There is more violence in the USA as a 28 year old female who wanted to be identified as he/him shot and killed people at a Protestant school in Tennessee:
Nashville school shooting was apparently a targeted attack, police say
March 28, 2023
A shooter opened fire at a private Christian grade school in Nashville Monday, killing three children and three adults, officials said. The shooter was fatally shot by police at The Covenant School in the city’s affluent Green Hills neighborhood, authorities said.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the preliminary investigation indicated the shooting was targeted.
“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”
The probe suggested that the shooter was a student at the school, though Drake didn’t know when.
He told NBS News detectives believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.” …
Female mass-shooter at Nashville Christian school reportedly identified as ‘he/him’
6 people dead, including three 9-year-old children
Audrey Hale, the 28-year-old biological female who allegedly shot three children and three adults to death Monday at a Nashville Christian elementary school where she was was once a student, reportedly identified as “he/him” on social media, according to online citizen journalists.
Nashville police later revealed that Hale, who was gunned down by police, identified as “transgender.” …
Fox News reported, “The shooter was identified as Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a Nashville resident, who identified as transgender. Investigators were investigating a home connected to her. Nashville police Chief John Drake said Hale possibly prepared for the shooting.” Hale was shot dead by police.
The problem is moral decline and lack of proper fear of God.
This has impacted pretty much all of American society.
The Bible shows that God is against violence and that destruction will come because of it:
23 ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be defiled. (Ezekiel 7:23-24)
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…30…violent, proud, boasters,…31…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 1:28-32)
8 … And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. ( Habakkuk 2:8)
Consider also the following prophecy for the last days:
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, (2 Timothy 3:1-4).
We are in “the last days.” We are in what Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:4-8 as the “beginning of sorrows.”
The USA is decaying from within as it more and more moves away from biblical values. As far as some national and other values go, a reader sent me a link to the Wall Street Journal with the following:
America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds
Patriotism, religion and hard work hold less importance
March 27, 2023
Patriotism, religious faith, having children and other priorities that helped define the national character for generations are receding in importance to Americans, a new Wall Street Journal-NORC poll finds.
The survey, conducted with NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research organization, also finds the country sharply divided by political party over social trends such as the push for racial diversity in businesses and the use of gender-neutral pronouns.
Some 38% of respondents said patriotism was very important to them, and 39% said religion was very important. That was down sharply from when the Journal first asked the question in 1998, when 70% deemed patriotism to be very important, and 62% said so of religion. …
Three quarters of Republicans said society had gone too far in accepting people who are transgender, while 56% of Democrats said society hadn’t gone far enough. …
Half of people in the survey said they didn’t like the practice of being asked to use gender-neutral pronouns, such as “they’’ or “them,’’ when addressing another person, compared with 18% who viewed it favorably. Some 30% of respondents under age 35 viewed the practice favorably, compared with 9% of seniors.
America’s ruling elites drool over Marxist ideologies, our border is purposely left wide open so millions of illegals can invade our country, our elections are rigged, and our government promotes maniacally deranged policies on every front while busily turning citizens against each other. They prosecute conservative Christians as criminals and terrorists, while excusing and encouraging actual crime and terrorism. They sexualize, corrupt and brainwash our precious children with toxic ideologies and groom them into undergoing double mastectomies and castration in a desperate and impossible effort to “change genders.” …
Well much of the above can be explained by the fact “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge” (Romans 1:28).
The same reader who sent the Wall Street Journal link, also sent me a link to the following written by Michael Snyder:
Every Christian in America Is a Target Now
March 28, 2023
This is what happens when you systematically suck all of the values out of a society. There is utter lawlessness in the streets, and violence can literally erupt anywhere. On Monday, a mass shooter ruthlessly gunned down six Christians at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee.
The shooter once attended the school, but after leaving the school the shooter developed a deep hatred for the Christian values promoted there. Unfortunately, this incident is a microcosm of what is going on in our society as a whole. Countless voices are stirring up great hatred for the Christian faith, and all of that hate was inevitably going to result in great violence.
When I was growing up, I never imagined that someone would come in to a Christian gathering and start shooting. But now every Christian in America is a potential target.
If you are a Christian, you will need to be on guard whenever you attend any type of a Christian event from this point forward. I wish that this wasn’t true, but ignoring the reality of the world that we live in now could get you killed. …
Nashville police chief confirms Audrey Hale identifies as transgender, suggests her trans identify motivated the killings …
The corporate media is always trying to convince us that political violence from the right is such a threat, but the numbers tell us that political violence is far, far more likely to come from the left. …
As far as persecution of real Christians, that will soon get worse according to scriptures (e.g. Daniel 11:30-36; see also Persecutions by Church and State).
A worse time of ‘tribulation‘ is coming (Matthew 24;21-22) and is getting closer.
But, ultimately, there will be good news. Jesus will return and the millennialKingdom of God will be established, and violent crime will be stopped.
The families of those affected by this shooting are in my prayers.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Zenit, a pro-Vatican website, posted the following (bolding in source):
Pope Francis Highlights Europe’s Challenge: Unity in Diversity
On Thursday, March 23, 2023, Pope Francis received in audience — in the Consistory Hall –, the participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Union (COMECE). The day before, COMECE elected Italian Monsignor Mariano Crociata as its new President.
Following is the Holy Father’s address in English, translated from the Italian original …
I would like to dwell briefly with you today on two focal points, which correspond to the two great “dreams” of Europe’s Founding Fathers: the dream of unity and the dream of peace.
Unity.On this first point, it is crucial to make it clear that European unity cannot be a uniform, homogenising unity, but on the contrary, it must be a unity that respects and values the singularities, the particularities of the peoples and cultures that comprise it. Think of the Founding Fathers. They belonged to different countries and different cultures: De Gaspari and Spinelli, Italian; Monnet and Schuman, French; Adenauer, German; Spaak, Belgian; Beck, Luxembourger, to name the main ones. The wealth of Europe resides in the convergence of various sources of thought and historical experience. …
Europe has a future if it is truly a Union and not a reduction of the countries with their respective characteristics. The challenge is precisely this: unity in diversity. …
We wonder: what is the role of Christian inspiration in this challenge? There is no doubt that in the original phase it played a fundamental part, because it was in the hearts and minds of the men and women who initiated the undertaking. Today a lot has changed, certainly, but it is still true that it is the men and women who make the difference. Therefore, the first task of the Church in this field is that of forming people who read the signs of the times, who know how to interpret the project of Europe in today’s history.
And here we come to the second focal point: peace. History today needs men and women inspired by the dream of a Europe united in the service of peace. …
It also takes prophecy, it takes foresight, it takes creativity to advance the cause of peace. Both architects and craftsmen are needed in this building site; but I would say that the true builder of peace must be both architect and craftsman: the true builder of peace is thus. I also wish this for each of you, well aware that each one of you has his or her own personal charisms that contribute with those of the others to the common task. https://zenit.org/2023/03/23/pope-francis-highlights-europes-challenge-unity-in-diversity/
As far as diversity within unity goes, religiously that was the Babylonian system that the ancient Roman Empire adopted. All religions were basically tolerated as long as they would accept the Roman emperor as supreme.
Regarding creativity, I believe that Pope Francis is referring to humans acting apart from the word of God. Ancient Rome did that too.
As far as biblical prophecies go, a compromised power in Europe that does not stick well together is what the Bible foretells:
1 … “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:1-5)
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. (Daniel 2:41-43)
As far as history goes, Pope Francis seems, to a degree, to be pointing to the old so-called Holy Roman Empire which arose around 800 A.D.–centuries after the fall of the western Roman empire. While that empire also died, the Bible tells of a power in Europe that looks dead, but will rise up;
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. (Revelation 13:1-4)
The sea referred to above is the Mediterranean Sea (cf. Daniel 7:2-8; Numbers 34:6-7; Joshua 1:4; 9:1; 23:4; Ezekiel 47:13-16), hence that Beast rising from the sea is European.
Desmond A. Birch, a Roman Catholic writer, has made the following observations about his church’s view of prophecy and a new ‘Holy Roman Empire’:
Several private prophecies of canonized Saints specifically state that there will be a latter restoration of the Holy Roman Empire and that there will be at least one last Holy Roman Emperor. The authenticity of the authorship of such prophecies of canonized Saints (e.g., St. Hildegard, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Francis of Paula, and St. John Vianney) at least over the last eight hundred years is scholastically unquestionable.
We are left with the options that:
(1) the prophecies are genuine,
(2) all of the Fathers and Saints, throughout the centuries who attested to some form of this tradition were deluded or mistaken in exactly the same way, or
(3) that they were all liars and part of a massive Catholic conspiracy which has spanned seventeen centuries, within which they are managed to tell exactly the same lies. (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996,, p.281)
I would tend to suggest that there are other options to consider. I believe that various Greco-Roman Catholic “prophets” have sometimes been deluded by demons and some have made statements from “the desires of their heart” (cf. Romans 1:2 Rheims NT) or “their imaginations” (KJV). It seems that certain of these prophecies are part of a Satanic conspiracy, sometimes with “Catholic” complicity, that has spanned more than seventeen centuries.
I would like to also emphasize the fact that not all the “prophecies” are written exactly the same way, which is consistent with demonic influence–as some “private prophecies” are in blatant contradiction to others. Furthermore, related to the final “Holy Roman Emperor”, there are many Greco-Roman Catholic and biblical prophecies that warn that the one who will raise up an ecumenical, changed church (apparently calling itself “Catholic”) and that this is NOT a good thing. It seems that some “Catholic” writers have unintentionally advocated the rise of one that sounds the same as the Beast of Revelation 13 (see also The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies).
Notice something from the old Worldwide Church of God:
Throughout the Middle Ages, leaders considered the Church at Rome to be God’s chosen instrument in spiritual matters. The Holy Roman Empire was regarded as God’s chosen political organization over Western Christendom. Pope and Emperor were regarded as God’s vice-regents on earth. This intimate alliance of Church and State served the needs of both institutions. The Empire exercised its political and military powers to defend religion and enforce internal submission through religious uniformity. The Church, in turn, acted as a glue for Europe, holding together the differing nationalities by the tie of common religion.
This ideal in Church-State relations was never completely realized, as we have seen in the frequent conflicts between Emperors and Popes … numerous revivals of the Roman Empire have arisen in Europe in the centuries since the fall of ancient Rome.
In Revelation 17, these revivals are represented by the seven heads of a wild animal. Six have already occurred, from Justinian to Mussolini. One last restoration of this great political system is yet to arise. This confederated Europe will be an immense political, military and economic power — a great Third Force in world affairs, a superpower in its own right. Prophecy further reveals that this powerful church-state union will be composed of “ten horns” — meaning 10 nations or groups of nations (Rev. l7:3) — under the overall leadership of a single political figure (verse 13). Europe will again have a single political head of state!
Moreover, prophecy foretells that a religious figure of unprecedented power and authority will sit astride the “empire,” directing it as a rider guides a horse (Rev. 17:3). To counter the ongoing spread of atheism, secularism and consumerism, the Vatican — as in centuries past — will be forced to become a major power in the international arena. The political muscle of the Papacy will be reinvigorated. (Stump K. The History of Europe and the Church. Ambassador College Publications, 1984)
As far as popes go, Pope Francis does have a plan for a Roman Empire and it includes Europe.
Pope Francis was given the 2016 ‘Charlemagne Prize’ (Pope Francis wins the ‘Charlemagne Prize’)–a prize given to the one who is recognized for promoting the most European unity.
The idea of a revived ‘Holy Roman Empire’ is not just some ‘pipe dream.’
When Europe was still recovering from being devastated in World War II, after attending a conference related to the start of the UN, in the December 1948 issue of The Plain TruthHerbert W. Armstrong predicted a coming “United States of Europe” when he wrote:
It was the SERMON that shot forth that spark, impregnating the minds of world leaders in attendance. This amazing sermon was delivered by a foremost radio speaker of the Catholic Church, Bishop Duane G. Hunt of Salt Lake City … Without the guidance, supervision, authority of the Catholic Church, he told these men, they were laboring in vain …
This was the Roman Catholic bid to resurrect the so-called “HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE” ! And PROPHECY says they will succeed! … At the psychological time, the pope will step in … Thru this political movement, he will UNIFY … nations in Europe. It will be a “The UNITED STATES OF EUROPE,” but that probably will never become its official name. (Armstrong HW. Now It Can Be Told…The Plain Truth, December 1948, pp. 2,5).
Notice that the Roman Catholic church expected to be involved and that Herbert W. Armstrong agreed with that.
In the 17th chapter of Revelation we find a beast, and a woman — a great, wealthy woman called “a whore” — who was riding the beast.
The Bible describes the symbol “woman” to mean a CHURCH. See II Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7; Eph. 5:23-27. On the other hand, “beast” is a symbol of a KINGDOM, or EMPIRE. The woman of the 17th chapter is described beyond possibility of doubt as the church which did reign over the kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire. …
Prior to 554, Justinian had written a letter to the pope, acknowledging his supremacy in the West. And when he restored the empire in the West in 554, the popes dominated the Western Empire from Rome. The Roman Empire, thus restored to continue until 1814 (1260 years), became known later as “The HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE.” We read in history that the popes were accepted as the “Vicars of Christ,” which means “IN PLACE OF Christ.” The teaching was that the Second Coming of Christ had occurred — Christ had returned to earth, as KING of kings and as LORD of lords, in the person of the popes. The millennium had begun.
For the entire 1260 years, the emperors accepted the popes as such, ruling the nations with a “rod of iron” as Christ is to do WHEN He really comes. Consequently they acknowledged the supreme religious power of the popes. The Church was organized as a GOVERNMENT — as a dual, two-fold government (symbolized by its TWO horns or kingdoms — for “horns” symbolize kingdoms also — see Dan. 7:24). It embodied CHURCH government, and it also was a STATE, or civil government, always occupying a certain amount of territory over which it, alone, ruled as an independent sovereign state — in addition to actually ruling over the vast civil kingdom called the Holy Roman Empire. Even today, it is a separate, independent, sovereign STATE. …
ALL who understand Bible prophecy that this 17th chapter of Revelation pictures the Roman Catholic Church ruling over the so-called Holy Roman Empire. …
Notice {Revelation 13} verse 14: “And DECEIVETH them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.” Verse 13 says “he doeth great wonders.”
All Nations Deceived
So notice these three points:
(1) This beast performs miracles.
(2) He performed them “in the sight of” the Holy Roman Empire, or the first beast.
(3) With them he DECEIVED all nations. (Armstrong HW. Who is the Beast? Radio Church of God, 1960)
The Bible points to a religion with deceptive signs being a factor in the coming European Babylonian beast power.
Now, Pope Francis mentioned peace a few times.
The Bible warns that the Beast leader will arise promising peace:
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).
23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)
So this leader gives people the impression that there will be “peace” and is involved in some type of deal. This is the same leader that confirms the covenant in Daniel 9:27 (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 ). The term is translated as “peace” in Daniel 8:25 is from the Hebrew term shalvah and essentially means security. In other words, this leader will destroy “many” who are under the impression that they are secure because of some type of security, unity, and/or trade arrangement.
Anyway, scripture suggests that the type of peace and Babylonian European unity Pope Francis and those like him are pushing will be accomplished by one who will feign being peaceful.
Will the European Union last as it is or will it reorganize into something like a revived ‘Holy Roman Empire’?
Well, the Bible clearly shows that Europe will reorganize under a ruler called the King of the North in Daniel 11:31-40 who is also is called the Beast in Revelation 17:12-13:
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)
It will take various crises for the singular states in Europe to decide that there is no choice but to reorganize. And that will end up being a type of forced totalitarian and Babylonian unity by the beast.
Scripture teaches that the European Beast is to rise up and begin persecution (cf. Daniel 11:28-35) after the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:1-8) begin their rides (cf. Revelation 6:9-11).
Despite complaints, problems, and disunity in Europe, Europe will fulfill its biblically-prophesied role (cf. Daniel 2:41-43). A leader promising peace and prosperity will rise up. The Bible shows that this will include the involvement of a claimed “virgin” (Isaiah 47) that really is a harlot (Revelation 17 & 18) is expected. And that will not bode well for the UK, USA, or their Anglo-allies (Daniel 11:39), nor ultimately the Europeans.
Steps towards a disunited European unity are actually being taken.
But there is good news!
Jesus will, 3 1/2 years after the Great Tribulation starts, return and establish the millennial Kingdom of God. The Beast and his supporters will have to face Jesus:
14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14)
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:15-18)
Biblical prophecies, including those related to Europe and the Kingdom of God, will come to pass.
Update 03/26/23: We just put together and uploaded the following related video:
On March 23, 2023, Pope Francis spoke before COMECE, which is the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Union. He stated that European unity cannot be uniform, but that it needed to be a unity recognizing the singularities of the peoples and cultures in Europe. He said the two dreams of Europe’s founding fathers were for unity and peace. He wanted his church to help inspire this, but also repeatedly pointed to history. Europe’s history involved the ancient Roman Empire and what has been called the ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ Have Greco-Roman Catholics pushed the idea of a future ‘Holy Roman Empire’ over the centuries? Even though that empire died, could that be consistent with passages in Revelation 13? Does the Bible warn about a coming Babylonian singularity, being led by one who will promise peace? Is some type on a Babylonian church-state alliance prophesied in the Bible? Is Europe to reorganize after the four horsemen of the Apocalypse begin their rides? Will this turn out well for the USA, UK, or Europe? Is there any good news? What about the return of Jesus? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.
We are currently in the middle of a Greco-Roman adopted time called Lent.
Because of this period, a rodent was once declared to be a fish by a Roman Catholic pontiff–who is supposed to be infallible when making such pronouncement. Here is something about a “Lenten Dish”:
Giant Rodents A Lenten Dish
About 400 years ago, Spanish missionaries discovered that some indigenous communities in Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil relied for much of their protein on the meat of the capybara, an animal that no European had seen before. The missionaries reported back to Rome that they had encountered an animal that was hairy and scaly and spent more of its time in the water than on land. They asked whether their new converts could continue to eat capybara at Lent, a time when Catholics traditionally avoid meat.
With no clear idea of what the capybara was or looked like and concerned a ban would lead to indigenous communities starving during Lent, the Vatican immediately ruled that the semi-aquatic mammal was in fact a fish. The tradition continues to this day, and eating capybara remains part of the Lenten tradition for many families, despite the fact that the giant rodent tastes like a cross between fish and lamb. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-03-18/news/0303170443_1_rodents-lenten-capybara
“In 1784 and after several attempts at obtaining a Vatican license, a Papal Bull (decree) allowed the consumption of capybara flesh during Lent…” – Capybara: Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species, by José Roberto Moreira, Katia Maria P.M.B., Springer Aug 15, 2012, page 307
So, without seeing the rodent, the Vatican declared it a fish–so much for making an infallible decision. Perhaps it would have come to a different decision if it saw the capybara as it has fur and toes.
I pointed this out to my family in the past, when we actually saw cabybaras in a zoo. They were shocked that anyone could think these rodents were fish.
Despite now knowing that cabybaras are not fish, the Vatican has apparently not rescinded allowing the capybara from being eaten during its Lenten period. Here is some additional information about that rodent being a Lenten dish:
In Days Before Easter, Venezuelans Tuck Into Rodent-Related Delicacy
Though it’s hard to imagine eating a boiled, oversize rat, salted capybara is considered a delicacy in Venezuela, where thousands this week are enjoying the meat of the rodent during Holy Week. Centuries ago, the Vatican ruled that these furry cousins of rats and mice native to South America’s plains qualify as fish – paving the way for capybara feasts during Lent, when red meat is prohibited.
Of course, Lent is not a biblically-enjoined period, so having unusual declarations about it should not be unexpected.
Actually, according to the Bible, rodents, like the capybara are not to be eaten at all (cf. Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14). Early Christians also did not eat biblically-unclean animals (see The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats). However, in Alexandria, Egypt and elsewhere, compromisers began to conclude that the biblical injunctions against unclean animals was no longer meant to be literally understood. But many did not go along with this in Europe or Asia Minor.
So, how did consumption of unclean meat become common?
Well, in addition to the writings and positions of some compromisers, the answer might lie in a Catholic document titled Liber Pontificalis.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, the position on unclean meat consumption was changed by Bishop Eleutherius in the late second century:
He also decreed that no kind of food in common use should be rejected especially by the Christian faithful, inasmuch as God created it; provided it was a rational food and fit for human kind (Book of the Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) 2nd edition. Translation by Raymond Davis. Liverpool University Press – Translated Texts for Historians, Liverpool, 2001, p.17).
The Catholic Encyclopedia states:
The “Liber Pontificalis” ascribes to Pope Eleutherius a decree that no kind of food should be despised by Christians (Et hoc iterum firmavit ut nulla esca a Christians repudiaretur, maxime fidelibus, quod Deus creavit, quæ tamen rationalis et humana est).
It should be noted that Roman bishops were not called Popes that early (that did not happen until the late fourth century). Anyway, according to Lopes book The Popes, Eleutherius was bishop of Rome from 175-189 AD. This book (which I purchased at the Vatican itself) states this about Eleutherius:
He dispensed with the obligations of Christians to follow dietary laws of Judaic origin (page 5).
The above book should have said the obligations of biblical origin as the dietary restrictions began with God and not Jews (the distinction between clean and unclean animals was known by at least Noah’s time, since God so declared in Genesis 7:2-3). Perhaps it needs to be stated that no one called of God in the Old Testament or New Testament is ever shown to have consumed unclean meat.
Notice that the Church of Rome claims that it was because of its Bishop in the late second century that Christians were allowed to eat biblically-unclean animals. The Protestant world, who now states other reasons, has gone along with the Roman declaration.
Yet, faithful Christians, such as those in the Continuing Church of God have continued to avoid the consumption of unclean animals as the Bible teaches (which is also consistent with the faithful Christians throughout recorded history). ‘Nazarene’ Christians faced the death penalty from followers of Emperor Constantine’s Greco-Roman faith in the fourth century when they refused to eat pork.
So, when is a rodent a fish? When compromise occurs.
Why do people keep Lent?
Because they, too, have accepted compromises that have affected those in the Greco-Roman faiths throughout history. Lent, itself, was the result of compromise.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
This week, someone sent me a link to a YouTube video which is falsely claimed to be based on a visitation from Jesus last month. The video starts off by saying when someone named Anna Marie was in eucharistic devotion in February 2023, she received a visit from Jesus.
The narrating woman then basically recited the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers.
The woman then reports that Jesus was giving an important message to prepare for three days of darkness. She said that people needed to have a green scapular as well as holy beeswax candles to use during those coming days of darkness. She said that during that time you were not allowed to let anyone else in your house, not even your children, even if they sound like your children, because what you would be allowing in would be evil. She then basically said all should prepare and be grateful for this “beatific message.”
As it turns out, an employee of mine told me that she has a neighbor who has been into planning for probably at least a year. He has his scapular and beeswax candles as he awaits the three days of darkness.
In the Bible, the ninth plague on Egypt involved three days of darkness:
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. (Exodus 10:21-23)
Notice that during those days, the Egyptians were the people of darkness and the Israelites were the children of light.
Christians are to be children of the light and not the darkness:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:8-14)
Christians get their light from the Spirit via Jesus.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7)
Christians are to be a new lump, unleavened (1 Corinthians 5:7) and walk in the light and practice truth. The Egyptians did not practice the truth and many who claim to be Christian these days do not practice the truth either (cf. 1 John 2:4-5).
But the plague in Exodus was long ago.
Does the Bible point to darkness coming again?
Yes, the Bible shows that more physical blackness is prophesied to hit the sun and sky:
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. (Revelation 6:12)
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. (Revelation 8:12)
Many will be deceived by the coming darkness.
Why?
Well in addition to the fact that Revelation 6 & 8 do not teach people will repent because of this, as it turns out there are various Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies of a coming time of darkness and other signs in the sky.
It may well be that many will believe them and not be too concerned about the darkness that God is going to bring to the earth. It could also be that there will be a three day time of darkness that happens prior to the darkness mentioned in Revelation 6 & 8, but some of the Catholic prophecies related to this may partially be fulfilled as the events of Revelation unfold.
Notice the following:
Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi (died 1837): There shall come all over the earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing will be visible and the air will be laden with pestilence… During these three days the people should pray the Rosary and beg God for mercy. … All the enemies of the Church, secret as well as known, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of some few, whom God will soon convert. The air shall be infected with demons, who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms. … Russia, England, and China will come into the Church. (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 26)
Anna-Maria Taigi was an “incorruptible” and is perhaps the one best known for the three days of darkness prophecy.
So, it was an unusual coincidence that the YouTube person had a similar name.
There were other Roman Catholics who predicted three days of darkness:
Sister Rose Asdenti (1847). She foretold the three days of darkness and that England would return to the unity of faith. (Connor, p. 27)
Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th Century)…”After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp. 362-363).
Palma Maria d’Oria (died 1863): There shall by be a three days darkness, during which the atmosphere will be infected by innumerable devils… Blessed candles alone shall be able to give light and preserve the faithful Catholics from this impending dreadful scourge. Supernatural prodigies shall appear in the heavens. (Connor, p. 27)
Before the great tribulation, there is going to be a sign. We will see in the sky one great red cross on a day of blue sky without clouds. The color red signifies the blood of Jesus Who redeemed us and the blood of the martyrs selected by God in the days of darkness. This cross will be seen by everyone: Christians, pagans, atheists, etc., as well as all the prepared ones (understand for prepared ones not only the Christians, because there are people who have never heard the Gospel, but also for those who have the voice of God in the sanctuary of their consciences) who will be guided by God in the way of Christ. They will receive grace to interpret the significance of the cross (Flynn Ted and Maureen. The Thunder of Justice. MaxKol Communications, Inc. Sterling (VA), 1993, p.349).
There are many other private prophecies concerning the remote and proximate signs which will precede the General Judgment and concerning Antichrist, such as those attributed to St. Hildegarde, St. Bridget of Sweden, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (the “three days’ darkness”), the Curé d’Ars, and many others. These do not enlighten us any more than do the Scriptural prophecies as to the day and the hour of that judgment, which still remains a Divine secret. (Devine, Arthur. Transcribed by Marie Jutras. Prophecy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XII. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified of Pau (died 1878): All states will be shaken by war and civil conflict. During a darkness lasting three days, the people given to evil ways will perish so that only one fourth of mankind will survive. The clergy too will be greatly reduced in number, as most of them will die in defense of the Faith or their country. (Connor, p. 27)
Marie Julie Jahenny of La Fraudais (1891): There will come three days of continued darkness. The blessed candle of wax alone will give light during the horrid darkness. … Red clouds like blood will pass in the sky, the crash of thunder will make the earth tremble; lightening will flash through the streets at an unusual time of the year; the earth will tremble to its foundations; the oceans will cast its foaming waves over the land… All vegetation will be destroyed as well as three-fourths of the human race. (Connor, p. 28)
Many non-biblical prophesies teach doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1) and are part of Satan’s Plan of signs and lying wonders.
Some of the above would not seem to be related to the biblical darkness prophecy, but some others may.
The Bible warns:
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
The Book of Revelation shows that most of humanity will die and that there will be lightning and troubles (Revelation 11:19; 16:18). It may be that the Catholic prophecies will be pointed to in order to keep people away from listening to God or His witnesses.
The Book of Revelation shows that massive death will happen to people who are not protected by Jesus. Notice:
8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8)
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed–by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. (Revelation 9:17-18)
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:14-20)
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21)
So, the death prophesied looks even greater than what originally hit the Egyptians.
In Exodus 12, we see some more about the Old Testament Passover:
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.
So, they put the blood of the lamb on their doors, otherwise they were not going to be protected.
Christians are protected from Satan “by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11).
The Bible does not teach that Christians need green scapulars or beeswax candles for protection.
Roman scholars admit they got their candle practices from paganism:
We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and in the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendour of religious ceremonial. …
Eusebius (Vita Constant., IV, xxii) speaks of the “pillars of wax” with which Constantine transformed night into day, and Prudentius and other authors have left eloquent descriptions of the brilliance within the churches. Neither was the use of candles in the basilicas confined to those hours at which artificial light was necessary. Not to speak of the decree of the Spanish council at Elvira (c. 300), which seems to condemn as an abuse some superstitious burning of candles during the daytime in cemeteries, we know that the heretic Vigilantius towards the close of the same century made it a reproach against the orthodox that while the sun was still shining they lighted great piles of candles (moles cereorum accendi faciunt), and St. Jerome in answer declared that the candles were lighted when the Gospel was read, not indeed to put darkness to flight, but as a sign of joy. …
Candles were, and are, commonly used to burn before shrines towards which the faithful wish to show special devotion. The candle burning its life out before a statue is no doubt felt in some ill-defined way to be symbolical of prayer and sacrifice. A curious medieval practice was that of offering at any favoured shrine a candle or a number of candles equalling in measurement the height of the persons for whom some favour was asked. This was called “measuring to” such or such a saint. The practice can be traced back to the time of St. Radegund (d. 587) and later right through the Middle Ages. It was especially common in England and the North of France in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. (Thurston H.Candles.The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 3.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1908)
Well, that “very early period” they were adopted appears to have been after the sun-worshipping Emperor Constantine became involved with the Greco-Roman churches. Notice also the following:
For mystical reasons the Church prescribes that the candles used at Mass and at other liturgical functions be made of beeswax (luminaria cerea. — Missale Rom., De Defectibus, X, I; Cong. Sac. Rites, 4 September, 1875). (Schulte AJ.Altar Candles.The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 1.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1907.)
Well, mystically, it is reported that bees had a tie to ancient Nimrod of Babylon, who was considered an sun god and enlightener (Two Babylons, Chapter V, Section V), hence that would seem to be the mystical explanation.
Now, here is something about a green scapular:
The Green Scapular (also called The Badge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) is a Roman Catholic devotional article approved by Pope Pius IX in 1870. It is called a scapular due to its appearance, but is not descended from the scapulars that form part of the habit worn by religious orders. It can be more accurately described as a “cloth medal”. It is unique among Catholic scapulars, as it the only scapular which has only one badge of cloth, while all others have at least two.
The development of the green scapular is based on visions reportedly experienced in 1840 by Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, a member of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. (Green Scapular. Wikipedia, accessed 03/20/23)
The devotion to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary” is not an original Christian practice.
While a cardinal, the late Pope Benedict XVI, claimed that the only scripturally-appropriate devotion of the immaculate heart, essentially is to imitate Mary as she imitated Christ (Ratzinger J, Cardinal. Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Message of Fatima: Theological Commentary. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html viewed 04/12/2011). Not to wear scapulars, etc.
Benedict did not teach the unscriptural notion that Lucia of Fatima did that “Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the means of salvation God has bestowed to help the Church and the world through these difficult times” (Bertone T Cardinal, with De Carli, Guiseppe. The Last Secret of Fatima. Doubleday, 2008, p. 56)–which seems to be what some of the three days of darkness people are pushing.
Roman Catholics and others should immediately realize that according to the Holy Bible it is only through Jesus that and no other (including Mary) any can be saved:
10 Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12 DRB)
There is no “salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12). Offering an alternative is a false gospel (cf. Galatians 1:8). According to the Bible, those that who offer a false gospel should be “accursed” (Galatians 1:9, NKJV) or “anathema” (DRB).
“Traditional” Catholics would also do well to consider that the type of veneration of Mary that many Roman Catholics now participate in is not only NOT found in the Holy Bible, it is also NOT found in the earliest traditions of the church. This is well known to Roman Catholic scholars, and here is some of what The Catholic Encyclopedia admits:
Devotion to Our Blessed Lady…is not contained, at least explicitly in the earlier forms of the Apostles’ Creed…we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christian centuries (Herbert Thurston. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
The reason that there are no clear traces of the “cultus” associated with Mary is because it was not an apostolic tradition nor from the Bible. Notice what Saint Jude urged Christians:
3…I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. (Jude 3, DRB)
We are not to call on, or turn to, Mary, but on the Lord God Jesus:
22 But flee thou youthful desires, and pursue justice, faith, charity, and peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22, DRB)
12 For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. (Romans 10:12-13, DRB)
20 But to them first that are at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance, and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance. (Acts 26:20, DRB)
No verse in the Bible says to pray to, turn to, or call upon, the name of Mary. Notice also that the only two times the DRB uses the term intercession it is referring to Jesus, not Mary:
34 Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died, yea that is risen also again; who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34, DRB)
25 Whereby he is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25, DRB)
Mary is not the intercessor of the Bible, nor was she considered to be by the early Christian church. Considering that Mary provides intercession is not biblically-proper and has other negative consequences.
The apparition known as the ‘Lady of Fatima’ allegedly made the following claim on July 13, 1917:
…the souls of poor sinners…To save them God wants to establish throughout the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people will do what I tell you, many souls will be saved…(Flynn, Ted & Flynn, Maureen, p. 136).
Now believers of the Bible should be shocked by the above as there is nothing in the Bible that hints that the above could possibly be true. People are saved only through Jesus (Acts 4:12). “Nor is there salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12; 16:30-31), including “the Lady of Fatima”. Hence, the Fatima apparition should not be considered as sent by God as at least that part of the message contradicts scripture (even if parts of what were claimed did come to pass). Here is a link to a video sermon Why Learn About Fatima?
Notice what Bishop Kennedy of the Celtic Orthodox Church wrote:
The great deceiver of Fatima promises salvation to those who embrace devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary… We can be very certain that God did not send Mary to earth to change God’s eternal plan of salvation. It is just this kind of deceit that leads to other false statements about Mary; Mediatrix of all graces etc. The devil’s deceit is felt far and wide within the Church as is evidenced in the number of well meaning but deceived souls proclaiming Mary is Mediatrix of all graces. How would have such a statement sounded to the Apostles? This salvation we enjoy is from God in Christ; “The man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as ransom for all”. (1 Timothy 2:1, 3-6 NAB)… We should STOP THE DEVIL in his tracks and proclaim the vision of Fatima to be a fraud, a work of the devil and an abomination to God, Mary and to the Church. (Kennedy BJ, Bishop. The Fatima Affair. HOLY TRINITY CELTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH / MONASTERY. Toledo, Ohio. http:// www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/fatima.html viewed 05/17/12)
I have long warned that devotion to, and appearances of apparitions claiming to be, Mary are likely to be factors in the coming ecumenical religion that will not be good. It not be good for the Orthodox, the Protestants, nor the Vatican (Revelation 17:15-17).
Using a green scapular to prepare for a coming time of darkness is simply not scriptural.
That said, the ancient children of Israel were to remain gathered together from evening until morning to be protected.
Does that have anything to teach us in these days?
Yes. Notice the following:
1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together,
O undesirable nation,
2 Before the decree is issued,
Or the day passes like chaff,
Before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you,
Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!
3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice.
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:1-3)
It is those who will gather together in ADVANCE as God commanded that may be spared from “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10). People need to heed God’s instructions. Christians should realize that Jesus ONLY promised that protection to Philadelphian Christians.
The Temple Institute had the following in its newsletter today:
Adar 24, 5783/March 17, 2023 …
Yitzchak Reuven gushes over how Israel rolls up their sleeves and builds a house for G-d to dwell within, and about Shabbat Parashat Hachodesh – marking the day of our past and future redemption, and lastly, about how the six days of creation and six months to build the Tabernacle mark the completion of creation! …
The golden menorah made by the Temple Institute weighs one-half ton, and contains forty-five kilograms of twenty-four karat gold. It was made according to Torah requirements and ready to be kindled in the rebuilt Holy Temple. Every year hundreds of thousands of people from around the world visit the golden menorah where it currently stands, in the central plaza of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City, just minutes from the Temple Mount, where it will one day make its permanent home in the rebuilt Holy Temple, ” house of prayer for all nations,” (Isaiah 56:7) May it be soon!
Notice the “for all nations” comment.
With that in mind, notice something that Israel365News posted:
The Temple Mount 23 Jerusalem Convention will be held on Passover bringing together Jews and Christians, in the hopes of bringing the world closer to a “House of prayer for all nations.”
The event will be hosted by the organization Cry for Zion on April 9 at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. Cry for Zion is a movement of Jews and Christians that support the Jewish people’s rights to sovereignty over the Temple Mount, guaranteeing Jewish rights and freedoms in their most holy place. They seek to achieve this goal by educating the public about the Temple.
“This is a convention dedicated to the holiest place on earth and invites the nations to Jerusalem to discuss, network, get educated, and be inspired with zeal for God’s House,” the announcement says. …
The list of speakers includes Temple Mount activist and former MK Rabbi Yehudah Glick, filmmaker David Kiern, Temple Mount activist Dr. Melissa Jane Kronfeld, the Bishop of Israel for the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ Bishop Glenn Plummer, and Israel365 News journalist Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz. John Enarson and Cry for Zion’s executive director Doron Keider will be mediating the discussions.
So, we are seeing cooperation between Orthodox Jews and Evangelical Protestants.
Furthermore, consider something posted earlier this month:
The Abrahamic Family House his now open and various Jews and Roman Catholics are happy about it:
March 6, 2023
On a 75-degree February day in Abu Dhabi, JNS had the chance to view the Abrahamic Family House site on Saadiyat Island on its opening day in the United Arab Emirates. Three houses of worship—Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, His Holiness Francis Church (Roman Catholic) and Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque—stand in equal proportion. At first glance, they seem identical, but closer inspection reveals that each has features iconic to the respective customs.
Elie Abadie, the senior rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates, told JNS that it is very notable for an Arab country to build a Jewish house of worship.
“In fact, this is the first one built in the region in almost a century,” he said. “By doing this, the government sends out a great message—one of tolerance and acceptance, as they allow the different Abrahamic faiths to come together here to worship. In fact, we worship the same God.”
“It is a great gift from Sheikh Mohammed to the Jewish People,” David Rosen, international director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee and former chief rabbi of Ireland, told JNS. “Myriads of people from around the world visiting the country will visit this complex simply because of its location and beauty.”
Those who come to the site can see the three Abrahamic faiths represented.
“For a people that have suffered and still suffer from prejudice and bigotry born out of ignorance and misrepresentations, this place offers an amazing opportunity to educate the world about the beauty and true values of Jewish tradition,” said Rosen.
The Abrahamic Family House opened to the public on March 1. …
Rosen, who has prayed in the synagogue, told JNS that he feels very comfortable in the modern, cubic space, whose interior he said is quite traditional and very beautiful. “If there is anything different from a conventional shul, it is the mesh curtain ascending to the skylight, which is very lovely,” he said.
The three Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — now share a common place to worship in the predominantly Muslim United Arab Emirates with the opening of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi.
Such was the dream of Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb, who in 2019 signed a historic pledge calling for peace and brotherhood between religions and nations. Four years later a synagogue, church, and mosque sit opposite a secular visitor pavilion in an interfaith complex meant to encourage goodwill and understanding.
Representing the pope for the first prayer service at the new St. Francis of Assisi Church was Cardinal Michael L. Fitzgerald, a past president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
So, we see various Jewish leaders also making a deal with Muslims and Roman Catholics.
Furthermore, as reported here last Fall (see Interfaith Climate Repentance Ceremony’s ‘Ten Commandments’–the Coming Beast Will Seek to Change Law), an interreligious ceremony occurred on November 13, 2022 called Climate Repentance Ceremony. The religious groups that were part of the ceremony are from the Greco-Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and other of the world’s faiths. Related to that, we put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:
On November 13, 2022, the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development had a ceremony in Egypt where they laid out ‘Ten Principles for Climate Repentance.’ Then two tablets were tossed down and broken in the traditional area that Moses broke the tablets of the Ten Commandments at the base of Mt. Sinai. The ‘breaker’ had also given Newsweek a set of climate ‘Ten Commandments’ in August of 2022. Furthermore, in the Spring of 2022, Ecumenical News and the World Council of Churches reported about a set of digital ‘Ten Commandments,’ which, while a mixture of good and evil, condoned sin. Are these actions helping to set the stage for the Beast who will change times and law (Daniel 7:25)? Will the coming Beast and Antichrist promote the breaking God’s Ten Commandments? Are the ecumenical and interfaith movements moving in that direction? Would actually keeping God’s Ten Commandments solve weather matters that are blamed on ‘climate change’? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.
Many of the world’s religious and secular leaders believe that interreligious compromise will bring peace–and this includes various Jewish ones.
However, the interfaith movement will not ensure true and lasting peace. The world needs the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God for that.
Do not fall for the ecumenical or interfaith movements.
Protestant writer Michael Snyder posted the following:
Watch Israel, Because I Believe That Events Of Historic Significance Could Soon Happen
I would encourage all of us to watch Israel very carefully in the coming days, because I believe that we could soon see some incredible events take place. In particular, … I am closely watching for an announcement about the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant. Needless to say, such an announcement would be the greatest archaeological bombshell in history. The current location of the Ark has been kept very quiet for a long time, but the Israeli government is not going to be able to keep a lid on this indefinitely. And when the truth finally comes out, literally everything will change. …
So where in the Ark today?
The answer is actually very simple.
It is still in the cave under the Temple Mount where Jeremiah hid it in order to keep it from being captured by the Babylonians.
Jewish authorities know exactly where it is.
And we know exactly where it is. …
A corrected translation of the first clause of Daniel 9:27 would go something like this…
“The Covenant will be confirmed (or strengthened) with many for one week”. …
So the discovery and public unveiling of the Ark would definitely “confirm” that God’s covenant with Israel has always existed and that it still exists today.
No, Daniel 9:27 is not a prophecy about “the discovery and public unveiling of the Ark.” Daniel 9:27 has to do with a prophesied peace deal which will essentially set off the prophetic countdown to the start of the Great Tribulation as well as the return of Jesus seven years after the deal is confirmed by a “prince” (Daniel 9:26) who rise up further to become the King of the North Beast (see The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 ).
Michael Snyder then posted the following sometime yesterday:
I Told You That They Know EXACTLY Where The Ark Of The Covenant Is Located…
It isn’t a mystery. For decades, “experts” in the western world have been coming up with incredibly bizarre theories about where the Ark of the Covenant is located. One of those theories was popularized by “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, but that theory is just fiction. In fact, all of the wacky theories that you see out there are just fiction. Over in Israel, the current location of the Ark of the Covenant is an open secret. It is in the same underground chamber where it has been for more than 2,600 years, and it will be there until the time comes for it to be revealed. …
The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most fascinating of all Temple-related subjects. … While some claim to have evidence that the ark is in Ethiopia, and of course, moviegoers were treated to a fanciful version of the story in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in reality, the expression “lost” ark is not an accurate description for the Jewish people’s point of view – because we have always known exactly where it is. So the Ark is “Hidden,” and hidden quite well, but it is not lost…
This location is recorded in our sources, and today, there are those who know exactly where this chamber is. And we know that the ark is still there, undisturbed, and waiting for the day when it will be revealed.
They believe that it was King Josiah, but I believe that Jeremiah hid it in order to keep it from being captured by the Babylonians.
If the physical ark exists, a Jerusalem location does make sense.
In its newsletter last month, the Temple Institute had the following:
“Make for Me a sanctuary!”
(Exodus 25:8)
Adar 3, 5783/February 24, 2023 …
Terumah. “Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering.” (Exodus 25:2) … “And they shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst.” (ibid 25:8) … Moshe receives the instructions for making the Ark of the Covenant..
The above then linked a Facebook page with the following
The Temple Institute has faithfully recreated all of the sacred Temple vessels, according to the very same instructions that Moshe received directly from G-d, fit and ready for use in the rebuilt Holy Temple, with the exception of one, single vessel: The Ark of the Covenant!
The Ark of the Covenant that you see in the photos is a model of the true Ark. It is not the Ark itself. Why has the Temple Institute refrained from recreating the actual Ark of the Covenant?
According to Jewish tradition the original Ark was hidden away thousands of years ago, some time before the Babylonian invasion, by order of King Josiah. The hiding place had been prepared by King Solomon himself, who knew, by virtue of prophetic vision, that the Temple would ultimately be destroyed. It was hidden away in a subterranean chamber beneath the Holy Temple. Some sages believe it was hidden directly beneath the Holy of Holies, and other sages believe it was hidden away beneath the Women’s Court.
It is important to note that in the lists of Temple vessels taken by the Babylonians from the first Holy Temple, the Ark does not appear, suggesting that it was, indeed, hidden away to protect it and keep if for the future rebuilding of the Holy Temple. The Ark, however, was never recovered and did not appear in the second Holy Temple.
Over the millennia different legends and traditions have emerged claiming to know the real location of the Ark. The most famous of these legends site a church in Ethiopia the current resting place of the Ark, and, alternatively, in a cave near Mount Nevo, in contemporary Jordan.
The Temple Institute remains faithful to the Jewish tradition that the Ark of the Covenant is no farther away from the future Temple, than the Temple Mount, itself. May we soon merit to recover the Ark and place it in its rightful place – the Holy of Holies in the rebuilt Holy Temple! https://www.facebook.com/templeinstitute/posts/10151796941424969
So, the Temple Institute believes that the Ark is somewhere under the area called the Temple Mount and seems to suspect it will be found for it to be able to construct a Jewish temple.
In its newsletter of Elul 5, 5781/August 13, 2021, the Temple Institute had the following photo and a link to the following:
(Photo in Temple Mount newsletter)
DOES THIS MARK THE SPOT OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT?
The square structure seen in the middle of the photo from the Temple Mount is a cap closing off an open passage which leads to a large underground chamber, which was excavated in Temple times. It was forty years today (Elul 4) that Rabbi Yehudah Getz, who for 27 years was the Rabbi of the Western Wall, attempted with the assistance of a number of his students and others, to break through an underground wall which sealed off the chamber in the hope of finding there the Ark of the Covenant. Ancient Jewish tradition maintains that the Ark was hidden away in a specially prepared subterranean chamber by King Josiah in order to keep it safe from the approaching Babylonian army.08/12/21 https://www.facebook.com/templeinstitute/photos/a.86889944968/10151591160214969
Since Vendyl Jones’ death, some are still looking for it:
Archaeologists shed new light on Biblical site linked to the Ark of the Covenant
Archaeologists believe they have shed new light on Biblical site linked to the Ark of the Covenant in the heart of Israel.
Excavations in Israel are shedding new light on the history of a Biblical site linked to the Ark of the Covenant.
Specifically, archaeologists are focusing their attention on the ancient site of Kiriath-Jearim, which is mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where the Ark of the Covenant stood.
According to Israeli news site Haaretz, experts are convinced that the site of Kiriath-Jearim is a hill on the outskirts of Abu Ghosh, a village near Jerusalem. Excavations in 2017 offered a fascinating glimpse into the history of the hill, where the church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant now stands. …
There have been several places speculated as the final earthly resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
As far Kiriath-Jearim/Kirjath-jearim goes, the Ark was there for a time, and then it went to Jerusalem.
Notice something from The Bible Story, Volume IV from the old Worldwide Church of God related to that:
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
With the Philistines again defeated through God’s help, David was for a time free to apply himself to matters other than war. For one thing, he wanted to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem from the hill town of Kirjath-jearim. There it had been left many years before, after the Philistines had fearfully sent it back following their miserable experiences with it. (I Samuel 6.)
Traveling with many Israelite leaders and musicians, and with a magnificent procession of thousands of soldiers to put down any possible trouble from the Philistines, David went to the home of a man named Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim, about eight miles west of Jerusalem. (II Samuel 6:1-2.) The ark had been in that home for several decades, where it was watched over by a priest named Eleazar, one of Abinadab’s sons. (I Samuel 7:1-2).
The ark was loaded on a cart that had been built especially for the purpose of transporting it, although that was not the means by which God meant it to be carried. (Exodus 25:10-16; Exodus 37:1-5.) Uzzah and Ahio, two of Abinadab’s sons, drove the ox team that pulled the cart. (II Samuel 6:3.) To give an air of celebration to the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem, David’s musicians walked before the cart and played their harps, tambourines, cymbals, drums and psalteries. David marched behind the cart, and behind him came the thousands who had accompanied him to obtain the ark.
As the colorful procession neared Jerusalem, one of the oxen stumbled in a rut. The cart was jerked so severely that it appeared that the ark might tumble over. Without giving a thought to what the result would be, Uzzah reached out to steady the ark with one hand. That was the last act of his life. (II Samuel 6:4-7.)
The ark was to be handled only by the poles that were extended through its rings, and touching it was strictly forbidden. (Numbers 4:15.) God made no exception with Uzzah, even though that man’s intentions may not have been consciously wrong. Uzzah should have known the consequences, for the Levites had copies of God’s Word. They were required to know what they were doing and to keep the Scriptures always before them. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20.)
When David saw that Uzzah was dead, he was very grieved. The happy temperament of the whole procession sank. Thinking that God may have been displeased because of the moving of the ark, David decided not to try to take it any farther. He directed that it should be left at the nearby home of an acquaintance named Obed-edom, who lived on the western outskirts of Jerusalem. (II Samuel 6:8-10.)
As the weeks went by, David became more concerned about the ark. He feared he might be responsible for bringing some kind of curse on Obed-edom by leaving the ark with him. Three months after Uzzah’s death, upon inquiring about Obed-edom, David was pleasantly relieved to learn that the man had recently come into a state of prosperity and that everything was going well for all his family. Some members of his family who had been ill were enjoying the best of health because they had been suddenly and miraculously healed. David could only conclude that God had blessed the people in Obed-edom’s home because of the presence of the ark there. (II Samuel 6:11.) This caused him to decide to go at once to bring it to Jerusalem.
The Right Way to Rejoice
Having planned and prepared more carefully this time, David and the high priest instructed Levites in how to handle the ark. (I Chronicles 15:2.) They carried it on foot as they should, holding the poles on their shoulders. Musicians and singers went ahead of the ark, and there was constant music and happy shouting. As before, a great throng followed. Occasionally the ark bearers would stop with their load and burnt offerings would be made nearby on temporary altars that had been built along the route into Jerusalem.
As the procession entered the city, David felt constrained to express his gay and thankful emotions by dancing. Tossing aside his royal tunic, he broke into a very strenuous series of surprisingly graceful leaps and gyrations to the accompaniment of the musicians. The crowd was pleased. (II Samuel 6:12-15.) Probably God was pleased, too, because the Bible says that we should praise the Creator by song, instrumental music and proper dancing. (Psalm 33:1-3).
Since the Ark of the Covenant was removed from Kirjath-jearim, it would seem that it would not have been taken back there for safe-keeping, but perhaps that was a possibility.
As far as a possible Ethiopian location goes, the main story that the Ethiopians have tended to believe, contradicts scripture.
Nevertheless, each year there are parades in Ethiopia were a replica of the Ark is carried (and some of these ‘replicas’ are only a few inches thick and tend to be covered up). Notice a photo from Pixabay of such an event:
Here is something I read from an account about the Ark and Ethiopia in 1710 (and yes, the English is hard to read as the source is difficult and some words clearly are spelled incorrectly as far as we in the 21st century are concerned as it has what looks like an “f” often where we would have an “s”–but this was called a “long s”):
Then the aforesaid Book proceeds to give an Account how the first begotten, at the Initi’gation of Azariah the Son of Sadoc the fable about Prieft, took an Oath to one another to carry away with them the Ark. Ark of the Covenant, which they call’d the Heavenly Sion and that going by Night to the Temple, Providence fo ordering it, they found the Gates open, and put the Ark upon a Cart, and being attended by abundance of People, with much Wealth, and great Acclamations, they travell’d to fwiftly, that Solomon, who went to recover the Ark, could not overtake them, and with the fame Expedition they crofs’d the ‘Red Seaas joyfully as the Children of Ifrael had done, with only this Difference, that the Ifraelites pafs’d it on Foot without being wet, and they flying in their Chariots ; fo that the Sea obey’d the “former, and the Air was fubfervient to the latter.
This Book farther tells us, that when Queen Maqueda underfood that her Son already made King was coming, and brought along with him all the firft begotten, as alfo the Ark of the Heavemly God of Sion, (he went out with great Solemnity to meet them, and plac’d the Ark in the Temp!e of the Laud of Maqueda, all the People of Ethiopia receiving the Knowledge of the true God (Balthazar Telles, John Stevens. The Travels of the Jesuits in Ethiopia. J Knapton, 1710, University of Lausanne, p. 69).
The above would not seem biblically possible, but the Ethiopians have long believed that the Ark is in their country and that a son of Solomon, who is not mentioned in the Bible, brought it there.
However, the Bible shows that well after Solomon’s sons would have died, that the Ark was still in Jerusalem:
35:1 Now Josiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD. 3 Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD: “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel (2 Chronicles 35:1-3).
Josiah was the sixteenth king of Judah and reportedly reigned from c. 640–609 BCE. Thus, if the Ark of the Covenant possibly made it to Ethiopia it was not until well AFTER the Ethiopians normally claim it first came there. Although some claim that the claimed son of Solomon replaced the real ark with a fake and took the real ark, that contradicts the above which refers to the ark as “the holy ark”–a fake ark would not be described as holy.
And if it was, maybe it first was in Egypt and moved by Jewish leaders, like Robert Cornuke seems to believe. That may be at least biblically plausible. But, I and others are not convinced.
Some have claimed that the Ark of the Covenant is in Ireland. In May of 2022, my wife Joyce and I visited two locations some have thought it may be at. It did not seem to be for different reasons:
The spot on the Hill of Tara had been sufficiently excavated that one who presume that it would have been found if it were there.
The other spot we visited, known as Cairn T, had so many pagan symbols it seemed very unlikely it would have been there.
PCG points to the location on the hill of Tara. Here is something it published back in 2013:
The ark of the covenant … a fascinating verse in the Bible says that in this modern era, many people will be talking about it. The implication is that very soon, the ark of the covenant is going to be found!
That verse is found in Jeremiah, a book of prophecy that was written for this end time (Jeremiah 30:1-9). So this prophecy about the ark is for us today.
If the ark were found, it would electrify many people around the world!
People don’t know where the ark is, but I believe that the Bible—and a certain nation’s history—tell us in which country it is located today. …
Where Is the Ark?
Irish annals show that when Jeremiah migrated to Ireland, he brought with him more than just the princess of Judah who carried on David’s throne. “Besides the royal family, Jeremiah brought with them some remarkable things,” Mr. Armstrong continued, “including a harp, an ark, and a wonderful stone called ‘lia-fail,’ or ‘stone of destiny’” (op. cit., emphasis mine). …
F. R. A. Glover, who ascertained that the British monarchy was aware of its linkage to King David, wrote extensively about these objects having made their way to Ireland with Jeremiah. His book England the Remnant of Judah and the Israel of Ephraim records this history.
Glover stated that the grave of Queen Tea-Tephi lies in the Hill of Tara, the origin of Irish history. In his research, he found that she had been buried with the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, along with the ark of the covenant. (Flurry G. Finding the Ark of the covenant. The Philadelphia Trumpet, December 2013)
Of course the Ark still has not been found. Here is something from PCG’s Gerald Flurry in 2023:
British historians have written that Ireland’s famous Hill of Tara is where the ark of the covenant was placed, and that it is still there, buried with Tea-Tephi. …
Jeremiah arriving with the ark of God on an island populated by Israelites made quite an impression on them. They were from the tribe of Dan, and God had somehow prepared them somewhat for the coming of Jeremiah, Tea-Tephi and her husband, who became king. These people knew from their Hebrew Bibles that God spoke to Israel from that ark. (Flurry G. Jeremiah Builds a Kingdom. The Philadelphia Trumpet, March 2023)
However, while an Ireland location is not necessarily impossible, if the Ark of the Covenant exists on the earth, a location in the land of Israel seems to make the most sense.
One concern that I have had is that if the Ark of the Covenant is found, this could possibly get more of the Jews to support the ecumenical end-time religion that will call itself ‘Catholic.’ This would be consistent with biblical (Revelation 13:4,8; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) and Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies (see further below).
The first direct reference to the ark of the covenant in the Bible is in the Book of Exodus:
10 “And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side. 13 And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. 15 The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you. (Exodus 25:10-16)
The Bible is clear that the Ark of the Covenant is or will be in heaven:
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)
It has been suggested that the physical ark of the covenant that the children of Israel had was patterned on one in heaven, thus it could still be on earth.
Notice also the following Islamic view of the Ark:
The Book of Revelation says the Ark is in the temple of God in heaven (Rev. 11:19). Muslim scholars say it will be found near the end of times by the Mahdi – a messianic figure in Islam. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=102119
It is interesting, however, that many of the Muslims believe that their Mahdi will rise up after the finding of the Ark (the Mahdi of Islamic prophecy seems to be the same one that the Bible indicates will be the final King of the South). Events seem to be happening in the Arab nations that align with the rising up of such a leader. Perhaps, if the Ark is publicly shown, he could point to it as proof that his timing for rising up was prophesied. We will see.
I perhaps should add that certain Roman Catholic prophecies indicate that the two witnesses (which they often consider will be Enoch and Elijah) will rise up after the Ark is found:
Bl. Dionysus of Luetzenberg…prophecies:
“After the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant, Enoch and Elias will restore the Holy Sacrament of the Altar; Because of the fact that the Ark of the Covenant will be in the possession of the two holy prophets and not in Antichrist’s hands, the Jews will recognize that Jesus is the true Messias…”
( Luetzenberg, Antichristus Chapter 29 as cited in Birch D.A. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph. Queenship Publishing, Goleta (CA), 1996, p. 509)
Now the Bible is clear that the Ark of the Covenant will be in heaven:
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)
And it may only be there now.
But since both Islamic and Roman Catholic prophecies suggest that it will be found, it is possible that some of them will point to the Ark in Ethiopia (some believe Ethiopia has the original Ark, while others believe that it has an early copy) or one in Jerusalem (or elsewhere) as proof that their prophecies are to be fulfilled. Or perhaps to a different location in the future, like Ireland or in Israel. Or Roman Catholics may claim that if the Ark of the Covenant has not been found, that some will claim that this is additional proof that the real two witnesses are not God’s two witnesses. Notice that the Roman Catholics want to place their practices on it (by Holy Sacrament, they seem to mean their Eucharistic practices; here is an article about their origins: Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Eucharist?), these are the same Roman Catholics that also keep trying to gain control of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill.
Others say that Zion was really on the eastern side side of Jerusalem, and thus, that may be where the Ark could be or end up.
Back in October 2013, while attempting to take some photos and to video some of the remains of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill, I was approached by a Jewish rabbi named Avraham Goldstein of the Diaspora Yeshiva. He asked why I was there, so I explained it. He then asked me if the Continuing Church of God would like to be involved in an archaeological project related to that general area. He mentioned doing excavations related to what some believe is David’s tomb, located below. Many consider that only a legend and not the real location–though the actual location of David’s tomb has not been verified in many centuries. However a Jewish rabbi who claimed to visit it in 1163 A.D. stated it was below this particular Mt. Zion.
Avraham Goldstein also believes that the ark of the covenant may be directly below or near it via tunnels–hence that Jewish scholar does not agree with the position of the Temple Institute on its location. He offered to take me below in the tunnels on my next visit to Jerusalem. I told him that I was interested, but I have not been to Israel since. Yet, I expect to go again within the next several years.
The following is an interview from a narrator named Joseph (J below) and the Jewish rabbi Gerald Goldstein of the Mount Zion Foundation (RG below).
RG: We are standing on the roof of King David’s Tomb. Look around you at the view. You can understand why David wanted to take out this fortress before attacking Jerusalem itself…Samuel 2…Scripture is also very clear about where Kind David brought the Holy Ark of the Covenant. It says here in chapter 6 that he brought the Ark of the Covenant up to the City of David, that is the fortress of Zion…here to this very place… MOUNT ZION, dancing all in a very ecstatic and wonderful way…
J: So this place really is Mt Zion!
RG: Well there is a real established tradition, first recorded in writing by a student of the Ramban over 800 years ago, which says exactly this. Prior to the building of the Temple, Mt Zion… this very Mt Zion where we are standing…is where the Ark of the Covenant and the Divine presence resided. (Glick N. The Authenticity of Mt Zion and King David’s Tomb. 2010 יום שני, 2 באוגוסט. http://rabbinathanglick.blogspot.com/2010/08/authenticity-of-mt-zion-and-king-davids.html viewed 11/17/13)
Now, I should add that I have read other materials that say this Mt. Zion location cannot be, but again no one seems to really know for sure.
The Bible shows at one time the ark was in Mt. Zion:
15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. (2 Samuel 6:15-19)
But it also shows that the ark moved from Mt. Zion:
1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 12 Then Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 13 I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.” (1 Kings 8:1-13)
So, the ark was moved and did not stay there forever, as King Josiah had to have it moved it back (2 Chronicles 35:1-3). Also, since the temple that Solomon built was destroyed, the ark did not stay in it forever.
Furthermore, notice:
8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. 9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,And let Your saints shout for joy. 10 For Your servant David’s sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. 11 The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. 12 If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.” 13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14 “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 17 There I will make the horn of David grow;I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. 18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.” (Psalm 132:8-18)
While Solomon wanted it to be in the temple he built to house the ark forever, God had David write Zion was the chosen location. If the ark of the covenant is found and now is below the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill, known as Mt. Zion or perhaps another area called Zion, that would have ramifications for the world as well as the Continuing Church of God.
Fesilafai Fiso Leaana of New Zealand had a dream after going to bed on December 8, 2012. Here is a report that Fesilafai Fiso Leaana wrote about her dream:
A few months before my dream, my husband and I noticed a contradiction in practice, regarding the sabbath commandment in LCG, from there we started to pray continuously for God to lead us to where the truth is. It seems God has answered our prayers through the dream.
The dream began with myself and approximately 70 New Zealand Living Church of God brethren, then suddenly LCG vanished (I was wondering where is LCG?) and I was left standing with approximately 10 people excluding myself, on a very high building. We were standing on the very top of the building, where I couldn’t see the bottom, there were no other buildings, just this building. I could not see the bottom of the building but just clouds below the building and clouds surrounding the building which led to a beautiful white mountain – a mountain that had no ends on either side. The building was pretty close to the mountain, I could see the top of the mountain. The mountain was all white and so beautiful. I remember that I began to be filled with joy and peace. But also wondering how we got up on this building and confused why there were no other buildings but the clouds seemed like it was hiding the building and I felt protected or it felt like a safe place. I looked around there were still only about ten people there, the only person I could clearly recognize was Shirley constantly working, the approximate ten others were just sitting and standing around. So I walked around the building looking for the large crowd from LCG, but all I kept returning to was that Shirley was working and doing different types of work alone while the others were still sitting and standing around the building with me. I wondered why she was working a lot. I could not find LCG.
Then suddenly a message came to my mind: “There is a secret in the mountain”. And I was so happy to know that, I was still feeling elated and could still see the beautiful white mountain and wondered about the secret. Then I asked: “What is the secret?” Then the message said, nobody knows the secret in the mountain but only you have received this message that there is a secret in the mountain. Then I asked ‘what is the secret in the mountain?’ I received a message to my mind that told me that “the secret in the mountain is the Ark of the Covenant”. Then the dream abruptly ended because I woke up. And immediately, I woke up my husband and recounted the dream to him, and I told my husband that it reminded me of when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on the mountain and that the mountain was also covered with clouds.
Within several weeks of the dream, ten people in New Zealand, including Shirley Gestro (the Shirley above) began to attend the newly formed Continuing Church of God.
Biblically, mountains can symbolize government (Psalm 30:7; Isaiah 11:9; Daniel 2:35; Zechariah 4:7) and white purity or cleanness (Isaiah 1:18; Revelation 7:14, 19:14). Clouds around a mountain (or at least the top of it) could show a separation—maybe a separation that keeps many from seeing all of the truth (cf. Job 22:14; Lamentations 3:44) or recognizing top leadership?
In the Spring and Fall of 2013 (which is before I learned of Fesilafai Fiso Leaana’s dream), a couple of different people emailed me and asked if the Continuing Church of God might possibly be involved in actually finding the Ark–and those two people knew nothing about the dream that Fesilafai Fiso Leaana of New Zealand had related to the Continuing Church of God when they originally asked me about it as it was not reported publicly until November 2013. We may have future involvement on this ark matter.
Anyway, it remains my view that there is a chance that we will see the Ark or we will see a strong claim that someone has located the Ark within the next decade or so.
Exodus 25 introduces instructions for the Ark of the Covenant and Mercy Seat. What do they represent? What about the tabernacle and showbread? Might the Ark of the Covenant exist? Could the Ark be in Ethiopia? What about Hitler’s SS troops? Could Jeremiah the prophet have brought it to Ireland? Was there a fulfilled dream related to the Ark of the Covenant? Do Jews, Catholics, or Musims have traditions about finding the Ark? What might Josiah have done with it? Could the Ark of the Covenant be in Israel? Might the Ark be below Mount Moriah or Mount Zion? What about Ron Wyatt’s claims from 1982? What are some spiritual ramifications of the Ark of the Covenant? Is mercy only for Christians? Will mercy be offered to others? This is the ninth sermon in a multi-part series intended to cover the entire Book of Exodus. In this part, Dr. Thiel covers every verse in Exodus 25 and addresses many questions and concerns.
Protestant writer Michael Snyder says that the Ark of the Covenant from the Bible is about to be find and that he knows exactly where it is. The Temple Institute believes it will be found soon and that it knows where it is. Why, supposedly, has no one uncovered it? Is Daniel 9:27 proof that the Ark of the Covenant is about to be found? What about Vendyl Jones? Is this Ark in Jerusalem in a cave or passage under what is called the Temple Mount? Does the Bible state that Jeremiah the prophet hid it just before the Babylonians took over? What about the Hill of Tara or Cairn T in Ireland? Does a comparison of a 1710 document and scriptures in 2 Chronicles 35:1-3 related to King Josiah eliminate the common view about a possible Ethiopia location? Do Muslim and Roman Catholic prophecies point to it being found? Are there any scriptures that support rabbi Avraham Goldstein’s contention that it is under or in Mt. Zion? How might the Continuing Church of God be involved? Any connection to a dream from someone in New Zealand? Does the Book of Revelation show the Ark of the Covenant being in heaven? Could there be an actual physical Ark that can be found? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.
Whether or not the Temple Institute knowns the location of the the Ark, developments related to the Ark of the Covenant may well have prophetic ramifications.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Because of what it is and what it is supposed to represent.
The Catholic Encyclopedia makes some interesting, as well as disturbing, claims about Patrick:
St. Patrick
Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland…Pope St. Celestine I, who rendered immortal service to the Church by the overthrow of the Pelagian and Nestorian heresies, and by the imperishable wreath of honour decreed to the Blessed Virgin in the General Council of Ephesus, crowned his pontificate by an act of the most far-reaching consequences for the spread of Christianity and civilization, when he entrusted St. Patrick with the mission of gathering the Irish race into the one fold…
“St. Patrick’s Breast-Plate”, is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. The following is a literal translation from the old Irish text:
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity…
St. Patrick proceeded through Gowran into Ossory; here he erected a church under the invocation of St. Martin, near the present city of Kilkenny, and enriched it with many precious relics which he had brought from Rome…
Many times in the day he armed himself with the sign of the Cross…
Far more ample, however, were the aspirations of the saint, and he resolved to persevere in fasting and prayer until the fullest measure of his petition was granted. Again and again the angel came to comfort him, announcing new concessions; but all these would not suffice. He would not relinquish his post on the mountain, or relax his penance, until all were granted. At length the message came that his prayers were heard:
many souls would be free from the pains of purgatory through his intercession…and…
greatest blessing of all, Patrick himself should be deputed to judge the whole Irish race on the last day.,
Such were the extraordinary favors which St. Patrick, with his wrestling with the Most High, his unceasing prayers, his unconquerable love of heavenly things, and his unremitting penetential deeds, obtained for the people whom he evangelized (Cardinal Moran, Patrick Francis. Transcribed by Mary Doorley. St. Patrick. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XI. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
We in the Continuing Church of God do not consider that Patrick was an apostle. We do not consider that people should wear crosses. We do not believe that he has been chosen by God to judge the Irish race on judgment day.
We also realize that the idea of purgatory was not adopted until the Church of Rome distanced itself from the teachings on apocatastasis (the biblical doctrine that, in the age to come, all who did not have a real opportunity for salvation will actually receive one).
Although most Protestants do not accept the Roman concept of purgatory, they (unlike the Eastern Orthodox) went along with Rome and also no longer generally teach apocatastasis.
So one reason not to celebrate “St. Patrick’s Day” is that it promotes non-biblical doctrines and helps obscure the real teachings of the Bible.
But there are more.
Wikipedia reports:
Saint Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá ‘le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig), colloquially Paddy’s Day or St. Patty’s Day, is the feast day which annually celebrates Saint Patrick (373-493), the patron saint of Ireland, on March17, the day on which Saint Patrick died…It became a feast day in the universal church due to the influence of the Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding, as a member of the commission for the reform of the Breviary in the early part of the 17th century…
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. This stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.
The St. Patrick’s Day custom came to America in 1737, the first year St. Patrick’s Day was publicly celebrated, in Boston, Mass.
Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing green (Saint Patrick’s Day. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick’s_Day 03/16/07).
The above should give persons in the COGs pause to celebrate this holiday.
Not only do we not celebrate what “the universal church” observes, we do not accept that God is a trinity as defined by the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. A three-leafed shamrock is what we in the USA call a three-leafed clover. The early church did not consider that God was such a trinity, hence the observation of a holiday intended to celebrate one who used a green clover to mislead people about the nature of the Godhead would not be appropriate. (Two articles of related interest may be Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? and Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning.
So, St. Patrick’s Day is essentially a holiday promoting the wrong view of the Godhead.
The History Channel reported:
The Shamrock
In fact the first written mention of this story did not appear until nearly a thousand years after Patrick’s death. The shamrock, which was also called the “seamroy” by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism.
So whether the green clover was intended to be a symbol of a non-existent trinity or a pagan symbol related to the rebirth of Spring, following the custom of wearing green on March 17th would not seem to be a biblically-wise idea. Many other practices of this holiday show that it is not a biblical one.
The “fruits” of this holiday are not good. Not only are they dangerous (see St. Patrick’s Day: A More Dangerous Time to Drive) the type of revelry and drinking parties that occur, supposedly to celebrate it, were condemned by the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 4:1-3) and the Apostle Paul (Galatians 5:19-21).
Patrick was Not the First Christian in the Isles
Despite certain claims, the one claimed to be St. Patrick by the Romans simply was not the first to bring Christianity to the British Isles. Hippolytus (an early Catholic saint, who, like earlier Catholic saints, also opposed the trinity), in the early third century, claimed that one of the seventy that Jesus sent out to preach ended up in Britain:
These two belonged to the seventy disciples who were scattered…Aristobulus, bishop of Britain (Hippolytus. Where Each OF Them Preached, And Where HE Met His End).
If that is so, Aristobulus could have been placed in charge by one of the apostles as the seventy (Luke 10:1,17) and would have had to have known the original apostles. But it is clear that by the early third century, it was known that some version of Christianity had made it into the British Isles. And as others have also indicated, this could have occurred earlier.
Eusebius, for another example, wrote in the 4th century that Jesus’ disciples reached the British Isles:
His disciples…to preach to all the Name of Jesus, to teach about His marvellous deeds in country and town, that some of them should take possession of the Roman Empire, and the Queen of Cities itself, and others the Persian, others the Armenian, that others should go to the Parthian race, and yet others to the Scythian, that some already should have reached the very ends of the world, should have reached the land of the Indians, and some have crossed the Ocean and reached the Isles of Britain (Eusebius of Caesarea: Demonstratio Evangelica, Book 3, Chapter 5. Translated by W.J. Ferrar. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. London. The Macmillan Company. New York 1920, p. 113).
Notice a sixth century account:
Venantius Fortunatus, A.D. 560, says: “St. Paul passed over the ocean to the Island of Britain, and to Thule, the extremity of the earth.” (Ireland) (Celtic Sabbath-Keeping Study No. 264, from Cherith Chronicle, April-June 1998, pp. 46-47. http://www.giveshare.org/BibleStudy/264.celtic-sabbath-keeping.html 6/24/06)
Thus, Aristobulus and/or others (like possibly Paul) came to the Isles well before “Patrick.”
The truth is that when they arrived, the Roman Catholics were unhappy to find a Christianity in the Isles that held to very non-Catholic beliefs (more on this is in the article The Pergamos Church Era).
Now, it should be noted that some believe that the Patrick that the Catholics venerate was not actually supportive of Rome and had certain Christian teachings. And that might be so, however, the celebration that millions will participate in today is based on the claimed shamrock, etc. version of his life.
Although most probably consider that getting drunk is the biggest social problem associated with the holiday (other than its ties to idolatry), one particularly disgusting practice is that people who do not wear green on this day are subject to ridicule and harassment.
One such practice (especially among some American children) is chasing and pinching those who do not wear green on that day. And while some may consider that this type of persecution is only a harmless practice, it has caused distress and harm to many children over the years.
Notice the following:
If you don’t wear green people pinch you constantly (St. Patrick’s Day. P.J. J. Todd M. 3/16/07).
#1 St. Patrick’s Day Priority – Avoid Being Pinched Tradition Dictates Those Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Must Work Green Into Their Outfits . (PR Newswire. March 6, 2007).
It’s that time again: the time to put on your best bright green suit, march down the streets of your town, parade yourself into your favorite local pub and show your Irish pride. Don’t forget to pinch those who are not wearing green (Anderson, Rusty. Daily Staff Writer. It’s not authentic just because it’s green. Iowa State Daily, 03/08/07).
Although St. Patrick’s Day was originally a religious celebration to honor St. Patrick, to us it has become much more. Our memories of the festivities consist of pinching those who don’t wear green (Morgan, Holly. Daily Staff Writer. Holiday tradition changes from honoring a saint to honoring all things Irish. Iowa State Daily, 03/08/07).
Would that practice be one that Jesus would endorse? Did not Jesus object to those who held to tradition but ignored the weightier matters of the law? Notice:
23 Woe to you…For you…have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23, NKJV).
If not, how can any who consider themselves any type of Christian participate in, or allow their children to participate in, such a non-loving, non-merciful practice, like pinching? (Please also see the article Tradition and the Bible.)
Furthermore, it was quite presumptuous as well as wrong, for this Patrick to conclude that God will use him on the last day to judge all the Irish race (allegedly Patrick was told so by an “angel” named Victor, for details see Why The Continuing Church of God Does Not Wear Green on St. Patrick’s Day). This suggests to me, at least, that he was possibly delusional or demonically-influenced. Why would Christians wish to be part of this delusion?
Many of the stories of St. Patrick lead to a misunderstanding of what Christianity is and the nature of the Godhead. It also is highly deceiving for the Irish as they will not be judged by this Patrick.
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. (1 Peter 4:1-3)
Is not “St. Patrick’s Day” a time for revelry, drinking parties, and drunkenness? Is not that something that the Apostle Peter said real Christians would no longer participate in?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
The writings from the apostles should be enough to stop professors of Christ from participating in St. Patrick’s Day revelries, but sadly most who profess Christ overlook much of what the Bible teaches about real Christian practices.
For those and all the related reasons, we in the Continuing Church of God do not intentionally wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, do not pinch others, nor do we intentionally observe other celebrations related to Patrick on that day.
We, like others who try to “live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), instead keep the same holy days that the Bible enjoins and that were kept by the original apostles and their early followers. Shouldn’t you?
Millions celebrate ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ on March 17th each year. Do you know anything about what Patrick taught? Do you know when this day was declared a Roman Catholic holiday? Are the teachings of Patrick Christian? Is Patrick an appointed apostle to judge the Irish? Should Christians be involved in the type of parties associated with St. Patrick’s Day?
The Temple Institute had the following in a newsletter today:
Adar 17, 5783/March 10, 2023
As we begin this week’s Torah reading … This Shabbat is also habbat Para, in which we also read from Numbers, chapter 19, verses 1-22, which discusses the red heifer (para aduma).
Then it had a link to the Temple Institute’s Facebook page which had the following:
Photo from Temple Institute’s Facebook page
SHABBAT PARASHAT PARA – THE RED HEIFER! March 8, 2023
This coming Shabbat we read in synagogues around the world, the third of the four special (additional) Torah readings that are read during the month of Adar, in anticipation of the upcoming holiday of Passover. Parashat Para, (Numbers 19:1-22) presents the chok (statute) of the Red Heifer (Para Aduma). This serves as a reminder that the ashes of the red heifer are necessary for the purification of Passover pilgrims heading to the Holy Temple with their Passover offerings. Tum’at met – the impurity contracted by contact with a corpse – must be remedied by the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer before the Passover pilgrim can ascend the Temple Mount with his offering.
Since the destruction of the Holy Temple 2,000 years ago, parashat Para has been read during the month of Adar as a reminder of what used to be. But today, following the ingathering of the exiles, as prophesized by the Hebrew prophets of old, the establishment of the independent state of Israel, and the liberation of the Temple Mount, parashat Para also serves as an urgent reminder as to what needs to be done in anticipation of the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the renewal of the Passover offerings, may it be soon!
The five red heifer candidates that were greeted at Ben Gurion airport this past summer, we are happy to relate, are healthy and thriving. One of the five, unfortunately, has grown some non-red hairs and is therefore disqualified from becoming the red heifer which can provide the much longed for ashes. The remaining four, however, are still viable candidates. https://www.facebook.com/templeinstitute/posts/10151800892524969
It should be noted that the Temple Institute only needs ONE, not five, red heifers. And since they believe that there have only been nine in recorded history, at least three of the remaining heifers will some day be disqualified.
That is consistent with something I posted here last September:
That said, presuming the rabbis do not disqualify all of them, because of Jewish tradition it would seem like 4 of the 5 of the heifers will be disqualified. If a cow gets hurt, gets bred, or “too many” white hairs come, those factors would disqualify a cow.
This red heifer matter is a BIG DEAL to various Jews, such as those in the Temple Institute. The group also has some political influence and may point to having at least one red heifer as a Divine sign that the Jews can re-implement regular sacrifices.
In the past, at its Facebook page, the Temple Institute posted:
RED HEIFER UPDATE … we see the great challenge of raising a perfectly red, unblemished red heifer. But this is a challenge given to us by G-d, and, as we all know, there is no greater occupation in life the trying to fulfill the challenges that G-d has set before us. We remain confident that we will meet the challenge at the proper time and proceed toward our goal of acquiring the ashes of the red heifer. We remain confident that we will meet the challenge at the proper time and proceed toward our goal of acquiring the ashes of the red heifer.
No, getting a red heifer was not nor is not the greatest occupation anyone needs to have.
The Temple Institute believes that for certain prophecies to be fulfilled, they will end up with an acceptable red heifer. In essence, the Temple Institute also believes that the blood of a red heifer will provide the way for the most thorough cleansing to allow for a ‘third temple,’ whereas Christians point to the blood of Jesus to cleanse, therefore we do not need animal sacrifices (Hebrews 9-10). (Thiel B. Temple Institute reports ‘5 perfect, unblemished red heifers’ arrived in Israel–this could be a BIG DEAL! COGwriter, September 16, 2022)
The fact that there are still four considered acceptable would suggest that the Temple Institute is more and more believing that one of the four candidates will ultimately be acceptable.
Here is something from the Temple Institutes’ Facebook page regarding its views on red heifers:
September 22, 2023
Five perfectly red heifers, required for the ritual purification of those who have touched a dead body, arrived in Israel from a ranch in Texas on Thursday, as the Temple Institute continues preparations to lay the ground for the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.
The heifers are all under one year old and if they remain 100% red and avoid any blemishes which would disqualify them, they will each be eligible to be used to create the ashes required by Jewish law to purify those who have been in contact with a dead body, explained the Temple Institute on Monday. This level of purification would be needed in order to allow the kohanim (priests) to carry out their work in a future Temple.
The prized cattle were immediately transported to Haifa where they will sit in quarantine for no less than seven days, in accordance with the regulations of the Israel Veterinary Authority. …
What is a red heifer?
The red heifer is first mentioned in the Book of Numbers 19:3, when God tells Moses and Aaron “This is the ritual law that God has commanded: Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.”
The Torah goes on to explain how the heifer is processed and burnt and its ashes mixed into sanctified water. Those who became impure due to touching a human corpse would be purified by having the water mixed with the ashes sprinkled on them twice: once three days after they came in contact with the corpse and a second time seven days after contact.
The Torah relates that a red heifer was brought to Elazar the Priest, the son of Aaron, and was processed for its ashes for the ritual. According to the Talmud, those ashes were used from that moment until the end of the First Temple period. During the Second Temple period, another five to seven red heifers were burnt for their ashes. Maimonides wrote in his compendium of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah (Laws of the Red Heifer, 3:4), that the next red heifer will be brought by the Messiah.
Why is the red heifer important?
In the modern day, all Jews, including kohanim, are assumed to be impure with the impurity imparted by a corpse. While in everyday life in the modern day this status does not have much of a practical effect, those impure with this type of impurity are prohibited from entering the Temple.
Kohanim impure with this type of impurity are thereby prevented from conducting the services required in the Temple and would need to be purified with the ashes of a red heifer before being able to serve again, making the creation of such ashes a necessary requirement for any attempt to reestablish the Temple in Jerusalem. (One exception is the Pascal sacrifice, which can be offered even by those who are impure with the impurity imparted by a corpse, as long as the majority of the Jewish people are impure with this type of impurity). https://www.facebook.com/templeinstitute/posts/10151740340689969
As far as the red heifer goes and the Temple Institute’s teachings go, a while back we put together the following video:
The Temple Institute has claimed that the fate of the world depends on something called a red heifer. What is a red heifer? Is it mentioned in the Bible? Could one be tied in with end of the world prophecies? Will animal sacrifices resume in Israel? Is a red heifer or a ‘third temple’ needed for this? What does the Bible teach about such things? What have representatives of the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin told Dr. Thiel? How many red heifers have there been claimed to be? Do Christians need the ashes of a red heifer? Must Numbers 19, Daniel 12 and Isaiah 1 tie together as proof of the need for a red heifer? Can prophecy be fulfilled for the Messiah without a red heifer? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and also explains Who, according to Jesus’ words, the fate of the world really depends on.
Chanan Kupietzky, an Orthodox Jewish resident of Efrat … pointed out … ” … 5783, the year in which the ceremony of the Red Heifer will be performed. This is an acronym for תהיה שנה פרה גאולה (It will be a year of the Red Heifer of redemption).”…
According to Jewish tradition, there will only be ten red heifers in human history with the tenth heifer ushering in the Messianic era. Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides), the most renowned medieval Jewish scholar known by the acronym Rambam, wrote in his explanation of the mitzvah that “the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be God’s will.” https://www.israel365news.com/274830/watch-red-heifers-arrive-in-israel/
Let me clearly state that the current year is not 5783 anno mundi, despite Jewish claims. Jewish scholars know full well that their ‘year count’ is off by over 200 years. For details, check out the article, Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?
We will see what “redemption” ceremony Jews may or may not perform this year (which for the Jews, the current year ends at sunset on September 15, 2023). While the Temple Institute has information about a Levitical priest conducting a red heifer sacrifice ceremony (see https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-the-ceremony/), despite the statement from Chanan Kupietzky, I have not seen anything from the Temple Institute suggesting it is about to have one of the red heifers killed soon.
However, it is likely that if one red heifer is still acceptable to the Temple Institute–hence the last and tenth one to come according to Jewish tradition–this sacrifice will happen in 2023 or 2024 as they do not want to have the red heifer be too old.
Why? Because if one truly is the tenth, the Jews will have a dilemma, the Jews cannot wait for the Messiah to do it because that is not something Jesus will do upon His return.
That said, regarding redemption, notice also the following:
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11-15)
Christians do not need any heifer, but certain Jews who reject Jesus’ sacrifice think that they do.
While Jesus DID NOT specifically mention a ‘red heifer’ as a sign to look for in Matthew 24, He did refer to the Book of Daniel, which discusses sacrifices being stopped (Daniel 9:27; 11:31). In order for them to be stopped, they first must be started. And if the Jews who want to re-institute animal sacrifices do not believe that they can without a red heifer, then having one would seem to be of prophetic significance.
Related to those five red heifers that arrived in Israel last September, we put out the following short video:
The Temple Institute announced that “5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA” on September 15, 2022.. Chanan Kupietzky, an Orthodox Jewish teacher, pointed out that last year was 5781 in the Jewish calendar, pointing to the year these red heifers were conceived, 5782 is when they were to arrive in Israel, and that the year beginning sunset September 25, 2022 is supposedly 5783, which is supposed to be the year of red heifer redemption. Is that the correct year anno mundi (year of the earth) or is 5989 to 5992 more in line with history? What about the claimed Shemitah year? Might the appearance of a proper red heifer encourage the Sanhedrin to begin regular animal sacrifices? Might political considerations result in the resumption of animal sacrifices? Does the Bible show that animal sacrifices in Israel will be stopped? Does possibly having a red heifer mean that a massive Jewish temple is about to be rebuilt in Jerusalem? Do Christians need the sacrifice of Jesus or the blood of a red heifer to be purified? How close do we seem to be for Daniel 9:27b to be fulfilled?
While the fate of the world does not depend on red heifers, Jewish attitudes of prophecy seem to–hence having an acceptable red heifer looks to have prophetic ramifications.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
A week from now is March 17th, which often observed as St. Patrick’s Day. Some see it as a Roman Catholic holiday, while others mainly an Irish holiday.
Normally, it has become a major drinking holiday.
It has health risks:
On St. Patrick’s Day, emergency room staffers prepare themselves for an uptick in patients, likely with several of them injured themselves in some sort of hilarious calamity. It differs from holidays such as Christmas or New Year’s, when patients in need of emergency care often wait a day or two before seeking it, preferring to wait for a more “convenient” time, said Dr. Michael Lynch, a toxicologist and an emergency physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
The holiday is on a Friday this year, allowing millions to perhaps take their celebration of Irish heritage to the next — and possibly painful — level.
“It’s not a fun day to work because of the number of alcohol-related injuries,” said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
“A lot of these people are law-abiding people, professionals who just got carried away,” said Dr. Rahul Sharma, the emergency physician in chief at New York–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Many times, it’s embarrassing for them.”
Beware of green food coloring
One St. Patrick’s Day, Glatter witnessed a group of advertising executives panicking after they had lunch outside the office, he said.
During the meal, they decided to take part in the day’s festivities by drinking green beer. The food coloring altered the appearance of not only the beer but the executives’ teeth as well — just before an important meeting.
“Four or five of them came to the ER,” Glatter said. “They were freaking out because they had to see the client.”
The food coloring stained the plaque buildup on their teeth, he said, and getting rid of it was no easy task.
“It takes time,” Glatter said. “It doesn’t go away immediately.”
Even with whitening strips, mouthwash, toothbrush and toothpaste, it can still take up to a week for the coloring to disappear and teeth to return to their normal shade, he said.
According to AAA (an automobile association) and police departments, this is a dangerous holiday:
AAA and Bud Light Urge Motorists Not to Rely on Luck in Order to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Safely
TAMPA, Fla. – St. Patrick’s Day has ended in tragedy for many Americans over the past few years. Between 2009 and 2013, 276 lives were lost on this holiday due to drunk-driving crashes according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“We are asking all motorists to plan ahead this St. Patrick’s Day if they are going to be away from home and drinking,” said Gerry Gutowski, senior vice president, Automotive Services, The Auto Club Group. “That means having a Designated Driver, staying where you are celebrating, or arranging for another form of sober transportation.”
St.Patrick’s Day revelers beware—cops cracking down on DUI drivers
Police across the Southland plan to be out in force Thursday, cracking down on motorists who decide to try their luck driving while under the influence on St. Patrick’s Day.
Multiple Southland agencies have announced plans to saturate streets with officers as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” anti-DUI campaign.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – If you plan on going downtown for St. Patrick’s Day, local law enforcement will also be joining you. An IMPD spokesperson says the agency will be stepping up patrols and enforcement over the weekend.
“You’re going to see an increased uniform presence, your also going to have a tactical, or covert presence. And those things are there to mitigate any kind of danger to you. We won’t talk about those but they’re there,” IMPD Sgt. Christopher Wilburn said.
Thousands of people are expected to flock to downtown bars and eateries over the weekend for a combination of St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness festivities. Wilburn says that can mean an increase in heavy drinking, fights and drunk driving. … According to ISP, St. Patrick’s Day last year weekend had the highest number of crashes involving impaired drivers. 03/16/18 http://cbs4indy.com/2018/03/16/impd-isp-stepping-up-patrols-for-st-patricks-day-weekend/
“We’ve had several road checks already this week,” Trooper Denton said. “Just an example, we arrested 13 D.U.I.’s in a matter of three hours in Pooler yesterday. Just pulling up to a road check and being impaired and people thinking they are ok to drive.”
Trooper Denton says traffic stops usually start with other minor violations like no headlights or texting and driving. Then, law enforcement says it can quickly turn into a DUI investigation with just smelling alcohol on the driver’s breath.
Irish people will feel compelled to drink alcohol to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this Sunday whether they want to or not; even those who declare themselves as teetotal for the rest of the year.
Notice something about past ‘celebrations’:
St. Patrick’s Day has evolved from its Irish-Catholic roots of observing the country’s patron saint into one of the biggest global parties of the year. In fact, few countries celebrate as hard as we do right here in the U.S.A. But have we taken the good-natured celebration too far in another direction?
A Costly Celebration
An estimated 133 million people were expected to join the holiday celebrations this year, and St. Patrick’s Day spending overall was predicted to grow to $4.8 billion in the United States. Wondering how that much money is spent on a non gift-giving holiday? As you probably guessed, alcohol is a main contributor. In 2012, it was estimated that beer brewers alone took in $245 million in St. Patrick’s Day sales. That means 1% of all annual U.S. beer sales came from just this one day.
The dollar amounts are staggering, but they aren’t the only St. Patrick’s Day numbers that should give you cause for pause. On Saturday, March 8, police made 73 arrests after converging on a crowd of more than 4,000 students partying in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day at UMass Amherst. Despite the best efforts of schools to proactively combat the heavy drinking associated with this holiday, like scheduling spring breaks that overlap with it or paying local bars not to serve alcohol on the day, college communities continue to struggle with the chaos of mid-March festivities. https://www.thewatershed.com/blog/st-patricks-day-illuminates-dark-dangers-of-binge-drinking/
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. (1 Peter 4:1-3)
Is not “St. Patrick’s Day” a time focused on revelry, drinking parties, and drunkenness? Is not that something that the Apostle Peter said real Christians would no longer participate in?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Since heavy drinking is associated with St. Patrick’s Day, perhaps the following may give some people pause:
March 17, 2018
Excessive drinking can kill you — and claims the lives of an estimated 88,000 Americans per year, according to a first-of-its-kind study.
That’s 1 in 10 deaths in working-age adults — and more than half are related to binge drinking.
If you find this sobering, keep reading. Some 37 million adults — about 17 percent — reported binge drinking, according to the study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. …
A binge drinker typically drinks about once a week, drinking seven drinks within two hours.
Let’s define binge drinking: for men, it’s having five or more alcoholic drinks in a two-hour window; women need to drink at least four drinks in that span for it be considered binging. …
The dangers of binge drinking can range from social issues like unintentional injuries, interpersonal violence and suicide. More dangerously, the higher risks alcohol poisoning, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease — like heart attack and stroke — cancer and liver diseases like cirrhosis.
“This study shows that binge drinkers are … greatly increasing their chances of harming themselves and others,” said Robert Brewer, M.D., M.S.P.H., lead researcher in CDC’s alcohol program. “The findings also show the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to prevent binge drinking.” http://abcnews.go.com/Health/america-binge-175-billion-drinks-worth-study/story?id=53795860
The Bible warns against drunkenness, and that would include binge drinking as well as other aspects of ‘St. Patrick’s Day’:
20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. (Proverbs 23:20-21)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. (1 Peter 4:3-4)
11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
St. Patrick’s Day is NOT Christian.
Furthermore, notice something that the bishops of Ireland released (the portion in italics was a translation provided in the news item):
We pray through the intercession of our national patron, St Patrick, for the faith and well-being of the people of Ireland. Saint Patrick was called to serve and bring God to a people far from his homeland. As Saint Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics in Ireland, the best way to honour him is to attend Mass. …
We pray the blessings of the feast of Patrick on all the people of Ireland. We think especially of all our people who are exiles far from home: may the Christian faith of Patrick be their support and comfort always. We pray also through the intercession of Saint Patrick, for the many people who have come into this country in recent years seeking shelter, asylum and a new life: may the welcome amongst us they receive be generous; let us see to that, as people of God and of Saint Patrick. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/bishops-of-ireland-say-st-patrick-s-day-is-time-to-pray-for-migrants
Notice that the bishops are saying to pray to Patrick, for his intercession and comfort from him. The Bible is clear that there is only one mediator and that this can only be Jesus:
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5, NKJV).
For there is one God, one also mediator of God and men, man Christ JESUS (1 Timothy 2:5, RNT).
Thus any others who claim to be a mediator, or the type of intercessor that the Irish bishops are referring to, clearly contradict the Bible (from both the Catholic and Protestant translations) and CANNOT BE OF GOD.
Despite what the Bible teaches, the Protestant publication “Christianity Today” seems to think it is acceptable to celebrate as one article at its website states:
Patrick the Saint
Behind the fanciful legends of the fifth-century British missionary stands a man worthy of embellishment (Cagney, Mary. Patrick the Saint).
Let me add that the biggest hazard for most, is that those who observe St. Patrick’s Day do not take God’s Holy Days or His plan of salvation seriously enough.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Biblically, the answer to that last question is yes.
Here are some comments from Joseph Farah, editor of World Net Daily:
Jesus is coming soon – here’s the proof
March 8, 2023 7:03 pm
Jesus is coming soon – and, boy, has He had it with this world.
I don’t know if it’ll be seven years or slightly more – maybe even less. Things could get much worse.
If you’re not familiar with what Jesus said about the state of the world before He’s had enough, listen up – or read it for yourself.
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you,” He said. “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Deception. Have we ever lived in a world that was more deceptive – when people are literally going to and fro spreading disinformation with abandon? …
We have government, not just in the United States of America, but almost everywhere, sowing delusion about sex. Whereas God made people with one of two sexes, in 2023, we now are told that there are 94 genders and still counting. Children are asked routinely, even as pre-schoolers, to identify themselves to teachers, not necessarily to parents, with one or more of these labels. These are innocent kids who can’t even read and don’t know any better. They are being programmed, indoctrinated. …
Once they have kids buying into this perversion, then comes the chemical and barbaric surgical treatments they don’t need to tell their parents about – castration and breast removal and permanent disfigurement. It’s big money, and the government pays the tab. … It’s a real-life horror show. …
Jesus came to earth and told us about deception. But that’s only the start. It’s going to get worse – believe it or not. Much worse. …
Jesus said in Matthew 24:13-14. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
He even told us when He would come – and what to do and which book to read, in Matthew 15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:).”
I know it’s a little confusing but not as confusing as this world. I won’t try to explain it all today. But He is near – virtually at the door now.
No, the return of Jesus will not be less than seven years from now. But it may not be more than that.
Related to the perverse sexual agenda being pushed, that is in line with what God inspired the Apostle Paul to write related to the last days:
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV)
Abortion and the LGBTQ+ movements are without natural affection. Those involved in pushing those things also tend to be “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, … false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”
As far as the return of Jesus, notice something from the Gospels:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:3-5, NKJV here and for other scriptural quotes that follow)
Just like nearly all of you, the disciples wanted to know. But also notice that Jesus said to be careful about being deceived, including by people who teach that Jesus is the Christ.
There are a lot of religious hobbyists and some have lengthy and biblically-flawed errors when it comes to end time prophecy.
For one example, notice that a place called Christian Video Magazine, put out a video with the following false title:
5 SIGNS that CHRIST WILL RETURN IN 2023 l The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
The above also claimed that the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine was one of the five signs.
No, not related to 2023 it was not. Jesus is not coming in 2023. Nor did the wrongly titled video actually state Jesus would return in 2023–thus the title and premise were wrong.
Here is something from a Protestant website in 2022 about 2023:
The Revelation 12:1&2 astronomical sign which actually happened on September 23, 2017, as noted on the previous page, is the last heavenly sign referenced in the Bible and it’s the only one that was labeled “Great”. In Jan.2019, I was prompted, I’m guessing by the Holy Spirit, to consider the question, “what if this Rev.12 Great Sign date itself, 9/23/17, is a sign!” Surly it means something! We’re talking about a Great & Wondrous End-Time Sign that was orchestrated by God!!Surly He did not just choose this date randomly! Via Biblical Numerology the #9 represents ‘Finality, Divine Completeness, or Judgment‘. The #17 denotes ‘The Perfection of Spiritual Order‘. The #23 doesn’t possess any special biblical significance, however, maybe the combination could point to the Completion of the “age of grace”, the Rapture, &/or Judgment in 2023! …
Additionally, on April 8, 2024 North America will experience a total solar eclipse. It and the total solar eclipse of 2017 (7 yrs earlier & the same year as the Great Sign) will form an ominous “X” over the United States! With the large number of Christians residing in the U.S., that could mean that a rapture in 2023 might result in the demise of the U.S. in 2024!
2/13/19: Today I awoke at 6:23. – Maybe I finally received my 3rd confirmation!? …
3/4/19: Upon ordering David Jeremiah’s The Book of Signs, I noticed my credit card expiration date, 09/23. September 2023!! WOW! …
It could certainly seem logical that Psalm 23 could be pointing to a 2023 rapture! …
Did God give us this date of the 23rd as a clue similar to that of the Rev.12 Great Sign date of 9/23/17? Are they pointing to the year 2023? …
1) 1Thes.4:16&17 is theprominent & most important scripture pointing to our rapture, – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, & with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” “Then we which are alive & remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” Moreover, 5:23 talks of “the coming of our Lord“, which might just allude to a 2023 Rapture. …
6) The relevance of the #17 is scripturally represented in two particular passages where we have 7 negatives vs 10 positives. Both of these scriptures could personify a rapture:
a) Romans 8:35-39, “What can separate us from the love of Christ? – Nothing!”.
b) Hebrews 12:18-24, the Old vs the New dispensations are contrasted. 7) Finally, we also have the #17 incorporated in the date of the Great Rev.12 Sign itself, 9/23/17. By a simple transposition type decipherization, we have Sept.17, 2023!! Like a sign hidden in plain sight! …
Leviticus Chapter 23 talks of God’s 7 Feasts. …
Thus we have the following:
120 is the 15th triangular number, (disciples in the Upper Room, post-resurrection)
153 is the 17th triangular number, (fish in Peter’s net, post-resurrection. The Resurrection #)
276 is the 23rd triangular number, (lives saved on Paul’s shipwreck at Malta Acts 27:34-37)
666 is the 36th triangular number, (number of the Beast or Anti-Christ)
As noted, 153 & 276 deal with salvation and AMAZINGLY, we not only have our Rapture day again, the 17th, but we also have the year2023!!! Also, when we look at the sum of the 4 numbers (1215), 1+2+1+5 is equal to ‘9’. And thus again, we have the full date of our Rapture, September 17, 2023! …
Moreover, I believe this 2023 rapture scenario has been overwhelmingly supported by scripture, particularly the Rev.12 Great Sign, the Book of Esther, Micah 7:1-6, the 153 fish of John 21:11, & the profound significance of all the Verses 16&17 number combinations. Each of these taken separately could seem coincidental, but taken together they point to a true prophetic revelation. Granted, Satan could likely counterfeit coincidences, but I don’t believe he could vilify scripture. There is now absolutely no doubt in my mind that God wants this date, September 16&17, 2023, made known & set in stone! …
Jan.12, 2022 an article in Biblical News by Adam Berkowitz reported that a prominent mystic-numerologist from Jerusalem, Rabbi Yekutiel Fish, has proved that the year 2023 (5783 AM), which will start in September 2022, will be the final Jubilee before the arrival of the Messiah. Rabbi Fish attributed this teaching to a Rabbi Oren Evron, another prominent mystic-numerologist.
No, not one of the above “confirmations” is a biblical “sign” nor are they valid. Jesus will not be returning in 2023. Trying to tie the biblical Holy Days in still does not point to September 23, 2023, which does not fall on any of them. The fact that the above author is convinced is irrelevant as Jesus’ return is not possible in 2023. The so-called ‘final jubilee’ ending in 2023 is speculation and I do not believe it is accurate. But even if it were, it is not proof of Jesus’ return then. Jesus gave signs and calculating years of a jubilee was not one of them.
One of the reasons I posted about this is because of the attempt to tie biblical Holy Days, as well as the Jubilee, in with this. We saw a lot of this in 2014 and 2015 related to blood moons and a claimed Shemitah year–which I denounced back then.
Jesus is NOT coming in 2023 or 2024.
But are we closer to the end?
Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)
Everyday we are closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennialkingdom of God, which will be preceded by a time called ‘the end.’
Are we at the end now?
Notice specific events that precede the end. Notice more that Jesus said:
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:6-7)
Currently, we appear to be in the time that Jesus called the BEGINNING of sorrows. And while that is closer to the end, the end is not yet.
Notice what happens after the beginning of sorrows:
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)
The above has not yet happened. A time of persecution is coming and the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness. Once God believes that has happened to the degree He intended, notice that is when the end will come.
Then notice some specific signs that precede the start of the great tribulation as well as how bad a time the end will be:
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)
Jesus referred to Daniel’s mentioning of the abomination. Here are only the scriptures Daniel wrote mentioning the abomination and desolation:
26 … And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate (Daniel 9:26b-27a)
31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. (Daniel 11:31)
Well, that covenant peace deal of Daniel 9:27 has not be made, nor confirmed, and hence not yet broken. Furthermore, animal sacrifices have not even started, so those that are prophesied obviously have not been stopped. Since none of those events of Daniel 9:26-27, 11:31, etc. have occurred–and all have to take place before the Great Tribulation as well as before Jesus returns–we know Jesus cannot return for at least seven-years.
Why at least seven years?
The “prophetic week” of Daniel 9:27 has long been correctly understood to refer to a seven-year period of time by Church of God, Protestant, and Roman Catholic scholars.
Notice also something that Jesus taught about His return:
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)
Notice that Jesus returns AFTER the tribulation–and He is referring to after the time of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord–which take 3 1/2 years. Since the Great Tribulation has not begun, Jesus cannot return before 2026. Since the “seven-year” peace deal of Daniel 9:27 has not been made nor confirmed yet, Jesus actually cannot return before 2030. And unless certain signs appear within the next twelve months, 2030 is too early.
So should we give up caring about this?
No!
Jesus said that His followers should watch so that they could know when the end would be, as well as escape what is coming:
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
The Bible clearly teaches that the “end of the world” will come and that there will be specific events Christians should look to see which will let them know. The Bible also clearly teaches that those who properly watch, pray, and live their life as Jesus wants them to can be protected from the coming tribulation. (As far as who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.)
Believe Jesus. He is coming soon, but do not fall for assertions or complicated calculations or those claiming God’s Spirit somehow told them something to the contrary.
We put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:
Will Jesus ever return? Various ones, including certain Protestants and Muslims have pointed to 2023 as the year He will. But are they looking at the wrong things? Can we see a 2023 or 2024 rapture? How about September 17, 2023? What are the signs that Jesus said to look for that precede His return? What parts of the Book of Daniel did Jesus say to look to? Have we seen any of those signs yet? Does Jesus come before or after the tribulation? Can Jesus possibly come before 2023? Are there clear signs that will point to when Jesus will return? Why do some say we need to wait at least seven more years? Why should Christians care? What about supporting the work of God? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.
Jesus also said the following as part of a parable:
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:42-48)
Sadly, more people are interested in knowing WHEN Jesus will return than supporting the work that Jesus would want them to support.
Do not be one like that as Jesus said He would spew most end-time Christians out of His mouth in Revelation 3:16 as they do not support the work as they should (cf. Revelation 3:14-22).
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:22)
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
