THE STORM IS COMING
If you are like me and so many others, you will read or listen to the news headlines and perhaps read a paragraph or listen for an additional minute, feeling you have the gist of things, you move on. You have an idea of what is happening according to the political or world view of the publication or broadcaster which is then translated through your personal ‘opinion filter’. Honestly, in this case, you have no real idea of how some matters came to be and what they are currently nor where they are likely to end. So you may or may not be prepared for what is coming – possibly at your own peril.
I know this to be true because after following, studying, analyzing, writing and reporting on the social, political and spiritual direction of America and the world over the last fifteen years (please see https://www.whitestone2020.com/), and by webpage count, have had over 70,000 first time and regularly repeating visitors in just the last 6 of those years – yet the comments and replies have been disappointingly lean.
I know that I was ‘clumsily accurate’ with my facts and analyses in the early years but as time passed, I gained experience and a developed my skill for writing and reporting. Over the last seven years I have become – even to my surprise – extremely accurate. And over the last five years I have not missed with a prediction of the probability of coming events. Perhaps my writing skills have needed improvement, but all of my suspicions, predictions and ‘prognostications’ have come to pass – that is all of those that I dared to print and post.
Now, another one – another and perhaps most urgent prognostication. This one, would be unspeakable if it were not for its urgency.
Before I go further, let me be clear on two points: (1). I am not the only one saying what I have to say, but I am among a minority the way in which I am contextualizing it. And as far as I can tell, I am one of a very few willing to go out to the ‘end of the proverbial limb’ on this one. (2). You can get hours of credible reporting and commentary on this urgent matter from many conservative and balanced sources (Glen Beck, Matt Walsh, Josh Howerton, Susan Kokinda, Mark Driscoll, David Hanson and the like. There are scores of preachers and pastor talking about this, but they are framing it only is a vague light of scriptures. The urgency and evidence are missing. So, here we go:
Convergence and Concurrence
There are a convergence of events and a concurrence of those same events such as the world has never seen. The Holy Scriptures, history, politics and science have been variously at odds or in slight agreement on the direction and potential outcome of the world, but are now converging in agreement on the core issues. I will leave it to you to research each discipline for details but I will give you enough ‘sound bites’ to chew on.
First, the past. The universe and humankind have been on a destructive path since their inception. The cosmos constantly creates and dissipates. Science tells us of the creation of planets, worlds, suns, constellations and more, only to later announce the death of those worlds. Humans since creation have been created, born and died. Some die while others are murdered or killed. The constant has been creation, birth or rebirth and destruction and death. The Bible reflects this same cycle – past, present and future.
The old testament repeatedly warns of the coming days of wrath and the end of the world. Isaiah 24:1 says, Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Verse 2. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. Verse 3. The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word.
The 70 weeks of Daniel, which give a prophecy containing a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”
Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).
Gabriel (the angel) said the prophetic clock marking the fulfillment of the 70 Weeks clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).
The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.
(Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years becomes 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.)
Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE
The 70 weeks began in 538 B.C., and 69 of the 70 weeks have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Many scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” or “seventh week” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period, which I will further delineate as the Great Tribulation period. For an explanation one only needs to read Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:4-14, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people (tribulation Seal 1 as it also found in Revelation 6). And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars (tribulation Seal 2 as it also found in Revelation 6). See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (tribulation Seal 3 as it also found in Revelation 6), and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places (tribulation Seal 4 as it also found in Revelation 6). But all these things are merely the BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS.”
“THEN they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another (tribulation Seal 5 as it also found in Revelation 6). And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and THEN THE END WILL COME. (tribulation Seal 6 as it also found in Revelation 6)”.
Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Daniel 9, verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven,’ he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins, “as seen in Matthew 24:29-31, “But IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those (previously mentioned) days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
A clearer and current picture emerged at the time of the birth of Jesus. Jesus explained the sequence of events leading up to the rapture and the Great Tribulation, all of which began at or just before his birth. It was at them time of His crucifixion we entered the seventieth and final week of Daniel.
Jesus’ disciples also testified about those being the beginning of the Last Days and the beginning of the End of Days and the prelude to the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of The Lamb.
Additionally, Second Peter 3:10 states, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved.”
And, Revelation 21:1 mentions, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”
WHAT ARE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE SIGNS?
Deception, wars and rumors of war, famines, earthquakes, persecution of Christians and Christians falling away from their faith, social discord and unrest and hatred of others.
CURRENT NEWS:
Pentagon preparing for possible doomsday scenarios
Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin has the latest on the Pentagon updating its doomsday scenario plans on ‘America Reports.’
Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin has the latest on the Pentagon updating its doomsday scenario plans, including preparations for potential catastrophic threats and efforts to ensure the U.S. military is ready to respond in a worst-case scenario, on ‘America Reports.’
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6407486888112
Glen Beck Reporting and Commenting on Global warnings to Get Ready
https://www.facebook.com/reel/4026953947600597
Newsweek map showing European Countries preparing for crisis
https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-european-countries-preparing-citizens-for-crisis-12471422
Countries With Stockpile and Emergency Preparedness Advice
https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-countries-urging-residents-to-stockpile-food-12629524
Finally, if you are not a believer and a follower of Jesus then all of this might either annoy, confuse or frighten you. You can settle that issue right now. It is simple. Ask God to show you the way. Agree to give your life over to God and agree to forsake your old ways of thinking and believing in favor of His Way. And the most difficult thing may be to admit that you are a sinner (as are all people) in need of a savior. Ask Jesus to come to you – or more literally – to come into you and your spirit and give you New Life; to be born again in your spirit, mind, will and emotions. Then all of what I have proposed (and you know it’s happening because everyone is talking about it now) will make sense, and you will know the way through it.
For all you who call yourselves “believers”, now is the time to stand up and do what Jesus has done – and would be doing. And you shall overcome these things by The Blood of The Lamb and by the word of your testimony. Do not fear. Do not be afraid. Do not shrink back. He is with us until the end of this age!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
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