Every generation of Christians since the time of Christ probably believed that they were living in the times known as the Last Days, End times, End of Days, and the End of the World.  Their arguments proved wronged obviously.  But what about our time? We here at LastDays.org believe that we are indeed living in the Last Days.

We believe there are events that make this generation stand out from all others, especially considered cumulatively. Some historically unique features involving world conditions do indicate that we may not be far from the actual return of Christ. Most of these events were not present in earlier centuries. There are many characteristics of this current timeframe that seem to indicate the return of Christ may be near. We draw this conclusion by looking to the biblical books of Revelation, Matthew, Ezekiel, and Daniel, though others are also relevant. For example, consider the following points related or predicted to occur in the Last Days of Israel:

First, let’s look at the broad outline of prophetic events predicted for the last days in the biblical books of Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, and others remains viable—something highly unique if geo-political events are merely random.

Second, consider the combined gravity of the following 14 sample events related to end times Last Days biblical prophecy:

1. A major increase in knowledge and the global communications needed for the entire world to see the events of the last days, as suggested in Revelation;
2. The rise of a great and hostile power to Israel’s far North (Russia);
3. The revival of the ancient Roman empire in the present-day European Union-  increasingly powerful and centralized, although still somewhat fluid;
4. The possibility of a single global economic system and global government headed by an amazingly powerful dictator biblically called the Antichrist. As Dr. David Jeremiah has pointed out in TV appearances and his books, today there is a growing electronic financial net encompassing the globe and providing the foundation for global economic unity. Never before in our history has there been a financial stability Board (created in 2010 by the G-20) seeking the ability to control a global economy. Indeed, if the Antichrist appeared today, there is virtually nothing additional he would need to assume control of a global economic system.
5. The technology (at least) exists for “the mark of the beast,” cited in the Book of Revelation, without which no one on earth can buy or sell; ( see previous posts- Huge Step toward the Technology for the Mark of the Beast / A Cashless Society by 2016 / Pay by Chip not Card )
6. Preparations exist to build the Third Jewish temple, a requirement for certain prophecies to be fulfilled;
7. The increasing persecution of Christians worldwide — just look at the Voice of Martyrs website
8. Potential signs in the sun and heavens, something some astronomers have been theorizing about;
9. A dramatic seven-year peace covenant that Israel makes with a world leader (the Antichrist) can hardly be considered impossible, given the endless turmoil in the Middle East that occupies the attention of the world;
10. The war of Armageddon seems more possible today than ever, given A) the significant and dramatic rise of anti-Semitism globally  B) the United Nations open hostility toward Israel  C) Israel’s numerous failed peace treaties with Arab neighbors; D) the current and constant turmoil in the Middle East, E) the ever increasing influence of global Islam and the increasing Russian alliance with certain Muslim nations against Israel such as Iran, and F) other facts named below.  The idea that the world could some day be aligned against Israel, leading to a massive war to destroy it can no longer be considered the “impossibility” it once was prior to the reestablishment of the Jewish state in 1948.  With the on/off relationship with the current U.S. administration, the tide is turning in the wrong direction.
11. As Revelation teaches, a great army from the East comprising 200 million men will march toward Israel. China, now a superpower with the world’s 2nd largest economy, could alone enlist a 200 million-man army, but other Eastern nations could also be involved;
12. Global evangelism is predicted in the Bible prior to the return of Christ. Matthew 24:14- “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” We are fast approaching the Bible having been translated into over 2,000 languages and dialects covering over 90% of the globe. For example, cell phones are currently used by some four billion people and could be used to share the Gospel message.
13. The reestablishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 and the 1967 capture of Old Jerusalem, possibly signaling an ending of “the time of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24- “They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”  Although the Muslims still hold Solomon’s temple area);
14. An end times apostasy in the Christian church. Note that the apostasy (total departure from one’s religion) before the return of Christ mentioned in the Bible doesn’t necessarily have to deal only with the Christian church, such as today’s nominal/cultural Christianity, but may also refer to cultures as a whole. For example, there is a strong anti-Christian movement in America today where once there was a general consensus as to the importance and value of a Christian worldview whether or not one was a Christian. Some argue abandoning this culturally may be considered a form of apostasy.

Everything mentioned above and more indicate that we are living in a truly unique period of history as far as the end times relating to the nation of Israel and the world are concerned. We are called to be prepared as followers of Christ, realizing that now more than ever; we may truly be living in the Last Days.

There are more additional indicators, which further illustrate the uniqueness of the times we live in relation to biblical prophecy relating to the “end times” of Israel:

• This is the first time in history where Russia and Iran have a military alliance and Russia has and is seeking alliances with Muslim nations that seem to fit the pattern in Ezekiel 38. (In the Ezekiel 38 war, it is primarily Russia and a coalition of Muslim nations that attack Israel.) In an attempt to stall the Russians from giving specialized weapons to Iran, Israel is accepting greater Russian influence in the Middle East.
• It is the first time in 2,500 years that Israel is a fully sovereign nation. Ezekiel 36:24, 36 - “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” “Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’” The Bible is clear that in the Last Days, the Jews would begin to re-gather in Israel (Isaiah 11:11-12; Ezekiel 37:21-22; 38:8), and several million Jews have returned to Israel in recent times. Millions more on the way.
• This is the first period in 2,000 years that Israel is a nation state and has regained all of Jerusalem. Hebrew is no longer a dead language, but spoken throughout Israel, as prophesied over 2,500 years ago (Zephaniah 3:9- “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.”)
• This is the first time in over 2,000 years that Israel has become a prosperous nation, with one of the great armies and economies of the Middle East.
• This is the first time in history that the apparent four major power blocs of biblical prophecy now exist. It is today possible that America and/or the West could be headed toward an economic, terrorist (cyber, nuclear, biological), theological (the rapture, divine judgment) “perfect storm.” America could become crippled and as a result become isolationist. If Israel was cut off from American support, a power vacuum would be created in the Middle East and throughout world, and other nations will rise to prominence such as China and other Eastern powers, the Islamic Confederation, Russia, and the European Union. These are precisely the four power blocs the Scripture speaks of relating to last days of Bible prophecy. Some believe America could become part of the Western/European Confederacy but no longer be a super power.
• This is the first time since the birth of the modern Israel that an American president is not proactively on the side of Israel.  Some would argue that Jimmy Carter certainly was no friend either.
• This is the first time since the birth of Israel that a nation (Iran) has not only declared it will literally annihilate the state of Israel but may soon have (or has) the capacity to do so.
• This is the first time in 2,500 years that the ancient city of Babylon is literally being rebuilt, having been started by Saddam Hussein (stopped during the Gulf wars) and is now being rebuilt again. The city of Babylon is mentioned prominently in the book of Revelation in the last days, and these prophecies may indeed refer to a literal rebuilt city.
• This is the first time in over 1,000 years that there is a Jewish spiritual awakening toward their Messiah. Possibly, more Jews have come to Christ in the last 60 years than in the previous millennium. According to Mideast prophecy expert Joel Rosenberg, in 1948 when Israel was founded, there were 23 known families that believed Jesus was the Messiah. Today there are 15,000 Jews who follow Jesus in Israel and as many as 300,000-500,000 globally.
• This is the first time in history that science itself has commented upon the specific prophecies in the book of Revelation, declaring that many of them can indeed happen as declared, though not asserting the specific source of the predictions (i.e., God or natural events; in either case something rather significant). ” In fact, modern science seems to confirm these unfolding signs. Modern science confirms many of the doomsday scenarios foretold in these mysterious prophecies” in the book of Revelation.
• For the first time in history, because of the 30-year old peace treaty, it is possible to see how Egypt may not be part of the Ezekiel Chapter 38-39 coalition against Israel, just as Ezekiel apparently prophesied 2,500 years ago. Although since the Arab spring, Egypt has become a little less predictable.
• For the first time in history even some Muslims have proposed the rebuilding of the Third Jewish Temple, the building of which is one of the most significant aspects of end times prophecy. According to one poll, two thirds of all Israelis back the idea of a rebuilt Jewish Temple. A number of Jewish organizations have been preparing to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem for many years.

Until 2009, it was almost inconceivable that a Muslim might endorse the building of a new Jewish Temple especially on the same site as the Muslim Dome of the Rock. But in April 2009 an article was published which suggested this: “Trouble in the Holy Land: What? Muslim Leader Wants Temple Rebuilt, Jewish Sanhedrin Rabbis Unite with Turk on Common Cause,” (August 5, 2009 WorldNetDaily.com.)

“Adnan Oktar, who uses the pen name of Harun Yahya, is a controversial but highly influential Muslim intellectual and author with more than 65 million of his books in circulation worldwide. Oktar recently met with three representatives from the re-established Jewish Sanhedrin, a group of 71 Orthodox rabbis and scholars from Israel, to discuss how religious Muslims, Jews and Christians can work together on the project.” and, “This is not the only similar call to rebuild the Jewish Temple, points out Richardson. Yoav Frankel is an Orthodox Jew who has been deeply involved in interfaith dialogue with Muslims and also envisions a shared Temple Mount. The Interfaith Encounter Association is working on a project called “God’s Holy Mountain.” It sees the day when the rebuilt Jewish Temple will exist side by side with the Dome of the Rock.”

The Temple Institute is another group openly dedicated to rebuilding the Jewish Temple. That there will be another Temple is evident from several biblical scriptures including those prophesied in Ezekiel Chapters 40-48, which gives specific details.

These significant historical events indicate that we are living in a truly unique period as far as the Last Days relating to the nation of Israel and the world are concerned.

Mobile wallets used by all by 2016 (Photo: Clint Demeritt )

According to a report from The International Business Times, our children born today will be the first “cashless generation” and will frequently use their smartphones in exchange for goods and services. This is according to a report by the research company Forrester for the e-commerce site PayPal.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, was Gazprom’s CEO before taking his current position as head of state.

Russia’s Gazprom, the Russian natural gas monopoly, was back in Israel this week meeting with Delek Group executives to ‘examine possible cooperation’ in producing and delivering natural gas to Europe from Israel’s newly discovered massive gas fields in the Mediterranean.

According to a Globes Business report, “Gazprom’s aims are still unclear. The major concern in Israel’s gas exploration sector is that the Russian energy company wants to block possible gas exports to Europe. Even if Israel’s Leviathan is a relatively minor player in the European gas market compared with the Russian giant, the prices agreed upon and types of contracts signed by Israeli companies could create unwelcome precedents from Gazprom’s point of view.”

The report goes on to say that Gazprom is the world’s largest natural gas producer and, unlike other multi-national energy companies, has no concerns over Arab boycott threats.

For more than three years, OilinIsrael.net has been reporting on Gazprom’s attempts to participate in and plans to control the Mediterranean and European gas markets (see “Russia Tried to Buy in to Israel’s Gas Discovery”). Gazprom isn’t merely the world’s largest natural gas supplier, it is a company controlled by the Russian government. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, was Gazprom’s CEO before taking his current position as head of state.

The prophet Ezekiel wrote: “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog (Russia), chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army …’” (Ezekiel 38:3-4)

“On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people (Israel) —all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.” (Ezekiel 38:10-12)

The Bible prophesies that, one day, God will ‘put a hook’ in Russia’s jaw to draw it down into Israel, where it will plan to ‘plunder and loot’ an ‘unsuspecting people’. Are Israel’s newly discovered natural gas fields and, eventually, it’s oil the ‘hook’ that draws Russia into Israel? That may be.

Read more

BE SURE TO READ MORE ABOUT ISRAEL’S ENERGY DISCOVERIES BY VISITING WWW.OILINISRAEL.NET

The Great Tribulation

This is the third and final part to our series on Matthew 24.  If you have not already, be sure to read our first two posts ( Part 1 & Part 2 ).  We begin today with verse 29 and we are already in controversy.  Again, our comments are within the {brackets} Here we go…

²⁹Immediately 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:

³⁰And 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.

³¹And 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.

{The world’s darkest period of tribulation and horror under the Antichrist will abruptly end with the dawning of the brightest dawn as Jesus Christ Himself returns to gather His children to be with Him!

Lights, trumpets, thunder, earthquakes and meteor showers will all herald this climactic event! God’s children who have died throughout the ages will be resurrected in new miraculous bodies, and will burst forth from their graves and ascend to meet Jesus in the air.

Live Christians will be transformed and will rise from the earth, floating right up through ceilings & buildings & cars & right up into the clouds to meet the Lord! Such is the scenario depicted in the Bible of the Second Coming of Christ as He snatches His children out of reach of their evil Antichrist persecutors & whisks them away to the grandest, most glorious & thrilling victory celebration that’s ever been held–the great “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” in Heaven! Let it be noted that others believe that the rapture of the Church has already taken place before this.  They believe that Jesus comes back with His church here to defeat the Anti-Christ.}

³²Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

³³So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

³⁴Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

³⁶But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴⁵Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

⁴⁶Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

⁴⁷Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

⁴⁸But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

⁴⁹And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

⁵⁰The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

⁵¹And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

{ Scriptures 31-51 all deal with us being ready at any time for the Lord’s return.  Do NOT deceive yourselves that you will know exactly when.  That is why you should beware of those who come up with exact dates or years of Jesus’ return.  Verse 34 is one of much controversy.

Some Christians accept the idea that Jesus was speaking of the generation of the apostles, but admirably refuse to believe that Jesus could have been wrong about it. Full Preterists are such a group, but unfortunately, they resort to redefining orthodox Christian doctrines to accommodate their view that Christ returned before the generation of the apostles died out.

They claim that Jesus did return spiritually before that generation passed away, in judgment on the nation of Israel, when Titus besieged and destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD. This leads them to the conclusion that events associated with the Second Coming such as the resurrection, and even the inauguration of the New Heavens and New Earth, have already occurred. None of these things, they claim, was visible to the naked human eye. Although the bodies of Christians still remain in their graves, Full Preterists assert that they nevertheless still have been resurrected (in a sort of second re-embodiment that was not witnessed by any living person). In doing so, they deny the foundational  Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body, taught in the Old and New Testaments, as well as ancient creeds.

Partial Preterists find the idea of a resurrection that leaves the body in the grave hardly credible. While also accepting the skeptic’s claim that Jesus predicted a first century return, they do not resort to redefining orthodox doctrines. Like Full Preterists, they believe that Jesus did return, in 70 AD, in judgment on the nation of Israel, but unlike them, they believe that this was not the end-time, visible coming of Christ predicted in other places of scripture.

Full Futurists believe that all of the Olivet Discourse, most notably the portions describing the return of Christ and the events soon preceding it, refer to as-yet unfulfilled events. }

Basically what it comes down to, is that you must study this and all scripture, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you, then stick to it.  Our motto here at LastDays.org is to be ready at all times for whenever that Day comes.

The Great Tribulation

The Last Days, the Endtimes, the End of the Age, Doomsday, Armageddon, the End of Days, whatever your term may be,  you can find a lot of opinions out there as to what will happen.  It can be a challenge to understand what is opinion or commentary and what the Bible actually says.  We, here at LastDays.org, believe the best place to start your research is in the Word.  And furthermore the Word Himself…Jesus.

We started in the book of Matthew Chapter 24.  Be sure to see our previous post on scriptures 1-14 here.  Today we are going to look into verses 15 through 28.  There is a lot going on in these scriptures.  Hang with us as we try to give you a lot of information pertaining to these particular scriptures.  So here we go!

___________________________________________________________

The Scriptures:

¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)

¹⁶Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

¹⁷Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

¹⁸Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

¹⁹And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

²⁰But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

²³Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

²⁴For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

²⁵Behold, I have told you before.

²⁶Wherefore 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.

²⁷For 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.

²⁸For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

__________________________________________________________

Our Research and Commentary:

Now what is the abomination of desolation?  It is the interpretation of some that the abomination of desolation was the insigne which the Roman soldiers carried upon their standards when they entered the city of Jerusalem, because on this insigne was an image of the emperor and that would be an abomination to the Jewish people.  This would suggest that they were to worship this image of the Roman emperor.  However, in light of the fact that the Lord Jesus seems to speak of this as something future, that is not likely.

Others believe it is a reference to, Antiochus Epiphanes IV’s attempt to Hellenize Judaea by erecting a pagan altar over the Altar of Brunt Offering approximately two centuries BEFORE this.  Now that was an abomination of desolation for the Jewish people, for it was a desecration of the temple of God in the city of Jerusalem.  Again, however that was an event of the past from the time of Jesus’ statement here, and we read here, when ye therefore shall see.  Now that is true to the Greek text.  When ye therefore SHALL SEE the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, for the subjunctive in this place has that future tense.  So Jesus was speaking about something that was future from His time of ministry to him.  Therefore it could not have been anything in the past.

But what about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.?  Some interpreters have said the abomination of desolation was the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the desecration of the temple in 70 A.D.  Well, that’s a better interpretation, we must admit, but it too has trouble fitting into Jesus’ words.  For you see, this statement here is a statement that identifies what is happening with what Daniel the Prophet spoke about.

Look back to chapter 11 of the prophecy of Daniel, you have a kind of picture of the future up to the time of the Second Coming of Jesus, and then in chapter 12 verse 1 Daniel goes on to speak about a great tribulation such as the world has never seen before.  In the 9^th chapter, specifically, when Daniel speaks about the abomination of desolation in that place, he also locates that event in the end time events.  So the combination of these passages in the Book of Daniel would lead us to believe that what is referred to here is an abomination of desolation that is to be located in the future from the time of Jesus beyond 70 A.D.  In fact, it is tied in very closely with the Second Coming in those passages.

Daniel in the Lions Den

Further confirmation comes from the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and also the Apostle John in Revelation 13.  Both make reference to the setting up of an image of the anti-Christ in the holy place and a call issued to the whole world to worship that image.  So it seems fair to say that we cannot refer the abomination of desolation to anything in the past.  We must refer it to the future.  We must refer it to the setting up in the restored temple in the future, seventieth week of Israel, by the man of sin’s lieutenant, the False Prophet, of an image of the man of sin, and the call is addressed to all men to worship this image as the image of one who is God.

Jesus says, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the Holy Place (Matthew inserts the words, whosoever readeth let him perceive truly perceive and understand) then let them who are in Judaea flee to the mountains.  So He now gives proper action for those who shall be living during that period of time when they see this image set up.  It is the signal for the nullification of the covenant made between the anti-Christ and Israel in the middle of the seventieth week, and Israel the faithful who seek to follow the word of God discover that he is a false disciple, false Messiah after all.  Disciples take note, Matthew states, and flee get away as quickly as possible, for the judgments of this human anti-Christ are going to fall upon the nation Israel.  Flee to the mountains.

Now Jesus says that when this happens you are, if you should happen to be upon a housetop,  just to go from housetop to housetop to housetop—that’s the way the houses were built in that day—to the gate and flee.  Don’t even bother to come back in and pack up some clothes because  the danger is so great that absolute urgency is needed.  It breaks our heart to hear how terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or have newborns.  Why you may ask?  Imagine trying to survive with a baby in your belly or in your arms.  

And finally Jesus says, pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day.  Why the urgency?  Jesus states in verse 21, for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Now, this statement makes it very plain that the reason for the flight is not 70 A.D., because he says this great tribulation is such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be.  Daniel in chapter 12:1 also reiterates that the time of tribulation is the greatest that the world has ever seen, and Daniel adds the words, “And Israel shall be delivered.”

Anyone that studies Jewish history would know that though the Romans in 70 A.D. did do a great deal of damage to the nation of Israel, the damage that has been done to Israel in the 20^th Century is far greater.  One only look at Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and the other horror camps of the Nazis to realize that the tribulation of 70 A.D. is nothing to be compared with the tribulation of the 20^th Century.  The Holocaust of the 20^thCentury has been great, and therefore if it is true that this tribulation is such as has never been nor ever shall be, it cannot be the destruction of 70 A.D.  It must therefore be something in the future.

And if we remember that when Daniel writes this, he says at that time Israel shall be delivered, and Israel has not been delivered in the Holocaust of the 20^th Century, then we know that this is a reference to the future.  And the great tribulation that he refers to is such that it is evident that the Nazis and the Romans are amateurs in destruction compared to what shall happen during Israel’s seventieth week when God pours forth his judgments of the seals, the bowls, and vials upon the earth.

Jesus goes on in verse 23 through 28 to admonish the disciples, and incidentally, we have another one of these passages in which He speaks in the second person, but the second person is an address to them, but lying back of that is the generation that shall be affected by these judgments.  It’s the time of Jacob’s trouble, and he says in these verses that it’s a time of deception as well as of disaster. 

Verse 23 says, “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 shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.’”  How is this possible?  Well let’s remember one thing that the Bible says about the man of sin.  The man of sin has a lieutenant who is the False Prophet.  Now this False Prophet is said to have in Revelation chapter 13 the power to call down fire from heaven.  That is exactly what this false man shall do.

When you think back to some Old Testament events you can see how deceptive this would be.  Remember the confrontation that Elijah had with the prophets of Baal the 450 prophets of Baal?  Do you remember how that when Elijah called them out he said, let’s see who is God, and the God who answers by fire he’s the true God let him be God.  And that seemed an eminently satisfactory thing, and so the false prophets were told by Elijah, take a bullock, I’ll take a bullock.  You cut your bullock up and put it upon some wood in order that you may have a sacrificial blaze, and the God who answers by fire, and the fire that comes down from heaven and consumes the sacrifice, that’s evidence that the God of heaven is pleased with that sacrifice, and the god that you worship is therefore God let him be God.

So you know what happened.  The prophets of Baal cut up their animal and put the animal on the wood.   Then they began to call on their god.  They screamed out their prayers to their god and nothing happened.  This went on all morning.  Eventually, Elijah began to taunt them. They still screamed and cut themselves and went through all of their other rituals in order to get their god to answer but nothing happened.  Finally, after he had given them all the morning to call down fire from heaven, Elijah prepared his sacrifice, put his animal on the wood, then he said, now lest you think – he didn’t say this, but it’s obvious why he did – he said, lest you think that I’m a magician, I want you to take some water, and lets pour the water over the wood.  And he did it once, and twice, and three times he drenched his sacrifice and his wood in water.  In fact, he built a little trench around it so that it was sitting in water.

And then he prayed a simple prayer like you think all preachers ought to pray on Sunday morning, it took only about fifteen or twenty seconds really, to read it through, and he called upon God.  And he said, simply, Yahweh, let them know who is truly God.  And fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.  The children of Israel said, Yahweh, he’s the God! Yahweh he’s God!  And then they did what they ought to have done they went out and cut off the heads of all the false prophets.  

Elijah and the Fire of God

Now can you imagine, in the midst of the tribulation period,  the anti-Christ and his False Prophet,  in the presence in the whole of the world calling down fire from heaven? And why the ones who know some things about the Bible are most likely to be deceived.  Why, it’s evident that the God that he serves is the true God.  He’s able to call down fire just like Elijah did.  Yes the Bible does say and I do believe; they shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.  

Jesus goes on to say, “Behold, I have told you before:  wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold he’s in the desert; go not forth: if he’s he’s in the secret chambers; don’t believe that because he’s to have a universal self-manifestation.  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. ” So different is the claim of the Moonies, for example, the followers of Sun Yung Moon, and his blasphemous, apostate book called The Divine Principle in which he claims to be the Messiah, in which he claims that his Unification Church is the true church, in which he claims that the Bible is an outmoded textbook, and gathers numbers of disciples unto himself and many, many, millions of dollars.

There are a couple of popular interpretations of verse 28.  Many translators substitute “eagles” with “vultures” because they assume that these verses are referring to the sight of birds eating dead flesh.  Since vultures rather than eagles are known for eating dead flesh, “vultures” is chosen (although hungry eagles do eat dead animals). Birds eating the flesh of evil men is a common imagery in the Bible; however, this verse in Matthew does not refer to eating.  This “gathering of eagles” may not refer to birds preying on flesh, but to two possible events.

1. The invasion of Israel by foreign armies.
2. The appearance of angels on earth in the sight of men.

1. “Eagles” could be Gentile armies

The Bible uses the eagle as a symbol of powerful Gentile invaders.  Hosea 8:1 says concerning the king of Assyria, “He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant.”  The entire 17th chapter of Ezekiel is an allegory of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Jerusalem, which compares Nebuchadnezzar to “a great eagle with great wings” (verse 3).  Thus the “gathering of eagles” could refer to the siege of Israel under the hands of powerful Gentile armies.

Eagle on Roman Plaque

According to some, these “eagles” are Romans. It was the Romans who sieged Jerusalem during the Great Revolt (66-70 AD).  The identification of these “eagles” as Romans could also work for some who believe in the revival of the Roman Empire in the form of the European Union.  It has been said, “here the Roman armies are intended, whose ensigns were eagles; and the eagle still is, to this day, the ensign of the Roman empire:”.  According to others, Rome could refer to the Roman Catholic Church (guilty by association).

2. “Eagles” could be angels of God

The symbolism of the eagle can be murky in the Bible.  Sometimes it is a bad symbol of invaders, but sometimes it is used as a symbol of God’s supernatural deliverance.  In the following scriptures the eagle is a symbol of God’s supernatural help:

• Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. (Exodus 19:4)

• But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

• And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Revelation 12:14)

The different contexts of Matthew 24:28 and Luke 17:37

Both verses seem to say the same thing, but they do not.  Matthew 24:28 says that the eagles will gather around the “carcase” whereas Luke 17:37 says that the eagles will gather around the “body.”  The context surrounding each verse is also different.  These slight differences are clues as to what “eagles” refer to in each case.

The “eagles” in Matthew 24:28

“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 shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. 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. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 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 24:23-31)

These eagles could refer to angels who will accompany the “dead in Christ” who “shall rise first” at the sounding of “the trump of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).  From the context, we see that this event (verse 28) occurs before the sounding of the trumpet which prompts the angels to gather the elect from the earth (verse 31).  Since the trumpet has not been blown yet, the saints who have died are still dead – hence they are still “carcases” (Prior to 1750, “carcase” could have referred to a human corpse).  Also, this verse about the gathering of eagles immediately follows our Lord’s caution that his second coming will be a ubiquitous event (verse 27).  If the gathering of eagles refers to the ubiquitous appearance of angels on earth, then verse 28 flows most naturally from verse 27.  In conclusion, these eagles could refer to angels who are standing by while they wait for the dead saints to rise.

The “eagles” in Luke 17:37

“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” (Luke 17:34-37)

Whereas the eagles in Matthew 24:28 gather around carcases, the eagles in Luke 17:37 gather around living bodies.  This is because the dead have already risen by Luke 17:37.  Verse 37 in Luke immediately follows the description of the rapture of believers (verses 34-36).  If the rapture had occurred, then the dead have already risen because Paul says, “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).  Whereas the description of the rapture in Luke occurs before the gathering of eagles, the description of the rapture in Matthew (verses 40-41) occurs after the verse about the gathering of eagles (verse 28).  When we carefully examine the context of the verses in question, we begin to understand why one verse says “carcase” while the other says “body.”

This shows that the KJV reading of “eagles” has great interpretability.  There is quite a few symbolic references to eagles in the Bible, and these two verses may also be one of those cases.  If that were the case, then replacing “eagles” with “vultures” would be most unfortunate.  This is not to say that “vultures” is wrong as an interpretation, but it is important to know that it is just that – an interpretation. Whether or not you accept any of the interpretations in this article, “eagles” is the most literal translation of “αετοι.”  It might be best to leave the interpretation to each reader.

Final thoughts:

In thinking about the terror of the Great Tribulation,  how important is it that we prepare ourselves for the future by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ?  Again,  Matthew the Evangelist who couldn’t resist adding a word or two to our Lord’s own words suggested, when he said, whoso readeth let him understand.

And so I say to you today it is very important that you too have an assured hope with reference to the future.  The Lord Jesus has offered a sacrifice by the shedding of His blood which is an atonement for sinners, and if by God’s grace, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, you have come to the conviction that you are a sinner, therefore guilty, therefore under divine condemnation, this sacrifice is for you.  And so as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus we do call upon you to put your faith and trust in Him by the grace of God and receive the gift of everlasting life.

As we explore these scriptures any opinion or statement from us will be in {brackets }…

The first place we look is in Matthew Chapter 24:

¹And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.

²And 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. { Jesus is foretelling that the Temple of Jerusalem would be destroyed and that its destruction would be so complete that not one stone would be left standing on top of another. Many believe that His prophecy was fulfilled about 40 years later when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and tore down the Temple. The destruction was so complete that even the foundations of the Temple were dug up, according to Josephus, a historian who wrote about the destruction. }

The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D. 70 by David Roberts in 1850

³And 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?  { Isn’t it amazing that even the disciples were already asking about the Last Days? They were standing right in front for the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords…yet they were ready to talk about the End times.  All our hearts long for THE day that we will be with HIM forever and forever}

⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

⁵For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. { In the last several years many have claimed to be the Messiah.  Jim Jones and David Koresh are examples of these false christs as well as countless others who are not as newsworthy.  These false prophets are a prelude to the ultimate false christ, the antichrist.}

⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. { Wow, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this sign seems true to our day!  Rumors of wars in all areas of the world now occur frequently thanks to instant media coverage and the availability of a multitude of 24-hour news sources.  I love how Jesus throws in some comfort here too.  Jesus must have seen the disciples reeling emotionally from His statements.  Jesus was saying that all though these things seem so terrible, do not let it destroy your spirit and passion for life…they MUST come to pass.  After all, as long as your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, what awaits us is HEAVEN!!}

Wars, Wars, and Rumors of Wars

⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. { More people have been killed from warfare the last century than at any other time in world history.  As the death toll rises in areas like the Middle East, more countries are working feverishly to develop devastating weapons of mass destruction.  Add to that the expanding threat of terrorism and unpredictable dictators such as Assad, and the potential for the outbreak of war exists in nations, kingdoms and places across the globe.  The number and intensity of earthquakes this century is at a level higher than any other time in history.  A staggering number of seismic events occur around the world daily.  The earthquake seismic monitor IRIS shows all major earthquakes for the last year.  One interesting fact- in the years from 1890 to 1900 there was only one major earthquake in the world.  Famine is unfortunately a reality today.  A large portion of the worlds 5 billion people suffers from a shortage of food.}

⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. { Another translation puts it this way…”But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” }

⁹Then 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. { Christians are under attack throughout the world today.  In the United States Christians still enjoy freedom to worship without suffering much more than ridicule, hatred, or discrimination at work and school.  However in many other countries such as China, Sudan, Africa, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Russia, and many Muslim nations, Christians suffer much greater persecution and often times death for their faith.  During the tribulation this suffering will be worldwide and will continue even to the point of martyrdom.  These first 5 signs will increase in intensity and severity as the tribulation approaches, much like the birth pangs or contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches. }

¹⁰And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. { One put it this way…”it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other.”  Sounds a little like today doesn’t it.  I have never seen so many people get offended, so much hate even in families where family is suing family, everyone seemingly in such bad moods all the time.  Just look at politics today.  Nothing gets done because of all the fighting.  Debate has went out the door.  Civility has left.  Hard to imagine it getting worse, but as Jesus says, it will.  }

¹¹And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. { We see this now more than ever before.  We see more “New” doctrines coming out than ever before.  These false prophets are using the Bible as nothing more than a power grab  and a means to manipulate people into giving them money.  We believe in giving as the Bible teaches us, but it is not hard to see that the love of money has creeped into the hearts of some of our own.  It will be a very terrible day for these false prophets when they stand before God as the blood of their followers will be on their hands. }

¹²And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. { For many, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of burnt ashes.  Can you imagine a world full of people that have given up on love?  Unfortunately it has already started. }

¹³But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. { Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved.  This scripture is one that sparks a lot of controversy.  Is Jesus saying that we, His followers, will have to endure the tribulation?  Was He only talking to the Jews here?  Depending on what teaching you have been under, you will have differing opinions.  We will get more into this as we continue in Matthew 24.}

¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. { This prophecy is being fulfilled through tv, radio, missionaries, the translation of the Bible into many languages, and the ever growing internet.  People from all over the world now hear the message of Christ from missionaries who have the means to travel the globe, and via technology that allows us to communicate with people on the other side of the world right from our own homes, churches and offices.}

Be sure to dig into the Word for yourself and let the Holy Spirit teach you like Jesus promised he would.  We will dig into the remaining verses of Matthew 24 very soon.   Happy studying!!

Confused about the Rapture

There are several views out there as to when the so-called Rapture will occur.  Here on LastDays.org, we plan to explore all views and write about all of them.  The idea is to give you all the views/doctrines we can find and let you decide where you stand.

There are rumors that we will research out to find if there is any truth to them.  Some examples of these include:

• Pre tribulation rapture wasn’t taught until just recently within the last 100 or so years, the church all through the years since Christ was resurrected believed and taught that the Rapture would take place after the Tribulation.
• Church leaders created the Pre-Tribulation rapture doctrine in order to persuade people to come to church each and every week.
• Mid Tribulation doctrine comes from reading false versions of the Bible.
• Post Tribulation could not possibly happen if you believe in a literal bible.
• The belief of a rapture of the Wicked not the Saints
• Jesus did not teach about a Pre tribulation rapture

Again, these are just a few of the rumors and/or questions that people have about the Rapture.  Please let us know what questions you have about it.  What other doctrines have you heard or believe?

The City of God- Jerusalem

A nationwide ADL survey just released found that anti-Semitic attitudes have risen in America. The ADL survey found that 15 percent of Americans – nearly 35 million adults – hold deeply anti-Semitic views. That’s up three percent from 2009.

The survey also found that anti-Semitic views among the African-American population have remained steady, but are consistently higher than the general population.In 2011, 29-percent of African-Americans expressed strongly anti-Semitic views, according to the survey.

This survey is showing that the Bible is true when it talks about how the other nations of the world would come against Israel to make war with them.  Then God the Father steps in against all odds to destroy the other nations.

I have never quite understood why the hatred of Jews throughout history.  Is it because they are God’s chosen people?  What really puzzles me is how can people that call themselves “Christians” come against the Jews and Israel.  These are ones that have not truly studied their bibles.

Source: MyFox New York

Did the Pope just request for a New World Economic Order?

The Vatican called for the establishment of “a supranational authority” with worldwide scope and “universal jurisdiction” to guide economic policies and decisions.  They believe such an authority should start with the United Nations as its reference point but later become independent and be endowed with the power to see to it that developed countries were not allowed to wield “excessive power over the weaker countries”.

This proclamation highlights that reforms must assure that financial and monetary policies will not damage the weakest economies while also achieving fair distribution of the world’s wealth.

One section of the document explained why the Vatican felt the reform of the global economy was necessary and called for specific reforms such as taxation of financial transactions.

“In economic and financial matters, the most significant difficulties come from the lack of an effective set of structures that can guarantee, in addition to a system of governance, a system of government for the economy and international finance,” it said.

The Vatican said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) no longer had the power or ability to stabilise world finance by regulating overall money supply and it was no longer able to watch “over the amount of credit risk taken on by the system”.

The world needed a “minimum shared body of rules to manage the global financial market” and “some form of global monetary management”.

“In fact, one can see an emerging requirement for a body that will carry out the functions of a kind of ‘central world bank’ that regulates the flow and system of monetary exchanges similar to the national central banks,” it said.

The document was released as “Occupy Wall Street” protests this month sparked similar anti-capitalist movements around the world with demonstrators angry over government bailouts of big banks, corporate bonuses, and economic inequality.

The Vatican document was likely to be welcomed by the demonstrators who critics say lack clear objectives.

Vatican pronouncements on the economy are meant to guide world leaders as well as the global church.  That means that Catholic bishops and Priests will guide voters to candidates that match this way of thinking.  Can you see how easy this makes it for someone to run on this platform and win elections?!

We are asking all our Catholic friends to talk to their local Priests about this and please comment what you hear.  This sure does sound like a New World Order.

Source:  Fox News

Possible Mark of the Beast on Wrist

This has been in the works for over six years.  Through a combination of careful theoretical modeling and precise micro-manufacturing, a team of engineers and scientists has developed a new type of ultra-thin, self-adhesive electronics device that can effectively measure data about the human heart, brain waves and muscle activity–all without the use of bulky equipment, conductive fluids or glues.

The researchers have created a new class of micro-electronics with a technology that they call an epidermal electronic system (EES). They have incorporated miniature sensors, light-emitting diodes, tiny transmitters and receivers and networks of carefully crafted wire filaments into their initial designs.

Possible step to Antichrist's mark on the Forehead?

Patch Peels Right Off

The technology is presented–along with initial measurements that researchers captured using the EES–in a paper by lead author Dae-Hyeong Kim of the University of Illinois and colleagues in the Aug. 12, 2011, issue of Science.

The EES device was developed by collaborators from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University, Tufts University, the Institute of High Performance Computing in Singapore, and Dalian University of Technology in China.

“Our goal was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin in a way that is mechanically and physiologically invisible to the user,” says corresponding author John Rogers, a professor in materials science and engineering department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “We found a solution that involves devices we designed to achieve physical properties that match to the epidermis itself. It’s a technology that blurs the distinction between electronics and biology.”

Northwestern University engineer Yonggang Huang said the patch was “as soft as the human skin.”

Rogers and Huang have been working together on the technology for the past six years. They have already designed flexible electronics for hemispherical camera sensors and are now focused on adding battery power and other energy options.

The devices might find future uses in patients with sleep apnea, babies who need neonatal care and for making electronic bandages to help skin heal from wounds and burns.

Though the intentions of this invention seem to be good, this technology is a huge step toward our society getting away of using cash, coin, or even credit cards for purchasing our goods.  Remember what Revelations 13: 11-17 tells us:

¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

 ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Sources:

Breitbart 

PopSci