During 4th of July Phone Call from Russia's Putin to President Obama, Russian Bombers Off Coast of California and Alaska

Wikipedia File Photo
of Russian Tu-95 escorted by a Royal Air Force Typhoon.
Photo by U.K. Ministry of Defence
(Defence Images) via Wikimedia Commons

While Americans were celebrating Independence Day on the 4^th of July, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned U.S. President Obama to wish him a happy July 4^th.  While the two men were on the phone, Russian Tupolev bombers (which are capable of carrying nuclear bombs) were flying training missions off the coasts of Alaska and California, and U.S. Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept. (Tweet that!)

U.S. airspace was not breached. This is not the first time but actually happens regularly. Here are two articles detailing the July 4, 2015, incident:

• Fox News: Officials: US jets scramble to intercept Russian bombers off California, Alaska coasts on July 4

• CNN with photos: Russian bombers fly near California

What does Russian bombers near the United States' coast have to do with Bible prophecy? (Tweet that!) Here's two points about how this could possibly work into Bible prophecy:

• The United States cannot specifically be identified in End Times prophecy in the Bible. This could mean either the U.S. no longer exists, or is at least irrelevant (not a major world power) during the End Times. Russia has been a major adversary of the U.S. since World War II. (Tweet that!)

• Many Bible experts connect Russia with the nation or power to "the far north" of Israel called Gog in the Bible which attacks Israel. (See Ezekiel 38 – 39.)  An attack on Israel by Russia would be much more conceivable and more likely if the United States was not a world power...or no longer an ally of Israel. (Tweet that!)

Here's just a portion of that passage:

"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.'" (Ezekiel 38:14-16)

Interesting fact about this blog: The majority of readers are from the United States, however readers from all over the world access this blog. After the U.S., one of the largest readerships is consistently from Russia. 

Feast of the Lord #4 – Pentecost Before the book of Acts

Morguefile.com

When Christians hear the word "Pentecost," what springs to our minds is what is described in the book of Acts 2. After Jesus was crucified and then amazingly resurrected, he spoke to his disciples and told them to stay in Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5, NLT).

But did you know the Jewish people had been keeping the Feast of Pentecost for 1,500 years before this Pentecost in Acts? (Tweet that!) 

Yes, Pentecost was one of the seven Feasts of the LORD given to Moses. (Tweet that!) We discussed all seven of the Feasts of the LORD in the blog post on April 11, 2014.

According to the teaching of Mark Biltz at El Shaddai Ministries, on Pentecost the Jewish people celebrate the giving of the Torah (the Law) on Mount Sinai. (Tweet that!) 

This is when God wrote His law in stone on the tablets of the Ten Commandments. And they have observed Pentecost fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits ever since.  (Tweet that!) Christians only came on board with Pentecost after Jesus was resurrected, meaning the story in Acts 2. (Tweet that!) 

Interestingly, in the Old Testament (after Moses but before Jesus), God said through the prophet Ezekiel:

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekiel 36:26-27, ESV).

See also Ezekiel 11:19.

On Pentecost, the Jewish people remember, observe, and celebrate the giving of the Law, written on their hearts and in stone on the tablets of the Ten Commandments. (Tweet that!)  Today, Christians remember, observe, and celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit, poured out on followers of Jesus, transforming our hearts of stone to hearts of pliable, teachable flesh. (Tweet that!) 

On the first Pentecost after Jesus' death and resurrection, God fulfilled His prophecy in Ezekiel 36:26-17 and 11:19. He transformed the Law written on stone in the hearts of His people to new human hearts of flesh led by the Spirit. This is the historical as well as the prophetic meaning of the Feast of Weeks, known as Pentecost. (Tweet that!) 

Related Article:

• May 24 – 35 Omer – Feast of the Lord #4 – Pentecost

What is Prophecy? - Two Definitions

Thanks Morguefile.com 

Since we are talking about prophecy on this blog, it's only fair to define what prophecy is.

There are at least two definitions of "prophecy" (Tweet that!):

• To predict the future 
• To speak forth God's Truth

When I first started studying this subject years ago, I thought prophecy meant foretelling the future, and it does. (Tweet that!) This is what God did through the prophets of old in the Old Testament, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, and Zechariah.

But I have since learned that prophecy also has another meaning, and that is speaking forth God's truth. Whenever a man or woman of God speaks forth the truth of God, this too is prophecy. Are you a prophet in this sense? (Tweet that!) 

In this blog my aim also two-fold:

My aim is to show you places in God's Word, which is the Bible (Old and New Testaments), where His prophets predicted future events. And then also show where those events were perfectly fulfilled, if they have been fulfilled in the past. (Tweet that!) 

Then secondly I want to show places in God's Word, the Bible, where His prophets predicted events that are future to us, prophecies that have not yet come to pass. (Tweet that!) With these we are looking at what is happening in the world today that could be a fulfillment of that prophecy or could be leading up to or setting things up for its fulfillment. (Tweet that!) 

Sometimes when we talk about prophecy on the internet or elsewhere, we can sound, ranting about things like "the mark of the beast" and other important topics. But what's neglected is what comes before that, questions like "what is the mark of the beast?" and "where do they get that?" I can almost hear many people asking where does come from? If it's in the Bible, where does it say that? And just what does the Bible say about that?

In this blog it's my aim to answer these questions as best as I can, especially "Where do they get that?" (Tweet that!)

Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus
by Dianne E.  Butts

There can be other meanings of prophecy also, including the "prophetic pictures" God painted in the Bible of His kingdom or His Messiah, including the prophetic pictures painted in the Tabernacle/Temple and the seven Feasts of the LORD, which we will look at occasionally here, including next week. I discussed these very topics in my newest book, Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus, so you if you'd like to learn more about these you may like to get that book. (Tweet that!)

Prophecy can also mean interpretation, such as when Daniel was called in to interpret the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) and interpret the handwriting on the wall for King Belshazzar (Daniel 5). When Daniel interpreted these signs from God, Daniel was also speaking prophecy or prophesying. 

Another vitally important issue is, how can we tell a true prophet from a false one? And how can we determine which prophecies are truly from God and which are not? In the next post we'll look at how to tell a true prophet and true prophecies from false ones.

Meanwhile, I hope you've found this discussion of "What is prophecy?" and these definitions helpful.

A Unique Glimpse: Tunnels Under the Temple Mount

Underground market in Jerusalem
Morguefile.com 

This week we've been talking about the nation of Israel in honor of her birthday on May 14.  In the May 13^th post we remembered the rebirth of Israel on May 14, 1948, a miraculous, prophetic sign that is unique to this generation. (Tweet that!)

In my previous post we learned how to view the Western Wall of the Temple Mount live any time we want to tune in. (Tweet that!) 

It is incredible that today, through computers, laptops, tablets, and even smart phones, we can watch live in real time what is happening at the foot of the mount of the very Temple in Jerusalem we've read about in our Bibles!

Did you know there are tunnels beneath the Temple Mount? Through centuries levels of the city have been built upon each other, leaving tunnels underneath what we currently see above ground. 

Please note the photo with today's post is not necessary a tunnel beneath the Temple Mount, but it was the closest photo I could find to use. The photographer noted this is an underground market in Jerusalem.

Would you like to take a tour of some of the tunnels that run beneath the Temple Mount? (Tweet that!) Let's do that today. This video runs less than five minutes. It is a fascinating journey and glimpse of what Herod the Great built. (Tweet that!) In it we get to glimpse what is on the other side of the Western Wall we saw in the previous post. (Tweet that!)

Enjoy the tour. And would you please share this with a friend? There are share buttons you can use below to Tweet and post on Facebook, Pinterest, or Google+. You can also click the Tweet that!'s within each post. Or invite your friends to receive this blog via e-mail. Sign up for the e-mail list using the box in the upper right. Thank you.

A tour inside the Western Wall tunnels.

Keeping an Eye on Israel: Look into the Temple Mount Cam

The Western Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
Courtesy Morguefile.com 

For Christians and for Bible prophecy geeks, keeping an eye on what is happening in and to Israel is important. And the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is of special importance. But today's post takes keeping an eye on Israel to a whole new level. (Tweet that!) Did you know you can watch what is happening near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem live, any time you want to? (Tweet that!)

There is a live camera that overlooks the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. It is called the "Kotel Cam." (Tweet that!)  Kotel is the Hebrew word for the "Wailing" or "Western Wall" in Jerusalem, which is a part or all of the western wall of the ancient Jewish temple that was destroyed by the Roman, Titus, in 70 AD. (Tweet that!)

The "Live Kotel Cam" broadcasts 24/7/365 what is happening at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. You can also view other areas around the Temple Mount, such as Wilson's Arch, live.

You can tune in anytime and watch what is happening through the Kotel Cam here: http://english.thekotel.org/cameras.asp 

It is especially interesting to tune in on and around Jewish holidays. For example, last year I enjoyed seeing the giant Menorah during Hanukkah.

In the previous post, The Biggest Prophetic Sign Ever: Israel is Back in the Land, we talked about how Israel becoming a nation was a huge prophetic sign unique to our generation.  Another unique aspect of our generation is technology. (Tweet that!)

There are prophecies in the Bible that speak of all the world seeing certain things happen.  Current technology could make "all the world" seeing these things possible, unlike any previous generation. (Tweet that!)

Here are two examples of prophecies that might show world-wide visual communications are needed for End Times prophecy to be fulfilled. Both are found in Revelation.

Revelation 11:7-10: 

"And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth... 

"Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth." 

Revelation 17:8: 

"The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come."

These events might be shown on the evening news or carried as "live" breaking news. Or we might be able to watch them live through streaming on the internet like the Kotel Cam at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. If this is indeed how "the world" sees these events, then the technology that has only come about in our generation that helps us keep an eye on Israel could play a part in fulfilling Bible prophecy.

Related Articles:

Here are two articles I wrote on similar topics for other sites:

"Signs of the End Times? Mass and Vast Communications" by Dianne E. Butts on The Christian Pulse 

"Finding God in Prophecy about Israel" by Dianne E. Butts on Finding God Daily.com

The Biggest Prophetic Sign Ever! Israel is Back in the Land

Front Page of The Jerusalem Post May 16, 1948
Wikimedia Foundation. Fair use.

I often say if we're not in the End Times, you can see them from here.

I often get responses from people, including from pastors, that show their skepticism. They respond with comments like, "We can't know that." One told me, "We have at least another 30 years." Another said, "We have at least another 100 years."

I wish I would have been quick-thinking enough to ask them, "Based on what?"

God gave us information about the End Times for a reason: so we would know. (Tweet that!) (For more on why God gave us prophecies, see Related Articles below.)

Jesus talked about the signs of the end and the signs of his coming in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. He told us what would be happening in our world so we would watch for the signs, understand what was happening, and know it was near. (Tweet that!)

So for all the skeptics out there, in recent history we have witnessed one prophetic sign that has never occurred before in human history. (Tweet that!) One sign that is unique to our generation. One sign that changes everything. It is the biggest sign ever. Like a flashing neon billboard. (Tweet that!)

What is it? Israel is once again a nation.

In Jesus' time, Israel was an occupied country, occupied by the Romans. Israel had not been a free nation since long before the birth of Jesus.

God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel about "The Valley of Dry Bones" in Ezekiel 37. God showed Ezekiel a vision of a vast valley of dry bones. Then God asked Ezekiel in 37:3:

"Son of man, can these bones live?"

I love Ezekiel's response because he spoke with wisdom I never would have thought of:

"O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

God then put flesh on the bones and they became alive. And God explained to Ezekiel that this was the rebirth of Israel in her own land once again:

¹¹ Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.' ¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord." (Ezekiel 37:11-14).

The Jewish people waited a very long time for this prophecy to be fulfilled, but it has happened. In our generation. Israel became a nation again on May 14, 1948. So tomorrow, Israel turns 66 years old – that is the "new," re-established nation of Israel and the prophetic re-birth of the nation. This week we will honor Israel by learning more about this nation and how we can stay in touch with what's happening there. (Tweet that!)

For today, let's remember that it was after Adolf Hitler and his Nazis tried to annihilate the Jews that the result was Israel emerged as a nation once again after 2,000 years. That is an amazing turnaround, a miracle—something only God could do. (Tweet that!)

And that is a miraculous sign that is unique to our generation.

Many of the other prophecies of the End Times refer to the nation of Israel. Therefore, they cannot come to pass unless Israel is a nation. Now, as of 1948, Israel is once again a nation. (Tweet that!)

According to Psalm 90:10 in the Bible, a "generation" is about 70 years: 

The years of our life are seventy,

    or even by reason of strength eighty;

yet their span is but toil and trouble;

    they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Israel was born again on May 14, 1948. That means Israel will turn 70 years old in 2018. (Tweet that!)

The re-birth of Israel is the biggest prophetic sign ever. This sign is unique to the times we are living in right now. (Tweet that!)  It is a unique, one-of-a-kind sign that tells us if we're not in the End Times, we can see them from here.

Related Articles: 

• Why Did God Give Us Prophecies - Part 1
• Why Did God Give Us Prophecies - Part 2

Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 3

 Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula
ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons
Found on Wikipedia

In the previous two posts we looked in depth into what is happening in Russia and Ukraine and how it might relate to Bible prophecy. In Part 2, the previous post, I promised to give information on other names listed in Ezekiel 38:1-9, specifically verses 5-6 and what those countries are called today. (Tweet that!)

This is what Ezekiel 38:5-6 says: 

⁵ Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; ⁶ Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.

At this point in my study, this is my understanding of who these nations are today. (Tweet that!) I also understand, however, that not everyone may agree.

• Perisa - Iran
• Cush - Ethiopia
• Put - Libya
• Gomer - Ukraine
• Beth Togarmah – eastern Turkey

Also in Parts 1 and 2 earlier this week, we saw video interviews about what is happening in Ukraine from a Biblical perspective. I hope you have enjoyed these. Here is one more, Part 3 of the interview of Avi Lipkin by Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News, which aired March 6, 2014. This one runs about 13 minutes.

Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News interviews Avi Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine. 

Part 3 aired March 6, 2014.

Related articles:

Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 1

Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 2

Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 2

Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula
ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons
Found on Wikipedia

On Tuesday, in Part 1, we briefly reviewed the beginnings of this conflict occurring with Russia in Ukraine.

You might remember on April 17, 2014, news reached the US of a leaflet handed to Jews leaving their synagogue in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk telling them they had to register with the government and list their property. An eerie echo of Nazi regimes from the past, the leaflet was immediately condemned by national leaders. While the leaflet claimed a connection to Denis Pushilin, a man who was identified as the chairman of "Donetsk's temporary government," he claimed he had nothing to do with it.

You can find more information in this article on USA Today: "Leaflet tells Jews to register in East Ukraine." 

While we watch what is going on in Ukraine, many Bible prophecy geeks think of the prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled which tells us Israel will be attacked by nations to her north. Bible prophecy geeks like me also believe this prophecy will be fulfilled as part of the "End Times," or the times leading up to the last seven years of the Tribulation.

This prophecy is found in Ezekiel 38. (Tweet that!) Here is part of that prophecy. God is speaking (through His prophet Ezekiel):

The word of the Lord came to me: ^{2 "}Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him ³ and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. ⁴ I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. ⁵ Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, ⁶ also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. 

^{7 "'}Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. ⁸ After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. ⁹ You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.'"  (Ezekiel 38:1-9)

My favorite Bible that I own is The NIV Study Bible from 1985. The notes in this Bible have taught me so much, I just love them. So I often share what I learn from them.

I found helpful information in the notes section of The NIV Study Bible, which says,

"Gog" is "apparently a leader or king whose name appears only here and in Rev. 20:8… Possibly the name is purposely vague, standing for a mysterious, as yet undisclosed, enemy of God's people."*

The phrase "of the land of Magog" takes us back to the times of Noah. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Before the great flood that covered the earth, eight people entered the ark: Noah and his wife, and their three sons and their wives (Genesis 7:13). (By the way, this was depicted much differently in the recent movie Noah, so don't be confused by that. In the true story, each of Noah's three sons had wives and they all entered the ark.) (Tweet that!)

Because everyone else in the world died in the flood, all the nations of today's world descended from these three sons of Noah (Genesis 9:18-19).

Noah's son Japheth had seven sons. They are listed in Genesis 10:2. Compare these names to the names in the Ezekiel 38 passage above:

The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (Genesis 10:2)

Here is more information on "Gog" and "Magog" from the The NIV Study Bible. (Tweet that!) Please note the reference to the "future coalition" which means the prophecy of what is to happen in our future:

 …since the Hebrew prefix ma- can mean "place of," Magog may here simply mean "land of Gog." Israel had long experienced the hostility of the Hamites and other Semitic peoples; the future coalition here envisioned will include—and in fact be led by—peoples descended from Japheth.*

Regarding "chief prince," the The NIV Study Bible note gives this information:

Military commander-in-chief. The NIV text note gives the possible translation "prince of Rosh," and if it is correct, Rosh is probably the name of an unknown people or place. Identification with Russia is unlikely, and in any case cannot be proven.*

I've heard many times that "Rosh" may indeed be Russia. The previous note says that is "unlikely," but gives no reason for that statement.

Regarding "Meshech and Tubal," the The NIV Study Bible note says this:

These sons of Japheth…are probably located in eastern Asia Minor… They are peoples and territories to the north of Israel… As in the days of the Assyrians and Babylonians, the major attack will come from the north.*

So if you have ever heard that Bible prophecy predicts Israel will be attacked from the north in the End Times, this is where that prophecy comes from. (Tweet that!)

For my next post I'm preparing information about the other names listed in Ezekiel 38:5-6 shown above and what those nations are called today.

In the last post we watched an interview of Avi Lipkin by Gary Stearman. There is much more to that interview. Here is part 2, which aired March 5, 2014. It runs about 13 minutes.

Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News interviews Avi Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine. 

Part 2 aired March 5, 2014.

Related article: 

• Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 1

*NIV Study Bible (Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI, 1985), 1280. Notes on Ezekiel 38:2.

Does what's going on with Russia and Ukraine have anything to do with Bible prophecy? - Part 1

Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula
ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons
Found on Wikipedia

I'm sure you, like me, are watching the situation involving Russia and Ukraine and you're wondering what really is going on and if it has something to do with Bible prophecy. (Tweet that!)

Many of us see the conflict, but don't have any background information or understanding to know what it all means. I can't say I have any more understanding than the average American or Christians elsewhere. But I have tried to find information that might give us insight into what's happening in light of Bible prophecy. This week I'll share what I've found. I hope you'll find it as interesting and helpful as I have.

Briefly remembering what has happened, the conflict started in late February just after the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

According to the Wikipedia article, "2014 Crimean crisis," the conflict started "in the aftermath of the Ukrainian Revolution, which resulted in President Viktor Yanukovych's deposition by the Ukrainian parliament after his flight from the capital....

"Beginning on February 26, pro-Russian forces began to gradually take control of the Crimean peninsula. Many of them were widely believed to be Russian military personnel without insignia..."

I found the following video interview very interesting and insightful. Here, Gary Stearman, of Prophecy in the News, talks with Avi Lipkin, who has studied this area of the world most his life and shares wonderful information to teach us. This Part 1 video runs under 12 minutes. (Tweet that!)

In the next post, I'm preparing information about a prophecy in the Bible that has yet to be fulfilled which says Israel will be attacked by nations to its north. So please stop back by on Thursday.

Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News interviews Avi Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine. 

Part 1 aired March 4, 2014.