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COGwriter

The top leader from Hezbollah declared today that his side will win in Syria:

May 25, 2013

BEIRUT — The leader of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah on Saturday defiantly defended sending his fighters to support President Bashar al-Assad’s army in neighboring Syria and proclaimed that they would be victorious.Hasan Nasrallah’s televised address provided the clearest public acknowledgment to date that his men are fighting alongside Assad’s troops and will continue to do so. As he spoke, Hezbollah and government forces were escalating an assault on the strategically important Syrian town of Qusair…

“The resistance cannot stand, arms folded, while its back is broken,” he said in the speech, timed to mark the 13th anniversary of the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hezbollah-chief-admits-and-defends-groups-involvement-in-syrian-war/2013/05/25/3748965a-c55e-11e2-9fe2-6ee52d0eb7c1_story.html

Who is Hezbollah?

Hezbollah…is a Shi’a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon. It receives financial and political support from Iran and Syria, and its paramilitary wing is regarded as a resistance movement throughout much of the Arab and Muslim worlds. The governments of the U.S., Netherlands,Bahrain, France, U.K., Australia, Canada, and Israel classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, in whole or in part.

Hezbollah was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and was primarily formed to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation. Its leaders were inspired by Ayatollah Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organized by a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto listed its four main goals as “Israel’s final departure from Lebanon as a prelude to its final obliteration”, ending “any imperialist power in Lebanon”, submission of the Phalangists to “just rule” and bringing them to trial for their crimes, and giving the people the chance to choose “with full freedom the system of government they want”, while not hiding its commitment to the rule of Islam. Hezbollah leaders have also made numerous statements calling for the destruction of the state of Israel, which they refer to as the “Zionist entity”.

Hezbollah, which started with only a small militia, has grown to an organization with seats in the Lebanese government, a radio and a satellite television-station, and programs for social development. The organization has been called a state within a state. Hezbollah maintains strong support among Lebanon’s Shi’a population, and is able to mobilize demonstrations of hundreds of thousands. (Wikipedia, viewed 05/25/13)

Shi’a Muslims slightly outnumber Sunni Muslims in Lebanon.  Hezbollah is basically a Shiite group.  While Hezbollah will have some successes at times, they will not truly attain their goal.

While most people in Syria are Sunni Muslim, its President Assad is Shiite Muslim. Iran is predominantly composed of Shi’a Muslims.  Syria is believed to get a significant amount of its arms from Iran with some of that coming from Hezbollah (an Israeli bombing a few weeks ago in Syria was supposedly related to missiles heading to Hezbollah (see Israel bombs Syria).

While Hezbollah has its hopes and warring plans, the Bible indicates that Lebanon and Syria will change and  be allied with other Arab nations.  The Bible does not show that Iran will have significant power as we get closer to the start of the Great Tribulation.

Notice that the Bible talks of a coming confederation of nations that are composed of peoples from North Africa and the Middle East, and it calls the leader the King of the South:

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-44, NKJV)

2 ‘Son of man, prophesy, and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Howl ye, ha! for the day!

3 For near [is] a day, near [is] a day to Jehovah! A day of clouds, the time of nations it is.

4 And come in hath a sword to Egypt, And there hath been great pain in Cush, In the falling of the wounded in Egypt, And they have taken its store, And broken down have been its foundations.

5 Cush, and Phut, and Lud, and all the mixture, and Chub, And the sons of the land of the covenant with them by sword do fall,

6 Thus said Jehovah: And — fallen have supporters of Egypt, And come down hath the arrogance of her strength, From Migdol to Syene, by sword they fall in her, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

7 And they have been desolated in the midst of desolate lands, And its cities are in the midst of wasted cities.

8 And they have known that I [am] Jehovah, In My giving fire against Egypt, And broken have been all her helpers.

9 In that day go forth do messengers from before Me in ships, To trouble confident Cush, And there hath been great pain among them, As the day of Egypt, for lo, it hath come. (Ezekiel 30:2-9, Young’s Literal Translation)

Nearly all the nations alluded to above are dominated by Sunni, not Shiite, Muslims.  Notice also the following which quotes the Bible about a confederation and attempts to assign national identities to them:

“They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation], and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia]; of Moab [part of Jordan], and the Hagarenes [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today]; Gebal [Lebanon], and Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks]; the Philistines [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon]; Assur [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]” (Psalm 83:4-8) (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979).

Since Lebanon and Syria are located in the Middle East, the prophecies in Daniel 11, Ezekiel 30, and Psalm 83 appear to be referring to a confederation of mainly Arabic nations that will include them.

Hence, despite some issues, Lebanon and Syria will end up with some type of Islamic confederation–but one that will not be good for it or its people. And Syria’s capital Damascus, at some point in time, will be destroyed:

1 The burden against Damascus.

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,
And it will be a ruinous heap.   (Isaiah 17:1).

Damascus will be destroyed, possibly reasonably soon.  The situation in Syria will change and the Assad regime will not ultimately be able to continue as it has.

My reading of the scriptures do not suggest that Iran will lead such a confederation, hence this is one reason why I do not believe that Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria will ‘win’ in the Middle East. Nor will Hezbollah (though the possibility of having opposition, of various types, to the King of the South does exist, hence groups like Hezbollah may still have further roles in the geopolitics of the region).

A coming confederation of Islamic lands is something that the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood also is hoping to bring to pass. And, despite some military advances and support from Shiite sources, a regular review of the news shows that it is the Sunni side that is making progress towards its confederation goal. A goal that will, temporarily, be achieved according to Bible prophecy.

Some links of related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.

COGwriter

CBS reports that the sequestration cuts are going to affect certain leisure activities beginning this weekend:

25 May 2013

As summer approaches, sequestration threatens holiday fun…

The impacts of sequestration have already started to trickle down across the nation, with widespread furloughs and reduced government services causing all kinds of effects. But as government officials attempt to mitigate the consequences of enormous across-the-board budget cuts, some of the first things to go are seemingly little things: Holiday concerts, celebratory fireworks, and the local festivities to which thousands of Americans flock each summer.

“We’re definitely supporting events in a different way than we have in years past,” said Major Erik Brine, a Pentagon spokesman. “There’s obviously fewer assets and funds available for these types of events. Events are going to be on a different level than they have in the past.”

According to Brine, the Defense Department has dramatically scaled back its Memorial Day activities for the year, and the U.S. military presence at parades and other events will be scant in comparison to years past. In total, Brine said, the Defense Department is spending only about $100,000 — “a small fraction” of previous expenditures — on all events, worldwide, to celebrate Memorial Day.

“We’re not supporting upwards of 2,300 events around the world as a result of sequestration,” he told CBSNews.com. “Anything from parades in larger cities that we’d have a larger involvement in, to small community events… It’s a tremendous detraction from what it has been in years past.”   http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57586147/as-summer-approaches-sequestration-threatens-holiday-fun/

CBS seems to consider government spending cuts related to sequestration a bad thing.  Yet, when you cannot afford something, you should not do it (and if it something you need to do, then look at proper ways of producing the income to afford it).  Leisure and entertainment are the types of things that people do cut when they are out of money.  And the USA is–although it keeps borrowing and ‘creating’ more of it.

The reality is that even with the sequestration “cuts” the total debt of the USA is still rising.

The reality is that something needs to be done (and it may essentially be some type of sham, like the “quantitative easing” programs are; see Doubling QE3 is not good). The USA politicians are making it clear to me, at least, that it will take massive devastation and the return of Jesus for the needed solutions to be implemented here.

Biblically, these debt increases are more dangerous than most in the USA realize. Notice what the Bible warns about those who increase debt in the end times, and tells that it will lead to destruction:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you. Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

The USA is in more debt than any country in the history of humanity. Despite biblical warnings, the USA continues to increase its debt and engage in political posturing.  At some point in time, the USA will likely start to experience massive inflation and currency devaluation. And afterwards, its creditors will rise up (Habakkuk 2:7). The realities of USA debt as well as policies of the Federal Reserve like “quantitative easing” are setting the stage for the absolute end of economic dominance by the U.S.A.–have no doubt about it (although there could be some major positive economic events before that happens).

While the Republicans and Democrats have often used this as a major partisan fight and sometimes treat this like a political game, the reality is that the rest of the world is also watching and is very disturbed by all of this (see IMF: Suspending debt ceiling hurts United States tremendously). The Europeans and others are realizing that the USA is losing its position of world leadership–and when it does, this will be the final “time of the Gentiles” that the Bible warns of (Ezekiel 30:2-3; Luke 21:23-24; Revelation 11:2). The leaders in the USA are causing the nation to err (cf. Isaiah 3:12; 9:16).

Cutting out some leisure and entertainment expenses is not enough to fix what is wrong with the budget of the USA’s government.

The grim reality is that the policies and decisions in Washington, D.C. are helping to create the conditions for the upcoming European Beast power to fill the void in economic (and even military) leadership that the USA is in the process of making. The Europeans, and others, will watch what the politicians in the USA do in the next week and realize that the USA simply does not have a political system that will allow it to lead the world economically for too much longer.

Change is coming, and in several years, those in the USA (as well as their Anglo-allies) will not like the change that is coming.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing–here is a short article.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.

COGwriter

Some Protestant leaders consider that the Ten Commandments are a burden.  Others, at least state that they should be observed.  The fact is that the Ten Commandments show love.

And the first four show love towards God.

Jesus clearly taught that the Ten Commandments showed love:

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40); in other words the law of God is involved in showing love to God and your neighbor!

Perhaps that is why Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him…” (John 14:21) and “He who does not love Me does not keep My words (John 14:24) as well as “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10).

For further proof, Jesus said of the future, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Breaking the law (lawlessness) is linked to lack of love. Jesus magnified the law by explaining its direct link to love or evil! The fact He was to exalt the law was even prophesied! “He will exalt the law and make it honorable” (Is 42:21). Since Jesus was to “exalt the law and make it honorable”, should His followers violate it?

Jesus also taught:

Commandment 1 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37). “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).

Commandment 2 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow…My servants to…eat things sacrificed to idols..Now to you I say…who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden” (Revelation 2:20,24).

Commandment 3 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man” (Matthew 15:19-20). “…blasphemy…All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:22-23).

Commandment 4 “Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11-12). “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath…Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?“ (Luke 6:5,9). “‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’…And they could not answer Him regarding these things” (Luke 14:3,6). “are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?” (John 7:23).

For a more indepth discussion of each of these commandments, please see the latest ContinuingCOG YouTube video titled: The Ten Commandments: Loving God.

Some articles to assist in your studies may include:

The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?

Sweden Riots, 2013

COGwriter

Sweden keeps having rioting:

May 24, 2013

Until Thursday, Rinkeby had escaped the rioting that has inflamed nearby Husby every night this week. But it has now spread from there to more than a dozen suburbs of the Swedish capital. By Friday, Stockholm police said that they had arrested 29 people this week.

Ethnically, “this is a very divided city”, observes Arne Ruth, a journalist and commentator. “The centre may look cosmopolitan but then people go home to very different neighbourhoods. It is not a planned segregation; it is segregation as a result of being unaware of the consequences of not planning for it.”

As Abdulrakhim, a 56-year-old Husby resident who came from Morocco in 1976, puts it: “I don’t see segregation, just people who want to segregate themselves. There is hatred between the rich Swedish community and the poor black areas.”

Abdul, an immigrant from Tunisia, says the gulf between the two worlds is epitomised by the schools. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ddbcd180-c44c-11e2-bc94-00144feab7de.html#axzz2UGqDpfua

May 24, 2013

Stockholm police called in reinforcements from across Sweden to quell a possible sixth straight night of riots in the country’s capital.

The nightly unrest led Britain’s Foreign Office and the United States embassy on Friday to warn their nationals against travelling to the affected areas.

“We will be getting reinforcements from Gothenburg and Malmoe tonight,” police spokesman Kjell Lindgren said, naming the country’s next two largest cities.  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2013/05/201352417575491274.html

Nearly 30 people have been arrested, and a few officers have received minor injuries, said Kjell Lindgren, a spokesman for Stockholm police.

He said police would more than double their deployment in riot-torn areas to about 350 officers Friday night, including reinforcements from other parts of the country. Lindgren added that the violence appeared to be waning after peaking earlier in the week, when the situation had grown “rather wild.”…

The unrest has raised uncomfortable questions in a once-homogeneous society now dealing with a relatively recent influx of immigrants, many of them from war-ravaged countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise and has become a political force in the far-right Swedish Democrats party.

The proximate cause of the rioting was the May 13 death of a man in his late 60s in the Husby district of Stockholm, a predominantly immigrant community where unemployment runs higher than the national average. Police say the man had threatened people on the street with a machete-like weapon and then continued to pose a danger after going inside an apartment building, where officers shot him. http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-sweden-riots-20130524,0,4247307.story

Sweden also had problems in the past, but this rioting may have a major effect on the nation.

For quite some time, I have been warning that it is highly likely that riots and civil unrest likely involving a combination of Islamic and economic issues would happen (e.g. Alleged Norwegien Terrorist Wants European Civil War).  They will later propel a European leader to rise up. The final leader will be the one known as the Beast (Revelation 13:3-4) and final King of the North (Daniel 11:22-44) of Bible prophecy.

Additionally, about four years ago, I wrote :

The Bible shows that prior to the real age of peace, a warring ecumenical religion  will take over much of the world through force and economic blackmail (Revelation 13:2–17).  And this is warring age will come to an abrupt end when God orchestrates it (Revelation 18:17–20)…

Some believe that God will punish the nominal Catholics with civil unrest and war in Europe. As there already has been civil unrest in Europe (and according to secular sources, more is expected), it is possible that the following (to some degree) also may come to pass:..

Monk Hilarion (15^th century): “The people of the peninsula of Europe will suffer by needless wars…”

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): “All over Europe there will rage terrible civil wars…A Great Monarch will arise after a period of terrible wars and persecutions in Europe.”

Some believe this civil unrest will result in the rise of a militaristic leader who will quell that particular violence, establish a new religious order, and reign with a pope who will perform miracles…

One interesting 15^th century Catholic prophecy foretells a time when a “great prince” will rise up. “All Germany” will apparently convert to the ecumenical religion, and then massive conversions in “all countries” “will happen quickly…

The descriptions of the Great Monarch/Prince in many ways parallel the description of one the Bible refers to as the “prince” in Daniel 9:26–27, final “King of the North” in Daniel 11:27–45…

World events are aligning with prophecy.

As I have been writing for years, there will be ups and downs in Europe until the final European beast power rises up.  And there will be ethnic and religious tension.

The Bible is clear that although there will be problems with the unnatural combination that we now call Europe, that it still will rise up. Notice:

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold — the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure. (Daniel 2:40-45)

Notice that according to what it written in the Book of Daniel, a kingdom will arise that does not adhere well together–yet that it is certain to rise up anyway. Also notice that afterwards, the Kingdom of God will come and that the kingdoms of the world will be destroyed–and that is sure.

The types of protests and riots in Greece, and other parts of Europe, will likely have ups and downs.  The terror in Norway also has shown that unexpected events can occur almost anywhere in Europe. And it is almost certain that because of protests and other forms of civil unrest, that the Europeans will ultimately be more willing to accept the type of militaristic leader that the Bible teaches will lead the final beast empire (Revelation 13:1-4).

And this is despite the fact that to the outside world (as well as to Europeans themselves) the rise of the final Beast power will be partly strong and partly fragile. Many see Europe as fragile, and while they have a point, the Bible indicates that final human kingdom will rise up anyway (though the Kingdom of God will ultimately replace it).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel?   Is Sweden made up of one of those tribes? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.

Pope Francis (Source: presidencia.gov.ar)

COGwriter

The day he was elected, I wrote that Pope Francis was ecumenical, and that the last pope, the one warned about by various biblical and Catholic prophecies would also be ecumenical.  Pope Francis is so ecumenical that he believes that non-believers can “go to heaven”:

May 24, 2013

Pope Francis has sparked a religious debate with comments made earlier this week confirming atheists can indeed go to heaven.

Christian teaching generally holds that belief in Jesus, and not good deeds, grants eternal life.

But the pope, in a morning Mass on Wednesday, suggested that belief and faith weren’t the biggest factors. He said, CNN reported: “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ — all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone. ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist.’ But do good: We will meet one another there.” http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/24/pope-francis-suggests-atheists-good-deeds-gets-the/#ixzz2UFEV7VRj

Official Photograph

COGwriter

US President Obama stated that he is basically ending the ‘war on terror’ and some are questioning that:

24 May 2013

Should President Obama end the war on terror?…

Animating many of the president’s proposals was a stated desire to “discipline our thinking and our actions” and to move America away from a “perpetual wartime footing” that has held sway for nearly 12 years, since Congress passed an Authorization to Use Military Force [AUMF] in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The president pledged to “work with Congress” to “refine and ultimately repeal” the AUMF, warning that a strategy of “perpetual war – through drones or special forces or troop deployments – will prove self-defeating, and alter our country in troubling ways.”

Simply put: While “our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue,” the president said, “This war, like all wars, must end.”  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57586010/should-president-obama-end-the-war-on-terror/

Obama thinks we won the War on Terror and it’s time to move on

President Obama delivered what was billed by the White House as a “major” speech on national security Thursday at the historic National Defense University. In short, Mr. Obama thinks the War on Terror is over, and he won it.  There may be a few final details to mop about, but it’s time to move on to more important things…the president said drone strikes have killed “dozens of skilled Al Qaeda” fighters and taken them off the battlefield…If the drone strikes have been as effective as Mr. Obama claims, why are there more terrorists in more places than before as has Al Qaeda and its affiliates have set up shop in new countries? And if Al Qaeda has spread, why limit the drone strikes? http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/05/23/obama-thinks-won-war-on-terror-and-it-time-to-move-on/#ixzz2UDcjeOGw

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

Terrorism and attempts at it certainly qualify as troubles.  Terrorism is not over.

And an even worse hour of trial is coming later (Revelation 3:10; Jeremiah 30:7).

As Jesus said:

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:36-37)

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013 or 2043? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

COGwriter

In a move that I have warned about, a few hours ago, the organization known as the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) made a change:

GRAPEVINE, Texas — The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to end its controversial policy banning gay kids and teens from joining one of the nation’s most popular youth organizations, ditching membership guidelines that had roiled the group in recent years.

Over 60 percent of The National Council of 1,400 delegates from Scouting across the country voted to lift the ban, BSA officials said. The ban on gay leaders was not voted on, and will remain in place…”The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. A change to the current membership policy for adult leaders was not under consideration; thus, the policy for adults remains in place. The BSA thanks all the national voting members who participated in this process and vote.”  http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/23/18447459-boy-scouts-vote-to-lift-ban-on-gay-youth?lite

Various ones believe that this is really another step that encourages homosexuality:

The new policy goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014.

For Theodore Anderson, an 18-year-old Springfield Scoutmaster, the vote means the end of 12 years in the program. The policy, he said, “goes against what my Bible and religion states are pleasing to the Lord.” Anderson plans to help his church launch a new youth program — but without openly gay members.

“You’re bringing into scouting a whole new aspect that isn’t part of the program,” Anderson said. “Parents would have to explain certain things to youth of certain ages they don’t need to know about or worry about yet. It would slowly take the fun out of it.”

Jay Mechlingauthor of ‘On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth,’ said the organization is bowing to pressure by donors. said the organization knew it was facing losing members either way.

“They are attuned to the demographics and understand that everything we know about young people is that that cohort doesn’t care about sxual orientation,” he said. “If you want to understand these decisions, you have to understand the Boy Scouts is first and primarily a business. It has been all along.”  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/boy-scouts-vote-to-allow-openly-gay-scouts-maintain-ban-on-gay-adult-leaders/2013/05/23/dcb7ee08-c359-11e2-914f-a7aba60512a7_story.html

Back during the presidential election in the USA, this topic did come up and both presidential candidates endorsed the homosexual agenda, at least to a degree, here (see Romney and Obama Agree on Having ‘Gay’ Boy Scouts).  Boy Scouts are supposed to be “morally straight” as that is part of the Boy Scout oath.  Remaining a homosexual is not being morally straight.

While the Bible recognizes that some have homosexual tendencies, it also teaches that those with them must change, and not stay in that condition:

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

The Boy Scouts of America apparently does not agree that homosexuals need to change or “be washed.”   It appears that this new policy is a compromise, and one that will likely lead to more compromises in the future.

There were other societies that have had their own issues of openly advocating sin relationships that their residents seemed to view as acceptable. Notice what happened in a couple of such towns between three thousand and four thousand years ago:

24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. (Genesis 19:24-25)

And why did it happen?

7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7)

Why mention this in the 21st century? Because God turned:

6…the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6,
NKJV)

National repentance is the only real long-term hope for the Anglo-peoples (and it seems to be too late for that).

Keeping the Ten Commandments reflects love. Breaking them and/or condoning those that do is evil. This should be clear to those who believe the God of the Bible. Thus, the BSA should not consider allowing the homosexuals in.

But many in the USA and other Anglo-dominated lands seem inclined to truly listen to those who are strongly advocating wrong changes in the moral direction of the land.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change?
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

Al-Shabaab Flag

COGwriter

The grisly hacking murder in the UK is being portrayed as a warning by Al-Shabaab:

23 May 2013

Woolwich attack: Somalian terrorists warn Britain: ‘Your chickens are coming home to roost’

Britain was warned to expect further terrorist outrages as an Islamist group in Somalia said the chickens were “coming home to roost”.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10077426/Woolwich-attack-Somalian-terrorists-warn-Britain-Your-chickens-are-coming-home-to-roost.html

London (CNN) — British police have arrested two more people as part of the probe of the brutal cleaver attack that killed a soldier.

A man and a woman, both 29, were arrested Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, London’s Metropolitan Police said…And the words of one suspected attacker — holding a meat cleaver and large kitchen knife in his bloody hands — were likewise jarring, and raised questions about Islamic extremism within and outside Britain. “The only reasons we killed this man … is because Muslims are dying daily,” one man said, as his victim lay mutilated in the street behind him, in video aired by CNN affiliate ITN.  http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/world/europe/london-attack/index.html

The Somalia-based militia group al-Shabaab has posted a series of tweets in which sympathy for the Woolwich attackers is expressed and David Cameron’s subsequent comments are criticised.

“What Cameron describes as a “sickening” attack is what innocent Muslim woman and children are subjected to every day by British troops,” the group’s Twitter account wrote.

“It is not a “betrayal” of Islam as he’d put it but rather a “portrayal” of Islam. Don’t expect Muslims to simply turn the other cheek!

“It’s a timely reminder to the repugnant lot at No.10 that Muslims are fully conscious of their heinous atrocities against Islam and Muslims.

“The British army has a woeful record of abuses against unarmed Muslims across the globe.”   http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-05-23/al-shabaab-tweets-about-woolwich-its-inevitable/

The group is an off-shoot of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which splintered into several smaller factions after its defeat in 2006 by the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the TFG’s Ethiopian military allies. Al-Shabaab describes itself as waging jihad against “enemies of Islam”, and is engaged in combat against the TFG and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM)…Al-Shabaab has been designated a terrorist organization by several Western governments and security services…

.

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

Terrorism and attempts at it certainly qualify as troubles.

But an even worse hour of trial is coming later (Revelation 3:10; Jeremiah 30:7).

As Jesus said:

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:36-37)

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013 or 2043? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.

COGwriter

The fallout from the Oklahoma tornadoes has remained in the news and thunderstorms are now affecting Oklahoma:

23 May 2013

MOORE, Okla. (AP) — A band of thunderstorms battered the Oklahoma City area Thursday, slowing cleanup operations in the suburb where a tornado killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes this week…Authorities estimated that as many as 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and 33,000 people were affected — an especially traumatic toll for a city that had already suffered three other tornados since 1998.  http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Thunderstorms-slow-Oklahoma-tornado-cleanup-4541058.php

Hundreds were also injured this week.  This helped persuade me to do additional scriptural research into the subject of tornadoes (cyclones).

While the terms ‘tornado’ and ‘cyclone’ are not in the NKJV, KJV, or the DRB (Douay Rheims Bible), some translations of the Bible (like THE MESSAGE) do use them, and those that do not tend to use the term ‘whirlwind,’ which is basically what a tornado/cyclone is.

The Bible shows that whirlwinds are one of the forms of weather that God controls:

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
And will not at all acquit the wicked.

The Lord has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet. (Nahum 1:3)

God teaches that because of disobedience He will scatter people and use a whirlwind:

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother.’

11 But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. 14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.” (Zechariah 7:8-14)

21 A cyclone sweeps them up — gone!
Not a trace of them left, not even a footprint.
22 Catastrophes relentlessly pursue them;
they run this way and that, but there’s no place to hide —
23 Pummeled by the weather,
blown to kingdom come by the storm.’
(Job 27:21-23, THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.)

12 Woe to the multitude of many people, like the multitude of the roaring sea: and the tumult of crowds, like the noise of many waters.

13 Nations shall make a noise like the noise of waters overflowing, but he shall rebuke him, and he shall flee far off: and he shall be carried away as the dust of the mountains before the wind, and as a whirlwind before a tempest.

14 In the time of the evening, behold there shall be trouble: the morning shall come, and he shall not be: this is the portion of them that have wasted us, and the lot of them that spoiled us. (Isaiah 17:12-14, DRB)

The following is telling of a time when at least some of the descendents of Ephraim (currently dominating lands such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) will face a major destruction from a tornado:

5 Even though Ephraim ran wild,
the black sheep of the family.

“God’s tornado is on its way,
roaring out of the desert.
It will devastate the country,
leaving a trail of ruin and wreckage.
The cities will be gutted,
dear possessions gone for good.
16 Now Samaria has to face the charges
because she has rebelled against her God:
Her people will be killed, babies smashed on the rocks,
pregnant women ripped open.
(Hosea 13:15-16, THE MESSAGE)

In the above, notice that Samaria is also affected. This seems to be a reference to the ‘melting pot’ of the USA (Samaria was a melting pot mixture of Babylonians and Israelites).

The following also seems to be directed towards the end time descendents of Israel (Israel, also known as Jacob, places his name on the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48:14-16):

16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And glory in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:16)

6 For from Israel is even this:
A workman made it, and it is not God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

7 “They sow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
Aliens would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey alone by itself;
Ephraim has hired lovers. (Hosea 8:6-9)

The passage in Hosea 8 is clearly referring to the descendents of Israel, including Ephraim and Samaria. Notice that they are among the Gentiles and some go to Assyria (end time Germany). There are enough references to whirlwinds and the end time descendents of Israel that it seems like one or more major tornadoes are prophesied to affect them. For more details, see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?

The following, presuming it is intended literally, indicates that there will be a very major tornado in the time of the end:

9 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury —
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. (Jeremiah 23:19-20)

23 Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord
Goes forth with fury,
A continuing whirlwind;
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it,
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.

In the latter days you will consider it. (Jeremiah 30:23-24)

The fact that this is predicted at least twice in Jeremiah suggests that this will whirlwind will be a major event.

Notice, also the following:

13 God’s Message:

“Because of the three great sins of Ammon
— make that four — I’m not putting up with her any longer.
She ripped open pregnant women in Gilead
to get more land for herself.
14 For that, I’m burning down the walls of her capital, Rabbah,
burning up her forts.
Battle shouts! War whoops!
with a tornado to finish things off!
(Amos 1:13-14, THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

6 And it shall be at an instant suddenly. A visitation shall come from the Lord of hosts in thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great noise of whirlwind and tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:6, DRB)

30 And the Lord shall make the glory of his voice to be heard, and shall shew the terror of his arm, in the threatening of wrath, and the dame of devouring fire: he shall crush to pieces with whirlwind, and hailstones.

31 For at the voice of the Lord the Assyrian shall fear being struck with the rod. (Isaiah 30:30-31, DRB)

23 He brings the princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.

24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. (Isaiah 40:23-24)

Thus, though some of these passages may also have a figurative sense, major tornadoes are forecasted in biblical prophecy.

Now, does this mean that those most affected by tornadoes are necessarily worse sinners than those less affected?

The biblical answer is no.

Notice the words of Jesus:

45…He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4-5)

God uses weather and other events to try to get people’s attention.

God does not want people to suffer, but to turn to Him:

10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?”‘ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11)

God wants people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). He uses weather for correction and for His mercy (Job 37:13).

Will you heed the weather warnings?

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done?  Here is a new YouTube video titled Does God Use Weather?
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Do Christians Sin? This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is also a link to a video titled How to Overcome Sin.
How to Prevent Sin This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Just What Do You Mean Conversion? Many think that they are converted Christians. But are they? Would you like to know more about conversion. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
False Conversion Have you really been converted? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this article on this important subject.
All About Water Baptism What is baptism? Would you like to know more about it. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. As far as early history, see also Baptism and the Early Church.
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach?

COGwriter

Thailand has put together a draft bill on recognizing homosexual marriage:

May 22, 2013

BANGKOK, THAILAND — As the debate on same-sex marriage continues in Western nations, including the United States, Thailand could become the first country in Asia to legalize gay marriage.  Thailand is known for its liberal acceptance of sexuality, but the draft same-sex marriage law is not without controversy…Thailand has never outlawed homosexuality and many people say the Buddhist culture promotes more acceptance of sexual differences.

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But, a survey conducted last year indicates 58 percent of the Thai public still holds traditional beliefs that same-sex marriage is not natural and sets a bad example for children.

Wirat Kalayasiri is a member of the Thai parliament and deputy director of the committee drafting the same-sex law.

He says the average age of lawmakers, older than 45, has made the promotion of the law more difficult.

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“There are groups that do not agree, elderly people who do not understand the feelings of those people.  A second group are those with strict religious beliefs such as Roman Catholic or Islam which are quite strict on this issue,” he said.  http://www.voanews.com/content/thailand-same-sex-marriage-controversy/1666220.html

The trend in many parts of the world has been to legalize homosexual marriage.

This negative trend seems consistent with the following biblical prophecies:

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

The fact is that he world is moving towards a time of great tribulation and destruction. The trend towards the greater acceptance of homosexuality is accelerating the pace to cause the end to come.

Homosexuality, itself, is something that the God of the Bible does not approves of:

7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7)

6…the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6)

God had the example of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah recorded in the Bible so that people would realize that promoting homosexuality is not appropriate and is dangerous.  Of course, Thailand has never been known to put much faith in the Bible, even though many its people realize that homosexuality is not natural and does not set a proper example.

Yet, the trend in the world is not good.  The Great Tribulation is coming and the trend towards more acceptance of homosexuality is likely to accelerate its arrival.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change?
God Created Marriage Some falsely claim that God did not create marriage and that fornication is fine. What does the Bible really teach?
Why Marriage? Soon Obsolete? This is a booklet from Herbert Armstrong on this important topic.
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2013, 2014, or 2015? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? See also the video Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013?