Daniel Whyte III
Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.
First, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMORS OF WARS — According to Fox News, a previously scheduled White House meeting between President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel took on greater import as both leaders attempted to keep a united front in the midst of a dispute over whether to arm Ukrainian forces battling Russian-backed separatists in the country’s east. The Wall Street Journal reported that Obama held off on making a final decision on whether to provide so-called lethal aid to Kiev until his meeting with Merkel. Support for weapons deliveries has grown in Washington as Russian-backed separatist rebels have made significant gains in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks. German diplomats have warned that any new arms deliveries will cause Russia to respond in kind, leading to more bloodshed and the end of any chance for a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
Second, today, under the Sign category of THE TURMOIL IN ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST — According to the Jerusalem Post, the Mideast Quartet principals met in Munich for the first time in a year on Sunday and came out against unilateral Palestinian efforts to get the international community to impose a solution on Israel. Without specifically mentioning the recent Palestinian efforts, including the failed effort at the end of December to pass a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines within three years, a statement issued at the end of the meeting said that sustainable peace requires negotiations.
Third, today, under the Sign category of DISTRESS AMONG NATIONS — According to the Associated Press, a group of Gulf countries denounced the Shiite rebel takeover of Yemen as a “coup” on Saturday, calling for the United Nations to take action as thousands demonstrated in the streets against their power grab. The rebels, known as Houthis, have taken over state institutions, dissolved parliament and installed a new committee to govern the Mideast’s poorest country — which is also home to what Washington considers al-Qaida’s most dangerous franchise. The six Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, issued a statement Saturday calling for the U.N. Security Council to “put an end to this coup.” They said, “The Cooperation Council sees the Houthi coup as an escalation that cannot be accepted under any circumstances.”
Fourth, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMORS OF WARS — According to The Telegraph, Vladimir Putin was in Egypt on Monday where he gave an interview to Al-Ahram newspaper in which he placed the blame for the Ukraine crisis squarely on the West. He said, “The Ukrainian crisis was not caused by the Russian Federation. It has emerged in response to the attempts of the USA and its Western allies who considered themselves ‘winners’ of the Cold War to impose their will everywhere.” He cited the ‘rapid militarization’ of Ukraine and said the current conflict is on track to end in a “big catastrophe.”
Fifth, today, under the Sign category of DISTRESS AMONG NATIONS — According to Reuters, the recent surge of terror-related incidents in Europe is pushing demand for security. Europe’s schools, companies and religious institutions looking for trained, experienced high-end security personnel are turning to Israel to meet demands. At a recent training session, private security contractors from the Israeli firm Tactical Zone carried out a simulation that involved guarding a client who was under attack. In the wake of recent extremist attacks in Europe, the scenario as one security industry expert predicts may play out more frequently in the future. Industry experts say the threat of urban terror is new to Europe, but not Israel, which is why demand has grown by some 30 percent since January’s attacks in France.
You can read these stories in more detail and get more prophecy-related news at SecondComingHerald.com.
The prophetic passage of Scripture we are looking at today is Leviticus 26:3-6 which reads: “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.”
Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from the Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary, edited by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.
Leviticus 26 contains a catalog of the Mosaic Covenant’s blessings and curses, parallel to and overlapping the similar passage of Deuteronomy 28. In line with Deuteronomy 28, as well as other contemporary suzerain/vassal treaties, the curses here consume proportionately three times more literary real estate than do the blessings. However, contrary to custom, as in Deuteronomy, the blessings are listed prior to the curses, an indication of God’s love for Israel and desire to bless them.
Ross provides a useful definition of blessing as “some gift, some enrichment of life, or some enablement for prosperity that comes from God.” Unlike the nature of the blessings attached to the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, the blessings of the conditional Mosaic Covenant were each dependent for realization on Israel’s obedience to the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant. The Lord’s goal was to elevate Israel above all other nations, but He would not bless them indiscriminately or without their cooperation. The people of Israel would reap what they had sown, for better or worse, blessing or curse. The enjoyment of every blessing depended on Israel’s obedience to the covenant through which those blessings emanated.
The introduction to the covenant blessings and curses contain three of the Torah’s foundational requirements for maintaining Israel’s holiness. First is a prohibition against idolatry, second is the observance of the Sabbath, and third is ample reverence of Levitical tabernacle worship.
If the Lord tarries His coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.
Our second coming quote for today is from J.C. Ryle. He said, “Before Christ comes it is useless to expect to see a perfect church.”
If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry which publishes a monthly magazine called The Torch Leader. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica for over twenty-seven years. God has blessed their union with seven children. Find out more at www.danielwhyte3.com. Follow Daniel Whyte III on Twitter @prophetdaniel3 or on Facebook.
