Temple Mount

Jerusalem Launches Debate on Sharing Temple Mount

By Chris Perver

Religious leaders in Jerusalem launched a new project on Thursday, aimed at fostering peace between Judaism, Islam and Christianity through the sharing of Judaism's most holy site. The project is headed by the Interfaith Encounter Association, which aspires to promote a vision of peaceful coexistence between the 'three Abrahamic religions'.

In light of the Middle East conflict, which centres upon the city of Jerusalem and in particular the Temple Mount area, the project envisions a day in which the contested site can be shared by the religions of the world.

A painting being used to promote the vision of the organization depicts a rebuilt Jewish Temple, standing alongside the Islamic Dome of the Rock. The artist portrays Christians, Muslims and Jews streaming in through the reopened Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount toward their respective holy places. In accordance with the prophecies of Ezekiel and Zechariah, a river runs out from the Temple and towards the former and hinder seas (Zechariah 14:8). But rather than being a blueprint for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, the painting portrays the holy sites in anomalous positions, so as not to prejudge the outcome of ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The world holds dark assumptions that fervent dreams by different faiths for the Temple Mount must lead to conflict. We pretend that these dreams no longer matter, but past regional peace initiatives have fallen apart in disputes about the Temple Mount. Join us in unveiling the prophetic calling of God's Holy Mountain through close religious study, and in seeing: The Temple Mount is not a problem but the place for Jew, Muslim, and Christian to fulfill Zechariah's prophecy: "On that day, God will be one and His name one.

"There is disagreement over the exact place it is believed the Jewish Temple once stood. Some believe it is possible that a Jewish Temple could be built adjacent to the present day Dome of the Rock. The prophecy of Ezekiel states that the Messiah is to enter the Temple through the Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount. If the ascent from the Eastern Gate into the Temple should be in a straight line, then this would place a rebuilt Temple slightly north of the Dome of the Rock. The Holy of Holies, in which the Ark of the Covenant once stood, would then be located over the present day Dome of the Spirits.

It is interesting that the Eastern Gate remains sealed, which seems to correlate with the prophecy in Ezekiel that the gate through which the Messiah would enter would subsequently be closed (Ezekiel 44:1-3). In the year 1541, during the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem, Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the First ordered the Eastern Gate to be sealed. No record is made as to why he did this, but Jewish tradition holds that around this time, a rumour swept through the city that the Messiah was about to arrive. Presumably their speculation was based on the prophecy of Psalm 102:16, that when the Lord would build up Zion, He would appear in His glory. Upon learning that the Jewish Messiah was to enter the city through the Eastern Gate, he had the entrance shut and built a Muslim cemetery in front of it, in the belief that the Messiah's forerunner would not enter it at risk of defiling himself according to the Old Testaments laws.

But some argue that this gate is not in the same location as the Eastern Gate that lies buried beneath the ground. The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement believe that the real Eastern Gate is located a hundred metres further south, and that the Holy of Holies was located directly beneath the present day Dome of the Rock. They believe that only the destruction of the Dome of the Rock will pave the way for the building of the Third Temple. They admit that this would inevitably lead to a third World War, but that God would grant Israel the victory for seeking to fulfil His will.

Whichever theory holds true, there is no doubt that we are nearing the time when the Temple will be rebuilt, in accordance with Biblical prophecy (Revelation 11:1-2). As we saw recently, the Temple Institute, which is reconstructing many of the instruments that will be used in a rebuilt Temple, is already working on blueprints for the Temple's construction.

And one of the tasks the newly established Sanhedrin has set for itself is the discovery of the exact location of where the Second Temple once stood. Many Jews believe that the construction of the Third Temple will precipitate the coming of the Messiah. And the Bible does seem to indicate that a messiah-figure will enter the rebuilt Temple shortly after its construction (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). Unfortunately he will not be the true messiah. When He was here on Earth, the Lord Jesus Christ said that He had come in His Father's Name and the nation of Israel had not received Him. But, He said, if another came in his own name, him they would receive (John 5:43).

This one whom the nation of Israel will receive will enter the rebuilt Temple and blasphemously declare himself to be God. He will then demand that all the people of Earth worship him. Unwittingly, the very 'dark assumptions' and 'fervent dreams' that they are working to prevent will be realized, when people of all religions are commanded to worship a man who sits on the Temple Mount claiming to be the one true God.

How devious the devil is. Only when the Jewish nation has nowhere else to turn, they will recognize who their true Messiah is and turn to Him for salvation (Zechariah 12:10). And He will come to them and save them from their enemies. Praise God that we know the true Messiah, and we do not have to wait until then to find out who He is! Do you know Him? He is the one with the nail-pierced hands (Psalms 22:16). He is the one who loves you, and gave Himself for you (Galatians 2:20). Why don't you turn away from your sins, and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Related Links

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Jerusalem launches debate on sharing holiest site - Reuters

The Location of the Temple and the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount - Temple Mount Faithful

Can Third Temple be built without destroying Dome of the Rock? - Jerusalem Post

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Will People Be Saved During Tribulation?

Salvation in The Tribulation

Written by: Dr. Thomas Ice

www.pre-trib.org

During the last couple of years, the most frequently asked question I have heard at prophecy conferences, relates to salvation in the Tribulation. It goes something like this: "If a lost person hears, understands and rejects the Gospel before the Tribulation, would he or she be able to be saved during the Tribulation?" Some think the answer is "No," while others think it is "Yes." I believe that people will have the possibility to be saved in the Tribulation regardless of how much they have been exposed to the Gospel before the Rapture. Here's why:

What Are The Issues?

The notion that one who has heard the Gospel and rejects it before the Rapture will thus be unable to be saved in the Tribulation is argued from 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12, which reads as follows: . . . and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." Proponents of this view contend that God, through the Antichrist, will actively delude those who do not believe. While this is true, nothing in the passage suggests that the delusion is the result of an individual's unbelief due to his rejection of the Gospel before the Rapture. There are a number of reasons why I do not think that 2nd Thessalonians supports this view.

Answering The Issues

First, 2nd Thessalonians 2 does not say anything about au individual hearing, understanding and then rejecting the Gospel. It does make a universal statement about those who do not love the truth. Thus, all unbelievers are referred to in the same way as one group. There is no basis in this passage for identifying a subclass of unbelievers, such as those who have heard the Gospel, understood it, and rejected it.

Second, the context of the entire passage relates to what will happen in the forthcoming Tribulation period. The context for when "they did not receive the love of the truth" in verse 10 clearly will be taking place during the Tribulation. The 2nd Thessalonians 2 passage is talking about the response of unbelievers during the Tribulation. If the passage were referring to an unbelieving response prior to the Tribulation, with a result that such a decision would impact one's destiny during the Tribulation, then the passage would have probably been worded differently in order to convey such a message. Since it is not so configured, then there is no support for the belief that a person's rejection of the Gospel necessarily seals his fate if he enters the Tribulation. Specific support that verses 8-12 encompass events that will transpire in the Tribulation begins in verse 8, which says, "And then that lawless one will be revealed . . ." In other words, "then" denotes a shift from the current Church Age into a future era: the Tribulation. Nothing in verses 8-12 takes any part of that passage out of the context of the Tribulation. All, in my opinion, would agree that verses 8-9 refer to things the Antichrist will do during the Tribulation. Verse 10 is clearly related to its preceding context and speaks of something that will take place during the Tribulation.

Third, verses 11-12 further explain verses 8-10; It has been argued that when Paul says, "God will send upon them a deluding influence . . ." his use of the future tense in the verb send supports the notion that this is a future deluding influence and thus provides a reason for the view that I am rebutting. However, the future tense does not support that view. Instead, it refers to the whole of what is being said in verses 11-12. he future tense in the passage relates to the acts of unbelief (taking place in the Tribulation) as well as Cod's judgmental response. So this does riot support that view. Verse 12 provides the purpose for God's judgment dur*ing the Tribulation, which is to judge unbelief.

Further Reasons and Objections

The Bible teaches that the heart of all humanity is fallen and depraved (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Jeremiah 17:10; Ephesians 417-18, etc.). All unbelievers, from Adam on down, are described as being "spiritually dead" (Ephesians 2:1-3) and "blind" (2nd Corinthians 4:4). Thus, for any individual to believe the Gospel at any time in history requires a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate and open the sinner's eyes to God's gracious offer. Left to ourselves, we will reject the Gospel when it is preached. What sinner has ever "heard and understood" the Gospel without the miraculous work of God enabling a dead and blind individual to see and believe? No sinner, on his own, has ever "heard and understood" the Gospel in such a way as described by the notion I am dealing with to make such a view feasible. No, unbelievers unaided by the sovereign work of God will remain in their unbelief and rejection equally during the current Church Age as well as during the future generation. Thus, every unbeliever will have an opportunity to hear and believe the Gospel during the Tribulation regardless of the extent of evangelism that they have received before the Rapture.

Revelation 13:8-10 says the following in conjunction with the rise of the Antichrist at the midpoint of the Tribulation: "And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints." Such language about belief and unbelief in the Tribulation-in relation to the Antichrist-as in 2nd Thessalonians 2, does not support the issue that I am addressing. Instead, it speaks of destiny as the factor determining salvation: God's sovereign will! In other words, one's salvation in the Tribulation will come about just as it does during our present Church Age.

Some who advocate the view that no salvation is possible in the Tribulation for those who previously heard the Gospel say that if their view is not true, then some unbelievers will be given a second chance. This is also faulty thinking based upon a mischaracterization. The notion of a second chance, which no one will ever receive, relates to those who have departed this life through death and have gone into eternity without Christ. That is not what will be going on when any unbeliever is left behind at the Rapture. Instead, all unbelievers will simply be passing from one phase of history (the present Church Age) into another phase (the Tribulation). They are not leaving history and passing into eternity yet. All unbelievers passing from the Church Age into the Tribulation will continue to have an opportunity to receive Christ until they have been either saved, killed, or have received the mark of the beast in the second half of the Tribulation. This is not a second, chance, since unbelievers will still be in history, not heaven.

We can see that 2nd Thessalonians 2 is a summary of Antichrist's "career" that will take place during the Tribulation Period. Nothing in the text even suggests a relationship between things that will happen in the Tribulation and the current Church Age. So why does such a belief have a significant following among Pretribulationists?

Evangelistic Urgency

It appears to me that the view that I am opposing has been developed by sincere Pretribulationists who want to press an urgency to their preaching of the Gospel message. How so? If the Rapture occurred before people accepted Christ, then it would be the same as if they had already died without Christ. Thus, at that moment, an extra urgency could be added to the argument that unbelievers should trust Christ now, since they may never have another opportunity. While it is true that this would pragmatically increase the urgency of the matter, it is not an idea supported by Scripture. It is easy to see why believers pleading with sinners to accept Christ would want to challenge unbelievers with all possible ramifications of their decision. However, pragmatics are never a valid reason to go beyond the limits of God's Word.

Conclusion

While this is not the most important issue in the Bible, it is one that I am frequently asked about at prophecy conferences and when I am fielding questions on radio and television. Since I have not really seen anyone give a written answer. I thought I would do so at this time. I believe that millions of unbelievers will be saved during the terrible time of the Tribulation. For that we can all be thankful. Many of those who will be saved will include some who had heard the Gospel many times before the Rapture. In the meantime, we, as believers, should make every effort to preach the Gospel of God's grace before the Rapture so that as many as possible will be taken at the Rapture, thus escaping the horrors of the Tribulation. Even though we are intensely interested in seeing as many as possible come to Christ, the ends do not justify the means. We should not exceed the bounds of Scripture in our proclamation. Adding threats that God has not actually made will not result in a single individual being saved who would not otherwise come to faith. People are saved by the preaching of the Gospel in conjunction with the power of the Holy Spirit that only God can apply. The eminency of the Rapture should be used in conjunction with the preaching of the Gospel, but, again, we cannot exceed the bounds of Scripture. Maranatha!

The Third Temple

Can Third Temple be built without destroying Dome of the Rock?

Matthew Wagner

www.jpost.com

A new Jewish interfaith initiative launched last week argues building the Third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would not necessitate the destruction of the Dome of the Rock.

This is an artist's impression of the future
(third) Jewish temple. Notice that the temple
is in perfect alignment with the eastern gate.

"God's Holy Mountain Vision" project hopes to defuse religious strife by showing that Jews' end-of-days vision could harmoniously accommodate Islam's present architectural hegemony on the Temple Mount.

"This vision of religious shrines in peaceful proximity can transform the Temple Mount from a place of contention to its original sacred role as a place of worship shared by Jews, Muslims and Christians," said Yoav Frankel, director of the initiative.

The Interfaith Encounter Association at the Mishkenot Sha'ananim's Konrad Adenauer Conference Center in Jerusalem is sponsoring the program, which includes interfaith study and other educational projects.

According to Islamic tradition, the Dome of the Rock, built in 691, marks the spot where Muhammed ascended to Heaven.

But according to Jewish tradition, Mount Moriah, now under the Dome of the Rock, is where the Temple's Holy of Holies was situated.

Until now Jewish tradition has assumed that destruction of the Dome of the Rock was a precondition for the building of the third and last Temple.

However, in an article that appeared in 2007 in Tehumin, an influential journal of Jewish law, Frankel, a young scholar, presented a different option.

His main argument is that Jewish doctrine regarding the rebuilding of the Temple emphasizes the role of a prophet.

This prophet would have extraordinary authority, including the discretion to specify the Temple's precise location, regardless of any diverging Jewish traditions.

Frankel considers the scenario of a holy revelation given to an authentic prophet that the Temple be rebuilt on the current or an extended Temple Mount in peaceful proximity to the dome and other houses of prayer such as the Aksa Mosque and nearby Christian shrines.

However, both Muslims and Jews have expressed opposition to the initiative.

Sheikh Abdulla Nimar Darwish, founder of the Islamic Movement in Israel, said it was pointless to talk about what would happen when the mahdi, the Muslim equivalent of the messiah, would reveal himself.

"Why are we taking upon ourselves the responsibility to decide such things?" Darwish said in a telephone interview with The Jerusalem Post. "Even Jews believe that it is prohibited to rebuild the Temple until the messiah comes. So what is there to talk about.

"The mahdi will decide whether or not to rebuild the Temple. If he decides that it should be rebuilt, I will go out to the Temple Mount and help carry the rocks."

Darwish warned against any attempt to rebuild the Temple before the coming of the mahdi.

"As long as there is a Muslim alive, no Jewish Temple will be built on Al-Haram Al-Sharif [the Temple Mount]. The status quo must be maintained, otherwise there will be bloodshed."

In contrast, Baruch Ben-Yosef, chairman of the Movement to Restore the Temple, made it clear that the Temple had to be built where the Dome of the Rock presently stands.

"Anybody who says anything else simply does not know what he is talking about," he said. "A prophet does not have the power to change the law which explicitly states the location of the Temple."

Ben-Yosef also rejected the idea that rebuilding of the Temple had to be done by a prophet.

"All you need is a Sanhedrin," he said.

Mainstream Orthodox rabbis have opposed attempts to rebuild the Temple since the Mount came under Israeli control in 1967.

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel even issued a decree prohibiting Jews from entering the area due to ritual purity issues.

However, several grassroots organizations such as the Movement to Restore the Temple, and maverick rabbis, including Rabbi Israel Ariel, head of the capital's Temple Institute and a leading member of the revived Sanhedrin led by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, have called to take steps to renew the sacrifices on the Temple Mount and rebuild the Temple.

Muslims

Fate of the Muslims

By Dr. David R. Reagan

What is the fate of the Muslims as it is revealed in end-time Bible prophecy?

Let's consider for a moment the fate of the Muslims as it is revealed in End Time Bible prophecy. The Bible prophesies that God will pour out judgment upon the Arab nations in the end times for their hostility towards the Jews and their attempt to claim the Jewish homeland as their own.

Consider Joel 3:19 for example, this passage has a clear end-time context and in that context it says, "Egypt will become a waste and Edom will become a desolate wilderness because of the violence done to the sons of Judah in whose land they have shed innocent blood." Keep in mind that "Edom" is often used as a symbolic term for all the Arab peoples, just as "Israel" is used as a term for all the Jewish tribes.

Ezekiel says that all of Edom will be dealt with in the end times because of its hatred against the Jews and its lust for their land. The result will be the desolation of the Arab states.

The book of Obadiah prophesies a similar fate for Edom in the Day of the Lord. Part of this destruction is going to take place in the wars of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38, most likely before the Tribulation begins. Psalm 83 indicates that Israel will defeat the inner ring of Arab nations that have a common border with it. Ezekiel 38 states that God will supernaturally destroy the outer ring of Arab nations that will invade Israel under the leadership of the Russians.

But, these wars affect only the nations in the Middle East. The vast majority of Muslims live in nations outside the Middle East. I believe the Muslims in other parts of the world like Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia will taste the wrath of God at the beginning of the Tribulation when they refuse to accept the European Antichrist. They will become the focus of the Antichrist military actions to subdue all the world to his authority. The book of Revelation states that one-fourth of humanity will die in the initial military campaign of the Antichrist - that is one and a half billion people in today's terms! Then we are told the war will expand into what appears as a nuclear holocaust and during this second phase one-third of those remaining will die. That is another one and a half billion! So, a total of three billion people are going to be killed in the wars of the Antichrist during the first half of the Tribulation. I believe that most of these will be Muslims.

But, the future of the Arabs is not all bleak. They must suffer for their sins, just like the Jewish people will suffer during the Tribulation. And like the Jews, we are told in Jeremiah 12 that a remnant of the Arabs will emerge from their suffering with their hearts turned to the one and only true God. The Bible says in Zechariah 2:8, "that the Jewish people are the apple of God's eye." But, that does not mean that He has no love for their cousins the Arabs. Just as God has covenants with the Jews, He has a covenant with the Arab peoples. It can be found in Genesis 16 and 17. In this covenant God promised to make the decendents of Ishmael (the Arabs) a great nation and to give them all the land to the east of their Jewish brethren. God has been faithful to those promises. Today there are 22 Arab nations with a combined population of over 300 million people. The Arabs occupy a total area of 5.3 million square miles of oil rich land. By contrast, there is only one Jewish state with a population of only 5 million Jews who are squeezed into only 8,000 square miles of space. That is a population ratio of 58:1 and the land ratio of 662:1! The Arabs have truly been blessed.

There is no partiality with God. He chose the Jews not to be a repository of His blessings, but to be a vehicle through whom He would bless all the nations of the world, including the Arabs. But, the fundamental requirement to receive God's blessings for both Jew and Arab as well as all people is to accept God's gift of love in Jesus by receiving Him as Messiah.

When I consider the blessings that God has given the Arab peoples and the grace He is going to show them in the future despite their persecution of His chosen people, I am reminded of what Paul wrote when he considered God's grace towards his Jewish brethren. He cried out from his heart, "Oh the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways."

America in the Bible?

The Late Great United States

Dr. Mark Hitchcock

www.pre-trib.org

"America is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible, implying that it would be crippled or taken out of the picture in some way."

Glenn Beck (April 2009)

The number one question in Bible prophecy is—where is America in the end times? I've been asked this question so many times that I decided to write a book to address all the issues related to America in Bible prophecy. The book is titled The Late Great United States: What Bible Prophecy Reveals about America's Last Days. The thesis of the book is that America is not mentioned in the Bible, either directly or indirectly and that this silence is significant. The Scriptures reveal that the major superpower in the end times, at least by the mid-point of the tribulation, will be a reunited Roman Empire (Revelation 13:4). This European dominance can only be explained in light of America's decline.

John Walvoord sees no major end time role for America. "Although conclusions concerning the role of America in prophecy in the end time are necessarily tentative, the Scriptural evidence is sufficient to conclude that America in that day will not be a major power and apparently does not figure largely in either the political, economic, or religious aspects of the world."[1] Charles Ryrie agrees:

The Bible has made crystal clear the destiny of many nations. Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Russia, and Israel . . . But not so with the United States . . . The Bible's silence concerning the future of the United States might well mean that she will play no prominent role in the end time drama. A nation does not have to be named in order to be identified in Bible prophecy. When Ezekiel described the future Russian invasion he used the phrase "remote parts of the north" (38: 15). Surely some prophet would have predicted something about those countries or peoples in the remote parts of the West if God had intended a major end-time role for them in the Western Hemisphere.

The fact is that no one did. . . .

Instead, we are led to conclude that the United States will be neutralized, subordinated, or wiped out, thus having little or no part in the political and military affairs of the end time."[2]


To be sure, I don't want to see the United States decline. I love this country, but it seems unlikely to me that the United States will play a key role in the end times. But what could reduce America to a subordinate role? What kind of event could bring America to its knees? While we cannot speak with certainty at this point—since the Bible doesn't tell us—we can make some educated guesses. Several plausible scenarios fit the current world situation. They could occur alone . . . or in a fatal combination. In the last year, we have witnessed major developments on three fronts that threaten the continued role of the America as the world's superpower. These three fronts are the internal, moral condition of our nation, the threat from the outside by nuclear terror, and the economic peril of a diminishing role for America and the dollar. Let's update each of these areas briefly. I'm sad to say that the news is not good.

Internal Combustion

Robert Bork, in his book Slouching Towards Gomorrah, says, "American culture is complex and resilient. But it is also not to be denied that there are many aspects of almost every branch of our culture that are worse than ever before and that the rot is spreading." Sadly, this is true. The national disaster of almost 50% out-of-wedlock birth, a $12 billion a year pornography industry, and 50 million abortions since 1973 are dreadful scourges on the national landscape.

Added to this, the homosexual movement continues to propel its agenda forward, tragically affirming America's deepening slide into the death spiral of judgment described in Romans 1:24-31. Homosexual marriage has been legal in Massachusetts and Connecticut for some time, but more states continue to legalize it. The Iowa Supreme Court voided the state's gay marriage ban in April 2009. Same sex marriages became legal in Iowa on April 27, 2009. Vermont, which has allowed civil unions for gays and lesbians for ten years, became the first state to passing legislation sanctioning same-sex marriage. The state legislature had the votes to override the governor's veto. Same-sex marriage will become legal there on September 1, 2009. Maine has also approved same-sex marriage. More states are considering similar legislation as the dominos continue to fall. The sexual revolution of Romans 1:24-25 has been followed with shocking suddenness by the homosexual revolution of Romans 1:26-27.

The ridicule and derision of Miss California in the Miss USA contest and the federal hate crimes legislation are two more examples of the lemming-like rush to silence any speech or action opposed to homosexuality and same-sex marriage. America is hemorrhaging from within. The Huns and Vandals of moral rot are upon us.

The Nuclear Front

Pakistan is in growing danger of becoming Talibanistan. The northwest region of the country could already be described as a "little" Talibanistan. There's real and growing fear that the unstable government in Pakistan could be in danger of falling to the Taliban. The dailymail.co.uk reported that "Pakistanan teetered on the brink of collapse today as Taliban fighters threatened to overrun the volatile country." The LA Times (May 8, 2009) ran an article titled "Pakistan on the Precipice?" General David Petraeus, the head of US central command, warns that the Taliban pose a threat "to the very existence of the Pakistani state." The number one priority for the United States is to safeguard Islamabad's nuclear arsenal. Pakistan's nuclear arsenal totals at least 55 warheads. Allowing these weapons to fall into Taliban hands is not an option. Added to the Pakistan threat, North Korea continues to taunt the world with its nuclear program and Iran is close to crossing the nuclear finish line. The horrifying threat of a nuclear 9/11 is growing.

It's the Economy Stupid

Thomas Macauley, a British Parliamentarian, wrote these sobering words about the United States in 1857. "Your Republic will be as fearfully plundered and laid waste by barbarians in the 20th century as the Roman Empire was in the 5th century, with this difference—the Huns and Vandals who ravaged the Roman Empire came from without, and your Huns and Vandals will have been engendered within your own country. Tragically, we are witnessing this today on both the moral and economic fronts.

The economic tsunami is being leveraged by powerful world leaders as an incredible opportunity to drastically move the world to a global economy and one world currency. The recent G20 meeting in London, called "The London Summit 2008," confirmed this sharp left turn away from American prominence toward globalism. Time magazine ran an article on April 6, 2009 titled "Is the Almighty Dollar Doomed?" that chronicles the growing consensus that the days of the dollar reserve system are numbered. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that the days of U.S. primacy are gone and that "global problems require global solutions." The G20 meeting is the wave of the future. It has been called the "archetype for future global negotiations." "It's the passing of an era," said Robert Hormats, vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International, who helped prepare summits for presidents Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. "The U.S. is becoming less dominant while other nations are gaining influence."[3]

It's not great surprise why America's stock is dropping. America's national debt now stands at a staggering $11 trillion dollars . . . and counting. The numbers on America's infamous debt clock near New York's Times Square have been spinning like the dial on Clark Griswold's electric meter. Major financial institutions have been nationalized. Many have noted that America is on the road to socialism. Newsweek's attention-grabbing cover story on February 16, 2009 was "We Are All Socialists Now." That same issue of Newsweek ran an article titled "Big Government is Back—Big Time" that highlights the fact that more and more Americans are looking to the government for support. Cradle to grave entitlements have led to what is being dubbed a "nanny state." The words of Thomas Jefferson are a stark reminder and warning: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have." According to the Bible that's exactly where this all is ultimately headed under the Antichrist.

The U.S. recession is having a devastating effect on entitlements. In 2008, U.S. debt was 41% of the economy; in 2010 it will be 62% of the economy—a 50% increase in just two years. This kind of debt load is unsustainable. Medicare is already paying out more money than it receives. This just began last year for the first time. The Medicare trust fund will be insolvent by 2017. Social Security will be paying out more than it receives in 2016 and will be belly-up by 2037. Time magazine (March 24, 2008) could be right: "The 21st century will overturn many of our basic assumptions about economic life. The 20th century saw the end of European dominance of global politics and economics. The 21st century will see the end of American dominance too."

The End of America

Add in the rapture to all these surging problems and America will become a second-rate nation in the twinkling of an eye. The rapture will change everything! While there are believers in every nation, America has a larger percentage of believers than any other nation on earth. Think about the Dow Jones the next day. The bank failures. The immediate extraction of the salt and light from the U.S. may be God's final judgment on America.

What Can We Do?

No one on earth knows when the rapture will occur and America will fall. In the meantime we must never forget to follow God's domestic policy for our nation by praying earnestly for our nation and leaders (1 Timothy 2:2) and living righteous lives (Proverbs 14:34), and to fulfill God's foreign policy by sharing the good news with the nations (Romans 10:15) and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). We must remember that the fate of a nation is not ultimately dependent upon politics, military might, or economics, but on righteousness, goodness, and mercy.

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[1] John F. Walvoord, The Nations in Prophecy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967), 175.

[2] Charles C. Ryrie, The Best is Yet to Come (Chicago: Moody, 1981), 109-110.


[3] Rich Miller and Simon Kennedy, "G-20 Shapes New World Order With Lesser Role for U.S., Markets Bloomberg (April 3, 2009).

The 3rd Temple Preparation

Temple Institute announce manufacture of golden sensors

Written by Chris Perver - www.prophecynews.co.uk

Thursday, 04 June 2009

Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute has announced the completion of the manufacture of two golden sensors (see video here), which are to be used by the priests in the service of the soon to be rebuilt Jewish Temple. The Temple Institute has tasked itself with preparing for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, and has reconstructed many of the instruments that will be used it its administration. When I was in Jerusalem I was privileged to see the Golden Menorah, which now stands on the steps facing the Western Wall. The Golden Menorah was once carried off by the Roman armies following the destruction of the Temple in 70AD. The Roman authorities erected a facade in honour of the conquest of Israel, which depicts Jewish slaves carrying the Menorah through the streets of Rome along with other instruments belonging to the Temple. It is significant that after Israel's restoration, the Menorah is back, albeit not yet in a rebuilt Temple. The Temple Institute have also manufactured many of the other objects that will used in the administration of the Temple, such as the Keter for the Laver, the priestly garments, the golden crown and the blue ephod for the High Priest. They are also working with the Sanhedrin on blueprints for the construction of the Third Temple

Quote: "The Temple Institute has just completed the creation of two new golden bezichin - frankincense vessels. Each vessel, made of 150 grams of 14 carat gold is the result of intensive research, planning and painstaking craftsmanship. The bezichin, like all the vessels created by the Temple Institute, are made in strict accordance to the word of Torah, as it has been handed down from generation to generation since its revelation on Mount Sinai. The bezichin, like all the vessels created by the Temple Institute, are intended for use in the Divine service of the Holy Temple, may we merit to rebuild it soon.

There are a number of things that are preventing the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. The ashes of a pure red heifer are required for cleansing the Temple site. The last red heifer born in Israel was found to have several white hairs in its tail, thus disqualifying it from being a suitable candidate for the ritual. The Temple Institute claim to have cracked the DNA code for producing a pure red heifer, so perhaps this may not prove to be such an insurmountable problem. Then there is the issue of the peace process. The Muslim world will not presently permit Israel to carry out any construction work near the Temple Mount. But the Bible seems to indicate that this problem will be resolved, and that construction of the Third Temple will being either shortly prior to or during the first half of Daniel's 70th week. It seems that the Antichrist's agreement (Daniel 9:27), which I believe will be in regard to the status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, will pave the way for the rebuilding of the Temple and the restitution of the sacrificial system (Revelation 11:1-2). As you can see, the fact that preparation is now being made for the rebuilding of the Temple and efforts are underway to divide the city of Jerusalem prove to us just how close we are to the fulfilment of end time prophecy.

Have you made preparation to meet God? Jesus Christ is our 'red heifer'. He was the One who was "without spot and blemish", Numbers 19:2. He knew no sin (2nd Corinthians 5:21), He did no sin (1st Peter 2:22), and in Him is no sin (1st John 3:5). The red speaks of his precious blood, which was shed for us (Matthew 26:28). The purity speaks of its efficacy, which is able to cleanse the "iniquity of us all", Isaiah 53:6. He was slain outside the city walls (Numbers 19:3, Hebrews 13:12), and His body was laid in a clean place in which never a man had lain (Numbers 19:9, John 19:41). And He is become our "purification for sin". Have your sins been forgiven? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Acts 13:38-39
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Source Temple Institute

USA

The Late Great U.S.A.

By Dr. Thomas Ice

www.worldviewtimes.com

"My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?" ~ Proverbs 24:21–22

Former Clinton advisor and commentator Dick Morris announced:

"On April 2, 2009, the work of July 4, 1776 was nullified at the meeting of the G-20 in London."[1]

That is an amazing statement and a tragedy if true. One of my best friends in the ministry, with whom I have co-authored two books, Mark Hitchcock wrote a book, which was finished before last November's election, entitled The Late Great United States.[2] There are two other books listed on amazon.com with similar titles. Why are many concerned that our great country is on the verge of extinction?

Change

It is said after the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that a lady asked Dr. Ben Franklin the following: "Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic" replied the Doctor..."if you can keep it."[3] Well, apparently a growing number of Americans think that we have lost it after about 220 years. Some are suggesting that it was lost via suicide. What have we received in return for our once great republic? We are now part of an international oligarchy run by a bunch of global elites. How did this happen and when did this change take place?

Like many things that bring change, it has not taken place overnight. America has been gradually moving toward socialism for the last hundred years, but I do not want to trace that history in this article. I want to focus on recent events that are producing so much change since the election of Barack Obama as president of these United States.

Dick Morris notes that Obama at the recent meeting of the G-20 in London has agreed to enter the United States into an economical arrangement that will regulate our economy in terms of the international interests of this European dominated oligarchy at the expense of American interests. The agreement by which Obama has obligated the United States is called the Financial Stability Board (FSB), which is "a body of central bankers from each of the G-20 states and the European Union."[4] The head of the FSB is Mario Draghi, Italy's central bank president. In a speech on February 21, 2009, he gave us clues to his thinking. He noted that "the progress we have made in revising the global regulatory framework . . . would have been unthinkable just months ago."[5]

"Obama, perhaps feeling guilty for the US role in triggering the international crisis, has, indeed, given away the store," notes Morris. "Now we may no longer look to presidential appointees, confirmed by the Senate, to make policy for our economy. These decisions will be made internationally."[6]

So what does this mean specifically for the American economy? Morris said to Greta Van Susteren on Fox News the following:

Literally from April 2nd of this year-that is, today-it's a whole new world of financial regulation in which, essentially, all of the U.S. regulatory bodies and all U.S. companies are put under international regulation, international supervision. It really amounts to a global economic government.

. . . Just when Obama is accused of socialism, he's essentially creating world economic governance. This means that the FSB, . . . will make the decisions on what standards our own SEC and Federal Reserve board should apply to all firms in the United States of any significant size about executive compensation, market activities, and a whole range of issues that used to be under free enterprise reserved for private decision making.[7]

A New World Order

In 1989 President George H. Bush spoke of a new world order in one of his speeches. However, it produced a flurry of criticism and he stopped using the term in public. Many have known for a long time that the phrase "new world order" is essentially a code word for global socialism. The last couple of years, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown can hardly give a speech without making reference to the new world order. During a speech he recently gave in conjunction with the G-20 summit in London, sounding like a twenty-first century Neville Chamberlain, Brown said the following about the new world order:
"This is Collective action, people working together at their best . . . I think the New World Order is emerging, and with it the foundations of a new and progressive era of international cooperation...From today we will together manage the process of globalization...To secure responsibility from all and fairness to all."[8]

In January 2009, Henry Kissinger made a remark about the new world order during an interview with CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" hosts Mark Haines and Erin Burnett at the New York Stock Exchange. When Burnett asked him what international conflict would define the Obama administration's foreign policy, Kissinger said the following:
"The president-elect is coming into office at a moment when there is upheaval in many parts of the world simultaneously," Kissinger responded. "You have India, Pakistan; you have the jihadist movement. So he can't really say there is one problem, that it's the most important one. But he can give new impetus to American foreign policy partly because the reception of him is so extraordinary around the world. His task will be to develop an overall strategy for America in this period when, really, a new world order can be created. It's a great opportunity, it isn't just a crisis."[9]

No one can doubt that President Obama is currently taking advantage of the crisis. After all, Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have both noted that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.

Further the Chinese and Russians have called for a new global currency that would replace the dollar and would not represent any specific country. They want the new global currency to be issued by the World Bank, which is something that seemed impossible this time last year but now could be a very real possibility in the near future.

The European Union

Dick Morris not only emphasizes that the United States is now locked into the matrix of a global economic oligarchy but it is one that will be primarily under the control of the European Union.

"You know, I've had a long experience in dealing with the European Union, and this is how they operate," explains Morris. "And in the meantime, they slip this in under the radar, which is absolutely creating an international economic union."[10]

Then Morris concluded with amazement, "This truly creates a global economic system. From now on, don't look to Washington for the rule making, look to Brussels."[11]

Thus, from a prophetic view, the Bible teaches that the tribulation will be a time in which there will be not only a global government during the last half of the seven-year tribulation, but that governance will emanate from the Revived Roman Empire. This means a Euro-centric power base is what we can expect and that is exactly what is developing. Morris concludes his article with the following comment:
"The Europeans have been trying to get their hands on our financial system for decades. It is essential to them that they rein in American free enterprise so that their socialist heaven will not be polluted by vices such as the profit motive. Now, with President Obama's approval, they have done it."[12]

Conclusion

Where are all of these explosive trends heading? As Bible prophecy predicts, there will be a one world government during the seven-year tribulation, headed by a person we know as the Antichrist. Since the Antichrist will arise out of the Revived Roman Empire, which the European Union appears to be setting the stage for just such an entity, we should not be surprised to see things trending in that direction even before the rapture.

Previously, the United States was often the one standing in the way of a global economy and government. We are not yet there, but who can doubt that since the beginning of the Obama presidency that we are indeed seeing change and moving into harmony with the one world government crowd. In the past the United States stood in the way and acted in her national interest, as I believe we should still do, but now we are the last domino to fall and nothing of significance appears to stand in the way of globalism. Only the future return of Christ after the tribulation will really bring change for Christians.

I have noticed on the internet that certain Bible prophecy ministries are noting the very things that I have just outlined and often call these things a "fulfillment" of Bible prophecy. Such language is an overstatement and an incorrect conclusion drawn from the signs of our times. Instead, it is best to see these events as preparation for fulfillment, which will take place during the tribulation that we are currently not yet in. We are seeing the stage being set for future events. Such stage-setting certainly is moving our pre-rapture world toward the one world government and economy that is predicted by Bible prophecy for this future time.

There are so many events taking place each day one can hardly keep up with them. Nevertheless, we are to always be looking up for Him. Maranatha!

Endnotes

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[1] Dick Morris, "The Declaration of Independence has been Repealed" (DickMorris.com, April 6, 2009).
[2] Mark Hitchcock, The Late Great United States: What Bible Prophecy Reveals about America's Last Days (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Books, 2009).
[3] Cited at Bartleby.com, number 1593.
[4] Morris, "The Declaration . . ."
[5] Morris, "The Declaration . . ."
[6] Morris, "The Declaration . . ."
[7] Dick Morris, "Obama a 'Disaster' at the G20 Summit," on Greta Van Susteren, "On the Record" (FoxNews.com: April 3, 2009).
[8] David Hinz, "Gordon Brown Declares New World Order is Emerging" (www.theminorityreportblog.com, April 2, 2009).
[9] Drew Zahn, "Kissinger: Obama primed to create 'New World Order'" (www.worldnetdaily.com: January 6, 2009).
[10] Morris, "Obama a 'Disaster'"
[11] Morris, "Obama a 'Disaster'"
[12] Morris, "The Declaration . . ."