Archive for May, 2016

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Tribulation: Temple or Tabernacle Tent, Part 2

Posted in Prophecy, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , , on May 19, 2016 by paulthepoke

Is a “temple” necessary for the tribulation? Would a tent of meeting structure or tabernacle work? After all, the antichrist needs something to defile.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 …who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Daniel 11:31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

See also Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14.

There are two Greek words in the New Testament used for the term “temple”. The meanings of the two terms are distinct and different from each other. The two Greek words are hieron and naos.

The focus of this post is the Greek term naos.

Naos: Used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice or sanctuary itself; consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies (in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple). Where the image of gold (Ark of the Covenant) was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure. Strong’s Concordance

ark of covenant

Naos designates the sacred edifice consisting of two parts. The first is the sanctuary or Holy Place. Only priests were allowed to enter this area. The second is Holy of Holies or the most holy place. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter on the Day of Atonement.

http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=2411

Naos: a shrine or sanctuary. Naos among the Jews was the sanctuary in the Temple or hieron.

Examples of a priest entering the temple (naos in the Greek) are Luke 1:9, 21-22…according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. Zacharias was the high priest. This would be in accordance with the Law.

Jesus did not enter the temple or naos. His teaching was in the court of the temple or hieron. It would have been illegal for Jesus to enter the naos. If He would have, He would have been a sinner. Jesus is of the line of Judah. Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

The Greek word naos is used in two other contexts in the New Testament. One is for the Heavenly Temple. The second is for our physical body.

Revelation 11:19a And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple…

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

 

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Trend Update: Quakes in Various Places, May 2016

Posted in Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , on May 17, 2016 by paulthepoke

Luke 21:11 …and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.    –Jesus

There are parallel passages regarding earthquakes by Jesus in Matthew 24:7 and Mark 13:8. The context is the Olivet Discourse. Jesus is answering questions from the disciples regarding the signs of His coming and the End of the Age (Matthew 24:3).

There are at least 7 references to earthquakes in the book of Revelation alone. The beast of all historical earthquakes is to take place in Revelation 16:18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.

The end result of this earthquake is Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. These passages are suggestive of significant, changed geography of planet Earth. No more islands, no more mountains! What we are seeing now is a starter kit.

Earthquake activity has recently picked up in the Holy Land. Starting May 15, 2016, quakes have been noted on the fault line running through the Red Sea north towards Israel. Earthquakes were noted in Egypt (5.1) and southern Israel (4.8).

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Light-earthquake-measuring-48-hits-southern-Israel-No-injuries-reported-454087?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Seismic and volcanic activity is picking up around the globe. New activity/unrest was observed at 4 volcanoes between May 4 and 10, 2016. Continued activity was reported for 19 volcanoes. On May 16, 2016, five volcanoes erupted on the same day.

http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2016/05/12/active-volcanoes-in-the-world-may-4-10-2016/

The US Federal Government has a preparedness exercise scheduled for June 7-10, 2016 called Cascadia Rising. The focus is the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Here is the opening paragraph from FEMA.

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) and the resulting tsunami is the most complex disaster scenario that emergency management and public safety officials in the Pacific Northwest could face. Cascadia Rising is an exercise to address that disaster.

https://www.fema.gov/cascadia-rising-2016

By the way, Oklahoma continues to be the most earthquake prone in the United States…

 

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Is something afoot between Israel & her Sunni Arab neighbors? (If not, why are Egyptian & even Saudi leaders suddenly talking so nicely to the Jewish State?)

Posted in Uncategorized on May 17, 2016 by paulthepoke

This is very curious to say the least. Keep in mind the UN is wanting to start up negotiations for a two state solution later in May 2016. France will be leading the charge of these “peace talks”. The Golan Heights are likely to be a key point of discussion. As a solution to the Syrian civil war, some nations want to force Israel to give the Golan Heights to Syria. Israel says it will not surrender the Golan Heights. Stay tuned, about to get interesting…

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Millennial Kingdom: Joy, Part 3

Posted in Millennial Kingdom, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , on May 15, 2016 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 61:7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.

The nation of Israel will have a reversal of fortune. Twice in the verse God states Israel will receive a “double portion”. The idea of a “double portion” is the inheritance rights of the first born. Deuteronomy 21:17 but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the first fruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his. The double portion will take place in their land, Israel.

Here is a list of adjectives that can be translated as shame and humiliation in the Hebrew: disgrace, reproach, confusion, dishonor, insult, ignominy, insult, and reproach (Strong’s Concordance). These days are over.

The pleasure Israel will experience is described as eternal and perpetual…they will shout for joy.

Isaiah 66:10 Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her…

To those in the world who are outside of Israel and love Jerusalem, they are called to be joyful and rejoice. They are to share in her fortune and called to be exceedingly glad. The Hebrew grammar calls for the joy to be boastful. Exult in gladness. Express yourself! Look at what God has done for Israel.

Jeremiah 31:13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together, for I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.

The joy is universal and there is no discrimination. There are no limits to the joy of the future. The happiness extends across gender to both women and men. All age groups are included in unity.

It is a change from mourning and sorrow to joy. Israel will be coming out of the seven year tribulation.

Zechariah 10:6-7 I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have had compassion on them; and they will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will be glad as if from wine; indeed, their children will see it and be glad, their heart will rejoice in the LORD.

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Trend Update: Isaiah 53

Posted in Gospel, Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , on May 13, 2016 by paulthepoke

 

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Tribulation: Temple or Tabernacle Tent

Posted in Prophecy, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 12, 2016 by paulthepoke

Is a “temple” necessary for the tribulation? Would a tent of meeting structure or tabernacle work? After all, the antichrist needs something to defile.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 …who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Daniel 11:31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

See also Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14.

There are two Greek words in the New Testament used for the term “temple”. The meanings of the two terms are distinct and different from each other. The two Greek words are hieron and naos.

The focus of this post is the Greek term hieron.

Hieron: A sacred place, temple. Strong’s Concordance

The temple of Jerusalem consisted of the whole of the sacred enclosure, embracing the entire aggregate of buildings, balconies, porticos, courts (that is that of the men of Israel, that of the women, and that of the priests), belonging to the temple. This would be the term hieron.

 

The courts are the location for the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. All people had access to the court where Jesus taught. John 7:14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.

Luke 21:38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

 

This is where confrontations with adversaries occurred “in the temple”. Matthew 4:5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple…

John 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

 

The hieron is where Jesus drove the buyers and sellers and the money changers out of the temple.    Mark 11:15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves…

It is also the location of the court of the women or the middle court. Luke 21:1-2 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.

 

Hieron is used as a noun: a sacred place, a temple; signifying the entire building with its precincts, or some part thereof, as distinct from the naos: the inner sanctuary. Hieron is never used figuratively.

The term hieron is the primary context of Jesus and the apostles. The antichrist is not observed in the context of the term hieron.

http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=2411

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Trend Update: Immigration to Israel/Aliyah, May 2016

Posted in Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , on May 10, 2016 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 11:11-12 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Ezekiel 20:34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.

Israel is about to celebrate its 68th birthday. The Central Bureau of Statistics announced Israel has 8.522 million citizens. This is 10 times more than in 1948, the rebirth of the nation. Approximately 75% of the population is Jewish.

In 2014 there were 14.3 million Jews in the world. Forty three percent were estimated to live Israel.

In 1948, Tel Aviv was the only city with over 100,000 people. Today in May of 2016, there are 14 cities over 100,000.

Last year, 36,000 moved to Israel, Aliyah. This is the voluntary immigration back to the land of Israel from the diaspora. Simply stated, Aliyah means ascent.

For more details, see the link below from the Jerusalem Post.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israels-population-multiplied-by-10-since-founding-of-the-state-CBS-reports-453518?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Amos 9:15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the LORD your God.

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Millennial Kingdom: Joy, Part 2

Posted in Millennial Kingdom, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , on May 8, 2016 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 42:11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices, the settlements where Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud, let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.

The wilderness is the desert or the uninhabited land. To the towns of the desert…belt it out, a joyful cry!

Kedar is the second son of Ishmael. Genesis 25:13 and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam.

His name means “dark” per Strong’s Concordance. Kedar settled in the region consistent with modern day northern Saudi Arabia.

Sela is first mentioned in Judges 1:36 And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward. Akrabbim is also known as Scorpion Pass. This would be the southern border of the Amorites. It is also the southern border of the tribe of Judah. This is the modern day region that extends up from the Dead Sea to the southwest in Israel.

Even those in the desert will have something to shout about.

Isaiah 52:9 Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

This verse implies that Jerusalem will be a city of destruction. Jerusalem is described as chorbah in the Hebrew. At the end of the tribulation Jerusalem is described as a place laid waste, a ruin, and a desolation.

Jesus will intensively console the people of the city.

He has redeemed Jerusalem. The word for redeemed is go‘el. This is the same word that is used for the kinsman redeemer (see the book of Ruth). The role of the go’el is to avenge. He will seek revenge on behalf of the people. His blood has paid the ransom for sin. The people of Jerusalem will be redeemed from bondage and slavery. Jesus is a kinsman from the tribe of Judah.

Jerusalem, give an ear splitting yell!
Isaiah 60:15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated with no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation.

The verse above is the history of Israel for roughly 2000 years after the death of Christ. The Jewish people were dispersed from the land in 70 AD. This is how the land of Israel was viewed: left behind, departed, left alone, abandoned, and neglected. Just let it go. Neighbors surrounding Israel hated the Jewish people even when they were not there. The land laid effectively dormant until the early 20th century. Then, there was the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Fast forward to 2016, Israel is a nation and Jerusalem is its capital.

Things are going to change under the direction of Christ. The nation will become ga’own in the Hebrew, a place of majesty, pride, and excellence for generations and eternity.

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Trend Update: Pacific Ocean Death, Chile, South America, May 2016

Posted in Blood Red Water/Aquatic Death, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 7, 2016 by paulthepoke

Revelation 8:8-9 The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The context of the verses is in the trumpet section of Revelation. The first seven signs were the seals. In the seventh seal, the seven trumpets are contained. Revelation 8:8-9 are verses regarding the second and third trumpets. The context is the middle third of the tribulation.

Revelation 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Revelation 16:4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

The verses in Revelation 16 are late in the order of the seven year Tribulation. The scope and scale are all of the rivers and springs. Some scholars interpret the sea to mean the Mediterranean Sea and others take it to mean the oceans of the world. The two phenomena (blood red water and aquatic death) are noted to occur in the same context.

As of May 2016, we are not in the Tribulation. There is no Jewish Temple, no peace treaty, no 10 nation federation, and no antichrist.

The events below described in Chile, South America (May 2016) are not the fulfillment of Revelation 8:8-9 or Revelation 16:3-4. There was no mountain thrown into the ocean. That would have made headlines.

Stop the drama. We are not there. When the tribulation occurs, one will not have to ask the question.

Date line, May 2016, the coastline of Chile. The Pacific coast of Chile is approximately 2,500 miles in length. Whales, 40,000 tons of salmon, 8,000 tons of sardines, cuttlefish, and clam populations have washed ashore dead.

The majority of the death is blamed on El Nino. The warmer water has allowed for algae to grow. This has created a red tide of algae which releases toxins. The ocean has turned blood red as a result. Portuguese Man of War jellyfish are showing up in regions never seen before. Ecological factors and fish farming may be to blame.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wave-of-dead-sea-creatures-hits-chiles-beaches/ar-BBsCM6o

The scope of this type of event is the largest yet.

The Bible says these events are going to happen. Just because these events can be explained does not make it go away.

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Trend Update: Mount of Olives, Passover 2016

Posted in Prophecy, Spring Feasts, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2016 by paulthepoke

Zechariah 14:4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

On the Mount of Olives east of the Temple Mount on Monday, April 25, 2016, a Passover sacrifice ceremony was held. Over 400 people attended the event. Multiple public figures and officials stated hope for the day the Dome of the Rock and al Aksa Mosque would be removed from the Temple Mount. They believe the time is now to raze the area and purify the land.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Participants-in-paschal-lamb-ceremony-voice-hope-to-one-day-raze-Temple-Mount-451757

You can bet your last shekel those attending this Passover ceremony know the verse in Zechariah (name means: Yahweh remembers).

The Mount of Olives is roughly 3,000 feet or a little over ½ mile from the Temple Mount. As the crowd looked across to the Temple Mount, they see the Eastern Gate or the Golden Gate. Currently the gate is considered the property of the Muslims. They have sealed it with brick and mortar. In front of the gate is a Muslim cemetery. Little do they know, they are the instruments of prophecy fulfillment.

Ezekiel 44:1-3 Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east. And it was shut. And the LORD said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.”

The prophet Ezekiel was told by the LORD. The Hebrew word for LORD is Yahweh, The Existing One. This is the definitive name of God. And He says only the Prince may enter this gate. This is His gate. It is stated four times in Ezekiel 44:2, the gate is to remain closed to others. Yahweh is in charge of this gate.

Fast forward roughly 500-600 years from the prophets to the ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives. He is promised to return in the same manner.

Acts 1:11-12 …and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

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