End Times

Are You Really Rapture Ready?

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

[Revelation 1:7]

The past few weeks I have seen the usual chatter about the very predictable and highly irresponsible “rapture of the church” prophesies circulating on all the big social media platforms. It seems like these “predictions” happen every few years, creating an enthusiasm for Christians who are hoping to be translated out of this world without warning and escape the coming days of great trouble.

There is only one problem.

Every single pre-tribulation rapture prediction in my lifetime has been proven false, and these so-called prophets are left scrambling to justify their false prophecy and adjust their timelines one more time. If we haven’t learned anything over the last 40 years, it’s that sensational rapture claims without Biblical substance has become the boy who cried wolf one too many times.

This latest craze of rapture predictions have been connected to Yom Teruah — or the Day of Shouting — otherwise known as the Feast of Trumpets. Yom Teruah began yesterday (September 23) at sundown at the sighting of the new moon. The Feast of Trumpets is one of God’s divine appointments (Leviticus 23) that has been intertwined within the fabric of creation to bless all of God’s covenant people and point us to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

The irony is that I actually believe the Second Coming of Christ will almost certainly occur on or around a future Yom Teruah – just not this one. The difference is that I see the return of Jesus Christ and the rapture as being one-in-the-same event, not two separate events separated by a “7-year” tribulation period.

Defining our Terms — The Gathering

For clarity, when I speak of the “Second Coming” of Christ, the dispensational camp is thinking of a totally separate event, completely distinct from the pre-tribulation rapture. The pre-trib doctrine teaches the sudden, secret, invisible “return” of Jesus to whisk away the church to heaven before God unleashes hell on the world during the great tribulation.

Separating the Second Coming of Christ into two “phases” or “comings” has created confusion and an unhealthy preoccupation with the pre-tribulation rapture. At the same time, this doctrine has provided a convenient loophole to make a square peg fit into an otherwise round hole.

Just for the record, I believe the Bible clearly teaches a “rapture” event in the future. I just disagree with the conventional timing that is being proposed by the pre-trib camp. I believe a better description of this event is what the Bible calls the “gathering” of God’s people, which provides a more accurate interpretation of what happens at the end of this age when Christ returns to resurrect our mortal bodies and translate us into His glorious image to inherit the Kingdom.

Here are just a few Scriptures that describe the gathering (aka rapture). Notice the timing element.

“In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. 12He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” [Isaiah 11:11-12]

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ 30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.“ [Matthew 24:29-30]

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.” [2 Thessalonians 2:1-3]

He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest (gathering) is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. 42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” [Matthew 13:37-43]

In other words, it’s not a matter of “if” the rapture takes place but rather “when.” And as I said earlier, the notion that there will some type of secret rapture for the “church” prior to the great tribulation is Biblically indefensible.

If only God’s people would take off their pre-trib rapture-colored glasses and read their Bibles with a fresh set of eyes and an open mind, they would see that not only is it careless and useless to predict the very day or hour of Christ’s return, but also that the pre-trib rapture is nowhere to be found in the pages of Scripture.

Top 3 Reasons the Gathering (Rapture) Cannot Be Pre-Tribulation

I have written extensively on the timing of the rapture, so I won’t belabor the point. Here are my top three reasons from Scripture that the rapture cannot be a secret, invisible event prior to the tribulation.

Reason #1 – Prophetic Signs that Precede the “Rapture” Must First Be Fulfilled

I could spend multiple blogs just discussing all the prophetic signs that must first occur before Jesus Christ Returns to gather His people. Here is just a sample size.

  1. Birth pains must rapidly increase in intensity and frequency, including war, famine, pestilence, natural disasters, cosmic phenomena, and overt persecution of God’s people.
  2. The rise of the final Beast empire and the revealing of Beast himself, who will blaspheme God, establish a global surveillance and economic system, muster an army, and martyr the saints.
  3. The reestablishment of some form of the Levitical priesthood in Judah and the resumption of the sacrificial system in Jerusalem.
  4. The abomination of desolation must take place in or on the holy place in Jerusalem (aka Temple Mount), where the Beast declares Himself to be the god of this world.
  5. The world is deceived by Satan with many false signs and wonders, and the mark of the Beast is required for everyone who surrenders allegiance to the Beast and rebels against God.
  6. The testimony of the Two Witnesses who call the world to repentance and who come working great wonders and with supernatural signs to validate their message.
  7. The siege of Jerusalem, when all hostile nations will surround her and trample the city underfoot, killing many and taking many into captivity.

I will share just one passage to prove that there are specific signs that must be fulfilled prior to the Return of Christ and the rapture.

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God … And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His coming.” [2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8]

Reason #2 – The Rapture is a Supernatural, Public, and Universally Visible Event Connected to the Return of Christ to Earth

There is nothing secret or mysterious about the rapture. The Scriptures tie the rapture (gathering) to the glorious return of Jesus to the earth, which is described as the unique Day when heaven is opened, the elements melt in fervent heat, the earth will be shaken, the great trumpet blast of God is unleashed (aka Yom Teruah), the angelic army descends to fight, the archangel shouts and a cry of a command is given, and every eye will see Jesus riding the clouds in glory as He descends to earth to wage war against the Beast and all the forces of darkness that is gathered in Jerusalem to fight.

There is nothing secret or invisible about the Biblical description of this event. Just consider the most famous “rapture” passage used by the pre-tribulation camp to support their view and ask yourself if it fits the “secret rapture” profile?

“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” [1 Thessalonians 4:14-17]

Reason #3 – The Rapture Is Simultaneous With the Resurrection of Dead

There is no way to dispute the fact that in every single passage of Scripture that describes the “rapture,” or gathering of God’s people, it is always connected to the resurrection of dead – specifically the first resurrection. Scripture is replete with references that remind us that the resurrection of the dead occurs at the end of the age, when Christ returns to earth in glory. This one reason alone is enough to debunk any notion of a pre-tribulation rapture.

If you notice in the passage above (1 Thessalonians 4), the catching up of believers coincides with the resurrection of the dead – except the dead in Christ are raised first, and then those who have survived the great tribulation and remain will receive their immortal bodies.

Allow me to leave you with a few more passages that demonstrate the timing of the resurrection, which is the same as the timing of the final gathering (rapture) of God’s people.

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” [John 6:39-40]

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 24Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.” [1 Corinthians 15:22-24]

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” [1 Corinthians 15:51-53]

Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. [Revelation 20:4-6]

So when we ask the question, “Are you rapture ready,” we are asking an entirely different question than our pre-tribulation brothers. We are asking, “Are you ready to be Christ’s witnesses in a hostile world, to suffer persecution and tribulation for His sake, to resist the strong delusion of rebellion coming upon the world, and to faithfully endure to the end?”

Signs of the End Times — Part 3 — Spiritual Apostasy and Mass Defection from the Faith

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

[1 Timothy 4:1]

King Solomon once famously penned the words … “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” [Ecclesiastes 1:9].

Looking through that universal prism, I am inclined to believe that the battle for truth has pervaded all of human history to this very day. When one considers just how many competing belief systems exist and how many denominational differences we discover within Christendom itself, it becomes an overwhelming task to sort through the theological weeds of faith. We are forced to ask questions that define the parameters of the faith. In other words, how far from sound doctrine can one be to disqualify himself from the true ekklesia – the covenant people of God?

Couple that with outright false prophets and feel-good preachers who prey on the mentally and spiritually weak, especially the Biblically illiterate, and it is evident that many who identify with Christ, howbeit in name only, will be susceptible to mass spiritual deception in the last days.

Jesus warned us as much …

At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. 12Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come … For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. 23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance. [Matthew 24:10-14, 21-25]

I have come to conclude and understand that the battle for truth is the fiercest of all and that a real enemy to truth exists — the evil one — who is the father of lies and the great deceiver of mankind. The Bible reminds us that the whole world is held under the sway of the evil one.

Couple this satanic system of mass deception with the proliferation of technology and artificial intelligence, and there is a recipe for disaster of historic proportions. As I said, there is nothing new under the sun. From the garden to Babel to Egypt to throne of Ahab and Jezebel, Satan’s most powerful weapon has been the distortion, perversion, corruption of the truth in exchange for the lie.

As Hitler himself is quoted as saying, “Tell a lie loud enough for long enough and people will believe it.” The prince of the power of the air is a master at blinding those in unbelief. This spiritual defection will be so great, this rebellious hardening toward God so defiant, that God will send them a strong delusion to believe Satan’s great lie. The world will sell its soul in exchange for a vain promise and the collective conscience will be seared past the point of no return.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. 9The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, 10and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, 12in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. [2 Thessalonians 2]

Of course the technological revolution is a key component to this end times apostasy. Entire lives integrated with the beast system. As the human race becomes more reliant on technology, we find ourselves at a crossroads – a transitional point – where trans-humanists and technocrats are leading mankind to shed the image of God and clothe itself with the image of the Beast.

The more we give our minds to this demonically charged, artificially derived “intelligence”, we are one step closer to world-wide mind control, otherwise known as a hive mind. Every believer in Messiah, every loyal follower of Yeshua, will be forced to draw a line and soon deviate from the trans-human path and defect from this world system. Mind augmentation will devolve into mind control, which will lead to blind allegiance and worship of the Beast.

And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain … And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. 14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. 15The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed. [Revelation 13:8, 13-15]

In one way, this separation will be an extreme disadvantage, insomuch that those participating in the beast system will have instant access to unlimited information at the speed of thought. Language will no longer be a barrier, as AI has already crossed the language threshold. Babel has reemerged.

In contrast, those faithful, set-apart believers who refuse to integrate with the Beast system will be outcasts in a hostile surveillance state. Not only will the remnant of God’s people be forced to flee to places of refuge in the wilderness, but also will be targeted enemies of the state, hunted and persecuted by a superior “race” of enhanced humanity 2.0

In another way, however, God’s faithful remnant will have the greatest advantage of all. We will have the presence of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Almighty, the protection of the angelic host, and the gospel of King Jesus. God will supernaturally provide and protect a faithful remnant in the wilderness.

We will see God’s display of power and glory again in the form of signs and wonders and miracles. We will experience God’s presence like the great saints of old, such as Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Daniel. Perhaps the Lord will once again provide manna from heaven and water from the rock to sustain His people in the last-days wilderness wanderings (see Revelation 12:6, 14].

Only those sealed with the Spirit of God will be able to withstand the schemes of the evil one.

The Spirit searches all things and leads us in all truth. The Spirit will speak on our behalf when we are taken captive and stand as witnesses before the rulers and kings of this world. The Spirit discerns truth from error and intercedes on our behalf through a groaning too deep for words.

But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. [Matthew 10]

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time. 4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. [1 John 4]

I find it practically impossible for anyone truly sealed by and united with the Spirit to renounce Christ, serve the Beast, sell his soul for the world, participate in the Beast system, take the mark, become genetically altered and mentally integrated with machine (AI), and revel in the spirit of lawlessness. The Spirit of God is essential to withstand the evil one, especially in these days of deep fakes and fake news and fake people and fake preachers and fake prophets and fake signs and wonders.

The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 9You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. [Romans 8]

We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies … 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. 27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. [Romans 8]

I realize there is tension with the text concerning those who fall away. It is not unreasonable to assume that one cannot fall away, or defect from the faith, if he first does not belong in the faith. This tension is felt strongest concerning the once-saved, always-saved debate.

As the argument goes, if an apostate walks away from the faith and Jesus altogether, then it implies he once was “saved,” only later to defect from the family of God. Therefore, the popular teachings of eternal security and the perseverance of the saints seem to be in contrast with these examples in the Scriptures. Obviously this confluence of ideas is much more nuanced than that.

The question that inevitably arrises concerns whether or not these “apostates” were ever truly obedient as faithful followers of Christ and regenerate children of God to begin with? In my studies, I see valid arguments on both sides; however, I see more Scriptural evidence in eternal security, where true repentance and faith in Messiah leads to the regeneration of the believer. As a result, he becomes a new creation in Christ, is supernaturally sealed by the Holy Spirit, awaits in hopeful expectation for the promise of future resurrection, will persevere to the end, and who relies daily on the supernatural provision of Spirit to walk in obedience to God’s commandments.

The Apostle John provides some clarity when it comes to this mass spiritual rebellion on the horizon. It seems that those with nominal affiliation with Christ will be separated from the true remnant of God’s children, especially when the refining fires of tribulation are burning the hottest. In other words, the wheat will be separated from the chaff in the end, revealing the nature of the true sons of the Kingdom.

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. [1 John 2]

How can we survive the deceptive spirit of this age? Only with the presence and provision of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, it will be impossible to have the spiritual eyes and ears necessary to overcome the evil one during the coming time of Jacob’s trouble.

And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory. [Ephesians 1]

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. [1 Corinthians 2]

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. [John 14]

I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. 13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. [John 16]

Considering the convergence of these signs, it’s not a big leap to discern that we are living in a unique generation that is primed both for unprecedented spiritual deception and a supernatural witness for Christ to the world He so desperately wants to save. And the point of demarkation will be the witness and work of the Holy Spirit.

Can We Know “the Day or the Hour” of Christ’s Return?

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. … No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

[Matthew 24:30-31, 36]

One of the most misunderstood verses in all of Scripture comes from the teachings of Jesus known as the Olivet Discourse. When referring to His second coming, Jesus says that “no one knows the day or the hour” of His return (see Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36).

Unfortunately, this one phrase has been lifted out of context and seriously mishandled as a prooftext to support the idea that Jesus can return at any moment without any necessary signs to precede His coming. Many in the dispensational camp call this teaching imminence, which suggests that the rapture of the church will be a secret, surprise event that could happen at any minute in the indefinite future. As a result, many have proposed that is impossible to discern the prophetic signs associated with the second coming of Christ and therefore a futile exercise altogether.

But what if this one phrase actually is teaching God’s people something radically different? What if Jesus was teaching us the exact opposite of “imminence,” and instead giving us a critical clue to discerning the signs and the general season of His return. After all, the entire Olivet Discourse is a master class on discerning the signs that precede the end of the age and the coming of Christ. Just a few verses before Jesus declares, “no one knows the day or the hour,” He also says, “So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:34).

So which is it? Will the generation alive at the end of the age recognize these signs and know that the return of Jesus is near, even at the door? Or is it impossible to know the timing of Christ’s return?

I don’t think we can accuse Jesus of making contradictory statements to His disciples, only to leave them unsatisfied and confused. So there must be a better explanation. Maybe we are missing something from the historical context of this passage that is essential to understanding what Jesus actually meant.

I suggest that Jesus was using an idiom from His day to connect His listeners to a very familiar concept and a very specific day of the year — namely Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets.

Yom Teruah — A Day and Hour that No One Knows

Tonight (Wednesday, October 2, 2024) upon the sight of the new moon the Feast of Trumpets, or Yom Teruah, will begin. Also known as the Day of Shouting, Yom Teruah is the first of the fall festivals established by God to serve as annual divine appointments for those in covenant with the God of Israel.

Trumpets is unique when compared to every other Biblical feast in that it is the only divine appointment that is not predetermined and fixed by a set day on the calendar. Yom Teruah begins of the first day of the seventh month (Tishri 1), and the only way to determine the first day of the month is visibly to observe the new moon in the night sky.

Obviously with the advent of modern technology and the accuracy of astronomical algorithms, we can more precisely predict the timing of each new moon; however, in Biblical times, the only way to identify the first of the month was to observe the night sky and watch for the sign of the new moon to emerge. Of course, our ancient ancestors had sufficient knowledge of the heavenly bodies as they followed their courses and would have known when the first day of the month was near — within a day or two. Consequently after their exile in Babylon, the Jewish rabbis dedicated a two-day window for the Feast of Trumpets just to ensure the new moon was accurately sighted.

To learn more about this two day window, read here.

So the official sign of the Feast of Trumpets was the sighting of the new moon, which then followed by a command from the High Priest to begin sounding the trumpet blasts, or shofar, and announce the beginning of the festival. Historically Yom Teruah has been celebrated with shouting, singing, candle lighting, and feasting with joy.

But if Jesus was using His teaching to draw a connection between the Feast of Trumpets and His return, perhaps this holy day — like all appointed feasts — is providing a prophetic shadow picture of the ministry and mission of Jesus.

The Biblical Imagery and Purpose of the Shofar

“God has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!”

[Psalm 47:5-7]

The shofar — or ram’s horn — is a prominent symbol throughout Biblical history.

The trumpet was sounded on Mt. Sinai when the LORD came down in flaming fire to meet with Moses and enter into covenant with Israel (Exodus 19).

The shofar was blown under Joshua’s command during the conquest of Jericho (Joshua 6).

The shofar was sounded by Gideon as he led Israel to defeat the Midianites (Judges 7).

The trumpet was sounded at the coronation or procession of the King (Psalm 47, 98).

The shofar also was blown as a battle cry against the enemies of God.

But beyond all that, the trumpet has always been connected to the return of Christ our King to the earth the judge the living and the dead. Just consider the following verses.


The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.

[Zephaniah 1:14-16]

Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near; a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness…

[Joel 2:1]

Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

[Zechariah 9:14]


For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

[1 Thessalonians 4:15-18]


Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

[1 Corinthians 15:51-52]

Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”

[Revelation 11:15]

As we can clearly see, the blowing of the shofar is a significant and central sign that is connected to the return of Christ. Furthermore, Jesus mentions the blowing of the trump of God in Matthew 24:31 when He says, “And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call.”

And let us not forget that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the first four spring feasts during His first coming. He was crucified on Passover, buried on the first day of Unleavened Bread, raised to life on the Day of Firstfruits, and poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

It only stands to reason that Jesus will fulfill the fall feasts through His second coming, beginning with the day and hour that no one knows — the Day of Trumpets!

Not only can we know the season of Christ’s return to this earth, He expects us to know. He is telling us to observe the signs, keep watching, stay awake, and lift up our heads for our redemption draws near. Just like with the Feast of Trumpets, we may not know the precise day or hour Christ returns, but we will know when His coming is near, even at the very gates of heaven!

I hope that you will celebrate this amazing feast this year with joy and anticipation of the return of our King and to shout His victory over sin and the grave!

Did God Commit Genocide?

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes, together with all their kings—leaving no survivors. He devoted to destruction everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.”

[Joshua 10:40]

What does the flood of Noah, the conquest of the Canaanites, and those who take the mark of the beast all have in common?

God devoted all of them to total destruction, leaving no one alive.

This leads us to a more pressing question. Did God commit genocide?

Why would the God of the Bible commit genocide by directing the total annihilation of entire people groups, including the men, women, and little children? Does not this fly in the face of the true nature and character of God?

As a matter of fact, one of the most popular indictments against the God of the Bible is that He is a genocidal maniac, especially referring to the military exploits of the Conquest under Joshua, in which God commanded the utter destruction of certain Canaanite tribes. Skeptics and opponents of the faith use this argument to invalidate the Bible and disparage the character of the God.

Sadly, most defenders of the faith are ill prepared to answer this objection and provide weak and insufficient responses, further emboldening the atheist to remain justified in his unbelief and his hatred of God.

When posed with the question of how God could order the direct genocide of entire people groups, including “innocent” women and children, most apologists squirm in their seats and offer some unconvincing excuse about the sovereignty and justice of God, while ignoring the obvious conflict between genocide and the nature of God.

Genocide does not align with God’s nature. It is not in God’s character to arbitrarily devote certain ethnic groups to destruction while sparing others. So there must be a better explanation.

Fortunately there is, and we must go all the way back to the beginning to find the answer.

The Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman

There is a plausible answer to this apparent conundrum. There is a valid reason why God commanded the total destruction of certain people groups, including the global flood of Noah’s day. There is a clear and common thread that runs throughout Scripture that provides the answer behind the merciless and resolute judgment of God.

Sadly, most believers miss this thread because they are either ignorant or afraid of one of the most essential themes in all of redemptive history — a theme tracing all the way back to beginning.

I am talking about the the SEED WAR!

So the Lord God said to the serpent …
“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall crush your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

[Genesis 3:15]

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for seed is zera (זֶרַע), which literally refers to the genetic material contained within plants, animals, and men that God designed as the natural mechanism of producing offspring. In pronouncing judgement upon the Serpent in the garden, the LORD God predicted a cosmic conflict that would play out upon the stage of human history in which the genetic offspring (seed) of Satan would perpetually be at war with the godly offspring preserved by God through Israel. The Seed of the woman eventually would culminate in the virgin birth of the Chosen One — namely Jesus the Son of God.

What we discover in the gospel accounts is that the Holy Spirit supernaturally (not sexually) infused the “seed of God” with the seed of the woman (Mary), conceiving the One and Only (unique) Son of God. I am convinced that this supernatural conception involved the literal union of God’s genetic material — His divine DNA — with the human genes contained in the virgin’s 23 chromosomes. This implies that Jesus did not inherit the corrupted Y chromosome passed down from our first father Adam but instead received perfect and pure genetic material from God Himself, which is why Jesus is the greater Adam — the last Adam.

It is implied in Genesis 3:15 that just as the virgin supernaturally would conceive and give birth to God’s Son, the Serpent would also produce his own illicit genetic offspring, conceived in the image and likeness of the Dragon himself. Satan’s offspring is called the man of lawlessness — the son of destruction. The culmination of Satan’s seed, of course, will be realized at the end of this age when the Dragon finally is cast down to earth, only to concentrate all of his power, throne, and authority into one individual known as the Beast (Revelation 12-13).

While the emergence of the Beast may be Satan’s final desperate attempt to rule the earth through his own progeny, it certainly was not his first. The powers of darkness have a long history of attempting to corrupt the human race through unsanctioned and often grotesque genetic aberrations that the Bible calls the Nephilim. The Nephilim are the degenerate spawn of a forbidden union between rebel angels (or watchers) and human women.

These genetically modified hybrids — which also happened to be giants — once filled the earth in the days of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David (i.e Goliath). Jesus further warned us that similar genetic corruption will be reintroduced in the last days. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be before the coming of the Son of Man.

To get the bottom of God’s apparent “genocide” of entire people groups, we must first understand the Nephilim connection. Each and every time God has been resolved to utterly destroy an entire “race” or “tribe,” it has always been connected to the eradication of the corrupt seed of the Serpent and the illegitimate hybrid race called the Nephilim.

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.” [Genesis 6:4]

So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land that they had spied out: “The land we explored devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw there are great in stature. 33We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!” [Numbers 13:32-33]

“Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens. 2The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?’ 3But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them swiftly, as the LORD has promised you.” [Deuteronomy 9:1-3]

God had good reason to exterminate the corrupt seed of Satan in ancient times, which also explains why Jesus will utterly destroy those who take the mark of the Beast when He returns at the end of the age.

Mankind Bears the Image of God

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it…”

[Genesis 1:27-28]

When God created mankind, He did so in His own image and likeness. Man bears the unique resemblance of God, which means that man is both spiritually and physically endowed by God with specific traits and genetic parameters that remain at the core identity of the human race. Any aberration or perversion of God’s original design is an abomination and automatically disqualifies hybrids from redemption.

Remember, only the human race is eligible for salvation, as Jesus did not come to redeem the angels who sinned, but only the offspring of Adam and Abraham (Hebrews 2). This is precisely why the Son of God became the Son of Man, permanently taking on human form to save mankind.

In other words, if you aren’t truly human, then you are no longer eligible for redemption.

Now we are one step closer to understanding why the LORD devoted the Nephilim and other giant clans to utter destruction. As unsanctioned hybrids, the Nephilim are the illicit offspring of angelic fathers who acted on their unnatural desire to procreate with human wives (Genesis 6:1-4, Jude 1:5-8). These giants were of strange seed and a violation of the created order. As an unholy mixture the Nephilim did not bear the image of God. Therefore, the Nephilim are not human but rather bastardized mutants imbued with a demonic spirit.

Not only are the Nephilim disqualified for redemption, but also they are inherently wicked and profane, whose sole purpose is to spread like a cancer and devour mankind, eradicating the sons of men from the earth — a feat they almost accomplished several times. Now we can begin to see why God was so resolute in the utter destruction of this corrupt “race.”

The Nephilim were a threat to the survival of the human race, and Satan’s primary means to prevent the birth of Messiah. There could be no remnant of the Nephilim left alive. All of them — even the children — had to be eliminated in order to prevent potential repopulation. So God was not committing genocide. On the contrary, He was saving the human race from the cancerous spread of Satan’s seed.

Transhumanism and the Mark of the Beast

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

[Revelation 14:9-11]

Finally, I would like to circle back to my initial question. What is the common denominator between the flood of Noah, the conquest of Canaan, and the destruction of those who take the mark of the beast?

All of these extreme cases of divine judgment are directed at genetically modified hybrids, who are not human and therefore ineligible for redemption. God does not deal with humanity in this way. He is dealing with something other than human, and therefore He is relentless in His judgment.

The only time in Scripture when God devoted entire populations to destruction is when genetically modified hybrids were in view.

Consider the flood of Noah’s day.

Right after describing the infiltration of Nephilim on the earth in Genesis 6, the Bible says that Noah was “blameless” in his generation. This is the Hebrew word tamim (תָּמִים), which means to be without physical defect or genetically pure. The implication is that Noah and his family likely were the only genetically uncontaminated humans left on the earth at the time of the flood. All of humanity had almost certainly been consumed by the giant Nephilim, which means that if God had not intervened to save Noah and his family, then no human life would have survived.

“Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.” [Genesis 6:8-9]

Now fast forward to the conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Moses and Joshua. Once again, the Nephilim show up in full view. These giant clans were deliberately planted in the Promised Land for one purpose. To destroy God’s covenant people Israel and thwart God’s plan to redemption.

So now it makes perfect sense that the LORD would have commanded Joshua and the Israelites to totally annihilate these giant clans that had established a stronghold in Canaan. They were not human! They were hybrids, and therefore devoted to destruction.

As a matter of fact, the LORD specifically told the Israelites to only treat the giant clans in the land of Canaan in this extreme manner; however, they were not to harm the women and children of other nations outside the land. This distinction is not without reason.

“But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city. 13When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword. 14But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you. 15This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby. 16However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. 17For you must devote them to complete destruction —the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, 18so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.” [Deuteronomy 20:12-18]

And finally, that leads us to the final battle at the end of the age when Jesus comes to wage war against the Beast and his armies and pour out His wrath in flaming fire upon those who have taken the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is Satan’s final attempt to offer mankind the opportunity to genetically transition into something else altogether. Transhumanism is man’s attempt to use technology and genetic modification to evolve into a new species — humanity 2.0 and beyond.

The mark of the beast is the genetic signature of the Beast — the seed of Satan being given to mankind with the false promise to become as gods and be recreated into the image and likeness of Satan himself.

The reason there is no redemption for those who take the mark of the Beast is because they have made a conscious choice to transform themselves into something other than human, passing the proverbial point of no return. And once they are genetically modified with Satan’s DNA, there is no going back and no hope for redemption. They will have gained the whole world by losing their very own soul.

We are living in a day and age that for the very first time in millennia mankind has the technology to manipulate and engineer our genetic sequences, which means that the transhumanist movement to create a entirely new species altogether is not just possible but certain.

When Jesus comes in flaming fire, He is targeting the Beast and his followers. Not every human will take the mark, and we know that some will survive and enter into the Millennial kingdom as mortals (Zechariah 14:16-19).

God is no genocidal maniac.

He is the Creator of heaven and earth and the righteous Judge of the living and dead. And as Judge, God must purge all evil from this earth in order to establish His kingdom of peace and righteousness, just like He did with the flood and the conquest of Canaan.

Signs of the End Times — Part 2 — The Return of the House of Judah

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah. 8On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. 9So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

[Zechariah 12:7-9]

I am often asked what makes this generation different from past generations when it comes to discerning the signs of the end times. After all, the 20th Century alone produced two world wars and the introduction of the atomic bomb, which naturally caused many to assume that the end was near.

As understandable as the sentiment was in those days, there was just one very important piece of the prophetic puzzle that was missing.

By the end of World War II, there was no nation-state of Judah. Jerusalem and Judea were still under the control of foreign nations. The overwhelming majority of Jewish people remained in exile. The house of Judah had no unified government or religious solidarity in their homeland.

The reason this is so significant is because there are dozens of Biblical prophecies that describe the events leading up to the end of the age, the return of the Messiah, and the final battle of Armageddon, and all of these prophecies share one necessary component.

The house of Judah is depicted as not only living in the land but more importantly as having governmental and religious authority and autonomy. These end-times prophecies describe the house of Judah under political and spiritual leadership in Jerusalem.

In other words, it was impossible for any of these prophecies to ever come to pass until a nation-state of Judah existed.

And of course, that is precisely what happened against all odds in the wake of World War II and the horrors of the Jewish holocaust. In May of 1948, by the most narrow of margins, the United Nations voted to recognize an autonomous Jewish state, and after 1,900 years of exile, the Jewish people were once again united and established in their homeland.

For the first time in nearly two millennia, the Jewish nation was reborn.

For the Bible scholar and prophecy watcher alike, this historical event was seen as perhaps the greatest fulfillment of Biblical prophecy since the coming of Christ Himself. And for good reason.

To demonstrate this point more specifically, allow me to share some of the prophetic passages that clearly depict a national Jewish presence in Jerusalem and Judea before the return of Christ.

The Leadership of Judah in Power

Many prophecies describing the political and religious establishment of Judah in the last days clearly depict Jewish leadership having the power to make significant geopolitical decisions. This would have been impossible before 1948 when the Jewish nation was reborn.

“Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement.
When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge,
And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” 16 Therefore thus says the Lord God:“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet;
The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19 As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.”

Isaiah 28:14-19

Beyond that, Jesus Himself gave a prophetic warning to the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem of His day. The Jewish leadership had rejected their own Messiah and condemned Him to death, and Jesus pronounced a severe judgment upon them. He said that they would not see His face again until they repented and acknowledged Him as Messiah.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.‘”

Matthew 23:27-29

Hosea also prophecies about the necessity of the house of Judah to repent before Messiah returns.

“Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Hosea 5:15

The House of Judah will Repent and Mourn for Jesus

The prophet Zechariah describes a spiritual awakening of the house of Judah just before the Lord Jesus returns to wage war against God’s enemies.

“Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.”

Zechariah 12:10-11

The Final Invasion of Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the epicenter of the world, and all of redemptive history will culminate with the final battle for Zion. It only makes sense that the Jewish people first had to be dwelling in Jerusalem and Judea in order for enemy forces to invade and surround the city. Certainly Jerusalem is no stranger to such foreign invasions.

History reveals significant antichrist figures besieging Jerusalem on more than one occasion. King Nebuchadnezzar, Antiochus Epiphanes, and Roman Emperor Titus are among the most prominent rulers to capture Jerusalem. Interestingly enough, Hitler and the Nazis had little regard for Jerusalem primarily because the city was not under Jewish leadership at the time.

Scripture, however, reveals at least one last invasion of Jerusalem at the very end of this age, predicting a coalition of many nations will once again surround the city to prepare for the final battle. The primary distinction characterizing this final invasion will be the return of Christ to fight for the city of the Great King!

“For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land … Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16 The Lord also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”

Joel 3:1-2, 14-17

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem. 3On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured. 4On that day, declares the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and every rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah, but I will strike with blindness all the horses of the nations. 5Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts: ‘The people of Jerusalem are my strength, for the LORD of Hosts is their God.’“

Zechariah 12:2-5

“For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. 3Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. 4On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south. 5You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.”

Zechariah 14:2-5

Drawing from the prophets, Jesus also prophesied of this final invasion of Jerusalem just before His return.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. 22For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.“

Luke 21:20-24

Clearly these prophesies have not been fulfilled at any point in history and could not have been fulfilled until the Jewish nation was reestablished in 1948.

Beyond that, the current war in Israel is escalating into a regional conflict and causing alarm for the potential for another world war. Again, we must wait and see, but for the first time in centuries the signs of the times are pointing to the end of the age, the great tribulation, and the return of Christ.

Even so, Lord Jesus, come.

Signs of the End Times — Part 1 — The Beginning of Birth Pains

Marcus Walker Van Every4 Comments

“A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.“

[John 16:20-21]

The most prominent and powerful illustration used in Scripture to describe the events leading up to the end of this present age is the analogy of labor pains. The Lord Jesus tells us that we will be able to identify general signs that will materialize and progress like birth pains. These signs include mass spiritual deception and counterfeit Christianity, ethnic division and conflict, revolutions, international wars and reports of wars, famines, and earthquakes.

The initial challenge in identifying current events as sure fulfillments of these “birth pains” comes with the obvious fact that these types of general signs have been present on some scale throughout all of human history. The enemy has always been sowing seeds of deception within organized religion. Historically, we are no strangers to racial tensions and international wars and revolutions. Famines and earthquakes are nothing new to the human experience.

We must be careful of using the modern news cycle as the primary source supporting our prophetic predictions. It is tempting to correlate every single war or major earthquake with a sure sign of the end times. So how are we to determine the difference between the commonplace and the prophetic birth pains associated with the last days?

In my opinion, it is imperative to let the illustration of labor pains speak for itself. The only way we will ever know if we are witnessing the beginning of birth pains will be if the signs themselves follow the natural progression of a pregnancy. When the time finally comes for a mother to give birth, we can be certain that a baby is coming soon, but she must first endure the birth pains.

Once labor begins, we can be sure of the following.

Using the natural process of labor as a guide, we should be able to quantify the visible intensification and frequency of these signs leading up to very end of the age and the return of Christ. So we can expect the birth pains to grow stronger and more intense the closer to the end we are.

Counterfeit Christianity

“Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, 2influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.”

1 Timothy 4:1-2

I have always been interested to understand what Jesus meant when He warned against spiritual deception. He says, “For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” [Matthew 24:5]. One possible interpretation is that many will come claiming to be the Christ and deceiving the masses with astonishing signs and wonders. Of course this spiritual deception will culminate with the revealing of the man of lawlessness — the counterfeit Christ — and the false prophet.

Another possible way to read Jesus’ words is to expect many so-called Christian leaders to come in the name of Christ and claim that Jesus is the Christ, yet at the same time teach a perverted version of Christ so as to deceive the church with false doctrine.

Like so many prophetic mysteries, it is likely to be a both-and scenario. Either way, we should expect a massive defection of the true gospel that once and for all was delivered to the saints (Jude 1:4). Even as I right this, we are witnessing nearly every mainstream denomination adopt the doctrines of demons and endorse heretical teaching contrary to the Word of God. The likes of Southern Baptists and Catholics and Methodists and everything in between continue to compromise to satisfy the desires of a wicked and perverse generation.

It is only a matter of time before the entire world “will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires and so turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” [2 Timothy 4:3-4]

Wars and Revolutions

We are not waiting for random wars and conflicts. Near the very end, we will begin to hear international reports (rumors) of wars dominating the news cycles. Next we can expect to see a series of revolutions, insurrections, and regional wars that exponentially will intensify into another world war scenario. Eventually everything will culminate with the war that ends all wars — Armageddon.

Right now the two major conflicts of interest are the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas War, both of which likely could erupt into regional or world war scenarios. We must wait and see before we can confidently make a call.

Famines, Earthquakes, and Pestilences

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.”

[Romans 8:22]

In the years and months leading up to the end of the age, we can expect an exponential increase in famines and drought, pestilences and contagious disease, and tectonic activity, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. For these signs to qualify as birth pains, they must be more than random droughts, infrequent earthquakes, or even Covid-19 scenarios.

Scripture is clear that over the last 42 months, or 3 1/2 years, of human history there will be unparalleled famines and drought, apocalyptic plagues, and a series of major earthquakes culminating in the greatest shaking of the earth the world has ever seen [see Isaiah 24:17-23, Revelation 6:12-17 and Revelation 16:17-21].

It Gets Worse before It Gets Better

“Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. 8Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.“

[Isaiah 13:8]

The general signs of birth pains teach us one important lesson. Things must first get worse (i.e. great tribulation) before it will ever get better (i.e. the return of Christ).

My feeling is that when the world finally is in full-blown labor, we won’t have to guess. The beginning of birth pains may start somewhat slow, but there will be no way to mistake the intensity and frequency of prophetic signs that characterize the end of the age.

The good news is that once Christ returns, our sorrows will turn to joy and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Signs of the End Times — An Introduction

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” [Matthew 24:3]

What is a sign?

A sign generally is defined as an object or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the presence or occurrence of something else to come.

Signs grab our attention. Provide information. Give us direction. Warn us of danger. And perhaps most importantly, signs compel us to take decisive action. Signs can be heeded or missed. Obeyed or ignored. All depends upon whether or not we are looking in the first place.

For those who operate on a spiritual plane and value Biblical knowledge and understanding, it is imperative to identify and discern signs as they apply to God’s personal revelation, prophetic prognostication, and ultimate intervention in the affairs of mankind.

So signs can be of tremendous value to those who are able both to clearly perceive and properly interpret them.

Before delving into God’s intended purpose for providing signs to His people, it must be said that sign seeking should never be the foundation of our relationship with God, but rather the sufficiency of truth as revealed in Scripture itself. Obsessive sign seeking can become a fruitless distraction and cause many to waiver in their faith. Jesus condemned the leaders of His generation for demanding a sign on their own terms, while at the same time willfully denying the self-revelation of God in their very presence.

Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

[Matthew 12:39]

Those seeking and discerning signs, therefore, must be grounded in Scripture, attuned with the Holy Spirit, and walking closely with Christ to avoid being deceived and deluded. For we also are commanded to guard our hearts from being enticed by the convincing and dangerous appeal of false signs and wonders generated by the powers of darkness [see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12].

As you can see, properly understanding the signs of the times is vitally important for the body of Christ, which is why I have been compelled to dedicate an entire series to this topic. Consider just a few passages that admonish God’s people to identify and interpret the prophetic signs associated with the last days.

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. See, I have told you in advance.“

[Matthew 24:24-25]

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.“

[Matthew 24:32-33]

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. 36Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns.”

[Luke 12:35-37]

‘Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. 2For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief. 5For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.‘

[1 Thessalonians 5:1-6]

Most would agree that we are living in troubling times. Many feel a sense of heightened awareness and a spiritual heaviness unlike any in recent memory. More so, it is impossible to survey the current spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical landscape without recognizing signs of Biblical proportions.

Before we can accurately interpret the signs of the times, we first must be able to identify them. Once we properly identify and interpret Biblical signs, then we must acquire the godly wisdom to take decisive action.

So what should we expect to see if we indeed are the generation living at the end of the age? Fortunately, the Bible has revealed specific signs that are unique to the last days.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.”

[Matthew 24:34]

Birth Pains and Beyond

Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.“

[Matthew 24:4-8]

In the most comprehensive and authoritative message about the end times, our Lord Jesus provides the foundational teaching describing the distinct signs that will precede His return. Popularly known as the Olivet Discourse, this teaching forms the central framework upon which all other end-times prophecies can be interpreted.

When His disciples asked about what signs will define the days prior to His return, Jesus answers without a hint of ambiguity. He obviously wanted all disciples of every generation to be certain about what to expect so that we neither would be in darkness nor surprised, but rather awake and ready.

Jesus first provides a general description of events that he calls “the beginning of birth pains,” and then he proceeds to reveal more specific signs in detail. My goal is to start this series by first examining the general birth pains and then dive deeper into more specific signs.

For now, I have compiled a working list (though not exhaustive) to serve as a guide. We can be certain, that the following signs will characterize the conclusion of this present age and precede the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Birth Pains

  1. Spiritual Deception
  2. Counterfeit Christs and Christianity
  3. Real time world-wide reporting about geopolitical conflicts
  4. Ethnic and social unrest
  5. Kingdoms at war
  6. Famine
  7. Pestilences
  8. Natural Disasters — Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions

Top 50 Signs

  1. Return of the House of Judah (aka Jews) to the Promised Land
  2. The Reestablishment of a Jewish Nation/State
  3. Resurgence of Jew Hatred Around the World
  4. Spiritual Apostasy and Mass Defection from the Faith
  5. Unrestrained Sexual Immorality and Lawlessness
  6. Intensification of Violence and Bloodshed
  7. Extreme Persecution of Christ Followers
  8. Genetic Engineering and Manipulation — Hybridization of Species, Cloning, Transhumanism
  9. Advent and Acceleration of Artificial Intelligence and Human Integration with Machines
  10. Explosion of Technology — Digital Currency, 24 Hour Surveillance, Cybernetics, Virtual Reality
  11. The Covenant with Death and Sheol
  12. The Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem
  13. The Reinstitution of the Levitical Sacrificial System
  14. Supernatural War in Heaven
  15. The Dragon (Devil) and 1/3 of His Angels Being Expelled from Heaven and Confined to the Earth for
  16. The Emergence of the Beast and His Empire of a 10-King Coalition
  17. The Abomination of Desolation Set Up in the Holy Place
  18. The Wise Living in the Land will Flee and Find Refuge and Supernatural Protection in the Wilderness of Sinai
  19. A Chosen Remnant of 144,000 Faithful Youth (Possibly Boys) Representing All 12 Tribes of Israel Supernaturally Empowered to Serve God
  20. Mass Concentration Camps
  21. The Creation of the Image of the Beast
  22. The Development and Implementation of the Mark of the Beast
  23. The Supernatural Deception and Sorcery of the False Prophet
  24. The Ministry of the Two Witnesses
  25. Meteoric Impacts of the Earth — Wormwood
  26. Fresh Waters Poisoned
  27. Waters Turned to Blood
  28. Massive Ecological and Environmental Cataclysms
  29. Massive Wild Fires Consuming 1/3 of Vegetation
  30. Earth Knocked off Its Axis or Its Orbital Course Disrupting the Normal 24-Hour Day Cycle
  31. Satan Opens the Bottomless Pit and Unleashes the Gates of Hell
  32. Immense Columns of Smoke Darken the Sun and Turn the Moon to Blood
  33. Hybrid Army of 200 Million Manticore Beasts Emerge from Hell and are Commanded by Apollyon the Destroyer and His Four Commanding Angels
  34. Those who Take the Mark of the Beast are Plagued with Boils and Sores
  35. Solar Flares Scorch the Earth
  36. The Beast Empire is Plunged into Darkness
  37. The Euphrates River Dries Up for the Passage of the Kings of the East
  38. All Nations Surround Jerusalem and Gather for the Final Battle Against the Lord Jesus and His Armies
  39. The Earth is Shaken with the Greatest Earthquake Ever
  40. The Mountains Fall, the Islands are Moved out of Their Place, The Towers of all the Cities Fall
  41. Great Hail Stones Rain from Heaven to Crush the Ungodly
  42. The Great City of Babylon Falls and is Burned with Fire
  43. The Heavens are Opened and the Sky Recedes Like a Scroll, Dissolving the Veil between the Heavenly Realm and the Earth
  44. Last Trumpet is Sounded with the Battle Cry of the Archangel
  45. The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead
  46. The Gathering (Rapture) of Those who Survive and Remain to the End — Restoration of Both Houses of Israel (Joseph and Judah) into One Nation
  47. The Return of Christ Leading His Angel Armies to Battle
  48. A Second Exodus Event
  49. The War Path of Christ from Sinai to Zion
  50. The Battle of Armageddon — aka The Battle of Gog of Magog

In the Beginning … Session 23 — The Tower of Babel

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So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth.

[Genesis 11:8-9]

Babel — The gate of the gods.

What was the Tower of Babel? Why did Nimrod build it?

Was it an ancient skyscraper?

Was it a rocket launcher?

Or perhaps we have looked at the tower of Babel all wrong.

It is more likely that the tower of Babel was an ancient ziggurat and pagan temple complex that was specifically designed to open a portal to the other side. Babel was a gateway for the gods, summoning the dark powers of heaven and opening a dimensional door into the spirit realm.

When we consider what the modern-day mediums are doing with the likes of the massive hadron collider at CERN, it is apparent that one of their goals is to once again open a door to the other side and summoning powers to come upon the earth.

To discover more about this and more, be sure to access the free digital resources for Session 23 in my Genesis study below.

If you find this study helpful, feel free to like it and share it throughout your own personal network. Also, be sure to subscribe to receive my most recent content.

If you would like to have access to the entire study, you can download the Kindle version through Amazon by clicking the link here — In the Beginning — A Foundational Study of Genesis 1-11.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF FILE FOR SESSION 23 BELOW

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DOWNLOAD THE FREE MP3 AUDIO TEACHING FOR SESSION 23 BELOW

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The Feast of Tabernacles — The Dwelling Place of God is with Man

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And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

[Revelation 21:3-4]

This week God’s people all over the world have been celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles — or Sukkot.

This amazing divine appointment shows us so much about God’s desire to dwell with His people.

Tabernacles reveals to us significant patterns of the past, reminds us of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and points us to the prophetic promises of the coming Kingdom of God.

To discover more about his appointed feast of the LORD, feel free to access my previous posts and watch my latest teaching on the Regeneration Radio You Tube page below.

The Feast of Tabernacles Blog

The Feast of Tabernacles Future Fulfillment

The Day of Atonement — The Day of Final Judgment

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When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’

[Matthew 25:31-34]

At sundown on Tuesday October 4 through sundown October 5, God’s people all over the world will be observing the Day of Atonement — the most holy of God’s divine appointments.

The Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest who was raised from the dead and entered the heavenly temple to offer His own blood once and for all, partially fulfilling the Day of Atonement.

However, Jesus will finally fulfill this divine appointment when He returns as King of heaven and Judge of all the earth.

Even today, we as God’s people have a unique opportunity once a year to deny ourselves, examine our hearts, confess sin, and ask God for forgiveness and mercy, as we prepare to stand before the Judge of all the earth.

To discover more about the most holy day on God’s calendar, check out my latest video teaching on the Day of Atonement, posted through Regeneration Radio. As always, if you find this study helpful, be sure to like and subscribe for my most recent content, and help me spread the good news by sharing this in your own personal network!