This Week in Prophecy: Mecca Agreement; Syria; Quake in Colombia; Mass Abort; Dead Sea

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Burden of Damascus, Culture, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Ezekiel 38-39, Fake News???, Prophecy, Saudi Arabia/Sheba/Dedan, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2026 by paulthepoke

Ezekiel 38-39 Ancient Sheba and Dedan or modern day Saudi Arabia.

Ancient Beth Togarmah, Gomer, Meshech or modern day Turkey.

Image created by Grok.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (also called the Mecca/Makkah Pact or Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement) is a trilateral collective-defense pact signed on August 7, 2026, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The three countries bring complementary strengths: Saudi Arabia’s financial resources and strategic position, Turkey’s conventional military capabilities and defense industry (as a NATO member), and Pakistan’s large armed forces and status as the sole nuclear-armed Muslim-majority state. The pact has been described as a strategic hedge and framework for deeper cooperation rather than a fully integrated military alliance with standing forces or detailed automatic response mechanisms. It has been noted as potentially open to future expansion.

https://twitter.com/i/grok?conversation=2087689513732567446

The 3 countries surround ancient Persia or modern day Iran.

Will Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords with Israel?

Prophecy tells us where this is going. The plot thickens…

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Isaiah 17:1 This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins.

Recent history lesson, President Trump lifted economic sanctions earlier in 2025 against Syria and newly appointed leader and President Abu Mohammed al Jolani (formerly of ISIS), he is aka Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa. He also has ties to Al Qaeda. He is former commander of Al-Qaeda al-Jolani. He also has ties to the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Al Sharaa founded the al-Nusra Front in Syria. This is the same person. He has ties to multiple terrorist organizations.

Gog of Magog or modern day Russia

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

On August 10, 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, the strongest recorded in the country in the 21st century.

Key Details

  • Time and location: It occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time (12:34 UTC), with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department (about 400 km / 250 miles west of Bogotá). Depth estimates ranged from roughly 96–110 km (intermediate depth). It was a strike-slip event related to the subduction of the Nazca Plate. en.wikipedia.org
  • Intensity and reach: Shaking lasted up to about 2 minutes and was felt widely across western and central Colombia (including Bogotá, Cali, Pereira, Medellín, Manizales, and Quibdó), as well as in neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and parts of Venezuela. Maximum intensity reached MMI VIII (Severe) in some areas. en.wikipedia.org

Casualties and Damage

As of reports around August 11–12, 2026:

  • Deaths: At least 239–254 confirmed. Hardest-hit areas included Pereira (coffee-growing region) and Cali. reuters.com
  • Injuries: More than 2,500–3,700.
  • Missing: Hundreds officially, with crowdsourced figures exceeding 4,000 in some reports.
  • Infrastructure: Hundreds of buildings collapsed or were heavily damaged (including homes, schools, health centers, and parts of hospitals); thousands more structures were affected. Airports (e.g., Pereira) faced closures or suspensions; roads, bridges, and utilities were disrupted. Landslides were a concern in the mountainous terrain. miamiherald.com

Summary provided by Grok.

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Genesis 5:2 Male and female He created them, and He blessed them and called their name “Man,” in the day they were created.

The WNBA held a meeting on the definition of a woman. They were unable to reach a conclusion.

What does the “W” stand for in the name of your league?


Meeting over with definition. Here to help!

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Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

By the way, judgment was pronounced by the LORD in verse 14.

Look at the joy as signed bill becomes law in Massachusetts.

We will close with life…

Future River emerges from the Temple in Jerusalem

Ezekiel 47:7-12 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

https://allisraelnews.com/life-found-in-sinkholes-beside-israels-dead-sea-stir-excitement-about-biblical-prophecy

~

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

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Teshuvah 5786/5951/2026

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Signs: Sun, Moon, Stars..., Teshuvah/Repent, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2026 by paulthepoke

The season of Teshuvah begins on the first day of the Hebrew month Elul.

Teshuvah is a 40 day period that runs through the holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Teshuvah is the Hebrew word for repent.

The call of Teshuvah is to turn back towards God and repent. As Christians, we should return to Jesus.

The point of the season for Judaism is to prepare for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.

Elul is the last month of the civic calendar in Judaism. Elul is the sixth month of the religious calendar.

Jewish tradition points to the name of the month to be an acronym of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” a quote from Song of Songs 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine… 

The month is mentioned one time in the Bible. 

In Aramaic, the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted, the word Elul means “search”.

Per Strong’s Concordance, Elul means “nothingness” in the Hebrew.

Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 

Cultural customs per http://www.jewfaq.org, http://www.myjewishlearning.com

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On our western Gregorian calendar in the year 2026, Elul begins at sunset on Wednesday, August 12 as calculated by 21st century time keeping.

The traditional, secular Hebrew calendar is a lunar calendar. These folks are waiting on the sighting of the new moon to determine the start of the month.

The Essenes followed a solar calendar. A solar calendar has a leap week as compared to a leap month with a lunar calendar.

On the Essene calendar, Elul 1st will take place on Sunday, August 16th, 2026. It is the year 5951 AM. In other words, 5,951 years since creation.

https://dsscalendar.org/DSS-Greg.php?Y=2026

Jewish time keepers cannot agree.

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It is Jewish custom to blow a shofar (ram’s horn) one time every day during the season of Teshuvah. The trumpet is blown every day except Shabbat or the Sabbath (Saturday for us in western culture) and the last day of month of Elul. The trumpet is blown after the morning service. The shofar is blown frequently…

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Genesis 1:14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years…”

The Hebrew word for “signs” is ‘owth. It means: sign, signal, a distinguishing mark, banner, remembrance, miraculous sign, omen, warning; token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof.

From the beginning, God stated the sun, moon, and stars are points of communication.

Ancient myth? Or is God trying to get our attention. He knows the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.

This year, during Teshuvah, the world will be treated to solar and lunar eclipses.

Ancient Jewish rabbis have taught the moon represents Israel. The sun represents the gentile nations. The location of the celestial event is a warning to the geography impacted. Pay Heed!

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will occur over eastern Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a very small corner of northeast Portugal.

The link below from NASA provides animations of the solar eclipse.

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5656

Of curiosity and note, news has broken over the weekend regarding Greenland.

The graphic above was made in December 2018.

Image: https://geoexpro.com/hydrocarbon-potential-of-the-jameson-land-basin/

Greenland issues ‘strong warning’ as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drill

Island’s government says no approval given after Greenland Energy brings kit ashore for exploratory drilling

Greenland’s government issued a “strong warning” that no approval had been granted to land the kit. “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the government said in a statement.

Two days later…

The picture was provided by a post on Truth Social by President Trump himself.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/08/greenland-iwarning-trump-linked-oil-firm-prepares-drill

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On Friday, August 28, 2026, UTC time, a 96.2% partial lunar eclipse will occur over North and South America, parts of Europe, and Africa.

Timing for the event in North America will occur on Thursday night, August 27, 2026.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2026-august-28

~

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

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Was Jonah’s Greatest Sign Really the Fish? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2026 by paulthepoke

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

Most people remember Jonah as the prophet swallowed by a great fish.

But Yeshua saw something greater.

When the religious leaders demanded a sign, He pointed them back to Israel’s Scriptures:

“No sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
Matthew 12:39

Jonah’s descent, return to life, and mission to the nations formed a divinely woven pattern of Messiah’s death, resurrection, and worldwide call to repentance.

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❖ A Galilean prophet of Israel’s restoration

Before Nineveh, Jonah had already prophesied Israel’s restoration:

“According to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah.” 2 Kings 14:25

God had seen Israel’s affliction and had not forgotten His people (2 Kings 14:25–27).

Jonah was also from Gath-hepher in Galilee. That makes the later claim, “No prophet arises from Galilee,” deeply ironic (John 7:52). Jonah had arisen from Galilee, and now the greater Jonah stood among them.

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❖ Jonah’s journey is a repeated descent

The Hebrew narrative emphasizes Jonah’s downward movement.

He goes down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into its innermost parts, and finally down into the sea.

From the depths he cries: “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried.” Jonah 2:2

“I went down to the foundations of the mountains.” Jonah 2:6

Jonah speaks in the language of death, Sheol, the pit, and burial.

Then God reverses the descent: “Yet You brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.” Jonah 2:6

The pattern is clear: descent, apparent death, divine deliverance, restored life.

Yeshua identified this as the sign of His own death and resurrection:

“Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40

Jonah descended because he fled from God’s will.

Yeshua descended because He obeyed it.

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❖ One man is handed over and others are spared

Jonah tells the sailors: “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you.” Jonah 1:12

They plead, “Do not charge us with innocent blood” (Jonah 1:14).

When Jonah is handed over, the storm ceases and everyone aboard is spared. Jonah suffered because of his own disobedience, so the comparison is not perfect.

But Yeshua, the truly innocent One, willingly gave Himself for others: “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.” John 10:18

Jonah’s surrender calmed a temporary storm.

Messiah’s sacrifice brings peace with God (Isaiah 53:5).

Jonah slept while sailors feared for their lives. Yeshua also slept during a storm and was awakened by terrified disciples (Mark 4:38).

But Jonah could not command the sea.

Yeshua rebuked it: “Peace! Be still!” Mark 4:39

Jonah was powerless before the waters.

The greater Jonah ruled them.

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❖ The suffering prophet prayed Israel’s Scriptures

Jonah’s prayer echoes Psalms 18, 42, 69, 116, and 120, and concludes: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” Jonah 2:9; Psalm 3:8

Yeshua likewise prayed Israel’s Psalms in His suffering (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46).

The suffering prophet prayed Israel’s songs.

The suffering Messiah fulfilled them.

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❖ Life from death leads to Gentile repentance

After Jonah is brought up from the depths, the word of the LORD comes again: “Arise, go to Nineveh.” Jonah 3:2

The prophet who had descended into Sheol now rises and carries God’s message to the Gentiles.

Nineveh believes God, turns from violence, and receives mercy: “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way.” Jonah 3:10

Following Messiah’s resurrection, repentance and forgiveness likewise go from Jerusalem to the nations: “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

The pattern is striking: death, return to life, renewed commission, Gentile repentance.

Yet God had not abandoned Israel.

Jonah was an Israelite prophet, and the nations received mercy through Israel’s messenger.

“In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3

“I will also make You a light to the nations.” Isaiah 49:6

God’s mercy reaches the nations through Israel, not by erasing Israel.

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❖ Jewish commentary sharpens Yeshua’s warning

Rashi explained that Jonah resisted Nineveh because he expected the Gentiles to repent quickly, exposing Israel’s failure to heed her prophets.

This highlighted Yeshua’s warning: “The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:41

Nineveh repented at the preaching of a reluctant prophet.

Israel’s leaders stood before the obedient Messiah.

Jonah performed no signs in Nineveh.

Yeshua healed the sick, opened blind eyes, taught Torah with authority, and proclaimed the Kingdom. Something greater than Jonah had come.

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❖ Jonah knew mercy but struggled to reflect it

Jonah admits why he fled: “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy.” Jonah 4:2

He was echoing Exodus 34:6.

Jonah understood God’s mercy, but resented seeing it extended to Nineveh. Jonah sat outside the city hoping judgment would fall.

Yeshua approached Jerusalem knowing judgment was coming and wept over it (Luke 19:41–44).

Jonah was angry that sinners might live.

Yeshua gave His life so sinners could live.

Jonah descended unwillingly because of disobedience.

Yeshua descended willingly in perfect obedience.

Jonah emerged from the depths and preached repentance to one Gentile city.

Yeshua rose from the dead and sent repentance to every nation.

Jonah was a sign.

Yeshua was its fulfillment.

The sign had been embedded in Israel’s Scriptures all along.

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

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This Week in Prophecy: Gaza Peace; Saudis; Boy George; Spanish Immigration; Japanese Quake; Ebola DRC; Fauci

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Culture, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Gaza Strip/Philistia, Pestilence, Prophecy, Saudi Arabia/Sheba/Dedan, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 1, 2026 by paulthepoke

1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

As readers of the Bible, we know there is a period of false peace and security coming before all hell breaks loose.

Trump’s Board of Peace has released a 15 point memorandum outlining peace in Gaza.

Ezekiel 38-39 Ancient Sheba and Dedan or modern day Saudi Arabia.

It stands to reason President Trump is going to want something in return for all of these economic and energy benefits. I suspect the Saudi’s are being encouraged to join the Abraham Accords behind the curtain.

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Boy George of Culture Club fame from back in the 80’s has released a new single supporting the people of Israel.

We Will Dance Again is the title of the song.

Lyrics:

You say genocide, I say war
When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for
Does it get ugly? You bet it does
When I know you wanna kill
Every last one of us
Every last one of us
Every last one of us
You never mention October 7
Young girls raped against trees
Murdered brutally
For the crime of dancing
You condemn the Jews, with selective memory
Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep
Propaganda fueled by the Internet feels so weak

(Chorus) But trust me, we will dancе again
We will dance again
We will dancе again
And there will be no war
But if you’re ever confused
I stand with the Jews
I don’t feel brave, I just need to behave like a human
But trust me, we will dance again
We will dance again
We will dance again
And there will be no war
But if you’re ever confused
I stand with the Jews
I don’t feel brave, I just need to behave like a human

(Repeat Chorus)

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Nehemiah 2:17-18 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me.

Nehemiah 4:15-18 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall. And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

God sanctioned the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem. Walls were and are built for defensive purposes of cities and nations. This precept is still true today in the 21st century.

Launched by Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on June 30, 2026 with an initial budget of over €500 million (some reports cite ~€505 million). It frames migration management as “orderly, fair and intelligent,” with four pillars, 16 measures, and 10 objectives for 2030. Key elements include:

  • The regularization process itself as a starting point.
  • Creation of a future State Agency for Human Mobility to coordinate procedures (keeping international protection and residence separate while preserving border/security roles).
  • Support for employment in high-demand sectors (construction, hospitality, care), entrepreneurship, and rural areas (over €35 million allocated).
  • Expanded vocational training (over 100,000 places, significant funding).
  • Language learning (including co-official languages), education on Spanish laws/values, social cohesion, and efforts against hate speech.
  • Improved access to housing, healthcare, registration, and bank accounts.
  • Strengthening legal/safe labor migration routes via origin-country hiring. surinenglish.com

Main eligibility criteria:

  • Presence in Spain before 1 January 2026 (or asylum/international protection application filed before that date).
  • At least five consecutive months of continuous stay (lighter requirements for asylum seekers).
  • No criminal record.
  • Minors and dependents of eligible applicants could also regularize.

Sánchez emphasized that irregular arrivals had fallen (by about one-third overall and over 70% in the Canary Islands earlier in 2026) and rejected claims of a strong “pull factor.”

Summary above provided by Grok.

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

A magnitude 7.1 (JMA; USGS Mww 6.8) earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on July 28, 2026, at 4:27 p.m. local time (07:27 UTC).

Key Details

  • Epicenter: Near Uki/Uto in Kumamoto Prefecture, at a shallow depth of about 10 km (6.2 miles). It occurred on a strike-slip fault in the Hinagu Fault system (related to the same zone as the destructive 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes).
  • Intensity: Reached the maximum level of 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity (shindo) scale in areas including Uki and Hikawa—the strongest intensity recorded in the region since 2016. Strong shaking (5–6+) was felt across much of Kyushu (including Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Ōita, and Miyazaki prefectures).
  • Duration: Approximately 16 seconds.

Immediate Impacts

  • Casualties: At least 36 people killed and dozens injured. People were trapped in collapsed structures, including a shopping mall.
  • Damage: Partial collapse of the second floor of the Aeon Mall in Kashima Town (with reports of an associated blast/explosion and people trapped or missing); collapse of a chimney and damage at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro (people trapped); damage to stone walls at Kumamoto Castle; ruptured roads and bridges; house collapses; and fires in some areas. A freight train derailed/overturned at Yatsushiro Station.
  • Infrastructure: Power outages affected around 40,000–48,000 households in Kumamoto Prefecture. JR Kyushu suspended Shinkansen bullet trains and local rail services. Aso Kumamoto Airport runway was closed. No abnormalities were reported at nearby nuclear power plants.
  • Tsunami: A tsunami advisory (waves up to about 1 meter) was issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas but lifted within about two hours; no significant tsunami occurred.
  • Aftershocks: Multiple aftershocks followed (including one around magnitude 6.1); authorities warned of possible strong quakes (up to intensity 7) for several days to a week, plus landslide risks, especially with rain.

Campi Flegrei, Naples Italy

The volcano is located approximately 11 miles southwest of Naples, Italy. 500,000 people live in the Naples area. The local area is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

The area is across the bay from Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. History records the big eruption in 79 AD which resulted in the destruction of Pompeii and nearby villages.

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Plagues and pestilence…

In 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing a major outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus (a rarer species of Ebola virus). nytimes.com

Outbreak Overview

  • Declaration: Officially declared by DRC health authorities on 15 May 2026, following alerts of unusual deaths in early May in areas northwest of Bunia (capital of Ituri Province in the northeast). The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May 2026. Africa CDC also classified it as a public health emergency of continental security. msf.org
  • Virus details: Bundibugyo ebolavirus (first identified in Uganda in 2007). There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for this strain (unlike Zaire ebolavirus). Clinical trials of candidate therapies (e.g., monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir) began in early July 2026. Diagnostic testing capacity has been scaled up significantly. allafrica.com
  • Scale (as of late July 2026): Approximately 3,442–3,532 confirmed cases and 1,521–1,556 deaths in the DRC (case fatality rate around 40–44%). Hundreds more remain hospitalized or in isolation. It has become the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak on record (after the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic that killed over 11,000) and the fastest-spreading to date. The outbreak is believed to have started circulating as early as January 2026 (or earlier) based on retrospective investigations. nytimes.com
  • Geographic spread: Epicenter in Ituri Province (accounting for the vast majority of cases, around 90%). It has expanded to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo provinces, affecting dozens of health zones (reports of 36–49 zones). Cases have occurred in displacement camps. ecdc.europa.eu

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Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.

Self proclaimed Dr. Science, Tony Fauci went to D.C. and pleaded the 5th at least 111 times in matters related to the COVID 19 Global Pandemic.

What Fauci said publicly was not the same as what he wrote in his diary he kept on US Government servers.

The Reading Room

~

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

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What If Light Is One of the Bible’s Greatest Themes? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson with tags , , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2026 by paulthepoke

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

The Bible begins in darkness.

Not with sin.

Not with death.

Not with rebellion.

Darkness.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep.” (Genesis 1:2)

Then came the first recorded words of God:

“Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3)

Those are more than the opening words of creation.

They introduce one of Scripture’s greatest themes.

From Genesis to Revelation, God is steadily driving back the darkness.

As C. S. Lewis beautifully observed,

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Lewis understood something the Bible has proclaimed from its very first page: God’s Light doesn’t merely illuminate our path. It enables us to see everything else rightly.

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❖ Creation

Light appears before the sun, moon, and stars (Genesis 1:3-5).

Whatever the precise purpose of that first light, it declares an unmistakable truth:

Light begins with God.

Darkness does not create.

It only retreats when God speaks.

David later writes, “For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)

Everything becomes clearer in His presence.

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❖ The Presence of God

The theme immediately expands.

A bush burns but is not consumed.

A pillar of fire guides Israel through the wilderness.

The golden menorah shines continually inside the Tabernacle.

Then the radiant Shekinah Glory fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38) and later Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Again and again, God’s presence is revealed through light.

Yet Scripture also records one of its saddest moments.

Because of Israel’s persistent rebellion, the glory departs from the Temple (Ezekiel 10-11).

But judgment is never God’s final word.

Ezekiel later sees that same glory returning from the east to dwell among His people once again (Ezekiel 43:1-5).

Even exile points toward restoration.

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❖ The Promise of Messiah

The prophets looked beyond Israel’s darkest days.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” (Isaiah 9:2)

Isaiah calls the coming Servant, “A light for the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:6)

And again,

“I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

Malachi closes the Old Testament with a remarkable promise:

“The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings.” (Malachi 4:2)

For centuries, Scripture had been preparing the world for one Light.

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❖ The Light Arrives

John deliberately echoes Genesis.

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

Then Jesus declares: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The true Temple had come.

The true Light had entered the world.

The symbols had become reality.

Paul reaches all the way back to Genesis and writes:

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

Creation itself pointed forward to new creation.

At the Transfiguration, Jesus did not merely reflect light.

His face shone with His own glory (Matthew 17:2).

He is not illuminated.

He is the source.

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❖ Two Kingdoms

The Bible never presents darkness as God’s equal. It is not a competing force. It has no creative power. No sustaining power. No victorious future. Darkness exists only where light is absent.

This is why Scripture speaks of two kingdoms: The Kingdom of God’s beloved Son. And the dominion of darkness (Colossians 1:13).

Satan understands the power of light so well that he disguises himself as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

He cannot create true light. He can only counterfeit it. False messiahs. False prophets. False gospels. False righteousness. His greatest weapon is not obvious darkness. It is imitation light.

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❖ Our Calling

Jesus never told His followers to become experts on darkness.

Instead He said, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14).

The psalmist reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105).

Paul echoes the call: “Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8).

Peter writes that we have been, “…called out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).

Believers do not manufacture spiritual light.

Like the moon reflects the sun, we simply reflect the One who does.

One candle transforms an entire room.

Darkness has never extinguished light.

Light always expels darkness.

~

❖ The Story’s Glorious End

The Bible ends exactly where it has always been heading.

Isaiah foresaw the day when the LORD Himself would become Israel’s everlasting light.

“The LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” (Isaiah 60:19)

John sees its fulfillment.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp… There will be no more night.” (Revelation 21:23, 25)

Think about that.

The first recorded words of God were: “Let there be light.”

The closing vision of Scripture is a creation where night itself has disappeared because the Lamb is its everlasting Light.

From the burning bush…

To the pillar of fire…

To the menorah…

To the Shekinah Glory…

To the prophets…

To Bethlehem…

To the empty tomb…

To the King who declared, “I am the Light of the world”…

Every light in Scripture is ultimately pointing to the Light of the world.

The Bible is one grand story of God’s self-revelation in His Son.

Darkness had its hour.

The Light gets eternity.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

~

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

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Church on Earth

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Replacement Theology, Revelation with tags , , , , , , on July 26, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 10 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

Let’s look at an overview of the book of Revelation. The point of the exercise to look at the physical location of the church and Israel in time and space. When and where are nation Israel and the church located.

Before we get started, an observation in vocabulary for the book. The Greek word for church εκκλεσια/ekklesia is mentioned 19 times in Revelation chapters 1-3.

The word εκκλεσια/ekklesia is not used again until Revelation 22:16. The context of verse is a reminder. This is a message to the churches. It is warning information. A serious storm is coming.

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

In Revelation 1, The Apostle John is taking information and writing down the record from the Island Patmos on Earth. Patmos is an island in the Aegean Sea. The word “Patmos” means: my killing. The Apostle John was sentenced to the island of “my killing”. Where are you going? My killing.

Patmos is a small island approximately 10 miles by 6 miles. It is a rocky island. Tradition has John receiving the “Revelation” in a cave on the south side of the island.

Scholars generally believe Revelation was written during the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian. He ruled from 81-96 AD. The early church writers Irenaeus, Eusebius, Jerome and others indicated John was sent to Patmos by Domitian in 95 AD. John was released 1 1/2 years later.

Historically Patmos was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. Today the island belongs to modern day Greece.

Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are written to seven churches on Earth in what is 21st century country Turkey. It would appear John sent one “book” or epistle to the seven churches. The book was sent from the island of Patmos. The order of the seven churches listed is geographical and clockwise in nature. The first stop on the mainland of Turkey was Ephesus. Next, the letter would have gone north to Smyrna. The third stop was north in Pergamum. Following Pergamum to the east and a bit south was Thyatira. The fifth stop to the south would have been Sardis. A jog to the east and the letter stopped in Philadelphia. The last stop to the south and east was Laodicea.

Four of the seven churches in Revelation have references to Satan. Jesus is the one talking directly to the churches. Jesus got His information from God the Father (Revelation 1). This is not conjecture. The churches with the reference to Satan are: Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, and Philadelphia.

Per the comments of Jesus, Satan clearly has a foot hold in Turkey to the churches in Revelation. Satan has a religious system and structures in place in this geographical area on Earth. If Satan’s home land is modern day Turkey, would it make sense for him to establish his kingdom with his minions here?

Revelation 1:11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” -Jesus

~

This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. 

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

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Tisha B`Av/9th of Av, 5786/2026/5951; Red Sea Blockade; Iraqi Pipeline Deal; Iran

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Iraq/Babylon/Shinar, Persia/Elam/Iran, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2026 by paulthepoke

Tisha b’Av:  to the Jew, this is a date, the 9th of the Hebrew month Av. It is the 11th month of the civil calendar or the 5th month of the religious calendar. The month is not named in the Bible. Av usually occurs during July or August on the Gregorian calendar.

Historically, the date has resulted in heartache and pain for the Jewish people. Bad things have happened to nation Israel.

On the traditional Hebrew lunar calendar, In 2026, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Wednesday, July 22 and ends at sunset on Thursday, July 23.

On the Dead Sea Scroll solar calendar or the Essene calendar, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Saturday, July 25 and ends at sunset on Sunday, July 26.

https://dsscalendar.org/DSS-Greg.php?Y=2026

For more information on Tisha b`Av, click on the link below.

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=9th+av

As usual, the Temple Institute chooses the somber occasion to look forward to a brighter day and the building of the 3rd Temple.

One G-d, acknowledged by all: that is the one plan in heaven and on earth that can bring lasting peace to mankind. And the one place on earth for all mankind to gather as one and witness the awesome presence of G-d is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. For 2,000 years we have mourned the tragedies of the past on Tisha b’Av. While we must never forget the destruction of the past, on this Tisha b’Av the time has come to build for the future!

“And in this place I will grant peace!” Chaggai 2:9

Haggai 2:9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.

By the way, still looking for the red heifer…

~

Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea; the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.

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Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

Are we watching the end times economic re emergence of ancient Babylon???

During Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington in mid-July 2026, Iraq signed around 48 deals with U.S. companies, totaling roughly $60 billion in agreements and partnerships. These focus on energy, oil production, infrastructure, and alternative export routes. apnews.com

https://twitter.com/i/grok?conversation=2079698322780987469

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Ezekiel 38/39 and Jeremiah 49: Ancient Persia/Elam or modern day Iran

~

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

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Will Babylon Rise Again? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Iraq/Babylon/Shinar, Mark Wilson, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 12, 2026 by paulthepoke

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

“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” — Revelation 18:2

For generations, many prophecy teachers dismissed the idea of a future literal Babylon.

“Impossible.”

“The city is a ruin.”

“Babylon is merely symbolic.”

Yet today, that objection is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

Iraq is investing billions in infrastructure. The massive Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road corridor aim to connect the Persian Gulf with Europe, Asia, and beyond through a major commercial network. No, this does not prove prophecy is being fulfilled. But it does make a future economic hub in Iraq far more plausible than skeptics once claimed.

Commentary and analysis on the Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road below provided by Paul Lehr.

For countries on the western shores of the Persian Gulf: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, the Al-Faw Grand Port and Development Road will allow them to bypass the Strait of Hormuz to the north.

The road and railway go through the heart of ancient Babylon and the modern day Babylon Governorate in modern day Iraq.

https://twitter.com/i/grok?conversation=2076028099804737649

~

And that matters because Babylon occupies a unique place in Scripture.

❖ The Bible Begins and Ends with Babylon

The first organized rebellion against God emerged at Babel.

“Come, let us build ourselves a city… and make a name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4)

Under Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10), humanity united politically, economically, and spiritually in defiance of God.

~

Now turn to Revelation. The final world system is centered around “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17–18).

The parallels are striking:

❖ Global unity apart from God

❖ Political influence over nations (Rev. 17:15)

❖ Economic dominance (Rev. 18:3)

❖ Religious deception (Rev. 17:5)

❖ Sudden divine judgment (Rev. 18:8)

The Bible’s story opens with Babylon and closes with Babylon. That doesn’t feel accidental.

As Andy Woods notes, Babylon serves as one of the great bookends of biblical history—a symbol of organized human rebellion against God from Genesis to Revelation.

❖ A Remarkable Amount of Prophetic Attention

Consider how much prophetic real estate God devotes to Babylon.

Isaiah 13–14.

Jeremiah 50–51.

Daniel’s prophecies.

Revelation 17–18.

References stretching from Genesis to Revelation. Few cities receive such sustained attention across the entire biblical narrative.

That alone should make us cautious about dismissing Babylon as a minor theme or reducing it to a vague symbol.

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❖ The Literal Reading Is the Natural Reading

Babylon appears nearly 300 times in Scripture.

Babylon means Babylon in Genesis.

Babylon means Babylon in Isaiah.

Babylon means Babylon in Jeremiah.

Babylon means Babylon in Daniel.

Yet when we arrive at Revelation 17–18, many suddenly insist Babylon must become something entirely different.

Why? If Jerusalem means Jerusalem…

If Israel means Israel…

If Egypt means Egypt…

Why should Babylon not mean Babylon? The burden of proof belongs to those abandoning the normal reading.

~

❖ A Destruction Still Future?

Isaiah writes: “Babylon… shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 13:19)

“It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 13:20)

Jeremiah adds: “Babylon shall become heaps.” (Jeremiah 51:37)

“No one shall dwell therein.” (Jeremiah 50:39)

Yet when Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC, the city was not destroyed like Sodom. There was no sudden fiery annihilation. No permanent overnight devastation. People continued living there for centuries. Alexander the Great even planned to make Babylon his capital.

A fair question therefore emerges: When was Babylon ever destroyed the way Isaiah described?

Many futurists conclude the ultimate fulfillment still lies ahead.

~

❖ Revelation 18 Sounds Like a Real Commercial City

Read Revelation 18 carefully. The chapter is saturated with economic language.

“The merchants of the earth have become rich…” (Rev. 18:3)

“Cargoes of gold and silver…” (Rev. 18:12)

“Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance.” (Rev. 18:17)

“In one hour such great riches came to nothing.” (Rev. 18:17)

Merchants. Cargo. Luxury goods. Shipping. International commerce. Global influence.

Many futurists see Revelation 17 emphasizing a religious Babylon and Revelation 18 highlighting a commercial Babylon.

Whether one accepts that distinction or not, the language sounds remarkably concrete.

The rise of major Gulf trade infrastructure makes such a scenario easier to envision than at any time in modern history.

~

❖ The Same Pride, The Same Judgment

Genesis 11 records mankind saying: “Let us make a name for ourselves.”

Revelation 18 records God answering: “In one hour your judgment has come.” (Rev. 18:10)

The first great rebellion.

The final great rebellion.

The same spirit.

The same pride. The same desire to build a world without God.

And the same Judge.

No one should set dates.

No one should claim every construction project fulfills prophecy.

But believers should watch. Because the city that launched humanity’s rebellion against God may yet play a role in its final rebellion before the return of the King.

“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” (Revelation 18:2)

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

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Church & Israel, Separate

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Replacement Theology, Trend Update with tags , , , on July 9, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 9 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

The church is not the nation Israel. Members of the church are to rule and reign with Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself makes it very clear, the church and Israel are different. The followers of Christ will judge Israel.

Matthew 19:28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

2 Timothy 2:12a if we endure, we will also reign with him…

The reminder of ruling with Christ is the last message He gives to the churches in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

The church will even judge angels as well as the world. Paul explains this in his first letter to the body of believers in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 6:2-3 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?

Until these things happen, our destination as a member of the church is one of two places. Obviously, believers in Christ who are alive are on earth. If we die before the Lord comes for His bride, then we go to be with Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Members of the body of Christ who have physically died are said to be “asleep”. Sleeping is not an eternal state. At some point, we get up and awake. A physically dead body is resting. The soul and spirit are with the Lord as noted in the verse from 2 Corinthians. Bodily death is not eternal. A section in 1 Thessalonians 4 captures the concept of sleep and order of events for members of the body of Christ. This section is addressed to the church, not Israel. Notice, the letter is written to those “in Jesus”. Israel was not and currently is not “in Jesus”.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

~

This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. 

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

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Red Heifer Update!!! July 2026

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , on July 7, 2026 by paulthepoke

Numbers 19:1-2 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed.

Breaking: Major update on red heifer program and national training push

A recent survey showed fifty-five percent of Israeli Jews support rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash on Har HaBayit.

“The correct place for the burning of the red heifer remains undisclosed.”

https://israel365news.com/419279/breaking-major-update-on-red-heifer-program-and-national-training-push

Home

7 Point Statement from the Temple Institute: UPDATE AND CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE RED HEIFER

We have been following the red heifer journey since July 2014. Check out the journey below at the following link.

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=red+heifer

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Ezekiel 38-39 Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, Beth Togarmah or modern day Turkey…

Rhetoric between Turkey and Israel is heating up.

~

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

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