The Prophecy Update Newsletter - 11/22/24

News & Information for the End Times

Nov 22, 2024

ISRAEL AT WAR!!! Day 412 - PRAY!!!

Pray For Israel — Psalm 122:6-8, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee."

Visit the Prophecy Update website, for Newsletter Archives, Headlines, Video Teachings, Recommended Links and to Support this ministry (Click Here)

In Today’s Newsletter…

The Incoming US Administration Can’t Arrive Quickly Enough for A Middle East Plagued by The Iranian Regime
We Are the Book of Revelation Generation
Prophecy Update Videos
Recommended Reading
Who Returns with Jesus at His 2nd Coming?
Not in a Zillion Years
Daily Jot: The American Chronicles: Norman Rockwell and Picking Apples
Daily Devotion: Angels Deflect Praise
Prophecy Update News Headlines

(Scroll Down to Read)

The Incoming US Administration Can’t Arrive Quickly Enough for A Middle East Plagued by The Iranian Regime

By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-incoming-us-administration-cant-arrive-quickly-enough-for-a-middle-east-plagued-by-the-iranian-regime/

Just today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has charged Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant with “crimes against humanity and war crimes” for their supposed maltreatment of civilians in Gaza. This appalling move was immediately met with derision by both Israel and the United States. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog condemned the action, stating, “Taken in bad faith, the outrageous decision at the ICC has turned universal justice into a universal laughingstock.”

In the United States, Senator Lindsey Graham promised, “The US Senate will act and impose sanctions on this irresponsible body. Senator Schumer should pass the bipartisan legislation that came from the House punishing the court for such outrage and President Biden should sign it. Now.”

Do these charges mean that Netanyahu is going to jail? Absolutely not. It does, however, restrict his travel to many western nations, including The Netherlands, site of the recent pogrom on Israeli soccer fans, which has already announced that they would obey the order. But if the prime minister wants to go to the United States, he will find no restrictions other than not going to Dearborn, Michigan, whose mayor, Abdullah H. Hammoud, has already announced that he will arrest him on the spot. In all of this ridiculousness, the promise of the Muslim enclave of Dearborn’s mayor is the only action that is not surprising.

One More Reason Why Iran Needs to Be Stopped

When I speak of hatred of Israel, most people’s minds immediately turn to Iran and its many proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah. It’s very true – Iran despises Israel to its very core. But you may be surprised to learn that there is a country that the ayatollahs hate even more than Israel. The end game of Iran’s Shiite Islamic regime is not Jerusalem, but Mecca and Medina. And where are these cities? In the heart of Sunni Saudi Arabia.

There has been a division in Islam, the origin of which goes back to the succession following the death of Muhammad. The Sunnis, the majority branch, supported the election of a caliph, leading to the selection of Abu Bakr. However, the Shiites believed that leadership should stay within the family of Muhammad, namely with his cousin and son-in-law Ali. Unfortunately for the followers of Shia, it was the Sunnis who ended up with the two most important sites in Islam – the Masjid Al-Haram with the Kaaba in Mecca and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina – both in their flagship country, Saudi Arabia. The “third holiest site” is the Al-Masjid al-Aqsa (or al-Aqsa mosque) in Jerusalem.

It is an impossibility for the Iranian regime to gain control of Mecca and Medina with a direct assault. The Saudi’s military is strong, and their oil is plentiful enough that most of the western world would spring to their defense. So, instead the ayatollahs are playing a long game. It began after the Iranian Revolution with the creation of a corridor of influence that stretched through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon towards the Mediterranean Sea. Now, they’re also looking south, bringing Yemen and Qatar into their pocket. If their strategy plays out, Jordan will be next, then the Gulf states like the UAE, Bahrain, and Oman. Looking at a map, it becomes obvious what Iran is doing. It is surrounding Saudi Arabia, cutting them off from any neighborly help. The stranglehold Iran could put on the Saudis would eventually force the Sunni kingdom to their knees.

It is very true that Iran hates Israel for a whole lot of reasons. But looking at this strategy we see that, in reality, the Jewish state is a means to an end. If Iran as leader of a great Muslim coalition were to take Israel, it would place the al-Aqsa mosque wholly in Islamic hands. But even more so, it will ensure that Saudi Arabia is caught in a steel vice that will squeeze until Mecca and Medina are finally in Shiite hands.

This is one more reason why Iran needs to be stopped. Toppling the ayatollahs’ regime would save the oppressed Iranian people, bring relief to the Saudis, stabilize the region, and serve as a death sentence to the proxy militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. It may also cause Qatar to stop funding Hamas. Ultimately, as followers of Scripture, we know that Persia (Iran) will join a future coalition against Israel, as told in Ezekiel 38. Is the end game of Mecca and Medina their reason? Maybe. What we do know is that whether under these ayatollahs or under a regime that might replace it, Iran will pitch in with Russia, Turkey and others to destroy Israel. And they will fail.

Ceasefire in Lebanon?

Israel is cautiously optimistic about a US proposal for a ceasefire in Lebanon. There are still two sticking points from Jerusalem’s point of view. First, there is the question of the extent of Israeli freedom of action in the event of a Hezbollah violation. The second is regarding the composition of the supervisory committee in Lebanon. If these issues are able to be satisfactorily dealt with, there could be a ceasefire within a week. It will be none too soon for Hezbollah, because the groundswell of Lebanese citizens against the terrorists continues to grow.

Hezbollah Unleashes Rockets on Israel

Amidst talks of a ceasefire, both sides in the Israel-Lebanon war continue their fight. Israel is pelting Beirut, Tyre, Baalbek, and other areas with airstrikes, while the ground war is gradually making its way north. At the same time, Hezbollah is shooting what rockets they can into Israeli territory.

Akko (Acre) experienced a barrage of 25 missiles yesterday with only one hitting the ground, causing no injuries. On Monday, another barrage proved fatal for one woman. More than 100 rockets were fired by Hezbollah, with one hitting a three-story building in the northern town of Shfar-am killing the forty-one-year-old. Farther south near Tel Aviv, shrapnel from an intercepted missile hit several buildings causing fires and wounding numerous people.

Hezbollah’s New Secretary General Threatens Israel

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s new secretary general following the targeted killing of his predecessor, is making the most of his few remaining days on this earth by uttering threats against Israel. It seems he is upset that his friend, Hezbollah media relations chief Mohammad Afif, was taken out in an air strike in Beirut on Sunday.

In a speech yesterday, he said, “Israel attacked the heart of Beirut, so it must expect the response to take place in the heart of Tel Aviv. It must pay the price.” In the same speech, he made the assertion, “When the enemy does not achieve its goals, it means we have won.” By that same logic, if the Buffalo Bills football team had the goal of beating the Kansas City Chiefs by 10 points, then their nine-point victory on Sunday was really a loss, which means the Chiefs remain undefeated and we have one more reason to dislike the music of Taylor Swift.

Gaza Ceasefire Shot Down

The UN Security Council voted 14-1 for a resolution that would demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Despite the overwhelming support, it didn’t pass because the one dissenting vote was the United States which is one of five nations that holds veto power.

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood stated, “We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages.” Tip of the hat to you, Mr. Deputy Ambassador.

In the same vein, three US senate bills were pushed forward by socialist senator Bernie Sanders to embargo certain offensive weapons from going to Israel. Each resolution was soundly defeated with 18 pro against 79 con votes. With the new sheriff making his way to town, the tide in Washington is definitely turning Israel’s way.

Netanyahu in Gaza

Even with the battle raging in northern Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his way to the Netzarim Corridor on Tuesday. Standing alongside new Defense Minister Israel Katz, the PM reiterated his pledge that “Hamas will not be in Gaza.” He also reminded Gazans of a pledge he had made earlier; there will be a reward of $5 million and safe passage out of Gaza for anyone who turns over a hostage. Meanwhile, the fighting was hot farther north in Jabaliya, with many terrorists being killed while others surrendered en masse.

UNRWA Again Shows Its Colors

One hundred and nine aid trucks drove into Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies. On the way, 97 of them were violently attacked and looted by armed Palestinians. Who’s to blame? If you ask the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), not surprisingly they’ll say Israel.

In a statement, the agency said, “The Israeli authorities continue to disregard their legal obligations under international law to ensure the population’s basic needs are met and to facilitate the safe delivery of aid.” Not only do we have to fight in Gaza, but we have to help feed their people and guarantee the safety of humanitarian aid. When has that ever been required of a military? Then, when the Palestinian gangs and terrorists start stealing the aid, we’re to blame for it? UNRWA is a joke.

Iran on the Cusp of Going Nuclear

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, reported that Iran is “just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.” And, if the IAEA is only now getting around to admitting to this, we can be assured that they’ve had weapons-grade uranium for months now. Is there any chance we can bring the new administration into Washington just a little early so that we can once-and-for-all shut this down?

Ukraine Upgrades it Weaponry and Russia Responds with Nuclear Threats

This last week marked Day 1000 since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine War, a conflict which shows no signs of abating. If anything, the fight is ramping up. Ukraine has used for the first time American ATACMS long-range missiles which have the capability to hit deep into Russia. Also, Germany has delivered 4,000 Mini Taurus strike drones to Kyiv’s army.

This deepening involvement by the west led the Kremlin to revise its nuclear policy, lowering the threshold for their use. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, warned that Ukraine’s use of western missiles could provoke a nuclear response under these new guidelines. This rhetoric, along with an increase in Ukrainian attacks, has led the US, along with Spain, Italy, and Greece, to shut down their embassy in Kyiv.

These preemptory diplomatic actions appear warranted as this morning, for the first time in the war, Moscow employed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a multi-pronged attack on the city of Dnipro. The missile, obviously used in a tit-for-tat because of Ukraine’s use of the American ATACMS missiles, is a clear warning. Even though this missile was tipped with a conventional warhead, ICBMs can easily deliver nuclear payloads.

I get what Putin is doing. However, here is a quick question for the president. If you’re so concerned about some countries interfering in other countries’ conflicts through the giving of war materiel, then why has the IDF, as it’s moved in southern Lebanon, discovered that 60-70% of Hezbollah’s weapons were manufactured by Russia? Sure, some of them went all the way back to the Soviet era. But many more were modern, including large quantities of Russian “Cornet” anti-tank missiles. While you’re complaining about Ukraine’s western-aided arsenal, maybe you want to rethink giving your old stuff away to terrorists.

Mysterious China being Mysterious China

Last year, the Chinese vessel New Polar Bear severely damaged the undersea gas pipeline, Balticconnector, which linked Finland and Estonia. Finland’s Minister of European Affairs Anders Adlercreutz said of the purposeful nature of the incident, “I’m not the sea captain. But I would think that you would notice that you’re dragging an anchor behind you for hundreds of kilometers.” It took seven months to get it back online.

Now it appears that the Chinese vessel Yi Peng 3 severed two fiber-optic undersea cables this past weekend, one connecting Finland and Germany and the other linking Sweden with Lithuania. Either some of these Chinese pilots need to go back to shipping school, or there’s something a little hinky going on.

We Are the Book of Revelation Generation

by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/we-are-the-book-of-revelation-generation/

What is it going to take for people to finally start waking up? Warheads are literally raining out of the sky. The Russians essentially simulated what a nuclear attack on Ukraine’s fourth largest city would look like, and yet most people don’t seem too alarmed. The Russians only used conventional warheads, but they are clearly warning us that next time things could be very different. Meanwhile, we could see a massive escalation in the Middle East at any moment. Jesus specifically warned us that the days just before His return would be a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, and if you haven’t figured out that we are living in a time of “wars and rumors of wars” by now, I don’t know what to say.

If we really are living in the end times, war is in our future.

In fact, Revelation 6:8 tells us that war will be one of the primary reasons why one-fourth of the entire global population dies during the seal judgments…

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

This is coming.

Maybe you don’t think it is coming right away, but if the Bible is true it is coming.

And at this moment we are closer to an apocalyptic global war than we have been since the days of World War II.

Yesterday, a British missile that was fired from Ukrainian territory hit a military base in Russia and wounded a top North Korean general…

A senior North Korean general was wounded in a recent Ukrainian strike in Russia’s Kursk region, Western officials said Thursday.

It is the first time Western officials have said that a high-ranking North Korean military officer has become a casualty in the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict.

More than 10,000 North Korean troops are deployed in Kursk as the Kremlin tries to repel Ukrainian troops who mounted an offensive there in August, U.S. officials have said.

This conflict in Ukraine has evolved into a truly global struggle.

During a speech that he just delivered, the former head of the Ukrainian military boldly declared that World War III started in 2024…

Ukraine’s former military Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny said that the direct involvement of Russia’s autocratic allies in its war on Ukraine means that World War III has started.

“I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun,” said Zaluzhny, who is now Ukraine’s envoy to the United Kingdom, during a speech at Ukrainska Pravda’s UP100 award ceremony.

“Because in 2024, Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine. Let’s be honest. Already in Ukraine, the Iranian ‘Shahedis’ are killing civilians absolutely openly, without any shame,” said Zaluzhny, adding that North Korean and Chinese weapons are flying into Ukraine.

On the other side, Vladimir Putin is also acknowledging that what is happening in Ukraine is now a “global” war…

On Thursday President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning in the wake of Ukraine launching long-range strikes on Russia’s territory utilizing newly approved US and UK long-range missiles.

“Kiev has launched a long-range missile strike against military facilities located within internationally-recognized Russian territory,” began his televised address by saying. He confirmed British-made Storm Shadow missiles and US-made HIMARS were fired targets located in Bryansk and Kursk Regions.

He said this action threatens to turn the Ukraine conflict into a global war. “A regional Ukraine conflict instigated by the West has acquired elements of a global one,” Putin spelled out, and noted that these systems cannot be used without the direct operational involvement of Western military specialists.

Putin warned us that bad things would happen if western leaders allowed Ukraine to fire long-range missiles provided by them into his country.

Of course western leaders decided to call his bluff, and then they found out how serious the Russians really are about their red lines.

Following the stunning attack on Dnipro, Putin went on television and admitted to the world that his country had just used a hypersonic ballistic missile to deliver those warheads…

Today Vladimir Putin gave an unscheduled live address to the nation. He claimed that on Nov. 19, six ATACMS missiles — and on Nov. 21, several Storm Shadow missiles — had been used by Ukraine for strikes against targets in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions.

According to Putin, Russia retaliated on Nov. 21 with a combined strike against a Ukrainian defense industry facility. In addition, “a field test was conducted in combat conditions” for one of Russia’s newest medium-range weapon systems: a nuclear-free hypersonic ballistic missile. “Our engineers named it ‘Oreshnik’ [‘Hazel’],” Putin declared with a smile.

It didn’t have to come to this.

Donald Trump won the election, and Joe Biden and his minions should have allowed him to make the decision about whether or not to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

But instead, it appears that they are trying to make it very difficult for Trump or anyone else to end this war. I really like how Tucker Carlson made this point during a recent interview…

“If you doubt how serious the opposition is to the public, not just to Trump, but to the majority of the country that voted for him, They’re trying to leave him with World War III on the way out,” Carlson urged.

Russia is furious about the Biden administration lifting restrictions on use of US developed long range missiles, and Putin has repeatedly stated that such a move would mean NATO countries are at war with Russia.

Carlson continued, “I can’t imagine a more desperate or evil thing for Tony Blinken, who I think is desperate and evil, in my view, to do. Leave him with a war?”

Most Americans have no idea how much damage U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has done.

It will be so good to see him leave Washington.

But of course there are lots of other warmongers in D.C., and they will be pushing for the war in Ukraine to continue.

If we stay on the path that we are currently on, it will lead to nuclear war.

At the end of Revelation chapter 6, there appears to be a description of a future nuclear conflict…

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Have you noticed that very few people like to talk about this particular passage?

But we should be talking about it, because we are steamrolling toward an unthinkable global conflagration right now.

We really are living in the end times.

We really are the Book of Revelation generation.

Bible prophecy is playing out right in front of our eyes, and yet most of the population is still in a very deep state of sleep.

ENTER OUR DONATION DRAWING

A Chance to Win a Brand New 24-inch iMac with Retina 4.5K display -- most importantly, you will be helping to Support Prophecy Update!

Please consider entering our donation drawing, not only might you win this brand-new iMac, but more importantly, you will be helping to support Prophecy Update - thank you so very much!!!

With the following configuration:

· 8-Core CPU

· 10-Core GPU

· 256GB storage¹

· 8GB unified memory

· 24-inch 4.5K Retina display²

· Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports

· Two USB 3 ports

· Gigabit Ethernet

· Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

This system is valued at $2,499, and you might win, for a little as $25!!!

Donation Drawing Fund

We have set up a special fund for this donation-drawing on our donations page. For each donation of just $25, your name will be entered into our drawing for the iMac one-time. For each additional $25 increment, you will receive additional entries into the drawing. If you donate $100 dollars for example, your name will be entered four times into the drawing, you can enter as many times as you like! The offer starts today, and the drawing will be held and announced on 11/30/24.

This would make an excellent gift for a student, for your family, or for those who work from home. For a little as $25, you might win this awesome iMac, but most importantly, you will be helping to support this ministry!

(CLICK HERE TO ENTER DRAWING)

You can also mail in your entry to:

PROPHECY UPDATE

PO BOX 40516

BAKERSFIELD, CA 93384

(Please mark entry "iMac Drawing")

PROPHECY UPDATE VIDEOS

Who Returns with Jesus at His 2nd Coming?

by Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/who-returns-with-jesus-at-his-2nd-coming/

Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, Jude 14b-15a

Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation to defeat Satan’s armies who had gathered at the valley of Har-Meggido (Tel Megiddo), what today is referred to as the Valley of Armageddon.

Satan’s world army will march down the Jordan Valley past Jerusalem on the way to Petra to wipe out the Jews once and for all. Jesus and Satan battle, but it’s not much of a battle. Jesus speaks, Satan loses, Israel wins.

From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, Rev. 19:15

So the question is, who are these “Holy Ones" who come with the Lord from heaven?”

the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! Zech 14:5b

“Holy ones” in scripture can refer to either angels and/or Believers. And we know both angels and Believers return with Christ at the Second Coming:

Angels:

…they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels… Matt. 24:30b-31a

Believers:

the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. 1Thes. 3:13b

Armies of Heaven:

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. Rev. 19:14

These armies are wearing fine linen…

the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev. 19:8b

So clearly, both Believers and angels return with the Lord on His Second Coming to rule and reign during the Millennium.

But if millions are Raptured, why are only thousands returning with Him? “Thousands” sticks out like a sore thumb. In the Greek, it literally means “His holy ten thousands.” If those are the only Christians of all time who make it to heaven, I'm going to have to rethink who gets saved!

To find the answer let’s first set the stage…

Jesus spent 40 days after His resurrection showing His apostles and hundreds of others that He was indeed alive…that He had risen from the dead.

He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to [His Apostles] over a period of forty days… Acts 1:3b

Between Jerusalem and Galilee, Jesus was recognized in His resurrected body by hundreds of people…and the proof was He was still bearing the scars of His crucifixion.

And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them. Luke 24:38-43

Jesus' resurrection was so incredible it was hard to believe. Some questioned if He was a spirit, not flesh and blood. So Jesus showed He could talk, walk and even eat food.

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, 1John 1:1

Jesus came back to life as a human. Fully God, fully human. Yet He could enter a room without using the door…He could literally walk through walls.

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. John 20:19-20

Wow! The doors were locked out of fear the Romans would come arrest them and then Jesus casually walks through the wall. Talk about “a convincing proof!” I don’t know about you but I would have wet my robe!

Those who study science know our bodies are actually not solid and, as God, He could have rearranged His atoms to pass through the wall's atoms. Which is quite a miracle by itself!

And as a side note, this is the same body all Believers will have in the future.

who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, Phil. 3:21

So after 40 days of convincing proofs, Jesus gathers His apostles on the Mount of Olives just outside the Old City and then He ascends to heaven.

He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9b-11

Jesus left from the Mount of Olives and He will return the same way for His Second Coming. He slowly ascended to heaven so on His return He'll slowly descend. Clearly different from the Rapture.

Jesus comes first to destroy Satan’s armies.

From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. Rev. 19:15

Jesus comes back to the earth to claim what Satan had stolen. After defeating Satan He comes to Jerusalem. Out of the clouds He descends to the Mount of Olives in sort of a “drop the mic” moment.

In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. Zech. 14:4

We’ve covered in a past article what happens to the world when Jesus’ feet touch that mountain(1) but the question at hand is, who comes with Jesus? Why thousands and not millions?

Millions will be Raptured and later you have an uncountable number (certainly more than thousands) who were saved in the Tribulation (Rev. 7:9-14). So what gives?

First we have to realize that there are ranks in heaven. For instance the 12 apostles sit on 12 thrones.

and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you (the Apostles) will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:29-30

And there are 24 thrones on which 24 elders sit.

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Rev. 4:4

We already saw that white garments refers to saints. The word “Elder” is never used to refer to angels and angels don’t wear crowns. But the angels do have ranks. Gabriel told Zacharias that he:

…stands in the presence of God. Luke 1:19

The inference is that only a select few angels get that arch-angel position.

For us Believers we know in heaven and in the Millennium there will be responsibilities and tasks assigned us.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. Col. 1:16

So the Lord will give every Believer a position or responsibility where we will serve Him with gladness.

Some will be directly serving God.

There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; Rev. 22:3

Three times scripture refers to heaven as “paradise,” which was a Persian word that was taken into the Greek language. It means “park” or “garden.” It refers back to the Garden of Eden as well as our future bliss in heaven.

Like Adam had responsibilities (not "work" by the sweat of his brow) to take care of the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world, Believers will be given various responsibilities on this earth during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

As examples, some will be teachers, some will lead worship, some will tend gardens, some will be soldiers/guards. People will not necessarily be in more than one of these positions.

So when the Lord returns in the sky with thousands of His Holy ones, they will likely be part of His heavenly army of both angels and Saints accompanying Him as He defeats Satan’s army.

The purpose of war is to win… to kill people and break things. Jesus is not woke; therefore, 100% of these soldiers will be male, just saying.

Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. Zech. 14:2

Therefore, when Jesus returns with thousands, it’s likely He returns with those He chose for His heavenly army. You don’t take the whole city to battle, just the soldiers…thousands, not millions, at least for the initial battle phase of His return.

It’s unclear, but the rest of the Believers could join the party after He flattens the earth a bit.

CQLJ!

1) https://compass.org/tribulation-earthquakes/

Not in a Zillion Years

By Rick Segoine - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/11/09/not-in-a-zillion-years-by-rick-segoine/

When someone is 100% certain of something that they do not see ever happening, something they think can never actually happen, they might say, “not in a zillion years.” I vaguely remember saying that somewhere in the past.

Then I got to thinking about how long of a time period a zillion years actually is, and how that compares to eternity.

The way time moves along upon the earth, a thousand years, which is also known as a millennium, seems like a pretty long time even though a millennium is as one day to the Lord according to Psalm 94 and 2 Peter 3:8.

A million years seems like a ridiculously long time. What about a billion years? Or a trillion years?

A zillion years makes a trillion years seem like a quick jog around the block.

So then, what about eternity?

God, our Heavenly Father, has promised eternal life to all who believe in Him and trust in Him through His beloved Son Jesus.

Eternal life is forever and ever and ever. That would make a zillion years seem like a three-week vacation.

Eternal life means to live forever and ever and forevermore without end.

Not for even one second will living forever be boring.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and it has not entered into the hearts or minds of men what God has planned for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

What has been revealed is that we will receive eternal bodies free of corruption of any kind and not subject to temptation. Our new bodies will never get sick, never grow old, and never die.

We as believers, will have these new bodies to experience all of the wonderful things God has prepared for us in eternity.

Somewhere along the line, a false concept of eternal life in heaven slipped into the collective consciousness of humanity. It is the false belief that those who make it to heaven will be bored out of their minds for all eternity while forced to sit on a cloud playing the same sad tune on a harp, over and over and over again forever.

This false vision of heaven was infused and inserted into the collective mind of humanity by none other than guess who? For those who recall, the old SNL church lady portrayed by Dana Carvey had the answer. Do I even need to say the name of the one who came up with the concept of boredom in Heaven? Could it be you know who?

To be sure, being condemned to eternally play the same sad tune repeatedly on a harp while perched on a cloud sounds much more like a punishment in hell rather than a reality in heaven.

Not in a zillion years, or ever, would our Heavenly Father impose anything resembling boredom on any of His forever family.

We will all be far too busy doing wonderful things to be bored, or to take part in anything so silly and redundant.

There might very well be harps playing in Heaven; however, it will be by amazing harp players inspired by God to take harp playing to whole new levels of brilliance and beauty. And, these heavenly harpists will have an endless repertoire of songs and melodies to choose from, as well as being able to sit anywhere they want to, including on a cloud, to worship and glorify our awesome God.

Clouds, by the way, are very beautiful. I once had an amazing dream about surfing a 200-foot cloud wave in super slow motion.

After paddling into the wave, it took a very long time to drop all the way to the bottom of the wave where I was able to carve a gigantic bottom turn that projected me far down the line and into a humongous cloud wave tube ride. I was so far inside that giant barrel, only a tiny opening was visible at the far end about a mile away. Again, the entire ride was in super slo-mo, so it took what seemed like an hour or so to complete the ride. I finally rode my surfboard up over the top and off into a deep blue sky.

I have ridden some amazing actual waves on planet Earth, but that cloud wave topped them all.

Was it a preview of what is to come? I do not know but would not be at all surprised. The possibilities are endless, much like eternity itself.

Bible scriptures make it crystal clear that God, our Heavenly Father, Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit, who guides all believers, love us more than we can even comprehend. Truly, the creative abilities of God are unlimited.

This amazing love for us was proven to be an actual fact on the cross at Calvary.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

It is unthinkable that God, who loves us that much, would impose a thing such as boredom, or anything at all that could be construed as bogus, upon His beloved children to whom He had just bestowed life eternal.

Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has always lived forever.

The only difference between eternity before the creation of the physical universe and earthly history, and eternity after the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, will be that an entire forever family of redeemed humans will accompany God and all of the good angels into that next phase of eternity.

Simply put, God came out of eternity for a little time and created a visible universe with a life-sustaining planet called Earth, and living breathing humans to whom God gave an amazing thing called free will.

The free will to choose between good and evil. The free will to choose to love God or to reject Him. The free will to choose whether we want to be with God forever throughout eternity or not.

God created the angels first and also gave them free will. One of the angels made a poor choice with the gift of free will and chose to rebel against the One that created him.

It was the very first sin.

The wayward angel who was named Lucifer was banished to Earth. This coincided with the timeframe of Adam and Eve living in and being caretakers of the Garden of Eden.

Lucifer, who also became known as Satan, assumed the form of a snake and slyly confronted Eve with the first known lie. Lucifer was attempting to induce Eve to rebel against God the Creator just as he had already done. It worked.

Eve believed the lie and convinced Adam to do the same. He did.

Together, they bought into the untruth that God was to be disbelieved and Lucifer, the inventor of lying, was to be believed.

They bought the lie that if they ate the forbidden fruit, which would allow them to know all about good and evil, they would and could become like God, and that they would not surely die as God had said they would.

It was a lie, but they believed it.

As a result of that poor choice by the world’s first couple, the virtue that God had created them with became tainted, became compromised. Thus the Godly nature that God had originally created within them in His own image became fallen.

All of their descendants, including you and I, inherited the fallen nature of Adam and Eve and have had to choose of our own free will between good and evil. Between God and the devil, between light and darkness, between bitter and sweet, and between truth and deception.

It seems fair to surmise that if both Adam and Eve had obeyed God and rejected that lie from Lucifer, the Garden of Eden would have remained undefiled, and Adam and Eve would have remained virtuous and uncorrupted, continuing in a state of being as to where they would never die, and the first creation would have remained perfect forever.

Hence, no need for a new heaven and a new earth.

The only thing that would have been missing is the multitudes of human beings that have chosen of their own free will and continue to choose to be a part of God’s Forever Family.

Oh, and two other things that would have been missing. You and me.

Almighty God is the sovereign creator, and He did the whole thing His way. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways.

Neither I nor you nor any ancestor of Adam and Eve has ever possessed the ability to create life or is in any way capable of sustaining life for even one second, let alone for all eternity.

God is not being egotistical in claiming all of the praise and glory. The simple truth is that only He deserves it, and truth is a vital part of who God is.

When we humans give Him all of the praise and the honor and the glory freely, of our own free will, and in a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness and graciousness, our precious Lord – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – loves us all the more for it.

The most beautiful blessings imaginable as well as amazing blessings we have no concept of quite yet are in store for all who love God.

And such blessings are promised by Him to us for all eternity.

All eternity is, believe it or not, uncountable light years longer than a zillion years.

That is forever and ever and ever without end.

I pray that whoever may read this, if they have not already done so, will choose Jesus and receive the eternal blessings of He who has lived forever and will continue to live forever.

Romans 10:9-10 explains simply and beautifully how to call on our Heavenly Father and become saved, and how to become a welcome addition to the eternal family of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Shalom in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Rick Segoine

Daily Jot: The American Chronicles: Norman Rockwell and Picking Apples

Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com

We started out early on a Saturday morning excited to revisit family-owned Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville, Va. A couple months earlier on our way back from one of our RV adventures in Virginia, Chris wanted to stop by the farm as we often shop for fresh fruits and veggies. Our GPS system took us on this elaborate labyrinth of back roads, twists and turns, until we finally ended up in familiar territory. It could have been an easy drive with just two turns, but for GPS, right? This time, we knew where we were going, but In a moment, our hopes were dashed. The gates were closed. It was like the Griswold’s traveling across America with such excitement only to find Walley World shut down. Now what?

Chris had checked their website to make sure the farm would be open when we arrived. All good. That is, until it wasn’t. A new sign on that old gate posted revised Saturday and Sunday hours. The idea was to enjoy the morning picking some apples, have coffee, a breakfast sandwich and top it off with their famous apple-cinnamon donuts against the backdrop of the picturesque Virginia countryside. We had about an hour to kill. New fall hours. Nevertheless, being good road warriors, we drove around the Winchester, Va. area and reminisced about where we had lived over 30 years ago, and how it had changed.

When we returned, the gates were open and we were about the only ones there. The grounds were picked bare. Orchards looked like they were well-into their long winter nap. The self-picking for apples was shut down for the season because there were basically no apples left to pick. Our Norman Rockwell romantic idea of a morning in the orchard had pretty much turned into a Picasso cubist abstract.The kitchen was not open for breakfast. The outside tables looked desolate against the backdrop of the graying autumn dormancy. The store clerk was sorting out the last few pecks of apples. She gave Chris a couple of baskets and told her to pick out what she wanted. In a sense we were able to “pick” some apples after all.

While Chris was filling up her baskets with apples, Service Dog Charlie and I were snooping around to see what else we could find. And there it was. Like a golden crisp neon sign blinking on and off and triggering our taste buds! The one thing that really saved the day. Fresh baked apple cinnamon donuts. The Good Book says the last shall be first. Well, we were among the last to visit the orchards this year, but this morning we were among the first to get our hands on those, let me repeat myself, fresh-baked apple cinnamon donuts. Some of which didn’t make it home, but definitely caused me to lick the sugar from my fingers so as to not get the residuals all over the steering wheel. A Norman Rockwell morning after all!

Daily Devotion: Angels Deflect Praise

by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

—Revelation 22:8–9

https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/angels-deflect-praise/ - Listen

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence are starting to make people question what’s real. Facebook changed its name to Meta to emphasize the metaverse, the virtual world. AR-enabled smart glasses allow us to see other worlds that don’t actually exist. I’ve tried them a few times. And I’ve determined that there’s no way you can look cool, or even normal, when you’re wearing them to fight imaginary battles or whatever. The point is that there are many different universes we can explore that aren’t real.

On the other hand, the supernatural world, the spiritual realm where angels dwell, is very real. It’s as real as our natural world. We just can’t see it. If we could peel away the veil that separates our world from the supernatural world, I believe that what we would see there would blow our minds. If an angel of the Lord were to appear to us right now, we’d be blown away. Or, as the Australians say, we’d be gobsmacked.

In fact, we might be so overwhelmed by the angel’s appearance—and by the fact that it’s so unlike anything we’ve ever encountered before—that we might even be tempted to worship it. That’s the situation the apostle John found himself in in the last chapter of the Bible.

In John’s defense, he was seeing things that no one else had ever seen before. The glory of Heaven. The horror of the Tribulation. The spectacle of God judging the world from His throne. John’s senses must have been close to overload.

So, as he stared at the angel who was revealing these unimaginable things to him, John fell down to worship at his feet. You can almost sense the angel’s alarm at being worshipped. He said to John, in effect, “Stop that! We’re on the same pay grade. I’m a servant, just like you.”

There are several occasions in the Bible where people who encountered angels were not just overwhelmed but terrified. When an angel appeared to a woman to tell her she would give birth to Samson, she told her husband, “A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God’s angels, terrifying to see” (Judges 13:6 NLT). The prophet Daniel “became so terrified” that he fell facedown and then fainted when the angel Gabriel approached him and spoke to him (Daniel 8:17–18 NLT). When an angel of the Lord announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds out in the fields, “they were terrified” (Luke 2:9 NLT).

No matter how awesome, powerful, or intimidating angels may seem, they are servants of God, just as we are. They don’t act on their own accord. They do only what God commands them to do. They don’t seek glory or praise. And when they receive it, they deflect it immediately to God.

When the devil attempted to get Jesus to worship him, Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him’” (Luke 4:8). And all the angels of Heaven say, “Amen.”

PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES

Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines

HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY

11/22/24

http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php

FROM THE HEART

Let Us Make the Short Time We Have Left,Count for ALL of Eternity!

IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT?

One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me.

Humbly Seek Your Support

Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks!

If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now!

What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake?

"Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!"

"Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey

1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack.

2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others.

3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know.

4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update.

I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks!

Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13

If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to:

DONATE NOW

Or write us at:

Prophecy Update

P.O. Box 40516

Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516