Would you bow your heads and join me in a word of prayer, Lord? What would we be without your grace, Lord? We thank you for this time, Lord, and this place that you have blessed us with, Lord, this church, and this time in your word, Lord. Would you give us understanding, Lord? Holy Spirit, would you lead us this morning through this prophecy update? would You give us eyes to see, Lord. We thank You for Your time. We thank You for this place, Lord, again. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Amen. Amen. Good morning. Welcome. You can be seated. So glad you're here. So glad those of you that are joining us online are joining us online and trust that you'll all be blessed that you are and did. Before we get started, I want to provide you with a brief update on our ongoing Maui missions support, which for today is actually more of a plea of sorts, if you'll just kind of hear me out. First and foremost, Please continue to pray for the people of Lahaina, because what's happened on Maui is seemingly fading into the backdrop of obscurity with each passing day, as it always does. But here's what's sad. Those on Maui are still suffering, and in some ways it's even worse now than it was right after it happened. And the reason being is that the reality and the intensity of what happened is now beginning to settle in some two months later. And add to this the devastating loss of literally everything for those in Lahaina, many of whom are faced with some serious life decisions as to whether or not to even stay on the island, and many have already left. Please know that we are committed long term to financially support those with the greatest needs, of which there are again still so many. We have been, even now are, and will absolutely continue to support Pastor Steve Santos as we come alongside Calvary Chapel Westside there in Lahaina. As a church, we're doing everything we can to help our Maui brothers and sisters during this time of unthinkable sorrow and suffering. And for those of us on the islands, we're still grieving along with them, weeping with those who weep. This has really impacted us, even though we're here on Oahu. It's like when Paul talks about, you know, when one part of the body hurts, the whole body feels it and hurts. Right? So I will be talking about the significance of the prophetic developments concerning Israel for today's update. But I do think I'd be grossly remiss were I not to make this plea specifically this plea of the paramount importance of praying for and reaching out to the lost, which is what's lost in all of this. I know I mentioned this last week, but again, if you'll just hear me out. The fast moving propaganda news cycle, and I say it that way for a reason, the fast moving propaganda news cycle of our day is such that the lost are lost in all of it. I'll explain what I mean more specifically, and it has to do with the death toll numbers, the reports of the death toll numbers. They're not just numbers. They're souls that Jesus died for. They're mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles, for whom many are deeply grieving. And here's the thing, and I appreciate your patience with me, whether it's Maui or Israel, Jew or Arab, or anywhere and anyone in between. This is the Great Commission, by the way. We must get Jesus to as many people as we can and get people to Jesus as fast as we can while there's still time, because there is little time left and the time is at hand. And I want to include myself when I say this lastly, that innate within our sin nature is this propensity that all of us possess to simply look at what's happening in the world today, which, by the way, is happening in the world today because this is the end of the world today. I mean, not today. Well, could be. But we all possess this propensity, this proclivity, if you prefer, when it comes to what's happening in the world today, because we just look at it as the Jew versus the so-called Palestinian or Hamas. You know, there were earthquakes, three earthquakes, pretty major, by the way, last Sunday, by the way. And the death toll, Do you know that one of the earthquakes took, and this was at the time, you know, as they say, the death toll was rising. We're going to get to our prophecy update in just a moment. Don't look at me like that, like you're looking at me. I know that look. But do you know that the quote unquote death toll from just one of those three earthquakes last Sunday was over 1000 people and climbing? according to the reports. And oh, but a mere mention of a mere number. But wait, not so fast. So this sanctuary, this beautiful sanctuary that we are so blessed and privileged by the grace of God to have, seats 300 people. There are 300 chairs. I just want to put it into perspective, just concerning the earthquake. 1,000 people. That would be three plus filled seats in this entire sanctuary, gone like that. Those are people. Did any one of those people who died in that earthquake, did they know Jesus? When I say I include myself in this, it's an exhortation for me as a pastor because, and especially a prophecy teacher, because I think we do err greatly when it's an us against them dynamic. It's a kill them, crush them. I better leave it there and just maybe allow for the Holy Spirit to search all of our hearts again, mine, especially in this regard. This is what it means. And as it was said of David, he had a heart after God's own heart. In other words, the things that broke the heart of God broke his heart. And I just wondered, do we have God's heart on this, on everything that's happening? And I got to be careful on my end because I go there, you know, so I'm like, well, this is because of this. And you know, I, you know, get down to the bottom of it. You know, upon closer examination and further investigation, I have, you know, the documentation and I go in and then stop. These are people. that need Jesus. And as an Arab myself, I said I was going to leave it there. I probably should have, but maybe this needs to be said. These Arabs, so called Palestinians, labeled what we know today as Hamas. These are Arab people that are deceived. And yet we've got Christians and no less Bible teachers calling them animals. Well, what they're doing is unthinkable. It is evil through and through. It is demonic. without question. But these are Arab people that Jesus died for. Wow, Pastor, I thought you stood with Israel. Well, if you don't think I stand with Israel, you don't know me. But God knows me and God knows my heart. I love Israel because I love the God of Israel. And I love the Jewish people, but I love the Arab people too. They're not animals, they're souls. And by the way, maybe we're all going to be shocked. when that trumpet sounds and we're raptured. What do you mean? Well, some of these animals called Hamas, how do you know that they're not going to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? They're going to be with us in heaven. How about that? Okay, I will leave it at that. Okay, let's, should we just close in prayer now? No, we're not that bad. So we have two services, as you know, on Sunday mornings, the first of which is the weekly Bible prophecy update. And the second is our verse by verse study through the Word of God. Today, Lord willing, we're going to finish First John Chapter five, actually the entire epistle. And Lord willing, we'll, Lord willing, and if we're still here next week, we'll start Second John, which is what's after First John, which is very deeply profound. I know, right? So, but today our text is going to be verses 18 through 21 of First John, Chapter five. And we're going to look at what our lives as born again Christians can truly be like when our whole life is Jesus. Because after all, Jesus is not just the life, He is our life. And that'll be live streamed, by the way, at 11 15 a.m. Hawaii time. And for those of you that are watching by way of YouTube or Facebook, we just, by way of a friendly reminder, I want to encourage you to go directly to the website at JDFarag.org and there you will find the uncensored, uninterrupted entirety of today's update as only the first part is streamed on those social media platforms. Okay. What I'm hoping to accomplish today is answer the question of first, why Israel? And second, why now? For those who are new to Bible prophecy, first welcome. We're glad to have you join us. But if you're new to Bible prophecy, my prayer is that this will be life changing. And for those who are not new to Bible prophecy, my prayer is that this would be life changing. I'm not trying to be cute. rather, all of us, again, myself included, would do well to understand the why behind the what. Why is it Israel? Why is it now? Why is this happening to Israel now? Why now? Why Israel? First, though, I would covet your prayers because I'm already working on an update specific to the so called Palestinians, of which I was told I was one growing up all my life, only to find out that there's no such thing as a Palestinian today. So I've been working on it. I have been thinking about it, and I've certainly been praying about it. And I would cover your prayers because I do believe that God is directing me to talk about this because of the prophetic, profoundly prophetic implications of this. Who are they? Who are these so called Palestinians? the origin of the name Palestine. Where did that come from? Why are they called Palestinians? Why do they lay though an illegitimate claim to the land when the land, as we're going to see today, belongs to God who gave it to Israel? These are illegitimate claims. So why are we now, in the year 2023, seeing what we're seeing happen? And God in His Word, as only He can, has not only told us, but foretold us that this is exactly what was going to happen, and we even know why it's going to happen. So as for today, and in the interest of time today, I'm only going to focus on the main issue as it relates to what's happening in Israel and what's happening to Israel. And by main issue, I mean All the major prophecy puzzle pieces are in place as Christians are on the cusp of the pre-tribulation rapture, and the world is on the cusp of the subsequent seven year tribulation. That was kind of a, that was big, packed. I don't have the gift for short sentence structure. So that's, I know that's a lot, but that's the truth. Uh, this is the bottom line, the main issue, the focal point, if you will. We are on the cusp as born again Christians of the pre tribulation rapture, and the world is on the cusp of the commencement of the seven year tribulation. We are there now, now, now. Um, maybe this would be as an appropriate of a time as any to make this statement. Again, as an Arab born in Beirut, Lebanon, I want to go on the record and state that the land belongs to God and God alone who gave the land to Israel and Israel alone. period, not comma, period. Now, this is going to explain, at least in part, one of the reasons that Satan himself has sought from the beginning of time, starting in Genesis, to steal, kill and destroy What do you mean? Well, he's been seeking to steal God's land and kill and destroy God's people, starting with Cain and Abel. And we know this because of Bible prophecy, by the way, of which well nigh one third of the Bible is. So Bible prophecy tells us, explains to us that this is exactly what will happen and why it will happen. And these Bible prophecies point to Israel, specifically Jerusalem. Jerusalem is, please listen, the focal endpoint at the end, which is why we know we're coming to the end. Let me expound on that. Bible prophecy tells us that in the end it all comes down to Jerusalem. It all goes down in Jerusalem. Why? Because God literally put His name on Jerusalem. Can I draw your attention to what's affectionately referred to as the Aaronic blessing in Numbers chapter six? We know this well, but the problem is we start at verse 24 and then we end at verse 26 and we leave out what I would argue is probably the most important part, which is verse 27. May I read this passage, including verse 27? The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. That's the Aaronic blessing, right? And oh, by the way, a little bit of a back story. it's going to be germane to our understanding. God commanded Moses to command Aaron that every time the Israelites would assemble at the tabernacle and subsequently the temple, they would receive this blessing pronounced upon them. So if you went to church twice a day, you've got this twice a day. You would hear this blessing being pronounced upon you. And we don't get it in our Western culture. We dismiss it. We read past it. We don't understand it. And that is tragic. And here's why. Because when God wants His people to know that He wants to put His blessing upon them, a declaration to them right out of the chute, the Lord bless you. I want my people to know every time they come to the tabernacle, that I want to bless them. I want to make my face shine upon them. I want to be gracious to them. I want to lift up my countenance upon them. You know what that means? I want to smile upon them. He's a smiling God. You know, we bring a smile to the face of God. Do you ever see it like that? It's a sad day in a Christian's life when we have this picture of our loving Heavenly Father as this God who created the heavens and the earth, emphasis added, and the sea and all that in them is. No, He's my daddy and He loves me. And He's smiling at me. When my dad, my earthly father would smile at me, I always, you know, the silver tooth. And I would try to make him, you know, because I just wanted to see the silver tooth. But he didn't smile at me very much. But my Heavenly Father smiles upon me. And I also want my people to know that I want to give them peace. But then, verse 27, so they shall put My name on the Children of Israel, and I will bless them. Stay with me. In the Middle Eastern culture to this day, by the way, the highest honor that you can pronounce upon anyone is to pronounce the name of God on them to bless them. Growing up as a little boy, my mom in Arabic would say, Ismallah alayk. Now I would come to learn that Allah is not God the title. It's the name of the false god of Islam and the false prophet Muhammad, It's a false religion. It's a false god. Allah is not the title. But my mom innocently was pronouncing the name of God upon me. The name, Ism Allah, God upon you. The highest blessing that you want to bless somebody, you pronounce the name of God upon them. So I changed it to Ism Yeshua, or Yeshua for the Hebrew Aleich. The name of Jesus, the name above all names, the only name given among them, whereby we must be saved. The name of Jesus. I pronounce the name of Jesus upon you. Ism Yeshua Aleikum. That's how I want to bless my Children. I want to pronounce my name on them. I want to put my name on them. You know how it is when husbands, you marry your wives. And what do you do? You put your name on them. for which my wife has still not never forgiven me, Farag. Really? You know what her maiden name was? Irish, Lynn. They dropped the O, O Lynn, Lynn. And here I come along and I put my name on her, Farag. Well, I keep telling her in heaven, we're told in the Book of Revelation that we're going to be given a new name. So you don't have that much longer to wait. You're going to get a new name again because the name of Jesus is going to be upon us. He's going to give us a new name as our bridegroom. I can't wait because I want my name. I want a new name too. I've never liked my name, but that's another topic for another time. The name, I want my name, my nature, my name of ownership. on My children. And not only do I want My name on the Children of Israel, so too do I want My name on Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel. Second Chronicles chapter six, the first part of verse six, But I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name might be there. Second Chronicles 12, the second part of verse 13. He's speaking of Rehoboam. Reign 17 years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. Oh, by the way, parenthetically, let me say Yarushalom, Yarushalem, Arabic, Yaru Shalom. They don't pronounce the J in Hebrew. Shalom. Did you catch the Shalom? Peace. Yaru, city of peace, ruled by peace. Are you kidding me? The one city in all of the world that is anything but is called Yaru Shalom. and the name of God is on that city. The Lord had chosen Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel. Why? To put His name there. Second Chronicles 33, second part of verse seven. In Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name, I like this, forever. Ah, the New Jerusalem, still going to have his name on it. 2 Kings 21, second part of verse four, in Jerusalem will I put my name. Okay, so question, What is the name of God? Now you understand that God is just the title. But what's His name? We know that He is God. There is none like Him. Who is like unto you? O God, most high. But what's your name? It's kind of like Moses. You know, who should I say is sending me? Well, just tell him I am. No, who though? No, I am. I am sent you. Wait, wait. I am? Yeah, I am, period. I am. The great I am. But here's what's really interesting. We actually have the name of God, using what's known as the principle of first mention by going back to the Book of Job, which is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible. For those of you that were with us when we studied verse by verse through the chapter, through the Book of Job, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and survived it, and lived to tell about it. What a book, yeah? We talked about this, that it's actually believed that Job lived in Petra in modern day Jordan, extremely wealthy man. And it's actually believed that Job, Job lived during the patriarchal age, which would mean that he actually could have predated Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So this is again the principle of first mentioned, the principle of when is the name of God first mentioned in the Bible. So that's why Job is the starting point. And that's why when you go to Job, you find the first use, the first mention of the name of God recorded by Job, which was, wait for it, El Shaddai. El Shaddai. Adam Clark of this wrote, El Shaddai means I am, I am God, all sufficient. from Shaddah to shed, to pour out. I am that God who pours out blessings, who gives them richly, abundantly, continually. El Shaddai. Now enter the Hebrew letter Sheen pictured here. By the way, when we, for those of you that go to Israel with us, you know, in the hotels, they have that little thing on the doorposts, and the Jews will, you know, kiss it and touch it. And before they enter, that's the sheen. Sometimes you'll see them on the Orthodox Jews phylacteries, literally on their foreheads. That was not literal, the Word of God written on your foreheads and the tablets of your heart. And so they literally wear the Word of God the name of God. Is that too much? I didn't need to, probably. Is that too much information? Okay. But that's the sheen. It's the letter sheen, the Hebrew letter sheen, which to the Jews to this day is the abbreviation for God's name El Shaddai. The sheen, the abbreviation for God's name. El Shaddai, the Sheen. Now, what if I told you that the Sheen, the name of God, El Shaddai, is literally and exactly on Jerusalem as God said it would be, literally? Well, what would you say if I told you that? Because I just told you that. Now I'm going to show you that. You ready? All right. Here are some images. I actually did this many years ago. So be nice to me because I had to hand with my mouse and that was older technology at the time. But I'm going to take the sheen and superimpose it on the outline of the biblical city walls of the old city of Jerusalem, starting with a picture of this wood carving. with the sheen superimposed on the city of Jerusalem. Notice, by the way, a couple of things. First, it looks like our W, right? It's triune in nature, the name of God. Here's an aerial photo with the sheen superimposed. I probably should update these. Maybe I can do something better. Have, I know, have somebody else do it instead of me. that can certainly do better than me. Here's another aerial photo, and I want to point out to you again the triune nature of the sheen, because the name is the nature. And the name of God is the nature of God. He's three persons. God is one in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Don't you find it interesting? that the location of the Temple Mount is on the second part. What a coincidence. It's not a coincidence. Jesus, God the Son, is the second person of the Trinity. That's why the Temple Mount, where Abraham would take Isaac, Isaac, to Mount Moriah, that's the exact spot. as a foreshadow, a foretype of that day that would come when the Savior of the world would be born to die for the sins of mankind. He would be sacrificed on this very spot, this place, this city that God put His name on. Israel, Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, not New York. Sorry, just want to make sure you're still with me on this. Okay, Pastor, why do you point this out? Because it should become so clear that a fool could not err thereof, that God owns the land. And God, as the owner, the rightful owner of the land, has put His name of ownership on the land. He can do with His land whatever He wants. What does He want to do with it? Oh, He wants to give it to His people, the Jewish people, not the Arab people. By the way, they got plenty land. Have you seen a map lately? You really got to zoom out, by the way. I'll save you the time. If you want, you can zoom out the Arab land. Where's Israel? Well, you have to kind of zoom in on that. You have to magnify like 585% actually to actually see little itsy bitsy sliver, which, by the way, is a very small percentage of the actual promised land. Because see, we have the title deed and the borders of the promised land provided for us in the real estate transaction recorded for us in the Old Testament. Did you know that? The promised land includes even my father's birthplace of parts of Egypt, Syria, my birthplace of Lebanon. And I mean, My memory, of course, is failing me. I forget the exact amount of square miles. But that was God's land that He gave to Israel. The most that the Israelites ever possessed of their land that God gave them was under the reign of King David. And if I'm not mistaken, it might have been something like, well, I'm not going to say it because then I'll just get blasted by people on the emails and the social media. You stupid idiot. And so whatever. I digress. I'm learning, you know, at least I'm teachable that way, right? So I learned the hard way. I got the scars to prove it. Don't say, don't guess. Just leave it there. So I'm going to leave it there. God the Son is appropriately located in this second position where the temple was located. Right now it's the Dome of the Rock. Well, don't you find it interesting that the Muslims would build the Dome of the Rock on that spot? Come on, Satan knows the Scriptures and the geography of the biblical land better than anyone ever could or will. He knows that's the spot. Now this is where it gets even more interesting in some ways. Not only is the name of God on the city of Jerusalem, it's also on the three valleys around Jerusalem. The three valleys are the Hinnom Valley, the Tiru Poyon Valley and the Kidron Valley. And there it is again. Notice on the bottom right hand part of the screen that maybe the guys can put it up. That's what you see on the doorposts in Israel. It's the Shehin, the name of God. Here again we see another view, this one showing the position, which I've circled in yellow, of the Temple Mount, right there in the second part, as a type of the second person of the Trinity, God the Son, positioned perfectly and, dare I say, even prophetically. Here's an artist's sketch showing the topographical features of Jerusalem with the three valleys. And then lastly, Here's another view clearly showing the Sheen as the name of God on the three valleys of Jerusalem, not just the city of Jerusalem, the valleys surrounding Jerusalem. Okay, Pastor, why are you going into this? Because this explains, at least in part, in some measure, one of the reasons as to why it is that we have prophecies in the Bible concerning the dividing of Jerusalem. which belongs solely to God. This is why it is, by the way, that as your pastor, if I am your pastor, which is my profound privilege to be, I will never stop saying, even if you tire of me saying, that everything that has happened up to this point has had as its sole goal the separating, the dividing, the cutting up, the moving of the borders of Jerusalem. It divides Jerusalem. No, come on. It gives the Jews Israel as their capital. Yeah, but that's what Trump says to all, the boys, as they say, because he told the so called Palestinians the same thing. Jerusalem can be your capital. No, no, no, no. No, it's not theirs. You're trying to, you're trying to divide it up into what you call the two state solution with Jews and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security. Again, emphasis added. Um, You might want to ask Zechariah about that. Actually, you should ask God about it, because God spoke through Zechariah about it. In what is one of the, I mean, I don't know what word to use, so I just won't use one. How about I just read the prophecy? Zechariah 12 verses one through three. the burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness. It will become the intoxicating obsession of the entire world. They are going to get drunk over Jerusalem. They're going to drink from this cup of drunkenness and become intoxicated with this one city, the one city that I put my name on. They're going to become intoxicated over it, to all the surrounding peoples. When? When they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. and verse three, listen very carefully, it shall happen in that day. In that day is today. That day is today. Why do you make such a bold claim? Because of what Zechariah records next. In that day, I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples, a burdensome stone, a burdensome, very, very heavy boundary stone. This is before Google Earth. I'll come up with a better one next time, maybe. So how would you know the boundaries? They would mark the boundaries with stones. That's the property line. That's the boundary line with stones. So wait, you want to move the boundaries, the boundary stones of Jerusalem? My city, by the way, that I put my name of ownership on, by the way, that I have the title deed to, by the way, that I gave to my people, by the way, and you want to split it up? Uh, you might want to rethink that, because Zechariah goes on to say, all who would heave it away, give it away, divide it away, cut it away, will surely be cut in pieces. You'll forgive my sanctified The word escapes me, so I won't use it. Probably shouldn't. Anyway, that's probably the Holy Spirit. Don't go, don't use that word. But in a sanctified way, I just want to say that it's as if God would say, you're going to cut up my city. I'm going to cut you up. How about that? Again, it was sanctified, right? I know it's a very loose, just let me have this one. Let me have this one, because that's exactly what Zachariah is saying. God, through the prophet Zachariah, is saying you want to, you want to dare to move the borders and divide up my land and cut up my land. I'm going to cut you up. I better stop with that last one because I can get, can I just watch? Is that bad? I kind of am. We kind of are right now, pre-rapture, by the way, because they're not going to get away with what they're trying to do, which is what we were told that they would try to do some 2,500 plus years ago. Exactly what it is. In that day, the last day, which we are in that day today, This is what they are going to do. What are they going to do? They're going to try to divide Jerusalem into a two state solution. They're going to try to cut it up, cut it into pieces, and I'm going to cut them into pieces. Just, you know, so you know. Spoiler alert again. And then he says this, though all nations, all nations, all means all, including this nation. All nations of the earth are gathered against it. Hey, Joel chapter three verse two, watch this. Here it is again. I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My inheritance, My people, the Palestinians. Oh, come on, you guys, you're supposed to, is it, am I that bad today? Is that, am I? My people Israel, governed by God. Israel, aka Yaakov. Jacob, Remember? God says you are no longer going to be Yahob, heel snatcher, con man. I'll stop there again. You will now be Israel, governed, ruled by God. Israel. I'm changing your name and I'm changing your nature. My people, Israel. Why is that important? Because we have what's known as the time of Jacob's trouble. Who's Jacob? Israel. It's not the time, that 70th week of Daniel, which we're going to talk about in a moment, in the next. I'll have you out of here in a couple hours. We'll just have second service come and join us, I guess. I don't know. No, we're getting there. We're getting there. There's hope. Take heart. It's not the time of the church's trouble, that 70th week, that last seven years representing the 70th week. It's the time of Jacob's trouble, Israel. That's the purpose of the tribulation for the salvation of the Jewish nation. I always like to ask, I don't actually like to ask. I take great delight in asking those who want to blast us and attack us and ridicule us who believe in the sound doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture. I always like to ask them this question. What would be the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride of Jesus Christ going into and through any part of the seven year tribulation? What would be the purpose of that? And I do not have an answer from anyone on that. I have yet, oh they try, And they come up with their very thin answer, thin is a kind word, because I'm a pastor and I'm a very godly man, and I'm very careful about what I say. No, I'm not. I need to be more. But they'll try to answer it, and to which I will respond, it is written. It is written. Because this is the final word, God's Word. God's Word. that final seven year period in human history, known as the seven year tribulation, is for the salvation of the Jewish nation. We're already saved. And besides, as his bride by his side, what, he wants his bride to be all bus up for the wedding day? Man, my wife and I have been married for 35 years this year, and we courted for two years. I know you young people have no idea what that word courting means, but we courted. I courted her for two years. We got married. We've been married for 35 years. I literally, and I know I've shared this, but maybe it's apropos at this point, I counted literally the days down by marking them off. That was back in the day when we actually had real calendars on the wall with, not digital. But I would literally X out the days, counting the days down until our wedding day. Do you know that Jesus does that? What do you mean? Oh, every time we partake together of the Lord's table, the communion, He says it no less than two times. I can't wait. I'm marking the down, I'm marking the calendars. I'm counting down the days until what we're doing here in this Last Supper celebration of the Passover, until that day when we do what we're doing here is fulfilled in my kingdom with you as my bride by my side. You know what he's referring to, right? The wedding feast of the Lamb. That alone, guys, there's going to be food in heaven. That should just right there. But again, I digress. Um, my people Israel, why are you going to bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and there judge them concerning your inheritance, your people Israel? Because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. Oh, I'm sorry again, you'll forgive me, but can I, can I get a seat there at the Valley of Joshua when this goes down? Because I just kind of want to, kind of want to. Is that bad? All right. Just pray for me then. This is in no way exhaustive, but again, it does answer in part the question of why Israel vis-a-vis Jerusalem, which now brings us to the question of why this and why now. In all of human history. Okay, I know why it's Israel, because the land belongs to God who gave it to Israel. Okay, that's been answered for me. Thank you very much. You probably could have answered that in a much shorter amount of time than what you took to answer that question. But what about the why now question? Why now? Why is this happening now? Well, that's what I want to take the remainder of our time together today and answer. And I do so with the hope that all the prophetic pieces will come together. So in order to do that, we'll go ahead at this time and end the live stream on Facebook and YouTube. So over the last 3.5 years, I've been privileged to be on the receiving end of insightful emails from an online member who prefers that I don't use his name. I've quoted him in prior updates, and I want to share with you what he emailed me a couple of weeks ago pertaining to his May 2023 update titled Gradually and then Suddenly. I do so because it's a succinct summary of virtually everything we've covered in our prophecy updates over the years. We've been doing this for many years, especially over the last 3.5 years. Now it should be noted that this was posted on his website six months ago, back in May, well in advance of what's now happening in Israel. So if you'll kindly allow me to, I'll quote from his outstanding explanation of what's happening now, but more importantly, why it's happening now. It is our contention that The approach to the tribulation is currently being set gradually as the props are moved into place on the stage without much notice until we reach the suddenly phase where very dramatic events will unfold in order to quickly and radically reset the world militarily, geopolitically, economically and monetarily. We believe that we are very close to the sudden phase, consistent with the Apostle Paul's warning in First Thessalonians 5.3, which we talked about last week. While they are saying those two words, peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as a woman in labor, and they will not escape. Fortunately for the Christian, Paul continued in verses four through 11, But you, brethren, notice the delineation between they and we, us and them, you, you brethren are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not in the night or of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. for those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk or drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. This is all in the context of the rapture, by the way. He goes on, As believers, when we see the storm clouds rising and darkness engulfing, our hope is in Jesus's rapture of the church described in context in the preceding verses of First Thessalonians chapter four, verses 13 through 18. In our first update, we postulated that the COVID-19 coordinated response was used to manage a financial crisis rather than a health crisis. Shortly after that update, Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, WF, released his book, COVID-19, The Great Reset. Not surprisingly, the vision advanced by the book looks eerily similar to the system described in the eschatological scriptures. Basically, a political entity will exert worldwide control of the population through policies adopted by their network of large multinational corporations. Combine this economic structure with digital identification, central bank digital currency, CBDC, and a social credit score system. And it becomes obvious that they are building the ability to track every human and financial transaction. This system will ultimately require the Mark of the Beast technology that will block individuals from the economy who refuse to worship the Antichrist. The W E F Great Reset slogan is, I'm getting really tired of hearing this one. I bet you are too. Build Back Better. They claim that in 2030 you'll own nothing and be happy. The obvious implication is that they'll own everything because they will. Previously, we warned about the biblical implications of vaccines, so called, that are genetic in nature and have the potential to alter human DNA. Keyword potential. Right now they damage human DNA. But in the tribulation, they will alter DNA. A study from Sweden has concluded that the Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine causes reverse transcription in human liver cells. Reverse transcription is a method of DNA modification. Additionally, the vaccines have harmed or killed countless millions with no media coverage whatsoever. We have experienced the most pervasive psychological operation in history. As much of the world's population was convinced that the vaccine was created for the virus, while the opposite was true. The World Health Organization, WHO, is currently working to ratify in 2024, next year, we've talked about this, a pandemic treaty that has the potential to supersede national sovereignty in the event of a health crisis. This treaty, if ratified, could mandate future WHO world health responses, including vaccine mandates and passports. One of the tenets of Klaus Schwab's Great Reset is the Fourth Industrial Revolution. For humans, this envisions the combination of biology, digital technology, and genetic engineering in order to, quote, change what it means to be human. This is Yuval Harari, the protege of one Klaus Schwab, who is in Israel, out of Israel, leading the way in Israel. I'm going to come to that at the end. This doctrine is driven by the philosophical principle of transhumanism. It is our strong contention that there are two lines, and I want you to really think this through, two lines parallel of prophetic events that will eventually converge gradually and then suddenly to set the stage for the seven year tribulation. The first is the previously discussed and currently unfolding worldwide financial and monetary crisis. I hope you know, I'm not quoting him, just real quick, please listen to this. This is very important. Everything that has been done by the government to their people has had at its core money, the love of money, which is the root of all kinds of evil. The evil perpetrated on humanity comes vis a vis this evil love for money. It's all about money. In the Middle East, oil slash money. And that's where he goes. He says the second is the regional, listen to this, nuclear conflict in the Middle East involving Israel, May of this year. Iran continues to arm Israel's enemies while the world has given up on preventing a nuclear armed Iran. Again, the puzzle pieces of prophecy are not completely clear from our perspective looking forward. However, in retrospect, prophetic events will be fulfilled precisely. Here is what we see from our perspective looking forward. We expect at some point a preemptive strike by Israel and potentially allies against Iranian nuclear facilities, Jeremiah 49, 35 through 39, followed by an attack on Israel by all her border nations described in Psalm 83. He holds to the view that Psalm 83 is a prophecy, resulting in a blistering Israeli nuclear response, Isaiah 17, Damascus, Jeremiah 49, Syria. in close proximity to the rapture of the church, First Thessalonians 4, 13 through 18, First Corinthians 15, 50 through 58. By the way, I've shared this before, but I am becoming increasingly convinced, even now more so with the developments in Israel as of the last week, or a little over a week, that all of this sudden is simultaneous. with the rapture. In other words, when all of this goes down, we go up. No, for real. Yeah. So the rapture, followed by an overwhelming Russian led attack, including Turkey, Iran, Libya and Ethiopia, likely Sudan on Israel, Ezekiel 38 and 39. that results in a devastating supernatural defense of Israel by God. Some believe in a span of less than 24 hours. Ezekiel 38 is fulfilled. Imagine the consequences of this sequence of events for the failing world financial system, which is what this is all about. Oil flow from the Middle East is cut off while the world economy is sinking into recession. Energy prices skyrocket, exaggerating the inflation caused by central bank monetary policy of QE, quantitative easing. to combat the world banking crisis. This conflict may be overshadowed by a larger conflict involving NATO and Russia or China, Taiwan and the U.S. As a result, food prices will likely soar consistent with Revelation 6 verses 5 and 6, which is a prophecy about it taking an entire day's wages just to buy the ingredients to make a loaf of bread. impoverishing the vast majority of the world's population. This dramatic and sudden convergence of events will set the stage for the Middle East peace, Daniel 9, 27, marking the commencement of the seven year tribulation. Parenthetically, a little research will reveal that the world's food production is being targeted using environmental concerns in order to control the population. And he says this lastly, quote, Henry Kissinger, I've quoted this before, has been quoted as saying, listen, control food and you control the people, control oil and you control nations, control money and you control the world. This is the game plan. They are working to control food, energy and money in order to implement a system that will ultimately be controlled by the anticrisis. This is why the current economic system is being disintegrated deliberately. This is why they're incinerating all of the food supply worldwide. They're torching all of these crops and warehouses and livestock. They're just killing them. Why? Because they want to control the food supply so that we'll eat bugs and be happy. Before we bring it to a close, I would like to add to what this brother so eloquently and succinctly wrote by factoring in the Temple Mount. Actually, this may very well be why what's happening now to Israel is happening now in Israel. I know that I run the risk of an oversimplification, but what's happening now has the propensity to set in motion in order the final prophetic events. leading up to then ultimately fulfilled in the seven-year tribulation, namely the confirming of a seven-year covenant, the building of the third temple on the Temple Mount, and the committing of the abomination causing desolation by the Antichrist at the three and a half year mark, spoke of by Daniel in 927 and Paul in Second Thessalonians 2 verse 4. Here's the bottom line. Thanks for your patience. The answer to the question of why Israel is because it's God's land with God's name given to God's people. To the question of why now, Israel is the hour hand, Jerusalem is the minute hand, and the Temple Mount is the second hand on God's prophetic clock. And why now is because it is now. Let me say the same thing in a different way. Why is this happening now? Because now, right now is the time on God's prophetic clock that it's going to happen. Let me try that again. Why now? Because now's the time. Why now at this time? Because now is that time. The second hand is the temple mount. Okay, I'll end the way we began by simply saying that it all comes down to Jerusalem. It all goes down in Jerusalem, because God literally put His name on Jerusalem. And knowing that this is how it will end, and that this is the end, can I just ask you a question? Should that not create an urgency in us, the likes of which we've never had before, nor will ever have again? An urgency to get Jesus to people and people to Jesus while there's still time. Because people are asking questions now, people that would not have otherwise asked questions. They're watching the news, which don't watch the news. But they're seeing and hearing about what's happening, and it's just unthinkable and horrific. And they're starting to ask questions like, isn't there something about this in the Bible? I'm so glad you asked, because I'm at the ready to give to everyone an answer of that hope that lies within me. Let me tell you, in fact, you don't have to watch the news. It's right here. I could tell you what's going to happen next. What's going to happen next? Okay, this is what God's Word says is going to happen next. Oh, and by the way, you are suspect? That's fine. That's fine. You don't necessarily believe? That's fine. Let's go back and see what his track record is. You got a minute? It's actually going to take more than a minute. Just all of the prophecies that were already fulfilled with 100%, not 99.99%, 100% accuracy. all of the problems. And not just that they were fulfilled, but they were fulfilled in such a way that it's unmistakably God, because only God could have done that. Only God could have foretold some 2,500 years prior exactly what's going to happen. at the time of the end. And then you look around and you see it's happening exactly as He said it would happen. I'm beginning to see it happen. Jesus said, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption draws nigh. I told you, I told you so. I told you it was going to happen. It's happening. I know. I told you. They're going to, and I told you that. I mean, God's not going to be like that. I'm getting a little excited. As a matter of fact, because I know what this means. This means Jesus is coming to get us and take us to that place that He prepared for us in His Father's house. That where He is, there we may be also. If it were not so, He would not have told us that He goes to prepare a place for us. It's a bridal chamber, as was the Jewish wedding customs in that day, that the bridegroom would come in an hour a day or hour nobody knew, which made it a real problem for wedding invitations. Because, you know, day, don't know, hour, don't know, just be ready. And he would come as a thief in the night. Can you just, I know I'm going over. Let me have this one too. This will be the last thing I ask you to let me have. The bridegroom would come. They would sound the trumpet. The bridegroom is coming. The bride would already be ready, and they would lift her up from the earth and take her away. That's what Jesus is going to do. The trumpet is going to sound. The bridegroom is coming. We're going to be lifted up off the earth and carried away in the twinkling of an eye to be with Him. Not only that, the dead in Christ, those loved ones that died in Christ, many of which I've done memorial services for, dear precious brothers and sisters who went home to be with the Lord, that are sorely missed to this day, even though it's been years. They're going to get their bodies first. The dead in Christ rise first. And then we who are alive and remain, Good news. It's the gospel. Jesus came. He was crucified. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. And good news, He's coming back again one day, soon and very soon. That's the gospel. The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. It doesn't just end with the resurrection. Could you imagine? Good news. I died for you. I was buried. I rose again on the third day. Bye. Wait, wait, are you coming back? Yes, I'm coming back. That's the good news. I'm coming back to take you out of this world to be with Me. The ABC's of salvation, just very simple explanation of salvation, a tool to equip you with should God ever give you the profound privilege of sharing Jesus with somebody. And the gospel of good news and salvation, of salvation found in the person of Jesus Christ. Start with the A. It's for admit or acknowledge that you have sinned. Otherwise, why would you need a Savior if you're not a sinner? Romans 3 10 says there is no one righteous, not even one. No one's good. You might think you're good and you might be a good person, but you'll never be good enough. And Romans 3 23 tells us why. It's because all have sinned. and fall short of the glory of God. We were all born sinners, which is why we must be born again to see and enter the kingdom of heaven. See, that's the good news. We're saved by grace through faith. It's the gift of God. It's not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. See, there's nothing you can do to earn. In fact, you have earned death, because the wages of sin is death. Romans 6 23. That's what you deserve. That's what you earn. Well, well, I want to get what I deserve. No, you don't, because you deserve death, because you've been sentenced to death. And that's the bad news. But here's the good news. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. The B, very central, is for believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe would not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 10 verse 9 says, If you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. And the C lastly is for call upon the name of the Lord. Romans 10, 9 also says, if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. And then Romans 10, 13 lastly says, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Here's why, because out of the heart, the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, then the mouth is going to confess, Jesus is Lord. And you're going to call upon the name of the Lord. Okay, today's but God testimony. Again, thank you so much for your patience. You know, you probably won't believe this, but I actually tried to shorten the updates and I ended up making them longer. I just, you needed to know that. So today's But God testimony comes from Ronit Lavan, a Jewish Christian believer and a sister in Christ. And I want to begin with what she ends with. But God is in control. Here's what she wrote. Dear Pastor Farag, I want to share with you an email I send to people that I know in Israel. What you said today about Netanyahu, this is last week, shocked me and turned me around. I was sidetracked and blinded by the media, just as I was sidetracked and blinded about COVID until I began watching your prophecy updates in February 2020. Some of the things I write in the emails are what you said in this update and some are from your previous updates. It just all came together for me in an instant. I have clarified this with my friends, but I'm sure I didn't have to, as they also watch you too from Jerusalem. Shalom. We love you, by the way. God bless you and your family and protect you. Love, Ronit. Now here's one of the emails she sends to her friends in Israel. A while ago I emailed you. And you replied after I heard about how Bibi, Netanyahu, sold the medical history and DNA profiles of most of the people in Israel to the highest bidder. Both Pastor Farag's Prophecy Update and you there in Jerusalem in Israel have confirmed that this was true, that he actually did this. I remember being in shock about it. Yesterday morning at 6 a.m. I heard Bibi speaking about how Israel was at war. How sidetracked and blinded I was by the media. Then the light bulb was turned on. The first concern of any government is not the welfare of the people. Its first concern is for the survival of the government. And if you want to unify people behind a strong leader, create a crisis. This afternoon in the Prophecy Update, Pastor Frog basically said this. Remember, Bibi was the one who turned the Israeli people into Pfizer lab rats. It was Bibi who sold the medical records and DNA profiles of the highest bidder. It's Bibi who said that he wants to lead Israel. He wants Israel to lead the way into transhumanism. Did you know that? Transhumanism. And now Hamas just drives through the most secure border in the world. And at the same time, Bibi is having political problems. Do you see a pattern here? People cannot understand how 1000 terrorists made their way through the border at Gaza into Israel. The only way that many people with trucks, cars, motorcycles and hand gliders could breach that border would be if somebody took the entire security apparatus offline, essentially opening the door. The media is so strong in its presentation. I was sidetracked and blinded to the truth. But God is in control. Capone will come on up. Why don't you go ahead and stand up. We'll close in prayer, song. Again, thank you so much for your patience. But you know what was said today, I think needed to be said. I guess I don't get an amen on that, so we'll just pray. Yeah, it needed to be said, but you could have said it in less time. Okay. Father in heaven, thank You. Thank You for telling us what's going to happen before it happens, so when it begins to happen, non believers will believe and believers will look up knowing that our redemption draws nigh. Thank You for Bible prophecy, because it shows us in advance, exactly, with great detail, what's going to happen at the time of the end. And Lord, we're looking at the world around us, and it is the end. This is it. And oh Lord, we ourselves first and foremost want to be steady and ready. But we also want for others, loved ones especially, to also be steady and ready. Please, Lord, give us a holy boldness and a sanctified strength in our urgency to get You to as many people as we possibly can, as fast as we possibly can, and get as many people as we can to You in this, the very last hour before that trumpet sounds. And lastly, Lord, oh Jesus, come quickly, Maranatha, in Jesus' name, Amen.