Dear friends and readers,
Peace and grace to each of you in Jesus name!
What does SHAKING OF THE NATIONS mean and is it Biblical?
It is Biblical and I see the current alignment of nations heading toward an immense shaking like the world has never known.
As far a politics are concerned, it was a dirty business during the entire history of the world and still is today. I have zero faith in the ramblings, confused rhetoric and sometimes outright lies of both major parties in the U.S. and frankly see little use in the smaller fledgling political movements who do little more than bring further confusion to the landscape. My score of 2 on the scale of 10 for U.S. politics is actually much higher than many another nation of todays world.
So, what am I today? Disgusted! Oh, I do exercise my right to vote but do so based upon Biblical standards, not on political party affiliations or talking points. Please know that I am not disgusted with any one particular person or leader. But, todays world is in extremely sad shape and becoming worse by the minute. Are there still good things in this world? Yes, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
While writing my articles, I take a page from the notebook of many older people who went through the big wars. NEVER EVER talk about politics---at least not publicly. So when you read todays article please do not think that I am speaking in political prose but my subject matter will touch upon events in todays political world.In fact I will mention the new President of the United States and do so within the framework of Biblical prophecy, not because I am either for or against any particular man or woman who may temporarily occupy a seat of great power.
There is one truth for followers of Christ that people outside the faith cannot understand and never will. The Bible is the absolute authority. God said what He meant and meant what He said. Within that context, are words contained in the scriptures of Romans chapter 13 verse 1-2. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God". "Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement upon themselves".
Now if you do not believe in the Bible, these words will mean absolutely nothing to you. If you are a follower of Christ, you must take them literally. To be crystal clear, GOD PUTS LEADERS IN OFFICE and that includes ALL leaders.
So does that mean that the Pharaoh of Moses day was a good man? Or that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a nice guy? Or how about King Cyrus, a Persian whom God named in His Holy word BY SPECIFIC NAME during the time of the Prophet Isaiah in the 8th century B.C? By the way, Cyrus lived between 576 and 530 B.C. hundreds of years after God spoke about him through Isaiah.
Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, were both used by God to glorify Himself through their evil deeds. Cyrus was used by God (also to glorify Himself) because Cyrus became a patron and deliverer for the Jewish people of his day.
So many people ask, "How could God put someone like that in charge of a kingdom or nation"? The answer to that is simple and I have the answer for you. Ready? I don't know! But what I do know is contained in another scripture, Isaiah 55: 8-9 (God speaking through the prophet) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts".
Bottom line, for reasons that neither you or I will probably never understand during our lifetimes, God placed into office, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, King Fuzznuckles the first and every other current world leader-----including President Donald Trump.
Does that mean that we are commanded to love every single thing these leaders have done or will do in the future? No! But the question we must ask ourselves is "do we trust God to work it all out"? Do we as followers of Christ want to bring the judgement of Romans upon ourselves? I most certainly don't.
Did you know that we are commanded to pray for leaders? Prayer works and it is a far better way to change things we may not like than to stand back and snivel. Hard words but true.
I have absolutely no idea if President Trump will prove to be a good leader. History only looks backwards so you and I may never fully know what this mans impact upon the nation or world will be. But that is not really the question is it? While we may question mankind and his decisions the one thing we cannot question or second guess are decisions made by the Creator of the Universe.
As a writer of Biblically prophetic events, I have some suspicions about the immediate future.
To begin with the word SHAKE or SHAKING is used in the Bible 77 times in varying forms.
But lets concentrate on an end times scripture spoken through the prophet Haggai in the original context of the "Latter Temple" (second Temple in Jerusalem---destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.). I know this is an end times prophecy because 1). very many prophecies include elements of both present and future. 2). Jesus was speaking about the destruction of this Temple in His prophecy about future events and the end times in Mark chapter 13 verses 1-4 (for further study read through Mark 13:1-13 plus Matthew chapter 24 for end times scenarios plus Daniel chapter 12).
Haggai chapter 2 verses 6-7. " For thus says the Lord of Hosts: Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations, and I will fill the temple with glory, says the Lord of Hosts".
Obviously this refers to several different subjects; First, a literal shaking of the planet (seas and dry land). Second, shaking of (ALL) the nations. Third, the second Temple Haggai was referring to which was later destroyed. But please remember there are still two temples yet to come. The third Temple which will be the defiled by the antichrist at the 3 1/2 year point of the future time of Jacobs trouble (7 years of tribulation---book of Revelation) and then the fourth huge Temple of Ezekiel chapter 40 which will be built to begin the thousand year reign of Christ (the Jewish Messiah) upon this earth.
Also this scripture refers to "Nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations". Right now as I type this the desire of all nations (or nearly so at this point in history) is to deny Jerusalem to the nation of Israel and therefore deny the Temple mount to the Jews and any possibility of rebuilding the third Temple.
But lets concentrate upon the SHAKING OF THE NATIONS.
I believe that the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States and thereby making him the most powerful man on the planet, has set the stage for the SHAKING OF ALL NATIONS! Once again I am not dealing here with whether or not this President is a good leader or bad.
This man who God has obviously raised up for just such a time as this (EXAMPLE--see Esther 4:14) has pledged and in fact already begun during his first week in office to shake up the entire status quo world wide.
He already cancelled any possibility of the trans pacific partnership trade agreement (TTP) becoming reality. That alone shook many nations.
Has already begun talks with Canada and Mexico to renegotiate or outright cancel NAFTA, the trade agreement between these three nations. I live in Mexico so trust me the entire population is shaking with fear in that regard.
In his second day in office his new Secretary of Defense is already working diligently to shake up the military and begin rebuilding the U.S. force strength. Very bad news for China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and several other powerful nations.
He has stated flatly that the Nuclear arms treaty with Iran (never ratified by Congress) will be cancelled or renegotiated. That simple act shakes several nations in the Middle east.
Russia is rapidly becoming the powerhouse in the Middle East but a renewed U.S. military strength will most definitely be viewed by Russia as a threat to their obvious goals of regional expansionism.
Japan and the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia are all threatened by China's claiming the South China Sea.
Trumps claim that China is devaluing their currency causes great concern over massive future trade wars.
A probable U.S. move of the Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is already causing threats of Middle East war not to mention Israel's recent announcement of more settlement building in the West Bank.
The Syrian war is continuing with no end in sight and the ever increasing refugee issue is threatening to over flow into other Middle East nations.
Russia, Turkey and Iran working together represent an entirely new dimension in world wide diplomacy because these three nations have always been at odds with one another---until now.
Many U.S. Senators and Congressmen are in favor of cutting all U.S. aid to the United Nations. If the President approves that in nearly any form, a huge power vacuum could result worldwide.
Urging all nations within NATO to pony up more funds to protect their countries from Russian aggression is causing outright quaking, let alone shaking.
Nearer to home, Trumps victory has split the nation nearly in two. Hotly contested issues such as abortion, conservative family values, increasing violence and murder rates, drug abuse, immigration reform, gun rights, free speech and a plethora of other issues are all either welcomed OR threatened by the upcoming appointments of decidedly conservative Supreme Court Justices.
Basically this past election will challenge the status quo and the balance of power within NATO, The United Nations as a viable institution, Middle East peace, war or peace in Eastern Europe, the stability of an already fractured European Union, A worldwide linked stock exchange system that is so fragile that it could falter or completely fail in one single days time. And the most powerful nation on earth is now burdened by a national debt of 20 trillion dollars with no end in sight.
Other than that everything is just Rosy.
Folks, I am not a "doomer and gloomer." I do not believe in conspiracies, demons and devils under every rock. I like to find the best in all people, not the worst. But I am a realist who can read the Bible and understand that this world is polarizing before our eyes. And unfortunately I could list many many more problems throughout the world that should tell us that our time as a church on this earth could well be limited. I have no idea when this could happen but I for one can hear the hoof beats approaching of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.
What was that Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24? Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
ALL here right now and growing worse by the day.
Then He said that these ARE the beginnings of sorrows (verse 8). So how long are the beginnings of sorrows?
Perhaps the clue to it all is the wording of Matthew chapter 24 verses 9 -10 . "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and hate one another"!
The word TRIBULATION rendered here and the context within which it is given does not mean THE GREAT TRIBULATION. All of us suffer tribulation to one extent or another in our normal lives. But lets take a closer look at "AND KILL YOU, and be hated by all nations for My name's sake".
Matthew was written by a Jewish man to Jews. Romans chapter 11 explains how we as gentile believers fit into all that. I can tell you that even though these statements were originally spoken to our Jewish Brethren, they were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and apply equally to us. Two points for you to consider;
1). Israel is rapidly becoming hated by all nations for the sake of her Messiah. The second most hated group on this planet today are Christians. Why? Because we really do believe in what God said in His Holy word. Because we support Israel and because we are not willing to turn a blind eye to the blatant sin in this world. Because of that, WE ARE NOW THE ONES BEING CALLED HATERS!
2). We hear about Christian martyrs. How big a problem is that? If you look at the internet you will find estimates ranging from 8,000 Christian martyrs each year world wide to as many as 90,000.
Does anyone really know? I doubt it, because the people who count those things cannot possibly have found all those unmarked mass graves in the Middle East alone. The point is that we may well be moving past the BEGINNINGS OF SORROWS. Verse 9, we are already seeing false prophets and have been for some time. And verse 11-12 indicate that lawlessness will abound and the love of many will grow cold.
It is not difficult to see that lawlessness already abounds in many areas of the world and as far as love growing cold? How about just one example of many?
Not many generations ago the safest place for a baby was a mothers womb. Tracking back to the 70's worldwide we are looking at HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of defenseless babies who have died at the altar of sexual freedom and pleasure. That is nothing short of what the ancients used to do by sacrificing their infants to the false evil god Molech.
And yes, to be fair a few of those were undoubtedly bonafide medical emergencies. But the great majority have been simply a method of birth control. If that is not an example of love growing cold I don't know what is. The holocaust of World War 2 was an incredibly horrific hate filled example of at least 6 million people being killed for no other reason that they are the chosen of God. And no one can ever atone for that. But a far greater holocaust has happened to all of mankind during the past 50 years in the wanton, thoughtless murder of many generations of human beings before they were even allowed to experience life.
The world is already shaking and this will only get worse as we enter a new dimension of worldwide instability.
It is time for all Christians to ask themselves a question? Do we believe what the Bible says about God putting leaders and kings in office? If so is there a possibility that current world leaders whether good or bad, were placed in their positions so God could bring the world to the point that future Biblical prophecy would become realized exactly as written? So how should we react to all this?
As Christians perhaps this a a good time to register a reminder; Matthew 28:18-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age". AMEN
The great commission was not written only to pastors and evangelists. It was written to Christians. Believers who pray for their leaders daily.
God bless you all,
Pastor Rance.
Peace and grace to each of you in Jesus name!
What does SHAKING OF THE NATIONS mean and is it Biblical?
It is Biblical and I see the current alignment of nations heading toward an immense shaking like the world has never known.
As far a politics are concerned, it was a dirty business during the entire history of the world and still is today. I have zero faith in the ramblings, confused rhetoric and sometimes outright lies of both major parties in the U.S. and frankly see little use in the smaller fledgling political movements who do little more than bring further confusion to the landscape. My score of 2 on the scale of 10 for U.S. politics is actually much higher than many another nation of todays world.
So, what am I today? Disgusted! Oh, I do exercise my right to vote but do so based upon Biblical standards, not on political party affiliations or talking points. Please know that I am not disgusted with any one particular person or leader. But, todays world is in extremely sad shape and becoming worse by the minute. Are there still good things in this world? Yes, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
While writing my articles, I take a page from the notebook of many older people who went through the big wars. NEVER EVER talk about politics---at least not publicly. So when you read todays article please do not think that I am speaking in political prose but my subject matter will touch upon events in todays political world.In fact I will mention the new President of the United States and do so within the framework of Biblical prophecy, not because I am either for or against any particular man or woman who may temporarily occupy a seat of great power.
There is one truth for followers of Christ that people outside the faith cannot understand and never will. The Bible is the absolute authority. God said what He meant and meant what He said. Within that context, are words contained in the scriptures of Romans chapter 13 verse 1-2. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God". "Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement upon themselves".
Now if you do not believe in the Bible, these words will mean absolutely nothing to you. If you are a follower of Christ, you must take them literally. To be crystal clear, GOD PUTS LEADERS IN OFFICE and that includes ALL leaders.
So does that mean that the Pharaoh of Moses day was a good man? Or that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a nice guy? Or how about King Cyrus, a Persian whom God named in His Holy word BY SPECIFIC NAME during the time of the Prophet Isaiah in the 8th century B.C? By the way, Cyrus lived between 576 and 530 B.C. hundreds of years after God spoke about him through Isaiah.
Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, were both used by God to glorify Himself through their evil deeds. Cyrus was used by God (also to glorify Himself) because Cyrus became a patron and deliverer for the Jewish people of his day.
So many people ask, "How could God put someone like that in charge of a kingdom or nation"? The answer to that is simple and I have the answer for you. Ready? I don't know! But what I do know is contained in another scripture, Isaiah 55: 8-9 (God speaking through the prophet) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts".
Bottom line, for reasons that neither you or I will probably never understand during our lifetimes, God placed into office, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, King Fuzznuckles the first and every other current world leader-----including President Donald Trump.
Does that mean that we are commanded to love every single thing these leaders have done or will do in the future? No! But the question we must ask ourselves is "do we trust God to work it all out"? Do we as followers of Christ want to bring the judgement of Romans upon ourselves? I most certainly don't.
Did you know that we are commanded to pray for leaders? Prayer works and it is a far better way to change things we may not like than to stand back and snivel. Hard words but true.
I have absolutely no idea if President Trump will prove to be a good leader. History only looks backwards so you and I may never fully know what this mans impact upon the nation or world will be. But that is not really the question is it? While we may question mankind and his decisions the one thing we cannot question or second guess are decisions made by the Creator of the Universe.
As a writer of Biblically prophetic events, I have some suspicions about the immediate future.
To begin with the word SHAKE or SHAKING is used in the Bible 77 times in varying forms.
But lets concentrate on an end times scripture spoken through the prophet Haggai in the original context of the "Latter Temple" (second Temple in Jerusalem---destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.). I know this is an end times prophecy because 1). very many prophecies include elements of both present and future. 2). Jesus was speaking about the destruction of this Temple in His prophecy about future events and the end times in Mark chapter 13 verses 1-4 (for further study read through Mark 13:1-13 plus Matthew chapter 24 for end times scenarios plus Daniel chapter 12).
Haggai chapter 2 verses 6-7. " For thus says the Lord of Hosts: Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations, and I will fill the temple with glory, says the Lord of Hosts".
Obviously this refers to several different subjects; First, a literal shaking of the planet (seas and dry land). Second, shaking of (ALL) the nations. Third, the second Temple Haggai was referring to which was later destroyed. But please remember there are still two temples yet to come. The third Temple which will be the defiled by the antichrist at the 3 1/2 year point of the future time of Jacobs trouble (7 years of tribulation---book of Revelation) and then the fourth huge Temple of Ezekiel chapter 40 which will be built to begin the thousand year reign of Christ (the Jewish Messiah) upon this earth.
Also this scripture refers to "Nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations". Right now as I type this the desire of all nations (or nearly so at this point in history) is to deny Jerusalem to the nation of Israel and therefore deny the Temple mount to the Jews and any possibility of rebuilding the third Temple.
But lets concentrate upon the SHAKING OF THE NATIONS.
I believe that the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States and thereby making him the most powerful man on the planet, has set the stage for the SHAKING OF ALL NATIONS! Once again I am not dealing here with whether or not this President is a good leader or bad.
This man who God has obviously raised up for just such a time as this (EXAMPLE--see Esther 4:14) has pledged and in fact already begun during his first week in office to shake up the entire status quo world wide.
He already cancelled any possibility of the trans pacific partnership trade agreement (TTP) becoming reality. That alone shook many nations.
Has already begun talks with Canada and Mexico to renegotiate or outright cancel NAFTA, the trade agreement between these three nations. I live in Mexico so trust me the entire population is shaking with fear in that regard.
In his second day in office his new Secretary of Defense is already working diligently to shake up the military and begin rebuilding the U.S. force strength. Very bad news for China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and several other powerful nations.
He has stated flatly that the Nuclear arms treaty with Iran (never ratified by Congress) will be cancelled or renegotiated. That simple act shakes several nations in the Middle east.
Russia is rapidly becoming the powerhouse in the Middle East but a renewed U.S. military strength will most definitely be viewed by Russia as a threat to their obvious goals of regional expansionism.
Japan and the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia are all threatened by China's claiming the South China Sea.
Trumps claim that China is devaluing their currency causes great concern over massive future trade wars.
A probable U.S. move of the Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is already causing threats of Middle East war not to mention Israel's recent announcement of more settlement building in the West Bank.
The Syrian war is continuing with no end in sight and the ever increasing refugee issue is threatening to over flow into other Middle East nations.
Russia, Turkey and Iran working together represent an entirely new dimension in world wide diplomacy because these three nations have always been at odds with one another---until now.
Many U.S. Senators and Congressmen are in favor of cutting all U.S. aid to the United Nations. If the President approves that in nearly any form, a huge power vacuum could result worldwide.
Urging all nations within NATO to pony up more funds to protect their countries from Russian aggression is causing outright quaking, let alone shaking.
Nearer to home, Trumps victory has split the nation nearly in two. Hotly contested issues such as abortion, conservative family values, increasing violence and murder rates, drug abuse, immigration reform, gun rights, free speech and a plethora of other issues are all either welcomed OR threatened by the upcoming appointments of decidedly conservative Supreme Court Justices.
Basically this past election will challenge the status quo and the balance of power within NATO, The United Nations as a viable institution, Middle East peace, war or peace in Eastern Europe, the stability of an already fractured European Union, A worldwide linked stock exchange system that is so fragile that it could falter or completely fail in one single days time. And the most powerful nation on earth is now burdened by a national debt of 20 trillion dollars with no end in sight.
Other than that everything is just Rosy.
Folks, I am not a "doomer and gloomer." I do not believe in conspiracies, demons and devils under every rock. I like to find the best in all people, not the worst. But I am a realist who can read the Bible and understand that this world is polarizing before our eyes. And unfortunately I could list many many more problems throughout the world that should tell us that our time as a church on this earth could well be limited. I have no idea when this could happen but I for one can hear the hoof beats approaching of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.
What was that Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24? Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
ALL here right now and growing worse by the day.
Then He said that these ARE the beginnings of sorrows (verse 8). So how long are the beginnings of sorrows?
Perhaps the clue to it all is the wording of Matthew chapter 24 verses 9 -10 . "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and hate one another"!
The word TRIBULATION rendered here and the context within which it is given does not mean THE GREAT TRIBULATION. All of us suffer tribulation to one extent or another in our normal lives. But lets take a closer look at "AND KILL YOU, and be hated by all nations for My name's sake".
Matthew was written by a Jewish man to Jews. Romans chapter 11 explains how we as gentile believers fit into all that. I can tell you that even though these statements were originally spoken to our Jewish Brethren, they were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and apply equally to us. Two points for you to consider;
1). Israel is rapidly becoming hated by all nations for the sake of her Messiah. The second most hated group on this planet today are Christians. Why? Because we really do believe in what God said in His Holy word. Because we support Israel and because we are not willing to turn a blind eye to the blatant sin in this world. Because of that, WE ARE NOW THE ONES BEING CALLED HATERS!
2). We hear about Christian martyrs. How big a problem is that? If you look at the internet you will find estimates ranging from 8,000 Christian martyrs each year world wide to as many as 90,000.
Does anyone really know? I doubt it, because the people who count those things cannot possibly have found all those unmarked mass graves in the Middle East alone. The point is that we may well be moving past the BEGINNINGS OF SORROWS. Verse 9, we are already seeing false prophets and have been for some time. And verse 11-12 indicate that lawlessness will abound and the love of many will grow cold.
It is not difficult to see that lawlessness already abounds in many areas of the world and as far as love growing cold? How about just one example of many?
Not many generations ago the safest place for a baby was a mothers womb. Tracking back to the 70's worldwide we are looking at HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of defenseless babies who have died at the altar of sexual freedom and pleasure. That is nothing short of what the ancients used to do by sacrificing their infants to the false evil god Molech.
And yes, to be fair a few of those were undoubtedly bonafide medical emergencies. But the great majority have been simply a method of birth control. If that is not an example of love growing cold I don't know what is. The holocaust of World War 2 was an incredibly horrific hate filled example of at least 6 million people being killed for no other reason that they are the chosen of God. And no one can ever atone for that. But a far greater holocaust has happened to all of mankind during the past 50 years in the wanton, thoughtless murder of many generations of human beings before they were even allowed to experience life.
The world is already shaking and this will only get worse as we enter a new dimension of worldwide instability.
It is time for all Christians to ask themselves a question? Do we believe what the Bible says about God putting leaders and kings in office? If so is there a possibility that current world leaders whether good or bad, were placed in their positions so God could bring the world to the point that future Biblical prophecy would become realized exactly as written? So how should we react to all this?
As Christians perhaps this a a good time to register a reminder; Matthew 28:18-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age". AMEN
The great commission was not written only to pastors and evangelists. It was written to Christians. Believers who pray for their leaders daily.
God bless you all,
Pastor Rance.
