2009

July

This month, the second of three total solar eclipses will occur. The remarkable thing about these three eclipses is that they introduce the Jewish calendar month of Av. From Tammuz 17 to Av 9, the Jews observe three weeks of what they call the "Dark Time." It is the remembrance of God’s punishment for Israel because of their unbelief. Both Temples were destroyed on Av 9 — Solomon’s in 587 B.C. and Herod’s in A.D. 70. These solar eclipses may be biblical signs of impending doom for the world.

2009

July

It is a curious coincidence that the existence of modern Israel parallels the development of nuclear capability in the world. The race for nuclear supremacy dates back to the early years of the twentieth century, when Albert Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc², awakened both the scientific community and the public to the awesome potential of atomic power. A tiny amount of mass can produce an enormous quantity of energy. Israel’s secret weaponry is the stuff of legend.

2009

June

In Psalm 109, the leader of a nation that was previously on friendly terms with Israel, suddenly turns and tells vicious lies about the Chosen People. David prays that God will set a "wicked man" over him and that Satan should stand at his right hand. Could this "wicked man" be the Antichrist? If not, then why is this psalm placed in the center of three psalms that describe the Tribulation Period? King David wrote this psalm as a prayer that God would punish the rogue and at the same time, save Israel.

2009

June

First, it was a "green revolution." Then it blossomed into Green Politics. Today, it has become a "Green Religion." It sees human beings, not God, as the most powerful force in the world. Their behavior is seen as out of control and threatening in the most fundamental way. Their numbers, their use of polluting chemicals, wastewater and food threaten the earth. Their mantra is "Up with man, down with God!" Secular minds tend to view humanity as an invading pestilence, crawling on the Earth’s surface.

2009

May

Comets were once thought to be omens of impending doom. Josephus said that a comet over Jerusalem was a divine message: "Like men infatuated, without either eyes to see, or minds to consider, they did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. Thus there was a comet ..." Does the new Comet Lulin represent a divine message as well?

2009

May

At the close of 2008, the National Council of Churches joined the din, declaring that "Christian Zionism is dangerous!" It is the intent of this article to bring a fresh reminder of how passionately the Lord views the Holy Land. The history of Zion is the history of the House of David, past, present and future. Zionism is simply the fulfillment of His foreordained plan for the Land and for Israel.

2009

April

In A.D. 621, at the age of 51, Mohammed laid down at dusk and curled up in a plush carpet at his cousin’s house, only to be abruptly awakened by the archangel Gabriel, who invited him to come outside. As he stepped through the door, he was introduced to a huge white horse. Gabriel told him that the horse once belonged to Abraham, and that his name was Barack!

2009

April

In the ancient world, Israelites regarded the 1st of Nisan as the New Year for Kings, and the festival of Passover as the actual coronation day. Little known to Gentiles, this amazing truth throws new light on that most historic of all Passovers. The day that Jesus was crucified was also the traditional day for the coronation of Jewish kings!

2009

March

Six blind men conclude that the elephant is like a wall, snake, spear, tree, fan or rope, depending upon where they touch. They have a heated debate, but the conflict is never resolved. The story illustrates that reality may be observed differently depending upon one’s perspective. What seems to be absolute truth may be simply a series of half-truths.

2009

March

Gary Stearman researches the trumpet and notices a difference between a biblical trumpet that warns of war, and the trumpet of grace that will call us home. The blowing of trumpets is one of the Bible’s major themes. The Romans could not have known this, but the carving of two trumpets on the Arch of Titus validates the Lord’s view of an important fact. The trumpet is symbolic of God’s promise to a redeemed people.

2009

February

From the dim mists of history until now, Gaza has been a thorn in Israel’s side. From the days of Joshua in the 14th century, B.C., and in the period of the Judges, which ended in the 11th century, B.C., to the reign of King David and on to the era of the major prophets, Gaza had a reputation for being both a landing place and safe refuge to Israel’s enemies.

2009

February

For the first seven hundred years of Church history, the Book of Enoch was highly respected. Eventually, Enoch faded from the scene. For centuries, the Book of Enoch was lost — only to be rediscovered in Abyssinia, a region in Ethiopia. In 1773, the famous English traveler James Bruce obtained three copies of the book and brought them to Europe. As soon as these Ethiopian manuscripts arrived, translators began to produce copies in various European languages, including English. The book is addressed to those who will live in the Tribulation Period.