ISRAEL: ADAM FANNIN'S INSUPPORTABLE DENIAL OF MODERN ISRAEL

Zionism is the Synagogue of Satan

Adam Fannin's outspoken anti Zionist rhetoric is very dangerous and unscriptural.

Fannin: "The great falling away is happening right now".  In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul links the falling away (apostasia) to the appearance of the Antichrist at the midpoint of the 70th week of Daniel, when the great tribulation begins. During the great tribulation, it appears many who profess the name of Jesus Christ will apostasize completely. At that time, there will be unprecedented betrayal and global violence against true believers. It is undeniable that, for the most part, the churches are asleep and have been hijacked by false teachers. However, as bad as things are, this situation does not indicate that we are in the eschatological apostasy referred to by Jesus Christ and Paul. 

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion (apostasia) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (2 Thessalonians 2:3 cf. Matthew 24:9-14).

Simply defined, Zionism is a Jewish national movement that seeks the creation, support and continuation of a Jewish national state in the historic land of Israel.2  

Amongst those who support the modern state of Israel are hardcore pretribulational dispensationalists like Andy Woods, Tom Hughes, Olivier Melnick, Lee Brainard, Prophecy Watchers, etc. It seems that nothing will prevent these teachers from persisting in the pretrib rapture error, no matter how much evidence to the contrary is presented to them from the scriptures. (1 John 4:1). The latter half of Daniel's 70th week focuses heavily on Israel; however, there is clear evidence that the church will also face unprecedented persecution during this period. (Revelation 6:9; Daniel 7:21; Revelation 12:17, 13:7, 14:12; Matthew 24:9). Pretrib false teachers are setting up their followers for unprecedented disappointment and disaster due to the false hope that they will escape the persecution of the Antichrist. Thankfully, in recent years, a growing number of believers have rejected the lethal pretrib rapture teaching. My own research into some of their leaders' shady antics is very troubling. (Matthew 7:20).3 

Christians deconstruct dispensationalism for a range of reasons, most notably the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, repeated failures in date-setting or prophetic sensationalism, and the absence of historical precedent prior to the nineteenth century. Once a single foundational assumption is destabilised, many begin to question the entire theological system, with historic (or classic) premillennialism emerging as the most common alternative. Historic premillennialism is posttribulational and preserves belief in a future millennial reign of Christ while omitting the dispensational framework of distinct ages, a separate rapture event, and a strict Israel–Church divide. Alternatively, prewrath premillennialism affirms the 70th week of Daniel and more accurately reflects the teaching of the scriptures and the early church fathers. Prewrath locates the rapture of the church after the sixth seal of Revelation is broken. (Revelation 6:12-17; Matthew 24:29-31). Prewrath is often presented as a corrective to dispensationalism’s timing of the rapture, but it preserves one of dispensationalism’s core structural assumptions: a functional distinction between Israel and the Church in God’s prophetic program. Fannin seems to have merged prewrath and historic premillennialism, but this is highly problematic in one key area; there is no evidence to support the belief that the church is the true Israel or that ethnic Israel has no unique role in future prophecy. 

Fannin: "Genesis 12 is not for the modern state of Israel, and Romans 11 is not for the modern state of Israel.. By the way, Romans 11 literally says Israel is not elect, and Israel has been cast away." Fannin explains that he is not a replacement theologian; rather, he maintains that the church existed before Israel, and he quotes Genesis 4:26b. 

Paul emphatically spurns the idea that God has rejected the Jewish people. He describes their present unbelief as an opportunity for the Gentiles to be grafted in. 

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. (Romans 11:1-2).

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! (Romans 11:11-12).

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (Romans 11:17-18).

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.” (Isaiah 27:9 and Isaiah 59:20-21).

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:25-29).

See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:38-39). 

"This is a direct quote from Psalm 118:26 a messianic psalm that was traditionally sung during the Passover. It was also shouted by the crowds during Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). The phrase signifies recognition of the Messiah and acceptance of His divine mission. It points to a future fulfilment when Jesus will be acknowledged as the Messiah by the Jewish people, often interpreted as a reference to His second coming."1 

God makes two distinct promises to Abram (Abraham). Genesis 12:1-3 applies to "all the families of the earth", whereas Genesis 13:14-15 is a specific promise regarding Abrahams physical offspring and the land. After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever. Genesis 14:14,26:2-5). The possession of the land is promised עולם עד "for ever". The promise of God is unchangeable. While the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 are contingent upon the Israelites' behaviour, God's covenant with them is everlasting and stands firm. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. (Genesis 17:7,13,19,48:4). 

Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject or despise them so as to destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their fathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 26:44-45).

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” (Exodus 32:13).

For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. (Deuteronomy 4:31).

..then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. (Deuteronomy 30:3-6).

He is the LORD our God;
His judgments carry throughout the earth.
He remembers His covenant forever,
the word He ordained for a thousand generations—
the covenant He made with Abraham,
and the oath He swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
“I will give you the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.” (Psalm 105:7-11).

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10).

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”(Jeremiah 31:33-34).

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jeremiah 32:40).

Thus says the Lord: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.” (Jeremiah 33:25-26).

“For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account ofi the covenant with you. I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”Ezekiel 16:59-63).

The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.
So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the remaining clans and their wives. (Zechariah 12:1-14).

In the whole land, declares the Lord,
two thirds shall be cut off and perish,
and one third shall be left alive.
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” (Zechariah 13:8-).

A Jewish remnant, literally one-third, is specifically identified in relation to the number of Jews who will survive and repent after being tested by fire. 

In conclusion, it is undeniable that God's covenant with Israel is unbroken and irrevocable. Those who deny this or say that it has already been fulfilled produce insupportable arguments and distort the scriptures.

Historically, Israel never possessed the entire land promised to Abraham and his descendants between the two rivers, i.e. the Nile (in Egypt) and the Euphrates (in Mesopotamia). (Genesis 15:18). The peak of Israel's territorial control was achieved under David and Solomon, specifically Canaan, not Egypt or Mesopotamia. The literal futuristic view is that Israel will possess the full territory promised in Genesis 15:18 in the future Messianic age. 

The estimated future possession of Israel is 932 miles (1500 km)

This is the approximate straight-line distance between the two rivers. The actual territory would be wider and irregular, covering parts of Modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt.

   

1.Matthew 23:39 Study Bible: For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
2. Zionism | Definition, History, Movement, & Ideology | Britannica
3. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: LEE BRAINARD AND TOM HUGHES: PRETRIB DISHONESTY

7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture (Full Movie) 

THE KIRK CAMERON PROBLEM: CHRONIC ITCHING EAR SYNDROME

 Kirk Cameron Denies 'Eternal Conscious Torment,' Is Now An Annihilationist? - Protestia

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.. (2 Timothy 4:3).

Those who support the heresy of annihilationism must face the chilling fact that they are directly contradicting unequivocal scriptural evidence that hell is eternal conscious torment.  

And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:24 cf. Mark 9:44)

Study Bible: "The 'worm' and 'fire' are metaphors for unending decay and punishment. Isaiah chooses decay imagery to stress unending shame. A maggot-consuming corpse normally finishes its work; here the process 'never' ends. Jesus cites this phrase verbatim for Gehenna (Mark 9:47-48), affirming eternal, conscious punishment.

The incongruity of the two images shows that they are not to be understood literally; but both alike imply everlasting continuance, and are incompatible with either of the two modern heresies of universalism or annihilationism."1 

Bible Hub: "No hint of annihilation appears; the torment is ongoing, not terminated.

Fire in Scripture pictures God’s wrath (Hebrews 12:29). It is 'unquenchable,' meaning no outside force can lessen or end it (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).

The permanence of the fire matches the never-dying worm—dual metaphors underscoring one reality.

This affirms the literal, eternal nature of hell, a place prepared for the devil and his angels yet shared by all who persist in rebellion."2

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46) .

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2).

 

The contrast and dual destiny between eternal life and eternal punishment are found in both the New and Old Testaments. It is possible for those who question eternal conscious punishment to use the same twisted logic to question eternal life. As such, annihilationism strikes at the very heart of the gospel itself. Those who view annihilationism as a secondary or even a tertiary issue should think again!

Bengel's Gnomen: "The Bible has no metaphysical distinctions, therefore it has no one word to express eternity; this it expresses by long periods joined with one another indefinitely. Αἰῶνες = עו̇לָמִים, æva: very long periods, which, multiplied indefinitely, give the only notion we can form of eternity. Ὡρα (Th. ὃρος, terminus), a definite space of time: καιρὸς, the time, the fit time: χρόνος, time, in its actuality, marking succession: αἰὼν, an indefinite course of time, without the notion of an end. See Tittm. Syn. Gr. Test. Ἀπʼ αἰώνων = from all eternity, a parte ante. Εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας = to all eternity, for ages, for ever, a parte post. As these phrases are applied to the eternity of God Himself, and as, moreover, αἰώνιος is applied to ζωὴ, which none deny to mean everlasting life, no objections (such as have been lately raised), from the meaning of αἰὼν, will hold good against the everlasting duration of punishment."3

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41).

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:11).

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. (Luke 16:19-31).

As unpalatable as we may find the doctrine of eternal torment, the only way around it is to deny the scriptures. Those who choose this course may find themselves facing the very fate they seek to deny! (Galatians 6:7; Job 4:8; Hosea 8:7; Romans 2:6).

 

Mike Winger: "I'm open to the possibility of annihilationism or conditional immortality."4

Ray Comfort (Living Waters) is a longstanding associate of Kirk Cameron, although strangely, he denies having had any "official involvement" with him for over ten years. Comfort has consistently denied annihilationism, maintaining that the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment is the correct biblical view. He has publicly addressed Cameron's recent comments on annihilationism, emphasising that Cameron's views do not align with Living Waters' long-held position.5  Comfort regularly appears on the apostate channel TBN, and he and Cameron hosted a joint fundraiser on TBN last year.6 😞

Cameron previously supported the pretrib rapture view and starred in the "Left Behind" film, which was released in 2000. "Left Behind" pretribulational theology is not biblically accurate and has been widely criticised and debunked by various bible teachers. Cameron subsequently changed his view from pretribulationism to posttribulationism following discussions with Joe Schimmel (Blessed Hope Chapel). Once again, Cameron did not do his due diligence and he failed to recognise the flaws in Schimmel's posttribulational eschatology. (1 John 4:1). More recently, Cameron has promoted a more world-and-life view, focusing on family, history, and cultural renewal rather than "apocalyptic fear". He now claims that the rapture may not happen for millennia.7  This view aligns more with postmillennialism, although Cameron has not formally identified with any particular tradition. Cameron's disjointed history indicates that he is not a reliable source and is unqualified to teach theology. (2 Timothy 2:15). The scriptures state that no one knows the day or the hour, and we should watch rather than speculate about the time of Jesus' Parousia. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:36,42,25:13). Furthermore, the scriptures do not hold out an optimistic eschatological view; in fact, just the reverse. 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, , unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 cf. Matthew 24:12; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 3:3; Jude 1:18 ).

I suggest that we take the advice of the apostle and mark and avoid Kirk Cameron. (Romans 16:17-18).

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5).  

1. Isaiah 66:24 Commentaries: "Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."
2. Isaiah 66:24 "As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind."
3. Matthew 25:46 Commentaries: "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

4. (152) 20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 99) - YouTube
5. Addressing Kirk Cameron’s New Thoughts On Hell – Living Waters Down Under | Ray Comfort
6. Bing Videos
7. A Worldview of Optimism and Vi… - The Gary DeMar Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Further Links

WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: edward fudge, david reagan: the heresy of annihilationism

7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture (Full Movie)

Articles of Prewrath

Microsoft Word - Prewrath - Early Church Fathers.docx

CHRIS ROSEBROUGH: WHEN WAS SATAN CAST OUT OF HEAVEN?

F4F | Ron Carpenter Passes Theological Gas

Ron Carpenter, Redemption World Outreach Center, is another mega church pastor who claims to be an "apostle". Carpenter is a fierce advocate of tithing and is an eisegete. His latest bad idea is an AI-led spiritual counselling app in which he offers an AI version of himself offering “personalised” prayer and spiritual guidance for a fee. (Romans 16:17-18).1

Rosebrough: "Revelation 12 does refer to Satan as the accuser of the brethren. But he can't do it anymore because the text twice makes it very clear that he's been thrown out of heaven.."

I am all in favour of calling out false teachers (Ephesians 5:11), but once again, Rosebrough's problematic eschatology leaves us with an issue. There is no evidence that Satan ceased to be "the accuser of the brethren" (κατήγορος katēgoros) post-resurrection, and it would be unwise to accept his interpretation of this passage.

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. 

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12:1-17).

Immediately after these events, John sees the Antichrist rising out of the sea. And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. (Revelation 13:1). 

The term "brethren" (ἀδελφοὶ ) in the New Testament invariably refers to post-resurrection believers. Jesus refers to his disciples as his brethren before his ascension. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17). This term indicates a significant transformation in their relationship to Him. This information necessitates that "brethren" in Revelation 12:10 refers to post-resurrection believers who are accused (present tense) day and night before God. This should be sufficient to prove the case, but I will go further. 

And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying.. (Revelation 10b-12). This phrase introduces a heavenly proclamation in the aorist tense. ..for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, ἐβλήθη (eblēthē)  > Aorist Indicative Passive.2 

In Biblical Greek, the aorist tense can describe past, present or future events depending on the context. Its primary focus is on the action’s completeness rather than its timing.

Blue Letter Bible: "The aorist tense is characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without regard for past, present, or future time. There is no direct or clear English equivalent for this tense, though it is generally rendered as a simple past tense in most translations.

The events described by the aorist tense are classified into a number of categories by grammarians. The most common of these include a view of the action as having begun from a certain point ("inceptive aorist"), or having ended at a certain point ("cumulative aorist"), or merely existing at a certain point ("punctiliar aorist"). The categorization of other cases can be found in Greek reference grammars."3 

Pulpit Commentary: "The cause of the victorious song which I have just recited was the fact that the devil was cast down, the same who is constantly accusing (ὁ κατηγορῶν) our brethren. But they (our brethren) overcame him, and valued not their lives, etc. Well may ye heavens rejoice over your happy lot, though it means woe to the earth for a short time.' For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. The one accusing them (ὁ κατηρορῶν); not the past tense. Satan does not cease to accuse, though he may not do so with effect, since he may be overcome by the 'blood of the Lamb.'"4 

Prewrath scholars view Revelation 12 as an eschatological passage that refers to future tribulation events. The woman (Israel) suffers intense persecution during the 3.5-year great tribulation. (Matthew 24:21 cf. Revelation 7:14). This view differs significantly from the pretribulation view, as it places the rapture between the sixth and seventh seals of Revelation, and it identifies "the remnant of the woman's offspring" as persecuted believers during this period. (Revelation 12:17). This interpretation has considerable traction and is immediately apparent from the various references to "1260 days" and its equivalent in the book of Revelation. (Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 11:3). This period is variously referred to as "forty-two months" in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5, "time, times and half a time" in Revelation 12:14 and Daniel 7:25. It is also identified as "half the week" i.e. the seven-year period known as the 70th week of Daniel halved. (Daniel 9:27). With so many references to this time frame, it behoves believers to study the scriptures to ascertain the correct interpretation of Revelation 12. (1 John 4:1).  

  

The war depicted in Revelation 12:7-9 signifies the ultimate expulsion of Satan and his angels from heaven at the midpoint of the 70th week of Daniel. (Daniel 9:27). Satan's defeat commenced at the cross. (Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15). However, Revelation 12 illustrates his total banishment from heaven when he will be thrown down to earth and his time will be short. (Revelation 12:12,17:12).  

The initial fall of Lucifer is recorded in Ezekiel 28:12-17 and Isaiah 14:12ff. The title "O Day Star, son of Dawn" has been linked to Lucifer, whose name means "light-bearer" in Latin, reflecting his original state before his fall. This connection is made in part due to the Vulgate's translation and later theological interpretations.4

You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. (Ezekiel 28:12. 2-17 cf. Isaiah 14:12ff).

Two instances where Satan accused believers before God in the Old Testament are recorded in Job 1:6-12 and Zechariah 3:1-2. 

One might wonder how Satan could enter God's presence with the sons of God in Job 1:6, but apparently, he did have some kind of limited access to the third heaven on that occasion. I do not see anywhere in the scriptures where that situation changed. If Rosebrough can provide evidence to the contrary from the scriptures, then I will be very interested to consider his argument.  

1. Pastor creates AI version of himself as ‘personal pastor’ for users
2. Strong's 906:
3. Lexical Definition for Aorist Tense
4. Revelation 12:10 Commentaries: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

Further Links

Articles of Prewrath

Microsoft Word - Prewrath - Early Church Fathers.docx

LARRY WESSELS ROB ZINS (CANSWERS TV) MORE UNHELPFUL RHETORIC

Judas' Kiss of Death: Did His Works of Being Sorry & Returning Silver Earn Him a Ticket to Heaven? 

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? (Job 38:2 cf.1 Corinthians 4:6; Ecclesiastes 7:16).

Rob Zins' incoherent ramblings regarding the origin of sin are heretical and are likely to confuse rather than help his hearers. (2 Timothy 2:16). It would have been better for Zins not to have given us the dubious benefit of his own opinions. (Jude 1:1; 2 Peter 2:12).

Zins: "If sin does not exist and God authors it, how can it be a sin when it doesn't exist?" 

Zins: "To author sin is not to sin.. sin doesn't exist until you author it."  

The so-called "certainty of defection" is often discussed in Reformed circles in the context of the flawed five points of Calvinism, i.e. Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace and Perseverance of the Saints (TULIP).  

The scriptures do not present God as the author of sin. Scripture consistently affirms God’s holiness and righteousness, while also teaching that He permits sin within His sovereign plan without being its direct cause or agent. God's holiness is emphasised in various passages. Whereas God ordains all that comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11), He does so in a way that does not make Him morally responsible for sin.

Zins' suggestion that God is the author of sin even contradicts Calvinist theology.

The (Reformed) Westminster Confession of Faith (3.1): "God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:  yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established."1 

The tension between God's sovereignty and human responsibility is a deep mystery. Some attempt to emphasise God's total control, which portrays Him as the author of sin, while others emphasise human free will, which deemphasises His sovereignty. Inevitably, when teachers go beyond their remit and go beyond what is written by teaching their preferred theories as fact, heresy and division result. The consistent biblical witness is that God remains holy and blameless and that he is never the author of sin.

You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (James 1:13).

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. (James 1:17).

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5).

Sin or evil as the absence of good  

The absence of good (Latin: privatio boni), also known as the privation theory of evil, is the philosophical/theological theory that evil, unlike good, is insubstantial. In other words, evil is not a created entity, but rather it is the absence of good. "If evil is a privation of good rather than a thing made by God, then God is said to create only good, and to permit the privations that constitute evil."2 According to this view, evil manifests when beings with free will choose to deviate from God's perfect design. I tend to resonate with this view to some extent, and I reject Zins' heretical speculations.

There are some clues to the mystery of evil in the narratives describing the fall of Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:12-17 and Isaiah 14:12ff. The title "O Day Star, son of Dawn" has been linked to Lucifer, whose name means "light-bearer" in Latin, reflecting his original state before his fall. This connection is made in part due to the Vulgate's translation and later theological interpretations.3

You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. (Ezekiel 28:12-17).

The mystery of iniquity or lawlessness

 
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

Vincents Word Studies: "Mystery of iniquity (μυστήριον τῆς ἀνομίας)
Better, of lawlessness. The phrase is unique in N.T. and olxx. Mystery is found in various combinations, as mystery of the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 13:11 : of God, 1 Corinthians 2:1 : of his will, Ephesians 1:9 : of Christ, Ephesians 3:4 : of the gospel, Ephesians 6:19 : of faith, 1 Timothy 3:9 : of godliness, 1 Timothy 3:16 : of the seven stars Revemlation 1:20 : of the woman, Revelation 17:7. A mystery does not lie in the obscurity of a thing, but in its secrecy. It is not in the thing, but envelops it. Applied to a truth, it signifies a truth once hidden but now revealed or to be revealed; a truth which without special revelation would be unknown. It is almost universally found in connection with words signifying publication or revelation. See on Matthew 13:11. The mystery of lawlessness is the mass of lawlessness yet hidden, but which is to reveal itself in the person and power of Antichrist. The position of the word is emphatic, emphasizing the concealed character of the evil power."4

Topical Bible: "The phrase 'the knowledge of good and evil' first appears in Genesis 2:9, 'And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil'   

By eating the fruit, Adam and Eve assert their own judgment over divine command, leading to a rupture in their relationship with God. This act is seen as the original sin, which has affected all of humanity, as articulated in Romans 5:12: 'Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned'".5

Zins goes on to regurgitate old Calvinist erroneous arguments about Pharaoh and Esau. 

Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan so election might stand, not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! For He says to Moses:
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. (Romans 9:10-18). 

Zins: "In Romans 9, (Pharaoh) is a vessel of wrath raised for a particular purpose.. What Paul is saying here is that God prepares vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order that he might show the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy."  Zins goes on to say that Esau's fate was determined before he did anything good or bad. (15:00 mark) 

It is a mistake to take Romans 9 in isolation and out of the context of the larger narrative. The book of Romans emphasises faith as the cornerstone to gaining God's acceptance. (Romans 1:17,3:22,26-28,30,4:1-3,5:1; Hebrews 11). And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6). Faith and righteousness are intrinsically bound together with God's mercy. Zins has replaced faith with God's sovereignty, and in doing so, he distorts the character of God into a monstrous caricature. 

Zins never mentions God's foreknowledge. (1 Peter 1:2). God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He knows the future just as if it had already happened. God hardened Pharaoh's heart only after he had hardened his own heart. (Exodus 8:15,32). Esau consistently disdained his inheritance and sold his birthright. Additionally, the verses about Jacob and Esau concern nations and not just individuals. 

And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23 cf. Genesis 25:29-34; 26:34-35; Malachi 1:1-5).

Zins: "The potter has the right over the clay. That's another illustration. So He can do what He wants."

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you heara my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ (Jeremiah 18:1-11).

The metaphor of the clay is misrepresented by false Calvinist teachers. The vessel “became marred”. The flaw is not due to the potter’s incompetence but to something intrinsic within the clay. This is an illustration of Israel’s stubborn sin. (Jeremiah 17:9 cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7). Despite being in the hands of the divine potter, Israel has become marred due to disobedience and idolatry. This reflects the historical context of Jeremiah's ministry, when he prophesied during a time of great apostasy and impending judgment. The flaw is not due to the potter's skill but the clay's resistance, symbolising human rebellion against God's will. This concept is echoed in Romans 9:20-21, where Paul discusses God's right to shape His creation as He sees fit. This passage includes a call to repentance and puts responsibility onto the clay (Israel). 

Romans 9 concludes with the reason for Israel's rejection. They did not pursue righteousness by faith, but rather they pursued it by works of the law. 

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:30-33 cf. Titus 3:5).

I demonstrated Zins' incompetence as a bible teacher in my previous post regarding his train crash eisegesis of 2 Peter 3:8-9.6 Tragically, Zins and Wessels appear to be unteachable and are holding onto their distorted view of God despite many proofs to the contrary. The plight of being unteachable and closed to correction is injurious to oneself and to others. (Proverbs 12:1; 15:32-33; Matthew 15:14). Zins' years-long habit of refuting Roman Catholic error and replacing it with Calvinist error is something he will have to answer for. (1 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 3:1). Teachers should refute error with truth. (Titus 1:9). Unless they repent, Zins and Wessels should anticipate meeting the monster God they have publicly maligned and misrepresented all these years. (Matthew 25:26).   

1. westminster confession of faith 3.1 God ordains all things, “yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures” - Search

2.  Kinds and Origins of Evil (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy/Winter 2021 Edition)

3. Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.

4. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 Commentaries: For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
5. Topical Bible: Knowledge of Good and Evil
6. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: MY RESPONSE TO HARDCORE CALVINISTS ROB ZINS & LARRY WESSELS

Further Links

    

Vine Abiders - Deformation 6 - Romans 9 De-Calvinized

How Romans 9 Doesn't Support Calvinism
Debating James White on Romans 9

Topical Bible: The Consequences of Ignoring Correction

MARK HITCHCOCK: SIGNLESS RAPTURE, TPUSA "REVIVAL" AND SPIRITUAL DECEPTION

Why This Prophetic Shift Should Alarm Us

In his latest offering above, "prophecy expert" Mark Hitchcock highlights the alleged dangers of AI.

Hitchcock: "Think about how AI will explain the rapture.. You know what is going to happen when the rapture takes place. The whole world will turn to Chat GPT or whatever its future equivalent might be, to ask the question, 'What's just happened?' People all over the world are going to go to AI, trying to find out, 'What's going on here, what has just taken place?' And I am sure that AI will come up with some sensible, plausible explanation for the disappearance of millions of people that will calm the chaos and pacify the panic that will exist in the world.."  

I have pointed out a number of times in previous posts that the rapture is absolutely not a signless event. When the rapture occurs, after the great tribulation, the world will know exactly what has happened. Below are specific rapture passages that totally refute Hitchcock's false pretrib teaching. The scriptures explicitly refer to "a great earthquake, cosmic disturbances, the sign of the Son of Man, a loud trumpet, a loud command, the voice of an archangel, every eye will see him."  

And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62).

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31 cf. Acts 1:9-11).

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. / After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. (Revelation 1:7).

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17).

Hitchcock is closely associated with false teacher Jimmy Evans, and they have co-authored a number of books as part of "A Tipping Point Series", including "What's Next" and "Look Up". Jimmy Evans suffered a severe loss of credibility last year due to his abusive behaviour towards Jonathan and Suzy Lamb and his official approval of Joni Lamb's adulterous marriage.1 

More recently, Evans compounded his incompetence by date-setting the rapture, strongly hinting that it would occur on Rosh Hashanah. One would expect sound teachers to distance themselves from Evans, but some have shown their true colours and have continued their association with him. This is particularly true of Mark Hitchcock. (1 Timothy 6:10).

Hitchcock's inaptitude is compounded by his support for TPUSA. He recently described Charlie Kirk as "..a courageous godly young man who is impacting an entire generation for Christ and righteousness.."2 Whatever Charlie Kirk was, he was certainly not a biblical Christian! Amazingly, the people who have praised Charlie Kirk seem to have missed the elephant in the room, or have they? In reality, it was impossible to miss Kirk's ecumenical agenda, his racism, and his unstinting support of the seven mountain mandate.3  

Hitchcock claims that support of TPUSA events amounts to a "revival". However, nothing could be further from the truth. TPUSA downplays doctrinal differences, and in the process, they dilute and pollute sound doctrine. Speakers like Hindu Vivek Ramaswamy and false teachers like Mark Driscoll are anti-Christian indicators. It is patently obvious that TPUSA has never been about the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

TPUSA is now getting far more negative feedback, with some recognising that it is a far-right political organisation that is alien to biblical Christianity. Some even compare TPUSA to far-right Naziism. 

Higher Education Inquirer: "Turning Point USA (TPUSA), brands itself as a conservative youth movement dedicated to free markets and limited government. In reality, a growing body of investigative reporting, watchdog research, and student testimony reveals an organization built on intimidation, manipulation, and close ties to extremists. Students should be aware of the risks before engaging with TPUSA in any capacity."4

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:2-3).

1. https://youtu.be/H4a23HS7qu0
2. When Wickedness Increases | Marking the End Times
3. Charlie Kirk and the Ecumenical Agenda
4. Higher Education Inquirer : Campus Warning: Avoid Contact with Turning Point USA

Recommended Link

Have You Joined The Church Of Charlie Kirk Yet? Pt.4 - Pastor Brian Dunlop-Sunday Evening, Nov. 16th

MIKE WINGER IS SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT

Mike Winger Endorses the Next Crusade | @Mike Winger

Above is a video by E511 Ministries. I am unfamiliar with their theology, and as such, I am unable to endorse them at the present time. The video demonstrates that Mike Winger is calling for the death of Muslims in Nigeria. I find this absolutely shocking! Along with others, Winger has turned away from the gospel in favour of political activism, and he now supports the TPUSA MAGA Trump agenda. 

The original Crusades took place between 1095 and 1291 and were initiated by the papacy to reclaim and defend the Holy Land (especially Jerusalem) from Muslim control. The result of the crusades strengthened papal authority and influenced European politics, trade and culture. In biblical terms, the Crusades were unrighteous and did not align with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Any crusade-style response to the terrible genocide and atrocities committed in Nigeria is tainted by fleshly political manoeuvrings and is unbiblical. Trump is not a Christian, and his agenda is not based on biblical principles. Winger's emotive one-size-fits-all is a gross distortion of the truth. According to various sources, the reality is more complex than simply framing the violence as "Christian genocide". Violence in Nigeria has affected both Muslims and Christians. Much of Nigeria’s violence is Muslim-on-Muslim as well as Muslim>Christian. In northern Nigeria, especially, many victims of Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit groups are themselves Muslims, indicating that the crisis is not simply one religion against another.*

Muslims make up approximately 50-55% of Nigeria's population, while Christians make up approximately 45-49%. The Christian population can be broken down into Roman Catholics in the east, and Protestants in the south (Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists and Independent/Pentecostal megachurches: Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Winners’ Chapel, and Christ Embassy are among the largest, with millions of members worldwide. As in other countries, the designation "Christian" is no indication of the true number of bible believing born-again Christians in Nigeria. In fact, the acute corruption in Nigeria is in no small part due to unscrupulous church leaders!

Vanguard: "Abuja — The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has made a shocking allegation that some religious groups in Nigeria are more corrupt than public officials.
Speaking at a leadership conference of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) over the weekend, Olukoyede claimed that the EFCC has recovered millions of naira from a religious organization recently.
'Pastors have made wealth the centrepiece of the gospel, which is far from the doctrine given to us by the apostles,' he said.
Akintunde was reacting to a viral video of a pastor allegedly claiming that God accepts tithes from proceeds of fraud and cybercrime."1 

Church Times Nigeria: "We live in an era of unprecedented religious visibility. Megachurches dot the skylines of major cities, religious broadcasting saturates the airwaves, and social media feeds are inundated with spiritual aphorisms.
Yet, beneath this veneer of vibrancy, a quiet crisis is unfolding. It is a crisis not of attendance, but of substance; not of passion, but of depth.
As noted in recent critiques of contemporary ecclesiology, the modern church is increasingly producing 'two-dimensional Christians', believers who possess a breadth of enthusiasm but a shallowness of understanding.
The prevailing focus on hyper-spiritism and radical prosperity has created a theological vacuum. In many urbanised pulpits, the historic Christian faith, once characterised by intellectual rigour, sacrificial love, and the navigation of suffering, has been repackaged into a “fast food diet” of immediate gratification.
This shift raises profound questions about the sustainability of such a faith and the spiritual legacy being left for the next generation. If the church is to survive the cultural and intellectual storms of the twenty-first century, it must move beyond the populist preachments of success and return to the foundational, albeit challenging, work of theological education and discipleship."2

Punch: "The Lead Pastor of Hilltop City Christian Centre, Lagos, Victor Akintunde, has said church 
leaders also share the blame for the country’s deepening corruption crisis.
In an interview, Akintunde expressed concern that many prominent pastors had veered away from the core message of Christianity, replacing it with an obsession with prosperity and wealth.
'Part of the corrupt tendencies that have bedevilled Nigeria emanated from church leaders.
'Many of us have left the message of Christ and are now fixated on prosperity." 3 

Similar to the UK, Europe and other countries, it appears that the number of true Christians in Nigeria is a small remnant. It is therefore a misnomer to identify Nigerian churchgoers as "our brothers and sisters" or "Christian martyrs". TPUSA, including Mike Winger and others, are in fact exacerbating an already bad situation by inciting violence due to their warped version of reality. I view the current situation as a call to repentance and an opportunity to proclaim the true gospel to both the Muslim population and to "professing" Christians who are not genuine believers. 

Those associated with TPUSA have compromised with a tainted ecumenical gospel, which is really no gospel at all. (Galatians 1:7). I am all in favour of raising strong objections and taking sanctions against the perpetrators of genocide in Nigeria, but this should be done in collaboration with the true gospel, which is the only solution for the world. (John 8:12).

Winger seems to have "forgotten" the clear teaching of Jesus Christ not to endorse violent action against persecutors.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, / that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. / If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? (Matthew 5:44-48).

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35).

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21).

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. (2 Corinthians 10:3).

To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste… (Deuteronomy 32:35,43)

Greg Laurie's insensitively named "Harvest Crusade" recently intersected with TPUSA following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The event took place on the 16th of November at Utah Valley University, and drew over 10,000 attendees. Laurie is the founder of Harvest Christian Fellowship (HCF) which is yet another mega church experiencing severe allegations of sexual abuse and cover up at the present time. Multiple lawsuits filed in 2025 allege that a former pastor and missionary associated with HCF abused and trafficked children at church-supported homes in Romania in the early 2000's. The suits also claim HCF and senior leaders, including Greg Laurie, were negligent in failing to present the abuse or respond adequately to warnings. There are currently ongoing public calls for Laurie to resign as Senior Pastor of HCF.4 

Many associated with TPUSA should address the plank in their own eye before they presume to inflict their views on others! (Matthew 7:3-5; Isaiah 9:16).

https://youtube.com/shorts/BTyA5hwComc?si=khKS-HixhdQjUcsA
Violence Continues in Nigeria Against Christians and Muslims - The New York Times

Nigeria violence: Data shows most victims are Muslim, despite focus on Christian attacks - Africa - World - Ahram Online*

1. Nigeria: Some Religious Groups More Corrupt Than Public Officials - EFCC Chair, Olukoyede - allAfrica.com
2. Crisis of Depth: Reclaiming Theological Rigour in Prosperity-Obsessed Church - Church Times Nigeria - News, features and more
3. Nigeria Corruption: Church Leaders Complicit, Says Cleric
4. Frmr Pastor at Greg Laurie's Church Accused of Child Abuse in Romania, Lawsuit Claims

CHRIS ROSEBROUGH'S INTERPRETATION OF EZEKIEL 37 DEBUNKED

F4F | Patricia King Hijacks Ezekiel 37 to Rob You of True Prayer

I have no argument with Chris Rosebrough's evaluation of NAR false prophet/teacher Patricia King in the above video. I concur that King's interpretation of Ezekiel 37 is a wicked distortion of the text and is demonic. (1 Timothy 4:1). Rosebrough's warning that the practice of "decreeing and declaring" robs believers of true prayer is critical to note. No biblical text instructs believers to decree and declare anything! (John 10:10). Those who teach this dangerous nonsense cut believers off from vital communication with God through prayer and petition. (Luke 18:1; John 14:14; Acts 1:14; 1 Timothy 2:1; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2 etc). Mark and avoid Patricia King (Romans 16:17-18).

However, Rosebrough's interpretation of Ezekiel 37 as "the resurrection on the last day" and his redefinition of Israel as all believers is very puzzling.

Rosebrough: "This is a prophecy regarding the resurrection on the last day (v13). The resurrection of the dead, you see, the dead in Christ will rise first. You say, well, this is talking about Israel. Oh I know it is talking about Israel. Do you understand how Israel is defined according to Romans chapter 9 or even Galatians?  

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry.
Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?”
“O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”
And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life. will attach tendons to you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
So I prophesied as I had been commanded. And as I prophesied, there was suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I looked on, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”
So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army.
Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’
Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’” (Ezekiel 37:1-14). 

This passage unmistakably refers to ethnic Israel. Ezekiel prophesies to the people of Israel and the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 37:12,14,21,22,25). Ezekiel describes a particular valley full of dry bones; these are not the dead of the entire earth, but are confined to a specific location. The bones cry out, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ (Ezekiel 37:11). Prior to the general resurrection, the dead in Christ will certainly have hope. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29). The general resurrection will occur instantaneously, whereas a process is described in Ezekiel 37, i.e. the bones reconnect; sinews, flesh and skin appear. Ultimately, when breath enters them, they rise as a living army. (Ezekiel 37:7-10). From Ezekiel 37:15, the passage itself identifies the bones symbolically as two sticks, i.e., the separated tribes, consisting of the ten northern tribes and the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The bones symbolise the Israelites spiritually dead and in exile. The general resurrection of the dead described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 will not emanate from the words of a prophet; rather, the resurrection will be commanded by the Lord Himself. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52)). 

Jerome originally interpreted this passage as the general resurrection of the dead, but he was corrected by other theologians. According to Keil and Delitzsch, the specific Hebrew word used in Ezekiel 37:9 is הרוּגים, which does not signify the dead of all kinds. 

Keil and Delitzsch: "Ezekiel 37:9 those who are to be raised to life are called הרוּגים, a word which does not signify the dead of all kinds, but simply those who have been slain, or have perished by the sword, by famine, or by other violent deaths, and which indisputably proves that Ezekiel was not shown the resurrection of all the dead, but simply the raising to life of Israel, which had been swept away by a violent death. Kliefoth would account for this restriction from the purpose for which the vision was shown to the prophet. Because the design of the vision was to comfort Israel concerning the wretchedness of its existing condition, and that wretchedness consisted for the most part in the fact that the greater portion of Israel had perished by sword, famine, and pestilence, he was shown the resurrection of the dead generally and universally, as it would take place not in the case of the Israelites alone, but in that of all the dead, though here confined within the limits of one particular field of dead; and stress is laid upon the circumstance that the dead which Ezekiel saw raised to life instar omnium, were such as had met with a violent death.  This explanation would be admissible, if only it had been indicated or expressed in any way whatever, that the bones of the dead which Ezekiel saw lying about in the בּקעה represented all the dead of the whole earth. But we find no such indication; and because in the whole vision there is not a single feature contained which would warrant any such generalization of the field of the dead which Ezekiel saw, we are constrained to affirm that the dead men's bones seen by Ezekiel in the valley represent the whole house of Israel alone, and not the deceased and slain of all mankind; and that the vision does not set forth the resurrection of all the dead, but only the raising to life of the nation of Israel which had been given up to death."1

Gentile believers are not described as part of Israel in the New Testament. While both Jewish and Gentile believers are included in the body of Christ, the term "Israel" primarily refers to the Jewish people, particularly in the context of the Old Testament and early Christian teachings.

What I hope to convey to Chris Rosebrough and other teachers is that they have an obligation to rightly divide the word of truth on ALL questions of theology. (2 Timothy 2:15). I therefore urge them to reevaluate their eschatology.

Unfortunately, many believers have received incorrect eschatology from their denominations rather than from the scriptures. As a result, they have bought into replacement theology (supersessionism) and are either indifferent or even hostile toward Israel. It should be noted that Luther and the Reformers did not give detailed attention to eschatology apart from its relevance to justification by faith alone. In other words, the Reformers generally accepted the flawed amillenial position of Roman Catholicism. Believers need to be on the right side of this question if they are to avoid a posture that puts them at odds with the word of God and in agreement with the Antichrist. The Jewish people and Christians will experience the persecution of the Antichrist during the great tribulation. (Matthew 24:9,21; Revelation 12:14-17).

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10 cf. John 19:37).

I caution readers of this post to avoid the pretrib rapture position of hyperdispensationalists. This view is unreliable and raises more problems than it solves.*

The links below give information from the prewrath perspective. 

Israel Archives | Bible Prophecy Answers with Alan Kurschner

Israel at the Center of It All | Zion's Hope

David Rosenthal on Revelation 6–7 (Prewrath Video) | Bible Prophecy Answers with Alan Kurschner

pre-wrath rapture explained |3.5 year tribulation|prewrath timeline

Topical Bible: Jewish and Gentile Believers

 1. Ezekiel 37 Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary

* 7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture (Full Movie)