When Innocence Disappears
In thinking about this article, something that both saddened and angered me came to mind.
Years ago, I heard a well-known actress talking with a TV show host; I believe it was on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. (So, it has been a long time ago—back when I still had eyesight.)
The famous actress said that when she was a very small child, she remembered sitting on a curb by her home waiting for a family who lived nearby to come by and pick her up to take her with them to Sunday school.
She said she remembered being excited because she would be together with her friends. But it was also a good memory because she enjoyed learning all about Jesus.
She said her father, one of the most famous actors in the history of cinema, would always mock her for wanting to go to Sunday school. He would say things like, “If you want to believe those silly fairy tales, go ahead.”
In telling it, she gave a little laugh, but I saw on her face the probability that the memory wasn’t one she cherished.
That same actress grew up and has been part of many movements that are ungodly, even unpatriotic. I still think of the little girl sitting on that curb and what might have been.
She has said at one point that she became a Christian, but one would be hard-pressed to see any public evidence of that conversion.
All children, although—due to the Fall—they’re born into sin like all of us, are innocent in the holy eyes of God until they grow to spiritual maturity, or the “age of accountability,” as I’ve heard it called since my own early childhood.
That little girl’s innocence disappeared from her life, we can presume, unless she indeed asked Jesus into her life, even at that early age. (I continue to pray that she is saved.) Her excitement and joy as expressed on that TV show might mean she had done so at that early point. I, myself, was saved through confessing Jesus as Savior at only six years of age.
But, again, from her public record, other than her later saying she had become a Christian, I see no evidence of her conversion.
So how does the title of this commentary relate to the prophetic picture?
Loss of innocence—as humans grow without the presence of the Holy Spirit, who lives in those who have accepted Christ as Savior—leads to progressive sinfulness. That is, the person, apart from God, lacks true moral guidance in life. This condition leads toward evil, not godly goodness. Paul, the great apostle, said in this regard: “But evil men and seducers shall [grow] worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).
Certainly, we can understand this loss of innocence growing into absolute evil when reviewing the history of the lives of Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, or mass murderers Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and others. However, considering that all of humanity has, since the death of innocence in Eden, been moving ever farther from God’s governing goodness, we can’t ignore the frightening reality of where it’s all heading. The prophetic future is bleak almost beyond comprehension.
I believe there is no more profound example of how evil humankind has come than the millions upon millions of babies who have been murdered in the wombs of their mothers, and even outside the mothers’ wombs once born. America is at the forefront of this anti-God horror, with perhaps seventy million such abortions committed to this point.
And for those who might read this who have aborted their child, please know there is forgiveness of God upon repentance (asking for forgiveness, accepting Christ, and turning from this evil). The baby you have lost will, upon your repentance, be awaiting you in Heaven, with absolute love from God the Father.
And the evil in our very nation has progressed to a level that makes the actress’ childhood experience mentioned earlier come to light dramatically, in my view. This news item makes the point:
Despite her love of Christianity, a young Maine girl has been prevented since 2024 from going to church, attending religious holidays, being “exposed” to the Bible or other scriptural literature, and even having Christian friends — all because of a judge’s order in a parental rights case.
The draconian restrictions have been in place for some 18 months as Emily Bickford and her daughter Ava, 13, wait for a decision on an appeal to the state’s Supreme Court eight months ago after Portland District Judge Jennifer Nofsinger issued the shocking ruling in late 2024 as part of a dispute between the girl’s parents.
Not only has the ruling impacted the lifestyle and pursuit of happiness by both mother and daughter, on its face it appears incompatible with the founding principles of the United States.
The right to worship granted by the First Amendment is not in the grip of any judge to grant or abolish, the Portland mother told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview this week.
“That is not theirs to take away,” Bickford said. “It’s in our Declaration of Independence. Our forefathers knew we had inalienable rights given by God. God gave us the freedom to worship him, and there’s no government that can take that away from us.” (“Exclusive: Girl Kept from Church, Bible, and Christian Friends by Portland Judge Awaits Appeals Court Ruling,” Breitbart, Rapture Ready News, June 9, 2026)
America’s innocence since its birth, when most of the founding fathers had Christianity at the center of their thinking, has all but disappeared. In place of the loss of innocence has come the deaths of nearly seventy million babies, whose murders have been condoned by America’s national government. The results have been the coarsening of culture—the destruction of much of America’s founding innocence.
This is but a prelude to the ramifications of what’s to come due to the satanic influence embraced by those who reject the offer of redemption—the forgiveness of sin offered through God’s grace gift through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
When the innocent (all who are God’s children through acceptance of Christ) disappear in one spectacular moment, evil will make life hell on earth for all who are left behind. Only the guilty will then inhabit this judgment-bound planet. Jesus Himself said it will be the worst time of all human history (Matthew 24:21).
The Rapture is imminent. It can happen at any second. All signals show that the time of Tribulation Jesus described is about to begin. The Rapture—the disappearance of innocence (Christians)—will have to take place before judgment falls, like in the days of Lot in Sodom.
Here is how to go to the safety of Jesus Christ in the clouds of Glory and be eternally in the grip of God the Father as His child:
“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).
—Terry
Israel Versus the World
Like many of you, I’m confused and quite troubled by the things President Trump agreed to with the June 14, 2026, signing of the sixty-day Memo of Understanding (MOU) with Iran. What I’m hearing about its content from trusted sources such as Amir Tsarfati amounts to a total reversal of the president’s stated objectives for going to war with Iran in the first place and a betrayal of the Iranian people.
Tania Koenig wrote the following in an email that came from the ministry of her and her husband William Koenig.
Iran’s Real Reading of the MOU
The words coming out of Tehran are the real interpretation of the paper. Tehran Mayor Ali Reza Zakani reportedly stated: ‘Our war with America continues and does not end with the memorandum of understanding. Our war with America is an existential war. The Islamic Revolution in Iran undermined the structural order America established after World War II.’ That is not the language of peace. It is the language of a regime accepting a pause while preserving the war.
Not only has the MOU emboldened Israel’s enemies, but it has also led to much discord between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although I’m saddened to see the discord between the two leaders, I know it’s setting the stage for what lies ahead. And it’s not good news for anyone who appeases the enemies of the Jewish state.
What follows is a brief summary of what the Bible says about Israel’s future, which helps me put the events of the past weekend into the perspective of prophecy. I will start with the ultimate deliverance of Israel and work backward to the present.
God Will Deal with Those Who Oppose Israel
God spoke often of this day through His prophets of old, and later enabled the Apostle John to see it (Revelation 19:11-21). At His return to the earth, the Lord will wipe out the armies of the nations that have persecuted Israel and the Jewish people. Through the Prophet Joel, He explains His motives for such drastic action:
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it” (Joel 3:1-3).
What’s the Lord’s motive for obliterating the world’s armed forces? The nations’ role in dividing the Land He gave to Israel, along with their mistreatment of the Jewish people. It will be the ultimate fulfillment of what God promised Abram long ago in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.” At the end of the seven-year Tribulation, the Lord will return with overwhelming force in defense of His people.
A Covenant with Death
Backing up a bit further, Scripture explains why Israel will face imminent destruction at the time of Jesus’ Second Coming. It will begin when Israel agrees to a covenant with the antichrist that will include “the many” (Daniel 9:27). That agreement will start the clock ticking on Daniel’s seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation. In Isaiah 28:15, the Lord referred to it as “a covenant with death.”
At the moment, Israel’s leaders are expressing much anger with the deal President Trump is pursuing with others on their behalf. What will change in the future to cause their acceptance of the antichrist’s future covenant with the many?
Somehow, the antichrist will gain Israel’s confidence, whereas the President now has lost the trust of its leaders and the majority of its people. Since the antichrist’s identity will remain hidden until after the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8), we can only speculate about what might happen between now and the fulfillment of Daniel 9:27.
Could the Gog/Magog war be a factor in this? I initially wondered if war with Iran would leave Iran in a weakened position, unable to lead this invasion of Israel in the near future. Now it appears that just the opposite is true; among other things, the outcome has financially strengthened the nation.
We Live In the Last Days
According to God’s Word, the period of time leading up to Jesus’ return will be a time of great adversity for the Jewish state and people. Tragically, the current mindset of Israel versus the world will only get worse.
Although much suffering lies ahead for the Jews, the Lord promised long ago that a stunning reversal of attitudes will occur after Jesus’ return to the earth.
“But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong” (Zechariah 8:11-13, emphasis added).
Verse 13 encapsulates how today’s antisemitism and hatred for all things Israel will change into an attitude of blessing for the nation. Although a future Jewish remnant will suffer greatly, they will later repent and live to see Jesus’ return to Jerusalem and His reign over all the nations atop Mount Zion.
Zechariah 8 closes with this amazing picture of life in Israel during the Millennium:
“Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you’” (vv. 22-23).
The words “stunning reversal of fortunes” fall far short of adequately describing the difference between today and the time described in the above verses.
Although quite disheartening, President Trump’s backing away from his previous wholehearted support of Israel aligns with what the Bible tells us about the last days. Considering all that Scripture says about how the Lord will deal with those who mistreat His people, failing to stand with Israel against Iran could be a dangerous course to pursue.
-Jonathan