Does anything exist outside of God's will?

 Pastor John MacArthur once stated, "God wills evil to exist."

I can assure you that he thought long and hard about this answer before giving it to his audience.

So the first question you must ask is, does anything exist outside God's will? 

The answer is no. That answer makes this idea of evil seem odd and uncomfortable. The discomfort we feel in accepting a response like this likely comes because we don't understand God's will and the underlying selfishness we hide. After all, we frequently are only willing to have His will align with our understanding and goals, and that doesn't happen.

Evil, by definition, is, in this case, adjectives like profoundly immoral and wicked. Hence, it has the following synonyms: "wicked, bad, wrong, morally wrong, wrongful, immoral, sinful, ungodly, unholy, foul, vile, base, ignoble, dishonorable, corrupt, iniquitous, depraved, degenerate, villainous, nefarious, sinister, vicious, malicious, malevolent, demonic, devilish, diabolic, diabolical, fiendish, dark, black-hearted."

Sadly, these grievous words could have been used to describe any of us at some point.

Evidently, evil existed before the beginning of time, lurking in the dark. But, in the case of Adam and Eve, it was just waiting to be picked and eaten. 

Our introduction to God/Jesus through John's gospel tells us in the third verse of that book that, 

"All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." 
(John 1:3 NASB.) 

If all things came into being through Him, then evil was also part of that plan, but why? 

An aspect of the answer is seen almost immediately as God describes the warfare between the woman's seed and Satan's seed. 

"And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." 
(Genesis 3:15 NLT)

So, before God decided that humanity would be "created" and Lucifer rebelled, God had a plan (an aspect of His will) to rid His world of Satan and the evil associated with his rebellion. Genesis 3:15 explicitly tells us that He/God would cause hostility between Satan and the woman. Most would perceive hostility to be evil.

Let's assume that evil/sin was introduced into the earth through Satan.

 In that case, evil must exist until he and it – the corruption built into us, are entirely removed from existence

(If you are following the logic, then you may have gasped as you realized that means that somehow this body must die. Since we have no clear definition of what transpires at the Bema - a time of rewards associated with the catching away of the church, it may be that the body dies, purging us permanently from the corruption of sin.)

The only other place we see this happening is after the end of the millennial reign and after the great white throne. Until that happens, God has to be willing to tolerate evil and, therefore, wills evil to exist in this world.

Don't think for a moment that evil has mastery over God or runs rampant in the hearts of all humanity, having its way; it will not, and that is why we were given the Holy Spirit of God.

Jesus said,

“But as for you, Christ has poured out his Spirit on you. As long as his Spirit remains in you, you do not need anyone to teach you. For his Spirit teaches you about everything, and what he teaches is true, not false. Obey the Spirit's teaching, then, and remain in union with Christ.”
(1 John 2:27 GNB)

Well, surprise! When you accepted Jesus Christ into your life, you received the Holy Spirit. 

I am making this next comment about me because I can't speak for you.

The verse above does not explain why my own life was so bland and powerless until I was about 23 years old. I wanted to add that the changes that happened in me were NOT directly related to some teaching about the Holy Spirit. I had been invited to a men's retreat where a young man named Jerry Savelle was going to be speaking. At this point in his life, Jerry was running around with Kenneth Copeland as they taught on faith, another theme that was not spoken of in church with such emphasis. Well, God got my attention, and I came away from the retreat with a burning desire for the Word of God. Reading the Bible as though I had never read it before, along with the teaching of an enthusiastic local Bible teacher, I began to experience some powerful changes as I began to trust God and apply faith to everyday life. It saddens me to tell you that my first marriage turned into a nightmare, and I, once again, turned my back on God. Fortunately, He never turned His back on me, and I was aware of that. This dark period lasted about ten years. 

Yes, I am aware that I received Christ when I was very young; however, I cannot remember ANYONE telling me that I received the Holy Spirit and the empowerment He brings until I met Brother Jerry. In a sense, I lived in fear of a God I understood to be angry and for whom I could never work hard enough to please. And all this was under the guise of religion. 

Scripturally, we see evil taking a tremendous advantage over followers of Christ in the last few days. Fortunately, all this evil and the damage caused comes out in the wash at Jesus' return for His church, at the beginning of the millennial reign, and again at the great white throne. 

No matter what things look like, justice will win out.

Since God clearly seems to have known of evil, did He introduce evil into the mindset of His creation when He created 'âdâm/humankind? 

[Strong's concordance in defining the word 'âdâm, indicates a human being (an individual or the species humankind.] 

The answer is NO, for humanity (two reproductive people) were created in the image of God, a perfect being, and one that cannot be tested with evil or lies. 

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
(Genesis 1:27 NASB) 

His will included the actions of Adam and Eve in the garden. Even though their actions caused all of us grief, the end scenario is one where God's own Son (Jesus) removed the judgment and penalty for sin and made the way (acceptance of the one Jesus, who paid it all) for all to spend eternity with the Father in Heaven (this all happened on the cross.)

The idea that something untidy or painful is typically selfish and evil is fraudulent; because the Father's will is often untidy and occasionally painful, but it is still His will. 

Jesus' death on the cross was both untidy and painful, and yet it was the will of the Father because it showed His love toward us. Since God gave us the freedom to choose something other than His love, it is still His will; therefore, we should be able to understand that God wills evil to exist for the moment, but that door will soon close, and the age of grace will be over.

Oh, His love will never end nor go away, and therefore, you will continue to see people coming to Jesus, knowing full well that it will cost them their lives here on earth. Such a small price to pay for a life with the Father.

Does scripture tell us that the earth's axis will shift 40 degrees?

 A brother in Christ who goes by the YouTube name, Watchman River Tom, mentioned that he always listens to Jonathan Brentner. So I felt I needed to check out his website, "Our Journey Home."

https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2022/11/28/12-signs-the-world-is-running-out-of-normal

The article is called "12 Signs The World is Running Out of Normal."

I am not confused about what I read in scripture or hear in my spirit, and I will not let fools cause me to be led astray. Therefore, I can say with a passion that normal is NOT coming back; Jesus is.

An aspect of what Jonathan said was that the world wobbling would be part of the signs that are to come. He bases his statement on two verses, Isaiah 24:19-20 and Revelation 6:12-17. 

I am NOT doing this to rebuke a brother in Christ but to see if his thesis holds true, if scripture, in any way, tells us that the world will wobble and if we can use this to describe things that are to come.

From Jonathan Brentner's website, Our Journey Home.

WHEN THE WORLD WOBBLES

“Since 2001, the earth’s magnetic north pole has been moving. An article on the Forbes Magazine website, Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Is Shifting Dramatically From A Powerful Tug Of War, discussed how this shift has speeded up in recent years.

Why do I include this in the list of 12 signs? It’s because of warnings of what happens when the pole shift may reach forty degrees. That’s the point at which the north and south poles will swap places.[iii]

What’s so significant about this?

The Bible tells us that during the Tribulation period, the world will wobble (see Isaiah 24:19-20 and Revelation 6:12-17). I find it more than a little curious that what many predict will happen at the time of the pole shift matches what these prophetic passages say will happen during the Day of the Lord. It’s much more than a coincidence.”

Because Jonathan referenced an article from Forbes Magazine that speaks of how the earth's magnetic pole is shifting, I can easily realize that we are talking about a polar shift.

Now the question is, what would cause this?

“The earth is broken asunder, The earth is split through, The earth is shaken violently. The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a shack, For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.” (Isaiah 24:19-20 NASB)

I cannot honestly say that I see the earth rotating 40+ degrees askew, let alone understand what is being said. A literal translation reads,

The earth is breaking, breaking! The earth is crashing, crashing! The earth is tottering, tottering. (Isaiah 24:19 LITV)

From what I have come to understand, the repetition of words in the Hebrew tradition means that God is trying to solidify and emphasize, especially in a prophetic sense. The terminology “utterly breaking down” is the Hebrew word rā‛a‛ and means to be evil or bad. It goes on to call it damaged or distressed.

The earth was NOT bad or evil in the day that it was made, but it certainly could have been damaged. When I look at the Literal Translation of the Bible, instead of "moved" exceedingly, it uses the terminology tottering twice.

It is the Hebrew word mot and means to totter, shake, or slip, among other words like totter. Isaiah 24:20 tells us in the KJV that “The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard.” This is the Hebrew word nua and means to quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter.

So, based upon Isaiah 24:19-20, I am still at a loss to understand where Jonathan gets a 40-degree tilt.

“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:18 KJV)

It is clear to me that Isaiah 24:19,20 has a context, and it starts in verse 1. The NASB entitles this section of scripture "Judgment on the whole earth." Alright, this I can understand, but I still have a problem.

“Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor.” (Isaiah 24:1-2 NASB)

Notice the role reversals. So the emphasis has everything to do with the destruction of the earth and its inhabitants. This passage tells us that the LORD distorts its surface.

Distort is the Hebrew word avah and means to bend or twist.

What would it take for the earth to bend and twist in this manner?

We would have to project every possible scenario in order to obtain such an effect. I will add that the associated passage Jonathan mentions is in Revelation 6. When I attempted to teach through Revelation, we were not very far in chapter six before my friend said, how does anybody make it through the seven years? Good question.

If I put together what I have just learned, I have bad earth, and because it's bad, He bends and twists the earth in order to punish (the earth) and those on it. Since the earth could NOT make itself bad, then it is reasonable to consider other outside forces being applied.

Can we make an assertion as to what those outside forces were or are?

Here in Isaiah 42, we see that one of those outside forces will definitely be the Lord. Now project this forward to the Revelation, which declares that the book is a Revealing of Jesus. Would it surprise you to see that Jesus goes forth like a warrior and lays waste to the mountains and hills?

“The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. "I have kept silent for a long time; I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now, like a woman in labor, I will groan; I will both gasp and pant. "I will lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds.” (Isaiah 42:13-15 NASB)

In Jeremiah 51, the Lord says that He is against someone or something that has qualities like a mountain but destroys the whole earth; He calls it Babylon. Think about the logic of a statement like that. A city cannot destroy the entire world, so "Babylon" is either a spiritual entity associated with that name or applies to those who ruled over Babylon.  

The context is directed at Babylon, but there is a spiritual theme.

"Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys the whole earth," declares the LORD, "And I will stretch out My hand against you, And roll you down from the crags, And I will make you a burnt out mountain." (Jeremiah 51:25 NASB)

Anyone with a Biblical sense understands that Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler over Babylon, took Israel captive for 70 years as punishment for not obeying God. By the time Daniel realized that the time of their punishment was over, Babylon was under the control of the Persians, and King Cyrus was in control. It is well-defined in scripture that men like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and Hitler served as the hands and feet of God when it came to dishing out punishment. Fortunately, none of these men lived forever, but something else does – spiritual entities. 

One of the places where we see a powerful allusion to our spiritual enemy is found in Revelation 12.

"For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time." (Revelation 12:12 NASB)

A question, when did Satan come down to earth?

An aspect of our answer is associated with a statement that Jesus made.

“And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”
(Luke 10:18 NASB)

Consider that Jesus was standing before a crowd when He said this. That means He was in close proximity to the Father when Satan was tossed to earth, and it would appear that the planet was free of humanity when this happened. Another thing that plays a role in your understanding of when this fall from heaven took place is the actuality that Satan, who had possessed a serpent that walked on four legs and talked, met with Adam and Eve as they were now cultivating within earshot of the tree that was off limits to eat from. An interesting thought that suddenly occurs to me is, Why go near that tree? 

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15 NASB)

The tree that was off-limits in terms of eating was an aspect of the garden that God gave Adam to cultivate. So it was a non-issue until Satan got involved, but if you go back to the conversation where this instruction was initiated, there was NO Eve; this fact legitimizes Satan's arguments when he said, "did He really say that?"

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17 NASB)

Considering that we started by trying to figure out if scripture tells us that the earth will wobble by "40 degrees of tilt (+ or -)", where does the garden of Eden fit into this? Seeing as we learned that Satan was thrown to the ground before the creation of man and that Genesis 1:2 indicates that the earth had been thrown into an explosive turmoil, which made the place void.

I would be a fool to think that the impact of Satan on the earth could not have tilted the globe on its axis. Many will deny the possibility that the earth endures such hellish devastation because they seem to think that it impairs God. Oh well, I do not see it that way, and it is clear that there is the potential that God will do the same thing.

From a scientific point of view, causing the earth to rotate to another axis should cause a total annihilation of humanity on earth, an event which I never see in scripture until after the great white throne judgment – an event which finally leaves a world in which there are NO unbelievers or humans subject to death, and it will be a time in which we will be forever, with the Father, in heaven. All this creates an environment in which the heavens and the earth could then be burned up and perhaps replaced, an event that we do encounter in scripture. These are physical phenomena that could not be done at any point outside of the time beyond the great white throne because there will continue to be mortals up to the final judgment, a judgment, by the way, that only includes dead people.

Keep in mind that the “English” and the grammar that we see in almost every Biblical translation came out of the mind of humans. True, there are passages such as:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

Consider that when Paul wrote these words, the ONLY “scripture” that these Messianic believers had would have possibly been one copy of the Law and Prophets. There were NO Bibles, as the Bible was being lived out before their eyes and written to the congregations in the form of letters to those church bodies. That being said, here is another witness.

They assembled together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" (Numbers 16:3 NASB)

While the terminology does not match 2 Timothy's example, it does demonstrate how God feels about those who are His, up to and including the fact that God is always in the midst of His followers.

There is NOTHING in Isaiah 24 that specifically says the earth will tilt by 40 degrees, so let's try the other reference we were given, Revelation 6:12-17.

“I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;” (Revelation 6:12 NASB)

An obvious factor pops up as I read this. Five seals have been opened already.

1. The first seal. “A rider on a white horse” carrying a bow but NO arrows.

   Most see this as the antichrist. The timing is perfect as this is one of the first things that happens after the catching away of the church. The bow with no arrows is indicative of a false peace, and we see that with the seven-year covenant he makes.

   Other clues about this man: a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

2. The second seal, “a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

   Is this associated with the rider on the white horse or an added attraction?

3. The third seal. “A black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."

   Horrendous escalation in food prices, shortages, and starvation.

4. The fourth seal. “An ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

   Death.

5. The fifth seal.

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

   Everything seems to be focused on the intentional killing of those who follow after Christ during the seven years.

6. And the passage in question where the earth tilts.

   I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17 NASB)

Look at what it says, “there was a great earthquake.”

What geologic violence would the earth have to endure to shift the poles by 40 degrees?

Considering that The answer is something devastating, destructive, and monumental. And God is just getting started in terms of judgment against Israel and the nations, as there are two more sets of judgment – the bowls and the trumpets, to come.

The passage goes on to say that “every mountain and island were moved from their place.” That is a massive shaking that goes beyond our imaginations, and yet as you follow the narrative in Revelation, this happens several more times.

An example of what a 9.0 earthquake can do was seen in the Fukushima event of 2011.

“The Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, also called Great Sendai Earthquake or Great Tōhoku Earthquake, severe natural disaster that occurred in northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. The event began with a powerful earthquake off the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, which caused widespread damage on land and initiated a series of large tsunami waves that devastated many coastal areas of the country, most notably in the Tōhoku region (northeastern Honshu). The tsunami also instigated a major nuclear accident at a power station along the coast.

The magnitude-9.0 earthquake was caused by the rupture of a stretch of the subduction zone associated with the Japan Trench, which separates the Eurasian Plate from the subducting Pacific Plate. A part of the subduction zone measuring approximately 190 miles (300 km) long by 95 miles (150 km) wide lurched as much as 164 feet (50 meters) to the east-southeast and thrust upward about 33 feet (10 meters).”
https://www.britannica.com/event/Japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-of-2011

“The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up.”

Whatever this event is, it impacts the skies. The (Lexham English Bible) tells us that “...the sky was split apart like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved from their place.”

The experience of having the sky appear to split and roll back like a scroll would be frightening by itself. The question then becomes, what, then, are you looking at should you look at the sky?

I don't have an answer for you. I do know that these events will happen within the seven years of God's wrath, which comes after Jesus comes back for His church – His followers. Many people focus on the events that are currently happening and say we are experiencing God's wrath now. We are NOT as the removal of the church is necessary; however, Jesus said when you see these things, you can know that He is at the door.

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the door. Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place!”
(Mark 13:28-30 LEB)

• Israel is referenced as the fig tree on several occasions in scripture, holding to the necessity of two witnesses.

• Israel became a nation in a day (May 14, 1948). This is monumental, and squirm as you may, you can't get past this sign.

These two events/prophetic signs are game-changers that cannot be ignored.

• This generation will never pass away until all these things take place. Do a quick study to figure out the length of a generation, and you will come to the conclusion that we are right there.

• And, though it is NOT mentioned in the passages above, Jesus also said that we will hear of wars and rumors of wars. The truth be known, times of peace have been a rarity, so I am unsure how to process this statement. But, with this Russian war with Ukraine, Turkey now attacking portions of Syria; (12/23/2022). Within the last twenty-four hours, a military base in Moscow has been set on fire; and North Korea continues to ramp up the fear by launching another ballistic missile.

So, “when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the door.”

It is time to invite Jesus into your life and become a part of the family.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5. An integration with an article by Amir Tsarfati about the fig tree.

This is based on an article in Harbingers Daily, written by Amir Tsarfati on 12/06/22.

One of the loathsome things I perpetually hear is, No one knows the day or the hour. These naysayers espouse this even though the Apostle Paul told us, 

“...you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief.”

“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you, yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 NASB)

There seems to be a concerted effort among church members and leadership to promote deception.
Note how Paul says that “we,” the “believer,” is NOT in darkness, that the day would overtake us like a thief; this is because those outside the family only acknowledge the rapture. After all, it is a scenario portrayed in scary movies, and they seem to have serious doubts about being left behind.

What is “the day”?

There are two schools of thought.

1. That it is a day of judgment.

   There are two of those “days” that apply to judgment. 

   One would be when He comes back at the end of the seven years and silences all who have come to fight against Him. He does this with the breath of His mouth, and there will be a river of blood. 

   The second day of judgment will come at the end of the thousand-year reign and climax with the white throne judgment. 

   Two things happen in relationship to the white throne, and they are packaged under the heading of the second day or final judgment.

   Satan will be released once again, and he will deceive the nations. Yes, during the millennial reign, people with a free will shall repopulate the earth and continue to live, and some will choose to ignore the ongoing message of God’s goodness, which they can witness firsthand.

   Deceived by Satan, they will attempt to kill God and His people as they surround the Holy City, God, and His people. He kills them with the breath of His mouth and burns them up.

   The next aspect of this judgment is that all the dead, quite possibly from the beginning of time, will be brought before this throne. Here is where Matthew 25 kicks in because Jesus, the judge, and shepherd, separates this crowd into two representative groups - "sheep and goats." To the sheep, He will say, enter into the eternal kingdom. The goats will go to eternal damnation with Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet who are already there.

So much for judgment.

2. The second way people perceive "the day" is through the catching away of the church.

   This event has little to do with judgment, although many many perceive it as judgment because it is associated with the Bema seat pg of Christ.

   The passage that gives much great concern is,

   “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
   (Romans 14:10 NASB)

   The Bema seat is more of a time for passing out rewards for a job well done.

Fully aware that we do not have to be deceived because we are NOT in darkness, then what can we know?

To the Pharisees, Jesus said you can read the signs of the weather.

"The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away.” (Matthew 16:1-4 NASB)

Jesus' first response when the disciples implored Him to "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

"...Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you."
(Matthew 24:4 NASB)

See to it G3005 légo – Is to say, affirm over, maintain, teach, point out with words, to speak of, or mention.

This affirmation is what you do to yourselves.

Mislead G4105 planáo - To cause to wander, lead astray.

How many different ways can we be caused to wander?

Let's see: The news, as they would never deceive me.

Are you kidding?

Haven't you noticed how every news station repeats the exact same words, no matter how small or large the station is? Someone is pulling their chains, telling them to feed you what they want you to know.

Another recent event was Elon Musk purchasing Twitter and then revealing that men like

James Addison Baker III is an American attorney, diplomat, and statesman. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 10th White House Chief of Staff and the 67th United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan, and the 61st U.S. Secretary of State. He was also a former American government official at the Department of Justice who served as general counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He later served as deputy general counsel at Twitter, Inc. from June 2020 to December 2022 before being fired by Elon Musk. (Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baker)

have been assisting in process of eliminating our civil rights, by blocking our freedom of speech.

Paul in his second letter to the church in Thessaloniki, told them

"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction," (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB)

Notice the nondescript word "it." It is fascinating how a simple word can imply or point to so many things. “It” can apply to the beast, antichrist, the New World Order, the methods used to make their evil plans work, or the people who think they can control us. I chuckled as I wrote this, as they are making it happen.  

Are you in denial? How is that working for you?  

Deceive G1818 exapatáo - to seduce, deceive, lead out of the right way into error.

I was not born during the days of the Nazi concentration camps, but I can read and am a piteous history student. But this leading out of the right way into error is precisely what Hitler and the Nazi party did to Germany. If you don’t believe that, try reading about Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as he details how the Nazis led the majority of Pastors, and for a moment, even Bonhoeffer, to the point that they merely played their worship music louder to drown out the screams of the Jews on the trains as they were carted off to their deaths.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, we know that the Greek word apostasia had been  manipulated  in the King James Version of the Bible to read apostasy - or falling away instead of departure (indicating a departure  of the church to be with Jesus.)  This was done to convey the anger of the state church, the Catholic church in the 1500s, over people leaving the church for Protestantism. The previous version of the Bible was the Geneva Bible and existed for almost 100 years, with the word apostasia accurately being translated as departure. 

A three-page introduction. What is the point? 

Since we are not in the dark, we should be able to see what is coming and how close we are to our catching away. 

Jesus addressed just such a condition when He spoke to the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

He said, 

“Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times?”

One of those signs was the fig tree, and that is where Amir Tsarfati comes into play. I will add that many are now trying to tell us that the fig tree does not refer to Israel. This is part of the deception!

‘We Are The Generation’: God Has Not Left Us In The Dark About the Generation We Live In."

By Amir Tsarfati, December 6, 2022

Jeremiah 8:13, Hosea 9:10, and Joel 1:7 all refer to Israel as a fig tree, and the content of the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 is concerning events before and during the 70th week of Daniel – also referred to as the Great Tribulation. That means the fig tree Jesus is referring to is the nation of Israel, and when it puts forth leaves and the branch is tender (which indicates new growth) we can know that summer is near. From that example Jesus said that the generation that sees this will not pass away before all things in the Olivet Discourse take place.

What that means to you and me as Christians living at the end of the time of the Gentiles and the church age is that we have been given an entire generation’s notice about the coming of the Lord. He will come first for His church before the Tribulation and then with His church to end the Tribulation. We were given this information by our gracious and loving Lord not so we would be ready for the Rapture – we should always be ready for that event – but so we would tell others not only that they also need to be ready, but more importantly, why and how they can be.

No one knows the day or the hour of the Lord appearing in the air to meet the dead in Christ and the living saints. However, He did tell us to be ready in Matthew 24:

Matthew 24:44 KJV – “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

The phrase “hour you do not expect” could also be translated as “a season never supposed”. That carries with it a couple of potential meanings. Either that Jesus is coming for us at a time when things are unimaginable, like now, or that Jesus is coming at a time when few think He will, also like now. Whichever meaning is the one that God intended, both make clear that the hour is late. The Jews are back in the land, the fig tree has put forth leaves, and the unknown day or hour is likely very near.