Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Prophecy Digest: EU debates Swedish Jerusalem declaration-Chris Perver

EU debates Swedish Jerusalem declaration

Dividing the land
Written by Chris Perver
Tuesday, 08 December 2009
Link from my friend Darrell. EU foreign ministers are set to discuss a statement on the status of Jerusalemtoday, recently proposed by the Swedish government. Sweden currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, and has sought in recent weeks to interject itself into the Middle East peace process. Last month a row erupted between Sweden and Israel over comments made in Swedish newspapers, asserting that the Israeli Defence Force harvests organs from dead Palestinians to sell on the black market. Reminiscent of the old anti-Semitic blood-libels, that Jewish Rabbis used Gentile blood to cook their Passover meals, the remarks were hastily condemned by Israeli politicians. But the Swedish government refused to condemn the statements or censure the newspapers that printed them. Now Sweden has proposed a plan, which if approved by the European governments, will seek to undermine Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem and hasten the division of the city. Of course there is nothing substantially new in the Swedish proposal. The 'international community' has never recognized Israel's annexation of the east of the city following the Six Day War. But Israeli politicians fear that official EU backing of Palestinian political rights in Jerusalem, something which was never afforded to them in the Balfour Declaration or any subsequent UN resolution, will give the Arabs legal permission to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state in these territories. Ironically Sweden's proposal is unlikely to find much support among the hard line Arab nations due to continuing internal Palestinian divisions between Hamas and Fatah. A declaration of independence would also mean 'Palestine' would have to fend for itself, as it would effectively sever it from any Israeli responsibilities for the Palestinians, such as the 'right of return', etc. A declaration of independence would also constitute an end to the armed struggle for the destruction of Israel proper, which the hardliners in Hamas and Fatah could never accept. As you can see it is the Palestinian goal for the complete annihilation of Israel that is actually perpetuating this conflict. Quote: "''The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem,'' said a draft EU ministerial resolution seen by The Associated Press. It referred to the Mideast war in which Israeli forces captured east Jerusalem from the Jordanian army. The document also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. ''If there is to be (peace) a way has to be found to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the capital of two states,'' it said. Most EU ministers appeared supportive of the latest draft, although some said the declaration should not antagonize either party in the dispute at the risk of undermining efforts to restart peace talks. ''I don't really understand why Israel does not accept that Palestine consists of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem,'' Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told journalists. ''The Israelis have a right to live in Israel, the Palestinians have a right to live in Palestine.'' And that is the problem. European politicians seem to have such a limited understanding of recent history, never mind the age-old conflict between the son of Abraham and the son of the bond-woman. The fact is, 'Palestine' does not consist of east Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip. The Palestine Mandate, which was created following the fall of the Ottoman Empire, includes all of Jordan, Israel and the 'West Bank'. The name was first given to the region by the Romans in an effort to erase the name of Israel following the Jewish revolts and the diaspora. It was actually called 'Philistia', after the ancient enemy of Israel, the Philistines. The Philistines were Phoenician Greek in origin, definitely not Arabs. The name eventually became known as Palestine. The whole idea that there is a 'Palestinian nation' is a fabrication invented by those who hate Israel, and propagated by those who seek to gain politically from the situation. The Palestine Mandate has actually already been divided into two states, Jordan and Israel, in an effort to appease the Arab nations. But they have repeatedly refused to recognize Israel's right to exist in any of the land in the Middle East. Israel had accepted the original United Nations partition plan, which would have given the Palestinian Arabs much more land than they are now claiming for a state. But the Arab nations rejected it and launched an all out war in an effort to destroy the fledgling Jewish state as soon as it was born. And they have been paying the price ever since. Of course it's all prophetic. The return of the Jews to the land and the rebirth of the nation of Israel was prophesied thousands of years in advance in Jeremiah 16, Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 36-37, among other places. And despite facing tremendous odds, Israel survives. As I mentioned before, the present-day conflict can all be traced back to one point in time. Not to 1967. Not even to 1948. It goes all the way back to Jacob, who was later named Israel, and his brother Esau. Before the twins were born, they fought in their mother's womb. And when Rebekah asked why this was so, the Lord told her that two nations were in her womb, and two manner of peoples would be born of her. And the elder would serve the younger (Genesis 25:2-3). Esau, who sold his birthright for a pot of stew and forfeited his father's blessing, represents all that is carnal and worldly. Jacob, who wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and saw the house of God, represents the spiritual man. He saw little profit in the things of the world, but sought after the spiritual things of God. Although he was a twister, and tricked his father into blessing him by pretending to be Esau, even his father recognized that it was the will of God that he should receive the blessing (Genesis 27:33). It should have come as no surprise, considering the prophecy given at Jacob's birth. And this is the blessing with which Isaac blessed Israel... Gen 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. That blessing, and curse, is still in effect today. And the promise will ultimately have its fulfilment in the return of Jesus Christ to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over this earth. Jacob may have made plenty of mistakes. And he himself was later deceived by his own sons. But he sought after the things of God, and God blessed him greatly because of that. His name means twister, just like my own name, Perver. This reminds us of our fallen nature. But Jacob received a new name, Israel, which literally means, 'he will rule as God'. This proves to us that despite our fallen Adamic nature, God is able to make something of our lives according to His own will and purpose, if we are willing to submit to Him. The first step of obedience comes in accepting His Son as your Lord and Saviour. Why don't you trust Him for salvation today, and let Him turn a Jacob into an Israel. Genesis 49:22-24 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Source New York Times, Honest Reporting, Jerusalem Post Write comment (0 Comments)
ast Updated ( Tuesday, 08 December 2009 )

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Prophecy Digest: From where the Antichrist will come.-Richard Perry

From where the Antichrist will come.

In the First Testament, the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel provided a great deal of information about the Antichrist. With what is revealed in the Second Testament we can know from where the Antichrist will come.

Daniel received a prophecy from God revealing that the Antichrist will confirm a treaty guaranteeing Israel’s security. Then, after 3 ½ years, the Antichrist will set himself up in the Jewish Temple and proclaim that he is God. This abomination will initiate the Great Tribulation which will last 3 ½ years.

At the end of the Great Tribulation, Christ will return, establish His Kingdom on earth and destroy the Antichrist. First, the Antichrist will be Israel’s protector before he attempts destroy everyone who refuses to worship him.

Daniel referred to the Antichrist as "the leader who will come, the little horn, the beast and the stern faced king."

In Daniel 11, he also referred to the Antichrist as the king of the North. The king of the North and the land of the North is what Jeremiah called the territory of the Assyria and Babylon. The Assyrian Empire was conquered by the Babylonians in 626 B.C. Both the Assyrian capital of Asshur and the Babylonian capital of Babylon were located in present day Iraq, see map below.

These empires essentially comprised the same territory which included present day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Present Day Middle Eastern Countries

In Ezekiel 38 and 39 the Antichrist’s two campaigns against Israel are interwoven in the prophecy. Included are details of the Antichrist and his armies coming against Israel at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The prophecy also describes the Antichrist and his armies coming against Jerusalem at the end of the age.

Ezekiel refers to the Antichrist as Gog, the chief prince, from the land of Magog. The ancient land of Magog included some of the territory represented by present day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajan, and Russia near the Black Sea.

Isaiah referred to the Antichrist as the Assyrian and the king of Assyria. One of Isaiah’s several prophecies on the topic tells how Israel will at first rely on the Assyrian until he beats them with the club. But, then finally they will turn to the Holy One of Israel. This description depicts the last 7 years of the Time of the End when the Antichrist will be Israel’s protector (first 3.5 years) until he attempts to wipe them out in the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years).

Isaiah’s prophecy also says that a remnant of Israel will turn to Yahweh and be saved from the Antichrist. When Isaiah refers to the Antichrist as the Assyrian, he is indicating from where the Antichrist will come. Ancient Assyria included territories represented by present day Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.

Jesus, John and Paul spoke about the Antichrist. Jesus called the Antichrist 'the abomination that causes desolation.' Paul called the Antichrist 'the man of lawlessness' and 'the lawless one.' However, neither Jesus nor Paul indicated from where the Antichrist would come.

In Revelation 13, John said that the Antichrist and his kingdom would be like a lion, a leopard and a bear. Daniel used these likenesses for the Babylonian, Media-Persian and Greek Empires.

The Bible again and again indicates that the Antichrist will come from the Middle East.

With biblical prophecy consistently pointing to the Middle East as the origin of the Antichrist, why do some people believe that the Antichrist will come from a revived Roman Empire like the European Common Market?

This deception is from a sentence in Daniel 9:26 which says, “The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.”

One subject of Daniel 9:26 above, is "the people", the other is "the ruler who will come".

The people will be of the same people as the ruler who will come. This means the people and the ruler will be of the same national origin. If the people are Greek then the leader in question will be Greek. So, when we know the national origin of the people we will also know the national origin of the leader.

Part of this prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish sanctuary. According Josephus, the people that destroyed the sanctuary were predominately Syrian.

Some people have incorrectly assumed that, because it was a Roman army, the people who destroyed the city and the sanctuary were Romans. However, it was customary for Rome to conscript soldiers from territories they had conquered. In this campaign the Roman troops were predominately Syrians.

Therefore, the ruler who will come will be of Syrian origin. Syria, at that time, included some of the territory of present day Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.

The ruler who will come is the Antichrist which is confirmed in Daniel 9:27. Daniel identifies the ruler who will come this way.

“He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him"

Therefore, Daniel is indicating in this prophecy that the Antichrist will come from the Middle East.

Richard H Perry

WHO KNOWS WE ARE ONLY HUMAN

Submitted by stevenbelieven on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 12:04.

"STEVENBELIEVEN WE ROLL THE DICE BUT GOD DETERMINES THE OUTCOME" OBAMAS ORGIN COULD BE NOT OF KENYA I COULD BE WRONG I AM HUMAN BUT IN THESE TIMES NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS GODS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS AND THERE IS A NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES... BUT I JUST WANT TO GO AND TRY PLANT SEEDS AND A VIABLE CASH BUSINESS IN CHINA THAT WILL ENDURE THE TRIB.

· reply

"He will come from the middle east not europe. "

Submitted by cunnd0ma on Tue, 12/15/2009 - 17:17.

I have believed that for some time. I think for a long time thinking was the EU ( the revived Roman empire) was it. But as time goes on as God always seems to do more Scripture seems to open up and more things seems to come in line. Isn't it totally amazing how God works?? And stevenbelieven you are correct we are only human but that doesn't mean God does not let us in on things. If God did not use us humans the bible ( his word would not have been written) Us little humans is what Jesus died for. We mean a lot to God. So if we search with our heart we may be surprised what we find.

· reply

new

A False Messiah has to be a false Jew.

Submitted by Michael James Stone on Wed, 12/16/2009 - 23:05.

Call It reverse Logic.

Holy Trinity vs Unholy Trinity. Satan cannot create anything, He is created.
In Egypt, a type of the Book of Revelation (Exodus), the false miracles were duplicated falsely,
Even today, like Immanuel Velikovsky "Worlds In Collision" certain similar or duplicate "false effects" are presented to reduce or take away from the Word of God as God spoke it, Said it, inspired and conspired to have it presented to us.

Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man, must have a Duplicate False Messiah. We say anti, but better would be counterfeit, or to be literal

a false anointed one.

Part of that False Annointed One was fulfilled in Jewish Religious and Secular History in Shimon bar Kokhba (Hebrew: שמעון בר כוכבא‎, also transliterated as Bar Kokhva or Bar Kochba) the Jewish leader who led what is known as the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Roman Empire in 132 CE, establishing an independent Jewish state of Israel which he ruled for three years as Nasi ("prince"). His state was conquered by the Romans in 135 following a two-year war.

Documents discovered in the modern era give us his original name, Simon ben Kosiba, (Hebrew: שמעון בן כוסבא‎) he was given the surname Bar Kokhba, (Aramaic for "Son of a Star", referring to the Star Prophecy of Numbers 24:17, "A star has shot off Jacob") by his contemporary, the Jewish sage Rabbi Akiva. (Wikipedia)

So a False Christ, or the Anti-Christ, must be a Jew. He has to be an affront to God presented by a false or counterfeit "annointing".

As Jesus was the pattern, find a smilar track, you will find the False Messiah, the Anti-Christ today.
Some Jewish Bible Students suspect who he might be.

Trying to Unify Islam and any Arabic culture is a Westerner idea. If you live in the East, you know there is never a unity, but merely a "appearance" of commonality. In some Arabic cultures today, some would use a "dagger to slit the throat while staring you in the eye" then to be a part of a Unified Arab League.

It sells books, but it doesn't happen if you live in an Arab country. (Read Michners "The Haj" which is fiction, but closer to Arabic culture that the current idea on Islam in agreement).

The Anti-Christ will be a Jew, like Bar Kochba, Hailed and Crowned by Rabbincal Court in Jerusalem and Orthodoxy....which means another priesthood usurp like the Hasmonean did <<<<<

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Prophecy Digest: Revelation Preface-Chuck Smith

What The World Is Coming To

A Commentary on the Book of Revelation

by Chuck Smith

Preface

Forewarning

1.The Revelation

2.Four Messages

3.Three Messages

4.The Rapture

5.Who Owns the Earth?

6.Bad News

7.Two Special Groups

8.Calamities

9.Misery, Woe, and Suffering

10.Foreshadowing of the King

11.Two Special Agents

12.People and Places

13.The Antichrist

14.Final Warning

15.The Plagues Are Coming!

16.A World of Despair

17.Counterfeit Church

18.Bankruptcy

19.Jesus Comes Again

20.The Perfect Government

21.Our New Address

22.Peace Like a River

Preface

Many people say, "Stay out of the book of Revelation. That's a sealed book and

you really can't understand it." It's true that, by attempting to interpret

Revelation, people have done many weird things with it. But, in reality, it's a

book that was not intended to be sealed. It was intended to be read and

understood.

In this commentary on the book of Revelation we have sought to express

concepts and conclusions drawn after years of study. We do not ask you just to

accept them because we have stated them, but we urge you to search the

Scriptures to see if these things be so.

The Bible says,

These [people of Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that

they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures

daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11).

Also, the Scriptures tell us to "prove all things" and to "hold fast that which is

good" (I Thessalonians 5:21).

Forewarning

"THE END OF THE WORLD IS NEAR."

That statement used to be associated with old, gray bearded men walking

barefooted in long robes with sandwich boards over their shoulders. The front of

the board read "Repent" and the back read "The end of the world is near." We

used to pass them off as crackpots and laugh at such a thought or idea.

But lately I've been reading not the wild fanatical statements of some old, so called

prophet but, rather, the statements of men of science, men with a Ph.D.

who are highly respected for their knowledge. These men have studied the

environmental conditions of the earth. Do you know what they're saying? They're

saying, "The end of the world is near."

In fact, these experts are saying that man has anywhere from fourteen to forty

years left upon this planet until we have so totally raped our natural resources

that we can no longer survive. These men with their doctorates, who are

carefully studying the balances of nature, are saying that the end of the world is

near.

Is this possible? Can we really believe these ecologists? Are we really destroying

nature's balances? Are we really wiping out hundreds of species, are we

depleting our energy resources, and destroying the environment around us? Is it

true that certain birds cannot hatch their eggs because of the DDT deposits in

the eggshells? Is it true that the earth's ozone blanket is steadily disappearing?

Are such things really happening? Maybe they're just trying to scare us.

However, they aren't the only ones warning us. Our militarists are telling us that

the end of the world is near. They're warning us that if man engages in a fullscale

atomic war, we'll exterminate ourselves from the face of the earth and it

will be the end of civilization.

In the face of these warnings, the United States continues to maintain its atomic

arsenal and the systems to deliver atomic bombs upon our enemies. By the

same token, our enemies are maintaining their atomic arsenals and the means of

delivering them upon the United States. The real danger is the widespread

proliferation of nations now possessing atomic weapons. We're in this mad war

of building these huge atomic arsenals. And already there are enough atomic

weapons stockpiled to obliterate mankind from the face of the earth.

Not only are the ecologists and militarists warning us, but so are the diplomats.

Those analysts who study world conditions tell us that the world is sitting on a

powder keg - and the fuse is being lit in the Middle East. At any time the

situation can explode into a full-scale conflagration of the great world powers.

The end of the world is near.

Is it possible that man could come to the end of an era? Don't we just go on

forever, one society replacing another, one generation following another, on and

on and on? Hasn't man cried this before? What do they mean, "The end of the

world is near"?

The Answer

When Christians talk about the end of the world, they mean something different

than the scientists. The scientists are talking about the end of mankind.

Christians are talking about the end of the cosmos. This Greek word for world

means "the set order." Christians are talking about the end of the present world

order which is governed by Satan and in rebellion against God.

Man has had his day, and the day of man's attempt to govern himself is about to

close. For a long time we've sought to govern ourselves and to live

independently from God. We've tried about every conceivable form of

government. We've sought for equality and justice. We've replaced one system

of government with another. But we've proven, by the variety of governmental

forms tried, that it's impossible for man to govern himself without falling into

corruption. Even communism, the newest form, has already slipped into an

irrevocable form of corruption from which there is no recovery.

What's the answer? What's the answer to the world's cries for peace, and the

world's cries for love, and the world's cries for dwelling together in harmony?

There is no answer except Jesus Christ.

We who are of the church look for a new form of government - a monarchy that

embraces the entire world. We're waiting for our King to come and set up that

monarchy. We're waiting for righteousness to cover the earth as the waters

cover the seas.

This glorious coming Kingdom and the momentous events

surrounding its establishment are described to us in the prophetic book of

Revelation.

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Prophecy Digest: Revelation 1-Jack Kelley

Revelation 1

Table of contents for Revelation Times

Jack Kelley

1. Revelation 1

2. Revelation 2 And 3 … Seven Letters To Seven Churches, Part 1

3. Revelation 2 And 3 … Seven Letters To Seven Churches, Part 2

4. Revelation 2 And 3 … Seven Letters To Seven Churches, Part 3, conclusion

10. Revelation 10-11:14

11. Revelation 11:15-12:17

12. Revelation 13 – 14

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

“Revelation Times” is an up to the minute commentary on the Book of Revelation. We’ll review it from time to time and provide updated information as warranted. The most recent update is 8-22-08. (Chapters 4,14,16)

Prologue

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Rev 1:1-3)

It was 95 AD, over 60 years since Jesus had walked among His people. Jerusalem was gone, the Temple burned, leaving the Jews defeated. Paul was dead, beheaded in Rome nearly 30 years earlier. Peter had been crucified there about the same time. Of all the disciples only John was still alive. He had written his gospel 25 years earlier, his 3 letters 15 years after that, and had served for a time as the Bishop of the church in Ephesus, having moved there with Mary, the Lord’s mother, in about 70 AD.

It’s not that the Romans and Jews had left John alone. Tradition has it that several times they’d tried to kill him, even throwing him live into a cauldron of boiling oil, but the Lord had prevented it, fulfilling His promise of John 21:22. (Responding to Peter’s question about what would become of John, Jesus had said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?“) Finally the Romans had exiled him to Patmos, a prison colony off the coast of modern Turkey, thinking they had heard the last of him.

But the Lord had other plans, and appeared personally to John, commanding him to write one final letter and send it to seven churches in Asia Minor. As an old man at the end of his life, John was about to undertake one of his greatest challenges. After writing the Revelation, he died of natural causes in about 100 AD.

By the way, your Preterist friends have had to give the book an early date to get around verse one because they contend that it was all fulfilled by 70 AD, but they needn’t have bothered. In the first place the later date is pretty well established, but the word translated soon or shortly actually means quickly or rapidly and denotes the speed with which events will unfold once they begin, not their chronological nearness to John’s day.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

John, to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom (or kings), priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev.1: 4-8)

Of the 404 verses in the Book of Revelation, 278 are taken from the Old Testament. In fact, Esther is the only Old Testament book not directly quoted. So it’s not surprising to find these Old Testament constructions like him who is and who was and who is to come and the seven spirits who are before his throne. The first is an approximate translation of God’s name and the second is a name for the Holy Spirit, literally the seven-fold Spirit of God. We’ll see plenty of these through out the book, and in chapter 19 we’ll see the un-translated Hebrew word Hallelujah (it means praise the Lord) used four times. It’s the only place it appears in the New Testament. In fact the Revelation has so many Old Testament nuances that some believe that John was actually translating from Hebrew into Greek as he wrote.

The phrase Alpha and Omega comes from the first and last letters of he Greek alphabet and refers to God the Father and recalls His claim to Israel. “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11) Jesus will later use the phrase of Himself.

Vision of the Son of Man

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” (Rev. 1:9-11)

By this command it’s clear that John is actually going to witness some events that the Lord wants him to document and then distribute to the seven churches he has named. Some contend that John saw all this in a vision on one Sabbath Day, while others say he was actually transported through time to the Day of the Lord. I lean toward the latter.

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. (Rev. 1:12-16)

Though the man speaking to John was clothed in light and had a distinct otherworldly appearance, John recognized Him. He had seen Him looking like this once before, on the Mount Of Transfiguration. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. (Matt. 17:2) It was the Lord!

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Rev. 1:17-20)

In this way, the Lord divides the Book John will write into three sections. The things John has seen, contained in chapter 1, those that are, which will fill chapters 2 and 3, and those that will take place after this, chapters 4-22.

The fact that the Lord is seen standing in the midst of the seven lampstands indicates His direct involvement with the church, and that He holds the seven stars in His right hand speaks of the intimate relationship He has with its leaders. Whether you see them as the pastors or as angelic overseers, He’s got them in the palm of His hand.
The number 7 figures prominently in the Book of Revelation. In fact, before we’re finished we’ll see it used 52 times. And isn’t it interesting that 5 plus 2 equals guess what? Seven!

The Lord’s use of first and last here denote the two most important steps in the manufacturing process. The Greek word translated first is protos, from which we get prototype. It’s the original to which all subsequent copies will be compared for accuracy.For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

And the word for last is eschatos, the superlative, the perfect example, the highest and best that can be achieved. Though we’re destined to look like Him and act like Him, we can never be Him.

And so ends chapter one, but we’re just getting started. There’s plenty more to come.See you next time.

Tags: Grace, Israel, Old Testament, Prophecy, Revelation Times

o The Seven Thunders

o mp3: The Book of Revelation Chapter 1

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Prophecy Digest: Iran tests advanced missile

Dec 17, 2009 1:37 | Updated Dec 17, 2009 1:40

Iran tests advanced missile as 'deterrent' against foreign attack

Article's topics: Iran, Iranian Nuclear Threat. Nuclear Weapons, United States, United Kingdom

In the face of mounting international pressure to suspend its nuclear activity, Iran flexed its muscles on Wednesday and test-fired its most advanced ballistic missile, capable of hitting Israel and parts of Europe.

This video frame grab taken from Iranian state broadcasters Al-Alam purports to show an Iranian Sajjil-2 surface-to-surface missile launching from a site in Semnan, east of the Teheran.
Photo: AP

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The missile tested, according to Iranian reports, was an upgraded version of the Sajjil 2, a sophisticated ballistic missile that has a range of close to 2,000 kilometers, can carry a nuclear warhead and is powered by a solid-fuel propellant which gives it greater accuracy and range. With solid fuel, the missile can be stored in underground silos, making it more difficult to detect before launch.

"This missile can threaten Europe," one Israeli defense official said. "If Israel were their only enemy, why would they need missiles that can reach Europe?"

According to the official, the Super Green Pine Radar, which works in conjunction with Israel's Arrow missile defense system, detected the launch of the Sajjil, as did the US-manned X-Band Radar located in the Negev.

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"We closely follow what happens in Iran," the official said, adding that the IDF was familiar with the Sajjil, which had been tested for the third time on Wednesday. The missile, officials said, was still in final development and testing stages and would soon enter mass production.

The test stoked tensions between Iran and the West, which is pressing Teheran to rein in its nuclear program.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it showed the need for tougher UN sanctions on Iran.

"This is a matter of serious concern to the international community and it does make the case for us moving further on sanctions. We will treat this with the seriousness it deserves," Brown said after talks with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in Copenhagen.

In Washington, Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell called the launch "provocative" but said the technology had not been "particularly different than anything we've seen in the past."

"Obviously, it is another example of provocative actions on the part of the Iraniangovernment that do nothing to instill any degree of confidence in its neighbors that it has peaceful intentions... that they are serious about resolving some of these issues in a peaceful, diplomatic way," Morrell told a Pentagon press conference.

Iranian state television broke the news in a one-sentence report accompanied by a brief clip of the test, showing the missile rising from the launch pad in a cloud of smoke.

Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi vowed that the Sajjil-2 would be a "strong deterrent" against any possible foreign attack. He said the new version can be fired more quickly and flies faster than previous ones, making it harder to shoot down, though he did not give further details.

"Given its high speed," he said, speaking on state TV, "it is impossible to destroy the missile with anti-missile systems because of its radar-evading ability."

The name "Sajjil" means "baked clay," a reference to a story in the Koran in which birds sent by God drive off an enemy army attacking the holy city of Mecca by pelting them with stones of baked clay.

The Sajjil-2 was first tested in May. Iranian officials touted it as a breakthrough over the Sajjil-1 unveiled months earlier, saying the new missile had a more sophisticated navigation system. The Sajjil-2 was tested a second time in September.

Uzi Rubin, an Israeli expert and former defense ministry official, said the test did not show any new advances in technology. But "the fact that they are capable of carrying out three launches in a year is significant, because it means the Iranians are investing a lot of money in this," he told Israel Television. "They are in a hurry and they intend to make this missile operational as quickly as possible."

"From the amount of raw material caught lately on the way to Iran, it can be understood they intend to produce hundreds of these and they intend to use them instead of long range Katyushas," Rubin said.

Iran has dramatically accelerated its domestic missile program in recent years, part of a bid to depict itself as a military and technological power and reduce its past reliance on purchases abroad. The missile program has raised deep concerns in Israel and the West, though experts are skeptical over some of Iran's claims of advances.

But equally important is the political message, said Washington-based security analystAlex Vatanka.

"One signal is very clear - they are saying Iran will not negotiate with the West from a position of weakness. They are saying: If you think sanctions and threats are something to worry us, then you are mistaken," said Vatanka, with the intelligence analyst group Jane's.

"The message from Iran today is that Teheran can do more. Iran's arm is long," he said.

Nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West have been deadlocked for months, with Teheran equivocating over a UN-drafted deal aimed at removing most of its low-enriched uranium from the country so it would not have enough stockpiles to produce a bomb. The UN nuclear watchdog last month sharply rebuked Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, and Washington has warned that Iran is running out of time to accept the deal or face new sanctions.

AP contributed to the report.