Hup, 2, 3, 4! Hup, 2, 3, 4! (Poem)

God, through Jesus, is organizing a massive,

diverse army of committed, well-trained soldiers.

Here’s how and why.

Hup! 2, 3, 4! Hup! 2, 3, 4!

Hear the global cadence,

Of armies preparing for war,

Readying their ordnance,

For many battles near and far,

In their way, no hindrance!

Across our world today,

Military prowess is being honed,

For some pending foray:

--Some political intent to jawbone,

--A people to subjugate,

--A leader to dethrone!

Ponder with me if you will,

How armed forces organize and deploy,

And the ranks-and-files they fill,

The strategies and tactics they employ,

How diverse are soldiers’ skills,

And organization of their convoys.

Now let’s take a peek at the start-up source,

To see how militaries begin,

And morph into a mighty fighting force,

With an exceptional discipline.

Then in a split-screen view let’s reinforce,

How with this, God’s army will fit in.

The real core of all armed forces,

Is a soldier, grown from just a recruit.

Grilled through weeks of basic courses,

He learns to obey, a skill, and to shoot.

Then to active duty he switches,

Where he becomes skillfully resolute!

God’s also building a force well-armed,

And with just a recruit He begins,

With each new recruit, satan’s alarmed!

Training starts with forgiveness for sins,

By God’s Word this recruit is transformed,

By God’s Spirit Who underpins.

His daily Christian practices,

Is basic training for this recruit,

Learning well The Lord’s promises.

With righteousness as his prime pursuit,

It permeates all purposes.

He’ll slip and fall, yet remains astute.

When basic training one day will be stalled,

Of what comes next, he is quite prescient,

Away from this life he then will be called.

Before The Lord, his spirit is present,

As to his grave his body will be hauled.

Into reserve status he’s then patient.

But one day, not so far in the future,

To active duty he will be ordered.

With Jesus, Earth’s atmosphere he’ll puncture,

The post-tribulation world thus captured.

This soldier will serve as a glowing figure, ^*

Guardian of righteousness, re-cultured.

Hup! 2, 3, 4! Hup! 2, 3, 4! Hup…

The cadence of righteousness on the march,

God’s army’s basic training warm-up,

Preparing for Christ’s Millennial watch.

Though we die, from our graves we’ll all rise-up,

Serving a thousand years, as His ‘top-notch!’

As just a recruit all of this started,

And ends with a glorious promotion!

Trained for service before we departed,

Then raised in time for Christ’s Earth invasion!

This point’s for you in what I’ve imparted:

Embrace Christ’s military induction.

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^* And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:2-3)

--Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (Matthew 17:1-2, Luke 9:28-29, Mark 9:2-3)
--Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we (the righteous in Christ) shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2)

The Curse on Canaan (Q&A)

See the Q&A Series here

Q: What was the curse God put on Canaan? Was it related to him becoming a black person, and if so, did all black peoples descend from him?

A: Thanks for your questions. I believe it is always good to ponder any Bible-related topic, but this pondering should first start with understanding exactly what is written in The Bible about the topic, and then researching what is written about related topics. Otherwise, we would simply be ‘shooting from the hip’, or going on hearsay, which is always ill advised.

God did not curse Canaan, the grandson of Noah. Noah, himself, cursed his grandson. Also, the curse had nothing to do with skin pigmentation. Skin pigmentation is closely related to the geographical location of people and their descendants. See: Tropics

This story of this curse is found in Genesis 9. After the global flood, God blessed Noah and his 3 sons.(verse 9:1) From these 4 men and their wives, all post-flood humans would descend. Noah became a farmer, planted a vineyard and drank the wine therefrom. One day, Ham discovered his father drunk and naked in his (Noah’s) tent, and he looked upon his father’s nakedness, then told his brothers about the ordeal. The brothers honored their father by going into the tent backwards, covering their father, and refusing to look upon his nakedness. When Noah sobered up and learned of what happened, he cursed Canaan, Ham’s youngest son, saying:

Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren. Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant.

The curse was expressly on Canaan, to debase him in the lowest of servanthood terms (servant of servants), with no clear or implied mention of his descendants. The notion that this curse applies to relationships between the descendants of Noah’s sons is not expressly indicated in the wording of the curse. Nevertheless, the unsubstantiated, popular notion is that this curse on Canaan implicitly sets the stage for conflicts between his descendants and the descendants of his uncles, including between the descendants of Jacob, Esau and Ishmael. The Bible does not support such a link. Rather, history in general reveals this ole familiar poetic pattern among people groups:

Millennia of history bespeak,
Of ebbing flows of the strong and the weak.
Victors’ conquests over the vanquished.
Lives that in hopelessness are languished.

This dance of oppressors and the oppressed,
Turns when the oppressed grow, and then protest.
As they grow in strength, their future successors,
Eventually become ...the oppressors!

So over protracted periods of time, various peoples groups have typically exchanged roles regarding who is strong versus weak, who are the victors versus the vanquished, and who are the oppressors versus the oppressed. This will likely continue to unfold until the end.

That said, it is both interesting and curious how The Bible describes Noah’s grandsons. (Genesis 10) It names the sons of Shem, Ham and Japheth, but it takes an interesting turn or unique approach in describing the sons of Ham by their Canaanite descendant sub-groups: the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. (Genesis 11:10-32) This may well have been Moses’ (and God’s) way of signaling to readers of Genesis to ‘keep an eye on these highlighted people groups as stories across The Bible unfold!’ Some of these Canaanites (their collective group name) settled in lands that God later promised to Abraham and his descendants through Jacob. This promise of a major land transfer helped to set the stage for the troubled history between these groups, including conflicts that continue today.

It is also noteworthy that: 

o The Lord affirms, ‘In that day (The Millennial Reign) there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.’ (Zechariah 14:21) Some versions of The Bible interpret the word, Canaanite, in this verse as a merchant, trader, or spiritually unclean person, Jew or Gentile.

o Ancient Jews mixed with Canaanites, including Judah (Jesus’ ancestor, not by blood) who married and had children by a Canaanite woman. (1 Chronicles 2:3)

Warnings Unheeded (Poem)

Wear a mask, wash hands often, and socially distance!

We have all heard this a thousand times by now,

Because the Covid-19 virus remains potent.

Basic warnings so many still ignore. wOw!

Seeming to believe a virus will distinguish,

Which states are politically red and which are blue,

So red states’ folk could minimize lock-down anguish.

Voila! More infections and deaths from this now ensue!

Shut down the economy, stay at home, quarantine!

For months, the whole world struggled to follow

this sage advice,

Till folks went stir crazy with their stay at home routines.

Money scarce, bills piling up, lengthy shut downs

won’t suffice!

Many folks across the world resisted.

Crying, ‘The cure is worse than the problem!’,

Many took to the streets and rioted,

Some even with weapons. Oh how gruesome!

Thus folks in red states pushed to return to normality,

Thinking ‘the virus targets denser, blue populations.’

We ponder from whence comes such public health mythology,

As the virus now fulfills all experts’ predications!

Ahhhh! The price we pay for not heeding sound warnings,

When we only rely on what’s in front of our eyes.

Consequences of decisions we’ll be mourning,

Because in response to sage advice, we were unwise.

In many areas of life, warnings go unheeded,

Because of our independent, rebellious streak.

In our spiritual DNA, pride is deep-seated.

Thus, facing its many temptations, we are so weak.

Repent of your sins, shun evil, live righteously, for…

The day of The Lord’s reckoning is at hand!

But since worse judgments have yet to wash up on our shore,

‘Unheeded!' That is how we stamp this command.

In His Grace The Lord ramps up judgments 'portentive',

With blows that are like ‘shots across the bow’.

But to gradual ascents, we’re not attentive.

Thus, deeper into sinfulness we plough.

We are all inclined to not account,

Untoward things in our lives, as those God allows,

When righteous principles we discount.

Oh, to be more vigilant to things He employs.

With warnings unheeded, are you content to live,

Head buried deep in the sands of life, spiritual?

C’mon~

Let’s imagine in life, to these we’re attentive,

Side-stepping avoidable judgments, subsequential.

Blindspot, lane departure, flat tire, forward collision,

Airbag, battery, key, check engine, and traction control.

Just a few of today’s faithful driving companions,

Warning sensors on your car’s dashboard and center console.

Today, the sheer number of sensors may seem excessive.

When they are flashing, ignore them at our own peril.

Minor problems can become major repairs – expensive!

Respond wisely, we drive confidently, not fearful.

Think…

What’re the dashboard and center console of your life, so rare?

And what are the key sensors thereon displayed?

If to God’s Bible, they are not connected, this I share:

By the world’s faulty sensors ...you will be swayed!

In What Way Did Jesus Die for Sins? (Q&A)

See the Q&A Series here

Q. In what way did Jesus die for our sins and what did his death change.  People were quite sinful before He came and they have certainly been sinful since His death. 

A. Thank you for this question. The concept of payment for sins requires a basic understanding of spiritual matters from God’s angle. In sum, Jesus saves us from God’s stated, eternal penalty of sin, namely, eternal separation from Him, forever experiencing the same penalty/punishment satan and his demons will receive. In doing so, and as we mature in our walk with Him, He effectively saves/keeps us from many of the present consequences of sin.

Mankind was created on the heels of a rebellion in Heaven during which Lucifer (a very high level and powerful angel who coveted God’s Throne), and 1/3 of the holy angels exercised their choice to disobey. The rebels lost the fight, were cast out of Heaven, and fell to Earth. Lucifer became satan, and his cohorts became devils and demons. They, as well as all the holy angels, are immortal beings.

Go, through Jesus The Lord, subsequently created humans so They could to enjoy close spiritual relationships with us, and for men to exercise delegated lordship over Earth, less satan and his crew would take control. Prior to sin, Adam and Eve enjoyed a close relationship with The Lord in The Garden of Eden, a perfect place for perfect humans. The plan was for us to procreate, fill the planet, and enjoy eternal life in fellowship with The Lord. (Some teachers believe this idea was to be expanded across the universe.)

When Adam sinned, everything changed. He had disobeyed. in doing so, just like satan and other angels, he had rebelled against God, Who had warned Adam, "On the day you sin, you shall die." Adam sinned, but did not die physically on that exact day. He did die spiritually that day, and his body began the protracted physical death process. Physically, Adam died at 930 years old, in the 'day' he sinned if 'day' is regarded as a millennium. * Thus, Adam’s sin ushered into Earth God’s penalties of sin, namely:

(a) immediate spiritual death (i.e., eternal separation from God Who is holy and perfect); 

(b) eventual physical death through the processes of atrophy, disease and even various forms of God’s direct judgments; and 

(c ) final judgment and sentence to eternal death in a real, physical, immortal body in the lake of fire.

Another major consequence of Adam’s choice to disobey (i.e., to sin) was that it effectively transferred to satan full lordship over our planet. He became the god in and of our world, according to The Bible. All of Adam and Eve’s seed (all humans) would thus have what God calls a sinful nature upon conception and birth. Adam’s entire blood line would be sin-stained, and therefore, we would remain out of fellowship with God forever, unless......

God exercised His plan, through Jesus, The Lord God, to redeem/save mankind, and to eternally punish the rebellious angels. In Genesis 3:15, Jesus (pre-incarnate) promised to send a Redeemer (Himself!) to accomplish both of these objectives. Jesus Christ is our ‘Kinsman Redeemer’ -- God represented in human form, Who came to pay, on our behalf, God’s high price for sin, i.e., physical death (shedding of blood, loss of life), and eternal spiritual death (separation from God forever). He Who is perfect, righteous, innocent, and never did anything to deserve any form of death, experienced (tasted) both spiritual and physical death on our behalf. Because of this, God imputes (accounts) Jesus’ sufferings, to true Christ-believers who embrace Him as their substitute sacrifice, and who live to learn and follow His commandments and Kingdom principles during our lives. 

Jesus’ death also began the process of destroying satan’s kingdom on Earth. When God raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus both physically and spiritually ’conquered death’. In His resurrection, He forever took from satan what The Bible calls ‘the power of the second (eternal, spiritual) death’, namely the ability, through instigating us to sin, to cause humans to receive the same, eternal judgment that is upon him and angels who joined in his rebellion in Heaven.

Meanwhile, devils’ evil actually serves a purpose for Heaven. Their continuing presence on Earth effectively gives humans a real CHOICE, whether to serve satan’s wicked impulses, or to serve God’s righteous impulses. God gave to all angels and to us a free will. Without a free will, we would be like robots, only doing what He programmed us to do. Without the presence of real choice, there is no free will. Strangely, evil also serves other important purposes: When we resist and reject evil in favor of ways that are righteous, (1) we are strengthened in our faith, (2) God is glorified, and (3) we will be rewarded! (See: ‘Why Evil?’)

God determined and promises all humans who serve satan will similarly share in his eternal punishment - cast into the anguish of hell, in a resurrected physical, immortal body. He similarly determined and promises only we humans who embrace and serve God by faith in His Word (i.e., without physically seeing Him, Who is Spirit) will He allow into His Heaven to have blissful, eternal fellowship with Him in a resurrected, physical, immortal body. Thus, all/ALL humans will live forever. Both Heaven and the lake of fire will be on a brand, new Earth The Lord promises to create. (See: Earth's Next Versions (Series))

To activate His plan of salvation, God selected Abram (who became Abraham) to be the human seed through whom mankind's Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus Christ, would come as a human being. He further narrowed the seed to Jacob (renamed Israel), Abraham’s grandson, whose lineage became the Jews or Hebrews. To this lineage (ancient Israel), God first extended His plan of salvation, namely, Jesus as their Messiah, their Kinsman Redeemer. Jews rejected Jesus as such because they only understood a very narrow part of God’s much broader plan of redemption. Pre-knowing this rejection, God used it to extend His Grace, His offer of salvation to ALL humans, including you and me, not just to the Jews. This was Heaven's plan since before creation! He also agreed to extend Grace to a future remnant of Jews, who at that time, will embrace Him as their Messiah. This will be during His long-promised Millennial (thousand-year) Reign as global King on Earth. Thankfully, many Jews today so embrace Him as The Messiah.

In this current age, God’s plan of salvation involves:

1. Recognizing and admitting (vocalizing) to Him our sinful nature; and repenting, asking for His forgiveness

2. Embracing/accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, recognizing and confessing His sacrificial death was substitutionary, on our behalf

3. Asking for His Spirit (His nature) to be born into our spirit (heart)

4. Thanking God for hearing and answering this, our prayer of salvation

5. Beginning the processes of (a) learning His Heart and  Mind through Bible reading, study, meditation, and practice; and (b) fellowshipping with like-minded Christ believers. The Bible is one book, comprised of 66 sub-books. They chronicle illustrative events that help to convey Heaven's perspectives on all key aspects of human life. His Spirit inspired and prompted the writers to write what they wrote. Thus, as we read and meditate on their writings today, His Spirit is present to catalyze in our spirit the core messages He intends us to receive and to live by. This makes The Bible 'a living book'.

With these steps, we become ‘Christians’ (Christ believers and followers/disciples), and are spiritually re-born as a babe into The Kingdom of God on Earth. As we practice #5, we grow and mature spiritually, learning to recognize and reject devilish temptations to remain spiritual babes, or to back-slide into sinfulness. We regularly repent as God’s Spirit reveals to us where we may have sinned (missed His growth targets for us), and He graciously forgives, restores, and encourages us to continue to grow, just like we do with our children. If we fail to be attentive and to repent, He gradually increases the pressure, called chastisement, to get our attention for positive change and development. As we grow and mature, we should consciously sin less and less, and be more attuned to what God calls righteousness. As we do, we become more equipped and prone to share our faith, and increase our usefulness in His Kingdom on Earth. Many problems ensue for us, our families, our society, our nation, and the world, writ large, when we don’t. (See: ‘If My People……Don’t!’)

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* See: 2 Peter 3:8 and Psalm 90:4

Christians and Slavery (Q&A)

See the Q&A Series here

Q. How have God-fearing Christians accepted God’s two principal commandments (to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourself), yet managed to embrace, and even die to retain slavery.
How does the Holy Bible ignore the evil of slavery, and in many cases appears to normalize it?

A. Thanks for these potent questions that many Christians may have no doubt stubbed their toes on.

Racism, casteism and tribalism are deep traits that have plagued the human race since time immemorial. From these, no people group is immune, not even Christians. Creation testifies of God’s apparent love of diversity in every area of existence. Devils thus target diversity among humans to catalyze prideful divisiveness. Failing to renew our souls (mind, will, emotions, intellect, imagination) to the principles of The Kingdom of God, as expressed in The Bible, Christians fall easy prey to devilish manipulations, and into every kind of sin, including various forms of prideful racism.

Some slavery in ancient times was likely indentured servitude, voluntary submission to work off significant debts, equivalent to share cropping practiced in America’s post-slavery days.

At every level of life, human history is the story of conquests and subjugation of the vanquished. Subjugation takes many forms in life, including various forms of slavery, many of which still exist today across the world. God-fearing victors may have embraced their victories as God’s blessing, and therefore, His approval to subjugate the vanquished. In fact, as His judgments on Israel and Judah, God allowed ancient Jews to be conquered by sinful nations (Assyria and Babylon) that made them slaves. Daniel, who rose to very prominent positions the Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Persian Empires, became a slave in Babylon as a teen. The Bible reveals God allowed many other prideful, un-repentant nations to be similarly conquered or destroyed.

With this insight, the U.S. Constitution, written by reportedly God-fearing men, was not written with America’s slaves or disenfranchised Indians in mind. The framers’ definition of ‘men and people’ principally focused on people who looked like them. Moreover, European settlers across the Americas reportedly embraced teachings in The Bible with a ‘manifest destiny’ perspective that suggested Heaven ordained and sanctioned the conquest, slaughter and enslavement of Indians, Africans, Mexicans, and anybody else who did not look like them. As we see in America and throughout the world today, such roots of prideful divisiveness remain alive and are very fruitful.

Rebellion, which manifests as disobedience, is baked into human DNA. It’s the same for Christians. We are not yet perfected, but are forgiven, and are being forgiven as we regularly repent when we fall short of God’s expectations. He gives Grace for a time, but if there is no change, He promises to chastise us to produce His intended change. When we refuse to change our ways, He will eventually judge us, whether during our life, or in the end.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul reveals a key precursor of the end of this age, namely a great falling away of previously faithful Christ followers. In His letter to the Church at Laodicea, dictated to Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos circa 95 AD, Jesus promises to ‘vomit out of His mouth’ fake, inauthentic, lukewarm believers. While this may have occurred all throughout the church age, it seems reasonable that satan ‘knows his time is short’, and thus he would increasingly ramp-up efforts to deceive and tempt believers who remain weak and easy prey. I address the relevance of this prophecy to our world today in this series, Laodicean Lackadaisicalness. From this, it is apparent everything and everyone labeled as ‘Christian’, is not necessarily so from God’s viewpoint.

Here is an insightful article this weighty topic: Does The Bible Condone Slavery?, by Bible scholar and teacher, Ravi Zacharias.

First and Third Comings (Poem)

As we on Earth look up, and those in Heaven look down,

Anticipating The Lord’s THIRD coming event,

When on Earth, He will sit on His Throne,

wearing God’s crown,

Now’s the time to compare and contrast His THREE advents.

His first arrival was heralded by angels singing,

And by gift-bearing men from the East who were so very wise.

The third time, He’ll be lauded by an archangel shouting.

Of gift-laden saints and angels, His entourage will comprise. ¹

First time, in a dingy manger, as a babe He was laid,

In a smelly stable kept warm by animals’ bods,

His third time, on God’s Throne, sinners on Earth

He will upbraid.

Into a bottomless pit He’ll cast all devil squads! ²

In strips of cloth his parents did tightly swaddle,

Their heavenly gift upon His first arrival.

Unwrapped, He’ll return to bang God’s justice gavel,

While wearing Heaven’s royal, glory apparel.

First time, t’was just a few shepherds who

left their posts to see,

The marvelous news over which angels lit the night sky.

The third time, families will send reps to attend His feasts!

On lands of those who refuse to come, rain He will deny! ³

He first came to a land captured by Jacob’s progeny,

About 6 centuries after Babylon’s invasions.

He’ll return to expand and reshape its geography,

And to all Jews, make His Messianic declaration! ⁴

In the second temple, He was circumcised,

Giving it greater glory than Solomon’s temple.

In the fourth temple, He will be GLORIFIED!

The third won’t survive an earthquake that will be GLOBAL!! ⁵

He first came under Rome’s iron-fisted, world rule,

As the first child of His parents who were paupers.

Next, He’ll come to upend satan’s anti-Christ fool,

Then wield His own iron-rod over survivors! ⁶

Under Heaven’s banner of peace was His first arrival,

To pay for sin, so from its penalty we can be absolved.

Next, on war-footing He’ll come, speaking His ‘Word arsenal’!

The flesh of all Gog and Magog warriors …will be dissolved! ⁷

First came one who, before Him, in ministry, abounded,

John, The Baptist, who would turn folks hearts to repentance.

Next time, by 2 Elijah-types, folks will be confounded!

They’ll terrorize, die, then resurrect in folks’ presence!!! ⁸

In His first advent, only to Israel was He assigned,

Children of Jacob who, against all things Godly, contrived.

Next time, to Him every aspect of life will be re-aligned,

For folks who, the apocalypse judgments,

will have survived.

He grew up under an occupier force’s heel,

Rome’s delegated authority in Israel misused.

When He returns, He’ll ‘bring ALL world governments to heel’,

Under the same ‘heel’ that, on Calvary,

satan one day bruised. ⁹

To facilitate His ministry, He selected only 12 men,

Disciples who became apostles, His Gospel to spread.

To facilitate His monarchy, He’s electing those born again,

Who embrace Him as Savior; though for ALL,  His blood was shed.

At His first coming, for just 33 years, He was with us,

His life cut short to achieve His Father’s salvation purpose.

When He returns, for 1,000 years, He’ll display God’s genius.

Then, after ‘a little while’, He’ll reveal the new Earth, GLORIOUS! ¹⁰

He first came to die, then dominate him
who had death’s power.

Thus, He broke sin’s ‘second death power’ over every man.

With ‘angel-like saints’, He will return,

us whom He’ll empower.

To all the world, we’ll be trophies of God’s salvation plan!

There is so much more to compare and contrast,

About the life of Jesus back then,

and His soon coming global reign,

For sure…

His will be a government that’s un-surpassed.

So I hope you are inspired, Friend,

to join His recruitment campaign. ¹¹

Having compared and contrasted these two comings,

For you, I trust the picture is less blurred.

Ponder this: Most saints will know when He’s returning!!! ¹²

How does this comport with what you have heard??

While His history and predictions are pertinent,

There is one thing that, to me, is very relevant:

If, to His Word and ways, I will remain vigilant,

I will be with Him on His return, so imminent!

Will you?

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¹ See: Awaiting His THIRD Coming, Zechariah 14:5, and Matthew 24:29-31. NB: This coming will NOT be what Apostle Paul predicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

² See: Revelation 20:1-3. He will rule all of Earth with a proverbial ‘rod of iron’. 

³ Of three pilgrimage feasts God ordained for Israel (Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles), only in the annual Feast of Tabernacles will Jesus, as Earth’s Global King, require/command annual representation of (remnant) families in nations that fought against Israel, presumably in the 1st War of Gog and Magog. (Ezekiel 38:5 - 6, Zechariah 12:9 and 14:16-19). Gog may be satan’s chief demon. Revelation 20 signals he will trigger the final rebellion of mankind against all things Godly. 

⁴ See: Zechariah 22:10-14. 

⁵ Ezekiel 40 - 48 describe the fourth temple compound on a plot that is far larger than today’s second temple compound. See: Revelation 16:17-21.

⁶ See: Psalm 2:9, and Revelation 2:27, 12:5 and 19:11:21. 

⁷ See: Zechariah 14:12, and Revelation 19:19-21.

⁸ See: Revelation 11:3-14. Shocking! 

⁹ See: Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 53:5, 10

¹⁰ See: Revelation 20:3-10. Where might Jesus, His angels and saints be during this ‘little while’??

¹¹ Please pray this poetic Prayer of Salvation (Poem).

¹² Why are so many of us looking for His return onto Earth? That may signal a fundamental error in our understanding of the sequence of events revealed in The New Testament. The fallacy is equating the resurrection and ‘on the cloud’ rapture event for all bona fide 3rd age saints, with His return ‘onto the Earth’ for His Millennial Reign. These are separate events. For much more on this, please see: Bible Raptures - Types and Timings (Series).