Divine Demonstration and Trump Derangement Drama
Just when it seemed that much new couldn’t be added to the stage being set for producing the Antichrist regime, yet another component has literally exploded into the picture, sending the world of conspiracy theorists—both the Bible prophecy and the secular sorts—into quantum speculation.
I write, of course, about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13. And certainly, the assassination attempt must be considered one of the most dramatic occurrences in the history of the nation–maybe in the history of the world.
Exactly what the dastardly attack means in thinking on setting up things for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, I don’t pretend to know. But I consider it a duty–an assignment—as a fellow watchman to look into the matters involved.
First to consider is the fact that the initial thought of most, in seeing how near Mr. Trump came to instant death, is that the bullet hit only his ear and missed entering his head. Immediately, it was almost like groupthink. Many observers expressed that it was divine intervention. The thought was suggested even by many within the Democratic Party. The fact that Trump was spared turned attention to God and His ability to perform miracles at any time.
Then the “Trump Derangement Syndrome” kicked in, and insanity entered the mix as folks pondered what the world had just witnessed. I heard interviews conducted on the streets of New York City, Los Angeles, and other places. The question: “How do you view this seeming miracle, with Trump’s near miss with instant death?”
The question was put to those who were chosen because of their fanatic dislike of the former president. Without exception, as I heard the interviews, the people, sounding to be in their twenties and up to their forties, concluded the whole thing was staged to make Trump’s election more certain.
Each said in one way or another that the former president’s ear wasn’t actually hit but that it was all a visual deception of some sort when the ear seemed to erupt and the blood flew.
When asked about the fact that one man died and two others were critically injured from the bullets that missed Trump, almost all of those I heard said that it “wasn’t surprising.” “Trump will do anything to win.” “The life of others means nothing to him or the Republican Party,” was the seemingly synchronized mantra.
None of the interviewees could explain how this ruse took place–how the deception was arranged. But none had a moment’s hesitation in saying basically the identical thing: It wasn’t a miracle but a dastardly, Nazi-type lie to elect the Hitler-like destroyer of democracy – an invective drilled into the heads of the Trump Derangement Syndrome fanatics for months, even years.
Out of all this has gushed many sorts of theories and declarations. This ranges from prophetic ponderings to secular philosophizing and punditry. Some doing the speculation paint Donald Trump as almost deity, having the finger of the God of Heaven designating him as the sure victor in the 2024 presidential election. An almost worshipful attitude seems to inhabit this thinking.
Others, even within the prophetic community, suggest Trump might be the foretold Antichrist–thus because of the head wound he survived.
My own thinking, I must admit, started the fiction writer within me seeing the whole thing as the Deep State’s clever plot to get rid of the person, if elected, who would hold up the globalists’ plans. The automatic fire that immediately followed the would-be assassin’s first eight shots, taking him out within two seconds of his firing, my novelist mind informed, was planned with knowledge of the shooter. Except the shooter wouldn’t know about his being immediately eliminated so he couldn’t be interrogated about the plot in which he was promised to be whisked off to a safe spot where he couldn’t be punished for the crime.
All nonsense—the speculation above as well as my own thoughts of what a great plot for a spy thriller all this would make.
Although…I since have learned that the twenty-year-old shooter had three encrypted platform accounts overseas and a second cellphone on which was found a number of strange contacts. And it is reported widely that strong evidence has come to light of an Iranian plot to assassinate the former president because Trump was responsible for taking out one of Iran’s chief terrorist assassins while he was in office.
All this taken into account, I’ve nonetheless come to embrace the view that the foiled assassination of the former president was, at least in part, Heaven’s demonstration of power to a world of inhabitants who are increasingly tracking in a direction diametrically away from God. Anti-God forces have, through this obviously divine act of protection of the man at the center not only of national political controversy but of world political controversy, been given proof that the Deity’s Psalm 2 warning continues to be in effect. The Lord continues to restrain evil and wickedness, and that is why the anti-God forces continue to see their grandiose plans to establish a New World Order meet with derision at every juncture.
Donald Trump might have been spared as the Lord’s gracious act of calling him to personal repentance. That is something we know our Lord does to every person ever born. There are reports that Trump seems to be a very changed man and recognizes the saving of his life as providential. I pray that is a sign he has said “yes” to the Lord’s call. However, I don’t believe for a moment that the former president was spared because Mr. Trump is destined to “Make America Great Again.” I believe that at this late date on God’s prophetic timeline, America and the world have gone too far down that track leading from the Lord’s corrective action. Now, it seems from observation and, I believe, spiritual insight, that the time for Sodom-like judgment is very, very near.
More to the point, perhaps, I believe it is our Lord alerting believers that He is indeed in complete control of every situation. It should be seen, I think, as divine encouragement. We should take comfort from this demonstration of power, as we should from the magnificent promise given us through the Apostle Paul:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
—Terry
We Are Blessed Beyond Measure
Living in the last days has its challenges, to be sure. We see wickedness, lawlessness, and deception increasing at an exponential clip. As violence erupts all around us, I pray daily for the safety of our children and their spouses, as well as for all our grandchildren.
On the other hand, we live at a time like no other. I recently read Matthew chapters 12 and 13, and as I did, a couple of verses reminded me of the wonder of being alive at such a time as this.
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16-17).
The above verses, addressed to His disciples, were part of Jesus’ explanation for starting to teach with parables. His words came after the Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Spirit by attributing the power behind His miracles to the devil. They, unlike those close to Him, failed to experience the blessing of recognizing the significance of the day in which they lived. Many in previous generations had longed to be alive at the time their Messiah walked among them.
The Savior’s words apply to us today. Just as those in first century AD Israel witnessed the fulfillment of many prophecies relating to Jesus’ first appearing, today we watch the unfolding of a great many prophetic events signaling Jesus’ imminent return for His church, the start of the Tribulation, and the Second Coming.
Our Expectation
As believers, we have a valid expectation of being alive at the time of the Rapture. As events point to the rapid approach of the Tribulation, we know that the time of meeting Jesus in the air is ever so close. When Paul penned the letters to Thessalonians, he expressed the hope, the possibility, that he might take part in this momentous event before his death. Notice his words in 1 Thessalonians in 4:17:
“Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (emphasis added)
At the end of his ministry, the apostle recognized that he would die before the Rapture. Regardless, he wrote of the reward that Jesus would give to him because of his love for Jesus’ appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).
Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:16-17 reminded me of Bible scholars in the past who revitalized beliefs in the pre-Tribulation Rapture and Jesus’ reign over the nations from a restored Israel.
In the early 1900s, C.I. Scofield wrote about the time when an alliance led by Russia would invade Israel. People scoffed at such an idea because, at the time, Israel didn’t exist and Russia was a Christian nation. Today’s headlines verify his insights into Bible prophecy. We live at a time when the Gog/Magog War of Ezekiel 38 seems likely to happen in the near future. Russia is firmly aligned with all the players that will someday invade Israel.
We Also Live in Biblical Times
It’s often said that we live in biblical times, and I heartedly agree. We have the great privilege of watching the unfolding of biblical prophecy that would have amazed Bible students a hundred years ago. I’m amazed by what I see today compared with just ten years ago.
Through the astounding advances in technology, we not only understand how the antichrist will be able to control all the buying and selling worldwide, but we also watch as all the pieces come together to make this a future reality. Everywhere we look, we see precursors to what the Bible tells us will happen during the Tribulation.
I believe the Lord is allowing us as believers to see a miniaturized version of the judgments chronicled in Revelation chapter 6 so we might know we live in the last days and watch. For others, it’s a warning of what’s to come.
Just like the Pharisees who failed to recognize the presence of the Messiah, many church leaders today fail to link the perils of our day to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy (see Matthew 16:1-4). They read the same passages that we do but remain blind to the evidences of Jesus’ soon return. They miss the blessing of watching Bible prophecy come to fruition.
In Philippians 3:14, Paul wrote these words concerning what I’m convinced was his expectation of the Lord’s imminent appearing:
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Just as Jesus said, those who witnessed his earthly ministry were “blessed.” At the same time, I can’t help but think that it’s also wonderful to watch Bible prophecy unfold before our eyes.
Although we don’t know what the future holds, let alone the next day (James 4:13-17), the fact that we are ever so close to the start of the seven-year Tribulation tells us that the moment of the Rapture is as close as we dare imagine. We have a reasonable expectation of being alive at Jesus’ appearing to take us home to glory.
Similar to those who rejoiced at the fulfillment of Scripture when Jesus first appeared, we also have the wonder of witnessing as the pieces fall into place for God’s sovereign plan of the ages to overthrow Satan’s rule and replace it with the righteous reign of His Son over the nations!
-Jonathan