Friday, November 18, 2016
One aspect of the end-times Jesus taught was that there would be, “distress of nations, with perplexity” (Luke 21:25). The U.S. is there. One week after Trump’s election many cities suffer organized riots, protests, walk-outs, sit-ins and cry-ins. The hypocrisy of the liberals warning of violence, should Clinton win, now fuels their racial, ethnic and economic division and rage.
The political establishment is yet trying to bring down Trump and steal the election. Senator Barbara Boxer (D) CA, has introduced a bill to rescind the Electoral College vote and make this election popular majority based. But that requires an act of Congress. The Electoral College is in our Constitution as a safeguard against the possible manipulation of population-weighted states.
Globalists are stirring up hatred and violence, domestically and abroad, in an effort to create a catastrophic event to blame Trump. We should not think it beyond their capability to create civil unrest, or even war, based on their inspired immigration and ethnic divisions, hatred and rage.
The election of Donald J. Trump to the Office of President of the United States is very good. It deferred, but didn’t eliminate, the imminent threat of war with Russia and possibly even WW3. That’s from a finite human perspective as God knew from the beginning that Trump’s election would be for such a time as this; a blessed temporal reprieve, a time for repentance for unbelief.
This reprieve from wars and destruction is vital to the body of Christ, our country and the world, to seek God’s forgiveness from the evils and unbelief that has brought us to this critical end-time point. If this opportunity of repentance unto belief is now wasted it would be most tragic.
Our nation has suffered the last eight years of President Obama whose policies promoted Islam and its evils, but scourged Christian values. The Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization that’s been so identified by many nations, has been given special access to the White House, while Obama’s Justice Department lawyers sued Christians to the loss of their businesses.
President Obama’s contempt for Christians is clearly demonstrated by the number of Syrian Muslim refugees brought to America versus Syrian Christian refugees, which, in Fiscal Year November 2015 was 2083 to 53 respectively, a discriminatory ratio of 97.5 to 2.5! (Breitbart)
About Donald Trump and Israel – last week I shared that Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, married a Jew, Jared Kushner, and that Ivanka converted to Judaism in 2009. It’s been further disclosed that Trump’s VP-elect, Mike Pence, also has close ties with Israel through his Orthodox Jewish cousins as reported by Breaking Christian News, November 14, 2016.
Christians should view the America, Trump, Pence, Israel quartet with measured optimism. Here’s why: while a pro-Israel Trump administration temporarily prevents, militarily if needed, forces hostile to Israel, the time will soon come when the New World Order, under UN authority, will, by political intrigue, cause Israel to be hated by all nations, including by the United States.
Since Israel’s rebirth in 1948 she has been blessed and matured by God for one specific reason, and Christians should know that reason: to bring this age to an end, which culminates with Christ gathering His elect saints to the land of Israel, the land promised by God under covenant-oath to Abraham and his descendants, “as an everlasting possession” (Gen. 17:8). Hallelujah!
And who are Abraham’s descendants? Well, God said it like this, “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29), meaning Christians, for they are true Jews, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not from men but from God” (Gal. 2:28–29).
Some saints are over optimistic about Trump. Charisma News, 11/14/2016, “Pastor Saeed Abedini Prophesies Donald Trump Will Usher the World Into a New Millennium – He is a modern day Cyrus…Mr. Trump will take the whole world NOT just America to the new level that the world has never seen before…Mr. Trump is the answer of all the people’s prayers.”
Some saints are under optimistic about Trump. Charisma News, 11/15/2016, “Max Lucado: My Church is Scared of Donald Trump – The evangelical pastor had opposed Trump’s candidacy throughout the presidential election cycle—his words even became political weapons used late in the campaign to dissuade other evangelicals from voting for the businessman.”
However, Pastor Max Lucado concluded of Trump, “He’s got some wonderful, godly men and women—it seems—serving on his team, and I’m so very encouraged about that. I believe that God is still on His throne. He will oversee and direct the affairs of our nation.”
Last week I cautioned about the election of Donald Trump, and I say again: do not let Trump’s election cast off your vision to prepare for the end-times. Don’t assume all is well. Israel, God’s “fig tree” (Matt. 24:32–35), has matured, making our generation the last of this age. Therefore, what lies just ahead will not only shake this world, but intensely test our faithfulness to Christ.
Under the control of our Sovereign God, there are evil forces that reign over governing seats of power, (Daniel 10:13–14, 20–21). These forces will escalate to wage war against saints and win, see Dan. 7:21 and Rev. 13:7. Terrible end-time tribulation events must be fulfilled before God’s elect saints are gathered, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Matt. 24:29–31).
Metaphorically, I liken high seats of power to national leaders gathered into each one’s private room divided by a curtain. After ancient Israel formally rejected Christ, every subsequent king, president, monarch and dictator hears voices from the other side of that curtain dictating his or her moves. They are mere puppets controlled by the wicked elite serving the god of this age.
We’ve all seen many times that well-intentioned politicians say one thing on the campaign trail, but then do the opposite once in office. Donald Trump and Mike Pence will be no different. They too will hear the voices of the power elite. They too will advance God’s end-time agenda. They too will disappoint many. They too need the prayers of the saints. They too need salvation.
Do not forget God’s identity of world leaders. “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us’” (Psa. 2:1–3). Now, Trump and Pence are, in part, those rulers!
I often call to remembrance the truth of Israel’s rebirth and maturity, “its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves” (Matt. 24:32). The time for the end-time fulfillment of events is here, and Israel’s rebirth, growth and maturity is the key. Those who ignore Jesus’ parable truth and persist in a pre-trib rapture belief set themselves up for grave failure.
Regarding Jesus’ parable of, “the fig tree” (Matt. 24:32–35), the generation that sees the rebirth, growth and maturity of Israel, is the last generation of this present age. Israel will soon be sixty-nine years old. What’s a generation? God said, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years” (Psa. 90:10). Do you believe the Word of the Lord?
Because our generation has seen the rebirth and maturity of Israel, having seen that, “its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves”, we have the confidence of Jesus’ saying, that, “this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34).
When Jesus said, “all these things”, He referred to His tribulation and great tribulation discourse, concluding with gathering His elect saints, “Immediately after the tribulation”. Yet, many false pastors and teachers in the church reject the truth of Jesus regarding His end-time teaching and warning, “making the word of God of no effect” (Mark 7:13). God help the church.
Meanwhile, many in Israel rejoice at a Trump / Pence administration. Breaking Israel News, 11/13/2016, reports, “Trump Eager To Make “Ultimate Deal” Between Israelis, Palestinians – President Elect Donald J. Trump, possibly the most unpredictable man in American political history, has reiterated his promise to employ his “Art of the Deal” in achieving lasting peace between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East.”
Now, before you wonder if Trump is the Antichrist, who, “shall confirm a covenant with many for one week” (Dan. 9:27), the answer is, NO! Antichrist is the, “beast rising up out of the sea” (Rev. 13:1), meaning, his empire and system sits among many, “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues” (Rev. 17:15). The biblically identifying colors of his system are scarlet and purple. Do this: Google the phrase, “scarlet and purple”, and see the Vatican’s Bishops and Cardinals.
The Vatican’s system of Roman Catholicism is the harlot of Rev. 17, and, “the beast”, meaning the Antichrist, rides the harlot. I encourage you to study Rev. 17 and 18 that you’ll be equipped to know the truth, for it will be important that you know how to identify “the beast”, because, “all the world marveled and followed after the beast” (Rev. 13:3). That day is not far off.
What you believe matters greatly. Jesus Christ didn’t speak in multiple choice. He said He gathers His elect saints only once, “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–31), “at the last day” (John 6:40, 44, 54), “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:51–52), at “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4–6). God is giving the church a reprieve to repent from lies against the Lord Jesus.
Marlin J. Yoder
