The “Fierce” of these Perilous Times

If you’ve watched the rage going on in Minneapolis and other cities, you see the screaming, howling, cursing, and, in many cases, the physical assaults upon the ICE agents trying to enforce the law by rounding up illegal aliens. It seems sheer lunacy, at least to this observer, just listening to the screeching, especially of young women who seem to have gone mad with the obsession of keeping those convicted of the most heinous crimes imaginable from capture and deportation.

These aren’t protests like the founders envisioned but are riotous and steeped in violence, and even murderous intent, as fiercely wicked as the acts of the illegals who have invaded our borders. We remember vividly, for example, the recent death of the thirty-seven-year-old woman who tried to block ICE agents, and when ordered to get out of her vehicle, instead of lawfully complying, accelerated into the ICE officer. He then, in order to protect himself and others, fired his weapon, striking the woman and killing her.

As insanely as the young woman acted, I was touched by words I heard her father say when interviewed. He was, the report indicated, a Christian, who, while heartbroken over his daughter’s death, said she had no business acting in such a way, when obviously trying to run the ICE officer over.

Days later, an armed rioter threatened an ICE officer with guns and was shot and killed, touching off even more violence. One rioter, in the throes of ferocity, bit off the finger of an ICE agent.

What has happened in this nation, where sanity seems out the window and absolute hatred rules in the minds of those who apparently want to protect murderers, rapists, child molesters, and many other kinds of criminals from other countries to remain in America?

And the chaos and insanity are backed up by most every mainstream news organization in the country. It’s a growing sin infection that Paul the apostle called “the reprobate mind” (Romans 1:28).

Paul warned of how things will develop as the time of Christ’s return nears. We have looked at that passage many times. I refer, of course, to the great apostle’s “perilous times” prophecy of 2 Timothy chapter 3. I’ll let you look it up in totality but will dwell only on one element for our purpose here.

Paul said: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be…fierce…” (2 Timothy 3:3). 

And, as we have just recounted, women will be fierce, too.  As a matter of fact, the record is reflecting that those responsible for organizing these rages against law and order are using young, white women to thrust into the forefront of protecting the murderers, rapists, child molesters, and other illegal criminals murdering, raping, sex-trafficking children and plundering billions of dollars from tax-paying citizens, such as we have witnessed from among the Somali fraud—again in the Minneapolis area.

Again, Paul wrote under Holy Spirit Inspiration of the very thing that would mark the end of the Age of Grace (Church Age). He said that the “lawless one,” Antichrist, will be revealed following the removal of the Restrainer as governor of evil over this fallen world system. It will be the spirit of Antichrist that even in John the apostle’s day was prevalent that will pervade the human race and its rebellion against all godliness.

That spirit is being manifest with each of these lawless episodes exploding around the nation. These have at their riotous hearts the reprobate minds of those who champion the wickedness that saturates our nation’s bluest cities. This has been the evil springing forth since the Biden administration opened those floodgates along our borders.

But it is not a political problem that threatens the republic the founding fathers—and God Himself—gave us. My great friend Gary Stearman had something to say about all this, giving us a Holy Spirit-influenced think-piece, I believe:

Years ago, I noticed something in Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. It struck home in a big way, and to this day directs my thinking about Bible prophecy. In the third chapter, there is an intriguing statement: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Probably, most serious Christians have noticed this warning, and then have continued to read the long list of character deficiencies that follow…

This description of latter-day societal shortcomings rings with a surprising familiarity to those of us who observe the daily media parade. As I read this, it occurred to me that I needed to do a deeper study of what the term “perilous times” really meant. Looking it up, I found that the word “perilous” came from the Greek word, chalepos.

Looking further, I discovered that in the New Testament, this word was used only twice, the other time being in Matthew, Chapter 8, in which Jesus and His disciples had sailed across the Sea of Galilee. A windstorm had risen and swamped their sailboat, until He spoke and calmed the waters:

“But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way” (Mt. 8:27:28).

To my amazement, I discovered that the Greek word chalepos was used in the phrase, “exceedingly fierce!”

And fierce they were … so strong that in this territory of the beach and its cliffs, no one could pass. Their strength came from demonic possession.

I was immediately struck with the thought that when Paul wrote those prophetic words to Timothy, his exhaustive description of latter-day humanity was constructed around the idea of madness … raging insanity empowered by dark forces! Suddenly, I was deeply impressed with Paul’s true intent: to show Timothy – and us, in the twenty-first century – that the days before Christ’s return would be marked by a growing social insanity.

And not just that; it would be an insanity driven by the same dark forces encountered by Jesus and His disciples on the shores of Galilee on that day so long ago.

When this connection struck me so long ago, I began what I called the Chalepos Watch!

Always keeping Paul’s words in mind, I noted social changes and developments that were driven by raging insanity of the sort that suggested the presence of dark forces, working behind the scenes to fragment our civilized society:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12).

The Chalepos Watch is still underway, and I intend to pursue it in the future, just as I have for so many years now. (Source: Gary Stearman needs no introduction to those who study Bible prophecy, of course. I’ll just say that Gary is cohost, along with Mondo Gonzales, of Prophecy Watchers, one of the premiere Bible prophecy ministries today.)

So, it is obvious that we face at this moment fierceness born of the dark side, fomented by the father of lies and the perpetrator of lawlessness against the order established by our God.

But as Gary put it in concluding his thoughts on this fierceness we face: “The good news? It is found a little further down in Paul’s letter”: “But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was” (2 Timothy 3:9).

—Terry

---

The One Constant In Today’s Headlines

Have you noticed how quickly everything changes in the Middle East? Last June, most people believed the twelve-day war had eliminated the threat to Israel posed by Iran, but if anything, the Islamic state is now an even greater danger to its security. The ceasefire in Gaza didn’t end the war as some thought, but it has allowed Hamas to rearm and consolidate its power.

Six weeks ago, President Donald Trump proposed a ten-member board to oversee efforts to ensure peace in Gaza and oversee its reconstruction. During the past few weeks, however, his initial idea has mushroomed into a Board of Peace with numerous board members with a more far-reaching purpose than just that of bringing peace to Gaza.

The newly formed group defines itself as “an international organization to promote stability, lawful governance, and enduring peace.”

On Telegram, BubbaNews wrote this about the organization:

Membership into this organization on this “BOARD” is by invitation of the chairman ONLY. The chairman is none other than Donald J Trump. This is a SELECTIVE, COALITION-style architecture being put into place.

This is a governance model where the CHAIRMAN functions as the GATEKEEPER. The board will vote on everything, but decisions require the Chairman’s approval. The CHAIRMAN is the FINAL authority on EVERYTHING regarding the meaning, interpretation, and application of this charter.

This is BASICALLY AN AUTHORITY WITHOUT A KINGDOM. The idea with the Board is to be of one mind and give their power and authority to the Chairman. IT’S NOT YET THE 10 KINGS, but it sure looks like a convergence to me.

So, we have a CENTRAL FIGURE who can RAPIDLY consolidate power. This is a GLOBAL PEACE governance mechanism.

This Board of Peace is designed for CENTRALIZED CONTROL.

President Trump has extended membership to fifty nations and reportedly has thirty-five members who have agreed to serve on the board for a three-year term. One can purchase a permanent membership for one billion dollars, with the proceeds going to rebuild Gaza.

Prophetic Implications

The one constant in today’s everchanging headlines is that in one way or another, everything points to antichrist’s future “covenant with many” that we read about in Daniel 9:27. Although the Board of Peace does not yet directly fulfill Bible prophecy, it sets the stage for antichrist’s arrival on the world scene and quite possibly provides a framework for the solution that Israel will one day agree to.

The books of Daniel and Revelation speak of a global empire with ten kings who will have some degree of world authority (Daniel 7:23-24; Revelation 13:1). Some have referred to the board that President Trump has formed as a rival United Nations. As such, this group has the potential to later morph into a panel of ten world leaders who will control a loose confederation of nations. As BubbaNews noted, it’s “designed for “CENTRALIZED CONTROL.” The structure is there for antichrist to copy and improve upon once the Holy Spirit allows him to step onto the world stage after our departure (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8).

The Bible tells us that antichrist will arise from the members of a future group of ten world leaders (Daniel 7:24; Revelation 13:3-4). We might never see this ten-member group of world leaders emerge before the Rapture, but if not, it will quickly form afterward.

The money raised from paid memberships on the Board of Peace will go to the rebuilding of a peaceful Gaza, which remains a priority for the board. On the surface, this sounds like an innovative way to raise funds. However, it’s doomed to fail.

Hamas refuses to disarm, which is a necessity for the reconstruction. Amir Tsarfati recently wrote this on Telegram: “Hamas has dug 40 more terror tunnels in the last 20 days alone!” This terrorist group has no intention of giving up the fight. It’s preparing for more warfare, which dims any immediate prospects for peace in the area.

The Board’s plans to rebuild Gaza also contradict what Zephaniah wrote about the area:

“For Gaza shall be deserted,
and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;
Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon,
and Ekron shall be uprooted” (Zephaniah 2:4).

How do we know that this prophecy has not already happened in the past? It’s because in Zephaniah 2:7, we see the final outcome of the prophet’s words:

The seacoast shall become the possession
of the remnant of the house of Judah,
on which they shall graze,
and in the houses of Ashkelon
they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God will be mindful of them
and restore their fortunes.”

I doubt we will see Israel possess all of Gaza before the Rapture. But after Jesus returns to the earth, the repentant remnant of Jews will long enjoy the beauty of this land by the sea. It will be a time of total peace for the Jewish people after the Lord restores “their fortunes.” Someday, Gaza will belong to a fully restored Israeli kingdom.

Like the plot twists of a good mystery novel, it’s difficult to predict what will happen next in the Middle East. As I write, no one knows for sure if there will be a powerful US-led attack on Iran, or if the Islamic regime will live to fight another day because of a deal, naval blockade, or a limited conflict.

Although we do not yet see all the details of how events in the Middle East will fulfill Bible prophecy concerning Israel, they tell us that things could rapidly fall into place for it to happen. Even though we don’t yet know how all the various peace initiatives will all come together for the fulfillment of Daniel 9:27, we see a pattern in the newly formed Board of Peace that antichrist could easily copy or improve upon in his rise to power and dealmaking to bring a false peace to Israel.

Maranatha!!

-Jonathan

Looking into the Root of Evil

This week’s column is intended to build upon last week’s regarding what the violence and great unrest are about and where they’re leading prophetically.

One prophetic component of what will comprise the denouement of this Age of Grace (Church Age) has vaulted to top of the stage-setting platform. This ingredient has, I believe, put end-times prophecy into overdrive while we watch things unfold through today’s hourly news cycles.

This component is spelled out unequivocally in God’s Word as at the root of evil in this sin-infected world, fallen since humanity’s rebellion in Eden.

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).

It would be easy to conclude a probe into this root cause of all the world’s evil by simply pointing to the billions of dollars of fraud found by Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). The tremendous fraud is still being uncovered daily after a year of the Trump administration coming to power.

Or an even greater proof that could be concluded is to offer the many billions of dollars of which the American taxpayers have been defrauded by Somalia operatives in Minnesota. But as profoundly evil as this larceny is, it’s only the tip of the enormous, evil iceberg that has grown to now threaten, in Titanic-like fashion, to sink the entire world in an economy-crushing cataclysm.

That iceberg of evil that’s grown exponentially harbors within its crushing power the love of money that God’s Word says is the “root of all evil.” Let’s examine this more deeply to understand its growth and orchestration by the being who, for now, owns the wealth of this God-rejecting world.

The destruction of humankind has, from some point near the beginning of Lucifer’s rebellion in Heaven, been Satan’s goal. That destructive effort has ramped up quickly and powerfully, as the news testifies.

Tyrants and dictators have long kept the victims within their despotic grips to suppress freedom that might replace their evil regimes. They control all commerce ruthlessly—creating, in effect, slave labor—while providing scant substance of money and foodstuffs. This has always been the case with evil leadership. Their power indeed comes from the barrels of guns–or from other murderous weaponry of dealing death to those who resist.

These who hold their victims in their grip of absolute control harbor the love of money at the center of their black, sin-saturated hearts. Money is what ensures that they will stay in power so they can enjoy the lives of billionaires. Money purchases the weapons they can use to suppress those under their dictatorships. It gives them the means necessary to invade and conquer more and more victims.

And that love of money isn’t exclusively owned by what we most often think of as the enemies of democracy. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once waxed eloquent on this when he warned against the West’s military-industrial complex.

Many of the top echelons within this conglomerate, it has been charged by Eisenhower and others, want to see the wars continue to rage. The fantastic wealth such buildup to wars produce is staggering, if one adds up the cost of all conflicts just within the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The lives of the youths in the world’s nations have been fed into such conflict for the purpose of not just defending against tyrants, but to create great wealth to provide lavish lifestyles for politicians and corporate titans.

We see all this rolling before our eyes as we watch, for example, things going on involving Iran. The ayatollahs and their regime of Islamic terror are under great pressures from the people who now occupy the area that was Persia of ancient times. These evil leaders are about to loosen their stranglehold on their victims. The rioting and revolutionary fervor stem, in large part, from the people’s anger over economic deprivation. The regime’s dictators, the people know, are making life miserable, and they are rising up to rid themselves of their masters.

While it might seem the uprising is calming somewhat, it will, I believe, grow in swelling waves of discontent.

Exacerbating the ayatollahs’ problems with the current revolution in Iran is the fact that America’s president is promising, in some way not yet clear, to support the people in a way that will be disastrous for the regime.

This president follows through on such promises, so the regime’s leadership is in collective panic. For example, the leadership abruptly cancelled the execution of eighteen anti-regime protestors when President Trump said any executions would mean American action directly against those who ordered the executions.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, top leader and commander of the military, has reportedly made plans to go into exile–perhaps to Moscow—if America looks to be truly on the brink of regime change.

I don’t think this will be the case. These ayatollah types are satanically bound to the most radical and virulent form of Islam, and Khamenei is 87, so the regime might be ready to die on that hill, as is sometimes said for those who won’t change or quit.

But getting back to this article’s title, it is money that is at the root of what I sense is going on now in this regard. And it is profoundly prophetic, if it’s the way this might all be shaping up for one of the most notable of all Bible prophecies.

The people of Iran are revolting vehemently due to their destitution, driven to action by the regime creating that dire economic condition. And with sanctions in place that this American president has set against the Iranian dictatorship, they haven’t any way of satisfying the reason for the peoples’ revolt.

They must therefore do what every government, especially those under the tyrannical leaderships, usually do: create diversion—or, in this case, join a coalition that is strong so as to prevent their own loss of power.

It is fascinating to note that another nation of prophetic interest is in terrible economic shape, also. And, as stated before, it’s obvious to me that one reason Vladimir Putin of Russia is so adamant about taking back Ukraine because his own people must realize they’re being deprived, and tremendous internal revolt is developing.

A much-appreciated reader wrote to say there are no such hard economic times in Russia–at least not to the extent the sources I’m hearing from are reporting. However, despite Russia’s economic condition one way or the other, with the American president, for example, cutting off Russia’s oil from Venezuela and other harsh monetary impositions such as sanctions, the Russian plight is destined to worsen.

Ukraine offers that diversion mentioned above, keeping the attention focused on the war. But the tremendous numbers of Russia’s youth lost in the war, and now even older people, are adding to the increasing displeasure among the people of Russia. At the same time, there is great need to get vast sums of money to keep their economic base out of the pit of destitution.

I wonder again if the “evil thought” that comes into the mind of the one called Gog will have the love of or the desperate need for money at the root of the decision to invade toward Israel to “take great spoil” (Israel’s riches).

The same question applies to Iran (Persia). Might the leadership see that their way to survive is to join that coalition with Russia and the others to gain strength back as they pursue riches to the south?

While the Tribulation grows nearer on the prophetic horizon, things seem to be shaping up quickly, with many of the developments wrapped around economic exigencies. And that shaping up includes the US, as we’ve looked at numerous times before.

While the tyrannical nations to the east are in declining economic conditions, I believe there’s about to be an economic boom in America. This is a reason, I believe, that Donald Trump was allowed in office again despite even assassination attempts against his life and every sort of unsavory political and personal attack imaginable.

Despite the declarations of some prophecy writers—those who deny there will be the pre-Trib Rapture and who think we are on the precipice of economic collapse, thus about to go directly into the Tribulation—the facts are coming out to the contrary. A just-released indicator of the up-trending fiscal outlook is highly relevant.

The U.S. trade deficit has been reduced to $29.4 billion, after last being reported at $48.1 billion. The forecasted deficit had been $58.1 billion, Investing.com reported. The deficit dropped by $18.7 billion, and was $28.7 billion less than the predicted figure. The deficit is the lowest since 2009. (“US Trade Deficit Shrinks to $29.4 Billion, Lowest Since 2009,” https://amac.us/newsline/economy/us-trade-deficit-shrinks-to-29-4-billion-lowest-since-2009/)

Some financial authorities/experts believe an economic boom is thus beginning. This fits with our Lord’s Luke 17:28-30 “days of Lot” prophecy. It’s just a time like this—when building, buying, selling, and other economics are on the uptick—when He will call the Church into the clouds of Glory, according to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

So, after here looking a bit into the root of evil, let us rather, with great anticipation, begin looking up for our redemption, which is drawing near (Luke 21:28)!

—Terry

---

Can We Trust Today’s Purveyors of Peace?

After he and Adolph Hitler signed the Munich Agreement on September 30, 1938, English Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew back to Britain believing he had prevented a major European war. Upon arrival back in England, he declared, “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time.”

We know the rest of the story. The pact became the precursor to perhaps the bloodiest conflict in history.

We live during a similar time. Despite multiple flashpoints that could lead to an even deadlier world war, we repeatedly hear refrains of “peace and security” at the UN and from world leaders. It’s exactly what we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:3:

“While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

Notice that it’s when people are “saying” that, the wrath of the Day of the Lord falls upon an unsuspecting world.

In the World

Not only do the words “peace and security” permeate UN documents heralding its efforts to end all wars, but they also often appear in President Trumps speeches and documents pertaining to the Abrahamic Accords. Both he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly recite the phrase as they talk about their ongoing efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.

Despite the relentless striving of these two leaders and others to resolve conflicts, nothing changes. After last year’s twelve-day war between Israel and Iran, which concluded with the US bombing of nuclear facilities inside the Muslim state, many believed the hostilities would cease, at least for a while.

However, Iran’s efforts to build a nuclear bomb persist as it continues its mass production of missiles and the distribution of them to its proxies. During the past couple weeks, we have watched with horror as the Islamic regime brutally murdered thousands of protestors with estimates close to twenty-thousand with many others injured.

With Israel’s enemies, ceasefires never equate to peace, but rather a time to rearm and plan future attacks against the Jewish state.

Hostilities also fester beneath the surface with Hezbollah and Hamas. Despite the ceasefires, both groups refuse to disarm, and remain undeterred in their desire to kill Jews. Beyond the Middle East, the war between Ukraine and Russia drags on with no end in sight to this bloody conflict that every day brings the world closer to another world war.

The facts belie the claims of peace for our day. Is what we see not what the Lord revealed to the apostle? Although we live at a time when people are saying “peace and security,” the world is rapidly moving toward a time when it will explode with wars and strife unlike any other in their destruction and death toll (Revelation 6:1-8).

In the Church

Another text that comes to my mind as I think about the false peace purveyors of our day:

“For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:13-14).

These verses pertain to the religious leaders of Jeremiah’s day who, despite his prophecies of imminent judgment for Jerusalem and the threat posed by Nebuchadnezzar and his armies, proclaimed a message of “Peace, peace.” Does this not sound eerily similar to what we hear in many churches?

Today, the most popular view of the end times is “dominion theology,” which teaches that the church will gain control of the world’s major institutions, and as a result, bring millennial conditions to the world before Jesus’ Second Coming. Similar beliefs persisted early in the twentieth century before two devastating world wars ended the postmillennial beliefs of that era. The reality of today’s ongoing conflicts combined with even greater violence seething beneath the surface of what we see has not yet caught up to these modern-day purveyors of “peace for our time.”

Other popular doctrines of the end times also miss the signs of the last days because they insist that Israel’s miraculous reappearance as a nation has nothing to do with Bible prophecy. Although many of them see the world for what it is, the belief that today is no different than any other time in history opens the door for a normalcy bias, which I wrote about in last week’s Nearing Midnight column. As a result of failing to recognize Israel’s place in Bible prophecy, they fail to recognize the many other signs of the rapidly approaching Day of the Lord.

This brings me back to what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. As believers, we have the Lord’s promise of deliverance before the “sudden destruction” that will mark the beginning of this future time of God’s wrath. If we were destined to endure God’s future fury upon the earth, the apostle never would have concluded this passage with these comforting words:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

The certainty of Jesus’ imminent appearing to take us home is a much safer, and biblical, place for our faith to rest than that of trusting those who proclaim “peace of security” for our day. Our blessed hope consists of Jesus taking us out of this world before the time of “sudden destruction” on the earth.

-Jonathan