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Burning Alight: 12 Endtime Fuses- Trashing Judeo-Christian Pillars—Christians, Jews & Zionism – Part IX
By Wilfred Hahn ((Eternal Value Review)
We continue with the final part of our series. Without a doubt, more burning fuses could have been added to the list. Our selection of 12, as we mentioned at the outset, will surely have left out some important shifts in human beliefs. Like every other generation that has sought to interpret Bible prophecy or peer into the future, it is impossible not to be biased by the current trends and conditions that we see around us.
All of the fuses mentioned, represent what can be characterized as sudden last-day changes in beliefs or new idolatries of humanity (with the possible exception of anti-Semitism). All of these changes are relatively recent in the timeline of human history. Crucially, these beliefs represent the choices of mankind—the free-will of a global humanity—that Bible prophecy foreknows. A just God could not pre-ordain these choices. But with mankind having made its evil elections, a chastening Tribulation therefore follows. It is for this reason that these “fuses” have the potential for an explosive impact upon the world.
Burning Fuse #10: Anti-Christianity
When considering opposition to Biblical Christianity, one instinctively thinks of persecution. Indeed, persecution against Christians in its various forms has been increasing in recent times. Various ministries and organizations attempt to track the incidence of such activities around the world. Generally, they report a rising number of incidents both involving governments and communities. These may be denial of rights, physical abuse or murder.
Yet, there are other types of persecution that do not lend themselves to statistical analysis. For example, the increasingly open ridicule of anything Christian in secular public discourse and media is one such manifestation. Also, while Christian persecution may take physically brutal forms in Islamic and other nations, in the West, the Christian faces more subtle forms. The demands and cares of the highly commercialized, consumption-oriented lifestyles of the industrialized nations have been toxic to the Biblical Christian faith.
However, there is a much larger “anti-Christian” phenomenon that the Bible itself prophesies. It is the great “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). By all indications, it is to be a massive desertion of the Christian faith, so big, that Christ asks rhetorically, “[…] when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Says Paul: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).
Christ told his followers, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:9-13).
Apostle Paul speaks of the characteristics of a “perilous time” for Christians. Eighteen of them alone are mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:2-5. “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”
These 18 behavioral characteristics take place under the license of institutionalized religion. That time may already be here today.
We have no trouble finding statistics and evidence documenting the emergence of each of these characteristics as accepted norms in today’s societies—many of which are still called “Christian” countries—and that are “white washed” by theologians and religious organizations. For example, dealing with just the first in the list, “people will be lovers of themselves.” There are myriad surveys that document the increase of narcissism, selfishness … etc. And indirect evidence of this trend is the high incidence of depression.
The World Health Organization has produced studies on this depression trend in recent years, calling it an epidemic. While this phenomenon will have different causes, it is also promoted by the empty values that society incessantly promotes. Self-love is deceitful. It tricks people into believing that they can imagine something better for themselves than what God has in mind for them. Yet there are many so-called Christian ministries today that proclaim that one of the greatest deficiencies of people is that they do not love themselves enough. “Self-esteem” has even been proclaimed as the “new reformation.”1
We could provide statistics that document the widespread emergence of the other 17 characteristics that are found in 2 Timothy 3:2-5; however, space doesn’t allow in this series. All of them occur under the guise and structure of godliness and apparent piety, but denying the power of Godliness. All of these are oppositional to Biblical Christianity.
Virtually all countries that were historically influenced by Christianity no longer make any pretense that their public policies are shaped by Biblical principles. European politicians still speak of their shared “cultural” ties stemming from Christianity (mostly meaning Roman Catholicism) today. Yet, there can be little doubt that Biblical Christianity has already experienced a great and rapid falling away.
Burning Fuse #11: Anti-Semitism
The Bible tells us: “I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them” (Jeremiah 29:18).
As has often and repeatedly occurred down through the past two millennia and in many countries around the world, Jews have ended up being convenient but hated scapegoats. They have been killed and expelled. The “love of money” and “hatred of the Jew” have frequently proven mutually evil.
Just as the Bible and history reveals, the scorn and reproach of anti-Semitism has already existed for two millennia. Just what would qualify this trend as a “burning fuse” at this time?
While it has surely existed for quite some time, only recently has anti-Semitism resulted in a globally-coordinated persecution. The atrocities of the Nazis during the 1930s and 40s, and the general rejection of the Jew’s appeal for a homeland or safe haven during that time, may well qualify as the first “global” action involving the Jews. Not much later the United Nations did open the door to the formation of the new nation of Israel in 1948.
In recent years, incidents of anti-Semitism are again increasing. A most curious aspect is that it seems to rage with little provocation. People that know nothing about Jews and their history, perhaps never having had a personal encounter with a Jew, somehow are easily prone to horrible invective and hate speech against Jews. A survey in the Boston Review in 2009 found that 25% of non-Jewish Americans blamed Jews for the financial crisis in recent years. The internet is overrun with anti-Semitism for no apparent reason. It would almost seem that hatred of Jews is a natural disposition of mankind. Why?
Anti-Semitism has demonic dimensions. After all, Satan is and must be their adversary. For the Beast and the nations that rage against God (Acts 4:25), to disprove or invalidate the promises and prophecies of God, they must neutralize and eradicate the Jewish race. Mainly as consequence of these factors, Jews have repeatedly and unjustifiably been the scapegoats of various allegations.
continue article at Rapture Ready:
Homosexual Jews have “higher souls” than gentiles, gay or straight, the deputy minister for religious services told the Israeli daily Maariv in an article published on Friday.