2. INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Saudis Reject Obama’s Mideast Peace Plan! . . . . . 3
Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal rejected the
Obama administration’s Middle East approach. The Saudi prince P. O. Box 7000
urged the U.S. to get off their backs on the Israeli-Palestinian Oklahoma City, OK 73153
issue and deal more seriously and effectively with top-urgency Dr. J. R. Church, Editor
action for stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Gary Stearman, Associate Editor
Volume 29 • Number 9 • September 2009
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The Ancient Book of Enoch (Part Eight) . . . . . . 6 http://www.prophecyinthenews.com
The Book of Enoch is addressed to those who will be living in
Page 3 . . .
the Tribulation Period. The Book of the Luminaries (chapters 72-
82) offers us a view of early mankind’s fascination with the Sun,
Moon and stars.
Saudis Reject Obama’s
Human Light Discovered . . . . . . 7 Mideast Peace Plan!
Shades of the Shekinah! Though very faint, scientific experi- By Gary Stearman
ments have discovered that the human body actually glows —
not only with an infrared heat, but the body emits visible light,
1,000 times less intense than the levels to which our naked eyes
are sensitive — a fascinating new discovery. Page 6 . . .
The Pre-Pre-Tribulation Rapture . . . . . . 8
The Ancient Book of Enoch
The Bible speaks of a long transition from the Church Age to (Part Eight) by J. R. Church
the Tribulation and on into the Kingdom. One can make the case
that we’re in that transition now. The Bible speaks of a more-or-
Page 7 . . .
less gradual shift from the Church Age to the seven-year Tribu-
lation. This period is marked by various calamities and convul-
sions. Read this article and you will see why we believe in a
Pre-Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Human Light Discovered
By Gary Stearman
The Last Generation . . . . . . 13
Jim Simmons, author of the new book, The Last Generation,
shares some statistics about world events in 1948 that demon-
strate just how strategic the year actually was for the fulfillment Page 8 . . .
of biblical prophecy. Not only was the state of Israel born in 1948,
but the Congress of Europe met in 1948. They adopted seven The Pre-Pre-Tribulation Rapture
resolutions on political union that led to the European Union. By Gary Stearman
Read about other events that were just as important for the New
World Order and an upcoming new world currency.
Archeological Study Excludes Israel . . . . . . 15 Page 13 . . .
The World Archeological Congress, presently convening a con-
ference of archeologists from all over the world, has excluded Is-
The Last Generation
rael even though the conference is taking place in Ramallah. By Jim Simmons
Bob’s Corner . . . . . . 17
Bob Ulrich reviews a new book entitled, 2012: Is This the
End?, by Lloyd B. Hildebrand. This former pastor explores the
Page 17 . . .
world’s perspective on 2012. If you haven’t heard this date, give
it time, because you will. Books are flying off the shelves with
Bob’s Corner
the year 2012 on them, mostly secular books that are predicting By Bob Ulrich
a complete collapse of our world system.
2 Prophecy in the News
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Money Talks!
Saudis Reject Obama’s
Mideast Peace Plan!
By Gary Stearman
Arab wealth has become legendary. To
its dismay, the Obama administration has
discovered that their wealth is manifesting
itself as power. Recently, the Saudis have
blatantly rejected a plan
for Middle East peace, in
which they were invited
to play a major role.
They have powerfully
established themselves
as major players in for-
eign policy agreements
involving Israel.
We often revisit Ezekiel 38 and 39,
where we find some of the most obvious
allusions to contemporary conditions in
the entire Bible. The invasion from the
north is mentioned in many Old Testament
prophecies, but only in Ezekiel do we find
the names of specific nations destined to
be involved in the battle.
One part of Ezekiel’s prophecy mentions
Sheba and Dedan. In a previous article we
documented the history of these two tribal
names, concluding that they were the pro- President Obama bows before the Saudi King. The Washington Times newspaper
genitors of the modern Arab tribes. Sheba suggested that Obama is “proving that one can be elected president without knowing
was one of Cush’s grandsons. A bit later, how to behave presidentially. In his eagerness to be loved personally, the president
this name is listed as a son of Joktan. He is has lost sight of the fact that the leader of the free world also must be respected.”
Saudi Prince Saud al-Faisal (inset) issued a rejection of Obama’s Peace Plan.
usually named as the patriarch of an Arab
tribe, the Sabeans. land of unwalled villages; I will go to them In that day when my people of Israel dwell-
The name Dedan can be traced to two that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of eth safely, shalt thou not know it?
biblical sources. First, as a son of Raamah, them dwelling without walls, and having “And thou shalt come from thy place out
who was the son of Cush. Historically, neither bars nor gates, of the north parts, thou, and many people
they established colonies on the western “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a
side of the Persian Gulf. In general, Sheba turn thine hand upon the desolate places great company, and a mighty army:
represents the northern division of the Ara- that are now inhabited, and upon the peo- “And thou shalt come up against my
bian power structure. The Kuwaiti House ple that are gathered out of the nations, people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the
of al Sabah is the most obvious modern which have gotten cattle and goods, that land; it shall be in the latter days, and I
connection to this ancient house, but there dwell in the midst of the land. will bring thee against my land, that the
are many others. Dedan represents the “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants heathen may know me, when I shall be
tribes to the south, from Yemen, northward of Tarshish, with all the young lions there- sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their
through Saudi Arabia and the United Arab of, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to eyes” (Ezek. 38:11-16).
Emirates. take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy com- Ezekiel mentions an opposing power that
Their latter-day importance is seen in pany to take a prey? To carry away silver raises diplomatic questions at the outset of
Ezekiel’s prophecy through their linkage and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to the invasion, which is mounted against an
with the Western powers at the time of the take a great spoil? Israel at peace. It is a power bloc, bringing
invasion. “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and together the Arabs and the “merchants of
“And thou shalt say, I will go up to the say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Tarshish,” another name for the Western
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powers … Europe, the U.S.A., and others.
We see precisely this arrangement today.
At the time of the invasion, these na-
tions are obviously operating in unison, on
the basis of some common interest. Today,
that interest revolves around oil and free
access to the Persian Gulf. Until quite re-
cently, U.S. and European powers could
dictate terms to the Saudis. Today, that is
no longer true, but the Bible says that right
up until the moment of the northern attack,
the present coalition will hold.
A Display of Saudi Temper
As reported on August 1, by DEBKA-
file, the Saudis flatly rejected U.S. goals
involving Israel:
“Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-
Faisal’s rejection of the Obama adminis-
tration’s Middle East approach was a lot
more comprehensive than a blunt refusal
to improve relations with Israel to help
restart peace talks. DEBKAfile’s Washing-
ton sources report that in closed-door talks Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tells it like it is.
with U.S. leaders, including secretary of Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told to get out of Austra-
state Hillary Clinton, the Saudi prince lia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
urged the U.S. to get off their backs on Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he
the Israeli-Palestinian issue and deal more supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques.
seriously and effectively with top-urgency Quote: “IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or
action for stopping Iran acquiring a nucle- Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some
ar bomb. individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a
“After those talks, Saud said his govern- surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. This culture has been developed
ment would not consider steps suggested over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women
by the Obama administration until Israel who have sought freedom. We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese,
accepted Arab demands ‘to withdraw from Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish
all occupied Palestinian territories.’ to become part of our society, learn the language!
“With Clinton looking on at a joint State “Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political
Department news conference Friday, July push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded
31, the Saudi foreign minister dismissed this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it
Obama principles one by one: ‘Temporary on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
security and confidence building measures part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. We will ac-
will also not bring peace,’ he maintained cept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and
and rejected ‘incrementalism and a step- live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.
by-step approach.’ “This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will
“What is required, he said is ‘a compre- allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining,
hensive approach that defines the final out- whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our Christian beliefs, or our way of
come at the outset and launches into nego- life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
tiations over final-status issues, including THE RIGHT TO LEAVE. If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force
a future Palestinian state, control of Jeru- you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.”
salem, the return of Palestinian refugees,
water and security.’” Saudis in a commanding position, dictat- of the invasion.
Without a doubt, the Saudis now see ing policy with surprising authority. Currently, they have forcefully sug-
themselves as having a new equality in the Will the Saudis’ demand for a Palestin- gested to the Obama administration that
region. Before the Obama administration ian state with Jerusalem as its capital be its real business should be with the nuclear
came to power, the Saudis were accus- realized? Prophecy says not. Ezekiel says threat posed by the Iranians. The Arabs
tomed to making deals in a time-honored that the northern force will invade “… the know how the game is played there, and
way, swapping their huge oil supply for mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 38:8). Fur- they believe that Iranian nuclear power is
wealth and local power. Now, however, thermore, the Jews will emerge from the the real problem in the Middle East, not
the U.S. is in financial crisis, and its leftist battle victorious. Israel. How strange, that the Arabs are
leadership is trying to maintain the status Will the Saudis reject their alliance the ones who have cut short the constant
quo, without the political leverage they with the West? Again, prophecy says not. drumbeat that calls for a Palestinian state,
have had in the past. Obama’s appease- In spite of disagreements, the Arabs will and have advised us to remove the Iranian
ment strategy has fallen flat, leaving the arise in concert with the West at the time threat. u
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tugal, awaiting an appearance of Mary, when suddenly the sun began to spin like a
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Earth after God wiped out these monsters.
Much of the information about these battles to rule or destroy the universe
are outlined in the Bible. As we’ll see, these can be carefully pieced together
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The Ancient
Book Three: The Book of the Luminaries
Book of Enoch
(Part Eight)
With Commentary by J. R. Church
What we are about to review is purport-
ed to be an expanded version of what we
saw in chapter 33, namely
the journeys of the Sun
and Moon across the sky
over the course of a year.
Though I am comfortable
with Enoch’s authorship
in chapter 33, I have res-
ervations about the au-
thenticity of the Book of the Luminaries. It
contains some descriptions about the Sun
and Moon that early mankind could sim-
ply have made through observation, yet
lacks a proper explanation of the true sci-
ence behind the movements of the Earth
around the Sun and the movements of the
Moon around the Earth. As we proceed,
I shall attempt to point out these contra-
dictions. As we get to them, you will un-
derstand why I believe that at least part of
the Book of the Luminaries could contain
corrupted text. Some scholars suggest that
Enoch was the author, but that, over the
centuries, others have added interpolations
to the original text, thus creating the prob-
lems that we shall encounter. Above is one of several fragments of the Book of Enoch found among the Dead
In chapters 26-36, Enoch gave an ac- Sea Scrolls. The Book of Enoch was popular in the early church. But by the end of
count of his ride in a celestial vehicle. Af- the seventh century, the scrolls had slowly disappeared. It became a forgotten book
ter visiting the site of the future Jerusalem until three copies were found in Ethiopia in 1773. It is addressed to the people of
(ch. 26-27), the craft flew eastward across the last generation and those living in the Tribulation Period.
a vast rain forest, which was to become the heavens rest, and the portals of the the Sun travels. Some have suggested that
the Arabian Desert (ch. 28-31). Turning heavens open. those “portals” or “outlets” are the star-
northward at the Persian Gulf, they landed 3. And I saw where the stars come out groups that make up the constellations.
in the Garden of Eden where Enoch dis- from heaven, and I counted the portals Enoch said that he “wrote down” these
cussed the tree of the knowledge of good [constellations] out of which they come, things. Could this writing be the scroll that
and evil (ch. 32). Then, he and Uriêl lifted and I wrote down all their outlets, each has come to be known as the Book of the
off again for a trip across vast rangelands, one, according to their number and their Luminaries? In this study we shall launch
where he saw herds of huge animals. names, their connections and their posi- our review of the Book of the Luminaries,
Continuing their journey, the craft lifted tions and their times and their months, as which comprises chapters 72-82. Because
Enoch and Uriêl to a position high above the angel Uriêl, who was with me, showed of the length of this scroll, we can only
Earth’s atmosphere at the Equator (ch. 33), them to me. cover chapters 72-77 this month, and will
where he saw the rising of the Sun on the Enoch saw groupings of stars and continue with chapters 78-82 in our next
morning of the spring equinox (March 20). counted the portals. It seems that he was issue.
Enoch 33:2,3 says: watching the skies before sunrise and was The terminology is primitive because
2. “I saw the ends of the earth, where told about various star-groups in which Continued on Page 33
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Human Light Discovered!
Shades of the Shekinah!
Gary Stearman
A recent discovery causes us to think
once again about the glory of God.
Christians of every creed and belief are
unified on at least one point: God is glori-
ous in appearance. Each time He has al-
lowed Himself to be seen, the recipient of
His grace has struggled to describe Him
in human terms. Perhaps the best remem-
bered of His personal appearances was to
Moses, who asked Him to reveal Himself.
God’s response is a Bible classic:
“And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee,
shew me thy glory.
“And he said, I will make all my good-
ness pass before thee, and I will proclaim
the name of the LORD before thee; and
will be gracious to whom I will be gra-
cious, and will shew mercy on whom I will
shew mercy.
“And he said, Thou canst not see my face:
for there shall no man see me, and live.
“And the LORD said, Behold, there is
a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon
a rock:
“And it shall come to pass, while my
glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a
clift of the rock, and will cover thee with
my hand while I pass by:
“And I will take away mine hand, and
thou shalt see my back parts: but my face
shall not be seen” (Exodus. 33:18-23).
Moses, a man to whom the Lord had
repeatedly spoken, asked to see His glory.
No doubt, Moses wanted to see the radiant
presence of His face. After all, it is only
natural to want to see the expressive per-
sona of one who speaks to you.
But so immense is the Lord’s glory that
Schematic illustration of experimental setup that found the human body, especially
to see him face-to-face is to die. From this
the face, emits visible light in small quantities that vary during the day. B is one
encounter, it would seem that the human
of the test subjects. The other images show the weak emissions of visible light
body is simply too weak in constitution to
during totally dark conditions. The chart corresponds to the images and shows
directly experience luminosity at that lev-
how the emissions varied during the day. The last image (I) is an infrared image of
el. However, at this point, it is interesting
the subject showing heat emissions. Credit: Kyoto University; Tohoku Institute of
to consider that the human body was creat-
Technology.
ed as a reproduction of God’s own person.
Apparently, we are infinitesimal copies of “So God created man in his own image, living thing that moveth upon the earth”
the master plan that is God’s form: in the image of God created he him; male (Gen. 1:26-28).
“And God said, Let us make man in our and female created he them. In the first verse above, the word “im-
image, after our likeness: and let them have “And God blessed them, and God said age” is the very word used in both ancient
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and and modern Hebrew for “picture,” or “pho-
the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and tograph.” By design, man is very much
over all the earth, and over every creeping have dominion over the fish of the sea, and like God, but extremely weakened by gen-
thing that creepeth upon the earth. over the fowl of the air, and over every Continued on Page 16
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We are not appointed for wrath!
The Pre-Pre-Tribulation Rapture
By Gary Stearman
Among dispensationalists, there is a
tendency to think of the change from
one dispensation to the next as a discrete
point along a timeline. We’ve all seen the
charts that mark the changes from Prom-
ise to Law to Grace to Kingdom. But each
of these changes is much
more than just a point
along a line. Each one
took years. Moses and
the Egyptian experience
took decades. From Jesus’
birth to the formation of
the early Church and the We await the rapture of the Church
completion of the New Testament took A bit later in Revelation, the Apostle The prophet Daniel says that the period
about a century. And perhaps surprisingly, John is seen in heaven, as he views an im- will be seven years in length. Its devel-
the Bible speaks of a long transition from mense number of people. One of the twen- opmental complexity is perhaps unprec-
the Church Age to the Tribulation and on ty-four elders stands nearby, and John asks edented, dealing with geology, astronomy,
into the Kingdom. One can make the case him to identify this group. The elder’s an- politics, wars and human disasters of vari-
that we’re in that transition right now. swer specifically links them to this period ous kinds and durations.
As we shall see, the Bible speaks of a of judgment: Nevertheless, John’s report shows us
more-or-less gradual shift from the Church “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. that, despite its various cataslysms, it has
Age to the seven-year Tribulation. This pe- And he said to me, These are they which a good side. Millions from every nation on
riod is, itself, marked by various instabili- came out of great tribulation, and have Earth will come to faith during this period.
ties and calamities, though the magnitude washed their robes, and made them white Israel will be cleansed and elevated into
of their convulsions will be far less than in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). Kingdom status. And the saints of this era
those bracketed within the actual seven In this elder’s reply to John, NT Greek will be resurrected to dwell in the King-
years of the Tribulation. specifically calls the period, “The Tribu- dom of Heaven, just as John witnessed.
Three times in the New Testament we lation, the Great One.” There is only one
find the term “great tribulation,” used to such period … greater than any catastrophe Imminency and Israel
describe a period of time when the world in the history of humanity … and it looms As Pretribulationists, we hold to the
will be judged in the most extreme and before us like an approaching storm. doctrine of imminency, the faith that the
devastating way. As Jesus put it, “For We can see it coming. Israel is a real- Lord might return at any moment, without
then shall be great tribulation, such as ity. The prophesied Magog – Russia – is any preceding hint or warning. But there is
was not since the beginning of the world actively arming the nations of the Mideast. a condition that must be considered when
to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. Persia (Iran) is rising as an armed force in thinking about the rapture. It is this: Proph-
24:21). He spoke of this impending event league with Russia. In short, we see the ecy is extremely explicit on the point that
as a greater upheaval than any that ever cloudy outlines of prophecy rapidly con- end-time events take place in conjunction
preceded it. Given Earth’s long history of gealing into the exact forms that we have with developments in national Israel.
vulcanism, earthquakes, meteor strikes, come to expect that they would take. When the Apostles wrote their letters,
tectonic plate shifts, floods, fires and the It is absolutely certain that the time of Israel was still in the Land. This was no
like … including the Great Flood of Noah tribulation is approaching. It is near. In longer true after the Romans crushed the
… the Tribulation’s serial disasters are un- Revelation, chapter 6, the Bible states bar Kochba uprising.
imaginable. that the Tribulation will be initiated with When Paul, Peter, James, John and
As part of His message to the Church of a global holocaust … war, depression, Jude, and the writer to the Hebrews sent
Thyatira, Jesus refers to a woman called famine and disease will sweep across the forth their missives, Herod’s Temple was
“Jezebel.” Because of her unrepentant planet. Almost certainly, the war in ques- still in full operation. Israel was a nation.
attitude, He promises to hurl her into the tion will begin in and around Israel, as Even when John wrote, following the de-
vast arena of judgment: her enemies sweep in for the “final solu- struction of the Temple in A.D. 70, Israel
“Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and tion.” In the aftermath of this war, a global had not been completely scattered. Only
them that commit adultery with her into economy will rule the subservient masses. after the last Jewish revolt under Simeon
great tribulation, except they repent of Buying and selling will require submis- bar Kochba in A.D. 135, was Israel finally
their deeds” (Rev. 2:22). sion to the Antichrist. dispersed to the four corners of the world,
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more than three decades after the death of parture of the Church, or both, makes no Titus, he was executed by the Roman gov-
the Apostle John. real difference in the understanding of this ernment. The important thing to remember
Therefore, in one sense, the Apostolic prophecy. In either case, the disappear- is that he expected the Lord’s imminent
anticipation of Jesus’ return for the Church ance of the Church from the world would, return until the end of his life. And still,
was written within the context of Israel’s in itself, bring apostasy. And a dominant toward the end of the first century, John
then-current presence within its own bor- apostasy prior to the revelation of Anti- encouraged his own flock to live within
ders, with Jerusalem as its capital. christ strongly indicates that the restrain- the sphere of Jesus’ return at any moment.
Following the diaspora came a long pe- ing action of the body of Christ has been “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
riod of time when this was not the case. removed. Paul says that only then will the and it doth not yet appear what we shall
About 18 centuries (1,813 years) elapsed “lawless one” be revealed. be: but we know that, when he shall ap-
between Israel’s departure from the Land Without a doubt, Paul is arguing for the pear, we shall be like him; for we shall see
after the final Jewish uprising, and their catching-away of the Church, including its him as he is.
emergence as a state in 1948. indwelling Holy Spirit, prior to the Trib- “And every man that hath this hope in
During this period, the institutional ulation. But he does so in the context of him purifieth himself, even as he is pure”
church dropped the doctrine of Christ’s actions that require Israel to have a func- (I John 3:2,3).
imminent return. On several occasions, it tioning Temple, either at the time of the During the lives of the Apostles, Israel
set dates, but it was looking for the Second rapture, or shortly thereafter. was a present, living reality. And even
Coming, not the rapture. Over the centu- This simple condition has been true since though the Temple no longer existed as
ries, state churches followed Augustine’s the Apostles gave us the New Testament. In John wrote these words, Antichrist could
lead, and abandoned the prophetic position Romans, Paul wrote in expectant language, still have announced himself at any time.
that the Jews would return to Israel, there speaking not of the believer’s initial salva- But after John’s death, Israel was de-
to await their Messiah. They believed that tion, but of the wholesale, physical salva- feated and dispersed. For 18 centuries, the
under Christ’s rule, the Church, not Israel, tion of the Church at the rapture: Jews were no longer present in the ancient
would preside over the Kingdom. “And that, knowing the time, that now Land. The expectancy for Christ’s immi-
When Paul writes about the rapture in it is high time to awake out of sleep: for nent return died along with the belief that
II Thessalonians, it is on the ground that now is our salvation nearer than when we the House of David would inhabit the Holy
the Church will be caught up before the believed. Land once again. By extension, it follows
Antichrist declares himself that he is God. “The night is far spent, the day is at logically, that the doctrine of imminency
This, he does in a Jewish Temple: hand: let us therefore cast off the works of strongly depends upon Israel’s present ex-
“Let no man deceive you by any means: darkness, and let us put on the armour of istence as a nation.
for that day shall not come, except there light” (Rom. 13:11,12). To illustrate the point:
come a falling away first, and that man of Early in his ministry (A.D. 51), Paul Suppose for a moment that next year,
sin be revealed, the son of perdition; wrote to the faithful of Thessalonica in circumstances somehow force Israel to be
“Who opposeth and exalteth himself words that could suggest that a certain num- dispersed throughout the world, just as they
above all that is called God, or that is wor- ber of his contemporaries would live until were in A.D. 135, when Hadrian’s armies
shipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Christ’s return for the Church. Of course, destroyed Jerusalem once and for all, re-
temple of God, shewing himself that he is from our present perspective, the “we” in naming it Aelia Capitolina. And suppose
God” (II Thes. 2:3,4). the following verses refers to those alive that the Arabs create a new Palestine, re-
Here, Paul links the rapture, which today, and who will be alive in the future: naming Jerusalem, their new capital, as Al
comes first, to the event in the Temple, “For this we say unto you by the word Quds. Under these circumstances, the pos-
which comes second. It was present in his of the Lord, that we which are alive and sibility of a rebuilt Temple would become
day, and will be again during the Tribula- remain unto the coming of the Lord shall impossibly remote. Would Christians then
tion. Many believe that the term “falling not prevent them which are asleep. be fervently awaiting the rapture and Trib-
away” is a reference to apostasy. Others “For the Lord himself shall descend ulation scenario that is now so common?
think it refers to the rapture, as in “depar- from heaven with a shout, with the voice of Absolutely not! Prophetic fulfillment re-
ture.” Either way, in order to fulfill this the archangel, and with the trump of God: quires the presence of national Israel.
prophecy, it follows that in the Tribulation and the dead in Christ shall rise first: If, God forbid, such a thing happened,
Israel must be present to build a Temple. “Then we which are alive and remain shall Christians would again be looking for Is-
In other words, Israel’s presence in the be caught up together with them in the clouds, rael’s return and re-capture of the Temple
Land is a prerequisite to the fulfillment to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we Mount, just as some of them were doing
of prophecy specifically relating to the ever be with the Lord” (I Thes. 4:15-17). in the 19th century. If Israel is not in the
Church. Toward the end of his life (A.D. 66), Land, latter-day prophecy cannot be ful-
Today, Israel is back in the Land. Since Paul’s eagerness for the Lord’s return grew filled.
their return, they have been preoccupied stronger than ever. He urged Titus to re-
with rebuilding the Temple. But since member that a hope for Christ’s imminent
A Strange Transition
statehood, Arab and Islamic opposition return was the focus of Christian life: Of course, Israel is now in the Land.
have made that impossible. Christians “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness Over a century ago, Jews and Christians
have watched with great interest, as groups and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, worked together to bring the modern Zion-
like the Temple Mount Faithful and Jeru- righteously, and godly, in this present world; ist movement to life. Through two World
salem Temple Institute prepare for a com- “Looking for that blessed hope, and the Wars and a Holocaust, Israel persevered
ing Temple. glorious appearing of the great God and to become a state. Then, fighting through
Whether Paul’s “falling away” refers our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12,13). several more wars on her own ground, Is-
to a period of general apostasy, or the de- Shortly after he wrote these words to rael rose to become a world power.
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Following the 1967 Six-Day War, and Daniel writes that it is precisely his sig- that Elijah alters the weather in some way.
Israel’s possession of the Temple Mount, nature upon and ratification of the cove- He and his accompanying witness (whom
millions of Christians were seized by the nant – and nothing else – that initiates the we believe to be Moses) plague the waters
fervent belief that they were living in pro- seven-year Tribulation. In other words, to – rivers, lakes, seas and cloud-forming at-
phetic times. Think of the many prophetic those present at the time, the beginning of mospheric vapors.
books that were produced in the years just the Tribulation can be precisely identified
following that signal event. … right down to the time of day. From that
Rapture Before Elijah’s Disclosure
There is now a sizeable faction of be- moment, the 1,260 days of the Tribula- Other events of the Tribulation and the
lievers who are convinced that at some tion’s first half begin to elapse. Three and a period leading up to it are far less spe-
time prior to the Tribulation, the Lord will half years fly by, during which the natural cific. There is a tendency to think that the
descend from the heavens and take them order of things is suspended. instant that the Church is caught up, the
home in the rapture. Tribulation begins. This is not, and cannot
But there is a valid question concerning
Elijah Before the Tribulation be true!
the timing of the rapture. As we discuss But this brings up a legitimate question. There is one great truth about the rap-
what the Bible says about the transition What events have led up to the covenant ture that is rarely discussed. It takes place
from what we might call a “normal envi- between Israel and the Antichrist? It is cer- at some unknown interval prior to the re-
ronment,” into the unfolding exigencies of tain that he does not do what he does out vealing of the Antichrist, which will be
the Tribulation, we shall examine the many of a clear blue sky. There are significant recognizable to those then on Earth as he
passages of Scripture that speak of various events that lead up to the signing. confirms the seven-year covenant with Is-
terrors and volatile changes that take place Make no mistake, it is absolutely neces- rael’s leaders. The prophecy that speaks of
before the seven-year Tribulation. sary for the Antichrist to begin his ascent Elijah’s latter-day arrival also tells us that
Of course, there have been many pas- to power before the Tribulation. he appears before Israel at some time be-
sionate discussions among Christians Revelation 6 says that he initially emerg- fore the seven-year “Day of the Lord.”
about the precise timing of the rapture, es during a period of war, depression, fam- Malachi plainly says this:
particularly with reference to the seven- ine and raging epidemics. These begin be- “Remember ye the law of Moses my
year Tribulation. Usually, arguments range fore the Tribulation, since his signing of servant, which I commanded unto him in
between Pre-, Mid-, and Post-Tribulation- the covenant initiates what his contempo- Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and
al ideas. The 1970s also witnessed the de- raries believe to be a peace treaty. judgments.
velopment of a “Pre-wrath” rapture theory Logic tells us that the Four Horsemen of “Behold, I will send you Elijah the
that places the departure of the Church the Apocalypse ride forth before he signs prophet before the coming of the great
about three-quarters of the way through the covenant, i.e., before the seven-year and dreadful day of the LORD:
the Tribulation. Tribulation. Other things also happen be- “And he shall turn the heart of the fa-
The firmness of the Pretribulational fore the Tribulation. thers to the children, and the heart of the
position, however, rests upon two basic To name one, the prophet Elijah comes children to their fathers, lest I come and
premises. First of all, the Lord promises to his people. Elijah and the Antichrist smite the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:4-6).
not to bring His wrath down upon His come to Israel at about the same time! This, the fourth chapter of Malachi, is
elect, those justified in Christ. Second, His Apparently, the ancient prophet brings the last prophecy in the Old Testament. It
wrath is precisely timed to a specific event a curse upon the land, just as he did in the speaks of the Tribulation and Second Com-
in the life of national Israel, mentioned by episode of his three-and-a-half-year sus- ing of Christ. Furthermore, it mentions
Daniel the prophet: pension of rain in the days of King Ahab. both Moses and Elijah. If, as we believe,
“And after threescore and two weeks In any event, judgment begins with the they are the two witnesses, they represent
shall Messiah be cut off, but not for him- rise of the Antichrist to power. the offices of the Law and the Prophets.
self: and the people of the prince that shall We have long taken the position that Eli- The latter, says Malachi, will appear to
come shall destroy the city and the sanctu- jah is one of the two witnesses who come Israel “before the coming of the great and
ary; and the end thereof shall be with a to plague the Antichrist’s reign: dreadful day of the Lord.”
flood, and unto the end of the war desola- “And I will give power unto my two wit- Thus, Scripture tells us that he discloses
tions are determined. nesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand his identity to his people before the sign-
“And he shall confirm the covenant with two hundred and threescore days, clothed ing of the seven-year covenant.
many for one week: and in the midst of the in sackcloth. This raises many questions. To whom
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the “These are the two olive trees, and the will the prophet appear? If he came today,
oblation to cease, and for the overspread- two candlesticks standing before the God would he meet with Benjamin Netanyahu,
ing of abominations he shall make it deso- of the earth. Israel’s Prime Minister? Or would he come
late, even until the consummation, and “And if any man will hurt them, fire pro- to the Temple Institute, or Israel’s newly-
that determined shall be poured upon the ceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth refounded Sanhedrin? Perhaps he would
desolate” (Dan. 9:26, 27). their enemies: and if any man will hurt meet with a convocation of Hasidic or
Many books have been written about them, he must in this manner be killed. Orthodox rabbis. But how would he bring
these verses, but they boil down to one “These have power to shut heaven, that these religious groups together in today’s
fact: In the future, a “prince” will come it rain not in the days of their prophecy: religiously-divided Israel?
to Israel. We call him the Antichrist; Israel and have power over waters to turn them to His very mission, as described by Mala-
will receive him as the actual Messiah. He blood ... to smite the earth with all plagues, chi, is to bring fathers and children togeth-
will sign and strengthen a covenant with as often as they will” (Rev. 11:3-6). er. It is difficult to know precisely what
them for “one week,” a shavuah, or seven- We know when the 1,260 days begin this means, but it certainly sounds like he
year period. (the signing of the covenant), and we know encourages reconciliation and spiritual
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unity in the House of David, something it appears that this time is marked by in- of the Sun. It is conceivable that this could
that hasn’t been seen in a real way since credible change. Upheavals on a global also cause a “blood moon.” That is, a faint
the initiation of Solomon’s Temple. To scale become the order of the day. And ap- Moon, seen through dust and debris, would
accomplish such a feat would require the parently, they begin at some point before take on a reddish tinge.
presence of an incredible spiritual author- the Tribulation. This is illustrated in the Whatever the cause, this catastrophic
ity that simply does not exist today. prophecy of Joel, which speaks of amaz- event comes prior to the seven-year Tribu-
As we have noted, Jews on a family-by- ing global upheavals that are specifically lation. So now we see that there are at least
family basis watch during each Passover pretribulational: two things that are prophesied to come
feast, for the coming of Elijah. They even “And it shall come to pass afterward, before the Antichrist signs his deceitful
set a place for him and pour the traditional that I will pour out my spirit upon all covenant: Elijah, and some sort of global
cup of wine. Great expectancy is created flesh; and your sons and your daughters disturbance.
when they send a member of the family to shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
the door to see if he is standing outside. dreams, your young men shall see visions:
The Church’s First Sermon
Rabbi Abraham Twerski writes, “And also upon the servants and upon The first sermon of the Church Age was
“Whereas each participant in the Seder the handmaids in those days will I pour given by Peter on Pentecost. He quotes Jo-
drinks from his own cup, the cup of Elijah out my spirit. el’s prophecy about the horrendous upheav-
is traditionally a large chalice, and many “And I will shew wonders in the heav- als before the Day of the Lord. Many have
have the custom that it is shared by all. ens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and wondered at Peter’s choice of Scripture.
“Once the cup of Elijah is filled to the pillars of smoke. Why, it is asked, would he illustrate
brim, the door of the house is thrown open, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, the birth of the Church with a Tribulation
perhaps to symbolize our inviting the spirit and the moon into blood, before the great prophecy? In light of what we now know
of the prophet who is to be the harbinger of and the terrible day of the LORD come. about Israel’s residence in the Land, the an-
the ultimate Redemption. Tradition has it “And it shall come to pass, that whoso- swer is simple. Peter is bracketing the life of
that Elijah drinks from this cup. Whose con- ever shall call on the name of the LORD the Church, from its beginning to its end.
tents is then distributed among all Seder par- shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and First, Peter recalls Joel’s prophecy of a
ticipants” (Twerski, From Bondage to Free- in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the significant outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
dom, Brooklyn, Shaar Press 1970, p. 170). LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom Second, he predicts the general idea of sal-
At the pouring of the fourth Passover the LORD shall call” (Joel 2:28-32). vation, first in the sense of the new birth
cup, the Cup of Elijah is also poured. Then Here, we find Joel’s evocative image in Christ and second, in physical salvation
these words are recited: “Pour Your wrath of conditions, as they will manifest them- from this world through the catching-away
upon the nations that do not recognize You selves during the Day of the Lord (the of the Church:
and upon the kingdoms that do not invoke Tribulation). According to him, a new spir- “But this is that which was spoken by
Your Name. For they have devoured Yaa- itual awakening will come upon His peo- the prophet Joel;
kov [Jacob, or Israel] and destroyed His ple … the nation Israel. They will be led “And it shall come to pass in the last
habitation. Pour Your anger upon them and by dreams and visions that will confirm to days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spir-
let Your fiery wrath overtake them. Pur- them that they are living in the latter days. it upon all flesh: and your sons and your
sue them with wrath and annihilate them Also, there will come an outpouring of daughters shall prophesy, and your young
from beneath the heavens of HaShem [the the Lord’s Holy Spirit. But most of all, we men shall see visions, and your old men
Lord]” (ibid., p. 171). see in graphic terms, the presence of some shall dream dreams:
There could not be a clearer description sort of geophysical event. “And on my servants and on my hand-
of Elijah’s pivotal role in the plan of God. Amazingly, Joel says that all this begins maidens I will pour out in those days of my
For centuries, the annual Passover Seder to happen before the Tribulation! Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
has taught Jews that when Elijah comes, What would bring “blood and fire,” “And I will shew wonders in heaven
it will be at a time when the wrath of God with “pillars of smoke” before the Tribu- above, and signs in the earth beneath;
is poured out during the Day of the Lord. lation? In the natural world, volcanoes blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
But as Malachi says, the prophet’s role is would fit this description, filling the at- “The sun shall be turned into darkness,
centered upon bringing spiritual renewal mosphere with particulates and choking and the moon into blood, before that great
and redemption to his people. vapors that would obscure visibility, both and notable day of the Lord come:
Scripture is quite explicit: Elijah comes day and night. This has happened before “And it shall come to pass, that who-
visibly to the world before the Tribulation! on several historical occasions. soever shall call on the name of the Lord
He is the harbinger of God’s wrath, which The volcanoes of Santorini and Kraka- shall be saved” (Acts 2:16-21).
is beginning to develop at that time! It be- toa darkened the skies for years. The Trib- Using Joel’s words, Peter here utters a
comes paramount to ask: What else is hap- ulation will be worse. prophecy about the beginning and end of
pening as he reveals himself? Will he re- Another distinct possibility to explain the Church Age, before the Day of the
main hidden until the Antichrist signs the this upheaval would be a general nuclear Lord. He interprets the Old Testament
covenant, then step forth with the power of war. Since the twin explosions of Hiro- prophet’s message in a way that speaks
judgment? Actually, the Bible tells us that shima and Nagasaki, many scientists have volumes to the Church.
at His coming, earth-shaking events will speculated that a nuclear war would litter These words develop an unmistakable
already have begun. the atmosphere with deadly fallout, plus a picture. At some time prior to the Anti-
variety of contaminants that would float at christ’s signing of the covenant, there will
Joel’s Locust Plague high altitudes for months or years. be a monumental disruption that shakes
The more one looks at the transition pe- They have often referred to a “nuclear the entire globe. In the Olivet Discourse,
riod preceding the Tribulation, the more winter,” caused by the resulting blackout Jesus speaks of wars, famines, diseases,
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and massive earthquakes that characterize How will Israel know that it is time to words in his first letter to the Thessalo-
this period. He quickly adds, “… but the “pull themselves together?” God will spiri- nian believers. Referring to the rapture, he
end is not yet” (Matt. 24:6). We might call tually awaken them at the proper moment. lays out a scenario that involves a future
it a pretribulational upheaval, darkening The “decree” mentioned above, is God’s war that comes with lightning rapidity. By
even the Sun and the Moon. final decision to unleash judgment. Other definition, it must come prior to the ac-
Elijah appears at this time, and some- prophecies tell us that the final stroke in the tions of the Antichrist at the beginning of
thing enables him to get the attention of judgment process will be the Antichrist’s the Tribulation. The people of the world
Israel. Declaring a shutdown of the precip- signing of the seven-year covenant. must sense that something is wrong, for
itation cycle would certainly accomplish Finally, we would note that Zephaniah’s they become preoccupied with peace and
this. To do this, the prophet would have to warning applies to an Israel regathered and security. But their hopes are dashed when
publicly display miraculous power, mark- living in the transitional period just before all turns to darkness … literal darkness, if
ing the transition into a new dispensation. the Tribulation. As we have seen, this is a Joel’s words about the Sun and Moon are
It is also the time when Paul says that a time of chaos and spiritual darkness, when taken literally:
great “falling away” happens. Everything rampaging destruction is the order of the “But of the times and the seasons, breth-
tells us that mass confusion reigns. Imag- day. Israel is told to heed the warnings that ren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
ine that today’s world leaders suddenly God’s wrath is soon to be unleashed. “For yourselves know perfectly that the
find themselves helpless in the face of an day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the
increasing chaos. Knowing them as we do,
A Pre-Pre-Tribulation Rapture night.
they might resort to radical measures to re- Looking at the prophecies above, one “For when they shall say, Peace and
tain their power. might respond with an obvious question: safety; then sudden destruction cometh
If global horrors break out before the upon them, as travail upon a woman with
Hidden By the Lord Tribulation, won’t the Church be around child; and they shall not escape.
An ancient biblical prophet was given a to experience them? The answer is: Not “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,
special name: Zephaniah. It means “Hid- necessarily! that that day should overtake you as a thief.
den by the Lord.” His entire prophecy is When does the day of wrath begin? It “Ye are all the children of light, and the
a warning to the Israel of the last days, begins with the Antichrist’s strengthening children of the day: we are not of the night,
and his name foreshadows the intent of his of the covenant, not with war, earthquakes nor of darkness.
prophecy. Something of a dark nature is or volcanic eruption. A war could, and “Therefore let us not sleep, as do oth-
coming, and it’s coming before the Tribu- most probably will, erupt long before he ers; but let us watch and be sober.
lation. Look at Zephaniah’s warning to signs on the dotted line. “For they that sleep sleep in the night;
latter-day Israel: Imagine for a moment that a Mideast and they that be drunken are drunken in
“Gather yourselves together, yea, gath- war breaks out, possibly with Iran. As ten- the night.
er together, O nation not desired; sions grow, Russia and her client states re- “But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
“Before the decree bring forth, before the act by escalating their positions. At some putting on the breastplate of faith and love;
day pass as the chaff, before the fierce an- point, Damascus and Egypt are wiped out. and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
ger of the LORD come upon you, before the Prophecy is clear about this. Then, Gog, “For God hath not appointed us to
day of the LORD’s anger come upon you. leading a vast northern alliance, marches wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord
“Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the upon Israel. All this seems to come just Jesus Christ,
earth, which have wrought his judgment; before the Tribulation. “Who died for us, that, whether we wake
seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may If the war became nuclear, the atmo- or sleep, we should live together with him.
be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s sphere would be filled with particulate mat- “Wherefore comfort yourselves togeth-
anger” (Zeph. 2:1-3). ter, darkening the Sun and Moon … before er, and edify one another, even as also ye
In the opening chapter of his prophecy, the Tribulation … just as Joel prophesied. do” (I Thes. 5:1-11).
Zephaniah has warned of a horrendous At this time, under cover of the growing This is a letter to the Church. Yet Paul’s
judgment that will sweep across the en- chaos, Elijah will come just as prophesied warnings of war are given to Israel and the
tire world. It is perhaps the Bible’s most … before the Tribulation. nations, not to the Church. It is addressed
graphic description of the horrors inflicted Ezekiel prophesied that Israel will be to those “left behind,” to use the now-fa-
during the Tribulation. victorious in this huge battle, and will miliar phrase.
Then, in chapter 2, he exhorts his peo- spend seven years burning the enemy The Old Testament prophets – Isaiah,
ple, as spiritually-blind outcasts and pari- weapons that litter the field of battle. Since Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor
ahs, to “gather” themselves … literally, Revelation tells us that Israel will become Prophets all speak of a transitional period
to pull themselves together. He refers to a fugitive from the forces of Satan after before God’s wrath is fully released. They
a spiritual reconciliation and self-analysis the middle of the Tribulation, they obvi- repeatedly use the words “before,” or “at
that will lead to redemption. This proph- ously can’t be burning weapons after that hand,” as a way of warning Israel to be
ecy is precisely aimed at today’s Israel, point. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns especially watchful in the latter days.
ripped into weakened factions by internal latter-day Israel to flee for their lives at When the signs of the end begin to mul-
disagreements and external enemies. It is the “abomination of desolation,” which tiply … even as they are now … look up.
also Elijah’s mission to his people as given comes at the mid-point of the Tribulation. Moses, Elijah, and a world of troubles are
by Malachi. He comes to bring reconcili- This would put the first wave of the war soon to come, not to the Church, but to Is-
ation to Israel’s disparate factions. Classic at least three-and-a-half years prior to the rael. The wrath of God is not our destiny.
Dispensationalism would hold that when Tribulation, in order to give Israel a full Be very watchful. And comfort one an-
Elijah is revealed, the Church will already seven years after their victory. other with the thought of a pre-pre-tribula-
have departed. This scenario is borne out by Paul’s tion rapture! u
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Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times
The Last Generation
By Jim Simmons
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree;
When his branch is yet tender, and putteth
forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these
things, know that it is near, even at the
doors. Verily I say unto you, This genera-
tion shall not pass, till all these things be
fulfilled” (Matthew 24:32-34).
According to my interpretation of this
passage, this is a reference to Israel be-
coming a nation. This became a realization
on May 14, 1948. The fig tree is a sym-
bol for Israel. The Bible refers to the fig
tree some 33 times – 18 times in the Old
Testament alone. In context, the fig tree
is always a symbol for Israel. Just as the
general time of summer has arrived when
the fig tree puts forth its leaves, so the res-
toration of Israel to her land is a sure sign
that the general time of Christ’s return has
arrived. This is a reference to His second
coming, not the rapture that occurs at least
seven years earlier.
Not everyone agrees with this interpreta-
tion for the last generation. My recent book
is titled, The Last Generation: Proph-
ecy, Current World Events, and the End
Times. The purpose of my book is to pres- The Last Generation is an accessible, straight-forward, well-documented
ent the evidence backing my thesis that the overview of how contemporary world views and current and historical events have
generation (or current world’s population) unfolded, consistent with biblical prophecy, logically revealing how and why we
born in or since 1948 will be alive when are in our last days.
Christ returns. For those who do not be- These three pillars include: began developing in 1948, the same year
lieve that the birth of Israel was the start of 1. One-World Government (with a that Israel was reborn.
the last generation, the evidence presented dictator who rules over all three pillars)
will still support (using other sources) that 2. One-World Economy
The Revived Roman Empire
we are in that last generation. 3. One-World Religion A few of the developments of the re-
There is an abundance of evidence that vived Roman Empire since 1948 include
we are living in that last generation apart One-World Government and Dictator the following events:
from how one interprets Matthew 24: 32- There will be a one-world government 1. Congress of Europe (1948): Fol-
34. We know that certain things have to be ruled by a dictator, sometimes referred to lowing WWII, the Congress of Europe
in place before the second coming. For ex- by names such as: the son of perdition, the met in 1948. They adapted seven resolu-
ample, we know there will be a final one- man of sin, the lawless one, and is most tions on political union. The relevance of
world empire. commonly referred to as “Antichrist.” this is seen in Resolution #7, which reads,
We will look at the development of this This one-world government will originate “The creation of a United Europe must be
One-World Empire through the lens of Bi- from the ancient Roman Empire. Accord- regarded as an essential step towards the
ble prophecy, its relation to current events, ing to Daniel 2, the fourth and last empire creation of a united world.” A one-world
and some of the predictions of scientists, was the Roman Empire. It was never taken government was in the planning stages
academics, and other leading authorities, over by another empire, but literally broke since 1948.
who are not Christian and, in some cases, into pieces, and a patchwork of individual 2. The Brussels Treaty (1948): This trea-
are atheists. The starting point will be the kingdoms emerged. The revived Roman ty added France and Britain to the Benelux
birth of Israel in 1948. This coming One- Empire will consist of a recombining of countries of Belgium, Netherlands and Lux-
World Empire will consist of three pillars. these pieces. The revived Roman Empire embourg established by the Benelux Treaty
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(1948). The real significance to this treaty based think tank established in 1957. It has
is found in the amended, or modified ver- a limit of 100 countries. One major coun- One Global Religion
sion in 1954. This will be discussed under try not included is Israel. Purpose: figure The coming one-world religion will be
“The Establishment of the Western Euro- out ways to solve humanity’s problems. characterized by tolerance and diversity.
pean Union (WEU) in1954.” Many years ago the Club of Rome advo- The exception will be Christianity and Ju-
3. Official European Symbols link bib- cated a “One-World Order,” dividing the daism. There will be no room for a “one
lical imagery with mythology. Consider the world into 10 economic centers and called way to God approach.” Even Christians to-
following symbols and their significance: them “Mega Territories” and “Kingdoms.” day have trouble believing this. Jesus said,
• The official European symbol: is a pic- (Remember the 10 toes in Daniel 2:41-43, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
ture of Europa riding on a bull (Zeus). This the 10 horns and 10 kings in Daniel 7:24 man cometh unto the Father, but by me”
symbol is taken from pagan mythology. and Revelation 17:12?) (John 14:6). There is no place in a world
This symbol also can be seen in the Bible. Since 1974, we have almost completed religion for this kind of thinking. Follow-
The symbol of a beast and a woman riding 5 of the 10 designations or regions, called ers of Jesus will be martyred (Revela-
on it is described in Daniel 7 and Revela- “Unions,” on the world map proposed by tion 17:5-6). The following list of events
tion 13 and 17. The beast represents the the Club of Rome. They are: is very limited as they were in the World
one-world government and the Antichrist. • The European Union (1993) Government and the World Economy, but
The woman represents the one-world re- • The African Union (2002) they do give some idea of the direction the
ligion. • The Mediterranean Union (July 2008) world has been moving since 1948. They
• The European Flag: consists of twelve • The Union of South American Nations include the following:
stars in a circle. This does not represent (UNASUR), or possibly the South Ameri- 1. The World Council of Churches
twelve member states of the European can Union, signed the constitutive agree- (WCC): was founded in 1948 in Amster-
Union (EU). There are already more than ment on May 27, 2008. These will soon be dam. One of the purposes was to develop a
12 member states. According to Leon followed by the ... milder, gentler, all-inclusive religion. Tol-
Marshall, a formal Secretary General of • North American Union (Canada, erance and inclusion are the key words. The
the Council of Europe, the stars represent U.S., and Mexico). WCC and other similar organizations have
those of the “Woman of the Apocalypse.” A one-world government has been in diluted historic Christianity as described
This is a reference to Revelation 12 where the development stages since 1948. in the New Testament. The WCC takes an
the woman, according to Roman Catholi-
cism, represents the Virgin Mary.
One-World Economy “all roads lead to Rome approach.”
2. The United Religious Initiative
• The European Union Poster: shows a The second pillar in the One-World (URI): was founded in 1995. It is an
partially built Tower of Babel with a crane Empire is the one-world economy. It is of organization that seeks to become the
in the background rebuilding the Tower. It interest to note some of the developments dominant voice of the U.N. According to
has twelve euro-stars above it. that have taken place since 1948. These Bishop Swing, an Episcopalian from San
We all know that the first attempted one- developments are only a small sampling of Francisco who heads the URI, all religions
world government was the building of the the many developments that have occurred are guilty of terrorism. His goal: “…To ad-
Tower of Babel under Nimrod, a prototype during this generation. They include the dress the ‘problem’ of fundamentalism in
of the Antichrist and the one-world gov- following: our own groups …”
ernment. 1. Development of the Transistor The Gospel, preached or shared, will
4. Establishment of the Western Euro- (1948): was developed by Bell Labs and become illegal in the “United Religious
pean Union (WEU) in 1954: This was the AT&T. This opened the door to the mod- Zone.” The way is being paved for the
result of an amended 1948 Brussels Trea- ern computer. Once computers became martyrdom that will occur during the trib-
ty. Article 5 modified the original Brussels common place, the banking system and ulation period (Revelation 6:9-10; 17:6).
Treaty of 1948. This modified Brussels financial institutions were linked to one 3. Common Question Concerning a
Treaty allowed for the establishment of another. One-World Religion: “If the coming
the Western European Union (WEU) and 2. Development of a Global Author- one-world false religion is characterized
made them responsible for the collective ity: One of the roots of the global econ- by tolerance and diversity (exceptions:
defense of the EU The WEU became Eu- omy was the establishment of the General Christians and Jews) how will the Mus-
rope’s only Security and Defense Assem- Agreement on Trades and Tariffs (GATT) lims be integrated into this system?”
bly. The WEU is a growing military power in 1948. The World Trade Organization Answer: There needs to be a strong
and a major player on the world stage. It is (WTO) founded in the 1990s eventually common denominator between Muslims
the enforcement arm of the EU. replaced GATT. The WTO serves as an and the one-world religion. This common
oversight committee of the second pillar,
Other Worldwide Developments the World Economy.
denominator may very well be Mary, the
mother of Jesus. The Koran exalts Mary
1. Establishment of NATO (1949): This 3. Creation of the World Bank and the (not Jesus). The Roman Catholic Church
was signed on April 4, 1949. The initial International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exalts Mary. This, along with the numer-
provision was to protect Western Euro- 1948: This pattern of events that had its or- ous alleged apparitions of Mary witnessed
pean Allies and the U.S. against an attack igin in 1948 eventually led to the creation by both Muslims and Catholics, creates a
by the USSR. Many NATO countries, now of the euro. This has become the common link between the two religions. Linking
called “member states,” are also members currency of the European Union. these two religions takes in a sizeable por-
of the EU and the WEU. It is of interest to 4. The Current World Financial Cri- tion of the human race.
note that all three have their headquarters ses (not just the US): may be moving us What does the secular world (scientists,
in Brussels. one step closer to a one-world economy. academics, and respected authorities) say
2. Club of Rome (1957): is a German Time will tell. concerning the end-times? The following
14 Prophecy in the News Find us on the Internet - www.prophecyinthenews.com
15. Find us on the Internet - www.prophecyinthenews.com
Archeological Study Excludes Israel!
are some quotes by very credible and re-
spected individuals:
1. Eugene Habiger, former Executive
Chief of Strategic Weapons at the Pen- By Gary Stearman 13, just six miles north of Jerusalem. It
tagon, said the event of a nuclear mega- should be noted that Ramallah began
terrorism attack on our soil is “… not a If there is a place on Earth where ar- as an Arab Christian settlement in the
matter of if, but when.” chaeology is important, it is Israel. The 16th century, but is now wholly Muslim.
2. Warren Buffett, calculates the odds details of biblical history cry out for the In fact, the late Yasser Arafat is buried
against cataclysmic events for major insur- confirmation of the archeologist’s spade. there. The title of the conference, “Over-
ance companies; he draws the conclusion Indeed, almost daily discoveries there coming Structural Violence,” suggests
that an imminent nuclear nightmare within discover traces of the past that extend all that action needs to be taken to carefully
the U.S. is “virtually a certainty.” the way to the days of Abraham … and preserve the integrity of ancient arti-
3. Paul Williams, a former consultant to before. facts. Yet, Israeli archaeologists are the
the FBI on terrorism, indicates that empiri- Psalm 48 describes the actions of lat- ones who have loudly objected to Arab
cal evidence does exist to substantiate if ter-day Israelis, as they investigate the attempts to destroy Israel’s ancient his-
Al-Qaeda possesses nukes. He also reports physical artifacts of their ancient land, tory in the Land. In a flyer advertising
that there isn’t just one team of terrorists and Mount Zion in particular: the meeting, the WAC uttered a breath-
but at least seven teams (he identifies the “Walk about Zion, and go round about takingly audacious statement:
seven cities). her: tell the towers thereof. “True to its foundational principles,
4. Dr. Graham Allison, Harvard pro- “Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider the World Archaeological Congress will
fessor and director of Harvard Univer- her palaces; that ye may tell it to the hold to its first “Middle East” meeting
sity’s Belfer Center for Science and Inter- generation following” (Ps. 48:12-14). to focus on the powerful relationship
national Affairs, said, “Is nuclear terrorism The expression, “generation follow- between archaeology, heritage and poli-
inevitable? Harvard professors are known ing, can be accurately translated as “last tics. The archaeology of the West Bank
for being subtle or ambiguous, but I’ll try generation,” the Israel that has returned and its surrounding region is enormously
to be clear. ‘Is the worst yet to come?’ My from the Diaspora. Yet, in one of the great significant as the location where the three
answer: ‘Bet on it. Yes.’ ” ironies of the modern era, Israeli archeol- monotheistic faiths – Judaism, Christian-
There is also the Doomsday Clock with ogists were excluded from a recent meet- ity and Islam – all trace their origins.
midnight representing “doomsday” or the ing of their peers. Science descended to “Today as Palestine moves closer to
destruction of our world. The Doomsday the level of dirty politics. Israel National official statehood, WAC decries the of-
Clock represents the consensus of the Bul- News reported the shameful story on Au- ten destructive politics that define Israe-
letin of Atomic Scientists. Many scientists gust 13, 2009: li-Palestinian relationships. We note the
also believe our world is rapidly approach- “The World Archeological Congress ongoing damage to the archaeological
ing the end times. There are many other (WAC), presently convening a conference record but also the potential of a shared
sources besides the Bible that point to this of archeologists from all over the world, cultural heritage to build towards peace.
generation as the last generation. These has excluded Israel even though the con- We call for participation in this strate-
sources include prophetic beliefs of Islam, ference is taking place in Ramallah. gic Inter-Congress to demonstrate how
the Mayans, scientists, and others. The “The congress, entitled ‘Overcoming archaeology can serve political ends
common denominator is the belief that the Structural Violence,’ did not invite the for the greater good. The focus of this
end times are near. The various interpreta- Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), de- Inter-Congress is on structural violence:
tions as to what that means are very dif- spite the fact that some of the topics be- the insidious structures and the stark
ferent. This is where biblical prophecy is ing discussed at the conference deal with inequalities that perpetuate conflicts.
unique and provides a standard to under- regions in Jerusalem where an archeo- Structural violence is built into western
stand the differing views. logical excavation is being conducted countries’ relations with much of the rest
Biblical prophecy is interesting. It is exclusively by the IAA. of the world, preventing most non-west-
not meant to produce fear but to offer hope “In a statement to the media the IAA ern countries from becoming economi-
to all who put their trust in Jesus Christ. said that ‘Instead of archeology, WAC is cally and culturally ‘equal’ to the West.
It is not enough to have head knowledge talking politics. In this way the organi- Often structural violence is hidden and
concerning prophecy. Knowing what the zation is introducing the conflict into the works without overt physical infringe-
future holds should offer motivation to be- professional side of archeology. The IAA ment, making it all the more effective.”
lievers to share the Gospel with an unbe- operates with complete transparency, ac- In the dense language of this flyer, it
lieving world. Biblical prophecy can serve cording to the guidelines of Israeli law becomes quite obvious that the WAC’s
as an excellent tool to reach the lost. Peo- and meticulously maintains the highest chief complaint – against “structural vio-
ple yearn to know what the future holds. professional standards in accordance lence” – is aimed at Israel and the West,
This is easily seen by the wide use of with the most stringent rules and with- whom they deem to be destructive.
horoscopes, psychics, channelers, and the out bias. There can be no doubt that the For them “structural violence” is not
reliance on grocery store tabloids. These organizers of the conference set out with tearing up the Temple Mount with back-
tabloids claim to predict the future by turn- the goal in mind of inserting political is- hoes and dump trucks, which they do reg-
ing to people such as Nostradamus. This sues into the professional archeological ularly, with abandon. Rather, it is the idea
is sad, especially when the truth about the experience.’” that Israel has some claim to the Holy
future is unfolded in the Bible. u The conference was convened in the Land, as validated by archaeological dis-
(From the recently released book, The city of Ramallah on August 8 through coveries. This, they find violent. u
Last Generation — see ad on page 24.)
Find us on the Internet - www.prophecyinthenews.com Prophecy in the News 15