Lake of Fire: Is THIS the Man?! (Poem)

See the series here

NB: Understandings of the subject of Isaiah 14: 12-17 may differ.

‘Behold the Man!’, one day Pontius Pilate shouted,

Governor of Judea,

To folks demanding Jesus be crucified.

‘Behold the Man!’ Though innocent, folks were stouthearted!

Thus, they fulfilled Isaiah,

Who, of this exact scene, had long prophesied. ¹

Imagine that~

 

By satan, these folks’ words and actions were catalyzed,

‘His blood be upon us and upon our children!’ ²

Yet overall, Father God was in control,

Allowing His salvation plan to be realized.

Lives of their children they cursed …for generations,

In Revelation 12, that’s satan’s goal!

 

Envious… of Jesus, Lucifer was so thoroughly.

Envious… of Him sitting on Father God’s Throne.

Envious… of His title, Lord of Heaven and creation.

Devious… to commit the first sin, plotting treachery.

Devious… to think as Earth’s god he’d be enthroned.

Devious… to deceive folks to join in his own damnation. ³

 

Come! The day of his damnation surely will.

Come! The day his demon cohorts will join in.

Come! The day his human cohorts stand before God’s Throne.

Mum!!  For each and all, it’s time to pay the bill.

Mum!!  No defensive word muttered in Heaven.

Mum!!  Just before into the lake of fire they’re all thrown! ⁴

Ahhh! But not mum for long!

 

Eyes weeping… dry tears, since the heat will be evaporative!

Teeth gnashing... never wearing down in bodies eternal.

Anguish deepening… endless thoughts, how horribly they erred.

Cries shrieking… to which folks’ immortal ears will be sensitive.

Deep thrashing… against the brimstone and fires sustainable.

Brutish deluding… thinking there’s an exit where they entered. ⁵

 

Is THIS the man?! Questions echoing across the abyss,

The man who made the Earth tremble, and so many kingdoms shake,

Who was so deceived that he attempted to …dethrone The Lord?!

Is THIS the man?! satan a human?! Now that’s quite a twist.

He’s then like devils who chose ‘their proper domain to forsake’.

satan in human form, just like all human folks he abhorred! ⁶

 

Yep, that’ll be the man, with all devils that exist,

The Lord’s immutable justice that awaits this entire crew.

Would it be just to resurrect folks in bodies immortal,

And leave them as spirits who the flames could not lick?! ⁷

The lake of fire isn’t open for business yet. There’s hope for you,

If you make sure that place won’t be your …destiny eternal.

 

Time, Slipping Away (V)

from my album, One Day Closer!

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¹ See: John 19:5, Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22

² See: Matthew 27:25

³ See: Ezekiel 28:13-15, embedded in a broader prophecy, The Lord referring to Lucifer in the midst of spiritually upbraiding a wicked King of Tyre. See also: Isaiah 14:12-17 for a similar upbraiding of a wicked King of Babylon. It is interesting that Revelation 22:1 & 3 twice refers to Father God (Who is Spirit) and Jesus, The Lord God (now a resurrected, glorified, immortal human), sharing one Throne! All His true (not fake) saints shall eventually be ...just as He now is ...emanating glorious light.

⁴ Revelation 20 even specifies the order in which this hoard will be cast into the lake of fire.

⁵ A total of 7 times, The Gospels record Jesus confirming in the lake of fire, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30, and Luke 13:28) As you read these verses, recall, a key principle in Scripture is to ‘let every key point be confirmed by 2 or 3 witnesses’. (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15, Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 1 Timothy 5:19, and Hebrews 10:28) So what message is The Lord signaling by confirming this point about weeping and gnashing of teeth in the lake of fire 7 times?! Obviously, it’s my imagination that ‘paints this stanza’.

⁶ See: Isaiah 14:16, Genesis 6:2, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. See also: Humans’ DNA Hacked (Poem) and especially The Goshen Effect, Grand Finale (Poem, Part 5)

⁷ NB: Folks who omit to perceive The Bible's strategic links between Genesis 6:3, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 will very likely also miss the strategic hint The Lord appears to be giving us in Isaiah 14:16 about the final human state of satan and his demons.

Earth 2.0?! (Poem)

See the series here

Some well-educated folks yearn and search for Earth 2.0,

Another planet (!) where we can continue to thrive and grow,

After we have literally trashed the Earth we only know.

But they’re less concerned about changing our …lifestyles status quo. ¹

 

Folks waste time, money and lives simply because they opine, 

‘Someday we must jump ship, so life elsewhere we should design!’ 

Earth, home of the ‘spiritually naive and the  blind’.

They’re aligned with anything/anyone but The Lord’s Mind.

 

So if/IF their dream was ever to be realized,

How do they think life somewhere else would ...be organized?

Would all land on another planet ...be privatized?

And by racism and crime, would folks ...be terrorized?

 

Thank God, nowhere in His plans will their dream materialize!

In His plans, Earth is man’s appointed proving ground, customized. ²

And since with the weight of sinfulness, she’s always pressurized,

Periodic 'Earth-updates'  He has graciously authorized:

 

Earth 1.0 – The Lord’s original, perfect creation (Genesis 1:1)

Earth 2.0 – Re-creation after devils fell from Heaven (Genesis 1:2) ³

Earth 3.0 – In the flood, Earth refashioned (Genesis 6 – 8) ⁴

Earth 4.0 – His Millennial Reign version (Revelation 16:17-21, Isaiah 2:4,      

                            11:6-10, 65:17, Revelation 20:1, Zephaniah 3:9)

Earth 5.0 – His final re-creation, all things made new (Revelation 21)

 

So while on finding an Earth 2.0 folks fixate,

They’re clueless it’s Earth 3.0 we now populate! ⁵

And The Lord says, there’re 2 more versions He will create.

Yet any talk of Him or creation, they berate.

 

Each Earth version follows The Lord’s judgment on some group’s sins,

Yet folks refuse to connect sins to ruts we find ourselves in.

Failing The Lord’s common denominator to comprehend,

In designing colonies on the moon and Mars …they pretend. ⁶

Dream on~

Keep pretending~

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¹ See: Earth 2.0 Beyond Our Solar System? China Plans To Find It

² See: Genesis 22:1, Job 7:17-18, Jeremiah 17:10, Isaiah 48:10, and 1 Peter 1:7

³ See: The Day That Was and A Good Black Hole?

⁴ Some scientists and Bible scholars understand Earth was one land mass. Some Bible scholars understand the worst ever earthquake, promised in Isaiah 13:13 and Haggai 2:6, might rejoin all continents and eliminate all mountains, that is EXCEPT Jerusalem, which in The Millennial Reign of Christ, will be raised up high, e.g., on a mountain. (It is very interesting to note this is exactly what The Lord promises for the New Jerusalem on a brand new Earth in eternity! See: Revelation 21:10) This plausible notion indicates the purpose of mountains might be to make room for flood waters, especially since there is no mention of oceans in the first 6 chapters (pre-flood) of Genesis. 

⁵ This pre-supposes Earth 2.0 and the Gap Theory mentioned in footnote 3 references above.

⁶ See: Elephant in the Room (Poem). A much better concept of ‘Earth 2.0’ is an Earth Digital Twin, a massive project of the European Space Agency (ESA) to create a planetary virtual model to aid in predicting climate change and other geophysical changes.

Shields Up! Then Down (Poem)

‘Shields up!’, one of several urgent commands given,

On the bridge of the starship, Enterprise,

When imminent danger could compromise,

The ship’s safety, thus requiring enhanced protection.

 

Shields down!, the subsequent command issued,

When the challenges were successfully met,

And all known dangers were no longer a threat.

Then normal operations continued. 

 

Shields up!, can you perceive The Lord command,

Activating Heaven’s protective function,

For Hebrew slaves in Egypt’s land of Goshen,

Before sending the last plagues He had planned? ¹

 

Shields down!, I can imagine Him later saying,

As to the loss of his first born, Pharoah winced,

And to release all the slaves, he was convinced!

Alas! Hebrews leaving Egypt, no more slaving!

 

This was the first of several ‘Goshen Effects’,

Shelter The Lord promised to provide,

For two groups who with Him are allied,

While by His judgments, lives of other folks are wrecked. ²

 

Shields up! That is what I perceive He might shout,

Before tribulation judgments on the Earth are hurled,

After gathering His folks from all across the world,

Most fleeing anti-Semitism, no doubt.

 

Back into the promised land, they’ll be crammed,

Even spilling over into neighboring lands.

Protections they’ll have, folks won’t understand,

Till the end of judgments on the world …slammed! ³

 

Shields down! Oh no!! That may seem premature!

Once folks realize Israel was protected,

To her food and wealth, armies will be attracted!!!

Then, in many ways, she’ll be …insecure.

 

Ponder this: 

Why would The Lord lift His protective shield,

Over lands in which His people are crammed,

When in an invasion they’ll be as lambs?!

Ahhh! His strategy’s revealed, not concealed. ⁴

 

To Amos and Zephaniah, Jewish prophets of old,

He’s given clues between which the wise connect dots,

To perceive some tactics of His strategic plots,

Then help to warn folks who will listen to what will unfold.

 

‘All the sinners of My people shall die in warfare’,

So He told Amos; and in Zephaniah’s journal,

I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people,

Who’ll trust in Me, The Lord’, His Millennial affair. ⁵

Shields down! Do you now perceive His strategic intent,

In lifting His protection in the Gog/Magog invasion,

After giving His protection throughout the tribulation?? 

Shields up! After Armageddon, no threats to prevent! ⁶

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¹ Read this epic story in chapters 1 - 20 of The Book of Exodus, depicted in the movie, The Ten Commandments.

² See: The Goshen Effect (Series) Across the ages, The Lord has been extracting two remnant groups from humanity: righteous Jews, and righteous Gentiles, pre- and post-cross folks who had/have salvation faith toward Him, folks who have been/will be resurrected, and immortally transformed to reign with Him during His long-promised Millennial Reign. These topics are discussed extensively throughout this blog.

³ See: The Coming Lame Blame (Poem), and Booty, Pre/Post Millennial Reign (Series)

⁴ See: A People, Un-walled (Series). See also: Ezekiel 38, Zephaniah 3:11-12, and Zechariah chapters 13 and 14. 

⁵ Zephaniah chapter 3 summarizes The Lord’s strategic plan for Israel, a plan that is literally iterated in various forms across the pages of the Old Testament. It points to a meek and humble remnant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, people over whom He will reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years. In Matthew 24, Jesus briefly overviews the pending distresses for Jews, while avoiding the details and rationales detailed in The Old Testament.

⁶ ...because The Lord's illuminating glory will be a shield over Jerusalem, and possibly all of Israel. See: Revelation - Future Attacks in Israel, to learn about 3 predicted, multi-national attacks. 

For You, Which Resurrection? (Poem)

Hey there Friend, here’s a critical question to you I’m posing,

About some future events that The Bible assures,

On a topic that nearly everything in life obscures.

So in this poem, some basic info I’ll be disclosing.

 

The events are The Lord’s “firsts” and “second” resurrections,

That’s right, all folks who were ever conceived, rising from the dead,

To learn to which of two teams they will be eternally wed,

In a brand new body with …‘immortal renovations’. ¹

 

You see, all of life is designed as His testing ground,

A place for the most critical decision you’ll ever make,

One He’ll honor eternally, and in death, you can’t forsake.

The decision is who as your lord in life you crowned. ²

 

The decision on a choice that from you, life will elicit,

Is whether the Spirit of Jesus or satan is your Lord,

Whether it was righteousness you loved and evil you abhorred,

Or otherwise. Your decision is direct or implicit. ³

 

It’s all about your sins, and for them, who will pay God’s price.

His price is death, first physically, then eternally,

To sweeten the deal, He’s even paid your price, graciously,

And hopes you’ll embrace His payment in His Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴

 

But if you don’t, His price you will certainly pay,

And in His design, in death eternal, you’re ALIVE, not dead!!!

Forever apart from all His goodness, the lake of fire, dread.

His warnings are clear, and no areas are gray. ⁵

 

His 'first' resurrections will be folks who died in saving faith,

And folks who’re alive in faith when the rapture occurs.

In Heaven we will be, then on Earth, per the Scriptures,

With Jesus as King, in great GLORY we will be arrayed. ⁶

 

His 'last' resurrection will be for folks who missed all of His firsts,

And folks who will be born after the 'last first' rapture event.

Each one rising to learn where their eternity will be spent,

Whether they will join us from His firsts, or in the lake of fire, cursed. ⁵

 

So my Friend, that is just a brief overview,

Of God’s plan that to most is hidden, or by them denied,

When they believe satanic spirits who to them have lied.

Imagine in Heaven, all eyes …now on you. 

That you have a choice to make, or possibly confirm,

Is such very GOOD NEWS, so The Bible affirms.

Embrace this invitation and God on His terms.

Join those, and me, who with God’s righteousness are concerned. ⁷

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¹ This post discusses The Lord's next rapture events, apart from such earlier reported events. See: Bible Raptures (Q&A) and also Ponder This... (First Resurrection, Second Death, Hell). The Bible iteratively affirms our physical bodies are but a draft copy, and just as our spirit and soul twins are eternal, we’ll all receive an eternal/immortal physical body. See: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Revelation 20:11-15. I believe spirit and soul are appointed to/in every person The Lord allows to be conceived, including those who died before birth. Some of you might believe otherwise.

NB: The ‘First Resurrection’ is apparently not meant to be interpreted as one sole numerical event. In The Bible’s context, this appears to refer to the several resurrections to eternal life, which are/will occur in phased events: 

(a) Recall, all pre-cross saints were apparently resurrected with Jesus, per Matthew 27:51-53. Matthew could only record what reportedly happened in/around Jerusalem, not the entire world. Yet Scripture predicted, then affirmed that Jesus 'led captivity captive', referring to the spirit and soul twins of deceased 1st and 2nd ages saints. (See: the second point of Psalm 68:18, confirmed in Ephesians 4:8)

(b) Just prior to the tribulation age, the 4th age of history, saints who will have died before the end of the church age (age of Grace) will be resurrected, and they will be raptured along with saints who are alive at that time.

(c) Just after the tribulation age, people who will become saints during the tribulation will be resurrected and raptured in time for their service in The Millennial Reign age. (See: Revelation 7:13-17. 

(d) Just after the post-Millennial Reign age, everyone who will not yet have been resurrected, will be resurrected (dating back to the 1st age of history!), and along with everyone who is alive at that time, and will all be raptured to appear at the Great White Throne Judgment. (See: Revelation 20:11-15) This is the last resurrection in The Lord's resurrection series. This huge group will include those who will become saints likely after The Millennial Reign age. (See: Salvation in The Millennium (Series))Their names will have been written in The Lord’s Book of Eternal Life, which He will consult at that time. (Revelation 20:11-15) This is when He will 'separate the sheep from the goats' , spiritually referring to saints from the post-Millennial Reign age, and sinners from the all ages in this massive crowd. Each person will be in his/her immortal corporeal form!

² See: Genesis 22:1, Jeremiah 17:10, Zechariah 13:9 and many other Bible verses that affirm this point.

³ Your lifestyle inevitably both affirms and reveals your personal decision to onlookers. 

⁴ Jesus said you must be born again, spiritually, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, just as you were born physically into this earthly realm. See: Prayer of Salvation (Poem) and also John 3:1-21.

⁵ See: The Goshen Effect, Grand Finale (Poem, Part 5)

⁶ NB: The 'first resurrection' is not numerical event. Rather, it is several phased resurrections to eternal life for faithful saints across the ages of human history, people who will have died in faith toward the unseen God Almighty, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It began with the resurrection of all 1^st and 2^nd ages saints, as indicated in Matthew 27:51-53. The second phase/event of ‘The First Resurrection’ will be at the end of this current 3^rd age of history, known as the church age or the age of Grace. The third phase/event of the first resurrection’ will be at the end of the 4^th age of human history, the tribulation age. It will include people who will have embraced Christ as Savior and Lord during the 7-year tribulation age. The Bible is not clear regarding a resurrection/rapture event at the end of The Millennial Reign. (See: Salvation in The Millennium (Series)) The last resurrection event will be at the end of 6^th age of history, the short post-Millennial Reign age (Revelation 20:11-15). It apparently will include a mix of all saints and sinners who will not have been resurrected and/or raptured during any of the previous ages, and it will precede the promised destruction of current Earth and universe. In this final resurrection/rapture event, The Lord will consult His Book of Eternal Life to sort His saints from unrepentant sinners. Thus, the concept of ‘first resurrection’ is not at all related to our narrow numerical concept. Have you noticed there is no specific reference in The Bible to ‘the second resurrection’? Though not specifically noted, it is what Jesus inferred in John 5:29, as the resurrection of eternal condemnation, i.e., residency in the eternal lake of fire with every devil who will have deceived people to commit and not repent of their sins.

⁷ Every human being who will have ever been conceived will eventually …be raptured into Heaven, but for most, sadly, only temporarily, to receive their final judgments.

In the Days of These Kings (Part 4, The UN-potent UN)

And in the days of these kings the God of Heaven

will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed…

(Daniel 2:44)

 

See the series here

 

What is the UN for? If the UN cannot achieve Article 1 of its charter,

it cannot possibly achieve other articles. 

An option is to ...dissolve yourselves altogether.

 

In the midst of his nation being aggressively attacked by Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, credentialed with a law degree and years of experience as an accomplished actor, squarely challenged the UN Security Council to reform or dissolve, rather than continue its role as primarily a ‘talk shop’ that lacked power to achieve its stated objectives. Major wOw!! ¹

 

Interestingly, his address was on April 5, 2022, approximately 7 months before the UN will celebrate its 77^th year on October 24, 2022. It was established to help regulate inter-nations affairs following WWII, with a focus on establishing peace, prosperity and human-rights. While it has had some successes, in many ways, it has since become stagnant and risks becoming moribund as an increasing number of nations gain clout to challenge its structure and operational mandates. Over the years, many attempts at reforms have been made, with some progress, yet much more is needed. 

 

The biggest existential challenges to the UN are:

• The impotence of the Security Council to make and enforce policies supportive of its Article 1 of its charter, given its unchangeable policy that gives to a few powerful nations coveted, permanent seats on the Council, with unchallenged veto power over any policy initiative they don’t like;
• The unchangeable policy that decisions of the main UN body of nations cannot be vetoed, nor be enforced, thus these approved decisions are dismissed by the targeted nations at their whim; and
• The rise of autocratic governments, led by powerful dictators who maneuver to remain in power for life, and who defy any unwanted external influence in their nations’ affairs.

While many analysts focus on how to fix the UN, I believe the more pertinent question is,

‘What’s next?!’

 

To this question, please leave your opinions in the comments section below. Here’s my take:

What if...

77 + 3 = 77

 

‘Ok, J!, into what mystical, mathematical world are you peering?’, I can hear you asking. 

 

President Zelenskyy’s speech to the UN Security Council was made approximately 7 months before the 77^th anniversary of the UN - October 24, 2022. On May 14, 2022, the modern nation of Israel celebrated its 74^th anniversary, and in another 3 years, it will celebrate its 77^th anniversary. While I am generally not one who is ‘into’ the complex topic of Biblical numerology, this confluence of 7s did not escape my gaze. Bible scholars opine the number, 7, has special spiritual significance, and groups and multiples of 7 enhance the significance of such events. (For example, principles and prophecies mentioned 7 times in The Bible, 7 and 70 years of blessings or judgments, etc.)

 

So I ask, what if/IF the answer to the question, What’s next?!, might be …exactly what The Lord has been promising and predicting for eons on so many pages of His Bible book, namely…

1. The Lord resurrecting and catching-away (rapturing) His spiritual bride and future global government, The (true, not fake!) Church ²

2. Then ‘the man of sin’, the anti-Christ, son of satan, revealing himself to the world ³

3. Later, tribulation plagues reigning down across Earth, with massive environmental destructions and the deaths of the majority of human, animal and plant life ⁴

4. Then Jews the world over hastily migrating to Israel, even spilling over into parts of Lebanon and Jordan, in their efforts to escape rising anti-Semitism as folks the world over do what folks in Egypt did pre-exodus, and folks across Europe did before WWI and WWII – blame Jews for all their problems ⁵

5. Followed by a mysterious Goshen-effect, protecting the nation of Israel, while the rest of the world sinks in inescapable despair from the plagues, and from the anti-Christ’s beheading crusade against folks who refuse his ‘mark of the beast’ and who convert to Christianity based on the testimonies of 144,000 Jewish witnesses who will replace The Church in spreading The Gospel of Salvation in Jesus Christ ⁶

6. Then 7 years after the rapture, the land ‘in the far north’ (presumably of Israel, which is currently The Federation of Russia) desperately launching a multi-nation invasion of Israel (1st War of Gog and Magog) to seize food and wealth, while the rest of the remaining world looks on, only asking, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’ ⁷

7. And finally, Heaven launching its long-promised invasion of Earth – The Lord Jesus returning with His first-resurrection immortal saints. He'll put a sudden, shocking end to Armageddon, (b) declare and install Himself as an iron-rod, global Monarch for 1,000 years, (c) install His immortal saints in governing roles across the world, and (d) ‘seek to destroy’ the nations whose soldiers engaged in the 1st War of Gog and Magog. ⁸ 

Whew! What a clear, succinct list of the many topics explored and exposited throughout this blog. And did you noticed the number – 7?? Well, for now, my formula and what it could possibly signify is ‘…just my imagination’ of course! Mindful that Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 exclude any reference to ‘the year’, I leave you to ponder deeply this question:

What if…?!

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¹ See: President Zelenskyy's UN Address. See also: UN Reform: What to Change and What to Keep? And Withdrawal from the UN

² See: Bible Raptures (Q&A), The Rapture – When?, both in Bible Q&A (Series)  See also: Don’t Be Left Behind (Poem) and other posts that discuss the rapture. 

³ See: Anti-Christ (Series), A One-World Order and Government and Satan’s Preliminary Acts (Poem).

⁴ See: Then They Will Know (Series) and Tribulation Precursors: Lawlessness (Poem). Also see other posts that discuss tribulation plagues. NB, ponder how what The Lord says in Isaiah 23:11-13 fits the numerous, predictive Bible verses on the great tribulation plagues. 

⁵ See: The Coming Lame Blame (Poem) and Anti-Semitism (Poem).

⁶ See: The Goshen Effect (Series), Mark of the Beast (Q&A), Fresh Troops, Incoming (Poem) and Hup, 2, 3, 4! (Poem). Also Isaiah 26:20-21 paints a picture of such protection for Israel. 

⁷ See: Armageddon (Series), Booty, Pre/Post Millennial Reign (Series), A People, Un-walled (Series) and In the Days of These Kings (Series). The quote is from Ezekiel 38:13.

⁸ See: Occupying Forces (Series), First and Second Comings (Poem), Reservists, In Service (Poem), The 4^th DoA (Part 6, Poem - Millennial Job Description),  Millennial Parallelisms (Series), and Revelation - Future Attacks in Israel

Lots of homework for serious students of The Holy Bible.

Are you one??

In the Days of These Kings (Part 3, Degrading Russian Military)

And in the days of these kings the God of Heaven

will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed… 

(Daniel 2:44)

See the series here

At the time of this writing, the war in Ukraine has passed the 2-month mark, to the astonishment of the world that the Ukrainian armed forces have mounted such a strong and effective resistance against massive invading forces. Whichever way this war goes, and eventually ends, we can rest assured that The Lord’s declared overarching strategic objective given to Jeremiah has not been erased from The Bible. Word-for-word, precept-for-precept, by far, this continues to be one of the best summaries of what He’s up to strategically across all of human history:

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am The Lord, exercising lovingkindness [giving Grace], judgment [ensuring Justice], and righteousness [extracting a righteous remnant] in the Earth. For in these I delight,” says The Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

 

So what have we learned since the war began, and how can that inform our perceptions of how this war might fit into Heaven’s unfolding strategic plan for our world?

• As noted in Part 1, both Ukraine and Russia are renowned for their perceived public sector corruption. In February 2018, Transparency International (TI), based on its 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), reported, ‘Ukraine most corrupt country in Europe after Russia’. On January 25, 2022, one month before the war began, TI released its 2021 CPI, showing both Russia and Ukraine with similar scores and rankings that have not appreciably changed since 2017: ¹

      Year             Score            Ranking

       (of 100)          (of 180)

Russia            2021                29                 136 

     2017                29                 135

                        

Ukraine           2021                32                 122

     2017                30                 130 

• Russia failed significantly in its anticipated quick overthrow of Ukraine’s capital and government. It has suffered untold losses across the board, but continues to devastate cities and towns across Ukraine, while inflicting massive civilian casualties. Reports are that its feared military machine has grossly under-performed in all key areas of warfare, relative to its international reputation.
• Ukraine, with massive, steadily increasing western aid, is holding its own in the fight for continued territorial integrity and political independence.
• The war has motivated major military defenses along NATO countries’ borders with Russia and Belarus, and has also prompted some non-NATO nations to consider seeking membership in the alliance.  
• The twin crises of internally-displaced persons (IDPs) and international refugees have exploded.
• Western sanctions on Russia have been tightened and sanctions enforcement appears to be strong. This has triggered a major brain-drain from the country, and is estimated to have significant, long-term, negative economic impacts. 
• Depending upon how long western sanctions are effectively applied, Russia’s ability to re-build its military capabilities after the war could be seriously degraded. NATO countries have now pronounced this as their long-term strategy against any future Russian invasions.

What could this last point infer for

the 1st War of Gog and Magog and the Armageddon War??

(See: Revelation - Future Attacks in Israel)

These two promise land invasions are predicted to defining events that will end the great tribulation. The Armageddon War will usher in The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ (Millennial Reign age) with His (then) immortal, first-resurrection saints. Though they is iteratively predicted in The Bible, no one knows when these wars will occur, or how long they will last. Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19 are the most detailed and clear physical predictions of how these wars will unfold and conclude. And Zephaniah 3:8-13 infers one of several objectives for these wars, namely to weed out of the massive population Jews who are predicted to be crammed in Israel, even spilling over into northern Jordan and Lebanon (per Zechariah 10:10) ², leaving 'a meek and humble people who will trust in the Name of The Lord and do no unrighteousness' (Zephaniah 3:12-13 and Zechariah 10:10). This sounds like The Lord's 'people pruning' approach to ensure leaving only those Jews who will embrace Him as Messiah. Revelation 19 adds the 'behind-the-scenes' spiritual dimension. 

One point in Ezekiel 38 is curiously very clear, and I imagine potentially related to NATO's recent declared strategy noted above:

 

Motivated by a principal demon, named Gog, the country ‘in the far north’, presumably of Israel - current-day Russia, might determine it independently lacks adequate military might to invade, on its own, even a (then predicted) defenseless Israel!!! ³

By the time of the 1st War of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38), predicted global destructions from tribulation plagues will likely have decimated much of Earth, triggering massive migration, famines, and deaths across the human population and animal kingdom, economies and national militaries not excluded.

 

Thus, this demon will catalyze that country’s government and military to call for several other countries with standing militaries to join in the predicted invasion. The stated purpose of this war will be to seize food and wealth after their economies and populations will be severely devastated during The Lord’s promised, worldwide tribulation plagues, generally referred to as the apocalypse. NB: This will not be 'the end of the world', as many erroneously believe, but simply the end of this current 3rd age of human history. The Armageddon War will be the global judgment that will trigger the transition from the 4th-to the-5th age of history. ⁴ (Over a thousand years later, the 2nd War of Gog and Magog will signal the end of the 6th age of history, and ALL human history on this current version of the Earth. It will also trigger The Great White Throne Judgment event.)

 

As if to taunt this demon en evance, The Lord, in Ezekiel 38:7, tells this demon, ‘…and [Gog] be a guard for them’, i.e., protect all your invading troops! But alas, Gog will not be able to provide any protections for his troops when Heaven responds massively. (It is unclear whether Jesus and His resurrected, immortal saints will appear in both the Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 19 wars, or only in the latter. It is not clear to which war Zechariah 14:12 applies, or possibly to both. Nor will Gog be able protect countries that will have participated in the first invasion, countries Jesus ‘will seek to destroy’, per Zechariah 12:9. ⁵

 

Devils and demons have been on Earth for ages, and they are not dumb, just defiant. After all, they have out-smarted humans generations-after-untold generations, motivating every evil and wicked thing we have done since Adam! Moreover, as spiritual beings (for now at least ⁶), they understand spiritual issues and events, including clear, written predictions in The Bible, and also possibly the much more detailed Scripture of Truth noted in Daniel 10:21. Yet even with this understanding, they will still motivate a huge number of troops from several countries to invade a (then) defenseless Israel, and to die from a massive, ‘nuclear-like’ event, one without the horrible environmental effects! ⁷ Does that stir your anger?!

It is interesting to compare and contrast these wars, and to see how Bible scholars are conflicted on which is the real Armageddon War. 

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¹ Transparency International (TI) organizes and produces an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) across 180 nations for which adequate data are available, with a focus on the public sector. The index scores and ranks perceptions of these countries’ public sector on a scale from 0-to-100, where 0 is very corrupt, and 100 is very clean. Country scores, rankings, and changes in both of these data points can be tracked over time in The Corruptions Perceptions Index.  See: Corruption Perceptions Index Explained and also How CPI Scores Are Calculated.

² Possibly from having fled global anti-Semitism. See: The Coming Lame Blame (Poem)

³ See: A People, Un-walled (Series).

⁴ Why does the Bible predict there will be plenty of food and wealth in Israel during the great tribulation? See: The Goshen Effect (Part 2) and Booty, Pre/Post Millennial Reign (Series). See also: Isaiah 26:20-21. See also: Human History Ages (Series).

⁵ Revelation 20:1-3 explain why no devil or demon will be around during  The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ with His first resurrection saints. Look it up and be informed. Also, see: A Forced Reconciliation (Poem). 

⁶ See: The Goshen Effect, Grand Finale, (Poem, Part 5), and especially Is THIS the Man?! (Poem).

⁷ See: The Final Nuclear-type Effects.