rapture and then say it is going to be a pre, or a mid or a post Rapture.
There are no doubts at all that Christians cannot agree on the question for the timing of the Rapture. Currently there are three populist views, Pre, Mid or Post Tribulation, mentioned above, so as there is quite obviously so much contention and argument over the timing of the Rapture, it then not that clear if it is even true or not?
There are clear statements in the Revelation and elsewhere that contradicts all three of the theorized periods for a Rapture.
Effectively, what they are suggesting is that there are going to two events, the Rapture of the Church and the Day of the Lord, when that is not the case at all. If that so, then what are the scriptures that refer to Rapture and what are the scriptures that refer to the Day of the Lord, as the scriptures that refer to a Rapture could refer to the Day of the Lord and vice-versa?
That is where the confusion seems to start and for the most part end? Now you can see where all of this argument over the timing of a Rapture is leading everyone, right down the garden path.
If the Rapture of the Church was such an earth-shattering event and was truly a Bible prophecy it then would have been made quite clear by the holy prophets, but as it has not, then it is not a prophecy at all.
One reason often given for why the Rapture must occur is that the Holy Spirit) must be removed from the Earth during the reign of the Beast. No biblical evidence for this view has ever offered, nor can any such view ever be offered because if God's Presence were ever to be withdrawn from the Earth all life would instantly cease to exist, we live, and move, and have our being..." (Acts 17:28).
Doctrinally, the idea that Gods presence would have to be removed from the earth is even more problematic because if this view were accurate their would be no one post Rapture that could be be "saved" nor have communion with God (to be directed by Him etc.)
Notwithstanding that fact, the biblical prophets clearly show divine intervention and inspiration throughout the entire final seven-year period of the last days. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered but initially they passed through the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19).
So too will the fundamentalist Born Again Christians pass through the final Seven Years or serve God's Will as martyrs.
Daniel was also delivered but initially he went through the Lion's den (Daniel 6:16). The House of Judah survived King Nebuchadnezzar but they also initially passed though their Babylonian captivity.
The House of Judah survived the wrath of Haman because Mordecai was inspired to say to Esther: "...who knows whether you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).
They went through the experience and HaShem protected them. So too will the Born Again Christians pass through the final Seven Years or serve God's Will as martyrs.
Nowhere in Scripture has that God removed His people in this way. Noah passed through the flood but came out safe and well, and so shall the Christians GO THROUGH THE GREAT TRIBULATION or be martyred in the process.
We shall always pass through the "Red Sea" and continue in His service.
Whether Alex Jones is a Christian or not remains open to debate. However, he is one of the greatest conspiracy theorists out of all of them available on the net. The following article taken from his Prison Planet.com website and may be of some interest to those of us who have been following what is going on the Middle East with the possibility of Iran being attacked by some foreign power. Personally, my belief is that the possibility of Iran ever being attacked seems to be just as remote as ever, as it would be far too dangerous for any power to even contemplate doing so. Russia for example, has warned other foreign powers in quite the harshest of terms that to do so would result in a war of the most serious consequences, and has for some time, so in that sense this is really nothing that there that is out of the ordinary.
Massive joint US-Israeli drill postponed
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Monday, January 16, 2012
The United States has cancelled a joint military exercise with Israel in a move some analysts are saying could represent a reluctance to support an attack on Iran.
“Israel and the United States have postponed a massive joint defense exercise, which was expected to be carried out in the coming weeks, in order to avoid an escalation with Iran,” reports Haaretz.
Although the United States has already sent 9,000 troops to Israel, a move described as a “deployment” rather than an exercise by US Commander Lt.-Gen Frank Gorenc, the Austere Challenge 12 drill, intended to be a wargame response to missiles fired by Iran, has now been postponed until the summer.
The Obama administration cited “budgetary constraints” as the primary reason for delaying the exercise, although observers suggest the move could be explained by a number of different circumstances, including Washington’s anger at how last week’s assassination of Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, all but admitted to have been the work of the Israeli Mossad, was conducted so brazenly.
The postponement could signal that the US is backing off its support for an attack on Iran, but it could equally mean that the attack plans have already been finalized and that the drill was cancelled because it would have coincided with the actual start of hostilities.
“Did the U.S. cancel them to show displeasure to Israel?” asks Richard Silverstein. “And if so, why? Does Obama know something about Israeli intentions we don’t know? Are plans underway to strike Iran? Is Obama seeking to show his displeasure?
Or is he trying to soothe Iran by not going through with a highly provocative military exercise which would’ve placed thousands of U.S. troops in the heart of Israel as a show of solidarity with Israel in its crusade against Iran?”
The Israeli intelligence outfit DebkaFile speculates that the postponement of the drill is another sign that Washington is concerned about the effect tensions in the region are having on oil prices, which would also explain why the EU embargo on Iranian oil has also been delayed by six months.
Whether or not the Obama administration has cooled its support for an attack on Iran, the US military is undoubtedly preparing for turmoil in the region, with three US aircraft carriers now stationed just outside Iranian waters, in addition to 15,000 troops that were sent to Kuwait at the end of last week.
The naval build-up could also be because “the United States intends to beat Israel to the draw and attack Iran itself,” points out DebkaFile.
Even if the Obama administration does not publicly back a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, it is highly unlikely to stand in the way of Israel. Once Iran retaliates, the US will then claim its interests are threatened and won’t hesitate to become embroiled in the conflict.
In addition, the US has made it clear that should Iran try to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil choke point, a “red line” will have been crossed. Iran is currently studying a letter sent by the US concerning the Strait. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said Iran “will respond if necessary.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey is due to arrive in Israel on Thursday for talks with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other senior defense and intelligence officials, a meeting at which the US will try to convince Israel to delay any attack until sanctions, which have already crippled the Iranian economy, are allowed to take full effect.
By Philippe Agret
Palestinians wave their national flag in front of the headquarters of UNESCO during a march to mark the 1947 UN partition plan for Palestine, which led to the creation of the state of Israel, on November 29, 2011 during the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. AFP
RAMALLAH, Occupied West Bank: With peace talks in the doldrums, the Palestinians have fixed their sights on global activism and unity between their rival factions in order to advance their cause.
“We are in a ‘hudna’ (truce) until Jan. 26,” senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath told reporters at a recent briefing. “But this political cease-fire will end on Jan. 26,” he said, referring to a deadline set by the international peacemaking Quartet, giving the parties 90 days to submit comprehensive proposals on territory and security.
“If on the 26th Israel does not come up with a freeze of the settlements and talks based on the 1967 borders, we will continue our international drive,” said Shaath, a senior figure in president Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah movement. Palestinian negotiators say they have laid out their proposals and suggestions in response to the Quartet’s proposition and they accuse Israel of failing to reciprocate.
However, Israel is reluctant to show its hand except in the framework of direct negotiations, which they say the Palestinians are “boycotting.”
“The Quartet has called for the resumption of direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. In the framework of those direct talks, the Quartet has specific ideas on how to move forward,” said Mark Regev, representative for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Israel has accepted the route laid out by Quartet, it is the Palestinian side that refuses to meet with Israel in face-to-face negotiations,” he said.
The Quartet’s latest attempt to resuscitate talks was announced on Sept. 23, just hours after the Palestinians submitted a formal request for full state membership at the United Nations.
Both sides welcomed the loosely worded proposal, but with completely different interpretations, prompting each camp to blame the other for the failure to resume talks.
Nevertheless, the Palestinians have low expectations of the Quartet, which groups top diplomats from the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, which they see as dominated by Washington.
And they have little faith in its envoy Tony Blair, who has been accused by Shaath of sometimes talking “like an Israeli diplomat.”
“It’s not a Quartet, it’s a ‘one-tet,’” joked Husam Zomlot, Fatah’s international affairs adviser, slamming Washington’s “total monopoly” on the peace process. “If we don’t snatch it [back] now, the two-state solution is dead,” he told AFP.
“Israel is so keen on sustaining the status quo, in keeping things as they are. For too long, for 20 years, Israel has maintained the status quo.
“This not going anywhere,” he said, referring to peace talks which began in Madrid in 1991 and which led to the Oslo Accords two years later, but which since then, have done little to end the conflict.
It is an assessment shared by many in the Palestinian leadership. “We see the process, but not peace,” say officials at Abbas’s Muqataa presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
“Only the first five years were genuine, until the death of [Prime Minister Yitzhak] Rabin” who was shot dead by a Jewish extremist in 1995, said Shaath. “Since then, the peace process is dead – there has not been any progress. The settlements never stopped, the grabbing of land never stopped,” he said.
“While negotiating, Israel has deepened the colonization of the land,” Shaath said.
Negotiator Mohammad Shtayeh agrees. “We have been taken nowhere,” he said earlier this month. “The political negotiation has been used to maintain the status quo.”
With peace negotiations deadlocked for more than a year and a keen desire to break the status quo, the Palestinians are doing whatever they can to push for implementation of a two-state solution to the conflict, Shaath said.
“We have no alternative but to go to the U.N.,” he said. “It is the only alternative. All the other options are extending the conflict forever.”
A return to violence and conflict was not an option.
“We Palestinians will never let that happen again because we paid the price in blood. We are not going to allow violence to come back.”
The other top priority was to ensure the establishment of unity between the rival Palestinian national factions under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
One of the toughest challenges is bridging the years-long divide between Fatah and Hamas, the Islamist movement which rules Gaza and which could soon join the PLO – the body which is internationally recognized as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
“The train for reconciliation has left the station,” Shtayeh said. “It’s a bit slow but it will happen. The reconciliation is serious.”
Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Dec-28/158092-peace-on-ice-palestinians-set-sights-on-unity-between-rivals.ashx#ixzz1iO2fwiip
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report December 31, 2011,
By a media trick, Tehran proved its claim that closing the Strait of Hormuz is as "easy as drinking water," debkafile reports.
First thing Saturday morning, Saturday, Dec. 31, Iran's state agencies "reported" long-range and other missiles had been test-fired as part of its ongoing naval drill around the Strait of Hormuz. Ahead of the test, Tehran closed its territorial waters.
For five hours Saturday, not a single warship, merchant vessel or oil tanker ventured into the 30-mile wide Hormuz strait, waiting to hear from Tehran' that the test was over.
Instead, around 0900 local time, a senior Iranian navy commander Mahmoud Moussavi informed Iran's English language Press TV that no missiles had been fired after all. "The exercise of launching missiles will be carried out in the coming days," he said.
For five hours therefore, world shipping obeyed Tehran's warning and gave the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes, a wide berth. They stayed out of range of a test which, debkafile's military sources report, aimed to demonstrate for the first time that Shahab-3 ballistic missiles which have a range of 1,600 kilometres and other missiles, such as the Nasr1cruise marine missile, are capable of reaching Hormuz from central Iran.
The Moussavi statement was not aired on Iran's Farsi-language media. It was not necessary; Tehran had demonstrated by this ruse that it could close the vital waterway for hours or days at any moment.
Friday night, shortly after Tehran reported the missile-firing test was to take place the next morning, Washington announced the $3.48 billion sale to the United Arab Emirates of 94 advanced THAAD missiles with supporting technology.
Like the $30 billion sale of 84 F-15 fighter jets to the Saudi Arabia announced this week, delivery dates were not specified. The first F-15s for Saudi Arabia are due some time in 2015. It must therefore be said that the announced sophisticated US arms sales to the Persian Gulf nations bear only tangentially on the current state of tension in the region around Iranian threats.
The Hormuz missile stratagem has given Tehran three advantages in its face-off with Washington and the Gulf Arab governments:
1. It gave credibility to the threats issued by Iranian military chiefs last week regarding free passage in the Strait of Hormuz and Western sanctions:
On Dec. 29, Navy commander Adm. Habibollah Sayari said it was "really easy" for Iran's armed forces to shut the strait, adding "But today, we don't need [to shut] the strait because we have the Sea of Oman under control and can control the transit."
The next day, Deputy Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Gen. Hossein Salami said the United States was not in a position to tell Tehran "what to do in the Strait of Hormuz. Any threat will be responded to by threat… We will not relinquish our strategic moves if Iran's vital interests are undermined by any means."
2. For Tehran, closing the vital waterway to international traffic without firing a shot – even for a few hours – served to rebut the warning given by US Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich on Dec. 29. She said: "Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations: any disruption will not be tolerated."
It also addressed the dispatch of the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier through the strait into the Sea of Oman in proximity to Iran's ten-day Velayati 90 naval drill. The Stennis, accompanied only by a single destroyer, demonstrated US confidence in its military muscle against any Iranian threat.
As the Stennis passed through the big US air base at al-Udeid, Qatar, went on high alert.
3. Tehran did not explain why its war game, designated in advance a display of Iranian naval and air control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, suddenly morphed into a ballistic missile test; nor its postponement.
debkafile's military sources report that the Iranians were in fact sending a message to the Gulf rulers and the US bases on their soil that they would not escape missile retaliation for a possible US or Israel attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities or harsh sanctions.
