June – July 2018 The Mountain of the Lord

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.

November/December 2017 – God and Natural Disasters

God and Natural Disasters

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“And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in [different] places. All these are the beginning of [birth pangs] ” Matthew 24:7-8

By Mike Wingfield

North America has recently experienced some horrific and deadly natural disasters. When calamities of this magnitude occur, some people ask questions about God’s role and why He allows such tragic results. Some want to point their finger at God and say it is not fair that He allows these tragedies to take place. In direct opposition to this, others see these disasters as a part of a blind fate that awaits all of us.

Due to acceptance of the theory of evolution and the loss of a true Biblical view of God, we need to realize that great confusion exists concerning natural disasters and their tragic consequences. We live in a culture that has disconnected the hand of God from creation in general and natural disasters in particular. Our culture is viewed by secularists as being at the mercy of “Mother Nature.” This pagan reference to a god that does not exist serves the godless culture in which we live. It is culture’s convenient and mindless way to avoid any reference or thought about God, His authority, and His divine purposes. Any recognition of God or His control of creation would place people under His authority, which is a threat to their sinful pride.

In this article, I want to give Biblical answers to five pertinent questions that many people are asking about God and natural disasters.

Is God in control of all natural disasters?

The Bible emphatically, consistently and repeatedly teaches that God created the world and everything in it. He has complete control over everything. John 1:3 states, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (Also see Genesis 1:1 and Exodus 20:11.) Furthermore, this Creator is also in constant control of every aspect of His creation. He is sustaining or upholding everything. Hebrews 1:3 declares that Jesus is “upholding all things by the word of his power.” (Compare this with Colossians 1:16-17.) The Bible teaches that the heavens and the earth “continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.” (Psalm 119:91)

Therefore, it should not be a surprise to discover that God also creates and controls all natural disasters. In Isaiah 45:7, God states: “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil [calamities]: I the LORD do all these things.” The Hebrew word translated “evil” in this verse cannot possibly mean that God creates moral evil. The Scriptures emphatically deny this possibility. The God of the Bible is infinitely good and holy. Therefore, His very nature and His works cannot be morally evil or sinful. (1 John 1:5) The word translated “evil” in Isaiah 45:7 refers to natural disasters. So, God clearly states that He creates natural disasters.

As we shall discover in this article, natural disasters are a part of God’s work through fallen creation. As a result of the sin of man in the Garden of Eden, the creation was cursed in ways that we struggle to comprehend. In Romans 8:21-22, the Apostle Paul stated that all of creation is under the sinful bondage of the curse of God. Part of this bondage is natural disasters. These natural disasters are an expression of the wrath of God upon the creation that will ultimately lead to the earth’s final demise. Speaking about the heavens and the earth, the Psalmist declared: “They shall perish, … all of them shall wax old like a garment : as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.” (Psalm 102:26)

There are a multitude of direct statements in the Bible that give testimony to God’s control over the forces of His creation, even when they create disasters. God controls fire (Psalm 148:8), stormy wind (Psalm 148:8), rain (Deuteronomy 28:12), drought (Deuteronomy 11:17) and earthquakes. (Nahum 1:5)

Consider the following classic Biblical examples of God’s control over natural disasters.

The Genesis Flood- Genesis 6-7

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah- Genesis 19

The fall of Jericho- Joshua 6

The events in Jonah’s life- Jonah 1-4

Jesus’ control of storms on the Sea of Galilee

The darkness and earthquake at the crucifixion

An honest consideration of the direct Biblical statements and examples should remove all doubt that God controls all natural disasters.

What are the divine purposes for natural disasters?

Everything God does has a purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1 declares, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” We serve a God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:11) I have discovered that natural disasters have five divine purposes.

1. God is demonstrating His power and sovereignty!

The Bible is God’s revelation about Himself. It is not about us, but about His nature, power and sovereignty. All natural disasters are a statement to all mankind about His glory. In the book of Ezekiel, God states 38 times that His works (some of which are natural disasters) are to demonstrate to the world that He is God! For example, the purpose behind the massive earthquake and volcanic eruptions in Ezekiel 38:18-22 is clearly stated: “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself: and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23)

Mankind does not realize just how powerful God is. He is the Almighty! The use of His creation is just one example of the revelation of His infinite power. For example, the energy released by an 8.0 earthquake is equal to the explosion of the complete nuclear arsenal of the United States and Russia — all at one time. The ancient prophet, Isaiah, correctly proclaimed: “All the nations before him are as nothing: and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” (Isaiah 40:17)

2. God wants us to be still and recognize Him!

Natural disasters are used by God to remind mankind that He is in control. He uses the powerful forces of His creation to cause us to stand still before Him. In Psalm 46 the Psalmist speaks of enduring a massive earthquake and tsunami that brings divine desolation on the earth. Consequently, he declares God’s expected response from mankind: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

3. God wants to humble us and destroy our prideful, independent spirit.

Unfortunately, the masses of humanity move through each day without a reverent thought about the person or power of God. In sinful pride, man has developed a lifestyle that is totally independent of God. As a result, God has crafted the use of natural disasters to make us realize just how weak and vulnerable we are to Him and His creation at any moment. Isaiah 2:19-22 informs us that when the end of time comes, God will violently shake the earth in order to humble man and exalt Himself.

4. God wants to remind us of eternity.

When we hear of massive horrific calamities, we are reminded of just how fragile life is. In any given moment, any of us could experience a life-altering event that could usher us and our loved ones into eternity. The book of Job is a testimony to this reality. After God gave Satan permission to test His servant Job, his entire family and possessions, except his wife, were completely destroyed by several means, including fire and wind. (Job 1:13-19) Job did not turn his back on God and ultimately declared: “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:9-10) Throughout the book, Job gave his response to his trials by testifying concerning man’s mortality and the need to think about eternity. (See Job 14:2, 5; 21:13.)

5. God uses them for judgment and retribution.

The Biblical record from Genesis to Revelation gives testimony that God has used His powerful creation as a tool of retribution and judgment upon the wicked who strive with Him. After stating in Isaiah 45:7 that He creates calamities, a couple verses later, God declares, “Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.” (Isaiah 45:9)

On many occasions, God has used natural disasters to bring His judgment upon wicked and godless cultures. (Genesis 6:1-13; 18:20; Numbers 16:31-35; 1 Kings 16:30-17:1; and Revelation 11:18)

Why does God allow disasters to kill good people?

As mentioned before, there is much confusion about this subject because people do not have a proper Biblical view of God and the impact of sin upon the creation. In order to answer this question, we must consider several Bible truths.

First, we must attempt to grasp the reality that God is sovereign over His creation. He can do whatever He wants to do within the limits of His divine holy nature and His binding eternal decrees. God does not need to be instructed in the path of goodness or justice. Who does man think he is to question the goodness or justice of God? The Bible challenges us: “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14)

After seven years of divine judgment, when King Nebuchadnezzar suffered from a horrible and humiliating mental illness, he was restored to his senses and declared: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:35)

In Isaiah 55:7-9, the Lord calls for the wicked to forsake his unrighteous thoughts and ways, and submit to His divine infinite thoughts and ways. Finite sinful man must humbly realize that He cannot pretend to comprehend the will and ways of God. After speaking about God’s eternal covenant with Israel, the Apostle Paul responded: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:33-34)

Natural disasters are a part of the bondage of the creation as a result of the fall in Genesis 3. The creation is in a progressive deterioration that will culminate with its ultimate demise during the final days at the end of this age. Psalm 102:25-26 declares: “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shall thou change them, and they shall be changed.” Therefore, the death and destruction that accompany natural disasters are a result of this process, as directed by the sovereign plan of God.

Natural disasters are indiscriminant. They kill the righteous and the wicked. In our depraved way of thinking, bad things should only happen to bad people. However, Jesus taught that accidents or other horrific forms of death are not always an indication of the person’s spiritual condition. (Luke 13:1-5)

Are natural disasters increasing?

Many secular sources indicate that natural disasters are increasing. See the chart below from www.sciblogs.co.nz.

1948

Please notice that the sharp increase in natural disasters began in 1948, the same year that Israel became a nation. This is not a coincidence. The greatest sign of the last days is the beginning of the state of Israel. It is only fitting that the other major sign of the last days, natural disasters, also begin in the same year.

What does this tell us about God’s prophetic clock?

In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus taught that the increase in natural disasters would be one of the signs of “the beginning of sorrows [birth pangs].” (Matthew 24:7-8) Like birth pangs, Jesus was indicating that natural disasters would increase in frequency and magnitude until their culmination at His revelation from heaven at the end of the Tribulation Period. The graph above shows the increase in natural disasters and certainly seems to demonstrate that we are experiencing the birth pang impact of natural disasters.

This is the reason why the book of the Revelation, which chronicles the final seven years leading up to the Revelation of Christ, is filled with horrific natural disasters. During the end of this age there will be earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, drought, asteroids imploding in earth’s atmosphere, intense heat, darkness, toxic algae, unusual cosmic developments, and hail.

While referencing Jesus’ comments about these horrific natural disasters, Luke recorded Jesus warning: “And when these thing begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

God is in control of natural disasters. He is orchestrating the increase of these calamities in frequency and intensity. All of this certainly tells us that we are living at a very dangerous, but exciting, time. Until the Rapture takes place, we can expect to see more and more devastating catastrophes. As these dangerous times unfold, please be reminded that we are not at the mercy of a blind fate. We are in the hands of the One who is displaying His sovereignty and power.

We do not know what the future holds for the days ahead, but we do know who holds the future in His hands. All of this certainly tells us that the Rapture is imminent.

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

Editorial on Organizing for Action

by Charles Krauthammer

“I do not understand how living in a country with its democracy established over 200 years ago, and now, for the first time in history, suddenly we have one of our former presidents set up a group called ‘Organizing for Action’ (OFA).

OFA is 30,000+ strong and working to disrupt everything that our current president’s administration is trying to do. This organization goes against our Democracy, and it is an operation that will destroy our way of governing. It goes against our Constitution, our laws, and the processes established over 200 years ago. If it is allowed to proceed then we will be living in chaos very much like third world countries are run. What good is it to have an established government if it is not going to be respected and allowed to follow our laws?

If you had an army some 30,000 strong and a court system stacked over the decades with judges who would allow you to break the laws, how much damage could you do to a country? We are about to find out in America!

Our ex-president said he was going to stay involved through community organizing and speak out on the issues and that appears to be one post-administration promise he intends to keep. He has moved many of his administration’s top dogs over to Organizing for Action.

OFA is behind the strategic and tactical implementation of the resistance to the Trump Administration that we are seeing across America, and politically active courts are providing the leverage for this revolution.

OFA is dedicated to organizing communities for “progressive” change. Its issues are gun control, socialist healthcare, abortion, sexual equality, climate change, and of course, immigration reform.

OFA members were propped up by the ex-president’s message from the shadows: “Organizing is the building block of everything great we have accomplished. Organizers around the country are fighting for change in their communities and OFA is one of the groups on the front lines. Commit to this work in 2017 and beyond.”

OFA’s website says it obtained its “digital” assets from the ex-president’s re-election effort and that he inspired the movement. In short, it is the shadow government organization aimed at resisting and tearing down the Constitutional Republic we know as AMERICA.

Paul Sperry, writing for the New York Post, says, “The OFA will fight President Donald Trump at every turn of his presidency and the ex-president will command them from a bunker less than two miles from the White House.”

Sperry writes that, “The ex-president is setting up a shadow government to sabotage the Trump administration through a network of non-profits led by OFA, which is growing its war chest (more than $40 million) and has some 250 offices nationwide. The OFA IRS filings, according to Sperry, indicate that the OFA has 32,525 (and growing) volunteers nationwide. The ex-president and his wife will oversee the operation from their home/office in Washington DC.

Think about how this works. For example: Trump issues an immigration executive order; the OFA signals for protests and statements from pro-immigrant groups; the ACLU lawyers file lawsuits in jurisdictions where activist judges obstruct the laws; volunteers are called to protest at airports and Congressional town hall meetings; the leftist media springs to action in support of these activities; the twitter sphere lights up with social media; and violence follows. All of this happens from the ex-president’s signal that he is heartened by the protests.

If Barack Obama did not do enough to destroy this country in the 8 years he was in office, it appears his future plans are to destroy the foundation on which this country has operated on for the last 241 years.

If this does not scare you, then we are in worse trouble than you know.

So, do your part. You have read it, so at least pass this on so others will know what we are up against. We are losing our country and we are so compliant. We are becoming a “PERFECT TARGET” for our enemy!”

Farewell To England

The following came from an undisclosed source:

“This is an interesting ‘Farewell to England’ list of Islamic accomplishments in that country that I thought might give you a better understanding of the insidiousness of Hijrah; that’s the takeover of a nation without going to war.

Don’t think for a moment that America is not a target or that there are no American cities where Islamic and Sharia victories and takeovers have already occurred. It’s time for border control, or start planning for a very big goodbye America party.

Here’s what has already happened to England within a few years of opening their borders without entry control:

How the British have passively succumbed to the Muslim invasion

Mayor of London … MUSLIM

Mayor of Birmingham … MUSLIM

Mayor of Leeds .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Blackburn … MUSLIM

Mayor of Sheffield … MUSLIM

Mayor of Oxford .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Luton .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Oldham .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Rochdale . MUSLIM

All the following achieved by just 4 million Muslims out of the

66 million population:

Over 3,000 Muslim Mosques

Over 130 Muslim Sharia Courts

Over 50 Muslim Sharia Councils

Muslims Only No-Go Areas Across The UK

Muslim Women… 78% don’t work and are on FREE benefits/housing

Muslim Men… 63% don’t work and are on FREE benefits/housing

Muslim Families… 6-8 children planning to go on FREE benefits/housing and now all UK schools are ONLY serving HALAL MEAT

… and we (the USA) can’t decide on an ‘Immigration Policy’ ???”

Catching Pigs

A friend of mine sent me the following parable that seems so fitting to our political situation today.

“Carl Marx said, ‘Remove one freedom per generation and soon you will have no freedom and no one would have noticed.’

There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter.

The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country’s government and install a new communist regime. In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question.

He asked: ‘Do you know how to catch wild pigs?’

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said that it was no joke. ‘You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free food. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again. You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.’

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening in America . The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare entitlements, medicine, drugs, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms, just a little at a time as the government forces us to participate in many of these programs whether or not we want to.

One should always remember two truths: There is no such thing as a free lunch, and you can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

BUT, God help us all when the gate slams shut!”

Thank You

In the last newsletter I mentioned that our ministry had 3 months of more expenses that income. Many of you generously gave and now we have completely recovered from our losses. We thank you for your response.

We pray that you will all have a most blessed Christmas.

May 2017 – The Maranatha Mindset

PTNews

May 2017

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 Maranatha Mindset download the .pdf file

“Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. “ 2 Timothy 4:8

By Mike Wingfield

If most professing Christians in America were honest, they would admit they rarely think about the Second Coming of Christ. And, most pastors in the United States would not think this is all that bad. For these pastors and churches, the teaching of the Second Coming of Christ is something that is not really relevant or significant. It is certainly not the subject of many sermons, and is not considered to be one of the core doctrines of the Bible. However, this kind of thinking is really at odds with the teaching of Christ’s apostles and the lifestyle of the early church.

It appears that many of the leaders of various church groups in the U.S. are attempting to reconstruct the church and its teaching so that it will fit into the modern culture and thinking of our times. It does not seem to matter to them that the Bible warns us that we do not have the right to do this. The Apostle Paul warned the believers at Corinth to be very cautious how they spiritually built the church. He said, “For we are laborers together with God: … ye are God’s building. … I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11) In another context, he declared that the church must be built upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” (Ephesians 2:20) This means that the church must be built upon the teachings of Christ and His apostles. This is the New Testament Scriptures. All of the doctrines contained in the New Testament are considered to be the foundational truth upon which the church is to be constructed. In essence, we are commanded to mimic the teachings of the apostles. (1 Timothy 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2:2; Titus 1:9) This truth is to be faithfully proclaimed (2 Timothy 4:2) and passionately defended. (Jude 3) We are to oppose those who teach doctrine contrary to the Word of God, and rebuke those who are teaching error. (2 Timothy 3:16) We are instructed to “avoid” those who are not following the doctrine of the apostles. (Romans 16:17) Continue reading “May 2017 – The Maranatha Mindset”