Living Under an Ancient Curse

The Return of Anti-Semitism

No other ethnic group on earth has suffered the wrath of the world throughout history as the Jews have. 

From the ancient times until today, the Jews have been treated as the scum of the earth wherever they have gone in the world. And even though the world pledged to never again allow the spiritual cancer of anti-Semitism to spread after Hitler's Holocaust, that spiritual disease is metastasizing once again across the world like a deadly cancer.

Even if you choose not to believe in God or the writings of His prophets, you have to admit that the endless hostility the Jews have faced throughout the centuries is quite unusual to say the least.

But what's truly behind this ageless hostility? Why are the modern Jews so reviled and hated today as their ancestors were thousands of years ago? What's the reason for the world's maniacal hatred of this small group of about 12 million people?

The answer is profound and yet simple. The Jews have been under a powerful curse for many centuries, going back to the time of the prophet Jeremiah who lived about 2,600 years ago.

The Lord spoke to His people through Jeremiah and warned them that unless they repented of their sin and rebellion against His laws and commandments, they would suffer severe consequences. Here's what He stated through the prophet: "I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. For they have not listened to my words--words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets." (Jeremiah 29:18-19)

Only a fool would believe that the trouble that's followed the Jews throughout the centuries since the time of Jeremiah is just a coincidence and not the fulfillment of that ancient curse. 

It is in fact the fulfillment of that curse. And we're seeing that curse fulfilled yet again with the protests against Israel that are breaking out across the planet. Though Israel has been under siege from rockets launched in Gaza by the terrorist group Hamas, the world condemns Israel's right to defend herself and calls for Israel's destruction.

May God's curse be upon anyone who embraces anti-Semitism and calls for the annihilation of Israel and the murder of the Jews. And God's curse will indeed be upon them. You can count on that.

In the meantime, when will God's ancient curse against the Jews finally be lifted? It will be taken away when Jesus Christ returns and the nation of Israel finally recognizes that He is indeed her Messiah. (Zechariah 12-13)

And here's what the Lord has planned for all those nations that have brutally persecuted the Jews and Israel: "Because they have ravaged and hounded you (Israel) from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people's malicious talk and slander, therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you--this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all of Edom, for with glee and malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland. Therefore prophecy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. Therefore this what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn." (Ezekiel 36:3-7)

And remember, just as the Lord punished the Jews for their rebellion against Him, He will punish the modern nations for their treatment of Israel and the Jews. 

If you don't believe that, then stick around and see what's going to happen to these nations and to those folks who continue to persecute the Jews. 

Islam and Israel

Hamas: Israel's partner for "peace"

Though I've stated this frequently in the past, I think that it needs to be stated yet again: Islam isn't--nor has it ever been--a peaceful religion.

Islam is a religion that has historically used mayhem and violence to maintain and propagate itself. Its holy book the Qu'ran contains over 100 war verses that encourage its adherents to go out and wage jihad against all unbelievers in the name of Allah.

Here's an example: Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them."

And here's another example: Quran (9:73) - "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination." 

And here's yet one more: Quran (17:16) - "And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction."

That last Koranic verse motivated Al Qaeda to launch a brutal attack against the United States on September 11, 2001. That attack resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 Americans. And that verse has motivated jihadists throughout the centuries to commit murder and mayhem in the name of Allah.

We are repeatedly told by those who seek to find a moral equivalent between Islam and Christianity that professing Christians have also committed murder and mayhem throughout history in the name of Jesus Christ. And that's true. Two of the darkest periods in the Church's history were the Crusades and the Inquisitions.

But those atrocities were committed by false Christians who defied the teachings of Christ. Unlike Islam's prophet Muhammad, Christ never commanded his followers to spread Christianity by the sword and murder those who refused to convert.

I challenge anyone to find even a single scripture quote by Christ that commands His followers to use violence to proselytize the world. You won't find it in the Bible because it doesn't exist.

Therefore, Muslims who commit murder and violence do so in obedience to the teachings of their religion. That's not radical Islam--that's fundamental Islam.

And fundamentalism is what motivates the Islamic world to seek Israel's destruction. Here's what the Sunna (Teachings of Muhammad) says regarding the Jews: "The last hour will not come until the Muslims fight against the Jews and the Muslims will kill them until the Jews hide themselves behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say; Muslim, the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him. (Sahih Muslim, 5203)  

The Islamic world believes that the Imam Mahdi (Islamic Messiah) cannot appear on earth until all the Jews have been eradicated. Therefore, Muslims believe that there will never be peace on earth until the Jews are gone and everyone else has either been forcibly converted to Islam or has been murdered for rejecting Islam.

And so, the current battle going on in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has nothing to do with "occupied territories" or Israel's so-called treatment of the Palestinians. Rather, it's all about the Islamic world's passionate desire to annihilate the Jewish state and drive the Jews out of the Middle East.

The Palestinians themselves are a synthetic people that are being used by the Islamic world to destroy Israel. They consist of several different tribes that include Persians, Assyrians, Turks, Egyptians, Arabs, Hashemites and Bedouins. But no such Palestinian nation, tribe, creed or people has ever existed throughout the history of human civilization.

"Palestine" was created in 130 A.D. by Roman Emperor Hadrian after he crushed the Bar Kochba rebellion. Hadrian then changed Israel's name to Syria Palaestina or Palestine. That name was borrowed from ancient Philistine, a nation that once existed near Israel along the southwest coast of the Great Sea.

Though the Philistines were an ancient enemy of Israel, they weren't the ancestors of those who call themselves Palestinians. The Philistines were a non-Semitic nation of light-skinned people. So the Palestinians have no right to call themselves their modern descendants.

In the next installment, Israel's prophetic troubles in the last days.

The Fourth Beast: The Whore of Babylon

Who is the mysterious woman in the apostle John's vision?

In the late 1st century--perhaps around 90 A.D.--the apostle John received an incredible vision from God while he was in exile from Rome on a desolate island called Patmos that was located in the Aegean Sea.

What John saw was a huge beast rise from the sea that had seven heads and 10 horns. Of course, the beast was an allegorical image that represented 10 nation groups ruled by seven kings. (Revelation 13:1)

John revealed that the spiritual power behind this world government was none other than Satan who was symbolized as a dragon. (Revelation 13:2) And John revealed that this government was so powerful that no nation or nations had the ability to bring it down. (Revelation 13:4)

John also saw a garishly dressed prostitute sitting high atop this beast. He described her this way: "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries." (Revelation 17:4)

Who does this woman represent? John gave us an additional clue: "This title was written on her forehead: Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother of Prostitutes And Of The Abominations Of The Earth." (Revelation 17:5)

And John even revealed the earthly location of this mysterious harlot. She resides in a city that sits in the midst of seven hills. (Revelation 17:9) What city could that be? Only two cities in the world are surrounded by seven hills. They are Rio de Janeiro that's located in Brazil and Rome that's located in Italy.

Could John's allegorical harlot represent a powerful religious organization? In fact, she does. But what organization? The Vatican is located in Rome and is the world headquarters of the Catholic Church. 

Furthermore, Mystery Babylon is an historical moniker that the Catholic Church has used to describe herself. And furthermore, purple and scarlet are the colors worn by the Catholic priesthood. Of course, the golden chalice is an integral component of the Eucharist that is celebrated in the sacrament of the Mass.

Remember that John recorded the Revelation around 90 A.D. That was nearly 250 years before the Catholic Church came into existence. Throughout history, many skeptics believed that the Revelation was written much later because of the symbolic imagery that pointed squarely to the Catholic Church. They were convinced that the Revelation wasn't written by John but rather by someone centuries later who hated the Catholic Church.

What does the Roman Catholic Church have to do with a coming world government? Doesn't the Catholic Church seem like a decaying institution that's become irrelevant? 

It seems that way, doesn't it? And yet the Catholic Church is going to experience an amazing comeback. But how? Through an explosion of the supernatural that will feature counterfeit signs, wonders and miracles that will amaze the world. http://prophecyreviewtoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/countdown-to-counterfeit-part-iv.html  

And with many Protestant and independent Christian churches now joining ecumenical hands with the Catholic Church, a new mutant form of Christianity will eventually arise when these demonically empowered signs and wonders begin to take place.

And that's going to lead to the Antichrist. He will rise through the Catholic Church and he will convince the world that he is Jesus Christ when he appears. And millions of biblically ignorant people across the world will embrace him as Jesus Christ.

This is why the city of Jerusalem is so vitally important to the Catholic Church. Because that's the city where the Antichrist will declare himself God to the world. And he will announce that in a new Jewish Temple that's going to be constructed on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4)

And so, Israel isn't going anywhere, despite the troubles the Jewish nation is currently experiencing in Gaza. 

And the Catholic Church isn't going anywhere, either. At least not until she unveils the dreaded Antichrist to the world.

The Fourth Beast: The Mark of a Monster

The dreaded mark

Contrary to the claims of popular revival prophets, the last days on earth directly preceding the return of Jesus Christ are going to be extremely bad times for true Christians.

In what way? Many Christians are going to be persecuted and slaughtered by a powerful leader and his tyrannical world government.

Certainly, many Christians are already being persecuted throughout the world in such places as Northern Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and even in Western Europe.

But the persecution that Christians are now enduring pales in comparison to what's coming. And ironically, the prophetic end time persecution won't come from Islamists or atheists. Rather, it's going to come from those who will claim to be Christians.

How will that persecution manifest? A powerful world leader will arise who will rule a world government that will consist of 10 regional kingdoms governed by seven kings. (Daniel 7:7, Revelation 13:1, Revelation 17:3) 

This leader will be the dreaded Antichrist and he will institute an electronic marking system that will enable his government to keep track of every person on earth. This computerized mark will contain a person's vital information and will enable them to buy, sell and transact all of their financial business. It will replace cash, coins, checks, credit and debit cards. (Revelation 13:16-17)

However, in order for a person to acquire this electronic device, he or she will be forced to swear allegiance to and worship the world leader as God. Those who refuse will not receive the device and will be forced to survive on their own instincts. And if they're captured, they will be killed along with those who help them.

Though this world leader will claim to be Jesus Christ, true Christians will refuse his mark because they will know who he really is. And he will vent his fury at those who refuse to worship him. (Daniel 7:25, Revelation 13:7) 

According to the apostle John who recorded the Revelation in about 90 A.D., the electronic mark will contain the number 666. That number is significant because it not only reveals the identity of this man, it tells us where he's going to come from. "This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." (Revelation 13:18)

And so, let's calculate the number. The number reveals that the Antichrist will be a man rather than God, so his claim to be Jesus Christ will be rejected by those who refuse to be seduced by him. Remember that Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. The Antichrist will be a counterfeit.

Secondly, the number 666 represents the number of years that occurred between the time of Alexander the Great's (Greece) invasion of Persia in 331 B.C. and the establishment of the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. by Roman Emperor Constantine. 

But wouldn't 666 years from 331 B.C. bring us to 335 A.D.? According to our modern 365-day calendar, (366 days every fourth year) it would. But the ancients utilized a 360-day calendar. Therefore, we subtract 3,497 days or 9.7 years which brings us to 325 A.D.

What's so significant about this time period? When Alexander invaded Persia, it opened up an important cultural gateway from Europe to the Middle East. That gateway would allow a powerful religion to spread its influence throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa and eventually across the entire world.

Thus, with the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church was born. And the Middle East would become extremely important to the Catholic Church. Why? Because of Israel and its capital city of Jerusalem. The Catholic Church has always believed that Jerusalem belongs to her and to no one else. 

And when the Catholic Church eventually gains control of that city, the Roman Church believes that Christ will return and establish his earthly kingdom.

In the final installment, the bride of the Antichrist. 

The Fourth Beast: The Cashless Monetary System

A Microchip: The potential mark of the Beast?

New technology is often analogous to a full moon: It has its light side and its dark side.

For example, the NSA (National Security Administration) possesses some of the most sophisticated espionage tools in the world. That technology has enabled the NSA to intercept communications between terrorists and their organizations to thwart planned attacks that could have killed many people.

Unfortunately, that technology has also been used by the U.S. government to invade the personal lives of its political and ideological opponents. (See Edward Snowden) Thus, the very technology that has kept us safe has also been used as a political weapon.

And so, when a global government eventually arises at some point in the future, a new advanced electronic monetary system is going to be implemented that will eliminate cash, coins, checks, credit and debit cards, and ATM machines. 

This new system will be promoted to the world as the ultimate solution that will do away with identity theft, credit card fraud, check forgery, counterfeiting, armed robberies, bank robberies, drug cartels, prostitution etc. 

The system will be so elaborate that it will be virtually impossible to cheat. In what way? It will probably feature either a tiny microchip or a radio frequency identification patch that will be implanted in the skin. 

And this device will be programmed with software that will contain the vital information of each person it's implanted in. Very possibly, this chip or computerized skin-patch could be matched to a person's DNA so that it will only recognize the person it's assigned to. If the device is removed or stolen from its host, it will immediately deactivate. 

And what sort of information will these devices contain? They will contain a person's identification, address, place of employment, medical history, any criminal background and economic information.

And these devices will enable a person to buy, sell and transact all of their economic and financial business. The devices will also have a GPS feature that will allow its users to be tracked wherever they are in the world.

Thus the dark side of this technology: A powerful world leader will eventually use this technology to force everyone to worship him and swear allegiance to his government if they want to receive the device. Those who reject his terms will be denied the device and they will be forced to survive on their own instincts.

Who is this powerful world leader? He is the Antichrist. And according to the apostle John, who recorded the Revelation in about 90 A.D., this diabolical leader will force "all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

John revealed that this will be the economic system of a one-world government. John's revelation didn't make any sense in the 1st century. But it makes perfect sense in 21st century. And we now have the technology to implement such an economic system.

And like the proverbial full moon, this technology has a light side and a very dark side. And that dark side will be used by an evil world leader to persecute Christians worldwide.

In the next installment, the meaning of the mark, or the dreaded number 666. 

The Fourth Beast: The New Economy

The Great Depression: Is another one coming?

Contrary to hysteria mongers who predict that a great global economic collapse will happen suddenly and swiftly, the economic malaise that will move the world toward a single economy will take years.

However, a world government cannot be realized unless a powerful banking entity is created that will gain control over all the world's money. It was Henry Kissinger who famously stated that "He who controls the money controls the world."

In order for a single world bank to accomplish that, the power that individual nations wield over their financial systems must be taken away from them. 

But that power won't be taken away by force. Rather, the nations will be strongly "encouraged" to place their money in a central world bank where it would then be converted into a new monetary system that will be utilized by all the nations.

Why would any nation hand its financial assets over to an international bank? No nation would even think about doing that unless the biggest, wealthiest nation on earth began having serious financial problems that threatened to destabilize the global economy.

That biggest, wealthiest nation is the United States. And its currency the dollar provides the economic lifeblood for many nations. If the dollar collapses, then the global economy becomes a disaster resulting in soaring inflation, high unemployment, failed banks, food and gas shortages, and anarchy in the streets of many cities and towns throughout the world.

We saw a glimpse of that in 2007 when the U.S. economy tanked after the housing market collapsed. That crisis sent economic shock waves across the world and caused contraction in many economies. 

While some folks suspected the U.S. housing crisis may have been orchestrated by a secret cabal of wealthy globalists, it was really the result of the terrible Marxist policies of liberal politicians and greedy Wall Street financiers. 

Nevertheless, the U.S. economy remains on shaky ground because of its colossal $17 trillion debt. As the interest on that debt grows, the dollar shrinks, making the economic collapse of the U.S. a very real and frightening possibility.

That reality is beginning to sink in with a lot of nations that are seeking out new currencies to replace the dollar and avoid getting hurt in case the U.S. economy fails. 

Russian oil giant Gazprom has already begun switching to Euros and Yuans to replace the dollar as payment for its contracts. And 23 nations that represent 60 percent of the world's GDP are planning to switch from the dollar and SWIFT (the dollar-based worldwide financial transaction system) to alternative currencies. These nations include Russia, China, India, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. 

According to truthandaction.org, "Once the new system is in place, the dollar won’t be needed in these countries and a new reserve currency will come into being. All those dollars in foreign accounts will come home, which will annihilate the (U.S.) monetary system."

And more ominously, the Chinese, who have financed much of America's debt via the purchase of U.S. Treasury Bonds, have begun to sell off those bonds. Why? They see the storm clouds on the horizon for America's economy and they don't want to get stuck with a bunch of worthless paper when the storm finally hits.

The world cannot and will not tolerate another economic crisis such as 1929, the Japan banking crisis of the 1990s or 2007. In the short term, many nations will get rid of their dollars for more stable currencies. 

But there's no guarantee that those currencies that are stable today will remain stable indefinitely. All it takes is some bad and risky decisions by bankers and politicians to send an economy reeling. Remember 2007?

Therefore, the ultimate solution: The creation of a new global monetary system under the control of a single, world bank. That would eliminate value descrepancies between currencies and protect all nations from financial turmoil in the event of a natural or man-made catastrophe. Who would be opposed to that?

In the next installment, the global cashless monetary system.

The Fourth Beast: Hot Air

Global Warming? Not according to the evidence

It was current Chicago mayor and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel who uttered the famous words: "Never let a crisis go to waste."

And if there isn't any crisis, then you manufacture one. Such as? Such as Global Warming-Climate Change-Climate Correction that's become one of the greatest hoaxes in modern history.

By why such a hoax? And who's behind it? 

The purpose of the hoax is to convince the world that too much carbon dioxide (Co2) is being poured into the earth's atmosphere. That's allegedly causing land and oceanic temperatures to rise so rapidly that the planet is threatened with extinction unless drastic action is taken and immediately. 

Without this action, we're being told that the polar ice caps will melt resulting in rising oceans; the rain forests will die, and much of the earth's land mass will turn into a desert. 

What kind of solutions are the alarmists calling for? They're calling for draconian restrictions on factory and automobile emissions, the elimination of fossil fuels such as coal and crude oil, and a sharp reduction in the world's population. 

But what does human population have to do with Global Warming-Climate Change-Climate Correction? Human beings emit carbon dioxide every time they exhale. Therefore, the more human beings on the planet, the more carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.

If Global Warming is a hoax, then who's behind it? There are literally thousands of people working in various global organizations and their affiliates to convince the world that Global Warming is a grave and existential threat to the planet. 

Though there are too many people to mention, former Vice President Al Gore has become the de facto Paul Revere for the Climate Change industry. 

Another is Michael Mann, a climatologist and geophysicist who developed the infamous hockey stick graph to illustrate that the earth's temperatures have been rising rapidly since the dawn of the 20th century. 

Mann's graph has been dismissed as a fraud by many of his peers in the science industry. The hard evidence (see above graph) shows that the earth's temperatures have been fluctuating rather than rising. Nevertheless, Global Warming propagandists continue to use Mann's graph to peddle the hysteria of Climate Change. 

The ultimate agenda of Climate Change proponents is the creation of a world government. A regional crisis becomes a problem to be solved by a nation or nations that exist in the vicinity of the problem. But a global crisis requires that all of the world's 193 nations join together to solve the problem.

And in order to solve the problem of Global Warming-Climate Change-Climate Correction, the nations must be convinced that it's in their best interests to turn over their sovereignty to a centralized government that will have the absolute power to enforce not just environmental laws, but all laws.

Certainly, the transition from a world with 193 individual nations to a one-world government will take time--perhaps many years. Global Warming-Climate Change-Climate Correction is moving the world toward a single government at a snail's pace. Many nations are resisting because they're beginning to realize that Global Warming is a hoax.

Therefore, the architects of a global government will have to manufacture another crisis to speed up the process. In the next installment, a global financial collapse. 

The Fourth Beast: Enter the Hordes

Popular routes used by human smugglers

If you were involved in an international plan to remake the world, how would you keep that plan hidden from the world?

You would label anyone who became suspicious of such a plan a "conspiracy theorist." Conspiracy theorists are classified in the same league as those who believe in ghouls, goblins, ghosts and the tooth fairy. As such, they're considered idiots and fools who chase after fantasies. Obviously, very few folks take them seriously.

However, the inevitability of a one-world government isn't a fantasy. It's real and it's coming. Why then would anyone want to keep it a secret? 

Because historical tribal customs and traditions die hard. The proverbial birds of a feather like to stay together and fear certain types of change and try to resist it. For example, though the Chinese, Japanese, South Koreans and Cambodians are Asians, they each have their own distinct cultures. They are proud of their cultures and wouldn't want someone else's culture forcefully imposed on them.

Thus, if a spokesperson from a powerful global organization such as the United Nations announced to a group of nations that they would have to give up their individual sovereignty and accept masses of immigrants from foreign nations that possessed a very different culture, what do you think their reaction would be? To say the least, they wouldn't accept it. 

And so, the covert plan to reshape the world begins at two southern borders--one in America and the other in Europe. But who's behind this plan? 

This isn't some diabolical plan of a few wealthy globalists who are plotting to take over the world. This is the plan of thousands of people who are working in various organizations such as the Club of Rome, the United Nations, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Round Table, the Trilateral Commission and yes--the Bilderbergers--to create a new world order under a centralized government. And these groups have been working on this plan for many years.

And this plan entails erasing the borders of wealthy nations and political entities. If those entities won't willingly share their wealth and technology with poorer nations, then the poor must be allowed to come and join them. And by accomplishing this, the hope is that those poor immigrants from Central America and Northern Africa will eventually throw off their primitive customs and become westernized.  

That's been slow to happen in Europe because many of the immigrants are Islamic and they don't want to assimilate into what they consider a perverted and pagan culture. Thus, they're holding on to their culture and they're trying to impose it on Europe.

And assimilation has been slow to happen in America because many third world immigrants come from a culture that considers education as unnecessary and irrelevant. As such, many of these immigrants have been content to take low paying jobs because they've found easy access to welfare and entitlement programs. And they will eventually become the voters who will elect the politicians who buy their votes with those entitlements.

But why must these folks be westernized? Because immigrants from Central America and Northern Africa belong to cultures that encourage large families. And one of the critical orthodoxies of globalists is population reduction and control. 

Their hope is to indoctrinate the immigrants into western values so they'll stop having large families with lots of children. And that will only happen if the immigrants can be convinced to embrace such values as abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, environmentalism, radical feminism, birth control and same-sex marriage.

Many Americans blame President Barack Obama for the current border crisis that has resulted in tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who have recently transgressed America's southern border. However, Obama is merely an operative who's doing what he was chosen to accomplish.

He may have been elected by the people. Certainly, many of them now realize they made a terrible mistake. But the globalists who chose an inept senator from the state of Illinois to impose their agenda on America didn't make a mistake--they made the right choice.

As so, when Obama speaks of transforming America, you now understand what he means. In Part III, Climate Change and global change.     

The Fourth Beast: Part I

The Club of Rome's proposed map for a new world order

Nearly 2,600 years ago, the prophet Daniel received an incredible allegorical vision concerning four major world empires that would rise and fall throughout the course of human history. (Daniel 7)

Daniel described these kingdoms as beasts because they possessed the attributes of wild animals. However, Daniel described the final kingdom as the most ferocious and violent of the four.

Here's how the prophet described the last kingdom: "After that in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast--terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the other beasts and it had ten horns." (Daniel 7:7)

Now compare Daniel's vision to the vision the apostle John received about six centuries later. John, who was in exile from Rome on the desolate island of Patmos, recorded this: "And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name." (Revelation 13:1)

Both Daniel and John saw a ferocious beast with ten horns. However, John also saw seven heads on this beast in his vision. What do the ten horns and seven heads represent? They represent 10 nation groups that belong to a world government that will be ruled by seven kings. And these kings will be under the authority of a supreme ruler.

Though Daniel didn't initially mention the seven heads in his vision, he later revealed that a powerful world ruler would arise and eventually remove three of the kings who will govern these 10 regional kingdoms. (Daniel 7:24) And so, both visions are in agreement.

Some skeptics claim that the visions are so similar that they suspect John may have copied Daniel. But that's unlikely given that John's vision contains additional information not revealed by Daniel. 

For example, John revealed that this world government will be empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:4), and that one of its rulers will be mortally wounded and return to life. (Revelation 13:3)

Unlike Daniel, John also revealed that this world government will be a partnership of religion and politics. (Revelation 17) And John revealed that this government will institute an elaborate marking system to keep track of every person on earth. (Revelation 13:16) 

John also mentioned that this tracking system will enable people to transact all of their personal and financial business. And he stated that in order for a person to receive this mark, he or she will have to swear allegiance to this world government and its supreme leader. (Revelation 13:17)

Up until the 20th century, many bible scholars and prophecy experts doubted the Revelation. To them, John's use of apocalyptic symbols combined with his description of a world united under a single, powerful government seemed too far-fetched to be even remotely believable.

But look what happened in the 20th century. Technology enabled the world to communicate and travel to remote distances in a fraction of the time it once took. The League of Nations formed and was later succeeded by the United Nations in an attempt to unify a fractured and sectarian world. And the world developed destructive weapons that could kill millions of people in an instant.

And of course, technology also enabled the world to spy on and intrude into the lives of people as never before in world history. Suddenly, the prophecies contained in the Revelation began to sound very real and make a lot of sense. And many folks who had previously dismissed the Revelation as mythology began to take notice.

In Part II, why the southern borders of the United States and Europe are being erased.

Countdown to a Counterfeit: Part IV

Queen of the Nations?

What do one billion Roman Catholics, two billion Muslims and several million others including Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Evangelicals and even Hindus have in common?

They all recognize Mary. Not the true physical mother of Jesus Christ who was known as Miriam, but the Mary who has been known by other names throughout history. Those names include Artemis, Asherah, Ashtoreth, Isis, and Ishtar.

In the Bible, she's even referred to as the Queen of Babylon or the Queen of Heaven. 

The ancient prophet Jeremiah, who lived about 2,600 years ago, recorded these words from the Lord who was angered by the Jews who had begun to worship this pagan goddess: "Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’ Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!  But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt: ‘I swear by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign Lord lives.” For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed. Those who escape the sword and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs." (Jeremiah 44:24-28)

The Lord subsequently punished Israel for bowing down to this pagan idol. The Israelites knew that she was a pagan goddess, and yet they worshiped her in violation of the second of the Ten Commandments. 

Unfortunately, most of the modern world is ignorant of Mary's pagan history. Nearly half of the world's seven billion residents believe her to be divine and the exalted mother of Jesus Christ. 

And many Christians even believe that Mary existed in prehistoric times as a goddess who was worshiped as Artemis, Ashtoreth, Asherah, Ishtar, Isis and the infamous Queen of Heaven by many ancient pagan nations. 

Though the Catholic Church doesn't officially teach of the pre-existence of Mary, its doctrines and liturgy seem to indicate otherwise. That could be one of the so-called mysteries that the Catholic Church holds over her gullible and biblically ignorant flock.

Nevertheless, Mary holds the keys to the coming global counterfeit spiritual revival. When nearly half of the world's residents recognize her, she has the potential to seduce the entire world.

But how? Through physical manifestations. When strange images that resemble Mary appear on buildings, houses, bridges, highway underpasses and on trees, thousands of people flock to those sites to get a glimpse. 

Imagine what would happen if a giant glowing figure of Mary suddenly appeared in a crowded public setting and began speaking. And imagine if that figure began appearing at other public venues across the world in front of thousands and thousands of people. That would set off a tidal wave of hysteria that would quickly spread across the planet.

Now imagine if this apparition claimed that millions of folks would begin to be healed of such maladies as cancer, blindness, heart disease, and that began occurring. The world would truly be convinced that the great revival had begun.

And finally, imagine if this apparition called the world to prepare for the coming of the "Christ" who will lead the nations to a new order of peace, harmony and prosperity. Does that sound far-fetched? Only if you aren't expecting it.  

It's coming. During the 20th century, there were nearly 400 recorded sightings of Mary across the world. Undoubtedly, not all of them were genuine. But many were. 

http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/aprtable.html

What happened during the last century will pale in comparison of what's to come. This will be a spiritual counterfeit of a magnitude that the world has never seen. It will deceive millions. And the revival prophets will joyously claim that their prophecies have been fulfilled. 

Finally, those who reject the truth want to be deceived. I know some of these people. Tragically, even the evidential truth can't sway those who are determined to believe in a lie. In the end, they will get what they deserve.

But for those who seek the truth and reject evil, the apostle Paul's words should be heeded: "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

Countdown to a Counterfeit: Part III

The last days revival: Signs, wonders and extraterrestrials 

It seems implausible that a world that increasingly views the supernatural as ancient superstition is going to embrace the supernatural in the future.

However, biblical prophecy tells us that this is going to happen. And when it happens, it's going to become the greatest counterfeit spiritual revival the world has ever seen. It will be so powerful that all but the most hardened of atheists will embrace it.

But when is this going to happen? And how will it happen?

Scripture tells us that this revival won't commence until Satan is allowed to unleash his power across the world. The apostle Paul wrote: "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

The secret power of lawlessness that Paul mentioned is the dark supernatural power possessed by Satan and his demons. Their power is currently restrained. However, a time is coming when God will remove that restraint and allow them to deceive the world with counterfeit signs and wonders.

But when will this begin? Scripture indicates that this could begin in conjunction with the rise of a world government. As the world moves ever closer to a dreaded one-world government, a messianic figure will suddenly appear who will announce that he has arrived to usher in an age of peace and prosperity.

And this man won't merely be a clever politician with the gift of con. Rather, he will possess supernatural powers that will dazzle the world and seduce millions to follow him. The apostle John wrote: "And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men." (Revelation 13:13)

This man will be the Antichrist. However, most of the world will be convinced that he is Jesus Christ who has returned to establish his earthly kingdom and bring peace and harmony to the world. 

It was Christ Himself who warned us to be on the look out for such fakes in the last days: "At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time." (Matthew 24:23-25)

Christ even revealed the events of His return so that people wouldn't be led astray by powerful phonies. (Matthew 24:26-31) 

Nevertheless, millions will be led astray because they have willingly allowed themselves to be deceived. These are professing Christians who have rejected the Bible's clear warnings concerning the coming counterfeit revival to embrace the false prophecies of end time revival prophets. 

These false prophets aren't leading people to the genuine Jesus Christ--they're leading them to the Antichrist. 

One of those revival prophets was David Wilkerson who believed that a great revival would take place on earth prior to Christ's return: "God's last-day church ...will be even greater than that [the first-century church,] ... mightier, stronger, and even GREATER revelation of Jesus. A greater unction from the Spirit than ever, GREATER EVEN THAN PENTECOST....As I see it, the gospel of Jesus Christ has not been fully preached in this generation!"

http://www.endtime-prophets.com/wilkerson.html

Of course, millions of other folks who have never read the Bible will have no point of reference when the great counterfeit revival begins. They will be easy dupes for the demonic chicanery. 

How close are we to this grand counterfeit revival? I believe that the increase in UFO sightings along with the increase in psychic phenomena and Marian apparitions across the world over the past 100 years indicates that the time is getting very close. 

However, the world still needs something to bring it together. And one particular supernatural manifestation could provide the impetus for that unity. In the final installment, we'll discuss that supernatural event.

Countdown to a Counterfeit: Part II

A Marian apparition

According to some prophecy experts, the Azusa Street Revival that began in a rundown Los Angeles church about a century ago became the catalyst for a great global revival that will culminate with the return of Jesus Christ.

The man who lit the match for this "revival" was William Seymour, the pastor of the Apostolic Faith Mission that was located on Azusa Street in Los Angeles.

Seymour believed that the church had fallen away from the faith into liturgical rot and hackneyed religiosity. And he believed that world was also badly in need of a great revival. He also believed that this revival would be ignited by the sort of miracles that hadn't been seen since the beginning of the church in the early 1st century.

Seymour was convinced that God had chosen him for this ministry. And he claimed that the Lord revealed to him that a great explosion of miracles would begin to spread across the world sometime in the early 21st century. 

Seymour predicted that "in 100 years there would be an outpouring of God's Spirit and His Shekinah Glory that would be greater and more far reaching than what was experienced at Azusa." 

http://greatawakening.blogspot.com/2012/03/100-year-old-prophecies-of-revival-is.html

Though the exact date of Seymour's prophecy isn't known, his followers believe that he revealed it in 1909. 

Since that time, several revival groups have sprung up and promoted Seymour's bold prediction. These groups include the Latter Rain Movement, the Third Wave (Awakening) Movement, the Word of Faith Movement, the Kansas City Prophets and the Vineyard Movement. 

More than 100 years have passed since Seymour gave his prophecy. And we still haven't seen the sort of miracles that Seymour claimed would be taking place by now. Still, there are those within the Christian church who maintain that this revival is going to happen. Among them are Rodney Howard Browne, Sid Roth, Shawn Bolz and Perry Stone.

Is a revival coming? You bet there is. Is it going to feature great signs, wonders and miracles? Absolutely.

However, biblical prophecy warns us that this revival is going to be a clever counterfeit from Satan that will be so powerful that millions of sincere but biblically illiterate Christians are going to fall for it. 

Here's what Jesus Christ warned concerning this counterfeit revival: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time." (Matthew 24:24-25)

The apostle Paul also warned that a counterfeit revival based upon supernatural events would take place in the last days preceding Christ's return: "The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Could this be the "revival" that the end time prophets are predicting? Indeed, it is. Remember that Christ warned that this will be no ordinary spiritual deception. It will be so powerful that it will seduce many Christians to "abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)

In fact, many professing Christians have already abandoned the faith to follow the false prophecies of Browne, Bolz, Roth, Stone and others who are leading many astray. These folks are convinced that William Seymour was a true prophet of God and his prophecy is about to be fulfilled.

When will this counterfeit revival begin? And what will spark this grand deception? In Part III, we'll provide the answer.

Countdown to a Counterfeit

Azusa Street: Where it began

Biblical prophecy is crystal clear concerning spirituality and the last days on earth preceding the return of Jesus Christ: There will be no genuine global Christian revival that will begin via signs, wonders and miracles.

Nevertheless, there's a growing segment within the Christian Church that insists a great revival is coming. And despite what scripture says, they continue to predict that this revival is getting close.

First of all, why are some folks within the church predicting a revival? Because they have taken an ancient prophecy recorded by the prophet Joel out of context and have placed it in the very end times. 

Joel recorded his prophecy about 2,800 years ago. For the record, here are the words the Lord spoke to him: "In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophecy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Joel 2:28-32)

What's the true meaning of this prophecy? This is a three-dimensional prophecy that speaks of three distinct time periods: The beginning at Pentecost, the beginning of the end during God's judgment of the earth and the very end when Christ returns.

The apostle Peter, who walked with Jesus Christ during Christ's ministry in Israel, understood Joel's prophecy. He recognized the fulfillment of the first part of that prophecy when Christ's 11 disciples had gathered one morning in an upper room in Jerusalem during Pentecost to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot who had betrayed and abandoned their Lord. 

While the disciples were meeting in that room, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began praising God in different languages or tongues. Many of the people who were outside the building heard the men speaking in the strange tongues and thought that they had been drinking. Peter then spoke to the crowd and informed them that Joel's prophecy had begun to be fulfilled that day. 

From that day on, the Holy Spirit was appropriated to all people who confessed the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and received the Holy Spirit Baptism. And that special baptism brought the power of God into the lives of believers who used that power to spread the Gospel across the world.

Nevertheless, there are those who continue to insist that Joel's prophecy was meant for the very last days. And they insist that we're about to see an explosion of supernatural phenomena that will lead the world to Christ, and then the end will come.

Perhaps the father of end time global revivalism was a preacher named William Seymour who started the Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street in Los Angeles during the early 20th century. Seymour was a student of a controversial and heretical preacher named Charles Parham who stressed that a person really wasn't baptized in the Holy Spirit unless he or she could speak in tongues.

Seymour became obsessed with Pentecostalism, or the necessity for Christians to speak in tongues or perform miracles. Seymour even claimed that God revealed to him that a great revival based upon miraculous signs would break out across the world beginning around 2009.  

Seymour's Apostolic Faith Mission gave birth to such movements as Latter Rain, the Kansas City Prophets, the Word of Faith Movement, the Third Wave Movement and the Vineyard Movement. These are just some of the movements that claim a great revival based upon supernatural events is destined to happen before Christ returns.

In fact, there is a revival coming. And in fact, it will be based upon miraculous signs and wonders. But what will be the spiritual source of this revival? 

In Part II, we'll examine this coming revival and its spiritual source.

Demon Possession and the Last Days

Remember The Exorcist?

Demon possession is something that's now considered primitive from an ancient time before modern science allegedly discovered the causes of aberrant human behavior.

Psychology is the so-called science that claims to have discovered many of the secrets of the human mind that cause human beings to behave the way they do.

And yet, how does science explain folks who suddenly begin speaking in foreign languages that they never learned or even heard?

And how does science explain how young children can suddenly speak in deep, adult voices? Or, how small children and adolescents suddenly exhibit super human strength by lifting heavy objects that many adults can't lift?

Science has no answer for those questions. Some psychologists make a feeble attempt to explain the strange language phenomenon by claiming that the person must have spoken the language in a prior life. In making such a preposterous claim, psychologists reveal the occult roots of their profession by teaching reincarnation.

I don't claim to be an expert in human behavior or insanity. Insanity is biblical and it's one of the curses for disobedience revealed by the Lord to Moses when He presented Moses with His Law. (Deuteronomy 28:28)

However, not all aberrant behavior is caused by insanity. Some people do become demon possessed. When Jesus Christ traveled through ancient Israel 2,000 years ago, he frequently cast evil spirits out of people he encountered.

For example, Christ cast a demonic spirit out of a young boy after the spirit caused the boy to collapse to the ground and go into convulsions. (Luke 9:37-45) On another occasion, Christ healed a woman who had been crippled by a demonic spirit for 18 years. (Luke 13:10-17)

How do people become possessed by evil spirits? The most common cause is involvement in occult practices such as divination, necromancy, witchcraft, Satanism and magic.

Other causes include alcoholism, hallucinogenic drugs, involvement in Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and their various offshoots such as Hare Krishna and Transcendental Meditation. Even involvement in the mystical, liturgical practices of religions such as Islam (Sufism), Judaism (Kabbala), and Roman Catholicism (Lectio Divina) can invite demon possession.

Some people become possessed because they inherit an ancient curse passed down through their families. Remember that the second of the 10 Commandments warns us that God punishes children for the sins of their ancestors (Exodus 20:5) that go back several generations.

But not everyone who takes drugs or gets involved in the occult becomes possessed. However, most people who do get involved in these practices open themselves up to demonic influence and oppression. Many people report that they experience violent, suicidal thoughts; see ghosts or hear strange voices, or have terrifying nightmares.

Many people are finally beginning to realize that demon possession is real and it isn't some ancient superstition. One of those folks is former New York City police department sergeant Ralph Sarchie who is now a self-described demonologist who does battle with Satan's fallen angels.

Sarchie has become the inspiration for a new movie, Deliver Us From Evil. Concerning demon possession and the presence of spiritual evil, Sarchie said this: "It’s definitely on the rise. I hate to say it. As society pushes God out, no one can deny that that’s happening. There’s a good portion of society that just cannot stomach Jesus Christ and when I see that, I have to wonder where that hatred comes from."  
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/07/05/nypd-cop-turned-demonologist

Sarchie asked a rhetorical question. He knows where that evil comes from. Unfortunately, most people don't. And that includes many professing Christians who become extremely uncomfortable with the reality that demons exist and cause a lot of trouble in the world.

And that trouble is going to get worse. As the world grows more evil, demon possession will increase. The apostle Paul warned us that the end times are going to feature bad times (2 Timothy 3:1-5), and the increase of demon possession is going to be just one of those features.

Freedom or Tyranny?

The Declaration of Independence

As the United States of America celebrates her 238th birthday today, I think it's important that we remember two quotes that underscore just what America has meant to the world and to freedom since her inception in 1776.

The first quote was offered by President John F. Kennedy during his inaugural address on January 20, 1961 when he said this: "My fellow Americans; ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

The second quote belongs to Jesus Christ who said this 2,000 years ago: "So if the Son (Christ) sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)

While Kennedy was a flawed man, he understood that a strong nation consists of an educated and moral people who work hard and make the necessary sacrifices to ensure that their country remains strong and free of evil influences from the outside. 

During Kennedy's day, the greatest evil influence that threatened America came from the Soviet Union that wanted to spread communism overtly and covertly across the world.

How does Christ's famous quote relate to freedom and America today? This way: The United States is a nation that was founded by men who believed in God and embraced a Judeo-Christian worldview. Certainly, not all of America's founders embraced that view. But most of them did. 

Therefore, they understood the inherent sinful nature that exists in all human beings and they established a unique form of government that prevented sinful human beings from acquiring too much power. They realized that too much power concentrated in the hands of fallen men is a recipe for despotism and disaster.

The true Christian gospel (sadly, there are many false ones) mandates accountability not only to God, but to fellow human beings. Where governments exist that fail to limit the power of their leaders and hold them accountable for their actions, persecution and tyranny reign. 

And we have seen endless examples of that throughout history. For a memory refresher, remember Hitler's Third Reich, Stalin's Iron Curtain and North Korea today under the ruthless Kim Jong-un. 

Sadly, unless Americans wake up and soon, they could find themselves living under a ruthless and tyrannical government controlled by a bloodthirsty despot like Kim Jong-un. Since Barack Obama was elected as America's 44th president in 2008, the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution to protect Americans from government tyranny have been increasingly violated and ignored.

If tyranny is the progeny of despotism, then decay is the progeny of apathy. The fact that so many Americans today take their freedoms for granted and are completely oblivious to the fact that they're steadily losing those freedoms means that they've already been completely defeated.

Today, too many Americans ask not what they can do for their country, but what their country can give them for free. 

That's why so many Americans continue to worship Barack Obama--because he promises them the goodies in exchange for their freedom and their votes. And they're only too happy and grateful to make that trade. 

Many Americans believe that once Obama's gone (and that can't come soon enough) the Constitution will be followed and respected once again. However, losing Obama isn't going to solve America's problems as long as a growing number of Americans prefer entitlements to independence. 

Because tyranny knows no political affiliations. It only knows stupidity, apathy, moral depravity and laziness. And wherever that prevails, freedom is absent.  

Q and A: Islam and The Last Days

In July's installment of Q and A, we'll discuss Islam in the end times along with what's happening in America and the Middle East.

Question: Some prophecy experts are predicting that Islam is eventually going to take over the world and become the global religion of the future. What do you say?

Answer: I believe that Islam's days are numbered. Why do I believe that? For several reasons. Look at the nations that are on the rise economically, politically and militarily in the world right now. They include Brazil, China, India, South Korea and Russia. Islam isn't the dominant religion in any of these nations. In fact, none of these nations wants Islam. And in fact, these nations will do everything in their power to suppress and even destroy Islam within their borders. Islam is a violent, bullying religion that spreads quickly in areas where that religion encounters minimal resistance. That's why Islam is growing so fast throughout the western world, because many western nations have resorted to appeasement to pacify Islamists. Appeasement is a white flag to Islamists. The more you appease them, the more territory they take until they eventually take over. That's one of the reasons why we're witnessing a shift in global power from the west--and particularly the United States--to the east. And once the U.S. dollar collapses, the U.S. will collapse. When that happens, China and Russia will become the dominant superpowers on the planet. And as they grow, they will spread their influence across the world. And as that influence spreads, Islam will be in retreat because both China and Russia realize that there will always be trouble as along as Islam is around.

Question: If Russia wants to get rid of Islam, then why does Russia support Assad in Syria and the Mullahs in Iran?

Answer: A very good question. The Russians support Syria's ruthless dictator Bashar al-Assad because he and his father Hafez al-Assad kept violent jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda from growing and spreading throughout Syria and the Middle East. Keep in mind that Syria sits directly south of Russia and the Russians have had a lot of trouble for many years with jihadist groups, particularly in the Caucasus region. The Russians have counted on Syria to hold down these groups. That's why they've been supporting al-Assad in his struggle against the rebels who want to overthrow Syria's government. The Russians know what will happen if al-Assad falls. As for Iran, the Russians support that nation because Iran is an oil rich country that badly needs to modernize its technology and military systems. The Russians have the technology and military systems and the Iranians have the cash to buy it despite the so-called economic sanctions that they had to endure. And Russia needs the money to rebuild its industrial infrastructure that badly eroded during the bad old days of communism and the Soviet Union.

Question: You have said that according to Daniel's prophecies (Daniel 8) the kingdom of Media, which you claim is now Iraq, fell in 2003 with the U.S. invasion of that nation. And yet Iraq looks as though it's being taken over by al-Qaeda? Were you wrong?

Answer: No. You have to understand the difference between the global threat that Iraq posed to the world under Saddam Hussein and what an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) controlled Iraq poses. Hussein was a megalomaniac who really believed that he was a modern day Nebuchadnezzar commissioned by Allah to take over the world. He not only wanted to destroy Israel, but he also wanted to destroy the United States and Europe via nuclear weapons. And he had the wealth to buy and build such weapons because Iraq is an oil-rich nation. ISIS has no global aspirations. It wants to establish a caliphate in Syria and Iraq and then plot the destruction of Israel. Some folks think that ISIS is an affiliate of Iran, but that couldn't be further from the truth. ISIS is a Sunni movement while Iran is a Shiite nation. The Sunnis and Shiites can't stand each other. That's why the Iranians have been supporting al-Assad in his struggle against the Sunni rebels. The Iranians don't want two Sunni states to the west of them. And they will do everything in their power to prevent that from happening. And so, there's going to be a lot of trouble in that region in the near future.

Question: Do you still believe that the United States is going to overthrow Iran, according to your interpretation of Daniel 8?

Answer: Yes, but certainly not under President Obama whose foreign policies are an absolute train wreck. You have to understand that God's prophecies are going to be fulfilled regardless of who's in the White House. The fulfillment of the Daniel 8 prophecy could come soon because the window of opportunity is beginning to close. What does that mean? The U.S. military and its weapons systems are being emasculated by the Obama Administration. That means we will have less troops and sophisticated weapons to destroy Iran's nuclear program. And remember, the Iranians have been purchasing a lot of Russian weaponry in recent years. They will not go quietly.

Question: Will the Russians intervene if the U.S. attacks Iran?

Answer:  They could, but that probably won't happen. Russia is mainly concerned with Russia, not Iran, Israel or the United States. What will probably happen is that the U.S. will consult with Russia concerning a planned invasion of Iran. The Russians will likely demand that they be allowed to install their own government in Iran after the invasion and the U.S. will probably agree to that condition as long as Iran's nuclear threat is eradicated. The Russians will never agree to a U.S. backed government in Iran, so they will not allow the U.S. to invade Iran until the U.S. agrees to get out of Iran after the invasion.

Question: Do you think another 9-11 is going to occur in the United States?

Answer: I certainly hope not. But given the catastrophic policies of the Obama Administration, I wouldn't be surprised. The recent invasion of the southern border by tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from Central and South America is frightening. Who came in? We don't know. We do know that jihadists have been trying to get across the southern border for years. And now they were given a free pass to stroll right on in. Of course, Obama blames Congress for its failure to pass immigration reform for this latest incursion, as if he had nothing to do with it. But this one's on him. His administration planned this, and if we suffer another catastrophic terrorist attack, you can blame him. Any American who has a functional brain ought to be ashamed of this guy. Sadly, there are a lot of Americans who don't have functional brains. That's why they elect such terrible leaders as Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama.  

A Modern Prodigal Son

Rise, fall and redemption

In the biblical story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the younger of two sons of a wealthy landowner decides that he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life working for his father.

So, he asks his father to give him his share of the inheritance so he can set out into the world and enjoy the high life and the good times. But rather than dissuade the young man from leaving, the father obliges and gives the kid his inheritance.

You can probably figure out the rest of the story. The young man traveled to a distant country where he proceeded to blow the inheritance on those good times before he finally ran out of cash. 

After the inheritance was gone, the young man desperately needed money, so he took a lowly job with a farmer who hired him to take care of his pigs. The job was so menial that even the pigs ate better food than the young man.

In the end, the young man realized the error of his ways and returned home meekly with hat in hand. The young man probably expected his father to throw a fit and tell him to get lost for squandering his inheritance on foolish living. 

Instead, the father welcomed him home with open arms and threw a banquet to celebrate his return. That didn't go over well with his older son who had remained faithful to the old man while his younger brother was off in a distant country living it up. Finally, the father told his older son this: "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31-32)

After I read Derek Sanderson's autobiography: Crossing The Line, I recognized some similarities between Sanderson and the prodigal son. Like the prodigal son, Sanderson enjoyed the high life as a young professional athlete, partying and throwing around his cash like confetti. 

Like the prodigal son, Sanderson squandered his wealth until he became penniless, living on the streets and eating out of dumpsters. And like the prodigal son, Sanderson finally came to the realization that he had ruined his life chasing after the elusive ghost of pleasure.

Who was Sanderson? He was a professional hockey player who played in the NHL and briefly in the WHA. And he was blessed to play on the great Boston Bruins teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s that won two Stanley Cups. 

Sanderson was a better than average player, but certainly not a star. However, he got the star treatment because he wore flashy clothes, dated beautiful women, drove a Rolls Royce and said outrageous things to the media to get their attention.

Sanderson's colorful personality and decent hockey skills earned him one of the most lucrative contracts in professional sports in 1972 when the Philadelphia Blazers of the fledgling WHA offered him $2.6 million to leave the Bruins.

After Sanderson signed with the Blazers, he got injured and proceeded to bomb, playing in just eight games before the Blazers realized they had made a huge mistake in overpaying a pedestrian player who failed to make the team successful and attract the fans to the arena. The Blazers finally cut their losses by giving Sanderson one million dollars to go away.

From there, Sanderson returned to the NHL where his career became a series of ups and downs with several different teams before he was out of hockey by the late 1970s. Along the way, he became a hardcore alcoholic and squandered his money on booze, drugs and some terrible investments.

After Sanderson hit rock bottom, living on the streets as an alcoholic, he met an old friend from his boyhood days growing up in Canada. The old friend also happened to be a born-again Christian who convinced Sanderson to clean up his act, get off the booze and turn his life over to the Lord.

And he did just that. Slowly, Sanderson climbed out of the gutter, taking some modest paying jobs until he eventually became a successful financial adviser to many professional athletes and other wealthy people. Today, he is currently Managing Director of The Sports Group with Baystate Wealth Management in Boston.

That's quite a climb from the lowly pit he fell into. But he climbed out of it because he repented of his wayward ways and turned his life over to Christ.

Indeed, Sanderson was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and he found his way back through Christ.

The moral of the Derek Sanderson story is this: No matter how terrible your circumstances may seem or how hopeless; if you repent and turn your life over to Jesus Christ, he will rescue and restore you. You can take that to the bank.