Unless one has one’s head stuck in a hole the depth of the Grand Canyon, it’s as plain as daylight in July at high noon that conditions are rapidly reaching a boiling point in the Middle East. When once reached, prophetic events will spill over into the coming Tribulation. The world right now is on the cusp of the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39.

The Biblical support for both of these conflicts (Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39) occurring PRIOR TO the beginning of the Tribulation are these:

(1) The stranglehold of radical Islam must be broken BEFORE the Tribulation begins so that Israel can be able to rebuild her Temple on the Temple Mount where currently the Al Aqsa mosque now stands.

This does NOT mean that Islam itself will be destroyed, but that the stronghold of radical Islamism in the area of the Middle East, at least, must be curtailed in that region.

(2) The event that BEGINS the 7-year countdown is the “confirmation” of a covenant made between Israel and the man who will be the Antichrist. This man CANNOT come onto the scene until the Church is taken out and conditions in Israel and the surrounding area are stable so that the Muslim threat from all factions in that area is greatly curtailed. That can only happen AFTER the Isaiah 17 (complete destruction of Damascus) and the Ezekiel 38-39 conflict is over.

The aftermath of these two events will create a power vacuum in the Middle East – in fact in the entire world. With the Islamic threat greatly curtailed, and with Russia being resoundingly defeated and the USA completely missing in action, that power vacuum will be filled with a new leader – the Antichrist whom the Bible calls “the Man of Sin.”

According to the Ezekiel prophecy, NO NATION will come to Israel’s aid; this includes the United States. Exactly what will prevent America from being able or willing to come to Israel’s defense, we do not know but can only speculate. However, it’s this writer’s OPINION that the rapture itself and the subsequent aftermath of it will likely cause the complete collapse of the United States almost immediately – but that is opinion only. Something else may occur to remove the United States from global power and prominence. Only God knows.

When the Ezekiel invasion occurs, it will be God Himself alone who will destroy, not only the stranglehold of Islam in the Middle East, but also utterly annihilate Russia and greatly destroy all of the Ezekiel coalition forces who will be part of this invasion: Russia, Iran (Persia), Turkey, Libya, Sudan, et al.

This destruction, along with the complete absence and inability of the US to ever again be a power player on the global stage, will leave a HUGE, worldwide power vacuum into which the Antichrist will step and begin his rise to global power.

In the beginning, the Antichrist, with the backing of the 10 kingdoms of a revived Roman Empire, will have the requisite strength to ensure a false “peace” in the Middle East. The Antichrist, backed by these 10 “kingdoms” who are likely conglomerate parts of the old Roman Empire from both the Eastern and Western “legs,” will have the power to make and enforce this covenant (Daniel 7:24; Revelation 17:12).

The Antichrist will begin his meteoric rise to power by guaranteeing Israel peace for a 7-year period of time (Daniel 9:27), also making it possible for Israel to rebuild her temple, thus allowing the religious sacrifices and oblations to resume in the rebuilt Temple according to Judaic law.

These things MUST be accomplished BEFORE the Tribulation begins, because it is the confirmation of the covenant between the Antichrist and Israel that ALLOWS FOR and GUARANTEES the construction and protection of the Temple.

(3) The entire Tribulation only lasts for 7 years; and at the midpoint (31/2 years in), the Antichrist, now the undisputed global leader, breaks his covenant with Israel and defiles the Temple. Therefore, the Temple MUST be built and in operation for the entire 7 years.

This means that the destruction of Damascus and the defeat of the Ezekiel invaders must occur BEFORE the Tribulation begins, because it is the aftermath of the defeat of the Ezekiel invaders that sets up the power vacuum that will enable the Antichrist to appear and “confirm the covenant with many” (Daniel 9: 27).

When the entirety of scripture is put together, both dispensationally and chronologically from scripture – that is taking ALL of the prophetic scripture and putting the pieces into their proper chronology from BOTH Testaments – it becomes clear that the rapture of the Church and the preparatory events of Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39 must happen PRIOR TO the beginning of the Tribulation, NOT after the Tribulation begins.

The Tribulation (Daniel’s 70th week aka The Time of Jacob’s Trouble) itself CANNOT begin until the covenant is made and confirmed, and the confirmation of that covenant cannot happen until Israel is made ready for it after God will have destroyed the Ezekiel coalition.

The Church CANNOT be here when this covenant between the Antichrist and Israel is made because, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10, it is the Holy Spirit INDWELLING the collective body of Christ (the Church) that is RESTRAINING (hindering, holding back) the ability for the “Man of Sin” to be revealed.

Although we cannot be dogmatic on this next point, it is easily inferred that the rapture will happen either just prior to or (as this writer thinks) simultaneously with the two prophetic events of Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39.

We KNOW from Ezekiel 38-39 that it is God’s supernatural intervention in saving Israel that opens secular Israel’s eyes to their God, even though she (Israel) will not yet, at that time, recognize Jesus as her Messiah. That ultimate recognition and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Israel’s Messiah is God’s main purpose for taking national Israel through the Tribulation. God’s ultimate purpose is for Israel to come to realize the Messiah she has shunned and has refused to accept (Zechariah 13:8-9).

These three preparatory events: the rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-19; 1 Corinthians 15:50-56), the destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17), and the Russia/Turkey/ Iran invasion of Israel on the Golan heights (Ezekiel 38-39), MUST occur BEFORE the Tribulation which, again, begins with the confirmation of the covenant between the man (yet to be revealed) who will become the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27).

So, looking at where we are today – right this minute, the stage is already set for ALL of these preparatory events to occur. If the rapture does take place simultaneously WITH these two conflicts, as this writer grows more and more convinced will be the case, then we, the Remnant Church, are right now on the threshold of glory!

On May17, 2019, Israeli forces hit several strategic strongholds in Damascus, Syria; and although Damascus has yet to be utterly destroyed in one night (made a “ruinous heap”), not to be habitable as per Isaiah 17:1, the utter destruction of Damascus that either precedes the Ezekiel 38-39 invasion into the Golan, or occurs together with the Ezekiel invasion, is already in the works. It’s just a matter of time.

So get ready Church! Our Deliverer is standing by and our evacuation from the hell-hole, this fallen world, has become closer than “imminent.”

Keep your eyes on Damascus, Syria, because the destruction of Damascus and the Ezekiel invasion are VERY close at hand; but before that (or in concert with these two events), WE GO HOME!!

MARANATHA!!

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-10). (All scriptures from KJV).

I want to ask each of you a serious question. It’s the most important question you will ever be asked. It is this: do you understand what the gospel is? Are you sure that you have believed THE gospel – the only one that can save you from an eternal Hell?

Salvation comes when we believe [place our full faith and trust] in THE gospel according to the scriptures. You see, salvation is not just about the cross. The cross is only half the story. It’s the RESURRECTION of Christ from the dead that sealed the doom of Satan and radiated forth from the empty tomb the triumph of the God of Glory over the forces of Sin, Death, Hell, and the Grave. It was the cross followed by the empty tomb that sealed Jesus’s cry of “It is FINISHED”! The salvation of all mankind is possible only through our belief and trust in Jesus Christ – by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE in the crucified and risen Christ ALONE.

“But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
(1 Corinthians 15:13-22).

Folks, we are not just living in the waning hours of the last days before the rapture of the Church; we are living in the last fading seconds of time before Jesus comes in the air to catch away His body/bride – the true remnant Church. After that great snatching away occurs, NOTHING on this earth will ever be the same again.

What happens after the rapture of the true Church will be 7 years of the most dreadful, cataclysmic events that will have ever happened in all of human history as the holy God of Glory, the Lion of Judah roars forth His holy wrath and justice on a sin-saturated, evil-loving, Christ-rejecting world.

All those who have not believed in Christ alone for his/her salvation – those who have placed their faith in a FALSE gospel, who have followed a FALSE Jesus of their own making, or a FALSE gospel touted by FALSE teachers – those who are LOST in other words, will be left behind to endure this last 7 years that the Bible calls by several names: The Tribulation, The Day of the Lord, The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and Daniel’s 70th Week. Each of these differing titles is referring to the same 7 years after the Church will have been raptured out.

Jesus’s most strong admonition given regarding these last days was that we “be not DECEIVED.” Why would He stress deception so much? Because deception will be rampant during these last days; not just the blatant deception of obvious false teachings, but the far more deceptive and dangerous deception of doctrines that appear to be sound, but which when examined against scripture are in reality deceptive “doctrines of demons” taught by those who have “crept in unawares” and who are in truth “ravening wolves” (Matthew 24:4; 1 Timothy 4:1; Jude 4-6; Matthew 7:15).

There are many FALSE teachers, FALSE teachings, and FALSE gospels – far too many to enumerate or even keep up with. This is why in order to spot the false, you must KNOW the true.

It is vital that we understand THE gospel so that we are not deceived by that which is false. Only THE gospel according to the scriptures can save the lost. All other doctrines are Imposters that will send all who follow them into an eternal Hell. We must know THE gospel according to the scriptures. It is nothing less than the eternal destiny of men’s souls that is at stake. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

**SALVATION**
ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES

(1) WHO NEEDS A SAVIOR?  EVERYONE – YOU do.

Why? Because we are ALL condemned sinners: justly

“The soul that sinneth it shall DIE [eternally]. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father, neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:20).

“For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

“For the wages, [penalty] of sin is [eternal] death [in the Lake of Fire], but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

“He that believeth on Him [Christ] is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18).

You must understand that you, me, and ALL mankind are justly condemned sinners and that you (we) can do nothing to remedy that condition. We cannot “be” good enough; “do” good enough; nor can we “turn over a new chapter and try again” or stay good enough to either procure or preserve our salvation. None of that is good enough because our own self-righteous “works” (our own attempts to “be” or to “act” holy, to try to live a life pleasing before God by our own efforts) are viewed by God as being equivalent to “filthy rags” in the sight of God’s infinite holiness, righteousness and justice (Isaiah 64:6).

“For by grace [the unmerited favor of God] are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: not of works [our own efforts] lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“But without faith [sincere belief and trust] it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He [Jesus Christ] IS [God come in human flesh] and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

“And He [Christ] is the propitiation for our sins [ propitiation means appeasing – reconciliation by blood – the turning away of wrath by an offering – satisfying the wrath of God]: and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

*We must first come to terms with the fact that we are justly condemned sinners who need a sinless and righteous Savior who is both willing and able to “pay the infinite penalty” [wages] of the debt of sin under which each living soul is conceived and condemned guilty. We are not sinners because we commit sins; we commit sins because we are sinners. Sin is intrinsic within our very nature.*

(1) WHO CAN BE SAVED?

Anyone. God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).
Whosoever – this means anyone) who is willing to come to Christ by faith in Him alone will be saved.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE saved” (Romans 10:13).

“… Jesus stood and cried, ‘If any man thirst [spiritual thirst for salvation], let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water [eternal salvation]” (John 7:37-38).

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

“For I have no pleasure all him that dieth (eternally) saith the Lord God: wherefore turn ye yourselves, and live ye (eternally)” (Ezekiel 18:32).

(3) HOW CAN ONE BE SAVED? – WHAT IS IT THAT MUST BE BELIEVED FOR ONE TO BE SAVED?

“Moreover brethren I declare unto you THE gospel which I preached unto you, which ye also have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved… For I delivered unto you that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

“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” (Romans 10:9-10).

“For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son that Whosoever (that is whosoever is willing to freely choose) believeth in Him should not perish [eternally] but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

(4) HOW DO WE COME TO CHRIST? – WE ARE DRAWN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him… ” (John 6:44).

“Jesus saith unto him, I AM the Way, THE Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

(5) WHEN SHOULD I GET SAVED? – IMMEDIATELY!

“Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

“For it is appointed unto man once to die; but after this, the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27).

People, we do not know how long our lives may last. Life is uncertain, but death is sure. And should you die in your sins before you come to Christ in salvation, then it will be for you eternally too late.

(6) CAN I EVER LOSE MY SALVATION ONCE I BECOME SAVED?

NO! – not in this Dispensation of Grace – the Church Age. Once anyone in this Age of Grace before the rapture occurs, accepts by faith the gospel, then at that instant, he/she is SEALED WITHIN by the Holy Spirit for eternity.

“My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. And I give unto them ETERNAL LIFE; and they shall NEVER PERISH (eternally) neither shall any man (including one’s own self) pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me is GREATER THAN ALL and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

ALL that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, (eternally) but have everlasting (eternal) life” (John 3:16).

“And I give unto them ETERNAL life; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28).

“Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me HAS (present-future tense) EVERLASTING (eternal) life, and SHALL NOT COME into condemnation; but IS [present – future TENSE] passed from ([ETERNAL] DEATH unto (eternal) LIFE” (John 5:24).

“Who hath also SEALED US, and given the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

“These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

“Being confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you will perform it: until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION” (Ephesians 4:30).

Please, I implore you, if you are lost, or if you are uncertain of your salvation, make your calling and election sure. Call upon [believe, place your faith and trust] in the finished work of Christ – in His atoning death, His burial, and His bodily resurrection according to the scriptures. Call upon Him to save you and to redeem you for His kingdom. He stands ready, willing, and able to save ALL who will come to Him by faith. Please, do this now – this very minute – before It is eternally too late.