MORE PRE-TRIB STUFF FROM "RAPTURE READY"! THIS ONE IS TITLED "WHAT THE ANCIENT CHURCH FATHERS BELIEVED" BY MATT WARD.

What the Ancient Church Fathers Believed - By Matt Ward -http://www.raptureready.com/soap2/ward35.html

  

 "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" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

 I have recently read a significant amount of material about the supposed fallacy of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church. Some Christian commentators are saying quite openly that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture as a doctrine has now been fundamentally discredited. 

 The argument seems to be that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a doctrine that has only been taught and believed since the 1800s. Ostensibly, the argument is that a Pre-Tribulation Rapture is false because it is a "modern invention." 

 Proponents of this view teach that before 1800 and J. N. Darby (1800-1881), the Rapture was     not taught in the Christian church at all. They wrongly go on to state that a young Scottish women called Margaret MacDonald is the true originator of the modern Pre-Tribulation Rapture belief system and that she received this information through independent spiritual revelation. The unspoken assertion here is that this revelation was in fact demonic in origin.

 Some even going so far as to argue that the concept of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture was completely unknown and unheard of before 1800, therefore lacking any legitimate creditability for today's Church. These objections have, in these last days, become harsh and bitter.

 There  is however, a solid biblical basis for believing in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.

 "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke21:36).

 "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth" (Revelation 3:10).

 "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: 'He could not be found, because God had taken him away.' For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5).

 The biblical basis for the Rapture of the Church is a subject that has been well-covered elsewhere; this is but a sample.

 There is also a wealth of biblical teaching that has from the very beginning been used to teach of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, using metaphors and imagery from Scripture.

 But what did the earliest ancient Church fathers believe regarding a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church? What did these men, some who were taught personally by the Apostles of Jesus Christ, believe? Were these men who became pillars of the early church Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation or Post-Tribulation Rapture believers?

 Or did they not believe in a Rapture at all? 

 While we need to be remember that the writings of these ancient Church fathers are not on par with Scripture, it is nonetheless important that we know what the early church believed, especially about the Rapture of the Church.

 Irenaeus (130 A.D. - 202 AD)

 Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp. Polycarp learned his Christian faith from the apostle John, "...the disciple whom Jesus loved..." (John 21:7) As well as writing the gospel that bears his name and a number of early letters, John wrote the Book of Revelation. There could be no better tutor other than the Lord Jesus himself. Both Polycarp and Irenaeus knew John personally.

 Irenaeus later became bishop of the church in Lyons, France and is famous for his five volume treatise, Against Heresies, which described and challenged all false teaching from the emerging cults of his day.

 Irenaeus believed in the three and a half year reign of the Antichrist as ruler of the world before the Second Coming of Christ. He also believed in a literal millennial reign of Christ on earth following the Second Coming and in the resurrection of the just. Irenaeus also believed in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church. In  Against Heresies 5:29 he wrote:

And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, "There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be." For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.

 Note Irenaeus' use of the , "caught up." It is the exact same Rapture terminology used in 1 Thessalonians 4. The word used is 1 Thessalonians 4, is "harpazo", meaning to be "caught up." Irenaeus believed that the Rapture of the Church occurred prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

 Cyprian (200 AD - 258 AD)

 Cyprian, the bishop of the early church at Carthage was beheaded for his faith in 258 AD and was a great pillar of the early church. He shepherded his church through intense Roman persecution and was well known for his eloquent treatises in defense of the faith. In his work Treatise of Cyprian he wrote:

We who see that terrible things have begun, and know that still more terrible things are imminent, may regard it as the greatest advantage to depart from it as quickly as   possible. Do you not give God thanks, do you not congratulate yourself, that by an early departure you are taken away, and delivered from the shipwrecks and disasters that are imminent? Let us greet the day which assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us hence, and sets us free from the snares of the world and restores us to paradise and the kingdom.

 Like Irenaeus, Cyprian, a highly prominent early church father believed in a "...early deliverance" for believers who would be "delivered" from judgments which would be devastating and global in nature. He taught that the Body of Christ would be delivered from the Day of the Lord. 

 Cyprian taught his followers that, "God has not appointed us to wrath, but salvation..." (1 Thess. 5:9), and joyfully encouraged his church to expect to be "taken away" before the Tribulation begins. Indeed, he exhorted his church to eagerly anticipate the mansions Jesus had gone to heaven to prepare for them individually, as detailed in John 14.

 Ephraim the Syrian (306 AD - 373 AD)

 There is a genuine sense of urgency about Ephraim's writings. A deacon in the large church in Syria he later became the bishop of the church at Nisibis. In his work,  The Last Times - Two, Ephraim wrote:

See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: "Woe to   those who desire to see the day of the Lord!" For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that   is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. And so, brothers most dear to me, it is the eleventh hour, and the end of the world comes to the harvest, and angels, armed and prepared, hold   sickles in their hands, awaiting the empire of the Lord.

And we think that the earth exists with blind infidelity, arriving at its downfall early. Commotions are brought forth, wars of diverse peoples and battles and incursions of the barbarians threaten, and our regions shall be desolated, and we neither become very much afraid of the report nor of the appearance, in order that we may at least do penance; because they hurl fear at us, and we do not wish to be changed, although we at least stand in need of penance for our actions!

 Ephraim believed that all Christians should know that the Day of the Lord approached and should be able to recognize the signs of the times. He also clearly linked to Old Testament Day of the Lord with the New Testament forthcoming Great Tribulation.  

 This is just a flavor of early church teaching. Each and every church father, where their writings exists, testify to a belief in a Rapture of the church. Each of these fathers all place this Rapture of the church before the Day of the Lord, or the Great Tribulation.

 These writings on their own do not prove the existence of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, nor can they be regarded in any way as authoritative as Scripture. They do, however, clearly demonstrate that the teaching of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture is not a "modern invention" that supposedly began in the 1800s.

 What their writings also prove, without doubt, is that the teaching of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture has been a part of Christian beliefs since the earliest days of the Apostles.

 Jesus is coming soon...

 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:1-3).

 "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

 wardmatt1977@gmail.com

"THE RISE OF GOG AND MAGOG" BY BRITT GILLETTE FROM "RAPTURE READY"!!

The Rise of Gog of Magog - By Britt Gillette -   

http://www.raptureready.com/featured/gillette/bg68.html

 

 More than 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel warned of a future time when a vast coalition of nations will attack Israel. The Bible tells us the leader of this coalition is a man named Gog from the land of Magog. He's also known as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:2). When Israel is living in peace, Gog will come with a mighty army and cover the land like a cloud (Ezekiel 38:14-16).

 

 But his plans to conquer and pillage will come to nothing. Why? Because God promises to turn these enemy invaders against each other (Ezekiel 38:21). God says the invading armies will have their weapons knocked from their hands, and they will die in open fields where they'll become food for vultures and wild animals (Ezekiel 39:3).

 

 In fact, the Bible says Gog's invasion of Israel will trigger an earthquake so strong every living creature on the face of the earth will tremble in God's presence (Ezekiel 38:19-20), and He will send a torrential rain of fire, hailstones, and burning sulfur on the invading armies (Ezekiel 38:22). The end result? Total destruction of the Gog of Magog alliance. So many dead bodies will litter the landscape, it will take seven months to bury the dead - even with the help of every citizen in Israel (Ezekiel 39:12).

 

 And believe it or not, this entire chain of events is triggered when a man named Gog sets out to plunder the nation of Israel. But who is this man - this Gog of Magog? And who are his allies?

 

The Nations in This Military Alliance

 

 Ezekiel identifies the nations in the Gog of Magog alliance as "Magog, Rosh, Meschech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah" (Ezekiel 38:1-6). I don't blame you at all if these names don't make any sense to you.

 

 But keep this in mind - Ezekiel named the nations of this alliance as they were known in his day, and each one represents a clearly identifiable nation currently in existence. In fact, long before Russia became a world power, biblical scholars identified Rosh as the nation of Russia and Gog as its ruler.

 

 The identity of Gog as the ruler of Russia is confirmed when Ezekiel notes his geographic location. Ezekiel says Gog will bring his armies from "the extreme north" (Ezekiel 38:15; Ezekiel 39:2). While this might seem like a vague statement, it's not. This statement, like most in the Old Testament, is made in reference to the nation of Israel. And it's saying Gog will reside to the extreme north of Israel.

 

 Draw a straight line north of Israel on any map of the Middle East, and guess what nation you'll find? That's right - Russia. So Gog is clearly the ruler of Russia. But Gog isn't alone. He has plenty of co-conspirators. Who are they? Below is the list of nations cited by Ezekiel. The Old Testament name is listed first, followed by its modern day equivalent:

 

Rosh  = Russia

 

Magog  = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan

 

Persia = Iran

 

Cush = Sudan

 

Put  = Libya

 

Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah = Turkey

 

The Timing of This Invasion

 

 So when will this invasion occur? The Bible says this alliance will form and come against Israel "in the latter days" (Ezekiel 38:8). So what does that mean? Well, the key word in Hebrew is "acharith" which generally translates as the "after-part, latter part, last, close, or end." In other words, this alliance will form in the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

 

 Ezekiel uses this same word "acharith" again, when God says He will bring the alliance against the land of Israel "in the last days" (Ezekiel 38:16). And, at the beginning of verse 8, he reveals this will happen "a long time from now" or "in the distant future." In other words, this is not a prophecy fulfilled in Ezekiel's day.

 

 But that's not all we know. Ezekiel provides us with additional clues. In fact, in the same passage cited above, God reveals precisely when this invasion will occur. In verse 12, Gog says to himself, "I will attack the once abandoned cities that are now populated with the Jews who returned from exile among the nations" (Ezekiel 38:12). Did you catch that? Gog will attack the land when it's filled with the exiles who return from among the nations. The target of Gog's invasion is modern day Israel.

 

 God Himself confirms this when He says the invasion will occur "after Israel's people have been gathered from among many nations" (Ezekiel 38:8). He says it will happen "when I bring my people home from among the enemy nations" (Ezekiel 39:27). This return home from among many nations has happened only once in all of human history. And our generation is witness to that event - the 1948 gathering of the Jewish people and the restoration of Israel in the land ordained by God.

 

A Rising Alliance

 

 According to Ezekiel, the target of this invasion is modern day Israel. For more than 2,500 years, the alliance of nations Ezekiel wrote about has not existed. In fact, in the history of the world, such an alliance of nations has never existed. But you know what? Today we see it coming together right in front of us. Don't believe me? Just check your history books.

 

 Up until March 21, 1935, the world knew the nation of Iran as Persia - the same Persia referenced in the Gog of Magog alliance. In the 2,600 years since Ezekiel recorded his prophecies, the nations of Russia and Persia have never been part of an alliance of any sort. Economic and military cooperation between them had never taken place - at least not until around 1989.

 

 But today? Iran and Russia are strong allies. For example, in 1995 the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy signed an agreement with Iran to finish the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Construction on the plant had come to an immediate halt after the 1979 Islamic revolution.            But today, thanks to Russia, work is once again in progress.

 

 The two nations continue to strengthen their economic and military ties, and Russia is one of the few world powers that consistently defends the existence of Iran's nuclear program. And as I write this article, Russian and Iranian ground troops are on the border of Israel, coordinating their military efforts in Syria.

 

 Does any of this surprise you? Again, it shouldn't. Because God revealed it more than 2,600 years ago.

 

Why This Matters

 

 So why does this matter? Because Ezekiel said this invasion will occur in the last days, "when God brings his people home from among the nations." The Old Testament prophets directly linked the restoration of Israel and the regathering of the Jewish people with the imminent coming of the Messiah. And Ezekiel links the Gog of Magog invasion with the restoration of Israel. This means the invasion will take place sometime shortly before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In other words, the Gog of Magog invasion and the Second Coming are inextricably linked.

 

 Never before in the history of the world has an alliance existed among the specific nations cited by Ezekiel. But today, we can clearly see the common interests shared by the nations he mentioned. Furthermore, this invasion requires a Russian-Iranian military alliance that didn't exist until recent times. In fact, Russian-Iranian cooperation of any sort had been for the most part non-existent until 1989.

 

 Today, Russia and Iran boast strong diplomatic, geopolitical, economic, and military ties. And as you read this, they're conducting joint military operations in a nation that borders Israel. For the first time in the 2,600 years since Ezekiel recorded his prophecy, we see signs of the Gog of Magog alliance coming together.

 

 So what should you take from all of this? The Gog of Magog alliance is coming together in our day and time, and Jesus is coming soon!

 

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook   Coming to Jesus: One Man's Search for Truth and Life Purpose  as well as  Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime. He's also the founder of  End Times Bible Prophecy.

IS THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH FOUND IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION? A VERY CONTROVERSIAL MATTER, BUT HERE GEOFF GRIDER EXPLAINS WHY HE THINKS IT IS???

New post on Now The End Begins

The Pretribulation Rapture Of The Church As Found In The Book Of Revelation by Geoffrey Grider Had the Jews accepted the preaching of Stephen, instead of rejecting it and stoning him, the day of the Lord would have happened right there in Acts 7, and the Church Age would never have happened. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."Revelation 4:1,2 (KJV) In our day and age, the Church Age, as inconceivable as it might sound, there are many Christians who assail and attack the Bible doctrine of the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. Scoffers go on to say, and wrongly so, that this doctrine was not taught before Mary McDonald and John Nelson Darby spoke about it in the early 1830's. Some even say it was an invention of CI Scofield in his reference study Bible. Again, these statements have no bearing on the truth of any kind, as this article will endeavor to point out. Part of the "confusion" for some comes because there is more than one rapture in the Bible, and there is more than one time the phrase "come up hither" is used. A healthy dose of 2 Timothy 2:15 is the sure antidote for this pressing malady. So let's get started, shall we? "...Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." The three 'Come Up Hithers' and the three Raptures in the Bible In God's preserved word as found in the King James Bible, the phrase "come up hither" only appears three times, and here they are: "For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen." Proverbs 25:7 (KJV) "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1 (KJV) "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them." Revelation 11:12 (KJV) And amazingly enough, there are three raptures in the Bible as well. Though I am sure this is just a "coincidence". Here they are: THE FIRST RAPTURE: This has already taken place, and it had nothing to do with the Church. "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."Matthew 27:50-54 (KJV) THE SECOND RAPTURE: This is the one for the Church, and it will take place before the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7 KJV).Jacob's Trouble is the same thing as the Great Tribulation mentioned in Matthew 24. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1 (KJV) The THIRD RAPTURE: This will take place during the time of Jacob's Trouble, while the Church is in Heaven. "And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven." Revelation 11:11-13 (KJV) The astute student of the Bible will notice that both the first and third raptures occur in the presence of an earthquake. Perhaps it has something to do with this: "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." Hebrews 12:26 (KJV) God's voice "shook the Earth" when Jesus was on the cross, and it will "shake it again" during the time of Jacob's trouble. But for the Church's rapture, no shaking at all. A voice like a trumpet that only saved believers can hear, and we are g-o-n-e gone. Are you starting to see the difference in God's plan for the Jews and His plan for the Church? They clearly are not the same. This is begins to make sense when we understand that building a church was not why Jesus came. He came for His people, the Jews. Creating the Church was the backup plan when they rejected. So in effect we are a 2,000 year comma inserted in between the sandwich of Israel lost and Israel redeemed. Peter declared in Acts 2 that the "day of the Lord" spoken of by "Joel the prophet" was already coming to pass in that day. And had the Jews accepted the preaching of Stephen, instead of rejecting it and stoning him, the day of the Lord would have happened right there in Acts 7, and the Church Age would never have happened. But it didn't. Acts 8 the first gentile gets saved, and in Acts 9 Saul becomes Paul and...here we are! Now that we have "set the table", let's take a look at our Rapture, the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church, as found in Revelation chapters 4 and 5. We start with John. John is a type of the Church and experiences a type of the Rapture The apostle John was not like any of the other 11 apostles, he was special and the Bible says so. In fact, the Bible says it multiple times, look it up. "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord." John 21:7 (KJV) The Church that Jesus eventually did create He loved very much, with a very special love that is likened unto the marriage between a man and a woman. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" Ephesians 5:25 (KJV) Because of John's special relationship with Jesus, he is the apostle that lived the longest, and is the only apostle that didn't die at the hands of the Romans. Furthermore, Jesus hand picks him to receive the Revelation of the time of the end. Pretty special, don't you think? Just like the Church, pretty special and verydifferent. John had tribulation with a small "t" but he didn't die like the others did, right? Likewise the Church, though it always has had tribulation will not go through THE Tribulation for much the same reason. Think about that. In Revelation 4, versus one and two, John as a type of the Church is called up to Heaven in a type of the Rapture. What John experienced then is what the apostle Paul says will happen for the Church when the actual rapture takes place for us: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51,52 (KJV) It is at this juncture that most rapture debates get a "flat tire" and drive off into the ditch. People here will start to argue about the "trumpets" and "voices" mentioned in the Bible. But we are going to bypass that and focus on what most people miss. We are going to look at what John saw when he got there. "And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, andone sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." Revelation 4:2,3 (KJV) John is not in Paradise, he is not in Abraham's Bosom, John is in Heaven at the Throne of God Himself. Which, another amazing coincidence, is exactly where Paul says all saved believers go immediately when they die. Hmm... "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (KJV) In Revelation 5, the wonderment continues and John sees an enormous throng of people and they are "singing a new song". What are the words to that song you ask? Listen and see... "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5 9,20 (KJV) This "new song" tells you exactly who this crowd of people in Revelation 5 is, for it can be no other. It is the only group in human history that was "redeemed by the blood of the Lamb". The Christian Church! Furthermore, it says that these people God has made into "kings and priests" who "shall reign on the earth". A huge time clue here is the use of the phrase "and we shall reign", let me tell you why. If this is a vision of the Church in Heaven at the Rapture, then we would not be reigning with Christ, as the Bible says we will, until many years in the future from the moment when the Thousand Year Reign of Christ (Revelation 20) starts. And what about the "kings and priests"? Why, that is exactly how Peter describes the Church in the Age of Grace. Read it and see: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but arenow the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:9,10 (KJV) Did you catch that? Peter says we are a "royal priesthood", kings and priests indeed. The apostle Paul tells us right in 2 Timothy that saved believers will reign with Jesus Christ in the Millennium. "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:" 2 Timothy 2:11,12 (KJV) (The right to rule and reign with Jesus is connected with how well you do at the Judgment Seat of Christ, for more on that click here.) John mentions the word "church" 7 times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, and after Revelation 4 starts, the word "church" is never mentioned again. The Church itself is not seen on Earth until the end of Revelation 19. And what happens between the start of Revelation 6 to the end of Revelation 19 is the time of Jacob's trouble, which is a time of testing and refinement for the nation of Israel. The rapture the Jews get is the Third Rapture mentioned above, the same one mentioned in Matthew 24. But it is not our rapture, just like the first one was not either. But the Church of Jesus Christ, the very same Church you and I are a part of right now, is mentioned in great, graphic detail in Revelation 5. If Revelation 4 is not the Rapture of the Church, then what is the Church doing up there in chapters 4 and 5? There is no other group that has been a). redeemed by His blood, b). made kings and priests of God, and c). get to rule and reign with Jesus in the Millennium. That is exactly how Paul and Peter describe the Church. Obviously, and for the reasons we've shown here, the Rapture of the Churchhappens before the start of the Tribulation in Revelation 6. And when you "rightly divide" your Bible as Paul commands us to, this is exactly the conclusion you come to.

"TIME IS UP" BY WENDY WIPPEL FROM "THE OMEGA LETTER"!!

Time's up? - Wendy Wippel -http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8134

Fouad Hussein was your average Jordanian journalist until jailed in 1996-a jail also occupied by Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, top A.-Qaeda operative. He recognized the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and spent the next few years infiltrating Al-Qaeda-- to the top-and then wrote a book, detailing their intentions. My advice? Go ahead and spend your retirement.

What Fouad discovered, over the time he spent in that den of snakes, was that Al-Qaeda (as it may seem if you watch much prime-time news), is not just a random collection of bloodthirsty jihadists that (maybe because they watched too many American movies) get their jollies by killing as many people as possible  and watching things explode. What Fouad found-and documented-was that Al -Qaeda, in fact, had put together a comprehensive and detailed business plan.

But their plan wasn't concerned with mere profits. No. They had much loftier goals. Al-Qaeda had put together a detailed plan for restoring the former Caliphate (translation: Islamic Empire) that had ruled a big chunk of the world until it was dismantled after World War I.

But a bigger, better caliphate. Because the caliphate they envision will encompass the whole world.

Their plan consists of seven phases.

Phase 1: The Awakening 

Phase 1 intends to awaken the west to Muslim power and ambition, and to awaken those not already on board in the Muslim world to the glory to be obtained by ridding the world of infidels, establishing an islamic Caliphate as a one-world government, and bringing all the world's citizens under Sharia Law.

Phase 2: Opening Eyes

The goal of Phase 2 is to, through key tactical victories and liberal use of propaganda, replace mainstream ideology in the Arab world with the radical, jihadist ideology, espoused by Al-Qaeda until that jihadist ideology becomes mainstream.  According to the plan, this will serve to both 1) commit the Muslim world to restoring the caliphate and 2) alarm the west into initiating some sort of military response.

Phase 3: Islam Arises

The focus of Phase 3 is to foment revolution in nearby Muslim countries that have either secular governments (e.g. Jordan, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Burkini Faso), or anti-Islamic governments (basically Israel).

Phase 4: Collapse 

Phase 4 will consist of (given that the plan has up till now succeeded in achieving its intended goals) watching secular governments in the Arab world topple as popular revolts (read that insurrection by Islamic fundamentalists) put new leaders in power and more extremists into the Al-Qaeda fold.

Phase 5: The Caliphate Established

In Phase 5,the success of efforts to radicalize the Islamic sphere and dwindling will in the west to wage war against radical Islam enable and official declaration of an Islamic State, setting the stage for increasing ideologic division of the world into the Muslim righteous (dar-al al islam) and the nonbelievers (dar al-har) who must be eradicated.

Phase 6: Confrontation

The rapid rise to prominence of the caliphate leads to world war, as the west finally recognizes the end of western civilization and unites to fight the Muslim agressors.

Phase 7

Simple. They win. Islam and Sharia law rule the world.

Sounds crazy, right? 

It gets worse. The Al-Qaeda plan had a timeline, too. Start to finish, their intent was to rule the entire world within 20 years.

Rule the world in 20 years?  Their god must be crazy!!

What we need to remember is that their god is Lucifer himself.  Crazy he is, no doubt. But, unfortunately, until his rabid little behind is chained, powerful he is as well.

Which would explain why this crazy twenty-year plan to world dominance is right on schedule. Also crazy, but unfortunately true:

Phase 1: The Muslim Awakening?

 Phase 1 was slated for 2000-2003. And on September 11, 2001, as we all remember, the west woke up (literally) to an awareness that the world had changed. And it had changed courtesy of an Islamic group called Al-Qaeda. (The role of 9/11 in awakening the Muslim world to the possibility of Islamic dominance in the world evidenced by the ongoing celebration of September 11 in the Muslim world.)

Phase 2: Opening Eyes. 

Phase 2, scheduled to consume 3 years (2003-2006) was to consolidate Islamic commitment to the caliphate, partially by inducing the west to mount some kind of military response to 9/11. A coalition of forces from the U.S., the U.K., Australia and others invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003. According to Fouad, Al-Qaeda was very pleased that their plan worked so well. The devastating events of 9/11 had convinced the west to launch an attack.

Phase 3: Islam Arises

Phase 3, slated for 2007-2010, if you remember, purposed to encourage fundamentalist revolutions in Islamic populations of secular countries.

Phase 4: Collapse of all infidel governments:

Phase 4, to begin in 2011 and end in 2013, was  intended to consist of successive topplings of secular Islamist governments by internal populist insurrections, adding  extremist Islamic revolutionaries to the Al-Qaeda fold.

The demise of Saddam Hussein and the collapse of his rule in Iraq produced a spreading instability in the area, with the season we know as euphemistically as "Arab Spring" actually consisting of a series of government shake ups in Arab governments that resulted in a significant move toward Islamic fundamentalism and radicalization of the government. .

Namely?

1) Egypt, 2011: Hosni Mubarak out, Moslem Brotherhood in.

2) Libya: 2011: Islamic Fighting Group now a prominent player in government.  Ditto Tunisia and Morocco.

3) Yemen 2014: Moderate President Selah forced to step down, extremely fundamentalist Houthis take control.

4) Syria, 2011: Civil War designed to weaken the reign of the non-sunni Assad (also an infidel in Al-Qaeda's book) as the ruler of what consists, to fundamentalists, as appetizers to be consumed before Islamist consumption of the main course, Israel.

5) Turkey: Prime Minister Recep Tayipp Erdogan (while not deposed) made an Arab Spring tour of Arab countries in which he increasingly espoused support for Palestinians. Solidarity with Islamic countries, indifference towards EU membership  and animosity towards Israel.

To name a few.

Erdogan, in fact, admitted that democracy was never seriously in view in these Islamic countries, where Sharia law is the only rule of law acceptable. From Erdogan's lips, "the calls for democracy that the White House celebrated, were only the train we board to reach our destination."

Their destination being the whole world under caliphate rule.

Phase 5: The Caliphate Established

Phase 5, planned to occur between 2011 and 2013--was a time believed to be a point at which, due to ongoing pro-Jihadist propaganda in the east (particularly through social media) combined with dwindling willingness to commit resources to fighting radical is Islam in the west, at which the Al-Qaeda vision of an Islamic empire would have gained enough momentum to formally establish an Islamic State. And it had.  Al-Qaeda itself, Osama bin Ladin having met his rightful end in 2011, lost momentum, but their ideology, as hoped in Phase 2, was now mainstream and a new group called ISIS carried its flag. ISIS established and formally declared a new Islamic State in 2014, with its capital in al-Raqqa in Syria.

And the sickening brutality that has been the ISIS hallmark is calculated, meant to  leave no doubt that if you're within ISIS reach your choices are either submit to Allah and sharia law or die. Thereby setting the stage for increasing ideologic division of the world into the Muslim righteous (dar-al al islam) and the nonbelievers (dar al-har) who must be eradicated.

Pretty good track record so far, eh? But as 2015 comes to a close, will their record hold? Time will tell. But the next phase, phase 6-- scheduled for 2016-2019---was forecast as a time, with the Islamic State established and growing in influence and power, that the west will finally unite to fight the Islamic threat.  And worldwide war ensues.  And phase 7? Of course they win, all infidels are disposed of, and Islam rules the world.

Fortunately, we know that's not God's plan. But God does describe a period of time in which a servant of Satan, pretending to be a white knight (riding a white horse)    will eventually bring the whole world under his thumb.

Are they the same guy?  Are the somehow otherwise connected? I don't know, but it would seem that the end is really drawing near.

After all, Phase 7 is scheduled to end in 2020. And I know we're all ready to go,

But what was it Paul said?

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." Phil1:21- 25.

We have the words of life in a dying world.  What could be more important?

MORE DYNAMIC INSIGHTS FROM THE CUTTING EDGE JOHN McTERNAN!

New post on John McTernan's Insights

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem by JohnMcTernan            Verse of the Day Zechariah 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Commentary Everywhere we look there is now war or building towards war. The entire Middle East is now a boiling cauldron of war, terrorism and preparing for war. There is no peace on the horizon but only WW3. This the time to be grounded in the Lord and anchored with the Blessed Hope, Jesus Christ coming for the believers. Notice how the Temple Mount is the site of fighting and world attention! As time goes on, it will become apparent that this is "ground zero" of world attention and also Bible prophecy. May the Holy God of Israel bless and protect you James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (8) Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Jerusalem Watch After WW3 this will be destroyed and the Jews will build the 3rd Temple for the Day of the LORD THE ‘JERUSALEM AWAKENING’  10/20/15 This article really should be titled the "Temple Mount Awakening"! Zechariah 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. As time goes on, Jerusalem will continually be at the center of world attention, andthis is exactly what the Bible states is going to happen! "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was more accurate in identifying the inspiration of the current uprising, this so-called “Jerusalem Awakening,” that has increased the tension of everyday life for Israelis and Arabs alike. At a weekly cabinet meeting Netanyahu correctly observed that Israel is “. . . in the midst of a wave of terrorism originating from systematic and mendacious incitement regarding the Temple Mount – incitement by Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and the Islamic Movement in Israel.” France advancing plan to deploy international observers at Jerusalem's Temple Mount 10/17/15 Look how the Temple Mount continues to get the world's attention. The fighting in Israel started over the Temple Mount and it has the potential to starting the all-out Israel and Palestinian war that Obadiah states will happen just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Obadiah 1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. "France is drafting a 'presidential statement' in order to advance a plan to station international observers at Jerusalem's Temple Mount to ensure that the status quo at the site is preserved, French daily Le Figaro reported on Saturday, quoting French diplomatic sources. French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre said, at an emergency meeting on Friday of the UN Security Council on the ongoing violence between Israel and the Palestinians, that he would circulate a draft statement to the council that would appeal for calm and restraint and for a revival of the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and for maintaining the status quo at the Temple Mount. Statements by the 15-member council must be agreed unanimously. The unrest in recent weeks has been triggered in part by Palestinians' anger over what they claim to be increased Jewish encroachment at the Jerusalem holy site which is revered by both the Muslim and Jewish faithful. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly over the past few weeks that Israel has not changed the status quo on the Temple Mount, nor has it any intention of doing so, characterizing Arab charges to the contrary as “lies” and “deceit.” Jews revere the Temple Mount as its holiest site, the place where two biblical Jewish temples once stood. The area, is also home to the Dome of the Rock, and is known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, which is the third holiest site in Islam." UNESCO draft resolution: Western Wall is part of al-Aksa mosque 10/19/15 The battle over Jerusalem is fierce as the UN wants to take the Western Wall from Israel! What all these events are doing is making Israel more determined to defend Jerusalem. Watch for the Temple Mount as being one of the primary causes of WW3. "Israel is working to thwart a draft UNESCO resolution which declares that the Western Wall in Jerusalem – the most holy site in Judaism – belongs to al-Aksa Mosque compound. The draft text to be voted on Wednesday in Paris states that UNESCO “affirms that the Buraq Plaza is an integral part of al-Aksa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif.” Israeli Ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama Hacohen called the resolution “a total Islamization” of a site that is revered by both Jews and Muslims. The six-page draft resolution – submitted by Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to the UNESCO Executive Board – broadly condemns Israeli actions in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. At no point does the resolution mention the Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem, which dates back to biblical times. Nor does it reference the Temple Mount or the Western Wall, which was part of the retaining wall King Herod built for the Temple Mount more than 2,000 years ago. It also relies solely on Arabic names for the holy sites on and around the Temple Mount." Congress members, Jewish groups rally against UNESCO resolution10/20/15 Over and over now, it is the Temple Mount and Jerusalem which are the focus of world attention. Events are really now heading to a boiling point! "Amid an angry outcry from Jewish organizations worldwide as well as from Israeli officials over a UNESCO resolution that would declare the Western Wall a Muslim holy site, two members of Congress called Monday evening on the US envoy to the UN body to quash the resolution." Arch of Titus in Rome with engraving of Romans bringing Menorah from the temple to Rome Op-Ed: The New York Times’ ‘Big Lie’ about the Temple Mount" 10/20/15 The Bible states there were two temples, and there are two more on the way. The one which will be defiled by the antichrist and the one built by the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.  This is pure Muslim nonsense as, like the Hard Left, they live in an incredible delusion. When the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 70 AD, they wrote about the temple and the Temple Mount and even carried Temple artifacts back to Rome and documented their triumph in the Arch of Titus in Rome built in 82 AD. "While this is quite disheartening, what is most disturbing about this article is that The New York Times gave voice to yet another Big Lie about Jews and Judaism. Joining claims of deicide and ritual murder, which are broadly believed in the Islamic world, Muslim commentators in recent years have purveyed the belief that there never was a Jewish temple on the Haram al-Sharif. “They claim that 2,000 years ago they had a temple,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has written. “I challenge the claim that this is so.” Palestinians have much to gain in claiming that there was no Jewish temple. If there was no temple on Mount Zion, then Jews have no claim on that hill, nor to the land of Zion and Jerusalem. Hence, no Zionism. The Big Lie that there was never a Jewish temple is thus a cipher for discrediting and undercutting the entire Jewish claim to the Holy Land — the very claim that, in fact, makes this particular land holy." Israel and the Middle East War Trump: How Can Israel Be Happy with the US? 10/20/15 The only ones that are happy with Obama, a "man-of-sin" are Russia, China, Iran, baby killers and those of the homosexual agenda. The rest of us are suffering under judgment for the sin of America. Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. "Israel’s being hit from all sides, and, you know, if you look at this new deal, this horrible, one of the worst contracts ever negotiated, the Iran nuclear deal, I mean, how can Israel be happy with the United States?," posed Trump. "They’re getting hit on in so many different ways. So, I don’t blame him (Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu) for being unhappy with our president, or the United States. We’re not taking care of them. We’re not doing what we’re supposed to be doing." Directly addressing Kirby's remarks, Trump said, "what’s excessive force? They’re being hit from all sides, and they’re being hit very unfairly, and they have to do what they have to do.” In his comments, Kirby also falsely claimed on Wednesday that Israel is changing the "status quo" on the Temple Mount, and later had to issue a semi-retraction. Kirby also accused Israel of "terrorism," saying "individuals on both sides of this divide are - have proven capable of, and in our view, are guilty of acts of terrorism." US Secretary of State John Kerry also got in on the action, blaming the terrorism on "Israeli settlements" in an interview Tuesday, in a statement Kirby later tried to backtrack on." Putin 'worried' by Israeli strikes in Syria 10/20/15 He better worry as the Israel Air Force can destroy his planes and army. If the Russian military tangles with Israel, they are going to be in for a huge surprise. "Russia "must respect Israeli interests" in Syria, but is also "worried" regarding Israeli strikes in Syrian territory, said Russian President Vladimir Putin early Tuesday morning at a press debrief. Putin's comments came just two days after Israel fired artillery at Syrian government forces in retaliation to a rocket that landed in the Golan Heights in an apparent spillover from fighting across the border. The incident was the first Israeli strike in Syria since Russian forces entered Syria and began constructing a forward operating base near Latakia meant to defend the embattled regime of President Bashar Assad." The Road to World War 3 The looming military showdown in the South China Sea 10/20/15 Let's watch how China reacts to this. Obama a "man-of-sin" is so weak that he invites war with China. Whatever Obama does will be a curse because he is 100% against everything that God stands for. "State-run Xinhua, mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party of China, said in a dispatch Oct. 17 that “provocative” US attempts to infringe on China’s maritime sovereignty are “sabotaging” regional peace and “militarizing” the sea. Beijing even compared the upcoming navigation naval operations to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the United States demanded the removal of Soviet missiles placed 90 miles off the coast of Florida. “What on earth makes the United States think China should and will tolerate it when US surface ships trespass on Chinese territory in the South China Sea?” the news agency blustered in a commentary. Chinese officials outlined Beijing’s position on the upcoming US naval operation in other state-run media. Spokesmen say a military confrontation is unlikely – unless U.S. warships sail within the 12-mile zone and remain there. China’s position seems to be that it will not object to internationally recognized close ship passage. But if the ships stay within the 12-mile zone of the newly constructed islands then naval PLA warships will be dispatched to force them out. “China will never tolerate any military provocation or infringement on sovereignty from the United States or any other country, just as the United States refused to 53 years ago,” Xinhua said. The United States has said repeatedly that it does not recognize the disputed islands as Chinese maritime territory." Turkey, Saudi warn over Russia's 'Syria mistake' 10/20/15 Turkey cannot allow Russia to create a Syrian-Iranian axis in the Middle East. Turkey being Sunni Muslim cannot allow a Shiite empire right on its border. There is no doubt that this war is coming, and it is just a matter of when. Turkey must aid the fighters trying to overthrow Assad, so this is going to result in direct conflict with the Russian military! "Turkey and Saudi Arabia on Thursday warned Russia over the consequences of its intervention in Syria, with Ankara telling Moscow its bombing campaign in support of the regime was a "big mistake". Russia making 'grave mistake' in Syria: Russia tells Turkey of steps to avoid further air space violations Turkey's anger grew earlier this month when Russian aircraft operating in Syria twice violated the air space of the key NATO member. "Russia is making a big mistake," Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu told reporters after talks in Ankara with Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir." As Russia reasserts itself, NATO opens biggest exercises in years 10/20/15 This is yet another example of the "war games" preparing for the real one which is WW3. "NATO and its allies opened their largest military exercise in more than a decade on Monday, choosing the central Mediterranean to showcase strengths that face threats from Russia's growing military presence from the Baltics to Syria. As planes flew over a gala ceremony for NATO's military and political leaders at an air base in southern Italy, Russia's resurgence was the central topic of concern, pushing NATO to embark on its biggest modernization since the Cold War. "This sends a very clear message to any potential aggressor," NATO's top commander General Philip Breedlove said of the Trident Juncture exercises and the testing of a new rapid-reaction force." 1Thess 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.