Sunday, April 22, 2018

Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14 : Now Nearly Complete


Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14 : Now Nearly Complete

Zech 14:2 "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

From the Comments Book there is one reference by Pastor Russell:

Gather all nations – Gog and Magog, the hosts of merciless plunderers of regathered Israel. D554,D555

Since Pastor Russell taught that Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 38 are synonymous...

...and since it has been shown that Zechariah 14 has already been fulfilled, at very least to a point if not completely...

...we now suggest that Ezekiel 38 has also already occurred in the past, and if not completely, then nearly so.  Here's how.

 [ Please See:  http://octaman.blogspot.com/2018/03/zechariah-14-has-been-fulfilled-has-it.html ]


Dear Friend,

Peace to you.

While Ezek 38 could occur suddenly, my suggestion is that it has been transpiring since Israeli statehood.

"In the Hebrew of Ezek. 38: 8 the expression rendered, "in the latter years," is to be translated, "in the last one of the years;" and in v. 16 the expression rendered, "in the latter days," is to be translated, "in the last one of the days"—a day here standing for a year. This proves that Ezek. 38 and 39 refer to a period subsequent to Armageddon and Anarchy. " PSL Johnson

And, since it has been the contention of this writer that we are in "The Anarchy" and have been for a long time, let's look at what PSL Johnson suggests:

AFTER Anarchy... 
Jacob's Trouble Phase 2 [Ezek 38 Finale']


E02 143  Satan, beholding these prosperous Israelites, and realizing that his days of mischief are about over, will, after anarchy has destroyed the future socialistic governments, in hatred against Israel stir up the anarchistic remnants of all nations to plunder the Israelites in Palestine. These plunderers, as described in Ezek. 38 and 39 and in Zech. 12: 1-9 and 14: 1-3, will be gathered by Satan from among all nations and will sorely afflict Israel in what the Bible calls Jacob's Trouble (Jer.30: 1-9). This will be a very severe trouble, according to the prophetic description given in the above citations, and will be Israel's final chastisement. It will effectually turn them to the Lord Jesus in thorough conversion, when they, in the complete overthrow of their plunderers by the Lord Jesus, will remember that their trouble and their troublers' overthrow were forecast to them by the Truth people. And their affliction and the overthrow of their anarchistic plunderers will be the last act of Satanic oppression as the god of this evil world. With that wicked effort his days as man's supreme oppressor will be over, for which we thank God.     
According to Rev. 20: 1-3, Satan will be bound and ...

Is a "generation" 70 years?  

It is the view of this writer that we have seen enough unfold in our current events of the day [April 2018 at the time of this writing] to suggest that this anarchy is now so prevalent that the proverbial genie cannot be put back, so that we must be at the time forecast.

And this is right on schedule from another viewpoint.  Remember Jesus said in Matthew 24:32 that all these things will be accomplished by a certain time?  


"This generation." 


32Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 33even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

 The date May 14, 1948 commends itself by being exactly 70 years [which is only one possible correct duration of what is a Scriptural "generation"] from 1948 Israel becomes a state. 

This at very least sets the stage for Armageddon / Anarchy / Jacob's Trouble - and then the Kingdom.

Right now, we are right where Pastor Russell said we would be:

  "Aggressiveness on the part of the trusts and syndicates will bring about the final catastrophe of this age in the wreck of the entire social structure by the masses." NS377:5

Today these are the banks and giant conglomerates.  Alphabet Inc {Google, Microsoft, etc.} are actively squelching free speech and aiding in the ouster of the elected government.  There are Civil War conditions in the United States right now.

Pastor Russell predicted in his book, "The Battle of Armageddon" that this would be followed in the alternative media...

Every newspaper, not under the control of wealth, voices the roar of the restless "sea" class; and the others, though unwillingly, [D597] must give the echo of the roaring as matters of news. This it is, that in a period of comparative peace, is causing "distress of nations with perplexity."

And much more can be learned reading this chapter:  http://mostholyfaith.com/Beta/bible/volumes/D12.asp

And what's more: We believe that the very event described by Pastor Russell in the forward of this book can now be followed on alternative media sources such as facebook https://www.facebook.com/ and twitter https://twitter.com/

Meanwhile the mainstream media are the government media and are thought to be more deceptive and therefore useless by growing numbers who visit news sites such as :
http://www.infowars.com
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/
http://www.breitbart.com/
and many more. 


One last thought from PSL Johnson:


Brother Johnson tells us in E:16‑143‑144: “Worse famines and pestilences than those that accompanied the World War will come during Revolution. Its destructiveness of human life, prop­erty, comfort and health will be even greater than that of the World War (Jer.25:29‑33). And its end will witness the overthrow of every governmental, religious and aristo­cratic system on earth. (A _babe in the truth’ – especially Epiphany Truth – would know that we specifically stated that ‘another group’ of unscrupulous politicians would succeed the present governments, but this will be only a continuation of the Gentile rule; their lease has expired, but they will continue to rule until Com­pletely evicted in Anarchy."

Yours in Truth,

Bro. Regan Balman





Sunday, April 08, 2018

NONE of this ads up to a future Zechariah 14 nor Ezekiel 38 scenario

Hi Friend,

If you're a Bible Student (or even if you're not) you are likely expecting Israel to be surrounded by her enemies and swarmed by the Arabs and a second Jacob's Trouble to begin...

Might I suggest that we expected the wrong thing at the wrong time? 

The following links are some of the evidence proving we are past the time anyone imagines we are, prophetically speaking. 

I submit for study and discussion the opinion that Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 38, which Pastor Russell taught were synonymous, are finished or at very least at or near their completion.  


These are not future events at all.  The research is compelling.  I will explain more in future postings God willing, but anyone reading even just the recent headlines can see plainly that we have entered into a new era regarding the state of Israel.

Previously I have offered an opinion that 2018 may be chronologically significant.  


I also present as evidence Bro. George Tabac's fine video presentation "For This Cause" (which we have on VHS, sorry no link as of yet).  As many Bible Students including myself, he highlights the verse in Matthew 24:32-35

32
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Brother Tabac suggested that the "generation" would be 70 years from the putting forth of leaves of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. 

That brings us to May 14, 2018, just five weeks away from this posting...

Please enjoy the compelling research and feel free to share it worldwide.

In Modi’s home state, cheering crowds for Netanyahu flaunt India-Israel romance

PM treated to a reception rarely seen by Israeli leaders anywhere; Foreign Ministry director says he's never seen any like it
17 January 2018, 10:18 pm


MUMBAI, India — In Ahmadebad, tens of thousands of people lined the street, some waving Israeli flags, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sped past, whizzing by massive billboards with his and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s faces plastered on them.
In rural Dev Dholera, curious farmers and others craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the prime ministers, and hundreds of young entrepreneurs and business people cheered the leaders like rock stars ...

Israel's Netanyahu explains why previously ‘unimaginable’ Israeli-Arab alliances are now growing


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/netanyahu-previously-unimaginable-israeli-arab-alliances-now-growing.html


PIVOTING EAST: ISRAEL'S DEVELOPING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS IN ASIA


http://www.jpost.com/Jerusalem-Report/East-side-story-539690


TECH TALK: ISRAEL AND CHINA CELEBRATE PARTNERSHIP
http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Tech-Talk-Israel-and-China-celebrate-partnership-479502


Israel Finds New Regional Allies: Greece and the Sunni States

Haaretz-Mar 2, 2018

Israel is cultivating new friends in the Balkans, but quietly
A string of new partnerships...

https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21739192-string-new-partnerships-israel-cultivating-new-friends-balkans-quietly


Wisconsin looks to Israel tech to solve water pollution woes

The Times of Israel-Mar 8, 2018

Gas Deal with Egypt: Israel Deepens Anchor in the East Med

Scoop.co.nz (press release)-Mar 12, 2018
These agreements stabilize Israel's relations with its neighbors by creating a web of mutual interests and opening up the possibility of regional cooperation beyond the subject of natural gas, such as the export and import of electricity and desalinated water. ...


Indian-Israeli Start-ups as Partners is a Match Made in Heaven

Entrepreneur-Jan 16, 2018
Countries across the world have been hopping on the start-up bandwagon, but one country that defies its small size with the massive number of start-up success stories coming out of it is Israel. Over the years, Israel has grown to be one of the leading start-up ecosystems in the world.



Saudi Prince Says Israelis Have Right to 'Their Own Land'

New York Times-Apr 3, 2018


ISRAEL SAYS “MORE THAN 10 COUNTRIES” MAY JOIN TRUMP IN MOVING EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM, BUT OTHERS FIGHT BACK
http://www.newsweek.com/israel-says-more-ten-countries-join-trump-move-embassy-jerusalem-fight-back-759707


Israel and Rwanda's Emerging Alliance: A Mutual Strategic Choice

MDC for Middle Eastern and African Studies-Mar 27, 2018


Secret AllianceIsrael Carries Out Airstrikes in Egypt, With Cairo's OK
Highly Cited-New York Times-Feb 3, 2018


A New Day is Dawning for Israel at the United Nations – An Interview with Ambassador Danny Danon

http://thejewishvoice.com/2018/03/21/new-day-dawning-israel-united-nations-interview-ambassador-danny-danon/

Israel Hosts 7 Nations in 'Blue Flag 2017' Biggest-Ever Joint Air Drill

The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com-Nov 2, 2017
Delegations from the air forces of seven nations — plus Israel — have begun to take to the air in Blue Flag 2017, the biggest joint military exercise in its history ever hosted by Israel.


AND THERE'S THIS:


Arab Leaders Abandon the Palestinians

Wall Street Journal-Apr 2, 2018

And finally this...

RUSSIA PRAISES ‘WEST JERUSALEM’ FOR NOT JOINING ANTI-RUSSIA 'HYSTERIA'
For perhaps first time since declaring ‘West Jerusalem’ Israel's capital last year, Moscow refers to half of city as Israel's capital in formal statement.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Russia-praises-West-Jerusalem-for-not-joining-anti-Russia-hysteria-545332

So, NONE of this ads up to a future Zechariah 14 nor Ezekiel 38 scenario.  So I simply suggest we are at or near the completion of those two prophecies.  Most think of these as future.  However, I suggest that after Pastor Russell died, crown losers failed to lead Christ's people correctly in being prepared for this time we are in right now, which as previously posted, I believe is the Worldwide Anarchy of I Kings 19:12 expected by both Pastor Russell and Bro. Paul S.L. Johnson.

In my view, Bible classes worldwide  would do well to install Pastor Russell as their elder immediately.  More to follow, Lord willing.

Yours in Truth,

Bro. Regan Balman