This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #909. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.
First, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES & FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to BBC News, The coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization. WHO chief Dr. Tedros [TEH-DROSE] said the number of cases outside China had increased 13-fold in two weeks. He said he was “deeply concerned” by “alarming levels of inaction”. A pandemic is a disease that is spreading in multiple countries around the world at the same time. Dr. Tedros [TEH-DROSE] said that calling the outbreak a pandemic did not mean the WHO was changing its advice about what countries should do. He called on governments to change the course of the outbreak by taking “urgent and aggressive action”.
Second, today, under the Sign category of MOVEMENT TOWARD A ONE-WORLD RELIGION — According to Neon Nettle, A top UN official has called on world religions to defer their authority on matters concerning law and policy to the United Nations. Ahmad Shaheed [AH-MAHD SHAH-HEED], the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, determined that laws based on traditional morality, often religious in nature, must be repealed if they conflict with the opinions of UN experts and human rights scholars. Shaheed [SHAH-HEED] wrote, “States have an obligation to guarantee to everyone, including women, girls, and LGBT+ people, an equal right to freedom of religion or belief”. The obligations of the state include “creating an enabling environment where pluralist and progressive self-understandings can manifest.” In order to enable these “self-understandings,” laws criminalizing abortion or various sexual behaviors would need to be overruled. Shaheed [SHAH-HEED] noted that laws regarding abortion and homosexual behavior often arise from the application of religious teachings regarding the sanctity of life, the family, and sexual morality.
Third, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES & FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to NBC News, Italy’s Civil Protection Agency confirmed Wednesday that almost 200 people died from the coronavirus in 24 hours — the highest daily increase in absolute terms registered anywhere in the world since the respiratory illness emerged in China at the end of last year. From Tuesday to Wednesday, 196 people died, bringing the total number of deaths to 897. Confirmed cases across the country rose to 12,462 from a previous 10,149. After an initial lockdown in the north failed to prevent the spread, the government on Monday banned all nonessential travel and public gatherings throughout Italy until April 3, halted all sports events and extended a shutdown of schools.
Fourth, today, under the Sign category of THE RISE OF GOG & MAGOG — According to Israel National News, An Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by leader Ziad Nakhala [ZEE-AHD NAHK-LAH], met in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Palestine Al-Yawm website, which is affiliated with the organization, said that the talks between the sides focused on the US “Deal of the Century” and on Palestinian unity. They were described as “positive” and “profound”. The representatives of the Islamic Jihad expressed their firm opposition to the “Deal of the Century”, which they said strives to “eliminate the Palestinian problem, as well as to give up Jerusalem, the West Bank and the right of return of refugees.” Russia rejected the “Deal of the Century” shortly after it was made public, saying of its provisions “do not fully correspond to the relevant resolutions by the UN Security Council”.
Fifth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to Israel National News, North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles on Monday. No details were provided on the projectiles. The incident comes one week after North Korea fired what South Korea said appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coastal city of Wonsan into the sea. The North’s state media said at the time that leader Kim Jong Un had overseen a “long-range artillery” drill. North Korea has conducted several tests of ballistic missiles in recent months, ever since talks with the US over denuclearization of the Korean peninsula broke down.
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The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel 1:1-3. It reads: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar [KEY-BAR], that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s [JEH-HOY-AH-KIN] captivity, The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi [BU-ZEE], in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar [KEY-BAR]; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.”
Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.
Both divisions of Ezekiel’s prophecy were visionary. Therefore, it is unwarranted to treat the first division as historical (since fulfillment occurred historically with the destruction of the first temple and the exile), and the second division as symbolic (since fulfillment did not occur historically under the return and the building of the second temple). From the historical perspective of Ezekiel’s audience (as well as that of Jeremiah and Daniel), the whole of the book was certainly to be understood literally (historically) as corresponding promises of the nation’s punishment and pardon. Just as the first was realized in their day, so the second would also be realized in a future day.
If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.
Our Second Coming quote for today is from A. W. Tozer. He said, “Christians are never to be caught unawares. They are never to put on their smoking jacket or the lounging robe while it is dark and the call of the trumpet is expected. The only safety for anyone is the blood. While the call of God may come at any minute to take us out of this Egypt we call the world, you and I cannot afford to be careless. Instead of letting the cross keep us always on the alert and ready to go, we have painted the cross and reshaped it, and geared it in with the better element of the world. The people of God are asleep doing their little labors, while we wait for the call of the trumpet that will take us out of this world. Oh, that we might again have that sense of immediacy and urgency that was upon the early church!”
Let’s Pray
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If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here is the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.
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