The king’s command and law went into effect on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. On the day when the Jews’ enemies had hoped to overpower them, just the opposite happened. The Jews overpowered those who hated them. In each of King Ahasuerus’s provinces the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who intended to harm them. Not a single person could withstand them; terror of them fell on every nationality. (Esther 9:1-2)
The book of Esther is a drama about how Esther became the power behind the throne of Persia, and risked everything to save her people.
The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). The story is set in Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire (roughly the same area as modern-day Iran). Not long ago, the Jews were taken from their land to live as captives in Babylon for 70 years. God (via the Persian Cyrus) had brought a remnant of His people back to their homeland, but not everyone had returned. The Jewish people remained scattered across the Middle Eastern world.
The Book of Esther opens with a description of an enormous 180-day party thrown by King Ahasuerus in his 3rd year as king of the Persian Empire, ruling over 127 provinces. As the days of feasting draw to a close, he summons his wife, Vashti, to show off her beauty (by appearing wearing only her crown!). But Vashti refuses to come and the king, following his ministers’ advice, has her banished.
As time passes, Ahasuerus realizes the consequences of his actions and misses his queen. The deed, however, is done. Seeing that their ruler regretted the action that they suggested, the ministers propose that he find a new queen via an elaborate beauty contest of all the kingdom’s beautiful maidens. From all over the 127 provinces, beautiful women are brought to the palace for the king to select his new queen.
In Susa, the capital city, lives a beautiful Jewess named Esther (also called Hadassah). She is an orphan who was raised by her uncle, Mordechai, one of the leaders of the Jewish people in exile. When they come to take her to the palace, Mordechai, insightfully instructs her not to reveal that she is a Jewess or who her family is. Needless to say, after a 12 month process, Esther is deemed the fairest of them all. The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she carried charm and favor before him more than all the other virgins, so he placed the royal crown on her head, and made her queen in place of Vashti. (Esther 2:17).
Haman was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people.
After Haman was appointed the principal minister of the king Ahasuerus, all of the king’s servants were required to bow down to Haman, but Mordechai refused to. Angered by this, and knowing of Mordechai’s Jewish nationality, Haman convinced Ahasuerus to allow him to have all of the Jews in the Persian empire killed.
The plot was foiled by Queen Esther, the king’s recent wife, who was herself a Jew. Esther invited Haman and the king to two banquets. In the second banquet, she informed the king that Haman was plotting to kill her (and the other Jews). This enraged the king, who was further angered when (after leaving the room briefly and returning) he discovered Haman had fallen on Esther’s couch, intending to beg mercy from Esther, but which the king interpreted as a sexual advance.
On the king’s orders, Haman was hanged from the 50-cubit-high gallows that had originally been built by Haman himself, on the advice of his wife Zeresh, in order to hang Mordechai. The bodies of Haman’s ten sons were also hanged, after they died in battle against the Jews. “All the enemies of the Jews” were additionally killed by the Jews, 75,000 of them.
Hidden under the drama of palace intrigue and politics, God’s hand is apparent. From the very outset, He stacked the circumstances so that as soon as the Jews would repent and pray, things would fall into place and the Jews would be saved.
What is happening today, with modern Iran?
Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran: How Israeli Annexation May Trigger a Multi-front War Within Weeks / Haaretz Daily Newspaper, June 17, 2020
Israel stands before one of the most difficult periods it has ever known, from a coronavirus economic crisis to Netanyahu’s assault on the rule of law. But his annexation plan could lead us to the precipice of war – and beyond.
Israel stands before one of the most difficult periods it has ever known, just about a perfect storm.
An initial decision on only limited annexation may thus set in motion a course of events that rapidly deteriorate into a game changer and lead to renewed Israeli control over more than 2.5 million Palestinians. Over and above the challenges this will pose to Israel’s future character as a Jewish and democratic state, annexation will present an intolerable economic burden. The cost to Israel’s economy will be in the billions, precious resources needed desperately for unemployment, health, education, infrastructure and everything else.
Moreover, annexation will make it hard for Hamas to continue maintaining the relative calm that has prevailed of late and an escalation with Hezbollah, and even Iranian forces in Syria, is also quite possible. Just weeks from now, Israel could find itself in the midst of an unprecedented multi-front confrontation. Hezbollah, alone, has an arsenal of 130,000 rockets.
The hard-won and invaluable security ties with Jordan and Egypt will suffer, the peace treaties with both will be put to a severe test and Israel’s actions may force them, contrary to their best interests and wishes, to abrogate them. Growing cooperation with the Saudis and other Gulf states, to which Israel correctly attaches great importance, will be set back and may come to a halt, despite the common Iranian enemy. For Iran, annexation will provide an unexpected opportunity to strengthen the “axis of resistance.”
Iran receives new combat vessels, warns US / Debka, May 29, 2020
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy chief rear Adm. Alireza Tangsiri warned the US on Thursday to remove itself from the Gulf, after taking delivery of 110 new combat vessels. They include Ashura-class speedboats, Zolfaghar coastal patrol boats and Taregh submarines, state television reported. ”Wherever the Americans are, we are right next to them… even more so in the near future,” said the admiral.
Iran’s Khamenei vows ‘satanic’ US peace plan will not be realized / The Times of Israel, January 29, 2020
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday denounced as “satanic” a US plan for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and predicted that Muslim nations will undoubtedly prevent the proposal from being put into practice.
US President Donald Trump unveiled his long-awaited peace plan at the White House on Tuesday.
“To the dismay of US politicians, the satanic, evil US policy about Palestine — the so-called Deal Of The Century— will never bear fruit, by the grace of God,” Khamenei wrote on his official Twitter account.
“About the Jewishization of al-Quds and saying it should be in the hands of the Jews, they’re talking foolishly and unwisely,” he said, using an Arabic name for Jerusalem.
“The issue of Palestine will never be forgotten,” Khameini continued. “The Palestinian nation and all Muslim nations will definitely stand up to them and not allow the so-called Deal Of The Century to be realized.”
Is modern Iran plotting, like Haman, to have all the Jews eliminated?
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you. (Ezekiel 38:1-6)
Hezbollah video threatens precision guided missiles on Tel Aviv / The Times of Israel, June 21, 2020
The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group on Saturday released a video threatening to strike major Israeli cities with precision guided missiles and claiming that it has the capability to hit “very precise targets” anywhere in Israel.
“Today, we can not only hit the city of Tel Aviv but also, if God wants and with his help, can hit very precise targets within Tel Aviv,” Nasrallah can be heard saying.
Hezbollah is believed to have over 150,000 missiles, but only a small number of them can be guided to specific sites. Israel fears in a future war, the terror group could use a barrage of precision missiles to attack sensitive facilities and overwhelm its air defense array.
Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s with assistance from Iran to counter and harass Israel, which occupied southern Lebanon following the 1982 First Lebanon War. Israel withdrew from that self-declared “security zone” to the international border in 2000.
Foreign-policy experts predict that an Iranian attack on Israel is just a matter of time / Jewish News Syndicate, November 4, 2019
As Iranians took to the streets this week to commemorate 40 years since the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979, Iran announced new violations of the nuclear deal it signed in 2015. The rogue Islamic Republic admitted that it now operates 60 advanced IR-6 centrifuges and is working on a new type of centrifuge that will work 50 times faster than what is currently permitted under the deal.
This announcement comes after Iran has engaged in attacks on oil tankers and Saudi oil facilities, shooting down an American drone, and, of course, its ongoing and aggressive efforts to build a war machine against Israel in Syria and elsewhere.
Iran supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and the terror organization is estimated to have as many as 100,000 missiles. Iran is also trying hard to create an independent war machine in Syria, which Israel has been working to dismantle.
Iran has the capability to attack Israel from multiple locations, including Lebanon and Syria—and now Iraq and possibly Yemen—as Netanyahu mentioned recently.
If Iran does indeed attack, there will have to be a massive retaliation against Iranian interests.
“Confrontation between Iran and Israel is unavoidable,” said Gilboa. “There is great probability for some Iranian military action; this is something Israel is preparing for.”
“Our assumption,” said Amidror, “is not a question of if, but when.”
One of the critical signs are pointing to the imminent Rapture of the Church is the invasion of Israel. This invasion was foretold in Ezekiel 38 – 39, and in Psalm 83:
God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.
See how Your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate You have acted arrogantly.
They devise clever schemes against Your people;
they conspire against Your treasured ones.
They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
For they have conspired with one mind;
they form an alliance against You—
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
Even Assyria has joined them;
they lend support to the sons of Lot. (Psalm 83:1-8)
What is amazing is that the Book of Ezekiel was written between 593 and 571 BC, and Psalm 38 was written around 1,000 BC. What other religious book has specific prophecies with specific nations, from thousands of years ago, that are manifesting now?
The historically miraculous rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948, after 2,000 years of nonexistence, and the conquering of East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967 and other factors seems to have set the stage for a time clock for the “last days” of Israel and the fulfillment of many remaining prophecies relevant to that period.
In modern Persia, who is the power behind the throne?
Russia, a great power to Israel’s far north and the Shia Muslim nations, particularly Iran, are growing increasingly intertwined and hostile toward Israel. Bible scholars have long identified Gog as the leader of Russia, and the land of Magog as Russia.
The invasion of Israel will be primarily motivated by greed for their great wealth. The recent annexation of Crimea will be their strategy. The Crimean Peninsula was invaded and annexed by the Russian Federation in 2014. They used the excuse of the Ukrainian revolution, and Russian masked troops occupied key Crimean locations, including airports and military bases, following Putin’s orders.
The “hook in the jaw” will be an escalation between Iran and Israel, that will reach the point of no return. As the experts conclude, that ultimate confrontation is inevitable. In fact, it is likely to happen at any moment. Russian will then step in to defend her ally. Putin is inclined to make calculated geopolitical moves, with an impressive sense of timing and optimum use of Russia’s strategic cards.
He is trying to prevent an escalation involving Iran, but when the real war begins, he will use it as an excuse to invade Israel and try to take it over, just like he did with Crimea. This is Gog’s plan – to make Russia great again.
What will be the outcome of the Russian / Iranian attack?
Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“My wrath will flare up. I swear in My zeal and fiery rage: On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before Me. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains”—the declaration of the Lord God—“and every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him. (Ezekiel 38: 17-22)
“As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, drive you on, and lead you up from the remotest parts of the north. I will bring you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will knock your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. You, all your troops, and the peoples who are with you will fall on the mountains of Israel.
I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and to the wild animals. You will fall on the open field, for I have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:1-5)
With the preparations for the Ezekiel battle being seen daily in our news headlines, our need to be prepared for the Rapture has never been greater!
Yes, it is coming, and it will happen.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “This is the day I have spoken about. (Ezekiel 39:8)
Very shortly, the time will come for the Lord to reward the righteous with eternal life, and punish the wicked with eternal fire:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry
and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty
and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’
“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!
For I was hungry
and you gave Me nothing to eat;
I was thirsty
and you gave Me nothing to drink;
I was a stranger
and you didn’t take Me in;
I was naked
and you didn’t clothe Me,
sick and in prison
and you didn’t take care of Me.’
“Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help You?’
“Then He will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me either.’
“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
What can we do to be prepared?
We each need a Savior!
The Bible says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.“ (Romans 3:23)
SIN is the inheritance of mankind due to the sin of Adam & Eve.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
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…as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. (Romans 3:10)
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…If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)
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For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)
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Man can not save himself
For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this principle: When I want to do what is good, evil is with me. For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body? (Romans 7:19-24).
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THE ANSWER!!!
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25)
Jesus gave Himself freely for all our sins from the past, present and future. He became sin and the Father could not even look upon His Son because He took our sin upon Himself. He suffered greatly on the cross, shedding all His Precious Blood which was poured out for you and me.
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He was buried and rose again after 3 days, He redeemed the keys of hell and death to give us life! He is our Savior!!!
No other One has ever done such a thing for mankind. There is no other God but the One True God, Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit sent to live in us. No longer do we need to do blood sacrifice, no longer do we need a temple to worship in because we are the temple He lives in when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior!!! Do it today and discover FREEDOM, PEACE, JOY UNSPEAKABLE AS HE REIGNS ON THE THRONE OF YOUR HEART!!!
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.Just ask Jesus to forgive your sin, believe He is the risen Son of God, and ask Him to live in you. The Holy Spirit will give you the strength to sin no more and teach you the character and ways of God. You will never ever regret your decision….ever!
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.”
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Rapture and End Times 