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June – July 2018 The Mountain of the Lord

 

pic of Wailing Wall
Wailing Wall

PTNews
June – July 2018
Published 10 times annually
All Bible references are from the KJV
(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)
P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke,         VA 24030-3006

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The Mountain of the Lord

 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above all the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”  Isaiah 2:2

By Mike Wingfield

There are many mountains mentioned in the Bible. On Mount Sinai, God gave the law to Moses and the children of Israel.  On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus was transfigured before His disciples. The Mount of Olives is also very significant.  It was from this mountain that Jesus ascended back to heaven, and it will be the place to which He will return at His revelation at the end of this age.   However, only one holy mountain has been selected and designated by the Lord of creation as “the mountain of the Lord.”   While looking at the larger context of Scripture, the Bible student is forced to conclude that there is no other place on earth that is more central and important to the eternal plans of God than this mountain.  God considers this mountain to be holy ground.  Both in Biblical history and Biblical prophecy this mountain is central to the eternal story of God’s redemptive plan and revelation to man.  When Jesus Christ returns to reign in His earthly kingdom, this holy mountain will be the center of His global administration.  Isaiah, the ancient prophet of Israel, wrote: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isaiah 2:2) Therefore, it should not be a surprise that this mountain is at the epicenter of the ongoing war in the spiritual realm.  In essence, it is where heaven and hell meet to do battle on earth.  Now, let us turn our attention to the Scriptures to discover why all of this is true. Let us look at 7 considerations of this mountain.

The Names of this Mountain

In the first book of the Bible we are introduced to “the mount of the Lord.” (Genesis 22:14)   This is the same mountain that is called Mount Moriah. (Genesis 22:2) This was the mountain to which God directed Abraham for the sacrificial test of offering his son Isaac on an altar on the top of the mountain.  As a result of God providing a substitute for Isaac at the last moment, Abraham named the mountain “Jehovah-jireh,” which means “the Lord provides.”  Writing about 600 years later, Moses wrote that from Abraham’s time until his day, this location was known as “the mount of the LORD.” (Genesis 22:14)  Throughout the Bible, this mountain is also known as Mount Zion and “the mountain of the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 8:3)

In modern times, the Jewish people refer to this mountain as “Har Habayit,” which is Hebrew for “the Temple Mount.”  As we shall see later in this newsletter, this mountain was the location of the Jewish temples in ancient Biblical Israel. The Arab Muslims call this mountain “Haram el Sharif,” which means “The Noble Enclosure.”  The Arabs have given this name to this location because according to their tradition, this is where Abraham was about to sacrifice Ishmael.  And, according to Muslim tradition, this was the location of Muhammad’s night journey to heaven on his white horse, Barak.

The Geographical Location of this Mountain

According to Ezekiel 5:5, this mountain is at the geographical center of the earth. “Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries round about her.” The Hebrew word that is translated “midst,” means “navel.”  From God’s perspective, this is very fitting because Jerusalem is the spiritual navel of the earth.

The 35-acre compound known as the Temple Mount is today enclosed by massive walls that were originally built by King Herod the Great, beginning this project 20 years before the birth of Christ.  King Herod wanted to build a massive temple on Mount Moriah, the location of the first temple built by King Solomon.   He wanted this temple to be surrounded by a large plateau upon which thousands of worshipers could gather around the temple during the high and holy Jewish feast days.  To accomplish this amazing feat, he constructed retaining walls on the east, north, west, and south parts of this mountain.  See the model.  He then filled in the inside of these massive walls up to the level of the Temple built on the crown of the mountain.

These massive retaining walls, along with the temple structure, were dismantled by the Romans in 70 A.D., leaving only a few courses of the foundation part of the retaining walls in place.  The Romans also left a small section of the western retaining wall intact to demonstrate to the world their incredible feat in the destruction of the Jewish temple.  This small section of the western retaining wall is the same as the “Wailing Wall,” which is considered to be the most holy site to the Jewish people. About 500 years ago, the Ottoman Turks rebuilt the present wall, constructing the wall upon the remaining stones from the first century.

The Temple Mount is north of the ancient city of David, and east of the present Old City of Jerusalem.  It is west of the Mount of Olives and adjacent to the Kidron Valley.  Today, you can stand near the top of the Mount of Olives and look westward at the Temple Mount.

Like Jerusalem as a whole, the Temple Mount is located at the top of the mountains of Judea.  In the Bible, whenever the pilgrim was making his way to the temple in Jerusalem he would need to go up. From any location in Israel, if you travel to Jerusalem, you must go up in elevation to the top of the mountains to reach the mountain of the Lord. The physical elevation of the mountain of the Lord was a reminder to the people that when you look to God, you must look up. In Psalm 121:1-2, the worshiping psalmist said: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” Therefore, since the mountain of the Lord symbolically represented the manifestation of the omnipresent God, it is only fitting that God chose this mountain as the gathering place of worship for His chosen people.

The Significant History of this Mountain

When the Bible student studies the Bible he should note that Jerusalem is the most significant place in God’s redemptive story in the past, present, and future.  Think about the following significant events that happened on this mountain:

-2000 B.C.- Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac- Genesis 22:1-14

– 990 B.C.- King David purchased the mountain- 2 Samuel 24:18-25

– 960 B.C.- King Solomon built the first temple- 1 Kings 6-8

– 586 B.C.- Temple destroyed by Babylonians- 2 Chronicles 36:17-21

– 538 B.C.- Temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel- Ezra 3-6

–  20 B.C.- King Herod began to refurbish the temple- John 2:20

– 70 A.D.- Temple destroyed by Romans as prophesied by Jesus

– 691 A.D.- Muslims construct The Dome of the Rock

– 1967 A.D.- Temple Mount is captured by Israel in the 6-day War

 

The Heavenly Perspective of this Mountain

The overwhelming teaching of the Bible confirms that God is omnipresent. This means that God is infinite and is not bound by space, like the rest of His physical creation.  God is infinitely present throughout all of His creation all at the same time.  As finite creatures this is very difficult for us to mentally grasp.  While speaking about God’s omnipresence, the psalmist exclaimed: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” (Psalm 139:6)

When God speaks to His finite creatures, He declares that He dwells in the heavens.  In Isaiah 66:1, God declares: “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.”  In the great chapter on the greatness of God, Isaiah 40, the prophet Isaiah points to God and declares: “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.” (Isaiah 40:22)  The message of the Bible is that God is infinite and that even the finite heavens are only a comparative manifestation of the dwelling place of God, who is Spirit and does not need a specific dwelling place.

The godly Jewish people believed this.  When King Solomon dedicated the first temple on the mountain of the Lord, he reminded the people of God’s infinite presence as he prayed on this historic occasion.  He asked: “But, will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27) According to divine revelation, the temple in Jerusalem standing on the divinely appointed mountain of the Lord was to be considered a visible manifestation of the presence and glory of God.  In the days preceding the temple, God had manifested Himself to Moses in the burning bush and later to the entire nation of Israel in the Shekinah Glory for 40 years in the wilderness.  These were real finite visible manifestations of the presence and glory of God.

In light of this, the Scriptures repeatedly speak of this mountain as being the divinely chosen place on earth for the visible manifestation of God.  Psalm 68:16 declares: “this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in: yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.”  This mountain was set apart by the Lord (Deuteronomy 12:9-14) and is viewed as being “holy” unto the Lord. (Isaiah 11:9; Zechariah 1-3)  This mountain is called God’s “holy habitation” (Exodus 15:13) and “the mountain of thine inheritance.” (Exodus 15:17)

Some may think that these references only have application during the times of ancient Israel.  They may conclude that Jerusalem is of no special significance during the Church Age.   However, please note that Jerusalem is still destined to be the place of God’s manifested presence in the Tribulation Period and during the Millennial Kingdom.  Even when Jesus the Messiah is present on His throne in Jerusalem, the mountain of the Lord will still be symbolic of the manifestation of the infinite presence of the triune God.

The Prophetic Relevance of this Mountain

The most glorious and significant days for Jerusalem and the Mountain of the Lord will take place during the last days.  At the beginning of the final seven years at the end of this age, two Jewish witnesses (Moses and Elijah) will appear in Jerusalem.  (Revelation 11:3-11)  These two witnesses will proclaim God’s Word and perform miracles before the nation of Israel. They will be divinely protected so than no man can harm them. Through the impact of their message, 144,000 young Jewish men will be saved, sealed, and trained to go out from Jerusalem with the gospel message to all the nations. (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5)  Similar to the Jewish Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago (see Acts 2), God will once again pour out His Spirit upon the Jewish people and the Word of Lord will go forth from Jerusalem. (Joel 2:27-32)  The temple in Jerusalem will be built and temple worship will be restored during the first half of the Tribulation Period. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15, 26; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1-2)

Today, several groups in Israel are actively making preparations for temple worship.  Through DNA analysis, some men have been identified as belonging to the priestly tribe of Levi and are being trained in temple worship.  The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has constructed more than 90 of 120 items that are necessary for worship in the temple as described in the Bible.  It remains to be seen if these preparations will be acceptable to the Lord, or if the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, will set forth a more divinely acceptable pattern when they appear at the beginning of the Tribulation Period.

During the Millennial Kingdom, the mountain of the Lord will be the center of the Messiah’s rule over all the nations.  It will become the spiritual, political, judicial, educational, and geographical hub of the world.  (Isaiah 2:1-4; Ezekiel 5:5)   All nations will be required to annually go up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16-21)  Finally, Mount Zion will shine forth with righteousness “and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”  (Isaiah 62:1)  For the glory of God, the Lord will establish Jerusalem, making it “a praise in the earth.” (Isaiah 62:7)  The nations of the world will honor Jerusalem and call it “The City of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 60:14)

The Jewish Attachment to this Mountain

Because of the historical, heavenly, and prophetic significance of this mountain, there is a high value placed upon the city of Jerusalem and this mountain by the global Jewish community.  “According to Biblical law and understanding, the holiness of the Temple Mount is unlike that of any other physical location on earth.  For the Jewish people, there simply is no other holy site.  Nothing else, no synagogue, house of study – even the [Wailing] Wall – could be compared to this level of sanctity.” (www.templeinstitute.org)   The world needs to come to grips with the reality that the Temple Mount belongs to the Jewish people and it is the heart and soul of the Jewish people.

When Jewish people go to Israel they immediately travel to Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall (same as the Wailing Wall). This is the only standing monument to the remains of the temple complex of the first century. It is important to remember that the Western Wall was not a part of the temple, but only a part of a retaining wall that was a part of the 35- acre temple complex.  Here they reverently approach this wall, pray, and many times weep or rejoice with others in singing and dancing.  For them, this is a special place of reverence, awe, and worship.  For Jews, this is the most holy site in the world. From their perspective, the mountain of the Lord is viewed as the heart of their faith for 3,000 years. To forsake the mountain of the Lord is the equivalent of forsaking the Lord! Isaiah 65:11 says: “But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain …”

Jewish people want to visit, pray, and worship here.  According to the law, they must never lose their passion or focus for this mountain. They remember these words: “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.” (Psalm 137:5-6)  This simply means that the mountain of the Lord is more important to them that their ability to use their dominant right hand or to have water when they are desperately thirsty.  This place of worship is to be their greatest joy.

The world really does not understand that this mountain (the Temple Mount) is vital to the nation of Israel.  It represents their history, hope, and future.  Without this mountain, the nation has no soul or purpose.  For 2,000 years Jews were separated from this mountain.  The capture of this mountain and the Old City from the Arabs during the Six-Day war in 1967 has become one of the most defining moments in the miraculous history of the modern state of Israel. In their minds, the hope for the reconstruction of the Jewish temple and the restoration of temple worship are directly connected to the divine blessings and spiritual restoration of the nation to the Holy One of Israel.  Not until this is accomplished can the Jewish nation fulfill its eternal destiny of becoming a light unto the Gentile nations.   So, this mountain represents hope, salvation, blessings, and power in the presence of the mighty God of Israel. All that they are and ever hope to be are symbolically attached to the symbolic presence of the God of Jacob on this mountain.

All of this has been at the heart of the prayers of the Jewish Orthodox community for 2,000 years.  They have been faithfully praying three times a day for the following five things: First, they pray for the return of the land of Israel to the Jewish people. This is becoming a reality in our time. Second, they pray for the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel.  Almost 45 percent of the global Jewish population now calls Israel their home. The third item on their prayer list is the rebuilding and reuniting of all Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  The Six-Day war of 1967, helped to make this become a reality. In 1980, Israel annexed East Jerusalem and reunited Jerusalem, considering it to be their capital. The next passion on their prayer list is the restoration of divine temple worship.  And, finally, the ultimate climax of their heart’s desire is the rebuilding of the temple on the Temple Mount.

The Spiritual Warfare over this Mountain

As a result of the previous considerations, it is no wonder that this unique holy mountain has become the center of attention in the tug of war between God and Satan.  Satan knows the divine significance of this mountain.  Thousands of years ago, the Lord revealed to His prophets that His messiah would sit upon His throne on this mountain.  In Psalm 2:6, God boldly declared: “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”

While speaking to Lucifer in the days of Isaiah, the Lord said to him: “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God [symbolic reference to God’s angels]: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north [the Mountain of the Lord].”  (Isaiah 14:13)   Here, the Lord clearly revealed Satan’s strategy in his great war against God.  Satan desires to control the very mountain that God has chosen to represent His presence and power in His redemptive plan on earth.  From Satan’s perspective, he must do everything in his power to stop, hinder, or delay God’s ultimate plan to have the Messiah rule over the world from this mountain for 1,000 years while Satan and his demons are imprisoned in the bottomless pit. (Revelation 20:1-3) 

It is not an accident that Islam has controlled this mountain since 691 A.D.  There are two Islamic mosques on this mountain that is considered to be the third most holy site within Islam.  In recent decades, the Islamic world has rallied around the Palestinians who want to control this mountain as a holy site dedicated to the religious traditions of Islam.  As mentioned in many prophetic passages, the international community supports the Islamic control of the Temple Mount. The world adamantly opposes Israeli sovereignty over this mountain.  It has been holy ground for Jews for almost 3,000 years – 1,600 years before it was supposedly adopted as a holy place by Islam.

Those who study the prophetic Scriptures know that the control and occupation of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount will be at the center of the global conflict that will bring the armies of the world against Israel at the battle of Armageddon.  As a matter of fact, this will be the Antichrist’s purpose behind his final assault against the nation of Israel.   To those nations who fight against Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, God has given the following warning: “Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people… 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.”  (Zechariah 12:2-3)

The entire Islamic world is passionately determined to force the Jews out of the Holy Land and the holy city of Jerusalem.  They are equally passionate about maintaining control over the mountain of the Lord.  Furthermore, the United Nations and the sentiment of the nations support this Islamic agenda.  However, they are no match for the Holy One of Israel.

The showdown over the mountain of the Lord is set.  The players that will act out this final drama are all taking their places.  It is only a matter of time before the final curtain will open and the concluding conflict over this mountain will take place.

There is no power on earth that will be able to oppose the God of heaven. “All the nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity. … and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers…” (Isaiah 40:17, 22)  As the kings of the earth make their threats and plan their attack upon God’s mountain and His Messiah, God is laughing at them. (Psalm 2:1-4)

“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

Sleeping in the Light

Friends, as I look out over the spiritual and political landscape of our world, it is obvious to me that we are living in the last of the last days.  We are living at the greatest hour of the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in the entire church age.  One would think that there would be an air of excitement and a sense of urgency about our spiritual mission in the closing hours of the church age.  However, this is sadly not the case.

I am bewildered at the apathy of the church, especially the leadership within the church.  The church in America is spiritually asleep.  We have lost our spiritual compass.  There is little talk of heaven or the rapture.  There is no sense of awe that we are approaching the final days that are leading up to the final events of the end of this age.

The words of the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica seem to be very appropriate at this time: “But ye brethren, are not in [spiritual] darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of [spiritual] darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6)

With similar words, Paul wrote to the church at Rome: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)

I am often haunted by the rhetorical question of our Lord in Luke 18:8: “Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find [the] faith on the earth?”   This verse and its context in the New Testament, give testimony to the reality that when Jesus comes for His bride, the church, only a very small remnant will be watching for Him.

Too many professing Christians are only interested in the things of this world.  Their number one goal is to remain comfortable in this world.  There is little time to worship or serve the Lord.

As I travel across America and preach, I am greatly burdened with the spiritual apathy in our conservative evangelical churches.  I often wonder how many church members are really saved.  Their lives are no different from those who are lost or not attending church. Several decades ago, the late Dr. Billy Graham, while speaking before a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, said he estimated that 80 percent of American church members are not saved.  I personally wonder if the percentage might even be higher now!

 

This has caused me to prayerfully write the following 52- page booklet.  I really believe that every professing believer needs to read this booklet and allow the Holy Spirit to examine their heart concerning this most important matter – where will you spend eternity?

 

Help- We Need to Replace Our Van

The time has come for our ministry to replace our current 11-year old van.  Mike uses this van for transportation to his conferences and to transport newsletters from our processing location to the post office.  It is not uncommon for Mike to travel more than 1,000 round-trip miles in his ministry travels.  Hence, it is imperative that we purchase a reliable van that will give us good service.

We would like to ask you to prayerfully consider sending us a special donation to help with the purchase of this van.  Your donation would be a great investment in Mike’s ability to travel and speak as he proclaims the prophetic Word of God.  Mark your donation on page 8.  Thanks.

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May 2018 – Golan Heights

Meeting on the Golan Heights
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Israeli cabinet for a historic meeting on the Golan Heights in April 2016.

PTNews
May 2018
Published 10 times annually
All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)
P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

The Golan Heights and the Last Days   

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 “And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan [Golan Heights], and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim [East Bank] and Gilead [West Bank].”        Jeremiah 50:19

By Mike Wingfield

According to the sovereign plans of our eternal God, the area of Israel that is currently known as “the Golan Heights” will play a major role in His prophetic calendar in the events of the last days.  Since the 6-Day War in June 1967, Israel has occupied this territory. The international community considers it to be “disputed territory.”  Like the entire land of Israel, this tiny piece of property is at the center of the tug of war between God and Satan – heaven and hell.  As we examine the current events surrounding this small piece of property, it will become clear that the final stages are being set to fulfill what the Jewish prophets wrote about thousands of years ago.

We all need to wake up and realize that we are living in the most significant time in all of church history.  We are living in the days of the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy! The eternal plans of God are taking shape right before our eyes and the church in America is a spiritual slumber.  As the Apostle Paul admonished the church at Rome: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)

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March 2018 – The War of Evil in North Korea

The War of Evil in North Korea

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“The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut offthe remembrance of them from the earth.” Psalm 34:16

By Mike Wingfield

One of the most evil nations on the planet is North Korea. This evil is displayed in their denial of the very existence of God and their hatred of His revelation and followers. While North Korea as a nation is not mentioned in the prophetic Scriptures, it certainly illustrates the trend of evil that is permeating our world. North Korea is modeling the kind of murderous policies against believers in Jesus Christ that will be employed in the future by the Antichrist and his brutal global kingdom.

Most people in America and abroad are focused upon the nuclear threat of North Korea to the United States and other nations in its region. While this threat must not be taken lightly, it is equally important to look at the evil, ultra-dictatorial communist leadership of North Korea, and the wicked atrocities it is carrying out on its own citizens.

The current leader of North Korea, Kim Jung Un, is the third heir to the Kim dynasty that began in 1948. Korea was divided into two nations following the defeat of Japan during World War II. Russia was given the responsibility to administer North Korea and the United States became the administrator of South Korea. Russia established a communist government in North Korea, appointing Kim Il Sung as the leader. Following the example of emperor worship in Japan, Kim Il Sung quickly promoted himself as a messianic figure. He created a cultic religion that promoted himself as a god. His religion was a religious philosophy called “Juche.” This religious belief “holds that an individual is ‘the master of his destiny,’ and the North Korean masses are to act as the ‘masters of the revolution and construction’ to achieve true socialism.” (Whistleblower, “Light vs. Darkness,” December 2017, p. 11) In essence, like all forms of communism and socialism, this religion elevates man and denies the existence of God. It is a devious form of atheism.

In this state religion, most of the people openly worship their leaders, past and present. Pictures of their leaders are placed in a very prominent place in each home. Many daily bow before these photos and praise their leaders as god. There are more than 34,000 statues of Kim Jung Un throughout the country [that is one for every 750 people]. He has ordered everyone to wear a badge with his image on it.

Under this dictatorial rule, “every aspect of life is regulated, from speech to food, employment and travel – millions of North Koreans have died in recent years, either of starvation or in labor camps.” (Whistleblower, “Light vs. Darkness,” December 2017, p. 11) For example, there are published photos of only a few styles of haircuts for men and women that are permitted.

After Kim Il Sung’s death in 1994, his son, Kim Jong Il became the leader. He was affectionately called “the son of god,” deceptively mimicking the Father/Son imagery in the Bible. After his death in 2011, his second son, Kim Jung Un, became the dictator and recognized god in North Korea. Under the leadership of the Kim dynasty, and especially the current leader, Christianity is outlawed and Christians are persecuted and killed. Owning or possessing a Bible is illegal and punishable by death. The organization that officially ranks the top 50 countries in the world that persecute and kill Christians, Open Doors, last year ranked North Korea as number one on its list. (www.opendoorsusa.org) North Korea has a population of 25 million, and considers its approximately 300,000 Christians to be a threat. They believe Christianity is evil and therefore attempt to eliminate all Christians, making all Christian activity illegal and punishable by death. “The government views Christianity as a ‘sin’ and as a way the West tries to invade its country with Western and capitalist ideas. Some have reported that the North Korean government even likens Christianity missionary work to ‘vampirism.’” (The Voice of the Martyrs, February 2018, p. 9) No Christian is safe to openly serve the Lord or share the gospel. Children have been taught to report their parents, friends, or anyone else who is suspected to being a Christian. Compare this with Luke 21:16.

According to some who have escaped from a work camp, “Prisoners live in bunkhouses with 100 people per room, and some 30 percent show markings of torture and beatings, including torn ears, gouged eyes and faces covered with scars. … Torture includes forcing prisoners to stand on their toes in tanks filled with water up to their noses for 24 hours. The tiny rations force prisoners to hunt rats and snakes, and some search through animal dung for undigested seeds to eat. Prisoners are used as practice targets during martial arts training, and guards routinely rape female inmates.” (Whistleblower, “Light vs. Darkness,” December 2017, p. 12)

In November 1996, five church leaders were executed. “They were bound hand and foot and made to lie down in front of a steamroller … [while 20 of their church members] were held just to the side. The condemned, accused of being Protestant Christian spies, were told that if they abandoned their religion and served only Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, they would not be killed. None of the five said a word, … Some of the fellow parishioners who had assembled to watch the execution cried, screamed out, or fainted when the skulls made a popping sound as they were crushed beneath the steamroller.” (Whistleblower, “Light vs. Darkness,” December 2017, p. 12)

Everyone should visit www.NorthKoreanChristians.com. This site reports: “North Korean Christians aren’t simply killed for their faith in Christ. They are pulverized with steamrollers, used to test biological weapons, shipped off to death camps or shot in front of children, while newborn babies have their brains pinched with forceps in front of their mothers. Crimes against humanity reminiscent of Auschwitz and Treblinka to which the world declared ‘Never Again!’ more than 70 years ago are being perpetrated today against the North Korean Christians.” I encourage you to visit this website and watch some of the videos and read some of the testimonies of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have suffered greatly for our Lord.

The church in America is numb to the suffering of their brothers and sisters in Christ abroad. It is as if we really do not care what happens to them. Have we forgotten that there is only one church made up of all true believers in the world? While the church of Corinth was exhibiting this kind of selfish behavior, the Apostle Paul wrote to them about the nature of the church. He explained that the true church is like a human body. He wrote: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. … For the body is not one member but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14) In the same context, Paul admonished the church that all members of the body of Christ are needed and are dependent upon one another. Therefore, there should be no division in the body. He wrote: “… there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it …” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26) Hebrews 13:3 adds: “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them: and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body.”

Satan is the mastermind behind these brutal attacks against believers in Jesus Christ. While speaking to His Jewish disciples about the end of this age, Jesus describe it as a time when “they [shall] deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (Matthew 24:9-10) The persecution and martyrdom of believers is escalating around the globe. It is reported that there were more believers killed in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries of church history. The beginning of this 21st century indicates this trend is on the rise.

Satan has two very powerful agents of evil that are focused on the eradication of the church and the destruction of Israel. They are the atheist, communist (socialist) governments and the radical Islamic jihadists around the world. There seem to be some common elements within the circles of governments that are anti-Christ. They deny the God of the Bible and instead venerate man as god. They openly attack Christians and make any form of true worship illegal and punishable by death. They use images to represent their god and force the people to accept this image as a part of their submission to their dictatorial authority. They control every aspect of people’s lives, making them a slave of their godless government. The Antichrist and his brutal, murderous kingdom will follow this satanic pattern of rule.

As Christians in America we wonder why the members of the liberal left in this country are so open to socialism or the godless tenants of Islam. While answering this question about the liberal left and its attachment to Islam, award-winning Christian journalist and chief-editor of World Net Daily, David Kupelian, writes: “Because the left’s real enemy is not Islam, it is the Judeo-Christian biblical precepts and commandments that for centuries served as Western civilization’s moral foundation. The left does not feel threatened by Islam because Islam doesn’t shine as a light on the left’s sins; it just represents a different form of darkness and therefore causes no spiritual conflict or shame. Moreover, for now at least, the left is strategically comfortable allying with Islam because ‘the enemy of your enemy is your friend,’ and both Islam and the atheistic left are at war with Christianity.” (Whistleblower, “Light vs. Darkness,” December 2017, p. 7) The same can be said for the atheistic nations, like North Korea, within the communist/socialist circles of power.

We must remind ourselves that the communists and Islamic nations control the United Nations. They are working in tandem to carry out their agendas. A perfect example of this is the level of respect and cooperation between North Korea and Iran. Much of the nuclear and ballistic missile technology developed in North Korea has been shared with Iran in the last three decades. These nations hate America, Israel, and all believers in Jesus Christ. This reveals whose side they are on! These evil nations are the embodiment of the prophetic Scriptures in Psalm 2:1-3: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed [Christ], saying. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

Many sources indicate that 252 million Christians are facing extreme persecution at this moment. As one examines the list of 50 nations that persecute and kill Christians, North Korea has been at the top of this list for 14 consecutive years! Most of the other nations are either Islamic or Communist countries. As these forms of evil dictatorial rule continue to escalate around the world, they are preparing the way for the most wicked and brutal of them all – the Antichrist.

On the basis of many Scriptures, I do not believe the leadership of North Korea is a viable antichrist candidate. However, he, along with many others from the past and present, are one of the many antichrists that Jesus and His apostles warned us would come. Near the end of the first century, the aged Apostle John wrote: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” (1 John 2:18) The brutal and godless Kim regime in North Korea continues to take orders from their master, Satan. While speaking about Satan to the godless Jewish government of His day, Jesus said: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

There is no relief in sight for the inhabitants of earth until the Prince of Peace comes. He will be a dictator and rule the world with “a rod of iron.” (Revelation 19:15) However, this dictator will rule over all of earth’s citizens with justice and peace. For the first time since the fall of man, peace will rule over all of the earth. It is no wonder that our Lord has taught us to pray: “Thy kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:10)

It Is About Time They Faced the Truth

“As far as Israel is concerned, denial of the Jewish historical and religious connection to this land, and especially to Jerusalem, is the primary roadblock to peace at present.”.(www.israeltoday.co.il) Finally, a U.S. administration is standing with Israel on this issue. When President Trump stated that his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was based upon reality, he shook the world, which is filled with lies, deception, fake history and fake news. For too long the governments of the world have tried to appease the Palestinians and Muslims in the Middle East by making compromises for peace that were based upon lies. If you want reconciliation between two parties or people that are verbally seeking reconciliation, they must both face reality, not how they feel or what they believe, but what are the real facts. What people believe and how they live must be based upon facts and honesty.

President Trump’s team is reminding the Palestinian leadership that they must stop denying the Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem and the Promised Land. This is proven by the Bible, archeology, and many secular historical records, including Muslim historical records. The denial of all of this began with Yasser Arafat and has been repeated to an entire generation of Muslims that believe these lies. I applaud our current administration for finally standing on the side of truth. It is about time the Muslims of the world face the truth, which is supported by their holy books, including the Koran.

Many Israelis also blame many of those on the liberal left within their own government in its attempt to deny reality and to appease those who are sworn to the destruction of the Jewish state. A recent article in Israel Today addresses this with the following remark: “The current Israeli-Palestinian conflict is itself an example of the persistent failure of short-term deals made to keep the ‘peace’ with Arab parties ever since the Balfour Declaration was published 100 years ago. Instead of getting on with it and immediately implementing its declared goal – the resettlement of Jews from the Diaspora in the Promised Land – we dithered and dallied for decades in a fruitless effort to please all parties. The enemies of Israel saw it as weakness, which they exploited to the hilt with violence that had us chasing our tails looking for a way out of the awesome responsibility we had been given.” (www.israeltoday.co.il)

Is this the Prelude to the Gog and Magog War?

The recent escalation between Israel, Russia and Iran in Syria is raising questions in Israel concerning ancient Biblical prophecies. According to the prophet Ezekiel (chapters 38-39), Russia, Iran, Turkey and other Islamic nations will invade Israel on its northern border in the last days. (Ezekiel 39:2; Joel 2:20) Ezekiel stated that God will cause certain conditions to develop that will provoke this invasion: “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth…” (Ezekiel 38:4) What will be the nature of this divine provocation?

All of Israel is talking about the developments on their northern border. Those who know these Biblical prophecies are wondering, as I am, are we witnessing the provocation that will start this war? In the last few months, Israel has been attacking Iranian positions in Syria to stop the flow of dangerous military equipment to their proxy army, Hezbollah, in Lebanon. However, in the last few days this has escalated. Recently, Iran sent a military drone (unmanned aircraft) into Israeli territory. Israel considers Iran to be an enemy that has openly sworn that it will destroy the Jewish state. Therefore, Israel retaliated. The Israeli Air Force flew into Syria and bombed the command center of the military drone that infiltrated Israeli air space. In the process, the Russian-made air defense system in Syria successfully damaged an Israeli F-16, forcing it to crash in Israeli territory. Thankfully, both pilots ejected themselves from the aircraft and safely landed, with some injuries, inside of Israel. This marked the first time since 1982 that Israel has lost an aircraft. Consequently, Israel once again sent a squadron of fighter jets into Syrian territory, destroying 12 major Syrian military installations. One of the installations that Israel destroyed was a major military command center. Syria, Iran, and Russia were shocked because they all thought this was a secret facility that Israel did not know existed.

Many Islamic enemies of Israel, in Iran, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinians, etc. danced in the streets when they heard that Israel had lost an F-16 in its confrontation in Syria. They saw this as a major military victory over Israel. One needs to understand that in the past, it has been this kind of scenario that has provoked a dangerous escalation of war with Israel. Many of the enemies of Israel view the downing of this F-16 as an indication that Israel is not invincible and that the time has come when they need to take advantage of this perceived moment of Israeli military weakness.

About a week before these developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a special trip, along with some of Israel’s military commanders, to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian military leaders about the developments in Syria along Israel’s northern border. The Israelis made it clear that they did not want to harm Russian military personnel deployed in Syria. However, Netanyahu boldly communicated to Putin that Israel would not be deterred from destroying any Iranian effort to develop a military presence in Syria, or to transfer missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Given the blind hatred that Iran has for Israel, and its determination to destroy the Jewish homeland, there is no question that all of this is about to escalate. What will happen if Iran continues to provoke Israel? What would happen if Israel were to accidentally kill some Russia military personnel in one of its defensive responses to another Iranian provocation? Will Iran give Hezbollah the green light to begin a war against Israel?

Without question, in light of the prophetic Scriptures, these developments certainly indicate that the war that Ezekiel wrote about is just over the horizon. Many rabbis in Israel are alerting the nation that these developments are heralding the coming of their long-awaited messiah. One rabbi said: “It is not a matter of whether or not the War of Gog and Magog is coming. It is a matter of time and at this point, we are counting the days.”
(www.breakingisraelnews.com)

I personally believe that the battle of Gog and Magog will happen before the Rapture. If this is a true assessment, we are very close to the Rapture. Get ready to fly! It appears we are going home soon.

Seal of the Prophet Isaiah Found in Jerusalem

Archeologists are fairly certain they have recently discovered a clay seal with the name of Isaiah on it. The clay seal has been damaged. However, Isaiah’s name is clear, but part of his title, “prophet,” is missing. The strong supporting evidence of this seal belonging to the prophet Isaiah is that it was found only a few feet away from the royal seal of King Hezekiah that was discovered a few years ago. According to the book that bears his name, Isaiah had several encounters with King Hezekiah. Therefore, to find both of these seals only a few feet apart at the same historical level in the debris left behind from that period is a sure indication that this damaged seal belonged to the prophet Isaiah.

These finds in ancient Jerusalem continue to amaze Israelis and believers around the world. Our gracious Lord is certainly sending a strong message to the entire world concerning the historical authenticity of the Bible. Many of us do not need such physical evidences. We have long ago placed our complete trust in the perfect Word of God. However, it is wonderful to confront the doubters and scoffers with such physical evidences. I am convinced that this is being used by the Holy Spirit to prick the consciences and souls of Israelis who are being prepared for the sudden appearance of Moses and Elijah at the beginning of the Tribulation Period. (Revelation 11:3-6) Suddenly, in the opening days of the Tribulation Period, 144,000 young Jewish men will come to grips with the reality that Jesus is the Messiah and God. They will place their faith in Him and begin to spread this gospel around the world, just as the Jewish apostles did in the first century. (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5)

The Political Attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

As many of you know, the sharp liberal left and media in Israel are attempting to destroy the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is presently being charged with political corruption. Those who are attempting to bring him down are pointing out that over the last several decades, even before he became the prime minister of Israel, he and his wife have received numerous expensive gifts from individuals. These political opponents are attempting to promote the idea that Netanyahu has been receiving these gifts in exchange for political favors. While it is not being disputed that Netanyahu and his wife were the recipients of these expensive gifts, it has not yet been proven or determined if these donors did receive political favors as a result of the gifts. These are serious charges and are worthy of impeachment should they be discovered to be true.

It is my opinion that Israel is suffering from the same political war between the liberal left and the more conservative right as here in the United States. We know that the liberal socialists in this country are bent not only in the ousting of President Trump from office, but ultimately bringing down our democratic form of government to be replaced by socialism. In essence, they are attempting to destroy the America that has existed since its founding days in order to make our country fit in with their dream of a New World Order and become like other socialistic and Islamic forms of government that are ruled by merciless dictators.

A similar political war is being waged in Israel at this very moment. I believe that it is all a political power struggle that finds its roots in the demonic powers that are working in the spiritual realm, setting the stage for the entrance of the Antichrist and Satan’s final attempt to defeat God. It is not an accident that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are friends and political allies. They both promote freedom for their citizens and want to protect them. They are the only international leaders who occasionally quote Scripture in some of their speeches. There is no evidence that suggests either of them are born-again believers. However, I believe, both of them have been divinely chosen and placed in office for such a time as this. Both of these leaders are also hated by the world leaders and the international media. They are not respected within the United Nations.

Satan has a game plan. It appears that both the United States and Israel are strong nations with capable militaries that are equipped to protect their citizens. However, Satan’s plan is destroy these nations from within by sharply dividing the people. When Jesus cast out demons in Matthew 12:22-30, his religious enemies falsely charged Him by saying He was using Satanic powers to cast out demons. Jesus reminded them of their foolish charges. Why would Satan want to defeat his own agents of evil? Jesus declared: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought down to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how shall then his kingdom stand?” (Matthew 12:25-26) Satan knows that if he can successfully divide America and Israel, he can destroy these two nations and quickly advance his political kingdom on this earth to prepare for his final stand against God. When the end comes, all nations will be in league with Satan’s messiah – the Antichrist. Speaking of this, the Apostle John wrote: “… and power was given him [the Antichrist] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Revelation 13:7)

With all that is transpiring at this time, it is evident that Satan is orchestrating the activities of all who have been deceived into playing into his deadly and deceptive hands. Pray for President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. (1Timothy 2:1-2)