Tag Archives: Yeshua

Prince of Heaven

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by David Cook

Christmas by children of St Paul's Church, Auckland, New Zealand

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”    Luke 1:30-33 NKJV

The birth of the Prince of Heaven is the hope of the world.

We read a prophecy about the Messiah, the Prince of Heaven in the Jewish Tanakh in the book of Isaiah;

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

The Prince of Heaven is the Son of the Highest. He is the Prince of Peace, the promised Son of David, the Son of the living God, and is a Mighty God. The kingdom of the Messiah will last forever.

 

Have you ever considered what was going through the mind and heart of God before He gave His beloved Son to be born in Bethlehem?

 

 

Messiah’s Birth Announced to Mary

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38 NKJV

To read more of the miraculous Advent account read Luke chapters 1 & 2 and Matthew chapters 1 & 2.

Yeshua is love incarnate.  God revealed His love for the people of the world by sending His beloved Son to earth.  Yeshua gave His life as a ransom for our sins, He is our Savior!

Long ago wise men came from afar to worship the Prince of Heaven.  Wise men and women from far and wide today come before the Prince of Heaven to worship Him.

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Trust in God

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Moses Red Sea

Moses at the Red Sea from the Ten Commandments Movie, Paramount Pictures

By David Cook

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

Sometimes you are waiting at the edge of the Red Sea in need of a divine  miracle.  But the miracle you are asking God for doesn’t come.  Sometimes the answer your seeking isn’t given, at least not in the way or time you expected and hoped for.  So what can you do?

We have been given numerous examples in the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) and in the New Testament where at times God showed up in answer to prayers and the faith of His people.  There are times when heaven is silent and seemingly His people are left alone to suffer or wait on God’s timing.

We read in the book of Exodus how God’s people suffered in Egypt while they were afflicted, “enslaved and oppressed four hundred years” under the harsh treatment of the  Pharaohs.[1]  After many years, God sent a deliverer…Moses.

God worked through Moses to do several miracles in Egypt to demonstrate God’s power and so Pharaoh would let the Hebrew people go.  The final plague against Egypt and the miracle to protect the Hebrew people was God sent the destroyer to kill all the firstborn of the Egyptians.  Yet Yehovah passed over the Hebrew homes that had the blood of a lamb placed on the door post and lintel of their home.  This event is celebrated each year at the Passover Seder.[2]  Finally, Pharaoh set the Hebrew people free from slavery and let them go into the desert to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians,
and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts,
the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer
to enter your houses to strike you.
Exodus 12:23 ESV

The Passover in Egypt was an event that foreshadows a future event God would do for His people.  Later at the right time; God sent His Son Yeshua who was born of a virgin in Bethlehem.  He is a descendant of King David.  Yeshua became the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.[3]  Messiah Yeshua was killed at 3:00 PM on the cross on “the day of Preparation of the Passover”, before the high day miqra Sabbath began at sunset.[4]

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
Isaiah 53:5-6 NASB

Through faith in Him, when His blood is applied by faith to cleanse you from your sins; then the death angel passes over your life.  By God’s grace through faith you can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life!  Messiah is our Passover Lamb.

“Since Messiah our Passover Lamb was sacrificed for us.”
-The Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians 5:7 HSV

Finally, Pharaoh set the Hebrew people free from slavery and let them go into the desert to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  But Pharaoh changed his mind and decided to bring them back to Egypt as slaves.  So the Hebrews were a people on the run.  They saw God miraculously part the waters of the Red sea so they could escape the Egyptian army and flee into the Arabian desert.

At times we face events that test our faith, such as the loss of a loved one.  Lauren Daigle was faced with this just before she went into the studio to record her “How Can It Be” album.  Out of this time of grief and loss the song “Trust In You” was birthed.

Your faith in God, pleases God:  Trust is another word for faith.  To trust in God is to have faith in God.  We read in the book of Hebrews about the patriarchs and some of the heroes of the Tanakh.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.   Hebrews 11 NASB

We read in Proverbs 3:5 to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart”. Trust in the Lord with your all.  Yeshua the Messiah taught us to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[4]  On earth, we have various trials, tribulations and disappoints, some minor and some are major.  But at ‘the end of day’, certainly at the end of the age when Messiah Yeshua returns for His people; those who trust in the Lord will not be disappointed.

[1] God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.” Genesis 15:13 NASB, and also see Acts 7:6.

[2] The first Passover in Egypt, Exodus 12:1-13.

[3] the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  John 1:29 ESV.

[4] Mark 15:34, John 19:14 & 31, Exodus 12:6, miqra (the Hebrew word meaning ‘called assembled’) Sabbath.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sabbaths

[5] Messiah Yeshua taught on the greatest commandment written in the Torah.  We can read this teaching in the gospel of Matthew 22:37.

Freedom Time

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by David Cook

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
–Yeshua the Son of the living God

John 8:36 NIV

Everybody knows they are guilty of something, it could be stealing a cookie out of a cookie jar.  Or could be something more serious than stealing a cookie that haunts your conscience, day and night.

cloudsofgod

The prophet Moses wrote in the Jewish Torah;

And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 20 NIV

Ten Commandments

God gave His people ten commandments.  God gave us eight things not to do and two things to do.  Two to do and eight not to do.  Let’s take a look at them.  Don’t have any other gods, only serve YHVH (Yehovah).  Don’t make any images to bow down to worship or serve as your god.  Don’t misuse the name of the Lord your God.  Do remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. Do honor your father and your mother.  Do not murder.  Do not commit adultery.  Do not steal.  Do not give false testimony (perjury) against your neighbor.  Do not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, car, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

When you obey the ten commandments given by God,

you’re showing your love for God and your love for your neighbor.  

Have you broken any of the ten commandments given by God?  Are you suffering from any guilt as a result?  How can we get set free from guilt?  How can we get set free from our sin?

Are you free or are you a slave to something?  Is there an addiction that you run to for comfort that you think will make you free but now your caught?  You’re a slave to the thing that you thought would set you free.  Perhaps it’s alcohol, cocaine, “ecstasy”, pornography sex, or gluttony.  The thing that you think will bring freedom, an escape, temporary ecstasy instead gets you hooked, ensnared and you become a slave to your own sins.

What are you a slave to?

Facing the truth is the first step towards freedom.

It’s Time to Repent

What does it mean to repent?  To turn away from evil and do good.  To turn away from your sins and turn to a loving and merciful God for mercy and forgiveness.  Judgement is coming, but there is still time to repent.

The list of sins is long.  In the book of Proverbs we read of seven sins that are detestable to the Lord.

16 There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:
17         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV

Pride, lying, murder of the innocent, wicked schemes, quick to rush into do evil, perjury, stirring up strife.  Perhaps these are some of your sins, perhaps you’re a slave to other sins.

Messiah Yeshua Came to Set Us Free

How can we get set free from guilt?  How can we get set free from sin?

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:31-36 NASB

God has a plan.  A plan to save us from our sins.  The apostle Paul explained it to believers in Messiah Yeshua living in Rome;

22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  — Saint Paul

Romans 3:23-26 NIV

Believe in Yeshua & Receive New Life

It’s time to get real.  It’s time to face the truth.  It’s time to believe the truth.  It’s time to get free!  It’s time to come to Yeshua (Jesus).

Living Now & Forevermore

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www.geodun.com

By David Cook

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the Living God
John 10:10 NASB

Yeshua taught that He came that we might have abundant life now and forevermore;

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.
He who believes in Him is not judged;
he who does not believe has been judged already,
because he has not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God.”
Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the Living God
John 3:16-18 NASB

When you put your faith in God’s Son, Yeshua the Messiah and believe in Him; then God will give you new life, abundant life and eternal life!

Lecrae and Mali Music sing about the transformation that begins in a person who believes in Yeshua (Jesus) to be their Savior and Lord.  Saint Paul wrote of this transformation to believers who lived in the ancient city of Corinth;

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and [i]He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NASB

Yeshua the Son of God knew no sin, He was without sin.  Yeshua took our sin and punishment upon Himself on our behalf.  He did this so that we could become righteous now and when we stand before God.  Paul wrote about our old self and the new self that God gives to those who believe;

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.   Ephesians 4:17-24 NASB

It’s come to Jesus time!  Today is a good day, now is a good time.

Heartbroken & Alone

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by David Cook

Picking up the Pieces

If you have a broken heart,
it means you really loved someone.

After a romantic breakup, if you were really in love you end up with a broken heart, feeling all alone.  Doesn’t seem to matter if you were in a romance with someone for three months or in a ten-year marriage; you are left in an emotional fog, perhaps feeling isolated and dazed.

Sexual intimacy is a divine idea, yet our Creator designed it for those who are married to one another.  Sexual union is like a super glue to bond a husband and wife to each other; body, soul and spirit.  Maybe she was thinking about “forever” maybe he wasn’t.  When two people have been involved with each other sexually outside of a marriage covenant, then when you break up it is very difficult.  You may well feel you left a part of your heart and soul with the one you broke up with and not sure how to get it back.

You may feel like you can’t go on in life without the person you broke-up with and that life no longer has any real meaning.  But life takes interesting turns and twists.  Perhaps you broke up with him (for good reasons) or perhaps he broke up with you; or maybe it was a mutual decision.

“To be rejected by someone doesn’t mean you should also reject yourself or that
you should think of yourself as a lesser person. It doesn’t mean that nobody will
ever love you anymore. Remember that only ONE person has rejected you at
the moment, and it only hurt so much because to you, that person’s opinion
symbolized the opinion of the whole world, of God.”
― Jocelyn Soriano, Mend My Broken Heart

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18 NASB

Perhaps you’re feeling broken.  You may have had such high hopes for a relationship that would last forever, but in the end someone broke your heart.  And now, you’re left feeling all alone; in emotional pain and grief.  Perhaps thoughts rush through your head asking yourself; “Why it didn’t work?”  Or “How can I fix it?”  Maybe you feel devalued, comparing yourself to his (or her) new “love” interest.

After a romantic breakup it’s good to hang with your girl friends (or guys with guy friends) and family to recover.  Problem is a common thought is, “I need to go out and find someone I can hookup with to boost my ego from the pain of the breakup” (regardless of who broke up with who).  Normally you feel pain, loneliness, disconnected, rejection, and a good case of the blues.  But jumping out of the frying pan into the fire is never a good idea.  Will you go out and drink a little too much and do something crazy you will deeply regret tomorrow?  Two wrongs don’t make a right.  Does finding a shallow, self-absorbed person to have a quick fix sexual encounter with really fix your low self esteem?  Or will it just make matters worse?

When a dishwasher or washing machine breaks you call a handy man to repair what’s broken.  But how do you repair a broken heart?

Sometimes caring friends can come along side and you can share your pain.  Sometimes you may want to sort some things out for a while with a counselor.  But there is one friend who helped me sort things out…He is a wonderful counselor!  He is both human and divine.  He is better than a handy man, while He lived on earth He was a carpenter.  But He also knows how to fix broken hearts…His name is Yeshua (Jesus).  You can call on Him twenty-four hours a day.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
–Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the living God
Matthew 11:28 NASB

  “So do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

–Yeshua the Messiah
Matthew 6:34 NASB

Love One Another

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by David Cook

“A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another.”  –Yeshua the Messiah
John 13:34-35 NIV

 Jesus is the Light Of the World

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying,
“I am the Light of the world;
he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness,
but will have the Light of life.”
The gospel of John 8:12 NASB

Light From Above

Jesus is the “Light Of the World”, He brought light and truth to set us free!  When someone turns to Him and takes a step of faith out of the darkness into the light of Christ they find the “Light of life”!

jumping_joy

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:31-36 NASB

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
–Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of the Living God
John 14:6 NASB

The Bible“Son of God” Movie [1]

Love God with Your All and Love Your Neighbor

Yeshua the Messiah was asked; what is the most important law that was written in the Torah by the prophet Moses?

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:36-40

[1] “Son of God” movie, directed by Christopher Spencer.  The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.

Blessed are the Humble

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East Eyes Wide Open West Eyes Wide Shut - DC

by David Cook

“How blessed are those who are humble, because it is they who will inherit the earth!”          Matthew 5:5 ISV   –Yeshua the Messiah


“Humble” by Audrey Assad from her [ Fortunate Fall Year ] Album.

Do the meek (humble) inherit the earth?  As we look at both history and current news it is the violent and ruthless that conquer, control and “inherit” the earth; at least for a period of time.  So why is Messiah Yeshua teaching His followers; that the humble, “will inherit the earth!”?

ISIL near Tikrit, Iraq June 8, 2014
The jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) allegedly shows ISIL militants near the central Iraqi city of Tikrit.  (AFP Photo / HO / ISIL)  This photo was taken from a propaganda video uploaded on June 8, 2014.  The jihadist are also known as ISIS or IS (Islamic State), a group of militant Sunni Muslims. [1]

Yeshua the Messiah foretold that in the future a time would come when His followers would enter into a time of distress (tribulation) and be killed and hated by all nations because of their faith in Yeshua the Messiah.  At that time many Christians would leave the Christian faith, known as the great apostasy.

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  — Messiah Yeshua
Matthew 24:9-10 NASB

On August 7, 2014 CNN reported on ISIS in Iraq; “Christianity in Mosul is dead, and a Christian holocaust is in our midst,” said Mark Arabo, a Californian businessman and Chaldean-American leader. In an interview with CNN’s Jonathan Mann, he called what’s happening in Iraq a “Christian genocide” and said “children are being beheaded, mothers are being raped and killed, and fathers are being hung.” “Right now, three thousand Christians are in Iraq fleeing to neighboring cities,” he told Mann. Mr. Arabo is calling on the international community to follow France’s lead and offer the Christians of Iraq asylum.

21 Egyptian Christian Overcomers

On Sunday, February 15, 2015 Islamic State (IS) killed 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya.  IS has taken parts of Iraq and Syria and has beheaded local Christians and Western hostages.   The Islamic Militants (IS) marched 21 captive Egyptian Christians to a beach near Tripoli where they were forced onto their knees and then beheaded.  The Islamic State militants referred to these followers of Christ as; “The people of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian church”. [2]

Here is British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking about the persecution of Christians in various nations in the Mideast and other nations abroad.

The apostle John wrote in in the book of Revelation of end-time martyrs.

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.   Revelation 6:9-11 NASB

In the final book of the Bible we read of Christians who have overcoming faith in the midst of life threatening persecution;

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb
and because of the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their life even when faced with death.  
Revelation 12:11 NASB

Here is an interview on SAT-7 TV of a brother who had two brothers who were beheaded by ISIS in Libya in the month of February 2015.

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  Revelation 20:4 NASB

Let’s take a look at four major empires that ruled the Mideast mentioned in the book of Daniel found in both the Jewish Tanakh and the Christian Bible.

Babylonian Empire

Nebukadnessar_II

King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian Empire.

Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned c. 605 BC – 562 BC. He is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and for the destruction of the First Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.  He is featured in the Book of Daniel and is mentioned in seven other books of the Bible (2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Jeremiah).  We read in the book of Daniel in the Bible where a Messenger from heaven visited the prophet Daniel after the Jewish people had been conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and then exiled to the Babylonian empire. [3]

Medo-Persian Empire

11 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. 2 And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. Daniel 11:1-2 NASB

In the scripture above the Messenger from heaven foretold that a forth Persian King (who ruled after Darius the Mede) “will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.”  This is a prophecy about the Persian king  Ahasuerus (a.k.a. Artaxerxes or Xerxes) who became politically and militarily strong and through his wealth and then stirred up the Persian empire to fight the people of the west; the realm of Greece. This war between the Median-Persian Empire against the Greek city-states is portrayed in the movie “300“, released in theaters in 2006.

The Median-Persian Empire war against the Greek city-states continued in the 2014 sequel, “300: Rise of an Empire“;

[This is not an endorsement to watch these films.  The trailers are a visualization of the fulfillment of the prophecy found in the book of Daniel, chapter 11:1-2 that predicts the Median-Persian Empire war against the Greek city-states .]

787px-Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn - Ahasuerus, Haman and Esther - Google Art Project

King Artaxerxes, ruler of Medo-Persian Empire with Haman and his Jewish wife, Queen Esther painted by Rembrandt.

The name Ahasuerus is equivalent to the Greek name Xerxes, both deriving from the Old Persian language Xšayārša. The form Xerxes has not traditionally appeared in English Bibles, but has rather appeared as Ahasuerus. Many newer translations and paraphrases have used the name Xerxes.  Ahasuerus is given as the name of the King of Persia in the Book of Esther.  19th century Bible commentaries generally identified him with Xerxes I of Persia.  The Greek version (Septuagint) of the Book of Esther refers to him as Artaxerxes, and the historian Josephus relates that this was the name by which he was known to the Greeks.  Similarly, the Vulgate, the Midrash of Esther Rabba, I, 3 and the Josippon identify the King as Artaxerxes. [4]

The Greek Empire

The Messenger from heaven then prophesied that a mighty king would arise and he will rule his realm with great authority. This is Alexander the Great, the king of the Greek Empire.

BattleofIssus333BC-mosaic-detail1

Alexander the Great, King of the Greek Empire

Alexander the Great, succeeded his father, Philip II, to the throne at the age of twenty.  He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, by age thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into present-day Pakistan.

3 And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.  Daniel 11:1-4 NASB

This detailed prophecy about Alexander the Great all came true.  He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, until by the age of thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into present-day Pakistan.  Alexander king of the Greek Empire, was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history’s most successful military commanders.  In the years following his death, a series of civil wars tore his empire apart, resulting in a divided kingdom ruled by the Diadochi; (Alexander’s surviving generals).  This eventually resulted in Alexander’s Greek Empire divided into four kingdoms; the Seleucus, Ptolemy, Cassander and the Lysimachus kingdoms. [5]

In the book of Daniel we read of the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire and a fourth mystery empire.  Each of these empires had a significant king who impacted both their kingdom and surrounding nations and other world empires.  We think of King Nebuchadnezzar II the ruler of the Babylonian Empire [3], Ahasuerus the King of Persia (aka King Artaxerxes). [4]  And Alexander the Great, the king of the Grecian Empire. [5]

Ottomon Turkish Islamic Empire

But who is the fourth unnamed empire in Daniel chapter 2 and chapter 7?  Is it the Roman Empire?  Or is it about the Ottomon Turkish Islamic Empire?

Sultan Mehmed II painted by Gentile Bellini

Mehmed the Conqueror, ruler of the Ottoman Islamic Empire.

Mehmed the Conqueror who at the age of 21, conquered Constantinople and brought an end to the Byzantine Empire, transforming the Ottoman state into an empire. [6]  In Daniel chapter 2 we read about a fourth powerful empire.  Today some Bible scholars and students of Bible prophecy believe this fourth empire is the Ottoman Turkish Islamic Empire (Caliphate).  The Ottoman Turkish Islamic Caliphate lasted from 1299 – 1922 AD.

40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.  Daniel 2:40-43 NASB

The neo-Islamic Caliphate

The Caliphate Declared by ISIS

The BLAZETV reported on the “Buck Brief” that; On Sunday, (June 29, 2014) Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, a spokesman for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS),announced the Al Qaeda offshoot had named Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the leader of the new caliphate and formally declared the creation of an Islamic state in the territory under its control. Al-Adnani called on those living in the area under the group’s control to swear allegiance to al-Baghdadi.

On radio this morning, TheBlaze’s national security editor Buck Sexton filled in for Glenn and drew from his four years in the CIA working in both Iraq and Afghanistan as he explained what comes next now that the caliphate is in fact here and official.  [7]

Sunni vs. Shai Civil War

There is a great conflict resulting in many deaths in the Mideast and Northern Africa to decide who will rule the new Islamic Caliphate.  The nations fighting for power are Shai ruled Iran, Sunni ruled Saudi Arabia and Sunni ruled Turkey.  These nations fight and war through their respective proxies, client states and funded and armed jihadists.

Many who watch the news and study Bible prophecy see the neo-Ottoman Islamic Caliphate rising in the Mideast and Northern Africa. [8]  This Islamic empire that will rule the Mideast and North Africa prior to the return of the Messiah.  We read of this final World Empire in Daniel chapter 11.

36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. 38 But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. 39 He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.

40 “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. 41 He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. 42 Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. 44 But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.  Daniel 11:36-45 NASB

Here we read in the book of the prophet Daniel that the King of the South (Egypt) will attack the King of the North (the neo-Islamic Caliphate).  Then the King of the North (King of the neo-Islamic Caliphate) will invade the “Beautiful Land” (i.e. the land of Israel).  In Daniel 11 verse 41 we read that the King of the North “will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many will fall”.  That is the Caliph will enter Israel and many people will fall, (many people will be killed).  Others will be exiled, a remnant of Israel will remain in the land of Israel until Messiah returns.

We read a prophecy in the book of Joel that in the last days, a very large and mighty army will invade Israel;

For a nation has invaded my land,
Mighty and without number;
Its teeth are the teeth of a lion,
And it has the fangs of a lioness.

Joel 1:6 NASB

When we look on a map of the Mideast, we see to the north of Israel is Lebanon, Syria, northern Iraq and Turkey.  These nations are in the region of the ancient Assyrian Empire.  It is likely that these Islamic nations (and others) will form the initial neo-Islamic Caliphate.  In Joel chapter 2 we read that this large and mighty army will come from the north of Israel.  God promised His people in the book of Joel that He would “remove the northern” army that will invade Israel.

And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.
20 “But I will remove the northern army far from you,
And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land,
And its vanguard into the eastern sea,
And its rear guard into the western sea.
And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up,
For it has done great things.”

Joel 2:19-20 NASB

Many peoples will be defeated by the neo-Islamic Caliphate but Edom, Moab and Ammon (the geography of modern day Jordan) will not be conquered by the neo-Islamic Caliphate.  Egypt will be defeated by the neo-Islamic Caliphate and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow the King of the neo-Islamic Caliphate (most likely Ethiopian and Libyan people will believe the ruler of the Caliphate to be the prophesied Mahdi [9] (or the 12th Imam) [10].  “The Mahdi” in Arabic, al-Mahdi means, “The Guided One”.  He is also sometimes referred to by Shi’a Muslims as Sahib Al-Zaman or  Al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar which translated mean “The Lord of the Age” and “The Guided/Awaited One.”

In Daniel chapter 11 verse 44 we read; “But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him”.  This is most likely a prophecy that the King of the North (the Caliph) will be disturbed about rumors that China and Russia might invade the Mideast after he conquered Egypt and Israel.  In the book of Revelation we read of a prophecy that a 200 million army from the east will cross the Euphrates River and then invade Israel.  Some believe this 200 million army is from East Asia.

16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.  Revelation 9:16-19 NASB

The ruler of the neo-Islamic Caliphate (Caliph) will set up the tents of his royal pavilion in Israel between the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Jerusalem, (Mount Zion).  Yet while in Israel the Caliph (Mahdi) will come to his end.  The Caliph (who is the anti-Messiah) will be defeated by “The Lord of hosts” (Messiah Yeshua) when He returns from heaven with His army. [11]

The apostle Paul wrote to believers in Thessalonica; Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 2 Thessalonians 2:8 NASB

Paul refers to the Anti-Messiah as that “lawless one”.  We read of the ruler of the neo-Islamic Caliphate in the book of Revelation chapter 13;

7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.  Revelation 13:7-10 NASB

This ruler will make war (jihad) with the saints (God’s people) and defeat them.  This ruler is known among Christians as the anti-Messiah (anti-Christ) and may very will be the Islamic Caliph (i.e. the Muslim Mahdi).

25 He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.  Daniel 7:25 NASB

The Caliph of the neo-Islamic Caliphate (aka as the Mahdi) “will intend to make alterations in times”, that is bring in a new Islamic calender, known as the Hijri calendar [12] and intend to bring in Sharia law. [13]  The Mahdi (the anti-Messiah) will rule over Israel and the holy city of Jerusalem for three and a half years.  The apostle John also prophesied this;

11 Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.  Revelation 11:1-2 NASB

John wrote that the outer court of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem has been given to the gentile nations who will tread upon the holy city of Jerusalem for forty-two months (or three and a half years).

The prophet Zechariah wrote of this time of when Israel will be invaded and Jerusalem will be captured;

14 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

Zechariah 14:1-2 NASB

The Caliph, who will rule the neo-Islamic Caliphate will speak out against the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the God of Israel.  The Islamic Caliph will be against the God of Israel; Yehovah, the Lord of hosts.  Thus, this Islamic ruler will be against the Messiah of Israel. Therefore, this ruler is referred to as the anti-Christ (anti-Messiah).  The Caliph will “wear down the saints” conquer the saints in Israel and Christians in various nations around the world.  It is no secrete that Muslims are commanded in the Quran to make jihad against the Jews and the Christians.

The Quran contains many verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of their God and Islamic rule.  Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding.  Muslims who do not join the jihad (fight) are called ‘hypocrites’ and warned that their God will send them to hell if they do not join the war. [14]

26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Daniel 7:26 NASB

Here we read that the high court, the court in heaven; the divine court of God Himself will sit in judgement of the Anti-Messiah and his dominion will be taken away and be destroyed forever.  This ruler who leads the Mideast and North African nations (the neo-Islamic Caliphate) in an invasion to conquer Israel and capture Jerusalem will be judged by the Most High God.  The final Mideast & Northern African World Empire will be the Neo-Islamic Caliphate.  This is the empire that will be fighting jihad and then rule the Mideast just before the Messiah returns.

12 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:1-2 NASB

The Day of the Lord is Near!

Here in Daniel chapter 12 verse 2 we read of the resurrection of the dead of those whose names are written in the book of life.  The saints of God, who died with their faith in God and His coming Messiah; will rise again at the last trumpet.  The saints who are alive on earth when the last trumpets sounds, will be transformed from mere mortality to immortality; in an instant, in the twinkling of the eye. [15]

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then 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 shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NASB

The Day of the Lord is a day soon coming when Messiah, the “Son of Man” will come on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory and rescue the righteous. [16]

Yeshua foretold His coming for His elect.  The elect are God’s righteous people who have faith in Yeshua the Messiah.

30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky,
and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky
 with power and great glory. 
31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet
 and they will gather together His elect from the four winds,
from one end of the sky to the other.

Matthew 24:30-31 NASB

The prophet Zechariah wrote of the “Day of the Lord” when the Messiah will fight against the nations who invade Israel and capture Jerusalem;

3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. 4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. 5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!

6 In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. 7 For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.

Zechariah 14:3-7 NASB

After Messiah rescues the righteous (the elect) then Messiah’s wrath will be poured out on the wicked.  This will be as it was in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah. [17]

36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Matthew 24:36-41 NASB

In Matthew chapter 24 Yeshua taught us that His coming for His elect people (the rapture of the people of God) will be just like the days of Noah.  Before the flood people were eating and drinking and getting married; it was life as usual.  Then the flood came and Noah and his family were safe in the ark and the wicked were destroyed by the flood. Things will be the same when Messiah comes on the clouds with power and great glory. God’s people will be taken up into the clouds by His angels to meet the Lord (Messiah Yeshua) in the clouds.  Afterwards God’s wrath will come on the wicked.

After the anti-Christ invades Israel and occupies Jerusalem he will exile many of the Jewish people to other nations.  Then Yeshua the Messiah will gloriously rescue His remnant people on the day of the Lord!  We read of this in Isaiah chapter 11;

Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again recover the second time with His hand
The remnant of His people, who will remain,
From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,
And from the islands of the sea.
12 And He will lift up a standard for the nations
And assemble the banished ones of Israel,
And will gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
And those who harass Judah will be cut off;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will not harass Ephraim.
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west;
Together they will plunder the sons of the east;
They will possess Edom and Moab,
And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them.
15 And the Lord will utterly destroy
The tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
And He will wave His hand over the River
With His scorching wind;
And He will strike it into seven streams
And make men walk over dry-shod.
16 And there will be a highway from Assyria
For the remnant of His people who will be left,
Just as there was for Israel
In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Isiah 11:11-16 NASB

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?
“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
2 Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?
3 “I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no man with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My raiment.
4 “For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.
5 “I looked, and there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.
6 “I trod down the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk in My wrath,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

Isaiah 63 NASB

In this prophecy in Isaiah chapter 63 we read of the Messiah returning to Israel from Edom with His garments drenched in blood.  Ancient Edom is located geographically in the modern day nation of Jordan.  One of the titles of the Messiah found in the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) is “the Lord of hosts”. [18]  The Lord of hosts is the commander of the armies of heaven, both angelic and human armies that will serve His purpose.

King David wrote in Psalm 110 how Lord Messiah will execute His righteous indignation against godless nations.

The Lord is at Your right hand;
He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.
6 He will judge among the nations,
He will fill them with corpses,
He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.

Psalm 110:5-6 NASB

We read in the prophet Joel;

Consecrate a fast,
Proclaim a solemn assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
To the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 1:14-15 NASB

In the book of Daniel (found both in the Jewish Tanakh and the Christian Bible) we read prophecies of four major Mideast Empires that will precede the coming of the Messiah. [19]

1. Babylonian Empire

2. Medo-Persian Empire

3. Greek Empire

4. Ottoman Turkish Islamic Empire (and the neo-Islamic Caliphate)

The Messianic Kingdom

13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14 NASB

Temple of Messiah

The final empire we read of in the book of Daniel is the kingdom of the Messiah, which will not pass away.  The Messiah’s kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.  Messiah will rule all the nations from Jerusalem.

We read in the book of Daniel chapter 2 where Daniel gives to King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian empire the interpretation of a dream God gave to Nebuchadnezzar about the Babylonian Empire and the major Mideast Empires that would follow.

31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze,33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, andbroke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 Andthere shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage,[c] but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel 2:31-45 ESV

Mideast Empires

Empire Time of Reign Symbol Biblical Text
Babylonian Empire 1894 BC to 539 BC Gold Daniel 2:36-38 & 7:2-4
Medo-Persian Empire 678 BC to 331 BC Silver Daniel 2:39 & 7:5, 8:20
Greek Empire 650 BC to 149 BC Bronze Daniel 2:39 & 7:6, 8:21-22
Ottoman Turkish  Empire 1299 AD to1922 AD Iron Daniel 2:40 & 7:7
Neo-Islamic Caliphate 2014 AD to Unknown Iron & Clay Daniel 2:41-43 & 7:7-8, 23-26, 8:23-26
Messianic Empire From Armageddon for the next 1000 years. The Stone (The Rock) Daniel 2:44-45 & 7:9-14, 18, 22 & 27, Isaiah 2 and 11 and 66:10-16.
Messiah’s Eternal Empire 1000 years after Armageddon to Eternity. New Jerusalem, like crystal-clear Jasper Daniel 7:18, Isaiah 66:22-23, Revelation 21:1 to 22:5

Yeshua the Messiah humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Because of this, God highly exalted His Son the Messiah, and gave Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Yeshua; every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.  Every person will acknowledge that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father in heaven.

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:1-11 NASB

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.  James 4:6-10 ESV

27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’  Daniel 7:27 NASB

Here we read that the all the kingdoms of the earth will be given to the saints of the Highest One.  These saints (God’s elect people) are the believing remnant of Israel and believers from the gentile nations who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The Lord of hosts, is Yeshua; God’s promised Messiah.  God’s people humble themselves under His rule and the rule of His Messiah.  So, as Messiah Yeshua taught us in the gospels; the humble will inherit the earth.

Flowers on California Coast

“How blessed are those who are humble,
because it is they who will inherit the earth!”
Matthew 5:5 ISV   –Yeshua the Messiah

[1] An photo from a propaganda video uploaded on June 8, 2014, by the jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) allegedly shows ISIL militants near the central Iraqi city of Tikrit. (AFP Photo / HO / ISIL) http://rt.com/news/165340-turkish-consulate-mosul-qaeda/

[2] IS militants killed 21 Egyptian Christians, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/15/us-mideast-crisis-libya-egypt-idUSKBN0LJ10D20150215

[3] Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned c. 605 BC – 562 BC. He is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and for the destruction of the First Temple. He is featured in the Book of Daniel and is mentioned in several other books of the Bible.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebuchadnezzar_II

[4]  Ahasuerus the King of Persia (aka King Artaxerxes or Xerxes I of Persia).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahasuerus#Book_of_Esther

[5] Alexander the Great, succeeded his father, Philip II, to the throne at the age of twenty.  He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, until by the age of thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into present-day Pakistan.  He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history’s most successful commanders.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great

[6] Mehmed the Conqueror, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_II

[7] The Caliphate declared in Iraq by ISIS; http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/06/30/buck-sexton-the-caliphate-is-official-the-caliphate-is-real/  and http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2014/06/29/ISIS-jihadists-declare-caliphate-.html

[8] Ottoman Islamic Empire (Caliphate), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire

[9] “The Mahdi.”  In Arabic, al-Mahdi means, “The Guided One” 1 He is also sometimes referred to by Shi’a Muslims as Sahib Al-Zaman or  Al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar which translated mean “The Lord of the Age” and “The Guided/Awaited One.”
http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/JR/Future/ch04_the_mahdi.htm

http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-about-islam/faith-and-worship/islamic-creed/166743-what-islam-says-about-the-mahdi.html

[10] Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdī (Arabic:محمد بن الحسن المهدي) is believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the Mahdī, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imām of the Twelve Imams who will emerge with Isa (Jesus Christ) in order to fulfill their mission of bringing peace and justice to the world. Twelver Shī‘a believe that al-Mahdī was born in 869 (15 Sha‘bān 255 AH) and assumed Imamate at 5 years of age following the death of his father Hasan al-Askari. In the early years of his Imamate he would only contact his followers through The Four Deputies. After a 72-year period, known as Minor Occultation, a few days before the death of his fourth deputyAbul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri in 941, he is believed to have sent his followers a letter. In that letter that was transmitted by al-Samarri he declared the beginning of Major Occultation during which Mahdi is not in contact with his followers.

Followers of Sunni Islam and other minority Shias mostly believe that the Mahdi has not yet been born, and therefore his exact identity is only known to the god of Quran.  Aside from the Mahdi’s precise genealogy, Sunnis accept many of the same hadiths Shias accept about the predictions regarding the Mahdi’s emergence, his acts, and his universal Caliphate. Sunnis also have a few more Mahdi hadiths which are not present in Shia collections. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_al-Mahdi

[11] The anti-Messiah will be defeated by the Messiah when He returns.  See Daniel 11:45, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 and Revelation 19:11-21.

[12] The Islamic calendar, or Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calendar

[13] (Sunni Muslims), The Mahdi will bring Sharia Law to the global Islamic community; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahdi  (Shia Muslims) “Imam Mahdi will bring new Sharia (divine law) and commandments.” http://www.discoveringislam.org/shia_mahdi.htm

[14] The Quran contains numerous verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of their god Allah and Islamic rule.  http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/023-violence.htm

[15] Mathew 24:29-30, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, I Corinthians 15:50-52.

[16] “with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming”, Daniel 7:13 NASB “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”   Matthew 24:30-31 NASB

[17] God’s wrath will be poured out on the wicked. Zechariah 14:3-7, Isaiah 63, Matthew 24:36-41, Revelation 16.

[18] The Lord of hosts is one of the titles of the Messiah found in the Jewish Tanakh and the Christian Bible.  See Psalm 25, Zechariah 14, Isaiah 48:1-16.

[19] Daniel chapter 2:1-45 and Daniel chapter 7:1-27.

Lost

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By David Cook

Yeshua_talit

“The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”
—Yeshua the Messiah
Luke 19:10 NASB

While living in sunny Southern California one day we realized our daughter, who was almost three years old; was nowhere to be found.  “She was just here a few minutes ago, where could she be?”; I thought to myself.  We walked around the house and looked in her room, in the closet, under her bed.  “Is she hiding?”  We went into the family room where her brothers were watching Inspector Gadget on Saturday morning cartoons; “Where’s your sister?”, I asked.  They shrugged their shoulders and said, “Don’t know Dad.”  I walked into the living room and the front door was wide open.  I walked outside and quickly looked around the front yard and then scanned up and down the street.  Panic!  “Where’s my daughter!?!”  “Is she lost?”  “Lord, please help us find our daughter!”

Thankfully, about five minutes later (which seemed like five hours) my observant and compassionate neighbor found our daughter and brought her home.  I was exuberant and relieved to see my little lost lamb come home!  My adventurous daughter didn’t know she was lost; she was on an adventure, out exploring the world.

Thanks be to God, His Son Yeshua is our good Shepherd; ever watching over us!

The Prodigal Son

Yeshua told this story; “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

prodigal son

14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”         Luke 15 NASB

Party on! Wine, women and song! This was the mantra of the young prodigal son.  But after he squandered all of his inheritance and lost all of his “friends” and “lovers” he finally wised up and came home.  Are you on an adventure looking for what life is all about?  Perhaps you’re lost but don’t even know it?  Your Father in heaven wants you to come home.

Yeshua said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  Mathew 22:37-40 NASB

Loving God is a vertical relationship.  Loving people is about relating on the horizontal level.  We can live each day in the vertizontal, loving God will all your heart, soul and mind and loving people as you love yourself.  The whole Torah (613 Laws given by God to Moses) and the writings of the Hebrew Prophets rests on these two commandments.

Knowing the true and living God, who is love; is the prize!                                                       http://www.knowhimpersonally.com

The Son of the Most High, who is much wiser than all; taught that life is all about loving God with all your heart, soul and mind.  And about loving your neighbor as yourself.  Today is a good day, now is a good time; if you hear the voice of your Father in heaven calling you home then turn to Him in faith and humbly ask for His forgiveness.

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.  1 John 1:5-10 NASB