Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
On This Week in Prophecy: Over the weekend, Iran has been under a coordinated attack. According to various outlets, Israel and the United States are suspected.
To sum up an eventful evening in #Iran, some mysterious incidents at: 1⃣ Esfahan in a MODAFL facility (confirmed) 2⃣ Azarshahr in East Azerbaijan Province (massive fire) 3⃣ Karaj and Tehran (footage circulating, unclear) 4⃣ Hamedan & Dezful (unconfirmed)https://t.co/GuNvd0gk5p
According to some reports, the air defenses of Iran's traditional army and the IRGC have been put on high alert amid a horrible fire in a factory near Tabriz (the video below) and unconfirmed reports of explosions and fires in Karaj, Tehran and Hamadan.https://t.co/WxKcN5ZtnApic.twitter.com/GSHmTkcKqS
NEW: The strike on Iran's MoD facility in Isfahan was “specific, surgical & successful”, sources with direct knowledge told me. They added the facility was connected to Iran’s missile program: “4 different areas in the building were accurately targeted & the goal was achieved"
NEW: Israeli aircraft have attacked a convoy of 25 trucks that crossed the border from Iraq to Syria through a crossing controlled by Hezbollah, according to Saudi media reports
Russia is likely to turn to Turkey for drones as their supply from Iran appears to be interrupted. These events appear to only harden the relationship between Russia and Israel.
Quakes in various places… Amidst the back drop of the explosions across Iran, a large earthquake in northwest Iran caused significant damage in both Iran and Turkey.
Iran and Russia strengthen economic ties by connecting their electronic banking systems. Both countries are looking to bypass western economic sanctions.
Putin’s navy frigate armed with hypersonic missiles ‘sailed towards US in the Atlantic in a show of strength’ after passing Britain, Russian telegram channel claims
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the Middle East and Israel this week. Tensions are running high between the Israelis and the Palestinians as deaths are occurring on both sides in recent violence.
John 1:35-51 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, a Stone).
The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Doctrinal Emphasis: What is a disciple?
Key Theme: Discipleship, being a pupil of Jesus.
Disciple is from the Greek mathetes/μαθητής. Simply stated it means to be a learner, an understander, or a pupil. The term indicates thought accompanied by endeavor as stated by Vine’s Dictionary. A disciple is in contrast to a teacher, one who follows another’s teaching.
Jesus indicates that the disciple is not to be above the master or teacher but to become as his teacher. Christ is the model that we strive to become.
Matthew 10:24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Jesus also indicates the type of commitment it takes to become one of His disciples in Luke 14:26-33. A disciple must place the relationship to Christ above self and family. We are asked to bear our own cross and come after Him. Jesus comes before all material, worldly possessions.
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A disciple can be an individual, male or female.
Tabitha is called a disciple. Acts 9:36Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.
Andrew is called a disciple. John 6:8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him…
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The term is used in association with many in the New Testament. Disciples can refer to a group of people. It refers to the apostles in Matthew 10:1, 11:1. In Acts 11:26, the disciples are called Christians.
Acts 11:26 …and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
In the garden of Eden, God made male and female and clothed them in a garment of glory which is God Himself. They lost that glory garment when they sinned. Everyone born after the first couple was born without a glory garment.
Everything Jesus did was to put that glory garment back on us. We are to wear that garment now as we live. We were never meant to live apart from God and His glory.
When we try to, things don’t work. But when we live with Him in covenant relationship, and we activate His glory to shine on us, we walk every day carrying His presence into every realm where we place our feet. Darkness is driven away as easy as turning on a light switch in a dark room. Everything is effortless in the Father’s glory that Jesus died to give us.
Key indicators that the glory in us has been activated and is now abiding on us is perfect peace (no ripples on the pond), joy unspeakable because we’re full of His glory, and perfect love that drives out all fear.
Bloch
Colossians 1:27“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Ephesians 5:14“Therefore He says, ‘Wake up O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Matthew 17:2“And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”
2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, to prevent “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,” from shining “on them.”
2 Corinthians 4:6“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:7“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels…”
John 17:5“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
John 17:22“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:”
John 17:24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me…”
2 Corinthians 3:18“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
On This Week in Prophecy… The world’s richest, brilliant, and morally elite descended on and graced Davos, Switzerland. The World Economic Forum held its annual meetings and projected its plans for the planet.
Listen to what these people are saying. This is not a back room conspiracy. Their views are out in the public for all to hear. There is no hiding their agenda. They are telling us their intentions. The plan is global in scale.
Founder Klaus Schwab encouraged all who attended to “Master the Future”.
Acts 10:13,15 Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
Members of the World Economic Forum have declared war on eating meat.
The World Economic Forum wants a global database for who has been vaccinated and who has not. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair expresses his views on the issue.
LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR WORDS. THEY ARE SERIOUS!
1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
The verses above from John are great spiritual detectives. Who is really with and for Jesus Christ.
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Ezekiel 38:1-5 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia…
Russia announces plans to grow military to 1.5 million. Russia is looking to protect the western borders of the country.
The European Parliament voted to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group. Sanctions were placed on Iranian leadership as well.
The IRGC has been carrying out arrests and executions against its population. Citizens are not allowed to exercise their freedom of speech, freedom of lifestyle and sexual orientation, and freedom of clothing choice.
Italy’s Eni energy company found a major new natural gas field offshore of Egypt in the Eastern Mediterranean sea.
State-controlled Eni is looking for new gas sources as it aims to completely replace gas imports from Russia by 2025 following the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During my scripture studies, I have been reading about the number seven (7). I find the truth and reliability of the Scriptures reinforced in a number. When you see the number and the situations that stretch across the time of the Old and New Testaments, you cannot dismiss the divine as coincidence but see it as proof of its truth.
In the Old Testament: There were seven days of creation. The seventh day being the day of completion and rest.
In Hebrew scriptures, there are seven words in Genesis 1:1 and 14 words in Genesis 1:2.
Also in Hebrew Scriptures, there are seven paragraphs from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3, which is the verse about the seventh day.
According to Jewish tradition, the creation of Adam occurred on September 26, which is the first day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.
It is also believed that Jesus, the 2nd Adam, was born around this time, during the fall feasts. (Bethlehem & Herodium Hill)
There are seven sabbatical feasts:
The Passover (Leviticus 23:5)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8)
The Feast of First Fruit (Leviticus 23:9-14)
The Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-21)
The Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23: 23-25)
The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32)
The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-34)
There are seven colors in the rainbow that God created as a covenant after the flood.
Abraham swore an oath of ownership over a well at Beersheba. The well is called “The Well of Seven”. Seven lambs were given as payment. (Genesis 21:25-34).
At Jericho, Joshua was instructed to march seven days around the walls. On the seventh day, seven priests joined the march while blowing seven trumpets (Joshua 6:1-27).
In 2 Kings 5:1-19, Naaman was instructed to wash seven times in the Jordan River for healing.
Isaiah 11:1-2 speaks of the coming of Christ and the seven spirits (traits of perfection) that will upon him:
The spirit of the Lord
The spirit of wisdom
The spirit of understanding
The spirit of counsel
The spirit of might
The spirit of knowledge
The spirit of the fear of the Lord
King David referred to God’s word “like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6).
In the New Testament: There are seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13).
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive us our debts
As we (let us) forgive our debtors
Lead us not into temptation
Deliver us from evil
In Matthew 18:21-22, we are told to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven or seventy-seven (depending translation).
Christ used seven metaphors to describe himself as the path to salvation:
The Bread of Life (John 6:35)
The Light of the World (John 8:12)
The Door to Salvation (John 10:9)
The Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26)
The Way, The Truth, The Life (John 14:6)
The Vine (John 15:5)
Jesus healed seven individuals on the seventh day of the week. He made them complete on the day of completion.
A man with a deformed hand (Mark 12:9-13)
A man possessed by an unclean spirit (Mark 12:23-26)
Peter’s mother-in-law with fever (Mark 12:29-31)
A woman with an eighteen year infirmity (Luke 13:10-13)
A man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-4)
An invalid man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:5-9)
A man blind from birth (John 9:1-7)
Christ made seven statements from the cross:
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:4)
“Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 2:45)
“Woman, behold thy son” and in the same statement “Behold thy mother”(John 19:26-27).
“I thirst.” (John 19:28)
“It is finished.” (John 19:30)
“My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me.” (Matthew 27:46)
In Revelation, there are:
Seven letters to seven churches Seven seals to be broken Seven trumpets blown by seven angels Seven bowls of wrath to be poured out by seven angels
While this is not a comprehensive list of the number seven in the Bible, I believe this supports my belief in the truth of the scriptures. It is truth not coincidence.
Welcome to The Watchmen, just a couple of dudes sitting on the wall watching the world go by.
On this edition of the Watchmen…
Cardinal George Pell has been identified as the author of a document critical of Pope Francis. Was Cardinal Pell treated fairly by the Roman Catholic Church? Cardinal Pell was a central figure in a child sex abuse case. This is sensitive and messy. Do your own homework.
Almost one year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian ruble is stronger. Commodity and energy exports are going east to India and China instead of Europe. How is the Russian government budgeting moving forward? Is the Russian economy positioned for success into the future?
Republican and Democratic Senators are travelling together to the Middle East. This is a bipartisan trip in support of the Abraham Accords.
The following Senators will be going to the Middle East: Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Ted Budd (R-NC).
Countries included in the visit include: Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
Who else might they see? Will there be countries added to the Abraham Accords? Lots of chatter about the Saudis…
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed.
Lawlessness is a hallmark of the times leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. Lawlessness is global and increasing. Let’s take a look at Brazil and the response to recent election results.
For the first time in 2,000 years, people will be able to visit the Pool of Siloam. The original pool was rediscovered in 2004. The original size of the pool is believed to be approximately 1.25 acres.
The pool was first mentioned in 2 Kings 20:20 as part of King Hezekiah’s water project.
2 Kings 20:20 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he constructed the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
Reverend Johnnie Moore, President of the Congress of Christian Leaders had the following quote per Fox News.
“This news means that one of the most important archeological discoveries in history can soon be seen by visitors from all over the world. It will affirm all they believe. Having faith is part of worshipping God, but faith alone isn’t required to believe. There are historic facts attesting to the truth of Scripture.”
“In the Pool of Siloam, we find evidence of history preserved for us, revealed at just the right time. This is a truly historic event. Theologically, it affirms Scripture, geographically it affirms history and politically it affirms Israel’s unquestionable and unrivaled link to Jerusalem. Some discoveries are theoretical. This one is an undeniable. It is proof of the story of the Bible and of its people, Israel.”
Jesus Himself verifies the name of the Pool of Siloam.
John 9:7 And He (Jesus) said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security, went to the Temple Mount. And the world freaked out and held emergency meetings at the United Nations. The claim, the status quo on the Temple Mount was violated.
Ben-Gvir spent 13 minutes on the Temple Mount. He walked around, end of story.
Hyperinflation is beginning to settle into Egypt. The currency is worth less and less every day. The Egyptians have taken a $3,000,000,000 (billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund. These are the consequences of the war in Ukraine with Russia’s invasion.
The Egyptian pound dropped to a new low after experiencing its biggest one-day fall since October. This comes two months after the country agreed to a $3bn financial package with the International Monetary Fund pic.twitter.com/pHKUcUKZn6
What is love? Love is many things. There is love for your friends, love for your family, love for your children, love for your spouse/partner. These are all different kinds of love really. We are supposed to love everyone & sometimes that’s not easy, but it’s the way it’s supposed to be. Love is also a choice I believe. We choose to either keep doing the things to continue the love or we choose to not do these things. The one thing all these loves have in common is found in…
1 Corinthians 13:4-7… Love is patient & kind, love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
The death of a child is like no other death. It is a never healing pain. It is a loss of part of yourself. It causes immense personal distress. I have personally suffered a miscarriage. I have sat with friends who have lost their children and seen the despair and pain written across their faces. Our children are not supposed to die before us. We grieve at the thought of being separated from them, not hearing their voices, seeing their faces, never seeing their full potential fulfilled.
As parents, we grieve, get angry when we see our children heading down a path of self-destruction. We many times stand face to face with a defiant, sulky, self-defiant, self-righteous, self-absorbed child. Yet, many of us stand, as that child, in the face of God. And you know what? Our Father grieves.
Our God, our Father, gives us the Holy Spirit as a guide. Still we disregard the promptings as a teenager sneaking out of the house for a night of mischief. We get angry at God because we look at the rules and start manifesting feelings of judgment. The same reasons I would get angry at my parents when I was young. Now as a parent myself, I understand. My parents loved me.
Our Heavenly Father grieves as we disregard His guidance. On judgment day, I can visualize God with tears in His eyes as He has to turn away from His children, His creations, who have chosen to be eternally separated from Him. I imagine it like being at the side of a hospital bed as you watch your child take his last breath.
