New Variants of Coronavirus Spread in United Kingdom (Second Coming Watch Update #949)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · New Variants of Coronavirus Spread in United Kingdom (Second Coming Watch Update #949)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #949. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES AND FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to Reuters, British scientists are trying to establish whether the rapid spread in southern England of a new variant of the virus that causes coronavirus is linked to key mutations they have detected in the strain. A group of scientists tracking the genetics of the virus said the new variant includes a mutation in the viral genome region encoding the spike protein, which – in theory – could result in coronavirus spreading more easily between people. The British government on Monday cited a rise in new infections, which it said may be partly linked to the new variant, as it moved its capital city and many other areas into the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions. As of December 13, 1,108 coronavirus cases with the new variant had been identified, predominantly in the south and east of England.

Second, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, Hamas vowed on Monday to continue the fight against Israel “until the liberation of Palestine, from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River.” In a statement on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of its establishment, the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip said that it would “continue to carry the banner of resistance” against Israel “until we achieve our people’s goals of freedom, the right of return [for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to their former homes inside Israel] and the restoration of our land and holy sites.” Hamas pledged to confront “all attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause, first and foremost the Deal of the Century,” a reference to US President Donald Trump’s plan for Middle East peace. Hamas also vowed to confront normalization agreements between the Arab countries and Israel, dubbing them a “national sin that only serves the Zionist enterprise in the region.”

Third, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, a diplomatic source said Sunday that Oman and Indonesia could be next in line to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in the coming weeks. The Trump administration is continuing in its efforts to bring more Arab and Muslim countries into the Abraham Accords. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have agreed to normalization with Israel, with Morocco normalization announced on Friday. After Bhutan agreed to forge ties with Israel outside of the framework of the accords, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night said Israel is “in touch with additional countries that want to join and establish relations with us.” The diplomatic source identified Oman and Indonesia as two countries with which talks have advanced and with whom normalization could be announced before US President Donald Trump leaves office on January 20. However, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry denied any such efforts were underway and reaffirmed its support for Palestinian statehood.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERS PLACES — According to CNN, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off Davao [DAH-VOU] Occidental on Wednesday morning and was felt in nearby provinces. The tectonic quake that hit the area at 7:21 a.m. had a depth of 16 kilometers. The agency initially reported the tremor to be at magnitude 6.1 along Sarangani, but revised and upgraded it in a follow-up advisory. In a media briefing later in the day, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Renato Solidum [REY-NAH-TOH SOL-IH-DUM] said there were no reported damage following the tremor, but added that aftershocks are still possible.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to BBC, New swarms of desert locusts are threatening the livelihoods of millions of people in the Horn of Africa and Yemen despite a year of control efforts. The UN says there have been good breeding conditions in eastern Ethiopia and Somalia, with Kenya also at risk. And breeding underway on both sides of the Red Sea poses a new threat to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This year had already seen the worst East Africa invasion in 70 years. Keith Cressman, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s senior locust forecasting officer, said, “For Kenya, the threat is imminent, it could happen any time now. It could be as bad as what we’ve seen in the past year because the area of breeding ground in these countries is as big as 135,000 square miles.”

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 37:15-25.

Ezekiel 37:4-9 reads: “And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

The prophet now presents his audience with another of the symbolic acts (signs) that characterized the first division of his prophecy. This sign (verses 15-20) is of two sticks upon which are incribed the names of the two kingdoms into which the nation was split after the death of Solomon in 931 B.C. This schism was never healed even though representatives of both kingdoms returned to the land in 538 B.C.

During the second temple period, Israel never regained its former status with a Davidic monarchy and Zadokite priesthood. The division was caused not by mere physical geography, for the tribes had always been separated by territorial allotments. Rather, the kingdoms lacked spiritual unity. The departure of the ten northern tribes from the house of David was considered a rebellion because under the Davidic Covenant, only the house of David had been given the right to rule the nation. Also, the southern kingdom had the proper place of worship (the temple), toward which prayer had to be directed in order to receive God’s blessing.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from G. Campbell Morgan. He said, “To me the second coming is the perpetual light on the path which makes the present bearable. I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that maybe before morning breaks, the final morning may have dawned! I never begin my work without thinking that perhaps He may interrupt my work and begin His own. I am not looking for death, I am looking for Him.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here is the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Israel and Morocco Agree to Normalize Relations (Second Coming Watch Update #948)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Israel and Morocco Agree to Normalize Relations (Second Coming Watch Update #948)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #948. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to the Associated Press, Israel and Morocco have agreed to normalize relations as President Donald Trump, in his final weeks in office, announced the fourth Arab-Israeli agreement in four months on Thursday. In a related major policy shift, the United States agreed to recognize Morocco’s claim over the long-disputed Western Sahara region as part of the deal. Trump said Israel and Morocco would restore diplomatic and other ties, including the immediate reopening of liaison offices in Tel Aviv and Ra-bat, the eventual opening of embassies and joint overflight rights for the two nations’ airlines. The agreement builds on one of his main foreign policy accomplishments, winning broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world under the rubric of the “Abraham Accords.”

Second, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES AND FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to the New York Post, A disease that afflicted soldiers mired in trench warfare during World War I has been detected among some homeless people in Canada. A study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that trench fever — a potentially fatal bacterial disease transmitted by body lice — was present in some of the country’s urban, homeless populations. The illness, which is caused by the bacteria Bar-to-nel-la quin-ta-na, killed millions of troops during World War I from 1914 to 1918, when it was first described. Its symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, rashes and pain in the shins. Trench fever can also lead to a potentially fatal heart infection known as en-do-car-di-tis.

Third, today, under the Sign category of HOSTILITY TOWARD ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, Russian Ambassador An-a-to-ly Vik-to-rov said Israel destabilizes the Middle East more than Iran. Vik-to-rov said at the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv, “The problem in the region is not Iranian activities. It’s a lack of understanding between countries and noncompliance with UN resolutions in the Israel-Arab and Israel-Palestinian conflict.” Asked if the relatively limited scope of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians destabilizes the region more than Iran does through proxies around the Middle East, like the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Vik-to-rov balked at the notion of Iran funding the Shi’ite terrorist group. He said, “Israel is attacking Hezbollah; Hezbollah is not attacking Israel.” Vik-to-rov said he has seen the tunnels from Lebanon into Israel, which Hezbollah operatives have used to attempt to attack Israel, and argued there is “no proof Hezbollah created the tunnels.”

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, Mo-ha-med Ha-mad al-Ku-wai-ti, the United Arab Emirates’ cybersecurity head, said the Gulf Arab state was the target of cyberattacks after establishing formal ties with Israel. The UAE in August broke with decades of Arab policy when it agreed to forge ties with Israel in a move that angered Palestinians and some Muslim states and communities. Bahrain and Sudan have followed suit. Ku-wai-ti said the financial sector was targeted but did not elaborate. He did not say if any of the attacks were successful or provide details on who the perpetrators were.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to the Associated Press, The top U.S. Navy official in the Mideast said Sunday that America has reached an “uneasy deterrence” with Iran after months of regional attacks and seizures at sea, even as tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Vice Admiral Sam Pa-pa-ro said, “We have achieved an uneasy deterrence. That uneasy deterrence is exacerbated by world events and by events along the way. But I have found Iranian activity at sea to be cautious and circumspect and respectful, to not risk unnecessary miscalculation or escalation at sea.” While Iran has not directly seized or targeted a tanker in recent months as it did last year, a mine struck an oil tanker off Saudi Arabia and a cargo ship near Yemen came under assault in recent days. Suspicion immediately fell on Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for being behind both attacks. The Houthis have not commented on either.

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

It is important to observe that one of God’s primary purposes in giving Ezekiel the vision of the valley of dry bones was to underscore His sovereign ability to bring Israel’s restoration to pass. The prophet was carefully shown the condition of the bones “on the surface of the valley.” That the bones were in an unburied state indicates a condition of ritual contamination (the corpse impurity incurred by the Jewish people among the nations). That they were “very dry” indicates that the marrow (the essence of life) was completely gone. The image revealed to Ezekiel was that of Israel being so defiled, lifeless, and helpless that it had no hope of restoration in itself. Its only hope was in God, and for this reason the prophet was asked the question, “Son of man, can these bones live?” In conformity with the expression of God’s sovereignty in 36:16-27, the purpose of this question-answer approach was to extract from the prophet (and his reader) the admission that there was no natural hope for Israel, and to turn all hope of restoration over to the sovereign and supernatural work of Israel’s God. The exilic condition seemed hopeless, but in the Lord all things are possible. The bones will not only come to life physically (the restoration of the nation), they will also come to life spiritually (the reception of the New Covenant), and Israel will be placed in its own land as a witness to Israel itself that the Lord will perform His promise.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from C. S. Lewis. He said, “The doctrine of the Second Coming teaches us that we do not and cannot know when the world drama will end. The curtain may be rung down at any moment. This seems to some people intolerably frustrating. We do not know the play. The Author knows. The audience, if there is an audience (if angels and archangels and all the company of heaven fill the pit and the stalls) may have an inkling. When it is over, we may be told. We are led to expect that the Author will have something to say to each of us on the part that each of us has played. The playing it well is what matters infinitely.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Israel Puts Embassies on High Alert (Second Coming Watch Update #947)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Israel Puts Embassies on High Alert (Second Coming Watch Update #947)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #947. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to Reuters, Israeli N12 news reported on Saturday that Israel put its embassies around the world on high alert on Saturday after Iranian threats of retaliation following the killing of a nuclear scientist near Tehran. A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the ministry did not comment on matters of security regarding its representatives abroad. Iran has blamed Israel for the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh [MO-SEHN FAHK-REE-ZAH-DEH], who died on Friday after gunman ambushed him in his car.

Second, today, under the Sign category of RISE OF ‘THE KINGS OF THE EAST’ — According to the Washington Times, according to a major congressional report, China’s military is rapidly expanding the ability to project power globally and in the coming decade will be capable of waging war far from the homeland. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission concluded Tuesday in its annual report the People’s Liberation Army has made recent advances in missiles, bombers, transport aircraft, at-sea replenishment and logistics in ways that “significantly improved the PLA’s ability to project power and deploy expeditionary forces far from China’s shores.” China’s growing military might is most advanced in East and Southeast Asia but is moving quickly into the Indian Ocean and as far as the Caribbean and South America.

Third, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to Reuters, Israel handed over a backlog of billions of shekels in tax money to the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday, both sides said, in another sign of warming ties between the sides after the U.S. presidential election victory of Joe Biden. The taxes, managed by Israel under interim peace accords from the 1990s and usually handed over monthly, make up more than half of the budget of the Palestinian Authority, whose economy has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The 3.77 billion shekels transfer is the first since June, when the Palestinians snubbed the handover due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans, currently suspended, to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to the AFP, People in the south of Madagascar are eating soil mixed with tamarind to stave off hunger as a drought has destroyed the region’s staple crop. Farmer Do-day Fan-di-la-va No-el-i-so-na said, “We call it survival soil because it allows the acidic taste of tamarind to seep into our mouths, which staves off hunger. These days we no longer look for food to live on, but for ways to fill the empty stomachs.” The cactus fruits which people normally rely on have dried up because of the lack of rain. Another farmer, A-vi-a-nay Id-a-my, who says that he has taken up selling charcoal to raise enough money for his family to eat cassava just once a day. The World Food Programme says 1.5 million people in Madagascar’s southern region need emergency food aid.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to BBC News, Hundreds of Ethiopian Jews have been airlifted to Israel – the first of several thousand waiting to emigrate there in a long-running saga. Most of their community has lived in transit camps in Ethiopia for years as questions over their eligibility has dogged the process. The immigrants are related to Ethiopian Jews brought to Israel decades ago in a series of secret operations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, greeted the 316 new arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport. Netanyahu said in a statement, “My wife Sarah and I stood there with tears in our eyes at the welcoming, when we see the immigrants, our Ethiopian Jewish brothers, leave the plane… come down and touch the ground, the land of Israel. You waited so long to realise the dream and today it is being realised.”

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Ezekiel 37:4-9 reads: “Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

The establishment of the modern state of Israel seems to be part of the process of fulfillment of the political revival of the nation. The prophetic expectation was that at some time in the future a remnant of the Jewish people in the Diaspora would begin to return to the land to join their brethren who had remained there since before the destruction of the second temple. The secular return of Jewish immigrants under the Zionist movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and the eventual creation of the independent state of Israel in 1948 is significant in this regard. Israel continues at the present time to immigrate Jews from other nations, and the possibility we are witnessing the political revival of Israel cannot be dismissed simply because the second phase of spiritual rebirth has yet to occur.

The construction of a political entity requires time, and that the first stage will take time seems to be implied in verse 8, which speaks of the bodies coming together with no breath yet in them. Not until after the bodies are together does spiritual revival take place. This can be seen by the two separate calls to the prophet: the first to address the bones and the second to address the breath. While we see a time interval between the occurrence of the physical and spiritual revivals that together comprise the rebirth of national Israel, there is no interruption in this process once it has begun. Therefore, it would appear that the existing political state of Israel will continue into the Tribulation period until the second advent of Christ.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from Vance Havner. He said, “When I studied arithmetic, I remembered that the answers were in the back of the book. No matter how I floundered among my problems, the correct solution was on the last page. I have failed often in working out life’s problems, and I dwell in the midst of a people who are hopelessly trying to untangle the riddle of this present age. But I am cheered by one unfailing uncertainty-there is a Book that solves the enigma and the answer is in the back of the Book, “Behold I come quickly.” “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.””

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

US Deploys Bombers to the Middle East (Second Coming Watch Update #946)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · US Deploys Bombers to the Middle East (Second Coming Watch Update #946)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #946. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to the Times of Israel, this week, the United States rapidly deployed several heavy bombers to the Middle East in an apparent threat to Iran, amid swirling speculation that US President Donald Trump plans to take military action against Tehran before President-elect Joe Biden enters office. US Central Command said the planes were sent into the region ‘to deter aggression and reassure US partners and allies.’ In a highly irregular move, the B-52H Stratofortress planes were seen flying toward Israeli airspace on Saturday en route to the base where they will be stationed, likely in Qatar. The aircraft were spotted on civilian tracking software approaching Israel before they apparently turned off their transponders, rendering them invisible on those applications.

Second, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, Syria has blamed Israel for a series of airstrikes on locations south of the capital Damascus and on the Golan Heights late Tuesday night. Syria’s SANA news agency said that the strikes, near the village of Rwi-hi-nah, south of Quneitra [KU-NY-TRAH] near the Israeli border, and near Jabal Mane near the town of Kiswah south of Damascus, caused “only material damage.” According to AFP, however, eight pro-Iranian fighters were killed in the strikes. While there was no confirmation by either side of what was struck, according to military defectors who were quoted by Reuters, the target in Jabal Mane was a military base belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Third, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to BBC News, A UN agency has warned of fresh waves of desert locust swarms in the Horn of Africa region after Cyclone Gati [GA-TEE] arrived in Somalia. The heavy rainfall is expected to allow widespread breeding. The Food and Agriculture Organization said the swarms are expected to move south in Somalia and Ethiopia, reaching northern Kenya, from the second week of December. It warned that the scale of the migration could be substantial. Earlier in the year, billions of the insects destroyed crops across the region – with the UN warning a second generation would be even more destructive. It was the worst invasion of locusts for more than 70 years.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday announced plans to travel to Bahrain in the aftermath of his unusual visit to Saudi Arabia, which has no ties with Israel. As a sign of Netanyahu’s deepening relationship with regional Arab leaders, Netanyahu said he had spoken Monday with Bahraini Prime Minister Crown Prince Sal-man bin Ha-mad bin Is-a Al Kha-li-fa. Netanyahu said, “This was our second conversation; it was very friendly. Both of us are very moved by the fact that we can bring peace to our peoples and our countries in a very short time. Therefore, he also invited me to make an official visit to Bahrain soon. I will do so, on your behalf, with pleasure.” It would be the prime minister’s first such trip. According to KAN News, Netanyahu could travel to Bahrain as early as next week.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of ARAB HOSTILITY TOWARD ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, Djibouti [JI-BOO-TEE] President Is-ma-il O-mar Guelleh [GEL-LAH] said the African Muslim state will not establish official ties with Israel without progress towards peace with the Palestinians. In an interview with French publication The Africa Report this week, Guelleh [GEL-LAH] said that ‘the conditions aren’t ripe.’ He said, “We take issue with the Israeli government because they’re denying Palestinians their inalienable rights. All we ask that the government do is make one gesture of peace, and we will make 10 in return. But I’m afraid they’ll never do that.” Guelleh [GEL-LAH] added that his country does not have an issue with Jews or Israeli people more broadly. Djibouti [JI-BOO-TEE] is one of several African countries that had been named as likely to normalize relations with Israel following the Abraham Accords.

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Ezekiel 37:1-3 reads: “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

The vision of a valley filled with dry bones is not meant to portray the resurrection of the individual Israelite, though this doctrine is taught elsewhere. Here the focus is on the political life of the nation that had ended with the dissolution of the Davidic line at the commencement of the Babylonian captivity. The fulfillment of the historical covenants depended on the uninterrupted continuance of the Davidic dynasty, which was not revived in the second temple period. This served as a witness to the postexilic generation that the restoration, as envisioned by Ezekiel, had not taken place with the return from exile but would be fulfilled at some point in the future.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from Vance Havner. He said, “Some of the saints are singing about the Second Coming, but it is one thing just to sing the national anthem during the war and quite another to go into battle. The best evidence that the Lord’s return has really gotten hold of us is when we occupy till He come, do business for God, buy up the opportunities, because the days are evil.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Israel Strikes Iranian and Syrian Targets in Syria (Second Coming Watch Update #945)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Israel Strikes Iranian and Syrian Targets in Syria (Second Coming Watch Update #945)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #945. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel struck Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria early Wednesday morning in response to explosive devices found on the border the previous day. The IDF said in a statement, “IDF warplanes attacked military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds [KUDS] Force and the Syrian army tonight in Syria. The attack damaged warehouses, command posts and military complexes, and batteries of surface-to-air missiles.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the strikes were part of a policy that he has been “pursuing for years,” and that Israel would not allow for Iran to entrench itself in Syria, nor would it allow for any attempted attack from Syrian territory.

Second, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to the Associated Press, The head of the World Food Program says the Nobel Peace Prize has given the U.N. agency a spotlight and megaphone to warn world leaders that next year is going to be worse than this year, and without billions of dollars “we are going to have famines of biblical proportions in 2021.” David Beasley recalled his warning to the U.N. Security Council in April that as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, it was also “on the brink of a hunger pandemic” that could lead to “multiple famines of biblical proportions” within a few months if immediate action wasn’t taken. He said, “We were able to avert it in 2020 … because the world leaders responded with money, stimulus packages, deferral of debt.” But he said the money that was available in 2020 isn’t going to be available in 2021, so he has been using the Nobel to meet leaders virtually and in person, talk to parliaments, and give speeches to sensitize those with power to “this tragedy that we are facing — crises that really are going to be extraordinary over the next, who knows, 12 to 18 months.”

Third, today, under the Sign category of THE RISE OF GOG AND MAGOG — According to Al-Monitor, Russia plans to establish a military base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast to serve as a logistics center for the Russian navy, according to a draft agreement between Moscow and Khartoum [KAHR-TOOM] signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin [MI-KHA-IL MI-SHUS-TIN] and released publicly Nov. 11. The agreement states that Sudan will provide a land plot for the Russian base free of charge for a period of 25 years. It will automatically renew for subsequent 10-year periods. While the base’s capacity will be capped at four ships at a time, nuclear-powered ships are permitted to dock, thus significantly increasing the combat capability of the Russian navy in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. According to the agreement, the number of military personnel permanently staying at this facility should not exceed 300 people.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday said it has decided to renew its relations with Israel, including security coordination, after receiving assurances that Israel would abide by the signed agreements with the Palestinians. Senior Israeli officials confirmed that security coordination with the Palestinian Authority was being restored. The decision is likely to hinder efforts to end the dispute between the ruling Palestinian Fatah [FAH-TAH] faction and Hamas, which has long opposed security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, dubbing it an act of treason.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to the Times of Israel, Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador to Washington, Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud [TUR-KEE BIN FAY-SAHL AL SA-UD], on Tuesday cautioned US President-elect Joe Biden against re-entering the Iran nuclear deal. In a speech to the National Council on US-Arab Relations, Faisal [FAY-SAHL] warned Biden against repeating past “mistakes.” He also said, “While we all aspire to have Iran back as a normal peaceful nation-state within the international community, the last forty years’ experience with the Iranian regime is not encouraging.” The Saudi royal became the second representative of a Middle Eastern country this week to urge Biden not to return to the nuclear deal. Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer also said doing so would be a “mistake.”

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

Ezekiel 36:16-38 gives the theological ground for the restoration of Israel and the vindication of God’s reputation in the sight of the nations. Ezekiel 37:1-14 gives the mechanics of the restoration through the vision of a valley of dry bones that are brought to life. This account clearly states that it concerns “the whole house of Israel”; it deals with Israel’s political and spiritual rebirth. Specifically, verse 12 states that God will cause His people to come up out of their graves for the purpose of returning to the land of Israel. The imagery of a physical body brought from death to life replicates the prophetic pattern of the successive stages in the process of restoration. Stage one is physical and portrays the political revival of national Israel through the coming together of the bones, sinews, and skin and the body standing erect. Stage two is spiritual and portrays the regeneration of the nation as illustrated by “the breath” (“My Spirit”) entering into the dead body and giving it life.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from A. W. Tozer. He said, “This is the kind of age and hour when the Lord’s people should be so alert to the hope and promise of His coming that they should get up every morning just like a child on Christmas morning—eager and believing that it should be today!”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Biden’s Position on Iran Deal Could Lead to War Between Israel and Iran (Second Coming Watch Update #944)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Biden’s Position on Iran Deal Could Lead to War in Israel (Second Coming Watch Update #944)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #944. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to the Jerusalem Post, Settlements Minister Tzachi Hanegbi [ZAH-KEE HA-NEJ-BEE] warned that Joe Biden’s position on the Iran Deal could lead to war between Israel and Iran. Hanegbi [HA-NEJ-BEE] said, “Biden has said openly for a long time that he will go back to the nuclear agreement. I see that as something that will lead to a confrontation between Israel and Iran.” Hanegbi [HA-NEJ-BEE] said he is not concerned about a likely Biden victory on most fronts, including the area of settlements, but Iran is a glaring exception. The minister told Channel 13 News that he, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and most Israelis saw the Iran Deal signed by the Obama administration in 2015 – known formally as the The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – as “mistaken – and that’s an understatement.” He stated, “If Biden stays with that policy, there will, in the end, be a violent confrontation between Israel and Iran.”

Second, today, under the Sign category of INCREASED PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS — According to the Washington Times, a new report on global religious persecution says governments have been cracking down on religious expression more than any other time in recent memory. The Pew Research Center’s tracking of government restrictions on religion noted a 50% increase in 2018 since the survey’s inauguration in 2007. The survey singles out countries in the Asia-Pacific and North Africa/Middle East, where several nations receive “high” or “very high” persecution ratings. While the U.S. has religious liberty enshrined in its Constitution, the country scored as having “moderate” levels of government restrictions. China had the highest persecution score among 198 nations and territories.

Third, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES & FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to BBC News, A mutant form of coronavirus found in Denmark has arisen previously in mink, scientists have revealed. The mutated virus, which appears to have spread from animals to humans in Denmark, has been detected retrospectively at a mink farm in the Netherlands. The mink were culled and the mutated strain did not infect humans, he said. Six countries have reported coronavirus outbreaks at mink farms. They include the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Italy and the US. Mink are known to be susceptible to Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus, which can spread rapidly from animal to animal in conditions where thousands of animals are kept in close proximity.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Times of Israel, the UN’s atomic watchdog agency said Iran continues to increase its stockpile of low-enriched uranium far beyond the limits set in a landmark nuclear deal with world powers and to enrich it to a greater purity than permitted. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported in a confidential document distributed to member countries and seen by The Associated Press that Iran as of November 2 had a stockpile of 2,442.9 kilograms of low-enriched uranium, up from 2,105.4 kilograms reported on August 25. The nuclear deal signed in 2015 with the United States, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, allows Iran only to keep a stockpile of 202.8 kilograms.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to Israel National News, Bahaa Hariri [BA-HA-AH HA-RI-RI], the son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [RAH-FEEK HA-RI-RI], called on Lebanon and Israel to make peace. Hariri [HA-RI-RI] said in an interview, “We have issues between us and the Israelis and we have to resolve them, but at the end of the day we need to have peace. I want my children to live in peace not war.” Hariri [HA-RI-RI] praised the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime border, calling the talks “a positive step” for Lebanon. However, he warned that the Hezbollah terrorist organization must not be allowed to obtain breathing room from the negotiations.

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 36:33-38.

Ezekiel 36:37-38 reads: “Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

As a ceremonial flock dedicated to the praise of the Lord, the house of Israel will become priests and servants. The flock is also distinguished as to its size. In 2 Chronicles 35:7 we read that Josiah contributed a flock of 30,000 as an offering. The imagery then is of droves of flocks crowding the narrow streets of Jerusalem at her appointed seasons or feasts, and this is offered to the remnant. To certify the metaphor as applying to Israel, verse 38 adds the clarifier “flocks of men.” “Men” is a genitive in apposition, and parallels the statement of Ezekiel 34:31: “and you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men.” Israel, then, is increased as a holy flock for the divine Shepherd, which will cause the nation Israel itself to acknowledge YHWH as their sole sovereign Lord.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from Didache [DI-DA-KAY]. He said, “Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Tensions Between India and China Boil (Second Coming Watch Update #943)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Tensions Between India and China Boil (Second Coming Watch Update #943)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #943. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to The Express, Tensions between India and China have already boiled over this year with a number of deadly border clashes. In June, 20 Indian soldiers were killed during hand-to-hand fighting with Chinese troops along the countries’ disputed Himalayan border. A former member of parliament for the governing BJP party, claimed Chinese troops have seized Indian territory. He said: “The border situation is critical. The Chinese troops have not only further transgressed into our areas but they have also occupied prominent positions in Finger 2 and 3 areas of Pangong Tso [PAN-GONG T-SOH], even the Hot Springs area they have not fully vacated. This is what we have come to know from locals.”

Second, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to The Jerusalem Post, During a visit by a Hamas delegation to Cairo last week, Egypt called on the terrorist group to maintain the ceasefire reached with Israel in August until after the US elections on Tuesday. While the Hamas delegation wanted Egypt to pressure Israel into implementing the understandings of the ceasefire, sources from Hamas said that Egypt’s responses to the terrorist group’s demands were “lackluster.” The Hamas delegation was informed that Israel had told Egypt that some of the requests, such as supplying natural gas to the Strip, would take years. The report added that the Egyptians stressed to Hamas that an escalation should not be pursued currently, insinuating to Hamas that Israel may consider returning to targeted assassinations against terrorist leaders if an escalation occurs.

Third, today, under the Sign category of INCREASED VIOLENCE AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH — According to Voice of America News, Britain’s Home secretary announced Tuesday the nation was raising its terrorism threat level from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’ following recent terrorist activity in France and Austria. According to Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency, the severe alert means a terrorist attack is highly likely. It is the fourth highest of the nation’s five threat levels. Speaking to reporters in London, Home Secretary Priti Patel said MI5’s Joint Terror Analysis Center raised the level following a recent knife attack by a radicalized refugee in Nice [NEECE], France and the shooting of four people in Vienna late Monday by an armed man identified as a convicted jihadist.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to ABC News, Turkey has extended research activities of its Oruc Reis [OR-RUCH REEZ] seismic research vessel in the disputed waters of the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 14. The move is likely to re-ignite regional tensions after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Greece last week, which was expected to lead to a period of earthquake diplomacy, as happened in 1999. The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the Turkish move. It said in a press release: “This action creates further tension in a vulnerable region in which attention is now focused on the provision of assistance and on expressions of support and solidarity.” Geopolitical expert Evangelos D. Kokkinos [EH-VAANG-ELL-AWS KOK-EE-NOHS] thinks that Turkey is already causing serious problems for most of its neighbors, but since both Greece and Turkey are NATO member countries, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strategy is to provoke Athens into starting a military conflict, so that NATO supports Turkey. He said, “This is why the tension will remain in what seems like the Mediterranean Cold War.”

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of ARAB HOSTILITY TOWARD ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei slammed the US and Israel on Tuesday, saying Zionism is a “main enemy of Islam,” and other “arrogant powers” are enemies of Islam. In an apparent attempt to blame Israel for recent terrorist attacks in Europe, he said: “The last manifestation of their enmity was the Paris incident. It is not just about one caricaturist committing a wrongdoing. Arrogant powers and Zionism support this. That’s why they speak in defense of such acts.” Khamenei said there were “insults to the prophet,” without specifying what they were.

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 36:33-38.

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

Now that the Lord’s honor has been fully vindicated among the nations, He will turn again to His people to receive honor from granting their requests. The purpose behind all the Lord’s actions (that is, the vindication of His name) will find its proper fulfillment in the establishment of the house of Israel. The theocratic rule will be consummated by the sovereign intervention of the Lord, and the recognition of His sovereignty will be universal. The reflexive nuance of the Niphal, “I will be inquired of,” implied that the Lord will respond to Israel’s requests.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from J. J. Bonar. He said, “Bless God that there is in us resurrection life, and that there awaits us a resurrection morn!”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

Economic Fallout From Coronavirus to Disrupt Middle East (Second Coming Watch Update #942)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · Economic Fallout From Coronavirus to Disrupt Middle East (Second Coming Watch Update #942)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #942. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to Aljazeera, The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic is expected to bring about the largest contraction in the past 20 years for most countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday, with some fragile states in the region at higher risk of mounting social unrest due to coronavirus disruptions. The October outlook included a breakout section addressing the humanitarian and economic challenges the pandemic is posing to “fragile” MENA states – defined as those that are racked by armed conflict or steeped in political and economic uncertainty. The region also hosts a disproportionate number of the world’s refugees and internally displaced people, leading to larger “informal” economic sectors where people carve out a living. The IMF said, “The large informal sectors of fragile states have been hit particularly hard by coronavirus containment measures, with lack of digitalization and limited remote working. Although most governments have activated social safety nets, these remain weak because of poor design and insufficient information about recipients (especially given the presence of internally displaced people and refugees).” In Lebanon, where a severe financial and political crisis had taken shape prior to coronavirus and has worsened during the pandemic, the IMF sees the economy shrinking 25 percent this year.

Second, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to The Jerusalem Post, US Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Elan Carr tweeted on Friday the US and Bahrain have signed a memorandum of understanding on fighting “antisemitism together in the Middle East and beyond.” The historic agreement, defined by Carr as the “first ever in the Arab world,” was signed on Thursday in Washington between Carr and Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, chairman of the board of trustees of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in Bahrain. Shortly before signing the MOU, Carr noted that Bahrain has made itself the first Arab country in the Middle East to have agreed to join the US in combating “the ancient, recurring human sickness that is antisemitism; the first to include the delegitimization of the State of Israel in that project.” The agreement begins by laying out the conditions making it possible and necessary, including that “Arabs and Jews are both Semitic peoples that are threatened by hatred or intolerance towards Semitic peoples” and that “purveyors of antisemitism in the Middle East seek to spread this evil as a political tool to manipulate the Arab and Muslim world.” Therefore, the initial agreement marks the beginning of a joint effort meant to share and promote efficient “practices for combating all forms of antisemitism, including anti-Zionism and the delegitimization of the State of Israel.” The detailed areas of cooperation will be defined in a periodically revised work plan which will be developed within six months of signing the agreement.

Third, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to FOX5 New York and Spectrum News, The lines are long and the need is enormous. More than 1 million New Yorkers can’t afford food, and standing on long lines at food banks is now too common amid the pandemic. Alexander Rapaport, the executive director of Masbia soup kitchen network, said, “We have done disasters before but nothing is even close to what we are doing now.” Rapaport said there is so much need. So much so that for the last three days, Rapaport, his staff, and volunteers have been operating around the clock. All three locations are now open 24/7, feeding 1,500 families a day, but it is still not enough, he said. A new study finds the city was not prepared for a food crisis of this magnitude and duration. Nicholas Freudenberg, a professor at the CUNY School of Public Health, said, “Emergency food programs were always intended to be a temporary solution. Especially when the demand has gone up so much, the capacity of that temporary solution to meet the need is even less so. And so I’m concerned that the city has not come up with more sustainable solutions to keep up with the increase in food insecurity.” According to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, about 11 percent of New Yorkers struggled with putting food on the table back in 2018. Feeding America says that number is expected to hit 19 percent by the end of this year, and that even when the pandemic ends it will still take a while for the food crisis to end, too.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH — According to ABC News, Pope Francis became the first pontiff to endorse same-sex civil unions in comments for a documentary that premiered Wednesday, sparking cheers from homosexual Catholics and demands for clarification from conservatives, given the Vatican’s official teaching on the issue. The pope’s remarks came midway through the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” which premiered at the Rome Film Festival. While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for homosexual couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope, and no pontiff before him had, either. Conservative Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, called for clarification. He said in a statement, “The pope’s statement clearly contradicts what has been the long-standing teaching of the church about same-sex unions. The church cannot support the acceptance of objectively immoral relationships.” Catholic teaching holds that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” A 2003 document from the Vatican’s doctrine office stated the church’s respect for gay people “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.” Doing so, the Vatican reasoned, would not only condone “deviant behavior,” but create an equivalence to marriage, which the church holds is an indissoluble union between man and woman.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of ARAB HOSTILITY TOWARD ISRAEL — According to the Jerusalem Post, The Palestinian Authority said on Friday that it “condemns and rejects” the normalization of relations between Arab countries and Israel. A statement by the PA presidency in Ramallah said that normalization with Israel is in violation of the Arab summit resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. The statement was published hours after the announcement that Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalize their relations. Previous statements by the PA condemned the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for agreeing to establish relations with Israel, drawing sharp criticism from the two Gulf states. Friday’s statement by the PA, however, did not accuse Sudan of betraying the Palestinians or stabbing the Palestinian people in the back, as was the case with the UAE and Bahrain. The statement said, “No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian issue. The path to a just and comprehensive peace should be based on international law and legitimacy so as to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine and achieve independence for the Palestinian people in their state, with east Jerusalem as its capital – on the 1967 borders. The Palestinian. Leadership will take the necessary decisions to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 36:33-38.

Ezekiel 36:33 reads: “Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

According to Ezekiel 36:33-38, Israel’s God will restore His reputation among the nations by restoring the land, repopulating its cities, and rebuilding the waste places. Having restored the people to the land, the Lord will now restore the land to the people. The announcement of this eschatological resettlement opens with the introductory formula “thus says the Lord GOD” in order to introduce a specific declaration concerning the “salvation” of the land. This metropolitan restoration will occur “on the day that I cleanse you.” The figure is a synecdoche using the phrase “the day” to speak of an indefinite period of time, since the rebuilding of edifices and repopulation will not be accomplished in a single day, but rather, when the time of eschatological fulfillment comes–specifically, “on the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities” (that is, in the time of national restoration in the millennial kingdom.

At that time the Lord will “cause the cities to be inhabited [Hiphil perfect]” and the “waste places will be rebuilt [Niphal perfect]”. The different nuances may imply that the increase in Israel’s population will be the result of divine activity, while the rebuilding of waste places will be the result of human activity. However, verse 36 states that the Lord is the One who will rebuild the waste places. In either case, whether by divine fiat or by the divine increase in manpower to perform this rebuilding, the result is the work of the Lord. The “garden of Eden” is a simile that may imply that the newly created state of things in the millennial kingdom will be in some fashion analogous to the original state before the fall. The completion of this restoration is emphasized by the description of renewal that follows. This scene of restored order bears a testimony to the surrounding nations. If the Lord has changed the verdict of the nations concerning His land, those nations must also change their view of His sovereign power, which accomplished this restoration. Verse 36 declares that this reclamation of formerly ruined conditions will demonstrate to the nations that the Lord is God and will vindicate His name before them as He assumes His theocratic rule over all the earth.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from William Barclay. He said, “The best way to prepare for the coming of Christ is never to forget the presence of Christ.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Alaska (Second Coming Watch Update #941)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Alaska (Second Coming Watch Update #941)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #941. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERS PLACES — According to CNN, Scott Langley with the National Tsunami Warning Center said Monday afternoon the magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Sand Point, Alaska, generated a tsunami. Langley said the tsunami sent two waves, each measuring 4 feet, 3 inches high. But observers onshore reported the waves appeared to be 1.5 feet and 2 feet over high tide. The center is monitoring harbors in a 500-mile area along the Alaska coastline. Tsunami advisories issued for parts of Alaska and the state of Hawaii following the earthquake were canceled Monday night, according to tweets from the National Weather Service Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Second, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli and Bahraini officials plan to sign a normalization declaration in Manama [MUH-NAM-UH] Sunday that will launch diplomatic relations and peace between the two countries. An Israeli official told reporters on Saturday night, “From tomorrow there will be full diplomatic relations between Israel and Bahrain after the joint declaration.” The signing ceremony builds on the statement of intent between the two countries signed in Washington on September 15, which still lacks the status of a full-fledged agreement. The Israeli official referred to the document as a “joint communique,” but explained that in practice, full diplomatic relations will be in place by the end of the day Sunday. After, the signing work can begin on the establishment of embassies in both countries. The scheduled Israeli-Bahraini ceremony follows the Knesset [KUH-NES-ET] vote Thursday to authorize Israel’s peace deal with the United Arab Emirates.

Third, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to Reuters, United Nations food agency Food and Agriculture Organization says this year’s locust invasion is Ethiopia’s worst in 25 years. It has damaged an estimated 200,000 hectares of land there since January, threatening food supplies – a single square kilometre swarm can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 people – and the livelihoods of millions. It is part of a once-in-a-lifetime succession of swarms that have plagued East Africa and the Red Sea region since late 2019, with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating the crisis this year by disrupting the FAO’s supply chain of pesticides and other equipment to fight them off. Conflict and chaos in Yemen, where some of the swarms originated, have made spraying pesticide by airplane at source impossible. That combined with unusually heavy rains have swelled the swarms spreading across Ethiopia. The World Bank has said the insects could cost East Africa and Yemen $8.5 billion this year, and the FAO’s Ethiopia representative Fatouma Seid [FAH-TOO-MAH SIYD] fears the pattern of destruction will be repeated next year. She said, “Infestation will continue into 2021. We are being re-invaded and the swarms will then go to Kenya.”

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to Newsweek, An Iranian official said that the Islamic Republic was looking forward to buying and selling weapons with a number of international partners as a United Nations arms embargo preventing it from doing so was set to lift in days, a development that the United States has condemned as damaging to global security. The expiration of the decade-old U.N. restrictions, set to take place Sunday, would come after a largely unsuccessful U.S. campaign to convince countries to defy the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the accompanying U.N. Security Council resolution 2231 to extend the ban on Iran’s arms industry. Iran has yet to formally announce any specific country arms deals. Officials, however, have repeatedly discussed the prospect of doing business with U.S. rivals Russia and China, who have been vocally critical of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign to isolate Iran.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to the South China Morning Post, Beijing is stepping up the militarisation of its southeast coast as it prepares for a possible invasion of Taiwan, military observers and sources have said. The People’s Liberation Army has been upgrading its missile bases, and one Beijing-based military source said it has deployed its most advanced hypersonic missile the DF-17 to the area. The source said, “The DF-17 hypersonic missile will gradually replace the old DF-11s and DF-15s that were deployed in the southeast region for decades. The new missile has a longer range and is able to hit targets more accurately.” Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province which it has vowed to take back, by force if necessary. Relations between Beijing and Taipei [TAHY-PEY] have deteriorated since Tsai Ing-wen [SY ING-WEN] from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected as president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 36:22-32.

Ezekiel 36:31-32 reads: “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

This new condition will assure Israel’s permanent residence in the land and guarantee that God’s name will never again be profaned among the nations. This connection is drawn in verse 28, where the fulfillment of God’s New Covenant law results in a reestablishment of Israel in its land. The possession of this land was unconditionally promised to Israel’s descendants in the phrase “and you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers.” God will restore the people of Israel to the land because He promised that the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would have it forever as an everlasting possession. In keeping this promise, God would restore His reputation among both Israel and the nations as “the faithful God, who keeps His covenant.”

The enjoyment of promised New Covenant blessings will provoke the nation to repentance by causing the people to remember their past iniquities. A similar response is seen in Isaiah 12:1-6, a hymn of praise as Israel enters the millennial kingdom. This repentance is depicted in Ezekiel 36:31 by the words “remember,” which means “a recognition or discernment which turns toward God,” and “loathe,” which indicates a “self-loathing.” The objects of repentance are stated to be the people’s “evil ways” and “deeds that were not good,” terms that refer to moral action in the bad sense and the practice of wanton, evil deeds in connection with ritualistic idolatry. Thus Israel, with a new nature, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the promised blessings of the millennial kingdom, will understand its history of disobedience from the divine viewpoint and respond in repentance. Ezekiel 36:32 reminds Israel that her experience of renewal is the result of grace (“not for your sakes”), a new internalized recognition (Niphal [a major verb stem in biblical Hebrew] of yada’, or “know,” has a reflective nuance) of the character of God, which drives the nation to a deeper experience of spiritual repentance over its failure to properly honor God.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from J C Ryle. He said, “I can only say, that I am more and more convinced, as I grow older — that to keep our eyes steadily fixed on the second coming of Christ is one great secret of Christian peace.”

Let’s Pray

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If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

New Coronavirus Strain in Pigs Could Spread to Humans (Second Coming Watch Update #940)

Gospel Light Society Podcasts · New Coronavirus Strain in Pigs Could Spread to Humans (Second Coming Watch Update #940)

This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #940. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES & FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to The Express, A coronavirus strain which causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting in pigs could spread to humans. The strain has been infecting pigs in China since 2016 and is called “swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus” or SADS-CoV. It is thought to have originally come from bats who transmitted the virus to pigs. The virus strain is said to be most dangerous to piglets. A large outbreak of the disease could inflict major economic damage to countries who rely on pork production and sales. According to the database company Statista, China had the world’s largest pork production followed by the EU and the US. Researchers in North Carolina have discovered that SADS-CoV can spread to humans. They have found that the virus can infect and replicate itself within human airway, liver and intestinal cells. Professor Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina said: “Many investigators focus on the emergent potential of the betacoronaviruses like SARS and MERS. Actually the alphacoronaviruses may prove equally prominent — if not greater — concerns to human health, given their potential to rapidly jump between species.” Professor Baric and his colleagues researched the risk of “spillover” – whether the virus strain could jump from pigs to human populations. The researchers discovered that swine coronavirus is capable of replicating faster in intestinal cells, rather than in lungs.

Second, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to The Associated Press, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told his Ethiopian counterpart that his country has the intention to “immediately” bring over some 2,000 Ethiopian Jews. The announcement came Friday after a phone call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed [AH-BEY AH-MED]. Netanyahu’s office said the decision comes “out of his commitment to the continued aliyah [AA-LEE-YAH] of Jews to Israel.” Some 13,000 Ethiopian Jews are in the capital, Addis Ababa, and in Gondar [GON-DAHR], most of them waiting to be taken to Israel, which they call home. Most live in dire conditions and have threatened to stage a hunger strike if they’re not allowed to travel to their “homeland.” Many say they have family members who have settled in Israel. Nigusie Alemu Eyasu [NI-GOO-SEE AL-EH-MOO AY-AH-SAH], program director for the Ethiopian Jews Community, said, “Some 250 people have left for Israel within the past year until COVID-19 came. Now the travel has stopped, but Israeli officials are conducting interviews online.”

Third, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST — According to Ynet News, Israel and Hamas are said to be close to an agreement on a six-month ceasefire along the Gaza border. According to the report, the coronavirus crisis has led to a severe and growing economic and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, prompting the terror-group to agree to a six-month settlement with Israel. In exchange for halting attacks on Israel from the Hamas-run coastal enclave, Qatar will transfer $100 million to the terror group. According to the report, the main Israeli officials behind the agreement were IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Kamil Abu Rukun, and Mossad Director Yossi Cohen. The two were engaged in direct discussions with Qatari officials, with the aim of resuming financial aid reaching Gaza. Qatar has long provided financial aid to impoverished Palestinians, handing over millions of dollars on a regular basis. In the past, the terror group has launched attacks on Israel when it has found itself in financial difficulty, most recently carrying out destructive arson attacks on farmland in southern Israel using incendiary devices attached to balloons.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to The Daily Star, Kim Jong-un unveiled a “monster” of an intercontinental ballistic missile at a gigantic military parade in North Korea. Analysts said the missile, which was shown on a transporter vehicle with 11 axles, would be one of the largest road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles in the world if it becomes operational. Melissa Hanham, deputy director of the Open Nuclear Network, said, “This missile is a monster.” Also proudly displayed were the Hwasong-15 [WAH-SONG], which is the longest-range missile ever tested by North Korea, and what appeared to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. The parade was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers’ Party. Previously, officials in South Korea and the US speculated Kim could use the event to unveil a new “strategic weapon” as promised earlier this year.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL — According to Jewish News Syndicate, The Israeli Cabinet on Monday unanimously approved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to submit the Abraham Accords for Knesset approval prior to its submission to the Cabinet for ratification. Netanyahu said to the Cabinet before submitting the treaty for its approval, “This is the first peace agreement that Israel has signed in more than 25 years. We are also completing the agreements with Bahrain, meaning that we will be making peace with two Arab states at the same time.” The Israeli premier went on to say that “six years ago at the United Nations, I said that the notion that Israeli-Palestinian peace would assist a breakthrough to the expanse between Israel and the Arab world should also be reconsidered. I said there that I thought it works in reverse—that broad reconciliation between Israel and the Arab world would lead to the advancement of a realistic peace between us and the Palestinians.” He had said at that time that Israel must turn its gaze to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, he added, “and I think that all of you understand that this peace is being accompanied by very many actions. Most of the actions are below the surface—many meetings, many contacts, very many ties that have been in the making for years.”

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The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 36:22-32.

Ezekiel 36:26 reads: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

The remainder of Ezekiel 36:26 contains two important terms, “the heart of stone” and “a heart of flesh,” which serve to contrast and complement the terms previously considered. The term “heart of stone” is a forcibly imagery of the hardened condition of the will, the attributive genitive “stone” (Hebrew, ‘even) transferring its stony quality to the heat and rendering it obdurate, insensitive, and incapable of action. By contrast, the term “heart of flesh” refers to the new sensitive and responsive will, which is ready to demonstrate obedience. While Israel’s new nature qualifies it to live under the New Covenant, the additional element that defines Israel’s experience of the New Covenant and secures its abiding relationship with the Lord appears in verse 27 as the bestowal of God’s own Holy Spirit. God imparts the Spirit to cause Israel to faithfully fulfill the New Covenant. The verb “walk” (Hebrew, halak) pictures Israel living according to the legal expressions of God’s will, while the verb “keep” (Hebrew, shamar) indicates “keeping with observant care” or a “guarding with diligent preservation.” Both terms imply the duty of covenant obedience expected of the renewed nation.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from John Trapp. He said, “This is pinned as a badge to the sleeve of every true believer—that he looks for and longs for Christ’s coming to judgement.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.