This Week in Prophecy: Israel & Lebanon & Iran Cease Fire??? Philippine Quakes

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Persia/Elam/Iran, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 9, 2026 by paulthepoke

Obadiah 1:20a The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath…

June 3, 2026: The United States has supported a cease fire between the governments of Israel and Lebanon. The cease fire does not recognize Hezbollah as related to the government of Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire. The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hizbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector.

Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries. 

Map showing the borders and positions in the region around Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, including boundaries for UN military operations and key locations.

https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/06/joint-statement-of-the-united-states-of-america-republic-of-lebanon-and-state-of-israel-on-the-latest-high-level-trilateral-meeting

Tragedy in Majdal Shams, Lebanon & Prophecy

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Zechariah 12:3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.

June 7, 2026: In a joint effort (symbolic), Iran and the Houthis (one missile) in Yemen fired missiles towards Jerusalem.

Damage: A direct Iranian missile hit damaged four houses in a West Bank town (no injuries reported in that incident). Earlier in the broader conflict, debris from Iranian strikes had fallen in Jerusalem’s Old City (e.g., near Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre). No major casualties from the June 8 strikes on Jerusalem itself. -Grok

On June 8, 2026, after a brief exchange of missile and airstrikes, Iran and Israel both announced they were halting attacks and returning to a pause in direct hostilities — effectively reinforcing the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire from early April. aljazeera.com

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

A powerful magnitude 7.8 to 8.2 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines (Mindanao region) on June 8, 2026, at approximately 7:37 a.m. local time (PST).

Map of Southeast Asia and the surrounding regions, highlighting seismic activity with yellow dots representing earthquake locations.

Key Details

  • Epicenter: Offshore, about 20–32 km (12–20 miles) west-southwest of Maasim in Sarangani province (near the Cotabato Trench), at a shallow depth of around 10–33 km.
  • Duration: Roughly 30 seconds of strong shaking.
  • Impact area: Strongest in southern Mindanao, especially General Santos City. Tremors were felt across Mindanao, parts of the Visayas, and as far as Indonesia (e.g., Manado on Sulawesi).
  • Aftershocks: Hundreds reported, including some up to M6.5–6.7, continuing into the evening.
  • Casualties and Damage (as of late June 8)
  • Deaths: At least 32–37 confirmed (reports vary slightly by source; figures are still rising as rescue efforts continue). Many fatalities resulted from collapsing buildings, falling debris, and landslides.
  • Injuries: Over 200 reported, with dozens more possibly unaccounted for.
  • Major damage: Collapsed or severely damaged buildings in General Santos (including a Jollibee restaurant, a radio station, and other structures), cracked roads, toppled homes, power outages, and a damaged bridge. A school partially collapsed during the event. States of calamity have been declared in affected areas.

Summary provided by Grok.

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Gulf of America: A magnitude 6.1 to 6.4 earthquake struck on June 8, 2026, at approximately 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Theme park activities were temporarily disrupted… -Grok

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https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Is the Kingdom Here, or Is It Still Coming? Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on June 7, 2026 by paulthepoke

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An infographic titled 'Is the Kingdom Here... or Is It Still Coming?' illustrating the Bible's four phases of God's Kingdom. It features sections on 'The Kingdom Within,' 'The Kingdom Growing,' 'The Kingdom Coming,' 'The Final Test,' and 'The Eternal Kingdom,' accompanied by relevant scripture citations and descriptions.

Many believers assume the Kingdom of God is either entirely present or entirely future. Scripture presents a richer picture.

Jesus reigns today. Yet Satan is still called “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Christ sits at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3), yet wars continue, nations rage, and creation groans under the curse (Romans 8:22).

How can both be true?

The answer is that the Kingdom unfolds in stages. What Cotton Mather observed centuries ago is still worth considering today: the Kingdom is not a single moment in history but a divine program moving toward its climax in the reign of Messiah.

❖ The Kingdom Within

The Kingdom first appears in the hearts of those who trust Christ. Jesus declared, “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21). Paul wrote that believers have been transferred “into the kingdom of the Son” (Colossians 1:13).

Every conversion is a kingdom victory. Every transformed life demonstrates the authority of the King. Yet no one could honestly look at today’s world and conclude that God’s will is being done on earth as perfectly as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

Something more remains ahead.

❖ The Kingdom Growing

Jesus compared the Kingdom to a mustard seed that grows from small beginnings into something far larger (Matthew 13:31-32). Through the spread of the gospel, Christ is gathering people from every tribe, language, and nation (Revelation 5:9).

Yet this present phase exists alongside rebellion. Peter warns that the devil prowls like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). John says “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). The King reigns, but His enemies have not yet been publicly subdued.

As Paul explains, Christ “must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25). The word until points forward to a future manifestation of His rule.

❖ The Kingdom Coming

The prophets consistently describe a future earthly reign of Messiah.

Isaiah foresaw a day when the nations would stream to Jerusalem and learn God’s ways, while weapons of war would be transformed into tools of peace (Isaiah 2:2-4). Zechariah declared, “The LORD will be king over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9). Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would receive “the throne of his father David” and reign over the house of Jacob forever (Luke 1:32-33).

David’s throne was never located in heaven.

It was in Jerusalem.

Daniel saw the same future. After the succession of Gentile empires represented by the great statue, a stone cut without human hands strikes the kingdoms of this world and becomes a mountain filling the entire earth (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45). The stone does not gradually improve the kingdoms of men.

It crushes them.

John describes the fulfillment after Christ’s return: “They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

The Millennium is necessary because God’s covenant promises require it. Abraham was promised a land forever (Genesis 17:8). David was promised an everlasting throne (2 Samuel 7:16). Israel was promised a future national restoration (Ezekiel 36:24-28; Amos 9:14-15). The Millennial Kingdom is where these promises become visible history.

As John Walvoord observed: “The premillennial interpretation is the only one that provides a literal fulfillment of the Old Testament promises concerning the kingdom.”

❖ The Common Objection

Amillennialists often ask: “Why would there need to be a future earthly kingdom if Christ already won the victory at the cross?”

Because victory and implementation are not the same thing.

Christ defeated Satan at the cross (Colossians 2:15), yet Satan still deceives the nations (Revelation 12:9). Christ conquered death through His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54-57), yet people still die. Christ is King today, yet the kingdoms of this world have not yet become His visible kingdom (Revelation 11:15).

Others argue that Revelation 20 is symbolic. Yet the sequence remains remarkably straightforward: Christ returns in Revelation 19, Satan is bound, the saints reign, Satan is released, final judgment occurs, and then the New Heaven and New Earth appear. The burden of proof falls on those who would collapse these events into a purely symbolic present age.

❖ Why Is Satan Released?

Perhaps the most fascinating question in prophecy concerns Satan’s release after a thousand years (Revelation 20:7-10).

Why allow one final rebellion?

Because God demonstrates forever that humanity’s deepest problem is not environment, politics, education, wealth, or government. During the Millennium, the world experiences perfect justice under the direct rule of Christ (Isaiah 11:1-9). Yet when Satan is released, countless people still choose rebellion.

As Jeremiah wrote: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

The final revolt proves that the problem has always been the human heart. Even paradise cannot save a person. Only regeneration can (John 3:3).

❖ The Kingdom Consummated

After the final rebellion comes the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Death itself is abolished (1 Corinthians 15:26), Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10), and God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

The Kingdom reaches its eternal form. No curse. No death. No rebellion. No tears. God dwells with His people forever:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Revelation 21:4

The Kingdom began in hearts. It grows through the gospel. It comes in glory when Christ returns. It endures forever in the new creation.

The prayer Jesus taught His disciples has not yet been fully realized: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

But the day is coming when it will be.

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Israel’s Destiny

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Replacement Theology with tags , , , , , on June 3, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 7 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

The body of Jesus Christ (the church) and Israel are two distinct, separate entities with two different destinations. God spends more time in the Bible talking about the destination of Israel as compared to the church.

First, we will look at the destiny of Israel. Ultimately Israel will be restored to the greatness God promised to Abram in Genesis 12. Israel will be a blessing to all nations. Jesus will rule His kingdom from Jerusalem, Israel for a thousand years and into eternity. But before Israel gets there, difficult times will come upon the nation and the world as have never been before. Jesus makes the comment this will be the worst time in the history of the earth. However, He will preserve a remnant.

Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

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Unfortunately for the nation of Israel a set of seven or seven years remains on God’s time table. Daniel’s people are fellow Israeli’s. Daniel’s holy city is Jerusalem. The verse from the prophet is very clear. Israel’s future is deal with sin and end it. Judgment comes first then restoration and peace.

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

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This period is known as the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” The concept of Jacob’s trouble comes from the prophet Jeremiah 30. God makes it very clear to Israel. Judgment is coming, but I will not forget you. There are many examples in the chapter. Here is one of the verses.

Jeremiah 30:11 “For I am with you,” declares the Lord, “to save you; for I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly and will by no means leave you unpunished.”

Ancient temple complex with people gathered around and a winding river in the background

The Apostle Paul in the New Testament book of Romans makes it very clear. God is not finished with nation Israel. He makes this statement writing to members of the church in Rome. His writings included the idea of Israel’s election, Israel’s rejection, and Israel’s future restoration. Paul is in serious angst and agony regarding his fellow countrymen. He would go to Hell for Israel. God has not kicked Israel to the curb let alone replaced them with the church or any other group of people or nation.

Romans 9:3-4 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises…

The Apostle Paul is emphatic. There is NO way God has broken His promise to His people and nation, Israel. The idea is consistent in the Old Testament and New Testament. God has not changed His mind.

Romans 11:1-11:2 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Malachi 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”

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Today in the early 21st century, Israel is back in the land and a nation as prophesied. Israel has resurrected as a nation. This time, they will not reject their Messiah. The statement below is becoming more of a reality as time passes. There are Jews who believe in Jesus and the number is growing. The world will ultimately receive blessing.

11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

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Romans 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”

Focus on the word “saved”. It is the Greek word σοζο/sozo. The word is defined as to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; one (from injury or peril); to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health (Strong’s Concordance).

The tense of the verb is future. The verse is prophetic. Israel will be spared and preserved in the future. At the time of the writing, Israel had yet to be dispersed to the world let alone regathered back to the land. The nation will not be destroyed.

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This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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“Where is the promise of His coming?” Why Scoffers Rise in the Last Days… Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 30, 2026 by paulthepoke

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An infographic discussing biblical themes of prophecy and skepticism, featuring illustrations of text highlights from scripture and quotes by C.S. Lewis.

You don’t have to look far to see it.

Mockery of Scripture. Dismissal of Christ’s return. Confidence that everything will continue as it always has.

The Bible said this would happen. Not as a minor detail, but as a defining mark of the last days.

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The Atmosphere of the End Times

2 Timothy 3:1–5 “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self… proud, arrogant… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…”

This is the soil where scoffing grows. When self becomes ultimate, truth becomes optional. When pleasure is elevated, accountability becomes offensive.

Scoffing is not merely intellectual doubt, it is moral resistance to a holy God.

Truth Rejected, Myths Embraced

2 Timothy 4:3–4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching… and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

It is not just rejection, it is replacement. People exchange truth for what feels better, what affirms them, what removes conviction.

And when truth confronts them again, the response is not humility—it is ridicule.

An Ancient Voice Still Speaking

Isaiah 5:18–19 “Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it… let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near…”

Different generation. Same defiance.

“Let Him act now.”

“Prove it.”

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The Root: Willful Blindness

2 Peter 3:5 “They deliberately overlook this fact…”

This is not honest doubt. It is chosen blindness.

Scoffers are not lacking evidence—they are resisting its implications.

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The Pattern They Ignore

God has judged the world before. From Genesis 6–7, the flood stands as a historical warning: judgment delayed is not judgment denied.

Scoffers dismiss the past because it threatens their present.

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The Days of Noah Return

Luke 17:26–30 “Just as it was in the days of Noah… they were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage… until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all…”

This is the deception of the last days: Not chaos, but normalcy. Not panic, but indifference. Life continues… until suddenly, it doesn’t.

Two Witnesses: The Scoffers Foretold

2 Peter 3:3–4 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires…”

Jude 18 “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

This is not one voice, it is a confirmed pattern.

Scoffing is prophecy being fulfilled in real time. This is not honest doubt. It is chosen blindness.

As C. S. Lewis observed: “A man cannot be made to see a thing which he does not wish to see.”

Scoffers are not lacking evidence, they are resisting its implications.

The same Word that predicted scoffers also predicted the King’s return.

Prophetic Certainty Scoffers increase. Truth stands. The timeline moves.

Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me…”

The question is not whether He will come. He has already spoken.

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The Final Word

And Scripture leaves us with this—not speculation, but certainty:

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

His delay is not absence. It is mercy.

Every day that passes is not proof that He won’t come— it is proof that He is still calling.

But mercy has a horizon.

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This Week in Prophecy: Temple Mount Arrests; Chinese CP Editing Jesus; UK Digital ID; Euphrates River; Idolatry

Posted in #PaulthePoke, China, Euphrates River, Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2026 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 23:17 Bring two loaves of bread from your dwellings as a wave offering, each made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven, as the firstfruits to the LORD.

Israeli police arrested 13 people Friday after they broke through security barriers and forced their way onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, attempting to perform the Biblically mandated grain offering to mark the festival of Shavuot. The arrests came hours before the holiday began at sundown, and initial reports misidentified the ritual items as preparation for an animal sacrifice. What the group actually carried onto the holy site were two loaves of bread.

https://israel365news.com/418322/13-arrested-on-temple-mount-as-jews-attempt-to-sacrifice-shavuot-bread-offering

Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks: Two Loaves of Bread

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John 8:6-11 They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger. When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” And again He bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

“The Chinese are no longer content with all of these attempts to try to forcibly get Christians to deny their faith. And so now they’ve just taken it to a new level where they’re trying to rewrite the scripture and what the Bible says, to confuse them and to prevent them from becoming Christians.” -Tina Ramirez, Founder Hardwired Global

Chinese Communist Party translation…

 Jesus once said to the angry crowd who was trying to stone a woman who had sinned, “He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.” When his words came to their ears, they stopped moving forward. When everyone went out, Jesus stoned the woman himself, and said “I am also a sinner.”

https://cbn.com/news/world/chinese-communists-perverting-bible-and-turning-jesus-murderer

Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.

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Revelation 13:16-17 And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

King Charles introduces Digital ID, modernization with how citizens interact with public services…

The United Kingdom’s Digital ID is not the Mark of the Beast. But the technology is in place to track the people’s economic activity.

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Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

Granted, this is towards the end of the seven year Tribulation. But, Global press is paying attention to the Euphrates River. Russia Times and others are connecting the dots to Biblical prophecy.

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Exodus 20:4-6 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Slippery slope, be very careful…

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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WHAT IF THE SABBATH IS FAR MORE THAN A DAY OF REST? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Creation, Mark Wilson, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 21, 2026 by paulthepoke

Again, At this time, I would like to introduce Mark Wilson to the website!

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An infographic exploring the significance of the Sabbath through biblical references, with visuals depicting creation, covenant, exile, prophecy, and the kingdom.

What if it is one of the greatest prophetic themes in all of Scripture?

What if the Sabbath is actually a window into:

  • Creation…
  • Covenant…
  • Exile…
  • The Tribulation…
  • And the coming Kingdom of Messiah?

“The Sabbath is woven into the fabric of redemption itself. To profane it was to reject God’s order. To honor it was to trust His provision, His timing, and ultimately His promised rest.” — Arnold Fruchtenbaum

Most people think of the Sabbath as merely a command about resting one day a week. But in Scripture, it becomes much bigger than that. The Sabbath is about God’s order for time itself.

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The Sabbath was established before Sinai, before Moses, and before Israel even existed.

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy…” Genesis 2:2–3

Notice carefully:
God did not rest because He was tired.

The Creator of heaven and earth does not grow weary.

The Sabbath was a divine pattern.

Work.
Completion.
Rest.

Humanity was created to live under God’s rhythm, not endless striving.

The world belongs to Him.
Time belongs to Him.
History belongs to Him.

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❖ THE SABBATH BECAME A COVENANT SIGN

When God entered covenant with Israel, the Sabbath became one of the defining signs of that relationship.

“Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations…” Exodus 31:13

The Sabbath separated Israel from the nations.

Egypt never stopped working.
Babylon never stopped striving.
Pagan empires trusted productivity, wealth, and power.

But Israel was commanded to stop.
Every seventh day they declared:
God is our provider.
That required faith.

Imagine refusing to work one full day every week in the ancient world.
Imagine letting farmland rest every seventh year.

That was not economic logic.
That was covenant trust.

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❖ THE LAND ITSELF WAS TO KEEP SABBATH

This is where the theme becomes even more profound.

The Torah commanded Israel not only to observe weekly Sabbaths, but Sabbath years for the land itself.

“But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land…” Leviticus 25:4

Every seventh year the land was to rest.
No planting.
No harvesting for profit.
Dependence upon God.

But Israel repeatedly violated this command.

And eventually God judged the nation through exile.
“He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword… until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths.” 2 Chronicles 36:20–21

This is astonishing. The land was owed rest.

For centuries Israel ignored God’s Sabbaths, and finally the land “collected” what had been denied. Many believe the 70 years of Babylonian exile corresponded to roughly 490 years of neglected Sabbath years.

One missed Sabbath year every seven years. Seventy missed Sabbath years. Seventy years in exile.

Suddenly the prophecy of Daniel 9 becomes even more fascinating.

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❖ DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS

While reading Jeremiah’s prophecy about the 70 years of exile, Daniel receives a larger revelation:

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city…” Daniel 9:24

The word “weeks” literally means “sevens.”

God places Israel back onto a prophetic timetable measured in sacred sevens.

The exile was not random history. It was covenant history.

Time itself was being accounted for. And according to the futurist understanding of prophecy, one final “week” of years still remains: the future Tribulation period.

A final seven-year period connected to Israel, Jerusalem, covenant, desecration, repentance, and ultimately the return of Messiah.

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❖ THE SABBATH WAS ALWAYS POINTING FORWARD

The Sabbath is not merely about physical rest.
It points toward restoration. Toward completion. Toward the Kingdom.

Scripture repeatedly connects future redemption with rest.
“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God…” Hebrews 4:9

The prophets describe a future age where Jerusalem is exalted, the nations stream to Zion, war ceases, and Messiah reigns from David’s throne.

That is ultimate Sabbath-rest. Creation itself longs for it. The earth has never truly rested under righteous rule since Eden. But the coming Kingdom changes that.

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❖ EVEN THE STRUCTURE OF HISTORY REFLECTS THIS PATTERN

Many Bible students throughout history have noticed something remarkable: God often works in patterns of six plus one. Six days of labor. One day of rest.

Some early Jewish and Christian interpreters connected this pattern to human history itself: six thousand years of fallen human rule followed by a thousand-year Messianic Kingdom.

Whether one accepts that framework fully or not, the symbolism is undeniable. The Millennial Kingdom in Book of Revelation 20 looks remarkably like the fulfillment of the Sabbath principle on a global scale.

The King reigns. Creation is restored. Jerusalem is central. The nations come up to worship. The curse is restrained. The earth rests under righteous government.

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❖ THIS TRUTH SHOULD CHANGE HOW WE LIVE

The modern world glorifies endless striving.
More work.
More noise.
More anxiety.
More control.

But the Sabbath principle reminds us that we are not sustained by frantic human effort.

We are sustained by God.
Sabbath teaches trust.
Dependence.
Worship.
Perspective.

It reminds us that our identity is not found in productivity, achievement, or exhaustion.

And spiritually, it points us to the greatest rest of all: rest in the finished work of Messiah.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The Sabbath theme begins in Genesis.
It moves through Sinai.
It echoes through exile.
It shapes Daniel’s prophecy.
It points toward the Kingdom.

And one day, under the reign of the Messiah, the world itself will finally enter its promised rest.

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Church Origins & Shavuot 5786/2026/5951

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks, Replacement Theology with tags , , , , , , on May 19, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 6 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

Shavuot, Feast of Weeks, Feast of the Harvest, and Pentecost are synonymous. Shavuot is often associated with God giving the Torah, the birth of Judaism. Pentecost is often associated with God giving the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church. God chose His appointed holiday to reveal aspects of who He is.

Same holiday… A Historical event for nation Israel and the giving of the Law. A Historical event for the birth of the church and the giving of the Holy Spirit.

On a Gregorian calendar, we are in the year of 2026, the holiday of Shavuot/Feast of Weeks/Pentecost begins at sunset on Thursday, May 21. The God Appointed holiday ends at sunset Saturday, May 23.

The Feast takes place in the month of Sivan on the 6th and 7th of a Hebrew calendar. This is the Hebrew year 5786 on the traditional lunar calendar.

On the solar Essene calendar, Shavuot/Feast of Weeks/Pentecost begins on what is Sunday, Sivan 15th, 5951 or May 31, 2026. Yes, the Counting of the Omer is calculated differently by the Essenes as compared to how the Pharisees and others mark time.

Other calendars have the Appointment on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

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The Greek word for “church” is εκκλεσια/ekklesia. It means: an assembly, congregation; the whole body of Christian believers. People called out from the world and to God, the mystical body of Christ; the universal body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom. -Strong’s Concordance

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words breaks down the word εκκλεσια/ekklesia. The following definition and contexts are provided by the dictionary.

εκκλεσια/ekklesia: from ek, “out of;” and klesis, “a calling” (kaleo, “to call”). The word is used in many different ways in the New Testament. Below are some examples of contexts and usage of the word.

In Acts 19:39, ekklesia was used among the Greeks of a body of citizens “gathered” to discuss the affairs of state. In the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) it is used to designate the “gathering” of Israel, summoned for any definite purpose, or a “gathering” regarded as representative of the whole nation.

Acts 19:39 But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly.

In Acts 7:38 ekklesia is used of the nation Israel. Here the word is translated as “congregation”.

Acts 7:38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

The example below presents the term ekklesia as a mob in Ephesus. Here the word is translated “assembly”.

Acts 19:32 So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together.

The focus of the term ekklesia in this book is on the body of believers in Jesus Christ. The term is used at least 111 occurrences in the New Testament. The majority of the instances, it is translated as “church”.

The first time the word ekklesia is used in the New Testament is by Jesus Himself.

Matthew 16:18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

www.mf.no/bibelprog/vines?word=%AFt0000173

People dressed in historical robes standing and talking around a fire pit in an old stone courtyard lit by torches at dusk

Jesus uses the word ekklesia. Christ states He is the person doing the construction. He also claims the church is His. “I will build My church.” -Jesus.

Embedded in this verse, “…and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” -Jesus.

Some would argue this as a pre tribulation rapture statement. Hell and the antichrist are not going to win against the church or the body of Christ. Hell is not stronger and will not prevail against the church.

Compare this statement by Jesus in Matthew 16:18 against Revelation 13:7 and Daniel 7:21.

Revelation 13:7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him…

The reference to “him” is the antichrist. He is allowed to “overcome”. Conquer is the idea expressed in the Greek language. The antichrist is given authority to do whatever he wants. This guy is a universal dictator and acts with a heavy hand over the tribulation saints.

Daniel 7:21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them…

In the Bible, horns are equated with kings, kingdoms, and leaders. This was the case in the writings of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Daniel’s dream in Daniel 7 is consistent with verses in Revelation 13 and 17. The language regarding beasts and horns is consistent.

This section of Daniel 7 is in the Aramaic language. Interesting observation, this section of Daniel that focuses on gentile worldly kingdoms is in Aramaic and not the original Hebrew. The Aramaic states the antichrist is making war. He is winning and prevailing against the saints.

The church is in Heaven as of Revelation 4 before the tribulation starts. The context of Revelation 13 and Daniel 7:21 is on Earth.

People are being persecuted and killed by the antichrist. These are the people who did not believe in Jesus Christ at the time of the resurrection and rapture. They were left behind and came to understand the truth about Christ later. The Tribulation saints are a different group of people than the church.

The church or the body of Jesus Christ is not overcome by Hell, Satan, the beast, or false prophet. Jesus said.

The term ekklesia is generally translated as the church, the body of Jesus Christ. Scripture does the best job of defining the idea. See the three examples below.

Colossians 1:18a He is also head of the body, the church…

He is Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:22b-23 and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

There are many other examples in the New Testament where the church is described as a body of believers in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:5).

The church is not a building. The church is not nation Israel. The church is a body of believers attached to the head, Jesus Christ.

~

This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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REVELATION 11: A TEMPLE THAT DOESN’T EXIST… YET- Mark Wilson

Posted in Mark Wilson, Prophecy, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2026 by paulthepoke

At this time, I would like to introduce Mark Wilson to the website! Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An artistic illustration depicting the future temple as described in Revelation 11, with quotes from biblical texts and a guided timeline highlighting significant events related to the temple.

John is told to measure a temple that does not exist… yet.

“Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court… it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” (Revelation 11:1–2)

This is not abstract. This is not symbolic drift. This is structure. This is geography. This is time.

And it forces the question:

❖ WHAT TEMPLE IS JOHN SEEING?

It cannot be Solomon’s. It cannot be the Second Temple.

Jesus already declared: “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2)

By the time John writes, that destruction is behind him. So if John sees a temple… it must be ahead of us.

~

❖ A REAL, FUNCTIONING TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

The word used is naos — the inner sanctuary.

Not a vague spiritual idea. A defined sacred space.

There is:

  • a temple
  • an altar
  • worshipers
  • measurable boundaries

This is not how Scripture describes the Church.

~

❖ BUT AREN’T BELIEVERS THE TEMPLE NOW?

Yes. Absolutely.

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

That is gloriously true. But present spiritual reality does not cancel future prophecy. Believers being called God’s temple does not erase a coming temple any more than being Abraham’s seed erases God’s promises to national Israel.

Revelation 11 describes:

  • an altar
  • outer courts
  • Gentile trampling
  • a defined city
  • a 42-month countdown.

That is not Church-age language. That is prophetic Jerusalem.

~

❖ EVERYTHING HINGES ON THIS TIMELINE

42 months.

Three and a half years.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’…” (Matthew 24:15)

“In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.” (Daniel 9:27)

This is the midpoint of the Tribulation. A precise prophetic clock.

~

❖ THE TEMPLE AND THE ANTICHRIST

Paul makes it unavoidable:

“He sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

This is not symbolic language. This is a man… in a place… making a claim. No temple… no fulfillment.

Jesus said you will see it.

Paul said it will happen.

John is told to measure it.

~

❖ JERUSALEM UNDER PRESSURE

“They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.”

Jesus said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

A Jewish city. A contested mount. A ticking clock.

This is not ancient history.

This is the season.

~

❖ AND THE SEASON IS GETTING LOUDER

For centuries, Jews were forbidden from praying openly on the Temple Mount.

Now? That barrier is beginning to crack.

Reports in recent years have documented increased Jewish prayer access and quiet permissions on the Temple Mount.

Small? Yes. Symbolic? Maybe. But prophetically… significant.

Because Revelation 11 requires one thing: A Jewish place of worship… functioning again.

~

❖ THE PREPARATION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY

The Temple Institute has already:

  • Recreated priestly garments
  • Prepared temple vessels
  • Trained priests from the line of Levi
  • Constructed a functional altar
  • Advanced efforts for red heifer purification

This is not speculation. This is infrastructure.

~

❖ GOD’S PROPHETIC CLOCK IS MOVING

Chuck Missler “Israel is the hour hand. Jerusalem is the minute hand. The Temple Mount is the second hand.”

Watch the second hand… and everything accelerates.

~

❖ THE TEXT REFUSES TO BE REDUCED

This is not the Church. The Church is not divided into courts. Not trampled geographically. Not measured with an altar tied to sacrifice.

And the Antichrist does not sit in a metaphor.

~

❖ THE PROPHETIC FLOW IS CONSISTENT

  • Israel regathered.
  • Jerusalem restored to global focus.
  • A covenant emerges.
  • Temple worship resumes.
  • The temple is measured.
  • The Antichrist desecrates it.
  • Judgment intensifies.

This is not random. It is coordinated.

~

❖ SO WHAT ARE WE WATCHING?

Not imagination. Not allegory.

A future, literal temple in Jerusalem… casting its shadow into the present.

  • And if Revelation 11 is literal…
  • If Jesus meant what He said…
  • If Paul described a real event…
  • Then we are not waiting for prophecy to be written.

We are watching the conditions align.

The season is not silent.

It is accelerating.

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Church Origins in the Mosaic Law and Shavuot

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks, Replacement Theology with tags , , , , , on May 11, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 5 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

Beginnings of the church…

The church or the body of Jesus Christ has ties to the Old Testament Mosaic Law and God’s Appointed Holiday of Shavuot. I realize this will be blasphemy in some circles of theology reading this. Hear me out before going ballistic and deeming me a heretic. God has a plan down to the day!

The Law was given on Mount Sinai to Moses roughly 1,600 years before Christ. In the Old Testament and in the Hebrew, this God appointed holiday is referred to as Shavuot.

The word means: weeks. Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks is a memorial of God giving Moses and Israel the Torah. Hebraic belief is redemption from Egyptian slavery was not complete until they received the instruction or teaching. The holiday is one of God’s seven appointed holidays. Nation Israel honored Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, every year.

Provisions for the holiday include two loaves of bread, sacrificial lambs, a bull, two rams, a goat, and a drink offering of wine. God gives directions on how to make bread. Specifications for choosing livestock are given.

God loves the smell of grilled meats by fire. Toasted bread smells great. The holiday is also a day of rest with no work, a Sabbath. And He wants His people to do this celebration and exercise it every year on the same day.

Is God being unreasonable? He offers a holiday with grilled meats, toasted bread, and alcohol. It is an outdoor party in the late spring around a camp fire. Celebrate the harvest and give thanks to God. Road trip to Jerusalem!!!

See the Scripture for the complete details.

Leviticus 23:17-21 You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

Shavuot or the Feast of the Harvest is one of the three holidays where Jewish men are required to come to Jerusalem. The other two holidays are the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of the Ingathering (Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths). The men were to make their presentation and sacrifice before God at the Temple.

Exodus 23:14-17 “Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.”

Eating and drinking dairy products are part of the celebration of Shavuot. Many think the custom of dairy products is in reference to Bible verses referring to a promised land flowing with milk and honey. See the example below.

Exodus 3:8a “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…

As stated in the Leviticus passage, the Feast of Weeks is seven weeks after Passover. It is a celebration of the completed grain harvest. The holiday is also a celebration of God giving the Torah (instruction or law) to nation Israel. Because of this, Shavuot is considered as the beginning or birth of Judaism.

Fast forward to 33 AD. Nation Israel has been celebrating and living God’s Appointed Spring holidays. Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, had been sacrificed. He was the buried Unleavened Bread. Christ is the First Fruits of the resurrection.

Then fifty days later… It is seven weeks after the death of the sacrificial lamb, Jesus. Nation Israel is celebrating and living the holiday. Shavuot or Pentecost is also the day God the Father gave God the Holy Spirit. Because of this, Pentecost is considered the beginning or the birth of the church or the body of believers in Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they (apostles) were all together in one place.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

In the Greek New Testament, Shavuot (Hebrew) is translated as πεντεκοστε/pentekoste (Greek). Per Strong’s Concordance, it means: the fiftieth day; the second of the three great Jewish feasts, celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest. We have transliterated the word to Pentecost (English).

This is the day promised by Jesus of the giving of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…”

~

This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Mother’s Day, 2026

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Culture with tags , , , , on May 10, 2026 by paulthepoke

Luke 1:41-44 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

the baby leaped… baby or βρέφος/brephos; an unborn or newborn child, infant.

Notice, the term is not called a ball of cells or a fetus. Luke, through the Holy Spirit, chose the term “baby” as translated in English.

Scripture is very consistent. Babies are formed in mother’s wombs. Scripture also points out that wombs are located in mothers. In our 21st century culture, it is necessary to point out these fundamental truths.

Granted, there are elements within our society who would like you to believe these are little clumps of cells that happen to be inside of a woman. Critics and experts in reproductive health would have you believe life does not begin until the fetus is outside of the woman’s body. Some of these reproductive experts take motherhood and life away from women. Scripture says something contrary to the culture and women’s reproductive experts.

Two times in the verses above, babies leaped for joy. Babies were capable of hearing and understanding what was going on outside of the womb. Babies also had a physical and emotional response to what they were hearing from outside of the womb. In both cases, joy was expressed.

Colorful bouquet of roses and ranunculus with a Mother's Day greeting card on a wooden table
Happy Mother’s Day

Remember, the fruit of the womb is a blessing. Let us give thanks to the women in our lives who chose to be a mom. These women chose our lives.

Here is to all the moms out there wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day!

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

~

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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