O Little Town of Bethlehem and Countdown to The Tribulation

Bethlehem was where the Muslims first rallied in revolt against President Trump’s announcement that Jerusalem was Israel’s capital (even though it has been for some 3,000 years!). It is the frequent place of such protests. This is noteworthy for it is also where our Messiah was born and the angels heralded His first coming:

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting. - Micah 5:2 KJV

Micah also foretells that the Messiah will have to give Israel up because they will reject Y’shua as their Messiah, BUT that He will turn back to them when “she which travaileth hath brought forth”:

Therefore will he give them up, until the time [that] she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. - Micah 5:3 KJV

Those who have been following my blog know I believe the travail of Micah 5:3 refers to Jacob’s Trouble/The Tribulation (Jacob refers to national Israel). Therefore, it is Israel which brings forth—or births. It is my understanding that on the brink of this great trouble beginning, first those who are “in Christ” will be raptured or birthed (Isaiah 66:7) then those who will come to believe on the Messiah during the Tribulation are sealed and then “birthed” sometime during the Tribulation (Revelation 14:1-5). (For more on this subject watch Alan Horvath’s The Great Sign of Revelation 12 | 2017 Rapture Extra!)

A side note related to Micah 5:3: Robert Breaker produced an intriguing video on Who Are the 144,000? His take on this made me wonder whether the second part of Micah 5--"the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel"--is referring to the 144,000? 

Jesus referred to travail in John Chapter 16:

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. - John 16:16 KJV

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. - John 16:20 KJV

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. - John 16:21 KJV

And again in Matthew 24:

All these [are] the beginning of sorrows [odin—birth pains; travail]. - Matthew 24:8 KJV

It appears that the travail prophesied for Israel is nearly upon them.

The Land Divided

According to Israeli News Live, the hubbub over Trump’s pro-Israel stance is a charade because the decision to divide the land of Israel had already been made.

This was also reported by Derek Gilbert on the December 8 SciFriday. Then yesterday in his US Blocks UN report, he shared that the Arabs (Palestinians) became additionally agitated when the news came out that Trump’s pro-Israel views are being endorsed by Crown Prince bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. The Prince informed the Palestinian Authority leader, Abbas, that they will drop the demand to make East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine in exchange for the Gaza Strip and other pockets of land being given to establish a Palestine state.

Another consequence to this is that Vice President Pence’s trip to Bethlehem this week was cancelled.

Please remember two things:

1)  Palestinian land claims are a myth.

2)  Islamic eschatology states that the Muslims must take over Jerusalem for their messiah, the Mahdi, to come.

It may appear that Jared Kushner has solved the Israeli-Palestinian problem, BUT KEEP WATCHING JERUSALEM. Jerusalem is the second hand on God’s prophetic clock, as J. D. Farag likes to say.  

Tachos

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John: - Revelation 1:1 KJV

“Tachos” is the Greek word that is translated “shortly” in the above verse. It is pronounced a bit differently than the stuffed folded tortilla we call “tacos”. These two words actually have something in common-- tachos refers to something coming to pass “quickly, shortly, speedily” and tacos are a food you can make quickly. At least that is how I remember what tachos means.

It is a word that aptly describes the time we see ourselves in as prophecy seems to be speeding up in fulfillment. J. D. Farag believes that President Trump has a significant part in this.

A tachometer measures revolution per minute, so Jesus here was showing us that when we see things revving up with the beginning of pains (referred to as Braxton-Hicks contractions in human labor), know that the TRUE LABOR IS CLOSE BEHIND!

When Does The Trib Begin?

Chuck Missler sets forth what he believes triggers the beginning of Daniel’s 70^th week in a 16-minute video posted June 2013 RAPTURE DATE SET ???, chuck missler ...

It is NOT the harpazo or Rapture of the Overcoming Church nor is it the completion of the third Temple that signals the actual beginning of Daniel’s 70^th week, according to Dr. Missler; but it is when the son of perdition/Antichrist comes into power and enforces a covenant.

Dr. Missler does believe that 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 makes it clear that the Antichrist cannot come into power until after the Rapture.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; - 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

A true scholar will look to the original languages for the truth. The term "falling away" of the Bible translation above is improperly derived from the Greek noun apostasia.

The first seven English Bible translations of apostasia all most appropriately rendered the noun as either "the departure" or "the departing". erfministries.com

It is after the Rapture that chaos will cover the earth. This is what the world’s elite wants for it will allow their man of sin to arise and take control! Chuck shares in this video that it is speculated that the covenant the Antichrist enforces will be related to a Palestinian land deal. Note that the son of perdition “confirms” it.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. - Daniel 9:27 KJV

The word “confirm” in this verse is translated from the Hebrew word gabar which means “to strengthen; cause to prevail”. This infers that the Antichrist strengthens a pre-existing covenant. Possibly he confirms the covenant of the land deal just made with Israel and the Palestinian leadership!

Though we do not know exactly how this is going to play out, one thing is certain. We are seeing the beginning of sorrows and true labor is about to begin. Just because the Braxton-Hicks contractions have subsided does not mean the baby isn’t coming—it is coming VERY SOON!

Caveat: I do not necessarily agree with all the beliefs of anyone whose material I reference. I seek to be led of the Spirit of God as to the sources I use, however, even Spirit-filled Christians only 'see in part' as it says in 1 Corinthians 13:12.

Should We Celebrate Christmas? (Reposted from 2010)

My husband and I believed we were in God’s will when we moved to a small city further south in the state. Before moving, we had been part of a Messianic home fellowship where we had learned the significance of Jesus Christ, Yahshua Ha Moshiach, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies including the seven feasts of the Lord. We were looking forward to being a part of our new church family, for we had already met some of the brethren before relocating and knew they shared a similar background.

One Sunday in late autumn, the children’s pastor stood up to make an announcement. She invited the children and their parents to become involved in a Christmas program she was planning.

This puzzled me, because in my Messianic fellowship we had been taught that Christmas was of pagan origin and not a holiday instituted by God. We had relinquished many old traditions, including the Christmas tree, for we had learned of its idolatrous roots. Instead, my family embraced the winter feast of Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights, and celebrated Jesus fulfilling it as The Light of the World. As she spoke, I went to the Lord in prayer.

“Why are they doing a Christmas program, Lord? Shouldn’t they be celebrating Hanukkah instead?”

His reply was immediate. “Both Hanukkah and Christmas honor Me.”

Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, a warm revelation filled me. What was in our hearts was all our Heavenly Father cared about. It did not matter to the Lord whether I put up a Christmas tree or not. What mattered was why I placed one in my home. Because of my mother’s teaching, to me the evergreen tree was a symbol of eternal life available through our Savior.
This was good news indeed, for I missed the traditions of my childhood. I felt…free!

Now at wintertime my family and I fill the house with decorations, including a brightly lit Christmas tree. We sing Christmas songs and bake Christmas cookies.

Should we celebrate Christmas? Yes! Yes! Emphatically, YES! With our whole being let us celebrate and honor the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!