Michael Bresciani
Second Coming of Christ - - beware of the gainsayers
By Michael Bresciani
No sooner had Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber apologized for calling Americans "stupid" when along came an incident at UCLA Berkeley that might just prove he was right.
In a video furnished by Mail Online we see an almost unbelievable scenario of flag waving on campus that proves that this generation is finally showing conclusively that they are beyond indoctrination, but have moved all the way up to brainwashed.
The title of the piece says it all – "UC Berkeley students ignore Fox commentator waving ISIS flag but ATTACK him when he waves Israeli flag."
No – this writer does not believe Americans are stupid, but we have a long way to go to reel in the worse than dumb behaviors of the last generation. Really – men marrying men is cool? Smoking pot until your brain is numb is cool? Judges deciding if the will of the people in a democratic republic can stand is cool? Or how about a President who calls for law and order in Ferguson MO – while at the same time breaks the Constitution to little pieces in an executive fiat the makes everyone of 5 million people who committed a felony – just another person in the neighborhood. Let's not be too hard on Gruber.
A quick excursion back into history, Biblical records and the modern concept that has now been stretched so thin it is about to snap, known as common sense, tells us one thing. It is something that our 'brightest minds' seem to miss while being led down the primrose path to academia's version of creeping anti-Semitism.
Palestine was never a nation or a state and did not seek to be until the Jews returned in 1948 to re-claim their land, their nation, that was – and will always be theirs alone. The Palestinians refused the offer of statehood in the past opting for the total destruction of Israel instead. Israel is occupying nothing, the land is theirs – get over it. The other alternative is to suspend the bias, get some real history textbooks and come in for a landing.
Secular Indoctrination or Doctrines of Devils in Disguise?
We expect our colleges and universities to espouse a secular world view and while it may make us cringe we have but to consider the source. When it comes to the scripture and the prophetic message of the Bible we are not allowed such latitudes.
Secularizing, twisting or leaving it all open to speculation and theory opens the possibility for error, and because the lives of everyone on this planet are at stake, it then becomes an evil, more serious than anyone can imagine.
Anything that diverts the hearers away from sound biblical doctrine is more than error, it is deadly error.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1Tim 4: 1)
Today we have what are called prophecy buffs and the new prophecy preachers who are said to be part of the "prophecy world." There is only one world and biblical prophecy speaks to that world in no uncertain terms, it is not open to endless speculation, interpretation and whimsical viewpoints derived from collecting current events and dialoging with others about what it all means.
God is not fickle, he says what he means and to our chagrin, he means exactly what he says.
Islam, Caliphates and Mecca – The New Mars' hill Christians
I don't spend my time attacking the new "don't worry – be happy" preachers like Osteen and Jakes, but I also refuse to be included among those who are willing to call them America's pastors or the new voices of Christianity.
After hearing Osteen refuse to claim that salvation is in Christ alone before an immense TV audience on the Larry King show and hearing him say he would attend gay couples wedding – I decided he would never be my pastor in this life or the next. That is my decision to make and knowing that others have decided to follow him anyway only reinforces the biblical prophecy of the great falling away (apostasy) spoken of by Paul (2 Th 2: 3) – it is prophecy in action. It is a subtle evil that produces and proves the surety of scriptural prophecy rather than dismissing it!
In addition to the preachers of the cotton candy gospel now we have a new breed of Mars' hill prophecy teachers who think that the entire body of prophetic knowledge as we know it is up for a brand new interpretation based on recent developments in the geo-political landscape. They seem to understand that westerners are still much like the Athenians in Paul's day who loved to hear some new thing.
"For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing." (Acts 17: 21)
In one recent video of the new prophecy speculators is a preacher attired in a beautiful three piece suit, coiffed hair prancing around while dissing other prophecy interpretations on a gargantuan stage. All of this was to introduce a new theorist with his prophecy package of expensive books and videos that will show how it is the Caliphate and Islam that will produce antichrist.
Making fun of those who see the emerging EU, Rome and the coat of arms of bonny Prince Charles as anything to be serious about – the introduction ends and the indoctrination begins.
While the symbols within the coat of arms of Prince Charles may stand for nothing significant, the idea that Mecca is Babylon, the Caliphate is the forming of the antichrists kingdom, are then put forth throughout the rest of the video as proof positive of the new and shining theory.
What is wrong with this picture?
Stick to scripture so you won't Get Stuck – Don't be oblivious to the obvious
It is safe to conclude that serious students of prophecy already know what is outlined here. It is the people who are looking for "strange fire" (Lev 10: 1) or Mars' hill kinds of new doctrines that are most at risk. What follows is sound doctrine based on the obvious meanings of scripture not some nascent nuance of the new prophecy world demagogues.
The man the prophet Daniel sees in Daniel chapter 2 shows all the kingdoms of the ancient world from Babylon to Rome. The offshoot of the Roman kingdom is not disconnected from Rome, thus it is a revived extension to it in a modern era. It definitely does not emerge in an entirely new part of the vision – or of the world. Shifting it all to the known Muslim world is a stretch beyond scripture, reason and reasonable exegesis – it is pure nonsense.
The prophet Ezekiel shows the last day's destruction of the Islamic nations and the complete destruction of their armies and forces in Ezekiel 37 thru 39. The rest of scripture shows the antichrist ruling from a very successful kingdom complete with an economic system that is adopted throughout the entire world. These two pictures are irreconcilable if we are to insist that antichrist emerges from the Muslim nations. Why the new prophecy teachers don't see this is a mystery. Must we resort to Gruber's conclusions to find the answer to this mystery?
The new teaching espouses that Mecca is Babylon which eventually is destroyed in one day. Unfortunately the bible also says the blood of saints and martyrs has been found there and that is what precipitates the sudden fall of the city at the second coming of Christ. (Rev 18: 24) No history, no biblical search and no amount of new prophecy theory can change the fact that Mecca has never been known as the place where the blood of saints has been found. There isn't a Christian church in all of Saudi Arabia today and no great martyrdom of believers ever took place there in the past. Rome is still the only city that can be connected to the shedding of the blood of saints or believers. Sorry new prophecy teachers – you are blowing smoke on this one.
The most amazing prophecy of all that is completely ignored by the new prophecy crowd reveals more than all else. The women symbolizing the great mystery Babylon in Revelation is said to sit on "seven mountains." (Rev 17: 9) The most universally recognized city of seven mountains in this world has always been Rome. Mecca was not found before the fourth century and nowhere in the world is it seen as the city of seven mountains. Prophecy teachers of today waltz around these facts and hope we do not notice. Here's my advice – notice.
New twists in prophetic exploration are good for selling books and packages to the unsuspecting, but they are largely nonsense. To most people none of this matters, but our preparedness and in some cases our very salvation may depend on not taking these prophecy contorting Mars' hill prophets seriously.
I have no axe to grind with the prophecy polluters of the day except to warn those who trust scripture that the long standing view of antichrist coming from a revived Roman Empire (EU) is predicated on sound exegesis not wild modern speculation and theory. Stay grounded.
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1: 9)
© Michael Bresciani
November 23, 2014
No sooner had Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber apologized for calling Americans "stupid" when along came an incident at UCLA Berkeley that might just prove he was right.
In a video furnished by Mail Online we see an almost unbelievable scenario of flag waving on campus that proves that this generation is finally showing conclusively that they are beyond indoctrination, but have moved all the way up to brainwashed.
The title of the piece says it all – "UC Berkeley students ignore Fox commentator waving ISIS flag but ATTACK him when he waves Israeli flag."
No – this writer does not believe Americans are stupid, but we have a long way to go to reel in the worse than dumb behaviors of the last generation. Really – men marrying men is cool? Smoking pot until your brain is numb is cool? Judges deciding if the will of the people in a democratic republic can stand is cool? Or how about a President who calls for law and order in Ferguson MO – while at the same time breaks the Constitution to little pieces in an executive fiat the makes everyone of 5 million people who committed a felony – just another person in the neighborhood. Let's not be too hard on Gruber.
A quick excursion back into history, Biblical records and the modern concept that has now been stretched so thin it is about to snap, known as common sense, tells us one thing. It is something that our 'brightest minds' seem to miss while being led down the primrose path to academia's version of creeping anti-Semitism.
Palestine was never a nation or a state and did not seek to be until the Jews returned in 1948 to re-claim their land, their nation, that was – and will always be theirs alone. The Palestinians refused the offer of statehood in the past opting for the total destruction of Israel instead. Israel is occupying nothing, the land is theirs – get over it. The other alternative is to suspend the bias, get some real history textbooks and come in for a landing.
Secular Indoctrination or Doctrines of Devils in Disguise?
We expect our colleges and universities to espouse a secular world view and while it may make us cringe we have but to consider the source. When it comes to the scripture and the prophetic message of the Bible we are not allowed such latitudes.
Secularizing, twisting or leaving it all open to speculation and theory opens the possibility for error, and because the lives of everyone on this planet are at stake, it then becomes an evil, more serious than anyone can imagine.
Anything that diverts the hearers away from sound biblical doctrine is more than error, it is deadly error.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1Tim 4: 1)
Today we have what are called prophecy buffs and the new prophecy preachers who are said to be part of the "prophecy world." There is only one world and biblical prophecy speaks to that world in no uncertain terms, it is not open to endless speculation, interpretation and whimsical viewpoints derived from collecting current events and dialoging with others about what it all means.
God is not fickle, he says what he means and to our chagrin, he means exactly what he says.
Islam, Caliphates and Mecca – The New Mars' hill Christians
I don't spend my time attacking the new "don't worry – be happy" preachers like Osteen and Jakes, but I also refuse to be included among those who are willing to call them America's pastors or the new voices of Christianity.
After hearing Osteen refuse to claim that salvation is in Christ alone before an immense TV audience on the Larry King show and hearing him say he would attend gay couples wedding – I decided he would never be my pastor in this life or the next. That is my decision to make and knowing that others have decided to follow him anyway only reinforces the biblical prophecy of the great falling away (apostasy) spoken of by Paul (2 Th 2: 3) – it is prophecy in action. It is a subtle evil that produces and proves the surety of scriptural prophecy rather than dismissing it!
In addition to the preachers of the cotton candy gospel now we have a new breed of Mars' hill prophecy teachers who think that the entire body of prophetic knowledge as we know it is up for a brand new interpretation based on recent developments in the geo-political landscape. They seem to understand that westerners are still much like the Athenians in Paul's day who loved to hear some new thing.
"For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing." (Acts 17: 21)
In one recent video of the new prophecy speculators is a preacher attired in a beautiful three piece suit, coiffed hair prancing around while dissing other prophecy interpretations on a gargantuan stage. All of this was to introduce a new theorist with his prophecy package of expensive books and videos that will show how it is the Caliphate and Islam that will produce antichrist.
Making fun of those who see the emerging EU, Rome and the coat of arms of bonny Prince Charles as anything to be serious about – the introduction ends and the indoctrination begins.
While the symbols within the coat of arms of Prince Charles may stand for nothing significant, the idea that Mecca is Babylon, the Caliphate is the forming of the antichrists kingdom, are then put forth throughout the rest of the video as proof positive of the new and shining theory.
What is wrong with this picture?
Stick to scripture so you won't Get Stuck – Don't be oblivious to the obvious
It is safe to conclude that serious students of prophecy already know what is outlined here. It is the people who are looking for "strange fire" (Lev 10: 1) or Mars' hill kinds of new doctrines that are most at risk. What follows is sound doctrine based on the obvious meanings of scripture not some nascent nuance of the new prophecy world demagogues.
The man the prophet Daniel sees in Daniel chapter 2 shows all the kingdoms of the ancient world from Babylon to Rome. The offshoot of the Roman kingdom is not disconnected from Rome, thus it is a revived extension to it in a modern era. It definitely does not emerge in an entirely new part of the vision – or of the world. Shifting it all to the known Muslim world is a stretch beyond scripture, reason and reasonable exegesis – it is pure nonsense.
The prophet Ezekiel shows the last day's destruction of the Islamic nations and the complete destruction of their armies and forces in Ezekiel 37 thru 39. The rest of scripture shows the antichrist ruling from a very successful kingdom complete with an economic system that is adopted throughout the entire world. These two pictures are irreconcilable if we are to insist that antichrist emerges from the Muslim nations. Why the new prophecy teachers don't see this is a mystery. Must we resort to Gruber's conclusions to find the answer to this mystery?
The new teaching espouses that Mecca is Babylon which eventually is destroyed in one day. Unfortunately the bible also says the blood of saints and martyrs has been found there and that is what precipitates the sudden fall of the city at the second coming of Christ. (Rev 18: 24) No history, no biblical search and no amount of new prophecy theory can change the fact that Mecca has never been known as the place where the blood of saints has been found. There isn't a Christian church in all of Saudi Arabia today and no great martyrdom of believers ever took place there in the past. Rome is still the only city that can be connected to the shedding of the blood of saints or believers. Sorry new prophecy teachers – you are blowing smoke on this one.
The most amazing prophecy of all that is completely ignored by the new prophecy crowd reveals more than all else. The women symbolizing the great mystery Babylon in Revelation is said to sit on "seven mountains." (Rev 17: 9) The most universally recognized city of seven mountains in this world has always been Rome. Mecca was not found before the fourth century and nowhere in the world is it seen as the city of seven mountains. Prophecy teachers of today waltz around these facts and hope we do not notice. Here's my advice – notice.
New twists in prophetic exploration are good for selling books and packages to the unsuspecting, but they are largely nonsense. To most people none of this matters, but our preparedness and in some cases our very salvation may depend on not taking these prophecy contorting Mars' hill prophets seriously.
I have no axe to grind with the prophecy polluters of the day except to warn those who trust scripture that the long standing view of antichrist coming from a revived Roman Empire (EU) is predicated on sound exegesis not wild modern speculation and theory. Stay grounded.
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1: 9)
© 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.)
