Newsletter 134 Winter 2020
“And do this knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” Romans 13: 11
At the start of the new year and a new decade there is one thing of which we can be certain, the return of our Lord is closer now than when we first believed. Although at times it can seem far off, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a certainty. It is the blessed hope in which we can at all times and in every situation rejoice.
In this edition
People lacking hope.
Catastrophes which give hope.
Christ the Just.
Revelations of Jesus Christ.
Whatever happened to the church?
Netflix.
CitizenGo.
China.
Coronavirus.
The Deal of the Century.
Education.
Prayer for our nation.
People lacking hope
Jesus said that the time would come when men’s hearts will fail them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. The autumn issue of Trumpet Sounds commented on the despair of the climate change protestors. Their fears of what is coming on the earth is leading to a ‘tsunami’ of eco anxiety among young people. This is the beginning of the hearts failing with fear which will increase as this decade progresses.
Trumpet Sounds is part of the Together for the Nation, coalition of ministries. Faced with growing anxiety the coalition has produced a short video which points people to the source of hope. Please watch the video at this link: https://youtu.be/5JYgSNvaul0. We encourage you to share this video with friends and others, assuring them that there is hope in these troubled times.
Catastrophes which give hope
If my understanding of prophecy is correct, in the coming decade there will be at least two catastrophic events. One will be a global war causing immense destruction. The other will be the fall of Babylon.
Global War
The global war is foreseen in Revelation 9: 16 – 21. It is not the Gog, Magog/Armageddon war for that follows the reign of the Antichrist. This is a war allowed by God with the purpose of bringing people to repentance, but they will refuse. Demonic powers, prepared for this specific time, are released. They have permission to kill a third of mankind. Although they are released from the area of the Euphrates River, the degree of destruction indicates that the war will spread over most of the world. In the present day we could interpret the fire, smoke and brimstone which causes death as describing a nuclear war. Over the last few years Trumpet Sounds has commented on the arms build-up by both Russia and China. They are not the only nations participating in the global arms race. History should teach us that when nations engage in the rapid increase of their military capabilities, their intentions are not peaceful. In George Santayana’s famous words, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. The demonic powers will find grounds to stir the nations to war.
The fall of Babylon
The other catastrophic event will be the fall of Babylon. The following article ‘Christ the Just’ explains why I believe that Mystery Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots, stands for the kingdom of the world.
The fall of Babylon will pave the way for the final beast empire described in Revelation 13.
Why now?
The belief that these events will happen within ten years is based on an understanding of the prophecy of the weeks found in the book of Daniel. In that prophecy we read, “Until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven weeks; and sixty two weeks”. Daniel 9:25.
In this prophecy weeks stand for periods of seven years. Many interpreters add these two periods, seven weeks and sixty two weeks together to make sixty nine weeks and then focus on what is perceived to be a missing week to make it up to seventy weeks which is the overall period covered by the prophecy.
After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews, punctuation was added to the Hebrew Scriptures. It was added to preserve the oral tradition which guided the understanding of the text. A semicolon has been added to the above quote from Daniel 9: 25. This conforms to the Hebrew punctuation and effectively says, don’t add these periods together.
Two comings of the Messiah
In this very concise prophecy every word counts. Therefore we conclude that if two periods are mentioned, it is for a reason. In the prophecy of the weeks we have two separate periods of time each of which lead to coming of the Messiah. Each period starts with a decree to restore and build Jerusalem. The first period started in 445/4 BC when Nehemiah received authority from Artaxerxes to restore Jerusalem. Sixty two weeks is 434 years, which takes us to 10 BC. Jesus was not born in 10 BC. He was born during the seven years which followed. The prophecy not predicting a date. It is setting down a period of time which will elapse before the Messiah comes.
Jerusalem, Capital of Israel
In 1980 the Knesset passed a law stating that, Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel. I believe that this was the modern equivalent to Artaxerxes granting authority to Nehemiah to restore Jerusalem. I take 1980 as the start date for the second period of seven weeks leading up to the coming of the Messiah. After 49 years, comes the fiftieth year which is a Jubilee year when everything is restored. The period will end in 2029. As in the first part of the prophecy it will lead us to the seven year period in which Jesus will return. That is why I expect this will be a momentous decade. The scene will be set for the return of Christ. Hallelujah.
[A more complete explanation of this interpretation can be found in my booklets on the prophecies of Daniel].
Some reading this will respond that I have overstepped the mark and started to predict the time of Jesus’ return. I have set out what I expect. But I am also mindful that Jesus said “the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Despite my expectations, I will keep praying Maranatha, ‘O Lord come’. What a glorious surprise if I am wrong.
Christ the Just
In Revelation chapter 14 there are three final warnings of coming wrath. First the preaching of the gospel to people. Second the fall of Babylon and finally the kingdom of the beast. This sets the order of end time events. Therefore when we come to chapters 17 and 18 which cover the fall of Babylon we are going back in time. A time before the reign of the beast and outpouring of God’s wrath.
Mystery Babylon
To find out what, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” represents, we will look at her character as described in Revelation.
First we learn that God hates her, (Revelation 16: 19). Then in chapter 17 verses 1 to 6 we are told the following about her: She is described as a great harlot. (Jerusalem was called a Harlot when she abandon the true God for the worship of false gods Isaiah 1: 21). By her fornication she has led the rulers and peoples of the earth astray teaching them to worship other gods. Having corrupted many others she is called the Mother of Harlots. She revels in all that God finds to be an abomination. She sits on many waters, which in Revelation 17: 15 is interpreted as peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues, from which we conclude that her influence is global.
She is seen seated on the beast. She is not the same as the beast but relies on the beast for her considerable wealth and security. She persecutes those who are faithful to Jesus. Later we learn how she glorifies herself and is filled with pride.
A literal city?
Several times she is called, ‘that great city’. Is this a reference to a literal city? We are also told that she sits on seven mountains. New York, Rome, London and Mecca are all said to be built on seven hills. But can any literal city be said to be the source of all the corruption in the earth?
Her wealth and trade make her more than a purely religious system. Her harlotry makes her more than the world economy. She has existed longer than any end time world government. She is older and more extensive than Europe. The woman is not the same as the individual empires. She has an adulterous relationship with them all spanning the whole of history.
There is no single city which fits her character. In the light of the huge rejoicing in heaven at her fall and the global significance of her trade, Babylon represents something much bigger than a single city or country or even a religious system. That is why I believe that she represents the ‘kingdom of this world’.
The birth of civilisation
A clue which confirms her identity is found in Revelation 18: 24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and all who were slain on the earth”. This takes us back to the time of the first murder. In Genesis we read that Cain, out of jealousy, kills his brother Abel. As a punishment Cain is condemned to be a fugitive. Driven from the presence of God he fears that he will be killed. In response, God promises that he will be protected.
Cain goes out from the presence of the Lord and settles in the land of Nod. There he builds a city. People have always regarded cities as places of safety. A place where they can defend themselves from their enemies. Cain is trusting himself rather than God.
After five generations Lamech is born into this city. He is the first to break with God’s divinely appointed order of one man one wife. The offspring of this rebellious relationship are very creative. Jabal develops agriculture. Jubal is into the arts, developing music. Tubal-Cain is a metal worker. With the arts, technology and agriculture, what we call ‘civilisation’, is born to this ungodly line.
When mankind develops a new technology, what is usually the first use he puts it to? Lamech boasts that he has killed a younger [ie: stronger] man. His sons metal work has enable the production of weapons. With weapons Lamech can boast, that he no longer needs God (Genesis 4: 24). The kingdom of this world which we call civilisation becomes the focus of rebellion against God.
In Revelation 18: 22 music and technology end with the fall of Babylon. The civilisation which began in Cain’s city will be brought to an end when God judges the Harlot.
A new world, the same rebellion
Because of the violence filling the earth, God brings the flood. After the Flood, He gives mankind a fresh start. The command of God to Noah and his sons was to go out and fill the earth (Genesis 9: 1). In disobedience Nimrod, only four generations on from Noah, rebels against God and founds a kingdom (Genesis 10: 8 – 12). His first city was called Babel. Nimrod’s Babel soon became the source of all false religion, fitting the description the MOTHER OF HARLOTS. The city called Babel, later named Babylon becomes a symbol of man’s rebellion against God.
Two kingdoms are now in conflict, the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. For Zechariah, Babylon becomes the personification of wickedness, (Zechariah 5: 5 – 11).
The beast
The beast on which the Harlot rides is the manifestation of Satan the god of this world. His power comes through kingdoms and empires. Heads represent empires and horns represent nations. In the three final warnings, Babylon falls to make way for the kingdom of the beast. This is confirmed in Revelation 17: 16 – 17 where the ten nations which arise at the end time to give their power to the beast will destroy the harlot. God is sovereign, He puts it in their hearts to do this. It is His judgment on the Harlot’s wickedness.
The kingdom of the beast is to be a rebirth of a former empire. The beast is also a person who, “will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition.” He “was and is not”. If we take this literally, at the time Revelation was written the man who is to become the beast had been alive but was now dead. He will come back to life. In Revelation, Abaddon is the one who is released from the bottomless pit.
What is Babylon today?
Revelation ends with a vision of the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ. Her opposite number is Babylon the Great, the Harlot bride of Satan. The Old Testament imagery of Babylon as the personification of wickedness and rebellion is applied to the culmination of man’s pride at the end of the age.
The Bible tells us that “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one”, 1 John 5:19. Those that hate God and reject His ways are citizens of Babylon. All who have trusted Christ as their redeemer belong to the New Jerusalem.
Babylon is man’s attempt to live independently from God. She is the kingdom of this world, what we would call ‘civilisation’. There is a facade of greatness, but underneath she is proud and corrupt. For men cities display their strength. The city with its resources provides opportunities to develop music, the arts, philosophy and technology. City society is ordered and regulated by manmade laws. Cities have armies for defence and war.
At the end of her days Babylon is a trading power filled with pride. She says she sits as a Queen and no misfortune can harm her. She is preoccupied with increasing her wealth and has enticed the leaders and the peoples of the world to follow after her in the pursuit of luxury. All the merchants and those who have grown rich through trade with her will mourn when she falls.
God has allowed men to adopt symbols in order to make things easier for us to understand. The European Union adopted the symbol of Europa as a political statement. The old Judeo/Christian culture is discarded in favour of pagan Greek culture. In sculpture and pictures Europa is portrayed as a woman riding a beast. European culture dominates the modern world. In Bible terms it “sits on many waters”. In these closing years of the present age it is the western world which best fits the description of Babylon the Great.
The leaders of the world and the nations aspire to share in her wealth. For man, she is the pinnacle of civilisation. In the sight of God she is evil, corrupt and soon to fall. She is anti-God, seeking to reverse the judgment of Babel.
At the opening of chapter 17 John is invited to witness the judgment of the harlot. It is God who puts it into the hearts of the ten kings, who give their power to the Beast, to destroy the harlot. They hate her and will “make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire”. Revelation 17: 16 – 17.
With the collapse of western civilisation the world will quickly descend into lawlessness. Satan will then offer his man as the world’s saviour. But note it is all in accordance with the will of God.
Nebuchadnezzar had to learn, “…that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He chooses.” Daniel 4:17. When the fifth seal was opened the martyrs cried out, “How long O Lord.” They were told to be patient. Jesus Christ is just in His judgments. He will avenge the blood of all slain on the earth in His time.
———————————————————-
Revelations of Jesus Christ – From the book of Revelation
The following are two extracts from a longer review of ‘Revelations of Jesus Christ’ published on the Prophecy Today website. To read the full review use the following link:
https://www.prophecytoday.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1589:review-revelations-of-jesus-christ&Itemid=189
“Philip Wren’s Revelations of Jesus Christ may be unique in the way it takes us through the Book of Revelation. Subtitled ‘A devotional study’, it centres around how the Hebrew names of God relate to the various ways in which Jesus is presented in Revelation. Whilst this approach might strike readers as unorthodox, there is a beauty and simplicity in it. It unifies Wren’s writing and, more importantly, harmonises with Revelation’s core message: our need to worship the risen Lord as he truly is, particularly in the face of persecution.”
“Philip Wren is biblically ‘on message’ by drawing our attention back to Jesus, our total dependency on Him in times of persecution and our need to better understand the signs of His return. With its devotional focus on the Lord, the book is therefore especially worth considering as a basis for group study, particularly in churches which are usually wary of Revelation and its message.”
————————————————
Revelation completes not just the New Testament but the whole Bible. It concludes many previous themes and ties up loose ends. The Bible story is the prologue to the main story which begins once we enter the Heavenly city. A story which will continue for eternity.
‘Revelations of Jesus Christ’ is available from either Christian Publications International or Trumpet Sounds. Cost £8.00 plus £2.00 p&p. It is also available through Amazon.
Help spread the word
If you have now read ‘Revelations of Jesus Christ’ and consider that others would find reading it to be helpful, I would greatly appreciate your posting a review on Amazon and Eden and giving it a star rating. The review need not be long, a couple of sentences will do.
——————————————–
What ever happened to the church?
An increasing number of believers are, for a variety of reasons, finding themselves no longer part of a church. In Trumpet Sounds 129, I set down four key words: love, discipleship, body and witness, which defined a true ‘ekklesia’, whether it is comprised of a few or many members.
The first three words, love, discipleship and body were covered in Trumpet Sounds 130, 131and 133. The next key word which defines a true church is witness.
We often define witnessing as personal evangelism. We have fellowship in the church and then go out into the world as witnesses. This focus on the individual ignores the impact which a church as a body can have.
The former three words, love, discipleship and body were all leading up to the final key word witness. If the first three qualities are functioning well the ekklesia will be an example of the kingdom of God and therefore a powerful witness. Jesus said that we witness by how we respond to each other in the Christian community. “By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13: 35. The first community of Christians, as described in the early chapters of Acts, set a standard which has been rarely if ever equalled. Their love for one another caused them to hold all things in common.
The church can only be an effective witness through the power of the Holy Spirit. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and the end of the earth.” Acts 1: 8. The disciples were told to wait for the anointing of the Holy Spirit on their lives. Without the Holy Spirit they would have gone out ill equipped to face a hostile world.
Jesus also called for unity among His followers, “that they may be one, even as just as We are one: I in them and you in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17: 22 -23. Satan knows what an effective witness a properly functioning body of believers will be. That is why he does all he can to disrupt such unity. He plays on our weaknesses to cause misunderstanding and dissension. The Bible is full of warnings about false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing, who will lead the flock astray.
How can we protect our oneness in Jesus Christ? One way is to ensure that all the members are on the same journey. John Wesley understood this need. When establishing the class meetings he asked only one question of those who wanted to join. “Do you desire to flee from the wrath to come, and be saved from your sins?” If they said ‘Yes’ and their conduct showed that they were sincere in what they said, they were allowed to meet in class and no further questions were asked them.” There is no need to ask any other question, for by their answer the person has declared that they have gone through the narrow gate and want to join those on the path which leads to life. They know that the other way leads to destruction and have left it behind.
The ideal for every Christian is to be in fellowship with other Christians. By being rightly related to them we become a powerful witness.
Netflix
At the end of last year, CitizenGo launched a petition to insist that Netflix withdraw a blasphemous Christmas special movie which depicts Jesus as a homosexual, His mother Mary as an adulterer who smokes weed and Joseph as a bumbling carpenter who can’t build a table. Jesus gets high off ‘special tea’, hallucinating himself into meeting Buddha, Krishna and Rastafari god Jah, and an alien deity for the Scientologists.
The petition has gained 2 million signatures and is still growing. But petitions will not change Netflix’s behaviour. Launched in January is another 10 part series with the title, ‘Messiah’. The show centres on a Christ like man from Syria who performs miracles around the world. The man’s name is al-Masih, the Arabic term for Christ. In Islamic theology the Dajjal [antichrist] will announce himself to the world as al-Masih. He will impersonate the true Messiah.
Netflix has for years been creating shows which openly mock faith and traditional family values. They have turned blasphemy of the Christian faith into entertainment. Petitions may cause them to stop and think for a moment but the only thing which will change their behaviour is if people stop giving them their money.
CitizenGo
Caroline Farrow, UK campaigner for CitizenGo, has for months been subjected to extreme harassment by transgender activists. She earned the hatred of the transgender lobbies in March 2019 after describing the sex reassignment performed on a 16 year old boy as ‘castration, mutilation and child abuse.
Caroline was criticizing the decision of Susie Green, the leader of a radical UK transgender lobby group, to have this foolish surgery performed on her son on his sixteenth birthday. Mrs. Green had planned to take her son to Thailand because the surgery was illegal in the UK but, as a result of the publicity, Thai authorities were so shocked that they then banned the procedure for children under 18.
Despite the local police investigating complaints against Caroline but dropping charges, she and her family have been targeted by trans activists. They have received a torrent of abuse, some violent or obscene. Her husband was anonymously reported for abuse of their five children. The police and social workers demanded to interview the young children. Food deliveries, which were not ordered, came as many as 8 times a day. She was then dragged into court on the fictitious grounds that she had mis-gendered a trans activist. The activist is demanding tens of thousands of pounds compensation.
CitizenGo, like other groups who campaign for family values are constantly under attack. They need both prayer and financial support.
China
Last October China celebrated the 70th anniversary of Communist party rule. A military parade in Tiananmen Square showcased hundreds of pieces of military equipment and aircraft, including the unveiling of a new nuclear capable missile which could reach the US in 30 mins.
President Xi, dressed in a grey Mao suit, stood in the same place that Mao Zedong announced the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In a speech to the nation he declared, “There is no force that can shake the status of this great nation. No force can stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation forging ahead”. These are foolish words for any leader to announce.
Centuries ago Nebuchadnezzar’s pride was humbled by God. He was driven out from men until he recognised that God, “does according to His will…. among the inhabitants of the earth”. Daniel 4: 35.
Less than three months after President Xi’s boast he is discovering that there are forces which can bring the nation down. A type of Coronavirus has spread rapidly through China bringing many parts of the country to a standstill.
Coronavirus
At this early stage, how far the virus will spread and how deadly it prove will to be cannot be predicted. A simulation which took place last October was not encouraging.
Event 201
Last October, the Centre for Health Security with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum, set up a global pandemic exercise. It simulated a new form of coronavirus which spread from bats to pigs and then humans.
The disease starts in Brazil spreading slowly at first. By air travel it is exported to Portugal, the United States and China, then many other countries. Although there is some initial success in containing the virus, it continues to spread so that no country can maintain control.
“Since all people are susceptible to virus in the initial months the cases increase exponentially doubling every week. The scenario ends at the 18-month point, with 65 million deaths. The pandemic is beginning to slow due to the decreasing number of susceptible people. The pandemic will continue at some rate until there is an effective vaccine or until 80-90 % of the global population has been exposed. From that point on, it is likely to be an endemic childhood disease.” [Source: http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/scenario.html ]
Besides health issues the simulation concluded that if such a pandemic were to occur it would cause the global economy to go into free fall. GDP would be down, Stock Markets would plummet up to 40%, business would stop borrowing and banks will stop lending. The economic turmoil caused by the pandemic will last for years. The exercise looked ahead to how nations could prepare for such an event. Perhaps coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is that event.
The Deal of the Century
There are no circumstances in which the Palestinian Arabs will accept peace with Israel. The only solution which they will accept is the removal of the Jewish state. Therefore what is the point of another peace initiative?
The Trump plan puts on record that the land is the unique home of the Jewish people. In response to claims that the plan allows Israel to annex the West Bank, one professor of international law has said, “it is recognising that Israel has always had a legitimate claim on this land.
Melanie Philip’s writes, “The Trump plan won’t bring peace; however, it restores the truth and justice that are essential prerequisites of peace. Crushing the lethal and poisonous fantasies about Israel and the Jewish people, as well as taking a hard-headed approach to Palestinian intentions, it replaces illusions by reality.”
Education
With the growing concerns regarding education becoming indoctrination the Christian Institute has produced an excellent booklet setting out what the law, particularly the Equality Act 2010, does and doesn’t require. It is recommended reading for all parents and Christians involved in education. The booklet can be read on line at: https://www.christian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/equipped-for-equality.pdf. The Christian Institute will publish further guidance on the application of the SRE Regulations in due course.
Prayer for our nation
For the more than 300 years the following prayer has been read before each sitting of the House of Lords. As the United Kingdom sets out on a new chapter of its history let us join in praying that this prayer becomes a reality and that those entrusted with the governance of this country may approach their responsibilities with humility before God.
“Almighty God, by whom alone Kings reign, and Princes decree justice; and from whom alone cometh all counsel, wisdom, and understanding; we thine unworthy servants, here gathered together in thy Name, do most humbly beseech thee to send down thy Heavenly Wisdom from above, to direct and guide us in all our consultations; and grant that, we having thy fear always before our eyes, and laying aside all private interests, prejudices, and partial affections, the result of all our counsels may be to the glory of thy blessed Name, the maintenance of true Religion and Justice, the safety, honour, and happiness of the Queen, the public wealth, peace and tranquillity of the Realm, and the uniting and knitting together of the hearts of all persons and estates within the same, in true Christian Love and Charity one towards another, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.”
We can use this as our own prayer for Parliament by substituting they, their and them, for we, our and us, and inserting ‘we pray that’ in the second line for we. The prayer may be read as a formality, let us pray that it becomes a living reality.