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Temple Journey

Questions


 

Question # 300…..(09-08-06) Is there a scripture (perhaps in Deuteronomy) where there is a prediction that Israel will be scattered TWO and ONLY two times?

 

Answer…..There is not to my knowledge any scripture that can be quoted exactly verbatim as saying there are only two scatterings. However, I do believe in all earnest that the scripture of Isaiah 11:11 does specifically lend itself to the reality that there are only two scatterings of Israel. (Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.) This prophecy definitely indicates that the second time the Lord moves to gather a remnant of Israel, that His kingdom will be at hand. Amos 9:15, Jeremiah 24:6, and Ezekiel 34:28, 37:25 all further indicate that the second recovery signals the final recovery, and that it is a permanent return leading into the Millennial Kingdom. (Jeremiah 24:6-7 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.) (Amos 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.) (I Chronicles 17:9 also)


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Question #299…..(09-05-06) Focus on Jerusalem is indeed a heavy website. But, I tend to think that the “perilous times” you speak of were in fact just as perilous at the time that Timothy wrote his epistle. Clearly the perilous era of his time can not be compared to our era, as we are not presented to a lion for entertainment. You must agree that we do not live in such perilous times. There is a definite change in our time though, as there are governments whose wickedness is unrivaled and whose trickery is breath-taking. We must wait and we shall see. 

 

Answer…… As you suggest, perilous times have always existed in this world, especially for those who are called into the service of the Lord. (as the history of the nation Israel also testifies) And perilous times surely existed in Timothy’s day, as they have throughout the Church Age for Christians. Fortunately though, most of us in the West have never been subjected to the type of persecutions and horrors the early Christians were, (although many Christians around parts of the world today suffer greatly) but albeit, the evil of mankind is ever waxing worse and worse, and will soon reach a festering climax in the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. (the tribulation era) As Christianity loses its prominence in the West, we can expect the perilousness of our times to intensify as never before, and explode on the world geo-political stage. Even Timothy forewarned us of the escalated depravity of men and nations in the latter years when the mystery of iniquity reaches its zenith. (II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.) Timothy expressly pointed out that the most perilous times would prevail in the Last Days, and the inference is a direct parallel to the remarks of our Lord in his Olivet Discourse. (II Timothy 3:1-4:8 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.) (Matthew 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.) The word “perilous” that Timothy used is derived from the Greek “chalepos” which refers to the gradual reduction of the power of the Holy Spirit functioning as the great restrainer of evil in the world, which in turn allows for the ensuing period of fierce, furious, and perilous evil when the world will witness the unleashed depravity of mankind when it is left unchecked by God. In fact, Jesus stated that unless He returned, the world would become so overwhelmed by evil that the very existence of civilization would be threatened by man’s depravity. (Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened) Today, for the first time in world history, men and nations have the power, through weapons of mass destruction to bring the world to the precipice of Armageddon. The unprecedented modern threat of nuclear destruction is causing great stress among the nations, with perplexity, (Luke 21:25) and when one stops to consider the reality that mankind is by his very nature, only evil, (unless he comes to acknowledge God) one must conclude that we are indeed living on the precipice of perilous times like never before. (Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?)


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Question # 298….(08-30-06) I don't understand how conscious eternal torment as taught by the vast majority of the Church is a just punishment for the lost. To me, it seems like cruel and unusual punishment not justice.  I do understand some form of punishment, but as to what would be true justice I admit I don't know.  I do trust that God knows how to judge us all, but I just can't seem to reconcile the traditional teaching of never ending conscious torment.

 

Answer…..Thank you for your question, and kind comments. In regard to your specific question, you may be pleased to know that everlasting conscious torment in Hell may not be exactly what the Bible teaches. The Bible does make numerous mention of what seems like eternal punishment for the unrighteous, such as in the following scriptures: Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation) However, personally, I believe that the Bible details that the Second Death is not an eternal-perpetual tormented state, but rather a literal death wherein the soul of the sinner literally dies. I believe the Bible denies the immortality of the soul except in the case of where it is granted by God to those born of the Spirit. In fact in I Timothy 6:15-16 Paul expresses the fact that God alone possesses immortality. (I Timothy 6:15-17 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;) As Paul clarifies here, only God is immortal and eternal life is one of the riches he grants only to believers. Again in I Corinthians 15:53, Paul teaches that the Redeemed will not become immortal until the time of their resurrection. In other words, immortality is a gift of God which He gives in His grace to the Redeemed at the time of their resurrection. Thus, it is entirely practical and Biblical to assume that there is no need to believe in an eternal Hell if the soul is not intrinsically immortal. If we believe God's word is correct when he says that for us to have eternal life that we must be born again (spiritually) then it stands to reason that immortality cannot be imparted to the unrighteous, and therefore they probably won’t be eternally punished. While the Bible makes many assertions to the fact that unbelievers will be eternally punished, I believe the reference in those cases is referring to the fact that TIME itself is set to be destroyed by the Almighty. When time is destroyed, the consequences of everlasting punishment servitude would be accomplished. Only the righteous (through faith in Jesus Christ sacrifice) reborn can know the joy of eternity, and the richness of life. Matthew quotes the following words of Jesus Christ; Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Jesus concludes by saying “he that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” I think the Lord is warning us all to fear God, who can destroy not only the body, but also the soul. Revelation chapter 20 indicates that God will resurrect all the unrighteous to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment, and then to be sentenced to the second death. This is eternal spiritual death and destruction of the body and soul. Hence, the incentive for everyone to accept the salvation of the Lord and escape Hell and the second death altogether. Paul also forewarned us that the last enemy that the Lord will destroy is death. (I Corinthians 15:26) Therefore, the condemned unrighteous will consciously endure the torment and flames of Hell throughout the realm of the time domain. The Bible says that God created this terrible place to serve as the ultimate destiny of the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). The Bible also teaches that Hell will be the destiny of all people who reject the grace and mercy God has provided through Jesus and who chose, instead, to reject God by following Satan (Matthew 25:46). Whatever we choose to conclude from the Scriptures about the duration of the torments Hell, we must remember that Hell is to be avoided at all costs. Being in Hell even for 5 seconds is too terrible to contemplate. Whether the wicked suffer there eternally or are destroyed after enduring God's terrible punishment, Hell is an unimaginably terrifying place. The good news is that nobody has to go to Hell. We all are availed the free gift of God’s Amazing Grace!


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Question # 297…..(08-23-06) Why do you think it is that Israel feels that it must continually concede to world pressure to follow the land for peace formula when it is plainly evident that the gestures for peace are returned in vain. (Gaza, southern Lebanon, etc.)

 

Answer……Israel, governmentally speaking, is forced to operate under immense international pressure geopolitically. It is such a small country, and it has very few friends in the world structure. Most of the world views Israel as an obstacle to world peace, and believes that Israel is the oppressive force in the Middle East, hence the plethora of UN Resolutions against Israel. Since Israel is so isolated in the diplomatic arena, and is so small, it carries a sense of a heavy burden to oblige the power-brokers of the World Order. The world’s major power-brokers are very sensitive the explosiveness of the Middle East Conflict, and are distressed over the threat of nuclear holocaust, but yet they all covertly play the geo-political chess-game of world supremacy. Israel has basically only one major supportive ally in the geo-political world arena, and of course that ally is the United States. Unfortunately, the US all too often itself feels enormous political backlashes from Europe and other world powers to reign in Israel, and play the role of the world’s idea of “a fair mediator” in the Middle East Peace Process. The world powers recognize that only the US has any diplomatic leverage with Israel, thus the world power-structure continually pressures the US politically to twist Israel’s arm behind its back to continue the land-for-peace concessions process. Ironically, if the US would simply stand firm and strong in the face of the Anti-Israel and Anti-American forces, Israel could have more self-confidence in its positions, (knowing it has a strong ally) and discontinue the folly of engaging the asinine blackmail of the terrorists-land-for-false-peace formula. It has been Divine Providence that the US, with its traditional Judeo-Christian background has aided the restoration of Israel through its national infancy. (1948-present) It should be noted that when the US was more fundamentally rooted in its Christian roots, Israel was less pressured to appease her enemies. But as the decades since 1948 has witnessed the US abandon Christian Zionism, and become a more and more secular culture, the isolation and world pressure upon Israel has multiplied many times over. This world is possessed by a demonic inspired hatred of Israel, and Satan is seeking the destruction of Israel, so therefore it is the duty of Christians of all nations to understand these dynamics and that Bible Prophecy is actually playing itself out in these perplexing events of our times.


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Question # 296….(08-09-06) Can I lose my salvation?

 

Answer…..I think your question can best be answered by the answer to another question. Can Jesus lose you? And it is an absolute fact that the Lord cannot lose anybody that is born of the Spirit. In the book of John, chapter 17, while praying to His Father, Jesus submits that he has come into the world and accomplished his sacrificial mission of “calling out children” for his Father. In his prayer he concludes: John 17:10-12 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus cannot lose that which is his. So, if you by faith have accepted Jesus finished sacrifice upon the Cross for you, then “You” are HIS, forevermore! It is no more possible for a person to be “unborn of the spirit” than it is for a person to be physically unborn. Yet, just as it is possible for one to pollute the physical being, it is also possible to pollute your spiritual being, and therefore become estranged from the Father, and not benefit from the personal joys that would naturally flow out of that Heavenly relationship. A Christian’s relationship with the Father is permanent, but our fellowship with our Father can be lost. This particular subject has long been controversial within Christiandom, and some Churches take varying views on this issue, but I think the fact is that Jesus never loses any of his sheep, and even when one strays from the fold, Jesus goes out to search for that wandering sheep to return it to the safety of the Shepherds fold.


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Question # 295…..(07-21-06) Why are the countries of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan important to the antichrist?  Daniel 11 says he takes control of these nations! I’m just curious as this really doesn’t seem to fit into what’s going on right now between Israel and Hezbollah, does it?

 

Answer…..The North African nations are important for a number of reasons. They are important geographically because they would allow the projected Euro-Med to encircle the Mediterranean Sea. (basically reconfiguring the old Roman Empire) Situated as they are with the great Saharan desert to seal their flanks, they form a block to any competing power block to the Euro-Med’s south. However, both Russia and China have made great inroads with the Muslims in Sudan, Chad, Somalia, and Ethiopia. And lest we forget, the Nigerian coast region has lots of oil, and is a major supplier to the West. The Nile River and the Suez Canal still form a vital link to African trade and world commerce. If not for the Nile, Egypt would be a wasteland, and the Nile’s outlet into the Mediterranean Sea makes it a vital access point for Europe into the interior of Africa for many reasons. Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia form the geo-political wedge of the Western Sphere of commercial dominance in the whole region. Egypt and Jordan have forged peace treaties with Israel, and the EU would like to expand that circle to include Lebanon and Palestine, since Israel will again be, as its history shows, the crossroads of Continental Empires. The Antichrist will need to maintain Egypt within his block during the Tribulation, but in enforcing this stronghold, He becomes surprised by opposing forces in Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia, when suddenly he hears of a vast offensive aimed at his Northeastern, or flanks from the North and East. These directions obviously point to the Magog and Kings of the East coming against him in Israel. The Antichrist will have planted his seat in Jerusalem by this point in time. While the current crisis does not involve these nations, I remind you that the western-leaning nations (Saudi’s Kuwait, Bahrain, etc. and Jordan, Egypt) are also very worried about Hezbollah, (and the expanding power of Iran) and view it as a threat to their own stability, and to their continued oil profiteering from the West. (Daniel 11:41-44 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.)


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Question # 294…..(07-15-06) Could you please tell me why God sends lying spirits? (for example: I Kings 22:23 & Ezekiel 14:9) Somebody asked me about this right after I just did a long spiel on why God doesn't lie; and he quoted the above verses. Meanwhile I'm thinking that God sends lying spirits as the individual is probably pretty far gone by then; God gives you up to your sins, but I could be wrong. 

 

Answer…..God is perfectly righteous and Holy and cannot lie, neither is it possible for him to be involved in or to be a participant in deception. The following verses verify that Jehovah God cannot be associated with lying, nor with those who practice lying. (1 Samuel 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel (God) will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.) (Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us) (Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;)

   In the case of King Ahab, who wished to go to war against Syria to regain the city of Ramoth-Gilead, God in his Divine providence and omniscience allowed Ahab to be deceived by the compliant spirit of the 400 false prophets that Ahab preferred. Micaiah had been imprisoned by Ahab for truthfully prophesying, and on the occasion of his plot to incorporate Judah into his military alliance, he consented to King Jehoshaphat’s request to hear from a prophet other than King Ahab’s “prophets of choice.” Thus, Micaiah was brought out from his prison cell, and Ahab made light of his prophecy, indicating that Micaiah always forecast evil for him, and therefore was unreliable and was a conspirator against him. In truth however, Micaiah (inspired of Jehovah) rightfully predicted the defeat of Ahab, and it angered Ahab. Micaiah further elaborated that because of Ahab’s own intransigence that his defeat at the hand of Syria would be because Ahab preferred to listen to his false prophets. The “lying spirit” that came to Ahab was not of God’s invention. (I Kings 22:21-23 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.) Micaiah conveyed to Ahab that the Lord had “permitted” the “inquiring spirit” that desired to deceive Ahab to have its way with Ahab and his cabinet of false prophets. Micaiah prophesied the truth to Ahab, but he was unwilling to lend an ear to the Lord’s truth because of his own vanity. (Many people ignore God’s word, and in so doing, they open themselves to being an easy prey for devious spirits!)

   In the case of Ezekiel 14, the elders of Israel were involved in idol worship. The elders approach to Ezekiel was of a condescending nature, and by virtue of their heart-held idols, it was not truly an invocation the sovereign Lord God. The Lord responded to the elders query by saying; “shall I be inquired of them?” The Lord was essentially asking why they would consult him, when they esteemed their idols in their heart over him. By stating this, the Lord was fully cognizant of their iniquity, and the fact that they were only consulting Ezekiel out of a false pretense, or old style political correctness. (Ezekiel 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.) Thus the Lord rightly judged their evil intentions, and submitted to Ezekiel that he would will allow them to be answered according to the multitude of their idols. (Ezekiel 14:3-5 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.) The Lord God did not do the deceiving, as some seem to think by the response of verse nine, but rather, the Lord allowed the “deceiving spirits of their own idols” to entrap them and lead them into judgment. The Lord God further declared that he would set his face against all idol worshippers that mockingly consulted him, and not even rely on His own prophets to warn them, but condemn them to their own evil lusts. The Lord specifically categorizes a prophet that entreaties an idol worshipper that inquires a thing of him concerning the Lord, and that prophet proceeds to speak for the Lord, then that prophet is a lying spirit, for the Lord will not take counsel idol worshippers.

     In the Tribulation era, Paul writes that God will “send” a strong delusion to ensnare the unrighteous of the Latter Days. Even in this scenario, God is not the designer or premeditator of the delusion. The word “send” means to “dispatch,” (pempo) and once again, this is an example whereby God allows lying and deceiving spirits to wreak their havoc in a willfully unrighteous world, and again even in this dire situation, God works out his providence for the world in spite of the plots and strategies of  Hells minions! (II Thessalonians 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.)

  Let there be no misunderstanding of scripture, even in cases like Ezekiel 14 and I Kings 21 where the language tends to lend itself to interpreting that God can be involved in lying. The truth is that Satan is the Father of lies! (John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.)


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Question # 293…..(06-02-06) How do you respond to the idea that Jesus is Michael the Archangel? Also, what do you understand about the nine orders of the angelic realm? Thank you.

 

Answer……I don’t believe that Michael is Jesus Christ. It is true that Michael shall stand up for the people of Israel in their time of trouble, (as Jesus Christ will) but the Bible plainly says that Michael is an archangel, and a Prince of immense power. The book of Jude portrays that Michael contended with the Devil over the body of Moses. Michael charged the Devil against bring railing accusations against Moses because he was a righteous man before the Lord, and invoked the truth of the matter that the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and to reserve the unjust unto judgment. Michael concluded the command by stating that the Lord rebuked Satan. Satan must have shuddered in his shoes, because he knew he had been quoted a powerful truth about the power of God that would be finalized by Jesus Christ at the Cross. Michael’s power wasn’t the power that waylaid the Devil, but rather, God’s Word was that power! (Jesus was the Word-John 1:14)

   God of course created all that exists, whether they are the angels of Heaven or the fallen angels that rebelled along with Lucifer. These fallen angelic beings are categorized as being counted among the ranks of thrones, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and dominions. Lucifer himself may have been among the highest order of created Angels, as the prophet Ezekiel says he was the anointed Cherub that covereth. Apparently, Lucifer was a principal angel hierarchy entrusted and empowered to overshadow the throne of God. He may have even exceeded the rank of Archangel. Heaven retained 2/3 of the angelic created hosts, and they are categorized in scripture as Cherubim, Serpahim, princes, angels, living creatures, and archangels. I believe that all the angels were created at the outset of the Creation project. Genesis 2:1 indicates that the angels (host of heaven) were functioning in their designs at the end of the Creation. Ezekiel 28:12 reveals that Lucifer was even around as an observer during much of the phased construction of the Creative process. It is likely that Lucifer became envious of the foreordained plan of God to manifest himself later into the human race as the Son of Man, and plotted his rebellion to supplant God, and take over the Heavenly throne by attempting to destroy his seed.


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Question # 292…..(05-22-06) I was wondering if it was a possibility that since Christians anticipate the rapture before the appearance of the Antichrist, whether we may be able to detect the identity of the actual ten kings who precede him and eventually grant him universal power?

 

Answer…..This is a very astute question, and it is a matter that I have spent a good deal of time pondering myself. I used to think that it might be plausible that “watcher Christians” might be able to discern, at least the domains of the ten kings, if not the actual kingdoms. As you may be aware, there are some very enticing theories that these kings are already well established in Europe, and that they will converge in the end-times under the banner of a unified Europe. There is also a popular theory that suggests that the kings will have dominion over ten UN-styled regional groupings within a Global governance system. However, I have come to conclude that the Bible best explains itself. The prophet Daniel was informed that the last world empire will arise on the fore-structure of the previous world empires, and probably regalvanize itself from the foundation of the fourth beast as depicted in Daniel chapter seven. Chapter two of Daniel’s prophecies shed more light on the fourth beast, and adds that the empire of the Antichrist will emerge from the domain of the ten-toes (ten kings) which are comprised from the two legs that under-gird the great image from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of Gentile power. (Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.) The Antichrist shall arise after the ten kings, and Daniel also says that three of the original ten kings will be subdued, or overcome by the Antichrist. My reason for suggesting that the ten kings will likely remain “hidden” prior to the 70th week of Daniel, stems from the following prophecy from The Revelation. (Revelation 17:12-13 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.) While I fully believe that the conspiracy of Satan to establish his “son of perdition” on a Tribulation era throne in Jerusalem must have a logistical network of geo-political and economic-religious empowerment in existence before the Tribulation, I think that John clearly indicates that these Ten Kings will not exercise their full control until after the Rapture, as they can consolidate their kingdoms for only a very short period and then they convey their power over to the Antichrist. Current events and Bible prophecy indicates that world history is moving quickly in this direction, but thank God, Jesus Christ is coming to demolish the whole global governance superstructure of the Antichrist.


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Question # 291….(05-18-06) Dear Mr. Young, I was reading in Genesis and ran across the names Sheba and Dedan.  I noticed that they were listed both as sons of Ham and also as sons of Abraham, who was a son of Shem. I know these were not sons of Abraham through Jacob, so I am confused as to how these would be both "blessed" in Shem and then "cursed" in Ham, especially in light of the prophecies for the end times. This is the first time I have noticed this and would appreciate any help you might give.

 

Answer…..These blessings and curses follow two different family lines. There were actually two different men from differing lineage in Genesis named Dedan, and actually five men named Sheba in the Old Testament, again from different family lineages. The name of Sheba also became the name of one city under the tribe of Simeon, (Beersheba) and of course it became the name of the famous kingdom of the Queen of Sheba that was located in southwestern Arabia and Ethiopia.

   Ham had a son named Sheba, whose descendants settled on the Persian Gulf. Joktan, a son of Shem (Gen. 10:28) also had a son that he named Sheba, whose descendants also moved southward and settled in parts of southern Arabia, or the modern area of Yemen. There was also a third Sheba, a grandson of Abraham (a 9th generation descendant from Shem) by Keturah, (Gen. 25:3) and he lived in Edom and northern Arabia.

   The Sheba and Dedan from the Hamitic line form the roots of the background for the prophecies recorded in Ezekiel. Sheba and Dedan’s descendants were nomadic tribes that crisscrossed the Arabian Peninsula for centuries. Their origins are ancient, and they were known for international trade. The same two tribal names are directly linked to a much later time as offspring of Abraham, through Keturah: "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. "And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. "And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. "But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country" (Genesis 25:1-6). Keturah's sons were not on the same level as Abraham's promised son, Isaac. Through Isaac, God promised to carry out His promise to Abraham to make of his descendants a chosen people and nation. Thus, when Abraham sent his sons by Keturah eastward into the desert, he was sending them away from Isaac’s descendants, (and the land promised to him) to dwell with the elder descendants of Ham.

   This "east country" is of course the Saudi Arabian Peninsula. First Chronicles features the genealogies that terminate with Sheba and Dedan, and established the Arabian kingdoms. "And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan" (1 Chronicles 1:9). Cush of course was a son of Ham.

  Sheba and Dedan are depicted in Bible Prophecy as being valuable commercial partners with the Western world in the Last Days, and troubled by a coalition of nations allied with Magog (Russia) in an massive invasion into the area of Israel.


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