Ah, The Good Life!

What country is wealthier than America? What country is more secure than America? What country seeks pleasure and leisure activities more than America?


Isaiah 47:8
"Therefore hear this now, [you who are] given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, 'I [am], and [there is] no one else besides me; I shall not sit [as] a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children';

Nahum 1:12

Thus says the LORD: "Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more

* What nation is considered the lone superpower of the world right now?

Revelation 18:3
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

Revelation 18:11
"And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:

Nahum 3:16

You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away

* What nation imports more than America?

Revelation 18:16
and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen [WHITE], purple [BLUE], and scarlet [RED], and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

[Note: colors of our flag]

Revelation 18:17
For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance
v18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What [is] like this great city?'

Habakkuk 2:7
Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty.

* What nation is in more debt than America?

Isaiah 18:3
All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth: When he lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see [it]; And when he blows a trumpet, you hear [it].

* What nation has more influence in the world than America?

Isaiah 18:7
In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From [fn] a people tall and smooth [of skin], And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide-- To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, To Mount Zion.

* What nation is more powerful than America?

Jeremiah 51:13
O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness.

* What nation is situated by much water and is abundant in treasure?

Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

* What nation can right now be called the glory of kingdoms?

What nation is like America?

The Great Melting Pot

What country is referred to as the great melting pot?

Jeremiah 50:37
A sword [is] against their horses, Against their chariots, And against all the mixed peoples who [are] in her midst; And they will become like women. A sword [is] against her treasures, and they will be robbed.

Revelation 17:15
Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues

The Bows Are Broken

Jeremiah 51:56
Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men are taken. Every one of their bows is broken; For the LORD [is] the God of recompense, He will surely repay.


What does a bow do?


He said, "Remember this, Dumitru. The Russian spies have discovered where the nuclear warehouses are in America. When the Americans will think that it is peace and safety - from the middle of the country, some of the people will start fighting against the government. The government will be busy with internal problems. Then from the ocean, from Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico,,.." (He told me two other countries, but I didn't remember what they were.) "...they will bomb the nuclear warehouses. When they explode, America will burn!"

http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_1.php


Jeremiah 50:26
Come against her from the farthest border; Open her storehouses; Cast her up as heaps of ruins, And destroy her utterly; Let nothing of her be left.

Nahum 3

13 Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.

14 Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln!

15 There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust. Make yourself many—like the locust! Make yourself many— like the swarming locusts!

Mount Up To Heaven

Jeremiah 51:53
Though Babylon were to mount up to heaven, And though she were to fortify the height of her strength, [Yet] from Me plunderers would come to her," says the LORD.

Top secret space plane has America’s enemies scared

Morning Is Coming, But Night Will Soon Follow

Isaiah 21
v11 This message came to me concerning Edom: Someone from Edom keeps calling to me, "Watchman, how much longer until morning? When will the night be over?"
v12 The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but night will soon follow. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask."

"Morning is coming."

What does "morning" mean?

Isaiah 17:14
Then behold, at eventide, trouble! [And] before the morning, he [is] no more. This [is] the portion of those who plunder us, And the lot of those who rob us.

"How much longer until morning?" ...How much longer until Babylon is destroyed?

The watchman knows the day of destruction. The watchman encourages those who seek answers to come and learn...and to keep coming back, learning more each time. The watchman teaches. Edom/Dumah "Duwmah" here means "silence" or "stillness". This is the calm before the storm.

How does the watchman know?

Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield!

Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...Prepare the table, set a watchman...

He knows because he saw when the king's feast was being prepared.

"But night will soon follow."

Babylon is about to be destroyed, but the night (time of judgment) follows.


BONUS:

Why was the watchman allowed to see the day coming?

Isaiah 21:7
And he saw a chariot [with] a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, [and] a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care.

Answer: Because he saw the chariots and horsemen first. He insisted on knowing Truth.

http://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Artifact/Chariot.htm

How Was America Founded?

Habakkuk 2:12
"Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, Who establishes a city by iniquity!

Isaiah 18:7
In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth [of skin], And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide-- To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, To Mount Zion.


Was it not by nearly wiping out the people who were here first?

Psalms 32

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not
impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever-heat of summer.
I acknowledged my sin to Thee,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord';
And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee
in a time when Thou mayest be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him.
Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me
from trouble;
Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check.
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous ones,
And shout for joy all you who are upright in heart.


Joel 2:12
That is why the LORD says, "Turn to me now, while there is time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

Prepare the table, Set a watchman

The watchman cries out as the table is being set.

Isaiah 21
v5 Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield!
v6 For thus has the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees."

"Prepare": `arak...

1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare

a) (Qal)

1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place

http://www.blueletterbible.org

"Table": shulchan....of king's table, private use, sacred uses

Clue #5

The 'Day' will begin when the king of Babylon is throwing a great feast: Isaiah 21:5, Jeremiah 51:39, Jeremiah 51:57

"Nothing Will Happen"

"Nothing is going to happen." Isn't that what people tell themselves? Is that what you are telling yourself right now? God already knew that it would be the mindset of the majority people in the last days.

2 Peter 3
v3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
v4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
v5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,

When the world doesn't expect it. Isn't that today? Our day?

Matthew 24
v38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
v39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

1 Thessalonians 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

"For God and Country"

Firstly, I want to recognize all the faithful veterans who have served this country with honor. We have been able to enjoy great freedom in this country because faithful men and women have been willing to fight and die to protect us from enemies.

That being said, I want to bring something to light here. It's not my intention to offend anyone. But I want to show that God's word is truth.

The book of Habakkuk describes a nation of the last days that is fierce and powerful. In addition to this, they are religious, for they ascribe this power to their god.

Habakkuk 1
v6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans (note: of Babylon), A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places [that are] not theirs.
...
v10 They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen [mounds] and seize it.
v11 Then [his] mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, [Ascribing] this power to his god."

Last week we learned about some of the atrocities committed by our own soldiers.

We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created. From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out in this region.

We acknowledge our part in the deaths and injuries of your loved ones as we tell Americans what we were trained to do and what we carried out in the name of “god and country”. The soldier in the video said that your husband shouldn’t have brought your children to battle, but we are acknowledging our responsibility for bringing the battle to your neighborhood, and to your family. We did unto you what we would not want done to us.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/04/2007-iraq-apache-attack-as-seen-from-the-ground/ (credit: cryptogon.com)

For the record, I'm not saying this is the only reason Babylon must be punished. This is just one small part.

See Also: Harold Pinter's 2005 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech [credit: Cryptogon.com]


Isaiah 21:1
I see an awesome vision: I see you plundered and destroyed. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, take part in the siege. Babylon will fall, and the groaning of all the nations she enslaved will end.

What will be Babylons' judgment?

Revelation 18:6-8

Declaring the End From the Beginning

People, only God, the Creator of all things, can tell us in advance what's going to happen. And he has. Worship him now, give him honor now, before it's too late.


Isaiah 46
v8 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
v9 Remember the former things of old, For I [am] God, and [there is] no other; [I am] God, and [there is] none like Me,

v10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times [things] that are not [yet] done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'

v11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken [it]; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed [it]; I will also do it.
v12 "Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who [are] far from righteousness:
v13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.


Zephaniah 2:3
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD's anger.

Related?

Are these two verses related?

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.


Romans 9
v6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they [are] not all Israel who [are] of Israel,
v7 nor [are they] all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."
v8 That is, those who [are] the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

-------------------

Do we see a picture of two brothers here? Do we see a picture of the prodigal son?

-------------------

Look, I'm not trying to offend anyone here. I don't subscribe to any theology or camp or doctrine. Mostly because I don't know enough about certain camps to say I'm part of this or that or other. I'm after the truth found in God's word. But I will say this: I have no problem calling into question the standard answers we've been told. God's word is truth. And his Spirit reveals truth. That's about as much as I know.

-------------------

Why does all of this matter? It matters to me because I want to know what happens next. I want to know God's plan for these days. Not what men think will happen.

*** CLUES ***

Why do you think God gives us clues about the timing of the end?


Proverbs 25:2
[It is] the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.


He must have known we wouldn't get it...or we'd be lazy studying his word. So he sent us a prophet. http://www.handofhelp.com/index.php And he gave others dreams and visions.


Bu...bu....but.... WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO KNOW! Isn't that the cry of the masses? People, it's an excuse. Does it even make sense? So God is going to give us clues, but I guess we aren't supposed to study those parts of his word. Nothing to see here, folks, move on along.


We won't know the day or hour of his return (ie. Second Coming). There is exactly one Feast (God's appointed time with men) per year that begins when the new moon is spotted in the sky by the two witnesses. That first sliver of the new moon is spotted within a 48 hour time frame. We don't know when, within that 48 hours, it will be spotted.


------------------------------------------------------------------------


Imagine this for a moment. You are walking along a desert highway. Off in the distance you see something. You can't make it out. It's blurry. But as you get closer the object comes into focus. You start to notice things you hadn't before when you were a ways off. But now you are up close. You can see it. Those who are watching will not be caught off guard by the "thief in the night".


'Day' (Day of the Lord; time of judgment)


Clue #1


The 'Day' will begin with sudden destruction: Isaiah 13:6, Isaiah 13:9, I Thes. 5:3, Joel 1:15
This clue is observable ON the first day.


Clue #2


The 'Day' will begin with the complete destruction of Babylon: Isaiah 13, Revelation 14:6-8, Isaiah 21:12, Zechariah 5, Zephaniah 2:15
This clue is observable ON the first day.


Clue #3


The 'Day' will begin in the early evening (for the residents of Babylon): Isaiah 21:4, Isaiah 17:14
This clue is observable ON the first day.


Clue #4


The 'Day' will begin in the spring (for the residents of Babylon): Isaiah 17:11, Isaiah 18:5, Habakkuk 3:17, Isaiah 21:1
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.


Clue #5


The 'Day' will begin when the king of Babylon is throwing a great feast: Isaiah 21:5, Jeremiah 51:39, Jeremiah 51:57, Nahum 1:10, Nahum 3:11
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.


Clue #6


The 'Day' has something to do with 62 periods of time and 7 periods of time, starting from the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem: Daniel 9:25
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.


Clue #6 Revisited

Clue #7

The 'Day' will begin on a new moon. Hosea 5:7, Isaiah 13:10, Joel 2:10
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.

Clue #8


The 'Day' will begin when religious meetings (with songs) are taking place.  Amos 8:3,10
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.  See also Joel 1:9


"Then I fell asleep and dreamed that I was in an American church service, when the building began to move violently."


Clue #9


At mid-day (just hours before the early evening of Clue #3) the sun will be darkened, just like it was when Jesus (Yeshua) gave up the ghost.  Amos 8:9   Folks, there will be no mistaking this day with any other.  See also Isaiah 13:10, Joel 2:2,10, Jeremiah 6:4-5, 15:8-9
This clue is observable ON the first day.

Clue #10


The 'Day' begins the process of the Restitution Of All Things....Jubilee, after a 49 year period (see clue 6).  The captives of Babylon, and of all the earth, will be set free to return to Zion (Jeremiah 51:10, Isaiah 11:12, Zephaniah 3:20).  There will be the blowing of trumpets as would be expected at Jubilee. (google: "Yom Yerushalayim celebration") Hosea 5:8; Leviticus 25:8-10
This clue is observable ON the first day.


Clue #11


The earth will quake and be moved out of her place.  Isaiah 13:13, Joel 2:10, Isaiah 24:19-20  Again, there will be no mistaking this day from any other.  Here's an excellent article discussing this.
The order of events of that 'day' is scattered all throughout the Bible.  Joel 2:10 tells us that the great earthquake will occur before the army gets here.  Are you starting to see what's going on?  We're told how America will be defeated.  There will be an astronomical event which will cause the earth to quake and the sun to go dark.  I suspect something very large is going to be passing through our solar system between the earth and the sun.  The disturbance will be enough to blind us from the advance of the enemies.  The leader of this hoard will know this astronomical event is coming and "will devise an evil plan". Ezekiel 38:10  Folks, this is the "banner" discussed in Jeremiah 51:27.  It's a signal.  And it's really the only way such a decisive victory can happen.
This clue is observable ON the first day.
 
Clue #12


Solar and lunar eclipses precede the Day of the Lord.
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.


Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.


See Clue #6 for an explanation.


Clue #13


A great prophet will arrive before the Day of the Lord.
This clue can be used BEFORE the first day.


Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.






----------
Congruence: All clues must gel together...they have to overlap. One clue can't invalidate another.




The Day and Hour EVERYONE Should Know

Feasts Of The Kings

Describing State Dinners in Washington:

"One reason is that they are extraordinarily expensive, costing upwards of half a million bucks apiece, and time-consuming for the White House staff to organize."
...
"Those lucky enough to receive an invitation -- ambassadors, high-ranking government officials, emissaries from the arts, letters, and legal communities -- are asked to wear white or black tie. They are met at the White House by an all-military color guard. The president and the first lady greet each guest in an arrival line, introducing him or her to the visiting dignitaries. Then, the party sits for a multi-course dinner (served on dishes from the White House's enormous fine china collection) and serious entertainment. In November, famed chef Marcus Samuelsson cooked up Indian-inspired fare before R&B singer Jennifer Hudson took to the stage. The whole affair was televised on C-SPAN."

Who Decides Who Gets a State dinner?


Why is this important?

Isaiah 21:5, Jeremiah 51:39, ****---> Jeremiah 51:57 <---****

Hidden

Zephaniah 2:3, "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger."

The man then said, “Tell my people the days are numbered and the sentence has been passed. If they will seek My face and walk in righteousness before Me, I will open their eyes that they may see the danger approach. If they only look to the approaching danger, they too will be caught up and trampled underfoot. Only in righteousness will they find safety.”

http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_44.php

Jeremiah 51:10
The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

I Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--

Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Who Will Escape?

Jeremiah 50:28
The voice of those who flee and escape from the land of Babylon Declares in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, The vengeance of His temple.

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.

We see here that when Babylon is destroyed, a people will return to Zion.

Jeremiah 51:10
The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

Isaiah 18:7
In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth [of skin], And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide-- To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, To Mount Zion.

Zephaniah 3:10

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, The daughter of My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering.

So who are these people? Who is righteous? Who will God preserve through fiery destruction?

Romans 9:6
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they [are] not all Israel who [are] of Israel,

Jeremiah 50:20
In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but [there shall be] none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve.

Nahum, talking about end-time Ninevah (America), gives us an answer:

Nahum 1:7
The LORD [is] good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

Is this what Dumitru Duduman's "Flicker of Light" vision dealt with? http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_12.php

"Only those that trust in Me will be spared. " http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_41.php

Folks, I don't esteem the visions of modern-day man as I do God's word. But I believe a true prophet will confirm God's own word.

Where Does Judgment Begin?

I Peter 4:17
For the time [has come] for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if [it begins] with us first, what will [be] the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?


What is God's plan for this coming time of judgment? Is it such a strange thought that God's focus, at the beginning of this time, is His people?

From a vision of Dumitru Duduman:

"But first, I will judge those that carry the name of Christians, yet have tried to deceive Me. Because of them My name was, and is, dishonored and blasphemed before those that do not know Me"

http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_29.php

America is Ninevah!

I want to pass on this excellent article about the book of Nahum.

Surely America is prophetic Babylon. And here in the book of Nahum America is described as end-time Ninevah. Even the automobile is described in this book. It's fascinating.

For those who have been reading my posts, you might find something interesting in the meanings of the names:

"The name Nahum means "comforter." Nahum prophesied about Nineveh.

The name Nineveh means "the offspring of ease." Nahum was an Elkashite.

The name Elkashite means "the gathering of God.""

http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/nineveh.htm


-------------------------
Update: 2/23/2013

From "Decoding the Last Days, Volume 2: Jeremiah and Lamentations"

Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, As I have punished the king of Assyria.

Jeremiah 50:18

“As I have punished the king of Assyria.”  Few might agree, or even consider it a possibility, that the entirety of the prophetic text of the Bible speaks of our day.  Nevertheless, we are now nearly finished with this second volume and we see Isaiah and Jeremiah do not skip a beat as they describe our day.  In this one statement we see a connection being made to the book of Nahum, which will be examined in turn.  Nahum’s record of the downfall of Nineveh coincides with Jeremiah’s account of the destruction of Babylon.  “Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and no one gathers them.” (Nah. 3:18)  The soon destruction of America is described in both accounts.

I Will Turn You Around

Ezekiel 38:4
I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.

What's going on during that first 3.5 years? Remember, America, the lone superpower, was just destroyed entirely. And I believe on the heals of that great Russian victory, the Gog/Magog alliance of Ezekiel 38 then go after Israel. What are the hooks in Magog's jaw? It's pride and greed and, demonically, the hatred for God's people.


Look at that: I will turn you around.

Which direction was he going before he was turned around?

Get out your globe. Find Russia. Now find America. Pretend you are Russia attacking America.

Now find Israel on the globe.

NOW TURN AROUND and go towards Israel.

Silence In Heaven For Half An Hour

Update 3/11/2011
Since writing this I have learned that the tribulation period will actually last about 7 years and 4 months.
----------------------------------------


Before I begin this post, I feel I need to make some sort of disclaimer. The things I'm posting here I believe are true to best of my knowledge. But I could be wrong. I'm fallible. I'm not sure there is a man alive who is right about everything. But I also believe the time is short. So I'm going to put this out there as I understand it today. If my understanding changes at some point, I'll be the first to admit it.

So let's begin...

Revelation 8:1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

There's been much speculation about what this half an hour means and how long it actually is. Let me tell you plainly what I believe it means.

Revelation 14:7
saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."

What I see here is a time of judgment on the nations of the earth. Go back and read my other posts to see where I'm coming from.

Revelation 14 gives us an overview:

v6 [The gospel is preached.]
v7 [The time of judgment is here.]
v8 [Babylon/America is destroyed.]
[Does something go here?]
v9-20 [Mark of the beast. Martyrs. Great judgments...finally the Battle at Armageddon.]


This time of judgment, which is called the Day of the Lord, is 7 years and 4 months in length.

We see in Isaiah 13 (and here in Revelation 14) that Babylon is destroyed at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Now look between verse 8 and verse 9. I believe that's the half hour of silence.

Folks, let me be plain. The 7 years (and 4 months) is referred to as one hour in verse 7. I believe the silence in heaven for one half hour is the first 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week. Now why does it say "about" a half an hour? Sounds a little ambiguous, doesn't it? Contrast that with the very specific count of days we're told about in other places. This is because when this silence begins, part of that "half an hour" will already have transpired (the first 4 months). This silence begins after the seventh seal is opened.  What I have found is that the sixth seal corresponds to the Battle of Gog/Magog which is described in Ezekiel 38/39 and Isaiah 8.  Zechariah 13 tells us that two thirds of God's people will perish in that battle because they persist in unfaithfulness (Ezekiel 15:7-8).  We then see this great multitude (about 20 million by my estimation) in heaven, praising God, in Revelation 7, after the sixth seal is opened.

Here's what I'm seeing:
* America is destroyed (sudden destruction begins tribulation)
* God's people are brought into the wilderness for 4 months. (floodplain of Jordan)
* Four months of wilderness testing/sifting.
* Battle of Gog/Magog
* Remaining one third crosses Jordan and inherits the promised land of Israel (two sticks of Ezekiel 37 rejoined)
* Covenant with many which begins Daniels 70th Week (7 years)
* Revelation is silent about the first 3.5 years (but the prophets are not)
* Mid-point (Abomination of Desolation)
* 3.5 remaining years (simultaneous 7 trumpet and 7 bowl judgments)
* Rapture of God's people
* Christ returns
* Final battle (Megiddo)

This is why there is so much discrepancy about the duration of judgment. The first 3.5 years are hidden. Heaven is "silent" about those first 3.5 years when John recorded the Revelation. And we see yet another example of God's mercy. This "Day" begins with God's judgment on America and those who would come against His land, Israel. Then there is silence...his judgments have ceased for a while to give people time to repent and turn to him.


What's going on during this first 3.5 years?

America was just destroyed entirely...sudden destruction...at the beginning of the 7 years and 4 months.
Then the land of Israel was attacked (Ezekiel 38-39) and God intervened by destroying 5/6ths of the army that came against them.

The nations are reorganizing (New World Order) and the anti-Messiah is gaining in power. Remember, he is given power to exercise his authority for 42 months...3.5 years; the second 3.5 years after the two witnesses are killed and after the abomination that makes desolate is set up.


BUT...what is God doing and what are his people doing?

The great re-gathering of the two houses is taking place! His two houses are becoming one house and one people...the house of Jacob (Ezekiel 37). Now what is the second 3.5 years called? Jacob's Trouble. Do you remember the woman who is told to flee when she sees the abomination? That is the re-united people of God. The house of Jacob.

Micah 4:1
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days [That] the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.

If you want to read more about the re-gathering of the two houses:

Isaiah: 2:1-4; 11:1-16; chapter 35; 43:4-6; 49:22; 52:6-10; chapter 54; 56:8 and chapter 62. Jeremiah: 3:12-19; 16:14-16; 23:3-8; 34:3-8; 30:7-10; 31:31-36; 32:37-42; 33:7-26; 39:25-29; 50:4. Ezekiel: 11:16-20; 28:25-26; 34:11-16, 22-26; 36:24-28 and chapter 37. Hosea: 1:10-11; 2:14-23, chapter 3. Amos: 9:11-15. Zechariah: 2:4-13; 12:1-10; 13:1; 13:1-5.

-------------

In James 5:17 we are told the drought for which Elijah was responsible (I Kings 17) lasted 3 years and 6 months.  I believe this is a type of the first half of Daniel's 70th Week.  If that 'week' is seven years (Daniel 9) then the first half lasts 3.5 years.  Just as heaven was shut up (no rain) for 3.5 years, so too is John's vision given in Revelation.  In fact, all we are really told (in Revelation) about that first half points us back to Elijah and his companion (the two witnesses) and their ministry during that time.  Malachi 4 tells us Elijah will be sent to earth before the Day of the Lord begins.  So we know he will be on earth during that time.  There is silence in heaven for about half an hour.  I believe this is saying the vision of Revelation is, for the most part, silent about the first half of Daniel's 70th week.  Then we see the story picks up again at the mid-point of the 'week', at the abomination of desolation and the defeat of the two witnesses.

What was a major theme at the conclusion of Elijah's drought?  If Baal is Lord, serve him.  But if our Lord is Lord, serve him.  The prophets are not silent about the first 4 months and then the first half of the 'week'.  The world will experience great wonders.  Chief among them, they will wonder about us and how we survived the destruction of America, the Battle of Gog/Magog and then inherited the land of Israel.  They will wonder how the desolate land sprang back to life as we, a great company, entered the land.  We are even told they will call us the 'holy people'.  During the first half, the world is being shown their choice.  Continue to serve Baal or serve the Lord.  But then at the midpoint we see a change begin to take place.  Those who refuse to repent and refuse to serve God are now firmly fixed in their position.  We are told they will worship the beast, all whose names are not written in the Book of Life.  We are told once they receive the mark of the beast, their fate is sealed.  It's at this point, the midpoint, when the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments are poured out.

Why Are They Weeping?

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.

Zechariah 10:7
[Those of] Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see [it] and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.


For the sake of time I'm only going to list these two verses. But the second one....this concept of rejoicing and gladness...is not by any means isolated. There are many scripture references that describe the joy when the House of Joseph is gathered back to Zion and the House of Judah.

So what we see here is a contrast. First weeping, then rejoicing.

My wife asked me today "so how will we get to Zion?" Honestly, I don't know the answer to that. In a previous post I speculated that maybe we will be teleported there. Sure, that is one way, but as I think this through I'm coming to a different conclusion.

This re-gathering of the house of Israel to the house of Judah is a miraculous event...it's epic. Epic like "The Exodus" and "The 10 Plagues" epic. It's an example for all the world to see and behold the glory of our God at the start of the Day of the Lord.

However we get back to Zion, it will be miraculous. I'm thinking now that it will be a somewhat drawn-out event. Will we walk through the width and breadth of Babylon as she lay in ruins? Will it be a great procession of God's people, growing larger and larger until we reach the coasts?

It's an interesting thought. I remember one of Dumitru Duduman's visions dealt with this very thing. http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_12.php

Isaiah 21:14
O people of Tema, bring food and water to these weary refugees.

Jubilee!

"A Jubilee year was the year following 7 cycles of Sabbatical years or 49 years. Hence, every 50th year was Jubilee. The Jubilee year would be counted from the time Israel had entered the Promised Land."

Excellent work! I add my agreement to this. Except for the "rapture" part.

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2010/nando420.htm


To understand what happens next, you have to know who the lost sheep are:

Who are the Lost Sheep?

There's going to be a whole host of confused people between the time when the mushroom clouds hit and when you find you are in the land of Israel. But in that day DON'T LOSE HEART. Stand firm on the promises of Psalm 91 and see the salvation of the LORD.

Who are the Lost Sheep?

Matthew 15:24
But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Matthew 10
v5 These twelve Yeshua sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
v6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jeremiah 50:5 "My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away [on] the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.

--------------------------------------------

What does "lost" mean? God calls them "My people". They belong to him.

They "have gone". Where did they go? Where is the resting place they forgot?

Do you think he's talking about "Jews"? Israelites?

Romans 9
v6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they [are] not all Israel who [are] of Israel,
v7 nor [are they] all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."
v8 That is, those who [are] the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

---------------------------------------

Who will God "preserve" when Babylon is destroyed in one hour? (Jeremiah 50:20)

Will God preserve all Jewish-Americans? Even those who don't honor Him? Does that make the most sense?

Who is the "Israel" that God will "bring back" to his home? (Jeremiah 50:19)

Where is home?

Answer:
Jer. 51:10 The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.


---------------------------------------

Matthew 19:28
So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Has this happened yet...in fullness?:

Isaiah 11
v11 It shall come to pass in that day [That] the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
v12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.
v13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.


Israel/Judah...Israel/Judah....Israel/Judah....

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.


Where's the church in Jeremiah 50,51? ...Who are the Lost Sheep?

What kind of coat did Joseph receive from his father?


Has this happened yet?:

Micah 4:1
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days [That] the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.

Or this?

Joel 2:28
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.

How about Ezekiel 37? Have the two sticks been joined together and are they living in harmony? Has the House of Israel (the lost 10 tribes) been found?

Did this happen already?:

Genesis 22:17
blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which [is] on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Answer: Yes.

Until You Understand This One Thing, You Understand Nothing

It will be a miracle

I have come to the conclusion that God will supernaturally preserve his people. The "escape" from Babylon/America will be no less miraculous than the the three boys in the fiery furnace and the Exodus from Egypt.

Ezekiel 39:28
then they shall know that I [am] the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.

Micah 4:1
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days [That] the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.

Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.

A stall-fed calf has his food brought to him. Malachi chapter 4 is talking about the Day of the Lord. He's saying here that God is going to bring supernatural healing and deliverance to his people. And he's going to feed them.

Missing the mark by a thousand miles

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.

If you're going to travel to the moon, you better not be off by even just a small degree when you start, or you may end up thousands of miles off target.

That's kind of how it is when studying end-time Bible prophecy. It's a difficult subject. And if our interpretation is off by just a little bit, we may get it totally wrong. But aren't we supposed to watch? Yes. So how are we supposed to watch if we don't know what to watch for? Well, God did reveal some things which are easy to understand...like earthquakes and birth pangs. And some things which are difficult to understand. On top of that, we have an enemy who would love nothing more than to deceive God's people so they don't understand his Word regarding this time.

I certainly don't have all the answers. But I believe God is showing me some foundational truths as I seek out the truth and rely on his Spirit for understanding. It's been quite a journey. Does God ever gently lead you in a direction for a while. Maybe he brings things across your path for...oh, a year or two. Then out of nowhere he drops the bomb on you? The piece of the puzzle you've been missing the entire time?


For a couple decades I had this curiosity about the end-times....since my youth really. But I was lazy. I didn't study for myself. I read books about what other people saw in God's Word. And formed opinions around their interpretation. And I got caught up in the cares of this life. But then not long ago...maybe two years...God revealed something to me as I sought for the truth of the end-times: America is Babylon. The Babylon mentioned over and over again all throughout scripture. At some point I'll post the reasons why I believe this to be true. For now let me tell you that there are about 100 characteristics scripture gives when describing Babylon.

Once I realized this, I began to ask another question: When is Babylon destroyed? What I found is that Babylon is destroyed at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Read Isaiah 13...for starters.

Then I turned my attention to another subject. What happens to believers when Babylon is destroyed? Will we perish with the rest of the nation? Or will we survive somehow? Will we be raptured out of here? I know a lot of my brothers and sisters in Christ believe the latter. Certainly it must be the case, right?

So I began reading the major and minor prophets and their views of the end-time. What I found is that a pattern begins to emerge. This post is getting long so I'll save that for another time.

For now, who are the people mentioned in Jeremiah 50:4? We can't understand Jacob's Trouble until we understand who this is that escapes Babylon.

Jeremiah 50:4
"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God.

"Come home, Ephraim"

It's amazing the things we find when we really dig in and study God's word. I repent for my years of laziness regarding God's Word.

This is taken from the article which is linked below:

"But, still, the religious Jews maintain the Shabbat, the Festivals, the dietary rules, and have a deep desire for the coming of Messiah. In fact, the Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews call out four times a day, turning to the north, south, east and west: “Come home, Ephraim”. That should make us weep. They are calling for us to “come home”.

"Do they know what they are saying? Yes, they know—they know that these Christians that come to Jerusalem at Sukkot and other times, because they love Israel, and stand with Israel, are really the prodigal coming home. "

List of some Scriptures regarding the re-gathering of the two Houses:

Isaiah: 2:1-4; 11:1-16; chapter 35; 43:4-6; 49:22; 52:6-10; chapter 54; 56:8 and

chapter 62. Jeremiah: 3:12-19; 16:14-16; 23:3-8; 34:3-8; 30:7-10; 31:31-36; 32:37-42; 33:7-26; 39:25-29; 50:4. Ezekiel: 11:16-20; 28:25-26; 34:11-16, 22-26; 36:24-28 and chapter 37. Hosea: 1:10-11; 2:14-23, chapter 3. Amos: 9:11-15. Zechariah: 2:4-13; 12:1-10; 13:1; 13:1-5.

http://laydownlife.net/yedidah/word/WHO%20ARE%20THE%20TEN.doc

*** One Spring Evening....Sudden Destruction

It's not with joy that I write this. My heart is heavy. We may be just weeks away and there are many who are still sleeping. My heart is especially grieved for family members who aren't ready.

This is a heavy topic...the sudden destruction of America by nuclear fire. It will take just one hour.

But God's word is clear. We are to watch. It's the lie of our enemy that says "What's the use of watching? You aren't supposed to know." But we are supposed to know the time. Maybe not the exact time, but we should be able to discern the timing. The following indicates that the Day of the Lord will begin one spring evening. Another important clue follows below.



SPRING TIME

Isaiah 17:11
In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; [But] the harvest [will be] a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow.

Isaiah 18:5
For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect [finished, complete] And the sour grape is ripening in the flower, He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks And take away [and] cut down the branches.

[Note: I don't grow grapes for a living. I can't say exactly when this is. But it sounds to me like the "flowering" stage, after Bud Break. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annual_growth_cycle_of_grapevines. By my estimation, flowering stage begins around the middle of May. Keep in mind that this is dependent on weather. It's being said that April 2010 will be one of the hottest on record.]


EARLY EVENING

Isaiah 21:4
My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night [nesheph: early evening] for which I longed He turned into fear for me.

Isaiah 17:14
Then behold, at eventide, trouble! [And] before the morning, he [is] no more. This [is] the portion of those who plunder us, And the lot of those who rob us



DURING A GREAT FEAST OF THE KING OF BABYLON

Isaiah 21:5 (New Living Translation)
Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. Quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle! You are being attacked!

Jeremiah 51:39
In their excitement I will prepare their feasts; I will make them drunk, That they may rejoice, And sleep a perpetual sleep And not awake," says the LORD.

Jeremiah 51:57
"And I will make drunk Her princes and wise men, Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men. And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep And not awake," says the King, Whose name [is] the LORD of hosts.


Some more food for thought as you continue to watch and pray:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/03/obama_white_house_honors_mexic.html
http://danielstimeline.com/page6.htm
http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/2009/04/shavuot-jewish-festival.html


"Everything will start as a heavy rain on a sunny day. At a time you least expect it."
http://www.handofhelp.com/vision_41.php

7 Years of Tribulation

Update 2/11/2011
Since writing this I have learned that the tribulation period will actually last about 7 years and 4 months.
----------------------------------------

I've been 'watching' end-time prophecy for about 20 years now. I thought I knew a lot of things...I went along with what the more popular authors thought would happen. But now I think I know very little. The two things I think I know is that America is Babylon and her destruction begins the Day of the Lord. Of that, I'm convinced.

See: Act 1, Scene 1 "Day of the Lord"

I believe there is plenty of scripture to support this. Everything else, though, I have to see the scriptural evidence myself. Until then, I have an open mind about how things will play out.

That being said, one thing that leads me be believe a seven year tribulation is Ezekiel 39.

v9 "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.
v10 They will not take wood from the field nor cut down [any] from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them," says the Lord GOD.

[Note: Russian weapons can be burned because they are made from Lignostone.]

This seems to be a clue...a supporting scripture. When else could this be fulfilled? During the 1000 year reign? But that would put the Gog/Magog battle at the end of the tribulation. We know from Ezekiel 38 that the purpose of God intervening (to destroy 5/6th of Gog's army) is to turn the hearts of the Jews back to their God and to magnify His name among all nations.

Ezekiel
38:23
Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I [am] the LORD."
39:7
So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

Another thing that seems to support a seven year tribulation are the two witnesses. It seems the pattern in scripture is that they will give witness for 3.5 years, then be killed.

Revelation 11:3
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

Now look at the scene after they are killed:

v9...Possible now because of satellites.
Revelation 11:10
And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.


Does this sound like the end of the tribulation? We know that at the end there will be very few left alive. This sounds more like well before the end. They can still "make merry" and send gifts to one another. But we know at the end of the tribulation there will be utter hopelessness and despair. Mankind will have nearly annihilated himself from the face of the earth.

When Babylon is destroyed, at the very start of the Day of the Lord, the geopolitical landscape will be thrown into disarray. After a very decisive victory, this "nation from the north", Russia and her Muslim alliance, will go after Israel. The world, still in shock at America's sudden demise, will only be able to offer up a lame response as they watch Israel being surrounded.

Ezekiel 38:13
Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?' " '

Isn't the AntiChrist in control at this time? Well, maybe not. We know that he is given power to exercise his authority for 42 months. Folks, things take time to develop. I think it's very likely that the first half of tribulation is a progression, working towards what we see play out in the second half.

Now look at what happens when God intervenes:

Ezekiel 38:20
so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who [are] on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.'

Is this the same event?:

Isaiah 24:20
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again.

Revelation 6:12
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Revelation 6:17
For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

HAS come. They know full well that they are within the Day of the Lord. Contrast this with Isaiah 13, which talks about the start of the Day of the Lord.

Isaiah 13:6
Wail, for the day of the LORD [is] at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.

This chapter links the destruction of Babylon and the start of the Day of the Lord. It's AT HAND. It's starting or just about to start.

How close are we? (Economic Collapse)

How close are we to the beginning of the Day of the Lord?

This is a question I ask myself constantly. And I hold up this question to the light of scripture. First we have to look at what we're told will happen. Once we do that, can we find answers by deduction...a little brain power? I think we can, but I'm not going to bet any large sums of money on my power of deduction. So put this in your 'for what it's worth' file.

I just read an article about Oliver Stone's forthcoming sequel "Wall Street". ('Wall Street' sequel is an omen of U.S. collapse http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wall-street-sequel-an-omen-of-us-collapse-2010-03-16)

It's an excellent article that poses the question: Is this movie predicting a collapse? I'm not going to go into detail here, you'll have to read the article. But I find it interesting because it uses some of the same terms I've been reading in the Bible lately. Terms like "suddenly" and "disaster". There seems to be a prevailing thought that when the next big economic event happens, it won't be business as usual anymore. It'll mean a major change of lifestyle.

So this leads me the next question. Will economic collapse precede the destruction of America that we read about in the Bible? The destruction by fire that takes all of one hour to destroy this nation.

Revelation 18
v3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
v7 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance
v8 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What [is] like this great city?'
v9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
v10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'

[Note: don't be confused by the word "city". Babylon is a nation.]

Who Is Babylon?

So let me now pose this question to you: Would this prophecy concerning America even be possible AFTER a great economic collapse?

Clearly the current economic situation in America is unsustainable. The debt is too large and the obligations too many. On top of that, we now have the baby boomers beginning to retire. Guess what, they will want to collect on those benefits as they enter their golden years. But now America finds herself in a situation where even the interest on the debt soon won't be able to be repaid. It's not sustainable. Something has to give. And it's going to be the value of the dollar. It's been reported that the Fed bought 80% of our own debt in 2009. That is staggering. How long can this continue? My guess...not much longer.

So I ask again, can Revelation 18 be fulfilled AFTER a great economic collapse in America? Let's think about this a minute. Let's say the dollar does finally crash. Some don't blink an eye at the thought of a 50% devaluation. So take your dollar and replace it with two quarters. Or take your 401k and cut it in half. I think it's very feasible that we're staring the New World Financial Order straight in the face. After all, America is not the only economy in trouble; burdened down with too much debt.

So let's speculate about a 50% devaluation. Loss of AAA credit rating. Mass unemployment. Imports grind to a halt. Why? Because they know they won't get paid back...at least not with something of value. The world will dump the dollar. No longer will it be the world's reserve currency. In fact, this is already being discussed among the major nations. The UN has already called for a new reserve currency. They know the dollar is doomed.

Now, given this scenario, does Revelation 18 still make sense? If Revelation 18 were to occur AFTER the dollar dies, will the shipmasters and kings and merchants be so distraught over losing America as a trading partner?

I don't think so.

I believe what we see here is that America's judgment will come BEFORE economic collapse, or at least before realization sets in.

Why you should care about 2016

Will you be teleported?

Update: 10/1/2010

Isaiah 60:8

"Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?

My 3 1/2 yr old daughter wants to fly. I tell her she just may get her wish one day. After all, we have to cross that ocean somehow, right? I think Isaiah 60:8 holds the answer.

--end update

Teleportation, is it real? Or is it just something out of Star Trek? And why do I want to talk about it?

First things first. Do you believe the Bible is true? Look at Acts chapter 8.

Acts 8
v39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
v40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

What just happened here? Philip was teleported. One second he's standing knee deep in water, baptizing some guy, the next moment he's in a different city. The word for "caught away" is harpazō. It means to snatch away. It's the same word that describes the "rapture" of the Church.

I Thessalonians 4:17
Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up (harpazō) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

But I'm not interested in talking about the rapture at this point. I want to talk about what happens to all the believers in Babylon when she is judged. The Bible says that Babylon will be destroyed in one hour. That she will be burned with fire. Only one thing can do this: nuclear holocaust.

Revelation 18
v8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her.
v9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
v10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'

(Now don't be confused here because it says "city". It means city-state. Baylon is a nation.)


Will believers die along with everyone else? That's the question. Or will they be raptured to heaven first? Maybe...but I don't think so. I think there's more to this story.

First let's look at the Psalms 91

v5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, [Nor] of the arrow [that] flies by day,
v6 [Nor] of the pestilence [that] walks in darkness, [Nor] of the destruction [that] lays waste at noonday.
v7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; [But] it shall not come near you.
v8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.


That sounds a lot like what we're talking about.

I Thessalonians 5:9 says: For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

I'm led to believe somehow we're going to escape this judgment on Babylon. But how?

Look at Isaiah 18

v1 - 3 Describes Babylon/America (All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth: When he (America) lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see [it]; And when he blows a trumpet, you hear [it])
v 4 Time of judgment. God will now act. (see Revelation 14:8)
v5 - 6 Utter destruction. (see Revelation 18)

Now look at the last verse. This seems like a crazy thing to say...

v7 In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth [of skin], And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide-- To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, To Mount Zion.

A present? A gift will be brought to the Lord?...from the people whose entire country was just annihilated in a nuclear holocaust?....and that gift will be brought to Mount Zion....in Israel?

I told you it sounded crazy. Here's what I think it means.

What is this gift? I believe it's talking here about the remnant of believers who will survive, unharmed. They bring themselves, including their praise, worship, thanksgiving, and testimony.

[Remember, Jeremiah 50 and 51 are all about Babylon's destruction.]

Jeremiah 51:10 The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

How did he reveal our righteousness?

Daniel 3:27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

Introduction

Welcome to my new blog! I'd like to share a little bit about this blog and what led me to start it.

I believe we're living in the end times, just prior to the "Day of The Lord" spoken of in Bible. The burden on my heart in these days is that as many as possible would be spiritually awakened and in right-standing with our Creator and be ready for the dark days ahead. It's with this in mind that I've decided to focus in on one of the most misunderstood end-of-age prophecies in the Bible...Babylon.

I've been interested in end-time prophecy for the past 20 years. But it's still very much a learning process. I certainly don't know it all. We see in part and we understand in part. In fact, things I thought I knew, things I took for granted after reading the latest prophecy book, I now question and scrutinize with an open mind. Understanding Bible prophecy is difficult...one of the most difficult things in the Bible.

But I've drawn a line in the sand. I believe so-called prophecy experts have, in some cases, led us down a path of falsehood. Anymore, I don't care what anyone says, I want to see for myself what God's Word says. There are times when we speculate...we try to fill in the blanks. But when we put something out there, it should be backed up by scripture. If it's speculation, shouldn't it be labeled as such? And that's what I'll attempt to do here.

I hope the words written herein give you plenty of food for thought and stir in you a desire to study what God told us, in advance, would happen at the end of this age. But mostly I pray your faith would be strengthened as we watch together the unfolding of end-time events.

Drew

"I did it MY way"

Remember the famous words of that song, sang by Frank Sinatra? "I did it my way."

Romans 1:19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown [it] to them.
20
For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

This chapter is saying that proof is all around us. But it's also saying that those who want to do their own thing refuse to give God glory for what they can clearly see.

Romans 1:21
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Everything has a purpose.

Why is the world the way it is?

Why did God set it up this way? This is my baseline belief system: The Bible is God's word to mankind. And he chose a people to tell a story about himself.  His nature is revealed through his interaction with his people (namely Israel and Judah).

So back to my question. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere at the same time. So why did he design the world to operate the way it does? Why is a rebellious former angel in charge of things on earth?

Everything has a purpose. Everything from the lowly earth-worm to majestic bald eagle. Guess what, Satan was created for a purpose as well. God knew he would rebel before he did. God knew the first humans would believe his lies. That they would "fall" into sin and rebellion as well.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God is after a people who desire a relationship with him even though they can't see him. Those who "repent" (turn from the way they were going and turn towards him) and be baptized (symbolically die to the former way of life) will be saved (will live with him eternally). This is the "born again" experience that Yeshua (Jesus) spoke of.