The Global Financial Crisis: Tremors or Apocalypse?

By Jim Simmons

Since October 2007, the world has experienced a global financial crisis. The major question for students of prophecy is: “Will this be the global crisis that will ultimately trigger a One World Economy and a One World Government, or will it precede the final global financial crisis?”

No one can know the answer to this question with absolute certainty. There are reasons to believe that the current global financial crisis (GFC) is not the crisis that will trigger a final One World Economy. The reasons are:

1. The 10 kings or kingdoms are not in place (Daniel 2:42; 7:7, 24; Revelation 13:15-18).

2. The Antichrist has not taken his position as world ruler (Daniel 7:7-8, 20-21). [Both of these things have to occur, and they must occur in chronological order]

The final GFC will occur during the Tribulation Period under the rule of the Antichrist. This final crisis will parallel the tribulation judgments found in Revelation 6 through 16, especially during the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years). It is during this time that the “mark of the beast” will be given to those who have rejected Christ in order to be able to transact business (Revelation 13:16-18).

Without a doubt, the current GFC has taken a heavy toll on the U.S., as well as other countries. Although the GFC has been destructive, it does not qualify as an event that is outside normal human history (Wilfred Hahn).

The following article, with a couple of exceptions, is taken from the book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons. In the first article, "The Last Generation" (Posted on the BPT BlogSpot in late January 2009], we reviewed the three pillars that must be in place during the Tribulation Period. They are: a One World Government, a One World Religion, and a One World Economy.

SHADOW GOVERNMENT BEHIND THE SCENES
What we see is not as it seems. Consider the visible personages and current events, i.e., our current administration, the tremendous debt of the U.S. and the World, crooked politicians, the decline of the dollar, bankruptcy, bailouts, healthcare reform, Mid-East turmoil, etc., etc. The people who are our decision makers are basically front men and women.

HIDDEN HANDS: PULLING THE WORLD INTO A GLOBAL SUPERSTATE
There are rich and elite, covert Americans who have pushed for a United Europe, according to declassified American documents. In the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. intelligence community ran a covert operation to push for a United States of Europe. It directed and funded the European federalist movement, and behind the scenes were the usual suspects from the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, long controlled by One World enthusiasts keen to abolish the nation state.

As we shall see, the visible rulers are front men and are not necessarily the ones pulling the strings. We need to go behind the scenes. Who is really governing world events? Who is running the show? According to former Prime Minister Disraeli in 1844,

“The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.

Nelson Rockefeller, one of the main financiers of the New World Order, wrote in 1962 in The Future of Federalism,

“The nation state is becoming less and less competent … Sooner perhaps than we realize there will evolve the basis for a federal structure of the free world.”

The implication: there are people with money pulling the strings behind the scenes with an agenda toward a European Superpower and One World Government.

INTERNATIONAL BANKING ARISTOCRACIES
The large banking institutions were owned by family dynasties. For example, the banking dynasties of Rothschild include five pivotal nations [member states] in Europe. The family privately owns the Central Bank of England. The respective governments do not own the Bank of England, the Bank of France, or the Bank of Germany, as most people believe, but they are privately owned monopolies. This also includes America’s central bank, the Federal Reserve Bank, which is also owned by private family dynasties, i.e., Kuhn Loeb, Goldman Sachs, and the Lehman Brothers.

The above family dynasties preside over multiple banks, many of them with interlocking directorates. Most of these banks are private partnerships run by family dynasties.

FAST FORWARD TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
In 1966, Carroll Quigley authored a book titled Tragedy and Hope: A History of Our Time. According to Tal Brooke, author of One World, it literally “rocked those who saw it when it first came out.” Quigley was a Harvard and Princeton professor emeritus. Today [time of book, 1966], according to Quigley, the power of a certain group of bankers is colossal.

Quigley confesses to being an “insider” and confidant of this elite group. His 1300-page book named major insider power groups attempting to manipulate a world socialist order. Quigley supported the plan but no longer wanted to do it undercover.

TRAGEDY AND HOPE
Tragedy and Hope was Quigley’s magnum opus. Even though he supported the plan, he revealed too much information. The Macmillan first edition in 1966 literally disappeared almost over night, even from the public libraries.

As professor at the Foreign Service School, one of his students in the 1960s was William Jefferson Clinton. Clinton was deeply impacted by Quigley. He referred to Quigley as his mentor and as one of the two people who were most influential in his life. [I did obtain a copy of Quigley’s book and footnoted from it while writing my book, The Last Generation.]

BOTTOM LINE
The insiders are composed of the super rich and elite family dynasties. The insiders have a plan. They are pushing for a New World Order, where the money and the power are concentrated in the hands of a small elite group at the top. Satan also has an agenda. It has been unfolding throughout history. He has created a Covert World Empire with an intricate, behind-the-scenes plan.

There are no accidents. In my opinion, Satan’s plan includes the Global Financial Crisis. It is part of the agenda to move us toward globalization. It is being carried out by these invisible powers [insiders] behind the scenes.

As we have seen, these invisible powers are working behind the scenes, pulling the strings of the front men who are visible and are in the headlines of our newspapers and other forms of media. Don’t be deceived. It is important to know your enemy and how he operates.

The ultimate power behind the scenes is Satan and his kingdom. Satan is a master manipulator and is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). He hides in the dark places undetected by most people. His ultimate goal is to be worshipped as God.

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, also know the future through divine revelation from God’s Word. He tells us what to expect. His ultimate prophetic plan cannot be altered. God is still in control no matter how bleak things may appear on the outside.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, there is no time like the present. Read the gospel of John, especially chapter three. Ask Jesus into your heart. He will not let you down. The pieces of the prophetic puzzle are almost all in place. The rapture may be a lot sooner than we think.

This article was taken primarily from The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. Any information used in this article that did not originate from the author is footnoted in the book.

LINKS

The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons may be ordered from
focalpointpublications.com or amazon.com.

One World by Tal Brooke and Tragedy and Hope: A History of Our Time by Carroll Quigley may be ordered from amazon.com.

See also a January 2010 BusinessWeek article titled "Debtor Nations: The Debt Bomb Facing the World" by Mark Scott.

Is The Year 2012 Significant in Biblical Prophecy?

The date A.D. 2012 has been of interest in certain circles in recent years as the possible culmination of time, or the “end of the age.” The Mayan calendar narrows it further to December 21, 2012. But is the world as we know it really going to end on December 21, 2012? Jesus clearly warned in Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” The Bible does, however, give us definite signs of the season that precedes the Second Coming of Christ, signs that believers will be able to recognize.

We are presently seeing many of those very specific signs listed in Matthew 24 happening around us, leading us to believe we are in that last generation that Jesus referred to in verse 34. (You can read much more about the last generation in my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times.)

In addition to the end times signs listed in Matthew 24, there are a number of other reasons to believe that we are living in the last days. We will take a quick glance at four other extra-biblical reasons to believe that we are in the last generation. They include:

• Ancient cultures (such as the Mayan culture),
• Other religions,
• Credible individuals (in the private and military sector), and
• Scientists/academicians who also believe that we are living in the end times.

CULTURES

THE MAYANS AND 2012

The Mayans lived in Mesoamerica, specifically on the Yucatan peninsula. In brief, they did not believe that the world would come to an end on December 21, 2012, as many people believe they did. They did believe that a tremendously catastrophic event would occur, causing a major transition to take place.

That date, according to the Mayan calendar, represents the end of the 5th cycle or “5th sun.” There are five cycles in the Mayan calendar. Each cycle lasts 5,126 years. The 2012 date will mark the end of the five cycles or 26,625 years. The completion of the five cycles is sometimes referred to as a “Galactic Day.” The total number of years varies depending on the calendar used. The end date of December 21, 2012, remains the same.

It is of interest to note that the Olmecs were a much older civilization than the Mayans and appeared to be the advanced people who invented the bar-and-dot system of calendrick notation with an enigmatic starting date of August 13, 3114 B.C, and an end date in 2012. [See Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock—a secular book.]

Written recorded history began around 3000 B.C. We have more evidence about the Mayans as a result of the written documentation. Although accounts vary, the Mayan civilization is believed to have its origin around 2600-3000 B.C.
The Mayans also made other prophecies. Their advanced ability was far beyond the ability of later civilizations in calendrick calculations. They were advanced thousands of years ahead of future civilizations in their ability to calculate and use the calendar. Where did this super intelligence and ability come from?

THE MAYANS, THE FLOOD, AND A SUPER INTELLECT

Consider the following facts:

• The universal flood of Noah’s day. Many Bible scholars believe the flood in Noah’s day happened around 3,000 B.C.
• Could the universal flood account for the end of the fourth cycle? The fifth cycle supposedly began on August 13, 3113 B.C. This was a catastrophic worldwide event.
• Consider the Nephilim, the offspring of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men.” This was the result of intermarriage between fallen angels and humans. It produced a race that was entirely wicked, Noah and his family being the exceptions. This race of people was extremely wicked and very powerful. The Bible called them “men of renown” (Genesis 6:2-5).
• It is likely that this race of giants may very well be responsible for the construction of the Pyramid of Giza and Stonehenge. They were powerful and technologically sophisticated.

Noah and his family lived for hundreds of years before the flood in the culture where the Nephilim were prevalent and were probably advanced in their knowledge. Is it possible that this knowledge was passed down to his descendants, including the Mayans who lived after the flood? I found these historical facts to be interesting parallels and worthy of consideration.

OTHER ANCIENT CULTURES

The Aztecs, Incas, Egyptians, and other ancient cultures believed the same as the Mayans but were not as advanced or specific on their dates. This higher knowledge was advanced beyond future generations for thousands of years.
The Mayans and other ancient cultures tie into the year 2012. This is the first of the “other reasons mentioned above.”

RELIGIONS

PROPHECY ACCORDING TO ISLAM

The Islam religion also believes that we are in the last days. They believe that the 12th Imam (Holy one descended from Mohammed) will reappear at any time to conquer the world and will then rule the world under the Islamic faith, in accordance with Allah (their god).

They believe that the 12th Imam will make a seven-year peace treaty with the Jews. Sound familiar? This runs parallel to the prophetic beliefs laid out in the Bible, which describe the Antichrist. The 12th Imam or Islamic messiah may fit the biblical description of the Antichrist in accordance with references such as Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. This is the second of the “other reasons.”

SECULAR FORECASTS OF CREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS

ON THE EDGE

Consider the following quotes from some very credible secular sources in regards to a nuclear war:

1. Eugene Habiger: Former Executive Chief of Strategic Weapons at the Pentagon, said that the event of nuclear mega-terrorism on nuclear soil is “... not a matter of if but when.”
2. Warren Buffet: He is from the private sector. He calculates the odds against cataclysmic events for major insurance companies; he draws the conclusion that an imminent nuclear nightmare within the U.S. is “virtually a certainty.” [We can certainly see that possibility with the Iranian nuclear threat.]

For the sake of space, I have only listed two credible sources from the public sector. This is the third of the “other reasons.”

SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICS

There are a goodly number of scientists and academicians (both secular) who believe our world is reaching an end time. I will list two sources:

1. Dr. Graham Allison: He is a Harvard professor and director of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He made the following statement: “Is nuclear mega-terrorism inevitable? Harvard professors are known for being subtle or ambitious, but I’ll try to be clear. ‘Is the worst yet to come? My answer: Bet on it. Yes.’ ”
2. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: This was founded following World War II by a group of physicists. They created a clock known as the Doomsday Clock. Its purpose is to reflect “the level of threat posed by nuclear weapons and other changing factors in international security.” It gives us an idea of our current threat level. The Doomsday Clock was last set on January 17, 20077 to 5 minutes until midnight. That was a 2-minute move closer to a doomsday scenario. It reflects the international threat level to mankind.

This is the fourth of the “other reasons” to believe that we are approaching the end of the last generation that Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:34.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

We have a number of ancient cultures, especially Mayan, that point to an end date of December 21, 2012. We know this is not the date when the Lord will return, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:36. The end of the world as we know it will happen at the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. The year A.D. 2012 doesn’t leave enough time for that to happen. Although something cataclysmic may happen on December 21, 2012, it may tie into the tribulation period, especially as we read about the horrific judgments during that time.

The Islamic religion points to the nearness of the end times. Scientists also point to the fact that our time on earth is running out fast. This includes a movement of the magnetic poles toward a possible pole reversal. Credible secular sources, as quoted above, point to us being on the verge of a nuclear war. This could possibly point to the Russian invasion of Israel, the prophesied destruction of Syria, or the battle of Armageddon.

All of these sources, plus many more, have one thing in common. They all believe that the end is near. The differences lie in the interpretation of what it means to live in the end times, or the last generation. Only the Bible tells us how to correctly interpret the end times. People are afraid as they see things unraveling at an exponential rate. If you don’t know Jesus, then now is the time to meet Him. You can start by reading the 3rd chapter of the Gospel of John. If you are a believer, now is the time to spread the news. The fields are ready for harvest.

This article was primarily extracted from my book The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. Any footnotes from other sources that are not included in this article are included in the book.It can be ordered from http://focalpointpublications.com or amazon.

LINKS

The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons
The Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock (Secular)
http://www.adishakti.org/mayan_end_times_prophecy_12-21-2012.htm

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming: When? Where?

By Jim Simmons

Yes, they are definitely coming, but when and why? “The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming” was the title of Norman Jewison’s 1966 hit comedy about a Russian submarine going aground on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Could this happen again in real life?

Russian Subs off U.S. Coastline

The answer to this question appears to be yes, although there is no humor in it. In early August 2009, for the first time in 15 years, the Pentagon was tracking a pair of Russian subs roaming just outside our territorial waters about 200 miles off the east coast of the United States.

The Akula class subs carry nuclear-armed cruise missiles with a range of about 1,800 miles [Human Events.com, “The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming, ‘Yet Again’” by Casper Weinberger Jr., son of the late U.S. Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger, 8/12/09].

We know that the Russian/Muslim Confederacy invasion of Israel will happen (See Ezekiel 38). We don’t know the exact time frame, but we do know that it will not happen in the immediate future.

A prophecy is not fulfilled until it meets the exact criteria of the prophecy. At least two things have to happen before this Russian invasion of Israel takes place. They are:

1. Turkey has to be allied with Russia since it is listed as one of the countries in this invasion according to Ezekiel 38:6. The ancient name for Turkey is “Gomer.” Turkey has attempted to join the European Union several times without success. It is currently leaning more toward Russia.
2. Israel has to be living in safety and security in “unwalled villages” (Ezekiel 38:11). Israel does not currently fit this description [For more information, see my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times].

Arab-Israeli Conflict Preceding the Russian Invasion

According to Psalms 83, Israel’s bordering Muslim countries will make a covenant to come against Israel.

“Come, let us wipe them [Israel] out as a nation....For they have conspired together with one mind; against You do they make a covenant” (Psalms 83:4-5). [See article written by Bill Salus on this BPT BlogSpot 9-3-09].

Israel’s Victory

The outcome of this conflict will be victory for Israel (Psalm 83:16-18). When Israel defeats these nations, it will flourish with the spoils that it takes. This victory will also set the stage for Israel to be at peace. If Turkey has allied itself with Russia by this time, the stage will be set for the coming Russian invasion.

Is it possible that we are presently experiencing the early rumblings of this Arab-Israeli conflict?

What About the Russian Subs?

Are the Russians already planning this invasion of Israel? Those Russian subs were off the U.S. coastline for a reason. If the U.S. still supports Israel prior to this invasion, which is not likely under the current administration, will Russia plan a two prong attack? Is it possible that the recent spotting of the Russian subs off the U.S. coastline is a sign that Russia is in the planning stages to attack the U.S. first or simultaneously with the invasion of Israel? If the U.S. backs Israel, Russia knows that an attack on Israel would also be an attack on the U.S.

The Last Generation

Consider the timing of the points discussed in this article, along with all of the other developments (toward prophecy fulfillment) that have occurred since May 14, 1948 [For an overview of these developments, see The Last Generation]. This article plus many more prophecy fulfillments gives evidence that we are truly in the last generation. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, ask Him into your heart today. Don’t wait until it is too late. Today is the day of salvation.

What About Russia, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq?

What About Russia, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq?

By Jim Simmons

Russia, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq—all four are mentioned in Bible prophecy. Each country fits into the prophetic puzzle and time line. By looking at each country, along with its prophecy, the big picture begins to take focus. A number of articles have been written on each of these individual countries, but my purpose is to give an overall synopsis of biblical prophecy that includes all four.

THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF ISRAEL

Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe the Russian invasion of Israel, along with an alliance of primarily Islamic nations. Russia is described as “Gog of the land of Magog” (Ezekiel 38:2). “Gog” refers to a leader. “Magog” refers to the territory from which he comes. Gog is also referred to as the “prince of Rosh” (Ezekiel 38:3). “Rosh” is the root word for Russia. It seems to be the land referred to in Scripture as the “remote parts of the north” (Ezekiel 38:6, 15; 39:2). Russia is the land directly north of Israel.

Russian Allies

The Russian allies, with their ancient names, include modern-day nations, or regions that include nations. Not everyone agrees on the exact boundary lines, since some of the lines have changed over time. There is agreement on some of the major countries. They are:

1. Iran (Persia).
2. Black African Nations (Cush) [May also include Sudan and Northern Ethiopia].
3. North African Nations (Put) [Includes Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania].
4. Turkey (Gomer).
5. People north of the Caucuses Mountains and eastward (Beth-togarmah).

There are five names listed. Two are specific countries (Iran and Turkey). The other three are regions that include several countries. This is a large confederation of Islamic nations. We are not just looking at the Islamic nations that are led by an atheist country, i.e., Russia. Russia is rapidly moving toward becoming an Islamic nation. When one considers the composition of the Russian invasion, Islam plays a major role.

Russian Demographics

In order to maintain a culture (not the population) for over 25 years, the fertility rate needs to be 2.0 births per woman or couple. 2.0 births per woman [assuming no deaths in delivery] is the exact replacement fertility rate needed to keep the population of a given country at the same number. It is more reasonable to assume 2.11 births per woman as a minimum required fertility rate. Most western nations and the industrialized nations, especially Western Europe, have the lowest fertility rates, way below the minimum required fertility rate of 2.11 [CIA World Factbook 2009]. Within 25 years, these countries will fail to maintain their culture. Some nations, such as the U.S., have a cultural fertility rate of 1.6 per woman. The population fertility rate is higher due to immigration. With the influx of Latino nations this rate increases to 2.05. This fertility rate is at the bare minimum for population maintenance, but is below that for cultural maintenance.

The cultural fertility rate is usually in line with the population fertility rate. This is not the case with the U.S., Russia, and many of the European Union countries. The fertility rate of the European Union [31 countries] is a 1.38 fertility rate. Yet, the population of Europe is not declining. This is due to the Islamic immigration.

“Seven out of ten Russian pregnancies are aborted; by contrast, in Muslim communities, the fertility rate is 10 babies per woman. If a Muslim military coup occurs, Russia will become another Muslim nuclear power (the first with a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council)” (The Toronto Star, StayOnline.com, National Review, December 8, 2006) [Also, see The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times]. A 2009 updated fertility rate for Muslims (using the fertility rate of the top 10 Muslim countries) would range from 6.12 to 7.75 according to the CIA World Factbook 2009.

In 2008, the death rate in Russia was 14.7/1000 (much higher than average due to alcoholism). The birth rate was 12.1/1000 and net migration was 1.7/1000. This gives an overall population growth of -0.9/1000 (Rite of Spring: Russia’s Fertility Trends, Charles Ganske, Editor, authored by Anatoly Karlin, April 29, 2009, Russia Blog). Since 2006, the Muslim fertility rate has dropped. The Muslim countries have the highest fertility rates worldwide. For example, the country of Niger (the highest) has a 7.75 fertility rate [Source: CIA World Factbook 2009].

Bottom Line

In a relatively short period of time, Russia will become a Muslim nuclear power. In regards to the spread of Islam in Europe, “there are signs that Allah will grant victory to Islam in Europe without swords, without guns, without conquest. We don’t need terrorists; we don’t need homicide bombers. The 50+ million Muslims [in Europe] will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades” (Muammar al-Gaddafi). This is a reasonable assumption when viewed from a human viewpoint. When viewed from biblical prophecy, we know that there will be several major conflicts in the near future. A major one is the Russian/Islamic Confederacy invasion of Israel.

WHAT ABOUT TURKEY?

Turkey [referred to as “Gomer” in Ezekiel 38:6] is one of Russia’s allied countries listed in Ezekiel 38:6 that has to be included for this invasion to take place. Historically, Turkey has attempted to join the European Union, but has never been accepted. It would seem that this treatment by the E.U. would be implying that Turkey just isn’t good enough to be accepted. The resentment building in Turkey could be driving them into the arms of another country like Russia. This is exactly what has happened. Over the past decade, Turkey seems to be moving toward friendlier ties with Russia.

Turkey sits at the crossroads of the energy rich Middle East and the former Soviet Union. Turkey has a unique leverage as a transit hub for gas. It has used this energy card to promote its membership in the European Union. This requires cooperation with Russia. One of the bigger tests of Turkey’s stance came in the Russia-Georgia war of August 2008. Turkey carefully implemented the Montreux Convention, which governs traffic through the Bosporus [entrance to the Black Sea], so only a handful of American warships could enter the Black Sea. “Neither Turkey nor Russia wants the Americans meddling in their back pond.” (Russia + Turkey = A “Natural” Alliance? http://www.current.com/items/90745608_turkey-a-natural-alliance.htm)

Consider the fact that Russia is Turkey’s biggest single trading partner and provides 68% of its gas. Turkish construction firms are active all over Russia. Millions of Russian tourists flock to Turkish resorts every year. Turkey is also one of the few countries with which today’s Russia feels comfortable.

Once Turkey allies itself with Russia, everything is in place from a prophecy standpoint for the Russian-led invasion of Israel [see chapter 7 of my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times].

WHAT ABOUT SYRIA?

Syria is not among the allies listed in the Russian led invasion of Israel. Syria is probably one of Russia’s favorite allies, at least in a geographical sense. Syria is known as a training ground for terrorists. It is believed to be the base of operations for a number of terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, Hamas, and the Hezbollah. Syria is directly linked to Iran, Russia, and Iraq.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) were never found in Iraq, but not because they did not exist. They were smuggled out of Iraq and into Syria. Satellite pictures showed them being transported to Syria, smuggled out by fifty-six commercial planes with the seats removed. The claim by Iraq was that they were “planes of relief to Syria for a tragedy,” but in actuality, they were Weapons of Mass Destruction. [See The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times for more detailed information, including the sources of this information and their credibility.]

The big question is, “Why isn’t Syria included among the allies in the Russian-led Muslim/Confederacy invasion? The most likely answer is found in the Holy Bible. It concerns a prophecy about the destruction of Damascus [Syria].

The Demise of Damascus [Syria]

“… Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin … The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim …” (Isaiah 17:1-3).

The city of Damascus is the capital of Syria and is “reputed to be the oldest continuously existing city in the world.” It has been conquered by other countries but never destroyed. As a result, we know that this prophecy has not been fulfilled.

Because of the total devastation described in Isaiah 17, the destruction will probably be nuclear. The most likely country to destroy Damascus is Israel. Damascus would likely use WMDs or a dirty bomb against Israel. Israel’s leaders have already stated that they would react with a nuclear bomb. This could happen any day. We don’t know the timing of this event, but we can assume that it is prior to the Russian invasion. Otherwise, Syria would likely be allied with Russia.

RUSSIA, ISRAEL, IRAQ, AND THE MIDDLE EAST

A major turning point in Russia’s diplomatic relations with Israel followed the 1967 Six-Day War. At that point, Russia severed diplomatic relations with Israel. Russia then aligned itself with Arab Nationalist regimes and provided financial support to the Palestinian militants. During the Soviet era, there was a dramatic resurgence of anti-Jewish sentiment. When Putin took power in 1999, he fueled this anti-Semitism.

After the Russians lost the Middle East foothold provided by Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s leadership, the Russians built a new axis of power based on its ties with Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Russia has strengthened its ties with Iran by supplying nuclear-related technologies. Russia and Syria have increased diplomatic and military cooperation. In the arms arena, Russia plans to sell SS-26 and SS-18 missiles to Syria. The SS-26 is highly mobile. “With a range of 180 miles, it can carry a 1,000 pound warhead to most targets in Israel.”

Many experts believe that a large-scale confrontation between Syria and Israel could be on the near horizon, which makes Syria’s growing relationship with nations such as Iran and Russia a reason for great concern.

Syria has recently accumulated more rockets and placed them on Lebanon’s southern border. Estimates range from 1,000 to 3,000 rockets financed by Iran. The Syrians and Hezbollah are also strategically placed in Syria and Lebanon.

Could it be a possibility that Israel will do a preemptive strike on Syria as well as Iran? After all, Syria and Iran are joined at the hip. A preemptive strike against Iran alone would cause major retaliation from Syria. It appears to me (personal opinion) that any preemptive strike by Israel would have to be a two-pronged attack against Iran and Syria.

WHAT ABOUT IRAQ?

Iraq is another country that is not listed among the Russian allies of Ezekiel 38. As mentioned earlier, Russia had a strong Middle East foothold in Iraq prior to the U.S. invasion. Currently, Iraq is in the process of stabilizing a democratic form of government.

We know at least two certainties about Iraq. It will not be one of the allies of the Russian-led invasion of Israel. It will not be destroyed, at least not until the time of the tribulation period. Revelation 18 describes the vast destruction of the city of Babylon. The city of Babylon is in Iraq.

In January 2009, the government of Iraq started a project to protect the archaeological remains of the ancient city of Babylon in preparation for building a modern city of Babylon. The Obama administration is contributing $700,000 towards the “Future of Babylon Project” through the State Department’s budget. This was a project that the late Saddam Hussein had started (Posted on: Keeping the Faith till He Comes Blog, U.S.TO HELP REBUILD CITY OF BABYLON IN IRAQ, February 14, 2009).

Many scholars have different opinions on the identity of the “Babylon” which will be destroyed in Revelation 18. Many believe it will be a spiritual Babylon representing Rome or the one world religion of the tribulation period. The very fact that there is a city of Babylon that is going to be rebuilt makes a strong case for a literal city of Babylon. If this is a correct assumption, this future Babylon may be the seat of the Antichrist’s kingdom and the one world government.

TIMING OF THE RUSSIAN-LED INVASION OF ISRAEL

The Bible does not lay out a specific period of time when this Russian invasion will take place. Some scholars believe that it could happen prior to the rapture, after the rapture, or during the tribulation period. We cannot know for sure when this invasion will take place, but I lean toward the midpoint during the tribulation period. It is my belief (based on Scripture) that this Russian invasion of Israel cannot happen currently in spite of the volatile Middle East situation, which includes Israel, Iran, Syria, and perhaps Russia. This Middle East situation could explode any day now, but this is not the Russian invasion. There are several reasons for this viewpoint. They include:

• This cannot happen until all of the prophesied countries of Ezekiel 38 have allied themselves with Russia. Turkey is the only country that has not allied itself with Russia, but it is moving in that way quickly.

• This invasion cannot happen until Israel is living in security in “unwalled villages” (Ezekiel 38:8, 11, 14). Israel is not living in security, nor is it living in unwalled villages [City/Nation]. Israel has walls and is still building more walls.

• From a human standpoint, Israel has to have something that the Russian Confederacy wants. According to Ezekiel 38:12-13, the Russian Confederacy invasion intends to take away spoils and seize plunder and will carry away silver and gold. Over the last several years, oil and gas have been found in Israel in abundance. Pumping it out of the ground and refining it will take some time. Before the year 2000, there would be no attraction or reason for this invasion. Currently Russia can get as much oil as it wants from the oil rich Arab nations. This could all change if a group of Arab nations ally themselves against Israel, including Iran and Syria.

In Psalm 83, there is a prophecy about a future war that precedes the Russian invasion. It speaks of a plan by the Arab nations that border Israel to make a covenant to destroy Israel, “… that the name of Israel be remembered no more” (Psalm 83:4). The modern-day equivalent of this coming coalition (described in Psalm 83) consists of the Palestinians, Hezbollah, Hamas, Saudis, Lebanese, Jordanians, and the Egyptians. This represents the Arabs that have been a thorn in Israel’s side since May 14, 1948 (see Bill Salus’ 9-3-09 article on the BPT website).

THE LAST GENERATION

Consider the timing of all of the points discussed in this article. Whether it is Turkey, Iran, Syria, or Iraq, they all happened in this last generation that started with the birth of Israel as a nation in May 14, 1948. Prior to this current/last generation, the prophecy puzzle would not have fallen into place. This article is just a small piece that points to the last generation. This article plus many more prophecy fulfillments give an abundance of evidence that we are in that generation. “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

A majority of this article was extracted from my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. If you enjoyed reading the information here, you will find much more valuable information in the book. Any information that is taken from outside sources, if not footnoted here, is footnoted in my book. To order a copy of The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times go to http://focalpointpublications.com. It can also be ordered from amazon.com.

Israel's Preemptive Strike: Against What Country?

Israel's Preemptive Strike: Against What Country?

By Jim Simmons

Will Israel strike Iran or Syria? Many people are talking about Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, but maybe we should reconsider Israel’s position. First of all, let’s consider a prophecy made against Syria [Damascus]. Consider Isaiah’s prophecy.

“... Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city, and it will become a fallen ruin ... The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim ...” Isaiah 17:1-3 (in part).

What About Syria?

Syria is known as a training ground for terrorists. It is believed to be the base of operations for a number of terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, Hamas, and the Hezbollah. Syria is directly linked to Iran and Russia.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) were never found in Iraq, but not because they did not exist. They were smuggled out of Iraq and into Syria. Satellite pictures showed them being transported to Syria. They were smuggled out by fifty-six commercial planes with the seats removed. The claim by Iraq (at that time) was that they were “planes of relief to Syria for a tragedy,” but in actuality, they were Weapons of Mass Destruction [see The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times for more detailed information, including the sources of this information and their credibility].

Considering Syria’s strong ties to Russia and Iran, one would think that Syria would be one of the Russian allies [listed in Ezekiel 38] included in the coming Russian/Islamic Confederation invasion of Israel, but it isn’t listed. The most likely reason for this lies in its prophesied destruction according to Isaiah 17. Since Syria is not listed, we can place the sequential timing of the destruction of Damascus prior to the Russian invasion.

Syria and Israel

Syria has accumulated more rockets and placed them on Lebanon’s southern border. Estimates range from 1,000 to 3,000 rockets financed by Iran. The Syrians and Hezbollah are also strategically placed in Syria and Lebanon.

In the arms area, Russia plans to sell SS-26 and SS-18 missiles to Syria. With a range of 180 miles, one of these missiles can carry a 1,000 pound warhead to most targets in Israel. The most likely country to destroy Damascus [Syria] is Israel. Damascus would likely use WMDs or a dirty bomb against Israel. Israel’s leaders have already stated that they would react with a nuclear bomb.


A Preemptive Strike

Could it be a possibility that Israel will do a preemptive strike on Syria as well as Iran? After all, Syria and Iran are joined at the hip. A preemptive strike against Iran alone would cause a major retaliation, i.e., of Syria. It appears to me (personal opinion) that any preemptive strike by Israel would have to be a two-pronged attack against Iran and Syria.

This article was extracted from the book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. Any information that is taken from outside sources is footnoted in the book. To order a copy of The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times go to http://focalpointpublications.com. It can also be ordered from amazon.com.

The Coming Grand Cosmic Deception

By Jim Simmons

Scripture tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 that God will send a deluding influence upon those who do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. In this context, the time period being discussed is just prior to the rapture and immediately following it during the tribulation period (2 Thessalonians 2:6-11). Those to whom the deluding influence will be sent are the ones who have already rejected Christ—the unbelievers. We know that some people will be saved during the tribulation period [see Revelation 6:9-11; 7:3, 14; 16:6, to list a few references]. Others will be exposed to the gospel both prior to and following the rapture, but they will reject it. This is the group onto whom God will send this delusion (a rather large group of people). God sends this deluding influence so that they who have rejected Christ might believe what is false (2 Thessalonians 2:11). This delusion will be a factor toward influencing those unbelievers to believe a lie, i.e., that the “man of lawlessness” [Antichrist] is a messiah as he claims to be.

NATURE OF DELUSION
What kind of delusion will God send upon an unbelieving world that will cause people to believe a lie, especially in regard to the true nature of the Antichrist? It is impossible to be certain about the nature of the delusion, and I do not claim to know the answer. I would like to suggest that this delusion might involve New Age beliefs.
The New Age Movement started mushrooming in popularity in the 1960s. These beliefs are really very ancient lies and deception originating from Satan but are dressed up in a new cloak to fit our times [italics by author]. Satan is a liar, a counterfeiter, and is a master at deception.

NEW AGE APOSTASY
The New Age Movement is very broad and hard to define since it is a mixture of Eastern philosophies, religions, and mysticism combined with Western beliefs. For example, it includes the occult and areas such as extrasensory perception (ESP), parapsychology, psychic phenomena, Transcendental Meditation, mind control, and the UFO movement, to name just a few areas. It also includes more subtle areas, such as many self-help books, and movies like Harry Potter and The DaVinci Code.

New Agers have coined many “buzz” words and phrases such as: Higher Consciousness, Christ Consciousness, the Cosmic Christ, Global Village, the Force (used in the movie Star Wars), Co-Creators with the Universe, New World Order, and the Age of Aquarius. One of the hallmarks and attractions of the New Age Movement involves Self-deification combined with an emphasis on experience for determining reality. New Age beliefs usually involve a mixture of truth and lies.

Satan is the master when it comes to mixing lies and truth. For example, the New Age Movement has permeated most disciplines, such as psychology, counseling, and philosophy. It has infiltrated colleges and seminaries, attacking the Bible and evangelical Christianity. It is very subtle and deceptive and has desensitized Western civilization and countries that were established on Christian principles, such as the U.S.A.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I was personally deceived by the New Age Movement (N.A.M.). Several years after receiving a graduate degree from a well-known seminary, I began reading New Age books that contained truthful material mixed with lies. This eventually led me into more obvious deceptions, such as psychic phenomena, E.S.P., synchronicity, Eastern thinking, etc. I spent ten years swimming around in mush attempting to make New Age thinking compatible with biblical truth.

Obviously, I was unsuccessful. They are not compatible. I thank God for showing me the truth. I learned a lot from this experience and have committed myself toward exposing this kind of deception and showing how the New Age belief system may tie into biblical prophecy, i.e., the distorted teachings that are currently influencing the last generation in the “last days” (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:3).

You may wonder how all of this ties into “The Grand Cosmic Deception.” Let’s look at the connection between the New Age Movement and the Grand Deception.

SCIENCE AND THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT
Some scientists have a problem dealing with the origin of life. They reject the creationist view. After all, it could not be proven scientifically. They also have a problem with the chance-probability explanation. There is now a third explanation of the origin of life. Sir Frederick Hoyle, a prominent astronomer, researched the spontaneous generation theory. In 1981, Hoyle expressed the following view:

The likelihood of the formation of life from inanimate matter is one to a number with 40 thousand naughts (zeros) after it. It is enough to bury Darwin and the whole theory of evolution … [I]f the beginnings of life were not random they must therefore have been the product of purposeful intelligence.

Hoyle was among a number of prominent scientists who believed that life was delivered from outer space either by aliens or a comet infected with bacteria. He did not accept the chance-probability theory or a miraculous cause for the origin of life. Francis Crick, a brilliant molecular biologist, agreed with Hoyle.

It is interesting to note that even when the random selection (chance-probability) theory of evolution is studied by some scientists and is found without merit, they still will not consider the option of a belief in God. They choose to believe that humans were somehow planted on earth by aliens. This takes a lot of faith on their part. There is no evidence to back this theory. In addition, it sets people up to look toward extraterrestrials for salvation. They will go to great lengths to avoid a belief in God. As a result, many people do believe that we are the product of alien creation or planting. If, in the future, we have a significant visitation by extraterrestrials (demonic beings disguised as aliens in UFOs) they will be given great respect.

During the tribulation period, Satan and his angels will be cast out of heaven and “thrown down to the earth” (Revelation 12:9). We don’t know how this event will manifest itself, but it could appear to the unbelievers who were left behind at the time of the rapture as an alien visitation of UFOs.

SOME NEW AGE BELIEFS
Combine the beliefs of some scientists who reject the chance-probability theories and the supernatural with the belief in UFOs, and the result is the Church of ET (Extraterrestrials), which Missler and Eastman describe in their book, Alien Encounters, as the result of the UFO movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The theme of these UFO Churches is that life on earth was delivered and created by ETs. Humans are their children, and the ETs are returning to help us to evolve into the next stage of our evolutionary process.

Note: I am not in any way endorsing this belief system. My purpose is to show how the New Age belief system may play into this Grand Deception.

There is a significant move away from dualism (belief in two powers, one good and one evil) to monism or “all is one,” which results in the elimination of evil. The New Age Movement becomes evident when what was traditionally considered evil merges with good.

Philosophically, Westerners are becoming more in tune with Eastern thinking. The New Age Movement is a blend of Eastern and Western religions or philosophies. It is not exclusive to religion and philosophy. As we have seen, science has also been infiltrated by it, as well as other disciplines.

PROPHECY ACCORDING TO THE NEW AGE
In my research, I found this area most intriguing. Numerous New Age authors predict a “rapture” event where large numbers of people will literally disappear. Some New Age authors describe this disappearance as space ships removing people like a “Beam me up, Scotty” in the Star Trek series. Others talk in terms of “vibrations” accelerating until people disappear. In The Revelation, Barbara Hubbard (a New Age author) states, “Those vehicles which you have called UFOs are moving in ultra high frequencies, and they slow down to ‘appear’ and quicken to ‘disappear.’ You should do the same, and shall be taken up in the fullness of time in your quickened condition.” [I am not endorsing or recommending this book.] It is full of lies or New Age beliefs originating from the demonic.

This belief in a New Age rapture is very common. An example of this was illustrated by one of my first editors to the book this article was taken from, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. She, the editor, stated that she had never heard of a biblical rapture but was familiar with a New Age rapture. She edited religious books. I found this very interesting.

Other New Age authors believe in “high vibrations” that will cause some people to disappear, according to James Redfield, New Age author of The Celestine Prophecy, as they literally walk into heaven in their same form. These New Age authors don’t seem to agree on which group will experience this rapture event. According to my research, the majority of them believe that it is the traditional religious people who will be the ones taken (raptured), those who are “slowing down progress” and harming “Mother Earth,” also known as Gaia. Gaia is another name that refers to the Earth as a goddess. When she becomes overwhelmed or held back with the portions of humanity that are impeding her well being, she expels them, or cleanses herself. This, according to some New Age authors, is known as the rapture event. [To read more about this whole topic, see The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons.]

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
A real biblical rapture will happen (probably sooner than we realize) where the believers in Jesus Christ will be taken and the unbelievers will be left behind [see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, but it will not be the result of vibration levels or UFOs.

Is it possible that Satan is preparing an unbelieving world for this event so that the unbelievers who will be left behind and will be living during the tribulation period can, somehow, explain it away? Once again, Satan is distorting God’s Word through the New Age prophets, so the people left behind (after the rapture) will believe a lie.

No one can be certain what this grand deception will be. I am only suggesting one of the many possibilities, based in part on the New Age belief system. Satan oftentimes counterfeits God’s miracles. Through the New Age belief system, he has a counterfeit already in place.

This article was extracted from The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times. All information drawn from other sources that were not noted in this article are footnoted in the book. To order this book, click on the following link: http://focalpointpublications.com

A Grand Cosmic Deception

We know from Scripture that God will send a deluding influence on those who do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11). In this context, the time period being discussed here is just prior to the rapture and following it during the tribulation period (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12). God sends this “deluding influence so that they might believe what is false” (2 Thessalonians 2:11). This delusion will be a factor toward influencing unbelievers, those who have already rejected Christ, to believe a lie, i.e., that the “man of lawlessness” [Antichrist] is who he claims to be, a messiah. We know that people will be saved during the tribulation period, but there will be unbelievers, prior to the rapture and following the rapture, who will be exposed to the gospel but will reject it. This is the group to whom God will send this delusion, and it will be a rather large group of people.

What kind of delusion will God send upon an unbelieving world immediately following the rapture that will cause people to believe a lie, especially in regards to the true nature of the Antichrist? It is impossible to be certain about the nature of this delusion, but I would like to suggest that this delusion will likely involve a visitation by UFOs and alien beings.

As we will see later in this article, there appears to be a strong connection between alleged Extraterrestrials [ETs], the New World Order, and the New Age Movement. [ETs and Aliens will be used interchangeably.] Messages from ETs, including testimonies of abductees as well as messages that are delivered through channelers, help to confirm this link. This article will attempt to show these connections and how they fit into the overall prophetic picture.

What evidence do we have that UFOs and ETs exist? If there is enough evidence that UFOs and alien beings do exist, how do we interpret this evidence in light of biblical revelation? Where does the New Age Rapture fit into this puzzle? What is the UFO/Rapture connection? We will try to answer these as well as other questions.

SONS OF GOD AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN (Genesis 6:2-4)

This passage is a reference to the intermarriage between the fallen angels (sons of God) and the human females (daughters of men).This interpretation is referred to as the “Angel View.” As we will see, there is a connection between this passage and UFOs/ETs.

There is an alternate view of the Genesis 6:4 passage referred to as the “Sethite View.” This view is the belief that “sons of God” is a reference to the descendants of Abel, and “daughters of men” is a reference to the descendants of Cain. The ancient Hebrews and the early Church Fathers accepted the “angel view,” but many find that this view makes them uncomfortable. Space does not allow for a discussion of the two views.

Most conservative Bible scholars accept the “angel view.” Among the best known are: Chuck Missler, G.H. Pember, M.R. DeHaan, C.H. McIntosh, F. Delitzsch, A.C. Gaebelein, A.W. Pink, Donald Grey Barnhouse, James Montgomery Boise, Henry Morris, Merrill F. Unger, Hal Lindsey, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, and Chuck Smith. For a thorough discussion on the differences between the two views with the “Angel View” as the favored view, see Alien Encounters by Mark Eastman and Chuck Missler.

DO UFOs AND EXTRATERRESTRIALS REALLY EXIST?

In the 1940s it was rare to find anyone who believed in the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life or UFOs from outer space. According to a 1947 Gallup Poll, “Most thought they were illusions, hoaxes, secret weapons, or phenomena that could be explained.” In contrast, more recent Gallup polls (1991 and 1996) reveal that seventy-two percent of Americans believe in extraterrestrial life, forty-eight percent believe in UFOs, and fifteen percent believe they have seen a UFO [these numbers are likely much higher in 2009].

WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE?

Despite many unconfirmed testimonies, frauds, and disinformation, there is too much solid, credible evidence of UFO sightings to ignore it. There are numerous credible examples that could be cited, but space doesn’t allow for it here. [See my book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times, for a more detailed discussion.]

Two examples of UFO or Extraterrestrial [ET] encounters include the following:

APPOLLO 11 SIGHTINGS

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin reported UFO sightings after reporting their lunar landing. Their reports on July 21, 1969, were dismissed and went unconfirmed for years, as shown by the following excerpt:

According to Otto Binder, a former NASA employee, the agency has a long standing policy of blocking sensitive transmissions through secret, non-public frequencies. Binder went on to report that an unnamed radio ham operator picked up the following transmission on a public bypass channel when Apollo landed in the Sea of Tranquility:

MISSION CONTROL: “What’s there … Mission control calling Apollo 11.”

APOLLO 11: “These babies are huge, Sir … enormous … Oh, God, you wouldn’t believe it! I’m telling you there are spacecraft out there … lined up on the far side of the moon watching us…

In 1979, the former chief of NASA Communications, Maurice Chatelain, confirmed Otto Binder’s account.

ROSWELL INCIDENT

The Roswell incident is the best-known UFO event in history and is also believed by many to be one of the biggest cover-ups in history. The following is a brief review of the incident at Roswell, New Mexico.

In July 1947, Mac Brazel, a local New Mexico rancher, went to check his sheep after an intense thunderstorm the previous night. He discovered a lot of debris, including a crashed disk and a shallow gouge several hundred feet long. He took the debris to authorities at Roswell Army Air Field.

On July 8, 1947, Colonel William Blanchard, Commander of the 509th Bomb Group, issued an official press release about the “crashed disk.” It appeared in many U.S. newspapers. Hours later, a second release was issued by General George Ramey, Commander of the Eighth Air Force at Fort Worth Army Air Field in Texas. This rescinded the first press release, claiming that Colonel Blanchard made a mistake and described the debris and crashed disk as a “weather balloon” and its radar reflector. This was followed by fifty years of cover up. [See The Last Generation by Jim Simmons for the remainder of the story, plus other examples of UFOs and Alien encounters.]

CREDIBLE WITNESSES

The vast majority of UFO sightings can be explained away. One key factor in determining the validity of a sighting lies in the credibility of the witnesses.

For example, Jimmy Carter, then former governor of Georgia, reported a UFO sighting in 1969. As a presidential candidate in 1976, he pledged: “If I become President, I will make every piece of information this country has about UFOs available to the public and the scientists.” After he became President, he never said another word about it. He ignored his pledge.

Other notable men who were convinced that UFOs needed consideration include: General Douglas MacArthur, former Senator Barry Goldwater, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lester B. Pearson (former Prime Minister of Canada), and Malcolm Muggeridge of England. It is also noteworthy that former President Ronald Reagan made eighteen references to UFOs in his speeches. Both he and Nancy Reagan claimed they witnessed a UFO. (See DVD titled: “UFO Conspiracy” by I.D.E. Thomas and Dave Hunt.)

On a more personal note, my oldest sister [Becky] and her husband [Jack] claimed to have seen a UFO. Her husband, now deceased, was a former jet instructor in the Air Force and later became a commercial airline pilot. I will relay her experience in her words.

The only incident I can recall was in about 1988. Jack [husband] and I were driving south from Stephenville [Texas] on Hwy. 914 heading for our home. We saw a light that appeared to be a low-flying airplane. It flew over us and then appeared to hover [not like an airplane, and it did not sound like a helicopter]. I cannot recall that there was any sound. We stopped the car and got out and looked at it. It made some erratic moves and then flew out of sight.

Upon further questioning about what she and Jack had seen, she said it was a large light that was brighter than you would ordinarily see on an airplane. It also made erratic moves that defy physics and are not typical of airplanes or helicopters. It is also worthy to note that Stephenville, Cleburne, and other smaller towns in that area of Texas have been somewhat of a “hotspot” for UFO sightings. On January 8, 2008, there were a number of sightings in that same area. Local newspapers in Stephenville and Cleburne featured the sightings for several days after the sightings. There are certain “hotspots” (countries, cities, states, etc.) where UFO sightings are more prevalent than usual. Another name for “hotspots” is “flaps.” A “flap” is a large number of sightings in an area over a short period of time.

For example, there was a Mexico Flap that occurred on January 1, 1993, over Mexico City. This Mexico Flap is one of the best-documented reports of UFO sightings in history. Another example is the Israel Flap. Since 1996, there have been hundreds of reports in Israel of UFO sightings.

Sightings of UFOs go back to ancient history. This is not a new phenomenon. What is different is the escalation and frequency of UFO sightings over the past 61 years. The year the sightings began to increase was 1948 (61 years ago as this is written). That is the year Israel became a nation. 1948 was also the starting point of the last generation.

Of the thousands of cases of UFO sightings reported over the last 50 to 60 years, “… more than 700[+] of the cases have been reported by airline and military pilots.” Airline and military pilots are very credible witnesses when it comes to UFO sightings.

It is interesting to note that the government and the military have attempted to cover up the UFO reports. One wonders why they would want to keep this information from the public. An obvious example of the cover up is when Jimmy Carter changed his stance from wanting to tell the public what he saw as governor, claiming he would reveal all of the evidence of UFOs once he became President, and then ignoring it completely when he became President.

Since the Freedom of Information Act was ratified, further attempts have been made to obtain UFO documents. The government claims they do not exist or cannot be released. Government agencies have continued to hide behind national security. “… UFOs appear to involve the highest categories of security classifications available.” This naturally leads to the question, “What does the government know that we don’t?” Should that concern us?

GENERAL BELIEFS IN UFOs AND ETs

The general belief in UFOs and ETs is so prevalent that people are conditioned to accept the whole UFO and ET phenomena. What does this belief mean, and how does it affect us personally?

According to authors Missler and Eastman, if these things are real, it “… will lead to the biggest challenge ever faced by mankind. If they aren’t real, they bear evidence of a gigantic delusion—one that is being orchestrated with a potential end in sight … what lies behind these strange events will soon affect every living person on this planet.”

Whether UFOs and ETs are real or not is only part of a mounting problem. What mankind believes is extremely powerful. “… in today’s world it is not so important whether UFOs exist as whether we believe they exist. And one in three Americans actually expects that we will be contacted by aliens within this next century.” This has major implications to setting the stage for mankind to believe a GRAND DELUSION in the near future.

WHAT ABOUT UFO ABDUCTIONS BY ALIENS?

There are numerous reports of alien abductions or encounters. People claim to have been abducted by aliens, physically examined, and some have undergone surgical procedures. They characteristically experience amnesia, where there are blocks of time they cannot account for, but under hypnosis they have total recall of the procedures. Many abductees have very similar experiences as recalled under hypnotic regression.

John Mack, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, has treated hundreds of Americans who claim they have been abducted by aliens. In most cases, the abducted give similar stories of physical exams with a special emphasis given to the sexual/reproductive area. The following statement represents a biblical viewpoint as well as interbreeding accounts given by abductees.

In ancient times, the ETs were referred to as gods. In our day they are referred to as Aliens or ETs. What appears to be the common denominator, both in ancient times and in the biblical account in Genesis, is an interbreeding of some form of ET and human beings. Could this be a preparation for a repeat of the intermarriage between the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men?”

There seems to be a relationship between the interbreeding accounts and the reports given by abductees who have undergone physical exams by aliens. The abductees report entering the craft [UFO] and being in a white room, like an operating room. Then they typically report “contact with the same gray-skinned aliens who methodically perform head-to-toe examinations, with special attention to the genital area. In hundreds of cases, women report being probed with long metallic devices in the abdominal or genital area.

MEN AND “GODS”: JOINING OF SUPERNATURAL WITH NATURAL

Is it really possible for supernatural spiritual beings to have sexual intercourse with humans? To answer this question, we begin by turning to the only true point of reference, God’s Word.

BIBLICAL VIEWPOINT

In the biblical account, we have a true visitation from ETs. Genesis 6:2 says, “… the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.” These “sons of God” were supernatural beings. “Sons of God” is most likely a reference to angels. Job 1:6 says, the “… sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” Satan is the fallen archangel, Lucifer, who is the leader of the other fallen angels.

It is clear that these were not “beings” or angels who were following God’s will. They were fallen angels who had rebelled against God. Consider what kind of offspring was produced as a result of this sexual union between fallen angels and human beings. “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days … when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). The offspring of this intermarriage were called the “Nephilim.” The word “Nephilim” actually comes from the root naphal, meaning “fallen ones.”

The Nephilim were the offspring of the union of humans and demonic beings, those referred to as “fallen angels.” This would not only account for the extreme wickedness of humanity (Genesis 6:5), but it would also account for the supernatural strength and intelligence necessary to accomplish feats, such as the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It could also be the origin of myths involving this kind of union between supernatural beings (referred to as “gods”) and human beings. Myths are oftentimes distortions of reality.

MYTHOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT

Greek and Roman mythology also gives an account of this intermarriage between “gods” and humans. The Titans were the giant offspring of the gods and their human wives. In mythological terms, the Titans appear to correspond to the Nephilim in the biblical account. “According to mythology, they also assisted in the building of the magnificent monuments of Greece… According to numerous authors, ‘these mighty men’ of the golden age were the ‘third party’ who assisted mankind in the building of the monuments of Egypt, Stonehenge, the Americas, and the Far East.”

A copy of the Genesis Apocryphon, which dated back to the second century B.C., was discovered at Qumran in 1947. This document gave further evidence that celestial beings from the skies had landed on planet Earth and mated with earth women and begat giants.

In ancient times, these supernatural beings were referred to as “gods.” In our day, they are referred to as “aliens” or “extraterrestrials.”

WHAT ABOUT THE SCIENTIFIC INTERPRETATION

While there is considerable evidence for the existence of UFOs and ETs, their origin is very controversial even among experienced UFO investigators. The common view is the “extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH).” This is the belief that extraterrestrials come from another star system. However, in recent years, a number of prominent UFO researchers have challenged this hypothesis as a result of well-documented accounts of UFOs defying the laws of physics.

There have been UFO reports of encounters where the UFO materialized and dematerialized within our three dimensional space. UFOs have been tracked by radar traveling at over 25,000 miles per hour. They don’t cause sonic booms, and they don’t burn up. They have also been observed making right angle turns at over 15,000 miles per hour. Since other stars are many light years away, the vessel would have to travel at the speed of light for years (186,282.397 … miles per second for one year) to even begin to reach earth.

If UFOs are not permanent constructions of matter, and if they do not travel by conventional means from one solar system to another, what are they? If the extraterrestrial hypothesis is rejected, what is the alternative?

AN ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION FOR UFOS

Some observers have suggested that UFOs might exist in a parallel universe, one orthogonal (at right angles) to our own. Cosmologists Andrei Linde and Alex Vilenkin have “shown how mathematical assumptions lead, at least in theory, to the creation of a multiverse” (Scientific American, December 1999, “Exploring Our Universe and Others,” Martin Rees).

Jacques Vallee is a noted scientist and UFO researcher with a background in astrophysics and computer science. He offers an alternative explanation:

I believe that the UFO phenomenon represents evidence for other dimensions beyond space-time; the UFOs may not come from ordinary space but from a multiverse, which is all around us… If they are not spacecraft, what else could they be? … I believe there is a system around us that transcends time and space. Other researchers have reached the same conclusion.

The scientific explanation of dimensionality is reasonable. Once we go beyond our three dimensional existence, we move into hyperspace. These dimensions are beyond our perception of reality and may be more in line with a multiverse, parallel universe, or the supernatural. In other words, a being in hyperspace or in a dimension beyond our three dimensional existence would have capabilities and rules of their own geometry, which is beyond our understanding.

William Alnor, in UFOs in the New Age, describes the concept of a multiverse. Alnor refers to Albrecht and Alexander’s work in the Spiritual Counterfeits Project 1977 Journal on UFOs. They describe how UFOs could be the work of beings from another dimension, and they describe and draw a two-dimension world, “Flatland.” [Flatland (1884) was originally created as an allegorical approach to dimensionality by a distinguished clergyman, Edwin A. Abbott (1836-1926).] Someone living in a two-dimensional world would have a distorted view of objects from a three-dimensional world (height, depth, width). Albrecht and Alexander take this a step further by asking the question, how would we, living in a three-dimensional world, view objects from the fourth dimension and beyond?

Imagine a universe of only two dimensions: a flat plane. This imaginary universe is inhabited only by two-dimensional beings—we’ll call them Mr. and Mrs. Flat. They can only conceive of two dimensions, since that is all they are capable of experiencing directly. Any intrusion by us on their two-dimensional existence would give them a distorted view of a three-dimensional being. For example, if you stick a pencil through a piece of paper with a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Flat on it, all they would see is a circle where the pencil went through the paper (two dimension or flat view).

We have only dealt with a two- and three-dimension existence and touched on a fourth dimension. We now know from particle physics that we live in a universe of at least ten dimensions.

Given the fact that UFOs defy physics and the “nuts and bolts” descriptions, we can begin to look at dimensionality as a way to understand the UFO phenomenon. “With such a framework, UFOs can be viewed as an inter-dimensional phenomenon that can materialize and interact with us within our space-time domain.”

We can conclude that UFOs are not what they appear to be, i.e., a spacecraft carrying aliens from another planet or star system. There is evidence of intermarriage between supernatural beings and human beings. This can be seen in the biblical account of Genesis 6. It is symbolized in mythological accounts and further confirmed by archeological evidence and ancient writings. The scientific hypothesis of dimensionality—UFOs coming from a dimension beyond our three dimension world—fits with the biblical account of supernatural beings (sons of God) making contact with human beings. The inter-dimensional phenomenon explains how supernatural beings can be invisible one minute and then materialize, making contact with human beings.

UFOS AND THE NEW AGE

Some astronomers do believe in the possibility of alien contact, and they believe the world should prepare for such an event. Ian Crawford is an astronomer in the department of physics and astronomy at University College, London. “He believes that the cosmic perspective provided by the exploration of the universe argues for the political unification of our world. He explains, ‘… and if we do ever meet other intelligent species out there among the stars, would it not be best for humanity to speak with a united voice?’” (Scientific American, July 2000, “Where Are They?” Ian Crawford).

Some scientists have a problem dealing with the origin of life. They reject the creationist view. After all, it could not be proven scientifically. They also have a problem with the chance-probability explanation. There is now a third explanation of the origin of life. Sir Frederick Hoyle, a prominent astronomer, researched the spontaneous generation theory. In 1981, Hoyle expressed the following view:

The likelihood of the formation of life from an inanimate matter is one to a number with 40 thousand naughts (zeros) after it. It is enough to bury Darwin and the whole theory of evolution… [I]f the beginnings of life were not random they must therefore have been the product of purposeful intelligence.

Hoyle was among a small number of prominent scientists who believed that life was delivered from outer space either by aliens or a comet, infected with bacteria. He did not accept the chance-probability theory or a miraculous cause for the origin of life. Francis Crick, a brilliant molecular biologist, agreed with Hoyle.

It is interesting to note that even when the random selection (chance-probability) theory of evolution is studied by some scientists and is found to be without merit, they still will not consider the option of a belief in God. They choose to believe that humans were somehow planted on earth by aliens. This takes faith on their part. There is no evidence to back this theory. In addition, it sets up people to look to ETs for salvation. Many people do believe that we are the product of alien creation or planting. If, in the future, we have a significant visitation by ETs, they will be given great respect. Personally, I believe this will happen in the last days.

Combine the beliefs of some scientists who reject the chance-probability theories and the supernatural with the belief in UFOs, and the result is the Church of ET, which Missler and Eastman describe as the result of the UFO movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The theme of these UFO Churches is that life on earth was delivered and created by ETs. Humans are their children, and the ETs are returning to help us evolve into the next stage of our evolutionary process.

There is a significant move away from dualism (belief in two supernatural powers) to monism or pantheism. Philosophically, westerners are becoming more in tune with eastern thinking. The New Age movement is a blend of eastern and western religions or philosophies. This New Age thinking is not exclusive to religion and philosophy. Science has also been infiltrated by it.

WHERE DOES SCIENCE END AND THE SUPERNATURAL BEGIN?

John Mack, a psychiatrist with more than forty years of training, believes that the dualistic view of religion and science is breaking down. Mack views the phenomenon of UFO abduction as “a merging of science and religion, the appearance of a new paradigm of thought—one in which the lines separating faith and science, religion, philosophy, the material world, and the spirit world are blurred. The result … is a merging and unification of science, religion, philosophy, and the spiritual realm.” This loss of dualism in science and religion leads to a merging of these areas, including the spiritual realm, which moves us toward the New Age religion.

True science and biblical truth should be in harmony. In the past, they were oftentimes in conflict. This was either a result of a distortion of biblical truth or a distortion of scientific findings and conclusions. What Mack is proposing is not a true harmony between religion and science but a distortion of both.

There is a movement toward raising one’s consciousness as opposed to an external reality. This leads directly into the evolution of consciousness, which is a dominant theme in the New Age movement. [See Appendix B of The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times for more on this subject, including the New Physics and how it applies to a New Age philosophy.]

GRAND DELUSION: NEW AGE RAPTURE

Jesus compared His return to the days of Noah. He said, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37). The days of Noah is a reference to the condition of the world just after the “sons of God” married the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:1-5). This is a reference to the surprise element and also to the wickedness of the world in Noah’s day. The condition of the world during the Tribulation Period will be as it was in Noah’s day: wicked.

• A SECOND VISITATION

During the Tribulation Period, there may be another visitation by fallen angels, except this time, they could be updated with contemporary terms like “aliens” or “extraterrestrials” instead of “gods.” Daniel 2:43 says, in part, “… they will combine with one another in the seed of men …” [Italics by author]. This is a reference to the final empire or Revived Roman Empire. The commentaries I have reviewed do not give a satisfactory explanation for “seed of men.” Could this be another union of humans and fallen angels (disguised as aliens) instead of gods? The alleged abductions have usually involved a physical exam, especially in the genital and reproductive parts. Is this visitation a plausible possibility during the tribulation period?

• NEW AGE RAPTURE

The New Age concept of a rapture event is widespread. Some people have never heard of the rapture outside of its New Age concept. There are various New Age concepts of the rapture. Some include a UFO evacuation of people. Other authors believe in “high vibrations” that will cause some people to literally walk into heaven in their same form. [See Appendix B, “The UFO Grand Deception” from the book The Last Generation for more examples of a counterfeit rapture.] When the real rapture happens, there will be plenty of explanations as to what happened. The UFO/ET belief system is in place to provide for a “deluding influence,” as referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:11.

This article was primarily extracted from The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons. All information drawn from other sources is footnoted either in the article or in the book. I would welcome your comments here on this blogsite or by personal email through the Focal Point website below. To order the book, click here: http://FocalPointPublications.com