The Tribulation Period is called a “day of darkness” in the Bible (Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:15).

It is not hard for some Christians to believe that spiritual darkness is descending on Israel, the U.S., the world and the Church.

First, in Israel on April 22, 2019 (the day after Easter Sunday in the U.S.), an estimated 100,000 Jews went to the Wailing Wall at the base of the Temple Mount to receive the annual Passover blessing from Jewish priests.

On the same day, Jewish priests from the Temple Institute sacrificed a lamb without blemish at a location in sight of the Temple Mount.

They chose a location in sight of the Temple Mount because there is no Temple, but the article said “the Temple Institute is dedicated to rebuilding the Temple on Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount) in Jerusalem.”

All of these things (trained priests, blessings, a growing number of worshippers, an animal sacrifice, etc.) are moving toward a rebuilt Temple and Israel going back under the Law (descending into spiritual darkness) during the Tribulation Period.

Thankfully, all Israel shall be saved, so Christians should support Israel (Rom. 11:26).

God will bless those that bless Israel (Gen. 12:3).

For whatever it is worth, some Bible prophecy teachers think the Temple should be rebuilt at a freshwater spring called Gihon near, not on, the Temple Mount.

Notice that the Temple Institute is dedicated to rebuilding the Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, not at the Gihon spring (see II Chron. 3:1).

Second, in the U.S., the spiritual darkness is growing on a daily basis (terminating babies after they are born is a good thing; Rep. Ilhan Omar said Jesus is a Palestinian; Mayor Pete Buttigieg believes he is gay because God created him that way; the Boy Scout “Perversion File” shows 12,254 victims of sexual abuse, etc.).

The U.S. has the Word of God, but foolish hearts have been darkened; and professing themselves to be wise, many have become fools (Rom. 1:21-32).

Third, in the world on Apr. 21, 2019 (Easter Sunday), Muslims blew up eight churches and luxury hotels, killing about 250 people and injuring almost 500 in Sri Lanka.

This story made the mainline news for days; but most of these stories don’t get reported, or if they do, the fact that Muslims are often involved is omitted.

Anyway, Open Doors USA said an average of 105 churches and/or Christian buildings are burned or attacked every month (an average of more than 3 per day), and this is expected to escalate all over the globe.

God loves His Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18).

He has given real Christians a message of hope and light (the Gospel) that is a cure for the descending darkness that this article is documenting, but the world is persecuting and killing the messengers just like Jesus said they would (Matt 24:9).

Fourth, in Canada on Apr. 25, 2019, it was announced that the Royal Canadian Mint has unveiled a new one-dollar commemorative coin with the image of two men kissing.

Canada’s Federal Finance Minister said, “We should all recognize that we are not at the end of this path – We have more to do.”

I started to write that he is sticking his finger in the eye of Canadian Christians; but no, he is sticking his finger in the eye of God, deceiving others and deceiving himself (II Tim. 3:1-5, 12-13).

The only thing that will change this is the judgment of God, and that will come.

Fifth, in France, a Roman Catholic Cathedral called Notre Dame recently burned, and someone suggested that it be rebuilt with a Muslim minaret on top.

A final decision hasn’t been made, but French Pres. Macron definitely thinks it should be rebuilt in line with diversity.

He is a globalist with a dark desire for world government, open borders, the two-state solution in Israel, and now we can add world religion.

The politically correct like to remind the citizens of the world that Arabs are descendants of Abraham (but they don’t believe what Abraham believed). Muslims believe in God and Jesus (but not the God and Jesus of the Bible); Muslims believe in peace (but their idea of peace is the death of all non-Muslims and the establishment of an Islamic world government and world religion), etc.

The spiritual darkness is great when the leader of a major nation thinks a Muslim minaret on top of an old burned out Roman Catholic church building will promote peace between the religions of the world.

It will encourage more Muslim violence, not less, because they will conclude that they are winning.

They like to have their Muslim buildings and symbols higher than Church buildings because they think that it shows that their religion is greater.

World peace is a wonderful idea, but it will not happen until the Prince of Peace (the Light of the World) comes to deal with the darkness and rule the world.

Sixth, in the Church in late April 2019, it was reported that anti-Semitism is rising in the U.S., young people are leaving the Church when they head off to college, a growing number of pastors are afraid to speak out on moral issues, etc.

This descent into darkness and departing from the faith fulfills Bible prophecy.

Repentance and revival are badly needed.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com

 

Every day, there are indicators in the news that the end of the age is near.

Consider these examples.

First, Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for the whole world at the end of the age (Zech. 12:3).

On Apr. 7, 2019, Pope Francis and the King of Morocco issued a joint statement that said Jerusalem is “common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions.”

As I understand it, the pope and the king said Jerusalem is the world’s inheritance and it is especially the inheritance of Christians, Jews and Muslims because those religions trace their roots back to Abraham.

This “joint statement” fulfills Bible prophecy by challenging the ownership of Jerusalem and by documenting another step by Pope Francis toward a one-world religion.

On Apr. 16, 2019, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for the PA, said, “As long as Jerusalem is not on the table, Trump’s [Middle East peace] plan will not be on the table.”

Notice in both of these examples that Jerusalem is the burdensome stone.

Second, many Bible prophecy teachers believe that Ezekiel chapters 36-39 pertain to events that are taking place or shaping up in modern times.

Notice these words from Ezekiel chapter 36:

• “Prophesy unto the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 36:1a).
• “Ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel” (Ezek. 36:8a).
• “I will cause men to walk upon you [the mountains of Israel], even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men” (Ezek. 36:12).

On Apr. 16, 2019, Pres. Trump’s Mideast advisor released a new map that shows the Golan Heights are now part of Israel.

On Apr. 18, 2019, the U.S. State Dept. announced that it is changing the U.S. Foreign Affairs Manual so that U.S. citizens born on the Golan Heights will have their place of birth listed in passports as “Israel,” not “Syria.”

The Golan Heights are a possession of Israel.

Third, many Bible prophecy teachers believe Russia, Iran, Turkey and others will attack Israel on the mountains (Golan Heights, etc.) in the latter days and latter years to seize Israel’s territory and wealth.

Notice these words from Ezekiel chapter 38:

• “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them” (Ezek. 38:8).
• “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezek. 38:13).

On April 15, 2019, it was reported that another new gas field has been discovered off the coast of Israel, and this solidifies Israel’s position as a global energy superpower.

In 71 years of existence (since May 14, 1948), Israel has been transformed from being a poverty-stricken wasteland to being a global energy superpower with great wealth.

Fourth, the Bible teaches that there will be a departure from the faith in the church when the return of Jesus is approaching (I Tim. 4:1).

On Apr. 13, 2019, it was reported that Pope (Emeritus) Benedict XVI has written an article for a German periodical called Klerusblatt. In the article, Pope Benedict wrote that if the Catholic Church really wants to be credible, it needs to return to God. He blamed immorality in the Catholic Church on the “absence of God.”

As I write this article, it is the day before Easter Sunday, and I am thinking that many people will go to Church tomorrow (Easter), but God won’t be there.

It never occurred to me that a pope (or Pope Emeritus) would say there is an absence of God in the Catholic Church, but I agree with him; and sadly, it is a problem in the mainline denominations too.

Without provocation, the gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, recently publicly criticized V.P. Pence’s stance on same-sex marriage.

According to Mr. Buttigieg, the Mike Pence’s of the world have a problem with the Creator, not with him.

Rev. Franklin Graham spoke out on this. He said, “We don’t define sin—God does in His Word, the Bible.”

He said, “To set the record straight, Mr. Mayor, the issue isn’t whether somebody has a problem with who you are – the issue is that we all have a problem with God because of our sin, and it applies to every single human being.”

He added that God doesn’t change.

One reason why there will be an absence of God in the Catholic Church and some of the mainline denominations on Resurrection Day (Easter) is because the pastor and many of those that attend have abandoned both God and His Word.

They will be like whited sepulchers, beautiful on the outside in their new Easter clothes, but full of dead men’s bones and uncleanness on the inside because they are writing their own Bible, redefining sin, condemning the faithful, etc. (Matt. 23:27).

Pray that God will raise up more preachers like Rev. Franklin Graham with the courage to tell this lost and dying world the truth.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com