A Message from Heaven :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: by RR10 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles

The prophet Ezekiel received a message from heaven. He said, “The word of the Lord came unto me…” (Ezek. 38:1).

That’s why it is so accurate. When God says something will happen, it will happen.

Bible prophecy is more than a religious belief. History confirms its accuracy.

The Lord told Ezekiel to, “Set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him” (Ezek. 38:2).

The word “Gog” means “dictator.”

In my words, the Lord told Ezekiel to look at the dictator who rules over the land of Magog and prophesy against him.

This brings up a question: Where is the land of Magog?

According to the Bible, Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Japheth had seven sons, and one of Japheth’s seven sons was named Magog.

So, Magog was the son of Japheth and the grandson of Noah.

And the Land of Magog is the Land where Noah’s grandson Magog settled.

The Lord called it the land of Magog in Ezekiel’s day, but we call it Russia today, and guess what: Russia has a dictator today.

Let’s drop down to Ezek. 38:15 just a minute.

The Lord said to tell Russia’s dictator, “Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts.”

The New King James Version reads, “You will come from your place out of the far north.”

In the Bible, north means north of Israel.

There are only four nations north of Israel: Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Russia. The nation in the far north of Israel is Russia. All other nations are ruled out.

Here is the message: “Behold I am against thee, O Gog” (Ezek. 38:3).

God is against Russia’s dictator for many reasons. But the main reason concerns Russia’s attitude toward Israel.

God promised to bless those that bless Israel and to curse those that curse Israel (Gen. 12:3).

Russia has set itself against Israel. So, Russia will soon come under God’s curse.

The Lord said to tell Russia’s dictator, “I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee” (Ezek. 38:4-6).

Those that have a hook in their jaw lose control to whoever controls the hook. They will go wherever the hook goes.

God rules over leaders and their nations. And when God takes control of Russia’s dictator, he is in big trouble.

But God’s message involves more than Russia. It involves many nations, most or all of which are Muslims.

Let’s notice when God intends to take control of Russia.

The Lord said, “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).

The Lord added, “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezek. 38:16).

In my words, the Lord said, it will be a long time from now, but I will bring Russia down, and when it happens, history will be in the latter years and the latter days.

“The latter years” and “the latter days” are Bible terms that refer to the end of the age.

Orthodox Jews call it “The Days of Redemption” or “The Messianic Days.” They believe this refers to the days just preceding the Messiah’s Coming.

Christians believe this refers to the days just preceding the Second Coming of Jesus.

No one knows the day or the hour of our Lord’s return. But we can see the day approaching. We can know when it is near.

And when God brings down Russia, it will be the latter years and latter days.

More than twenty-six hundred years ago, God knew:

  • That Israel would go back to the Promised Land.
  • That Russia would have a dictator.
  • That Russia’s dictator would be against Israel.
  • That Russia’s dictator would be aligned with Iran, Turkey, etc.
  • That Russia’s dictator would think an evil thought.

Russia’s dictator wasn’t even born twenty-six hundred years ago, but God still knew what Russia’s dictator would think and do because God would control him.

This is just one reason why many good prophecy teachers believe history is closing in on the Rapture, Tribulation Period, and Second Coming.

One, concerning wars and rumors of wars and the Battle of Gog of Magog: on Aug. 28, 2025, France, Germany, and the UK announced that they are reimposing sanctions on Iran because Iran is still trying to produce nuclear weapons.

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Sec. of State, said the U.S. will work with its allies on the sanctions but is “available for direct engagement with Iran in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue.

Pres. Trump and Israel have said they will attack Iran again if Iran continues its quest for nuclear weapons.

(Note: France, Germany, and the UK have announced that they are reimposing sanctions on Iran, but the sanctions won’t go into effect for thirty days.)

Two, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Aug. 29, 2025, Israel said Gaza City has become a full-fledged war zone.

(More: Israel recovered the bodies of two hostages. One has been identified, and an effort to identify the other is ongoing.)

(More: On Sept. 3, 2025, it was reported that Israeli troops have now circled Gaza City, and they will start advancing in the next two weeks.)

Three, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Aug. 27, 2025, Israel’s Air Force assassinated the Houthi Prime Min. (and possibly his chief of staff and Defense Min.) while the Prime Min. was making a televised speech.

(Update: On Aug. 31, 2025, the Houthis acknowledged the death of their Prime Min. and eight other officials. The Houthis vowed to avenge the death of these leaders, and Israel is preparing for an attack.)

(Update: On Sept. 2, 2025, Israel’s Defense Min. said some Houthi leaders are fleeing the capital of Yemen.)

(Update: On Sept. 3, 2025, the Houthis fired a missile at Israel, but Israel shot it down.)

Four, concerning wars and rumors of wars (with possible implications for the destruction of Damascus and the Battle of Gog of Magog): on Aug. 26, 2025, Israeli forces raided a Syrian military base on the outskirts of Damascus.

Israeli officials said Israeli troops captured Turkish surveillance and eavesdropping devices that were being used to spy on Israel.

An Israeli airstrike on the base killed several Syrian soldiers.

Five, concerning the UN General Assembly meetings (on Sept. 22-23) that have been scheduled in New York City during the Feast of Trumpets to push through the Two-State Solution: on Aug. 29, 2025, the Trump administration revoked the visas of PA and PLO officials to prevent them from attending.

One U.S. State Dept. official said:

  • Before they can be taken seriously as partners for peace, the PA and PLO must repudiate terrorism, lawfare campaigns at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the pursuit of unilateral recognition of statehood (pursuit of statehood without an agreement with Israel).

(My opinion: The PA and PLO are not going to repudiate terrorism and accept the existence of Israel. Furthermore, Israel is not going to agree to a terrorist Palestinian State having a capital in East Jerusalem and an air force and military in Gaza. So, many world leaders are going to try to force the Two-State Solution on Israel without forcing the PA and PLO to accept the existence of Israel. These world leaders will eventually come up with an agreement, but God will not accept it.)

(More: It was reported that leaders of several western nations – France, Canada, the UK, and more – were planning on showering PA leader Mahmoud Abbas with praise, but Trump outmaneuvered them by revoking the visas of PA and PLO officials.)

(Caution: Be careful about predictions that the Rapture will happen on the upcoming Feast of Trumpets and the Tribulation Period will begin immediately – as some are saying. I hope the Rapture is on the upcoming Feast of Trumpets – and it MAY be – but that is speculation, not a known fact. Also, the covenant that begins the Tribulation Period must be in existence before the Antichrist can confirm it, and it must be for seven years when he confirms it. Every jot and tittle must be fulfilled.)

(More Caution: I don’t know how many, if any, of the Ten Kings will rise before the Rapture, but all ten must be risen before the Antichrist gains control.)

Six, concerning world government: on Sept. 1, 2025, leaders of more than 20 non-Western nations (China, Russia, India, North Korea, Iran, etc.) met in China to discuss a new kind of global governance and ways to get around the West’s bullying behaviour.

The fact that these nations have met to discuss a new kind of global governance is a strong indication that the end of the age could be close.

What will come of this, or how soon it will happen, is debatable, but the Bible clearly teaches that there will be a New World Order (Ten Kings) before the Antichrist arrives.

Seven, concerning the expansion of Israel’s borders at the end of the age: on Sept. 1, 2025, Israel’s cabinet met to discuss the growing international pressure to recognize a Palestinian State.

According to the report, many Israeli officials are calling for the annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) to counter the international move.

It appears to this writer that the discussion was not so much about whether Israel should annex part of Judea and Samaria, but it was more about how much of Judea and Samaria Israel should annex.

Some Israeli officials want Israel to limit annexation to just part of the Jordan Valley. Other officials want Israel to annex about 60 percent of the territory Israel now controls.

The PA, PLO, Arabs, and world leaders won’t like this, but they started the problem.

(Reminder: In May 2025, Israel’s Foreign Min. said, “Unilateral moves against Israel will be met by unilateral moves by Israel.”)

(Update: The decision on annexing the Jordan Valley and large parts of Judea and Samaria was delayed until Sept. 4, 2025.)

(More: On Sept. 1, 2025, Israel started a school for kindergarten kids in the northern Judean community called Homesh. The Jews were forcefully removed from this community in 2005, but they are now being allowed to return.)

(More: On Sept. 1, 2025, it was reported that the Trump administration is still considering a proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza for ten years, to rebuild and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”)

(More: On Sept. 3, 2025, the United Arab Emirates – UAE – called upon the Trump administration to stop Israel from annexing any territory. They warned the U.S. that it would undermine the Abraham Accords if Israel did that.)

(Update: On Sept. 4, 2025, the decision on annexing the Jordan Valley and large parts of Judea and Samaria was cancelled due to the UAE warning that it would undermine the Abraham Accords.)

(My opinion: The only certain thing about where all of this is going to wind up is that Israel will have all of the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants when the Millennium arrives.)

Eight, on Aug. 27, 2025, The Washington Times reported that the Trump administration has given an ultimatum to most of the U.S.: drop all gender ideology content in sex-education material or lose grant funds.

Nine, on Sept. 1, 2025, it was reported that another flotilla comprising about 50 ships with activists from 44 nations is headed to Israel.

Israel’s National Security Min. wants the Netanyahu government to designate the activists as terrorists, arrest them, jail them with terrorists, and confiscate their ships.

(Update: On Sept. 1, 2025, the flotilla turned back, and they said it was because of high winds. They inferred that they will sail again when the weather is better.)

Ten, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: on Aug. 28, 2025, Pakistan reported that it was evacuating more than one million people because of torrential monsoon rains that flooded more than 1,400 villages.

(More: On Aug. 31, 2025, a 6.0 earthquake in Afghanistan killed at least 1,400 people, injured at least 2,500 people, and destroyed at least 5,400 homes (these numbers are expected to increase).

(More: On Aug. 31, 2025, a landslide in Sudan wiped out an entire village of about 1,000 people.)

(More: Words can’t describe the incredible devastation in China in recent weeks. Look at the pictures on this website: https://www.youtube.com/@doomlineyt).

Eleven, concerning the Two-State Solution, on Aug. 26, 2025:

  • The foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which groups 57 Arab and Muslim countries, called for the adoption of all possible legal and effective measures to prosecute Israel and prevent it from continuing its crimes against the Palestinian people.
  • The 21st Extraordinary Session of the Council of OIC Foreign Ministers underlined the need for coordinated action to suspend Israel’s membership in the United Nations.

They want to prosecute Israel, kick Israel out of the UN, and create a Palestinian state.

(My question: Will God allow this and not do anything about it? I doubt it.)

Twelve, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Sept. 2, 2025, the Trump administration said:

  • S. forces have fired at and blown up a small Venezuelan boat containing 11 drug smugglers and drugs.
  • Trump said this should serve as a warning to anyone thinking about smuggling drugs into the U.S.
  • Venezuela’s strongman warned that his nation will launch an armed struggle if attacked.
  • The U.S. State Dept. said the U.S. will take on the drug cartels wherever they are operating.

FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Awake and Watching :: By Jonathan Brentner

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles

When the Rapture occurs, who receives immortal bodies and meets Jesus in the air?

In responding to the grief of the Thessalonian believers, Paul clarified that all those who have previously died in Christ will participate in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16). They will receive resurrected and immortal bodies first, after which Jesus will take them to glory (1 Corinthians 15:47-55; Philippians 3:20-21; John 14:2-3), no exceptions.

The apostle also settled the fate of living believers at the time of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:1:

“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.”

All living born-again believers will also participate in the Rapture, no exceptions.

But here’s where it gets a bit sticky, as some erroneously teach that only believers who are watching and/or obedient will take part in the Rapture. Those who hold such a view tell us that wayward saints will require further purification during the Tribulation.

There are substantial problems with what’s known as the partial Rapture doctrine. First, it reconstructs the unbiblical Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory, albeit for living believers in this case. Second, it contradicts Paul’s teaching in the books of Ephesians and Romans regarding salvation by grace through faith, not of works. Justified saints don’t require further purification; they are already holy and blameless before the Lord (Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:8-9).

Third, it unduly favors those who have already died in Christ because it’s only living saints who face the possibility of remaining on the earth to endure the terrors of the Tribulation period. If the partial Rapture teaching is valid, a believer would be far better off being dead at the time of the Rapture since that would eliminate the possibility of being left behind. Fourth, there’s not one verse that suggests the possibility that some New Testament saints will remain on the earth after the Rapture occurs. Not one.

And lastly, the partial Rapture doctrine contradicts the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10:

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.”

Let me explain why these verses ensure that all living believers will take part in the Rapture.

It’s Not a Matter of Life or Death

Because the apostle wrote about the participation of both dead and living saints in the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, most readers assume the words “awake” and “asleep” in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 imply life and death. However, Paul uses different words in these verses than in the previous section, words that signify a different contrast, one that applies to living believers.

The Greek word for “awake” in 1 Thessalonians 5:10 is gregoreo, which denotes alertness or watchfulness. Earlier in the passage (5:6), Paul used this word along with that of being “sober” to portray the idea of temperance in one’s walk with the Lord versus that of drunkenness or carelessness. Together, they depict attentiveness in watching for Jesus’ appearing.

When it comes to our deliverance from the wrath of the Day of the Lord (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3), those who are awake in the sense of watching for the Rapture will participate in it. The sense is that Jesus will rapture all those who are waiting and watching for His return.

The Greek word Paul used for “sleep” in 1 Thessalonians 5:10 is katheudo. This word almost always refers to someone who is sleeping rather than physically dead. Of the 22 times katheudo appears in the New Testament, there is only one instance where it might refer to someone who had already died. It’s not the same Greek word that Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 to depict those who are “asleep” in the sense of having already died “in Christ.”

In 5:7, the apostle used katheudo as the opposite of gregoreo, implying that those who are not watchful are asleep in their walk with the Lord, not dead. Since katheudo is the opposite of vigilance in regard to Jesus’ appearing, its sense more likely signifies indifference rather than that of physical death.

The opposite of watching for Jesus’ appearing is not that of physical death but rather that of being asleep in the sense of not paying attention to the signs of the times and recognizing the nearness of the Rapture, a common malady among the saints today.

The good news is that Paul doesn’t limit participation in the Rapture to those who are watching for it. That’s what he meant when he wrote “that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:10). This interpretation fits rather well with the preceding verses where the contrast was between watching for Jesus’ appearing and not doing so.

The Similarities with the Olivet Discourse

There are at least three similarities between 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 and Jesus’ warnings in the Olivet Discourse recorded in Matthew 24-25. First, in Matthew 24:42 and Mark 13:35, we find the same Greek word, gregoreo, that Paul later used to denote watching for the day of His return. Both passages stress watchfulness using the same word in the original.

Second, both the Lord and Paul used the identical imagery to depict the surprising start to God’s judgment on the earth. Paul described the sudden arrival of the Day of the Lord wrath as a “thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). Jesus also compared the unexpected nature of the onset of this time judgment upon the earth to a thief coming at night to rob a house (Matthew 24:42-43).

Although the books of Matthew and Mark were most likely not yet written when Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians, it’s clear the apostle was familiar with what Jesus taught in the Olivet Discourse and likely taught from it while with his readers, especially since Paul wrote that they were “fully aware” of the imagery of the “thief in the night.’

Third, in Matthew 24:45-51, Jesus told a parable to emphasize the necessity of watching, gregoreo, and readiness for His return. In His story, He lists drinking “with drunkards” as one of the faults of the servant who assumes that his master is not returning soon and, as a result, behaves badly (to say the least). Interestingly enough, the apostle used soberness as an element of watchfulness for Jesus’ appearing, and drunkenness to describe those not watching for it, whether they be believers or not (1 Thessalonians 5:6-7).

The Advantages of Watching

Since all born-again believers will participate in the Rapture, is there an advantage for those who watch for it? Does it really matter if we are awake or unaware of its nearness? I believe there are at least two key benefits.

First, those watching for Jesus’ appearing recognize that we live in the last days. We understand the times because of what Scripture reveals about the state of the world during the Tribulation. As a result, the rampant deception, lawlessness, senseless violence, and corruption of our day doesn’t surprise us because the Bible warned that the last days would look like this.

What we see greatly saddens us at times, but we rest in the assurance that Jesus will soon appear and justly deal with the evil so prevalent in our day.

Second, Paul later wrote that those who love Jesus’ appearing will receive a “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). I believe that at the judgment seat of Christ, He will favorably recognize those saints who longed for His return. In some way, the Savior will honor those who valued the prospect of meeting Him in the air above temporal aspirations.

Maranatha!

***

My book, Invitation to a Lavish Feast – Wisdom’s Path to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, is available on Amazon or on the SkyWatchTV website. In it, I take the reader on a journey showing how the words of Scripture verify our beliefs in not only the restoration of Israel, but also our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing to take us home to glory. Jesus’ appearing is the pre-Tribulation Rapture.

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