Thoughts

What does Imminent Really Mean?

September 2, 2018 By sonserver Leave a Comment

The Return of Christ is Imminent

What does that mean? Was the return of Christ imminent for the apostles right after the ascension? Such a statement just doesn’t sound right. If asked, many people will say they believe the return of Christ is imminent, which they’ll explain as meaning that He can return at any moment. But is this an accurate usage of the word based on its definition?

Imminent can mean ‘about to happen’, but the return of Christ wasn’t about to happen right after His ascension, so this definition cannot be rigidly applied.

Imminent can also mean impending, close (at hand), near, (fast) approaching, coming, forthcoming, on the way, in the offing, in the pipeline, on the horizon, in the air, just around the corner, expected, anticipated, brewing, looming, threatening, menacing, or overhanging.

In consideration of these synonyms, it appears that a better choice of definitions might be ‘fast approaching’, impending, on the way, or expected.

None of these definitions are constrained by the idea that an event can happen at ‘any moment’, but do suggest an event that is approaching on God’s timeline which will happen at a specific time of His choosing.

But no man knows the day or the hour!

While I agree with this statement in a general sense, I don’t think most people understand what it really means.

The popular retort to the topic of the timing of Jesus’ return refers to Matthew 24:36,

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”?

and Mark 13:32,

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

But what day or hour was Jesus talking about? Was He talking about the day when heaven and earth would pass away which is described in the verse immediately preceding Matthew 24:36? Or was He talking about the Rapture or even the Second Coming? It’s interesting to note that in the original texts there was no separation of paragraphs as there is between Matthew 24:35 and Matthew 24:36 in Bibles today. Can the context be changed by separating two sentences with a paragraph break where there shouldn’t be one? It would appear so. While I’m not suggesting that anyone should be dogmatic about this alternate interpretation that results by removing the paragraph break, I do think it is worthy of consideration.

But wait, there’s more…you’ve probably noticed that Mark 13:32 excludes the son from knowing ‘the day or the hour’. More than a few people struggle with this since Jesus is God in the flesh and God is all-knowing, so how could Jesus not know the day or the hour? One explanation is that Jesus was fully man and fully God and in his human nature wasn’t able to ‘know’. Another explanation that this verse is allegorical and symbolic of the traditional Jewish wedding betrothal and wedding. The son labors at constructing a room addition to his father’s house for his bride. It is the father who decides when the room is complete and satisfactory before he tells the son to go and fetch his bride.

Hence we read in John 14:2,

“In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

So in an allegorical sense, Jesus/Yeshua is the Groom, the Church is His Bride, and only the Father decides when it is time for the Son to bring His Bride home.

The Scientific critique of attempting to put the timing of Jesus’ return on the Calendar

Let’s assume for a moment that it is true that at the moment of Creation God set his own celestial clock into being. He ordained the balance of the Universe and the timing of the planetary orbits around the Sun. He established a method of measuring time by years and seasons based on the number of days required for the Earth to orbit the Sun with a day being the time required for the Earth to complete a revolution on its own axis.

It has already been established in Leviticus 23 that God ordained seven special ‘Feasts’, known as ‘moedim’ in Hebrew. The word ‘moedim’ is more accurately translated as ‘appointed times’ since not all of these appointed times involved an actual ‘feast’. It’s not a matter of debate, we factually know from what is written in the Bible that the first four appointed times or appointments in God’s calendar were kept by Jesus/Yeshua to the very day. He was not late.

Jesus/Yeshua died on Passover, which is the first moed or appointed time. ( Lev. 23:4 )
Jesus/Yeshua’s sinless body was entombed on the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is the second moed. ( Lev. 23:6 )
Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits, which is the third moed. ( Lev. 23:9 )
The Holy Spirit came down from above on Pentecost or The Feast of Weeks, which is the fourth moed. ( Lev. 23:15 )The last three of the seven moed have not yet been correlated with any specific past events which involve Jesus/Yeshua which suggests that these appointments are still pending. If the pattern persists of Jesus/Yeshua not being late in keeping his first four appointments then it is reasonable to expect that he will not be late in keeping the last three appointments.
The Feast of Trumpets ( Lev. 23:23 )
The Day of Atonement ( Lev. 23:36 )
The Feast of Tabernacles ( Lev. 23:33 )

But what are the last three moed about? How can they be related to upcoming events involving Jesus? Why is there such a big gap in time between when the Holy Spirit came down and today? Questions like these are best answered by looking to Biblical Prophecy.

(more will be said on these three topics later)

The Feast of Trumpets is associated with the Rapture. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16 )

The Day of Atonement is associated with repentance, redemption, and reconciliation. ( John 19:37 )

The Feast of Tabernacles is associated with God’s people dwelling with Him forever. (Psalm 27:4, John 14:2, )

The large gap in time between Pentecost and today is a dispensation. A dispensation is simply a smaller period of time which results from dividing a larger period of time. The names most commonly applied to this particular dispensation that we are currently in are The Age of Grace or the Church Age.

From a scientific point of view, there are 24 different time zones in the world. At any given moment the sun is setting in one part of the world while it is rising in another. For a small window of time each day, it is actually possible to have three different calendar days in effect based on the time zones and the International Date Line. Yes, it can simultaneously be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on planet Earth. So this is one scientific explanation for why it can not be possible to know the ‘day’ or the ‘hour’ of Christ’s return.

Regarding the Day of the Lord

In 2 Peter 3 we read that the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance…

what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…

be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace…

I have to wonder if Paul’s description of the Lord not being slow in 2 Peter 3 might also be referring to His punctuality and established history of being right on time for His appointments? It would be easy to understand how one might think the Lord was slow when considering that the length of time for this dispensation or Age of Grace is nearly 2,000 years already, but as Paul also points out in 2 Peter 3:8,

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

So 2,000 years is only two days to the Lord. Think about this. 4,000 years can be accounted for by adding the years from Adam to Jesus. 2,000 years can be accounted for by adding the years from Jesus to this day, making a total of 6,000 years which have come and gone. What comes after the sixth day? The seventh day of course. What did God proclaim the seventh day to be but the Day of Rest, or the Sabbath. How long is Jesus’ reign on Earth after His Second Coming? The answer, found in Revelation 20, is 1,000 years which would account for the seventh day. So by simply accounting for the summation of years based on Biblical history it’s easy to see that we are on the threshold of the seventh day right now. Jesus/Yeshua come quick.

Below are several other verses which relate to Jesus’ coming:

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

-Matthew 24:42-44

“The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know.”

-Matthew 24:50

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

-Matthew 25:13

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

-Mark 13:32-37

“You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

-Luke 12:40

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

-Philippians 3:20

“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

-1 Thessalonians 5:2

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

-Hebrews 10:24-25

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

-James 5:7-9

“The end of all things is at hand.”

-1 Peter 4:7

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and all the works done on it will be exposed.”

-2 Peter 3:10

“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.”

-Revelation 1:3

“And behold, I am coming soon.”

-Revelation 22:7

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”

-Revelation 22:12

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

-Revelation 22:20

Many have asked, “So what about date setters? Are people wrong to try and figure out when Jesus will return?”

If there is a Bible passage which forbids trying to figure out the timing of the Lord’s return I’d like to see it.

On the contrary, a crown of righteousness is promised to those who yearn for his appearing.

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

-2 Timothy 4:8

and

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

-Titus 2:13

So what are the key takeaways from all of the verses above?

Be ready
Be watching
Be looking
Expect him
See the Day drawing near
Be patient

Rapture Trends

November 29, 2017 By sonserver Leave a Comment

Ever wonder what the most popular web searches are for any given day or what has been trending?

Google Trends is a site that will give you an idea of how popular a particular search has been.

As an example, click here for a 12-month view of what the trend line for searches on ‘Rapture’ looks like.

As of the date of this post, Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia are the top countries for which searches on the Rapture have originated. Makes one wonder what is happening there.

It’s also clear that interest in the subject spiked sharply right around the date of the September 23, 2017 Revelation 12 Sign.

Some of the most common questions searched are:

When will the world end?
When is the rapture?
Can you be saved after the rapture?
Scripture on the rapture?
What happens after the rapture?
Where is the rapture mentioned in the Bible?

What’s the Big Deal about September 23rd 2017?

September 17, 2017 By sonserver Leave a Comment

A summary of what I find to be most interesting about the latest “Jesus is Coming Back Soon” movement. I can’t help it, I’m fascinated by this stuff.

It’s challenging to accurately define this phenomenon of excitement and controversy which surrounds an upcoming astronomical alignment that involves the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Is it a movement? I don’t like that choice of word, but I’m unable to think of a better word to describe it.

Here is a bullet list of what makes this so different from the list of other failed predictions of when Jesus would be returning.

1. There is no one church promoting the idea that the upcoming astronomical alignment on 9/23/2017 matches a literal reading of Revelation 12:1-2

2. The alignment does happen on Feast of Trumpets, which is the ‘appointed time’ or ‘holy feast day’ most commonly associated with the Rapture of the Church. Jesus is a Jew. The Jews observe the beginning of the new day at Sunset, not Sunrise. Feast of Trumpets is celebrated for two days. From sunset 9/21 to sunset 9/23 equals two days. The alignment is happening all day on 9/23.

3. There is no single charismatic teacher or leader or 'prophet' who is responsible for the narrative surrounding the Revelation 12 Sign which has developed over the course of the last three or four years.

4. Unlike all other ‘predictions’, this was not derived by someone’s unique method of calculation using Biblical dates and date spans.

5. The alignment of the Sun, Moon and Stars on this date has been pre-determined since Creation.

6. The ability for the everyday people like you and me to even know that this alignment would be happening on this date has only been around for a little more than 10 years, due in large part to the Internet developing into a global distribution channel for not just ideas and information, but for amazing tools like the Stellarium astronomy software. Knowledge has increased.

7. Despite what some critics say, this has nothing to do with Astrology which is fortune telling, it’s more accurately defined as Biblical Astronomy which is supported by over a hundred verses from the Bible, but most people don’t read the Bible often enough to know that, and it is a rather thick book so it takes a determined effort to pull information on a specific topic. Thanks again to tools on the Internet like BlueLetterBible.org it’s much easier than it used to be. Knowledge has increased.

8. The topic is incredibly divisive. For many people, it is too difficult a thing to objectively investigate the claims and not allow their emotions to influence their opinions. This only peaks my curiosity in the matter that much more.

9. Despite what some critics say, there hasn’t been an astronomical alignment as similar to this one since August 5th, -3915 B.C. … that’s almost 6,000 years ago, so yes, you could say it’s pretty rare.

10. The symbolism attributed to the elements of this alignment is rather amazing.

a. Virgo the Virgin is the first sign in the Mazzaroth (the Biblical equivalent of the zodiac); so Virgo is the Alef or the Alpha in the Mazzaroth. Jesus came into the world through Mary, the Blessed Virgin.

b. Leo is the last sign in the Mazzaroth; Leo is the Tav or the Omega in the Mazzaroth. Jesus will return to the world as the righteous, conquering Messiah, the Lion of Judah.

c. The planet Jupiter is known by many cultures as ‘The King Planet’.

d. The Hebrew name for the planet Jupiter is ‘Tzedek’ which means ‘Righteousness’

e. The physical appearance of Tzedeq or Jupiter matches Isaiah 53; stripes, a pierced side, and even a crown of thorns as represented by the aurora borealis electrical storm.

f. Beginning in November of 2016, Tzedeq or Jupiter went into retrograde within Virgo’s womb area for a period of a total of 9 months, 2 weeks and 6 days before beginning to exit from between her legs on 9/10/2017 . This period of time is equivalent to normal gestation for a human child. Retrograde is an astronomy term used to describe the apparent back and forth movement of a planet when it appears to not be continuing it’s path across the sky.

g. The brightest star in the constellation Leo is named Regulus, which means ‘The King Maker’, and was part of a conjunction on Sept. 11th, 3 B.C. involving Jupiter which would have made for the brightest object ever seen in the night skies. Bethlehem Star anybody?

h. Mercury is considered the ‘messenger’, and this month went into retrograde, circling around Regulus three times, as if announcing “The King is coming. The King is coming. The King is coming.”

i. Jesus described Himself as “The Bright Morning Star” in Revelation 22:16. The planet Venus is known as ‘the morning star’. On September 23, the day begins with Venus rising above the eastern horizon before sunrise in the constellation Leo, leading the way for the rest of the Revelation 12 Sign alignment until sunset, as the day changes from today to tomorrow. No one knows the day or the hour.

11. On the Jewish calendar, this is the year 5777. It is common practice to drop the first number as a form of shorthand, so it’s the year 777, which is considered to be God’s number, or perfection times 3. The Jewish new year happens on Rosh Hashanah, which coincides with Feast of Trumpets,

12. The Blood Moons. I won’t go into detail in this article…but a connection has been made between the interval of days between each Blood Moon and 09/23/2017 that defies all probabilities.

13. Incidental Date Spans : I won’t go into detail in this article …but after the discovery of the Revelation 12 Sign, date spans of 120, 100, 70, and 50 years exactly have been identified as being related to how a Biblical generation is defined, and Jubilee years.

14. A new corporate ‘born again’ theory …I won’t go into detail in this article, but a new view of what it means for the corporate Church (the body) to be ‘born again’ has developed which makes a lot of sense.

15. Take a look at how Isaiah 66 dovetails with the depiction of the woman giving birth in Revelation 12… how unusual that the woman gives birth BEFORE her labor pains (Tribulation). Who has ever heard of such a thing? This verse is being looked at in a new way, as a picture of the Church being born from Israel before the Tribulation begins. Focus on the word ‘goyim’ in the original Hebrew. Who are the goyim? Aren't they everybody but the Jews?

16. Hark the herald angels sing’ song > Note to self… revisit these lyrics in light of the Revelation 12 narrative, there appears to be something interesting here. "Glory to the newborn King! (Glory: Psalm 19)

In summary, here’s where I still stand on the Revelation 12 Sign:

Q: will September 23, 2017 be the ‘End of the World’ ?
A: No.

Q: Will the Church be Raptured on or around that day?
A: I really don’t know.

Q: Is this Revelation 12 stuff really worthy of so much attention?
A: Because of how different it is, I think it’s worth serious, objective consideration.

Q: Is it possible Sept. 23rd will come and go and nothing at all will happen?
A: Yes … but "What if… What if they are right this time?"

Because that day is coming and it's closer than it ever has been.

Searching for TRUTH : The Revelation 12 Sign

September 15, 2017 By sonserver Leave a Comment

When searching for TRUTH, no matter what the topic is, one must remain objective and consider all possibilities without allowing one’s pre-existing prejudices, pre-conceptions and bias to potentially steer the investigation in the wrong direction leading to false conclusions. This approach applies equally to science, criminal investigations and even riddles.

It’s possible that you haven’t yet heard, or haven’t heard much about it, but hundreds of thousands of people already know that something very specific is going to happen next week which could affect you, me and everyone else on the planet. I say ‘could’ affect because I don’t know for sure, but as someone who is searching for truth I need to remain committed to objectivity and consider that the possibility exists. However, as I stated yesterday, just because a large group of people believe something to be true, it doesn’t make it true…it either is or it is not. In this case, the size of the group is relatively small, even if the number in the hundreds of thousands, but the arguments and reasoning behind their theory or interpretations are solid enough that they shouldn’t be simply laughed off or casually dismissed… to do so might be considered the folly of half-hearted truth seeker.

I’m willing to talk about a topic that most people I know won’t even touch today. It’s the people who I don’t know personally who aren’t afraid to talk about it. The topic I'm referring to is:

Is Jesus coming back soon?

I can almost hear some of you laughing right now. Regardless, many people think so, perhaps more than ever. Some people don't care. Some people question whether He ever existed, or say that if He did, He was just a man, and a “good teacher”. The Bible, which is a collection of 66 different books penned by 40 different authors, quotes Jesus as saying that there would be signs in the sky involving the Sun, Moon and Stars which would herald His return in the Last Days (see Luke 21). As an example, let’s recall the story from over 2,000 years ago which tells of a bright star in the sky which the wise men in the east followed as a sign of the birth of a new king, the baby Jesus. With the aid of a free but rather amazing astronomy software package called Stellarium, we now know that this star was most likely the conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo on September 11, 3 B.C. This conjunction would have been the brightest object ever seen in they sky ever since.

It's interesting to note that the meaning of the star’s name 'Regulus' means 'The King Maker'. As it just so happens, on this upcoming September 23, 2017 there will be nine stars and three planets that are going to align in the sky, involving two particular constellations, late in the day just before sunset, as seen from Jerusalem. The alignment is unique, despite what some critics say, as it’s been 5,932 years since anything closely resembling this astronomical alignment has happened. The alignment is being called ‘The Revelation 12 Sign’, as it matches a literal reading of the first few verses of chapter twelve in the last book of the Bible. Revelation 12:1-6 reads as follows:

"Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days."

(Revelation 12:1-6)

For the last three years I’ve been fascinated by the developing story behind the upcoming Revelation 12 Sign and have found myself drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Hands down it’s the most divisive yet compelling theory behind the return of Jesus that I’ve ever encountered. And for the record, I've never been the least bit swayed by any of the previous predictions. The Revelation 12 Sign is so divisive that it causes some Christians and non-Christians alike to become quite defensive or angry if it is even mentioned as something that might be worthy of a closer look, or objective investigation. This only stokes the fire of my curiosity even more.

History is full of failed predictions of Jesus’ return. Perhaps it’s true that after each failure, people may become increasingly weary, skeptical or mocking towards any new predictions. Whether or not these reactions are preventable is a topic for another day.

For clarity, a distinction needs to be made between two completely separate prophesied events. First, many Christians believe there will be an unprecedented supernatural event at some point in the near future where millions of believers in Jesus disappear in an instant when Jesus calls from above for them to join Him. The event is known as the Blessed Hope or The Rapture, and has been the subject of a number of bestselling books and films these last few decades, a few of which are:

– The Left Behind Series by LaHaye and Jenkins, #1 New York Times Best Seller
– Left Behind: The Movie starring Kirk Cameron (2000)
– Left Behind: The End Begins starring Nicholas Cage (2014)
– In the Blink of an Eye: Starring David A.R. White and Eric Roberts (2009)

The Second event occurs after the Rapture and after a troubling period of seven years, at which point Jesus returns in what is commonly known as ‘The Second Coming’.

Some believe that the upcoming astronomical alignment on Sept. 23, 2017 will be a fulfillment of the ‘Great Sign’ described in Revelation 12. They also believe that a window of opportunity for the Rapture begins on the first day of the Jewish High Holy Day known as Feast of Trumpets, which is next September 21st and happens to coincide with the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. A few believe that the window could even be extended up to Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement on September 30th. This all happens during the Jewish month of Tishrei which has the theme of Repentance, or turning back to God. The Jews call the time between Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement ‘The Days of Awe’ or ‘The Ten Days of Repentance’. But what happens if there is no significant event between Sept. 21st and Sept. 30th? Disappointment? Confusion? Depression? Heightened resolve to keep trying to figure it out? Ridicule?

BUT WHAT IF…WHAT IF THIS TIME THEY ARE RIGHT?

For most Christians, the belief that Jesus will eventually return is a given. However, there are three main diverging theories on the timing of the Rapture in relation to the Tribulation, which once again are those last seven years of hell on earth before The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, when He returns to set things right. To those Christians who subscribe to a Pre-Tribulation timing of the Rapture, it will probably be an ordinary day like any other. The sun might be shining, the sky might be blue. And then in an instant, in the blink an eye, a trumpet will blast from above and it’ll be over…all of the true believers in Jesus will have instantly disappeared, having been ‘caught up’ to Heaven by Jesus Himself. The Rapture event is thought to kick off the beginning of The Tribulation, aka The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, or Daniel’s 70th Week in which the earth which will be the object of God’s wrath as evil is allowed to dominate, but only for a short time. And what of those left behind? Most will die. Many will wish for death. It is described as being the most horrible time in the entire history of the planet.

The days leading up to Jesus’ return are described as being relatively normal, much like today, in the sense that people will be getting engaged and married and business will carry on as usual, but people will also be increasingly skeptical that Jesus will ever return, asking “Where is this coming He promised?”

Then there are all the other signs Jesus told His disciples to watch for which seem to match current events more so than ever. When asked what would be the sign of the Last Days Jesus told His disciples that there would be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, disease, and great signs in the sky, signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring. (read both Matthew 24 and Luke 21 for yourself, don’t be afraid)

As of late the following events may be interpreted as fitting Jesus’ prophecy:

• North Korea literally makes multiple threats to nuke the United States of America 08/09/2017
• 8.1 quake rocks southern Mexico 09/07/2017
• Famine is still a persistent problem throughout Africa
• Disease: Ebola, AIDs, Black Plague, the increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria
• And last, but not least, Great Signs in the Sky
o The Russian Chelyabinsk meteorite of 02/13/2013
o The Blood Red Moons : both in 2014 and 2015
o The Jupiter story of 2016-2017
o The Total Solar Eclipse : 08/21/2017
o Largest Solar Flares in 12 years : 09/08/2017
o The Revelation 12 Sign astronomical alignment of 09/23/2017
• Hurricane Harvey devastates Houston 08/25/2017
• Hurricane Irma bears down on western Florida 09/10/2017

Yes, yes, yes, I know… there have always been wars and earthquakes and eclipses and hurricanes and such. But what is different this time is the apparent convergence or increased intensity and frequency of these events, which are all happening 70 years after the re-establishment of Israel as nation, which has always been viewed as the last key prerequisite to Jesus’ return.

Once again, I put forth the question,

“But what if…what if this time they are right?”

The most common response from dissenting Christians is “No man knows the day or the hour!” of Jesus' return, quoting Matthew 24:36.

How unusual though for Jesus to have given so many signs to watch for in advance of His return for His Church. In response, the Christian dissenters who reflexively respond, “No man knows the day or the hour!” will certainly also say, “You can know the season but not the day or the hour!” Perhaps. Then again, an objective investigation should consider the possibility that the verse about not knowing the day or hour may have been misunderstood. Perhaps, just as the prophet Daniel was instructed in Daniel 12:4, the meaning and understanding of the prophecies has been sealed UNTIL the Last Days, which certainly seem to be upon us now. This would logically imply that any purported understanding of the prophecies BEFORE the Last Days would have to be flawed to some degree, if not entirely incorrect.

So, the four BIG questions of the month are:

1. Are the prophecies being UNSEALED now?

2. Is the upcoming astronomical alignment on September 23rd actually the ‘Great Sign’ described in Revelation 12:1 ?

3. If not, what could the Great Sign in Rev. 12 possibly refer to?

4. If it is the ‘Great Sign’, does it relate to the Rapture?

Tell me, what do you think?

Comment below

and in my next post I’ll share some of the valid arguments both for and against the idea of how this upcoming astronomical alignment could be the ‘Great Sign’ of Revelation 12.

What Percentage of Israel is Christian?

July 16, 2017 By sonserver 1 Comment

Christians currently make up just 2% of Israel’s adult population.

Source: www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/05/10/5-facts-about-israeli-christians/ ( 2010 )

So this is rather significant when considering the Rapture…Israel will hardly be affected should 1% or 2% of it's population be caught up to heaven. Numbers wise, this would be somewhere around 80,000 to 150,000 people total.

In comparision, according to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, 3% of the adult population of the United States identified themselves as Jewish, 70.6% of the adult population of the United States identified themselves as Christians, with 46.5% professing attendance at a variety of churches that could be considered Protestant, and 20.8% professing Roman Catholic beliefs.

Even if only 1/2 of those who identify as themselves as Christians are caught up to heaven, that would be 35% of the entire population of the United States, or over 100 million people. The country would essentially cease to exist and would instantly transform from a land of law and order to disorder, or chaos or anarchy.

Think about it.

At the Doors!

January 9, 2017 By sonserver Leave a Comment

Just a personal note.

This morning the picture that’s stuck in my mind is what it must have been like when the doors were shut to Noah’s Ark. The chosen were invited in at the right time and saved from God’s wrath. All the others who were left behind must have experienced confusion, intense fear, panic, and possibly regret before they died, mostly by drowning as the waters quickly rose and violent torrents of mud and debris swept people away like the Christmas Tsunami of 2004.

In his mercy, God’s wrath will not be fully unleashed again until half way through the Tribulation Week, at the 3 1/2 year mark. The first half of this period is marked by a false, non-lasting peace under the reign of the world’s new ruler and is an opportunity for people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus so they can face death boldly and confidently that no matter what, Jesus is there for them, forever.

Soon, at the right time, the trumpet will sound and doors of Heaven will be open for God’s chosen to enter in, to be sheltered in safety from the coming storm like Noah and his family. The doors will open for a fraction of a second, in the twinkling of an eye. Then the doors will shut.

The bridegroom came, and those who were ready WENT IN with him to the wedding; and the DOOR was SHUT. Matthew 25:10

Always BE READY.

The Third Day and the Rapture

January 7, 2017 By sonserver 1 Comment

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:2-3

“Thus says the Lord God:
‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone,and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own Land.”
Ezekiel 37:21

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
2 Peter 3:10-13

Up to a point, God’s judgement is His mercy, but many people don’t see it that way. What I mean is that God is long suffering or very patient with people. Many times God has used judgement in the form of death, famine, natural disasters, or attacks from the enemy to get the attention of His people and motivate them to acknowledge His existence and cry out to Him. In His righteous anger God could very easily wipe out all mankind, but His love for His creation overides the requirements of the Law, … this is mercy. However, for every mortal there comes a point in time or in their life where they run out of second chances to repent or turn to God and live their lives according to His ways.

I believe God gave me a scriptural revelation one night while driving on the freeway, here it is:

The body of Jesus Christ was risen as a new, incorruptible, glorified body early on the 3rd Day. So it will be with the Body of Christ today, which is the Church. On the 3rd day the body, that is the church of true believers, will be given new incorruptible bodies and will rise to meet Christ in the air. The Rapture is nearer than ever, but do not give any attention to anyone who says they know the day or the hour, because God’s Word says no one, not even the angels, know what the day or the hour is….but its near.

I believe that the 3rd day has already begun.

Hosea 6:1-2
Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;
he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2000 years = 2 days to the Lord
2000 years since Christ is right about now.
Check out this math for fun >>

2000 years x 360 days (in a Hebrew Year) = 720,000 days
720,000 days / 364.2425 solar-year days* = 1971.29 solar years

*365.2425 days is the same as our modern Gregorian calendar.

If Christ was born around 4 B.C. then it would have been around 30 A.D. when he died at on the cross and rose from the grave at the age of 33.
Note: (30 A.D., not 29 A.D. because there was no such thing as Year Zero)

So, 2 days or 2000 years from Christ’s resurrection and ascension would be approximately 1971.29 + 30 = 2001

Now don’t misunderstand me, this is not a date-setting false prophecy, its just an illustration using scripture and simple math to point out why I believe Jesus is coming back VERY SOON. Obviously I am not saying that Jesus was to come in 2001 (which has come and gone) but it could be anytime now, the Lord will not tarry.

================ ><> =======================

Hosea 6:1-2
Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

0-1000 A.D.	1001-2000 A.D.	2001-3000 A.D.
The 1st Day	The 2nd Day	The 3rd Day

Its interesting to note that Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year is in September. We all know what happened in September 2001. Remember Y2K? Remember how many people mistakingly believed that the year 2000 was the beginning of the new millennium when in fact it is the year 2001? Is it too much for coincidence that the math outlined above coincides with the awful events of September 11th 2001? When I think about the photos of Satan’s face appearing in the cloud of smoke emanating from the Twin Towers it doesn’t seem so surprising. These are the times of the signs for sure.

Kings of the East

September 23, 2016 By sonserver Leave a Comment

Just a thought…

Since I was a kid, the commonly accepted understanding was that China would be the source of the vast army which would invade the Middle East. However, in light of current events involving Islam, this understanding may not have been correct.

“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared…”
– Revelation 16:12

In Revelation 1:1 we read,
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John”

The Greek word in KJV and NKJV for ‘signified’ is sēmainō which primarily means ‘to give a sign, to signify, indicate’. In other words, to use ‘symbolism’ to describe the events. As suggested by Dr. Harry Ironside of Moody Bible Institute, there are two thoughts regarding the drying up of the Euphrates River:

“The way of the kings of the East is to be prepared by the drying up of the great river that was once the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire. I am inclined to believe that this symbolizes the complete destruction of the Turkish power, which has acted as a buffer between the East and West for so long. Others think it refers to the actual drying up of the river itself, that river which was one of the four that of old went forth from Eden.”

The origin of the Euphrates River is in Turkey, runs through Syria, Iraq to the Persian Gulf.

I’m thinking both may be partially correct; that this involves Turkey and a crossing of the Euphrates River. Drawing a longitudinal line on a map from the headwaters of the Euphrates River in Turkey does put Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Iraq on the ‘East’ side of the line. Just a thought.

1. http://www.jesusisprecious.org/books/harry_ironside/The_Lamp_Of_Prophecy/03.htm

September 11, 2001

September 20, 2001 By sonserver Leave a Comment

09/20/2001

To begin with,

This is not the 'letter from the editor' that I intended to write. Due to the circumstances of recent days which have literally changed the world, I feel a strong urgency and leading from the Lord to simply write my thoughts at this time.

In summary, September 11, 2001 was the most horrific day in the history of the United States of America to date. The projected estimate of how many people have died in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center is now 6,300. This does not include the hundreds who died in the downed airliners or in the Pentagon attack.

My gravest current concern is in regard to what are known as 'suitcase nukes', which are literally suitcase sized nuclear bombs. It is widely known that a large number of these devices are missing from the former Soviet Republic's arsenal. Up until the fall of the Berlin Wall, these devices were controlled by the Soviet military in the muslim countries bordering Afghanistan, i.e. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, etc. According to an interiview witn General Lebed on one of CBS's Sixty Minutes episodes, 100 of 130 devices are unaccounted for. They were created by order of the KGB, not the government. It should be assumed that Osama bin Laden or even Saddam Hussein has procured at least one of these devices. Based on this assumption, the next question to be answered is "Have they already smuggled a suitcase nuke into the United States?" The three most likely targets would be 1) New York 2) Washington D.C. 3) Los Angeles

This all seems so unreal, but it is happening. There is no turning back to the life we knew before the events of Sept. 11th.

My greatest hope is that a multitude of people throughout the world begin to cry out to the true living God before its too late. Another hope is that web sites like this will be found by those who are seeking the Truth.

Jesus Christ is coming soon to take his 'church' away from this world in an event known as The Rapture. His church is not a building, but all those people who believe in Him and who call him Lord, who are "counted worthy to escape". Who knows?…, maybe by the time you're reading this it will have already happened. I would expect that immediately after the Rapture the world will find itself in a state of panic and chaos. Many people who have been left behind will instantly become believers, but it will be too late, their fate will be to experience some or all of the Tribulation which is comprised of the last 7 years on Earth before Jesus returns to destroy his enemies and rule on earth for 1000 years. Its all laid out clearly in the last book of the Bible called 'Revelation', which is about the revealing of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

If the you're reading this and The Rapture hasn't happened yet, know this, The Lord can come at any moment. So live each moment of your life for God. Look up! Your Redeemer's return is near! Prepare yourselves to face God. Turn away and run away from sin. Cry out to the Lord right now to help you break free from the habitual sin that you've become entagled in and can't escape from on your own.

Do not take 'the mark' which is placed in the hand or on the forehead when the day comes, even if having the mark is the only way to buy or sell. Trust God instead. If he feeds the little sparrow, he'll feed you as well. The number of the mark is the number of man 3 times, or 666.

These are very uncertain days. There is not much time left, the second hand is approacing the stroke of midnight. I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow or next week, but its not difficult to imagine a very short world war resulting from the instability of the situation in the Middle East. The next war will almost certainly involve the use of nuclear weapons. It could be a single detonation, a limited exchange, or an all out nuclear holocaust. Regardless of what happens, know this:

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling –
even the Lord, who is my refuge –
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to
guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the Lord,
"I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Acknowledge the name of the Lord.