Posted 3-23-02
Washington Postpones Iraq Offensive
http://www.debka.com/
This expanded geopolitical-cum-military agenda calls for carefully synchronized multiple military strikes on several fronts. The immediate consequence of the revised plan of action is a six-to-eight week delay in the US military offensive against Baghdad – from early April to the second half of May or early June....
As for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, he is deemed a write-off. Washington will make sure he is removed from the Palestinian Authority and replaced with an acceptable Palestinian leader or leaders. The United States, the vice president explained, intended casting the kingdom of Jordan and its army in the role of security patron over the West Bank province of the Palestinian state-to-be.
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Bright new comet graces evening sky
HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR ASTROPHYSICS - 2-23-02
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0203/23ikeyazhang/
...No telescope is necessary to look at this beautiful visitor as it swings around the Sun and heads back to deep space. The comet has brightened to naked-eye visibility, but is easiest to see through binoculars. A casual glance will show the bright, starlike nucleus surrounded by a fuzzy cloud of dust and gas called the coma. The comet's tail streaks away from the Sun, pointing nearly straight up from the horizon.
To find Comet Ikeya-Zhang, look in the western sky shortly after sunset. A red point of light about 18 degrees up in the sky is the planet Mars. (An outspread hand at arm's length covers about 15 degrees, so Mars is a bit higher than one hand-span.) To the right of Mars are two bright stars in a nearly vertical line. The comet is at the same height as Mars, to the right of the two bright stars about as far again as the distance from Mars to the stars....
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ORAL TREATMENT FOR SMALLPOX UNVEILED March 21, 2002
http://www.jvim.com/cgi-bin/update.cgi
New Scientist reports: "A drug that can be given orally to fight smallpox has been developed by US researchers. The drug is 100 times more effective at slowing replication of the virus than the existing candidate treatment, which must be injected. It is also effective against other common viruses.
It is note worthy that right after we are told to "watch and pray always that we may escape" all the horrors described in Luke 21, that Luke 22 starts out talking about the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover). Why? Why this sequence of events?
1: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching...
7: Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.
8: Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."
Notice the sequence of events - First Jesus told Peter and John (who are a type of "watcher/believer") to go and make preparations for the Passover. They ask Him -
9: "Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.
Now they are given the "where" AND the "how" by Jesus -
10: He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters...
I've always wondered about this "man carrying a jar of water". To me he is a "type" of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to us - the Holy Spirit is "our man with the Jar of Water", living water that is, and we are then told to follow him and his leading in our lives just as Peter and John were told to follow him. Peter and John were told to follow him to "the house that he enters"... Let's find out about this house -
11: say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
12: He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."
So upon the leading of the "man with the jar of water", Peter and John are led to the Owner of the house (the owner being a "type" of Heavenly Father). Notice where the owner takes them - He shows them a "large upper room, all furnished". At the rapture, we are going to be taken to the owner of the "house" where we will be shown the "large upper room all furnished", John 14: 2-3.
13: They left and found things just as Jesus had told them.
This is where it gets good -
14: When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
When our hour comes we may also be reclining at the table with Jesus. But when? At what table? Are there clues? Let's look -
15: And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16: For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
Don't read over this too quickly. Christ is saying that he is remembering US by not eating the Passover "UNTIL IT FINDS FULLFILLMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD." In other words, this Passover celebration is on hold in the Kingdom until it's fulfillment is in the Kingdom! How was it fulfilled the last time Christ ate on this Feast? - at the table with his disciples serving them in the upper room. Christ singled out a future time when this meeting with his disciples will happen again, except this time it will be fulfilled in his Kingdom - the real "upper room".
Notice that Christ said these things ON PASSOVER. From that Passover on, he has abstained on our behalf waiting until it's future fulfillment in his Kingdom...However He also tells us NOT TO ABSTAIN - we are to eat the Bread and to drink of the Cup in remembrance of him. This is the ONLY FEAST we are told to remember.
19: And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Last Super, not Passover)
In other words - is the answer to the "when" of the rapture spelled out in the account of Passover? If it is, then for Passover to be fulfilled in the Kingdom, then we must be raptured out BEFORE Passover. Everyone talks about the "wedding banquet" and when that may occur, but I don't hear a lot about when people think this Feast gets fulfilled - CHRIST SAID IT WILL BE FULLFILLED AGAIN IN THE "KINGDOM OF GOD".
PASSOVER GETS FULLFILLED AGAIN!!! Read it again if you have to...but this point has been overlooked for too long. Everyone keeps saying that the rapture can have nothing to do with the Spring Feast - however, Christ himself said Passover will have another fulfillment in his Kingdom. This is my point. The rapture may directly apply to PASSOVER and Passover ONLY.
I will end with this - I was doing this study in Luke Chapter 22 - Luke is the 3rd book of the New Testament and the 22 chapter deals with Passover. March is the 3rd month and the 22 day this year is the 9th of Nisan - start of 10th of Nisan... YBIC
Jesus didn't say "fulfilled AGAIN," just that "it finds fulfillment." In the KJV, Lu. 22:16 says, "until IT WILL BE FULFILLED in the kingdom of God."
I sure hope the Rapture is on Passover, but I'm not sure this verse tells us that. Luke 22:15 (Darby) says, "he said to them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, that I will not eat any more at all of it (passover) UNTIL IT (passover) BE FULFILLED in the kingdom of God." Jesus fulfilled IT himself during the next 12 hours of daylight.
The "kingdom of God" does not have to refer to Heaven. It can refer to the kingdom of God on Earth. In Mat 12:28 (KJV), Jesus said, "if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." Mat 21:43 says, "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Luk 16:16 says, "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Act 14:22 says, "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Agape
The New Strong's Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words gives one of these nuances as "a badge of servitude."
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament also reads in part..."the branding of devotees with the marks of deities"
The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains states, "A more satisfactory indication of the relationship between 'mark' and 'beast' would be 'a mark showing on'e relationship to the beast' or 'a mark of loyalty to the beast' or 'a mark of the party of the beast'."
Also, an important consideration is the Greek word epi, which the KJV translates as "in" in Rev. 13...in their right hand, or in their forehead. Other versions render the word as "on" or "upon" but I believe this is one case where the KJV gets it right.
The mark historically symbolizes servitude or allegiance to the one from whom the mark is recieved. The mark symbolizes the relationship existing between those that decide to recieve it and the Beast (or his agents) from whom it is recieved.
In short, it is a spiritual mark, which exposes the hearts and minds of those recieving it. It shows to whom they willingly give their allegiance.
I happen to know from thirty years of studying the Bible that this Scripture is totally true. All families (including Muslim, atheist, cultic, to even the most devout Christian families) will be blessed. The trouble with all Christian religious denominations is that they fail to "command and teach that God is the Saviour of ALL men, especially those that believe:
"1 Timothy 4:9-11 "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially those that believe. 11) These things command and teach." What Christian curch teaches this?
Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw ALL MEN unto me."
I case there is any doubt that He was lifted up from the earth, the next verse states:
John 12:32,33 "This he said signifying what death he would die."
But first, the curse, hell, the lake of fire. Puhishment is not eternal, but temporary. It is for the benefit of the sinner. Check the Youngs' Concordance. The King James people translated :unto the age" as "unending, eternal, for ever, never, etc," you can see, though, with the help of modern Concordances that God will save even Muslims, Hitler, Satan, and the devils: (Since God Himself claims responsibility for all things that have happened, are happening and will happen (Ephesians 1:7-11):
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. 8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. 9) Having MADE KNOWN UNTO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, according to his good pleasure which HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF. 10) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times HE MIGHT GATHER TOGETHER IN ONE ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, BOTH WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, AND ARE WHICH ARE ON EARTH; EVEN IN HIM. 11) In whom WE have OBTAINED an INHERITANCE, being PREDESTINATED (So whose responsibility is it for everything going on now everywhere in the world??? God says He is!) according to the PURPOSE of Him who worketh ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL!!!!!!!!!!.) 12) tHAT WE SHOULD BE TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY, who first trusted in Christ."
So why should he roast the "bad guys" in hell for ever and ever? True, they go to hell and the lake of fire first, but it is remedial: check out Revelation 21:22 where "the kings of the earth" that fought against Christ at Armageddon come out of the lake of fire after they are cleansed and partake of the leaves of the trees which were "for the healing of nations." (Rev 22:2) Rev 22:3 says, "There shall be no more curse..."
Rev 5:13 "And EVERY CREATURE (created being) which is in heaven, and on earth, and UNDER THE EARTH, and such as are in the sea, and ALL THAT ARE IN THEM, heard I saying, Blessing and honour, and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb FOR EVER AND EVER."
1 Cor 15:21-28: "For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (the Son of man) came also the resurrection of the dead. 22) For as in Adam all die, even so, in Christ SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE. 23) BUT EVERY MAN in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's as his coming. 24) Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (remember that the Lake of Fire is the second "death." so universal salvation occurs after the Lke of fire--which obviously is not "eternal.") 27) For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted. 28) And when all thingsare subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all thngs under him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.." The message here is: turn to Christ now, so that you will not have to go through hell and the lake of fire, as the Bible warns, "No chastening is pleasant."
Rom 3:23 says that all, good or bad, "ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Christ will save those that accept him as their Saviour. Rom 10:8-13 says, "what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Those that do not call upon the name of the Lord are in deep deep trouble. If they do not call upon the name of the Lord before they die, they will end up in Hell. "And these shall go away into EVERLASTING (aionos, Strong's, perpetual, eternal, forever, everlasting) PUNISHMENT: but the righteous into LIFE ETERNAL (aionos, Strong's, perpetual, eternal, forever, everlasting) " (Mat 25:46). "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should NOT PERISH, but have ETERNAL (aionos, Strong's, perpetual, eternal, forever, everlasting) LIFE" (Joh 3:14,15 ). If one will not perish, he has eternal life. If life eternal is forever, punishment is forever.
> > I happen to know from thirty years of studying the Bible that this Scripture is totally true. All families (including Muslim, atheist, cultic, to even the most devout Christian families) will be blessed.
I happen to know from over 40 years of studying the Bible as deep as I can go, that ALL FAMILIES, NOT RELIGIONS, WILL BE BLESSED. Gen 12:2,3 says, "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou (Abraham) shalt be a blessing: And I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS THEE, AND CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE: and in thee shall ALL FAMILIES (mishpachah, circle of relatives, tribe, people, kindred) of the earth be blessed." The Saviour is of the family of Abraham. Because of the Saviour, all families of the Earth have a chance to be saved. Without Christ, we are all sunk.
> > "1 Timothy 4:9-11 "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially those that believe. 11) These things command and teach." What Christian curch teaches this?
All Christian churhes that I know of teach this correctly. I Tim. 4:10 (ISV) says, "To this end we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, that is, of those who believe.
> > Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw ALL MEN unto me."
Drawing them toward Him does not mean that all men come to Him.
> > But first, the curse, hell, the lake of fire. Puhishment is not eternal, but temporary.
If believers have life eternal, unbelievers have punishment eternal, as I showed you above. Actually, neither is temporary.
> > God will save even Muslims, Hitler, Satan, and the devils: (Since God Himself claims responsibility for all things that have happened, are happening and will happen (Ephesians 1:7-11):
No way. Mankind was put on this Earth to be tested--would he obey God or not. Those that do not will find themselves in the perpetual Hell. It seems that God judged Satan and the demons, sentenced them to prison, and Satan appealed the sentence. There is a very good chance that man was created to prove that God is perfectly just in putting Satan and his demons in the prison created for them. If man, smaller, less powerful, and not able to see God, can still obey God, the Lord is perfectly just to put the disobedient angels, taller, stronger, and able to see God, in their prison.
> > That in the dispensation of the fulness of times HE MIGHT GATHER TOGETHER IN ONE ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, BOTH WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, AND ARE WHICH ARE ON EARTH; EVEN IN HIM. 11) In whom WE have OBTAINED an INHERITANCE, being PREDESTINATED (So whose responsibility is it for everything going on now everywhere in the world??? God says He is!) according to the PURPOSE of Him who worketh ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL!!!!!!!!!!.) 12) tHAT WE SHOULD BE TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY, who first trusted in Christ."
Only believers are "IN CHRIST." Look at the words I put in bold type above. In Christ, WE, believers who have "trusted in Christ," have obtained an inheritance. Eph 1:5 says, "Having PREDESTINATED US (BELIEVERS WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST) unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."
> > So why should he roast the "bad guys" in hell for ever and ever? True, they go to hell and the lake of fire first, but it is remedial: check out Revelation 21:22 where "the kings of the earth" that fought against Christ at Armageddon come out of the lake of fire after they are cleansed and partake of the leaves of the trees which were "for the healing of nations." (Rev 22:2) Rev 22:3 says, "There shall be no more curse..."
God is the Sovereign of the Universe. What he says goes. There is no other above him to tell him what to do. Eternal Salvation or Eternal Hell are the only choices we get, and we can't do anything to change it. The kings of the Earth do not come out of the lake of fire. The curse is the asteroids of Rev. 8:8,10 that destroy civilization as we know it.
Rev. 21:22 says, "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." It has nothing to do with the bad guys and the Lake of Fire.
Rev. 20:8-10 says, "And shall go out to deceive the nations (people who live on the Earth in the Millennium) which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, WHERE THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE, AND SHALL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOR EVER AND EVER." The Beast and False Prophet do not get out of the Lake of Fire. Satan just goes there too.
> > (remember that the Lake of Fire is the second "death." so universal salvation occurs after the Lke of fire--which obviously is not "eternal.")
Not only is the Lake of fire eternal, the second death is death of the soul, and that's eternal. Once dead, always dead. The first death is death of the body. The second death is death of the soul. The soul that sinneth will die, and our will and things like love are of the soul. I have never found any scripture that says the spirit dies, but it says that their "worm" dieth not, and it's repeated for emphasis.
Mar 9:44: "Where their WORM dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched."
Mar 9:46: "Where their WORM dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched."
Mar 9:48: "Where their WORM dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched."
The fire is not ever quenched. Agape
Zech. 5:4 says, "I will bring it (the curse, the asteroid) forth, saith the LORD of hosts (the pre-incarnate Christ, Isa. 44:6), and it shall enter into the house of the thief (the False Prophet, like Judas, a thief), and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name (the Beast, the Tribulation Pope): and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof."
I just happened to think--Jesus had 12 apostles, and one (Judas, a thief) was possessed by Satan. Satan has 12 working for him in the Tribulation (the Beast, False Prophet and 10 kings), and one (the False Prophet, a thief) will be possessed by Satan.
There will probably be twin towers at Babylon, Iraq. Rev 18:21 says, And a mighty angel took up a stone (an asteroid) like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."
The asteroid 2002EM7 may have been a sign, a warning of things to come. It seems that people won't see what is actually coming until after the 6th seal is broken. It will hit the following noon (Zeph. 2:4,5).
Rev 6:12-17 says, "I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood (from smoke); And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven (smoky atmosphere) departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne (the Sign of the Son of Man, Mt. 24:30), and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come (it is 6 PM, when the Feast of Trumpets begins); and who shall be able to stand?" Agape
Have you wondered why Jesus ask Peter three times in John 21:15-17 if he loved him? Here is the account. "Peter's Denial" - Steve Shackleton (23 Mar) Joh 21:15 - So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." 16 - He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 - He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. "Peter's Denial" - Steve Shackleton (23 Mar) I believe the answer is found in Pr 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Just before Jesus was crucified he had this conversation with Peter Lu 22:34 - Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."
Peter's denial was very important because of this verse Mt 10:33 - But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
In my opinion, after Jesus had risen and appeared unto Peter, he gave Peter an opportunity to cancel the three denials he had made earlier. If Peter had not done so his own tongue would have condemned him.
The words we speak have power and can make a spiritual contract so we must choose our words wisely. They can open the door to heaven or the gates of hell. One reason we confess Jesus with our mouth is it makes a legal spiritual contract between you and God.
Ro 10:9 - that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Ps 141:3 - Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Make sure you have canceled any negative verbal statements you may have uttered. Renounce them today as the rapture is very close. A closing thought comes from Ps 71:8 - Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day.
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