26 Dec (Revelation 17)

Revelation 17

This chapter can take a long time to understand, and in addition to that, there are different opinions as to the imagery according to good scholars. I have no doubt that after we are in heaven, the imagery will make perfect sense to us, and we will marvel at how easy it should be to label and identify the images!

With that said, I will try to give the crux of the chapter, with possible identities of the images described.

v.2 As we all know, a harlot is not good, and doesn't care for purity or goodness. In fact, a harlot hates goodness, and will try to corrupt it as much as possible! Do those motives and attributes sound familiar to some fallen angel who rebelled against God? Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-19

Notice how the harlot sits on many waters...when God uses the earth or oceans in Scripture, it points us to the world, not the heavens. So we see where this harlot is coming from. She is able to seduce the kings of the earth, and they follow her in wanton drunkenness and rebellion. Typically, when drunkenness is mentioned in Scripture, or in other literature, we think of bad drunks. Sure, we all know someone in our family who was a funny drunk. But most of the time, a drunk gets rude, sloppy and even violent. This is the case here...the harlot will entice the kings of the world to fight against God and His beloved.

v.5 There isn't much to add to the writing on the forehead of the woman! She is the world religion. As we know, religion is man trying to reach God, or even be like God. True Christianity is a relationship with God...there is a big difference!

v.6 It's pretty easy to see this image...the world church that is far removed from the true Church, using government and coercion to slay the faithful of Christ. But here is a question: Why did John marvel at this? After all, a pagan Rome wouldn't have baffled him if it was persecuting the Church. In fact, at the time of John's life, Rome had taken over from the Jewish leadership of persecuting Christians worldwide.

This is where some scholars will debate, but I will offer my belief, and encourage you to study and decide what is true. To recap some history, during the Roman Empire, they were swallowing up countries and nations wholesale. With the people they enslaved, they also adopted or accepted parts of their pagan practices and beliefs. As we saw in the Dark Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had combined government with the church, leading to atrocities.

What I think John marveled at was how unrecognizable the church had become! In the last days, most "Christian" churches will be preaching different gospels, humanism, self-help and financial windfall lessons, etc. Does that sound familiar with what we see now?

v.9 So the angel tells John that this harlot is from Satan. That makes sense, but the following is where scholars again debate the meaning of the seven mountains. In a Western mind, it is common knowledge that the Vatican sits on seven hills. Many Western scholars believe that the last world religion, and thus, the Anti-Christ, will come from Rome.

Another view is slightly different. Other scholars don't argue about the Roman Empire being the home of the Anti-Christ, but they argue that he will come from the Eastern part of the Empire...that would be the Middle East! Remember Daniel 2

A third view is what I've heard Walid Shoebat teach. He teaches that when mountains are used in imagery, it represents kingdoms. He believes that seven kingdoms...Muslim kingdoms...will be the ones to wage war against God and His beloved. I can't argue with any of them, and perhaps all three views will play out in different ways or stages.

Looking at our world today, the Roman Catholic Church has repeatedly attempted to unite all world religions, while we see almost daily, the Jihadists waging war on Israel and Christianity!

We are so fortunate to live during these times! No other time in history has bible prophecy been revealed in human events as now!

24 Dec (Revelation 14)

Revelation 14

v.1 We see the Lamb again...this is Jesus! He is seen as He had been slain in Rev 5:6 by His Church, and was referenced as such by John the Baptist in John 1:29, 36 and here as the Savior of Israel and Mankind.

This is one of the most difficult books of the Bible to explain to our kids, but if we keep in mind that all the imagery is Jewish, and from the Old Testament, the types and images make much more sense. If we refer to Daniel 3 where Daniel's three friends were saved and "sealed" by Christ (a theophany), we see the typology coming to fruition. Daniel's friends (a type for Israel) were thrown into the great fire (Great Tribulation) while Daniel was away (the Church raptured). Jesus saved them as He does again in the last days!

v.3 Your kids may wonder why certain people or groups of people have their own special songs for the LORD, and no one else can learn them or sing them...they may think that God shows favoritism. First of all, all the saved in heaven have their own song...so there is no one left out. Secondly, we all have different experiences and means of salvation: The Jews in the Tribulation have a different experience than the Church before the Rapture. We sing to God about how He saved us from what we were experiencing.

v.4 The Tribulation saints, the sealed Jews during the Tribulation, are walking with God...the Lamb. Like the Church before them, they are seen as righteous because they are walking with the Son, and are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. John 1:29, 36

v.7 God gives mankind a "Last Call" before everyone's eternal fate is sealed...God is patient and kind, wishing for no one to go to hell. However, throughout all our lives, we have multiple instances to accept His love for us on the cross, so some choose salvation, and others choose damnation.

This reminds me of the famous C.S. Lewis quote:

In the end, there will be some who say to God, "Thy will be done" and others to whom God says in the end, "Thy will be done."

Each of us, individually, must choose to follow God or reject Him...our eternal destiny is not God's choosing, but ours! Choose wisely! This is important for our kids to understand, for during times of crisis, where natural disasters happen, and many people die, kids may wonder why God did that. He didn't create this world with sin and death...that was a result of Mankind's rejection of Him. However, God provided a way out of death for our souls...His Son, if we choose Him!

v.8 Babylon is where the beginning of mankind's open rebellion of God occurred...the Tower of Babel. Gen 11 All cults and false religions have roots in Babylon...God will rid the earth of this actual place (modern day Iraq) and also the spiritual Babylon.

v.11 It is important to teach our kids that hell is a real place...and it's forever. Hell is the absence of God, and eternal torment, knowing that pride brought them there.

v.14 Scholars debate who this person is...is it Jesus or an angel?

First of all, the wording is like the Son of Man...not THE Son of Man.

Secondly, if we look at what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 13, He says that He instructs the angels to reap. Matt 13:39

If this is confusing to your kids, what matters most is that God will separate His followers from the unbelievers...make sure you're in the right harvest pile!

15 Dec (Revelation 3)

Sardis ~ The Dead Church

The church of Sardis represents the Reformation movement, away from the Nicolaitan doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation deservedly has been praised for moving back to the Word of God, instead of the practices of men, but they fell short as well. Remember, it's never good to put your faith in a particular church, pastor or denomination...all are lead by men and prone to sin and pride.

I hope you see my point here, since I'm tough on the RCC, but I also want you to see that the Protestant Churches erred just as much.

(v.1) This describes the Protestant church then, and even today...it has the name of Christ, but is not following Christ. So many churches focus on traditions and works, that they fail to focus on fellowship with each other and especially God.

I was raised in the Lutheran Church, where Martin Luther is given the credit for starting the Reformation movement. He was a big player, but many other Catholic priests were involved in going back to the Word of God, and not the word of a pope.

Unfortunately, one of the results of the Reformation was the failure to acknowledge the Jews as God's people. Martin Luther and many other Reformists were anti-Semites, and believed that the Church replaced Israel for God's promises and blessings. This is called Replacement Theology, and not only is it completely against Scripture, but it makes God out to be a liar!

I suggest you look up Martin Luther's quotes in his books about the Jews, and how the Church has replaced Israel for God's blessings.

(v.3) Of course, as with the Catholics, the Protestants are filled with believers...it's the leadership that Jesus is rebuking.

(v.4) It all comes down to a personal relationship with Jesus, not any affiliation with any particular church that saves us.

Philadelphia ~ The Faithful Church

(v.8) The church of Philadelphia faced all the same temptations and persecution of the earlier churches, but God is commending them for keeping the faith, and for persevering.

(v.10) This is another verse that shows us that the faithful believers will be Raptured before the Tribulation comes upon the earth.

Laodicea ~ The Lukewarm Church

(v.14) Cults use this verse to say that Jesus was created, and not God Himself. What they fail to see is that the Greek word used to say "beginning" here, is Arche, where we get the word "architect" from. This word also means authority, and since Jesus created the universe, He is the authority of it as well. John 1:1

(v.16) There are many ways to approach this, for the neighboring towns had hot and cold springs that Laodicea tried to pull from, but the main focus for us is our faith. It's one thing to be an atheist or to deny Christ as our Creator...that is bad. But it's also bad to know who Jesus is, and not do anything about it...lukewarm faith.

This church is prophetic to the state of the church in the last days...apathetic and ineffective.

(v.17) We can see this being so relevant to today, for in most of the Western world, we are rich and forget to praise God for the blessings and wealth He has given us. This is why Solomon didn't want to be overly rich and think that he created his wealth, and not God. Prov 30:9

(v.19) Like a loving parent, God rebukes us to open our eyes and see the right path!

(v.20) Remember, at the beginning of these churches, Jesus was in the midst of them. Now, because the apathy has been so severe, Jesus is outside the church, knocking on the door to come in!

If we let Jesus into our lives to be the LORD of our lives, then we will one glorious day dine with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Rev 19:9

14 Dec (Revelation 2)

Revelation 2

These seven churches encapsulate the seven stages of Church history. These were real churches in the day of John's writing, but they also are types of the churches to come.

Ephesus ~ The Loveless Church

(v.2) We can look at each of these churches in a personal way, as a church, and as prophecy to Church history. It seems that the people of Ephesus were great about spotting counterfeit Christians, and were holding true to the doctrines taught them by Paul and others.

(v.4) Ouch! Like Martha in Luke 10, they were obsessed with deeds and actions, where they forgot to sit and worship Him! We all have to watch out for this, for it's easy to get caught up in serving and doing the Church things, when we forget to have quiet time listening to God!

(v.5) If they can lose their lampstand, it means they aren't saved. This is how I interpret this, and it makes sense. So many people do the "Church Thing" every Sunday, but they don't have a personal relationship with Jesus. They don't have a prayer life of conversing and listening to Him, and they just keep doing what they think pleases God.

(v.6) Nicolaitans are the ruling class over the people. It seems that in the early Church, there were some who thought they should be listened to more than Jesus. Their pride got in the way of true worship.

(v.7) Here is another reason I believe these people aren't truly saved at this point, for Jesus promises to let them eat from the Tree of Life if they overcome their sins.

Smyrna ~ The Persecuted Church

Smyrna has the same base word as Myrrh, which means death. This church faced rampant persecution by the hands of the Romans, and were martyred and killed for their faith.

(v.8) Again, when did the Father (YHWH or Jehovah) die? It was the Son, and He is God!

(v.10) This must have been hard to take, knowing you were about to be put in jail and killed for your faith! However, many Christians have suffered this same fate over the centuries...even today. We are lucky in America, and we should use that fortune to be more vigilant about spreading the Good News of Christ!

Pergamos ~ The Compromising Church

This church speaks of the time in history where the Roman Catholic Church made Christianity blend with pagan practices to create unity in the Empire. So many practices by the RCC can go back to Babylon, and their acceptance of pagan practices into the church.

The word, Pergamos, in Greek, means mixed or perverted. This is what the church did...they mixed the pagan practices with Biblical Christianity, and created a mixed marriage that wasn't devoted to Christ. Remember what Paul said to those that allowed sin and pagan practices into their lives? 1 Cor 5:6

(v.13) Scholars believe that the Tower of Babel was erected in the same area as Pergamos. The start of Satanic practices was where the RCC decided to make Christianity the only religion, and worse, that the State would run it!

(v.14) The docrine of Baalam Num 31:16 was the act of tempting God's people into sin...this is what this church did with its believers.

(v.15) Notice that Ephesus was doing the deeds of the Nicolaitans, where now it is doctrine. The Church had incorporated the pagan practices and moved away from Scripture.

Remember, once Satan lost at the cross, he tried to kill the church through persecution at the hands of the Jews and Romans. This only made the Church grow stronger! So what did Satan do? He made up the phrase, "If you can't beat them, join them!" He infiltrated the Church, and little by little, had people focus on traditions and doctrines not from Scripture, and thus, the beginning of cults were born!

Thyatira ~ The Corrupt Church

(v.18) This is the same description of Jesus as noted in Daniel 7:9, 10:6

(v.20) There is so much to research here, and I suggest you do, but in short, He is talking about the popes of the Roman Catholic Church. They used their power to seduce and enslave.

(v.22) Very scary...they aren't saved and will endure the Tribulation on earth. This doesn't mean that Catholics aren't saved...most are, but the doctrines and leaders of the RCC have a lot of explaining to do with Jesus!

(v.24) So many people follow the traditions of men, and don't know why. They think it's just what God wants. But if they read their Bible, they will see that God doesn't want us to chant or say repetitive prayers, or worse yet, pray to mortal people!

God knows who hearts are pure and seek Him, and He will lead them to Him.

27 Oct (1 Thes 5 - 2 Thes 1-3)

1 Thessalonians 5

(v.2) This is important to make clear with our kids...there is a difference between the Rapture and the Day of the Lord.

The Rapture can happen at any moment, and will precede the Tribulation of Israel. The time of the Tribulation is spelled out in Daniel 9:27 where it will last for exactly seven years. Halfway through it, the Antichrist will reveal himself, and the last half of the tribulation will be so bad, that Jesus calls it the Great Tribulation.

The Tribulation is accurate and we are given actual days and things to look for. The Rapture, however, will come suddenly, and catch the whole world by surprise...even the devil. If we are truly followers of Christ, then we will know when the Rapture is near, and act and serve accordingly for there is little time. I believe we are getting real close to the Rapture.

(v.3) The world wants peace, and it will give up anything to attain it. Unfortunately for them, there will NEVER be true peace until the Prince of Peace comes to reign for 1,000 years. Those that don't know God will be fooled by a false peace by the Antichrist.

(v.9) The Day of the LORD is a day of terrible wrath and misery. God has given the world plenty of warning, and wished for them to choose to love and serve Him. But on that fateful day, God will bring His Holy Wrath upon the unbelievers, and us believers will not experience that...for we will be Raptured and in heaven!

2 Thessalonians 1

(v.5) Because we are ambassadors of Christ on earth as His Church, we will undoubtedly experience persecution. This should be a barometer to tell us if we are doing God's work...if we don't experience persecution from the world, then we must be a part of it, and not separated in Spirit by God.

(v.9) I believe this verse supports the theory that hell is the agony of knowing their foolish pride, and being eternally tormented by being separated from God.

2 Thessalonians 2

(v.3) There are some things that have to happen BEFORE Christ returns in wrath:

1. A great falling away...people who called themselves Christian, but were never really born again, will leave the church and follow cults and false prophets. We are seeing this in abundance today.

2. During the tribulation, the Antichrist will reveal himself, by striking the peace treaty between Israel and the Muslim world, and then go back on it in three and one half years.

3. The Holy Spirit (the Restrainer) will be removed. This means that there will be no born again people on earth...they will be raptured.

(v.13) I like to remind my kids that they didn't really choose God...He chose them. He has been planning their birth and rebirth since before the universe was created! That always blows them away!

2 Thessalonians 3

(v.3) If we are His, we will experience persecution, but like Job, we won't be killed by Satan.

(v.10) God is clear about welfare and loafing...if you don't work, you don't eat. Of course, there are people who can't physically work, or are mentally inhibited to work, and it is up to the Church to care for those people. But being lazy and wanting the government to care for us is not godly or Biblical.

24 Sep (Matt 24:1-31)

The Gospels: Jesus Shares the End of Times

Matthew 24:1-31

(v.2) I can't go into all the theories and discussions about the last times, for there are groups of people that think we're in the times Jesus discusses here, ones that think it's already happened, and those that believe it will happen in the future.

This verse is a direct prophecy to the sacking of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. They utterly destroyed the Temple and the city.

(v.4) Jesus warns us many times to be wise, and not to let false teachers deceive us. This goes for me as well, so do your homework! However, I have this blog, so I will share what I teach my kids, and you can use that as a springboard to look into these things further.

(v.8) Many good teachers that I respect believe we are in the times Jesus speaks about in this verse...the leading up to the Great Tribulation of Israel. We are getting close, but the Rapture will happen before that...at any time! We could be Raptured while I'm typing this! Wouldn't that be awesome?!?

(v.12) I look back on my childhood, and marvel at how simpler and kinder that time was. With technology and the falling away from God in our society, we have become a colder people. We don't hang out in the neighborhood anymore. We don't picnic all day with our neighbors after church on Sundays...we're too busy and self-absorbed. We are getting close to the LORD's return!

(v.15) Now, Jesus shifts forward in time to the actual Tribulation of Israel, and it will be set into super-size mode when the Antichrist blasphemes God in the Temple.

By the way, some of you may ask, "What Temple?" Well, the plans to build it are ready, and all that has to happen, is for what Daniel prophesied in Dan 9:27 to happen. The Antichrist will make a deal with the Muslims and Israel, and the Jews will be allowed to build their Temple again. The Jews are right now ready to go...they have the old blueprints and directions from the Torah!

(v.21) The Tribulation lasts exactly seven years. The Great Tribulation starts halfway through that time...three and a half years. This is when the Antichrist breaks his promise to the Jews, and literally all hell breaks loose on the earth. Fortunately for us in Christ, we will be in heaven watching and waiting to come back with our King!

(v.29) Now Jesus shifts to His return. The Jews will be at their wits end, and it will look like they will be all killed. But their Messiah will return, and He will save them and bring judgment upon the evil doers of Satan!

15 Aug (John 3)

The Gospels: The Messiah & Being Born Again

John 3

(v.3) Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which were the teachers and authority of the Laws in Israel while the Romans ruled the governmental affairs of the people. Nicodemus was supposed to know the things of God, and teach the people, but here, Jesus confronts him with the fact that he should know what being born again is.

Nicodemus flatters Jesus, yet due to his own pride, comes at night and in secret. Jesus hates pride and hypocrisy, so He doesn't hold back His strong words for Nicodemus. Jesus tells him that he must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. 1 Pet 1:23

(v.5) What is being born again? Some say that this verse speaks of water baptism, and spiritual baptism. Well, I must bring up the fact that the thief on the cross who was pronounced saved by Jesus, wasn't water baptized before he died. So this leaves us with the other option...born again is spiritual.

Being born of water is not water baptism, it is being born of your mother. When a baby is about to be born, the mother's water breaks. However, ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we all have a sinful nature. We are all doomed to die in our sins and go to hell, to be permanently separated from God.

What Jesus is saying here, is that we must have a spiritual birth, in order to be saved. This spiritual birth is accomplished when we truly accept Christ for what He did for us on the cross, and we let His Spirit into our lives.

(v.13) Jesus is speaking of Himself here, and He hasn't been crucified and resurrected yet! He could be speaking of these future events, or He also could be speaking of the times He appeared to Abraham, Balaam, and all the others in the Old Testament. We call these appearances a theophany, or a Christophany. Jesus is THE Angel of the LORD that is described so many times in the OT, but let's not forget that Jesus is not an actual angel...the term is used for Him only by giving Him the definite article...Jesus is God, not an angel.

(v.14) We discussed this with our kids in Num 21:9 where God had Moses do something that must have seemed crazy, but God tells us here why He had Moses do that.

(v.16) This is one of the most popular and well known verses in the Bible. I believe it's important that our kids understand this verse well, in order to understand God's plan of redemption.

For God so loved the world...God didn't offer His Son for only the Jews or certain Christians...He offered His Son for all of mankind!

...only begotten Son...Jesus was not created, for the word, begotten, means anointed with authority. Jesus is our authority and He created us to live for Him!

...whoever believes in Him...saying a prayer and occasionally praying to God is not what true belief is...we need to include God in ALL parts of our lives, and in all that we do. If we truly recognize Him as our Lord and our Savior, then we must believe He will guide our lives on a daily basis. It's all about a relationship with God, not an acquaintance with Him.

...should not perish...some believe that those who don't accept Christ will not have any consciousness after they die on earth. I don't believe this is biblical. In Luke 16 Jesus Himself tells us what happens to those that reject Him...they spend eternity in torment, knowing their foolish pride has kept them from enjoying God's presence in heaven.

...everlasting life...living with God for eternity is life...living without God for eternity is hell.

(v.17) The purpose of Jesus' First Coming was to make a way for all of us to be saved. When Jesus comes again at the end of the Great Tribulation, He will come as a judge and conqueror over evil and unbelievers.

(v.18) We are condemned in our sins already, so we must be born again in spirit in order to be saved!

(v.36) John the Baptist summarizes all that the prophets before him exclaimed...that if we believe and understand what God did for us in His Son, then we are saved from eternal torment in hell. But for those that reject Christ, they will live forever in torment...make sure your kids know this...we all have to make our choice individually.

28 Jul (Zechariah 13-14)

Zechariah 13

(v.2) After the Day of the LORD, Jesus will put an end to idol worship once and for all. He will reign for 1,000 years with His people, and they will worship Him!

(v.6) What are these wounds? They are the holes in His wrists that show of His crucifixion! His brothers, and His people betrayed Him, and it all started in the Temple where He was falsely arrested and accused!

(v.7) When Jesus was arrested and crucified, all His disciples (except John) scattered and fled for fear of their lives! It's so neat to see things click with our kids, when they see that Zechariah was writing about the crucifixion of God...hundreds of years before crucifixion was even invented!

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and His wounds and death saved us from death to sin. John 10:11

(v.9) God will judge with fire...for the unbeliever, it will be eternal torment. For the believer, it will refine us and make us beautiful in the Father's eyes! All because of our faith in His Son!

Zechariah 14

(v.3) Jesus will make all the unbelievers fight against Israel, and He will personally fight the battle for them! Take time to stress to your kids that Jesus fights our battles for us every day...if we let Him!

(v.5) ...and the saints with Him...

This is another proof that the Rapture will happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation. We who are His will come with Jesus, but Jesus will do all the work...just like He did all the work for our salvation! 1 Cor 15:23

(v.7) When Jesus returns, the whole universe will be affected...night will seem like day. Many scholars believe this is what Adam and Eve enjoyed while basking in the glow of the LORD in the Garden of Eden.

(v.9) Again, the word for LORD is Elohim...which means one, in the plural...this is the Trinity!

(v.16) During the Millennium, Jesus will oversee the Feasts and the people will observe them with their whole hearts...like it should have been the first time He came. But, God knew that sin had to be vanquished first, so He sent His Son to die for us before He came to take us home! Rom 5:8

22 Jul (Zechariah 1-2)

The book of Zechariah is the most Messianic book of the Old Testament. In case your kids don't know what the word Messianic means, it means it describes the coming Messiah, or Savior...Jesus. Isaiah was the most quoted Messianic book of the OT, but Zechariah is the equivalent of Revelation in the Old Testament.

Zechariah 1

(v.1) Zechariah speaks of a time of repentance...the Day of the LORD. The names in Hebrew here are very telling:

Zechariah = Whom YHWH Remembers

Berechiah = YHWH Blesses

Iddo = The Appointed Time

So if we start from Zechariah's grandfather, and go through his father to himself, we get:

At the appointed time, YHWH blesses whom YHWH remembers.

God will remember His own...those who have faith and trust in Him. However, we must stress to our kids, that God loves all His creation, and He wishes for none to perish. 2 Peter 3:9

God is now dealing with Israel again in the last days...the Great Tribulation, for His Church, His Bride, is in heaven with Him!

(v.3) God pleads with us daily to Return to Me...this is the definition of repentance...to turn back to God and abandon our earthly, sinful ways.

(v.8) As with the book of Revelation, there are deep meanings of this vision that God gave Zechariah. Here are some key points to stress to our kids:

~ At nighttime, when darkness reigns, a Man was standing beside a red horse.

~ Red is symbolic of war and death...the judgment is upon the world. This Man is Jesus Himself, for He is getting reports from the other riders as to the status of the world. Also, Jesus is described in Isaiah 63:1-6 where His robe was red with the blood of the unbelievers.

(v.9) Don't confuse the angel who talked with me, with the Man standing next to the red horse. The angel who talked with Zechariah was an interpreter for him, as he saw the vision.

(v.11) Here again, in the OT, we see the definite article of angel...not an ordinary angel, but THE Angel of the LORD...Jesus in the OT. This is another theophany or Christophany.

(v.12) Zechariah hears Jesus speak to the Father!

(v.13) We don't know what the Father said to the Son, but we see that Jesus tells the angel speaking to Zechariah, that it's a good report...the time for redemption is at hand!

(v.15) We have a bad view of the word, jealous, since we associate it with pride and selfishness. But the Hebrew meaning for this word means devoted...that paints an entirely different picture! Jesus is our Intercessor to the Father, and He is looking out for us! Rom 8:34

(v.17) Jesus confirms His plan for Jerusalem...He has been angry, but He will return and establish peace and righteousness again in the Millennium. Once the Church is raptured, He will again focus on Israel.

Zechariah 2

(v.1) This angels is measuring Jerusalem...this is an angel, not Jesus, for He was giving orders. This angels is acting on orders. Angels were created to worship God, and serve Him by ministering to us! Heb 1:13-14

(v.8) God chose Israel to be the people He would reveal Himself through to the whole world! Therefore, He has a special place in His heart for Israel...they are the Apple of His Eye...they are special to Him.

(v.11) During the Millennium, Israel, and all the peoples from the Gentiles, who believe in God, will be His people. The Church will be in heaven at this time, but we are His as well. As God called Abraham the Father of the Faithful, so are all of us His people if we believe as Abraham did!

(v.12) Judah and Jerusalem is God's land...not the Palestinians' nor the Muslims' land...He gave it to Israel to inhabit, but Jesus purchased that land by His blood!

18 Jul (Daniel 12)

Daniel 12

(v.1) There are three mighty angels, called cherubs, that we know their names:

Michael ~ God's fighting angel

Gabriel ~ God's messenger

Lucifer ~ Considered the head cherub, but fell away by pride

God describes the last days here...Michael will fight Lucifer and his demons, while the Jews will endure the Great Tribulation.

The key to this verse is the Book of Life...those who love and worship God by faith will be in it. Those that don't will face eternal torment for their foolish pride.

(v.2) Everyone who has lived will be resurrected...the faithful and the unbelieving. All will stand before God and give account for their lives. The good news is that those in Christ will be judged in order to receive rewards in heaven, while the unbelievers will face judgment based upon the Law.

I think it's important to hammer home the concept of resurrection. We would not be saved unless Jesus was resurrected...we would be eternally in this sinful state. I remind my kids that after Adam and Eve sinned, God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, in order that they don't eat from the Tree of Life...if they had then, they would have spent eternity in their sinful state. It took the blood of God to wash that away, and to be resurrected into His heavenly body. We will do the same. 1 Cor 15:35-44

It makes more sense to my kids when I remind them that after Jesus was resurrected, His disciples didn't recognize Him at first. There was something different about Him. But after they spent some time with Him, they knew it was Him. This is what will happen with us...we will have our earthly bodies resurrected, and God will give us an immortal body. We will recognize family and friends, but we'll all be slightly different, and able to enjoy more than the four dimensions we experience now!

(v.4) Daniel didn't completely understand all this that God told him, but as history has unfolded, and the current events that line up with prophecy, we have the privilege to see God's Word come to life!

(v.10) We are wise because we have God's wisdom...the more we read and study the Word, the more we'll understand it. When we understand it, we can see God's plan of redemption clearly, and we see His will acting out in our lives.

(v.13) God tells Daniel to not worry about the prophecies, since he will be in the grave by then. But again, God tells Daniel that he will be resurrected in the last days, and then he will understand.

15 Jul (Daniel 9)

Daniel 9

This is one of the most important chapters in the whole Bible! If we understand what God is saying through Daniel, we will understand Revelation and the Gospels so much better!

(v.4) Daniel knows that the 70 years of servitude Jer 29:10 is about to be up, and what does Daniel do knowing that God's Word will happen like always? He prays! Even when we know that God is doing something in our lives we must praise Him and converse with Him in prayer.

(v.6) I point out to my kids that Daniel includes himself in the sinful state of the people, yet, the two men who were given great insight and power were Joseph and Daniel.

(v.21) As we read Daniel's emotional prayer, Gabriel arrives to give Daniel some prophecy from God. As we shall see in the Gospels, it is Gabriel who seems to be the messenger of the Cherubim, while Michael is the fighter.

This should also remind us that God will reveal things to us, if we are in steady and heartfelt prayer.

(v.23) Daniel is called beloved...there are only two individuals called this in the Bible, and they were both given vividly detailed last-days prophecies...Daniel and John. Daniel pens this book and especially this chapter with huge insight, and likewise by John with the book of Revelation.

(v.24) I remind my kids that in Jewish culture, and in the Bible, numbers represent things. The number seven typifies completion, so the seventy years of servitude by the Jews was a result of 70 years of ignoring the sabbath of the land. Lev 25:4

In Jewish culture, a week is not just seven days...they think of things in weeks...weeks of days, weeks of months, weeks of years. So, seventy weeks in this case is meaning seventy times seven years, which is 490 years. We need to look at this in years, not the typical week we in the Western world are used to.

This verse summarizes the total time of redemption for Israel...seventy weeks of years. In the end, Jesus will return and be anointed the Most Holy.

(v.25) The decree or command (depends upon what Bible you have) was by Artaxerxes Longimanus to rebuild the city and Temple on March 14, 445 BC. This started the six and sixty-two weeks of this verse...69 weeks.

Sir Robert Anderson, in 1894, calculated the days until Messiah the Prince comes, was exactly 177,880 days...April 6, 32AD the VERY DAY that Jesus proclaimed Himself King of the Jews and rode into Jerusalem on a donkey! Zech 9:9 and Luke 19:35

I take a moment to let that sink in with my kids...and myself! God had it documented, hundreds of years in advance, that the Persian king would proclaim the city to be rebuilt, and exactly to the day, the day the Messiah would come to save the world! This is exact mathematics, and it is one of many proofs that the Bible was written and inspired by God, since He is outside our time constraints.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem, since they didn't know the VERY DAY that God would provide for them their King. Luke 19:41-44

(v.26) Messiah shall be cut off...the Jewish Scriptures predict that the Messiah will be executed...just as Jesus was!

...but not for Himself...Jesus had to die, and for all of us! The Gospel is written in the Old Testament!

In 70AD, the Romans destroyed the sanctuary (the Temple), but the last part of this verse is considered an interval, since it hasn't happened yet. Much like in Revelation, where there is a pause before the judgement of God. Rev 12:6

This week before the 70th week is known as the Times of the Gentiles, where the Church is on the scene. After the Rapture, God will focus again on Israel, and the 70th week will be fulfilled. The reason for the delay, is that God has a number that He wants to have with Him forever from His Church...when that number is attained, the Rapture will happen, and He will send His Son down to earth again to bring His wrath and judgment!

(v.27) This last week (the 70th week) will be the time of the Tribulation. The Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel, let them build their Temple again, and rule the world by a world government.

Halfway through the seven years, the Antichrist will not let the Jews do their Temple sacrifices and practice their Mosaic laws, and then do blasphemy in the Temple itself. This will bring on the Great Tribulation for the last 3.5 years, and then Jesus will come back.

The more we understand this chapter, the more we will see the book of Revelation, the Gospels, and the whole Bible become clearer! If these things are still fuzzy, I suggest you read more on this, and make sure your kids see that God predicted all this a long time before they happened!

14 Jul (Daniel 8)

Daniel 8

(v.3) For our kids, these animal images can be confusing, and they can miss the point of the prophecy. The ram is symbolic of Persia, since they venerated the ram, and the king of Persia rode out to battle wearing a ram's horns on his head.

The goat represents Greece, which quickly conquered the whole civilized world...that is why he is described as not touching the ground...he flew over the whole area quickly! Also, the goat is the symbol of Greek mythology and astrology...it is Capricorn. God knew that most the world would associate the ram with Persian and the sign Aries, and the goat with Greece for Capricorn.

(v.21) If we study history, we see how accurate this prophecy was! After Alexander conquered the whole known civilized world, he was bored and depressed...he had no one to conquer anymore. He wanted the thrill of conquest, and when that was gone, he died.

The empire was given to Alexander's four generals, who ruled over the four corners of the empire...so the four horns from the one describes them coming from Alexander!

(v.19) We see that the little horn will come at the end of days...it is a symbol of the Antichrist, who will do the Abomination of Desolation...he will do blasphemy in the Holy of Holies of the Temple. This will trigger the return of Christ.

(v.25) The Antichrist will trick the foolish masses to believe that he is god, and lead them to their doom. He will say he is the christ, and those who don't know God, will be fooled.

With what is going on in the world today, where people trust the United Nations to secure peace for the world, they will be disappointed. Those who don't know the Prince of Peace, will seek someone who will tell them what they want to hear...they want to hear that they have peace and safety, when destruction is really around the corner. 1 Thes 5:3

The Prince of princes is Jesus, and He will destroy the Antichrist and satan by Himself. Rev 19:20

(v.27) Daniel was feeling terrible, since he was shown the destruction and misery of the last days...all because so many people refused to obey and worship God. Also, notice that he didn't understand the vision...not until today, can we see prophecy come alive in the evening news!

Try to imagine if we were Daniel, where we were seeing future kingdoms and empires, with the Antichrist and God Himself...it must have seemed a little cloudy, but I'm sure Daniel knew that God was speaking to him for our sake...so we can know the season of His return! 1 Thes 5:4

One thing I stress with my kids, is that the whole Bible speaks of one thing...Jesus performing the work of redemption for His own, and His wrath and judgment upon those who reject Him.

I take time to show my kids that prophecies in the Old Testament are mirrored and fulfilled in the New Testament...they work together as one book!

9 Jul (Daniel 3)

Daniel 3

(v.1) The root of Nebby's pride may have been from a revolt in 596 B.C. so he made this image to require the people to decide who's side they're on. About 20 years have passed since Nebby had Daniel interpret his dream...time allows us to forget God and what we should hold onto.

(v.13) Jews were forbidden to bow before any image in Exo 20:4, Lev 26:1 and Deu 16:22

(v.15) I point out to my kids that Nebby liked Daniel and his three friends, so he gave them a second chance...they were favored in his eyes. Also, notice what Nebby says here:

And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?

Remember this for later in the chapter, for Nebby himself will answer his own question!

(v.18) This is key to the Christian faith...God can get us out of any situation...it just depends upon His purposes and His will, to determine whether we are spared or not. It's hard for all of us to understand sometimes, especially kids, when someone who is faithful is hurt or killed. We as parents need to focus on the goodness of God, and that He sees the big picture...someone may be touched eternally towards salvation by the misfortune of a faithful saint.

(v.25) I suggest you take time to explain a few key elements to this verse:

~ The fire only burned the ropes that bound them...God's eternal fire frees those who are His

~ Take a quick look at Rev 7 where God seals or protects the 144,000 Jews...remember that Daniel is a type of the Church, and he is absent (like the Rapture of the Church after Rev 3) and God will protect His elect during the Tribulation (like Daniel's three friends who are a type of Israel).

~ There was a fourth person there...Jesus Himself! Even Nebby sees that this "man" was like the Son of God...that's because He is!!!

(v.27) As in Rev 7 there are the faithful Jews who are sealed and protected from harm in order to fulfill God's purposes. Daniel's friends are symbolic of Israel in the last days...those that are sealed by God will be free to preach the Gospel and fear nothing.

One thing you can ask your kids, is where is Daniel at this time? He is never mentioned in this chapter.

If we understand the last days, then the model fits...Daniel represents the Church that has been raptured, while God seals the faithful Jews during the time of the Great Tribulation. God has removed His Church from the scene, and goes back to focus on the redemption of Israel.

4 Jul (Ezekiel 36-39)

Ezekiel 36

(v.19) This is exciting to point out to our kids...prophecy that was fulfilled in recent history! On May 17, 1948, Israel became a nation again...the only nation in history to established, be destroyed, then formed again! I don't think that is a coincidence...God was at work!

God prophesied that He would scatter the remnant of Jews throughout the world, to live amongst the Gentiles. He said they would be persecuted for a time. But one day, He would bring them back to His land...Israel.

(v.22) God didn't do this because the Jews were any more special than anyone else, but God had made a promise to work through them. They are His people, and He had them return to Jerusalem for His honor, His name's sake.

(v.24) In WW2, Jews were hated throughout all of the Middle East, all of Europe, and the USA refused to take refugees who wanted to escape Hitler's persecutions in the 1930's. God set it all up to have the world give them back their land.

Ezekiel 37

(v.11) Often, God gives us a prophecy in the form of a metaphor, but He explains His prophecy in this verse...the bones are the house of Israel. This is the prediction that Israel would become a nation again! In May of 1948, that became a reality!

(vv.21-22) God did this in 1948, but we must be careful when currently we are trying to divide Jerusalem. Not only is Jerusalem the true capital of Israel, but it's the Jew's land, not the Palestinians. As I noted before, the Palestinians have been nomads, and never had a true homeland. Most of them are what we would call Jordanians now, and history proves that the land was always Israel's.

Ezekiel 38

Here we read of a group of nations that conspire to attack Israel in order to wipe it off the face of the earth. Some of the names are foreign to us, but if we look at all the names and their current locations, then we see that they all have one thing in common...they are all Muslim.

Magog is an ancient name for the people of the north (in modern day Russia) and Gog is their leader. We see in Jeremiah 50 that Gog appears 1,000 years apart in history. This is a sign that Satan is behind all this, and Gog is either Satan himself, or one of his puppets.

If we look at modern history, we know that the whole southern parts of Russia are Muslim. They will be drawn to attack Israel, and other Muslim countries like Iran, Turkey and Libya will join these Muslim Russian armies.

Scholars believe this is the final battle before Jesus returns to save Israel. But what about the nations of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia? Have they decided that Israel is their friend? Hardly. It is believed that in Psalm 83 it speaks of a battle that could happen very soon, that Israel conquers these armies and gains immense land mass. It is because of this, that these outer Muslim countries feel compelled to fight Israel to wipe them out as described in Eze 38 & 39.

(v.20) Jesus will cause a great earthquake to "shake up" Israel's enemies in the Magog invasion, and He will save Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Ezekiel 39

(v.6) After Jesus makes the earthquake rattle the enemy troops, and they turn on each other, the survivors will have fire rain down on them.

(v.9) Scholars believe that this might be an illusion to the use of nuclear weapons, that are used for fuel for seven years.

So to summarize, we see the immediate neighbors of Israel (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan) not in this final battle. If we read Psalm 83 this may give us a clue as to why they aren't in the fight...they may already have been defeated by Israel. If we look at current events today, with Iran seeking nuclear weapons, then Israel may have to strike, then these other countries will undoubtedly strike back. Israel will ultimately win, and gain immense land with lots of oil. They will be secure and wealthy.

Then, sometime later, the outer Muslim countries (Russia, Turkey, Libya) will join to fight Israel. This is when God Himself will physically come back and save Israel, as we read all over the Bible.

There is so much to learn here, but this should be a start for you and your kids to study more.

27 June (Ezekiel 5-8)

Ezekiel 5

(v.2) First of all, in that time and that culture, a man who shaved his beard was very rare. Ezekiel must have looked weird to most people!

God's imagery here is prophetic...one third of the people will die in the fire and siege of Jerusalem. Another third will die by the sword, and the last third will be taken away from the land and scattered.

(v.7) Not only were the people of Israel blessed to have God reveal Himself to them, but they were blessed to have Him care for them as their Father. One would think that they would at least have some respect and gratitude, but they were more wicked than the pagan people all around them!

(v.8) God is patient, but He is also just. He pleaded with Israel and Judah to come back to Him, but they would not. So, just like those we know today that reject Him, they will have judgment come upon them for their own decision.

Ezekiel 6

(v.3) All the pagan people would put their pagan altars on the tops of hills, so everyone could see them. This was a great offense to God, and we do that today with our wicked billboards and big screens at ballgames that profess things of this world.

The only One who should be lifted high is Jesus!!!

(v.8) God always leaves a remnant, so His plan of redemption could be fulfilled. With all of Satan's attempts to wipe out the Jews over the centuries, there was always a remnant who survived and later flourished.

Ezekiel 7

(v.3) God is speaking of the last days here, where those who rejected Him will be judged according to the Law, and their own sins. We who gave our lives to Christ will be judged, but only for rewards...not to damnation.

(v.27) As the Apostle Paul tells us in Rom 7:7 we only are aware of sin because of the Law. Until Christ died for us, we were all doomed to hell by our sinful natures. However, since the blood of the Lamb of God washes away our sins, we won't be judged by the Law, but forgiven by our faith!

Ezekiel 8

(v.12) It seems silly that people could actually think that God couldn't see their sins, but we do this every day ourselves! We may not think He can't see them, but we do them without thinking of Him seeing them. What I mean is, we sin because we think we're good people, when EVERY SIN is an offense to God. We will be more like Christ if we stop and think of Him looking directly at us when we're about to sin...that would stop us in our tracks!

(v.14) Tammuz is the son of Nimrod and Semiramis, and the prototype of the Antichrist. As John describes Nimrod in Rev 6:8 who is the first and the last satanic world leader who will bring death and destruction to the world.

Do a study on Semiramis and Tammuz, and your skin will crawl, seeing the Babylonian pagan practices that have been adopted by the Catholic Church and other denominations. Don't trust me...look for yourself. In order for us to understand Revelation, we need to know the Old Testament first!

21 June (Jeremiah 26-30)

Jeremiah 26

(v.2) We often hear people say that they want only to hear the "good" things in the Bible, and not hear about sin and hell. That is only a fraction of the Word, and here God is showing us by telling Jeremiah, that he should not leave out a word...give it to them straight. In fact, we can only truly appreciate what Jesus did for us, if we realize how sinful and doomed we are without Him!

(v.11) This is common among the lost...they condemn those who preach the Word, and preach repentance. The people in darkness don't want to be exposed by the light. John 1:5

Jeremiah 27

(v.6) God puts the people into power for His purposes. We often wonder why we get bad leaders, well, it's probably because we deserve them, and also, God uses them to wake us up!

(v.16) Beware of people who contradict what the LORD says in His Word. Satan's biggest and most successful trick, is to use supposed "holy" leaders to lead people away from Jesus. If your church or leader of the church is preaching anything other than what is taught in the Bible, even though it seems "nice" you should look for a different church. The Apostle Paul didn't sugar coat his teachings...he gave them the truth, and people either loved it or hated it. It's not our job to "win" people to Christ...it's our job to plant the seeds of the Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

Jeremiah 28

False prophets are our biggest danger...Jesus told us many times to not be deceived. God's Word is true, and it doesn't need any support. There is no need for another Gospel, or another book to support the Bible. Even worse, it's blasphemous to have a book that is considered equal to the Bible, or greater! If you're in a church that does this, pray and seek the LORD's guidance...He will put you in a church that teaches His Word!

Jeremiah 29

(v.15) Jeremiah confirms that God raised up prophets while in captivity in Babylon...Daniel and his friends!

(v.29) Those that teach false things will suffer in the end. I run the risk of this myself with this blog! However, I must say again, that anything I post here should be checked out and compared to God's Word. Prayer and Scripture should support what I write. If not, then disregard and show me in God's Word where I made a mistake. Believe me, if I say something wrong, I want to be corrected!!!

Jeremiah 30

(v.7) The Time of Jacob's Trouble is the Great Tribulation. As we read here, men will be so scared, they will soil themselves! My kids find that funny!

(v.11) God describes the future of the Jews...they will be punished for their rebellion, and for their eventual rejection of their Messiah. They will be killed and persecuted in great numbers, but God will always have a remnant...a small fraction that will live on. We have seen this play out with Moses in the basket, Esther saving the Jews from Haman, Joseph taking Jesus to Egypt when Herod tried to kill all the Jewish boys. And we saw it in a massive scale in WW2, where Hitler and the Nazis murdered a great percentage of the Jews, but not all of them!

(v.22) One day, after the Prince of Peace returns, all of Israel's iniquities will be washed away, and Jesus will rule them in peace and prosperity...in the Millennium!

12 June (Isaiah 59-62)

Isaiah 59

(v.2) The main difference between heaven and hell will be that hell is the permanent separation from God. I believe it will be an eternal torment to catch a glimpse of what people would've had if they followed Jesus, and spend eternity knowing they made the wrong choice.

(v.8) Whoever chooses to reject God will never find peace. They will spend eternity without it. I explain to my kids, that if they imagine the worst injury they've had, and imagine that the pain will NEVER go away like it does in our God-made bodies now...then they might get an idea of what the eternal torment is like.

(v.16) God had to resolve our sinful nature Himself...there was no person who was completely innocent that could atone for our sins. Only the innocent blood of Jesus washes away our sin!

Isaiah 60

(v.2) Isaiah is describing the Great Tribulation that will befall Israel for half of the seven year tribulation period. But God will save them, and when Jesus has claimed His throne (the throne of David), He will reign for 1,000 years, called the Millennium. This is the time that God will bless Israel again, and the whole world will look to Israel for light.

(v.19) Just like when God created the earth in the beginning, His light will be sufficient for everything!

Isaiah 61

(v.1) This is written as if Jesus is saying it Himself. Here we see that Jesus' first coming was to give hope to the poor and brokenhearted, but most of all, to conquer sin and death. When He comes the second time, He will come in judgment, and call His own home to Him in heaven, and throw the wicked away.

(v.9) Ever since the time of Abraham, to the Crusades, to the Concentration Camps of WW2, and the immense anti-semitism rampant in the world now, finally the Jews will be looked upon with respect by the world. They won't have to give way to some power that is persecuting them...they will stand tall and bask in the love and provision of the LORD!

Isaiah 62

(v.5) The customs of the Jewish wedding are so much like the Groom (Jesus) and His Bride (the Church). Do a study on this and you will be amazed at how they match perfectly!

(v.11) After God raptures His Church, He will focus on Israel again, and save them from themselves and their enemies. They will be exalted and saved by God, and He will be joyful in blessing them again!

2 June (Isaiah 21-30)

Isaiah 21

(v.9) Babylon is fallen reminds me of Rev 14 & 18 where God destroys the beginning of pride and sin...Babylon. Isaiah is telling of what John sees later, the Day of the LORD!


Isaiah 22

(v.4) Just like the people of Jerusalem, we Americans are content and oblivious to God's impending wrath. Ignorance does that. Like Isaiah, we need to warn the lost, and encourage the faithful to be prepared for the worst, and pray for protection.

(v.13) If we don't take God seriously, we will be caught unaware of His coming. Now, Jesus said that we won't know the day or the hour of His coming (Matt 24:36), but if we know our Bible, then we'll see that His coming is soon by the warnings and signs He told us about.

Isaiah 23

(v.9) God hates pride...that is what brought Lucifer to want to be a god, and that is what makes us try to do things our own way, instead of God's ways. Pride is the root of all sin.

Isaiah 24

This whole chapter is about surviving the Great Tribulation, but only by God's grace would anyone survive. There are different beliefs as to when the Rapture will happen, before, during or at the end of the Great Tribulation. I believe Scripture assures us that Jesus will call home His Bride BEFORE the Tribulation. That could be any time, so prepare your soul and your faith instead of food and supplies.

Isaiah 25

(v.8) When we are in heaven, God will wipe away our tears and we will experience pain and sadness no more. I believe that there may be a short time where when we are judged at the Bema Seat of Christ, we will see all the opportunities to reach out to the lost that we missed. We will be ashamed and saddened, but then Jesus will wipe away our tears, and say, Well done, good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your LORD! Matt 25:21

Isaiah 26

(v.3) Like in Prov 3:5-6 we see that peace comes from trust in the LORD. We have peace in this life if we KNOW that He is in charge, and we know where we're going to be when it's all said and done!

Isaiah 27

(v.6) When Israel came back into the land in the 19th century and became a nation again in the middle of the 20th century, most of the land was barren desert. But God started to bless His people, and rainfall increased exponentially! Now, we see many beautiful areas of Israel, and it's one of the leading farming suppliers in the world!

Isaiah 28

(v.16) Jesus is the cornerstone...He is the foundation of all that is important!

Isaiah 29

(v.13) I teach my kids to be in fellowship with God...to seek Him and let Him work in their lives. It's no good to talk a good game but not have our hearts in it. We need to be real, and let Him work through us to love and serve others.

Isaiah 30

(v.10) I know people who don't want to think about God or the big important questions in life. Here Isaiah is showing us that people don't want to face the hard truth...they would rather live in a lie than face truth. This is sad, and we need to keep showing them God's love before it's too late.

1 June (Isaiah 15-20)

Isaiah 15

(v.2) In Hebrew culture at that time, a man displayed his maturity by letting his hair be long, and have a flowing beard. When they had a family member die, they would shave their heads and beards to let everyone know that they are in a mourning time. They would let their hair grow during the mourning time...usually for a number of months, then shave it again to let everyone know that they're done mourning.

I joke with my kids that today, when we see bald men, it doesn't mean they're mourning, unless they're mourning the loss of their hair!

Isaiah 16

(v.5) Jesus is a descendant of David, and as God told Mary when she was pregnant, that her Son would sit on the throne of David. When Jesus was on the earth, there was no throne of David, for it had been destroyed by the Babylonians and Romans. Jesus will rule and reign for 1,000 years in the new Temple, most likely sitting on the Mercy Seat that covers the Ark of the Covenant.

There will be a terrible time in the world that history has never come close to. Imagine that, with the world wars and major calamities that have happened throughout history, nothing will come close to the events describing the Great Tribulation.

Jesus will stop it, and establish peace, justice and mercy on all the people...Hallelujah!

Isaiah 17

(v.1) This is a key verse...Damascus is the oldest city to be still with the same name. With what is going on in the Middle East, we see Syria helping Iran and Israel's neighbors with arms and missles. I believe that one day soon, Damascus will be wiped out for her work against Israel, and like the Scripture says, it will be a ruinous heap. This may happen from a nuclear blast, or since there are scores of ammo storehouses, it may just be a powder keg waiting to erupt.

(v.7) When all is said and done, we all will face God. Those of us who have believed and followed Christ, will have judgement, but only to burn away our unholiness. We will be rewarded on the Bema Seat of Christ, which is like the Olympic medal stand. We may have nothing left but our faith after it goes through the fire, but our faith is what will get us through to salvation and heaven.

For those that rejected God, or didn't take Him seriously, they will face the Father in the Great White Throne of Judgement, and they will be speechless. They will have their lives displayed, and they will have nothing to show for what they did for Christ's sake. We need to keep trying to plant seeds so the Spirit can bring the lost to God.

Isaiah 18

Ethiopia has a big role to play in the end times. Many scholars believe that they currently hold the Ark of the Covenant, and it's their job to present it to Jesus when He returns.

If we look at Acts 8 we see that God has Philip go to the desert to speak to an Ethiopian man. This man is a eunuch, and has an entourage with him. The man is reading Isaiah 53 which is the best Scripture describing the Messiah other than the Gospels. He doesn't understand, though, and Philip explains to him that the Messiah had to first die for our sins, then He will come back as the King.

It is believed that this Eunuch heard what Jesus was doing in Galilee and the area, and he thought that it was time to present the Ark to God. The link below is a good read to know more of what I think is the best possibility of where the Ark is today, and what it's purpose will be in the last days.

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=68

Isaiah 19

(v.6) Isaiah predicted this thousands of years before it happened...in Egypt, they erected the Aswan Dam with the idea that it would prevent the Nile from flooding the area. It accomplished that, but it also didn't allow for the salt in the water to go to the sea, and it seeped into the farmlands and ruined the crops.

This is a verse that the environmentalists and Christians can agree on!

(v.12) If we look at all other "holy" books of different faiths, we can easily see that their predictions have been false. Only the Bible has been 100% accurate so far, so why would we doubt that it won't be absolutely accurate for the end times? We have not "outgrown" the Bible, since God thought of everything before He created the universe!

Be careful of following man's wisdom or predictions...search the Scriptures yourself Acts 17:11 and know what God says...not what man says...including me!

Isaiah 20

My kids get a kick out of this chapter, for the Egyptians and Ethiopians are shamed by having to expose their buttocks! I'm kind of silly, so I act it out for them, and they laugh! It may seem silly for God to have this in His Scriptures, but it's all there for a reason. We can't escape God.