JOEL RICHARDSON ANTICHRIST CONFUSION: LEGS OF IRON - ROME OR ISLAM?

(5) DANIEL'S FOUR BEASTS: The Four Beasts in Daniel 7 Revealed! (ENDTIME PROPHECY) Underground show #129 - YouTube

Legs of iron.. Rome or Islam?  

The traditional interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 identifies the four empires as the Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman Empires. The thinking behind this is that these empires followed one another chronologically. In particular, the Roman Empire followed the Greek empire. Since Egypt and Assyria preceded Babylon, we arrive at the seven heads/mountains/kings/kingdoms referred to by John in Revelation 17:9 (including the feet of iron and clay). We have an anchor in that Revelation 17:10 refers to one is i.e. Rome (existent when John wrote the book of Revelation), as the sixth of seven kings/kingdoms. The eighth king (the beast/Antichrist) is of the seven, or morphs out of the seven. (Revelation 17:11). This all seems to tie together logically and few futurists have challenged this interpretation until recent times. Richardson omits the Roman Empire completely and inserts the Islamic Caliphate in its place as per his illustration below.

 ..they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. (Revelation 17:10).

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream interpreted by the prophet Daniel:

You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” (Daniel 2:31-45).

Richardson's First Problem - Daniel 7:17

Chris White and David Pawson (amongst others) have presented convincing reasons to reject the traditional interpretation that correlate the four beasts in Daniel 7 with the four kingdoms (Nebuchadnezzar's statue) in Daniel 2. Pawson gives four reasons for this deduction: [1] history contradicts the traditional interpretation [2] Persia is represented by a ram, and Greece is represented by a goat in Daniel 8:20, whereas Daniel 7:5-6 describes the likeness of a bear and a leopard as the second and third beasts. [3] Daniel 7 describes four future beasts, whereas Babylon already exists in Daniel 2; 4; [4] Three beasts will survive after the fourth beast is destroyed (Daniel 7:11-12). {1} 

These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. (Daniel 7:17).

Richardson gets pseudo-technical at around the 43:40 mark of the above video regarding Daniel 7:17 ~ shall arise (Qal). He claims that our bibles are incorrect and that Qal imperfect is not linked to tense. According to Richardson, the Aramaic Qal does not necessarily mean future tense. Richardson: "This 'will arise'.. it could just as easily be translated 'have arisen', 'are arising'.. right at this moment they 'are arising', they 'have arisen' past tense or will arise ."   Richardson makes an invalid comparison with "shall arise" (Qal Imperfect) in Daniel 7:17 with “came”, the perfect past form of Qal in Deutoronomy 33:2. Qal Imperfect is used to denote an incomplete action and is NEVER used for a completed action. Qal is basically a future tense verb in the active voice. {2} Even if we take Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 as analogous passages as Richardson does, the chronology in Daniel 2 also confirms the future interpretation of Daniel 7:17: But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron.. (Daniel 2:39-40). It is safe to say that our bibles are correct, and that the usual interpretation "shall arise" in Daniel 7:17 is in fact future. The problem is that when teachers like Richardson attempt to blind us with pseudo-science, most people will accept what they are saying without question. (1 John 4:1). Richardson effectively spends several minutes in this video wasting everyone's time and misleading his hearers!  This misrepresentation in itself does not disprove Richardson's Islamic Antichrist speculation, but it should make us wary about accepting his exegesis. 

Richardson's Second Problem: The Rest of the Beasts.

Richardson chooses to completely disregard Daniel 7:12 and calls its implications "a fundamental contradiction" in light of Daniel 2:31-25. 

Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time. (Daniel 7:11-12).

As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome. The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay. As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:31-35).

In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. (Daniel 2:44-45).

Daniel 7:12 is a difficult verse, but I don't think that Richardson can disregard it's specific implications just because it conflicts with his presuppositions! My understanding is that the dominion of the rest of the beasts, (as represented by the nations), is decisively and instantaneously removed at the return of Jesus Christ. The nations will be rendered impotent following the destruction of the Antichrist and the false prophet, and the incarceration of Satan in the Abyss. (Revelation 19:20, 20:2-3). Certain things do happen quickly and decisively, but it also appears that Jesus Christ will proceed to set up, establish His kingdom over a longer period of time: ..the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain. 

HA Ironside: "But in Daniel 12:11 we learn that from the beginning of this tribulation, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. The extra thirty days will, doubtless, be devoted to the purging out of the kingdom of all things that offend and do iniquity, though the Lord will appear, on behalf of the remnant and for the destruction of the Beast and Antichrist, at the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty days. A longer period yet is given [in Daniel 12:12]: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Some have suggested that this would carry on the time to the celebration of the first millennial feast of the tabernacles, as in Zechariah, chapter 14. At any rate it clearly points us to the full establishment of the kingdom in power and glory (pp. 235-235).” {3} 

I have spent a significant amount of time reading Chris White's book The Islamic Antichrist Debunked. {4} White 's critique of Richardson's book The Islamic Antichrist {5} is exhaustive and he goes into considerable detail beyond the scope of this post. One particular area that caught my attention was White's research on Islamic eschatology. The unreliability of the Islamic hadiths and their inconsistency with Richardson's thesis of an Islamic Antichrist is striking. 

White's conclusion (page193).

"In this section we have looked at Islamic eschatology in detail. We saw that the writers of the hadiths based their end times doctrine partly on the Bible and partly on the extra-biblical beliefs of Christians at the time. We have seen that the Islamic Isa is based on Jesus, the Dajjal is based on the Antichrist, and the Mahdi is based on the so-called Last Roman Emperor. We have looked at the theories of Islamic Antichrist proponents like Joel Richardson who believe the Islamic version of the end times will actually come to pass more or less like the hadiths say, but that Isa is really the False Prophet, the Mahdi is the Antichrist, and the Dajjal is the real Jesus. I hope I have presented enough to show the flawed reasoning behind this theory and that the simplest explanation, which is that the hadith writers were simply plagiarizing Christian sources, is the correct one. There is absolutely no reason to expect the Islamic version of the end times to come to pass or to be true in any way."

Unless I am missing something, White's thesis that the Antichrist will claim to be the Jewish Messiah is problematic. Although this was the earliest view of the church, there is nothing in the scriptures that supports this view. The Antichrist will utter blasphemies against God. (Revelation 13:6). It appears to me that the arrival in Jerusalem of the Antichrist armies and the abomination of desolation event (Luke 21:20; Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4) are hostile acts, and that Jacob's Trouble i.e. the intense persecution of the Jewish people will immediately follow that event. That aside, White is very matter of fact and his arguments against Richardson's thesis are devastating.

I have voiced concerns regarding Richardson's associate and co-author Walid Shoebat in previous posts. White addresses Shoebat's problematic exegeses in Chapter 7 of his book. I will not repeat these views here, except to reiterate that Shoebat's hermeneutics are entirely unreliable. There is a definite problem with Richardson's affiliation with various false teachers on CNN and TBN, many of whom are ecumenical and apostate. Richardson's praise of Michael Heiser in this video is yet another red flag! Heiser has definite NAR leanings! {6}

A Mind With Wisdom

   

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. Revelation 17:9-11 cf. Revelation 13:18).

The above verses appear to us as a riddle that require wisdom to solve. (cf. Revelation 13:18). The subject of the seven mountains/kings and the Antichrist is complex and confounds many. Richardson's Islamic Antichrist speculation is not only problematic on many levels, it is extremely reckless. The point at which the Antichrist makes or confirms a covenant with many at the beginning of the 70th week may give some clue to his identity. (Daniel 9:27). However, the definite point that Christians will recognize the Antichrist is at the event known as the abomination of desolation at the mid point of the week. (Mark 13:14).

1. David Pawson - Daniel Chapter 7
2. Hebrew Qal Imperfect with Strong Verbs (hebrew4christians.com)
3. Daniel 12 - Ironside's Notes on Selected Books - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
4. Islamic_Antichrist_Debunked_Chris_White.pdf (bibleprophecytalk.com)
5. Islamic-Antichrist.pdf (joelstrumpet.com)
6. Michael Heiser: Warning Signals (narwatchisrael.info)

FOX'S BOOK OF MARTYRS: AN ACCOUNT OF THE INQUISITION

When the reformed religion began to diffuse the Gospel light throughout Europe, Pope Innocent III entertained great fear for the Romish Church. He accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend, and punish, heretics, as the reformed were called by the papists.

At the head of these inquisitors was one Dominic, who had been canonized by the pope, in order to render his authority the more respectable. Dominic, and the other inquisitors, spread themselves into various Roman Catholic countries, and treated the Protestants with the utmost severity. In process of time, the pope, not finding these roving inquisitors so useful as he had imagined, resolved upon the establishment of fixed and regular courts of Inquisition. After the order for these regular courts, the first office of Inquisition was established in the city of Toulouse, and Dominic became the first regular inquisitor, as he had before been the first roving inquisitor.
Courts of Inquisition were now erected in several countries; but the Spanish Inquisition became the most powerful, and the most dreaded of any. Even the kings of Spain themselves, though arbitrary in all other respects, were taught to dread the power of the lords of the Inquisition; and the horrid cruelties they exercised compelled multitudes, who differed in opinion from the Roman Catholics, carefully to conceal their sentiments.
The most zealous of all the popish monks, and those who most implicitly obeyed the Church of Rome, were the Dominicans and Franciscans: these, therefore, the pope thought proper to invest with an exclusive right of presiding over the different courts of Inquisition, and gave them the most unlimited powers, as judges delegated by him, and immediately representing his person: they were permitted to excommunicate, or sentence to death whom they thought proper, upon the most slight information of heresy. They were allowed to publish crusades against all whom they deemed heretics, and enter into leagues with sovereign princes, to join their crusades with their forces.
In 1244, their power was further increased by the emperor Frederic II, who declared himself the protector and friend of all the inquisitors, and published the cruel edicts, viz., 1. That all heretics who continue obstinate, should be burnt. 2. That all heretics who repented, should be imprisoned for life.
This zeal in the emperor, for the inquisitors of the Roman Catholic persuasion, arose from a report which had been propagated throughout Europe, that he intended to renounce Christianity, and turn Mahometan; the emperor therefore, attempted, by the height of bigotry, to contradict the report, and to show his attachment to popery by cruelty.
The officers of the Inquisition are three inquisitors, or judges, a fiscal proctor, two secretaries, a magistrate, a messenger, a receiver, a jailer, an agent of confiscated possessions; several assessors, counsellors, executioners, physicians, surgeons, doorkeepers, familiars, and visitors, who are sworn to secrecy.
The principal accusation against those who are subject to this tribunal is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken, or written, against any of the articles of the creed, or the traditions of the Roman Church. The inquisition likewise takes cognizance of such as are accused of being magicians, and of such who read the Bible in the common language, the Talmud of the Jews, or the Alcoran of the Mahometans.
Upon all occasions the inquisitors carry on their processes with the utmost severity, and punish those who offend them with the most unparalleled cruelty. A Protestant has seldom any mercy shown him, and a Jew, who turns Christian, is far from being secure.
A defence in the Inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation, and the greater his wealth the greater his danger. The principal part of the inquisitors' cruelties is owing to their rapacity: they destroy the life to possess the property; and, under the pretence of zeal, plunder each obnoxious individual.
A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself, and by that means corroborate their evidence. If the jurisdiction of the Inquisition is not fully allowed, vengeance is denounced against such as call it in question for if any of its officers are opposed, those who oppose them are almost certain to be sufferers for the temerity; the maxim of the Inquisition being to strike terror, and awe those who are the objects of its power into obedience. High birth, distinguished rank, great dignity, or eminent employments, are no protection from its severities; and the lowest officers of the Inquisition can make the highest characters tremble.
When the person impeached is condemned, he is either severely whipped, violently tortured, sent to the galleys, or sentenced to death; and in either case the effects are confiscated. After judgment, a procession is performed to the place of execution, which ceremony is called an auto da fe, or act of faith.
The following is an account of an auto da fe, performed at Madrid in the year 1682.
The officers of the Inquisition, preceded by trumpets, kettledrums, and their banner, marched on the thirtieth of May, in cavalcade, to the palace of the great square, where they declared by proclamation, that, on the thirtieth of June, the sentence of the prisoners would be put in execution.
Of these prisoners, twenty men and women, with one renegade Mahometan, were ordered to be burned; fifty Jews and Jewesses, having never before been imprisoned, and repenting of their crimes, were sentenced to a long confinement, and to wear a yellow cap. The whole court of Spain was present on this occasion. The grand inquisitor's chair was placed in a sort of tribunal far above that of the king.
Among those who were to suffer, was a young Jewess of exquisite beauty, and but seventeen years of age. Being on the same side of the scaffold where the queen was seated, she addressed her, in hopes of obtaining a pardon, in the following pathetic speech: "Great queen, will not your royal presence be of some service to me in my miserable condition? Have regard to my youth; and, oh! consider, that I am about to die for professing a religion imbibed from my earliest infancy!" Her majesty seemed greatly to pity her distress, but turned away her eyes, as she did not dare to speak a word in behalf of a person who had been declared a heretic.
Now Mass began, in the midst of which the priest came from the altar, placed himself near the scaffold, and seated himself in a chair prepared for that purpose.
The chief inquisitor then descended from the amphitheater, dressed in his cope, and having a miter on his head. After having bowed to the altar, he advanced towards the king's balcony, and went up to it, attended by some of his officers, carrying a cross and the Gospels, with a book containing the oath by which the kings of Spain oblige themselves to protect the Catholic faith, to extirpate heretics, and to support with all their power and force the prosecutions and decrees of the Inquisition: a like oath was administered to the counsellors and whole assembly. The Mass was begun about twelve at noon, and did not end until nine in the evening, being protracted by a proclamation of the sentence of the several criminals, which were already separately rehearsed aloud one after the other.
After this followed the burnings of the twenty-one men and women, whose intrepidity in suffering that horrid death was truly astonishing. The king's near situation to the criminals rendered their dying groans very audible to him; he could not, however, be absent from this dreadful scene, as it is esteemed a religious one; and his coronation oath obliged him to give a sanction by his presence to all the acts of the tribunal.
What we have already said may be applied to inquisitions in general, as well as to that of Spain in particular. The Inquisition belonging to Portugal is exactly upon a similar plan to that of Spain, having been instituted much about the same time, and put under the same regulations. The inquisitors allow the torture to be used only three times, but during those times it is so severely inflicted, that the prisoner either dies under it, or continues always after a cripple, and suffers the severest pains upon every change of weather. We shall give an ample description of the severe torments occasioned by the torture, from the account of one who suffered it the three respective times, but happily survived the cruelties he underwent.
At the first time of torturing, six executioners entered, stripped him naked to his drawers, and laid him upon his back on a kind of stand, elevated a few feet from the floor. The operation commenced by putting an iron collar round his neck, and a ring to each foot, which fastened him to the stand. His limbs being thus stretched out, they wound two ropes round each thigh; which ropes being passed under the scaffold, through holes made for that purpose, were all drawn tight at the same instant of time, by four of the men, on a given signal.
It is easy to conceive that the pains which immediately succeeded were intolerable; the ropes, which were of a small size, cut through the prisoner's flesh to the bone, making the blood to gush out at eight different places thus bound at a time. As the prisoner persisted in not making any confession of what the inquisitors required, the ropes were drawn in this manner four times successively.
The manner of inflicting the second torture was as follows: they forced his arms backwards so that the palms of his hands were turned outward behind him; when, by means of a rope that fastened them together at the wrists, and which was turned by an engine, they drew them by degrees nearer each other, in such a manner that the back of each hand touched, and stood exactly parallel to each other. In consequence of this violent contortion, both his shoulders became dislocated, and a considerable quantity of blood issued from his mouth. This torture was repeated thrice; after which he was again taken to the dungeon, and the surgeon set the dislocated bones.
Two months after the second torture, the prisoner being a little recovered, was again ordered to the torture room, and there, for the last time, made to undergo another kind of punishment, which was inflicted twice without any intermission. The executioners fastened a thick iron chain round his body, which crossing at the breast, terminated at the wrists. They then placed him with his back against a thick board, at each extremity whereof was a pulley, through which there ran a rope that caught the end of the chain at his wrists. The executioner then, stretching the end of his rope by means of a roller, placed at a distance behind him, pressed or bruised his stomach in proportion as the ends of the chains were drawn tighter. They tortured him in this manner to such a degree, that his wrists, as well as his shoulders, were quite dislocated. They were, however, soon set by the surgeons; but the barbarians, not yet satisfied with this species of cruelty, made him immediately undergo the like torture a second time, which he sustained (though, if possible, attended with keener pains,) with equal constancy and resolution. After this, he was again remanded to the dungeon, attended by the surgeon to dress his bruises and adjust the part dislocated, and here he continued until their auto da fe, or jail delivery, when he was discharged, crippled and diseased for life.

DALTON THOMAS: MISREPRESENTATION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

 Demonic Torment, Divine Judgment and the Beginning of the End of All Things - YouTube

It was very concerning that Joel Richardson misrepresented the prewrath position regarding the salvation of Israel last week. {1} Since he has not bothered to correct this error, it is necessary to refute him again here and to reiterate the prewrath position: All Israel are saved at the end of the 70th week of Daniel, not at the rapture. 

This week, Dalton Thomas continues to distort the book of Revelation with his warped teaching regarding the fifth and sixth trumpets (the first two woes) in Revelation chapter 9. Dalton Thomas rejects the prewrath position entirely and has come up with his own bizarre scenario for the first six trumpet judgements. He teaches that the church will be present on earth following the sixth seal terror aka the cosmic disturbances of Revelation 6:12-14, and that the persecution of Israel (Jacob's trouble) will continue into the trumpet judgements. 

Dalton Thomas begins his eisegesis of Revelation 9:1 by claiming that the star fallen from heaven to earth does not fall but rather just comes down to earth. The Greek verb piptó is unquestionably "fall". {2} 

And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen (peptōkota) from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1).

According to Dalton Thomas, the context of "the releasing of the trumpet events" is that the church will release judgements on the military coalition of the Antichrist. Specifically, he claims that the prayers of the saints will release the first four trumpets. (Revelation 8:3).

It should be noted that Revelation 8:3 refers back to the prayers of the fifth seal martyrs who are in heaven: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.(Revelation 6:9-11).

The prewrath position maintains that the rapture of the church becomes imminent after the sixth seal cosmic disturbances, and that the "great multitude from every nation" described in Revelation 7 are the complete number of resurrected believers from all time. The church therefore is not present on the earth during the trumpet judgements. (Revelation 7:9-13)

Dalton Thomas: The people of God like Moses and Aaron are quietly releasing the judgements of God on the Antichrists empire and the rebellious of the nations who refuse to submit to the leadership of God in the midst of his judgements as He releases judgements on those who are targeting the Jewish people and the people of the covenant, believers in Jesus.. We are releasing judgements on the empire, the coalition, the military ..that is targeting the Jewish people for annihilation. that is the context of the releasing of these trumpet events. 

The above speculations are extremely problematic for a number of reasons.

The scriptures provide compelling evidence that the Day of the Lord i.e. the eschatological wrath of God, begins immediately after the tribulation..   Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ (Matthew 24:29).  We know that the Day of the Lord becomes imminent after the cosmic disturbances due to the terrified cries of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 6:17). The Antichrist's persecution against Israel and the church therefore comes to an end before God's wrath is implemented via the trumpet and the later bowl judgements. Revelation 8 and 9 describe the angels as the agents who sound the trumpets and release the judgements. We see no process of negotiation/proclamation involving human agencies associated with these events, as was the case with Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7 and following. Rather, the previous prayers of the fifth seal martyrs in heaven are being addressed here. (Revelation 6:9-11). NOTE: The two witnesses will be prophesying and performing signs during this time, and one of these witnesses may in fact be Moses. (Revelation 11:4-14).

Apart from the specific scriptures that inform us that the tribulation precedes the Day of the Lord, there are also further considerations. According to Dalton Thomas, the Antichrist coalition will be carrying out a campaign against Jews and Christians during the devastating trumpet judgements. We should bear in mind that the trumpets follow the cosmic disturbances and the rapture, and that the wicked will have seen the sign of the son of man in heaven.. (Matthew 24:30-31). Their reaction at this point is pure panic: “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 6:16-17). During the five month demon locust torment, everyone without the seal of God on their forehead will be in such extreme distress and sickness that they will seek death and will not find it. (Revelation 9:6). Any suggestion that the Antichrist coalition will be capable of undertaking a supposed campaign against Jews and Christians during this period is untenable. Similarly the second woe entails the mass slaughter of one third of mankind. Once again it is insupportable that a campaign against Jews and Christians will be ongoing during this time.

So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. And the number of mounted troops was two hundred million; I heard their number. (Revelation 9:15-16). 

The problem with inaccurate teaching about the rapture is that it skews the rest of the book of Revelation and it confuses believers. It is not recommended that we tamper with the book of Revelation. (Revelation 22:18-19).

The eschatology of both Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas is very twisted. I would advise believers to test the spirits and avoid these men. (1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11 cf. Romans 16:17-18). Frontier Alliance International is a slick operation, {3} but we should be aware that outward appearance is not indicative of sound teaching or of God's approval. (1 Samuel 16:7). Whatever is going on with Richardson and Thomas at the Golan Heights is unsound and makes me very uneasy. {4} 

1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: JOEL RICHARDSON'S PREWRATH RAPTURE CONUNDRUM (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)
2. Strong's Greek: 4098. πίπτω, (piptó) -- to fall (biblehub.com)
3. Visit FAI’s Global Offices // FAI MISSION
4. mikereynolds.org

JOEL RICHARDSON'S PREWRATH RAPTURE CONUNDRUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsatQIfGjCA
The Second Exodus in the Book of Revelation: Maranatha Global Bible Study 24

In the above video, Joel Richardson explores the differences between the prewrath and the post-trib models and the imagery of the Exodus in the Book of Revelation.

Joel Richardson's Prewrath Conundrum: When is Israel saved?

Richardson: "This is a big problem for the prewrath camp..  if they are to be consistent they have to say that all Israel gets saved at the Parousia, at the time of the rapture, which would be some time in the middle of the final three and a half years." (22:00 mark)

Joel Richardson is in error when he states that the prewrath position teaches that all Israel is saved at the Parousia/rapture. The prewrath position states that the 144,000 remnant of Israel are sealed before the seventh trumpet is sounded. (Revelation 7:1-8), and that "all Israel" are saved at the end of the 70th week of Daniel in order to fulfil the 490 period:

Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (Daniel 9:24-25).

Richardson continues his distortion of the prewrath position and asks some very confusing questions. (24:21 mark). 

Richardson: "The prewrath camp is now faced with a conundrum.. Is Israel saved after the trumpets and the bowls, or are they saved back at the Parousia/rapture when they look at the one that appears over them? That's a significant difficulty... So if the goal is to wait until the end of the final three and a half years, why do they have to wait, they all get saved before this, or they get raptured before this.. If Jesus appears, where does He go? Does He go back up to heaven, or does he come down to earth? Paul the apostle says that when Christ is revealed, we will be revealed with him.." Richardson misquotes this verse. Paul actually states that we will appear with him in glory: When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4). Richardson continues: "The inference is, it sounds like he is coming back, not that he comes in the clouds, we are raptured, and then we go back up with Him. Well does he go back up there, does He come down, is he executing judgement on the ground or is He in heaven for a while.. and then He comes back?"

If Joel Richardson had paid any attention at all to prewrath teaching, he would know that there is no conflict between Matthew 24:29-31 and Zechariah 12:10-14. Richardson inappropriately aligns Matthew 24:29-31 and Zechariah 12:10-14. He fails to mention that Jesus quotes directly from Joel 2:10 in this passage. (Matthew 24:29). (21:00 mark). Both Matthew 24:29-31 and Joel 2:10 refer to the cosmic disturbances. Matthew continues to describe the rapture preceded by the sign of the Son of man when every eye will see him, even those who pierced him (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7). 

The prewrath view is explicitly delineated as follows:

* "All Israel" are saved at the end of the 70th week of Daniel.
* When Jesus appears every eye will see Him. (Revelation 1:7).
* The rapture occurs at some point between the sixth and seventh seal of Revelation, after the great tribulation before the wrath of God is implemented, (Revelation 6:17).  

* After the rapture Jesus will usher God's people before the Father's throne in heaven. (John 14:1-3, Revelation 7:9, and 2 Corinthians 5:10).

* The saints return with Jesus at the battle of Armageddon. (1 Thessalonians 3:13). 

Richardson concludes this video with a pep talk which verges on indolence. He glosses over the differences between the prewrath and post-trib rapture positions and he muddies the waters by making statements like: "It is ok to not settle on a clear position..  there is tension no matter which position we take..  there are no rewards for whoever has the perfect timeline." I would not argue against him that the way we live as Christians is critically important. However, the way we live should not be at the expense of applying ourselves to studying the scriptures. Although it is possible to be saved and hold differing opinions about the rapture, I think it is irresponsible to downplay these differences. I actually think that it is possible to come to a clear understanding on the rapture question, and that there will be rewards for those who diligently search the scriptures and sincerely hold on to sound doctrine. 

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16 cf. 2 Timothy 2:15).

Richardson's perversion of the prewrath position is either based on ignorance, or else it is a deliberate attempt to sabotage prewrath teaching. Whichever is the case, he has completely misrepresented the prewrath position, and in the process he has created a "conundrum" of his own making. This is very unfortunate and adds to the confusion surrounding the rapture question. 

Richardson obviously does not value the principle of biblical separation. His appearances on TBN and CBN with various questionable characters is alarming to say the least. (Romans 16:17; Ephesians 5:11). One way or another, Joel Richardson and his latest questionable associate, Dalton Thomas (Frontier Alliance International), do more harm than good with their eschatological distortions. Beware of Frontier Alliance International {1}

1. mikereynolds.org

Further Information: 

7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture (Full Movie) - YouTube

DALTON THOMAS (FAI) FALSE TEACHING: THE DAY OF THE LORD

 (1) Daniel 11: The Despicable King - YouTube

Dalton Thomas is the founder of Frontier Alliance International Studios (FAI) and is a close associate of Joel Richardson.  

This follow up post is aimed at exposing Dalton Thomas' distorted teaching concerning the rapture and the Day of the Lord based on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5. 

Dalton Thomas: "He comes and gathers his people, that's the Day of the Lord.. Paul says it is a day, it is an actual day.. Jesus comes and gathers his people, that's the Day of the Lord.. it's a singular day..  

They (the Thessalonians) are confused because there is disagreement over the issue of the Day of the Lord. Some people said the day of the Lord has already come." 

Dalton Thomas continues to reiterate this teaching and puts words into the apostle Paul's mouth: "Let me define the day of the Lord for you.. there is no way you missed it, I promise. Jesus comes and gathers His people, that's the Day of the Lord. That didn't happen.." (14:00 mark).

The Day of the Lord is not one literal day..

The Day of the Lord as Defined by the Scriptures:

The Old Testament scriptures say nothing about the rapture and they define the Day of the Lord as God's ultimate wrath upon the wicked. (e.g. Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,31; 3:14; Amos 5:18,20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5). 

The New Testament gives specific information about the Day of the Lord: (Acts 2:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 6:17; 16:14).

What does 2 Thessalonians 2 actually say?

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5).

Revelation 6:17 informs us that the wrath of God becomes imminent following the cosmic disturbances: ..for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? However, since Christians are not appointed to wrath, the Day of the Lord cannot commence until Jesus effectuates the rapture. (1 Thessalonians 5:9). It seems accurate to affirm, along with Chris White and others, that the Day of the Lord is initiated by the rapture. I believe that we can correctly determine that God gathers his people on the Day of the Lord. However, that particular day involves both the rapture and the onset of God's wrath which lasts more than a single day, as demonstrated in Revelation 9:5. 

The Thessalonians were under the false impression that the Day of the Lord had come i.e. the Day of the Lord is at hand, or literally, is present. In other words, the Thessalonians believed that the Day of the Lord was either present, or that it was imminent. 

Meyer: "ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου] as if, or, like as if the day of the Lord is already present, or, is even on the point of commencing[44] (comp. Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 7:26; Galatians 1:4).." {1} 

The phrase "the Day of the Lord" does not refer to a single day as Dalton Thomas teaches. The Day of the Lord is an unspecified period of time, lasting for at least five months, in which the wrath of God progressively unfolds. (Revelation 9:5). The Hebrew word yôm (day) has a number of definitions in the Old Testament and is not necessarily limited to a literal twenty-four hour day i.e. yôm includes the possibility of referring to an undefined, indeterminate period of time. {2} The Old Testament prophets used the phrase "the Day of the Lord" to refer to the specific eschatological period in which God's wrath is a progressive event. Furthermore, 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 demonstrates that the Thessalonians believed that they were experiencing the Day of the Lord as a period of time rather than a literal twenty-four hour day. 

Dalton Thomas continues by identifying the "restrainer" in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 as Satan. I have dealt with this subject in my previous post. {3}

Apparently FAI is a veritable can of worms beset with moral failures and connections with IHOP. {4} Dalton Thomas also has connections with the man known as "the apostle of obfuscation", NAR defender, Dr Michael Brown. {5}

1. Thessalonians 2:2 Commentaries: that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (biblehub.com)
2. H3117 - yôm - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV) (blueletterbible.org)
3. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: JOEL RICHARDSON & DALTON THOMAS: MARANATHA BIBLE STUDY - SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)
4. mikereynolds.org

5. Covenant and Controversy // FAI STUDIOS

PROPHETIC STANDARDS RACKET

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:13-17).

CHARISMATIC HERETICS PROPHETIC STANDARDS STATEMENT

Prophetic Standards Statement

But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. (2 Corinthians 10:12).

The Prophetic Standards Statement (PSS) recently published by Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders is a dismal attempt to legitimize false prophets. The false Trump prophecies of 2020 are just the tip of the iceberg and are the latest in a long line of questionable activities by NAR charismatic "apostles and prophets". These latest false prophecies regarding Trump have left their already dubious credibility in tatters, but true to form, they continue to defend the indefensible regardless!

The PSS was constructed by USCAL members Michael Brown and Joseph Mattera. It has a façade of officialdom in the style of a statement of faith, but as with everything these people do, it is deeply flawed and biblically unsound. The supposed purpose of this document is: "..to help provide scriptural guidelines for the operation of the gift of prophecy and the functioning of the ministry of the prophet, while at the same time affirming the importance of these gifts and ministries."  

The concept of "prophetic and apostolic ministries" is a misnomer. These vainglorious individuals put themselves on the same level, and even elevate themselves above, New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets. In other words, they have raised themselves above the scriptures and have made themselves unaccountable. (1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11). In many cases, they deny the sufficiency of the scriptures by teaching the heresy of Dominionism. (2 Timothy 3:16). This contradicts the book of Revelation which teaches that that the church will suffer unequaled persecution at the end of the age before the return of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 24:21). Furthermore, the majority of these false apostles/prophets/teachers are ecumenical and they embrace the false gospel of Roman Catholicism. In other words, these so called "prophets and apostles" cannot rightfully call themselves Christians, and they certainly have nothing legitimate to say to the Body of Christ. Jude rightly says of them: These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted.. (Jude 1:12)

The Illegitimacy Of The Five-fold Ministry 

PSS: "WE BELIEVE in the five-fold ministry of the prophet, recognizing that such prophets will also be used to bring correction, instruction, and directional clarity to the Body, but not independent of other leaders, and therefore different from the model of the independent Old Testament prophet."

The sole proof text these charlatans use to support the five-fold ministry concept is Ephesians 4:11-13. In case they hadn't noticed, the canon of scripture is closed! The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.. (Ephesians 2:20).  The false foundation laid by the NAR/charismatic movement is an attempt to usurp the true foundation of Jesus Christ and His prophets and apostles. These heretics teach a different Jesus, they have a different spirit and they teach a different gospel. (2 Corinthians 11:4). For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11). By denying the sufficiency of the scriptures, these people are a blight on the church, and they can have nothing of any value to say to the Body of Christ on any level, whether it be spiritual, political or personal. 

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Spiritual Fortune Tellers

PSS: "WE RECOGNIZE that prophets do not serve as spiritual fortune tellers or prognosticators, nor is their role to satisfy our curiosity about the future or reveal abstract information. God’s purpose in prophecy is redemptive, calling for repentance, giving supernatural guidance, bringing comfort, deliverance, restoration, and glorifying Jesus as Lord."

On the contrary, these false prophets are precisely fulfilling the role of spiritual fortune tellers. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth and guides us into all truth. (John 16:13). These people are operating from the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6). No lie comes from the truth, and yet time and again the so called prophecies of these individuals have proved to be false. (1 John 2:21).

PSS: "WE UNDERSTAND that prophecies can be conditional and that many prophecies will take time to come to pass. We also recognize that prophetic language is often mysterious and symbolic, requiring interpretation and insight. This means that prophecies that do not contradict the Bible or that are not contrary to fact should be evaluated over time and not immediately rejected.
On the other hand, if a prophetic word is delivered containing specific details and dates in which the stated prophetic word will come to pass and that prophecy contains no conditions to be met in order to be fulfilled, and that word does not come to pass as prophesied, then the one who delivered the word must be willing to take full responsibility, demonstrating genuine contrition before God and people.
Any statement of apology and/or explanation/clarification should be delivered to the audience to whom the erroneous word was given. For example, if it was given to an individual, the apology (and/or explanation/clarification) should be delivered to the individual. If the word was delivered publicly, then a public apology (and/or explanation/clarification) should be presented. This is not meant to be a punishment but rather a mature act of love to protect the honor of the Lord, the integrity of prophetic ministry, and the faith of those to whom the word was given."

Biblically, a "prophetic word" that does not come to pass is evidence that that "prophet" is a false prophet and has no business in the ministry. No amount of prevarication or apology can alter that fact. The scriptures call these people "deceitful, presumptuous, greedy for gain, sensual, worthless, flatterers, blasphemers of the way of truth..

Mark and Avoid False Prophets

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15).

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. (Romans 16:17-18).

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 2:1-3).

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1).

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. (Lamentations 2:14).

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! (Ezekiel 13:8-11).

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken. (Ezekiel 22:28).