The Last Days

"Come near ye nations, to hear, and hearken, ye people. The Sword of the Lord is filled with blood. For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion." Isaiah 34:18

The Lord bids all nations and people to hear His divine Word concerning Israel. His Word sets forth His purposes for them in the end time. We do well to heed the Word and keep our eyes open, for surely, His return for the overcomers and the time of terrible judgment on the earth is drawing nigh.

The "controversy of Zion," is what we see going on today between Israel and the Palestinians.

During the 1967 "Six Day War" Israel gained back the Temple Mount and control over Jerusalem. At that time Gen. Moshe Dayan made the statement, "We have returned to our most holy place, never again to leave it." He did extend a hand of peace to the Arabs (as they were called at the time), but proclaimed, "We have returned to Jerusalem, never to part from her again." Before this triumph in 1967, Arabs were in charge of East Jerusalem, and persecuted Jews in Jerusalem by stoning them as they prayed at the wailing wall and other sacred places.

Former President Bill Clinton offered the proposal in his peace talks with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat, to dismantle the Old City and divide it into Arab and Jewish segments controlled by respective parties. This offer also ceded all sovereignty of Holy Sites to Yamaha Abaft and the Palestinian Authority. According to this offer only what lies beneath the flagstone pavement of the Temple Mount would belong to Israel. Of course at this present time we have a new USA president and Israel has a new Prime Minister. Violence is continuing to be perpetrated by the terrorists backed by the Muslims and Palestinian Authority. We are sure God has had a hand in the changes of authority. Situations which will bring about the end of all things are in God's control.

This is certainly not the first time that the Jews have had problems with the Temple Mount situation. In Ezra 4, we read of the enemies of the returned Israeli Babylonian captives trying to rebuild the Temple and the wall around Jerusalem, torn down over 70 years prior by the conquering army of Nebuchadnezzar. It looked like these evil men would stop the Jews, but God intervened and caused the records of the law of the Medes and Persians to be found where King Cyrus had made the decree that the Jews were given permission to rebuild the temple and the wall around Jerusalem.

Today, many modern scholars have studied intensely, and have stated that they do not even believe that Israel really built a temple on the mount. That it is all a hoax. U.S. News and World Report published an article claiming that King David, if he ever really lived, was nothing more than a "Hill Country Chieftain." They state that Solomon never really built the temple and all the magnificent structures the Bible contributes to him. They contend that ruins thought to be built by Solomon were actually built at least a century after his time.

These scholars who deny the authenticity of the Scriptures, say they believe that the Old Testament was written entirely by followers of David, "to justify the monarchy in general and the kingship of David and Solomon in particular." The Scripture comes to mind in Psalms 2:14, "Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing..The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take council together against the LORD'S anointed." Very soon these unbelievers will be made to see that God's Word is true and will be fulfilled, when Jesus Christ sits on the throne of His Father (in the natural) David. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD will have them in derision (in supreme contempt)."

The violence and conflict in Israel is also affecting the true believers in Jesus Christ who live in that region. There are many Arab Christians who are suffering persecution from radical Palestinians in places like Bethlehem. Palestinian gunmen have come into Christian churches and homes forcing the believers out, and turning the homes into gun emplacements, where they can pour gunfire into homes of Israelis living nearby. One of their favorite tactics is to entice Israeli troops to shoot into the home or severely damage a church. They want it to appear that Israelis are trying to kill Christians and destroy churches. Many Arab Christians are suffering greatly, not able to go to their jobs. God has moved on Jewish Christians to send food and supplies to meet the needs of Arab Christians. Their oneness in Christ is demonstrated. How we should pray for these believers and others around the world who are suffering for the sake of the Gospel, and be willing to give financially as the Lord leads. We are living in the LAST DAYS.

MAGICAL MYSTICAL TOUR - This is the name of an article in the magazine Jerusalem Report, telling of many Israelis who are seeking peace in their inner beings by becoming Buddhists. This article is repulsive to read, and is such a devilish trick of Satan to ensnare people into this cultish religion of idolatry. It states, "Buddhism is universal and all embracing, preaching love, and peace that comes from inside the self not the outside world chaos a ready sell with Israelis." How disgusting! God brought judgment upon Israel because of their idolatry, and there is some hard judgment ahead.

Recently, an article appeared in our local newspaper concerning a boy, 18 years old, named Jack Churchward in the USA, who has been declared the sixth incarnation of Tradak Tulku, a lama who once ran the Katsel Monastery near Lhasa, Tibet. Usually, they believe that these Tulku's are born (reincarnated) to Tibetan or Chinese parents. They usually find them as young children and take them to Tibet to be raised and educated by monks. This boy has lived his life until now in the USA, but recently was declared in Dehra Dun, India to be the reincarnated lama. His parents are deeply into Buddhism.

Recently, as I sat in a doctor's office, where a TV blared with cartoons for children, something caught my attention. There on the screen was a giant Buddha, in cartoon form. A small child in some sort of trouble was walking up to the idol, who suddenly came alive, smiling and extending it's hand to the child, and began giving the child instructions on solving her problem. Wow! Isn't the spirit of antichrist in the world today. Satan is working with all his power to deceive as many as he can. Be warned that, as many have said before, those seemingly innocent cartoons (mostly imported from Japan with English dubbed in) are promoting a different lifestyle, which is being copied by our teens today.

Watch what the children are allowed to partake of. This is the world we live in this is the last days of this age. In public school children are encouraged to take a time to sit quietly and meditate, emptying their minds, which is a trap and promotion of far eastern religions. Another seemingly innocent trap is yoga. The trick is to get people involved and then trap them into great error.

VIOLENCE IN USA SCHOOLS - Again, gunfire rang out in one of our public schools, Santana High School in a suburb of San Diego. A 15 year old has been charged with the shootings, where 2 students were killed and 13 other individuals were shot. A statement by a pastor conducting a memorial service for one of the slain young men said, "Brian is an innocent victim of the violence that's becoming all too pervasive in our society." The problem is discussed again and again. "What is wrong with our young people? " None seems to realize that sin is the problem. Our nation has become a permissive, sinful nation where prayer is not permitted in schools, but on the contrary, Congress can debate (just for fun) whether Jesus Christ rose from the dead. There are paradoxes continually in how things are done, which causes confusion. Congress and the Supreme Court open with prayer. People are sworn into office with a pledge of God and hand on the Bible, but a prayer cannot be said at any function on the school grounds. Something is wrong with this picture. What is it? The answer: Sin and rebellion of man against the living and true God. Pray for our children and young people. They need our love and prayers more than ever.

There are many other subjects that we could write about, such as "Mad Cow Disease," and its devastating affect on world food sources. We could talk about rising heating fuel prices, or the unstable economy. We could have written about the terrible earthquakes taking place around the Pacific rim. All these things are hastening us onward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some may think that to talk of Christ's coming will only depress us because we don't feel we have a future in this old world in which we live. On the contrary it gives us a perspective that gives hope and peace.

Christ is coming to set all things straight. Praise the Lord! As we learn to hold the things of this life lightly, and firmly grasp the eternal things by faith, we are peaceful and assured. God has everything in control! Peace that passes all understanding is ours.

I'm longing for Jesus to come. Are you?