Watchman V2

__________A NEWSLETTER OF UNDERSTANDINg the TIMES

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VOL.1 NO.2

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WATCH (JAN. - MAR.) 2009

Could Jesus Come

Tonight? I

t was the last night of the revival. The congregation was softly singing: "Just as I am," and the preacher was standing in front of the pulpit with both arms raised in invitation. He knew there were people present who needed to make a decision for Christ. "Jesus Christ could come tonight," he urged. "Will you be ready for Him?"

I was just a boy at the time, but it made a profound impression on me. In fact, when I saw my first aurora borealis, it nearly scared me to death. I was sure Jesus was coming after all, and I knew for a certainty I was not ready for it. But, of course, Jesus did not come that night or any other night in the past fifty years. Looking back, I wonder why it took me so long to question what the preacher said. Of course, among those who believe in the return of Christ, most simply take it for granted that His return could take place at any moment. But is that true? Is it possible that you might step out the front door of your home tonight, see a bright light in the sky, and suddenly realize that Jesus is returning, and He is returning now? After all, Jesus did promise to return. He said, "And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also" (John 14:3 RSV).

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Later, when Jesus had ascended into heaven leaving His disciples gazing upward, two men stood by them in white robes, and said,

twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Corinthians 15:50-52).

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you unto heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

Now we know that the living are not only to be caught up to meet the Lord, but that they will be changed. We now learn that this is not just any "trumpet of God" that is blown, but the last trumpet. For it to be the last trumpet, there must be trumpets that go before it.

So Jesus will return, but could it be tonight? Is it something that could happen to us without a hint, or are there prophecies that give us a warning of Christ's impending return? Does the Bible reveal anything that must take place before the return of Christ? If there are specific, observable events that precede His return, and those events have not taken place, then how can we believe that Jesus could literally come tonight? Fortunately, the prophecies of Christ's return are well known and easily understood. They tell us in surprisingly plain language what is going to happen in the last days. Why then should we be in doubt? Take for example Paul's teaching on the resurrection. He wrote to the Thessalonians, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep" (I Thessalonians 4:13-15 NIV).

If that's the case, then there is a series of "trumpets" that precede the return of Christ! Can these trumpets be perceived by men? Are these signs of Christ's imminent return? If they are, and they have not taken place, then how could Jesus Christ come tonight? The Olivet Prophecy Jesus' disciples clearly expected that there would be some prior indication that Jesus' return was imminent. When He spoke to them of the destruction of the temple, the disciples came to Him privately on the Mount of Olives and asked Him, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Then follows Jesus' most comprehensive prophecy of the events of the last days. Naturally, then, we would expect some reference to the resurrection, the gathering of the saints, and the trumpet of which Paul spoke. You'll find that reference in verses 30 and 31:

Notice that Paul takes for granted the "coming of the Lord." And what does he say is to happen at Jesus' coming? "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). The coming of Christ, then, is hardly a secret event. A shout comes from heaven with the voice of an archangel, and a great trumpet is blown. It is a time of the resurrection of the dead and a time when the living saints are caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air! It would be hard to keep this event a secret. After all, every living Christian has either disappeared, or gone straight up in the air! Explaining this same event in a different letter, Paul gives us a few more details: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the

"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Now we have put together several prophecies which outline a sequence of events at the end time. Putting them together, we get a fairly comprehensive picture of the events that coincide with the return of Christ. There is to be a shout of the archangel, the sounding of a trumpet, a general resurrection of the dead, and a reunion in the clouds of both living and dead in Christ. At this point, those "in Christ" are no longer flesh and blood but are changed into incorruptible spirit beings (I Corinthians 15:50-52). Now we are in a position to add one more important prophecy to this grouping. Seven Trumpets 2

There is only one place in the Bible where a sequence of trumpets is described--the book of Revelation. It is a sequence of seven trumpets and the last trumpet is described in Revelation 11:15, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." Now we know a bit more about the return of Christ. Not only is there a shout and a trumpet, but there is a proclamation of the beginning of His kingdom. It is a time to destroy those that destroyed the earth and a time for rewarding His resurrected saints (Revelation 11:16-18). Now what does the book of Revelation tell us will take place immediately prior to the return of Christ? If we start with the return of Christ, the last trumpet, and the resurrection, and then work our way backward in time, what do we find? Are there any prophesied events which must take place before the return of Christ?

Jesus spoke of this time in the Olivet prophecy. Answering His disciples' questions about His coming and the end of the age, Jesus said, "And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains...For these be the days of vengeance...for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:20-24). Putting the Olivet prophecy together with the beginning of Revelation 11, we learn that for a forty-two month period of time prior to Christ's return, Jerusalem is "trodden down of the Gentiles." This three and one-half year period is called "the times of the Gentiles." The immediate warning of the beginning of this three and one-half year period is "Jerusalem compassed with armies."

Take a careful look at the eleventh chapter of Revelation. Verse 15 describes the seventh trumpet. Why not start at the beginning of the chapter and see what happens just before the seventh trumpet?

There are some very specific events which must take place, and a specific period which must elapse in the time immediately preceding the return of Christ. Now let's return to the eleventh chapter of Revelation. Immediately following His statement about the Gentiles, God told John,

At this point in John's vision, he is given a measuring reed and instructed to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshipers. He is instructed to omit measuring the outer court,

"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."

"for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months" (Revelation 11:2).

Once again we have a specific time period and specific events that must take place just before the seventh trumpet. Once again we have a three and one-half year time period. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, there's a strong presumption that the times of the Gentiles and the time of the two witnesses coincide.

This is a highly significant prophecy. It is, for example, possible to infer the existence of a temple prior to the return of Christ. There are indications in Daniel, for example, that the daily sacrifice will be reinstated at some time prior to the return of Christ (Daniel 12:11). Of course, other interpretations have been offered. Of special interest is the last half of Revelation 11:2: "and the holy city shall they [the Gentiles] tread under thy foot forty and two months." Here is a strong indication that Jerusalem will be an occupied city for three and one half years prior to the seventh trumpet. Its occupation by the Gentiles is considered an unnatural state. Presumably it is not occupied by these people before the three and one half year period or after it.

The work of the two witnesses is dramatic to say the least. In the manner of Elijah, they are able to call down fire out of heaven and consume their enemies, as well as to close the heavens that it doesn't rain during the days of their prophecies. They can turn water into blood and smite the earth with plagues as often as they wish. At the end of their three and one-half year ministry, the beast of Revelation 13 will kill them, "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves" (Revelation 11:8-9).

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All of this takes place immediately prior to the return of Christ. Three and one half days after the two witnesses are killed, they are raised from the dead and caught up into the air. Coincidentally there is a great earthquake which is immediately followed by the seventh trumpet (verses 1115). How could we construct a theory of prophecy that would allow the return of Christ without this taking place and without the whole world knowing about it? Six Trumpets The first six trumpets are described in the eighth and ninth chapters of Revelation. The eighth chapter begins with the opening of the seventh and last seal followed by a short period of silence. Then John saw seven angels standing before God and to them were given seven trumpets (verse 2). The angels then sound their trumpets in sequence. When the first angel sounded, "There followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: And the third part of trees were burnt, and all green grass was burnt up" (verse 7). Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, "...and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed" (verses 8 and 9). Could this be a completely metaphorical, secret, unknown event? These are ecological events of such magnitude that no one can overlook them. Remember that the last trumpet and the return of Christ follow in close sequence the events described in the first six trumpets! When the third trumpet is sounded a great star named wormwood falls on the rivers of waters and a third part of them are made poison (verse 10, 11). The fourth angel sounds his trumpet and a third part of the sun goes dark, an third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars. Then an angel flies through the midst of the heaven, "...saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!" (verse 13).

sixth trumpets (Revelation 9:1-21), reveals war of mindboggling proportions. Read it carefully and see if you can reason how the return of Christ could take place without our being aware of the events described in this chapter! This is the ultimate war. This is the war which, if Jesus did not intervene with the third woe to stop it, would mean, quite literally, the end of the world. In the Olivet prophecy, Jesus spoke of such a time. He said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:21, 22). Does that sound a little far-fetched to you? After all, could there be a war so extensive that it endangered all flesh? There was a time when we might have denied it, but with the advent of nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare the ability to destroy all life is well within the grasp of the great powers. The Sixth Trumpet But since we're looking at the period just before Jesus' return, let's pause and look carefully at the sixth trumpet. The record is found beginning in Revelation 9:13, "And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great River Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them" (Revelation (9:13-16). This is the sixth trumpet--the second woe. Here we deal with something very specific that is to happen in a very specific period of time. We are also dealing with an army of very specific size--two hundred million men! In the specific time of one year, one month, one day, and one hour, one-third of the earth's population will be slain! This is to take place just before the return of Jesus Christ! Do you still believe that Jesus Christ might come tonight? Remember, Jesus called this a time of great tribulation (Matthew 24:21). Many prophets speak of a unique time in human history called the time of "Jacob's trouble." They repeatedly refer to it as a time unlike any other time in the history of man. It is this time of which Jesus speaks.

This introduces the "three woes." They consist of the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets. A careful study of the fifth and 4

It is Christ's return at the last trump that shortens these days. It is called the third "woe" because the last trumpet introduces the seven vials of God's wrath (Revelation 16). But as we're working our way back in time from the return of Christ, we might as well look at the first woe, the fifth trumpet. "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment is as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man" (Revelation 9:1-5). What does this describe? Is this chemical warfare--nerve gas, perhaps? It is something which apparently does not harm buildings or plant life but puts a human being in incredible agony. Notice again that there is a specific period of time involved--five months (verse 5). Now we've worked our way back eighteen months, one day, and one hour prior to the return of Christ. We also have specific things that are to take place during that period of time. Do you still believe that Jesus might come tonight?

for some reason have been designated by God to be protected from all these things. These people are described a little earlier in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 6 we find the opening of six seals. The seventh seal (Revelation 8:1), will introduce the seven trumpets. But immediately after the opening of the seventh seal there is a pause. At this moment John sees another angel ascending from the east "having the seal of the living God" (Revelation 7:2). "He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (Revelation 7:2, 3). None of this is hard to follow. The earth is headed into a time of trouble and God wants His servants to be protected from the horrors of that holocaust. But there's a peculiarity about these "servants of God." First, there are one hundred and forty-four thousand of them--twelve thousand each from "the tribes of the children of Israel" (Revelation 7:4). Why are there no Gentiles in this group? Some have assumed the Gentiles are included in the innumerable multitude described in Revelation 7:9. But the scripture does not say that the innumerable multitude of people are sealed. It is only the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are sealed (verses 3, 4). Why are there no Gentiles sealed? The answer is deceptively simple. We are in a time the Bible calls "the great tribulation." Notice Jesus' own description of this time:

And remember there are four trumpets before these! There are no specific times laid out for the first four trumpets. In all probability all seven trumpets make a total of forty-two months or twelve hundred and sixty days, or three and one-half years. Who is Protected? Take a look at the fifth trumpet again. When this trumpet is blown a smoking abyss is opened, and "locusts" come out upon the earth. But these are not just any locust. They have power like scorpions have power.

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should be no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:21, 22). So if there was no greater tribulation before this time and there would never be greater tribulation after this time, then we have clearly pinpointed a unique event in all of history. This same time is further identified by Jeremiah;

The "locusts" were commanded

"Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

"that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any trees; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads" (Revelation 9:4).

Notice that the time of Jacob's trouble is also a great tribulation and that it is unique in all of history. Obviously the prophets are talking about the same period of time.

Who, in contrast, are the people who have the "seal of God" in their foreheads? They are obviously living human beings who 5

That means that the "great tribulation" of Jesus' prophecies is the same time identified by Jeremiah as the time of Jacob's trouble (remember that Jacob's name was changed to Israel). Therefore, it makes sense that those who are protected from that tribulation are members of the twelve tribes of Israel who are "servants of God." There is no need to seal Gentile servants of God, for the great tribulation is not upon Gentile countries, but upon Israel. Returning again to the Olivet prophecy, Jesus warned, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter there into. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people" (Luke 21:20-23). Notice that Jesus said wrath would be upon this people. This isn't going to happen every place in the world at this moment. It isn't necessary for those living in Germany or Austria to flee. It isn't necessary for those in Brazil or Argentina to flee. It is necessary for those who are in Judea to get out. Moments before the actual entry of the beast power into Jerusalem is the beginning of a three and one-half year period of serious tribulation in Israel. Jesus continued to say, "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (verse 24).

Of this time Jesus said, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, not ever shall be" (Matthew 24:20). Jesus continued to warn, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, behold He is in the desert; go not forth: behold He is in the secret chamber; believe it not. For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so also shall the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:22-26). There is no surprise here. It's obvious that when a great power arises, enters Jerusalem, and places the abomination of desolation, many will start claiming that the return of Christ is at hand. Jesus tells us there will even be people claiming that Christ has already come. His reply? Don't believe it. He is saying there will be no doubt in our mind when He returns. You will not be standing around asking "Well, has He or hasn't He?" When Jesus returns, you will know it. But just what is this "abomination of the desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet"? Until Jesus made this statement, His disciples, like other Jews, thought the "abomination of desolation" was already history. And indeed it was. Jesus was referring to Daniel 11:31, "and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate."

The Abomination of Desolation There is one other sign for those living in Judea. Jesus continued, "When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whose readeth let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains" (Matthew 24:15). This is an urgent warning. Jesus told them that if they were on the housetop not to come down to take anything out of their house, but to step to the roof of the next house and to follow the highway of the roof tops right out of town. If they were in the field, they were not to return for clothing, food, or anything else. They were just supposed to stop whatever they were doing and quietly walk over the next hill and down the next valley and get away. But this warning is only for those living in and around Jerusalem.

These prophecies of Daniel were fulfilled in one Antiochus IV who was surnamed "Epiphanes." Antiochus, also "the king of the north" in this prophecy, had as his goal the Hellenization of every part of his dominions. In about 170 B.C., Antiochus marched to Jerusalem and "plundered the city and temple with every circumstance of cruelty and profanation, and slew or enslaved great numbers of the inhabitants. For three years and a half they were altogether deprived of their civil and religious liberties. The daily sacrifice was prohibited, and upon the altar of burnt offering a small altar to Jupiter Capitolinus was erected. On the twentyfifth of Chisleu (December), 168, the desecration was consummated in the offering of a sow upon the great altar, and a sprinkling of the liquor in which a portion of it had been boiled over the copies of the Law and every available part of the temple. Such was the ‘abomination of desolation,' which became proverbial; (Daniel 9:27, 12:11, Matthew 24:15, 6

Mark 13:14)" (The Bible Handbook, by Joseph Angus, page 603). While Daniel's prophecy clearly designates Antiochus Epiphanes, the prophecy is just as clearly designated for the end time. It is a dual prophecy, and Antiochus is only a type of one who is to come in the end time. A careful study of Daniel 11 and 12 will make this quite clear. After a very uncomplimentary description of the one who is to place the abomination of desolation, Daniel tells us, "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships...He shall enter also in the glorious land..." (Daniel 11:40-41). This is the time when Jerusalem shall be encompassed about with armies and eventually occupied. Daniel continues,

of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low" (Isaiah 2:10-12). This is clearly the same time spoken of by John when he wrote: "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17). This last citation from the book of Revelation occurs in the midst of the sixth seal of John's prophecy. What Isaiah calls the day of the Lord, John calls "the great day of His wrath." Isaiah continues his prophecy by saying,

"And he [the king of the north, the latter day "Antiochus"] shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him" (Daniel 11:45). The first verse of chapter 12 also helps us to identify the time setting of this prophecy: "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time..." We have come once again to the "time of Jacob's trouble", the Great Tribulation. And bear in mind, all this takes place before the return of Christ!

"And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day...And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth" (Isaiah 2:17-19). A careful look at the sixth seal in Revelation 6 reveals yet another parallel. John says, "And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, lo, there was a great earthquake" (verse 12). Clearly then the sixth seal of Revelation 6 introduces that unique time in all history called "the day of the Lord." It is a time of a great earthquake, a time when

The Day of the Lord There is yet one more key to understanding the events of the last days. Over and over again the prophets develop a theme called "the day of the Lord." Just how many times in history can there be a "day of the Lord"? Is it a unique time in all of history? Indeed many prophets speak of this time. Did they understand it the same way? Did the phrase "day of the Lord" mean the same thing to Isaiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Joel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Malachi, and Paul? All these prophets use that phrase.

"the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island was moved out of their places" (Revelation 6:12-14). While Isaiah knows nothing of a series of "seals," he clearly prophesies the same time spoken of by John. Isaiah 2, then, is for the last days. Isaiah does not refer to the heavenly signs in his second chapter, but he has more to say about the day of the Lord elsewhere.

Take Isaiah, for example. Speaking of the "day of the Lord," he warned:

In chapter 13, we read:

"Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty...For the day of the Lord

"Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be 7

faint and every man's heart shall melt...Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and with fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: And He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine" (verses 6-10).

John tells us the shape of the locusts were like horses prepared to battle (verse 5 with Joel 2:4). By Joel's reckoning, then, the day of the Lord is ushered in with the sixth seal of Revelation 6, and continues on through the trumpets of Revelation 8 and 9.

Clearly Isaiah is talking about the same time described by John as the opening of the sixth seal. Interestingly enough, this particular prophecy of Isaiah is directed at Babylon and forecast the ultimate fall of the end-time antitype of that corrupt city (verses 19-22).

Joel continues, "The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth His Word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible: who can abide it?" (Joel 2:10-11).

Isaiah finds yet another occasion to mention the day of the Lord, this time in connection with the judgment of Edom. Here he refers to the host of the heavens being dissolved, rolled together like a scroll, and all the starry hosts falling down like leaves from trees as Edom comes to it ultimate judgment. It is here called "the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion" (Isaiah 34:4-8). Joel Joel begins his prophecy with dire warnings of plagues, war, and famine (compare with the first four seals of Revelation 6). Then he cries, "Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come" (Joel 1:14-15). Once again we find a strong connection between an Old Testament prophet and the ultimate revelation of John. Joel, however adds a familiar theme to his prophecy. Beginning in chapter 2 we read:

To further clarify the time,

There is an interesting sequel to Joel's prophecy. The latter part of this chapter contains a summation by Joel of what God will do at the very end time when the day of the Lord comes. This prophecy was cited verbatim by Peter in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. He said, "These are not drunken as you suppose, seeing that it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:13-14). The pouring out of the Holy Spirit on that Pentecost Peter saw as a type of the fulfillment of God's promises through Joel. But Peter went on,

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness as the morning spread on the mountains: a great people and a strong; there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations." Later he will describe this devouring army as having the appearance of horses.

"And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come" (verses 19 and 20). Clearly Peter saw that the "Day of the Lord" had not yet occurred. Zephaniah

Now take a look at Revelation 9, beginning in verse 1. Here we have the fifth trumpet of Revelation (Joel started his prophecy with the words "blow ye the trumpet in Zion"). In John's prophecy we are told that when the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, an abyss was opened and the smoke darkened the sun and the air (compare Revelation 9:2 with Joel 2:2).

Now let's take a look at how Zephaniah saw the day of the Lord: "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: and mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day 8

of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and against the high towers...Neither their silver and their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy..." (Zephaniah 1:14-18). The prophet Jeremiah, not to be left out, includes a reference to the day of the Lord in his prophecy against Egypt. In the middle of his prophecy of the destruction of Egypt, he thunders, "For this is the day of the Lord of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and drunk with their blood; for the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates" (Jeremiah 46:10). There is an interesting parallel here with Isaiah 34. Here also the day of the Lord is connected with what the prophet calls a "sacrifice." The language of both these prophecies is strongly suggestive of the battle of Armageddon and the "supper of the great God" (Revelation 19:17-21). Ezekiel refers to the day of the Lord as "the time of the heathen" (Ezekiel 30:3). By that he means that it is a day when the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, etc. (verse 4).

But having given his warning, Paul continues: "But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober...For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:4-9). Indeed, with all the prophetic warnings God has sent us, it would be a disgrace for any Christian to be caught totally unawares by the day of the Lord or the return of Christ. An Act of Salvation To many of those who believe in the return of Christ, however fervently, His return is seen as a random event. It is as though God has set an alarm clock in heaven and has kept the exact day and hour a secret from anyone but Himself. When the alarm clock goes off, the angels are gathered together, the trumpet is blown, and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are loosed. All this irrespective of what is going on down here on God's green earth. The Bible presents a very different picture. Jesus' return is shown to be the culmination of a series of cataclysmic events. The return of Christ is shown to be an act of salvation. Man is just about to destroy himself from the face of the planet, and Christ intervenes to bring human warmongering to an end.

Amos also speaks of the day of the Lord saying, "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light...Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light? And even very dark and no brightness in it?" (Amos 5:18-20).

Why, then, have so many misunderstood? Probably because they have seen the seven last trumpets as acts of God. In a sense they are, but notice carefully what actually happens when each trumpet is blown. Take the fifth trumpet, for example. When the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, John sees a star falling from heaven to the earth:

Malachi adds a new dimension quoting God as saying, "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:5-6). Paul adds yet a new dimension to it when he says, "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 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" (I Thessalonians 5:1-3). Notice it's not the return of Christ that Paul is talking about, but the day of the Lord, which begins months before the return of Christ.

"and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace...And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth" (Revelation 9:1-3). Notice that the only act of God is the warning of a trumpet and the unlocking of something previously confined. What John then sees in vision is not an act of God, but an act of human war–a war previously restrained, but now released. Notice the sixth trumpet. When the sixth angel had sounded, John heard a voice saying, "Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men" (Revelation 9:13-15). Once again, the only act of God is the sounding of a trumpet and the releasing of something previously restrained. Even the 9

first four trumpets may easily be acts of human warfare, and the sounding of the trumpet is merely the "alarm of war," as it is so aptly described in Old Testament literature. According to Paul, even the man of sin is restrained for a time and only released or revealed to the world when his time is come (II Thessalonians 2:6-8). What is especially interesting about this prophecy is that Paul clearly tells us that the revelation of this "man of sin" must take place before the return of Christ. In writing to the Thessalonians he said, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed" (II Thessalonians 2:34). The return of Christ is not a random, meaningless event, unrelated to anything taking place here on earth. God has been watching and restraining the evil of men from the days of the tower of Babel until now. Even at this moment evil demonic forces would destroy God's handiwork, the world and everything in it, if they were not restrained. When the decision is made for Christ to return, the war to end all wars is imminent. The destruction of all flesh is at hand. It is at that moment that Jesus Christ will take His great power, will return to the earth in wrath, will raise the dead, give reward to His servants, and destroy them who are destroying the earth (Revelation 11:18).

all the wars, will appear to the eyes of men to be humanly induced, One man may see a missile falling from the heavens as a fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation, while another man may not. Even with all theses cataclysmic events, there will still be room to doubt whether prophecy is truly being fulfilled in theses events! No human being will ever be able to be certain of the day and hour of Jesus Christ's return. But Paul's warning is still cogent: "But you are not in darkness brethren that that day should overtake you as a thief" The purpose of the prophecies is not to enable us to date the return of Christ, but to help us to understand the meaning of the return of Christ. What, then, is a Christian to do? Listen to Jesus' answer, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made rule over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing" (Matthew 24:45-46). Whatever your calling, whatever your mission, whatever it is that God has given you to do, He expects to find you doing it when He returns. That is how you are "ready." So you see, whether or not Jesus Christ could return tonight is irrelevant for you. As far as you personally are concerned, today is all you have to work with. You must be ready today, for you may not have tomorrow. The Son of man could indeed come for you tonight, even though He does not come for the rest of the world.

Be Ready With all these clear statements in prophecy, why did Jesus say, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matthew 24:42). If indeed the prophecies are true, how is it possible for Jesus' disciples to be so surprised? Jesus continued, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh." How can this be? Remember that although there are supernatural events described in the book of Revelation, none of these supernatural events may be apparent to the eyes of men. All the disasters,

So in one sense of the word, the preacher was right. Jesus Christ could return tonight ... for you. And He asked a very relevant question: "Will you be ready for Him?" by Ronald L. Dart, Evangelist Christian Educational Ministries, P.O. Box 560 Whitehouse, Texas 75791 Phone: (903) 509-2999 1-888-BIBLE-44 Fax: (903) 509-1139

Q &A: When will the Great Tribulation occur? Will it be BEFORE or AFTER Jesus returns to earth? Q. When will be the Great Tribulation? Will it be BEFORE or AFTER Jesus returns? (Submitted by: T.D.)

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A. Trying to figure out what is going on in the Book of Revelation can be frustrating. We can gain a better understanding of Revelation by looking at Jesus' "Olivet prophecy" recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. This prophecy is rather long, so for reference I've included some of the most important scriptures relative to your question from the Matthew 24 account of Jesus' words. For study purposes I suggest reading the full accounts in all three books. "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. . . . "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: . . . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. . . . Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. " (Matthew 24:1-9, 15-16, 21-22, 26-27, 29-31) In the Olivet prophecy Jesus provides us with a basic outline of the events leading up to His second coming. In Matthew's account Jesus speaks of a Great Tribulation which will be like nothing the world has ever seen (Matthew 24:21-22 ). It will be so bad that if God does not intervene, humanity will be destroyed. After speaking of the Great Tribulation, Jesus warns his disciples about false Christs and false prophets who will seek to mislead them into believing Jesus has already secretly come (Matthew 24:23-26). But Jesus says that when He returns everyone will see Him. He uses the illustration of lighting, which is hard to hide, as everyone can see it (Matthew 24:27-28). Jesus continues, saying that after the Tribulation the sun will darken, the moon will not be as bright and stars will fall from the sky. Then, after all this He will return, with everyone seeing Him. A trumpet blast will also accompany His return (Matthew 24:29-31). Written by: Calvin Lashway/ Biblestudy.org

Are there modern-day PROPHETS Today? There is hardly a biblical terminology that has captured man's religious concepts and imaginations more than the word prophecy, prophesying or prophets. Strong's Concordance has these three words respectively: # 4394, Greek propheteia (prophecy), # 4395, propheteuo (prophesying) and # 4396, prophetes (prophet). A number of Scriptures make reference to this subject which is not always crystal clear. In 1Corinthians 14:26-40 we find references to those

words mingled with the speaking in tongues, revelations, etc. "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. . . . Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If [any thing] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that

all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. . . . If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in 11

order." (1Corinthians 14:26, 29-32, 37-40, KJV) It is widely understood that prophesying does not necessarily mean predicting the future, but it can mean speaking with inspiration, as a sermon can be, when God genuinely inspires it. Godly instruction in Christian living would then be the essence of that prophesying, rather than a prediction for the future. One could not necessarily call such a preacher a prophet. An eminent example is found in Paul's habitual preaching of an apostle as he was, rather than a prophet: "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," (1Corinthians 2:4) Jesus did also refer to the same demonstration of the Spirit, in the last evening He spent with His disciples, before His crucifixion: "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:17) "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall sent to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." (John 15:26) In possibly the most authoritative chapter in the matter of prophecy, Apostle Paul addressed the subject of Spiritual gifts of which, prophecy, is one of them. The various gifts are listed one by one: "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another

faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits, to another different kind of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. " And God has appointed these in the Church: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers, and after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way." ( 1Corinthians 12:7-11, 28-31) First of all consider the last part of this Scripture just quoted: Apostle Paul, who was directly trained by Jesus Christ, significantly asks the question, "Are all prophets…?.", etc. That alone ought to prompt us to question them or their claims. In 1Thessalonians 5:21 Paul says, "test all things…". To take particular note that the above Scripture specifies that such Spiritual gifts, if genuine, are manifested. Doesn't that clearly imply that they should be real, palpable and factual? How do we know if they are? Let's first look at a general classification of true and false prophets: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot

bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." (Matthew 7: 15-18) Now, how can we discern the pertinent fruits of a true and false prophet? "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' "When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:2022) There are presumptuous (false) prophets today (Matthew 24: 5, 24). Some claim to be prophets, but, because they know this Scripture they usually say that at a certain date, this may happen or that may happen so that, if by their wishful thinking it will, then they claim to have made the prediction, and if it doesn't the word may is their escaping clause. It should be very elementary that a true prophet, one directly inspired by God, will make an unequivocal prediction that will come to pass! Are there true prophets today? I don't know any, nor do I know anybody who knows. Although the Bible mentions prophets yet to come including Elijah (before the end of this age, Malachi 4:5-6) as well as the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11: 3-12 ), these have yet to appear. By Adriano Borean/ Biblestudy.org

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Are YOU Ready? There is so much trouble in the world today that people everywhere are scared and nervous, wondering what the future will bring. Everyone who has Christian inclinations is running to the local churches, searching for the answers to questions of what is happening, and why, BUT THEY ARE GETTING NO ANSWERS! There are only a few places today where there are answers to those questions. That is in the Churches of God who observe the TRUE Sabbath and God's Holy Days. Only in THOSE churches will you find answers to today's stress and anxiety! It is imperative today that those who preach be very careful in statements made because of the politically correct mindset of those in power. When a minister speaks from the pulpit he must speak of politics only as it pertains to morality and scripture, and even then he can still get in trouble with some one individual in government who feels they have the oversight. One of the problems with church organizations is that they sign up with government tax authorities as a non-profit organization so they can retain ALL of the money sent in by their members and donors. There are laws which then put that church group under the authority of those tax people if they wish to retain their non-profit status. Does anyone every wonder why Jesus said, "... Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s?" (Mat. 22:21) The threat of the internal revenue service to punish those who are not politically correct is a huge club over the heads of churches to preach those things the government considers as correct and causes churches to steer away from criticism of those in power even though it has to do with morality and not politics! Sometimes any statement about politics is perceived as being on one political side or the other, even though the statements might be about biblical prophecy and how it is being fulfilled in the actions of governments. God tells us in the book of Daniel, referring to King Nebuchadnezer: Dan. 4:32 "... and they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will." Yes, God is the one who ultimately rules in the kingdom of men, and sets up or takes down governments as he sees fit to accomplish the plan of salvation. Of course, you know that Satan is the ruler of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), and is able to do whatever God allows him to do. Since God declared 'hands off' during the

time of Samuel, He only intervenes when necessary to keep His plans for mankind on track. The rest of the time Satan can do exactly as he wishes. (and that is scary). It may be possible for what I am about to say to be misunderstood, and I want to make it perfectly clear, on the record, that I am speaking of morality here and not politics. Many will begin to poo-poo what I'm about to say as just another one of those conspiracy theories. However, if one doesn't believe that Satan inspires conspiracies among men, then that person doesn't study the bible! President George Bush has signed a new presidential order which gives him exclusive power in the event of a declared national emergency. It was signed on May 9th and if congress does not vacate it, it will become law on June 9 or thereabouts. Could it be biblically significant that King George the 1st of Great Britain was in power when the pilgrims left for America to escape extreme persecution because they wouldn't bow to King George's protestant Christianity? Are Christians beginning to suffer persecution in America today? As I watch events unfold on the world wide scene, these are just some of my thoughts as I try to put everything together as it fits Biblical prophecy. In relation to this, you might want to read an article I have on the web site, if you have not already read it. It is entitled "Was America founded upon Judeo-Christianity?" Many things are coming to pass that will bring America down. Most people have their heads in the proverbial sand and just simply cannot see this happening. They have been lulled into social and spiritual apathy as the government "cares for them." This article will focus on just a very little of those things that are going to happen. 13

Rev. 12:9 "and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." When that verse is read and talked about, the speaker, or writer, is usually focusing on the middle part of the verse "... satan, which deceiveth the whole world: ..." What I want to concentrate on in this article is the rest of the verse "and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, ... : he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." There are some verses in Isaiah 14 where Lucifer ascended up to heaven and tried to force God to let him sit in a throne over the angels of God and over God's congregation, or family. Isa. 14:13 "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:" Lucifer tried to force God to allow him to sit in a throne of authority over the angels of God and the Children of God. That throne is yet to be filled, and will be filled by the Bride of Christ. Rev. 12:7 and 8 tells us what happened after Lucifer went to heaven. "and there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven." Lucifer was cast back to this earth along with his angels. God renamed him to reflect what he had become, Satan the adversary. God then imprisoned him and his angels here until their judgment. 2 Pet 2:4 "for if god spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;" I have wondered if that phrase "into chains of darkness" meant they would no longer be able to see any of God's truth and repent of their evil ways. Jude 1:6 "and the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He (God) hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." At any rate they could no longer go to Heaven. They were bound to this earth which was called "hell" in that verse. That word "hell" is from the Greek word 'tartaroo' which means: 'Strong's Exhaustive Concordance' - #5020 "a place of restraint." They were bound here on the earth from then on, then God gives the earth a warning: Rev. 12:12 last part of the verse "... woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

That 'short time' is from the time Satan was cast back to Earth until his judgment at that Great Day. I personally believe we are in the last years of that "short time." And here is something else VERY important to us Christians. God tells us that near the end of this age, He will cause something spiritually tragic to happen because people have totally rejected him. Amos 8:1 "thus hath the lord God shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. 2 and He said, Amos, what seest thou? and i said, a basket of summer fruit. then said the Lord unto me, the end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. 3 and the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. 4 hear this, o ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 saying, when will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? 7 "the lord hath sworn by the excellency of jacob, surely i will never forget any of their works. 8 shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of egypt. 9 and it shall come to pass in that day, saith the lord god, that i will cause the sun to go down at noon, and i will darken the earth in the clear day: 10 and i will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and i will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and i will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. 11 ¶ behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of 14

bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord: 12 and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it. 13 in that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst."

them in time of need? Are they becoming a part of you so you won't even need a bible? Remember that FAMINE God promised!

The 'new moon' in verse 5 is referring to God's High Sabbath Days of His Feasts and the Sabbath, of course, is the 7th day Sabbath which will be enforced fully when Jesus returns. The fair virgins and young men fainting for thirst is not referring to water but to God's Holy Spirit.

We should all be studying, praying, meditating and fasting. We MUST become the kind of person who knows God's Word from the deepest part of the mind, that part which is our spirit. That part where we cannot forget it!

In that day, the longsuffering of God will have finally reached its end and He will begin to take retribution against those who rebel against his laws. A FAMINE OF THE WORD! Jesus will no longer be working with the inhabitants of the earth, the written and spoken Word of God will no longer be available! They shall run to and fro to seek the Word of God, and shall not find it!! They won't be able to hear it nor read it!! HOW IN THE WORLD COULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? There are millions and millions of bibles in homes and libraries around this earth! How could it NOT be possible to find one or hear someone preaching from one? And yet God says the Word of God won't be available in any form! I BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD WILL BE OUTLAWED! I believe it will be against the law for anyone to have a bible or to preach or teach what it says!! Those who do so will be put away (in prison) where they can't teach anyone what the bible says! YOU DON'T THINK THAT COULD HAPPEN HERE IN THE GOOD OLE' UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? Let me show you a few news story headlines. April 21, 2007 "worker fired after posting picture of Jesus. says manager told him God not allowed on cubicle walls." Mar. 20, 2007 "Oregon biology teacher fired over bible references. said Dan Harrison, father of a student in class, "how many minds did he pollute?" April 26, 2007 "Christians in bull's-eye in new 'hate crimes' plan. Congress working to create penalties for non-politically correct views." May 21, 2007 "Have sex, do drugs, speaker tells students. Men with men, women with women, whatever combination you like." (said by a guest speaker at an assembly of Boulder High School in Colorado who told this to students as young as 14.) February 7, 2007 "When grandmas go to jail for witnessing. arrested for sharing the gospel? An expected outcome in some foreign country, but in Pennsylvania?" February 8, 2007 "Men jailed for being on a public sidewalk. Gideons arrested after school officials complain they were handing out bibles!" And that is just a few of them! I see this kind of thing all the time as governments continue to ban any mention of Jesus, God and Christianity! WELL, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

We also read about the coming times of the earth's greatest trouble! Mat. 24:3 "and as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (Gr. aion = age, i.e. end of the age)? 4 and Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you. 5 for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 and ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 all these are the beginning of sorrows." I BELIEVE WE HAVE ENTERED THAT TIME OF SORROWS! We have seen all the things mentioned in these verses and they have gotten worse and increased in intensity!! Many have come preaching that Jesus is the Christ and are deceiving many (because they are preaching a Jesus not shown in God's Holy Word!!) Nation has risen against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There have been famines and pestilences. There have been earthquakes in different places. I mean places that don't usually see earthquakes!

Are you studying god's word and making it a very part of your mind and life? Are you memorizing verses that impact you personally so you won't forget 15

And all these are coming with more frequency and intensity!! ARE YOU READY? How is your faith? Is it strong? Are you getting closer to God each day as you live your life for Him? You ARE living your life for Him, aren't you? Has true Christian living become your way of life and do others see Christ in you? Are you reaching out to others with kindness, gentleness and compassion for all their problems, or have you become complacent in your little corner of the world?? Have you become calloused to the suffering of others or do you reach out in true Christian love doing whatever you can to make their suffering easier? WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU, PERSONALLY ARE AFFLICTED. Still in Mat. 24: verse 9 "then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 and then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 and many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 and because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." CAN YOU ENDURE UNTO THE END? Is your faith strong enough that you could walk through fire for your God? Is your faith strong enough you could give up your life for your God? It MAY be required of you!! This strong faith ... where does it come from?

Ps. 91:3 "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Yes, God's proverbial 'wings' will protect those who are His at the coming time of trouble! God gives us many promises throughout his word such as this:

Faith comes as a gift from god. Eph. 2:8 "for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it (that faith) is the gift of God:" Faith also comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). However, those who will suffer through that famine of God's Word won't be able to receive faith. It will not be available to anyone after that point in time until Jesus returns to set up His Kingdom and sit upon His Throne of Judgment!! At that time those who have faith will have stored it up! Those people will know God's Word and be able to tell others about his marvelous truth! EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE A PRINTED BIBLE!! ARE YOU READY FOR HARD TIMES? Those who are very close to God will be! Those who are 'luke warm' Christians WILL NOT BE READY!! Those who are keeping God's Commandments and Holy Days will be protected by God as those Children of Israel were protected from the plagues in the Land of Goshen, Egypt.

Eph. 2:13 "but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity (hatred), even the law of commandments contained in ordinances (the sacrificial law); for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross (Gr. Stauros = the stake), having slain the enmity thereby: 17 and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 for through Him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. 19 now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow 16

citizens with the saints, and of the household of god; 20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (The Old Testament), Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the (Holy) Spirit. These promises are wonderful and satisfying, but how can we know we will receive them? Mt 19:26 "but Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."

comes! If you do, you will be changed! You will be made a mighty spirit being like God and be taken into the very Family of God! I know you will be there if you remain strong and faithful! Throw all your cares upon Jesus, for He loves and cares for you! May god bless you as you seek to serve and obey Him! by Ken Browder Seven Times Newsletter

Lu 1:37 "for with God nothing shall be impossible". Lu 18:27 "and he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Christians prove all things, hold fast that which is good! (1 Thes. 5:21) If you do, you will receive that crown of life that Jesus will bring with him when he

Who Are We? Keeping Watch Newsletter is published free of charge by The Mustard Seed Evangelistic Association –an affiliated association committed to the publishing of the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached and as recorded for us in the Holy Scriptures. This goal is to be within the framework of the Commission set forth to His believers and followers to "go and make disciples of all nations ... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). It is our hope that Keeping Watch and its other publications will become a shared-resource and vehicle for our readers to come to know and understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Kingdom of God. You are invited to join us in this exciting and marvelous work!

I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am reproved. Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:12:1-2 For your question and/or comment, email us at [email protected]/ [email protected]/ Raul deAsis Hipe/Editor

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