ANSWER: The Bible is not clear about when the Northern Invasion will take place, but most theologians place it at or near the beginning of the Tribulation, rather than at the end, when Armageddon transpires. It could even occur prior to the Rapture. Some people believe that it is the same as Satan's Final Rebellion at the end of the Millennium, since Gog and Magog are mentioned in the passage describing that conflict (Revelation 20:7-9). But we believe that in that case, "Gog and Magog" are symbolic of the unregenerate element of society who rebel against the authority of Christ at that time.

It is conceivable that the Northern Invasion could constitute at least part of the Battle of Armageddon. But it is more likely that they are two separate conflicts for several reasons.

1. The Northern Invasion involves only specific nations: a great power to the north of Israel, "Magog," most likely Russia, and a number of non-Arab Islamic neighbors of Israel specified in Ezekiel 38:5-6. Armageddon involves all nations of the Earth (Revelation 16:14).
2. In the Northern Invasion, five-sixths of the invading army is destroyed, leaving only one-sixth (Ezekiel 39:2). At Armageddon, Christ returns and totally annihilates the invading forces, making their bodies a meal for scavenger birds (Revelation 19:17-21).
3. After the Northern Invasion, it will take seven months to bury the dead (Ezekiel 39:11-15) and seven years to burn the weapons for fuel (Ezekiel 39:9-10). If this were to take place at Armageddon, these time spans would extend into the Millennium, making the first part of it rather unpleasant.

As we can see, then, there are enough differences in the details of the two battles to indicate the extreme likelihood that they are two separate events. [© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Jesus made these statements after giving the beatitudes on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapter 5. Specifically, He said:

"Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven," Matthew 5:13-16.

Nowadays, people put salt on their food for flavoring. In winter, many cities use it to melt the ice on streets and sidewalks. In ancient times, in addition to these uses, salt was also used as a preservative and even to heal wounds. In a metaphorical sense, all of these actions are accomplished by believers in their interactions with the world. Christians preserve society, heal emotional wounds, melt the coldness of hard hearts, and add flavor to a mistrusting world at large. But if the salt has lost its strength and quality, it is worthless. Likewise, if a Christian loses his or her effectiveness, that person's testimony in the world will become ineffective as well.

The word "light" is taken from the Greek phos, from which we get the English word "photo." As a photograph reflects a real image, we as Christians are supposed to reflect the reality and goodness of Christ to a world that is steeped in the darkness of human depravity. Moreover, we are to set that God-given light in a place where it can be seen by everyone. If we are not living a lifestyle that is consistent with our Christian profession, it is tantamount to hiding the light under a basket. There, it cannot be seen, nor can it provide any benefit in the darkness. Thus, we should so live that our light shines, remembering that even a little light can dispel the darkness around us. [© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: By way of background, in Numbers 13, Moses sent twelve spies, one from each tribe, to survey the land and its people. After 40 days, they returned. They all acknowledged that the land was fertile and productive, as evidenced by the samples of grapes, pomegranates, and figs that they brought back. However, ten out of the twelve spies (Caleb and Joshua being the exceptions) came back with a frightening report about the people of the Promised Land. They said:

"And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, who come of the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight," Numbers 13:33.

Undoubtedly, the inhabitants of the Promised Land were larger than normal. If they were the descendants of Anak, they were probably the size of Goliath, who was over nine feet tall, according to 1 Samuel 17:4. The Canaanites were formidable opponents, but God had already promised the Israelites the land. They only had to act on faith to take it. Instead, they reacted in fear, and blamed God for bringing them out to the wilderness to be slain by the inhabitants of the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1-4). The result was that the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years for their lack of faith. During that time, all of the adults, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, died in the wilderness for their lack of faith. It was the next generation that would enter into the Promised Land.

The reference to grasshoppers in Numbers 13 was undoubtedly an exaggeration on the part of the ten faithless spies. Their lack of faith made them feel that small, relatively speaking, though in reality they were not. There is no report on how the Anakim viewed the situation. Probably the spies projected their own feelings onto their enemies.

This episode does not make the Bible inaccurate. The Bible accurately states exactly what the spies said, even if it was not the truth. This occurs often in Scripture. For example:

In Isaiah 14:14, Lucifer said, "I will be like the Most High." It is true that he said it, but what he said was false, guided by his boastful pride.

In Matthew 26:65, the high priest accused Jesus of blasphemy for announcing that He was the Son of God. It is true that the high priest said this, but his accusation was false.

We have heard it put this way: "Not everything in the Bible is true, but everything in the Bible is truly stated." So, we would apply this guideline to the question at hand as well.
[© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This account is found in the Gospel of Luke and contrasts the activities of these two sisters:

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village; and a certain woman, named Martha, received him into her house. And she had a sister, called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she help me. And Jesus answered, and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her," Luke 10:38-42.

On the surface, neither of these women was doing anything wrong. In the ancient Middle East, when a guest came to your home, you did whatever you could to make him comfortable. Martha was doing this for our Lord. Another cultural characteristic of that time was that people would sit at the feet of their favorite teacher or rabbi. Thus, Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, seeking to learn from Him.

Martha's problem in this passage was not that she was doing something wrong, but rather that she was doing something right but with the wrong attitude. She was so wrapped up in her own tasks, that she wanted Jesus to quit teaching Mary so that Mary could help her. Jesus reminded Martha that what Mary was doing - learning from Him - was just as important as serving Him. Martha was not doing anything that was time-critical; nowhere in the passage did Jesus ever ask, "Where's dinner?" Martha just felt slighted because she had to serve alone.

We will never know, because Scripture does not reveal it to us, but it is quite possible that on another occasion, it might have been Mary's turn to serve, and Martha's turn to sit at Jesus' feet. Sometimes we need to minister to the Lord. At other times, we need to let Him minister to us.

The lesson here is one of balance. It ts very easy, particularly in a church setting, where so much help is always needed, for us to become so involved in the "nuts and bolts" of ministry that we miss the opportunity for the church to minister to us. On the other hand, we can participate in so many services, Bible studies, seminars, special programs, and so on, that we are always on the receiving end and never giving back. Every believer should be aware of his or her spiritual gifts and how to apply them, not only in the church, but in the world around us. We should also be mindful of our need to get fed at the Master's table, and avail ourselves of opportunities to do so. Equally important, however, is our necessity of finding the proper balance to do both. [© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The ancient kingdom of Elam constituted a part of what is now modern Iran - the southwestern section, adjacent to its border with Iraq at the northern end of the Persian Gulf. In the latter chapters of Jeremiah, God pronounces judgments on many of Israel's enemies to comfort His own people, Israel, who will also come under judgment. Specifically, in Jeremiah 49:34-39, God is pronouncing judgment on Elam. Part of this passage reads:

"For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them. And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there the king and the princes, saith the LORD," Jeremiah 49:37-38.

When God speaks of setting up His "throne" in Elam, it represents a throne of judgment. God will judge the sinful people of Elam. Yet for all that, He also promises in verse 39 that He will restore them at some point in the future. In that light, it is interesting to note that there were Elamites present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).

As far as our Lord's reign in His Millennial Kingdom, it is correct that He will do so from Jerusalem. Zechariah 14 says that all nations will go to Jerusalem yearly to worship the Lord at the Feast of Tabernacles. But as He will be King, not only over Israel but over all the Earth, it is also true that His "throne," in the sense of His power of judgment, will be over the whole world as well. [© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Those who survive the Tribulation, having accepted Christ during that period, will go into the Millennium in their mortal bodies (unlike Church Age saints, who will have received our glorified bodies at the Rapture and Resurrection). These mortals will be susceptible to death just as we are. In that ideal environment, many of the curses now upon the Earth will have been lifted. Because there will still be mortals with their sin natures inhabiting the Earth, it will not be the ideal state of the Garden of Eden. It will be more comparable to the era between the fall of man and Noah's flood. In that period, lifespans were much longer than they are today (see Genesis Chapter 5). The Prophet Isaiah touched on this subject when he said:

"There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die an hundred years old, but the sinner, being an hundred years old, shall be accursed," Isaiah 65:20.

In other words, someone who dies at age 100 will be considered just a child. That verse also indicates that sinners will die a premature death. Some theologians believe that the Lord will give people 100 years to make a salvation decision for Him, and those who do not will die prematurely. But those who submit to the righteous rule of Jesus Christ can conceivably look forward to living much longer, perhaps through the entire 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom. [© January 2009, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The Judgment of the Nations is presented at the end of our Lord's Olivet Discourse, in Matthew 25:31-46. This is the only place in the Gospels where it is mentioned. Possibly Matthew, with his emphasis on the Kingship of Jesus Christ, recorded it to emphasize Christ's coming Millennial Kingdom.

This judgment takes place at the end of the Tribulation, after our Lord's triumphant victory at Armageddon, and just prior to the implementation of His Millennial Kingdom. The "nations" are the Gentile peoples who have survived the Tribulation Period. At this judgment, Christ separates the "sheep" (the saved) from the "goats" (the lost). The difference is the individual's treatment of what our Lord calls "one of the least of these, my brethren" (Matthew 25:40).

Since this judgment involves the saved and the lost among the Gentiles who survived the Tribulation, then "my brethren" must constitute a third group. Most commentators agree that this refers to the Jews, who are Jesus' brethren in the flesh, as He Himself was a Jew.

During the Tribulation, the Jews will come under severe persecution by the Antichrist and his forces. Thus, these Gentiles' treatment of the Jews will determine whether or not they emerge positively from this judgment.

Like any good work, the Gentiles' acts of kindness to the Jews, in and of themselves, do not merit salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). But they are indicative of a person's spiritual character. After all, one cannot easily imagine a supposedly saved individual, knowing of God's love for the Jews, siding with the Antichrist in his persecution of them during the Tribulation.

After the Judgment of the Nations, the "sheep," the saved Gentiles, will go with Christ into the Millennial Kingdom (Matthew 25:34). The "goats," the unsaved, will go away into "everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46). So we have in this passage yet another proof of the eternal nature of Hell.

Since we are told that the Jews will universally come to Christ at His Second Advent (Zechariah 12:10, 13:1; Romans 11:26), and the saved Gentiles will enter the Millennium also, there will be no unsaved adults left on Earth at the beginning of the Millennium. It will certainly be a grand start to that marvelous thousand-year period in which Jesus Christ will reign on Earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
[© December 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This woman was referenced in the Lord's message to the church at Thyatira, a church that had become involved in idolatry. After a verse of commendation to that church, Jesus said:

"Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols," Revelation 2:20.

The Lord went on to say that He gave this woman an opportunity to repent, of which she did not avail herself. Thus, He pronounced severe judgment upon her.

The name "Jezebel" is used symbolically of an evil woman. Her actions were strongly reminiscent of the Jezebel of the Old Testament, the ungodly queen of King Ahab, who was heavily involved in idolatry and Baal worship.

Notice that this Jezebel in Revelation "calleth herself a prophetess." God did not give her this title; she bestowed it upon herself. Moreover, she utilized her self-appointed position to cause the people of the church at Thyatira to do things that are contrary to God's Word. Acts 15:29 specifically prohibits the two activities Jezebel was advocating in Revelation 2:20: fornication and eating food sacrificed to idols. A true prophet of God would never contradict God's laws in this manner. Thus, Jezebel invited God's judgment upon herself, a judgment that is described in Revelation 2:22-23.
[© December 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: In Revelation Chapter 4, the Apostle John is called up to Heaven, to the throne room of God. In the first few verses of that chapter, John observes the throne of God. Then he is also shown twenty-four lesser thrones around God's throne:

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold," Revelation 4:4.

The number of these individuals is significant. In the Old Testament Levitical priesthood, there were 24 courses, or shifts (1 Chronicles 24:7-19). The Church is also described as a "holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2:5-9).

With these thoughts in mind, theologians differ about the identity of these elders. Some view them as being either exclusively Israel or exclusively the Church. Others feel that the group is comprised of both Israel and the Church (12 Jewish patriarchs plus 12 apostles). But most believe that the Church is at least partially represented by this assembly.

Notice that they have "white raiment" and "crowns of gold." These facts indicate that John is viewing them at a time in the future when the Rapture of the Church, and ensuing Judgment of the Believer's Works, have already taken place. Meanwhile, the Tribulation is beginning in earnest on Earth, with the seven seal judgments about to be unleashed. This is another indication of the pre-Tribulation timing of the Rapture. Finally, notice the activity of these twenty-four elders in Heaven:

"The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sits on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created," Revelation 4:10-11.

Like the four living creatures also seen in this chapter, the twenty-four elders are engaged in worship of the Lord. This indicates that we, too, will occupy ourselves with this activity in Heaven. We should begin to prepare now - not only by singing God's praises, but also by honoring Him in worship by our thoughts, actions, and attitudes.
[© December 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Josiah was indeed a godly king who undertook to restore the Temple and keep its sacrifices. When a copy of the Book of the Law was found in the Temple and read to the king, he was greatly troubled and sent his advisors to Huldah the prophetess. She prophesied that evil would come upon Jerusalem because they had forsaken God and pursued false deities. But she added a postscript for Josiah when she said:

"Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD. .. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place....," 2 Kings 22:19-20.

It is true that Josiah died in battle, in disobedience to the Lord, when he went up against Neco, the Pharaoh of Egypt, who was engaged in another battle having nothing to do with Josiah. The account of his death is found in 2 Chronicles 35:20-27. But when God had earlier promised Josiah that he would die in peace, this was not "peace" as opposed to "war." God was actually promising Josiah that he would die before any of those events prophesied against Jerusalem and Judah would take place. They occurred later, in 586 BC, when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and destroyed the city and the Temple. That conquest is recorded in 2 Kings Chapter 25 and 2 Chronicles Chapter 36. The fact that Josiah died in battle, then, does not contradict the earlier promise. During his life- time, Jerusalem itself remained at peace.

Manasseh's constant rebellion against God, though, caused him difficulties as well. After many years of this rebellion, God sent the Assyrians to take Manasseh and carry him to Nineveh. At that time, he sought the Lord and repented, and God responded by restoring him to his kingdom. Manasseh then destroyed the false gods of Judah, and restored Temple sacrifices to the Lord (2 Chronicles 33:11-20). The end result was that Manasseh died a natural death after becoming humble and repentant before God.

The lives of Josiah and Manasseh illustrate several things. First, Josiah shows us that no matter how good a person's overall "track record" seems, he or she may stumble or fall at the end of life. Second, as Manasseh's life reveals, no matter how bad a person's life has been in the past, God is merciful and will forgive sin if the person comes to Him in humility and repentance - even at the end of life.

Finally, death, whether in bed, in battle, or by any other means, comes to us all (Hebrews 9:27). Further, it sometimes comes with no warning. So it is important to maintain a right relationship with God at all times and under all circumstances. [© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The verse in question occurs prior to Noah's flood. It reads:

"And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years," Genesis 6:3.

This verse does not refer to the lifespan of humans. Rather, it refers to the length of time between God's decision to judge the Earth, and the actual carrying out of that judgment. In other words, it took 120 years to build the ark.

On the surface, this may seem like an extraordinary length of time. But remember that the ark was a huge craft, capable of holding literally thousands of animals aboard its three stories. Its dimensions are given in Genesis 6:15. Given that a cubit is considered to be 18 inches, those dimensions are: 450 feet long; 75 feet wide; and 45 feet high. Also remember that there were no power tools or lumber yards in those days, and that Noah only had his immediate family to help him build the ark. After considering all of that, it is incredible that it took him only 120 years to build it!

During that time, the people outside of Noah's family had the opportunity to repent, but as the Bible records, they did not. In the New Testament, Peter calls Noah "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5). Obviously, while Noah was building the ark during that 120 years, many people asked him what he was doing, and why. Yet they rejected the warning that he brought, and so they all perished when the flood waters came at the end of that 120 years. [© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The two angels, appearing as men, came to Lot in Genesis Chapter 19 to announce God's judgment upon Sodom, and to warn Lot to exit the city before it fell. Obviously, Lot was concerned about their welfare, since he pleaded them to lodge in his house, rather than stay out in the street all night. Nevertheless, the two men did not escape the notice of the men of the city, who said:

"... Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them," Genesis 19:5.

This is a Biblical way of expressing the idea of sexual intimacy (or carnal knowledge). It seems incredible that Lot would make such a counteroffer of his daughters, but this he did, when he said:

"...I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known a man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof," Genesis 19:7-8.

The entire account reveals Lot's backslidden condition and spiritual immaturity. You don't solve one sexual addiction by adopting another one. Both options were morally wrong (see a similar situation in Judges 19:22-28). Lot's spiritual deterioration is clearly traced in Genesis. First, he "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Genesis 13:12). Next, he moved into Sodom (Genesis 14:12). Finally, he "sat in the gate" of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). In the end, he failed his family by his wrong example.

Lot's two visitors made their true identity and purpose known. As the men were about to attack Lot himself, the angels smote the men with blindness and rescued him from their evil intent. The angels announced their mission to Lot, and urged him and his family to escape for their lives. The next day, the city of Sodom was destroyed with fire and brimstone.

This account is not one of the more pleasant portions of Scripture to read. But it serves well to illustrate God's hatred for the sin of homosexuality, in spite of its growing acceptance as an "alternative lifestyle" today in our society and sadly, even in some of our churches.
[© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Karl Bahr, quoted in the King James Bible Commentary, says the following about this episode, which occurred during the transition of power from David to Solomon:

"In the ancient East, after a king died, or his kingdom passed from him, the harem fell to the new ruler. On the other hand, also, he who took to himself the king's wives, was regarded as having taken to himself the rights of the king. The claim to the possession of the women of the harem was understood to mean the claim to the throne."

Abishag was a young woman chosen to care for King David during his last days (1 Kings 1:1-4). While King David lay dying, his eldest son Adonijah mounted an unsuccessful campaign to make himself king, even though David had previously proclaimed publicly that Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, would succeed him (1 Chronicles 28:1-8). Yet in spite of Adonijah's failed coup, Solomon said of him:

"... If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die," 1 Kings 1:52.

As we have seen, the significance of the request of Adonijah to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, could only be construed as another attempt to usurp the throne from Solomon, a threat which Solomon swiftly eliminated (1 Kings 2:23-25). [© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This phrase is found in the Book of Revelation several times. It is perhaps best explained in the account of the Great White Throne Judgment. It says:

"...death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them... And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death," Revelation 20:13-14.

The term "second death" refers to the eternal separation from God that will take place in the Lake of Fire that follows the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. This passage indicates that there is some kind of a reunification of the body, soul, and spirit of the unsaved prior to their being cast into the Lake of Fire. "Death" signifies the abode of the body, and "hell" indicates the place where the souls and spirits of the unsaved go until the Great White Throne Judgment.

Preachers often use a saying to stress the importance of being Born Again: "Born twice - die once; born once - die twice." In other words, those who are born twice (natural birth plus new birth in Christ) only have to die once (natural death). Those who only experience a natural birth, however, must die twice - once naturally, and once eternally in the "second death " of which the Lake of Fire consists. It is no wonder, then, that Jesus said, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7). [© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The reference to the three "woes" comes in the midst of the Trumpet Judgments of Revelation. The Bible says:

"And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!" Revelation 8:13.

This angel implies in that verse that these three woes pertain to the three judgments of the three trumpets yet to sound.

The first woe - the fifth trumpet overall - consists of the loosing of the locusts described in Revelation 9:1-12. The appearance of the locusts in Revelation 9:7 implies that they represent some kind of weaponry. They are demonic in nature, given that they are released from the bottomless pit (verse 2). So they are either demons themselves, or demonically-inspired beings. Verse 12 emphasizes that this is the first woe when it says:

"One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter."

The second woe is the sixth trumpet, the loosing of the four angels in the Euphrates River. These angels are probably fallen angels or demons, because they are bound and must be loosed. These four angels bring with them an army of 200 million who will destroy one-third of mankind (Revelation 9:13-21). While some argue that this is a demonic army, it could very well be an actual human army described in terms that could equate them with modern weaponry that they carry or utilize.

Then there follows an interlude in Chapter 10 and the beginning of Chapter 11. That interlude involves "woe" as well, as it includes the parenthetic judgments of the seven thunders, about which we are not told (Revelation 10) and the ministry, death and resurrection of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3-14). Until the time appointed by God, these two witnesses have the power to kill anyone who attempts to hurt them, and to "smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will" (Revelation 11:5-6).

The third woe is the seventh trumpet, not seen until Revelation 11:15-19. It includes the opening of the Temple of God in Heaven and the thunder, earthquake, and hail described in the last verse of that chapter. It announces that the kingdom of the world is given over to the Lord, who will rule eternally. When this trumpet is sounded, there will be no doubt left that everything that has transpired up to this point, and that will continue to occur until the end of the Tribulation, consists of Divine judgment upon an unrepentant Earth. "Woe" is indeed the word to summarize such judgment.
[© November 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This aspect of our Savior's nature appears repeatedly in Scripture. For example, the Book of Isaiah contains four great "Servant Songs," passages that underscore the Lord's ministry to Israel. These are found in Chapters 42, 49, 50, and 53.

For instance, in Isaiah 49:5, the Lord will bring back the land of Israel. He will bring back Jacob out of captivity, and set her in her own land. In the following verse, He is a "light unto the Gentiles." The Apostle Paul quoted this in Acts 13:47 in his sermon in the Jewish synagogue in Antioch and said, "This is fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the One who came. He is the One who gave His life for us."

The principle of Christ as Servant is also underscored in Isaiah's description of His suffering:

"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting," Isaiah 50:6.

This is an accurate description of the suffering Jesus went through in Matthew 27, even before He was actually crucified. Chapters 52 and 53 of Isaiah go on to more fully explain the suffering aspect of Jesus' Servanthood. The result, though, is one about which we can rejoice, because the Bible says:

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him,and with his stripes we are healed," Isaiah 53:5.

This Scripture is one of contrasts, between His actions and our need. Note that He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. His chastisement was for our peace. His stripes were for our healing. All of these things tell us that Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. The Apostle Paul said of this aspect of Jesus' Servanthood:

"And, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," Philippians 2:8.

Jesus Himself gave an example of His own role as a Servant when He washed His disciples' feet in John Chapter 13. Foot-washing was a custom performed at that time in the Middle East. People did not wear shoes and socks - only sandals. They walked along dusty roads on their travels. Naturally, their feet would get dirty. So, as an act of hospitality, the feet of a guest were washed. It was not a pleasant job, but it was part of entertaining guests and weary travelers. In washing His disciples' feet, Jesus gave them, and by extension us, an example to follow:

"... Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," John 13:12-17.

In other words, as Jesus was a Servant, obedient to His Father to die to purchase our salvation, then we are to be servants as well. We are to be attuned to the will of God, by studying His Word, seeking His will in prayer, and living accordingly day by day. The Apostle Peter said it well when he wrote:

"For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps," 1 Peter 2:21.

Peter fulfilled this literally, as tradition tells us that he was crucified, as was Jesus. But Peter, not feeling worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord, requested to be crucified upside down.

We may not be called upon to lay down our lives for our faith, but we are called to live in such a way as to bring glory to our Savior and to draw people to Him by our conduct as His representatives. As the world poses its temptations to us, as Satan fires his darts of opposition at us, and as we may feel increasingly alone in a sea of growing ungodliness in these last days, sometimes living for Christ may seem harder than dying for Him. But whether we live for Him or die for Him, or both, we will surely enter glory hearing a "Well done" from Him for being a "good and faithful servant." [© May 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: First, we should define what a "superpower" is. If it may be defined as any nation having the capability to enforce its will on the world with weapons of mass destruction - a reasonable definition - then the U.S. is no longer alone. In fact, it never really was. The dissolution of the Soviet Union does not mean that Russia has totally dismantled her nuclear arsenal. Moreover, several other nations have joined the "nuclear club," and a few others are threatening to do so, particularly in the volatile Middle East. This does not even take into account other weapons of mass destruction - biological and chemical weapons - which are in the hands of too many nations to even mention.

Because the complexities of the world have grown, the U.S., and other countries as well, have seen fit frequently to go through U.N. channels before initiating action to remedy an international situation. Our desire for a consensus prior to military, political, or economic action really erodes American hegemony over the world situation. Finally, that erosion has been hastened by what is perceived to be by many nations of the world - friend and foe alike -as a failed American foreign policy, again particularly in the Middle East.

Commercially, the picture is much the same. Many of the goods that were manufactured here as recently as the 1980's are now made in other nations. We order them by contacting someone at a call center in still another nation. We are increasingly becoming a nation of warehousing and distribution facilities, punctuated by big-box retailers. Our economy is becoming global in nature, just like our diplomatic and military affairs.

More importantly, we must look at what the Bible says about the "beast," who is also referred to as the "Antichrist." It always uses a male pronoun in describing him: "he," "him," "his," etc. Look especially at the passage which deals with his entrance into the Temple in Jerusalem at the midpoint of the Tribulation:

"... that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God," 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

This would be hard for a nation or a system to do. In fact, the passage even refers to a "man." It can only be done by a man who is leading a nation, a group of nations, or a political and economic system. There is a chance that the Antichrist could come from the U.S., as our nation is made up predominantly by descendants of nations that once belonged to the ancient Roman Empire. But the Antichrist will eventually become the leader of the whole world before his time is up.

Because of what we might call our "Roman roots/' a likely scenario for the End Times is for the U.S. to be aligned with the revived Roman Empire. But for us to be that empire entirely, or to be the "beast" of that empire, is, in our opinion, taking liberties with Scripture.
[© February 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Over the years, we have fielded similar such questions about credit cards, "preferred customer" type cards, the proposed universal health care cards, and numerous other forms of identification. Briefly, the card spoken of in this question is a new type of driver's license that, while still issued by the individual states, would contain common information mandated by the Federal government, and common safeguards against duplication and forgery. The last we heard about these universal ID cards is that their implementation had been delayed because of the inability of many states to meet the Federally-mandated deadline. Further, the states are trying to find ways to implement the issuance of these cards without giving every DMV office in the nation a line half a mile long.

As to the identity card's possible prophetic significance, if and when (and it seems more like a "when" than an "if") these cards are implemented, we do not have to be concerned that they constitute the "mark of the beast" spoken of in Revelation Chapter 13. That mark is a physical one on the body, and it is a mark of loyalty to the Antichrist, the coming world ruler. Since the Rapture has not yet occurred, the Antichrist has not yet been revealed. That being the case, no identity scheme implemented by any government agency can yet constitute the mark of the beast. [© February 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The traditional line of reasoning on this subject is that it would, because the Dome of the Rock is believed to have been constructed on the site of the ancient Jewish Temples, and the Jews want to build the new one on the same exact spot. New excavations, however, have led some to believe that this is not necessarily the case. It is possible that the ancient Temple may have occupied a place in a now-open area of the Temple Mount.

When John was writing the Book of Revelation, a reed was given to him, and an angel told him to measure the Temple (Revelation 11:1). But in the following verse, he was given one limitation:

"But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months," Revelation 11:2.

Some interpret this to mean that only the Temple itself will be of note to the Jews, but the Gentiles will have preeminence on the rest of the Temple Mount. This is followed by the reference to the fact that the Gentiles, headed by the Antichrist, will oppress Jerusalem and its inhabitants for the second half of the Tribulation Period.

We believe that the most likely scenario is that the Temple will be erected on the site now occupied by the Dome of the Rock. This means that the Islamic shrine would have to come down - possibly due to an earthquake or an act of war or terrorism. But if, in fact, it is found that the Temple truly belongs in an open area, and the Jews want to follow through on building on the ancient site, it may be raised on the same spot without disturbing any of the Islamic holy places on the Temple Mount.

We know from Bible Prophecy that a new Temple will be completed not later than the midpoint of the Tribulation. At that time, the Antichrist will enter that Temple, end Jewish worship, and demand to be worshipped as God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

Whether this new Temple accompanies the Islamic holy places, or replaces them, it is sure to stir some unrest in the Islamic world. Such dissention may only be quelled by strong diplomatic and/or military pressure from outside forces, possibly from the Antichrist himself when he signs the peace agreement with Israel described in Daniel 9:26-27. [© February 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The Scripture that prompted this question is found in the Book of Romans, where Paul is reminding us that God has not forsaken Israel. He says:

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated," Romans 9:13.

Paul refers here to the Book of Malachi, which says:

"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness," Malachi 1:3.

Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac. The posterity of both developed into tribes and nations. Even before their births Jacob was the one chosen by God to be the progenitor for the tribes of Israel. Speaking to Rebekah, the boys' mother, shortly before their birth, God said:

"... Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger," Genesis 25:23.

God showed His love for Jacob by giving him twelve sons and preserving the nation of Israel right down to this very day, and He will continue to do so in the future. Esau, on the other hand, whom it is said God "hated," had his land, Edom, brought to desolation. The reasons for this are discussed in the Book of Obadiah. Esau's rejection by God wsa because he "despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:34).

A parallel can be found in the words of Jesus when He set down a requirement for being His disciple:

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple," Luke 14:26.

Jesus did not really expect us to hate our parents, for this would be a violation of the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12). But He was illustrating the fact that one must love Him so intensely, that the feelings one shows toward one's family members - whom we love as well - must seem like hate in comparison.

Likewise, the words "love" and "hate" in discussing Jacob and Esau are relative rather than absolute. The love and hate spoken of here are related more to the exercise of God's will rather than His emotions. God, by the act of His sovereign will, chose Jacob, rather than Esau, to carry on the line of the people of Israel. [© February 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: In the context of Jesus' remarks in this passage, people brought their little children to Jesus, and His disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus was displeased, and said:

"... Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein," Mark 10:14-15.

Jesus thus showed a father's love to these children.

Jesus' words did not mean that a person must come to Him in the early years of life in order to be saved. If that were true, then none of the disciples were really saved. Nor did He mean that a person - whatever their age - must manifest behavior that we would refer to as "childish" rather than "childlike." In fact, many of the negative characteristics of childish behavior - self-centeredness, stubbornness, greed, and immature anger - are condemned as sin in Scripture and classified as such if the individual is old enough to realize that he or she is doing wrong.

There is a big difference between being "childish" and "childlike." Being childlike involves exhibiting the same kind of trust that a little child shows towards his or her elders. Children trust their parents to provide for their needs, and, to a certain extent, for their wants. They trust their parents to have all the answers to their questions, or at least, to point them in the right direction to find them. When children have a problem and cry, they trust their parents to comfort them.

Sadly, on an Earthly level, many parents today are abandoning their traditional roles in the raising of their children, due to busyness or just plain ignorance. Such parents should be reminded that it is the natural order of things for them to be there for their children, because the children have an innocent and instinctive expectation of it.

In the same way as a child fully depends on parents, those who come to Christ - at any age in life - must fully depend upon Him to save them from the penalty of their sins and provide for them a home in eternity. They must also be willing to depend upon Him to provide for their every need while on this Earth, as Matthew 6:25-33 so ably points out.

There are advantages to coming to Christ early in life. A child or young person who does so has more years ahead of him or her to invest in the Lord's service. Also, the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God can help such a youngster resist the temptations of the world, particularly the peer pressure that leads so many astray during adolescence.

Fortunately, however, there is no age limit on childlike faith. Those who desire to trust in Christ for now and for eternity can come to Him, fully trusting to do for them what He has promised to do in His Word - at any age. We wholeheartedly urge anyone who has not made a decision for Christ to do so now without any further delay. Your eternal destiny depends upon your decision! [© February 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: We believe that people will continue to come to Christ in great numbers during the Tribulation, regardless of their previous exposure to the Gospel message. Revelation 7:9-17 indicates that "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues" will comprise those "who came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Those who oppose our viewpoint usually point to this passage:

"... because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, That they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness," 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

Many people say "because they received not the love of the truth" (during the Church Age), they will be sent the "strong delusion" and "believe the lie" of the Antichrist. However, we believe this entire passage refers to events which transpire during the Tribulation itself. The passage in Revelation Chapter 7 which we quoted substantiates this. But it is also true that, while multitudes will come to Christ, multitudes will also reject Him, choosing instead to align themselves with the Antichrist. Remember that he will be a very convincing individual, as well as being extremely cruel to his opponents. The cost for accepting Christ during the Tribulation will most likely be martyrdom, and certainly great privation, because it will mean rejection of the Antichrist and his Satanic system. See Revelation 13: 15-18.

Here in the Church Age, many of us did not receive Christ upon hearing the Gospel the very first time. But God, in His mercy, allowed us several, even many, opportunities for salvation. And, despite many Satanically-induced "road blocks," we eventually accepted Christ as personal Savior.

During the Tribulation, Satan will try his diabolical best to keep people from Christ by introducing to the world the Antichrist. But, God has kept the door open to salvation in every dispensation, so it stands to reason that He will do so during the Tribulation, as well. Jesus Himself, in speaking of that time, told us that the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached prior to His Second Coming:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come," Matthew 24:14.

However, for those counting on this "second chance" for salvation, a word to the wise is in order: in view of the cataclysmic upheavals that will take place during that time, it would behoove one to accept Christ now in the Church Age, and thus avoid the fearful judgments of the Tribulation. Additionally, as the Church Age winds down, fearful things are already taking place on the earth. Death could come swiftly and instantly to anyone. We must be spiritually ready, as the decision we make, or fail to make, for Christ, will have eternal consequences. [© October 1997, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: There is no description given in the Bible of what Jesus looked like, but He probably did not look like most of the pictures of Him that are now circulating. The predominant number of classic paintings of Jesus come from the Renaissance era. Since men of the Renaissance wore long, flowing hair and were somewhat effeminate in appearance, the artists of that time painted Jesus in that way.

People of all times and places have tended to illustrate Jesus somewhat like themselves, in order to enable the viewers to better identify with Him. Even today, in other parts of the world, there are renditions of Jesus as an African, Asian, or a member of other races.

But how old did Jesus really look? The Old Testament Prophet Isaiah foretold that when Jesus appeared, He would be a rather average man for His time and place:

"... he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him," Isaiah 53:2.

In other words, there was nothing special about Jesus' physical appearance in His First Coming that would cause people to say, "There He is, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords," as they will do when He comes again (Revelation 19:11-16). Rather, He was a typical Middle Eastern Jew of the first century AD. He blended into the crowd. If He were easily identifiable on looks alone, it would not have been necessary for Judas to actually point Him out to those who were seeking to destroy Him (Matthew 26:47-49).

Jesus did rugged physical labor, frequently outdoors, with rudimentary tools as a carpenter until He was about 30 years of age. So He was probably well-tanned and muscular. His hair was probably not as long as the Renaissance painters portrayed. This would have been an impediment to His labor. It was probably longer than hair styles today, however, given the primitive nature of barbering tools of that day. Like most Jewish men of His day, He had a beard. His rugged appearance was undoubtedly accentuated by His environment after He began His public ministry. As He cautioned a potential "recruit":

"... The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head," Matthew 8:20.

Jesus and His disciples had no regular place to stay while traversing ancient Israel. Undoubtedly, they frequently had to stay outdoors. During one exchange with the Jews, they asked Him:

"... Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" John 8:57.

This does not necessarily mean that Jesus looked older than He actually was, although that could have been true, given His inquisitors' guess. Their main point was that He certainly did not look as old as Abraham. Whatever Jesus' appearance may have been, He truly became one of us, so that He could give Himself for all of us who will accept Him as our Savior. [© May 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Laodicea is the last of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. Historically, it has been symbolically identified with all that is wrong with the Church at large throughout Church history. Although we can draw parallels to the kinds of churches Laodicea might typify, narrowing it down further than that might be too dogmatic and could cause us to miss Laodicea's deeper meaning to us.

Laodicea was located about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia in southern Asia Minor. It was founded in about 260 BC by Antiochus II, who named it after his wife, Laodice, whom he later divorced. It came under Roman control in 129 BC. It was well known for its hot and cold mineral springs and eye salve. In time, it became a popular retirement community, where the wealthy would go to take advantage of the springs. Eventually, as more wealthy people moved in, the banking industry followed, and the city became large and prosperous. It could be easily thought of as the "Palm Springs" of its day.

The church at Laodicea received no words of commendation from the Lord, only strong rebuke. Interestingly, most of this castigation was linked to the secular situation of Laodicea at that time. For instance, the Lord says:

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth," Revelation 3:15-16.

Both hot and cold mineral springs had beneficial value. Lukewarm water was of no value at all, and was in fact rather distasteful.

"Because thou sayest, l am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," Revelation 3:17.

The church was relying upon their own self-sufficiency, rather than upon the total sufficiency of God. Perhaps they even viewed their prosperity as God's validation upon the way they were doing things. Jesus reminded them that their worldly abundance was totally unrelated to their spiritual condition, and used some rather harsh words to describe their impoverished state from His viewpoint. Then in the following verse, He urged them to do three things:

1. "Buy of me gold tried in the fire." Only Jesus Christ can provide the "gold" of the Gospel which will overcome their spiritual poverty. That is the "gold" that can withstand the refining fires of hostile persecution or spiritual corruption.
2. Put on "white raiment." This symbol is used throughout the Book of Revelation to denote righteousness. For example, it is worn by the Bride of Christ in Revelation 19:8.
3. "Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve." Here is yet another reference to the secular situation of Laodicea, the eye salve which had brought them fame and prosperity. But in this case, the Lord is referring to the eye salve of the truth, so that they might see things as He sees them and perceive spiritual things.

In closing His message to the Laodicean church, Jesus reminds them that the reason for His rebuke is His love for them (Revelation 3:19). He pleads with them that He is knocking at the door of the church, seeking entrance so that He might fellowship with them (Revelation 3:20). Christ's message to the church at Laodicea is a call from His heart to all churches - and individuals - whose spiritual walk has grown lukewarm, to rekindle the fire of true fellowship with Him. If the situation at Laodicea describes the condition of your heart, or of the heart of your church, you will be blessed by responding as He knocks on your door. Allow Him to come in and accomplish His spiritual restoration. [© May 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The pre-wrath position of the Rapture, which is a relatively recent interpretation, is in agreement with pre-Tribulationism in that both concur that Christians will escape from the Earth prior to the unleashing of God's wrath, based on the passage:

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," I Thessalonians 5:9.

The difference lies in the fact that the pre-wrath position views only the seven bowl judgments towards the end of the Tribulation as being God's wrath. This is based on the Scripture:

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God," Revelation 15:1.

Advocates of the pre-wrath view believe that we will only be raptured prior to that time. Thus, we will have to go through approxmiately 2/3 to 4/5 of the Tribulation, depending on the exact point in the seven-year period that these bowl judgments begin to be unleashed.

The error in this argument is that actually, all of the judgments of the Tribulation involve God's wrath, including the seven seals, the first judgments released in the Tribulation. They are described as the "wrath of the Lamb" in Revelation 6:16. Who is the Lamb? The context of Chapter 5 shows that it is Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain for us. He is, of course, God, just as God the Father is. Thus, these judgments are the wrath of God as well. So if Christians are to escape all of God's wrath, which we are according to 1 Thessalonians 5:9, a pre-Tribulation viewpoint is the only one that makes sense. [© May 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This injunction occurs in the Book of Leviticus and reads as follows:

"Whatsoever man there is of the house of Israel, who killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people," Leviticus 17:3-4.

This measure was implemented to avoid any confusion as to the nature of the animal sacrifices. Anyone of the children of Israel who offered an animal sacrifice was to do so in view of the priests and the congregation at the Tabernacle, reinforcing the fact that the sacrifice was to the Lord God. The pagan nations through which the children of Israel were traveling utilized animal sacrifices also, and in fact sometimes offered sacrifices to animals. This is touched upon several verses later:

"And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring...," Leviticus 17:7.

The word "devils" in that verse is the Hebrew word saweer, variously translated as "satyr," "goat," or "devil." Some translators say it is literally "hairy ones," which is a possible reference to man-made goat deities worshipped by pagans. Interestingly, later in history, the ancient Greeks and Romans had an idol called a "satyr," which combined the upper part of a man with the lower portion of a goat.

After ancient Israel settled in the land, and that nation split after the reign of King Solomon, the Northern Kingdom, led by Jeroboam, became involved in this type of idolatry. The Bible says of Jeroboam:

"And he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made," 2 Chronicles 11:15.

Again, that word "devils" is the Hebrew word saweer, with the meanings as described above. So insecure was Jeroboam in his position as king, that he erected false gods for the people to worship. This kept them from worshipping in Jerusalem, in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, as the Lord had decreed, and possibly allying themselves with Judah while there.

So we can see that it is with good reason that God mandated a central place for worship. Even so, many of the people eventually forsook Him, and worshipped as they saw fit, often adopting the pagan practices of the cultures surrounding them. [© May 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The passage to which this question refers describes Jerusalem during the Millennial Kingdom. It reads:

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets of it," Zechariah 8:4-5.

Streets as we know them are used for transportation and other business-related endeavors. People must get to their destinations; goods must be delivered; services must be rendered. Additionally, the crime factor on the streets is such that people limit their exposure to them, particularly potentially defenseless victims such as the very old or the very young. So generally speaking, it is unsafe for people to be in the streets. The only time we now see it otherwise is when there is cause for celebration - for instance, a block party, or, on a wider scale, a city's Christmas parade.

The Millennium will indeed be a time for celebration. People's needs will be met. Evil will be subdued. Although work will go on at that time, it will not be the toilsome effort it now is. People will have more time available and more cause for celebration, as our Lord reigns righteously over Planet Earth. Even those who are now society's most vulnerable citizens will be able to participate in the joy and happiness that will permeate the world at that time. [© May 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Many theologians do believe that these two Scripture passages describe the same battle for that reason. But there are more compelling arguments for believing that they are different events. Here are several:

1. Geography. The Northern Invasion involves a great power to the north of Israel, plus some of Israel's neighboring nations in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Ezekiel 38-39. In Satan's final rebellion, he deceives "the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth" (Revelation 20:8), indicating an invading army that is wider in scope.
2. Source. It almost goes without saying that Satan is the motivator in fomenting the Ezekiel 38-39 scenario. But it is also the nations themselves, coerced by their, hatred for Israel and their desire to obtain her resources, that are truly behind that invasion. God, too, is an actuating factor here, as He will lead these nations to their own demise according to passages such as Ezekiel 38:17-23 and 39:1-8. Satan takes a more direct role in the event in Revelation 20. He himself will be released from the bottomless pit and will go about the Earth to recruit an army to stage his rebellion.
3. Interpretation. The Apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, frequently used symbolism in that book, utilizing familiar names to do so. For example, a wicked woman in the church at Thyatira is called "Jezebel" (Revelation 2:20). The then-spiritually dead city of Jerusalem is called "Sodom and Egypt" (Revelation 11:8). And the commercial and religious system of the end times is referred to as "Babylon" (Revelation 17-18). So it should not come as a surprise that the enemies of God and of Israel in this final rebellion should be given the appellations of "Gog and Magog," Israel's nemesis from the earlier conflict.
4. Chronology. The Ezekiel account tells us that Israel will spend seven years burning the weapons captured in this battle for fuel (Ezekiel 39:9-10) and will be engaged in burying the dead for seven months (Ezekiel 39:11-12). The conflict in Revelation gives no such time periods to follow it. Rather, after the Lord's intervention, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire, and the Great White Throne Judgment takes place (Revelation 20:10-15). Then, the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem are formed (Revelation 21-22). With the present Earth's final judgment and subsequent passing from the scene, there would be no point of burning weapons for fuel and burying the dead, especially for the length of time specified in Ezekiel.

So, while there is nothing in the Bible that chronologically pinpoints the time of the Northern Invasion of Ezekiel 38-39, we do not believe that it is equivalent to Satan's final rebellion in Revelation 20. The Northern Invasion could come at any time, however, and we should even be prepared for the possibility that it could occur prior to the Rapture of the Church. [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The mistake that Moses made in the second incident was not really as insignificant as it might seem on the surface, when we consider its symbolism. In the first incident, as indicated, God told Moses, "smite the rock" (Exodus 17:6). On the second occasion, however, God said, "speak ye unto the rock" (Numbers 20:8). Moses, in a fit of temper, struck the rock twice with his rod. He spoke harshly to the crowd, and took credit for God's doing, asking, "Must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10). God in His mercy provided water for the people. But Moses paid for his disobedience and anger by being denied the privilege of bringing the people into the Promised Land.

But there is a deeper significance to what Moses did. In both cases, the rock was symbolic of Jesus Christ, as He is the source of the living water of our eternal life. Speaking of Israel's travels through the desert, the Apostle Paul made this plain when he said:

"And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ," 1 Corinthians 10:4.

Jesus Himself said to the woman at the well in Samaria:

"... Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life," John 4:13-14.

We are also told that Christ only had to make this sacrifice of Himself once:

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God... For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified," Hebrews 10:12,14.

Jesus was physically struck once in the form of His Passion, and that one offering was all that was necessary to purchase for mankind the gift of everlasting life. From that point on, those who seek Him need only to speak to Him, asking Him to come into their lives, and He will do so. It is all by His grace and mercy, and by our faith in Him. It is not by any work that we might do (Ephesians 2:8-9). Moses violated this symbolism in Numbers 20 by striking the rock, and so he was banished from entering into the Promised Land. [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: These verses open a passage that describes a visit to Paradise made by someone Paul supposedly knew. The passage reads:

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) - such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) - How he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter," 2 Corinthians 12:2-4.

The phrase Paul uses repeatedly here indicates that he was not sure whether he was in a bodily or disembodied state, in other words, when he was caught up to the third Heaven (the dwelling place of God), he was not sure whether or not his body accompanied him. But either way, from the manner in which he describes his experience, it must have been very real to him.

Most Bible scholars believe that Paul was speaking of himself, as he uses personal pronouns to refer to himself in the following verses.For example:

"... But now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations...," 2 Corinthians 12:6-7.

This gives us a little indication as to why Paul chose to refer to himself in the third person at the beginning of this passage. Perhaps he was trying to be humble. In any case, by not drawing attention to himself for having received such revelations, he would not diminish his hearers' attention from God Himself, where it ought to be focused. Otherwise, he would be barraged by requests to rehash the details of his revelations, which he had been told were "not lawful for a man to utter."

Today we are inundated with books and recordings by people who supposedly have been privileged to visit the hereafter. With no Biblical basis for support, we must question their validity. By his phraseology in this passage, Paul appears to be expressing his desire to concentrate on sharing the Gospel, and leave the details of our eternal rewards by faith in the hands of the Lord. We should endeavor to do likewise (1 Corinthians 11:1). [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The reason that you hear different answers to this question lies in the way that the speaker defines "exile", and whether he is counting only the Biblically recorded exiles or the total historical exiles.

The first time Israel left the land, it was voluntarily. It was during a time of famine in the Middle East, when Joseph, who had been sold into slavery in Egypt, brought his father Jacob and his 11 brothers down to Egypt with him (Genesis 41-50). Although they went to Egypt freely, the children of Israel were later held in bondage by the Egyptians, until Moses led them out of Egypt 400 years later, as recorded in the Book of Exodus. Whether or not this qualifies as an "exile," again, depends on your definition.

After the reign of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided. The Northern Kingdom was known as "Israel," and the Southern Kingdom was known as "Judah." Israel, initially the more ungodly of the two, was taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Judah, following Israel's path of ungodliness, was taken into Babylonian captivity in several waves lasting from 605 - 586 BC. The Assyrians were, in time, conquered by the Babylonians, who, in turn, were conquered by the Medo-Persians. It was the Medo-Persians who allowed the Jews to return to the Promised Land in about 536 BC.

Although the Jews remained under foreign domination (Medo-Persia, Greece, and then Rome), they were at least allowed to be in their land. The Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem in AD 70. Following several instances of rebellion by the people who remained in the land, the Jews were scattered out of their territory shortly after that time. They remained out of the land until the 20th century, and particularly until 1948, when they regained their independence for the first time in over 2000 years. [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The Midianites and Ishmaelites are both mentioned in the verse which outlines the sale. It reads:

"Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt," Genesis 37:28.

These travelers are referred to as "Ishmaelites" in several previous verses. They are the same as "Midianites." The two terms are used interchangeably, as they are in Judges 8:22 and 24.

Evidently Reuben was not involved in the plot to sell Joseph. He first vetoed his brothers' intention of killing Joseph, persuading them instead to leave him in a pit, and intending to rescue him later and return him to their father, Jacob (Genesis 37:21-22). Later, he was shocked to find the pit empty when he returned (Genesis 37:29-30). Perhaps Reuben's original intention to return Joseph to his father had something to do with his being the eldest son, and thus responsible for his brother. It is also possible that he was left "out of the loop" regarding the brothers' decision and their subsequent "cover-up." Joseph's comments in Genesis 45:4-8 imply that he held all of them responsible. After all, Reuben, as the oldest son, had a position in the family second only to their father himself, so he must have had some sense of responsibility to go along with that standing. [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The three Members of the Godhead, all of whom comprise the one God, have always existed, as eternity - past as well as future - is an attribute of God. Thus, even in the Old Testament, God existed as a Trinity, although this had not yet been manifest to most Old Testament believers.

A few Old Testament saints - such as Abraham (Genesis 18) and Jacob (Genesis 28) experienced "Theophanies," which were pre-incarnate appearances of Christ usually identified in Scripture as "the angel of the LORD." Additionally, some believers were blessed by being empowered by the Holy Spirit for certain periods of time for certain special reasons. The writers of the books of the Bible certainly fall into this category (2 Peter 1:21).

It was not until New Testament times that God the Son came to the Earth as Jesus Christ continually, for the approximately 3-1/2 years of His Earthly ministry. Following that, the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers on a universal basis (John 14:16-26; 16:7-11). For the most part, the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah. But their rejection does not nullify the reality of the Trinity. When Jesus returns, Israel will embrace Him, according to Zechariah 12:10. But this does not all of a sudden make the Trinity a correct doctrine; it always has been. Rather, it makes the Jews correct in that their eyes have finally been opened after having been blinded for so long (Romans 11:25-26). [© June 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Yes, there will be animal sacrifices in the Millennium. When the Millennial Temple is erected in Jerusalem, it will become the center of worship. Chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel give much information concerning the Millennial Temple and its worship.

For instance, there will be an altar on which blood will be sprinkled (Ezekiel 43:13-18). Sin offerings and trespass offerings will be made (Ezekiel 40:39). The ritual of the priesthood will be reinstituted, and the sons of Zadok will be set aside for this ministry (Ezekiel 43:19). Since the Levites, for the most part, abdicated their responsibilities and became apostate, only those who are of the seed of Zadok are to be allowed to minister to the Lord Himself. Among the duties that they will perform are officiating at all the offerings, presiding at the ceremonies for cleansing the altar (Ezekiel 43:20-27), and over the Levites who minister in lesser matters (Ezekiel 44:10-15). There will be regulations to govern the manner of life, dress, and even support of the priestly ministry (Ezekiel 44:15-31). Overall, the Temple worship in the Millennium will have a very strong resemblance to the Old Testament Aaronic priesthood and its worship practices.

During the Millennium, morning sacrifices will be offered daily (Ezekiel 46:13). The feast of Passover will be observed (Ezekiel 45:21-25), as will the year of Jubilee. But perhaps the most significant feast in the Millennial Temple will be the feast of Tabernacles. Even the Gentiles will come to Jerusalem on that annual occasion and participate in that event. Zechariah gives us details of this in Chapter 14 of his book. The reign of Christ will be from Jerusalem and from the throne of David, but it will not just be for the Jewish people. It will be for all the nations of the world to enjoy.

Why will these sacrifices and feasts still take place? They will be for ritual cleansing rather than as an atonement for sin. They will be a means of restoring fellowship for the Millennial saints. They will also celebrate the physical blessings of the theocratic Kingdom that Christ will bring to the Earth.

Also remember that in the Millennium, death will be a rarity. Isaiah says that when someone dies at the age of 100, he will be looked upon as a child (Isaiah 65:20). So ultimately, in the Millennium, most people will not have a clear-cut understanding of the seriousness of death. The sacrificial death of a ritual animal will remind them of the seriousness of sin, and that it is our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. People should never just take that for granted, either then or now.

In every period of human history, God has instituted means to remind people of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. In the Old Testament, it was animal sacrifices. In the Church Age, it is the Communion service. The Bible says:

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come," 1 Corinthians 11:26.

After Christ returns, we will again commemorate His death for us through animal sacrifices, as the Book of Ezekiel so ably points out. [© March 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This passage has been one about which many theologians have differed. It reads:

"And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands ? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends," Zechariah 13:6.

Some say that obviously, this is a reference to Christ. It makes reference to the wounds in His hands. He explains that He was wounded in the house of His friends - that is, in Israel, to which He came the first time to be their Messiah.

Others take a different approach, saying that due to conflicting phrases in the context, it cannot be Christ. For example, Christ would not deny that He was a prophet, as the speaker does in Zechariah 13:5. They maintain that in the Millennium, those who were previously false prophets will deny prophecy as their profession. They will be forced to turn to farming and manual labor that will injure their hands. This is the origin of the wounds in their hands mentioned in the verse in question.

Those proposing another interpretation say that it is not appropriate to picture Jesus as a farmer when He is a Shepherd. Yet in all the parables of Matthew 13, the Son of Man is portrayed as the sower. They are parables of farming, so Jesus pictures Himself in that way.

Further, when we read on in the chapter, Jesus refers to Himself, and says, "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered" (Zechariah 13:7). Jesus quoted that very passage and related it to Himself at the Last Supper in Matthew 26:31.

So we interpret Zechariah 13:6 as being a Messianic passage that refers to Christ, although we leave room for other interpretations. But however you interpret the passage, ultimately, the context of this section of Zechariah is saying to us that Jesus Christ alone is the one who can save, change, and transform the hearts of the people of Israel itself. "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced" (Zechariah 12:10). [© March 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. It says:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," Romans 8:28.

Taking the Bible literally, we must conclude that the answer to this question is an absolute "Yes." The problem is that from our finite standpoint, we cannot always see it in those terms. Let us look at a few Biblical examples of how something that, on the surface was evil, turned out for ultimate good.

In Genesis 27 and 28, Jacob stole the birthright of his brother Esau. Their mother, Rebekah, concerned that Esau might kill Jacob in revenge, sent Jacob away from the family to her father's people. There, he began his own family, having twelve sons who became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel, a people chosen by God.

Later in Genesis, Joseph, one of Jacob's sons, was sold into slavery by his brothers. He eventually ended up in Egypt and was placed in prison for a crime he did not commit. But he was later freed from prison, came up with a plan to preserve the land from famine, brought his family there, and protected them as well.

After the early Church began in Jerusalem at Pentecost, they came under persecution from the Jews, so they fled that area and began spreading the Gospel to people who had up until that point not heard it. Then persecution arose from the Romans, and they were forced to flee into stilll other areas. The result of the rise of persecution, the martyrdom of many Christians, and the scattering of those who were left, was that more people got saved. One of the early Church fathers said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

The most prominent example of the fulfillment of Romans 8:28, of course, is that of our Lord Himself. He was a perfect man who went about doing good, but He was rejected and was sentenced to die an extremely painful death on the cross. But after three days, He rose again. Moreover, by His death and resurrection, He purchased our salvation.

Following the Lord and conforming to His will is not always easy, but it often yields great dividends. We may have to wait quite a while to see those results, and we may not even see them before eternity. But we must trust God at His Word that all things do work out for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. [© March 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: John sees the first two of these angels coming "out of the temple" and the third coming "out of the altar," indicating that Heaven is still opened, and the Temple of God therein can be seen, as has been true since Revelation 11:19. Each of these angels is called "another angel," indicating that they are different from those who have preceded them.

The first of these angels signals the beginning of the final judgment of God. He tells the Son of Man, who is seen seated on a cloud in Revelation 14:14, to "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe" (Revelation 14:15).

Then, a second angel appears, also holding a sharp sickle to assist in reaping the vintage of the grapes of wrath (Revelation 14:17).

Finally, a third angel comes out of the temple from the altar, having "power [authority] over fire" (Revelation 14:18). He cries to the second angel to thrust in his sickle and reap the ripe grapes of Earth, for they are "fully ripe." These grapes are thrown "into the great winepress of the wrath of God" (Revelation 14:19).

In ancient times, grapes were harvested, collected, and dumped into the winepress. Then they were stomped until all the juice ran out and was collected in the wine vats. The red stain of the juice and the staining of one's feet and garments make this a powerful picture of divine judgment. Prophetic references are made to this in Scriptures like Genesis 49:10-11 and Isaiah 63:1-4.

The "great winepress of the wrath of God" (Revelation 14:19) symbolizes the severity of this judgment. Its location is "without (or outside) the city," indicating that the last great conflict will be near, but not in, Jerusalem. In Revelation 16:16, John specifically places that final battle at Armageddon, about fifty miles northwest of Jerusalem. Interestingly, that is the only verse in the Bible that mentions Armageddon by name.

This passage bears ominous resemblance to the account of Christ's Second Coming and His victory at Armageddon recorded in Revelation Chapter 19. There, we see that our Lord's vesture is "dipped in blood" (Revelation 19:13) and "he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:15). Obviously, we want to be a member of His army that comes with Him in verse 14, and not the army of the vanquished, whose remains will be devoured by scavenger birds in verses 17-18. The only way to make sure of that is to accept Jesus Christ as Savior now, before any of those fearful events happen. [© March 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The nation and people of Israel are central issues in Bible prophecy. In fact, Jesus' own disciples asked: "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Their question reveals their expectation of a future, literal kingdom on Earth. It also clearly indicates that they did not believe the kingdom had already come, despite the fact that both they and Jesus had announced its potential arrival (Matthew 4:17; 10:1-7).

Jesus responded: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power" (Acts 1:7). Jesus did not contradict or correct their question. He simply informed them that they were not to know the timing of the coming of the kingdom.

Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven. If their question was improperly stated, this would have been the obvious time to clarify-the whole matter about Israel's future. If the Church were about to replace Israel in the plan of God (as replacement theologians suggest), one would expect Jesus to have explained that to His disciples at that moment. But He did not.

Nevertheless, Replacement Theology asserts that the Church is the new "Israel" of God and His promises to the old Israel are fulfilled in the Church. Since there are over 100 such prophecies in the Bible, it takes some real exegetical maneuvering to accomplish this task. For example, Ezekiel's predictions of Israel's ultimate regathering and rebirth (Ch. 36-37) are limited to the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity, despite the fact that Ezekiel predicts a return that involves their spiritual rebirth (37:14) and the establishment of God's sanctuary in Israel (37:28). These predictions were not fulfilled by the return from Babylon or by the building of the second Temple.

Replacement Theology necessitates "spiritualizing" virtually all of the Old Testament prophecies about Israel. Thus, the "land" is not the land of Israel. The "temple" is not a literal temple. The Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39) is reinterpreted either to be the invasion of Antiochus Epiphanes (170 BC) or that of the Roman army (AD 70), despite the fact that Ezekiel predicts the destruction of five-sixths of the invaders (39:2). This did not happen under either Antiochus or the Romans.

Replacement theologians assert that God is finished with Israel and He has no future plans for His once chosen people. This erroneous thinking comes from the failure of Replacement Theology to clearly distinguish the difference between Israel and the Church. They are not one and the same. The Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, asked: "Hath God cast away his people?" Then he answered his own question: "God forbid" (Romans 11:1). God's plan for the Church Age does not eradicate His plan for Israel. Look, for example, at the Prophet Zechariah's predictions about Israel's future:

1. Jerusalem will become a "cup of trembling" and a "burdensome stone" (12:2-3).
2. It will be attacked by the nations of the world (12:2).
3. Israel will be converted to Christ, the true Messiah, by the spirit of grace (12:10).
4. The Jews will "look upon me whom they have pierced" and mourn for Him (12:10).
5. The Day of the Lord will come when the Lord will go forth and fight against the nations (14:1-3). That did not happen in AD 70.
6. Christ will return to the Mount of Olives and it will split in half (14:4). That did not happen in AD 70. It has never happened at any time in the past.
7. Christ will become King over all the Earth (14:9) and all the nations will worship Him in Jerusalem as the Messianic King (14:16).

All of these predictions point to a literal fulfillment in Israel at the time of the second coming. If God is finished with Israel, why would Christ bother to return there? But extreme preterists believe there will be no future second coming of Christ. Even more moderate partial preterists believe that these prophecies will only be fulfilled spiritually and not literally. Many of these same interpreters will point to Zechariah's other prophecies as being literally fulfilled in the first coming of Christ: for example, His riding on a donkey (9:9) or His being betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (11:13). Yet, they will turn right around and claim that these other prophecies will not be literally fulfilled because such fulfillment contradicts their preconceived views of the second coming.

Premillennialists understand that God's promises to Israel involve a theocratic kingdom of God on Earth. At the same time, we clearly and emphatically believe that the New Testament Church is a fellowship of believers, not a theocracy. Christ rules in our hearts by faith and calls us to be the "light of the world" to all people. We also believe the Church Age will end with the Rapture of those believers to Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) to the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride (the Church). This will be followed by our triumphal return with Christ to reign on Earth during His literal Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 19-20.)

Only when Christ returns will the prophecies of Israel's future destiny be fulfilled. In the meantime, we realize that Israel's present regathering to her ancient land is not the final fulfillment of these prophecies. It is only a prelude of what is yet to come. The kingdom will only be "restored to Israel," as the disciples asked, when the King comes back to reign and rule in person (Revelation 19:11-16). [© August 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Jesus made this statement in Luke 10:18 in the past tense, so He was most likely referring to the original rebellion of Lucifer as recorded in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Although some of the events in Revelation 12 occurred in the past - including Lucifer's original rebellion (vs. 3-4) and the birth of Christ (vs. 5) - the war in Heaven that results in Satan's final casting out is yet future, and will occur during the Tribulation.

Although Satan was originally cast out of Heaven as an inhabitant in the above referenced Old Testament passages, it is still true that he has access to Heaven, according to Job 1:6 and 2:1, and Revelation 12:10. But in Revelation 12, even that is ended, as Satan's "visitation privileges" in Heaven are forever revoked, and he is cast to Earth. Notice the language that is used in these verses:

"And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him," Revelation 12:7-9.

We can see that this event is future, because "neither was their place found any more in heaven" indicates that prior to this, they did have such access, but this is no longer the case. Satan is also spoken of as he "who deceiveth the whole world." He did not have the opportunity to do this prior to his original eviction from Heaven, as there was not yet a populated world to deceive.

This event will occur at the approximate midpoint of the Tribulation. Satan will remain on Earth until the end of the Tribulation. In the interim, he will make life even more miserable for those who are left behind, "because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Revelation 12:12). At the end of the Tribulation, when Christ returns at His Glorious Appearing, Satan will be placed in the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3). He will be loosed for a little season at the end of the Millennium, lead an unsuccessful final rebellion against God, and then be cast in the Lake of Fire, where he will remain forever (Revelation 20:7-10). [© August 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The verse in question has to do with long hair on men. It reads:

"Doth not even nature itself teach you that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" I Corinthians 11:14.

Some people have historically taken the position that hair naturally grows shorter on men than it does on women, but we now know that biologically speaking, this is not true. In the context of the passage, the Apostle Paul is illustrating distinctions between the sexes, and making the case that God Himself desires such distinctions to be maintained. Length of hair is one of those distinctions. Paul is not mandating a certain length or even style for the hair of either men or women. But he is underscoring the fact that it is shameful for a man to wear his hair or otherwise adorn himself in an effeminate way. In Paul's experience, no culture of his day viewed men with long hair in a positive sense. The only exception was for those Jews who had taken a Nazirite vow. See Numbers 6:5 and Ezekiel 44:20. Even the Nazirites took their vows for only a certain period of time, and then got their hair cut.

It is interesting that even today, in the vast majority of cultures around the world, men wear their hair shorter than women, and view any other arrangement as being inappropriate.

As for Jesus, as was recently mentioned in this publication, it is true that the majority of artists' renderings show Him with long hair. But this is because most of those illustrations came from the Renaissance, when men had a more effeminate appearance. Thus, the artists portrayed Him as being like themselves. With no original drawings of our Lord available, there is no way of verifying the accuracy of this Renaissance art. [© August 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This verse towards the very end of the Book of Isaiah reads as follows:

"They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD," Isaiah 66:17.

Unfortunately, this is one of those verses upon which commentators do not often agree, if they even attempt to tackle it at all. However, the consensus of commentators is that this verse applies to idolaters. They "sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst," reminding us of the idolatrous practices outlined in Jeremiah Chapter 10, wherein people cut down trees and decorated them for the purpose of worship. This passage is also related to the practice of the planting of "groves" of trees for idol worship, prohibited in Deuteronomy 16:21 and illustrated in Judges 3:7; 6:25-30; and many other places in the Old Testament. The New Scofield Reference Bible says the following in its note for Judges 3:7:

"Groves, like high places, have been associated with idolatrous worship from time immemorial. The Hebrew asherah, rendered 'grove' in the KJV, means also the idol enshrined there (Dt. 16:21). This idol seems to have been a sacred tree, the figure of which is constantly found on Assyrian monuments. In apostate Israel, however, such groves were associated with every form of idolatry."

Going on in the verse, those who eat "swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse" are those who disregard the dietary laws of Leviticus Chapter 11. Repeatedly, the prohibited animals are referred to in that chapter as an "abomination." All of those who pursue the practices outlined in Isaiah 66:17, then, "shall be consumed together" as they fall under God's judgment. [© August 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The word "Selah" first appears in Psalm 3:2. In its note for that verse, the New Scofield Reference Bible says the following:

"The frequent use in the Psalms of the Hebrew word, Selah, possibly marks those places where a musical rest in the chanting or a change of instrumental accompaniment stressed a shift of mood."

Remembering that the Psalms were the "hymn book" of ancient Israel, this explanation makes sense. It is expanded upon by Davis' Dictionary of the Bible, which provides six different reasons for the appearance of the word "Selah." This explanation is more detailed and may be especially appreciated by those who have had training in music:

"(1) a pause; (2) a repetition, like da capo; (3) the end of a strophe; (4) a playing with full power (fortissimo); (5) a bending of the body, an obeisance; and (6) a short, recurring symphony (ritornello). It probably means an orchestral interlude ... or a change from piano to forte."

[© August 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This has been a subject of much speculation and debate in recent years, because of the increasing number of converts to Islam worldwide, both forced and voluntary. Many have thus concluded that Islam may be the one-world religion that gives rise to the Antichrist.

Historically, many theologians have placed the origin of this man of sin somewhere in Europe. But we only know that he will come from a location identified with the ancient Roman Empire, according to Daniel 9:26-27. So, the possibility exists that he could come from the Middle East, an area that was also under the control of the ancient Roman Empire. This would lend credence to the view that he could be a Muslim and impose his faith on the world as the universal religion of the Tribulation.

Regardless of where the Antichrist comes from, we do not see Islam being the one-world religion. The religion of the last days will promote an all-encompassing, "least common denominator" type of doctrine that will please everybody and offend nobody, at least at its outset. It will be the type of "feel-good religion" that contains a minimum of doctrinal distinctives and allows for a wide latitude of beliefs and behaviors among those following it. The inflexibility of Islamic theology makes Islam unlikely to lead such a movement or even to become a part of it.

Since Islam was not founded by Muhammad until the 7th century AD, the Bible says nothing about it specifically, so it would be difficult to make any dogmatic statements about its role in the Tribulation. But perhaps a hint of the answer can be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, which says that the Antichrist "opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

Pay careful notice to the phrase, "above all that is called God, or that is worshiped." This would include false gods as well as the one true God. So, perhaps fundamentalist Islamics will find themselves under persecution by the Antichrist, just as Jews and Tribulation saints will.

Another possibility is that after the conflict of Ezekiel 38-39, in which so many Islamic nations ally themselves together for the northern invasion of Israel and are so terrifically defeated, Islam may no longer be the potent force on the world scene that it now is. These are just a few suggestions, but as we have said, since the Bible is not specific on this subject, we will have to wait for further developments and perhaps witness them from a Heavenly vantage point. [© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This statement occurs in the Olivet Discourse and is stated three times: in Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; and Luke 21:33. There are two interpretations that theologians have given for it, and both have much validity.

Many believe that at the end of the Millennium and after the Great White Throne Judgment, God will form both a new Heaven and new Earth. See 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Revelation 21:1. They reason that the present Heaven has been tainted by sin - first by Lucifer's rebellion and after by his continued access, as Satan, to Heaven to accuse the brethren (Job 1:6 and 2:1; Revelation 12:10). Therefore, Heaven must be destroyed and a new one formed.

Others take the position that the past events in Heaven as outlined above do not necessitate the formation of a new one, as God's holiness neutralizes any sin that may have been there by Satan's presence. Therefore, when the Scriptures speak of the creation of a new "Heaven," they are speaking of the atmospheric heavens - the sky that surrounds the Earth. Given this interpretation, they feel that Jesus' words in that passage were comparative - that even if both Heaven and Earth would pass away, His words would endure. It is a testimony to the eternal importance of His teaching in relation to any element of creation. [© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: According to "Unger's Bible Dictionary," Nimrod was the founder of the kingdom of Babylon. Genesis 10:9-10 tells us that his kingdom encompassed Babel and other places in the land of Shinar. This, of course, was the site of the Tower of Babel described in the following chapter. "Babel" means "confusion," the result that ensued when God confused the languages of the builders of the tower. It is also the root word in the name "Babylon."

Nimrod is almost universally considered an evil man, and even his name in Hebrew means "rebel," indicating his rebellious spirit against God. His establishment of Babylon is also indicative of his rebellion, as "Babylon" is almost universally referred to Biblically as an evil place, either literally or figuratively. The kingdom Nimrod attempted to establish, highlighted by the Tower of Babel, was in opposition to God, prompting Him to act. When God confused the languages of those building the tower, the construction ceased, since the workers could no longer understand one another (Genesis 11:7-8).

The fact that Nimrod was a hunter is also significant, and this is probably why it was mentioned twice in Genesis 10:9. In fact, Nimrod's skills were well-known throughout the ancient world, and every other hunter was evidently compared to him. But the idea of a "hunter" opposes God's Biblically mandated idea of what a leader should be like. A hunter kills, but a shepherd protects and nurtures. Referring to Himself, our ultimate example of leadership, Jesus made this comparison when He said:

"The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep," John 10:10-11.

Finally, Genesis 10:9 tells us that Nimrod was a mighty hunter "before the LORD." What Nimrod did, as is the case with the rest of us, did not escape the notice of God. In Nimrod's case, his actions were especially evil and rebellious, prompting God to act. [© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The Second Commandment forbids the formation of likenesses of anyone or anything for the purpose of worship. It says:

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them..." Exodus 20:4-5.

This injunction even extended to images of God Himself. Since God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and no one has ever seen Him (John 1:18), no one knows what He looks like. So this commandment prevents the idolatry whereby someone might make an image and say, "This is your God. Worship it." The prohibition against images was against idolatry (the worship of images). As we know, this occurred in the golden calf incident in Exodus Chapter 32. After the calf was made, Aaron said:

"... These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt," Exodus 32:4.

Still, after John 1:18 says that no one has seen God at any time, it concludes by saying that "the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." In other words, Jesus, who is God, has through His incarnation demonstrated to us God in Person.

We realize that there are no existing portraits of Jesus remaining from His time on Earth, and that most likenesses of Jesus are guesses on the part of the artists who made them. Pictures of Jesus are particularly well utilized with young people in Sunday School classes, Bible camps, and other such endeavors. They convey the idea of the Savior's love to children, who often respond to visual stimuli more positively than to the spoken word.

Pictures of Jesus are intended to help us identify with His true humanity and are not meant to be worshipped. However, there is no way to convey His Deity in a picture. Therefore, it would be "idolatry" on our part to worship a picture of Christ.

Particularly at this season of Thanksgiving, it would be appropriate to take every possible opportunity to be thankful to the Lord for all that He has done for us. An image of Jesus might prove helpful to that end. But we are to remember to worship the Lord only, and not entertain any notion of worshipping the likeness itself. [© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Media was a nation which, prior to their interaction with Israel, was largely under the control of Assyria. No one person was in real control of Media, and it was not a nation in and of itself, until Phraortes, who ruled from 655-633 BC. His son, Cyaxares, formed an alliance with Nabopolassar of Babylon in about 625 BC. They captured Nineveh and ended the Assyrian Empire. Media and Babylon divided the empire, the Medes taking the northern and northwestern extremities, and Babylon the rest.

Under the reign of Cyaxares' son, Astyages, in about 550 BC, the Persians rebelled, and Cyrus, King of Persia, became King of Media as well, forming it into a dual nation. Under Media-Persia, the Persians had the upper hand, and the Medes were subservient to them. For example, when Babylon fell in 539 BC, as outlined in the Book of Daniel, Darius the Mede took over that kingdom (Daniel 5:31). But he probably did so under the authority of King Cyrus, the more preeminent ruler. This is underscored by the empire's portrayal as a ram in Daniel 8. Daniel said:

"Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.... The ram which thou sawest, having two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia," Daniel 8:3,20.

The configuration of the horns illustrates that Median power came first, but Persian power, which was greater, came later on.

Media-Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 330 BC and became part of the Greek Empire. After Alexander's death, Media became part of Syria and later part of the Parthian Empire. The Parthians were strong and provided an impregnable eastern boundary for the Roman Empire until the third century AD, when the Persians overtook the area.

Today, much of what was once Media is the northern part of Iran, the modern name for Persia. Other parts lie in Turkey and in some of the "southern tier" republics of the former Soviet Union. If we are to consider Media-Persia at the fullest extent of its empire in about 500 BC, other parts lie through much of today's Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and of course, Israel itself. [© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: These words of Jesus are found in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23. Taking up one's cross was a symbol of submission. Jesus was saying that if one truly wanted to follow Him, he should first deny himself. In ancient times, a person who was being crucified was compelled to carry his own cross. This showed that he was now under the authority of the power against which he earlier rebelled. Prior to our salvation, we were in rebellion against God. But once we choose to follow Christ, we come under submission to Him. Like the criminal carrying his cross, we bear whatever load He chooses to give us, and go wherever He chooses to take us.

More than that, however, lifting up one's cross involves holding it high so that all may be able to see it. By our submission to the will of God and the way of God, we may be a witness to others of our faith in God. Jesus' submis- sion to the will of His Father was efficacious for our salvation. He said:

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," John 12:32.

As Jesus submitted to the will of God, we are to do the same. It will pay rich spiritual dividends as those who observe our faith in action will be drawn to the Savior's love for them too.

"For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps," 1 Peter 2:21.

[© November 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: What Jesus meant in this verse is that mankind is so steeped in sin and worldliness, that an individual could never by himself come to salvation, were it not for Divine help. This Divine help comes in the form of the Father drawing him by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is reflected later in the Gospel of John, where Jesus says that when He sends the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), He "will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). The Apostle Paul says that following this leading of the Holy Spirit makes us members of God's family:

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God," Romans 8:14.

Regarding the unevangelized heathen, the Book of Romans indicates that God provides a certain amount of light to them:

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse," Romans 1:19-20.

The Apostle Paul here was echoing the thoughts of the Psalmist, who said:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork," Psalm 19:1.

In other words, God has revealed Himself through His creation. He has shown the revelation of Himself to mankind. This revelation demonstrates God's power and nature, so those who reject it "are without excuse." Further, God has written His laws on the hearts of men so that even though they may have never heard the Gospel, mankind everywhere has a concept of right and wrong. Even in the most primitive cultures, there are prohibitions against killing, stealing, and otherwise harming another person. Such concepts can only come from God, as they are embodied in the Ten Commandments. Paul elaborates on this by saying:

"For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another," Romans 2:14-15.

While neither obedience to the conscience nor worshipping the God of nature is the basis of salvation, it is at least a beginning point. And the Bible teaches that when a searching soul worships with all his heart according to the light he has received, God will make it possible for him to come to Christ.

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart," Jeremiah 29:13.

Illustrations of this principle are found in the conversions of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), Cornelius (Acts 10), and Lydia (Acts 16). In each instance, people worshipped with all their heart and God sent a Gospel messenger.

Finally, it must be remembered that God is a just God. Just as we have faith that God will treat us, who are covered by the blood of Christ, with fairness in the area of judgment, we must also have faith that He will extend the same perfect fairness and justice to each member of the human race. [© October 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This verse is really an expression of God's protective and watchful care over His people. It reads:

"God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise," Habakkuk 3:3.

God, of course, is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere at the same time. But this particular verse, in the context of the passage in which it appears, recounts the Exodus, in which God preserved His people through their wilderness experience.

Teman was located in the extreme southern part of Edom and was probably its capital. It was not too far from Sela, later called Petra, which coincidentally will be a future place of protection for Israel during the Tribulation.

To the west of Teman was the Wilderness of Paran. The two were separated by the Valley of Ghor. The Prophet Habakkuk was thus recalling Israel's exodus from Egypt and their sojourn in Sinai in this passage. It was a part of the answer to the whole theme of his book - dismay over the sin of the people of Judah in the seventh century BC, and over the impending Babylonian invasion that God would allow as a result.

Habakkuk 3:3 reassures the reader that just as God came and manifested Himself to Israel when they were under Egyptian bondage and then wandering in the wilderness, He will do likewise in the prophet's day. Just as God delivered Israel from the Egyptians after they had suffered under their cruelty, He would deliver the Israel of Habakkuk's day from the Babylonians after they have suffered under their cruelty.

Finally, we cannot help but note that the proximity of Petra to these places further assures us that God will deliver His people once again from the Antichrist after they suffer under his cruelty. In other words, God is consistent that He will deliver His people and judge their foes. [© October 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: There is nothing specific in the Bible that says so, but by "digging a little deeper" into the Scriptures, we find evidence in the affirmative. Of course, like all of us, they were human and made mistakes during their lifetimes. But much can be told about a man (or a woman) by their final acts before the Lord calls them home. In this regard, both Abraham and Moses excelled.

Abraham was concerned that his son, Isaac, the child of promise, would obtain a bride from his own people, and not from the ungodly Canaanites who surrounded them. He sent his servant on a mission to find such a girl, and that girl was Rebekah. Isaac and Rebekah would be the parents of Esau and Jacob, and Jacob would in turn be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. So Abraham was intent on doing that which would fulfill God's promises to him to create through him a great nation (Genesis 12:1-3).

Moses also gave evidence of spiritual strength. Most of the Book of Deuteronomy consists of his final address to the children of Israel. In it, he reiterates the Mosaic Law. He also promises blessings upon those who obey the Lord, and warns of judgment for those who disobey (Deuteronomy 28). So, obviously, even at the age of 120, he was still aware of the ways of God, and encouraged his people to follow them. [© October 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Not particularly: that passage is given as an illustration of the relationship between the two. The Apostle Paul represents salvation as a tree, from which branches emerge. Salvation was first rooted in Israel; this is the tree. But because of unbelief, many of the branches were broken off. Salvation was also offered to the Gentiles, and those who accepted it were grafted into the life-giving tree, and they gain sustenance through it.

Nevertheless, in this passage, a warning is given that Gentiles of the New Testament should not exhibit pride that they are somehow the "custodians" of salvation. Many of the Jewish leaders of the Old Testament demonstrated the same attitude, and they were among those who were "broken off" (the leaders of Christ's time provide prime examples of this). All of us who are part of the tree - the natural branches (Jews) and the grafted-in branches (Gentiles) - are only there by the grace of God, and we do well to remember that. Spiritual pride over those who have not been grafted in is indicative that one's own grafting has not really taken root and one is not a partaker of the life-giving tree. Such people are warned:

"For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee," Romans 11:21.

As for "division," remember that the Apostle Paul, who wrote the Book of Romans, was a Jew, but was also known as the "apostle to the Gentiles." He was a strong proponent of Christian unity regardless of one's background. Along these lines, he wrote:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," Galatians 3:28-29.

[© October 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The answer to this question lies very simply in the fact that there were two Hirams, both of whom were from Tyre.

The first Hiram, whose initial mention is in 1 Kings Chapter 5, was the King of Tyre. Among his exploits, he built a causeway that connected the coastal city of Tyre to an offshore island of the same name. He worshipped false gods and built temples to Hercules and Astarte. Nevertheless, he was a friend to both David and Solomon, kings of Israel. He furnished David with materials to build his royal palace, and Solomon with both materials and workmen to construct the first Jewish Temple. As part of the payment for his efforts, Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in Galilee. The Bible says that Hiram was displeased with these cities (1 Kings 9:10-13).

The second Hiram was an artificer in bronze. Although he lived in Tyre and his father was from there, his mother was from the tribe of Naphtali, so he had strong family ties to the nation of Israel. First Kings Chapter 7 outlines all of the elaborate vessels and furnishings of bronze that Hiram made for the Temple. It is quite obvious that he was not only gifted but also a hard worker. He provides us today with a valuable example of utilizing our talents to our utmost for the glory of God. [© October 2007, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: In answering this question, we must remember that these empires do not correspond to those in Daniel Chapters 2 and 7. The Prophet Daniel was concerned with world powers beginning from his time, which would be Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. John's revelation includes all world powers from the beginning of recorded history, with detailed elaboration on the final kingdom. The angel tells John:

"And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition," Revelation 17:10-11.

The five empires which had fallen were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The power that "is" was Rome, in power when John wrote Revelation.

The empire which "is not yet come" has been debated among theologians. Some believe it was the Byzantine Roman Empire, centered around Constantinople, which remained after Rome fell in AD 476. Others feel that it is the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages. Still others speculate that it is the modern-day European Union, which is coming together in our time. Still, any of these possibilities underscores the fact that "Rome" never really did fall, and is still set to be the world empire of the last days. This would correspond to the fourth empire of Daniel's image which never truly goes out of existence until the return of Christ.

The eighth beast is mentioned in Revelation 17:11, "which is of the seven." This is a reference to the Antichrist himself, the world leader of the Tribulation. As we have mentioned on many occasions, he will arise from the revived Roman Empire of the last days. This is in accord with Daniel's prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem being accomplished by the same people who will produce "the prince that shall come" (Daniel 9:26-27). [© May 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The verse in question is part of the messages to the seven churches of Revelation, set forth in Chapters 2-3 of that book. Specifically, it is to the church at Sardis, one which as a whole was spiritually dead, but still had a believing remnant. Our Lord said to that church:

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels," Revelation 3:5.

This is a litotes, a figure of speech in which an affirmation is expressed by the negative of a contrary statement. By a denial of the opposite ("I will not blot out"), our Lord affirms emphatically that the overcomer's name will be retained in the book of life.

We realize that there are many people who profess to be Christians but who firmly and resolutely at some point turn their backs on the Lord and embrace a life of sin. While we cannot make a blanket statement about all such individuals, we can say that many of them were most likely never really saved to begin with. Jesus said that we would know His true followers by their fruits (Matthew 7:20). The absence of such fruit for an extended period of time, even a lifetime, gives a strong indication that a person was never grafted into the true vine of Christ, as described in John Chapter 15, at all. [© May 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: To answer this question, we must set a foundation. First, the Bible places no more qualifications upon the Rapture than it does for salvation. Everyone who truly comes to Christ is included for both. Secondly, we believe that babies and children under the age of accountability go to be with the Lord in Heaven, because of His mercy. David, when lamenting about his deceased infant, said, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). David, who is described in the Bible as being a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), was sure of having a reunion with his child in Heaven.

These things being the case, we believe that all babies and small children will be raptured. This is true whether their parents are Christians or not. So Christian families can look forward to being united in Heaven immediately after the Rapture. Adults who do not know the Lord, on the other hand, will be in for a double shock. Not only will they face the horrors of the Tribulation, but they will do so after the tragedy of losing their young children, as they will be taken from them to a place of safety in Heaven. [© May 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: This question was prompted by the passage in the Book of Zechariah which speaks of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles during the Millennium. It says:

"And it shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoever will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain," Zechariah 14:16-17.

The possible answer to this question lies in the use of the word "nations" in verse 16, and "families" in verse 17. The latter word is taken from the Hebrew mishpachah, and indicates a tribe or race-larger than an individual family as we know it, but smaller than a nation. Perhaps it is indicative of the various ethnic groups that live within the borders of each nation.

With these thoughts in mind, the most likely scenario is that there will only be a representation from each nation that will come to Jerusalem each year. After all, it would be impossible to fit the entire world's population in one city for an event. It will be an honor to be chosen to worship the King in person. Further, the fact that all ethnic groups from each nation will participate indicates that racial strife, ranging from subtle forms of discrimination to outright conflict, will not be the problem it is now.

Those who are selected to come to Jerusalem - however they are picked - will probably find the finances for such a trip to be no problem, given the prosperity that will cover the Earth at that time. Possibly their governments will pick up the cost of their passage, especially given the consequences if they do not go.

The Bible is not clear what methods of transportation will be used in the Kingdom Age. But undoubtedly, in a perfect world, it will be more efficient than it is at present. Gridlock, both on the ground and in the air, could be eliminated, at least for this annual passage. We would imagine that all "Feast of Tabernacles" flights will have top priority. Security issues will no longer be a problem, and there will be no "weather delays."

Nevertheless, the Bible indicates that some groups on the Earth will disobey and choose not to participate at the Feast of Tabernacles. Human nature will continue to be in operation during the Millennium, even if Satan is confined to the Bottomless Pit. Upon such areas, there will be no rain, resulting in the hardship that drought brings with it. [© May 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: We believe that the answer might lie in the sinner's ultimate attitude toward God. The first passage cited is speaking of final judgment. It says:

"The foolish shall not stand in thy sight; thou hatest all workers of iniquity," Psalm 5:5.

That judgment will be carried out at the Great White Throne as described in Revelation 20:11-15.

The second passage speaks not of hatred, but of anger with the present condition of the sinner:

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day," Psalm 7:11.

As long as the sinner lives, that ultimate judgment does not have to be his fate. God extends a hand of salvation through Jesus Christ to all those who will come to Him. That is the whole reason Jesus came here the first time - to obtain salvation for us through His sacrificial death. See John 3:16-18, Romans 5:8, and particularly 2 Peter 3:9 to appreciate God's true desire for us. Moreover, the Gospels contain many accounts of Jesus bringing sinners to repentance. And remember, all of us, even those who have come to Christ, are sinners and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Those of us who know Him surely know that He loves sinners, because He has shown His love for us. If that is not love, there is no love!

Sadly, though, we know that many - in fact most - of the world will reject Christ as Savior. When people keep on rejecting Christ time after time in favor of their profligate lifestyles, at a certain point God will say,"All right, have it your way; continue in sin and face the consequences." He will give them up to their true affections. Romans 1:24-32 describes the lifestyle of such individuals. In the midst of that passage, Paul says:

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient," Romans 1:28.

Such people will face the judgment which the Psalmist, and possibly the preacher who referred to his writings, was talking about. But only God knows when that point is in any person's life. We must assume that as long as a person is alive, even on his deathbed, he has the opportunity to accept God's love and come to Christ. This fact should remain with us as we witness to, and pray for, the unsaved. [© August 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The context of this verse comes in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus n John Chapter 3, when He stressed the importance of being "born again." Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could be born a second time from his mother's womb.

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," John 3:5.

The most reasonable interpretation of the phrase, "born of water," is that it refers to the physical birth process, in which the protective water of the mother is involved. Being born "of the Spirit," of course, refers to the spiritual birth by which the Holy Spirit leads us to be the children of God:

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God," Romans 8:14.

Thus, in the passage in John, Jesus was stressing the importance of being "Born Again" - once in a physical birth, and second time in a spiritual rebirth.[© August 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: There are differing thoughts as to when these "Tribulation Saints" receive their glorified bodies. We feel that they do so in Revelation 20:4, at the end of the Tribulation and the beginning of the Millennium. Certainly, they cannot do so later, because it is at that time when they return to reign with Christ on the Earth, according to that verse.

We do not feel such a timing for the Tribulation Saints receiving glorified bodies detracts from their appearance in Chapter 7. Perhaps John was just given the opportunity to view these Tribulation Saints in his vision so that he could comprehend their reality. Another possibility is that, although people even now are in Heaven without glorified bodies, they still have a form of ethereal appearance reminiscent of the form they had on Earth. See the account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. Each man had the operation of his senses in his respective location, even though neither had a body. Maybe the white robes of those in Revelation 7 also play a part in their consciousness.

Most importantly, remember that the white robes are symbolic of the purity of these believers. They may indeed be literal white robes, but they will not be made of Earthly materials. The Bible says that corruptible things cannot enter Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:53). As the spiritual elements of their being (souls and spirits) will be present in Heaven as they await glorification, they may be clothed with a spiritual covering, whether literal or not, at that time as well. [© August 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: We teach this because the Bible teaches it. When Jesus responded to Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), He meant that it was essentially a spiritual Kingdom. It was quite unlike the world system in existence in the days of His First Coming, or for that matter, during the whole time of sinful man's hegemony over the affairs of the world.

But that is not to say that Christ's Kingdom would not have Earthly implications in the future. At Jesus' First Coming, the world was not ready to accept Him as their King, and in fact, rejected Him and had Him crucified. So the Kingdom would have to wait. Jesus alluded to this earlier in His trial, when He stood before the high priest, who asked Him if He were the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus responded:

"... Thou hast said; nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven," Matthew 26:64.

Even as He was preparing to die to pay mankind's sin debt, Jesus was telling His enemies of His Second Coming.

The Kingdom is coming, but it is coming in the Millennium. It is discussed most heavily in Revelation Chapter 20. There, six times, a thousand-year period is mentioned. Particularly in verses 4 and 6, the saints are described as reigning with Jesus Christ. That means He must reign too.

Many of the Old Testament prophets also allude to the coming Kingdom. The latter chapters of Isaiah make reference to it, as does Zechariah Chapter 14. Make particular note of this verse:

"And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one," Zechariah 14:9.

The King is coming! The Kingdom is coming as well! [© August 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: Many people feel that this is the case, but that is not necessarily true. Job's friends certainly felt this way. Take, for example, the words of Bildad the Shuhite, who said to Job about God:

"If thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase," Job 8:6-7.

Job's other friends echoed this sentiment through most of their discourses, that somehow Job's sin was responsible for his misfortune. In Job's case, this was not true, as was shown by God's words to Eliphaz the Temanite at the conclusion of the book:

"... My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath," Job 42:7.

A similar question about sin and suffering was asked by Jesus' disciples, who, upon encountering a blind man, asked the Lord:

"...Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" John 9:2.

Jesus' answer was, "Neither." It was necessary, rather, to minister to this man, manifesting the work of God in him by healing him of his blindness.

Why, then, is there suffering? While it is not possible to know the entire mind of God on this or, for that matter, any subject (Romans 11:33), we can suggest several observations based on Scripture:

1. Punishment - As we have mentioned, not all suffering is a result of a person's wrongdoing, but some of it certainly is. The Bible gives us the principle that what a man sows, so shall he reap (Galatians 6:7). Sometimes, there is a direct cause and effect in this area. For instance, those who abuse their bodies stand a high risk of contracting an illness based on the harm in which they indulged. Those who commit crimes against the government, which God has said is in place for society's benefit (Romans 13:1-7), will likely be punished by the government.
2. Discipline - As members of God's family, we can come under His discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11). This may or may not be the result of sin. It may simply be an effort on God's part to refocus our priorities on Him, as we are so prone to wander away to other sources of fulfillment. Disciplinary suffering can produce in us a transforming effect to make us more Christ-like by producing in us those qualities that would make us conform to Him. These include patience (James 1:2-4) and faithfulness (1 Peter 1:6-9), among others. The goal here is to bring us into a closer relationship with the Lord, as we learn to trust and depend upon Him.
3. Testimony - Sometimes we suffer simply because we are Christians. Suffering for this reason was quite prevalent in the early Church, and still is in many places in the world today. Even here in the U.S., we are losing some of the freedoms we once had to publicly honor God and exhort others to do the same. When we suffer for this reason, and do so patiently, it can have a positive effect on others, even our enemies, that would cause them to ask about the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). An ancient Church father once observed, "The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church."

When people saw Christians suffer and die for their faith, it drew people to Christ rather than repelling them. When we suffer - for one of these reasons, for another reason, or even if we do not know the reason - we are to remain faithful to God and trust Him under all circumstances. We must remember the "big picture" that God has for us as Christians, that we have a hope that the world does not. The eternal home that God has prepared for us will make the obstacles that we may encounter between here and there fade into insignificance:

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him," 1 Corinthians 2:9.

[© September 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: It is true that when God brought the children of Israel into the Promised Land, He told them to destroy the seven nations who then occupied it:

"And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly," Deuteronomy 7:2-4.

In Israel's early military campaigns, they followed the Lord's command on this point. Later, they did not. The Book of Judges records incomplete conflicts, in which they left some of the conquered people alive. This angered God to the point where He said:

"... Because this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice, I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died; That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not," Judges 2:20-22.

Later in Israel's history, these people became a snare to them, just as God had predicted. There were continual military conflicts with the descendants of those left alive. Worse, many of the children of Israel adopted the pagan worship practices of the inhabitants of the land, bringing the judgment of God upon them. Therefore, we can see that God's original injunction was for the good of Israel.

Jesus told us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-45). Paul added that we should, insofar as it is possible, live at peace with everyone, even those who oppose us (Romans 12:18). There is always hope that some will be convicted and motivated to ask us a reason of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).

However, it is also true that sometimes we must put our enemies to death even today - such as in wartime, in capital punishment, or in self-defense. These same issues were true in the New Testament as well. The difference is that Israel was a theocracy that was to remain separate from the world, whereas the Church is to reach out to the whole world. Therefore, political governments, not the Church, are to maintain order in society.

Killing is not to be done with a vengeful and hateful heart, but with a sense of sorrow that it is the result of the continued presence of sin in the world. It is also done with a realization that it prevents a greater evil from gaining momentum, in order to wreak even greater havoc later on. [© October 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The Prophet Hosea recorded early in his book that he was to take a wife "of whoredom." The Bible says:

"... And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredoms; for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD," Hosea 1:2.

Theologians have argued for two different positions here. One is that Gomer, Hosea's wife, was a harlot prior to her marriage. The other is that she was morally pure but later left Hosea and entered into a life of harlotry until Hosea came to redeem her from the slave market. The first position's advocates remind us that God told Hosea to marry such a woman, as specified in the above stated verse. However, God may not have been commanding such a marriage, but merely permitting it, warning Hosea at the same time that his intended wife would be unfaithful. Nevertheless, God informed Hosea that He would use this marriage for a very important purpose, as we shall see.

The second position, that Gomer was morally upright at the time of her marriage but departed from that standing later, gains credence when we remember the significance of this marriage. It was to symbolize God's selection of Israel as His chosen people; their later unfaithfulness; and His coming to redeem them and restore them to their position. Initially, Israel was faithful to God. They departed from that place later on. So we have reason to believe that to provide such an illustration, Gomer followed a similar path. In fact, nowhere in Chapter 1 of Hosea do we read anything of Gomer's unfaithfulness. That does not occur until Chapter 2, and her restoration is seen in Chapter 3.

Additionally, it must be considered that for a prophet of God to deliberately marry a harlot who was known to be so at the time of marriage, would have been a very poor testimony to those who were supposed to listen to and heed the prophet. On the other hand, Gomer's subsequent departure from Hosea caused the prophet personal grief that undoubtedly showed to those who observed him. He could thus use his own strife to illustrate how God felt about the people of Israel and their unfaithfulness to Him.

So, though once again we have no firm statement in Scripture on this subject, we are inclined to gravitate to the view that Gomer was pure at the time of her marriage to Hosea, but departed later, and then was subsequently redeemed by him. [© October 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: No, because the passage in Genesis 1 gives an overview of the timeline of man in his order with all of God's other creation that was previously described. It simply says:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," Genesis 1:27.

Chapter 2 goes on to give the particulars about the creation of man. God created man out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7); gave him a command to keep and till the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15); gave the prohibition against eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17); and created woman out of Adam's rib (Genesis 2:18-22).

So, although Genesis 2 tells us that God created Adam first, and then Eve, we do not necessarily see Genesis 1:27 as indicating that He created them at the same time. Further, we see nothing less miraculous about God forming Eve out of Adam's rib, than we do about His forming Adam out of the dust of the ground in the first place. We know that medical science has advanced in the past 6,000 years or so, but we have yet to hear of a medical professional duplicating either one of these acts. Undoubtedly, both involve God's creation and that alone. [© October 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]

ANSWER: The word for "night" used throughout the Book of Revelation is the Greek word nux, which literally translates to "night." It is used a number of times to convey the idea that worship and service will go on unceasingly in Heaven. The four living creatures in Revelation 4:8 "rest not day and night" from praising God. The Tribulation Saints "serve Him day and night in His temple" (Revelation 7:15). On a more sinister note, Satan accuses us before God "day and night" (Revelation 12:10). At first glance, such passages might indicate that in its present state, Heaven does have day and night like we do. Yet we also know the following from Scripture:

"This, then, is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all," 1 John 1:5.

Since God is in Heaven, His light shines there continually even now. Note the majestic picture that John presents to us in his introduction to Heaven in the beginning of Revelation Chapter 4. So, it is quite possible that John was using the phrase "day and night" to illustrate a sense of continuity that his readers could understand, rather than a situation of light vs. darkness.

The picture becomes a bit clearer when John describes the New Jerusalem. He tells us in Revelation 21:25 about the New Jerusalem that "there shall be no night there." He elaborates in the following chapter by saying:

"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever," Revelation 22:5.

Whether or not there are days and nights as we know them in Heaven now might be open to speculation. But it is clear that, when the New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem arrive, there shall be no darkness of night in that eternal environment. [© October 2008, World Prophectic Ministry, www.thekingiscoming.com]