The Strategy: Deceive, Divide, Destroy

Double is in the details of your life. So Satan hates you to take God. Satan hates you, know you for that phrase God loves you and is a good plan for your life will say thank you that's bad plan for your life will come to understanding the times radio with Jim Markel radio for the remnants brought to you by all of three ministries today. We are so pleased to spend the hour with apologist Dr. Ron Rose as we carried his two newest books deal with two topics this hour, we encourage you to fasten your seatbelts get started. Here is today's program, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Welcome to the program so that you can join me today. Very special guests coming on here in just a moment and we happened to be carrying two new books both authored by my guest, Dr. Ron Rhodes, one of them is called spiritual warfare.

In the end times and the other one is basic Bible prophecy essential facts. Every Christian should know Serena try to divide the programming today and hit each book with some highlights and again folks I'm not here as a saleswoman but I am here, highly promoting the messages contained in these two books.

That's my interest is getting the information to you here in these last days that we talk about so often on this program and just think you need all the information you possibly can get on the issues of the day. I read both books and the spiritual warfare in the end times.

I have to be starting with that, both very fascinating books but this one particular highlighting the fact that the activity of the enemy, the kind of warfare that we face on a daily basis. It's all going to increase in the last days. Dr. Ron Rhodes, welcome back to the programming and if so, what you Ron Skinner read a paragraph or two here from your book or starting with spiritual warfare in the end times and you say here in your book, my friends, the devil has developed specific tactics characterized by deceit and trickery to bring you down and ruin you spiritually, emotionally and even physically. He's a master at it. He's had thousands of years of experience and he knows just which scheme will have the highest potential of injuring you he and his fallen angels are stalking you, watching for weakness probing for vulnerabilities you are being profiled and based on that profile.

The powers of darkness are designing a custom blueprint for your fall Christian beware.

Okay Ron. I'm open for something a little bit ominous because you actually make it kinda scary, and that by intent this whole topic is a little bit scary and what's even scarier to me. Jan, the fact that so many Christian or ignorant of the spiritual warfare and that is exactly the way Satan likes it. He likes to be working behind the scenes with nobody noticing he likes to do his work. Incognito. So the more people that are ignorant of his designs and his activities, the better it is for him.

Spiritual warfare is a reality in the Christian life is to say that a Christian could avoid spiritual warfare is like imagining that a gardener could avoid doing what we just can't do it talking about Satan stalking us before looking at different people and is determining the where is Jan week. How can we watch Jan's life to figure out what we could do to cause us to stumble in her life. And what about that Ron Rhodes where a few vulnerable what kind of plan can we design that can bring him down.

All we need is one little foot in the door and once we get our foot in the door. Then we can move in and wreak further havoc in his life. That's what I mean when I say that Satan and the fallen angels are stalking you they are profiling you and they are determining what strategy would be best used against you in your part of the skin for the devil, that's what were talking about Ron you put this in an end time context when did you notice the start to ramp up. I don't need an exact date but 25 years ago when did this all pick up such steam, including the doctrine of demons that centered our churches.

What is the number of converts in my own mind to let me know that there was a strong connection and not say in the last decade or two, which will become to a real strength. Just look at what happened in the last year or two. Many people are observing the capitalism that is come under socialism and globalism coming to the forefront. I think Satan is setting things up.

The socialist government of the tribulation. What about the rise of lawlessness and anarchy.

Doesn't that relate to the spirit of antichrist is and who energizes the antichrist. It is Satan.

Second Thessalonians 2. What about the strong delusion that come up on the land. People want to get rid of police everywhere evil was being called good. This is clearly something that the devil is coughing. Jan, what about the lies that were hearing from political leaders and economic leaders and religious leaders, even within churches is not Scripture tell us that Satan is the father of lies who inspires all this deception Ron what I hear you saying then is everything that's going on, at least in the last 10 years. Certainly the last year is setting the stage for the tribulation. What you're saying exactly what I'm saying and that includes ongoing persecution against Christians.

I've never felt so marginalized in my life as a Christian as I do this year.

There's also the major Christian leaders and Christians everywhere were being ensnared by the powers of darkness in terms of sexual immorality. We've got major leaders falling.

I believe it. Satan is engaging in this behind-the-scenes at first Corinthians 751 at first Timothy 37 and the attempt of the powers of darkness is to discredit Christianity before a watching world. And doesn't that seem quite compatible with the rejection of Christianity by masses of people today, but there's also Ron Rhodes a denial of the reality of Satan going on today, including in some of our churches. People can hear about demonic activity they can hear about warfare battling the enemy they can hear about being harassed by the devil they can hear about fallen Angels. A lot of times they just cower in fear.

We need to assure them that they need not even though the point of what were talking about.

Please send this segment is that all of this is ramping up to a new level, probably not seen. Maybe forever, but that we need not cower in fear no coward in here like to point out in the book is that one of the best ways to keep the enemy out to Christ that even though my book is about spiritual warfare, it's also about Christ because Christ is the victor. The sheep need not be terrified by the wolf as long as the sheep stay close to the upper that's the key thing you know what happens when you turn on the light. The darkness goes away when you walk with the light of the world.

Jesus Christ that dispels darkness including the darkness of the devil. Even though this book talks about strategies of the powers of darkness to bring you down and you know about that, by the way, the key thing is to bring you back to Jesus to walk with him closely were told actually put on the Lord Jesus just be put on clothes in the morning. The reality of that closeness with Jesus is enough to dispel the powers of darkness. But how many Christians today ignore that so many Christians make Christianity a Sunday thing and even then it's not too much of their lives. We need Christianity 24 seven.

And Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with the living Lord Jesus Christ is Dr. Charles Stanley weighing in on the topic. Satan is sure that his strategy can be found in three words just three words deceive destroy with insulation to church family. Satan's visit. Satan is he's a deceiver. He is destroyed. That's his purpose to destroy a testimony that is surrounded by physically destroy our finances destroy a marriage destroy our families destroy destroy destroy. So this evening destroy. That's all he needs your listening to understand the times radio. If you just join me and I'm spending the hour with apologist Dr. Ron Rhodes Ron best website for you is which one is wrong Rhodes.org Ronald R.

HO DES.org and I'm going back to the book we carry it. It's in our online store spiritual warfare in the end times were to get to another new book of his in a minute that was opening the program with this one find in my online store give my office a call.

You write this. This is the character and goal of Satan and his fallen angels just reading a short paragraph Satan's ultimate intention is to ruin you.

Your construction is his highest priority. That's the assessment of pastor over looser and then you go on to say Satan can attack a Christian physically, spiritually, he can sift Christians and even fill their hearts to lie. You say if permitted by God, he can engage in the destruction of the flesh you write he can tempt Christians and harass them.

You give verses for all of this you say he seeks to hinder Christians you say he seeks to ensnare them devour them accuse them cause them strife.

You conclude the paragraph he will do anything he can to obstruct the purposes God desires to accomplish through Christ and his followers, but wrong in all that I read. There is a form words that are really important and that is if permitted by God. Therefore God obviously permits Satan to have some huge influence on us all these little categories that I just ran permit that you have to get got permission.

You might remember from the book of Job is Satan had to go up and ask God permission to inflict damage upon the life of Job and that means that Satan is on a leash now is both a warning and a comfort there. The warning is that you may indeed be allowed to experience some kind of an attack by Satan, but the comfort is Satan can never go beyond what will allow, but the key thing that I want to emphasize here is the Christian himself has personal responsibility to live his life in such a way as to minimize and thwart the attacks of Satan and demons because there are certain things that you can do that will open up an opportunity for you to come into bondage and that's something that you've got to stand against some little immorality. Maybe I can tell this one little live. Maybe I can take this one little peek at pornography and not be hurt too badly. Maybe I can she do my taxes just this one time you see if those decisions to do things against God were Satan gets his foot in the door and that enables him to get further in so they can launch a bigger more major attack later. It's true that we can be attacked by Satan, but we can open the door for much greater attacks by the way that we live and that's one of the warnings of this book are in the book you talk about not extensively, but nothing the chapter to help me understand it better.

You talk about demon possession, oppression, or just being demonized. I think we all know what demon possession is that a Christian cannot be demon possessed, correct that there are some Christians who differ with that but I think that if you look at the Scriptures to find a single person. Talk about a Christian being possessed by the devil, but you will find indication that Satan can open yes a Christian. Okay, let's explain the difference because he got possession we got old depression and then you talk about being demonized. We need to clarify what being demonized is session involved. Satan working from within or inside a person and that would necessitate that the devil or a demon pick up habitation within the body of a Christian where the Holy Spirit already lives. That's just not biblical. I agree with Walter Martin who used to say when the double comes knocking on the door of the Christian's heart. The Holy Spirit open for door and Phil get lost.

Satan cannot enter into a Christian. However, what about oppression, how is that different in oppression, Satan and demons work from outside of the believer. They work externally. The believer however there are theologians who warned that if a Christian gives enough ground to the devil or to demons and they do not repent of sins, and they continue to live in the world and are subject to the world and the flesh and the devil that sometimes the actual symptoms of demonic oppression might actually mimic possession. We need to not think that were safe as long as were not possessed me tell you you're not. And if you give the devil enough ground severe affliction can come upon you then you much in demonization demonization is this idea that there are varying degrees upon which the devil or demons can move upon a Christian in such a way as a cost in war bondage could be mental bondage spiritual bondage. It could be emotional bondage, but a lot of it has to do with the way that you live your life if you are carnal Christian, then you become a target rich environment for demonization. If you're a Christian that walks closely with Jesus, you are less of a target, even though you will still be attacked. I need to be careful there Jan because those of us who seek to glorify Christ such as you, with your show so many other wonderful people involved in prophetic ministry.

They've also got a big bull's-eye on their backs. The devils work. There is not because of sin, because Satan wants to thwart you, it's because he wants to hinder you in ministry. He wants to stop your message going out over the airwaves.

That's why he attacks you. That's why he attacks me. So we need to be aware of that every Christian bar none needs to understand the reality of spiritual warfare and to ignore it is to do so to your own detriment and we carried this book, spiritual warfare in the end times find olive trees use.org views as an viewpoint. Olive trees use.org give my office a call or get on our various newsletter lists annual find it promoted in those newsletters. Ron Rhodes a little bit of the history of Satan here because he was called Lucifer he had unparalleled beauty and might and as you expose here. Pride was at the root of his fall.

Do you think all angels are capable of such characteristics as envy, pride, jealousy, which summarizes Lucifer, Satan obviously he was very impressed with himself. In other words, is he just the leader of the pack were worsening at Alyssa for actually wanted to take God's place. He was so impressed with himself that he wanted to take the throne of God.

He wanted to ascend up to the highest heaven and set up his throne and rule over the universe, but demons too are called unclean spirits. Isn't it interesting and good spirits are often described by their character. For example, the Holy Spirit is holy, unclean spirit are unclean. They are immoral. They are characterized by various forms of wickedness have certainly pride is a part of that arrogance is a part of that but were also talking about sexual immorality, lying, thievery, every kind of device that you can think of is fair game for demonic spirits.

That's why it is so critically important that the Christian turn away from these kinds of things because if you don't, you can open yourself up to relentless attacks and you might wonder, why is your life not going why is your life characterized by depression and anxiety. Why is your life characterized by guilt. The displays you every day that you live in. Why do you have fear of the future. Why are you constantly plagued by the fear of death. All of these things relate to spiritual warfare and I spell it out in detail.

Let me read another paragraph. This happens the end page 70 the flinging flaming darts and you write this every one of us as Christians are targets of the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 616. There are all kinds of flaming darts. The devil may fling you may find yourself targeted with the target discouragement.

Sometimes you might suffer a dart of doubting your faith in God or doubting your faith in the Bible or doubting your salvation. Sometimes you might experience deep dark of personal offense that causes resentment in your heart toward someone. You say you might also suffer a dart of jealousy or covetousness or constant worry or debilitating guilt over something you've done. Perhaps you may experience a dart of lust Ron are saying that if in fact we are struggling with jealousy the lacking of faith or doubting even our salvation that these are thoughts planted by Satan. I won't save it every time a Christian experience of these things. But if the devil doing is important to understand that you also have fallen flesh and some of your experiences in some of your thoughts can come from your fallen flesh and can be aggravated by the world system.

The world is always feeding us lies about ourselves and about how to be happy but is also very clear from Scripture that Satan and demons have the opportunity and the desire to use discouragement and doubt and personal offense and worry as tools to bring you down of the work picture is important. The ancient warriors used to use flaming darts to disable and incapacitate an enemy combatant. That's exactly what Noah wants to do to you.

He wants to incapacitate you.

He wants to make sure that you no longer exhibit the joy of the Lord in your life is one of my colleagues, David Jeremiah put it, the devil has a quiver full of dog and defense exactly the right ones our way. When we least expect it. What I said earlier Jan about how demons and Satan are watching you probing for weaknesses and vulnerabilities. They will choose specific dart based upon their research as they continue to profile you day by day and they choose a dart that they think is going to best have a good chance of bringing you down one of the best things that you can do is to become educated about the more that you understand the specific tactics of the powers of darkness.

The more you can recognize it when it happens, and the more that you will be motivated to stay close to the shepherd so the wolves will stay away. Ron you say this if you seek to expose Satan. The spiritual warfare will intensify well.

Quite frankly, that's what you and I are doing this particular hour, and maybe that's why have had such a rough week this week and I mean that with all sincerity, but you save those who seek to expose Satan, spiritual warfare will intensify that almost makes someone like me want to go the other direction and not do any exposing because I think he's come after me this week in a very serious way, you and me both. We both been struggling with some things I've had things happen to me, that would just chill you to the bone. Okay, for example, when I write books on stuff like this.

I'll order a big order of books on the subject and then the seller of these books will write to me and say they don't know what happened but the whole box got obliterated butchering a thousand pieces were that come from and where this overwhelming sense of oppression come from when I'm trying to write this book I was had such overwhelming oppression that I want to the elders of my church, and once they prayed over me is lifted instantly. One of the physical symptom has power to slow you down by physical symptoms and they can't go beyond what God allows Jan, here's the thing I believe is sometimes God allows people like you and me and other Christians to experience this because it forces us to depend on God.

God wants us in the position of dependent. He doesn't want us to try to do this stuff in our own strength. And that's the danger we always have a tendency to want to do within our own strength but God allows us, I think, to experience some of this forced dependence upon him, and his strength wasn't that the way that God did it with Paul, not that I can help with Paul because I'm just a little peon. The fact is, God allowed Paul to retain that phone in the flesh, which is a messenger of Satan in order to keep all dependent upon God. So I think of this biblical support for that idea. Talking to Ron Rhodes for the hour because were carrying to this newest book, spiritual warfare in the end times. Part two of our programming were going to get the new book basic Bible prophecy essential facts.

Every Christian should know Ron you say here and by the way, as we wrap this segment up what we do want to emphasize to his greater is he that is in us than he tests out there harassing us but you write about Satan's blueprint against Christians in the last days. Now we've kinda summarize that. But I'm talking now and of end of days.

Therefore, what can my average listener be on the lookout for as far as demonic harassment, etc. here in the closing hours of history, what they can watch for some of the stuff that we've been talking about. Satan does not want you to live a victorious life and so is going to go after you with his darts and those darts can be jealousy or worry or anxiety. He doesn't want you to be a Christian that other people look to and say wow I want what that person has that person is walking with Christ. Satan is seeking to shut down the witness of Christians at the same time I believe that Satan is going to up the persecution against Christians.

We know that Satan has the ability to do that if you read chapter 12 for example, we see that Satan has the ability to motivate persecution against the Jewish people and we read in Revelation 13 and the book of Daniel that Satan not only has the ability to attack believers in God but that he can actually overcome them.

That's a scary thought during the tribulation. We are told specifically that Satan will in fact overcome the same.

I think that as we draw near to the end times.

That's going to increase. I believe this would be temptations to immorality as never before, and I hate to say that were seeing that you are using, including a few major Christian leaders will spare the names right now that everybody would know that's right again. I think that Satan is doing that to discredit Christianity and that goes right in line with the broader attacks against the entity today and I think that Christians are being marginalized in the way today as never before in education and government at the workplace no matter where you look.

No matter where you go.

Christians are being made to look like the intellectual Neanderthal.

The age and that's going to get worse as bad as it is today is going to get worse in my best advice to you is turn your eyes upon Jesus the author and finisher of your faith, the closer that you as a sheep save the shepherd, the safer you will be from the Wolf because the wolves are going to step up their activity as never before. In the event times in which we live. Ron writes this he says only Christians who seek to live for Christ, who seek to live in obedience to him and shine as lights in a dark world are at highest risk from the powers of darkness. The more spiritual and victorious the believer, the greater the satanic and demonic assaults against him there on this ominous Ron Rhodes down to couple minutes, working to wrap this particular book up and move on to the other one, but I want you to sum up and take couple minutes and you've done that beautifully appreciated. I just do want us to go out of the segment on a high note I wrote this book in such a way to end on a high note. I do talk about the reality of spiritual warfare. But I also talk about the victory that you and I can have the importance of keeping Christ in the best way to keep the enemy out to keep Christ in I talk about the necessity of turning on the light. When you turn on the light. The darkness dispels walk in the light of Christ walk in the light of the Christian Scriptures and by walking and a lot of talking about live in obedience to the word of God. I'm talking about putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as you put on clothes Romans 13 verse 14. You mentioned the verse earlier. Greater is he who is in you than he who was of the world did you know that among the fruit of the spirit is all kinds of things that stand against the devil instead of giving place of the devil through anger, the fruit of the Spirit is love, and patience. Instead of giving place of the devil to sexual sin.

The fruit of the spirit of self-control. Instead of succumbing to discouragement and depression.

The fruit of the spirit is joy and peace. I just exhort Christians stay close to Jesus walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, keep your lives rooted in the word of God and you really will have a sense of victory, despite the fact that you will in fact experience spiritual warfare when I can thank were going to discuss number two were carrying both of these basic Bible prophecy essential facts. Every Christian should know I love this little book in working and try to hit some highlight seven talk about this topic it so important we talk about it frequently.

Not every week, but frequently on this program understand the times radio and run. How many books have you written now it's coming up on 8585 books and a lot of those are on and time things that the Bible talks about including very troubling in perilous times when I get back will launch into that. So don't go away am coming right back. We hope you'll stay in touch with us online through all of three views.org all of the trees used for call a simple time. 763555444 476-559-4444 writers mail all of the ministries of John Martel's office, Box 1452, Grove, MN 55311 Xbox 145 Grove Silver, 55311. All gifts are taxed. This age of uncertainty. Thank you for trusting this ministry to deliver you use information and inspiration we are carrying an exciting new product here at olive tree ministries.

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Yet when you look to the Bible you'll find these events actually signaled that his promises will soon be fulfilled in the book you will read how global trends foreshadow the nearness of the very end of days in our online store@olivetreeviews.org that's all of three views.org or give our office a call. Simple time at 763-559-4444 763-559-4444. You will also find it offered in our print magazine and a newsletter. Stay up to date and in tune with our times many products. This ministry offers to help you understand the times to meet the convergence of profit together as one thing the day of our deliverance draws near.

Talk about the day of the rapture because I believe that the church is to be taken off the earth for all other things take place in terms of the tribulation.

So I think reasonably excited today.

As a Christian we changed topics with Ron Rhodes this returning to know your theme of Christ soon return. We carry these new products in our online store, along with 3000 other cutting-edge books and videos are John Martel and Ron Rhodes to wrap up Bible prophecy is one of the most ignored topics in churches. The pastors avoid it like a plague, they usually assert that is either too controversial or too difficult to understand, and they often claim it is to otherworldly meaning it has no relevance to Christian living here in the result is that 1/4 to 1/3 of God's word is been put on the shelf and the average Christian ends up living with no anticipation or even yearning for the Lord soon return and welcome back carrying two new books covered the first one in part one, part two here with Dr. Ron Rhodes will talk about basic Bible prophecy essential facts.

Every Christian should know, understand, I'm trying to squeeze in all content on about 220 pages, roughly into a 30 minute interview here. Same with part one so we can only touch on some highlights and will try hard to do that. Ron Rhodes couple of items you sent to me and I've got some my own notes obviously in front of me but why is it important to study the basics of Bible prophecy, and as Dave Ragan just said seconds ago.

Most churches are going to run the other direction from last week I did a program on the tribulation and what actually is going to happen in tribulation. I don't blame some people from running the other direction from some of the topics of eschatology, but tell us why you think that studying the basics is so important for people to help people to foundation of the house and understanding the basics of Bible prop is like building the foundation of a house, the sturdier your foundation, the more unshakable are your prophetic beliefs. I think that's one of the reasons why the basics are so important, certainly an understanding of the basics will keep you from falling for false ideas about prophecy and that's important today because of so many false ideas floating around out there. I think it understanding the basics of Bible prophecy embraces the idea that the main things are the plain things and the things of the main things when it comes to Bible prophecy, and as you know from speaking in the past 10 I've always emphasize that understanding the basics follows the interpretive principle that when the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense was to end up nonsense.

I think if you don't understand the basics you like a leaf in the wind that can easily be blown every which direction the more educated you are in the basics, the more solid your foundation and the better your mental grid through which you can interpret the events that are taking place around us tattletale if you're a young Christian or a seasoned Christian everybody needs to understand the basics of Bible prophecy.

All of us looked with astonishment on 2020 and quite frankly is were really moving into 2021 some amazing things of been going on 2020 MA became obvious that were rushing towards globalism pandemics certainly help to rush to the one world system we are observing more and more I'm just use the word totalitarianism as it comes to how were being heard and get outshot into our homes and businesses closed things like that can setting the stage here for what's good becoming of the tribulation, but I think you need to speak into that because you do in this book. I think that what happened in 2020 and 2021 is so significant. I think it's because a lot of people to become more interested in prophecy yes to be sure, there are still churches or don't teach anything about it, but many others have turned the policy to find out what's going on. For example, with the outbreak of the global pandemic.

Many have become interested in Jesus is prophetic warning that in the end times. There will be plagues in many lands and with the rise of violence and anarchy in the streets. Many have become interested in Jesus's prophecy that in the end times and will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. With the rise of lawlessness in the land when you become interested in Paul's prophecy about the spirit of antichrist energizes lawlessness in the end times. What about the great reset and now I'm sure you probably don't know. So I have several balls and anti-God global globalist government you guys don't like God. They don't like nations that are trying to eliminate national sovereignty. They want to eliminate private property owned nothing on behalf of you and Hannity sounds like John Lennon, John Lennon just kind of ideas have made many people interested. What does the Bible say about globalism. For example, in Revelation 13. All of these things Jan are part and parcel of what I consider to be the basics of Bible prophecy, and that's why I wrote this book.

I want Christians to understand the basics so that when all of this stuff is happening before our very eyes. We will have a Bible-based mental grid through which we can understand exactly what is taking place and how it is actually fulfilling the prophecies found in Scripture.

Ron is talking about the book we carry in our store. Basic Bible prophecy essential facts. Every Christian should know olive trees used downward views as an viewpoint.

Olive tree is down or give my office a call again get on our newsletter lists annual find it promoted in those newsletters you can find out more about Ron rhodes@ronrhodes.org. Sorry Joe DES. This is just a little aside, but I think it's important you emailed me this was during the terrible ordeal that Texas went through. I believe it was back in February I had Coretta Minnesota. We live those kinds of conditions five months of the year, but Texas does not. Texas wasn't prepared for what happened the bitter cold. Everything that came with it and you wrote this to me at three cents. As you say, the state of Texas has been hugely humbled in just a matter of days.

To me it illustrates just how fast the entire world will be brought to its knees. When the widespread cosmic disturbances of the tribulation period are unleashed, it can happen so fast faster than anyone expects. As Scripture says ruin shall come upon you, suddenly, of which you know nothing.

No one prepares for no one expects it then bam here is sudden destruction will prevail during the tribulation. That to me was fascinating and I'm sure there was a lesson. Do you think anybody got the lesson I think that some people blind to what happening in the world but you know when you look at it.

There were people who were literally freezing to death in their own homes and yes there were casualties, many crops in Texas ruined not only reducing our food supply in the supply for the whole nation that causes the surviving crops to get raised in price suddenly Texans are scrambling for food and water. Because distribution broke down when electricity went out. The refrigerators at the stores no longer worked at the mouth of frozen food thought out and got ruined. No one could get the hospitals or doctors offices and pharmacies the damages to homes and businesses and property in general was immense weight. Jan I was here. If we mention I live in Texas so this is my backyard were talking about's and the point that I'm making is that this is just an ice storm. Look at how Texas was brought to its knees by ice storm that you compare the ice storm. With the tremendous cosmic disturbances of the tribulation. And there's no comparison. The fact is that once the cosmic disturbances of the tribulation. The critical lifelines of electricity, water, food, medical care, medical prescriptions and the like will quickly vanish. Unlike Texas there will be no recovery things will go from bad to worse in both intensity and frequency. Just like birth pangs. If you've ever wondered how can these things happen so fast in the book of Revelation. All this destruction. Your question is answered. Wonder no more recent events in Texas illustrate just how fast things can go horribly wrong. Talking to Dr. Ron Rhodes for the hour. This particular book we are referencing again basic Bible prophecy find in my store newsletters give my office a call play Cliff run so you want to come back and talk about it, you know, we really have come up with a lot of terms to describe our different positions have an a lot of people. It's Greek. We talked about pre-tribulation is amended tribulation is imposed.

Tribulation is a millennialism and post-millennialism in premillennialism and covenant theology and dispensationalism on a monitor goes in the rafters is one of many different words. I think some people is a little bit confusing.

Think a lot of people have difficulty trying to unravel how complicated some of this is what want to do today is just a zero in on one word. Hopefully by the time were done today you have a good understanding of the different views of the rapture and in particular why I have chosen pre-tribulation is. It could be that you hold a different view.

That's the case that's okay.

What I like to tell people is, even if some of us may have different views on the timing of the rapture. We agree on a lot more than we disagree.

Right after all we all agree that there will be a rapture. There will be a second coming that there will be a judgment that will have to give an answer for an answer to Christ at the judgment seat will live forever with God.

I mean all those things are the big picture those things to bring us unity and so we have a little bit of a disagreement on the timing of the rapture will that's okay but I'm still gonna tell you why I'm a pre-tribulation. This I want to tell you why I'm not one of the other positions. But again, if you disagree with me that's okay is still my brother or sister in the Lord brought you introduce that little clip they are talking about some of the big words and eschatology, for that matter, eschatology is a big word lambing talked about the literal versus allegorical way of interpreting the Bible which we probably should reference that but I think the point is here that you would like to see eschatology be easy to understand. I kinda think that's your specialty when it comes to communication. Perhaps you've tried to slip that into this book as well write. I tried to make this the easiest possible way to understand biblical prophecy.

I'm trying to be a tour guide. What I'm trying to do is to take you by the hand and taking you throughout the Scriptures and showing you what you need to know in terms of the who what when where and the why of Bible prophecy, and it's a good thing to look at different vantage points because were looking at the same prophetic realities from different positions, and the more that you do that, the better it sticks in your brain Jan I know that to be true because the way that I came to learn Bible prophecy was to study these very things. Since I've been there and done that. I feel like I can be a good tour guide and taking the reader all the way through biblical prophecy so that your conversational by the time were done in other words, you can converse with anyone about the big issues of Bible prophecy, and I should mention to you Jan, I don't try to bury the reader in detail. Yes, there are so many things that we could bring up in the context of a prophecy book that would just make a reader get overwhelmed with detail exactly and then you add into that the conflicting views. My goodness, look at all the conflicting views I just sent.

There's literal versus allegorical this preacher admitted to post-trip is covenant theology dispensational theology and you close that little clip saying I'm a pre-tribulation is defending that what you give us a paragraph first, what is pre-tribulation is him and then why are you standing by this position. Pre-tribulation audit give away what were talking about the pretrip viewpoint says that the rapture of the church takes place pre-tribulation. It happened before the tribulation.

That means that the church will be exempt from all the judgments of God that fall upon the world.

Jan this is based upon a literal understanding of biblical prophecy. Some of the other viewpoints hold to more allegorical understanding of Bible probably need to define what allegorical means allegorical means that there are symbolic ways of interpreting every prophecy. For example, the hundred and 44,000 Jewish evangelists in Revelation.

Maybe that doesn't really refer to hundred and 44,000 Jews. Maybe that's a metaphorical or symbolic representation of the church. That's what I mean by a symbol or an allegory. We believe it's literal. We believe it's literal. Just as I believe that the rapture will literally be before the tribulation.

And here's why hundred prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament about the first coming of the Messiah. Every one of them was fulfilled literally and because it was fulfilled literally. That means no allegory here, and I always like to remind people that if they want to understand how God is going fulfilled prophecies in the future consider how he is already fulfilled prophecies in the past God is consistent the properties of the first coming found literal fulfillment. All the prophecies of the second coming of the events that lead up to it will likewise find literal fulfillment. What that means. Jan is it when Scripture tells us that God intends for the church to be delivered from the wrath to come in from the day of wrath. That means that he does not want the church to go through the tribulation.

Which is the day of wrath when Scripture says that the nations and Israel will go to the tribulation. Not the church. I think that quite literally is not a single reference in the Old Testament to the church, going to the tribulation is not a single reference in the New Testament to the church, going to the tribulation. There will be believers during the tribulation, but they become believers after the tribulation has begun is basically just a little interpretation that leads me to say that pre-tribulation is the correct view considering run the tide of our times and you and I have been monitoring the tide of our times here for two decades. What current events would you encourage people to be focusing on here some options Middle East issues cultural issues we've already reference the decline of the culture political issues.

After all, the antichrist can be a politician and we've got some antichrist ask activities going on in Washington DC, not to mention Europe, we got apostasy in the church considering the tide of our times, and maybe you might answer perhaps all of these events she should be keeping our eyes on but something jump out at you what you thought you were converging sorry what I mean by that is he got multiple problems converging together. For example, Israel will become a nation again a long and worldwide dispersion that happened in 1948 Scripture then prophesies the Jewish people from all over the world will go back to Israel that's been happening every year since 1948 Scripture then prophesies that a coalition made up of a number of Muslim nations and Russia would one day watch and attack against Israel. That hasn't happened yet, but the stage is now set because there are now alliances between Russia and these Muslim nations and they don't like Israel, we could talk about the rebuilding of the temple in the tribulation.

Even now the money is being raised in the arc of plans drawn up instruments of the temple are being prefabricated. There are people talking about peace and safety in the Middle East. Just the Scripture said there would be people talking about peace and safety in the Middle East and then sudden destruction will come upon them.

Of course all of that is setting the stage for the eventual covenant to be signed between the antichrist and Israel to meet the convergence of all of these prophecies together is one thing the day of our deliverance draws near talking about the day of the rapture because I believe that the church is to be taken off the earth before all these other things will take place in terms of the tribulation. So I think is good reason to be excited. Today the Christian if you just join me here listening to understanding the sensory Jan Markel have on the line from Texas, Dr. Ron Rhodes probably interviewed run for about 15 years now on some of his 80 books that he's written we have carried so many of them running understand, just a quick aside here you're actually doing time workbook to end times in chronological order. Let's try working on that right now under five to be a good one. The publisher approached me, because the original book the end times of character under God's providential blessing. Super good.

Not only the United States but in multiple languages around the world. We sense that God's people are interested in this as you know Jan I write books to educate God's people had to exalt God and his word. I personally do not care or have any personal investment in that money because that's not something that I need if I can bless God's people through the written word. This is nothing that I'd rather be doing. I know that you feel the same ministry.

I'm very excited to be working on this right now and it should be done in the very near future.

I'm back to the midpoint of your book and basic level prophecy and looking at page here that jumped out at me and let's talk about at least for a couple minutes here titled, the United States may weaken as we progress into the end times as we speak. Ron and I've done a lot of programming on what's been going on in our wonderful land of the free home of the brave here for the last year, even over a year now. The pandemic hit in March 2020 life changed as we know it remains changed.

I know many think writing the back to normal all sorts of things from future elections to the vaccine. They're going to turn the world back in the happy days are here again. I personally don't believe that wanted to talk to me for Amanda Beth, United States may weaken as we progress into the end times because that's what I see on the horizon to horizon two, and the reason I say that United States may weaken as we progress in the end times is that the United States of Europe will become a superpower times.

I'm talking about a revived Roman empire is a variety of possible reasons that may account for the weakening of United States. More recently I might mention that the current administration is much more hostile to Israel. That's right. And I wonder how that relates to the Abraham a covenant with Abraham a covenant that God will bless those who bless Israel, but he will curse those who curse Israel.

So if United States turned its back on Israel. What are the implications for the United States. I am personally concerned about that. Another possibility tends the rapture of the church is. I could never be so bold as to claim that we've got more Christians here than any other nation.

I will claim that we got an awful lot of Christians here and when the rapture of the church takes place you're going to have people from every profession suddenly gone. Not only that, once the churches ratchet up the earth.

The restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is gone as well. If United States is falling into filth like crazy today and there is tremendous moral filth. What will happen when the restrainer is the Holy Spirit is removed at the rapture. I just hesitate to think about what might happen there. I also think about the fact that our country has come under strong delusion, and when the nation comes under strong delusion. God hands that nation over to experience the full brunt of the choices they have made which involves a judgment. It is a judgment from God Jan I'm not worried that's him to come in the future.

I'm worried that were already there. I am to run the things that might cause this weakening of United States, including attacks by terrorists.

These are days of discernment. Jan and Christian to not be aware of these things is again doing so in his own detriment. That's why I wrote basic Bible prophecy. I don't bury you in details, but I give you everything that you need to know in a mature guy that walks you through exactly what you need to know very well said they were tearing itself solid. Please use that or let me ask the question run clearly you and I could spend hours discussing the various issues that were talking about and that you have outlined the pages of this book mainly ask is the millennium needed where enjoying heaven terrible tribulation going on earth for seven years. We have to come back to this place visits can be cleaned up. Jesus Christ will clean it up. You'll be ruling from Jerusalem and then part two of my question why Satan allowed to lead one final rebellion against God.

I think the answer is related to God's overall purpose in human history, and I related to dispensationalism throughout the various ages. God always demonstrates that human beings fall no matter what circumstances the list during the millennial kingdom. What could be better crisis than a rule from Jerusalem. The churches can be involved in reining with him. God is going to restore spiritual blessings and longevity restore physical blessings on the earth. Only believers will enter into the millennial kingdom, but they will do so in their mortal bodies which means they continue to get married, have babies in those babies eventually grow up goes on and on throughout the millennium so that by the time of the millennium. Not everybody is a believer even though there's a perfect environment on the earth, so that Christ can illustrate this without any dispute to anyone.

Satan is allowed to do his work.

At the very end of the millennial kingdom in terms of leading a rebellion against God, and there will be countless people who are unsaved and participate.

God thereby proves that no matter how perfect the conditions are on earth. There is a sin nature in human because of the fall, so God will be vindicated.

In the end God is always warned against damages of evil and the damages of sin and nobody will be able to argue against that verdict.

Once all human ages are over with. But the good news. Jan is that after the millennial kingdom comes the eternal state. In the eternal state. You can have a resurrection body you live on a resurrected earth in a resurrected universe and is no more sin and is no more Satan.

What could be better than that. These were literalists, which we stated earlier, we are that millennium the thousand years is a literal 1000 years.

That is correct is the last 1000 years. I mean, there's nothing in the context indicates that that's to be taken spiritually or allegorically for symbolically and by the way, even the symbols are in the book of Revelation are often defined for us so that we can derive the literal meaning from that symbol. For example, when you look at the incense.

Scripture defines that incenses being the prayer of the saints. The point that I'm making is unless there's some kind of an indication the context is to be taken symbolically. We should interpret it as a literal meaning is no indication that this is less than the thousand years you have lined up this book in its basic Bible prophecy essentials. Ask every Christian should know when I am down run to about three minutes here, but you have a whole chapter here motivation to live expectantly.

And I think in light of some of the things we've talked about this entire hour and it's been is very serious. Our and as we get into anti-mission were talking the implosion of America and some of these things that are disheartening to say the least, you still encourage a motivation to live expectantly widely ramp it up with you talking about that and I got a couple minutes or after closing this way because I love this topic, my old friend Walter Martin used to say I read the last chapter in the book and we went really set it right when you look at the book of Revelation, especially at the end, we really do win in terms of living expectantly. There's so much stuff to expect in the future. That is wonderful for the Christian. For one thing the rapture is imminent. It could take place at any moment. There's not a single prophecy that must be fulfilled before the rapture takes place so that's something that we can expect as happening at any moment. Furthermore, work in the be with Christ.

The very moment that we followed that but say that we don't live up until the time of the rapture and we die before then. No problem. When you die as a Christian you can be directly in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. So you can live expectantly. Death will not defeat you. Still further, once you try resurrected at the rapture you can I have a glorified body that never gets old and never dies there is no imperfections there is no wrinkly skin or baldhead. There's no heart problems and no kind of disease at all.

Jan you can even eat food in your resurrection body should talk about that. That's what Jesus and he ate food on four different occasions in his resurrection body.

So again we can live expectantly. There not only that the resurrection body will be story of the building are present bodies compared to attempt but I resurrection body will be like a high-rise building superpowerful and you cannot get down we've got a lot to live for. We've got a lot to be excited about in the future, even though Bible prophecy does give some prophecies about bad things will happen in the future. The future of Christians is often if you understand these things and put wind in your sales like few other things can then roads.

Thank you for all you do run roads.org and all of trees down to work for the products we talked about particular our working on my newsletter list or give my office a call. I haven't used is saying here now folks for to three months.

You know I like to use it as often as I can, and it's appropriate to close with this somebody sent it came on a card. When the time was right to see part of the walls fell down. The sun stood still. The waves were: the stone was rolled away the clouds were parted and the Lord ascended and when the time is right, the King of Kings will return God is never early.

He's never late. He's always right on time and his plan for you is good to know he's got his eye on the sparrow, but he's got you engraved on the palm of his hands. I want you to remember that as we go out of this program want to thank you for listening will talk to you again next week.

By if you can't be via radio for understanding the times were you number all programming is posted to our website both its audio and video format.

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Don't be discouraged by the time of our time, God has a quality control is all foretold in the Bible. Everything is falling