Michael Bresciani
The American-made vacuum - - who will fill the void?
By Michael Bresciani
Cognitive mental processes can be overloaded by too much information. Nascent terms like, information glut, infobesity and data smog are ugly byproducts of the information age, but as it pertains to prophecy and future events this can rarely happen.
All legitimate prophecy is found in the Bible and since that book has not changed in centuries only speculation about it has any chance of creating overload. And yet, only a cursory view of today's prophecy writers and speakers show clearly that we are approaching critical mass.
Some of the teachings and a lot of the speculation is falling off the deep end and we need to be ever so careful not to mislead others. We will be asked to answer up, if we mislead.
Headlines this week included the story of one man's reaction to Victoria Osteen's recent public declaration that we do everything not for God's glory, but for our own happiness and that is what God wants. His reaction to Victoria's statement was to enter the church's bookstore and throw down the books and other merchandise to the floor until he was removed by security personnel.
Some are calling Osteen's remarks 'blasphemous,' but considering the source at the least it is consistent with the general message coming from that ministry. The idea of our happiness trumping a life lived to bring glory to God is part and parcel to today's great apostasy and the trend of humanizing the divine word of the Living God. It is the great diversion being added to the great apostasy – that too has been prophesied. (2Tim 3:1-2)
Then along comes an internet ad for a 'Nephilim' mounds convention, where trips are being offered to view the mounds of the alleged "giants' of the ancient world which some hold were in fact – angels or the offspring of angels.
In this era of Obama shock, emerging ISIS radicals and worldwide confusion among nations apparently some think the answer to all this horror and confusion is to go look at the bones of ancient angels. This is overload and absurdity rolled into one.
This is your world today!
Speculation is not wrong until it becomes a preponderance of diversionary side stepping
Whether any of these theories and speculations holds any significant truth is not the question. The only question is what bearing does this alleged truth have on prophecy or the gospel message in total? Is it supplemental or substitutionary?
In fact, if it takes over the time and thinking of those espousing it and those preoccupied with it, it has become diversion and possibly an actual preoccupation with error. It may be intriguing, interesting and exciting which does little to disprove that many of these speculations are floating in the zone between extraneous and erroneous.
The Old Stuff vs The New – Error and Diversion with a Modern Face
You would think that after centuries of uncovering errors and spurious inclusions of extra biblical materials into the church's message (The proclamation of the gospel) that we would quickly shun any new attempts to water down, twist or appendage the simple, but pure message of the gospel
The church has managed to identify many errors such as the Jehovah Witnesses New World Translation of the bible, the Book of Mormon, Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health, Theosophy, Golden Dawn, prosperity gospel extremes and a plethora of other hapless attempts to discolor, supplant and divert the biblical message. It would seem we would easily catch the latest additions to the bible message that are garnering all too much attention. Here's the short list.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Mt 28: 19-20)
Watchers may speculate, but few speculators are legitimate watchers
The seriousness of second coming doctrine or what is sometimes called eschatology is not to be trifled with. The destiny and eternal fate of millions of precious human lives hang in the balance. Using second coming doctrine to produce sensationalism, sell books, call together special tours and any other purpose other than helping a generation prepare for the second advent is farcical, foolish and super feckless.
The terms watch, watchful and watcher appear over one hundred times in scripture, about half in the New Testament. Those who take the business of watching seriously may speculate about things as they unfold, but they do it with a sense of responsibility and gravity that reflects a true calling, rather than a vested interest or an idle curiosity – lives depend on it!
One of the best rules for sound exegesis and interpretation of scripture is the rule that says – if the scripture makes plain sense – seek no other sense. It is because of this rule that there are two things this writer and watcher will never do.
The first: is to switch explanations of scripture to fit the current speculation of the day. The second: is to avoid all fiction. The Left Behind series was titillating, but I will never quote from or refer to them at all. I have rejected reading or reviewing all novels and other works of fiction in any media about second coming – for the most obvious reasons – with speculation running rampant and responsibility running at a peak – adding yet more confusion to this complex subject is dilettante, desultory and haphazard.
Distractions that need serious review starting with – the Muslim antichrist
The rise of the Muslim Caliphate as the fulfillment of antichrist is pure speculation. The view that antichrist comes from the newly forming EU is the only view fully supported by scripture. Here are some obvious reasons why.
Antichrist is not connected to any religion and seeks only those who will worship him. (2Th 2: 4) (Dan 11: 38)
To implement and enforce the 'mark of the beast' an economic system with mandatory inclusion throughout the world, only a fully formed western power with advanced technology and completely mobile military capability could create and maintain this system. Muslim nations with some exceptions do not have this capacity; some of them are still living in third world conditions.
The Prophet Ezekiel shows the Muslim armies in league with what most expositors see as Russia slaughtered on the hills of Israel (Ezekiel Chapters 37-39) by the intervention of God in the last days. With a Muslim army in total disarray who would take a Muslim world leader seriously?
That a Muslim leader will emerge over Europe is a possibility since now nations like Britain and France have such large Muslim populations, but this notion has a lot of hurdles set against it. The western mind is still not ready for a religion that takes over civil governance much less one that reduces women to the estate of slaves and publicly executes its criminals, homosexuals and just about anyone who disagrees with them.
The Muslim religion is saddled with spurious origins, but it is also troubled by a faulty philosophical premise which is being used to propagate itself. Martyrdom is a means to strengthen any religion or cause because anything worth dying for is respected by most of mankind. But when the martyrs are suicides, that respect is lost and the only remaining emotional response is a cringing and loathsomeness and most of the world sees this as fanaticism not bravery and or conviction.
Only in the American psyche does the idea of Muslim triumph become the great issue. Only recently it has been reported that Hollywood has come out against ISIS and Hamas. Celebs may tune in late, but then they may have just realized that the idea of a Muslim takeover in the USA would see Hollywood as it first order of business. No more nudity, homosex and general sleaze would be allowed. Tinsel Town's beauties would not need makeup anymore – only hijabs.
Some fear that Barack Obama is set to open the doors to the Muslim religion to overtake the nation, but even that has serious questions attached. In the six years of his administration the only solid accomplishments in policy have to do with the belligerent arm of the LGBT. This contradiction stands out like a blazing neon sign because all homosexual pursuits would be cut off under Muslim dominance of any nation.
It is impossible to underplay the dangers of the Muslim emergence throughout the world, but to see this as the fulfillment of the last day's prophecies of the antichrist takes a bit of stretching at the very least.
The Roman Church and its Pontiff as beast and antichrist
Almost all the same reasons for rejecting the Caliphate as the source of the antichrist also hold true about the Pope and the Roman church.
The Scarlet clothed woman which rides atop the beast is all the apostate churches which would include Rome, but is not limited to the RCC.
Both the women and later the very city of Rome are completely hated, cast off and destroyed according to prophecy – what kingdom does antichrist rule if it is snuffed out – of all things by the kingdom upon which it rests and rides. (Rev 17: 1f)
Common sense is all that's needed to see that the beast (kingdom of the antichrist) and the antichrist hate the women (Rev 17: 16) and cast her off. Antichrist is against God and all that is called God – fake or real.
With the fake church gone and the real church under heavy full scale persecution he (the antichrist) is now free to lead the world directly into the abomination of desolation and the subsequent battle of Armageddon.
The idea of the antichrist being either Pontiff or the RCC takes a leave of the senses when it is seen that the antichrist comes against and destroys the woman (whore of Rev 17: 16)
Whatever the antichrist may be – he is not dumb. Even he knows that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
But Europe is too weak – the fledgling cannot soar with the eagles
Modern speculators of biblical prophecy often fluff off Europe as a contender or a world power. They forget that prophecy is only pre-written history and it does not take great shifts in power to come about. It is willed by the Living God in its time.
"This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zec 4: 6b)
All that the EU lacks is the right leader to solidify its potential economic, military and political power. He will appear at the appointed time.
To those who insist that the EU will not shift into the greatest world power in world history we have only to remind them that one world power has shifted away from its standing in only six short years.
With Barack Obama as leader for these past six, the military, foreign policy, extraction of our own natural resources and adherence to laws including our own founding documents has waned and crumbled under the banner of Barack's campaign declaration of – "Change we can believe in."
238 years of power and standing in the world has been undermined in less than a decade. What is so hard to believe about a nation rising in only a few years or less? Have we forgotten the rise of Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot and others – none which took more than a decade?
Further Reading:
Serious Questions and Answers on the Coming of Antichrist
Hitler Was a Choir Boy Compared to the Coming Final Dictator – Who is This Man and is there any way to Identify Him
The Apostasy is Underway – No One Is Ready for What Follows
The Fig Tree Generation – So How Much Time is Left?
U.S. and EU Strengthen Ties – Prophecy Train Tops the Grade
This writer rarely wastes time centering in on one false prophet or the other, there would be little time left for anything else. Suffice it to say, that the second coming doctrine is not open for idle speculation and general opinions to tear it to shreds. But for those who insist on doing this – comes this most serious warning..
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev 22: 18-19)
As for who will fill the vacuum created by America – vacuums suck in what's nearest to it without any help from anyone.
As America wanes will the vacuum be filled with a marauding band of raging Muslims cutting off heads in public with children and men brandishing AK's and anti-aircraft guns mounted on pick up trucks?
Here is your bottom line – watch Europe.
© Michael Bresciani
September 6, 2014
Cognitive mental processes can be overloaded by too much information. Nascent terms like, information glut, infobesity and data smog are ugly byproducts of the information age, but as it pertains to prophecy and future events this can rarely happen.
All legitimate prophecy is found in the Bible and since that book has not changed in centuries only speculation about it has any chance of creating overload. And yet, only a cursory view of today's prophecy writers and speakers show clearly that we are approaching critical mass.
Some of the teachings and a lot of the speculation is falling off the deep end and we need to be ever so careful not to mislead others. We will be asked to answer up, if we mislead.
Headlines this week included the story of one man's reaction to Victoria Osteen's recent public declaration that we do everything not for God's glory, but for our own happiness and that is what God wants. His reaction to Victoria's statement was to enter the church's bookstore and throw down the books and other merchandise to the floor until he was removed by security personnel.
Some are calling Osteen's remarks 'blasphemous,' but considering the source at the least it is consistent with the general message coming from that ministry. The idea of our happiness trumping a life lived to bring glory to God is part and parcel to today's great apostasy and the trend of humanizing the divine word of the Living God. It is the great diversion being added to the great apostasy – that too has been prophesied. (2Tim 3:1-2)
Then along comes an internet ad for a 'Nephilim' mounds convention, where trips are being offered to view the mounds of the alleged "giants' of the ancient world which some hold were in fact – angels or the offspring of angels.
In this era of Obama shock, emerging ISIS radicals and worldwide confusion among nations apparently some think the answer to all this horror and confusion is to go look at the bones of ancient angels. This is overload and absurdity rolled into one.
This is your world today!
Speculation is not wrong until it becomes a preponderance of diversionary side stepping
Whether any of these theories and speculations holds any significant truth is not the question. The only question is what bearing does this alleged truth have on prophecy or the gospel message in total? Is it supplemental or substitutionary?
In fact, if it takes over the time and thinking of those espousing it and those preoccupied with it, it has become diversion and possibly an actual preoccupation with error. It may be intriguing, interesting and exciting which does little to disprove that many of these speculations are floating in the zone between extraneous and erroneous.
The Old Stuff vs The New – Error and Diversion with a Modern Face
You would think that after centuries of uncovering errors and spurious inclusions of extra biblical materials into the church's message (The proclamation of the gospel) that we would quickly shun any new attempts to water down, twist or appendage the simple, but pure message of the gospel
The church has managed to identify many errors such as the Jehovah Witnesses New World Translation of the bible, the Book of Mormon, Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health, Theosophy, Golden Dawn, prosperity gospel extremes and a plethora of other hapless attempts to discolor, supplant and divert the biblical message. It would seem we would easily catch the latest additions to the bible message that are garnering all too much attention. Here's the short list.
- The Nephilim
- The Blood Moon Tetrads
- Muslim antichrist (caliphates)
- Shroud speculations
- Ufology
- Ark searches
- The Holy Grail
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Mt 28: 19-20)
Watchers may speculate, but few speculators are legitimate watchers
The seriousness of second coming doctrine or what is sometimes called eschatology is not to be trifled with. The destiny and eternal fate of millions of precious human lives hang in the balance. Using second coming doctrine to produce sensationalism, sell books, call together special tours and any other purpose other than helping a generation prepare for the second advent is farcical, foolish and super feckless.
The terms watch, watchful and watcher appear over one hundred times in scripture, about half in the New Testament. Those who take the business of watching seriously may speculate about things as they unfold, but they do it with a sense of responsibility and gravity that reflects a true calling, rather than a vested interest or an idle curiosity – lives depend on it!
One of the best rules for sound exegesis and interpretation of scripture is the rule that says – if the scripture makes plain sense – seek no other sense. It is because of this rule that there are two things this writer and watcher will never do.
The first: is to switch explanations of scripture to fit the current speculation of the day. The second: is to avoid all fiction. The Left Behind series was titillating, but I will never quote from or refer to them at all. I have rejected reading or reviewing all novels and other works of fiction in any media about second coming – for the most obvious reasons – with speculation running rampant and responsibility running at a peak – adding yet more confusion to this complex subject is dilettante, desultory and haphazard.
Distractions that need serious review starting with – the Muslim antichrist
The rise of the Muslim Caliphate as the fulfillment of antichrist is pure speculation. The view that antichrist comes from the newly forming EU is the only view fully supported by scripture. Here are some obvious reasons why.
Antichrist is not connected to any religion and seeks only those who will worship him. (2Th 2: 4) (Dan 11: 38)
To implement and enforce the 'mark of the beast' an economic system with mandatory inclusion throughout the world, only a fully formed western power with advanced technology and completely mobile military capability could create and maintain this system. Muslim nations with some exceptions do not have this capacity; some of them are still living in third world conditions.
The Prophet Ezekiel shows the Muslim armies in league with what most expositors see as Russia slaughtered on the hills of Israel (Ezekiel Chapters 37-39) by the intervention of God in the last days. With a Muslim army in total disarray who would take a Muslim world leader seriously?
That a Muslim leader will emerge over Europe is a possibility since now nations like Britain and France have such large Muslim populations, but this notion has a lot of hurdles set against it. The western mind is still not ready for a religion that takes over civil governance much less one that reduces women to the estate of slaves and publicly executes its criminals, homosexuals and just about anyone who disagrees with them.
The Muslim religion is saddled with spurious origins, but it is also troubled by a faulty philosophical premise which is being used to propagate itself. Martyrdom is a means to strengthen any religion or cause because anything worth dying for is respected by most of mankind. But when the martyrs are suicides, that respect is lost and the only remaining emotional response is a cringing and loathsomeness and most of the world sees this as fanaticism not bravery and or conviction.
Only in the American psyche does the idea of Muslim triumph become the great issue. Only recently it has been reported that Hollywood has come out against ISIS and Hamas. Celebs may tune in late, but then they may have just realized that the idea of a Muslim takeover in the USA would see Hollywood as it first order of business. No more nudity, homosex and general sleaze would be allowed. Tinsel Town's beauties would not need makeup anymore – only hijabs.
Some fear that Barack Obama is set to open the doors to the Muslim religion to overtake the nation, but even that has serious questions attached. In the six years of his administration the only solid accomplishments in policy have to do with the belligerent arm of the LGBT. This contradiction stands out like a blazing neon sign because all homosexual pursuits would be cut off under Muslim dominance of any nation.
It is impossible to underplay the dangers of the Muslim emergence throughout the world, but to see this as the fulfillment of the last day's prophecies of the antichrist takes a bit of stretching at the very least.
The Roman Church and its Pontiff as beast and antichrist
Almost all the same reasons for rejecting the Caliphate as the source of the antichrist also hold true about the Pope and the Roman church.
The Scarlet clothed woman which rides atop the beast is all the apostate churches which would include Rome, but is not limited to the RCC.
Both the women and later the very city of Rome are completely hated, cast off and destroyed according to prophecy – what kingdom does antichrist rule if it is snuffed out – of all things by the kingdom upon which it rests and rides. (Rev 17: 1f)
Common sense is all that's needed to see that the beast (kingdom of the antichrist) and the antichrist hate the women (Rev 17: 16) and cast her off. Antichrist is against God and all that is called God – fake or real.
With the fake church gone and the real church under heavy full scale persecution he (the antichrist) is now free to lead the world directly into the abomination of desolation and the subsequent battle of Armageddon.
The idea of the antichrist being either Pontiff or the RCC takes a leave of the senses when it is seen that the antichrist comes against and destroys the woman (whore of Rev 17: 16)
Whatever the antichrist may be – he is not dumb. Even he knows that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
But Europe is too weak – the fledgling cannot soar with the eagles
Modern speculators of biblical prophecy often fluff off Europe as a contender or a world power. They forget that prophecy is only pre-written history and it does not take great shifts in power to come about. It is willed by the Living God in its time.
"This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zec 4: 6b)
All that the EU lacks is the right leader to solidify its potential economic, military and political power. He will appear at the appointed time.
To those who insist that the EU will not shift into the greatest world power in world history we have only to remind them that one world power has shifted away from its standing in only six short years.
With Barack Obama as leader for these past six, the military, foreign policy, extraction of our own natural resources and adherence to laws including our own founding documents has waned and crumbled under the banner of Barack's campaign declaration of – "Change we can believe in."
238 years of power and standing in the world has been undermined in less than a decade. What is so hard to believe about a nation rising in only a few years or less? Have we forgotten the rise of Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot and others – none which took more than a decade?
Further Reading:
Serious Questions and Answers on the Coming of Antichrist
Hitler Was a Choir Boy Compared to the Coming Final Dictator – Who is This Man and is there any way to Identify Him
The Apostasy is Underway – No One Is Ready for What Follows
The Fig Tree Generation – So How Much Time is Left?
U.S. and EU Strengthen Ties – Prophecy Train Tops the Grade
This writer rarely wastes time centering in on one false prophet or the other, there would be little time left for anything else. Suffice it to say, that the second coming doctrine is not open for idle speculation and general opinions to tear it to shreds. But for those who insist on doing this – comes this most serious warning..
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev 22: 18-19)
As for who will fill the vacuum created by America – vacuums suck in what's nearest to it without any help from anyone.
As America wanes will the vacuum be filled with a marauding band of raging Muslims cutting off heads in public with children and men brandishing AK's and anti-aircraft guns mounted on pick up trucks?
Here is your bottom line – watch Europe.
© Michael Bresciani
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
