This Article: (2 Pages)
- 1. A Significant Year
- 2. The year 2009, 20 years on
1) A Significant Year
A year ago at the beginning of 1989, many were disheartened as 1988 had not brought the signs we expected. We had watched and waited, but there was no significant sign. But look what happened at the completion of the 40 year period since 1948!
There have been certain significant years
1917- the Balfour declaration promised a homeland for the Jews
1948-Israel was established as a nation
1967- Jerusalem was freed of gentile rule
1973-saw the consolidation of Israel's position
But 1989 heralded by the Armenian earthquake and reinforced by the San Francisco earthquake and concluded by 3 earthquakes one in an unexpected place, Newcastle Australia and tremors in California and Hawaii all within 2 days.
And 1989 would have to take its place as a year of great political significance in the 20th Century.
Politically the world has been shaken by some of the most significant earthquakes or changes this century. We have watched Israel's development over the last 40 years, but alongside this we have seen 40 years of suppression under communism in Europe. We have seen 40 years of iron fisted diplomacy- Stalin, Krushchev, Bresnev, Cherenko, Andropov- all tough.
But what happened in Europe in 1989?
In the past few months we have seen one of the greatest earthquakes of all time. The Berlin wall has fallen. We have seen the old USSR that sent the tanks into Hungary overturned, by the Russia that is “no longer a threat to the West”-
Gorby! Gorby! Is the cry-
Who is this man who bears the name Michael (“who is like El”), and who bears a birthmark, a mark upon his forehead? He was a marked man from his birth to do a certain job. And what is that job? Is it to allow all Europe to Unite and form the feet and toes of that great warrior image of Daniel. That it might rise and stand upon its two feet.
What have we seen (or witnessed ) in 1989.
China: An overthrow of revolution. Thousands of students were slain before the eyes of the world.
South Africa: is waiting for a revolution as segregation is challenged.
Asia: An attempted coup in the Philippines
Refugees in Hong Kong
Civil wars rage in Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and Afghanistan.
Middle East: Unrest among Palestinians in Israeli 'occupied' territory
War rages in Lebanon.
America: South America- Panama (Noreaga), Colombia drugs, strife and war.
In North America the Regan era has ended and the cold war.
It is interesting that the 40th session of the United nations opened in 1989 with the declaration that the Cold War was over.
Russia: first Poland, Hungary, E.Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania: Within a few months all governments toppled.
The Church has quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with as it has been behind moves to overthrow governments in these countries. For the first time in 40 years in some of these countries the Church has once again legalised. Remember the images of candle burning!
And Australia: are those that dwell carelessly in the isles to escape? At the close of 1989, Australia generally thought to be earthquake safe, was struck by an earthquake that caused significant damage to a city and a number of deaths.
This earthquake would be regarded by most as a completely random, natural event. I did so myself at first. But when we chew over the particulars of this earthquake one discovers some interesting parallels. Our Lord tells us a number of times though the gospel records and in the Revelation to John, “He who has ears to hear let him hear”. And here we are as a group reading about earthquakes and the signs associated with our Lord's return.
We have been reading Job 38 about the power of God, Zechariah 13-14 and Revelation 15-16
And what happens in a place there has not been an earthquake in living recorded history? There is an earthquake big enough and deadly enough to attract attention throughout the whole English speaking world. And what is the name of that place? Newcastle!
What is a castle? A Castle to my mind is a fortified, specially built mansion, or a fortified residence of a minor ruler of the people or a member of the ruling class. Not the palace of the king but the dwelling or abiding place of a lesser ruler. When we in the English speaking world think of a Castle, we see the fortified, specially designed and built residence constructed by the lords, barons and earls of England who ruled over the common people and who were appointed by the new Norman conquerers.
Aren't we waiting to be appointed rulers over the people- aren't we awaiting for our abiding place tabernacle or mansion. In John 14:2 we read that “in my father's house there are many mansions. Rotherham has “in the house of my father are many dwellings”. The Greek word is mone – and means -abode, residence, mansion (according to Strong's) The RSV misses the point completely and translates the word as 'room'. Mone could be translated as 'castles'.
And what are the servants of God looking for? Aren't we looking for out abiding places, our incorruptible bodies fortified and specially built. Aren't we looking for our new castles? Do you see the connection? Matt 24:3-7 What do we see?
If Newcastle is not a diverse place, I don't know of any place more diverse or a place where an earthquake would be least expected. At the time of the earthquake many around the world were reading
Behold, the day of the LORD comes, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:1-5)
and also
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. (Revelation 16:16-18)
On the very day when we have an earthquake in a place called Newcastle we are reading of earthquakes that occur at the Lord's return. What an instruction for us!
Luke 21 5-7, 9, 10,11 Political heavens- what have we seen in 1989.
Much of this chapter applies to AD70 and to the latter days.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)
1967 Jerusalem freed
And there shall be signs... upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; (Luke 21:25)
We hear the distress of the Chinese students as they are fired on, we have heard the roar of the crowds from East Germany to Bulgaria to Lithuania
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21:26)
The powers of the European heavens (Communism)
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28)
And right in the middle of all this, when these things are happening around us we are told to look up for our redemption draws nigh. And almost as if to shake us awake we have an earthquake in Newcastle, or in a new mansion. Do we have ears to hear, can we see it, or do we need to buy eye slave as our Lord tells the Laodiceans (Rev 3:18)
He spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (Luke 21:29)
The fig tree, the nation of Israel. Is it alive again, has it not sprouted from it's 2000 year dormancy?
The kingdom is nigh.V30,31
the generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled.V32
the Lord's guarantee V 33
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.(Luke 21:34)
The Lords personal instruction to us. Psalm 17:3 “ I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress'
Psalm 14:17 – we have seen Israel returning since 1948, now 40 years ago. We have seen in 1989 many other momentous signs.
Psalm 15:1-2 The prayer of the faithful, as we seek an enduring abiding place
Psalm 16:8-11 David's joy hope and anticiptaion. He saw few signs- but we are spectators of many signs
Psalm 17:7-8 Davids prayer to protect him. Finally Psalm 17:15
the culmination to awake with thy likeness”
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Over all of history the servants of God have known the signs of the times: their times. They have seen the direction of events toward the Kingdom of God on earth replacing the kingdoms, republics and democracies of humans.
An article prompted by National DNA day April 25 celebrating the understanding of DNA.
As I was thinking to write this article, having just read Psalm 46 as I do each year on that day, on January 25th a Bible was found untouched after a tornado hit Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
We have been given many time periods to prophetic events in the Bible. Many people think it too hard, and do not make an effort to understand them. However, if they were not to be understood, why were they given? And the Bible says the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:10).
On the 15th December 2010 was announced a Roman statue from a bathhouse had been unearthed by storms in the Mediterranean,
Standing 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall, the statue was found in the remains of a cliff that had crumbled under the gale-force winds. Discovered near the ancient port after the tides had returned to normal, an official with the Israel Antiquities Authority said the statue will be displayed in various museums.
Dated to approximately 1,800 to 2,000 years ago – the period in which the Romans occupied western Judea -- the statue weighed 200 kg (440 lb) and had no head or arms.
“The sea gave us this amazing statue,” Yigal Israeli, a researcher with the Israel Antiquities Authority told the Reuters news service. He added that other artifacts may have washed out into the ocean due to the same storm, however.
Fragments of mosaics and bits from a Roman bath house were also recovered at the site Israelnationalnews
