Armageddon’s Trigger

Jerusalem sits atop land that would be among the least desirable in terms of real estate values. The natural inclination would be to look for more scenic, lusher beauty rather than the much-improved but still-arid landscape in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. But when considering Jerusalem, one is talking in terms not of the natural, but of the supernatural.

Since before the Lord led Abraham to Moriah with Isaac in tow, when the patriarch was willing to follow through on the sacrifice of his son, the area that is now Jerusalem has been at the very center of spiritual warfare—like no other place on the planet.

Moriah is the site where Abraham laid Isaac upon the makeshift altar and started the plunge of the knife toward his son’s heart. The angel of the Lord (likely the reincarnate Christ) stopped the test of the old man’s faith by providing the sacrificial ram, caught in the thicket by its horns (read Genesis 22:1-13).

Moriah, the tumultuous centerpiece of Jerusalem to this day, is where God directed David to the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, from whom he purchased the site. This would be the place where King David would not be allowed to build God a house because he had the blood of war on his hands. But it is where David’s son, Solomon, built the great temple of God (read 1 Chronicles 3).

This plateau on Jerusalem’s perimeter is where the Ark of the Covenant sat within the Holy of Holies. It is where the veil that separated man from God in the Jewish sacrificial system was torn in two from top to bottom by the hand of God. This occurred when His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for the sin of humankind—so people would forevermore have direct access to God the Father through the one mediator, the man Jesus Christ. This high place in the city of David is the most contested real estate on earth. It is scheduled to become such a cup of trembling that all nations of the world will be drawn to the Valley of Megiddo—Armageddon.

Lucifer couldn’t usurp God’s throne in Heaven, although He tried with all his might (see Isaiah 14). Moriah is the site where Satan will again try to usurp the throne of God—the Almighty’s earthly throne that is the Temple Mount, where the Ark once sat and where the King of all Kings will one day sit atop a supernaturally elevated Mount Zion.

We witness it daily, even hourly, through the news cycles. This real estate named Jerusalem provides the present impetus for the world’s call for a two-state solution to the conflict involving Israel and the Palestinians. It is supernatural, spiritual warfare that instigates hatreds in the region and particularly in this ancient city, which is mentioned more than any other in the Bible. Jerusalem is the trigger to Armageddon.

Efforts to divide this city and nation are relentless these days as we witness things going on with Israel and the international community of nations to bring peace to the Middle East, led by the US president. This excerpt makes the point that the Temple Mount is at the heart of the millennia-long dispute that causes perennial war in that volatile region.

Under the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, Israel recognized Jordan’s “special role” in overseeing these [Temple Mount] religious sites, allowing the Waqf to manage daily operations, including access and religious activities, to preserve the Islamic character of the site.

The agreement prioritizes Muslim worship to maintain the Islamic character of al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and Israel enforces this by limiting non-Muslim religious activities to avoid escalating tensions.

The effect of the Israeli-Jordanian agreement has been disastrous for Jewish sovereignty. It concretized religious discrimination against Jews in the Jewish state, by the Jewish state, in the most sacred space in Judaism. Most Jews, and almost all Gentiles, assume that the Western Wall, a wall with no religious sanctity in Judaism, is the most sacred space for Jews. This is pure ignorance: The most sacred space has always been, is, and will always be the Temple Mount. (“Agreement on Temple Mount Pathetic Appeasement to Terrorism,” by Aliza Pilichowski, Israel News, The Jerusalem Post)

It is a spiritual, not a geophysical or geopolitical matter of satanic hatred that resides at the heart of the city God chose as His touchstone to humanity.

Jerusalem will be the nucleus of the covenant of false peace that will engulf the city, the Middle East, and all the world in a holocaust of God’s holy wrath and judgment. The world’s power-brokers elite will divide the city and, in God’s terminology, “divide My land.” The result will be to bring all nations into the battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land” (Joel 3:1-2).

Of all the signals of these last of the last days, powerful issues surrounding Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount in particular are paramount. They constitute the trigger to Armageddon and Christ’s Second Advent.

The Rapture will preempt that time of cataclysm that will culminate at the last great battle. It is incumbent upon everyone who names the Name of Christ to get the Word out that there is safety from that horrendous time of judgment only in the Lord Jesus. You can be a part of that mission with your support of the Rapture Ready website ministry. And we thank you, our RR family, for that support, which is much-needed in this critical time while we see the approaching Tribulation–the Rapture of all believers—as imminent.

—Terry

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Eternity Versus the Illusion of Normalcy

I have heard it said in many ways from both Christians and pastors. They say today is no different than any other previous period in history. They tell us that just like the past, the trends we bemoan will correct themselves. In other words, there’s no reason to think we live in the last days of human history.

In several ways, life has returned to more of a sense of normality since the lockdowns, business and church closures, and draconian restrictions of the COVID-19 era. Perhaps for many, this confirms their belief that our time is no different than any other of the past; normal always returns.

In America, this normality bias is especially strong. Even many believers plan their futures as though nothing will interfere with their distant aspirations. Their illusion of normalcy muffles the warning sirens loudly blaring all around them. “Things are not as bad as they seem,” they tell us, “we don’t share your pessimistic view of the future.” But does such optimism align with what the Bible says?

The Convergence of Signs Dispels Any Pretense of Normality

Yes, there have been times in history when immorality and lawlessness mirrored what we see today. The WWII era had many in that day thinking they were living in the last days; it was certainly a horrific and deadly time. For over a century, globalists have plotted world domination and population reduction. So, what makes today different?

It’s the great convergence of signs occurring at a time when Israel again exists as a nation.

Israel’s miraculous reemergence as a nation after two thousand years tells us by itself that we live at a time like no other. We are watching end-time prophecy unfold before our eyes as hostility toward the Jewish state and people rapidly intensifies throughout the world, just as the Bible said would happen in the last days. The nation’s fervor to build the third temple is also something the Bible said would occur. And we are watching that happen as well.

The convergence of a myriad of signs tells us the world will soon lose any pretense of normalcy. The nonstop threats of catastrophic wars and warnings of impending economic catastrophe point to the tragic conditions prophesied in Revelation 6:1-8. Lawlessness, government corruption, and deception are unlike anything I have seen in my life. The growing number and intensity of earthquakes and active volcanoes foretell the “birth pains” Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:3-8.

The murderous scheming of the globalists is nothing new. However, during the past decade, they have become remarkably transparent about their plans (although few are paying attention). A few years ago, they invited the press into a meeting where they openly discussed their plans for a one-world central bank digital currency (CBDC), something that will give them the domination they desire (and later fulfill the words of Revelation 13:16-18).

Yes, moral standards have been remarkably low at other times in world history, but has that ever coincided with a time of so much bloodshed? For example, the number of abortions worldwide during the past fifty years stands at over one billion. In America, that total exceeds sixty-two million. This alone tells us the world is living on borrowed time. How much longer before God says enough and intervenes (see Psalm 75:6-8)? I expected this to happen long ago.

There have been times in history, like today, that mirrored the days of Lot in terms of a blatant disregard for God’s moral standards. During other epochs, the world has experienced violence and bloodshed, perhaps reminiscent of Noah’s era. Today, however, we see both of them occurring at the same time and with an intensity that rivals any previous time, just as Jesus said would happen in the last days before His intervention in the world.

Even today’s illusion of normalcy fulfills prophecy, as it fits with the unawareness that Jesus warned would characterize the last days (see Matthew 24:36-39).

The convergence of biblical signs during the time of Israel’s miraculous reemergence and existence as a nation dispels any illusion that life will continue as it is for the foreseeable future.

The Comfort of Viewing Life from Eternity’s Vantage Point

Bible prophecy preserves my sanity. It’s my eternal focus that gives me peace amid the distressing headlines of our day. There’s no other way to make sense of all that’s happening in our world apart from what Scripture says about the future of this world. The only other alternative to an eternal perspective, if one wishes to remain sane, is to ignore the chaos and chase after the illusion of normality.

This focus also comforts us in our daily lives amid its many ups and downs. A few days ago, this quote from Paul David Tripp resonated deeply within me: “Without eternity in the center of our thinking, our picture of life is like a jigsaw puzzle missing a central piece.” The Apostle Paul put it like this, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19). It’s what happens when Jesus appears that puts everything in this life into its proper place (see 1 Corinthians 15:47-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11).

Don’t fall for the illusion of normalcy. We surely live in biblical times; the trends toward more lawlessness, corruption, deception, and violence will continue. But take heart: this all means Jesus is coming for us sometime soon.

It’s our anticipation of His appearing that keeps our hope of eternity alive in our hearts and enables us to view life from the perspective of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Maranatha!!

-Jonathan

Violence Trumpets Christ’s Sudden Return

The Prophet of all Prophets, who just happens to be the very Word of God (John 1:1), described the human condition at the time of the first phase of His Second Coming. Jesus said:

“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:26).

Those are strong words, and they open an avenue that runs directly to a signal around which we can build a case for how near this generation must be to the Rapture. I write of the Rapture, and not Christ’s Second Advent, because in this prophecy, Jesus is talking about the sudden first phase, not the seven-year buildup to the second phase of His Second Coming.

The first phase is the Rapture; the second is the moment described in Revelation 19:11 when Jesus Christ returns dramatically to earth to end the human war called Armageddon. Jesus prophesied that at the time of this first phase, the Rapture, folks on earth will be going about life pretty much as usual. It will be like it was during the days before the Great Flood. About those days, Jesus said:

“They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:27).

In those days, like in our time, some strange and sinful things were going on—things that finally brought God’s wrath, judgment, and the destruction of all but the eight people inside the ark. The sinful matter going on in Noah’s day that I want to explore a bit here is put forth in the following:

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (Genesis 6:11-13).

The operative sin is violence that “filled the whole earth.”

Violence has always been part of the human condition. Cain killed his brother Abel in the first murder. More than fifteen thousand wars have been the scourge of every generation since Noah and his family left the ark. Cain’s pre-Flood slaying of his brother set in motion a visceral propensity within humankind to do violence to fellow humans.

Wars waged by the likes of the ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Alexander’s Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire brought tremendous bloodshed down through the millennia. But it was the twentieth century—with World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnamese War, and others that continue into the twenty-first century—that spawned the level of violence that equates to the level of worldwide violence during Noah’s day.

Murderous rage has exploded upon this late hour of human history in almost every aspect. Killing rampages that used to be aberrant acts of the rarely seen serial or spree killers now seem to be a part of homicide that’s considered the norm. One form of violence that strongly indicates a recently elevated rage that’s like the satanic hatred of times just before Noah and the others went into the ark is that aimed directly at true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the most notable example is the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder and head of Turning Point USA. He was a young man who told about his belief in Christ at every venue he spoke at. He tried, through that witness, to lead his listeners to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, in addition to trying to reason with them about coming back to their senses in understanding what living life peaceably in America should entail.

The entire world was shown the face of violence that has burst upon this generation with cameras focused on the young man when the assassin’s high-powered rifle round exploded the carotid artery in his neck at the very moment he sat civilly answering the questions of a student asking, ironically, about gun violence.

Following on the heels of the Kirk murder was the shooting by a sniper in Dallas, Texas, who unloaded his weapon into an ICE van while it transported detainees into an ICE facility.

One detainee was killed, and others were wounded. The sniper then shot himself. He, like Kirk’s assassin who wrote hate-filled things on the rounds in his rifle, had written anti-ICE engravings on the shell casing of the bullet he fired.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Lyons reported that such terroristic attacks against ICE have ramped up 1,000 percent just within recent weeks.

School shootings around the nation, too, have increased, with evidence coming out that such evil stems from the same leftist radical ideology.

The young have been radicalized–with the backing of mainstream news and entertainment media—to deal with anyone who opposes their anti-American ideas and upside-down political persuasion by using violence–even assassinating the political leaders they hate.

Such radicalized youths were responsible for the attempted assassination of candidate Donald Trump, the murder of Charlie Kirk, and the terroristic attacks on the ICE agents who are targets of their hatred.

So many instances of violent insanity are piling up that it is difficult to pick and choose which to use as examples of the end-times violence Jesus described.

That fact alone is enough to validate just how much our days are like Noah’s.

Violence that is such a characteristic of this generation must certainly be a major indicator sounding from the end-of-days trumpet of warning. It is heralding the glorious prophetic truth that Jesus can at any moment step out upon the clouds of glory and shout, “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).

—Terry

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What Makes Our Blessed Hope So Wonderful?

It’s the object of much ridicule and debate. Many Bible teachers and pastors say there’s no such thing as the Rapture, or they equate it with the Second Coming.

And yet, those of us who watch for Jesus’ imminent appearing recognize it as our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14); it’s the time we will meet our Savior in the air. There are many things about the Rapture that make our anticipation of it over-the-top wonderful.

The promise of Jesus’ return soothes troubled hearts. How did Jesus respond to His anxious disciples on the night before His crucifixion? He assured them of His promise to “prepare a place” for them in His “Father’s house.” He promised to return so that someday they would be with Him in glory (John 14:1-3). How often do we find relief for our fears in this same assurance that Jesus is preparing a home for us in Heaven?

The Rapture comforts us when we suffer the loss of loved ones. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul responded to those in Thessalonica who were grieving the loss of others in their small band of believers. Because they assumed that those who had died would miss the Rapture, they continued to lament their loss like those who had no hope of a future resurrection. In response, the apostle assured them that at Jesus’ appearing, He will first raise the “dead in Christ.” Not only would the “dead in Christ” not miss the Rapture, but they will be the first to participate in it.

Such comfort is especially dear to my heart because, at the age of ten, the Lord used the words of this passage to comfort me over the sudden death of my dad. Even when we look into the coffin of a loved one who has gone to be with the Lord, we sense the Lord’s comfort despite our tears.

The promise of immortality assures us of a reward for our service to the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, we learn that when Jesus comes for us, He will give us, His redeemed, “imperishable” bodies. Whether we are alive or dead at the time, He will clothe us with bodies just like His (Philippians 3:20-21). Wow! This promise of immortality forms the basis for Paul’s encouraging words in Corinthians 15:58:

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

The promise of tangible “incorruptible” bodies assures us that our work for the Lord “is not in vain.” Someday we will stand before Him with resurrection bodies, and He will reward our service, no matter how insignificant we might think it was. The Lord will not overlook any of our work on His behalf.

The Rapture guarantees that we will miss the wrath of the Day of the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul promised the Thessalonian believers, and us, that we would miss the outpouring of God’s wrath that will come upon the world. This is particularly comforting to us as the signs of the approaching Tribulation period tell us that the “sudden destruction” of this day is ever so near (v. 3). These verses assure us of a pre-Tribulation Rapture; Jesus will take us out of the world before the dark days described in Revelation chapters 6-18.

If we were destined for this time of horror on the earth, how could it possibly be a truth that we could use to encourage one another and build each other up in the faith (v. 11)? But because we have such a hope, it reassures our hearts and leads to greater maturity in our walk with the Lord. After writing about the Rapture, Paul instructed his readers, us, to “encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Is this not the most overlooked command in Scripture?

Our hope enables us to “stand firm” during times of adversity. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11, Paul reminded his readers that they would miss the Day of the Lord with the terrors of the “man of lawlessness,” which will mark this coming time of devastation and terror upon the earth.

The apostle later wrote that our response to such a marvelous escape from this coming day of chaos and death should be that of giving “thanks to God” and standing “firm” in our faith (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). In Philippians 3:20-4:1, Paul also encourages us to “stand firm” as the result of our hope embodied in the Rapture.

In light of our heavenly “citizenship” and the certainty of the glory that awaits us, we can remain confident of our hope of glory regardless of what comes our way.

The promise of inner wholeness promotes purity. I love the words of 1 John 3:1-3. They assure us that when Jesus “appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” These words go beyond the promise of immortal bodies that we noted earlier, but also include inner wholeness such as Jesus manifested during His life on the earth. Not only will He transform our physical bodies to be like His, but we will also be “like him” on the inside with our emotions, thoughts, and sinlessness. He will heal all the wounds and scars that come from living in a broken-down world.

Notice what John says will be the result of such a focus on Jesus: “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” Yes, there’s considerable comfort in watching for Jesus’ imminent appearing, but it also has a purifying effect on those who do.

People will continue to mock the Rapture and reject us because of our belief in it. However, those of us who daily watch for it recognize the wonderful blessings that come from daily watching for Jesus’ appearing. We know that whenever He comes for us, it will be well worth the wait!

-Jonathan